Effect of Art Production on Negative Mood: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Chloe E.; Robbins, Steven J.

2007-01-01

Art therapists have long held that art production causes reductions in stress and elevations in mood (Rubin, 1999). The authors examined this claim in a randomized, controlled trial. Fifty adults between the ages of 18 and 30 were randomly assigned to either create an art work or to view and sort a series of art prints. Three measures of overall…

Dose reduction of risperidone and olanzapine can improve cognitive function and negative symptoms in stable schizophrenic patients: A single-blinded, 52-week, randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Zhou, Yanling; Li, Guannan; Li, Dan; Cui, Hongmei; Ning, Yuping

2018-05-01

The long-term effects of dose reduction of atypical antipsychotics on cognitive function and symptomatology in stable patients with schizophrenia remain unclear. We sought to determine the change in cognitive function and symptomatology after reducing risperidone or olanzapine dosage in stable schizophrenic patients. Seventy-five stabilized schizophrenic patients prescribed risperidone (≥4 mg/day) or olanzapine (≥10 mg/day) were randomly divided into a dose-reduction group ( n=37) and a maintenance group ( n=38). For the dose-reduction group, the dose of antipsychotics was reduced by 50%; for the maintenance group, the dose remained unchanged throughout the whole study. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Negative Symptom Assessment-16, Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side Effects, and Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) Consensus Cognitive Battery were measured at baseline, 12, 28, and 52 weeks. Linear mixed models were performed to compare the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Negative Symptom Assessment-16, Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side Effects and MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery scores between groups. The linear mixed model showed significant time by group interactions on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale negative symptoms, Negative Symptom Assessment-16, Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side Effects, speed of processing, attention/vigilance, working memory and total score of MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (all p<0.05). Post hoc analyses showed significant improvement in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale negative subscale, Negative Symptom Assessment-16, Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side Effects, speed of processing, working memory and total score of MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery for the dose reduction group compared with those for the maintenance group (all p<0.05). This study indicated that a risperidone or olanzapine dose reduction of 50% may not lead to more severe symptomatology but can improve speed of processing, working memory and negative symptoms in patients with stabilized schizophrenia.

In vivo social comparison to a thin-ideal peer promotes body dissatisfaction: a randomized experiment.

PubMed

Krones, Pamela G; Stice, Eric; Batres, Carla; Orjada, Kendra

2005-09-01

Although social comparison with media-portrayed thin-ideal images has been found to increase body dissatisfaction and negative affect, research has not yet tested whether social comparison with attractive peers in the real world produces similar effects. We randomly assigned 119 young women to interact either with a confederate who conformed to the thin ideal or one who conformed to the average body dimensions of women, within the context of an ostensive dating study. Exposure to the thin-ideal confederate resulted in an increase in body dissatisfaction but not negative affect or heart rate. Initial thin-ideal internalization, perceived sociocultural pressure, self-esteem, and observer-rated attractiveness did not moderate these effects. Results suggest that social comparative pressure to be thin fosters body dissatisfaction but may not promote negative affect. 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analyzing crash frequency in freeway tunnels: A correlated random parameters approach.

PubMed

Hou, Qinzhong; Tarko, Andrew P; Meng, Xianghai

2018-02-01

The majority of past road safety studies focused on open road segments while only a few focused on tunnels. Moreover, the past tunnel studies produced some inconsistent results about the safety effects of the traffic patterns, the tunnel design, and the pavement conditions. The effects of these conditions therefore remain unknown, especially for freeway tunnels in China. The study presented in this paper investigated the safety effects of these various factors utilizing a four-year period (2009-2012) of data as well as three models: 1) a random effects negative binomial model (RENB), 2) an uncorrelated random parameters negative binomial model (URPNB), and 3) a correlated random parameters negative binomial model (CRPNB). Of these three, the results showed that the CRPNB model provided better goodness-of-fit and offered more insights into the factors that contribute to tunnel safety. The CRPNB was not only able to allocate the part of the otherwise unobserved heterogeneity to the individual model parameters but also was able to estimate the cross-correlations between these parameters. Furthermore, the study results showed that traffic volume, tunnel length, proportion of heavy trucks, curvature, and pavement rutting were associated with higher frequencies of traffic crashes, while the distance to the tunnel wall, distance to the adjacent tunnel, distress ratio, International Roughness Index (IRI), and friction coefficient were associated with lower crash frequencies. In addition, the effects of the heterogeneity of the proportion of heavy trucks, the curvature, the rutting depth, and the friction coefficient were identified and their inter-correlations were analyzed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Glutamatergic drugs for schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Tuominen, Harri J; Tiihonen, Jari; Wahlbeck, Kristian

2005-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy of glutamatergic drugs, acting agonistically on the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) or the non-NMDA receptors, in schizophrenia. All relevant randomized controlled trials of glutamatergic drugs for schizophrenia were obtained from the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's Register of Trials without any language or year limitations. Trials were classified according to their methodological quality. For binary and continuous data, relative risks and weighted (WMD) or standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated, respectively. Eighteen short-term trials with 343 randomized patients were included in the meta-analysis. In all of these trials, glycine, D-serine, D-cycloserine or ampakine CX516 was used to augment antipsychotics. NMDA receptor co-agonists glycine and D-serine are effective in reducing negative symptoms (N = 132, fixed effect model SMD = -0.66, 95% CI -1.02 to -0.29, p = 0.0004) of schizophrenia, the magnitude of the effect is moderate. D-Cycloserine, a partial agonist of NMDA receptors, is less effective towards negative symptoms (N = 119, fixed effect model SMD = -0.11, 95% CI -0.48 to 0.25, p = 0.6). Positive symptoms fail to respond to glutamatergic medication. Available derived data on cognitive functioning do not indicate a significant effect of glycine or D-serine (N = 80, random effect model WMD = -2.79, 95% CI -6.17 to 0.60, p = 0.11). In the current limited data set, a moderate amelioration of negative symptoms of schizophrenia was found, but no other statistically significant beneficial effects on symptoms of schizophrenia.

Effect of Items Direction (Positive or Negative) on the Factorial Construction and Criterion Related Validity in Likert Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naji Qasem, Mamun Ali; Ahmad Gul, Showkeen Bilal

2014-01-01

The study was conducted to know the effect of items direction (positive or negative) on the factorial construction and criterion related validity in Likert scale. The descriptive survey research method was used for the study and the sample consisted of 510 undergraduate students selected by used random sampling technique. A scale developed by…

Effect of Items Direction (Positive or Negative) on the Reliability in Likert Scale. Paper-11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gul, Showkeen Bilal Ahmad; Qasem, Mamun Ali Naji; Bhat, Mehraj Ahmad

2015-01-01

In this paper an attempt was made to analyze the effect of items direction (positive or negative) on the Alpha Cronbach reliability coefficient and the Split Half reliability coefficient in Likert scale. The descriptive survey research method was used for the study and sample of 510 undergraduate students were selected by used random sampling…

Role of re-screening of cervical smears in internal quality control.

PubMed Central

Baker, A; Melcher, D; Smith, R

1995-01-01

AIMS--To investigate the use of rapid re-screening as a quality control method for previously screened cervical slides; to compare this method with 10% random re-screening and clinically indicated double screening. METHODS--Between June 1990 and December 1994, 117,890 negative smears were subjected to rapid re-screening. RESULTS--This study shows that rapid re-screening detects far greater numbers of false negative cases when compared with both 10% random re-screening and clinically indicated double screening, with no additional demand on human resources. The technique also identifies variation in the performance of screening personnel as an additional benefit. CONCLUSION--Rapid re-screening is an effective method of quality control. Although less sensitive, rapid re-screening should replace 10% random re-screening and selected re-screening as greater numbers of false negative results are detected while consuming less resources. PMID:8543619

Spatiotemporal and random parameter panel data models of traffic crash fatalities in Vietnam.

PubMed

Truong, Long T; Kieu, Le-Minh; Vu, Tuan A

2016-09-01

This paper investigates factors associated with traffic crash fatalities in 63 provinces of Vietnam during the period from 2012 to 2014. Random effect negative binomial (RENB) and random parameter negative binomial (RPNB) panel data models are adopted to consider spatial heterogeneity across provinces. In addition, a spatiotemporal model with conditional autoregressive priors (ST-CAR) is utilised to account for spatiotemporal autocorrelation in the data. The statistical comparison indicates the ST-CAR model outperforms the RENB and RPNB models. Estimation results provide several significant findings. For example, traffic crash fatalities tend to be higher in provinces with greater numbers of level crossings. Passenger distance travelled and road lengths are also positively associated with fatalities. However, hospital densities are negatively associated with fatalities. The safety impact of the national highway 1A, the main transport corridor of the country, is also highlighted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Zero-inflated count models for longitudinal measurements with heterogeneous random effects.

PubMed

Zhu, Huirong; Luo, Sheng; DeSantis, Stacia M

2017-08-01

Longitudinal zero-inflated count data arise frequently in substance use research when assessing the effects of behavioral and pharmacological interventions. Zero-inflated count models (e.g. zero-inflated Poisson or zero-inflated negative binomial) with random effects have been developed to analyze this type of data. In random effects zero-inflated count models, the random effects covariance matrix is typically assumed to be homogeneous (constant across subjects). However, in many situations this matrix may be heterogeneous (differ by measured covariates). In this paper, we extend zero-inflated count models to account for random effects heterogeneity by modeling their variance as a function of covariates. We show via simulation that ignoring intervention and covariate-specific heterogeneity can produce biased estimates of covariate and random effect estimates. Moreover, those biased estimates can be rectified by correctly modeling the random effects covariance structure. The methodological development is motivated by and applied to the Combined Pharmacotherapies and Behavioral Interventions for Alcohol Dependence (COMBINE) study, the largest clinical trial of alcohol dependence performed in United States with 1383 individuals.

The Prevention Program for Externalizing Problem Behavior (PEP) Improves Child Behavior by Reducing Negative Parenting: Analysis of Mediating Processes in a Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanisch, Charlotte; Hautmann, Christopher; Plück, Julia; Eichelberger, Ilka; Döpfner, Manfred

2014-01-01

Background: Our indicated Prevention program for preschool children with Externalizing Problem behavior (PEP) demonstrated improved parenting and child problem behavior in a randomized controlled efficacy trial and in a study with an effectiveness design. The aim of the present analysis of data from the randomized controlled trial was to identify…

Granisetron as an add-on to risperidone for treatment of negative symptoms in patients with stable schizophrenia: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study.

PubMed

Khodaie-Ardakani, Mohammad-Reza; Seddighi, Sahar; Modabbernia, Amirhossein; Rezaei, Farzin; Salehi, Bahman; Ashrafi, Mandana; Shams-Alizadeh, Narges; Mohammad-Karimi, Maryam; Esfandiari, Gholam-Reza; Hajiaghaee, Reza; Akhondzadeh, Shahin

2013-04-01

Some 5-HT3 antagonists such as ondansetron have shown beneficial effects on negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of granisetron (another 5-HT3 antagonist) add-on therapy in the treatment of negative symptoms of patients with stable schizophrenia. In a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study, forty stable patients with schizophrenia (DSM-IV-TR), were randomized to either granisetron (1 mg twice daily) or placebo (twice daily) in addition to risperidone up to 6 mg/day for eight weeks. The patients were assessed using positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) and extrapyramidal symptom rating scale (ESRS) at baseline, week 4 and 8. Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS) was used to assess depression at baseline and week 8. Thirty-eight patients completed the trial. Granisetron group showed a significantly greater improvement on negative subscale than the placebo group at endpoint [t(38) = 6.046, mean difference (±95% CI) = 3.2(1.8-3.7), P < 0.001]. The same effect was observed for total score [t(38) = 4.168, mean difference (95% CI) = 3.2(1.6-4.7), P < 0.001]. However the placebo and granisetron groups did not differ in their reduction of positive and general psychopathology symptoms scores. HDRS scores and its changes did not differ between the two groups. The ESRS score at week 4 was significantly lower in the granisetron than the placebo group while the two groups showed similar ESRS score at week 8. Frequency of other side effects was similar between the two groups. In summary, granisetron add-on can safely and effectively reduce the primary negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does the Incredible Years reduce child externalizing problems through improved parenting? The role of child negative affectivity and serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype.

PubMed

Weeland, Joyce; Chhangur, Rabia R; Jaffee, Sara R; Van Der Giessen, Danielle; Matthys, Walter; Orobio De Castro, Bram; Overbeek, Geertjan

2018-02-01

In a randomized controlled trial, the Observational Randomized Controlled Trial of Childhood Differential Susceptibility (ORCHIDS study), we tested whether observed parental affect and observed and reported parenting behavior are mechanisms of change underlying the effects of the behavioral parent training program the Incredible Years (IY). Furthermore, we tested whether some children are more susceptible to these change mechanisms because of their temperamental negative affectivity and/or serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype. Participants were 387 Dutch children between 4 and 8 years of age (M age = 6.31, SD = 1.33; 55.3% boys) and their parents. Results showed that although IY was successful in improving parenting behavior and increasing parental positive affect, these effects did not explain the significant decreases in child externalizing problems. We therefore found no evidence for changes in parenting behavior or parental affect being the putative mechanisms of IY effectiveness. Furthermore, intervention effects on child externalizing behavior were not moderated by child negative affectivity or 5-HTTLPR genotype. However, child 5-HTTLPR genotype did moderate intervention effects on negative parenting behavior. This suggests that in research on behavioral parent training programs, "what works for which parents" might also be an important question.

Unlinking Negative Cognition and Symptoms of Depression: Evidence of a Specific Treatment Effect for Cognitive Therapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beevers, Christopher G.; Miller, Ivan W.

2005-01-01

In this study, the authors examined whether cognitive therapy alters the association between negative cognition and symptoms of depression. Participants were recruited during psychiatric hospitalization for depression. Following discharge, they were randomly assigned to 6 months of outpatient treatment. Treatment consisted of pharmacotherapy…

Effects of media violence on health-related outcomes among young men.

PubMed

Brady, Sonya S; Matthews, Karen A

2006-04-01

To test the effects of media violence exposure on blood pressure, negative affect, hostile social information processing, uncooperative behavior, and attitudes toward health risk behaviors among young men varying in lifetime violence exposure within the home and community. Experimental laboratory study. University campus situated within an urban environment. One hundred male undergraduates aged 18 to 21 years. Men who had previously reported differing amounts of lifetime home and community violence were randomly assigned to play The Simpsons: Hit and Run (low-violence condition) or Grand Theft Auto III (high-violence condition). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure; negative affect; hostile social information processing; uncooperative behavior; and permissive attitudes toward violence, alcohol use, marijuana use, and sexual activity without condom use. Men randomly assigned to play Grand Theft Auto III exhibited greater increases in diastolic blood pressure from a baseline rest period to game play, greater negative affect, more permissive attitudes toward using alcohol and marijuana, and more uncooperative behavior in comparison with men randomly assigned to play The Simpsons. Only among participants with greater exposure to home and community violence, play of Grand Theft Auto III led to elevated systolic blood pressure in comparison with play of The Simpsons (mean, 13 vs 5 mm Hg). Media violence exposure may play a role in the development of negative attitudes and behaviors related to health. Although youth growing up in violent homes and communities may become more physiologically aroused by media violence exposure, all youth appear to be at risk for potentially negative outcomes.

Memantine augmentation in clozapine-refractory schizophrenia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study.

PubMed

Veerman, S R T; Schulte, P F J; Smith, J D; de Haan, L

2016-07-01

Dysfunction of neuroplasticity due to N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor hypofunction may be a causal factor for memory and executive dysfunctioning in schizophrenia. Deregulation of NMDA transmission in the prefrontal cortex may also explain negative and positive symptoms. Clozapine augmentation with memantine targets altered NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission in schizophrenia and showed substantial beneficial effects on several symptom domains in a small proof-of-concept study. We evaluate effects of memantine add-on treatment to clozapine for memory and executive function, and negative and positive symptoms in schizophrenia. Clozapine-treated patients with refractory schizophrenia were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of double-blind adjunctive treatment with memantine (n = 26) or placebo (n = 26). Crossover occurred after a 2-week placebo wash-out period. Primary endpoints were change from baseline to 12 weeks treatment and 14 weeks to 26 weeks treatment on memory and executive function using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale (CGI-S). Side effects were assessed using the Liverpool University Neuroleptic Side-Effect Rating Scale. When compared with placebo, memantine improved a composite memory score comprising verbal recognition memory and paired associates learning task scores on the CANTAB (effect size = 0.30) and PANSS negative subscale score (effect size = 0.29). Side effects were mild and transient. In patients with clozapine-treated refractory schizophrenia, memantine addition significantly improved verbal and visual memory and negative symptoms without serious adverse effects. These results justify further investigations on long-term memantine augmentation to clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

A randomized clinical trial of histamine 2 receptor antagonism in treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

PubMed

Meskanen, Katarina; Ekelund, Heidi; Laitinen, Jarmo; Neuvonen, Pertti J; Haukka, Jari; Panula, Pertti; Ekelund, Jesper

2013-08-01

Histamine has important functions as regulator of several other key neurotransmitters. Patients with schizophrenia have lower histamine H1 receptor levels. Since a case report in 1990 of an effect of the H2 antagonist famotidine on negative symptoms in schizophrenia, some open-label trials have been performed, but no randomized controlled trial. Recently, it was shown that clozapine is a full inverse agonist at the H2 receptor. We performed a researcher-initiated, academically financed, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, randomized trial with the histamine H2 antagonist famotidine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Thirty subjects with schizophrenia were randomized to have either famotidine (100 mg twice daily, n = 16) or placebo (n = 14) orally, added to their normal treatment regimen for 4 weeks. They were followed up weekly with the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), the PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale. In the famotidine group, the SANS score was reduced by 5.3 (SD, 13.1) points, whereas in the placebo group the SANS score was virtually unchanged (mean change, +0.2 [SD, 9.5]). The difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.134) in Mann-Whitney U analysis. However, the PANSS Total score and the General subscore as well as the CGI showed significantly (P < 0.05) greater change in the famotidine group than in the placebo group. No significant adverse effects were observed. This is the first placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial showing a beneficial effect of histamine H2 antagonism in schizophrenia. H2 receptor antagonism may provide a new alternative for the treatment of schizophrenia.

Effects of Creative Thinking and Its Personality Determinants on Negative Emotion Regulation.

PubMed

Chiu, Fa-Chung; Hsu, Chih-Chun; Lin, Yao-Nan; Liu, Cheng-Hong; Chen, Hsueh-Chih; Lin, Chi-Hsiang

2018-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between creativity and negative emotion, and the effects of integrating creative insight into the reappraisal process on negative emotions. In Study 1, participants' creativity and baseline anxiety levels were measured; then anxiety was induced, and anxiety levels were reassessed. In Study 2, participants wrote about past negative events and then completed the positive and negative affect schedule. They were split into three groups (insight reappraisal, simple reappraisal, or control groups); each of them received a separate intervention, and then they completed positive and negative affect schedule again. In Study 3, participants were randomly assigned to insight reappraisal or control groups; apart from measuring cognitive changes, the procedures were identical to Study 2. All participants were undergraduate students. Results showed that flexibility, originality, risk-taking, and complexity are negatively correlated with anxiety, and that insight reappraisal can induce insight experience and enhance cognitive changes, and reduce negative emotional responses. Therefore, integrating creative insight into the reappraisal process can enhance its effectiveness in reducing negative emotions.

Diwu Yanggan capsule improving liver histological response for patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Li, Hanmin; Ye, Zhihua; Gao, Xiang; Zhang, Lisheng; Yao, Xin; Gu, Jianxun; Lu, Dingbo; Wan, Ming; Xiao, Lin; Cai, Wangxi; Yan, Xuesheng; Zhao, Binbin; Wu, Yu; Zhang, Jinrong

2018-01-01

The number of patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) has shown a significant upward trend in recent years. However, antiviral drugs are not very effective. Regulation of liver regeneration by traditional Chinese medicine is an important way to improve clinical efficacy. This randomized controlled trial assessed the efficacy and safety of DWYG in patients with HBeAg-negative CHB. Overall, 130 subjects were randomized to (A) DWYG 1.2 g three times daily (n = 44), (B) entecavir 0.5 mg/day (n = 43) in combination with DWYG or (C) entecavir 0.5 mg/day (n = 43). The liver histological response rate was assessed as the primary efficacy endpoint. The results showed that the liver histological response rate in the combination treatment group was significantly higher than that in the group with entecavir (71.43% versus 22.22%; P = 0.036) after 48 weeks of treatment. And the pathological progression rate of liver in the group with DWYG was significantly lower than that of the entecavir group during 228 weeks of follow-up (0% versus 60.00%; P = 0.019). No significant adverse events occurred during the study. In conclusion, treating HBeAg-negative CHB with DWYG is safe and effective to improve liver histological response.

The Direct and Indirect Effects of Paliperidone Extended-release on Depressive Symptoms in Schizoaffective Disorder: A Path Analysis.

PubMed

Turkoz, Ibrahim; Fu, Dong-Jing; Bossie, Cynthia A; Alphs, Larry

2015-01-01

This analysis evaluates improvement in symptoms of depression in patients with schizoaffective disorder administered oral paliperidone extended-release by accounting for the magnitude of direct and indirect (changes in negative and positive symptoms and worsening of extrapyramidal symptoms) treatment effects on depressive symptoms. Data for this post hoc analysis were drawn from two six-week, randomized, placebo-controlled studies of paliperidone extended-release versus placebo in adult subjects with schizoaffective disorder (N=614; NCT00412373, NCT00397033). Subjects with baseline 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores of 16 or greater were included. Structural equation models (path analyses) were used to separate total effects into direct and indirect effects on depressive symptoms. Change from baseline in 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score at the Week 6 end point was the dependent variable; changes in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale positive and negative factors and Simpson-Angus Scale (to evaluate extrapyramidal symptoms) scores were independent variables. At baseline, 332 of 614 (54.1%) subjects had a 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score of 16 or greater. Path analysis determined that up to 26.4 percent of the paliperidone extended-release versus placebo effect on depressive symptoms may be attributed to a direct treatment effect, and 45.8 percent and 28.4 percent were mediated indirectly through improvements on positive and negative symptoms, respectively. No effects were identified as mediated through extrapyramidal symptoms changes (-0.7%). RESULTS of this analysis suggest that paliperidone's effect on depressive symptoms in subjects with schizoaffective disorder participating in two six-week, randomized, placebo-controlled studies is mediated through indirect effects (e.g., positive and negative symptom changes) and a direct treatment effect.

An INAR(1) Negative Multinomial Regression Model for Longitudinal Count Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bockenholt, Ulf

1999-01-01

Discusses a regression model for the analysis of longitudinal count data in a panel study by adapting an integer-valued first-order autoregressive (INAR(1)) Poisson process to represent time-dependent correlation between counts. Derives a new negative multinomial distribution by combining INAR(1) representation with a random effects approach.…

Prophylactic negative-pressure wound therapy after cesarean is associated with reduced risk of surgical site infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Yu, Lulu; Kronen, Ryan J; Simon, Laura E; Stoll, Carolyn R T; Colditz, Graham A; Tuuli, Methodius G

2018-02-01

The objective of the study was to assess the effect of prophylactic negative-pressure wound therapy on surgical site infections and other wound complications in women after cesarean delivery. We searched Ovid Medline, Embase, SCOPUS, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and ClinicalTrials.gov. We included randomized controlled trials and observational studies comparing prophylactic negative-pressure wound therapy with standard wound dressing for cesarean delivery. The primary outcome was surgical site infection after cesarean delivery. Secondary outcomes were composite wound complications, wound dehiscence, wound seroma, endometritis, and hospital readmission. Heterogeneity was assessed using Higgin's I 2 . Relative risks with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using random-effects models. Six randomized controlled trials and 3 cohort studies in high-risk mostly obese women met inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Six were full-text articles, 2 published abstracts, and 1 report of trial results in ClinicalTrials.gov. Studies were also heterogeneous in the patients included and type of negative-pressure wound therapy device. The risk of surgical site infection was significantly lower with the use of prophylactic negative-pressure wound therapy compared with standard wound dressing (7 studies: pooled risk ratio, 0.45; 95% confidence interval, 0.31-0.66; adjusted risk ratio, -6.0%, 95% confidence interval, -10.0% to -3.0%; number needed to treat, 17, 95% confidence interval, 10-34). There was no evidence of significant statistical heterogeneity (I 2  = 9.9%) or publication bias (Egger P = .532). Of the secondary outcomes, only composite wound complications were significantly reduced in patients receiving prophylactic negative-pressure wound therapy compared with standard dressing (9 studies: pooled risk ratio, 0.68, 95% confidence interval, 0.49-0.94). Studies on the effectiveness of prophylactic negative-pressure wound therapy at cesarean delivery are heterogeneous but suggest a reduction in surgical site infection and overall wound complications. Larger definitive trials are needed to clarify the clinical utility of prophylactic negative-pressure wound therapy after cesarean delivery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Assertiveness Training and Expressive Writing on Acculturative Stress in International Students: A Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Tavakoli, Shedeh; Lumley, Mark A.; Hijazi, Alaa M.; Slavin-Spenny, Olga M.; Parris, George P.

2010-01-01

International university students often experience acculturative stress, and culturally appropriate techniques to manage stress are needed. This randomized trial tested the effects of group assertiveness training, private expressive writing, their combination, and a wait-list control on the acculturative stress, affect, and health of 118 international students at an urban, American university. Interventions were conducted at the start of a semester, and assessments were conducted at baseline and the end of the semester. Group assertiveness training was rated positively by students and led to lower negative affect, whereas expressive writing was less well received and led to higher homesickness and fear, but also higher positive affect. The combined intervention had no effects, perhaps because the two components negated each other. It is concluded that group assertiveness training improves emotional adjustment of international students, but expressive writing has mixed effects and needs further development and study. PMID:20357910

Tai-Chi for Residential Patients with Schizophrenia on Movement Coordination, Negative Symptoms, and Functioning: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Ho, Rainbow T. H.; Au Yeung, Friendly S. W.; Lo, Phyllis H. Y.; Law, Kit Ying; Wong, Kelvin O. K.; Cheung, Irene K. M.; Ng, Siu Man

2012-01-01

Objective. Patients with schizophrenia residing at institutions often suffer from negative symptoms, motor, and functional impairments more severe than their noninstitutionalized counterparts. Tai-chi emphasizes body relaxation, alertness, and movement coordination with benefits to balance, focus, and stress relief. This pilot study explored the efficacy of Tai-chi on movement coordination, negative symptoms, and functioning disabilities towards schizophrenia. Methods. A randomized waitlist control design was adopted, where participants were randomized to receive either the 6-week Tai-chi program and standard residential care or only the latter. 30 Chinese patients with schizophrenia were recruited from a rehabilitation residency. All were assessed on movement coordination, negative symptoms, and functional disabilities at baseline, following intervention and 6 weeks after intervention. Results. Tai-chi buffered from deteriorations in movement coordination and interpersonal functioning, the latter with sustained effectiveness 6 weeks after the class was ended. Controls showed marked deteriorations in those areas. The Tai-chi group also experienced fewer disruptions to life activities at the 6-week maintenance. There was no significant improvement in negative symptoms after Tai-chi. Conclusions. This study demonstrated encouraging benefits of Tai-chi in preventing deteriorations in movement coordination and interpersonal functioning for residential patients with schizophrenia. The ease of implementation facilitates promotion at institutional psychiatric services. PMID:23304224

Tai-chi for residential patients with schizophrenia on movement coordination, negative symptoms, and functioning: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Ho, Rainbow T H; Au Yeung, Friendly S W; Lo, Phyllis H Y; Law, Kit Ying; Wong, Kelvin O K; Cheung, Irene K M; Ng, Siu Man

2012-01-01

Objective. Patients with schizophrenia residing at institutions often suffer from negative symptoms, motor, and functional impairments more severe than their noninstitutionalized counterparts. Tai-chi emphasizes body relaxation, alertness, and movement coordination with benefits to balance, focus, and stress relief. This pilot study explored the efficacy of Tai-chi on movement coordination, negative symptoms, and functioning disabilities towards schizophrenia. Methods. A randomized waitlist control design was adopted, where participants were randomized to receive either the 6-week Tai-chi program and standard residential care or only the latter. 30 Chinese patients with schizophrenia were recruited from a rehabilitation residency. All were assessed on movement coordination, negative symptoms, and functional disabilities at baseline, following intervention and 6 weeks after intervention. Results. Tai-chi buffered from deteriorations in movement coordination and interpersonal functioning, the latter with sustained effectiveness 6 weeks after the class was ended. Controls showed marked deteriorations in those areas. The Tai-chi group also experienced fewer disruptions to life activities at the 6-week maintenance. There was no significant improvement in negative symptoms after Tai-chi. Conclusions. This study demonstrated encouraging benefits of Tai-chi in preventing deteriorations in movement coordination and interpersonal functioning for residential patients with schizophrenia. The ease of implementation facilitates promotion at institutional psychiatric services.

Negative, Null and Beneficial Effects of Drinking Water on Energy Intake, Energy Expenditure, Fat Oxidation and Weight Change in Randomized Trials: A Qualitative Review

PubMed Central

Stookey, Jodi J. D.

2016-01-01

Drinking water has heterogeneous effects on energy intake (EI), energy expenditure (EE), fat oxidation (FO) and weight change in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving adults and/or children. The aim of this qualitative review of RCTs was to identify conditions associated with negative, null and beneficial effects of drinking water on EI, EE, FO and weight, to generate hypotheses about ways to optimize drinking water interventions for weight management. RCT conditions that are associated with negative or null effects of drinking water on EI, EE and/or FO in the short term are associated with negative or null effects on weight over the longer term. RCT conditions that are associated with lower EI, increased EE and/or increased FO in the short term are associated with less weight gain or greater weight loss over time. Drinking water instead of caloric beverages decreases EI when food intake is ad libitum. Drinking water increases EE in metabolically-inflexible, obese individuals. Drinking water increases FO when blood carbohydrate and/or insulin concentrations are not elevated and when it is consumed instead of caloric beverages or in volumes that alter hydration status. Further research is needed to confirm the observed associations and to determine if/what specific conditions optimize drinking water interventions for weight management. PMID:26729162

Negative, Null and Beneficial Effects of Drinking Water on Energy Intake, Energy Expenditure, Fat Oxidation and Weight Change in Randomized Trials: A Qualitative Review.

PubMed

Stookey, Jodi J D

2016-01-02

Drinking water has heterogeneous effects on energy intake (EI), energy expenditure (EE), fat oxidation (FO) and weight change in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving adults and/or children. The aim of this qualitative review of RCTs was to identify conditions associated with negative, null and beneficial effects of drinking water on EI, EE, FO and weight, to generate hypotheses about ways to optimize drinking water interventions for weight management. RCT conditions that are associated with negative or null effects of drinking water on EI, EE and/or FO in the short term are associated with negative or null effects on weight over the longer term. RCT conditions that are associated with lower EI, increased EE and/or increased FO in the short term are associated with less weight gain or greater weight loss over time. Drinking water instead of caloric beverages decreases EI when food intake is ad libitum. Drinking water increases EE in metabolically-inflexible, obese individuals. Drinking water increases FO when blood carbohydrate and/or insulin concentrations are not elevated and when it is consumed instead of caloric beverages or in volumes that alter hydration status. Further research is needed to confirm the observed associations and to determine if/what specific conditions optimize drinking water interventions for weight management.

A randomized clinical trial of the effectiveness of premarital intervention: moderators of divorce outcomes.

PubMed

Markman, Howard J; Rhoades, Galena K; Stanley, Scott M; Peterson, Kristina M

2013-02-01

This study examined the effects of premarital relationship intervention on divorce during the first 8 years of first marriage. Religious organizations were randomly assigned to have couples marrying through them complete the Prevention and Relationship Education Program (PREP) or their naturally occurring premarital services. Results indicated no differences in overall divorce rates between naturally occurring services (n = 44), PREP delivered by clergy at religious organizations (n = 66), or PREP delivered by professionals at a university (n = 83). Three moderators were also tested. Measured premaritally and before intervention, the level of negativity of couples' interactions moderated effects. Specifically, couples observed to have higher levels of negative communication in a video task were more likely to divorce if they received PREP than if they received naturally occurring services; couples with lower levels of premarital negative communication were more likely to remain married if they received PREP. A history of physical aggression in the current relationship before marriage and before intervention showed a similar pattern as a moderator, but the effect was only marginally significant. Family-of-origin background (parental divorce and/or aggression) was not a significant moderator of prevention effects across the two kinds of services. Implications for defining risk, considering divorce as a positive versus negative outcome, the practice of premarital relationship education, and social policy are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Exploring the effects of roadway characteristics on the frequency and severity of head-on crashes: case studies from Malaysian federal roads.

PubMed

Hosseinpour, Mehdi; Yahaya, Ahmad Shukri; Sadullah, Ahmad Farhan

2014-01-01

Head-on crashes are among the most severe collision types and of great concern to road safety authorities. Therefore, it justifies more efforts to reduce both the frequency and severity of this collision type. To this end, it is necessary to first identify factors associating with the crash occurrence. This can be done by developing crash prediction models that relate crash outcomes to a set of contributing factors. This study intends to identify the factors affecting both the frequency and severity of head-on crashes that occurred on 448 segments of five federal roads in Malaysia. Data on road characteristics and crash history were collected on the study segments during a 4-year period between 2007 and 2010. The frequency of head-on crashes were fitted by developing and comparing seven count-data models including Poisson, standard negative binomial (NB), random-effect negative binomial, hurdle Poisson, hurdle negative binomial, zero-inflated Poisson, and zero-inflated negative binomial models. To model crash severity, a random-effect generalized ordered probit model (REGOPM) was used given a head-on crash had occurred. With respect to the crash frequency, the random-effect negative binomial (RENB) model was found to outperform the other models according to goodness of fit measures. Based on the results of the model, the variables horizontal curvature, terrain type, heavy-vehicle traffic, and access points were found to be positively related to the frequency of head-on crashes, while posted speed limit and shoulder width decreased the crash frequency. With regard to the crash severity, the results of REGOPM showed that horizontal curvature, paved shoulder width, terrain type, and side friction were associated with more severe crashes, whereas land use, access points, and presence of median reduced the probability of severe crashes. Based on the results of this study, some potential countermeasures were proposed to minimize the risk of head-on crashes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abdominal drainage following cholecystectomy: high, low, or no suction?

PubMed Central

McCormack, T. T.; Abel, P. D.; Collins, C. D.

1983-01-01

A prospective trial to assess the effect of suction in an abdominal drain following cholecystectomy was carried out. Three types of closed drainage system were compared: a simple tube drain, a low negative pressure drain, and a high negative pressure drain: 120 consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy were randomly allocated to one of the three drainage groups. There was no significant difference in postoperative pyrexia, wound infection, chest infection, or hospital stay. This study failed to demonstrate any clinically useful difference between high negative pressure, low negative pressure, and static drainage system were compared: a simple tube drain, a low negative used, suction is not necessary and a simple tube drain (greater than 6 mm internal diameter) is the most effective form of drainage. PMID:6614773

Treatments of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Meta-Analysis of 168 Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Fusar-Poli, Paolo; Papanastasiou, Evangelos; Stahl, Daniel; Rocchetti, Matteo; Carpenter, William; Shergill, Sukhwinder; McGuire, Philip

2015-01-01

Objectives: Existing treatments for schizophrenia can improve positive symptoms, but it is unclear if they have any impact on negative symptoms. This meta-analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy of available treatments for negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Methods: All randomized-controlled trials of interventions for negative symptoms in schizophrenia until December 2013 were retrieved; 168 unique and independent placebo-controlled trials were used. Negative symptom scores at baseline and follow-up, duration of illness, doses of medication, type of interventions, and sample demographics were extracted. Heterogeneity was addressed with the I 2 and Q statistic. Standardized mean difference in values of the Negative Symptom Rating Scale used in each study was calculated as the main outcome measure. Results: 6503 patients in the treatment arm and 5815 patients in the placebo arm were included. No evidence of publication biases found. Most treatments reduced negative symptoms at follow-up relative to placebo: second-generation antipsychotics: −0.579 (−0.755 to −0.404); antidepressants: −0.349 (−0.551 to −0.146); combinations of pharmacological agents: −0.518 (−0.757 to −0.279); glutamatergic medications: −0.289 (−0.478 to −0.1); psychological interventions: −0.396 (−0.563 to −0.229). No significant effect was found for first-generation antipsychotics: −0.531 (−1.104 to 0.041) and brain stimulation: −0.228 (−0.775 to 0.319). Effects of most treatments were not clinically meaningful as measured on Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale. Conclusions and Relevance: Although some statistically significant effects on negative symptoms were evident, none reached the threshold for clinically significant improvement. PMID:25528757

Impact of acute administration of escitalopram on the processing of emotional and neutral images: a randomized crossover fMRI study of healthy women.

PubMed

Outhred, Tim; Das, Pritha; Felmingham, Kim L; Bryant, Richard A; Nathan, Pradeep J; Malhi, Gin S; Kemp, Andrew H

2014-07-01

Acute neural effects of antidepressant medication on emotion processing biases may provide the foundation on which clinical outcomes are based. Along with effects on positive and negative stimuli, acute effects on neutral stimuli may also relate to antidepressant efficacy, yet these effects are still to be investigated. The present study therefore examined the impact of a single dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor escitalopram (20 mg) on positive, negative and neutral stimuli using pharmaco-fMRI. Within a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover design, healthy women completed 2 sessions of treatment administration and fMRI scanning separated by a 1-week washout period. We enrolled 36 women in our study. When participants were administered escitalopram relative to placebo, left amygdala activity was increased and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) activity was decreased during presentation of positive pictures (potentiation of positive emotion processing). In contrast, escitalopram was associated with decreased left amygdala and increased right IFG activity during presentation of negative pictures (attenuation of negative emotion processing). In addition, escitalopram decreased right IFG activity during the processing of neutral stimuli, akin to the effects on positive stimuli (decrease in negative appraisal). Although we used a women-only sample to reduce heterogeneity, our results may not generalize to men. Potential unblinding, which was related to the subjective occurrence of side effects, occurred in the study; however, manipulation check analyses demonstrated that results were not impacted. These novel findings demonstrate that a single dose of the commonly prescribed escitalopram facilitates a positive information processing bias. These findings provide an important lead for better understanding effects of antidepressant medication.

Differentiating emotions across contexts: comparing adults with and without social anxiety disorder using random, social interaction, and daily experience sampling.

PubMed

Kashdan, Todd B; Farmer, Antonina S

2014-06-01

The ability to recognize and label emotional experiences has been associated with well-being and adaptive functioning. This skill is particularly important in social situations, as emotions provide information about the state of relationships and help guide interpersonal decisions, such as whether to disclose personal information. Given the interpersonal difficulties linked to social anxiety disorder (SAD), deficient negative emotion differentiation may contribute to impairment in this population. We hypothesized that people with SAD would exhibit less negative emotion differentiation in daily life, and these differences would translate to impairment in social functioning. We recruited 43 people diagnosed with generalized SAD and 43 healthy adults to describe the emotions they experienced over 14 days. Participants received palmtop computers for responding to random prompts and describing naturalistic social interactions; to complete end-of-day diary entries, they used a secure online website. We calculated intraclass correlation coefficients to capture the degree of differentiation of negative and positive emotions for each context (random moments, face-to-face social interactions, and end-of-day reflections). Compared to healthy controls, the SAD group exhibited less negative (but not positive) emotion differentiation during random prompts, social interactions, and (at trend level) end-of-day assessments. These differences could not be explained by emotion intensity or variability over the 14 days, or to comorbid depression or anxiety disorders. Our findings suggest that people with generalized SAD have deficits in clarifying specific negative emotions felt at a given point of time. These deficits may contribute to difficulties with effective emotion regulation and healthy social relationship functioning.

Is psychotherapy for functional somatic syndromes harmful? A mixed methods study on negative effects.

PubMed

Holsting, A F; Pedersen, H F; Rask, M T; Frostholm, L; Schröder, A

2017-07-01

Concern for negative effects of psychotherapy for functional somatic syndromes (FSS) has been expressed by clinicians and some patient associations, which may prevent patients from seeking treatment. Therefore, we sought to explore the occurrence and characteristics of negative effects from group-based psychotherapy as experienced by patients with severe or multiple FSS. An adapted version of the explanatory sequential mixed methods design was applied. We used data from an on-going pilot study on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Negative effects were measured by Inventory for the assessment of Negative Effects of Psychotherapy (INEP). In addition, telephone interviews were conducted with randomly chosen patients and patients who reported negative effects. The latter were asked to elaborate on their INEP response. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively while interview transcripts were explored by thematic analysis. Eighty patients responded to the questionnaire (89%). Negative effects to different extent (from 'slightly agree' to 'fully agree') were reported by 25 (31%). The most frequent negative effects were dependence on the therapist (12%), feeling down after therapy (6%) and insurance problems (7%). By exploring 27 participants' experiences of negative effects 3 main themes were identified: relations in therapy, outcome and transition from therapy to everyday life. Patients with FSS reported a few specific negative effects, all with low frequency. Generally, therapy was well-received. Some patients did however express negative effects both within and outside the therapeutic context. It is important to inform patients about potential negative effects prior to psychotherapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of glucose and ethylene on root hair initiation and elongation in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) seedlings.

PubMed

Harigaya, Wakana; Takahashi, Hidenori

2018-05-01

Root hair formation occurs in lettuce seedlings after transfer to an acidic medium (pH 4.0). This process requires cortical microtubule (CMT) randomization in root epidermal cells and the plant hormone ethylene. We investigated the interaction between ethylene and glucose, a new signaling molecule in plants, in lettuce root development, with an emphasis on root hair formation. Dark-grown seedlings were used to exclude the effect of photosynthetically produced glucose. In the dark, neither root hair formation nor the CMT randomization preceding it occurred, even after transfer to the acidic medium (pH 4.0). Adding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic-acid (ACC) to the medium rescued the induction, while adding glucose did not. Although CMT randomization occurred when glucose was applied together with ACC, it was somewhat suppressed compared to that in ACC-treated seedlings. This was not due to a decrease in the speed of randomization, but due to lowering of the maximum degree of randomization. Despite the negative effect of glucose on ACC-induced CMT randomization, the density and length of ACC-induced root hairs increased when glucose was also added. The hair-cell length of the ACC-treated seedlings was comparable to that in the combined-treatment seedlings, indicating that the increase in hair density caused by glucose results from an increase in the root hair number. Furthermore, quantitative RT-PCR revealed that glucose suppressed ethylene signaling. These results suggest that glucose has a negative and positive effect on the earlier and later stages of root hair formation, respectively, and that the promotion of the initiation and elongation of root hairs by glucose may be mediated in an ethylene-independent manner.

A randomized trial of a cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnosis intervention on positive and negative affect during breast cancer radiotherapy

PubMed Central

Schnur, Julie B.; David, Daniel; Kangas, Maria; Green, Sheryl; Bovbjerg, Dana H.; Montgomery, Guy H.

2009-01-01

Breast cancer radiotherapy can be an emotionally difficult experience. Despite this, few studies have examined the effectiveness of psychological interventions to reduce negative affect, and none to date have explicitly examined interventions to improve positive affect among breast cancer radiotherapy patients. The present study examined the effectiveness of a multimodal psychotherapeutic approach, combining cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnosis (CBTH), to reduce negative affect and increase positive affect in 40 women undergoing breast cancer radiotherapy. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either CBTH or standard care. Participants completed weekly self-report measures of positive and negative affect. Repeated and univariate analyses of variance revealed that the CBTH approach reduced levels of negative affect [F (1, 38) = 13.49; p = .0007], and increased levels of positive affect [F (1, 38) = 9.67; p = .0035, ω2 = .48], during the course of radiotherapy. Additionally, relative to control group, the CBTH group demonstrated significantly more intense positive affect [F (1,38) = 7.09; p = .0113, d = .71] and significantly less intense negative affect [F (1,38) = 10.30; p = .0027, d = .90] during radiotherapy. The CBTH group also had a significantly higher frequency of days where positive affect was greater than negative affect (85% of days assessed for the CBTH group versus 43% of the Control group) [F (1,38) = 18.16; p = .0001, d = 1.16]. Therefore, the CBTH intervention has the potential to improve the affective experience of women undergoing breast cancer radiotherapy. PMID:19226611

The influence of negative training set size on machine learning-based virtual screening.

PubMed

Kurczab, Rafał; Smusz, Sabina; Bojarski, Andrzej J

2014-01-01

The paper presents a thorough analysis of the influence of the number of negative training examples on the performance of machine learning methods. The impact of this rather neglected aspect of machine learning methods application was examined for sets containing a fixed number of positive and a varying number of negative examples randomly selected from the ZINC database. An increase in the ratio of positive to negative training instances was found to greatly influence most of the investigated evaluating parameters of ML methods in simulated virtual screening experiments. In a majority of cases, substantial increases in precision and MCC were observed in conjunction with some decreases in hit recall. The analysis of dynamics of those variations let us recommend an optimal composition of training data. The study was performed on several protein targets, 5 machine learning algorithms (SMO, Naïve Bayes, Ibk, J48 and Random Forest) and 2 types of molecular fingerprints (MACCS and CDK FP). The most effective classification was provided by the combination of CDK FP with SMO or Random Forest algorithms. The Naïve Bayes models appeared to be hardly sensitive to changes in the number of negative instances in the training set. In conclusion, the ratio of positive to negative training instances should be taken into account during the preparation of machine learning experiments, as it might significantly influence the performance of particular classifier. What is more, the optimization of negative training set size can be applied as a boosting-like approach in machine learning-based virtual screening.

The influence of negative training set size on machine learning-based virtual screening

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The paper presents a thorough analysis of the influence of the number of negative training examples on the performance of machine learning methods. Results The impact of this rather neglected aspect of machine learning methods application was examined for sets containing a fixed number of positive and a varying number of negative examples randomly selected from the ZINC database. An increase in the ratio of positive to negative training instances was found to greatly influence most of the investigated evaluating parameters of ML methods in simulated virtual screening experiments. In a majority of cases, substantial increases in precision and MCC were observed in conjunction with some decreases in hit recall. The analysis of dynamics of those variations let us recommend an optimal composition of training data. The study was performed on several protein targets, 5 machine learning algorithms (SMO, Naïve Bayes, Ibk, J48 and Random Forest) and 2 types of molecular fingerprints (MACCS and CDK FP). The most effective classification was provided by the combination of CDK FP with SMO or Random Forest algorithms. The Naïve Bayes models appeared to be hardly sensitive to changes in the number of negative instances in the training set. Conclusions In conclusion, the ratio of positive to negative training instances should be taken into account during the preparation of machine learning experiments, as it might significantly influence the performance of particular classifier. What is more, the optimization of negative training set size can be applied as a boosting-like approach in machine learning-based virtual screening. PMID:24976867

Serious Game Leverages Productive Negativity to Facilitate Conceptual Change in Undergraduate Molecular Biology: A Mixed-Methods Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gauthier, Andrea; Jenkinson, Jodie

2017-01-01

We designed a serious game, MolWorlds, to facilitate conceptual change about molecular emergence by using game mechanics (resource management, immersed 3rd person character, sequential level progression, and 3-star scoring system) to encourage cycles of productive negativity. We tested the value-added effect of game design by comparing and…

Raloxifene as an Adjunctive Treatment for Postmenopausal Women With Schizophrenia: A 24-Week Double-Blind, Randomized, Parallel, Placebo-Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Usall, Judith; Huerta-Ramos, Elena; Labad, Javier; Cobo, Jesús; Núñez, Christian; Creus, Marta; Parés, Gemma García; Cuadras, Daniel; Franco, José; Miquel, Eva; Reyes, Julio César; Roca, Mercedes

2016-01-01

The potential therapeutic utility of estrogens in schizophrenia is increasingly being recognized. Raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, appears to act similarly to estrogens on dopamine and serotonin brain systems. One previous trial by our team found that raloxifene was useful to improve negative, positive, and general psychopathological symptoms, without having the negative side effects of estrogens. In this study, we assess the utility of raloxifene in treating negative and other psychotic symptoms in postmenopausal women with schizophrenia exhibiting prominent negative symptoms. This was a 24-week, randomized, parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients were recruited from the inpatient and outpatient departments of Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata, and Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí. Seventy postmenopausal women with schizophrenia (DSM-IV) were randomized to either adjunctive raloxifene (38 women) or adjunctive placebo (32 women). Psychopathological symptoms were assessed at baseline and at weeks 4, 12, and 24 with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). The addition of raloxifene (60mg/d) to regular antipsychotic treatment significantly reduced negative (P = .027), general (P = .003), and total symptomatology (P = .005) measured with the PANSS during the 24-week trial, as compared to women receiving placebo. Also Alogia SANSS subscale improved more in the raloxifene (P = .048) than the placebo group. In conclusion, raloxifene improved negative and general psychopathological symptoms, compared with antipsychotic medication alone, in postmenopausal women with schizophrenia. These data replicate our previous results with a larger sample and a longer follow-up. Trial registration: NCT01573637. PMID:26591005

Context-specific control and the Stroop negative priming effect.

PubMed

Milliken, Bruce; Thomson, David R; Bleile, Karmen; MacLellan, Ellen; Giammarco, Maria

2012-01-01

The present study highlights the utility of context-specific learning for different probe types in accounting for the commonly observed dependence of negative priming on probe selection. Using a Stroop priming procedure, Experiments 1a and 1b offered a demonstration that Stroop priming effects can differ qualitatively for selection and no-selection probes when probe selection is manipulated between subjects, but not when it is manipulated randomly from trial to trial within subject (see also Moore, 1994). In Experiments 2 and 3, selection and no-selection probes served as two contexts that varied randomly from trial to trial, but for which proportion repeated was manipulated separately. A context-specific proportion repeated effect was observed in Experiment 2, characterized by modest quantitative shifts in the repetition effects as a function of the context-specific proportion repeated manipulation. However, with a longer intertrial interval in Experiment 3, a context-specific proportion repeated manipulation that focused on the no-selection probes changed the repetition effect qualitatively, from negative priming when the proportion repeated was .25 to positive priming when the proportion repeated was .75. The results are discussed with reference to the role of rapid, context-specific learning processes in the integration of prior experiences with current perception and action.

Adverse effects of social pressure to be thin on young women: an experimental investigation of the effects of "fat talk".

PubMed

Stice, Eric; Maxfield, Jennifer; Wells, Tony

2003-07-01

Experiments have found that pressure to be thin from the media promotes body dissatisfaction and negative affect, but the effects of social pressure to be thin have not been examined experimentally. Thus, this study tested whether social pressure to be thin fosters body dissatisfaction and negative affect. Young women (N = 120) were randomly assigned to a condition wherein an ultra-thin confederate complained about how fat she felt and voiced intentions to lose weight or a control condition wherein she discussed a neutral topic. Exposure to social pressure to be thin resulted in increased body dissatisfaction but not negative affect. The effects were not moderated by initial thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, or social support. Results support the assertion that peer pressure to be thin promotes body dissatisfaction but suggest that this factor may not contribute to negative affect. Copyright 2003 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sibship size and educational attainment. A joint test of the Confluence Model and the Resource Dilution Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Jæger, Mads Meier

2012-01-01

Studies on family background often explain the negative effect of sibship size on educational attainment by one of two theories: the Confluence Model (CM) or the Resource Dilution Hypothesis (RDH). However, as both theories – for substantively different reasons – predict that sibship size should have a negative effect on educational attainment most studies cannot distinguish empirically between the CM and the RDH. In this paper, I use the different theoretical predictions in the CM and RDH on the role of cognitive ability as a partial or complete mediator of the effect of sibship size to distinguish the two theories and to identify a unique RDH effect on educational attainment. Using sibling data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS) and a random effect Instrumental Variable model I find that, in addition to a negative effect on cognitive ability, sibship size also has a strong negative effect on educational attainment which is uniquely explained by the RDH. PMID:22468016

Emotion and eating disorder symptoms in patients with anorexia nervosa: an experimental study.

PubMed

Wildes, Jennifer E; Marcus, Marsha D; Bright, Ashley C; Dapelo, Marcela Marin; Psychol, Magister Clin

2012-11-01

To evaluate the effect of negative emotion on self-reported eating disorder symptoms and objectively-measured eating behavior in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Twenty-eight females with AN were randomized to a negative or neutral mood induction followed by a test meal. Participants completed assessments one week before the experimental session, before (pretest) and after (posttest) the mood induction, and after the test meal. Participants in the negative emotion condition had an increase in negative affect from pretest to posttest that was accompanied by significantly greater increases in self-reported eating disorder symptoms than were exhibited by participants in the neutral emotion condition, who had no increase in negative affect. There was no effect of emotion condition on eating behavior. Results suggest that negative emotions influence the expression of cognitive eating disorder symptoms in individuals with AN, which may have implications for the identification of treatment targets. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Differentiating Emotions Across Contexts: Comparing Adults with and without Social Anxiety Disorder Using Random, Social Interaction, and Daily Experience Sampling

PubMed Central

Kashdan, Todd B.; Farmer, Antonina S.

2014-01-01

The ability to recognize and label emotional experiences has been associated with well-being and adaptive functioning. This skill is particularly important in social situations, as emotions provide information about the state of relationships and help guide interpersonal decisions, such as whether to disclose personal information. Given the interpersonal difficulties linked to social anxiety disorder (SAD), deficient negative emotion differentiation may contribute to impairment in this population. We hypothesized that people with SAD would exhibit less negative emotion differentiation in daily life, and these differences would translate to impairment in social functioning. We recruited 43 people diagnosed with generalized SAD and 43 healthy adults to describe the emotions they experienced over 14 days. Participants received palmtop computers for responding to random prompts and describing naturalistic social interactions; to complete end-of-day diary entries, they used a secure online website. We calculated intraclass correlation coefficients to capture the degree of differentiation of negative and positive emotions for each context (random moments, face-to-face social interactions, and end-of-day reflections). Compared to healthy controls, the SAD group exhibited less negative (but not positive) emotion differentiation during random prompts, social interactions, and (at trend level) end-of-day assessments. These differences could not be explained by emotion intensity or variability over the 14 days, or to comorbid depression or anxiety disorders. Our findings suggest that people with generalized SAD have deficits in clarifying specific negative emotions felt at a given point of time. These deficits may contribute to difficulties with effective emotion regulation and healthy social relationship functioning. PMID:24512246

Depressive Symptoms Negate the Beneficial Effects of Physical Activity on Mortality Risk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Pai-Lin

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to: (1) compare the association between various levels of physical activity (PA) and mortality; and (2) examine the potential modifying effect of depressive symptoms on the PA-mortality associations. Previous large scale randomized studies rarely assess the association in conjunction with modifying effects of depressive…

Narrow log-periodic modulations in non-Markovian random walks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diniz, R. M. B.; Cressoni, J. C.; da Silva, M. A. A.; Mariz, A. M.; de Araújo, J. M.

2017-12-01

What are the necessary ingredients for log-periodicity to appear in the dynamics of a random walk model? Can they be subtle enough to be overlooked? Previous studies suggest that long-range damaged memory and negative feedback together are necessary conditions for the emergence of log-periodic oscillations. The role of negative feedback would then be crucial, forcing the system to change direction. In this paper we show that small-amplitude log-periodic oscillations can emerge when the system is driven by positive feedback. Due to their very small amplitude, these oscillations can easily be mistaken for numerical finite-size effects. The models we use consist of discrete-time random walks with strong memory correlations where the decision process is taken from memory profiles based either on a binomial distribution or on a delta distribution. Anomalous superdiffusive behavior and log-periodic modulations are shown to arise in the large time limit for convenient choices of the models parameters.

Hormone therapy in menopausal women with cognitive complaints: a randomized, double-blind trial.

PubMed

Maki, P M; Gast, M J; Vieweg, A J; Burriss, S W; Yaffe, K

2007-09-25

To evaluate the effects of hormone therapy (HT) on cognition and subjective quality of life (QoL) in recently postmenopausal women with cognitive complaints. Cognitive Complaints in Early Menopause Trial (COGENT) was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, pilot study of 180 healthy postmenopausal women aged 45 to 55 years, randomly assigned to receive either placebo or conjugated equine estrogen 0.625 mg/medroxyprogesterone acetate 2.5 mg for 4 months. Outcome measures included memory, subjective cognition, QoL, sexuality, and sleep, which were assessed at baseline and month 4. The study was terminated before the expected final sample size of 275 due to a decrease in enrollment coinciding with the publication of findings from the Women's Health Initiative. There were no differences between groups on any cognitive or QoL measures, except for an increase in sexual interest and thoughts with HT. Modest negative effects on short- and long-term verbal memory approached significance (p < 0.10). Women with baseline vasomotor symptoms (VMS) showed a decrease in VMS and an improvement in general QoL, but no cognitive benefit vs placebo. With the power to detect an effect size of >or=0.45, this study suggests potential modest negative effects on verbal memory that are consistent with previous hormone therapy trials in older women.

A randomized trial of a cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnosis intervention on positive and negative affect during breast cancer radiotherapy.

PubMed

Schnur, Julie B; David, Daniel; Kangas, Maria; Green, Sheryl; Bovbjerg, Dana H; Montgomery, Guy H

2009-04-01

Breast cancer radiotherapy can be an emotionally difficult experience. Despite this, few studies have examined the effectiveness of psychological interventions to reduce negative affect, and none to date have explicitly examined interventions to improve positive affect among breast cancer radiotherapy patients. The present study examined the effectiveness of a multimodal psychotherapeutic approach, combining cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnosis (CBTH), to reduce negative affect and increase positive affect in 40 women undergoing breast cancer radiotherapy. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either CBTH or standard care. Participants completed weekly self-report measures of positive and negative affect. Repeated and univariate analyses of variance revealed that the CBTH approach reduced levels of negative affect [F(1, 38)=13.49; p=.0007, omega(2)=.56], and increased levels of positive affect [F(1, 38)=9.67; p=.0035, omega(2)=.48], during the course of radiotherapy. Additionally, relative to the control group, the CBTH group demonstrated significantly more intense positive affect [F(1, 38)=7.09; p=.0113, d=.71] and significantly less intense negative affect [F(1, 38)=10.30; p=.0027, d=.90] during radiotherapy. The CBTH group also had a significantly higher frequency of days where positive affect was greater than negative affect (85% of days assessed for the CBTH group versus 43% of the Control group) [F(1, 38)=18.16; p=.0001, d=1.16]. Therefore, the CBTH intervention has the potential to improve the affective experience of women undergoing breast cancer radiotherapy.

[Formula: see text]-convergence, complete convergence, and weak laws of large numbers for asymptotically negatively associated random vectors with values in [Formula: see text].

PubMed

Ko, Mi-Hwa

2018-01-01

In this paper, based on the Rosenthal-type inequality for asymptotically negatively associated random vectors with values in [Formula: see text], we establish results on [Formula: see text]-convergence and complete convergence of the maximums of partial sums are established. We also obtain weak laws of large numbers for coordinatewise asymptotically negatively associated random vectors with values in [Formula: see text].

Randomness increases self-reported anxiety and neurophysiological correlates of performance monitoring

PubMed Central

Kay, Aaron C.; Inzlicht, Michael

2015-01-01

Several prominent theories spanning clinical, social and developmental psychology suggest that people are motivated to see the world as a sensible orderly place. These theories presuppose that randomness is aversive because it is associated with unpredictability. If this is the case, thinking that the world is random should lead to increased anxiety and heightened monitoring of one’s actions and their consequences. Here, we conduct experimental tests of both of these ideas. Participants read one of three passages: (i) comprehensible order, (ii) incomprehensible order and (iii) randomness. In Study 1, we examined the effects of these passages on self-reported anxiety. In Study 2, we examined the effects of the same manipulation on the error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related brain potential associated with performance monitoring. We found that messages about randomness increased self-reported anxiety and ERN amplitude relative to comprehensible order, whereas incomprehensible order had intermediate effects. These results lend support to the theoretically important idea that randomness is unsettling because it implies that the world is unpredictable. PMID:25062840

The selective glycine uptake inhibitor org 25935 as an adjunctive treatment to atypical antipsychotics in predominant persistent negative symptoms of schizophrenia: results from the GIANT trial.

PubMed

Schoemaker, Joep H; Jansen, Wim T; Schipper, Jacques; Szegedi, Armin

2014-04-01

Using a selective glycine uptake inhibitor as adjunctive to second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) was hypothesized to ameliorate negative and/or cognitive symptoms in subjects with schizophrenia. Subjects with predominant persistent negative symptoms (previously stabilized ≥3 months on an SGA) were enrolled in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to investigate adjunctive treatment with Org 25935, a selective inhibitor of type 1 glycine transporter, over 12 weeks in a flexible dose design. Org 25935 was tested at 4 to 8 mg twice daily and 12 to 16 mg twice daily versus placebo. Primary efficacy outcome was mean change from baseline in Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms composite score. Secondary efficacy end points were Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total and subscale scores, depressive symptoms (Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia), global functioning (Global Assessment of Functioning scale), and cognitive measures using a computerized battery (Central Nervous System Vital Signs). Responder rates were assessed post hoc. A total of 215 subjects were randomized, of which 187 (87%) completed the trial. Both dose groups of Org 25935 did not differ significantly from placebo on Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (total or subscale scores), Global Assessment of Functioning, or the majority of tested cognitive domains. Org 25935 was generally well tolerated within the tested dose range, with no meaningful effects on extrapyramidal symptoms and some reports of reversible visual adverse effects. Org 25935 did not differ significantly from placebo in reducing negative symptoms or improving cognitive functioning when administered as adjunctive treatment to SGA. In our study population, Org 25935 appeared to be well tolerated in the tested dose ranges.

Point process analyses of variations in smoking rate by setting, mood, gender, and dependence

PubMed Central

Shiffman, Saul; Rathbun, Stephen L.

2010-01-01

The immediate emotional and situational antecedents of ad libitum smoking are still not well understood. We re-analyzed data from Ecological Momentary Assessment using novel point-process analyses, to assess how craving, mood, and social setting influence smoking rate, as well as assessing the moderating effects of gender and nicotine dependence. 304 smokers recorded craving, mood, and social setting using electronic diaries when smoking and at random nonsmoking times over 16 days of smoking. Point-process analysis, which makes use of the known random sampling scheme for momentary variables, examined main effects of setting and interactions with gender and dependence. Increased craving was associated with higher rates of smoking, particularly among women. Negative affect was not associated with smoking rate, even in interaction with arousal, but restlessness was associated with substantially higher smoking rates. Women's smoking tended to be less affected by negative affect. Nicotine dependence had little moderating effect on situational influences. Smoking rates were higher when smokers were alone or with others smoking, and smoking restrictions reduced smoking rates. However, the presence of others smoking undermined the effects of restrictions. The more sensitive point-process analyses confirmed earlier findings, including the surprising conclusion that negative affect by itself was not related to smoking rates. Contrary to hypothesis, men's and not women's smoking was influenced by negative affect. Both smoking restrictions and the presence of others who are not smoking suppress smoking, but others’ smoking undermines the effects of restrictions. Point-process analyses of EMA data can bring out even small influences on smoking rate. PMID:21480683

Helping employees sleep well: Effects of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia on work outcomes.

PubMed

Barnes, Christopher M; Miller, Jared A; Bostock, Sophie

2017-01-01

Drawing from recent research advances indicating the harmful effects of insomnia on negative affect, job satisfaction, self-control, organizational citizenship behavior, and interpersonal deviance, we hypothesized that treating insomnia with Internet based cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia would lead to improvements in these outcomes. In a field experiment with a randomized wait-list control group, we found that treatment had a beneficial direct effect on negative affect, job satisfaction, and self-control. Moreover, the effect of treatment on job satisfaction was mediated by negative affect. We were not able to detect a direct effect of treatment on organizational citizenship behavior or interpersonal deviance. However, treatment had a beneficial indirect effect on organizational citizenship behavior through the mediators of negative affect and job satisfaction, and a beneficial indirect effect on interpersonal deviance through the mediator of self-control. These results move the applied psychology literature on insomnia beyond simply pointing out problematic effects of employee insomnia to providing evidence of a partial solution to such effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Modern Prejudice and Same-Sex Parenting: Shifting Judgments in Positive and Negative Parenting Situations

PubMed Central

MASSEY, SEAN G.; MERRIWETHER, ANN M.; GARCIA, JUSTIN R.

2013-01-01

The current study compares the effects of traditional and modern anti-homosexual prejudice on evaluations of parenting practices of same-sex and opposite-sex couples. Undergraduate university student participants (N = 436) completed measures of traditional and modern anti-homosexual prejudice and responded to a vignette describing a restaurant scene in which parents react to their child’s undesirable behavior. The parents’ sexual orientation and the quality of their parenting (positive or negative quality) were varied randomly. It was predicted that participants who score higher in modern prejudice would rate the negative parenting behaviors of same-sex parents more negatively than similar behaviors in opposite-sex parents. It was also predicted that this modern prejudice effect would be most pronounced for male participants. Both hypotheses were supported. PMID:23667347

Micronutrient supplementation and T cell-mediated immune responses in patients with tuberculosis in Tanzania

PubMed Central

KAWAI, K.; MEYDANI, S. N.; URASSA, W.; WU, D.; MUGUSI, F. M.; SAATHOFF, E.; BOSCH, R. J.; VILLAMOR, E.; SPIEGELMAN, D.; FAWZI, W. W.

2017-01-01

SUMMARY Limited studies exist regarding whether incorporating micronutrient supplements during tuberculosis (TB) treatment may improve cell-mediated immune response. We examined the effect of micronutrient supplementation on lymphocyte proliferation response to mycobacteria or T-cell mitogens in a randomized trial conducted on 423 patients with pulmonary TB. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of micronutrients (vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, and selenium) or placebo at the time of initiation of TB treatment. We found no overall effect of micronutrient supplements on lymphocyte proliferative responses to phytohaemagglutinin or purified protein derivatives in HIV-negative and HIV-positive TB patients. Of HIV-negative TB patients, the micronutrient group tended to show higher proliferative responses to concanavalin A than the placebo group, although the clinical relevance of this finding is not readily notable. The role of nutritional intervention in this vulnerable population remains an important area of future research. PMID:24093552

Injectable, sustained-release naltrexone for the treatment of opioid dependence: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial

PubMed Central

Comer, Sandra D.; Sullivan, Maria A.; Yu, Elmer; Rothenberg, Jami L.; Kleber, Herbert D.; Kampman, Kyle; Dackis, Charles; O'Brien, Charles P.; Chiang, C. Nora; Hawks, Richard L.

2013-01-01

Context Naltrexone is a medication available in oral form that can completely block the effects produced by opioid agonists, such as heroin. However, poor medication compliance with naltrexone has been a major obstacle to the effective treatment of opioid dependence. Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a sustained-release depot formulation of naltrexone in treating opioid dependence. Design, Setting, and Participants Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 8-week multi-center trial of male and female heroin-dependent patients who participated in the study between September 2000 and November 2003. Participants were stratified by years of heroin use (≥5, <4.9) and gender, and then randomized to receive one of three doses: placebo, 192 mg, or 384 mg depot naltrexone. Doses were administered at the beginning of Week 1 and then again four weeks later at the beginning of Week 5. All participants received twice-weekly relapse prevention therapy, provided observed urine samples, and completed other assessments at each visit. Main Outcome Measures Primary outcome measures were retention in treatment and percentage of opioid-negative urine samples. Results A total of 60 patients were randomized at two centers. Retention in treatment was dose related with 39%, 60%, and 68% of the patients in the placebo, naltrexone 192 mg, and naltrexone 384 mg groups, respectively, remaining in treatment at the end of the two-month treatment period. Analysis of the time to dropout revealed a significant main effect of dose with mean time to dropout of 27, 36, and 48 days, respectively, for the placebo, naltrexone 192 mg, and naltrexone 384 mg groups. The percentage of urine samples negative for opioids varied significantly as a function of dose, as did the percentage of urine samples negative for methadone, cocaine, benzodiazepines, and amphetamine. The percentage of urine samples negative for cannabinoids was not significantly different across groups. When the data were recalculated without the assumption that missing urine samples were positive, however, a main effect of group was not found for any of the drugs tested with the exception of cocaine, where the percentage of cocaine-negative urines was lower in the placebo group. Adverse events were minimal and generally mild in severity. This sustained-release formulation of naltrexone was well tolerated and produced a robust and dose-related increase in treatment retention. Conclusion The present data provide exciting new evidence for the feasibility, efficacy, and tolerability of long-lasting antagonist treatments for opioid dependence. PMID:16461865

Fathers’ Participation in Parenting and Maternal Parenting Stress: Variation by Relationship Status

PubMed Central

Nomaguchi, Kei; Brown, Susan L.; Leyman, Tanya M.

2015-01-01

The growing diversity in mother-father relationship status has led to a debate over the role of fathers in parenting. Little is known, however, about how fathers’ participation in parenting is linked to maternal well-being across different mother-father relationship statuses. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 2,062), fixed-effects as well as random-effects regression models show that overall fathers’ engagement with children and sharing in child-related chores are negatively related to maternal parenting stress. Fathers’ cooperative coparenting is negatively related to maternal parenting stress only in the random-effects model, suggesting that the association is driven by selection factors. There is little variation in these associations by mother-father relationship status, once selection factors are controlled for. These findings extend support for the current cultural emphasis on benefits of fathers’ active participation in parenting for mothers and children even after the mother-father relationship dissolved. PMID:28479649

Effects of Anger Awareness and Expression Training versus Relaxation Training on Headaches: A Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Slavin-Spenny, Olga; Lumley, Mark A.; Thakur, Elyse R.; Nevedal, Dana C.; Hijazi, Alaa M.

2013-01-01

Background and purpose Stress contributes to headaches, and effective interventions for headaches routinely include relaxation training (RT) to directly reduce negative emotions and arousal. Yet, suppressing negative emotions, particularly anger, appears to augment pain, and experimental studies suggest that expressing anger may reduce pain. Therefore, we developed and tested anger awareness and expression training (AAET) on people with headaches. Methods Young adults with headaches (N = 147) were randomized to AAET, RT, or a wait-list control. We assessed affect during sessions, and process and outcome variables at baseline and 4 weeks after treatment. Results On process measures, both interventions increased self-efficacy to manage headaches, but only AAET reduced alexithymia and increased emotional processing and assertiveness. Yet, both interventions were equally effective at improving headache outcomes relative to controls. Conclusions Enhancing anger awareness and expression may improve chronic headaches, although not more than RT. Researchers should study which patients are most likely to benefit from emotional expression versus emotional reduction approaches to chronic pain. PMID:23620190

Past racial discrimination exacerbates the effects of racial exclusion on negative affect, perceived control, and alcohol-risk cognitions among Black young adults.

PubMed

Stock, Michelle L; Peterson, Laurel M; Molloy, Brianne K; Lambert, Sharon F

2017-06-01

Racial discrimination is associated with alcohol use and risky sex cognitions and behaviors, which are risk factors for negative health outcomes, including human immunodeficiency virus infection. The current study investigated the causal impact of racial discrimination on alcohol and sexual-risk cognitions while exploring potential mediators that might help explain this relation: negative affect, perceived control, and meaningful existence. We also examined if past discrimination impacts the strength of (moderates) these effects. Participants were 287 Black/African American young adults aged 18-25. They were randomly assigned to be excluded or included by White peers via the game Cyberball. Racial exclusion (vs. inclusion) predicted greater: perceived racial discrimination, negative affect, alcohol use willingness, and reduced perceived control and meaningful existence. Furthermore, excluded participants who experienced more past racial discrimination reported the lowest perceived control, and greatest negative affect and alcohol-risk cognitions. The findings suggest that past racial discrimination exacerbates the harmful health effects of immediate experiences of discrimination.

Periodontal Therapy Effects on Nitrite Related to Oral Bacteria: A 6-Month Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Cortelli, Sheila C; Costa, Fernando O; Rodrigues, Edson; Cota, Luis O M; Cortelli, Jose R

2015-08-01

Nitrite is a biologic factor relevant to oral and systemic homeostasis. Through an oral bacteria reduction process, it was suggested that periodontal therapy and chlorhexidine (CHX) rinse could affect nitrite levels, leading to negative effects, such as an increase in blood pressure. This 6-month randomized clinical trial evaluated the effects of periodontal therapeutic protocols on salivary nitrite and its relation to subgingival bacteria. One hundred patients with periodontitis were allocated randomly to debridement procedures in four weekly sections (quadrant scaling [QS]) or within 24 hours (full-mouth scaling [FMS]) in conjunction with a 60-day CHX (QS + CHX and FMS + CHX), placebo (QS + placebo and FMS + placebo), or no mouthrinse (QS + none and FMS + none) use. Real-time polymerase chain reaction determined total bacterial, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Streptococcus oralis, and Actinomyces naeslundii levels. Salivary nitrite concentration was determined with Griess reagent. Data were analyzed statistically at baseline and 3 and 6 months by analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, and Spearman correlation tests (P <0.05). Nitrite concentrations did not tend to change over time. Regarding CHX use, there was a negative correlation between nitrite and total bacterial load at 6 months (FMS + CHX) and one positive correlation between P. gingivalis and nitrite at baseline (QS + CHX). Independently of rinse type, in the FMS group, nitrite correlated negatively with several microbial parameters and also with a higher percentage of deep periodontal pockets. The relationship between nitrite and bacterial levels appears weak. Short-term scaling exhibited a greater influence on nitrite concentrations then long-term CHX use.

The effects of message framing, involvement, and nicotine dependence on anti-smoking public service announcements.

PubMed

Jung, Wan S; Villegas, Jorge

2011-01-01

Anti-smoking Public Service Announcements (PSAs) typically emphasize the negative consequences of failing to quit smoking (negative frame), as opposed to emphasizing the benefits of quitting (positive frame). However, stressing the benefits of quitting sometimes produces better communication outcomes. Previous research on message framing has tried to identify factors affecting the impact of positive framing and negative framing. Data were collected on 188 undergraduates attending a southeastern university in the United States who were assigned randomly to view either positive or negative messages. Our study found that involvement and nicotine dependence moderated the impact of framed smoking-cessation messages on attitude toward the ad.

GENOPT 2016: Design of a generalization-based challenge in global optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battiti, Roberto; Sergeyev, Yaroslav; Brunato, Mauro; Kvasov, Dmitri

2016-10-01

While comparing results on benchmark functions is a widely used practice to demonstrate the competitiveness of global optimization algorithms, fixed benchmarks can lead to a negative data mining process. To avoid this negative effect, the GENOPT contest benchmarks can be used which are based on randomized function generators, designed for scientific experiments, with fixed statistical characteristics but individual variation of the generated instances. The generators are available to participants for off-line tests and online tuning schemes, but the final competition is based on random seeds communicated in the last phase through a cooperative process. A brief presentation and discussion of the methods and results obtained in the framework of the GENOPT contest are given in this contribution.

Health of women: associations among life events, social support, and personality for selected patient groups.

PubMed

Norlander, T; Dahlin, A; Archer, T

2000-02-01

This study examined the effects of life events, social support, personality traits, and siblings' birth-order on the health of women. 199 middle-class participants were included. 95 women, randomly assigned from four different patient groups, were compared with a control group of 96 randomly selected women without any special health problems. They completed a questionnaire which included questions regarding family background, health, different life events, social support, and signs of disease and a projective test, the Sivik Psychosomatism Test. Analysis indicated that report of negative life events was associated with more physical symptoms than positive life events and that the patient groups reported more negative life events and less social support than the control group.

Efficacy and Safety of MIN-101: A 12-Week Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of a New Drug in Development for the Treatment of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Davidson, Michael; Saoud, Jay; Staner, Corinne; Noel, Nadine; Luthringer, Elisabeth; Werner, Sandra; Reilly, Joseph; Schaffhauser, Jean-Yves; Rabinowitz, Jonathan; Weiser, Mark; Luthringer, Remy

2017-12-01

The authors assessed the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of MIN-101, a compound with affinities for sigma-2 and 5-HT 2A receptors and no direct dopamine affinities, in comparison with placebo in treating negative symptoms in stabilized patients with schizophrenia. The trial enrolled 244 patients who had been symptomatically stable for at least 3 months and had scores of at least 20 on the negative subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). After at least 5 days' withdrawal from all antipsychotic medication, patients were randomly assigned to receive placebo or 32 mg/day or 64 mg/day of MIN-101 for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the PANSS negative factor score (pentagonal structure model). Secondary outcome measures were PANSS total score and scores on the Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI), the Brief Negative Symptom Scale, the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia, and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia. A statistically significant difference in PANSS negative factor score was observed, with lower scores for the MIN-101 32 mg/day and 64 mg/day groups compared with the placebo group (effect sizes, d=0.45 and d=0.57, respectively). Supporting these findings were similar effects on several of the secondary outcome measures, such as the PANSS negative symptom, total, and activation factor scores, the CGI severity item, and the Brief Negative Symptom Scale. There were no statistically significant differences in PANSS positive scale score between the MIN-101 and placebo groups. No clinically significant changes were observed in vital signs, routine laboratory values, weight, metabolic indices, and Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale score. MIN-101 demonstrated statistically significant efficacy in reducing negative symptoms and good tolerability in stable schizophrenia patients.

Raloxifene as an Adjunctive Treatment for Postmenopausal Women With Schizophrenia: A 24-Week Double-Blind, Randomized, Parallel, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Usall, Judith; Huerta-Ramos, Elena; Labad, Javier; Cobo, Jesús; Núñez, Christian; Creus, Marta; Parés, Gemma García; Cuadras, Daniel; Franco, José; Miquel, Eva; Reyes, Julio César; Roca, Mercedes

2016-03-01

The potential therapeutic utility of estrogens in schizophrenia is increasingly being recognized. Raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, appears to act similarly to estrogens on dopamine and serotonin brain systems. One previous trial by our team found that raloxifene was useful to improve negative, positive, and general psychopathological symptoms, without having the negative side effects of estrogens. In this study, we assess the utility of raloxifene in treating negative and other psychotic symptoms in postmenopausal women with schizophrenia exhibiting prominent negative symptoms. This was a 24-week, randomized, parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients were recruited from the inpatient and outpatient departments of Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata, and Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí. Seventy postmenopausal women with schizophrenia (DSM-IV) were randomized to either adjunctive raloxifene (38 women) or adjunctive placebo (32 women). Psychopathological symptoms were assessed at baseline and at weeks 4, 12, and 24 with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). The addition of raloxifene (60 mg/d) to regular antipsychotic treatment significantly reduced negative (P = .027), general (P = .003), and total symptomatology (P = .005) measured with the PANSS during the 24-week trial, as compared to women receiving placebo. Also Alogia SANSS subscale improved more in the raloxifene (P = .048) than the placebo group. In conclusion, raloxifene improved negative and general psychopathological symptoms, compared with antipsychotic medication alone, in postmenopausal women with schizophrenia. These data replicate our previous results with a larger sample and a longer follow-up. NCT01573637. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Life Course Changes of Children and Well-Being of Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalmijn, Matthijs; De Graaf, Paul M.

2012-01-01

How do children's life course transitions affect the well-being of their parents? Using a large panel survey among parents with longitudinal information on 2 randomly chosen children, the authors analyzed the effects of children's union formation, parenthood, and union dissolution on changes in depressive symptoms of parents. Negative effects were…

The impact of thin idealized media images on body satisfaction: does body appreciation protect women from negative effects?

PubMed

Halliwell, Emma

2013-09-01

This article examines whether positive body image can protect women from negative media exposure effects. University women (N=112) were randomly allocated to view advertisements featuring ultra-thin models or control images. Women who reported high levels of body appreciation did not report negative media exposure effects. Furthermore, the protective role of body appreciation was also evident among women known to be vulnerable to media exposure. Women high on thin-ideal internalization and low on body appreciation reported appearance-discrepancies that were more salient and larger when they viewed models compared to the control group. However, women high on thin-ideal internalization and also high on body appreciation rated appearance-discrepancies as less important and no difference in size than the control group. The results support the notion that positive body image protects women from negative environmental appearance messages and suggests that promoting positive body image may be an effective intervention strategy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Negative pressure and nanocrystalline silver dressings for nonhealing ulcer: A randomized pilot study.

PubMed

Sáez-Martín, Luis C; García-Martínez, Lourdes; Román-Curto, Concepción; Sánchez-Hernández, Miguel V; Suárez-Fernández, Ricardo M

2015-01-01

Chronic wounds have a high prevalence and wound care, treatment, and prevention consume large quantities of resources. Chronic wounds are a growing challenge for clinicians. A prospective randomized pilot study was conducted to assess the effectiveness in terms of reduction in area and safety of the combined use of negative-pressure wound therapy and nanocrystalline silver dressings as compared to negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) alone in the management of outpatients with chronic wounds. A total of 17 patients were included in the study, 10 were treated with the combined method and 7 with NPWT. Patients were followed for 6 weeks, with a final assessment at 3 months. Clinical improvement, microbiologic data, and toxicity of silver were evaluated. The antibacterial effects of ionic silver together with the development of granulation tissue promoted by NPWT reduced significantly the median extension of the wound between weeks 3 and 6 of treatment. The combination with silver also reduced bacterial colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the bacterial load on the surface of the wound. The silver levels correlated positively with the extension of the wound, although in none of the patients' toxic levels were reached. The combination of NPWT with nanocrystalline silver dressings was safe and as effective as NPWT alone. © 2015 by the Wound Healing Society.

Analysis of overdispersed count data by mixtures of Poisson variables and Poisson processes.

PubMed

Hougaard, P; Lee, M L; Whitmore, G A

1997-12-01

Count data often show overdispersion compared to the Poisson distribution. Overdispersion is typically modeled by a random effect for the mean, based on the gamma distribution, leading to the negative binomial distribution for the count. This paper considers a larger family of mixture distributions, including the inverse Gaussian mixture distribution. It is demonstrated that it gives a significantly better fit for a data set on the frequency of epileptic seizures. The same approach can be used to generate counting processes from Poisson processes, where the rate or the time is random. A random rate corresponds to variation between patients, whereas a random time corresponds to variation within patients.

The psychosis-like effects of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol are associated with increased cortical noise in healthy humans.

PubMed

Cortes-Briones, Jose A; Cahill, John D; Skosnik, Patrick D; Mathalon, Daniel H; Williams, Ashley; Sewell, R Andrew; Roach, Brian J; Ford, Judith M; Ranganathan, Mohini; D'Souza, Deepak Cyril

2015-12-01

Drugs that induce psychosis may do so by increasing the level of task-irrelevant random neural activity or neural noise. Increased levels of neural noise have been demonstrated in psychotic disorders. We tested the hypothesis that neural noise could also be involved in the psychotomimetic effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC), the principal active constituent of cannabis. Neural noise was indexed by measuring the level of randomness in the electroencephalogram during the prestimulus baseline period of an oddball task using Lempel-Ziv complexity, a nonlinear measure of signal randomness. The acute, dose-related effects of Δ(9)-THC on Lempel-Ziv complexity and signal power were studied in humans (n = 24) who completed 3 test days during which they received intravenous Δ(9)-THC (placebo, .015 and .03 mg/kg) in a double-blind, randomized, crossover, and counterbalanced design. Δ(9)-THC increased neural noise in a dose-related manner. Furthermore, there was a strong positive relationship between neural noise and the psychosis-like positive and disorganization symptoms induced by Δ(9)-THC, which was independent of total signal power. Instead, there was no relationship between noise and negative-like symptoms. In addition, Δ(9)-THC reduced total signal power during both active drug conditions compared with placebo, but no relationship was detected between signal power and psychosis-like symptoms. At doses that produced psychosis-like effects, Δ(9)-THC increased neural noise in humans in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, increases in neural noise were related with increases in Δ(9)-THC-induced psychosis-like symptoms but not negative-like symptoms. These findings suggest that increases in neural noise may contribute to the psychotomimetic effects of Δ(9)-THC. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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

Random parameter models of interstate crash frequencies by severity, number of vehicles involved, collision and location type.

PubMed

Venkataraman, Narayan; Ulfarsson, Gudmundur F; Shankar, Venky N

2013-10-01

A nine-year (1999-2007) continuous panel of crash histories on interstates in Washington State, USA, was used to estimate random parameter negative binomial (RPNB) models for various aggregations of crashes. A total of 21 different models were assessed in terms of four ways to aggregate crashes, by: (a) severity, (b) number of vehicles involved, (c) crash type, and by (d) location characteristics. The models within these aggregations include specifications for all severities (property damage only, possible injury, evident injury, disabling injury, and fatality), number of vehicles involved (one-vehicle to five-or-more-vehicle), crash type (sideswipe, same direction, overturn, head-on, fixed object, rear-end, and other), and location types (urban interchange, rural interchange, urban non-interchange, rural non-interchange). A total of 1153 directional road segments comprising of the seven Washington State interstates were analyzed, yielding statistical models of crash frequency based on 10,377 observations. These results suggest that in general there was a significant improvement in log-likelihood when using RPNB compared to a fixed parameter negative binomial baseline model. Heterogeneity effects are most noticeable for lighting type, road curvature, and traffic volume (ADT). Median lighting or right-side lighting are linked to increased crash frequencies in many models for more than half of the road segments compared to both-sides lighting. Both-sides lighting thereby appears to generally lead to a safety improvement. Traffic volume has a random parameter but the effect is always toward increasing crash frequencies as expected. However that the effect is random shows that the effect of traffic volume on crash frequency is complex and varies by road segment. The number of lanes has a random parameter effect only in the interchange type models. The results show that road segment-specific insights into crash frequency occurrence can lead to improved design policy and project prioritization. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantum back-action-evading measurement of motion in a negative mass reference frame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Møller, Christoffer B.; Thomas, Rodrigo A.; Vasilakis, Georgios; Zeuthen, Emil; Tsaturyan, Yeghishe; Balabas, Mikhail; Jensen, Kasper; Schliesser, Albert; Hammerer, Klemens; Polzik, Eugene S.

2017-07-01

Quantum mechanics dictates that a continuous measurement of the position of an object imposes a random quantum back-action (QBA) perturbation on its momentum. This randomness translates with time into position uncertainty, thus leading to the well known uncertainty on the measurement of motion. As a consequence of this randomness, and in accordance with the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, the QBA puts a limitation—the so-called standard quantum limit—on the precision of sensing of position, velocity and acceleration. Here we show that QBA on a macroscopic mechanical oscillator can be evaded if the measurement of motion is conducted in the reference frame of an atomic spin oscillator. The collective quantum measurement on this hybrid system of two distant and disparate oscillators is performed with light. The mechanical oscillator is a vibrational ‘drum’ mode of a millimetre-sized dielectric membrane, and the spin oscillator is an atomic ensemble in a magnetic field. The spin oriented along the field corresponds to an energetically inverted spin population and realizes a negative-effective-mass oscillator, while the opposite orientation corresponds to an oscillator with positive effective mass. The QBA is suppressed by -1.8 decibels in the negative-mass setting and enhanced by 2.4 decibels in the positive-mass case. This hybrid quantum system paves the way to entanglement generation and distant quantum communication between mechanical and spin systems and to sensing of force, motion and gravity beyond the standard quantum limit.

Quantum back-action-evading measurement of motion in a negative mass reference frame.

PubMed

Møller, Christoffer B; Thomas, Rodrigo A; Vasilakis, Georgios; Zeuthen, Emil; Tsaturyan, Yeghishe; Balabas, Mikhail; Jensen, Kasper; Schliesser, Albert; Hammerer, Klemens; Polzik, Eugene S

2017-07-12

Quantum mechanics dictates that a continuous measurement of the position of an object imposes a random quantum back-action (QBA) perturbation on its momentum. This randomness translates with time into position uncertainty, thus leading to the well known uncertainty on the measurement of motion. As a consequence of this randomness, and in accordance with the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, the QBA puts a limitation-the so-called standard quantum limit-on the precision of sensing of position, velocity and acceleration. Here we show that QBA on a macroscopic mechanical oscillator can be evaded if the measurement of motion is conducted in the reference frame of an atomic spin oscillator. The collective quantum measurement on this hybrid system of two distant and disparate oscillators is performed with light. The mechanical oscillator is a vibrational 'drum' mode of a millimetre-sized dielectric membrane, and the spin oscillator is an atomic ensemble in a magnetic field. The spin oriented along the field corresponds to an energetically inverted spin population and realizes a negative-effective-mass oscillator, while the opposite orientation corresponds to an oscillator with positive effective mass. The QBA is suppressed by -1.8 decibels in the negative-mass setting and enhanced by 2.4 decibels in the positive-mass case. This hybrid quantum system paves the way to entanglement generation and distant quantum communication between mechanical and spin systems and to sensing of force, motion and gravity beyond the standard quantum limit.

Indirect effect of financial strain on daily cortisol output through daily negative to positive affect index in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study.

PubMed

Puterman, Eli; Haritatos, Jana; Adler, Nancy E; Sidney, Steve; Schwartz, Joseph E; Epel, Elissa S

2013-12-01

Daily affect is important to health and has been linked to cortisol. The combination of high negative affect and low positive affect may have a bigger impact on increasing HPA axis activity than either positive or negative affect alone. Financial strain may both dampen positive affect as well as increase negative affect, and thus provides an excellent context for understanding the associations between daily affect and cortisol. Using random effects mixed modeling with maximum likelihood estimation, we examined the relationship between self-reported financial strain and estimated mean daily cortisol level (latent cortisol variable), based on six salivary cortisol assessments throughout the day, and whether this relationship was mediated by greater daily negative to positive affect index measured concurrently in a sample of 776 Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study participants. The analysis revealed that while no total direct effect existed for financial strain on cortisol, there was a significant indirect effect of high negative affect to low positive affect, linking financial strain to elevated cortisol. In this sample, the effects of financial strain on cortisol through either positive affect or negative affect alone were not significant. A combined affect index may be a more sensitive and powerful measure than either negative or positive affect alone, tapping the burden of chronic financial strain, and its effects on biology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-Verification Strivings in Children Holding Negative Self-Views: The Mitigating Effects of a Preceding Success Experience

PubMed Central

Thomaes, Sander; Kamphuis, Jan Henk; de Castro, Bram Orobio; Telch, Michael J.

2010-01-01

Research among adults has consistently shown that people holding negative self-views prefer negative over positive feedback. The present study tested the hypothesis that this preference is less robust among pre-adolescents, such that it will be mitigated by a preceding positive event. Pre-adolescents (n = 75) holding positive or negative global self-esteem were randomized to a favorable or unfavorable peer evaluation outcome. Next, preferences for positive versus negative feedback were assessed using an unobtrusive behavioral viewing time measure. As expected, results showed that after being faced with the success outcome children holding negative self-views were as likely as their peers holding positive self-views to display a significant preference for positive feedback. In contrast, children holding negative self-views displayed a stronger preference for negative feedback after being faced with the unfavorable outcome that matched their pre-existing self-views. PMID:21151482

Self-Verification Strivings in Children Holding Negative Self-Views: The Mitigating Effects of a Preceding Success Experience.

PubMed

Reijntjes, Albert; Thomaes, Sander; Kamphuis, Jan Henk; de Castro, Bram Orobio; Telch, Michael J

2010-12-01

Research among adults has consistently shown that people holding negative self-views prefer negative over positive feedback. The present study tested the hypothesis that this preference is less robust among pre-adolescents, such that it will be mitigated by a preceding positive event. Pre-adolescents (n = 75) holding positive or negative global self-esteem were randomized to a favorable or unfavorable peer evaluation outcome. Next, preferences for positive versus negative feedback were assessed using an unobtrusive behavioral viewing time measure. As expected, results showed that after being faced with the success outcome children holding negative self-views were as likely as their peers holding positive self-views to display a significant preference for positive feedback. In contrast, children holding negative self-views displayed a stronger preference for negative feedback after being faced with the unfavorable outcome that matched their pre-existing self-views.

Role of ranitidine in negative symptoms of schizophrenia--an open label study.

PubMed

Mehta, Varun S; Ram, Daya

2014-12-01

In this open label study, 75 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were randomized to three groups of 25 each, receiving 150mg/day ranitidine, 300mg/day ranitidine and receiving only olanzapine. They were rated on PANSS at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks. There was a significant reduction in the scores of negative scale in patients receiving 300mg/day ranitidine in comparison to patients not receiving ranitidine at the end of 4 weeks but was not seen again when assessed at the end of 8 weeks. Though effective in reducing the negative symptoms, the effect was not sustained due to the tolerance to the actions of ranitidine. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Vitamin D Supplement Therapy in Chronic Stable Schizophrenic Male Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Sheikhmoonesi, Fatemeh; Zarghami, Mehran; Mamashli, Shima; Yazdani Charati, Jamshid; Hamzehpour, Romina; Fattahi, Samineh; Azadbakht, Rahil; Kashi, Zahra; Ala, Shahram; Moshayedi, Mona; Alinia, Habibollah; Hendouei, Narjes

2016-01-01

In this study, the aim was to determine whether adding vitamin D to the standard therapeutic regimen of schizophrenic male patients with inadequate vitamin D status could improve some aspects of the symptom burden or not. This study was an open parallel label randomized clinical trial. Eighty patients with chronic stable schizophrenia with residual symptoms and Vitamin D deficiency were recruited randomly and then received either 600000 IU Vitamin D injection once along with their antipsychotic regimen or with their antipsychotic regimen only. Serum vitamin D was measured twice: first at the baseline and again on the fourth month. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was assessed at the baseline and on the fourth month. During the study, the vitamin D serum changes in vitamin group and control group were 22.1 ± 19.9(95%CI = 15.9-28.8) and 0.2 ± 1.7(95%CI = 0.2-0.8) (ng/mL) (p<0.001) respectively. The changes of PANSS positive subscale score (P) were -0.1±0.7 (95%CI =-0.3-0.1) and 0.00 ± 0.8 (95%CI = -0.2-0.2) in vitamin D and control group respectively (p=0.5). The changes of PANSS negative subscale score (N) were -0.1 ± 0.7 (95%CI = -0.3-0.05) and -0.1 ± 0.5 (95%CI = -0.2-0.04) in vitamin D and control group respectively (p = 0.7) and there was a negative but not significant correlation between serum vitamin D level changes and PANSS negative subscale score (r = -0.04, p = 0.7). We did not find a relationship between serum vitamin D level changes and the improvement of negative and positive symptoms in schizophrenic patients and more randomized clinical trials are required to confirm our findings.

Cultivating teacher mindfulness: Effects of a randomized controlled trial on work, home, and sleep outcomes.

PubMed

Crain, Tori L; Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A; Roeser, Robert W

2017-04-01

The effects of randomization to a workplace mindfulness training (WMT) or a waitlist control condition on teachers' well-being (moods and satisfaction at work and home), quantity of sleep, quality of sleep, and sleepiness during the day were examined in 2 randomized, waitlist controlled trials (RCTs). The combined sample of the 2 RCTs, conducted in Canada and the United States, included 113 elementary and secondary school teachers (89% female). Measures were collected at baseline, postprogram, and 3-month follow-up; teachers were randomly assigned to condition after baseline assessment. Results showed that teachers randomized to WMT reported less frequent bad moods at work and home, greater satisfaction at work and home, more sleep on weekday nights, better quality sleep, and decreased insomnia symptoms and daytime sleepiness. Training-related group differences in mindfulness and rumination on work at home at postprogram partially mediated the reductions in negative moods at home and increases in sleep quality at follow-up. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

A comparison of second and third generations combined oral contraceptive pills' effect on mood.

PubMed

Shahnazi, Mahnaz; Farshbaf Khalili, Azizeh; Ranjbar Kochaksaraei, Fatemeh; Asghari Jafarabadi, Mohammad; Gaza Banoi, Kamal; Nahaee, Jila; Bayati Payan, Somayeh

2014-08-01

Most women taking combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are satisfied with their contraceptive method. However, one of the most common reasons reported for discontinuation of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) is mood deterioration. This study aimed to compare effects of the second and third generation oral contraceptive pills on the mood of reproductive women. This randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was conducted in reproductive women at health centers in Tehran, Iran. Participants were randomized into the second and third generation oral contraceptive groups. Positive and negative moods were recorded using positive affect, negative affect scale (PANAS) tools at the end the second and fourth months of the study. Data analysis was carried out using ANOVA and P Values < 0.05 was considered significant. Statistically significant difference was seen in positive and negative mood changes in women receiving contraceptive pills. The second generation oral contraceptive pills resulted in a decrease in positive mood (95% CI: 43.39 to 38.32 in second month and 43.39 to 26.05 in four month) and increase in negative mood (95% CI: 14.23 to 22.04 in second month and 14.23 to 32.26 in four month - P < 0.001), but the third generation led to an increase in positive mood (95% CI: 22.42 to 25.60 in second month and 22.42 to 33.87 in four month) and decrease in negative mood (95% CI: 36.78 to 31.97 in second month and 36.78 to 22.65 in four month - P < 0.001). Third generation combined oral contraceptive pills have a better effect on mood in women in reproductive ages than the second generation pills. It can be recommended as a proper combined oral contraceptive in Iran.

A Comparison of Second and Third Generations Combined Oral Contraceptive Pills’ Effect on Mood

PubMed Central

Shahnazi, Mahnaz; Farshbaf Khalili, Azizeh; Ranjbar Kochaksaraei, Fatemeh; Asghari Jafarabadi, Mohammad; Gaza Banoi, Kamal; Nahaee, Jila; Bayati Payan, Somayeh

2014-01-01

Background: Most women taking combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are satisfied with their contraceptive method. However, one of the most common reasons reported for discontinuation of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) is mood deterioration. Objectives: This study aimed to compare effects of the second and third generation oral contraceptive pills on the mood of reproductive women. Materials and Methods: This randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was conducted in reproductive women at health centers in Tehran, Iran. Participants were randomized into the second and third generation oral contraceptive groups. Positive and negative moods were recorded using positive affect, negative affect scale (PANAS) tools at the end the second and fourth months of the study. Data analysis was carried out using ANOVA and P Values < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Statistically significant difference was seen in positive and negative mood changes in women receiving contraceptive pills. The second generation oral contraceptive pills resulted in a decrease in positive mood (95% CI: 43.39 to 38.32 in second month and 43.39 to 26.05 in four month) and increase in negative mood (95% CI: 14.23 to 22.04 in second month and 14.23 to 32.26 in four month - P < 0.001), but the third generation led to an increase in positive mood (95% CI: 22.42 to 25.60 in second month and 22.42 to 33.87 in four month) and decrease in negative mood (95% CI: 36.78 to 31.97 in second month and 36.78 to 22.65 in four month - P < 0.001). Conclusions: Third generation combined oral contraceptive pills have a better effect on mood in women in reproductive ages than the second generation pills. It can be recommended as a proper combined oral contraceptive in Iran. PMID:25389478

To vape or not to vape? Effects of exposure to conflicting news headlines on beliefs about harms and benefits of electronic cigarette use: Results from a randomized controlled experiment.

PubMed

Tan, Andy S L; Lee, Chul-Joo; Nagler, Rebekah H; Bigman, Cabral A

2017-12-01

News coverage of novel tobacco products including e-cigarettes has framed the use of these products with both positive and negative slants. Conflicting information may shape public knowledge, perceptions of e-cigarettes, and their harms. The objective of this study is to assess effects of exposure to conflicting news coverage on US adults' beliefs about harms and benefits of e-cigarette use. We conducted a one-way between-subjects randomized controlled experiment in 2016 to compare the effects of viewing either 1) positive, 2) negative, 3) both positive and negative (conflicting) news headlines about the safety of using e-cigarettes, or 4) no-message. Participants were 2056 adults aged 18 and older from an online survey panel. Outcomes were beliefs about harms (3-item scale, α=0.76) and benefits (3-item scale, α=0.82) of using e-cigarettes. Participants who viewed negative headlines reported increased beliefs about harms (B=0.164, p=0.039) and lower beliefs about benefits of e-cigarette use (B=-0.216, p=0.009), compared with those in the positive headlines condition. These differences were replicated in subgroup analyses among never e-cigarette users. In addition, never e-cigarette users who viewed conflicting headlines reported lower beliefs about benefits of e-cigarette use (B=-0.221, p=0.030) than the positive headlines condition. Valence of news coverage about e-cigarettes (positive, negative, or conflicting) could influence people's beliefs about harms and benefits of e-cigarette use. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Exponential Random Graph Models to Analyze the Character of Peer Relationship Networks and Their Effects on the Subjective Well-being of Adolescents.

PubMed

Jiao, Can; Wang, Ting; Liu, Jianxin; Wu, Huanjie; Cui, Fang; Peng, Xiaozhe

2017-01-01

The influences of peer relationships on adolescent subjective well-being were investigated within the framework of social network analysis, using exponential random graph models as a methodological tool. The participants in the study were 1,279 students (678 boys and 601 girls) from nine junior middle schools in Shenzhen, China. The initial stage of the research used a peer nomination questionnaire and a subjective well-being scale (used in previous studies) to collect data on the peer relationship networks and the subjective well-being of the students. Exponential random graph models were then used to explore the relationships between students with the aim of clarifying the character of the peer relationship networks and the influence of peer relationships on subjective well being. The results showed that all the adolescent peer relationship networks in our investigation had positive reciprocal effects, positive transitivity effects and negative expansiveness effects. However, none of the relationship networks had obvious receiver effects or leaders. The adolescents in partial peer relationship networks presented similar levels of subjective well-being on three dimensions (satisfaction with life, positive affects and negative affects) though not all network friends presented these similarities. The study shows that peer networks can affect an individual's subjective well-being. However, whether similarities among adolescents are the result of social influences or social choices needs further exploration, including longitudinal studies that investigate the potential processes of subjective well-being similarities among adolescents.

Using Exponential Random Graph Models to Analyze the Character of Peer Relationship Networks and Their Effects on the Subjective Well-being of Adolescents

PubMed Central

Jiao, Can; Wang, Ting; Liu, Jianxin; Wu, Huanjie; Cui, Fang; Peng, Xiaozhe

2017-01-01

The influences of peer relationships on adolescent subjective well-being were investigated within the framework of social network analysis, using exponential random graph models as a methodological tool. The participants in the study were 1,279 students (678 boys and 601 girls) from nine junior middle schools in Shenzhen, China. The initial stage of the research used a peer nomination questionnaire and a subjective well-being scale (used in previous studies) to collect data on the peer relationship networks and the subjective well-being of the students. Exponential random graph models were then used to explore the relationships between students with the aim of clarifying the character of the peer relationship networks and the influence of peer relationships on subjective well being. The results showed that all the adolescent peer relationship networks in our investigation had positive reciprocal effects, positive transitivity effects and negative expansiveness effects. However, none of the relationship networks had obvious receiver effects or leaders. The adolescents in partial peer relationship networks presented similar levels of subjective well-being on three dimensions (satisfaction with life, positive affects and negative affects) though not all network friends presented these similarities. The study shows that peer networks can affect an individual’s subjective well-being. However, whether similarities among adolescents are the result of social influences or social choices needs further exploration, including longitudinal studies that investigate the potential processes of subjective well-being similarities among adolescents. PMID:28450845

Immediate Effects of Body Checking Behaviour on Negative and Positive Emotions in Women with Eating Disorders: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Approach.

PubMed

Kraus, Nicole; Lindenberg, Julia; Zeeck, Almut; Kosfelder, Joachim; Vocks, Silja

2015-09-01

Cognitive-behavioural models of eating disorders state that body checking arises in response to negative emotions in order to reduce the aversive emotional state and is therefore negatively reinforced. This study empirically tests this assumption. For a seven-day period, women with eating disorders (n = 26) and healthy controls (n = 29) were provided with a handheld computer for assessing occurring body checking strategies as well as negative and positive emotions. Serving as control condition, randomized computer-emitted acoustic signals prompted reports on body checking and emotions. There was no difference in the intensity of negative emotions before body checking and in control situations across groups. However, from pre- to post-body checking, an increase in negative emotions was found. This effect was more pronounced in women with eating disorders compared with healthy controls. Results are contradictory to the assumptions of the cognitive-behavioural model, as body checking does not seem to reduce negative emotions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

40 CFR 798.5460 - Rodent heritable translocation assays.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... treatment and control groups. (4) Control groups—(i) Concurrent controls. No concurrent positive or negative... control groups. Historical or concurrent controls shall be specified, as well as the randomization... SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (CONTINUED) HEALTH EFFECTS TESTING GUIDELINES Genetic Toxicity § 798.5460 Rodent...

40 CFR 798.5460 - Rodent heritable translocation assays.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... treatment and control groups. (4) Control groups—(i) Concurrent controls. No concurrent positive or negative... control groups. Historical or concurrent controls shall be specified, as well as the randomization... SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (CONTINUED) HEALTH EFFECTS TESTING GUIDELINES Genetic Toxicity § 798.5460 Rodent...

40 CFR 798.5460 - Rodent heritable translocation assays.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... treatment and control groups. (4) Control groups—(i) Concurrent controls. No concurrent positive or negative... control groups. Historical or concurrent controls shall be specified, as well as the randomization... SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (CONTINUED) HEALTH EFFECTS TESTING GUIDELINES Genetic Toxicity § 798.5460 Rodent...

40 CFR 798.5460 - Rodent heritable translocation assays.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... treatment and control groups. (4) Control groups—(i) Concurrent controls. No concurrent positive or negative... control groups. Historical or concurrent controls shall be specified, as well as the randomization... SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (CONTINUED) HEALTH EFFECTS TESTING GUIDELINES Genetic Toxicity § 798.5460 Rodent...

40 CFR 798.5460 - Rodent heritable translocation assays.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... treatment and control groups. (4) Control groups—(i) Concurrent controls. No concurrent positive or negative... control groups. Historical or concurrent controls shall be specified, as well as the randomization... SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (CONTINUED) HEALTH EFFECTS TESTING GUIDELINES Genetic Toxicity § 798.5460 Rodent...

Investigating the (cost-) effectiveness of attention bias modification (ABM) for outpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD): a randomized controlled trial protocol.

PubMed

Ferrari, Gina R A; Becker, Eni S; Smit, Filip; Rinck, Mike; Spijker, Jan

2016-11-03

Despite the range of available, evidence-based treatment options for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), the rather low response and remission rates suggest that treatment is not optimal, yet. Computerized attention bias modification (ABM) trainings may have the potential to be provided as cost-effective intervention as adjunct to usual care (UC), by speeding up recovery and bringing more patients into remission. Research suggests, that a selective attention for negative information contributes to development and maintenance of depression and that reducing this negative bias might be of therapeutic value. Previous ABM studies in depression, however, have been limited by small sample sizes, lack of long-term follow-up measures or focus on sub-clinical samples. This study aims at evaluating the long-term (cost-) effectiveness of internet-based ABM, as add-on treatment to UC in adult outpatients with MDD, in a specialized mental health care setting. This study presents a double-blind randomized controlled trial in two parallel groups with follow-ups at 1, 6, and 12 months, combined with an economic evaluation. One hundred twenty six patients, diagnosed with MDD, who are registered for specialized outpatient services at a mental health care organization in the Netherlands, are randomized into either a positive training (towards positive and away from negative stimuli) or a sham training, as control condition (continuous attentional bias assessment). Patients complete eight training sessions (seven at home) during a period of two weeks (four weekly sessions). Primary outcome measures are change in attentional bias (pre- to post-test), mood response to stress (at post-test) and long-term effects on depressive symptoms (up to 1-year follow-up). Secondary outcome measures include rumination, resilience, positive and negative affect, and transfer to other cognitive measures (i.e., attentional bias for verbal stimuli, cognitive control, positive mental imagery), as well as quality of life and costs. This is the first study investigating the long-term effects of ABM in adult outpatients with MDD, alongside an economic evaluation. Next to exploring the mechanism underlying ABM effects, this study provides first insight into the effects of combining ABM and UC and the potential implementation of ABM in clinical practice. Trialregister.nl, NTR5285 . Registered 20 July 2015.

Do the benefits outweigh the side effects of colorectal cancer surveillance? A systematic review.

PubMed

Augestad, Knut Magne; Rose, Johnie; Crawshaw, Benjamin; Cooper, Gregory; Delaney, Conor

2014-05-15

Most patients treated with curative intent for colorectal cancer (CRC) are included in a follow-up program involving periodic evaluations. The survival benefits of a follow-up program are well delineated, and previous meta-analyses have suggested an overall survival improvement of 5%-10% by intensive follow-up. However, in a recent randomized trial, there was no survival benefit when a minimal vs an intensive follow-up program was compared. Less is known about the potential side effects of follow-up. Well-known side effects of preventive programs are those of somatic complications caused by testing, negative psychological consequences of follow-up itself, and the downstream impact of false positive or false negative tests. Accordingly, the potential survival benefits of CRC follow-up must be weighed against these potential negatives. The present review compares the benefits and side effects of CRC follow-up, and we propose future areas for research.

False Positive and False Negative Effects on Network Attacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Yilun

2018-01-01

Robustness against attacks serves as evidence for complex network structures and failure mechanisms that lie behind them. Most often, due to detection capability limitation or good disguises, attacks on networks are subject to false positives and false negatives, meaning that functional nodes may be falsely regarded as compromised by the attacker and vice versa. In this work, we initiate a study of false positive/negative effects on network robustness against three fundamental types of attack strategies, namely, random attacks (RA), localized attacks (LA), and targeted attack (TA). By developing a general mathematical framework based upon the percolation model, we investigate analytically and by numerical simulations of attack robustness with false positive/negative rate (FPR/FNR) on three benchmark models including Erdős-Rényi (ER) networks, random regular (RR) networks, and scale-free (SF) networks. We show that ER networks are equivalently robust against RA and LA only when FPR equals zero or the initial network is intact. We find several interesting crossovers in RR and SF networks when FPR is taken into consideration. By defining the cost of attack, we observe diminishing marginal attack efficiency for RA, LA, and TA. Our finding highlights the potential risk of underestimating or ignoring FPR in understanding attack robustness. The results may provide insights into ways of enhancing robustness of network architecture and improve the level of protection of critical infrastructures.

An investigation of the effect of body dissatisfaction on selective attention toward negative shape and weight-related information.

PubMed

Smith, Evelyn; Rieger, Elizabeth

2010-05-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of inducing body dissatisfaction on selective attention toward negative shape and weight-related information. A total of 54 female undergraduate university students were randomly allocated to one of three induction conditions: body dissatisfaction, negative mood, and neutral. Subsequently, participants' attentional bias toward negative shape/weight words was measured using a dot probe task. Contrary to the hypotheses, participants in the body dissatisfaction condition did not demonstrate an increase in attention toward negative shape/weight words compared with the negative mood and neutral conditions. Indeed, it was the negative mood induction that resulted in significantly increased attention toward negative shape/weight words relative to the body dissatisfaction condition. The finding that the negative mood (rather than the body dissatisfaction) induction triggered an attentional bias toward shape- and weight-related information is discussed in terms of the anxiety literature given the nature of the mood induction utilized. This finding might help to account for the high comorbidity between eating disorders and anxiety disorders and suggests the possible relevance of attentional training interventions designed for anxiety disorders in the treatment of eating disorders. 2009 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pilot Randomized Evaluation of Publically Available Concussion Education Materials: Evidence of a Possible Negative Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kroshus, Emily; Baugh, Christine M.; Hawrilenko, Matt; Daneshvar, Daniel H.

2015-01-01

Many states and sports leagues are instituting concussion policies aimed at reducing risk of morbidity and mortality; many include mandates about the provision of concussion education to youth athletes. However, there is limited evidence if educational materials provided under these typically vague mandates are in fact effective in changing…

Effects of Expressive Writing Effects on Disgust and Anxiety in a Subsequent Dissection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randler, Christoph; Wüst-Ackermann, Peter; im Kampe, Viola Otte; Meyer-Ahrens, Inga H.; Tempel, Benjamin J.; Vollmer, Christian

2015-01-01

Emotions influence motivation and achievement, but negative emotions have rarely been assessed in science education. In this study, we assessed the influence of two different expressive writing assignments on disgust and anxiety in university students prior to the dissection of a trout. We randomly assigned students to one of two expressive…

Is suicide assessment harmful to participants? Findings from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Harris, Keith M; Goh, Melissa Ting-Ting

2017-04-01

There is considerable debate on whether suicide assessment carries an iatrogenic risk for participants/patients. A double-blind randomized controlled trial (registration: R000022314) tested the emotional impact of suicide assessment on participants (n = 259) randomly assigned to experimental (n = 122) or control conditions (n = 137). The experimental condition included the Suicidal Affect-Behavior-Cognition Scale and intensive death-related questions, the control condition a quality of life scale. Both included measures of depression, social support and loneliness. Affective states were assessed immediately before and after testing, and research biases minimized. Post-test debriefing interviews collected qualitative reactions. Experimental participants ranged from nonsuicidal to highly suicidal. Between-groups ANCOVAs and repeated measures ANOVAs showed no differences by study condition, and no pre-post-test affect changes for either condition or suicidal participants (P > 0.10), supporting the null hypothesis of no iatrogenic effects. However, depressive participants in both conditions showed significant decreases in positive affect (P < 0.05). Smallest real difference (SRD) scores approximated clinically meaningful differences and showed 20% of participants had a significant positive survey reaction, 24% a negative reaction, with the rest neutral. Linear regressions revealed depressive symptoms and perceived family support, but not suicidality or other factors, predicted negative affect changes, which was supported by qualitative findings. Social desirability bias was also found in qualitative survey responses. No evidence of iatrogenic effects of suicide assessment were found. Recommendations are made to counter possible negative assessment effects on depressive participants/patients, and nurses and other caregivers are encouraged to talk to patients about suicidal symptoms. © 2016 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Both lavender fleur oil and unscented oil aromatherapy reduce preoperative anxiety in breast surgery patients: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Franco, Lola; Blanck, Thomas J J; Dugan, Kimberly; Kline, Richard; Shanmugam, Geetha; Galotti, Angela; von Bergen Granell, Annelise; Wajda, Michael

2016-09-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether lavender fleur oil (LFO) aromatherapy would reduce anxiety when administered to women before undergoing breast surgery. This was a single-site, randomized study comparing the effect of LFO to unscented oil (UO). The study was conducted in the preoperative holding area of the ambulatory surgery department of NYU Langone Medical Center. Ninety three women, 18 years and older, scheduled for breast surgery. Women meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria were randomized to either LFO or UO aromatherapy and were blind to their assigned treatment. Subjects completed a Speilberger State Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAI) before and after aromatherapy. Vital signs were recorded before and after aromatherapy. STAI-State questions were divided into positive and negative emotions for analysis. Before aromatherapy, there was no significant difference between groups by individual questions or overall average answer of either positive or negative questions. The use of both LFO and UO increased the positive STAI score totals, with the LFO group having a slightly, but statistically significant, greater increase. Both resulted in a statistically significant decrease in the negative score totals after treatment. There were no differences in vital signs between groups for either treatment. Following the conclusion of the trial LFO was analyzed and found to contain a very low content of the 2 major Lavandula angustifolia constituents. Both LFO and UO aromatherapy treatments lowered anxiety before surgery despite no significant changes in vital signs. LFO treatment generated a slight but statistically significant increase in positive feelings compared with UO treatment. It is probable that the beneficial effect observed was due to both aromatherapy with LFO and a placebo effect related to the added attention given to the patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimating safety effects of pavement management factors utilizing Bayesian random effect models.

PubMed

Jiang, Ximiao; Huang, Baoshan; Zaretzki, Russell L; Richards, Stephen; Yan, Xuedong

2013-01-01

Previous studies of pavement management factors that relate to the occurrence of traffic-related crashes are rare. Traditional research has mostly employed summary statistics of bidirectional pavement quality measurements in extended longitudinal road segments over a long time period, which may cause a loss of important information and result in biased parameter estimates. The research presented in this article focuses on crash risk of roadways with overall fair to good pavement quality. Real-time and location-specific data were employed to estimate the effects of pavement management factors on the occurrence of crashes. This research is based on the crash data and corresponding pavement quality data for the Tennessee state route highways from 2004 to 2009. The potential temporal and spatial correlations among observations caused by unobserved factors were considered. Overall 6 models were built accounting for no correlation, temporal correlation only, and both the temporal and spatial correlations. These models included Poisson, negative binomial (NB), one random effect Poisson and negative binomial (OREP, ORENB), and two random effect Poisson and negative binomial (TREP, TRENB) models. The Bayesian method was employed to construct these models. The inference is based on the posterior distribution from the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation. These models were compared using the deviance information criterion. Analysis of the posterior distribution of parameter coefficients indicates that the pavement management factors indexed by Present Serviceability Index (PSI) and Pavement Distress Index (PDI) had significant impacts on the occurrence of crashes, whereas the variable rutting depth was not significant. Among other factors, lane width, median width, type of terrain, and posted speed limit were significant in affecting crash frequency. The findings of this study indicate that a reduction in pavement roughness would reduce the likelihood of traffic-related crashes. Hence, maintaining a low level of pavement roughness is strongly suggested. In addition, the results suggested that the temporal correlation among observations was significant and that the ORENB model outperformed all other models.

The Effects of Direct Mail Appeals on Awareness, Readership, and Cognitive Response Content in a Community Heart Health Campaign.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loken, Barbara; And Others

A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of direct mail appeals in a heart health campaign and to explore the effects of three appeal types (positive, negative, and informational) on knowledge levels and behavior patterns. Seven-hundred fifty randomly selected households were mailed brochures representing one of the three appeal types.…

Past racial discrimination exacerbates the acute effects of racial discrimination on negative affect, perceived control, and alcohol-risk cognitions among Black young adults

PubMed Central

Stock, Michelle L.; Peterson, Laurel M.; Molloy, Brianne; Lambert, Sharon F.

2017-01-01

Racial discrimination is associated with alcohol use and risky sex cognitions and behaviors, which are risk factors for negative health outcomes, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The current study investigated the causal impact of racial discrimination on alcohol and sexual-risk cognitions while exploring potential mediators that might help explain this relation: negative affect, perceived control, and meaningful existence. We also examined if past discrimination impacts the strength of (moderates) these effects. Participants were 287 Black/African American young adults aged 18 to 25. They were randomly assigned to be excluded or included by White peers via the game Cyberball. Racial exclusion (vs. inclusion) predicted greater: perceived racial discrimination, negative affect, alcohol use willingness, and reduced perceived control and meaningful existence. Furthermore, excluded participants who experienced more past racial discrimination reported the lowest perceived control, and greatest negative affect and alcohol-risk cognitions. The findings suggest that past racial discrimination exacerbates the harmful health effects of immediate experiences of discrimination. PMID:27646550

The power of positive and negative expectations to influence reported symptoms and mood during exposure to wind farm sound.

PubMed

Crichton, Fiona; Dodd, George; Schmid, Gian; Gamble, Greg; Cundy, Tim; Petrie, Keith J

2014-12-01

Wind farm developments have been hampered by claims that sound from wind turbines causes symptoms and negative health reports in nearby residents. As scientific reviews have failed to identify a plausible link between wind turbine sound and health effects, psychological expectations have been proposed as an explanation for health complaints. Building on recent work showing negative expectations can create symptoms from wind turbines, we investigated whether positive expectations can produce the opposite effect, in terms of a reduction in symptoms and improvements in reported health. 60 participants were randomized to either positive or negative expectation groups and subsequently exposed to audible wind farm sound and infrasound. Prior to exposure, negative expectation participants watched a DVD incorporating TV footage about health effects said to be caused by infrasound produced by wind turbines. In contrast, positive expectation participants viewed a DVD that outlined the possible therapeutic effects of infrasound exposure. During exposure to audible windfarm sound and infrasound, symptoms and mood were strongly influenced by the type of expectations. Negative expectation participants experienced a significant increase in symptoms and a significant deterioration in mood, while positive expectation participants reported a significant decrease in symptoms and a significant improvement in mood. The study demonstrates that expectations can influence symptom and mood reports in both positive and negative directions. The results suggest that if expectations about infrasound are framed in more neutral or benign ways, then it is likely reports of symptoms or negative effects could be nullified.

How do people learn from negative evidence? Non-monotonic generalizations and sampling assumptions in inductive reasoning.

PubMed

Voorspoels, Wouter; Navarro, Daniel J; Perfors, Amy; Ransom, Keith; Storms, Gert

2015-09-01

A robust finding in category-based induction tasks is for positive observations to raise the willingness to generalize to other categories while negative observations lower the willingness to generalize. This pattern is referred to as monotonic generalization. Across three experiments we find systematic non-monotonicity effects, in which negative observations raise the willingness to generalize. Experiments 1 and 2 show that this effect emerges in hierarchically structured domains when a negative observation from a different category is added to a positive observation. They also demonstrate that this is related to a specific kind of shift in the reasoner's hypothesis space. Experiment 3 shows that the effect depends on the assumptions that the reasoner makes about how inductive arguments are constructed. Non-monotonic reasoning occurs when people believe the facts were put together by a helpful communicator, but monotonicity is restored when they believe the observations were sampled randomly from the environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Activity groups for people with schizophrenia: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Dean, Madeleine; Weston, Adam R W; Osborn, David P; Willis, Suzie; Patterson, Sue; Killaspy, Helen; Leurent, Baptiste; Crawford, Mike J

2014-08-01

UK guidelines recommend that patients with schizophrenia are offered access to social activities, however, the impact of such interventions have not been examined in a large randomized trial. To investigate the effect of an activity group intervention on mental health and global functioning 12 months after randomization compared to standard care alone. Secondary analysis of data from the MATISSE study. Primary outcomes were global functioning, assessed using the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and mental health symptoms measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). About 140 participants were randomized to activity groups and 137 to standard care alone. Follow-up data were collected from 242 (87%) participants. Mental health improved significantly among those offered activity groups (change in PANSS score = -6.0, 95% CI -2.3 to -9.8) but global functioning did not (change in GAF score = 0.8, 95% CI -1.7 to 3.3). No significant differences were found between treatment arms. Offering activity groups to patients with schizophrenia was not associated with any additional clinical benefits. There was poor uptake and attendance at activity groups. Interventions that aim to improve negative symptoms may be useful in enabling engagement in psychosocial interventions.

[Parodontocid efficiency in complex treatment and prevention of gingivitis].

PubMed

Makeeva, I M; Turkina, A Iu; Poliakova, M A; Babina, K S

2013-01-01

Antiplaque/antigingivitis effect of an alcohol-free mouthrinse Parodontocid were evaluated by randomized parallel group clinical trial. Sixty patients with gingivitis were clinically examined to determine PHP, RMNPI and PMA indexes. After professional dental prophylaxis, subjects were randomly assigned in two groups to 10 days oral hygiene program. Group 1 patients used only toothbrush and prophylactic toothpaste while in group 2 persons used Parodontocid in conjunction with normal brushing and flossing.Parodontocid significantly reduced plaque and gingivitis compared to negative control.

Exploring the impact of positive and negative emotions on cooperative behaviour in a Prisoner’s Dilemma Game

PubMed Central

Thompson, Sam

2013-01-01

Objective. To explore the influences of discrete positive and negative emotions on cooperation in the context of a social dilemma game. Design. Two controlled studies were undertaken. In Study 1, 69 participants were randomly assigned to an essay emotion manipulation task designed to induce either guilt, joy or no strong emotion. In Study 2, 95 participants were randomly assigned to one of the same three tasks, and the impact of emotional condition on cooperation was explored using a repeated Prisoner’s Dilemma Game. Results. Study 1 established that the manipulation task was successful in inducing the specified emotions. The analysis from Study 2 revealed no significant main effects for emotions, in contrast to previous research. However, there was a significant effect for participants’ pre-existing tendency to cooperate (social value orientation; SVO). Conclusion. Methodological explanations for the result are explored, including the possible impact of trial-and-error strategies, different cooperation games and endogenous vs exogenous emotions. PMID:24432196

Exploring the impact of positive and negative emotions on cooperative behaviour in a Prisoner's Dilemma Game.

PubMed

Kjell, Oscar N E; Thompson, Sam

2013-12-19

Objective. To explore the influences of discrete positive and negative emotions on cooperation in the context of a social dilemma game. Design. Two controlled studies were undertaken. In Study 1, 69 participants were randomly assigned to an essay emotion manipulation task designed to induce either guilt, joy or no strong emotion. In Study 2, 95 participants were randomly assigned to one of the same three tasks, and the impact of emotional condition on cooperation was explored using a repeated Prisoner's Dilemma Game. Results. Study 1 established that the manipulation task was successful in inducing the specified emotions. The analysis from Study 2 revealed no significant main effects for emotions, in contrast to previous research. However, there was a significant effect for participants' pre-existing tendency to cooperate (social value orientation; SVO). Conclusion. Methodological explanations for the result are explored, including the possible impact of trial-and-error strategies, different cooperation games and endogenous vs exogenous emotions.

Statistical analysis of relationship between negative-bias temperature instability and random telegraph noise in small p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tega, Naoki; Miki, Hiroshi; Mine, Toshiyuki; Ohmori, Kenji; Yamada, Keisaku

2014-03-01

It is demonstrated from a statistical perspective that the generation of random telegraph noise (RTN) changes before and after the application of negative-bias temperature instability (NBTI) stress. The NBTI stress generates a large number of permanent interface traps and, at the same time, a large number of RTN traps causing temporary RTN and one-time RTN. The interface trap and the RTN trap show different features in the recovery process. That is, a re-passivation of interface states is the minor cause of the recovery after the NBTI stress, and in contrast, rapid disappearance of the temporary RTN and the one-time RTN is the main cause of the recovery. The RTN traps are less likely to become permanent. This two-type trap, namely, the interface trap and RTN trap, model simply explains NBTI degradation and recovery in scaled p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors.

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

PubMed

Fergus, Thomas A

2018-06-01

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

Can Early Intervention Improve Maternal Well-Being? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Doyle, Orla; Delaney, Liam; O’Farrelly, Christine; Fitzpatrick, Nick; Daly, Michael

2017-01-01

Objective This study estimates the effect of a targeted early childhood intervention program on global and experienced measures of maternal well-being utilizing a randomized controlled trial design. The primary aim of the intervention is to improve children’s school readiness skills by working directly with parents to improve their knowledge of child development and parenting behavior. One potential externality of the program is well-being benefits for parents given its direct focus on improving parental coping, self-efficacy, and problem solving skills, as well as generating an indirect effect on parental well-being by targeting child developmental problems. Methods Participants from a socio-economically disadvantaged community are randomly assigned during pregnancy to an intensive 5-year home visiting parenting program or a control group. We estimate and compare treatment effects on multiple measures of global and experienced well-being using permutation testing to account for small sample size and a stepdown procedure to account for multiple testing. Results The intervention has no impact on global well-being as measured by life satisfaction and parenting stress or experienced negative affect using episodic reports derived from the Day Reconstruction Method (DRM). Treatment effects are observed on measures of experienced positive affect derived from the DRM and a measure of mood yesterday. Conclusion The limited treatment effects suggest that early intervention programs may produce some improvements in experienced positive well-being, but no effects on negative aspects of well-being. Different findings across measures may result as experienced measures of well-being avoid the cognitive biases that impinge upon global assessments. PMID:28095505

Effects of mood induction on consumers with vs. without compulsive buying propensity: an experimental study.

PubMed

Vogt, Sinje; Hunger, Antje; Türpe, Tina; Pietrowsky, Reinhard; Gerlach, Alexander L

2014-12-15

Compulsive buying (CB) is excessive and leads to impairment and distress. Several studies aimed to explore the phenomenology and antecedents of CB, especially affective states. However, these studies mostly used retrospective self-report and mostly focused on compulsive buyers only. Therefore, this study aims to directly compare consumers with CB propensity and controls on experimental proxies of buying behavior and to investigate 1) effects of neutral vs. negative mood inductions and 2) whether mood effects on buying behavior are specific to CB. Forty female consumers with CB propensity and 40 female controls were randomly assigned to a neutral or negative mood induction. Buying related behavior (likelihood to expose oneself to a shopping situation, urge and probability to buy, willingness to pay) was assessed. Consumers with CB propensity differed from controls in all buying behavior aspects except for willingness to pay. Neither main effects of mood nor group×mood interaction effects on buying behavior were found. However, consumers with CB propensity were emotionally more strongly affected by a negative mood induction. Although negative affect has previously been reported to precede buying episodes in CB, our findings do not indicate specific negative mood effects on buying, neither in CB nor in controls. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of positive and negative intraoperative surgeons' leadership behaviors on surgical team performance.

PubMed

Barling, Julian; Akers, Amy; Beiko, Darren

2018-01-01

The effects of surgeons' leadership on team performance are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the simultaneous effects of transformational, passive, abusive supervision and over-controlling leadership behaviors by surgeons on surgical team performance. Trained observers attended 150 randomly selected operations at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Observers recorded instances of the four leadership behaviors enacted by the surgeon. Postoperatively, team members completed validated questionnaires rating team cohesion and collective efficacy. Multiple regression analyses were computed. Data were analyzed using the complex modeling function in MPlus. Surgeons' abusive supervision was negatively associated with psychological safety (unstandardized B = -0.352, p < 0.01). Both surgeons' abusive supervision (unstandardized B = -0.237, p < 0.01), and over-controlling leadership (unstandardized B = -0.230, p < 0.05) were negatively associated with collective efficacy. This study is the first to assess the simultaneous effects of surgeons' positive and negative leadership behaviors on intraoperative team performance. Significant effects only surfaced for negative leadership behaviors; transformational leadership did not positively influence team performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed

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

2018-04-25

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

The effect of Helicobacter pylori infection and eradication in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: A parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicentre study.

PubMed

Schwizer, Werner; Menne, Dieter; Schütze, Kurt; Vieth, Michael; Goergens, Reiner; Malfertheiner, Peter; Leodolter, Andreas; Fried, Michael; Fox, Mark R

2013-08-01

This study aimed to resolve controversy regarding the effects of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy and H. pylori infection in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. A randomized, double-blind, multicentre trial was performed in patients presenting with reflux symptoms. H. pylori-positive patients were randomized to receive either antibiotics or placebo for 7 days. H. pylori-negative patient controls received placebo. All received esomeprazole 20 mg b.d. for 7 days, followed by 40 mg o.d. to complete an 8-week course, and were followed up for 32 weeks by telephone. In this study, 198/589 (34%) patients were H. pylori-positive and 113 H. pylori-negative patients served as controls. Baseline endoscopy revealed 63% Los Angeles grade 0A and 37% Los Angeles grade BCD oesophagitis with no difference between patient groups. Symptom improvement on esomeprazole was seen in 89%. H. pylori eradication was successful in 82%. H. pylori eradication had no effect on symptomatic relapse (hazard ratio 1.15, 95% CI 0.74-1.8; p = 0.5). Overall, H. pylori-positive patients had a lower probability of relapse compared to H. pylori-negative controls (hazard ratio 0.6, 95% CI 0.43-0.85; p = 0.004). Relapse hazard was modulated also by oesophagitis grade (BCD vs. 0A, hazard ratio 2.1, 95% CI 1.5-3.0). Relapse of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms after a course of high dose acid suppression took longer for H. pylori-positive patients than H. pylori-negative controls; however eradication therapy had no effect on the risk of relapse; ClincialTrials.gov number, NCT00574925.

The effect of Helicobacter pylori infection and eradication in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: A parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicentre study

PubMed Central

Menne, Dieter; Schütze, Kurt; Vieth, Michael; Goergens, Reiner; Malfertheiner, Peter; Leodolter, Andreas; Fried, Michael; Fox, Mark R

2013-01-01

Objectives This study aimed to resolve controversy regarding the effects of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy and H. pylori infection in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Design A randomized, double-blind, multicentre trial was performed in patients presenting with reflux symptoms. H. pylori-positive patients were randomized to receive either antibiotics or placebo for 7 days. H. pylori-negative patient controls received placebo. All received esomeprazole 20 mg b.d. for 7 days, followed by 40 mg o.d. to complete an 8-week course, and were followed up for 32 weeks by telephone. Results In this study, 198/589 (34%) patients were H. pylori-positive and 113 H. pylori-negative patients served as controls. Baseline endoscopy revealed 63% Los Angeles grade 0A and 37% Los Angeles grade BCD oesophagitis with no difference between patient groups. Symptom improvement on esomeprazole was seen in 89%. H. pylori eradication was successful in 82%. H. pylori eradication had no effect on symptomatic relapse (hazard ratio 1.15, 95% CI 0.74–1.8; p = 0.5). Overall, H. pylori-positive patients had a lower probability of relapse compared to H. pylori-negative controls (hazard ratio 0.6, 95% CI 0.43–0.85; p = 0.004). Relapse hazard was modulated also by oesophagitis grade (BCD vs. 0A, hazard ratio 2.1, 95% CI 1.5–3.0). Conclusion Relapse of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms after a course of high dose acid suppression took longer for H. pylori-positive patients than H. pylori-negative controls; however eradication therapy had no effect on the risk of relapse; ClincialTrials.gov number, NCT00574925. PMID:24917966

Effect of the framing of questionnaire items regarding satisfaction with training on residents' responses.

PubMed

Guyatt, G H; Cook, D J; King, D; Norman, G R; Kane, S L; van Ineveld, C

1999-02-01

To determine whether framing questions positively or negatively influences residents' apparent satisfaction with their training. In 1993-94, 276 residents at five Canadian internal medicine residency programs responded to 53 Likert-scale items designed to determine sources of the residents' satisfaction and stress. Two versions of the questionnaire were randomly distributed: one in which half the items were stated positively and the other half negatively, the other version in which the items were stated in the opposite way. The residents scored 43 of the 53 items higher when stated positively and scored ten higher when stated negatively (p < .0001). When analyzed using an analysis-of-variance model, the effect of positive versus negative framing was highly significant (F = 129.81, p < .0001). While the interaction between item and framing was also significant, the effect was much less strong (F = 5.56, p < .0001). On a scale where 1 represented the lowest possible level of satisfaction and 7 the highest, the mean score of the positively stated items was 4.1 and that of the negatively stated items, 3.8, an effect of 0.3. These results suggest a significant "response acquiescence bias." To minimize this bias, questionnaires assessing attitudes toward educational programs should include a mix of positively and negatively stated items.

Transfer effects of step training on stepping performance in untrained directions in older adults: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Okubo, Yoshiro; Menant, Jasmine; Udyavar, Manasa; Brodie, Matthew A; Barry, Benjamin K; Lord, Stephen R; L Sturnieks, Daina

2017-05-01

Although step training improves the ability of quick stepping, some home-based step training systems train limited stepping directions and may cause harm by reducing stepping performance in untrained directions. This study examines the possible transfer effects of step training on stepping performance in untrained directions in older people. Fifty four older adults were randomized into: forward step training (FT); lateral plus forward step training (FLT); or no training (NT) groups. FT and FLT participants undertook a 15-min training session involving 200 step repetitions. Prior to and post training, choice stepping reaction time and stepping kinematics in untrained, diagonal and lateral directions were assessed. Significant interactions of group and time (pre/post-assessment) were evident for the first step after training indicating negative (delayed response time) and positive (faster peak stepping speed) transfer effects in the diagonal direction in the FT group. However, when the second to the fifth steps after training were included in the analysis, there were no significant interactions of group and time for measures in the diagonal stepping direction. Step training only in the forward direction improved stepping speed but may acutely slow response times in the untrained diagonal direction. However, this acute effect appears to dissipate after a few repeated step trials. Step training in both forward and lateral directions appears to induce no negative transfer effects in diagonal stepping. These findings suggest home-based step training systems present low risk of harm through negative transfer effects in untrained stepping directions. ANZCTR 369066. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Can Biomarkers Help Target Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young Genetic Testing in Antibody-Negative Diabetes?

PubMed

Majidi, Shideh; Fouts, Alexandra; Pyle, Laura; Chambers, Christina; Armstrong, Taylor; Wang, Zhenyuan; Batish, Sat Dev; Klingensmith, Georgeanna; Steck, Andrea K

2018-02-01

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is an antibody-negative, autosomal dominant form of diabetes. With the increasing prevalence of diabetes and the expense of MODY testing, markers to identify those who need further genetic testing would be beneficial. We investigated whether HLA genotypes, random C-peptide, and/or high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels could be helpful biomarkers for identifying MODY in antibody-negative diabetes. Subjects (N = 97) with diabetes onset ≤age 25, measurable C-peptide (≥0.1 ng/mL), and negative for all four diabetes autoantibodies were enrolled at a large academic center and tested for MODY 1-5 through Athena Diagnostics. A total of 22 subjects had a positive or very likely pathogenic mutation for MODY. Random C-peptide levels were significantly different between MODY-positive and MODY-negative subjects (0.16 nmol/L vs. 0.02 nmol/L; P = 0.02). After adjusting for age and diabetes duration, hsCRP levels were significantly lower in MODY-positive subjects (0.37 mg/L vs. 0.87 mg/L; P = 0.02). Random C-peptide level ≥0.15 nmol/L obtained at ≥6 months after diagnosis had 83% sensitivity for diagnosis of MODY with a negative predictive value of 96%. Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that area under the curve for random C-peptide (0.75) was significantly better than hsCRP (0.54), high-risk HLA DR3/4-DQB1*0302 (0.59), and high-risk HLA/random C-peptide combined (0.54; P = 0.03). Random C-peptide obtained at ≥6 months after diagnosis can be a useful biomarker to identify antibody-negative individuals who need further genetic testing for MODY, whereas hsCRP and HLA do not appear to improve this antibody/C-peptide-based approach.

The effect of body image threat on smoking motivation among college women: mediation by negative affect.

PubMed

Lopez Khoury, Elena N; Litvin, Erika B; Brandon, Thomas H

2009-06-01

A recent experimental study found that activation of negative body image cognitions produced urges to smoke in young women (E. N. Lopez, D. J. Drobes, J. K. Thompson, & T. H. Brandon, 2008). This study intended to replicate and extend these experimental findings by examining the role of negative affect as a mediator of the relationship between body dissatisfaction and smoking urges. Female college smokers (N=133) were randomly assigned to a body image challenge (trying on a bathing suit) or a control condition (evaluating a purse). State levels of urge to smoke, mood, and body dissatisfaction were assessed both pre- and postmanipulation. Trying on a bathing suit increased body dissatisfaction and reported urges to smoke, particularly those urges related to reducing negative affect. Additionally, state negative affect mediated the relationship between the body image manipulation and smoking urge. This study provides additional support, through an experimental design, that situational challenges to body image influence smoking motivation and that this effect occurs, at least in part, through increases in negative affect. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed. Copyright (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Is There a Paradox of Aging: When the Negative Aging Stereotype Meets the Positivity Effect in Older Adults.

PubMed

Zhou, Liqing; Lu, Jia; Chen, Guopeng; Dong, Li; Yao, Yujia

2017-01-01

Background/Study Context: Socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) states that the positivity effect is a result of older adults' emotion regulation and that older adults derive more emotional satisfaction from prioritizing positive information processing. The authors explored whether the positivity effect appeared when the negative aging stereotype was activated in older adults and also whether the effect differed between mixed and unmixed valence conditions. Sixty younger (18-23 years of age) and 60 older (60-87 years of age) adults were randomly assigned to a control group and a priming group, in which the negative aging stereotype was activated. All the participants were asked to select 15 words that best described the elderly from a mixed-word list (positive and negative words were mixed together) and from an unmixed-word list (positive and negative words were separated). Older adults in the control group selected more positive words, whereas among younger adults, selection did not differ by valence in either the mixed- or unmixed-word list conditions. There were no differences between the positive and negative word choices of the younger and older adults in the priming group. We calculated the differences between the numbers of positive and negative words, and the differences in the older adults' word choices were larger than those among the younger adults; the differences were also larger in the control group than in the priming group. The positivity effect worked by choosing positive stimuli rather than avoiding negative stimuli. The role of emotion regulation in older adults was limited, and when the positivity effect faced the effect of the negative aging stereotype, the negative stereotype effect was dominant. Future research should explore the changes in the positivity effect in the face of a positive aging stereotype and what roles other factors (e.g., activation level of the stereotype, arousal level of affective words) might play.

The Stereotype-Matching Effect: Greater Influence on Functioning When Age Stereotypes Correspond to Outcomes

PubMed Central

Levy, Becca R.; Leifheit-Limson, Erica

2009-01-01

Older individuals assimilate, and are targeted by, contradictory positive and negative age stereotypes. It was unknown whether the influence of stereotype valence is stronger when the stereotype content corresponds to the outcome domain. We randomly assigned older individuals to either positive-cognitive, negative-cognitive, positive-physical, or negative-physical subliminal-age-stereotype groups and assessed cognitive and physical outcomes. As predicted, when the age stereotypes corresponded to the outcome domains, their valence had a significantly greater impact on cognitive and physical performance. This suggests that if a match occurs, it is more likely to generate expectations that become self-fulfilling prophecies. PMID:19290757

Culture, attention, and emotion.

PubMed

Grossmann, Igor; Ellsworth, Phoebe C; Hong, Ying-yi

2012-02-01

This research provides experimental evidence for cultural influence on one of the most basic elements of emotional processing: attention to positive versus negative stimuli. To this end, we focused on Russian culture, which is characterized by brooding and melancholy. In Study 1, Russians spent significantly more time looking at negative than positive pictures, whereas Americans did not show this tendency. In Study 2, Russian Latvians were randomly primed with symbols of each culture, after which we measured the speed of recognition for positive versus negative trait words. Biculturals were significantly faster in recognizing negative words (as compared with baseline) when primed with Russian versus Latvian cultural symbols. Greater identification with Russian culture facilitated this effect. We provide a theoretical discussion of mental processes underlying cultural differences in emotion research.

The effect of mood on false memory for emotional DRM word lists.

PubMed

Zhang, Weiwei; Gross, Julien; Hayne, Harlene

2017-04-01

In the present study, we investigated the effect of participants' mood on true and false memories of emotional word lists in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm. In Experiment 1, we constructed DRM word lists in which all the studied words and corresponding critical lures reflected a specified emotional valence. In Experiment 2, we used these lists to assess mood-congruent true and false memory. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three induced-mood conditions (positive, negative, or neutral) and were presented with word lists comprised of positive, negative, or neutral words. For both true and false memory, there was a mood-congruent effect in the negative mood condition; this effect was due to a decrease in true and false recognition of the positive and neutral words. These findings are consistent with both spreading-activation and fuzzy-trace theories of DRM performance and have practical implications for our understanding of the effect of mood on memory.

Experimental modification of interpretation bias about animal fear in young children: effects on cognition, avoidance behavior, anxiety vulnerability, and physiological responding.

PubMed

Lester, Kathryn J; Field, Andy P; Muris, Peter

2011-01-01

This study investigated the effects of experimentally modifying interpretation biases for children's cognitions, avoidance behavior, anxiety vulnerability, and physiological responding. Sixty-seven children (6-11 years) were randomly assigned to receive a positive or negative interpretation bias modification procedure to induce interpretation biases toward or away from threat about ambiguous situations involving Australian marsupials. Children rapidly learned to select outcomes of ambiguous situations, which were congruent with their assigned condition. Furthermore, following positive modification, children's threat biases about novel ambiguous situations significantly decreased, whereas threat biases significantly increased after negative modification. In response to a stress-evoking behavioral avoidance test, positive modification attenuated behavioral avoidance compared to negative modification. However, no significant effects of bias modification on anxiety vulnerability or physiological responses to this stress-evoking Behavioral Avoidance Task were observed.

Industrial water pollution, water environment treatment, and health risks in China.

PubMed

Wang, Qing; Yang, Zhiming

2016-11-01

The negative health effects of water pollution remain a major source of morbidity and mortality in China. The Chinese government is making great efforts to strengthen water environment treatment; however, no studies have evaluated the effects of water treatment on human health by water pollution in China. This study evaluated the association between water pollution and health outcomes, and determined the extent to which environmental regulations on water pollution may lead to health benefits. Data were extracted from the 2011 and 2013 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Random effects model and random effects Logit model were applied to study the relationship between health and water pollution, while a Mediator model was used to estimate the effects of environmental water treatment on health outcomes by the intensity of water pollution. Unsurprisingly, water pollution was negatively associated with health outcomes, and the common pollutants in industrial wastewater had differential impacts on health outcomes. The effects were stronger for low-income respondents. Water environment treatment led to improved health outcomes among Chinese people. Reduced water pollution mediated the associations between water environment treatment and health outcomes. The results of this study offer compelling evidence to support treatment of water pollution in China. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative Emissions of Random Orbital Sanding between Conventional and Self-Generated Vacuum Systems

PubMed Central

Liverseed, David R.

2013-01-01

Conventional abrasive sanding generates high concentrations of particles. Depending on the substrate being abraded and exposure duration, overexposure to the particles can cause negative health effects ranging from respiratory irritation to cancer. The goal of this study was to understand the differences in particle emissions between a conventional random orbital sanding system and a self-generated vacuum random orbital sanding system with attached particle filtration bag. Particle concentrations were sampled for each system in a controlled test chamber for oak wood, chromate painted (hexavalent chromium) steel panels, and gel-coated (titanium dioxide) fiberglass panels using a Gesamtstaub-Probenahmesystem (GSP) sampler at three different locations adjacent to the sanding. Elevated concentrations were reported for all particles in the samples collected during conventional sanding. The geometric mean concentration ratios for the three substrates ranged from 320 to 4640 times greater for the conventional sanding system than the self-generated vacuum sanding system. The differences in the particle concentration generated by the two sanding systems were statistically significant with the two sample t-test (P < 0.0001) for all three substances. The data suggest that workers using conventional sanding systems could utilize the self-generated vacuum sanding system technology to potentially reduce exposure to particles and mitigate negative health effects. PMID:23065674

Comparative emissions of random orbital sanding between conventional and self-generated vacuum systems.

PubMed

Liverseed, David R; Logan, Perry W; Johnson, Carl E; Morey, Sandy Z; Raynor, Peter C

2013-03-01

Conventional abrasive sanding generates high concentrations of particles. Depending on the substrate being abraded and exposure duration, overexposure to the particles can cause negative health effects ranging from respiratory irritation to cancer. The goal of this study was to understand the differences in particle emissions between a conventional random orbital sanding system and a self-generated vacuum random orbital sanding system with attached particle filtration bag. Particle concentrations were sampled for each system in a controlled test chamber for oak wood, chromate painted (hexavalent chromium) steel panels, and gel-coated (titanium dioxide) fiberglass panels using a Gesamtstaub-Probenahmesystem (GSP) sampler at three different locations adjacent to the sanding. Elevated concentrations were reported for all particles in the samples collected during conventional sanding. The geometric mean concentration ratios for the three substrates ranged from 320 to 4640 times greater for the conventional sanding system than the self-generated vacuum sanding system. The differences in the particle concentration generated by the two sanding systems were statistically significant with the two sample t-test (P < 0.0001) for all three substances. The data suggest that workers using conventional sanding systems could utilize the self-generated vacuum sanding system technology to potentially reduce exposure to particles and mitigate negative health effects.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of body psychotherapy in the treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia--a multi-centre randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Priebe, Stefan; Savill, Mark; Reininghaus, Ulrich; Wykes, Til; Bentall, Richard; Lauber, Christoph; McCrone, Paul; Röhricht, Frank; Eldridge, Sandra

2013-01-14

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are frequently associated with poor long term outcomes. Established interventions have little, if any, positive effects on negative symptoms. Arts Therapies such as Body Psychotherapy (BPT) have been suggested to reduce negative symptoms, but the existing evidence is limited. In a small exploratory trial a manualised form of group BPT led to significantly lower negative symptom levels both at the end of treatment and at 4 months follow-up as compared to supportive counseling. We designed a large multi-site trial to assess the effectiveness of a manualised BPT intervention in reducing negative symptoms, compared to an active control. In a randomised controlled trial, 256 schizophrenic outpatients with negative symptoms will be randomly allocated either to BPT or Pilates groups. In both conditions, patients will be offered two 90 minutes sessions per week in groups of about 8 patients over a period of 10 weeks. Outcomes are assessed at the end of treatment and at six months follow-up. The primary outcome is severity of negative symptoms, as measured by the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), whilst a range of secondary outcome measures include general psychopathology, social contacts, and quality of life. We will also assess the cost-effectiveness of the intervention. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a promising form of group therapy which may help alleviate negative symptoms that are associated with unfavourable long-term outcomes and have so far been difficult to treat. If the trial is successful, it will add a new and effective option in the treatment of negative symptoms. Group BPT is manualised, might be attractive to many patients because of its unusual approach, and could potentially be rolled out to services at relatively little additional cost. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN84216587.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of body psychotherapy in the treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia – a multi-centre randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are frequently associated with poor long term outcomes. Established interventions have little, if any, positive effects on negative symptoms. Arts Therapies such as Body Psychotherapy (BPT) have been suggested to reduce negative symptoms, but the existing evidence is limited. In a small exploratory trial a manualised form of group BPT led to significantly lower negative symptom levels both at the end of treatment and at 4 months follow-up as compared to supportive counseling. We designed a large multi-site trial to assess the effectiveness of a manualised BPT intervention in reducing negative symptoms, compared to an active control. Methods/Design In a randomised controlled trial, 256 schizophrenic outpatients with negative symptoms will be randomly allocated either to BPT or Pilates groups. In both conditions, patients will be offered two 90 minutes sessions per week in groups of about 8 patients over a period of 10 weeks. Outcomes are assessed at the end of treatment and at six months follow-up. The primary outcome is severity of negative symptoms, as measured by the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), whilst a range of secondary outcome measures include general psychopathology, social contacts, and quality of life. We will also assess the cost-effectiveness of the intervention. Discussion The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a promising form of group therapy which may help alleviate negative symptoms that are associated with unfavourable long-term outcomes and have so far been difficult to treat. If the trial is successful, it will add a new and effective option in the treatment of negative symptoms. Group BPT is manualised, might be attractive to many patients because of its unusual approach, and could potentially be rolled out to services at relatively little additional cost. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN84216587 PMID:23317474

Relationships Between Stress, Negative Emotions, Resilience, and Smoking: Testing a Moderated Mediation Model.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Chen, Xinguang; Gong, Jie; Yan, Yaqiong

2016-01-01

More effective tobacco prevention and cessation programs require in-depth understanding of the mechanism by which multiple factors interact with each other to affect smoking behaviors. Stress has long been recognized as a risk factor for smoking. However, the underlying mediation and moderation mechanisms are far from clear. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of negative emotions in mediating the link between stress and smoking and whether this indirect link was modified by resilience. Survey data were collected using audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) from a large random sample of urban residents (n = 1249, mean age = 35.1, 45.3% male) in Wuhan, China. Perceived stress, negative emotions (anxiety, depression), resilience were measured with reliable instruments also validated in China. Self-reported smoking was validated with exhaled carbon monoxide. Mediation analysis indicated that two negative emotions fully mediated the link between stress and intensity of smoking (assessed by number of cigarettes smoked per day, effect =.082 for anxiety and.083 for depression) and nicotine dependence (assessed by DSM-IV standard, effect =.134 for anxiety and.207 for depression). Moderated mediation analysis demonstrated that the mediation effects of negative emotions were negatively associated with resilience. Results suggest resilience interacts with stress and negative emotions to affect the risk of tobacco use and nicotine dependence among Chinese adults. Further research with longitudinal data is needed to verify the findings of this study and to estimate the effect size of resilience in tobacco intervention and cessation programs.

No effect of preoperative selective gut decontamination on endotoxemia and cytokine activation during cardiopulmonary bypass: a randomized, placebo-controlled study.

PubMed

Bouter, Hens; Schippers, Emile F; Luelmo, Saskia A C; Versteegh, Michael I M; Ros, Peter; Guiot, Henri F L; Frölich, Marijke; van Dissel, Jaap T

2002-01-01

Cardiopulmonary bypass predisposes the splanchnic region to inadequate perfusion and increases in gut permeability. Related to these changes, circulating endotoxin has been shown to rise during cardiac surgery, and may contribute to cytokine activation, high oxygen consumption, and fever ("postperfusion syndrome"). To a large extent, free endotoxin in the gut is a product of the proliferation of aerobic gram-negative bacteria and may be reduced by nonabsorbable antibiotics. To evaluate the effect of preoperative selective gut decontamination (SGD) on the incidence of endotoxemia and cytokine activation in patients undergoing open heart surgery. Prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind trial. Tertiary-care university teaching hospital. Preoperative administration for 5 to 7 days of oral nonabsorbable antibiotics (polymyxin B and neomycin) vs. placebo. The efficacy of SGD was assessed by culture of rectal swabs. Forty-four patients (median age 65 yrs, 29 males) were included in a pilot study to establish the sampling points of perioperative measurements. Seventy-eight consecutive patients (median age 65 yrs, 55 males) were enrolled for the prospective study; of these, 51 were randomly allocated to take SGD (n = 24) or placebo (n = 27); 27 were included in a control group (no medication). SGD but not placebo effectively reduced the number of rectal swabs that grew aerobic gram-negative bacteria (27% vs. 93%, respectively; p < .001). SGD did not affect the occurrence of perioperative endotoxemia, nor did it reduce the tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-10, or interleukin-6 concentrations (p > .20), as determined before surgery, upon aorta declamping, 30 mins into reperfusion, or 2 hrs after surgery. Also, SGD did not alter the incidence of postoperative fever or clinical outcome measures such as duration of artificial ventilation and intensive care unit and hospital stay. SGD effectively reduces the aerobic gram-negative bowel flora in cardiac surgery patients but fails to affect the incidence of perioperative endotoxemia and cytokine activation during cardiopulmonary bypass and the occurrence of a postperfusion syndrome.

Therapeutic effects of antimicrobial treatment during lactation of recently acquired bovine subclinical mastitis: two linked randomized field trials.

PubMed

van den Borne, B H P; van Schaik, G; Lam, T J G M; Nielen, M

2010-01-01

Two linked randomized field trials were performed on 39 herds in the Netherlands to 1) determine therapeutic effects of antimicrobial treatment of recently acquired subclinical mastitis (RASCM) during lactation, 2) evaluate the effect of duration of subclinical mastitis on therapeutic outcome, and 3) identify factors related to the therapeutic success of RASCM. Cows with a first elevated composite somatic cell count (CSCC) after 2 consecutive low CSCC measurements were eligible for enrollment in trial 1 (treatment at the first elevated CSCC). Quarter milk samples were collected to determine bacteriological status for major pathogens and coagulase-negative staphylococci. Cows with one or more culture-positive quarters with a quarter somatic cell count (QSCC) >or=100,000 cells/mL were defined to have RASCM and were randomly assigned treatment or control (no treatment). Untreated cows from trial 1 that had a second elevated CSCC at the next milk recording were eligible for enrollment in trial 2 (treatment at the second elevated CSCC). In trial 2, staphylococci-positive cows (Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci) were randomly assigned to treatment or control. Farmers used their own treatment protocols to treat quarters in both trials. Bacteriological cure was defined as absence of the pathogen identified pre-intervention in 2 samples post-intervention; QSCC, CSCC, and milk yield were also analyzed. Hierarchical logistic and linear models were used to determine therapeutic effects and to identify factors related to therapy outcome. Treated quarters had a higher bacteriological cure rate than control quarters for all pathogens in both trials. Treatment resulted in lower QSCC and CSCC, whereas milk yield was not affected by treatment. Bacteriological cure of RASCM was better in quarters with a low QSCC pre-intervention and in coagulase-negative staphylococci-positive quarters. Control quarters with a single culture-positive sample pre-intervention also had a higher bacteriological cure than control quarters with >or=2 culture-positive samples. Time of antimicrobial treatment affected bacteriological cure for penicillin-sensitive Staph. aureus. Bacteriological cure tended to be higher for Staph. aureus after treatment at the first elevated CSCC compared with treatment at the second elevated CSCC. Thus, early treatment of Staph. aureus might be more effective than later treatment. Copyright 2010 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changing emotion: the use of therapeutic storytelling.

PubMed

Parker, Trent S; Wampler, Karen S

2006-04-01

Even though using metaphors in a therapeutic context is common, there are very few studies that address their effects. This study examines the effects of storytelling in therapy. After discussing a problem in a current relationship, 42 female participants were randomly assigned to receive either a story or psychoeducational information. Results indicated that both treatments were equally successful in reducing amounts of negative affect and negative feelings toward the relationship. In addition, each story was able to facilitate a change in emotional valence. Finally, participants saw no difference between the depth and smoothness of each session. Examples on using storytelling within different models of marriage and family therapy are provided.

Cognitive behavioral treatment groups for people with chronic depression in Hong Kong: a randomized wait-list control design.

PubMed

Wong, Daniel Fu Keung

2008-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) group for Chinese people with depression in Hong Kong. Ninety-six subjects with depression were randomly assigned to CBT and control groups. After 10 weeks of treatment, participants in the CBT group had significantly fewer symptoms of depression, dysfunctional rules, and negative emotions, and significantly more adaptive coping skills when compared to the participants in the control group. Effect size statistics showed medium to large differences in symptoms of depression, coping skills, dysfunctional rules, and assumptions and negative emotions between the participants of the two groups (Cohen's d, between 0.50 and 0.88, except for positive emotions). Forty percent of the participants in the experimental group achieved a clinically significant level [reliable change index (RC)>1.96] of improvement. Lastly, the results of a multiple regression analysis provided some evidence of a linkage between cognition and depression among the participants in the experimental group. The design and content of the CBT groups, which aimed at facilitating the understanding and modification of automatic thoughts and dysfunctional rules, and of negative and positive coping skills among the participants, might have contributed to the initial positive results. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

On being grateful and kind: results of two randomized controlled trials on study-related emotions and academic engagement.

PubMed

Ouweneel, Else; Le Blanc, Pascale M; Schaufeli, Wilmar B

2014-01-01

Despite the large amount of research attention to engagement as well as positive psychology in a general context, there have been few attempts to increase academic well-being by means of positive psychological interventions. This article tests the potential of positive psychological interventions to enhance study-related positive emotions and academic engagement, and to reduce study-related negative emotions among university students. We modified two existing positive interventions that are aimed at increasing general happiness for use in an academic context. These interventions focused on "thoughts of gratitude" and "acts of kindness," respectively. The present study consisted of two randomized controlled trials with experimental (thoughts of gratitude or acts of kindness) and control conditions in which participants were monitored on a daily basis during the one-week intervention, and additional pre-, post-, and follow-up assessments were carried out. Results revealed that the gratitude intervention had a significant positive effect on daily positive emotions only. The kindness intervention had a positive influence on both positive emotions and academic engagement, though not in the long run. The results showed no effects on negative emotions in either of the two interventions. Positive psychological interventions seem to foster positive emotions and academic engagement, but do not decrease negative emotions.

Improving the Short-Term Affect of Grieving Children through Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Kaylin E.; Lineweaver, Tara T.

2016-01-01

We evaluated changes in positive and negative affect of grieving children in response to art making compared to another noncreative, non-expressive, but engaging visuospatial task and assessed whether art making was equally or differentially effective in individual versus collaborative settings. We randomly assigned grieving children to one of…

Poor Implementation of Learner-Centered Practices: A Cautionary Tale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ikemoto, Gina Schuyler; Steele, Jennifer L.; Pane, John F.

2016-01-01

Many school systems are adopting new curricula in response to more rigorous standards that require higher-order thinking skills. This chapter presents implementation findings from a randomized, controlled trial of the Cognitive Tutor Geometry curriculum. We found a significant negative effect on student achievement despite the curriculum's focus…

Arginine and vitamin E improve the immune response after a Salmonella challenge in broiler chicks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of arginine (ARG), vitamin E (VE), and mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) on the immune response and clearance of Salmonella in broiler chickens. In each experiment, chicks were randomly distributed into 4 groups: antibiotic-free diet (negative contro...

The effect of positive and negative message framing on short term continuous positive airway pressure compliance in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

PubMed Central

Czaban, Marcin; Berry, Marc P.; Nirmalan, Prajeshan; Brown, Richard; Birdseye, Adam; Woroszyl, Asia; Chapman, Julia; Kent, Brian D.; Hart, Nicholas; Rossi, Gian Paolo; Steier, Joerg

2018-01-01

Background Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the best available treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), requires long-term compliance to be effective. Behavioral interventions may be used to improve adherence to CPAP. We aimed to investigate whether positive or negative message framing impacts on CPAP compliance in patients with OSA, when compared to standard care. Methods Consenting patients with confirmed OSA were randomly allocated to receive along with their CPAP either positively or negatively framed messages (Pos; Neg), or standard care (Con). Standardized motivational messages were read out to patients during an initial teaching session and through weekly telephone calls. Patients’ compliance data were reviewed 2 and 6 weeks following CPAP initiation. Results We randomized 112 patients to groups that were matched for age, BMI, and OSA severity. The positively framed group (Pos) showed greater CPAP usage after 2 weeks (total use 53.7±31.4 hours) as compared to the negatively framed and the control group (35.6±27.4 and 40.8±33.5 hours, P<0.05); however, no differences were seen at 6 weeks. There were more dropouts in the control group than in either framed groups (Pos n=5; Neg n=8; Con n=11; P<0.05). Conclusions Positively framed messages can improve CPAP adherence in patients with OSA in the short-term; however, strategies for implementing its long-term use need to be developed. PMID:29445540

The effect of positive and negative message framing on short term continuous positive airway pressure compliance in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

PubMed

Pengo, Martino F; Czaban, Marcin; Berry, Marc P; Nirmalan, Prajeshan; Brown, Richard; Birdseye, Adam; Woroszyl, Asia; Chapman, Julia; Kent, Brian D; Hart, Nicholas; Rossi, Gian Paolo; Steier, Joerg

2018-01-01

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the best available treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), requires long-term compliance to be effective. Behavioral interventions may be used to improve adherence to CPAP. We aimed to investigate whether positive or negative message framing impacts on CPAP compliance in patients with OSA, when compared to standard care. Consenting patients with confirmed OSA were randomly allocated to receive along with their CPAP either positively or negatively framed messages (Pos; Neg), or standard care (Con). Standardized motivational messages were read out to patients during an initial teaching session and through weekly telephone calls. Patients' compliance data were reviewed 2 and 6 weeks following CPAP initiation. We randomized 112 patients to groups that were matched for age, BMI, and OSA severity. The positively framed group (Pos) showed greater CPAP usage after 2 weeks (total use 53.7±31.4 hours) as compared to the negatively framed and the control group (35.6±27.4 and 40.8±33.5 hours, P<0.05); however, no differences were seen at 6 weeks. There were more dropouts in the control group than in either framed groups (Pos n=5; Neg n=8; Con n=11; P<0.05). Positively framed messages can improve CPAP adherence in patients with OSA in the short-term; however, strategies for implementing its long-term use need to be developed.

Social relationships and longitudinal changes in body mass index and waist circumference: the coronary artery risk development in young adults study.

PubMed

Kershaw, Kiarri N; Hankinson, Arlene L; Liu, Kiang; Reis, Jared P; Lewis, Cora E; Loria, Catherine M; Carnethon, Mercedes R

2014-03-01

Few studies have examined longitudinal associations between close social relationships and weight change. Using data from 3,074 participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study who were examined in 2000, 2005, and 2010 (at ages 33-45 years in 2000), we estimated separate logistic regression random-effects models to assess whether patterns of exposure to supportive and negative relationships were associated with 10% or greater increases in body mass index (BMI) (weight (kg)/height (m)(2)) and waist circumference. Linear regression random-effects modeling was used to examine associations of social relationships with mean changes in BMI and waist circumference. Participants with persistently high supportive relationships were significantly less likely to increase their BMI values and waist circumference by 10% or greater compared with those with persistently low supportive relationships after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, baseline BMI/waist circumference, depressive symptoms, and health behaviors. Persistently high negative relationships were associated with higher likelihood of 10% or greater increases in waist circumference (odds ratio = 1.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.15, 2.29) and marginally higher BMI increases (odds ratio = 1.50, 95% confidence interval: 1.00, 2.24) compared with participants with persistently low negative relationships. Increasingly negative relationships were associated with increases in waist circumference only. These findings suggest that supportive relationships may minimize weight gain, and that adverse relationships may contribute to weight gain, particularly via central fat accumulation.

Social Relationships and Longitudinal Changes in Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study

PubMed Central

Kershaw, Kiarri N.; Hankinson, Arlene L.; Liu, Kiang; Reis, Jared P.; Lewis, Cora E.; Loria, Catherine M.; Carnethon, Mercedes R.

2014-01-01

Few studies have examined longitudinal associations between close social relationships and weight change. Using data from 3,074 participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study who were examined in 2000, 2005, and 2010 (at ages 33–45 years in 2000), we estimated separate logistic regression random-effects models to assess whether patterns of exposure to supportive and negative relationships were associated with 10% or greater increases in body mass index (BMI) (weight (kg)/height (m)2) and waist circumference. Linear regression random-effects modeling was used to examine associations of social relationships with mean changes in BMI and waist circumference. Participants with persistently high supportive relationships were significantly less likely to increase their BMI values and waist circumference by 10% or greater compared with those with persistently low supportive relationships after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, baseline BMI/waist circumference, depressive symptoms, and health behaviors. Persistently high negative relationships were associated with higher likelihood of 10% or greater increases in waist circumference (odds ratio = 1.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.15, 2.29) and marginally higher BMI increases (odds ratio = 1.50, 95% confidence interval: 1.00, 2.24) compared with participants with persistently low negative relationships. Increasingly negative relationships were associated with increases in waist circumference only. These findings suggest that supportive relationships may minimize weight gain, and that adverse relationships may contribute to weight gain, particularly via central fat accumulation. PMID:24389018

The Effect of Body Image Threat on Smoking Motivation Among College Women: Mediation by Negative Affect

PubMed Central

Lopez Khoury, Elena N.; Litvin, Erika B.; Brandon, Thomas H.

2014-01-01

Previous descriptive, correlational, and quasi-experimental research has established that weight concerns and negative body image are associated with tobacco smoking, cessation, and relapse among young women. A recent experimental study found that activation of negative body image cognitions produced urges to smoke (Lopez, Drobes, Thompson, & Brandon, 2008). The current study intended to replicate and extend these experimental findings by examining the role of negative affect as a mediator of the relationship between body dissatisfaction and smoking urges. Female college smokers (N = 133) were randomly assigned to a body image challenge (trying on a bathing suit) or a control condition (evaluating a purse). State levels of urge to smoke, mood, and body dissatisfaction were assessed both pre- and post-manipulation. Trying on a bathing suit increased body dissatisfaction and reported urges to smoke, particularly those urges related to reducing negative affect. Additionally, state negative affect mediated the relationship between the body image manipulation and smoking urge. This study provides additional support, through an experimental design, that situational challenges to body image influence smoking motivation, and that this effect occurs, at least in part, via increases in negative affect. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed. PMID:19586144

Relaxation Training and Written Emotional Disclosure for Tension or Migraine Headaches: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

D’Souza, Pamela J.; Lumley, Mark A.; Kraft, Christina A.; Dooley, John A.

2010-01-01

Background and Purpose Behavioral medicine interventions that directly reduce arousal and negative emotions, such as relaxation training (RT), are conceptually different from interventions that temporarily increase negative emotions, such as written emotional disclosure (WED), but no studies have directly compared their efficacy. We compared the effects of RT and WED on people with tension or migraine headaches. Methods College students with either tension (n = 51) or migraine (n = 90) headaches were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: RT, WED, or a neutral writing control condition; 4 sessions were held over 2 weeks. Mood was measured before and after each session, and outcomes (headache frequency, severity, disability, and general physical symptoms) were assessed at baseline and at 1-month and 3-month follow-ups. Results As expected, RT led to an immediate increase in calmness, whereas WED led to an immediate increase in negative mood, for both headache samples. Intent-to-treat analyses showed that for the tension headache sample, RT led to improved headache frequency and disability compared to both WED and the control group, but WED had no effect. For migraine headaches, RT improved pain severity relative to the control group, but WED again had no effect. Conclusions A brief RT protocol was effective for tension headaches, but WED had no effect on health status for either tension or migraine headaches. Modifications to WED, such as targeting people with unresolved stress, providing guidance to enhance the potency of the writing, or including additional at-home writing and exposure exercises, may improve its efficacy for people with headaches and other health problems. PMID:18696172

Multiple-trait structured antedependence model to study the relationship between litter size and birth weight in pigs and rabbits.

PubMed

David, Ingrid; Garreau, Hervé; Balmisse, Elodie; Billon, Yvon; Canario, Laurianne

2017-01-20

Some genetic studies need to take into account correlations between traits that are repeatedly measured over time. Multiple-trait random regression models are commonly used to analyze repeated traits but suffer from several major drawbacks. In the present study, we developed a multiple-trait extension of the structured antedependence model (SAD) to overcome this issue and validated its usefulness by modeling the association between litter size (LS) and average birth weight (ABW) over parities in pigs and rabbits. The single-trait SAD model assumes that a random effect at time [Formula: see text] can be explained by the previous values of the random effect (i.e. at previous times). The proposed multiple-trait extension of the SAD model consists in adding a cross-antedependence parameter to the single-trait SAD model. This model can be easily fitted using ASReml and the OWN Fortran program that we have developed. In comparison with the random regression model, we used our multiple-trait SAD model to analyze the LS and ABW of 4345 litters from 1817 Large White sows and 8706 litters from 2286 L-1777 does over a maximum of five successive parities. For both species, the multiple-trait SAD fitted the data better than the random regression model. The difference between AIC of the two models (AIC_random regression-AIC_SAD) were equal to 7 and 227 for pigs and rabbits, respectively. A similar pattern of heritability and correlation estimates was obtained for both species. Heritabilities were lower for LS (ranging from 0.09 to 0.29) than for ABW (ranging from 0.23 to 0.39). The general trend was a decrease of the genetic correlation for a given trait between more distant parities. Estimates of genetic correlations between LS and ABW were negative and ranged from -0.03 to -0.52 across parities. No correlation was observed between the permanent environmental effects, except between the permanent environmental effects of LS and ABW of the same parity, for which the estimate of the correlation was strongly negative (ranging from -0.57 to -0.67). We demonstrated that application of our multiple-trait SAD model is feasible for studying several traits with repeated measurements and showed that it provided a better fit to the data than the random regression model.

The consequences of perceived discrimination for psychological well-being: a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Schmitt, Michael T; Branscombe, Nyla R; Postmes, Tom; Garcia, Amber

2014-07-01

In 2 meta-analyses, we examined the relationship between perceived discrimination and psychological well-being and tested a number of moderators of that relationship. In Meta-Analysis 1 (328 independent effect sizes, N = 144,246), we examined correlational data measuring both perceived discrimination and psychological well-being (e.g., self-esteem, depression, anxiety, psychological distress, life satisfaction). Using a random-effects model, the mean weighted effect size was significantly negative, indicating harm (r = -.23). Effect sizes were larger for disadvantaged groups (r = -.24) compared to advantaged groups (r = -.10), larger for children compared to adults, larger for perceptions of personal discrimination compared to group discrimination, and weaker for racism and sexism compared to other stigmas. The negative relationship was significant across different operationalizations of well-being but was somewhat weaker for positive outcomes (e.g., self-esteem, positive affect) than for negative outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety, negative affect). Importantly, the effect size was significantly negative even in longitudinal studies that controlled for prior levels of well-being (r = -.15). In Meta-Analysis 2 (54 independent effect sizes, N = 2,640), we examined experimental data from studies manipulating perceptions of discrimination and measuring well-being. We found that the effect of discrimination on well-being was significantly negative for studies that manipulated general perceptions of discrimination (d = -.25), but effects did not differ from 0 when attributions to discrimination for a specific negative event were compared to personal attributions (d = .06). Overall, results support the idea that the pervasiveness of perceived discrimination is fundamental to its harmful effects on psychological well-being. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Effect of Dye and Conjugation Chemistry on the Biodistribution Profile of Near-Infrared-Labeled Nanobodies as Tracers for Image-Guided Surgery.

PubMed

Debie, Pieterjan; Van Quathem, Jannah; Hansen, Inge; Bala, Gezim; Massa, Sam; Devoogdt, Nick; Xavier, Catarina; Hernot, Sophie

2017-04-03

Advances in optical imaging technologies have stimulated the development of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescently labeled targeted probes for use in image-guided surgery. As nanobodies have already proven to be excellent candidates for molecular imaging, we aimed in this project to design NIR-conjugated nanobodies targeting the tumor biomarker HER2 for future applications in this field and to evaluate the effect of dye and dye conjugation chemistry on their pharmacokinetics during development. IRDye800CW or IRdye680RD were conjugated either randomly (via lysines) or site-specifically (via C-terminal cysteine) to the anti-HER2 nanobody 2Rs15d. After verification of purity and functionality, the biodistribution and tumor targeting of the NIR-nanobodies were assessed in HER2-positive and -negative xenografted mice. Site-specifically IRDye800CW- and IRdye680RD-labeled 2Rs15d as well as randomly labeled 2Rs15d-IRDye680RD showed rapid tumor accumulation and low nonspecific uptake, resulting in high tumor-to-muscle ratios at early time points (respectively 6.6 ± 1.0, 3.4 ± 1.6, and 3.5 ± 0.9 for HER2-postive tumors at 3 h p.i., while <1.0 for HER2-negative tumors at 3 h p.i., p < 0.05). Contrarily, using the randomly labeled 2Rs15d-IRDye800CW, HER2-positive and -negative tumors could only be distinguished after 24 h due to high nonspecific signals. Moreover, both randomly labeled 2Rs15d nanobodies were not only cleared via the kidneys but also partially via the hepatobiliary route. In conclusion, near-infrared fluorescent labeling of nanobodies allows rapid, specific, and high contrast in vivo tumor imaging. Nevertheless, the fluorescent dye as well as the chosen conjugation strategy can affect the nanobodies' properties and consequently have a major impact on their pharmacokinetics.

Enhancing the parent-child relationship: a Hong Kong community-based randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Fabrizio, Cecilia S; Stewart, Sunita M; Ip, Alison K Y; Lam, Tai Hing

2014-02-01

Adolescence is a critical risk period for negative academic and behavioral outcomes, but a strong parent-child relationship can be a powerful protective factor. Our previous pilot of an academic-community agency collaborative randomized controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated initial evidence of benefit for a parenting intervention with preadolescents in Hong Kong. The present RCT assessed the effect of brief training in positive discipline parenting skills on parental satisfaction with the parent-child relationship. A community sample of 461 Hong Kong Chinese parents of children aged 10-13 years were randomized to (a) the Harmony@Home intervention, (b) an attention control, or (c) a third active intervention that shared the control group. Participants were followed for 12 months and multiple methods of assessment were used. Compared with the control group, the Harmony@Home group reported an increase in the primary outcome of satisfaction with the parent-child relationship at 3 months' postintervention. Although results are mixed, this study demonstrates how a culturally adaptive community intervention can improve the parental behaviors that serve as protective factors against negative academic and behavioral outcomes for Chinese adolescents.

Antibiotic rotation strategies to reduce antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative bacteria in European intensive care units: study protocol for a cluster-randomized crossover controlled trial.

PubMed

van Duijn, Pleun J; Bonten, Marc J M

2014-07-10

Intensive care units (ICU) are epicenters for the emergence of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (ARGNB) because of high rates of antibiotic usage, rapid patient turnover, immunological susceptibility of acutely ill patients, and frequent contact between healthcare workers and patients, facilitating cross-transmission.Antibiotic stewardship programs are considered important to reduce antibiotic resistance, but the effectiveness of strategies such as, for instance, antibiotic rotation, have not been determined rigorously. Interpretation of available studies on antibiotic rotation is hampered by heterogeneity in implemented strategies and suboptimal study designs. In this cluster-randomized, crossover trial the effects of two antibiotic rotation strategies, antibiotic mixing and cycling, on the prevalence of ARGNB in ICUs are determined. Antibiotic mixing aims to create maximum antibiotic heterogeneity, and cycling aims to create maximum antibiotic homogeneity during consecutive periods. This is an open cluster-randomized crossover study of mixing and cycling of antibiotics in eight ICUs in five European countries. During cycling (9 months) third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins, piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems will be rotated during consecutive 6-week periods as the primary empiric treatment in patients suspected of infection caused by Gram-negative bacteria. During mixing (9 months), the same antibiotics will be rotated for each consecutive antibiotic course. Both intervention periods will be preceded by a baseline period of 4 months. ICUs will be randomized to consecutively implement either the mixing and then cycling strategy, or vice versa. The primary outcome is the ICU prevalence of ARGNB, determined through monthly point-prevalence screening of oropharynx and perineum. Secondary outcomes are rates of acquisition of ARGNB, bacteremia and appropriateness of therapy, length of stay in the ICU and ICU mortality. Results will be adjusted for intracluster correlation, and patient- and ICU-level variables of case-mix and infection-prevention measures using advanced regression modeling. This trial will determine the effects of antibiotic mixing and cycling on the unit-wide prevalence of ARGNB in ICUs. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01293071 December 2010.

A comparison of the test-negative and the traditional case-control study designs for estimation of influenza vaccine effectiveness under nonrandom vaccination.

PubMed

Shi, Meng; An, Qian; Ainslie, Kylie E C; Haber, Michael; Orenstein, Walter A

2017-12-08

As annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all U.S. persons aged 6 months or older, it is unethical to conduct randomized clinical trials to estimate influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE). Observational studies are being increasingly used to estimate VE. We developed a probability model for comparing the bias and the precision of VE estimates from two case-control designs: the traditional case-control (TCC) design and the test-negative (TN) design. In both study designs, acute respiratory illness (ARI) patients seeking medical care testing positive for influenza infection are considered cases. In the TN design, ARI patients seeking medical care who test negative serve as controls, while in the TCC design, controls are randomly selected individuals from the community who did not contract an ARI. Our model assigns each study participant a covariate corresponding to the person's health status. The probabilities of vaccination and of contracting influenza and non-influenza ARI depend on health status. Hence, our model allows non-random vaccination and confounding. In addition, the probability of seeking care for ARI may depend on vaccination and health status. We consider two outcomes of interest: symptomatic influenza (SI) and medically-attended influenza (MAI). If vaccination does not affect the probability of non-influenza ARI, then VE estimates from TN studies usually have smaller bias than estimates from TCC studies. We also found that if vaccinated influenza ARI patients are less likely to seek medical care than unvaccinated patients because the vaccine reduces symptoms' severity, then estimates of VE from both types of studies may be severely biased when the outcome of interest is SI. The bias is not present when the outcome of interest is MAI. The TN design produces valid estimates of VE if (a) vaccination does not affect the probabilities of non-influenza ARI and of seeking care against influenza ARI, and (b) the confounding effects resulting from non-random vaccination are similar for influenza and non-influenza ARI. Since the bias of VE estimates depends on the outcome against which the vaccine is supposed to protect, it is important to specify the outcome of interest when evaluating the bias.

Clinically node negative breast cancer patients undergoing breast conserving therapy, sentinel lymph node procedure versus follow-up: a Dutch randomized controlled multicentre trial (BOOG 2013-08).

PubMed

van Roozendaal, L M; Vane, M L G; van Dalen, T; van der Hage, J A; Strobbe, L J A; Boersma, L J; Linn, S C; Lobbes, M B I; Poortmans, P M P; Tjan-Heijnen, V C G; Van de Vijver, K K B T; de Vries, J; Westenberg, A H; Kessels, A G H; de Wilt, J H W; Smidt, M L

2017-07-01

Studies showed that axillary lymph node dissection can be safely omitted in presence of positive sentinel lymph node(s) in breast cancer patients treated with breast conserving therapy. Since the outcome of the sentinel lymph node biopsy has no clinical consequence, the value of the procedure itself is being questioned. The aim of the BOOG 2013-08 trial is to investigate whether the sentinel lymph node biopsy can be safely omitted in clinically node negative breast cancer patients treated with breast conserving therapy. The BOOG 2013-08 is a Dutch prospective non-inferiority randomized multicentre trial. Women with pathologically confirmed clinically node negative T1-2 invasive breast cancer undergoing breast conserving therapy will be randomized for sentinel lymph node biopsy versus no sentinel lymph node biopsy. Endpoints include regional recurrence after 5 (primary endpoint) and 10 years of follow-up, distant-disease free and overall survival, quality of life, morbidity and cost-effectiveness. Previous data indicate a 5-year regional recurrence free survival rate of 99% for the control arm and 96% for the study arm. In combination with a non-inferiority limit of 5% and probability of 0.8, this result in a sample size of 1.644 patients including a lost to follow-up rate of 10%. Primary and secondary endpoints will be reported after 5 and 10 years of follow-up. If the sentinel lymph node biopsy can be safely omitted in clinically node negative breast cancer patients undergoing breast conserving therapy, this study will cost-effectively lead to a decreased axillary morbidity rate and thereby improved quality of life with non-inferior regional control, distant-disease free survival and overall survival. The BOOG 2013-08 study is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov since October 20, 2014, Identifier: NCT02271828. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02271828.

"We Dance and Find Each Other"1: Effects of Dance/Movement Therapy on Negative Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Hildebrandt, Malin K; Koch, Sabine C; Fuchs, Thomas

2016-11-10

The treatment of deficits in social interaction, a shared symptom cluster in persons with schizophrenia (negative symptoms) and autism spectrum disorder (DSM-5 A-criterion), has so far remained widely unsuccessful in common approaches of psychotherapy. The alternative approach of embodiment brings to focus body-oriented intervention methods based on a theoretic framework that explains the disorders on a more basic level than common theory of mind approaches. The randomized controlled trial at hand investigated the effects of a 10-week manualized dance and movement therapy intervention on negative symptoms in participants with autism spectrum disorder. Although the observed effects failed to reach significance at the conventional 0.05 threshold, possibly due to an undersized sample, an encouraging trend towards stronger symptom reduction in the treatment group for overall negative symptoms and for almost all subtypes was found at the 0.10-level. Effect sizes were small but clinically meaningful, and the resulting patterns were in accordance with theoretical expectations. The study at hand contributes to finding an effective treatment approach for autism spectrum disorder in accordance with the notion of embodiment .

“We Dance and Find Each Other”1: Effects of Dance/Movement Therapy on Negative Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Hildebrandt, Malin K.; Koch, Sabine C.; Fuchs, Thomas

2016-01-01

The treatment of deficits in social interaction, a shared symptom cluster in persons with schizophrenia (negative symptoms) and autism spectrum disorder (DSM-5 A-criterion), has so far remained widely unsuccessful in common approaches of psychotherapy. The alternative approach of embodiment brings to focus body-oriented intervention methods based on a theoretic framework that explains the disorders on a more basic level than common theory of mind approaches. The randomized controlled trial at hand investigated the effects of a 10-week manualized dance and movement therapy intervention on negative symptoms in participants with autism spectrum disorder. Although the observed effects failed to reach significance at the conventional 0.05 threshold, possibly due to an undersized sample, an encouraging trend towards stronger symptom reduction in the treatment group for overall negative symptoms and for almost all subtypes was found at the 0.10-level. Effect sizes were small but clinically meaningful, and the resulting patterns were in accordance with theoretical expectations. The study at hand contributes to finding an effective treatment approach for autism spectrum disorder in accordance with the notion of embodiment. PMID:27834905

Does Assessing Suicidality Frequently and Repeatedly Cause Harm? A Randomized Control Study

PubMed Central

Law, Mary Kate; Furr, R. Michael; Arnold, Elizabeth Mayfield; Mneimne, Malek; Jaquett, Caroline; Fleeson, William

2015-01-01

Assessing suicidality is common in mental health practice and is fundamental to suicide research. Although necessary, there is significant concern that such assessments have unintended harmful consequences. Using a longitudinal randomized control design, we evaluated whether repeated and frequent assessments of suicide-related thoughts and behaviors negatively affected individuals, including those at-risk for suicide-related outcomes. Adults (N = 282), including many diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), were recruited through psychiatric outpatient clinics and from the community at large, and were randomly assigned to assessment groups. A Control Assessment group responded to questions regarding negative psychological experiences several times each day during a 2-week Main Observation phase. During the same observation period, an Intensive Suicide Assessment group responded to the same questions, along with questions regarding suicidal behavior and ideation. Negative psychological outcomes were measured during the Main Observation phase (for BPD symptoms unrelated to suicide and for BPD-relevant emotions) and/or at the end of each week during the Main Observation phase and monthly for 6 months thereafter (for all outcomes, including suicidal ideation and behavior). Results revealed little evidence that intensive suicide assessment triggered negative outcomes, including suicidal ideation or behavior, even among people with BPD. A handful of effects did reach or approach significance, though these were temporary and non-robust. However, given the seriousness of some outcomes, we recommend that researchers or clinicians who implement experience sampling methods including suicide-related items carefully consider the benefits of asking about suicide and to inform participants about possible risks. PMID:25894705

Does assessing suicidality frequently and repeatedly cause harm? A randomized control study.

PubMed

Law, Mary Kate; Furr, R Michael; Arnold, Elizabeth Mayfield; Mneimne, Malek; Jaquett, Caroline; Fleeson, William

2015-12-01

Assessing suicidality is common in mental health practice and is fundamental to suicide research. Although necessary, there is significant concern that such assessments have unintended harmful consequences. Using a longitudinal randomized control design, the authors evaluated whether repeated and frequent assessments of suicide-related thoughts and behaviors negatively affected individuals, including those at-risk for suicide-related outcomes. Adults (N = 282), including many diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), were recruited through psychiatric outpatient clinics and from the community at large, and were randomly assigned to assessment groups. A control assessment group responded to questions regarding negative psychological experiences several times each day during a 2-week main observation phase. During the same observation period, an intensive suicide assessment group responded to the same questions, along with questions regarding suicidal behavior and ideation. Negative psychological outcomes were measured during the main observation phase (for BPD symptoms unrelated to suicide and for BPD-relevant emotions) and/or at the end of each week during the main observation phase and monthly for 6 months thereafter (for all outcomes, including suicidal ideation and behavior). Results revealed little evidence that intensive suicide assessment triggered negative outcomes, including suicidal ideation or behavior, even among people with BPD. A handful of effects did reach or approach significance, though these were temporary and nonrobust. However, given the seriousness of some outcomes, the authors recommend that researchers or clinicians who implement experience sampling methods including suicide-related items carefully consider the benefits of asking about suicide and to inform participants about possible risks. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Statin therapy and plasma vitamin E concentrations: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.

PubMed

Sahebkar, Amirhossein; Simental-Mendía, Luis E; Ferretti, Gianna; Bacchetti, Tiziana; Golledge, Jonathan

2015-12-01

Vitamin E is one of the most important natural antioxidants, and its plasma levels are inversely associated with the progression of atherosclerosis. There have been reports suggesting a potential negative effect of statin therapy on plasma vitamin E levels. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the impact of statin therapy on plasma vitamin E concentrations. PubMed-Medline, SCOPUS, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases were searched to identify randomized placebo-controlled trials evaluating the impact of statins on plasma vitamin E concentrations from inception to February 27, 2015. A systematic assessment of bias in the included studies was performed using the Cochrane criteria. A random-effects model (using DerSimonian-Laird method) and the generic inverse variance method were used to examine the effect of statins on plasma vitamin E concentrations. Heterogeneity was quantitatively assessed using the I(2) index. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using the leave-one-out method. A meta-analysis of data from 8 randomized treatment arms including 504 participants indicated a significant reduction in plasma vitamin E concentrations following statin treatment (WMD: -16.30%, 95% CI: -16.93, -15.98, p < 0.001). However, cholesterol-adjusted vitamin E concentrations (defined as vitamin E:total cholesterol ratio) were found to be improved by statin therapy (WMD: 29.35%, 95% CI: 24.98, 33.72, p < 0.001). Statin therapy was not associated with any significant alteration in LDL vitamin E content (SMD: 0.003, 95% CI: -0.90, 0.90, p = 0.995). Findings of the present study suggest that statin therapy has no negative impact on plasma vitamin E concentrations or LDL vitamin E content. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Peer Group Performance on the Self-Concept of Reading in a Foreign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janssen, Rianne; Wouters, Sofie; Huygh, Tine; Denies, Katrijn; Verschueren, Karine

2015-01-01

According to the big-fish-little-pond (BFLP) model, the self-concept is not only influenced in a positive way by one's own achievement, but also in a negative way by one's relative achievement in comparison with one's immediate peers. This study investigates whether the BFLP effect also holds for second language acquisition. A random sample of…

Worker and mother roles, spillover effects, and psychological distress.

PubMed

Barnett, R C; Marshall, N L

1992-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between the occupancy and quality of multiple-roles and psychological distress in a stratified random sample of 403 women employed as licensed practical nurses and social workers. We examined the main effects of the quality of the employee and parent roles and the interaction effects between these variables. Negative- and positive-spillover effects, from job to parenting and from parenting to job, were examined in an attempt to illuminate the processes by which multiple roles affect employed mothers' vulnerability or resilience to psychological distress. We found no negative-spillover effects from job to parenting or from parenting to job, but we did find positive-spillover effects from job to parenting. Women with rewarding jobs were protected from the negative mental-health effects of troubled relationships with their children. This protection accrued to employed mothers regardless of their partnership status or the age of their children. Although based on cross-sectional analyses, these findings suggest mechanisms by which employed mothers reap a mental-health advantage from multiple roles, even when some of those roles are stressful.

Effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy/closed incision management in the prevention of post-surgical wound complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Sandy-Hodgetts, Kylie; Watts, Robin

2015-01-01

The treatment of post-surgical wound complications, such as surgical site infections and surgical wound dehiscence, generates a significant burden for patients and healthcare systems. The effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy has been under investigation but to date no systematic review has been published in relation to its effectiveness in the prevention of surgical wound complications. To identify the effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy in the prevention of post-surgical wound complications in adults with a closed surgical incision compared to standard surgical dressings. Male and female adults who have had negative pressure wound therapy applied to their surgical incision following a procedure in one of the following areas: trauma, cardiothoracic, orthopedic, abdominal, or vascular surgery.The intervention of interest was the use of negative pressure wound therapy directly over an incision following a surgical procedure; the comparator was standard surgical dressings.Both experimental and epidemiological study designs, including randomized controlled trials, pseudo-randomized trials, quasi-experimental studies, before and after studies, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case control studies, and analytical cross sectional studies were sought.The primary outcome was the occurrence of post-surgical wound infection or dehiscence as measured by the following: surgical site infections - superficial and deep; surgical wound dehiscence; wound pain; wound seroma; wound hematoma. Published and unpublished studies in English from 1990 to 2013 were identified by searching a variety of electronic databases. Reference lists of all papers selected for retrieval were then searched for additional studies. Papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. Data were extracted from the included papers using a standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. In addition to study results, the data extracted included details of the study population, setting, intervention and author's conclusion. Where appropriate, data were pooled using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. Meta-analyses were performed for three outcomes. In cases of heterogeneity between studies a narrative summary of results was undertaken. Eight studies were included in the review. Meta-analyses revealed a statistically significant difference in favor of the use of negative pressure wound therapy as compared to standard surgical dressings was found for surgical site infections. Conflicting results were found for wound dehiscence and seroma. Given the small number of studies, mostly retrospective comparative cohort in design, no definitive conclusions can be reached as to the effectiveness of the use of negative pressure wound therapy in the prevention of surgical wound complications. However, there was a demonstrated association between the use of negative pressure wound therapy and reduction in surgical site infection. Negative pressure wound therapy in preference to standard postoperative dressings, for example dry gauze, may be considered for closed surgical incisions in adults assessed as high-risk for surgical site infections. The focus of further research on this topic should be level one studies (randomized controlled trials) on patients identified as 'at risk' in the preoperative period.

Advertisements impact the physiological efficacy of a branded drug

PubMed Central

Kamenica, Emir; Naclerio, Robert; Malani, Anup

2013-01-01

We conducted randomized clinical trials to examine the impact of direct-to-consumer advertisements on the efficacy of a branded drug. We compared the objectively measured, physiological effect of Claritin (Merck & Co.), a leading antihistamine medication, across subjects randomized to watch a movie spliced with advertisements for Claritin or advertisements for Zyrtec (McNeil), a competitor antihistamine. Among subjects who test negative for common allergies, exposure to Claritin advertisements rather than Zyrtec advertisements increases the efficacy of Claritin. We conclude that branded drugs can interact with exposure to television advertisements. PMID:23878212

Advertisements impact the physiological efficacy of a branded drug.

PubMed

Kamenica, Emir; Naclerio, Robert; Malani, Anup

2013-08-06

We conducted randomized clinical trials to examine the impact of direct-to-consumer advertisements on the efficacy of a branded drug. We compared the objectively measured, physiological effect of Claritin (Merck & Co.), a leading antihistamine medication, across subjects randomized to watch a movie spliced with advertisements for Claritin or advertisements for Zyrtec (McNeil), a competitor antihistamine. Among subjects who test negative for common allergies, exposure to Claritin advertisements rather than Zyrtec advertisements increases the efficacy of Claritin. We conclude that branded drugs can interact with exposure to television advertisements.

Material hardship and children's social-emotional development: Testing mitigating effects of Child Development Accounts in a randomized experiment.

PubMed

Huang, J; Kim, Y; Sherraden, M

2017-01-01

Research has established a negative association between household material hardship and children's mental health. This study examines whether Child Development Accounts (CDAs), an economic intervention that encourages families to accumulate assets for children's long-term development, mitigate the association between material hardship and children's social-emotional development. Researchers conducted a randomized experiment of CDAs in Oklahoma, USA, with a probability sample (N = 7328) of all infants born in two 3-month periods in 2007. After agreeing to participate in the experiment, caregivers of 2704 infants completed a baseline survey and were assigned randomly to the treatment (n = 1358) or control group (n = 1346). The intervention exposed the treatment group to a CDA, which consisted of an Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan account, financial incentives and financial information. Material hardship has a negative association with the social-emotional development of children around the age of 4 years. Estimates from regression analysis indicate that CDAs mitigate about 50% of the negative association between material hardship and children's social-emotional development. Although they do not provide direct support for consumption in households experiencing material hardship, CDAs may improve child development by influencing parenting practices and parents' expectations for their children. We discuss the implications of using asset-building programmes to improve child development. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Adverse prognostic value of peritumoral vascular invasion: is it abrogated by adequate endocrine adjuvant therapy? Results from two International Breast Cancer Study Group randomized trials of chemoendocrine adjuvant therapy for early breast cancer

PubMed Central

Viale, G.; Giobbie-Hurder, A.; Gusterson, B. A.; Maiorano, E.; Mastropasqua, M. G.; Sonzogni, A.; Mallon, E.; Colleoni, M.; Castiglione-Gertsch, M.; Regan, M. M.; Brown, R. W.; Golouh, R.; Crivellari, D.; Karlsson, P.; Öhlschlegel, C.; Gelber, R. D.; Goldhirsch, A.; Coates, A. S.

2010-01-01

Background: Peritumoral vascular invasion (PVI) may assist in assigning optimal adjuvant systemic therapy for women with early breast cancer. Patients and methods: Patients participated in two International Breast Cancer Study Group randomized trials testing chemoendocrine adjuvant therapies in premenopausal (trial VIII) or postmenopausal (trial IX) node-negative breast cancer. PVI was assessed by institutional pathologists and/or central review on hematoxylin–eosin-stained slides in 99% of patients (analysis cohort 2754 patients, median follow-up >9 years). Results: PVI, present in 23% of the tumors, was associated with higher grade tumors and larger tumor size (trial IX only). Presence of PVI increased locoregional and distant recurrence and was significantly associated with poorer disease-free survival. The adverse prognostic impact of PVI in trial VIII was limited to premenopausal patients with endocrine-responsive tumors randomized to therapies not containing goserelin, and conversely the beneficial effect of goserelin was limited to patients whose tumors showed PVI. In trial IX, all patients received tamoxifen: the adverse prognostic impact of PVI was limited to patients with receptor-negative tumors regardless of chemotherapy. Conclusion: Adequate endocrine adjuvant therapy appears to abrogate the adverse impact of PVI in node-negative disease, while PVI may identify patients who will benefit particularly from adjuvant therapy. PMID:19633051

Hájek-Rényi inequality for m-asymptotically almost negatively associated random vectors in Hilbert space and applications.

PubMed

Ko, Mi-Hwa

2018-01-01

In this paper, we obtain the Hájek-Rényi inequality and, as an application, we study the strong law of large numbers for H -valued m -asymptotically almost negatively associated random vectors with mixing coefficients [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text].

Positive messages enhance older adults' motivation and recognition memory for physical activity programmes.

PubMed

Notthoff, Nanna; Klomp, Peter; Doerwald, Friederike; Scheibe, Susanne

2016-09-01

Although physical activity is an effective way to cope with ageing-related impairments, few older people are motivated to turn their sedentary lifestyle into an active one. Recent evidence suggests that walking can be more effectively promoted in older adults with positive messages about the benefits of walking than with negative messages about the risks of inactivity. This study examined motivation and memory as the supposed mechanisms underlying the greater effectiveness of positively framed compared to negatively framed messages for promoting activity. Older adults ( N  = 53, age 60-87 years) were introduced to six physical activity programmes that were randomly paired with either positively framed or negatively framed messages. Participants indicated how motivated they were to participate in each programme by providing ratings on attractiveness, suitability, capability and intention. They also completed surprise free recall and recognition tests. Respondents felt more motivated to participate in physical activity programmes paired with positively framed messages than in those with negatively framed ones. They also had better recognition memory for positively framed than negatively framed messages, and misremembered negatively framed messages to be positively framed. Findings support the notion that socioemotional selectivity theory-a theory of age-related changes in motivation-is a useful basis for health intervention design.

Movie character smoking and adolescent smoking: who matters more, good guys or bad guys?

PubMed

Tanski, Susanne E; Stoolmiller, Mike; Dal Cin, Sonya; Worth, Keilah; Gibson, Jennifer; Sargent, James D

2009-07-01

To assess the association between smoking onset and exposure to movie smoking according to character type. A longitudinal, random-digit-dial telephone survey of 6522 US adolescents was performed with movie exposure assessed at 4 time points over 24 months. Adolescents were asked whether they had seen a random subsample of recently released movies, for which we identified smoking by major characters and type of portrayal (divided into negative, positive, and mixed/neutral categories). Multivariate hazard regression analysis was used to assess the independent effects of these exposures on the odds of trying smoking. By the 24-month follow-up survey, 15.9% of baseline never-smokers had tried smoking. Within the sample of movies, 3848 major characters were identified, of whom 69% were male. Smokers represented 22.8% of 518 negative characters, 13.7% of 2486 positive characters, and 21.1% of 844 mixed/neutral characters. Analysis of the crude relationship showed that episodes of negative character smoking exposure had the strongest influence on smoking initiation. However, because most characters were portrayed as positive, exposure to this category was greatest. When the full population effect of each exposure was modeled, each type of character smoking independently affected smoking onset. There was an interaction between negative character smoking and sensation-seeking with stronger response for adolescents lower in sensation-seeking. Character smoking predicts adolescent smoking initiation regardless of character type, which demonstrates the importance of limiting exposure to all movie smoking. Negative character portrayals of smoking have stronger impact on low risk-taking adolescents, undercutting the argument that greater exposure is a marker for adolescent risk-taking behavior.

Movie Character Smoking and Adolescent Smoking: Who Matters More, Good Guys or Bad Guys?

PubMed Central

Tanski, Susanne E.; Stoolmiller, Mike; Cin, Sonya Dal; Worth, Keilah; Gibson, Jennifer; Sargent, James D.

2009-01-01

Objective To assess the association between smoking onset and exposure to movie smoking according to character type. Methods A longitudinal, random-digit-dial telephone survey of 6522 US adolescents was performed with movie exposure assessed at 4 time points over 24 months. Adolescents were asked whether they had seen a random subsample of recently released movies, for which we identified smoking by major characters and type of portrayal (divided into negative, positive, and mixed/neutral categories). Multivariate hazard regression analysis was used to assess the independent effects of these exposures on the odds of trying smoking. Results By the 24-month follow-up survey, 15.9% of baseline never-smokers had tried smoking. Within the sample of movies, 3848 major characters were identified, of whom 69% were male. Smokers represented 22.8% of 518 negative characters, 13.7% of 2486 positive characters, and 21.1% of 844 mixed/neutral characters. Analysis of the crude relationship showed that episodes of negative character smoking exposure had the strongest influence on smoking initiation. However, because most characters were portrayed as positive, exposure to this category was greatest. When the full population effect of each exposure was modeled, each type of character smoking independently affected smoking onset. There was an interaction between negative character smoking and sensation-seeking with stronger response for adolescents lower in sensation-seeking. Conclusions Character smoking predicts adolescent smoking initiation regardless of character type, which demonstrates the importance of limiting exposure to all movie smoking. Negative character portrayals of smoking have stronger impact on low risk-taking adolescents, undercutting the argument that greater exposure is a marker for adolescent risk-taking behavior. PMID:19564293

Assessing the efficacy of imagery-enhanced cognitive behavioral group therapy for social anxiety disorder: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

McEvoy, Peter M; Moulds, Michelle L; Grisham, Jessica R; Holmes, Emily A; Moscovitch, David A; Hendrie, Delia; Saulsman, Lisa M; Lipp, Ottmar V; Kane, Robert T; Rapee, Ronald M; Hyett, Matthew P; Erceg-Hurn, David M

2017-09-01

Cognitive behavior group therapy (CBGT) is effective for social anxiety disorder (SAD), but a substantial proportion of patients do not typically achieve normative functioning. Cognitive behavioral models of SAD emphasize negative self-imagery as an important maintaining factor, and evidence suggests that imagery is a powerful cognitive mode for facilitating affective change. This study will compare two group CBGT interventions, one that predominantly uses verbally-based strategies (VB-CBGT) and another that predominantly uses imagery-enhanced strategies (IE-CBGT), in terms of (a) efficacy, (b) mechanisms of change, and (c) cost-effectiveness. This study is a parallel groups (two-arm) single-blind randomized controlled trial. A minimum of 96 patients with SAD will be recruited within a public outpatient community mental health clinic in Perth, Australia. The primary outcomes will be self-reported symptom severity, caseness (SAD present: yes/no) based on a structured diagnostic interview, and clinician-rated severity and life impact. Secondary outcomes and mechanism measures include blind observer-rated use of safety behaviors, physiological activity (heart rate variability and skin conductance level) during a standardized speech task, negative self-beliefs, imagery suppression, fear of negative and positive evaluation, repetitive negative thinking, anxiety, depression, self-consciousness, use of safety behaviors, and the EQ-5D-5L and TiC-P for the health economic analysis. Homework completion, group cohesion, and working alliance will also be monitored. The outcomes of this trial will inform clinicians as to whether integrating imagery-based strategies in cognitive behavior therapy for SAD is likely to improve outcomes. Common and distinct mechanisms of change might be identified, along with relative cost-effectiveness of each intervention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of negative air ions on oxygen uptake kinetics, recovery and performance in exercise: a randomized, double-blinded study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nimmerichter, Alfred; Holdhaus, Johann; Mehnen, Lars; Vidotto, Claudia; Loidl, Markus; Barker, Alan R.

2014-09-01

Limited research has suggested that acute exposure to negatively charged ions may enhance cardio-respiratory function, aerobic metabolism and recovery following exercise. To test the physiological effects of negatively charged air ions, 14 trained males (age: 32 ± 7 years; : 57 ± 7 mL min-1 kg-1) were exposed for 20 min to either a high-concentration of air ions (ION: 220 ± 30 × 103 ions cm-3) or normal room conditions (PLA: 0.1 ± 0.06 × 103 ions cm-3) in an ionization chamber in a double-blinded, randomized order, prior to performing: (1) a bout of severe-intensity cycling exercise for determining the time constant of the phase II response ( τ) and the magnitude of the slow component (SC); and (2) a 30-s Wingate test that was preceded by three 30-s Wingate tests to measure plasma [adrenaline] (ADR), [nor-adrenaline] (N-ADR) and blood [lactate] (BLac) over 20 min during recovery in the ionization chamber. There was no difference between ION and PLA for the phase II τ (32 ± 14 s vs. 32 ± 14 s; P = 0.7) or SC (404 ± 214 mL vs 482 ± 217 mL; P = 0.17). No differences between ION and PLA were observed at any time-point for ADR, N-ADR and BLac as well as on peak and mean power output during the Wingate tests (all P > 0.05). A high-concentration of negatively charged air ions had no effect on aerobic metabolism during severe-intensity exercise or on performance or the recovery of the adrenergic and metabolic responses after repeated-sprint exercise in trained athletes.

Healthy and happy in Europe? On the association between happiness and life expectancy over time.

PubMed

Bjørnskov, Christian

2008-04-01

This paper revisits the standard finding in individual-level studies that happiness leads to longevity. It does so in a cross-country time-series analysis in which the use of a random effects estimator controls for most relevant time-invariant factors. The findings suggest that happiness is negatively associated with longevity at the national level, and suggests a potential indirect transmission channel, as national happiness is negatively associated with public health expenditures. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the results for public policy and future research.

Health-Related Quality-of-Life Findings for the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT)—a randomized placebo-controlled study of the efficacy of finasteride in preventing prostate cancer—offered the opportunity to prospectively study effects of finasteride and other covariates on the health-related quality of life of participants in a multiyear trial. Methods We assessed three health-related quality-of-life domains (measured with the Health Survey Short Form–36: Physical Functioning, Mental Health, and Vitality scales) via questionnaires completed by PCPT participants at enrollment (3 months before randomization), at 6 months after randomization, and annually for 7 years. Covariate data obtained at enrollment from patient-completed questionnaires were included in our model. Mixed-effects model analyses and a cross-sectional presentation at three time points began at 6 months after randomization. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results For the physical function outcome (n = 16 077), neither the finasteride main effect nor the finasteride interaction with time were statistically significant. The effects of finasteride on physical function were minor and accounted for less than a 1-point difference over time in Physical Functioning scores (mixed-effect estimate = 0.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.28 to 0.42, P = .71). Comorbidities such as congestive heart failure (estimate = −5.64, 95% CI = −7.96 to −3.32, P < .001), leg pain (estimate = −2.57, 95% CI = −3.04 to −2.10, P < .001), and diabetes (estimate = −1.31, 95% CI = −2.04 to −0.57, P < .001) had statistically significant negative effects on physical function, as did current smoking (estimate = −2.34, 95% CI = −2.97 to −1.71, P < .001) and time on study (estimate = −1.20, 95% CI = −1.36 to −1.03, P < .001). Finasteride did not have a statistically significant effect on the other two dependent variables, mental health and vitality, either in the mixed-effects analyses or in the cross-sectional analysis at any of the three time points. Conclusion Finasteride did not negatively affect SF–36 Physical Functioning, Mental Health, or Vitality scores. PMID:22972968

Effectiveness and safety of moderate-intensity aerobic water exercise during pregnancy for reducing use of epidural analgesia during labor: protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Navas, Araceli; Artigues, Catalina; Leiva, Alfonso; Portells, Elena; Soler, Aina; Cladera, Antonia; Ortas, Silvia; Alomar, Margarita; Gual, Marina; Manzanares, Concepción; Brunet, Marina; Julià, Magdalena; López, Lidia; Granda, Lorena; Bennasar-Veny, Miquel; Carrascosa, Mari Carmen

2018-04-11

Epidural analgesia during labor can provide effective pain relief, but can also lead to adverse effects. The practice of moderate exercise during pregnancy is associated with an increased level of endorphins in the blood, and this could also provide pain relief during labor. Aerobic water exercises, rather than other forms of exercise, do not negatively impact articulations, reduce edema, blood pressure, and back pain, and increase diuresis. We propose a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a moderate water exercise program during pregnancy on the need for epidural analgesia during labor. A multi-center, parallel, randomized, evaluator blinded, controlled trial in a primary care setting. We will randomised 320 pregnant women (14 to 20 weeks gestation) who have low risk of complications to a moderate water exercise program or usual care. The findings of this research will contribute toward understanding of the effects of a physical exercise program on pain and the need for analgesia during labor. ISRCTN Registry identifier: 14097513 register on 04 September 2017. Retrospectively registered.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Motivational Enhancement Therapy with Non-treatment Seeking Adolescent Cannabis Users: A Further Test of the Teen Marijuana Check-Up

PubMed Central

Walker, Denise D.; Stephens, Robert; Roffman, Roger; DeMarce, Josephine; Lozano, Brian; Towe, Sheri; Berg, Belinda

2011-01-01

Aims Cannabis use adversely affects adolescents and interventions that are attractive to adolescents are needed. This trial compared the effects of a brief motivational intervention for cannabis use with a brief educational feedback control and a no-assessment control. Design Participants were randomized into one of three treatment conditions: Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Educational Feedback Control (EFC) or Delayed Feedback Control (DFC). Those assigned to MET and EFC were administered a computerized baseline assessment immediately following randomization and completed assessments at the 3- and 12-month follow-up periods. Participants in the DFC condition were not assessed until the 3-month follow-up. Following the completion of treatment sessions, all participants were offered up to 4 optional individual treatment sessions aimed at cessation of cannabis use. Setting High schools in Seattle, WA, USA. Participants 310 self-referred adolescents who smoked cannabis regularly. Measurements Main outcome measures included days of cannabis use, associated negative consequences, and engagement in additional treatment. Findings At the 3-month follow-up, participants in both the MET and EFC conditions reported significantly fewer days of cannabis use and negative consequences compared to DFC. Frequency of cannabis use was less in MET relative to EFC at 3 months, but did not translate to differences in negative consequences. Reduction in use and problems were sustained at 12-months but there were no differences between MET and EFC interventions. Engagement in additional treatment was minimal and not different by condition. Conclusions Brief interventions can attract and have positive impacts on adolescent cannabis users, but the mechanisms of the effects are yet to be identified. PMID:21688877

Randomized controlled trial of motivational enhancement therapy with nontreatment-seeking adolescent cannabis users: a further test of the teen marijuana check-up.

PubMed

Walker, Denise D; Stephens, Robert; Roffman, Roger; Demarce, Josephine; Lozano, Brian; Towe, Sheri; Berg, Belinda

2011-09-01

Cannabis use adversely affects adolescents and interventions that are attractive to adolescents are needed. This trial compared the effects of a brief motivational intervention for cannabis use with a brief educational feedback control and a no-assessment control. Participants were randomized into one of three treatment conditions: Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Educational Feedback Control (EFC), or Delayed Feedback Control (DFC). Those who were assigned to MET and EFC were administered a computerized baseline assessment immediately following randomization and completed assessments at the 3- and 12-month follow-up periods. Participants in the DFC condition were not assessed until the 3-month follow-up. Following the completion of treatment sessions, all participants were offered up to four optional individual treatment sessions aimed at cessation of cannabis use. The research was conducted in high schools in Seattle, Washington. The participant s included 310 self-referred adolescents who smoked cannabis regularly. The main outcome measures included days of cannabis use, associated negative consequences, and engagement in additional treatment. At the 3-month follow-up, participants in both the MET and EFC conditions reported significantly fewer days of cannabis use and negative consequences compared to those in the DFC. The frequency of cannabis use was less in MET relative to EFC at 3 months, but it did not translate to differences in negative consequences. Reductions in use and problems were sustained at 12 months, but there were no differences between MET and EFC interventions. Engagement in additional treatment was minimal and did not differ by condition. Brief interventions can attract adolescent cannabis users and have positive impacts on them, but the mechanisms of the effects are yet to be identified. (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

Impact of daily mood, work hours, and iso-strain variables on self-reported health behaviors.

PubMed

Jones, Fiona; O'Connor, Daryl B; Conner, Mark; McMillan, Brian; Ferguson, Eamonn

2007-11-01

Four hundred and twenty-two employees completed daily diaries measuring positive affect, negative affect, work hours, and health behaviors (snacking, smoking, exercise, alcohol, caffeine consumption) on work days over a 4-week period. In addition, measures of job demands, job control, and social support (iso-strain variables) were completed on 1 occasion. Multilevel random coefficient modeling was used to examine relationships between the job characteristics, daily work variables, and self-reported health behaviors. Results indicated a more important role for within-person daily fluctuations than for between-persons variations in predicting health behaviors. Whereas negative affect was negatively related to health behavior for both men and women, work hours had negative impacts for women only. Iso-strain variables showed few main effects and a modest number of interactions with daily variables (mainly for men). Findings point to the limited impact of stable features of work design compared to the effects of daily work stressors on health behaviors. (c) 2007 APA

Unconscious emotion regulation: Nonconscious reappraisal decreases emotion-related physiological reactivity during frustration.

PubMed

Yuan, Jiajin; Ding, Nanxiang; Liu, Yingying; Yang, Jiemin

2015-01-01

Reappraisal of negative events is known to be useful in decreasing their emotional impact. However, existent evidence for this conclusion mostly relies on conscious, deliberate reappraisal that comes with the cost of cognitive efforts. The aim of the present study was to compare emotion regulation effects of conscious and unconscious reappraisal, which has been shown to be less costly in previous studies. Subjects randomly assigned to an unconscious reappraisal, conscious reappraisal, and control condition performed a frustrating arithmetic task. Subjective emotional experience and heart-rate reactivity were recorded. Participants primed with unconscious reappraisal showed the same decrease in heart-rate reactivity as those explicitly instructed to reappraise. In addition, the unconscious reappraisal group did not show reductions in subjective negative emotion, whereas this was significantly decreased in the conscious reappraisal group. Heart-rate reactivity was positively correlated with negative emotion ratings and negatively correlated with the positive emotion ratings. These results suggest that unconscious reappraisal is only effective in decreasing physiological consequences of frustrating emotion, but not in reducing subjective experience.

Origin of negative resistivity slope in U-based ferromagnets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Havela, L.; Paukov, M.; Buturlim, V.; Tkach, I.; Mašková, S.; Dopita, M.

2018-05-01

Ultra-nanocrystalline UH3-based ferromagnets with TC ≈ 200 K exhibit a flat temperature dependence of electrical resistivity with a negative slope both in the ferromagnetic and paramagnetic range. The ordered state with randomness on atomic scale, equivalent to a non-collinear ferromagnetism, can be affected by magnetic field, supressing the static magnetic disorder, which reduces the resistivity and removes the negative slope. It is deduced that the dynamic magnetic disorder in the paramagnetic state can be conceived as continuation of the static disorder in the ordered state. The experiments, performed for (UH3)0.78Mo0.12Ti0.10, demonstrate that the negative resistivity slope, observed for numerous U-based intermetallics in the paramagnetic state, can be due to the strong disorder effect on resistivity. The resulting weak localization, as a quantum interference effect which increases resistivity, is gradually suppressed by enhanced temperature, contributing by electron-phonon scattering, inelastic in nature and removing the quantum coherence.

Optimizing timing and dosage: does parent type moderate the effects of variations of a parent-based intervention to reduce college student drinking?

PubMed

Varvil-Weld, Lindsey; Scaglione, Nichole; Cleveland, Michael J; Mallett, Kimberly A; Turrisi, Rob; Abar, Caitlin C

2014-02-01

Research on parent-based interventions (PBIs) to reduce college student drinking has explored the optimal timing of delivery and dosage. The present study extended this work by examining the effectiveness of three different PBI conditions on student drinking outcomes as a function of parenting types and students' pre-college drinking patterns. Four hypotheses were evaluated (early intervention, increased dosage, invariant, and treatment matching risk). A random sample of 1,900 college students and their parents was randomized to four conditions: (1) pre-college matriculation, (2) pre-college matriculation plus booster, (3) post-college matriculation, or (4) control, and was assessed at baseline (summer prior to college) and 5-month follow-up. Baseline parent type was assessed using latent profile analysis (positive, pro-alcohol, positive, anti-alcohol, negative mother, and negative father). Student drinking patterns were classified at baseline and follow-up and included: non-drinker, weekend light drinker, weekend heavy episodic drinker, and heavy drinker. Consistent with the treatment matching risk hypothesis, results indicated parent type moderated the effects of intervention condition such that receiving the intervention prior to college was associated with lower likelihood of being in a higher-risk drinking pattern at follow-up for students with positive, anti-alcohol, or negative father parent types. The findings are discussed with respect to optimal delivery and dosage of parent-based interventions for college student drinking.

Optimizing Timing and Dosage: Does Parent Type Moderate the Effects of Variations of a Parent-Based Intervention to Reduce College Student Drinking?

PubMed Central

Varvil-Weld, Lindsey; Scaglione, Nichole; Cleveland, Michael J.; Mallett, Kimberly A.; Turrisi, Rob; Abar, Caitlin C.

2013-01-01

Research on parent-based interventions (PBIs) to reduce college student drinking has explored the optimal timing of delivery and dosage. The present study extended this work by examining the effectiveness of three different PBI conditions on student drinking outcomes as a function of parenting types and students' pre-college drinking patterns. Four hypotheses were evaluated (early intervention, increased dosage, invariant, and treatment matching risk). A random sample of 1900 college students and their parents was randomized to four conditions: 1) pre-college matriculation, 2) pre-college matriculation plus booster, 3) post-college matriculation, or 4) control, and was assessed at baseline (summer prior to college) and 5-month follow-up. Baseline parent type was assessed using latent profile analysis (positive, pro-alcohol, positive, anti-alcohol, negative mother and negative father). Student drinking patterns were classified at baseline and follow up and included: non-drinker, weekend light drinker, weekend heavy episodic drinker, and heavy drinker. Consistent with the treatment matching risk hypothesis, results indicated parent type moderated the effects of intervention condition such that receiving the intervention prior to college was associated with lower likelihood of being in a higher-risk drinking pattern at follow up for students with positive, anti-alcohol or negative father parent types. The findings are discussed with respect to optimal delivery and dosage of parent-based interventions for college student drinking. PMID:23404668

Matching the Statistical Model to the Research Question for Dental Caries Indices with Many Zero Counts.

PubMed

Preisser, John S; Long, D Leann; Stamm, John W

2017-01-01

Marginalized zero-inflated count regression models have recently been introduced for the statistical analysis of dental caries indices and other zero-inflated count data as alternatives to traditional zero-inflated and hurdle models. Unlike the standard approaches, the marginalized models directly estimate overall exposure or treatment effects by relating covariates to the marginal mean count. This article discusses model interpretation and model class choice according to the research question being addressed in caries research. Two data sets, one consisting of fictional dmft counts in 2 groups and the other on DMFS among schoolchildren from a randomized clinical trial comparing 3 toothpaste formulations to prevent incident dental caries, are analyzed with negative binomial hurdle, zero-inflated negative binomial, and marginalized zero-inflated negative binomial models. In the first example, estimates of treatment effects vary according to the type of incidence rate ratio (IRR) estimated by the model. Estimates of IRRs in the analysis of the randomized clinical trial were similar despite their distinctive interpretations. The choice of statistical model class should match the study's purpose, while accounting for the broad decline in children's caries experience, such that dmft and DMFS indices more frequently generate zero counts. Marginalized (marginal mean) models for zero-inflated count data should be considered for direct assessment of exposure effects on the marginal mean dental caries count in the presence of high frequencies of zero counts. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Calcium homeostasis and bone metabolic responses to protein diets and energy restriction: a randomized control trial

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Despite some beneficial effects on bone, high protein diets are conventionally considered a primary dietary risk factor for osteoporosis and bone fracture due to the acid load associated with protein catabolism. To test the hypothesis that high dietary protein diets do not negatively affect calcium ...

Is Peer Victimization Associated with Academic Achievement? A Meta-Analytic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakamoto, Jonathan; Schwartz, David

2010-01-01

This paper presents a meta-analytic review of 33 studies, with a total of 29,552 participants, that examined the concurrent association between peer victimization and academic achievement. The results revealed a small but significant negative correlation between peer victimization and academic achievement under both the random-effects model (r =…

Relationships between stress, negative emotions, resilience, and smoking: Testing a moderated mediation model

PubMed Central

Wang, Yan; Chen, Xinguang; Gong, Jie; Yan, Yaqiong

2016-01-01

Objective More effective tobacco prevention and cessation programs require in-depth understanding of the mechanism by which multiple factors interact with each other to affect smoking behaviors. Stress has long been recognized as a risk factor for smoking. However, the underlying mediation and moderation mechanisms are far from clear. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of negative emotions in mediating the link between stress and smoking and whether this indirect link was modified by resilience. Methods Survey data were collected using audio computer assisted self-interview (ACASI) from a large random sample of urban residents (n=1249, mean age = 35.1, 45.3% male) in Wuhan, China. Perceived stress, negative emotions (anxiety, depression), resilience were measured with reliable instruments also validated in China. Self-reported smoking was validated with exhaled carbon monoxide. Results Mediation analysis indicated that two negative emotions fully mediated the link between stress and intensity of smoking (assessed by number of cigarettes smoked per day, effect = .082 for anxiety and .083 for depression) and nicotine dependence (assessed by DSM-IV standard, effect = .134 for anxiety and .207 for depression). Moderated mediation analysis demonstrated that the mediation effects of negative emotions were negatively associated with resilience. Conclusions Results suggest resilience interacts with stress and negative emotions to affect the risk of tobacco use and nicotine dependence among Chinese adults. Further research with longitudinal data is needed to verify the findings of this study and to estimate the effect size of resilience in tobacco intervention and cessation programs. PMID:26894428

Effects of online cognitive treatment for problematic anger: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Howie, Amanda J; Malouff, John M

2014-01-01

Problematic anger, which is common, has been associated with a wide range of negative interpersonal and intrapersonal consequences, including violent behaviour, relationship damage, health problems and low self-esteem. This article reports the results of the first randomized controlled trial of brief online cognitive treatment for anger. The sample included 75 adults who were randomly assigned to cognitive treatment or a waiting list control. The analyses with the 59 participants who completed the post-intervention assessment at four weeks after the beginning of the intervention showed that individuals who received the intervention reported significantly lower anger levels than the control group at post-assessment. The treatment group showed a substantial decrease in anger from pre to post. The results suggest that brief online cognitive treatment can be effective for reducing problematic anger in adults. These findings provide an initial support for the development of internet-based cognitive treatment for problematic anger.

Random lasing from dye-doped negative liquid crystals using ZnO nanoparticles as tunable scatters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Long-Wu; Shang, Zhen-Zhen; Deng, Luogen

2016-09-01

This work demonstrates the realization of a lasing in scattering media, which contains dispersive solution of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and laser dye 4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyle-6-(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran(DCM) in negative liquid crystals (LCs) that was injected into a cell. The lasing intensity of the dye-doped negative LC laser can be tuned from low to high if the NPs concentration is increased. The tunability of the laser is attributable to the clusters-sensitive feature in effective refractive index of the negative LCs. Such a tunable negative liquid crystal laser can be used in the fabrication of new optical sources, optical communication, and liquid crystal laser displays. Project supported by the Doctoral Science Research Start-up Funding of Guizhou Normal University, China (Grant No. 11904-0514162) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11474021).

Effects of worry on physiological and subjective reactivity to emotional stimuli in generalized anxiety disorder and nonanxious control participants.

PubMed

Llera, Sandra J; Newman, Michelle G

2010-10-01

The present study examined the effect of worry versus relaxation and neutral thought activity on both physiological and subjective responding to positive and negative emotional stimuli. Thirty-eight participants with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and 35 nonanxious control participants were randomly assigned to engage in worry, relaxation, or neutral inductions prior to sequential exposure to each of four emotion-inducing film clips. The clips were designed to elicit fear, sadness, happiness, and calm emotions. Self reported negative and positive affect was assessed following each induction and exposure, and vagal activity was measured throughout. Results indicate that worry (vs. relaxation) led to reduced vagal tone for the GAD group, as well as higher negative affect levels for both groups. Additionally, prior worry resulted in less physiological and subjective responding to the fearful film clip, and reduced negative affect in response to the sad clip. This suggests that worry may facilitate avoidance of processing negative emotions by way of preventing a negative emotional contrast. Implications for the role of worry in emotion avoidance are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Improving diagnostic accuracy of prostate carcinoma by systematic random map-biopsy.

PubMed

Szabó, J; Hegedûs, G; Bartók, K; Kerényi, T; Végh, A; Romics, I; Szende, B

2000-01-01

Systematic random rectal ultrasound directed map-biopsy of the prostate was performed in 77 RDE (rectal digital examination) positive and 25 RDE negative cases, if applicable. Hypoechoic areas were found in 30% of RDE positive and in 16% of RDE negative cases. The score for carcinoma in the hypoechoic areas was 6.5% in RDE positive and 0% in RDE negative cases, whereas systematic map biopsy detected 62% carcinomas in RDE positive, and 16% carcinomas in RDE negative patients. The probability of positive diagnosis of prostate carcinoma increased in parallel with the number of biopsy samples/case. The importance of systematic map biopsy is emphasized.

Modified polarized geometrical attenuation model for bidirectional reflection distribution function based on random surface microfacet theory.

PubMed

Liu, Hong; Zhu, Jingping; Wang, Kai

2015-08-24

The geometrical attenuation model given by Blinn was widely used in the geometrical optics bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) models. Blinn's geometrical attenuation model based on symmetrical V-groove assumption and ray scalar theory causes obvious inaccuracies in BRDF curves and negatives the effects of polarization. Aiming at these questions, a modified polarized geometrical attenuation model based on random surface microfacet theory is presented by combining of masking and shadowing effects and polarized effect. The p-polarized, s-polarized and unpolarized geometrical attenuation functions are given in their separate expressions and are validated with experimental data of two samples. It shows that the modified polarized geometrical attenuation function reaches better physical rationality, improves the precision of BRDF model, and widens the applications for different polarization.

Preventive Effects on Birth Outcomes: Buffering Impact of Maternal Stress, Depression, and Anxiety.

PubMed

Feinberg, Mark E; Jones, Damon E; Roettger, Michael E; Hostetler, Michelle L; Sakuma, Kari-Lyn; Paul, Ian M; Ehrenthal, Deborah B

2016-01-01

Although maternal stress, anxiety, and depression have been linked to negative birth outcomes, few studies have investigated preventive interventions targeting maternal mental health as a means of reducing such problems. This randomized controlled study examines whether Family Foundations (FF)-a transition to parenthood program for couples focused on promoting coparenting quality, with previously documented impact on maternal stress, depression, and anxiety-can buffer the negative effects of maternal mental health problems. To assess the effects of FF, we used a randomized block design with a sample of 259 expectant mothers assigned to FF or a control condition and analyzed using propensity score models. We examine two-way interactions of condition (intervention vs. control) with maternal mental health problems (financial stress, depression, and anxiety) on birth outcomes (birth weight, days in hospital for mothers and infants). For birth weight, we assess whether intervention effects depend on length of gestation by including a third interaction term. FF buffered (p < 0.05) the negative impact of maternal mental health problems on birth weight and both mother and infant length of post-partum hospital stay. For birth weight, assignment to FF was associated with higher birth weight for infants born before term. These results demonstrate that a psycho-educational program for couples focused on enhancing mutual coparental support, with preventive effects on maternal mental health, can reduce incidence of birth problems among women at elevated risk. Such improvements in birth outcomes could translate into substantial reductions in public and personal healthcare costs. Future work should assess mediating mechanisms of intervention impact and cost-benefit ratio of the intervention. The Family Foundations follow-up intervention study is currently registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov . The study identifier is NCT01907412.

Genetic analyses of partial egg production in Japanese quail using multi-trait random regression models.

PubMed

Karami, K; Zerehdaran, S; Barzanooni, B; Lotfi, E

2017-12-01

1. The aim of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters for average egg weight (EW) and egg number (EN) at different ages in Japanese quail using multi-trait random regression (MTRR) models. 2. A total of 8534 records from 900 quail, hatched between 2014 and 2015, were used in the study. Average weekly egg weights and egg numbers were measured from second until sixth week of egg production. 3. Nine random regression models were compared to identify the best order of the Legendre polynomials (LP). The most optimal model was identified by the Bayesian Information Criterion. A model with second order of LP for fixed effects, second order of LP for additive genetic effects and third order of LP for permanent environmental effects (MTRR23) was found to be the best. 4. According to the MTRR23 model, direct heritability for EW increased from 0.26 in the second week to 0.53 in the sixth week of egg production, whereas the ratio of permanent environment to phenotypic variance decreased from 0.48 to 0.1. Direct heritability for EN was low, whereas the ratio of permanent environment to phenotypic variance decreased from 0.57 to 0.15 during the production period. 5. For each trait, estimated genetic correlations among weeks of egg production were high (from 0.85 to 0.98). Genetic correlations between EW and EN were low and negative for the first two weeks, but they were low and positive for the rest of the egg production period. 6. In conclusion, random regression models can be used effectively for analysing egg production traits in Japanese quail. Response to selection for increased egg weight would be higher at older ages because of its higher heritability and such a breeding program would have no negative genetic impact on egg production.

Employment-based abstinence reinforcement as a maintenance intervention for the treatment of cocaine dependence: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

DeFulio, Anthony; Donlin, Wendy D; Wong, Conrad J; Silverman, Kenneth

2009-09-01

Due to the chronic nature of cocaine dependence, long-term maintenance treatments may be required to sustain abstinence. Abstinence reinforcement is among the most effective means of initiating cocaine abstinence. Practical and effective means of maintaining abstinence reinforcement programs over time are needed. To determine whether employment-based abstinence reinforcement can be an effective long-term maintenance intervention for cocaine dependence. Participants (n = 128) were enrolled in a 6-month job skills training and abstinence initiation program. Participants who initiated abstinence, attended regularly and developed needed job skills during the first 6 months were hired as operators in a data entry business and assigned randomly to an employment-only (control, n = 24) or abstinence-contingent employment (n = 27) group. A non-profit data entry business. Participants Unemployed welfare recipients who used cocaine persistently while enrolled in methadone treatment in Baltimore. Abstinence-contingent employment participants received 1 year of employment-based contingency management, in which access to employment was contingent upon provision of drug-free urine samples under routine and then random drug testing. If a participant provided drug-positive urine or failed to provide a mandatory sample, then that participant received a temporary reduction in pay and could not work until urinalysis confirmed recent abstinence. Cocaine-negative urine samples at monthly assessments across 1 year of employment. During the 1 year of employment, abstinence-contingent employment participants provided significantly more cocaine-negative urine samples than employment-only participants [79.3% and 50.7%, respectively; P = 0.004, odds ratio (OR) = 3.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.60-8.69]. Conclusions Employment-based abstinence reinforcement that includes random drug testing is effective as a long-term maintenance intervention, and is among the most promising treatments for drug dependence. Work-places could serve as therapeutic agents in the treatment of drug dependence by arranging long-term employment-based contingency management programs.

How Cannabis Causes Paranoia: Using the Intravenous Administration of ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to Identify Key Cognitive Mechanisms Leading to Paranoia

PubMed Central

Freeman, Daniel; Dunn, Graham; Murray, Robin M.; Evans, Nicole; Lister, Rachel; Antley, Angus; Slater, Mel; Godlewska, Beata; Cornish, Robert; Williams, Jonathan; Di Simplicio, Martina; Igoumenou, Artemis; Brenneisen, Rudolf; Tunbridge, Elizabeth M.; Harrison, Paul J.; Harmer, Catherine J.; Cowen, Philip; Morrison, Paul D.

2015-01-01

Paranoia is receiving increasing attention in its own right, since it is a central experience of psychotic disorders and a marker of the health of a society. Paranoia is associated with use of the most commonly taken illicit drug, cannabis. The objective was to determine whether the principal psychoactive ingredient of cannabis—∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—causes paranoia and to use the drug as a probe to identify key cognitive mechanisms underlying paranoia. A randomized, placebo-controlled, between-groups test of the effects of intravenous THC was conducted. A total of 121 individuals with paranoid ideation were randomized to receive placebo, THC, or THC preceded by a cognitive awareness condition. Paranoia was assessed extensively via a real social situation, an immersive virtual reality experiment, and standard self-report and interviewer measures. Putative causal factors were assessed. Principal components analysis was used to create a composite paranoia score and composite causal variables to be tested in a mediation analysis. THC significantly increased paranoia, negative affect (anxiety, worry, depression, negative thoughts about the self), and a range of anomalous experiences, and reduced working memory capacity. The increase in negative affect and in anomalous experiences fully accounted for the increase in paranoia. Working memory changes did not lead to paranoia. Making participants aware of the effects of THC had little impact. In this largest study of intravenous THC, it was definitively demonstrated that the drug triggers paranoid thoughts in vulnerable individuals. The most likely mechanism of action causing paranoia was the generation of negative affect and anomalous experiences. PMID:25031222

Improvements in Negative Symptoms and Functional Outcome After a New Generation Cognitive Remediation Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Ojeda, Natalia

2014-01-01

Cognitive remediation improves cognition in patients with schizophrenia, but its effect on other relevant factors such as negative symptoms and functional outcome has not been extensively studied. In this hospital-based study, 84 inpatients with chronic schizophrenia were recruited from Alava Hospital (Spain). All of the subjects underwent a baseline and a 3-month assessment that examined neurocognition, clinical symptoms, insight, and functional outcome according to the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale and Disability Assessment Schedule from World Health Organization (DAS-WHO). In addition to receiving standard treatment, patients were randomly assigned either to receive neuropsychological rehabilitation (REHACOP) or to a control group. REHACOP is an integrative program that taps all basic cognitive functions. The program included experts’ latest suggestions about positive feedback and activities of daily living in the patients’ environment. The REHACOP group showed significantly greater improvements at 3 months in the areas of neurocognition, negative symptoms, disorganization, and emotional distress compared with the control group (Cohen’s effect size for these changes ranged from d = 0.47 for emotional distress to d = 0.58 for disorganization symptoms). The REHACOP group also improved significantly in both the GAF (d = 0.61) and DAS-WHO total scores (d = 0.57). Specifically, the patients showed significant improvement in vocational outcomes (d = 0.47), family contact (d = 0.50), and social competence (d = 0.56). In conclusion, neuropsychological rehabilitation may be useful for the reduction of negative symptoms and functional disability in schizophrenia. These findings support the integration of neuropsychological rehabilitation into standard treatment programs for patients with schizophrenia. PMID:23686130

Effect of Brief Mindfulness Practice on Self-Reported Affect, Craving, and Smoking: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Using Ecological Momentary Assessment.

PubMed

Ruscio, Aimee C; Muench, Christine; Brede, Emily; Waters, Andrew J

2016-01-01

Despite efficacious pharmacological and behavioral treatments, most smokers attempt to quit without assistance and fail to quit. Mindfulness practice may be useful in smoking cessation. This ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study was a pilot parallel group randomized controlled trial of a brief mindfulness practice (Brief-MP) intervention on self-reported smoking behavior delivered to smokers on a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) in the field. Adult community smokers (N = 44) were randomly assigned to a Brief-MP (n = 24) or Control (sham meditation; n = 20) group. Participants were instructed to smoke as much or as little as they liked. Participants carried a PDA for 2 weeks and were instructed to initiate 20 minutes of meditation (or control) training on the PDA daily, completing an assessment of cognitive and affective processes immediately afterwards. Additionally, they completed assessments at random times up to four times per day. Primary outcome variables were negative affect, craving, and cigarettes smoked per day, all self-reported. Thirty-seven participants provided EMA data totaling 1874 assessments. Linear Mixed Model analyses on EMA data revealed that Brief-MP (vs. Control) reduced overall negative affect, F(1, 1798) = 13.8, P = .0002; reduced craving immediately post-meditation, (Group × Assessment Type interaction, F(2, 1796) = 12.3, P = .0001); and reduced cigarettes smoked per day over time (Group × Day interaction, F(1, 436) = 5.50, P = .01). Brief-MP administered in the field reduced negative affect, craving, and cigarette use, suggesting it may be a useful treatment. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Linguistic Strategies for Improving Informed Consent in Clinical Trials Among Low Health Literacy Patients.

PubMed

Krieger, Janice L; Neil, Jordan M; Strekalova, Yulia A; Sarge, Melanie A

2017-03-01

Improving informed consent to participate in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) is a key challenge in cancer communication. The current study examines strategies for enhancing randomization comprehension among patients with diverse levels of health literacy and identifies cognitive and affective predictors of intentions to participate in cancer RCTs. Using a post-test-only experimental design, cancer patients (n = 500) were randomly assigned to receive one of three message conditions for explaining randomization (ie, plain language condition, gambling metaphor, benign metaphor) or a control message. All statistical tests were two-sided. Health literacy was a statistically significant moderator of randomization comprehension (P = .03). Among participants with the lowest levels of health literacy, the benign metaphor resulted in greater comprehension of randomization as compared with plain language (P = .04) and control (P = .004) messages. Among participants with the highest levels of health literacy, the gambling metaphor resulted in greater randomization comprehension as compared with the benign metaphor (P = .04). A serial mediation model showed a statistically significant negative indirect effect of comprehension on behavioral intention through personal relevance of RCTs and anxiety associated with participation in RCTs (P < .001). The effectiveness of metaphors for explaining randomization depends on health literacy, with a benign metaphor being particularly effective for patients at the lower end of the health literacy spectrum. The theoretical model demonstrates the cognitive and affective predictors of behavioral intention to participate in cancer RCTs and offers guidance on how future research should employ communication strategies to improve the informed consent processes. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Linguistic Strategies for Improving Informed Consent in Clinical Trials Among Low Health Literacy Patients

PubMed Central

Neil, Jordan M.; Strekalova, Yulia A.; Sarge, Melanie A.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Improving informed consent to participate in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) is a key challenge in cancer communication. The current study examines strategies for enhancing randomization comprehension among patients with diverse levels of health literacy and identifies cognitive and affective predictors of intentions to participate in cancer RCTs. Methods: Using a post-test-only experimental design, cancer patients (n = 500) were randomly assigned to receive one of three message conditions for explaining randomization (ie, plain language condition, gambling metaphor, benign metaphor) or a control message. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: Health literacy was a statistically significant moderator of randomization comprehension (P = .03). Among participants with the lowest levels of health literacy, the benign metaphor resulted in greater comprehension of randomization as compared with plain language (P = .04) and control (P = .004) messages. Among participants with the highest levels of health literacy, the gambling metaphor resulted in greater randomization comprehension as compared with the benign metaphor (P = .04). A serial mediation model showed a statistically significant negative indirect effect of comprehension on behavioral intention through personal relevance of RCTs and anxiety associated with participation in RCTs (P < .001). Conclusions: The effectiveness of metaphors for explaining randomization depends on health literacy, with a benign metaphor being particularly effective for patients at the lower end of the health literacy spectrum. The theoretical model demonstrates the cognitive and affective predictors of behavioral intention to participate in cancer RCTs and offers guidance on how future research should employ communication strategies to improve the informed consent processes. PMID:27794035

Results of the randomized phase IIB ARCTIC trial of low-dose rituximab in previously untreated CLL.

PubMed

Howard, D R; Munir, T; McParland, L; Rawstron, A C; Milligan, D; Schuh, A; Hockaday, A; Allsup, D J; Marshall, S; Duncombe, A S; O'Dwyer, J L; Smith, A F; Longo, R; Varghese, A; Hillmen, P

2017-11-01

ARCTIC was a multicenter, randomized-controlled, open, phase IIB non-inferiority trial in previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Conventional frontline therapy in fit patients is fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (FCR). The trial hypothesized that including mitoxantrone with low-dose rituximab (FCM-miniR) would be non-inferior to FCR. A total of 200 patients were recruited to assess the primary end point of complete remission (CR) rates according to IWCLL criteria. Secondary end points were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), overall response rate, minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity, safety and cost-effectiveness. The trial closed following a pre-planned interim analysis. At final analysis, CR rates were 76 FCR vs 55% FCM-miniR (adjusted odds ratio: 0.37; 95% confidence interval: 0.19-0.73). MRD-negativity rates were 54 FCR vs 44% FCM-miniR. More participants experienced serious adverse reactions with FCM-miniR (49%) compared to FCR (41%). There are no significant differences between the treatment groups for PFS and OS. FCM-miniR is not expected to be cost-effective over a lifetime horizon. In summary, FCM-miniR is less well tolerated than FCR with an inferior response and MRD-negativity rate and increased toxicity, and will not be taken forward into a confirmatory trial. The trial demonstrated that oral FCR yields high response rates compared to historical series with intravenous chemotherapy.

A comparison of different ways of including baseline counts in negative binomial models for data from falls prevention trials.

PubMed

Zheng, Han; Kimber, Alan; Goodwin, Victoria A; Pickering, Ruth M

2018-01-01

A common design for a falls prevention trial is to assess falling at baseline, randomize participants into an intervention or control group, and ask them to record the number of falls they experience during a follow-up period of time. This paper addresses how best to include the baseline count in the analysis of the follow-up count of falls in negative binomial (NB) regression. We examine the performance of various approaches in simulated datasets where both counts are generated from a mixed Poisson distribution with shared random subject effect. Including the baseline count after log-transformation as a regressor in NB regression (NB-logged) or as an offset (NB-offset) resulted in greater power than including the untransformed baseline count (NB-unlogged). Cook and Wei's conditional negative binomial (CNB) model replicates the underlying process generating the data. In our motivating dataset, a statistically significant intervention effect resulted from the NB-logged, NB-offset, and CNB models, but not from NB-unlogged, and large, outlying baseline counts were overly influential in NB-unlogged but not in NB-logged. We conclude that there is little to lose by including the log-transformed baseline count in standard NB regression compared to CNB for moderate to larger sized datasets. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effects of Cable News Watching on Older Adults' Physiological and Self-Reported Stress and Cognitive Function.

PubMed

Deal, Caroline; Bogdan, Ryan; Miller, J Phil; Rodebaugh, Tom; Caburnay, Charlene; Yingling, Mike; Hershey, Tammy; Schweiger, Julia; Lenze, Eric J

2017-01-01

Older adults are the largest consumer of cable news, which includes negative and politicized content and may constitute a daily stressor. As older adults are also vulnerable to the negative consequences of stress, we hypothesized that cable news watching could induce a stress reaction and impair cognitive function. We tested exposures to cable news (i.e., Fox News and MSNBC) in a within-subject randomized controlled design in 34 healthy older adults. We also included negative (Public Broadcasting Station) and positive (trier social stress test) controls. Cable news watching had no effect on psychological stress, physiological stress, or cognitive function. This remained true even if the news exposures were discordant with participants' political affiliation. We conclude that brief cable news watching does not induce a physiological or subjective stress response or cognitive impairment among healthy older adults.

Borderline Personality Disorder and the Effects of Instructed Emotional Avoidance or Acceptance in Daily Life.

PubMed

Chapman, Alexander L; Rosenthal, M Zachary; Dixon-Gordon, Katherine L; Turner, Brianna J; Kuppens, Peter

2017-08-01

This study examined the effects of avoidance- versus acceptance-oriented emotion regulation instructions among individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD; n = 48), major depressive disorder (MDD; n = 54), and non-psychiatric controls (NPC; n = 50) using ecological momentary assessment. Participants were randomly assigned to either accept or avoid negative emotions, and monitored their moods, urges, and distress tolerance several times per day over 6 days. Avoidance instructions resulted in reduced negative affect and urges for maladaptive behaviors uniquely among BPD participants. Together with past research, and consistent with treatment approaches emphasizing the short-term use of skills to avoid or distract from emotions (e.g., DBT; Linehan, 1993b, 2015), these findings suggest that avoidance of negative emotions may have temporary benefits for individuals with BPD. Acceptance-oriented strategies may take longer or may require more extensive training to be beneficial for emotional functioning in everyday life in BPD.

A randomized pilot study of MOtiVation and Enhancement training (MOVE) for negative symptoms in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Velligan, Dawn I.; Roberts, David; Mintz, Jim; Maples, Natalie; Li, Xueying; Medellin, Elisa; Brown, Matt

2015-01-01

Introduction Among individuals with schizophrenia, those who have persistent and clinically significant negative symptoms (PNS) have the poorest functional outcomes and quality of life. The NIMH-MATRICS Consensus Statement indicated that these symptoms represent an unmet therapeutic need for large numbers of individuals with schizophrenia. No psychosocial treatment model addresses the entire constellation of PNS. Method 51 patients with PNS were randomized into one of two groups for a period of 9 months: 1) MOtiVation and Engagement (MOVE) or 2) Treatment as usual. MOVE is a home based, manual-driven, multi-modal treatment that employs a number of cognitive and behavioral principles to address the broad range of factors contributing to PNS and their functional consequences. Components of MOVE include: Environmental supports to prompt initiation and persistence, in-vivo skills training to ameliorate deficits and encourage interaction, cognitive behavioral techniques to address self-defeating attitudes, in-vivo training in emotional processing to address affective blunting and problems in identifying emotions, and specific techniques to address the deficits in anticipatory pleasure. Patients were assessed at baseline and each 3 months with multiple measures of negative symptoms. Results Repeated measures analyses of variance for mixed models indicated significant Group by Time effects for the Negative Symptom Assessment (NSA; p<.02) and the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS p<.04). Group differences were not significant until 9 months of treatment and were not significant for the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS). Conclusion Further investigation of a comprehensive treatment for PNS, such as MOVE, is warranted. PMID:25937461

A randomized pilot study of MOtiVation and Enhancement (MOVE) Training for negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Velligan, Dawn I; Roberts, David; Mintz, Jim; Maples, Natalie; Li, Xueying; Medellin, Elisa; Brown, Matt

2015-07-01

Among individuals with schizophrenia, those who have persistent and clinically significant negative symptoms (PNS) have the poorest functional outcomes and quality of life. The NIMH-MATRICS Consensus Statement indicated that these symptoms represent an unmet therapeutic need for large numbers of individuals with schizophrenia. No psychosocial treatment model addresses the entire constellation of PNS. 51 patients with PNS were randomized into one of two groups for a period of 9 months: 1) MOtiVation and Enhancement (MOVE) or 2) treatment as usual. MOVE is a home based, manual-driven, multi-modal treatment that employs a number of cognitive and behavioral principles to address the broad range of factors contributing to PNS and their functional consequences. The components of MOVE include: Environmental supports to prompt initiation and persistence, in-vivo skills training to ameliorate deficits and encourage interaction, cognitive behavioral techniques to address self-defeating attitudes, in-vivo training in emotional processing to address affective blunting and problems in identifying emotions, and specific techniques to address the deficits in anticipatory pleasure. Patients were assessed at baseline and each 3 months with multiple measures of negative symptoms. Repeated measures analyses of variance for mixed models indicated significant Group by Time effects for the Negative Symptom Assessment (NSA; p<.02) and the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS; p<.04). Group differences were not significant until 9 months of treatment and were not significant for the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS). Further investigation of a comprehensive treatment for PNS, such as MOVE, is warranted. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The role of positive/negative outcome expectancy and refusal self-efficacy of Internet use on Internet addiction among college students in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lin, Min-Pei; Ko, Huei-Chen; Wu, Jo Yung-Wei

2008-08-01

Based on Bandura's social cognitive theory, this study was designed to examine positive and negative outcome expectancy and refusal self-efficacy of Internet use and their contribution to Internet addiction among college students by using hierarchical multiple regression analyses in a cross-sectional study design. Schools were first stratified into technical or nontechnical colleges and then into seven majors. A cluster random sampling by department was further applied to randomly choose participants from each major. A representative sample of 4,456 college students participated in this study. The Outcome Expectancy and Refusal Self-Efficacy of Internet Use Questionnaire and the Chen Internet Addiction Scale were used to assess the cognitive factors and the levels of Internet addiction. Results showed that both positive outcome expectancy and negative outcome expectancy were significantly and positively correlated with Internet addiction, and refusal self-efficacy of Internet use was significantly and negatively related to Internet addiction. Further analyses revealed that refusal self-efficacy of Internet use directly and negatively predicted Internet addiction. Moreover, we discovered that positive outcome expectancy positively predicted Internet addiction via refusal self-efficacy of Internet use; however, surprisingly, negative outcome expectancy had both a direct and indirect positive relationship in predicting Internet addiction via the refusal self-efficacy of Internet use. These results give empirical evidence to verify the theoretical effectiveness of the three cognitive factors to Internet addiction and should be incorporated when designing prevention programs and strategies for Internet addicted college students.

Effect of guided, structured, writing program on self-harm ideations and emotion regulation.

PubMed

Fukumori, Takaki; Kuroda, Hiromi; Ito, Masaya; Kashimura, Masami

2017-01-01

This study investigated the efficacy of structured writing on reducing self-harm ideations and enhancing emotion regulation. Japanese university students (N=22) participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to the structured writing group (n=10; 70% female), or an assessment only control group (n=12; 67% female). For three consecutive days, participants in the intervention group performed structured writing that included psycho-education and self-reflection about emotions. The Self-Harm Ideation Scale, the Generalized Expectancy for Negative Mood Regulation Scale, and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II were used to assess outcomes. Structured writing had a short-term effect on expectancies for self-regulation of negative moods and acceptance of negative emotions, but had a limited effect on self-harm ideations. This study presents preliminary evidence that increasing awareness, learning, and reflection about emotions resulting from using a structured writing program is particularly useful for regulating emotions. J. Med. Invest. 64: 74-78, February, 2017.

[Protective effect of Helianthus annuus (sunflower) on myocardial infarction in New Zealand rabbit].

PubMed

Guardia-Espinoza, Edith; Herrera-Hurtado, Gianina Liseth del Carmen; Garrido-Jacobi, Saúl; Cárdenas-Peralta, Danitza; Martínez-Romero, Christian; Hernández-Figueroa, Pedro; Condori-Calizaya, Mary; La Barrera-Llacchua, Juan; Flores-Ángeles, Miguel

2015-01-01

Determine the protective effect of oil Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) on myocardial infarction induced by epinephrine in New Zealand rabbits. The rabbits were randomized into five groups (8 per group): blank, negative control, experimental 1 (10 mg / kg), experimental 2 (20 mg / kg) and three experimental (40 mg/ kg). Experimental groups 1, 2 and 3 received Helianthus annuus oil for two weeks. Epinephrine (2 mg/Kg) to the negative, Experimental Control 1, 2 and 3 groups was given over two consecutive days with an interval of 24 h after pretreatment with oil. Twenty four hours after the last administration, the rabbits were anesthetized and sacrificed. Serum troponin I and polymorphonuclear evaluated by .mu.m.sup.2. Significant difference between the negative control group and the experimental groups 1, 2 and 3 was found in the serum variables troponin I and polymorphonuclear by .mu.m.sup.2. Helianthus annuus oil at doses of 20 mg/kg has protective effect on myocardial infarction induced by epinephrine in New Zealand rabbits.

[Negative symptoms of schizophrenia: from electrophysiology to electrotherapy].

PubMed

Micoulaud Franchi, J-A; Quiles, C; Belzeaux, R; Adida, M; Azorin, J-M

2015-12-01

The aim of this review of the literature is to summarize the state of the knowledge concerning the relationship between negative symptoms in schizophrenia, electrophysiology and electrotherapy. The scientific literature search of international articles was performed during August and September 2015 using the PubMed electronic database. We used the following MeSH terms: "Negative symptoms", "Schizophrenia", "Electrophysiology", "Neurophysiology", "EEG power", "Alpha rhythm", "Transcranial magnetic stimulation", "Transcranial direct current stimulation", "Electroconvulsive therapy", "Neurofeedback", "Vagus Nerve Stimulation", "Deep Brain Stimulation", and "State dependent". Negative symptoms in schizophrenia are associated with altered activity in prefrontal cortex in functional neuroimaging studies. This is in line with electrophysiological measurements that found a change in EEG spectral power in the alpha frequency band over prefrontal brain regions. The notion of functional hypofrontality has led to hypotheses that electrotherapy applied to the prefrontal cortex may be an effective treatment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) were used to increase cortical activity in schizophrenia and achieve a clinical effect on negative symptoms. Three meta-analyses confirmed, with a moderate effect size, that rTMS is an effective treatment option for negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The two subsequently published prospective multicenter studies, however, found opposite results from each other. Two randomized controlled studies suggested that tDCS is an effective treatment option for negative symptoms. There is no study on the efficacy of neurofeedback, vagal nerve stimulation or deep brain stimulation on negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Additional studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of rTMS and tDCS on negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Influencing factors, related to clinical and stimulation parameters, of rTMS and tDCS on negative symptoms should be better investigated. Effects related to electrophysiological brain activity of the patient, especially in the alpha band, during the stimulation should also be better investigated. The action of electrotherapy may be state dependent, and a better understanding of electrophysiological effects of electrotherapy techniques could enable their optimization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The impact of verbal framing on brain activity evoked by emotional images.

PubMed

Kisley, Michael A; Campbell, Alana M; Larson, Jenna M; Naftz, Andrea E; Regnier, Jesse T; Davalos, Deana B

2011-12-01

Emotional stimuli generally command more brain processing resources than non-emotional stimuli, but the magnitude of this effect is subject to voluntary control. Cognitive reappraisal represents one type of emotion regulation that can be voluntarily employed to modulate responses to emotional stimuli. Here, the late positive potential (LPP), a specific event-related brain potential (ERP) component, was measured in response to neutral, positive and negative images while participants performed an evaluative categorization task. One experimental group adopted a "negative frame" in which images were categorized as negative or not. The other adopted a "positive frame" in which the exact same images were categorized as positive or not. Behavioral performance confirmed compliance with random group assignment, and peak LPP amplitude to negative images was affected by group membership: brain responses to negative images were significantly reduced in the "positive frame" group. This suggests that adopting a more positive appraisal frame can modulate brain activity elicited by negative stimuli in the environment.

Efficacy of Creative Clay Work for Reducing Negative Mood: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimport, Elizabeth R.; Robbins, Steven J.

2012-01-01

Clay work has long been used in art therapy to achieve therapeutic goals. However, little empirical evidence exists to document the efficacy of such work. The present study randomly assigned 102 adult participants to one of four conditions following induction of a negative mood: (a) handling clay with instructions to create a pinch pot, (b)…

Peer Influence on Aggressive Behavior, Smoking, and Sexual Behavior: A Study of Randomly-assigned College Roommates.

PubMed

Li, Yi; Guo, Guang

2016-09-01

Identifying casual peer influence is a long-standing challenge to social scientists. Using data from a natural experiment of randomly-assigned college roommates (N = 2,059), which removes the threat of friend selection, we investigate peer effects on aggressive behavior, smoking, and concurrent sexual partnering. The findings suggest that the magnitude and direction of peer influence depend on predisposition, gender, and the nature of the behavior. Peer effects on individuals predisposed toward a given behavior tend to be larger than peer effects on individuals without such a predisposition. We find that the influence of roommates on aggressive behavior is more pronounced among male students than among female students; roommate effects on smoking are negative among female students and male students who did not smoke before college. For concurrent sexual partnering, a highly private behavior, we find no evidence of peer effects. © American Sociological Association 2016.

Silicon solar cell process development, fabrication and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iles, P. A.; Leung, D. C.

1982-01-01

For UCP Si, randomly selected wafers and wafers cut from two specific ingots were studied. For the randomly selected wafers, a moderate gettering diffusion had little effect. Moreover, an efficiency up to 14% AMI was achieved with advanced processes. For the two specific UCP ingots, ingot #5848-13C displayed severe impurity effects as shown by lower 3sc in the middle of the ingot and low CFF in the top of the ingot. Also the middle portions of this ingot responded to a series of progressively more severe gettering diffusion. Unexplained was the fact that severely gettered samples of this ingot displayed a negative light biased effect on the minority carrier diffusion length while the nongettered or moderately gettered ones had the more conventional positive light biased effect on diffusion length. On the other hand, ingot C-4-21A did not have the problem of ingot 5848-13C and behaved like to the randomly selected wafers. The top half of the ingot was shown to be slightly superior to the bottom half, but moderate gettering helped to narrow the gap.

A Randomized, Controlled Safety, and Immunogenicity Trial of the M72/AS01 Candidate Tuberculosis Vaccine in HIV-Positive Indian Adults.

PubMed

Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Poongulali, Selvamuthu; Bollaerts, Anne; Moris, Philippe; Beulah, Faith Esther; Ayuk, Leo Njock; Demoitié, Marie-Ange; Jongert, Erik; Ofori-Anyinam, Opokua

2016-01-01

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated tuberculosis is a major public health threat. We evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of the candidate tuberculosis vaccine M72/AS01 in HIV-positive and HIV-negative Indian adults.Randomized, controlled observer-blind trial (NCT01262976).We assigned 240 adults (1:1:1) to antiretroviral therapy (ART)-stable, ART-naive, or HIV-negative cohorts. Cohorts were randomized 1:1 to receive M72/AS01 or placebo following a 0, 1-month schedule and followed for 12 months (time-point M13). HIV-specific and laboratory safety parameters, adverse events (AEs), and M72-specific T-cell-mediated and humoral responses were evaluated.Subjects were predominantly QuantiFERON-negative (60%) and Bacille Calmette-Guérin-vaccinated (73%). Seventy ART-stable, 73 ART-naive, and 60 HIV-negative subjects completed year 1. No vaccine-related serious AEs or ART-regimen adjustments, or clinically relevant effects on laboratory parameters, HIV-1 viral loads or CD4 counts were recorded. Two ART-naive vaccinees died of vaccine-unrelated diseases. M72/AS01 induced polyfunctional M72-specific CD4 T-cell responses (median [interquartile range] at 7 days postdose 2: ART-stable, 0.9% [0.7-1.5]; ART-naive, 0.5% [0.2-1.0]; and HIV-negative, 0.6% [0.4-1.1]), persisting at M13 (0.4% [0.2-0.5], 0.09% [0.04-0.2], and 0.1% [0.09-0.2], respectively). Median responses were higher in the ART-stable cohort versus ART-naive cohort from day 30 onwards (P ≤ 0.015). Among HIV-positive subjects (irrespective of ART-status), median responses were higher in QuantiFERON-positive versus QuantiFERON-negative subjects up to day 30 (P ≤ 0.040), but comparable thereafter. Cytokine-expression profiles were comparable between cohorts after dose 2. At M13, M72-specific IgG responses were higher in ART-stable and HIV-negative vaccinees versus ART-naive vaccinees (P ≤ 0.001).M72/AS01 was well-tolerated and immunogenic in this population of ART-stable and ART-naive HIV-positive adults and HIV-negative adults, supporting further clinical evaluation.

A Randomized, Controlled Safety, and Immunogenicity Trial of the M72/AS01 Candidate Tuberculosis Vaccine in HIV-Positive Indian Adults

PubMed Central

Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Poongulali, Selvamuthu; Bollaerts, Anne; Moris, Philippe; Beulah, Faith Esther; Ayuk, Leo Njock; Demoitié, Marie-Ange; Jongert, Erik; Ofori-Anyinam, Opokua

2016-01-01

Abstract Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated tuberculosis is a major public health threat. We evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of the candidate tuberculosis vaccine M72/AS01 in HIV-positive and HIV-negative Indian adults. Randomized, controlled observer-blind trial (NCT01262976). We assigned 240 adults (1:1:1) to antiretroviral therapy (ART)-stable, ART-naive, or HIV-negative cohorts. Cohorts were randomized 1:1 to receive M72/AS01 or placebo following a 0, 1-month schedule and followed for 12 months (time-point M13). HIV-specific and laboratory safety parameters, adverse events (AEs), and M72-specific T-cell-mediated and humoral responses were evaluated. Subjects were predominantly QuantiFERON-negative (60%) and Bacille Calmette–Guérin-vaccinated (73%). Seventy ART-stable, 73 ART-naive, and 60 HIV-negative subjects completed year 1. No vaccine-related serious AEs or ART-regimen adjustments, or clinically relevant effects on laboratory parameters, HIV-1 viral loads or CD4 counts were recorded. Two ART-naive vaccinees died of vaccine-unrelated diseases. M72/AS01 induced polyfunctional M72-specific CD4+ T-cell responses (median [interquartile range] at 7 days postdose 2: ART-stable, 0.9% [0.7–1.5]; ART-naive, 0.5% [0.2–1.0]; and HIV-negative, 0.6% [0.4–1.1]), persisting at M13 (0.4% [0.2–0.5], 0.09% [0.04–0.2], and 0.1% [0.09–0.2], respectively). Median responses were higher in the ART-stable cohort versus ART-naive cohort from day 30 onwards (P ≤ 0.015). Among HIV-positive subjects (irrespective of ART-status), median responses were higher in QuantiFERON-positive versus QuantiFERON-negative subjects up to day 30 (P ≤ 0.040), but comparable thereafter. Cytokine-expression profiles were comparable between cohorts after dose 2. At M13, M72-specific IgG responses were higher in ART-stable and HIV-negative vaccinees versus ART-naive vaccinees (P ≤ 0.001). M72/AS01 was well-tolerated and immunogenic in this population of ART-stable and ART-naive HIV-positive adults and HIV-negative adults, supporting further clinical evaluation. PMID:26817879

Consequences of harvesting for genetic diversity in American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.): A simulation study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cruse-Sanders, J. M.; Hamrick, J.L.; Ahumada, J.A.

2005-01-01

American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius L., is one of the most heavily traded medicinal plants in North America. The effect of harvest on genetic diversity in ginseng was measured with a single generation culling simulation program. Culling scenarios included random harvest at varying levels, legal limit random harvest and legal limit mature plant harvest. The legal limit was determined by the proportion of legally harvestable plants per population (% mature plants per population). Random harvest at varying levels resulted in significant loss of genetic diversity, especially allelic richness. Relative to initial levels, average within-population genetic diversity (H e) was significantly lower when plants were culled randomly at the legal limit (Mann-Whitney U = 430, p < 0.001) or when only mature plants were culled (Mann-Whitney U = 394, p < 0.01). Within-population genetic diversity was significantly higher with legal limit mature plant harvest (H e = 0.068) than when plants were culled randomly at the legal limit (H e = 0.064; U = 202, p < 0.01). Based on these simulations of harvest over one generation, we recommend that harvesting fewer than the proportion of mature plants could reduce the negative genetic effects of harvest on ginseng populations. ?? Springer 2005.

Graphic Warning Labels Elicit Affective and Thoughtful Responses from Smokers: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Evans, Abigail T; Peters, Ellen; Strasser, Andrew A; Emery, Lydia F; Sheerin, Kaitlin M; Romer, Daniel

2015-01-01

Observational research suggests that placing graphic images on cigarette warning labels can reduce smoking rates, but field studies lack experimental control. Our primary objective was to determine the psychological processes set in motion by naturalistic exposure to graphic vs. text-only warnings in a randomized clinical trial involving exposure to modified cigarette packs over a 4-week period. Theories of graphic-warning impact were tested by examining affect toward smoking, credibility of warning information, risk perceptions, quit intentions, warning label memory, and smoking risk knowledge. Adults who smoked between 5 and 40 cigarettes daily (N = 293; mean age = 33.7), did not have a contra-indicated medical condition, and did not intend to quit were recruited from Philadelphia, PA and Columbus, OH. Smokers were randomly assigned to receive their own brand of cigarettes for four weeks in one of three warning conditions: text only, graphic images plus text, or graphic images with elaborated text. Data from 244 participants who completed the trial were analyzed in structural-equation models. The presence of graphic images (compared to text-only) caused more negative affect toward smoking, a process that indirectly influenced risk perceptions and quit intentions (e.g., image->negative affect->risk perception->quit intention). Negative affect from graphic images also enhanced warning credibility including through increased scrutiny of the warnings, a process that also indirectly affected risk perceptions and quit intentions (e.g., image->negative affect->risk scrutiny->warning credibility->risk perception->quit intention). Unexpectedly, elaborated text reduced warning credibility. Finally, graphic warnings increased warning-information recall and indirectly increased smoking-risk knowledge at the end of the trial and one month later. In the first naturalistic clinical trial conducted, graphic warning labels are more effective than text-only warnings in encouraging smokers to consider quitting and in educating them about smoking's risks. Negative affective reactions to smoking, thinking about risks, and perceptions of credibility are mediators of their impact. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01782053.

Testing the effects of narrative and play on physical activity among breast cancer survivors using mobile apps: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Physical activity reduces risk for numerous negative health outcomes, but postmenopausal breast cancer survivors do not reach recommended levels. Many interventions encourage self-monitoring of steps, which can increase physical activity in the short term. However, these interventions appear insuffi...

Mindfulness Training Improves Problem-Focused Coping in Psychology and Medical Students: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halland, E.; De Vibe, M.; Solhaug, I.; Friborg, O.; Rosenvinge, J. H.; Tyssen, R.; Sørlie, T.; Bjørndal, A.

2015-01-01

Background: Students of clinical psychology and medicine experience high levels of mental distress and low levels of life satisfaction. Using adaptive coping strategies can modify the negative effect of stressors on health. Mindfulness, it has been claimed, more adaptive coping with stress, yet few studies have investigated whether mindfulness…

Interaction between a tannin-containing legume and endophyte-infected tall fescue seed on lambs’ feeding behavior and physiology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

It was hypothesized that a tannin-rich legume like sainfoin reduces the negative postingestive effects of ergot alkaloids in tall fescue. Thirty-two 3-month-old lambs were individually penned and randomly assigned to a 2X2 factorial experimental design with two legume species (1-sainfoin [SF; tannin...

Impact of Student Behavior on a School Culture from the Teacher's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shell, Tiehise E.

2010-01-01

The impact of student behavior on the school culture from the teachers' perceptive was determined in this study. Through an awareness of the impact that student behavior has on the school culture, school administrators can alter the negative effects and implement positive change. The participants included 25 randomly chosen teachers from within…

A Randomized Control Intervention Investigating the Effects of Acute Exercise on Emotional Regulation.

PubMed

Edwards, Meghan K; Rhodes, Ryan E; Loprinzi, Paul D

2017-09-01

Exercise may help to cope with hectic or demanding events after a stressful situation occurs. Limited research has evaluated whether exercise, prior to a stressor, helps to facilitate subsequent emotional regulation. This pilot study addresses this novel paradigm. We employed a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of acute exercise on emotional regulation. Participants were randomly assigned to stretch (control group, N = 10), walk (N = 9), or jog (N = 8) for 15-minutes, after which they were exposed to a film clip intended to elicit a negative emotional response. Participants' emotions were monitored before and during exercise, as well as after the film clip. Emotional responses were evaluated using the Exercise Induced Feeling Inventory and Affective Circumplex Scale. A group x time splitplot interaction effect was significant for anger (p = .046) and anxiousness (p = .038). Follow-up analyses showed that only the stretching group (p = .048) had a significantly increased anger score from baseline to post-film clip, suggesting a protective emotional effect from walking and jogging. Exercise was effective in regulating anger and anxiousness after a stressful event. These findings provide evidence for potential preventive effects of exercise in facilitating emotional regulation.

Negative emotion boosts quality of visual working memory representation.

PubMed

Xie, Weizhen; Zhang, Weiwei

2016-08-01

Negative emotion impacts a variety of cognitive processes, including working memory (WM). The present study investigated whether negative emotion modulated WM capacity (quantity) or resolution (quality), 2 independent limits on WM storage. In Experiment 1, observers tried to remember several colors over 1-s delay and then recalled the color of a randomly picked memory item by clicking a best-matching color on a continuous color wheel. On each trial, before the visual WM task, 1 of 3 emotion conditions (negative, neutral, or positive) was induced by having observers to rate the valence of an International Affective Picture System image. Visual WM under negative emotion showed enhanced resolution compared with neutral and positive conditions, whereas the number of retained representations was comparable across the 3 emotion conditions. These effects were generalized to closed-contour shapes in Experiment 2. To isolate the locus of these effects, Experiment 3 adopted an iconic memory version of the color recall task by eliminating the 1-s retention interval. No significant change in the quantity or quality of iconic memory was observed, suggesting that the resolution effects in the first 2 experiments were critically dependent on the need to retain memory representations over a short period of time. Taken together, these results suggest that negative emotion selectively boosts visual WM quality, supporting the dissociable nature quantitative and qualitative aspects of visual WM representation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Linking masculinity to negative drinking consequences: the mediating roles of heavy episodic drinking and alcohol expectancies.

PubMed

Wells, Samantha; Flynn, Andrea; Tremblay, Paul F; Dumas, Tara; Miller, Peter; Graham, Kathryn

2014-05-01

This study extends previous research on masculinity and negative drinking consequences among young men by considering mediating effects of heavy episodic drinking (HED) and alcohol expectancies. We hypothesized that masculinity would have a direct relationship with negative consequences from drinking as well as indirect relationships mediated by HED and alcohol expectancies of courage, risk, and aggression. A random sample of 1,436 college and university men ages 19-25 years completed an online survey, including conformity to masculine norms, alcohol-related expectancies, HED, and negative drinking consequences. Regression analyses and structural equation modeling were used. Six of seven dimensions of masculinity and the alcohol expectancy scales were significantly associated with both HED and negative consequences. In multivariate regression models predicting HED and negative consequences, the playboy and violence dimensions of masculinity and the risk/aggression alcohol expectancy remained significant. HED and the risk-taking dimension of masculinity were also significant in the model predicting negative consequences. The structural equation model indicated that masculinity was directly associated with HED and negative consequences but also influenced negative consequences indirectly through HED and alcohol expectancies. The findings suggest that, among young adult male college and university students, masculinity is an important factor related to both HED and drinking consequences, with the latter effect partly mediated by HED and alcohol expectancies. Addressing male norms about masculinity may help to reduce HED and negative consequences from drinking.

Benefits of belonging: experimental manipulation of social inclusion to enhance psychological and physiological health parameters.

PubMed

Begen, Fiona M; Turner-Cobb, Julie M

2015-01-01

Acute changes in social belonging are important triggers for alterations in health and well-being, yet research has emphasised the negative effects of 'exclusion' at the expense of evaluating the potentially positive effects of 'inclusion'. This study examined the impact of acute belonging on physiological and psychological outcomes. A healthy population (N = 138) were randomly allocated to 'included' or 'excluded' conditions. Condition-dependent differences in pre/during-task heart rate and pre/post-task self-reports of negative/positive mood, and social self-esteem, were assessed. Included participants showed decreased heart rate and negative mood, and increased social self-esteem. No inclusion-related change in positive mood was shown. An increase in heart rate was observed in excluded participants though no changes in negative/positive mood or social self-esteem were shown. Shifts in social self-esteem acted as a mechanism through which inclusion/exclusion impacted upon negative and positive mood alterations. Results remained significant in presence of covariates (sex, global self-esteem, rumination and social anxiety). Findings suggest that acting to enhance belonging through 'inclusion' resulted in adaptive physiological and psychological outcomes. Neutral and potentially protective responses were observed in the immediate aftermath of 'exclusion'. Self-esteem served as one route through which these effects were transmitted.

Adolescents' responses to anti-tobacco advertising: exploring the role of adolescents' smoking status and advertisement theme.

PubMed

Sutfin, Erin L; Szykman, Lisa R; Moore, Marian Chapman

2008-01-01

Anti-smoking media directed at adolescents use many different message themes, but little evidence exists as to which is most effective. Additionally, little is known about how teens who smoke respond to anti-tobacco ads. This study examined smoking and nonsmoking adolescents' responses to three popular thematic approaches: (1) endangering others, (2) negative life circumstances, and (3) industry manipulation. Sixteen groups of high school students (total N=488) were randomly assigned in a balanced fashion to one of three anti-tobacco ad conditions or a control condition. Outcome variables included adolescents' immediate emotional and cognitive responses, and intentions to smoke. Adolescents exposed to negative life circumstances ads reported lower intentions to smoke than those exposed to control and industry manipulation ads. Additionally, adolescents' responses differed based on smoking status. Smokers liked the ads less and had fewer positive and more negative thoughts. Findings suggest a media campaign focusing on negative life circumstances can be an effective component of a tobacco control program aimed at adolescents. Mechanisms through which the negative life circumstances ads influence adolescents' intentions to smoke are discussed. Findings also suggest that smokers respond differently to anti-tobacco ads, and their responses need to be considered when developing effective anti-tobacco advertising campaigns.

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.

Association between obesity with disease-free survival and overall survival in triple-negative breast cancer: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Mei, Lin; He, Lin; Song, Yuhua; Lv, Yang; Zhang, Lijiu; Hao, Fengxi; Xu, Mengmeng

2018-05-01

To investigate the relationship between obesity and disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of triple-negative breast cancer. Citations were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Random effect model meta-analysis was conducted by using Revman software version 5.0, and publication bias was evaluated by creating Egger regression with STATA software version 12. Nine studies (4412 patients) were included for DFS meta-analysis, 8 studies (4392 patients) include for OS meta-analysis. There were no statistical significances between obesity with DFS (P = .60) and OS (P = .71) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. Obesity has no impact on DFS and OS in patients with TNBC.

The theory of "truth": how counterindustry campaigns affect smoking behavior among teens.

PubMed

Hershey, James C; Niederdeppe, Jeff; Evans, W Douglas; Nonnemaker, James; Blahut, Steven; Holden, Debra; Messeri, Peter; Haviland, M Lyndon

2005-01-01

This study used structural equation modeling to test a theory-based model of the pathways by which exposure to the "truth" counterindustry media campaign influenced beliefs, attitudes, and smoking behavior in national random-digit-dial telephone surveys of 16,000 12- to 17-year-olds before, 8 months after, and 15 months after campaign launch. Consistent with concepts from the theory of reasoned action, youth in markets with higher levels of campaign exposure had more negative beliefs about tobacco industry practices and more negative attitudes toward the tobacco industry. Models also provided support for a social inoculation effect, because negative industry attitudes were associated with lower receptivity to protobacco advertising and with less progression along a continuum of smoking intentions and behavior.

MoodHacker Mobile Web App With Email for Adults to Self-Manage Mild-to-Moderate Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Birney, Amelia J; Gunn, Rebecca; Russell, Jeremy K; Ary, Dennis V

2016-01-26

Worldwide, depression is rated as the fourth leading cause of disease burden and is projected to be the second leading cause of disability by 2020. Annual depression-related costs in the United States are estimated at US $210.5 billion, with employers bearing over 50% of these costs in productivity loss, absenteeism, and disability. Because most adults with depression never receive treatment, there is a need to develop effective interventions that can be more widely disseminated through new channels, such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), and directly to individuals who will not seek face-to-face care. This study evaluated a self-guided intervention, using the MoodHacker mobile Web app to activate the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills in working adults with mild-to-moderate depression. It was hypothesized that MoodHacker users would experience reduced depression symptoms and negative cognitions, and increased behavioral activation, knowledge of depression, and functioning in the workplace. A parallel two-group randomized controlled trial was conducted with 300 employed adults exhibiting mild-to-moderate depression. Participants were recruited from August 2012 through April 2013 in partnership with an EAP and with outreach through a variety of additional non-EAP organizations. Participants were blocked on race/ethnicity and then randomly assigned within each block to receive, without clinical support, either the MoodHacker intervention (n=150) or alternative care consisting of links to vetted websites on depression (n=150). Participants in both groups completed online self-assessment surveys at baseline, 6 weeks after baseline, and 10 weeks after baseline. Surveys assessed (1) depression symptoms, (2) behavioral activation, (3) negative thoughts, (4) worksite outcomes, (5) depression knowledge, and (6) user satisfaction and usability. After randomization, all interactions with subjects were automated with the exception of safety-related follow-up calls to subjects reporting current suicidal ideation and/or severe depression symptoms. At 6-week follow-up, significant effects were found on depression, behavioral activation, negative thoughts, knowledge, work productivity, work absence, and workplace distress. MoodHacker yielded significant effects on depression symptoms, work productivity, work absence, and workplace distress for those who reported access to an EAP, but no significant effects on these outcome measures for those without EAP access. Participants in the treatment arm used the MoodHacker app an average of 16.0 times (SD 13.3), totaling an average of 1.3 hours (SD 1.3) of use between pretest and 6-week follow-up. Significant effects on work absence in those with EAP access persisted at 10-week follow-up. This randomized effectiveness trial found that the MoodHacker app produced significant effects on depression symptoms (partial eta(2) = .021) among employed adults at 6-week follow-up when compared to subjects with access to relevant depression Internet sites. The app had stronger effects for individuals with access to an EAP (partial eta(2) = .093). For all users, the MoodHacker program also yielded greater improvement on work absence, as well as the mediating factors of behavioral activation, negative thoughts, and knowledge of depression self-care. Significant effects were maintained at 10-week follow-up for work absence. General attenuation of effects at 10-week follow-up underscores the importance of extending program contacts to maintain user engagement. This study suggests that light-touch, CBT-based mobile interventions like MoodHacker may be appropriate for implementation within EAPs and similar environments. In addition, it seems likely that supporting MoodHacker users with guidance from counselors may improve effectiveness for those who seek in-person support. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02335554; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02335554 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6dGXKWjWE).

MoodHacker Mobile Web App With Email for Adults to Self-Manage Mild-to-Moderate Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Gunn, Rebecca; Russell, Jeremy K; Ary, Dennis V

2016-01-01

Background Worldwide, depression is rated as the fourth leading cause of disease burden and is projected to be the second leading cause of disability by 2020. Annual depression-related costs in the United States are estimated at US $210.5 billion, with employers bearing over 50% of these costs in productivity loss, absenteeism, and disability. Because most adults with depression never receive treatment, there is a need to develop effective interventions that can be more widely disseminated through new channels, such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), and directly to individuals who will not seek face-to-face care. Objective This study evaluated a self-guided intervention, using the MoodHacker mobile Web app to activate the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills in working adults with mild-to-moderate depression. It was hypothesized that MoodHacker users would experience reduced depression symptoms and negative cognitions, and increased behavioral activation, knowledge of depression, and functioning in the workplace. Methods A parallel two-group randomized controlled trial was conducted with 300 employed adults exhibiting mild-to-moderate depression. Participants were recruited from August 2012 through April 2013 in partnership with an EAP and with outreach through a variety of additional non-EAP organizations. Participants were blocked on race/ethnicity and then randomly assigned within each block to receive, without clinical support, either the MoodHacker intervention (n=150) or alternative care consisting of links to vetted websites on depression (n=150). Participants in both groups completed online self-assessment surveys at baseline, 6 weeks after baseline, and 10 weeks after baseline. Surveys assessed (1) depression symptoms, (2) behavioral activation, (3) negative thoughts, (4) worksite outcomes, (5) depression knowledge, and (6) user satisfaction and usability. After randomization, all interactions with subjects were automated with the exception of safety-related follow-up calls to subjects reporting current suicidal ideation and/or severe depression symptoms. Results At 6-week follow-up, significant effects were found on depression, behavioral activation, negative thoughts, knowledge, work productivity, work absence, and workplace distress. MoodHacker yielded significant effects on depression symptoms, work productivity, work absence, and workplace distress for those who reported access to an EAP, but no significant effects on these outcome measures for those without EAP access. Participants in the treatment arm used the MoodHacker app an average of 16.0 times (SD 13.3), totaling an average of 1.3 hours (SD 1.3) of use between pretest and 6-week follow-up. Significant effects on work absence in those with EAP access persisted at 10-week follow-up. Conclusions This randomized effectiveness trial found that the MoodHacker app produced significant effects on depression symptoms (partial eta2 = .021) among employed adults at 6-week follow-up when compared to subjects with access to relevant depression Internet sites. The app had stronger effects for individuals with access to an EAP (partial eta2 = .093). For all users, the MoodHacker program also yielded greater improvement on work absence, as well as the mediating factors of behavioral activation, negative thoughts, and knowledge of depression self-care. Significant effects were maintained at 10-week follow-up for work absence. General attenuation of effects at 10-week follow-up underscores the importance of extending program contacts to maintain user engagement. This study suggests that light-touch, CBT-based mobile interventions like MoodHacker may be appropriate for implementation within EAPs and similar environments. In addition, it seems likely that supporting MoodHacker users with guidance from counselors may improve effectiveness for those who seek in-person support. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02335554; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02335554 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6dGXKWjWE) PMID:26813737

The effects of a novel hostile interpretation bias modification paradigm on hostile interpretations, mood, and aggressive behavior.

PubMed

AlMoghrabi, Nouran; Huijding, Jorg; Franken, Ingmar H A

2018-03-01

Cognitive theories of aggression propose that biased information processing is causally related to aggression. To test these ideas, the current study investigated the effects of a novel cognitive bias modification paradigm (CBM-I) designed to target interpretations associated with aggressive behavior. Participants aged 18-33 years old were randomly assigned to either a single session of positive training (n = 40) aimed at increasing prosocial interpretations or negative training (n = 40) aimed at increasing hostile interpretations. The results revealed that the positive training resulted in an increase in prosocial interpretations while the negative training seemed to have no effect on interpretations. Importantly, in the positive condition, a positive change in interpretations was related to lower anger and verbal aggression scores after the training. In this condition, participants also reported an increase in happiness. In the negative training no such effects were found. However, the better participants performed on the negative training, the more their interpretations were changed in a negative direction and the more aggression they showed on the behavioral aggression task. Participants were healthy university students. Therefore, results should be confirmed within a clinical population. These findings provide support for the idea that this novel CBM-I paradigm can be used to modify interpretations, and suggests that these interpretations are related to mood and aggressive behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Negative capacitance in multidomain ferroelectric superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubko, Pavlo; Wojdeł, Jacek C.; Hadjimichael, Marios; Fernandez-Pena, Stéphanie; Sené, Anaïs; Luk'Yanchuk, Igor; Triscone, Jean-Marc; Íñiguez, Jorge

2016-06-01

The stability of spontaneous electrical polarization in ferroelectrics is fundamental to many of their current applications, which range from the simple electric cigarette lighter to non-volatile random access memories. Research on nanoscale ferroelectrics reveals that their behaviour is profoundly different from that in bulk ferroelectrics, which could lead to new phenomena with potential for future devices. As ferroelectrics become thinner, maintaining a stable polarization becomes increasingly challenging. On the other hand, intentionally destabilizing this polarization can cause the effective electric permittivity of a ferroelectric to become negative, enabling it to behave as a negative capacitance when integrated in a heterostructure. Negative capacitance has been proposed as a way of overcoming fundamental limitations on the power consumption of field-effect transistors. However, experimental demonstrations of this phenomenon remain contentious. The prevalent interpretations based on homogeneous polarization models are difficult to reconcile with the expected strong tendency for domain formation, but the effect of domains on negative capacitance has received little attention. Here we report negative capacitance in a model system of multidomain ferroelectric-dielectric superlattices across a wide range of temperatures, in both the ferroelectric and paraelectric phases. Using a phenomenological model, we show that domain-wall motion not only gives rise to negative permittivity, but can also enhance, rather than limit, its temperature range. Our first-principles-based atomistic simulations provide detailed microscopic insight into the origin of this phenomenon, identifying the dominant contribution of near-interface layers and paving the way for its future exploitation.

Emotion word processing: does mood make a difference?

PubMed

Sereno, Sara C; Scott, Graham G; Yao, Bo; Thaden, Elske J; O'Donnell, Patrick J

2015-01-01

Visual emotion word processing has been in the focus of recent psycholinguistic research. In general, emotion words provoke differential responses in comparison to neutral words. However, words are typically processed within a context rather than in isolation. For instance, how does one's inner emotional state influence the comprehension of emotion words? To address this question, the current study examined lexical decision responses to emotionally positive, negative, and neutral words as a function of induced mood as well as their word frequency. Mood was manipulated by exposing participants to different types of music. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions-no music, positive music, and negative music. Participants' moods were assessed during the experiment to confirm the mood induction manipulation. Reaction time results confirmed prior demonstrations of an interaction between a word's emotionality and its frequency. Results also showed a significant interaction between participant mood and word emotionality. However, the pattern of results was not consistent with mood-congruency effects. Although positive and negative mood facilitated responses overall in comparison to the control group, neither positive nor negative mood appeared to additionally facilitate responses to mood-congruent words. Instead, the pattern of findings seemed to be the consequence of attentional effects arising from induced mood. Positive mood broadens attention to a global level, eliminating the category distinction of positive-negative valence but leaving the high-low arousal dimension intact. In contrast, negative mood narrows attention to a local level, enhancing within-category distinctions, in particular, for negative words, resulting in less effective facilitation.

A random PCR screening system for the identification of type 1 human herpes simplex virus.

PubMed

Yu, Xuelian; Shi, Bisheng; Gong, Yan; Zhang, Xiaonan; Shen, Silan; Qian, Fangxing; Gu, Shimin; Hu, Yunwen; Yuan, Zhenghong

2009-10-01

Several viral diseases exhibit measles-like symptoms. Differentiation of suspected cases of measles with molecular epidemiological techniques in the laboratory is useful for measles surveillance. In this study, a random PCR screening system was undertaken for the identification of isolates from patients with measles-like symptoms who exhibited cytopathic effects, but who had negative results for measles virus-specific reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and indirect immunofluorescence assays. Sequence analysis of random amplified PCR products showed that they were highly homologous to type 1 human herpes simplex virus (HSV-1). The results were further confirmed by an HSV-1-specific TaqMan real-time PCR assay. The random PCR screening system described in this study provides an efficient procedure for the identification of unknown viral pathogens. Measles-like symptoms can also be caused by HSV-1, suggesting the need to include HSV-1 in differential diagnoses of measles-like diseases.

Effects of decontamination of the oropharynx and intestinal tract on antibiotic resistance in ICUs: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Oostdijk, Evelien A N; Kesecioglu, Jozef; Schultz, Marcus J; Visser, Caroline E; de Jonge, Evert; van Essen, Einar H R; Bernards, Alexandra T; Purmer, Ilse; Brimicombe, Roland; Bergmans, Dennis; van Tiel, Frank; Bosch, Frank H; Mascini, Ellen; van Griethuysen, Arjanne; Bindels, Alexander; Jansz, Arjan; van Steveninck, Fred A L; van der Zwet, Wil C; Fijen, Jan Willem; Thijsen, Steven; de Jong, Remko; Oudbier, Joke; Raben, Adrienne; van der Vorm, Eric; Koeman, Mirelle; Rothbarth, Philip; Rijkeboer, Annemieke; Gruteke, Paul; Hart-Sweet, Helga; Peerbooms, Paul; Winsser, Lex J; van Elsacker-Niele, Anne-Marie W; Demmendaal, Kees; Brandenburg, Afke; de Smet, Anne Marie G A; Bonten, Marc J M

2014-10-08

Selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) and selective oropharyngeal decontamination (SOD) are prophylactic antibiotic regimens used in intensive care units (ICUs) and associated with improved patient outcome. Controversy exists regarding the relative effects of both measures on patient outcome and antibiotic resistance. To compare the effects of SDD and SOD, applied as unit-wide interventions, on antibiotic resistance and patient outcome. Pragmatic, cluster randomized crossover trial comparing 12 months of SOD with 12 months of SDD in 16 Dutch ICUs between August 1, 2009, and February 1, 2013. Patients with an expected length of ICU stay longer than 48 hours were eligible to receive the regimens, and 5881 and 6116 patients were included in the clinical outcome analysis for SOD and SDD, respectively. Intensive care units were randomized to administer either SDD or SOD. Unit-wide prevalence of antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Secondary outcomes were day-28 mortality, ICU-acquired bacteremia, and length of ICU stay. In point-prevalence surveys, prevalences of antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria in perianal swabs were significantly lower during SDD compared with SOD; for aminoglycoside resistance, average prevalence was 5.6% (95% CI, 4.6%-6.7%) during SDD and 11.8% (95% CI, 10.3%-13.2%) during SOD (P < .001). During both interventions the prevalence of rectal carriage of aminoglycoside-resistant gram-negative bacteria increased 7% per month (95% CI, 1%-13%) during SDD (P = .02) and 4% per month (95% CI, 0%-8%) during SOD (P = .046; P = .40 for difference). Day 28-mortality was 25.4% and 24.1% during SOD and SDD, respectively (adjusted odds ratio, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.88-1.06]; P = .42), and there were no statistically significant differences in other outcome parameters or between surgical and nonsurgical patients. Intensive care unit-acquired bacteremia occurred in 5.9% and 4.6% of the patients during SOD and SDD, respectively (odds ratio, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.65-0.91]; P = .002; number needed to treat, 77). Unit-wide application of SDD and SOD was associated with low levels of antibiotic resistance and no differences in day-28 mortality. Compared with SOD, SDD was associated with lower rectal carriage of antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria and ICU-acquired bacteremia but a more pronounced gradual increase in aminoglycoside-resistant gram-negative bacteria. trialregister.nlIdentifier: NTR1780.

Feedback Valence Affects Auditory Perceptual Learning Independently of Feedback Probability

PubMed Central

Amitay, Sygal; Moore, David R.; Molloy, Katharine; Halliday, Lorna F.

2015-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that negative feedback is more effective in driving learning than positive feedback. We investigated the effect on learning of providing varying amounts of negative and positive feedback while listeners attempted to discriminate between three identical tones; an impossible task that nevertheless produces robust learning. Four feedback conditions were compared during training: 90% positive feedback or 10% negative feedback informed the participants that they were doing equally well, while 10% positive or 90% negative feedback informed them they were doing equally badly. In all conditions the feedback was random in relation to the listeners’ responses (because the task was to discriminate three identical tones), yet both the valence (negative vs. positive) and the probability of feedback (10% vs. 90%) affected learning. Feedback that informed listeners they were doing badly resulted in better post-training performance than feedback that informed them they were doing well, independent of valence. In addition, positive feedback during training resulted in better post-training performance than negative feedback, but only positive feedback indicating listeners were doing badly on the task resulted in learning. As we have previously speculated, feedback that better reflected the difficulty of the task was more effective in driving learning than feedback that suggested performance was better than it should have been given perceived task difficulty. But contrary to expectations, positive feedback was more effective than negative feedback in driving learning. Feedback thus had two separable effects on learning: feedback valence affected motivation on a subjectively difficult task, and learning occurred only when feedback probability reflected the subjective difficulty. To optimize learning, training programs need to take into consideration both feedback valence and probability. PMID:25946173

Improving adolescent social competence and behavior: a randomized trial of an 11-week equine facilitated learning prevention program.

PubMed

Pendry, Patricia; Carr, Alexa M; Smith, Annelise N; Roeter, Stephanie M

2014-08-01

There is growing evidence that promoting social competence in youth is an effective strategy to prevent mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in adulthood. Research suggests that programs delivered in collaboration with schools are particularly effective when they target social and emotional skill building, utilize an interactive instructional style, provide opportunities for youth participation and self-direction, and include explicit attempts to enhance youth social competence. A relatively new but popular approach that incorporates these characteristics is human animal interaction, which can be implemented in educational settings. We report the results from a randomized clinical trial examining the effects of an 11-week equine facilitated learning (EFL) program on the social competence and behavior of 5th-8th grade children. Children (N = 131) were recruited through referral by school counselors and school-based recruitment and then screened for low social competence. Researchers randomly assigned children to an experimental (n = 53) or waitlisted control group (n = 60). Children in the experimental group participated in an 11-week EFL program consisting of once-weekly, 90-min sessions of individual and team-focused activities, whereas children in the control group served as a wait-listed control and participated 16 weeks later. Parents of children in both groups rated child social competence at pretest and posttest. Three independent raters observed and reported children's positive and negative behavior using a validated checklist during each weekly session. Results indicated that program participation had a moderate treatment effect (d = .55) on social competence (p = .02) that was independent of pretest levels, age, gender, and referral status. Results showed that higher levels of program attendance predicted children's trajectories of observed positive (β = .500; p = .003) and negative behavior (β = -.062; p < .001) over the 11-week program.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial evaluating the effect of intranasal insulin on cognition and mood in individuals with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Cha, Danielle S; Best, Michael W; Bowie, Christopher R; Gallaugher, Laura Ashley; Woldeyohannes, Hanna O; Soczynska, Joanna K; Lewis, Gary; MacQueen, Glenda; Sahakian, Barbara J; Kennedy, Sidney H; Lui, Jane P; Mansur, Rodrigo B; McIntyre, Roger S

2017-03-01

Cognitive dysfunction in major depressive disorder (MDD) is identified as a primary therapeutic target; no current treatment is approved for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction in MDD. We examined whether intranasal insulin offered a beneficial effect across measures of cognitive function in adults with MDD. Thirty-five adults (18-65 years of age: 47.09±9.89) meeting criteria for a major depressive episode as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-IV-Treatment Revised were included in this randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design study. Subjects were not stratified based on baseline cognitive deficit. Subjects were randomized to 4 weeks of either intranasal insulin 40 International Units (IU) taken four times a day (i.e., morning, afternoon, evening, and before bed) (QID) (n=19) or placebo (n=16). No between group differences were observed in change from baseline on total Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score (25.98±2.81), in either of the Positive or Negative subscales of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), or on a global index of neurocognition. The possibility of practice and/or carry over effect could not be excluded. Methodological refinement (e.g., stratification of subjects based on baseline cognitive deficit) may have augmented assay sensitivity. Intranasal insulin did not demonstrate statistically significant improvements on overall mood, aspects of emotional processing, neurocognitive function, or self-reported quality of life patient reported outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy in Medicine: Addressing the Psychological and Physical Symptoms Stemming from Adverse Life Experiences

PubMed Central

Shapiro, Francine

2014-01-01

Background: A substantial body of research shows that adverse life experiences contribute to both psychological and biomedical pathology. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an empirically validated treatment for trauma, including such negative life experiences as commonly present in medical practice. The positive therapeutic outcomes rapidly achieved without homework or detailed description of the disturbing event offer the medical community an efficient treatment approach with a wide range of applications. Methods: All randomized studies and significant clinical reports related to EMDR therapy for treating the experiential basis of both psychological and somatic disorders are reviewed. Also reviewed are the recent studies evaluating the eye movement component of the therapy, which has been posited to contribute to the rapid improvement attributable to EMDR treatment. Results: Twenty-four randomized controlled trials support the positive effects of EMDR therapy in the treatment of emotional trauma and other adverse life experiences relevant to clinical practice. Seven of 10 studies reported EMDR therapy to be more rapid and/or more effective than trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. Twelve randomized studies of the eye movement component noted rapid decreases in negative emotions and/or vividness of disturbing images, with an additional 8 reporting a variety of other memory effects. Numerous other evaluations document that EMDR therapy provides relief from a variety of somatic complaints. Conclusion: EMDR therapy provides physicians and other clinicians with an efficient approach to address psychological and physiologic symptoms stemming from adverse life experiences. Clinicians should therefore evaluate patients for experiential contributors to clinical manifestations. PMID:24626074

Framing effects on expectations, decisions, and side effects experienced: the case of influenza immunization.

PubMed

O'Connor, A M; Pennie, R A; Dales, R E

1996-11-01

To examine the effects of using positive or negative frames to describe influenza vaccine benefits and side effects on patients' expectations, decisions, decisional conflict, and reported side effects. 292 previously unimmunized patients with chronic respiratory or cardiac disease were randomly assigned to receive benefit/risk information that was framed: (1) positively as the percentage who remain free of influenza and have no vaccine side effects, or (2) negatively as the percentage who acquire influenza and have vaccine side effects. Questionnaires elicited expectations, decisions, and decisional conflict. Vaccines were telephoned 3 days later for a self-report of local and systemic side effects and work absenteeism. Both groups had similar immunization rates and decisional conflict scores. The positive frame group had lower and more realistic expectations of vaccine side effects, fewer systemic side effects, and less work absenteeism (p < 0.05). In contrast to previous studies of health care workers, framing did not influence patients' decisions, possibly due to the patients' awareness of their higher risk of influenza complications and greater desire to follow recommendations. The common practice of using negative frames when describing probabilities of side effects may need to be reexamined, considering its deleterious influence on self-reported side effects and work absenteeism.

Is the Generally Held View That Intravenous Dihydroergotamine Is Effective in Migraine Based on Wrong "General Consensus" of One Trial? A Critical Review of the Trial and Subsequent Quotations.

PubMed

Bekan, Goran; Tfelt-Hansen, Peer

2016-10-01

The claim that parenteral dihydroergotamine (DHE) is effective in migraine is based on one randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial from 1986. The aim of this review was to critically evaluate the original article. It was also found to be of interest to review quotes concerning the results in the more than 100 articles subsequently referring to the article. The correctness of the stated effect of intravenous DHE in the randomized clinical trial (RCT) was first critically evaluated. Then, Google Scholar was searched for references to the article and these references were classified as to whether they judged the reported RCT as positive or negative. The design of the RCT, with a crossover within one migraine attack, only allows evaluation of the results for the first period and the effect of DHE and placebo were quite comparable. About 151 references were found for the article in Google scholar. Among the 95 articles with a judgment on the efficacy of intravenous DHE in the RCT, 90 stated that DHE was effective or likely effective whereas only 5 articles stated that DHE was ineffective. Despite a "negative" RCT, authors of subsequent articles on the efficacy of parenteral DHE overwhelmingly reported this RCT as "positive." This is probably due to the fact that the authors concluded in the abstract that DHE is effective, and to a kind of "wrong general consensus." © 2016 American Headache Society.

Targeting alpha-7 nicotinic neurotransmission in schizophrenia: A novel agonist strategy

PubMed Central

Deutsch, Stephen I.; Schwartz, Barbara L.; Schooler, Nina R.; Brown, Clayton H.; Rosse, Richard B.; Rosse, Stephanie M.

2013-01-01

Alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) agonists may be valuable treatments for negative symptoms and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. Unfortunately, chronic exposure to an agonist may reduce the receptor’s sensitivity. Therefore, we combined CDP-choline, a dietary source of the direct agonist choline, with galantamine, a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, to improve the efficiency of transducing the choline signal and, possibly, preserve the receptor in a sensitive state. We conducted a single-site, double-blind randomized clinical trial comparing galantamine/CDP-choline to placebos in schizophrenia patients with negative symptoms who were receiving second generation antipsychotics. Forty-three subjects received galantamine and CDP-choline or matching placebos for 16 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the 5-item Marder negative-symptoms factor of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Cognition and functioning were also assessed. Trial completion was high; 79%. There was no significant treatment effect on negative symptoms, other PANSS symptom factors, or the MATRICS Cognitive Consensus Battery. There were significant treatment effects in overall functioning and a test of free verbal recall. Three subjects discontinued treatment in the active treatment group for gastro-intestinal adverse events (AE). The most common AE for galantamine/CDP-choline was abdominal pain; for placebo it was headache and sweating. Although there was no significant treatment effect on negative symptoms, the direction of effect mirrored the effects on a cognitive measure and overall functioning. Further study of α7 nAChR agonist/PAMs are warranted in larger studies that will have greater power. PMID:23768813

Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in High Risk Patients Undergoing Panniculectomy: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

ClinicalTrials.gov

2018-01-16

Complications Wounds; Negative Pressure Wound Therapy; Wound Healing Delayed; Incisional; Panniculectomy; Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy; Incisional Vac; Wound Vac; Obese; Renal Failure; Kidney Transplant; Complications; Wound Healing Complication

Early Chemotherapy Intensification With Escalated BEACOPP in Patients With Advanced-Stage Hodgkin Lymphoma With a Positive Interim Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Scan After Two ABVD Cycles: Long-Term Results of the GITIL/FIL HD 0607 Trial.

PubMed

Gallamini, Andrea; Tarella, Corrado; Viviani, Simonetta; Rossi, Andrea; Patti, Caterina; Mulé, Antonino; Picardi, Marco; Romano, Alessandra; Cantonetti, Maria; La Nasa, Giorgio; Trentin, Livio; Bolis, Silvia; Rapezzi, Davide; Battistini, Roberta; Gottardi, Daniela; Gavarotti, Paolo; Corradini, Paolo; Cimminiello, Michele; Schiavotto, Corrado; Parvis, Guido; Zanotti, Roberta; Gini, Guido; Ferreri, Andrés J M; Viero, Piera; Miglino, Maurizio; Billio, Atto; Avigdor, Abraham; Biggi, Alberto; Fallanca, Federico; Ficola, Umberto; Gregianin, Michele; Chiaravalloti, Agostino; Prosperini, Giuseppe; Bergesio, Fabrizio; Chauvie, Stephane; Pavoni, Chiara; Gianni, Alessandro Massimo; Rambaldi, Alessandro

2018-02-10

Purpose To investigate the progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) after a risk-adapted treatment strategy that was based on a positive positron emission tomography scan performed after two doxorubicin, vinblastine, vincristine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) cycles (PET2). Patients and Methods Patients with advanced-stage (IIB to IVB) HL were consecutively enrolled. After two ABVD cycles, PET2 was performed and centrally reviewed according to the Deauville five-point scale. Patients with a positive PET2 were randomly assigned to four cycles of escalated bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (BEACOPP) followed by four cycles of standard BEACOPP with or without rituximab. Patients with a negative PET2 continued ABVD, and those with a large nodal mass at diagnosis (≥ 5 cm) in complete remission with a negative PET at the end of chemotherapy were randomly assigned to radiotherapy or no further treatment. The primary end point was 3-year PFS. Results Of 782 enrolled patients, 150 (19%) had a positive and 630 (81%) a negative PET2. The 3-year PFS of all patients was 82%. The 3-year PFS of those with a positive and negative PET2 was 60% and 87%, respectively ( P < .001). The 3-year PFS of patients with a positive PET2 assigned to BEACOPP with or without rituximab was 63% versus 57% ( P = .53). In 296 patients with both interim and post-ABVD-negative PET who had a large nodal mass at diagnosis, radiotherapy was randomly added after chemotherapy without a significant PFS improvement (97% v 93%, respectively; P = .29). The 3-year overall survival of all 782 patients was 97% (99% and 89% for PET2 negative and positive, respectively). Conclusion The PET-driven switch from ABVD to escalated BEACOPP is feasible and effective in high-risk patients with advanced-stage HL.

Effectiveness of a new dentifrice with baking soda and peroxide in removing extrinsic stain and whitening teeth.

PubMed

Ghassemi, A; Hooper, W; Vorwerk, L; Domke, T; DeSciscio, P; Nathoo, S

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of this randomized, controlled, six-week clinical trial was to determine the effectiveness and safety of a new whitening dentifrice in removing extrinsic tooth stain and whitening teeth. An additional two-week exploratory study was conducted to determine whether the whitening or stain-prevention activity of the dentifrice would persist following cessation of use. In the first study (Phase I), one-hundred and forty-six qualifying subjects were randomly assigned to either a sodium bicarbonate whitening dentifrice group (Arm & Hammer Advance White Extreme Whitening Baking Soda and Peroxide Toothpaste) or a silica-based negative control dentifrice group, and brushed twice daily with their assigned dentifrice for six weeks. Tooth shade on the labial surfaces of the eight incisors was assessed using a Vita Classic shade guide, and extrinsic tooth stain was scored using a Modified Lobene Stain Index (MLSI) at baseline, week 4, and week 6. In Phase II (after the week 6 examination), volunteers from the Arm & Hammer whitening dentifrice group were randomly assigned to continue using the whitening dentifrice or to use the negative control dentifrice twice daily for two weeks. The six-week shade and stain index scores served as the baseline for this exploratory phase and were rescored after two weeks. The whitening dentifrice group had statistically significant (p < 0.0001) mean shade score reductions of 1.82 and 2.57 from baseline to weeks 4 and 6, respectively. For the same periods, the negative control dentifrice group was virtually unchanged from baseline. For tooth stain, the MLSI total mean scores for the whitening dentifrice group showed statistically significant (p < 0.0001) decreases from baseline of 1.42 (41.6%) and 2.11 (61.6%) at weeks 4 and 6, respectively. In contrast, the negative control dentifrice group had a MLSI reduction of 0.07 at week 4 and a 0.06 increase at week 6. Between-group analyses using baseline-adjusted ANCOVA showed the whitening dentifrice to be statistically significantly more effective (p < 0.0001) than the negative control for shade and tooth stain reductions for all index comparisons. Compared to the six-week (baseline) scores, subjects who continued to use the whitening dentifrice for the additional two weeks experienced statistically significant (p < 0.0001) further mean reductions of 0.88 in shade score and 0.46 in MLSI score, while subjects who switched to the negative control dentifrice experienced smaller, statistically significant (p < 0.05) reductions of 0.34 in shade score and 0.13 in total MLSI score. The Arm & Hammer whitening dentifrice tested in this study is effective for removing extrinsic tooth stain and whitening teeth. While the results also suggest that this dentifrice may have stain-prevention activity that persists following cessation of product use, such activity would need to be confirmed with further studies.

Moderators of two indicated cognitive-behavioral depression prevention approaches for adolescents in a school-based effectiveness trial.

PubMed

Brière, Frédéric N; Rohde, Paul; Shaw, Heather; Stice, Eric

2014-02-01

Our aim was to identify moderators of the effects of a cognitive behavioral group-based prevention program (CB group) and CB bibliotherapy, relative to an educational brochure control condition and to one another, in a school-based effectiveness randomized controlled prevention trial. 378 adolescents (M age = 15.5, 68% female) with elevated depressive symptoms were randomized in one of three conditions and were assessed at pretest, posttest, and 6-month follow-up. We tested the moderating effect of three individual (baseline depressive symptoms, negative attributional style, substance use), three environmental (negative life events, parental support, peer support), and two sociodemographic (sex, age) characteristics. Baseline depressive symptoms interacted with condition and time. Decomposition indicated that elevated baseline depressive symptoms amplified the effect of CB bibliotherapy at posttest (but not 6-month follow-up) relative to the control condition, but did not modify the effect of CB group relative to the control condition or relative to bibliotherapy. Specifically, CB bibliotherapy resulted in lower posttest depressive symptoms than the control condition in individuals with elevated, but not average or low baseline symptoms. We found no interaction effect for other putative moderators. Our findings suggest that bibliotherapy is effective only in participants who have elevated depressive symptoms at baseline. The fact that no study variable moderated the effects of CB group, which had a significant main effect in reducing depressive symptoms relative to the control condition, suggests that this indicated prevention intervention is effective for a wide range of adolescents. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Moderators of two Indicated Cognitive-Behavioral Depression Prevention Approaches for Adolescents in a School-Based Effectiveness Trial

PubMed Central

Brière, Frédéric N.; Rohde, Paul; Shaw, Heather; Stice, Eric

2014-01-01

Objective Our aim was to identify moderators of the effects of a cognitive behavioral group-based prevention program (CB group) and CB bibliotherapy, relative to an educational brochure control condition and to one another, in a school-based effectiveness randomized controlled prevention trial. Method 378 adolescents (M age = 15.5, 68% female) with elevated depressive symptoms were randomized in one of three conditions and were assessed at pretest, posttest, and 6-month follow-up. We tested the moderating effect of three individual (Baseline Depressive Symptoms, Negative Attributional Style, Substance Use), three environmental (Negative Life Events, Parental Support, Peer Support), and two sociodemographic (Sex, Age) characteristics. Results Baseline Depressive Symptoms interacted with Condition and Time. Decomposition indicated that elevated baseline depressive symptoms amplified the effect of CB bibliotherapy at posttest (but not 6-month follow-up) relative to the control condition, but did not modify the effect of CB group relative to the control condition or relative to bibliotherapy. Specifically, CB bibliotherapy resulted in lower posttest depressive symptoms than the control condition in individuals with elevated, but not average or low baseline symptoms. We found no interaction effect for other putative moderators. Conclusions Our findings suggest that bibliotherapy is effective only in participants who have elevated depressive symptoms at baseline. The fact that no study variable moderated the effects of CB group, which had a significant main effect in reducing depressive symptoms relative to the control condition, suggests that this indicated prevention intervention is effective for a wide range of adolescents. PMID:24418653

Origin of negative resistance in anion migration controlled resistive memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, Writam; Wu, Facai; Hu, Yuan; Wu, Quantan; Wu, Zuheng; Liu, Qi; Liu, Ming

2018-03-01

Resistive random access memory (RRAM) is one of the most promising emerging nonvolatile technologies for the futuristic memory devices. Resistive switching behavior often shows negative resistance (NR), either voltage controlled or current controlled. In this work, the origin of a current compliance dependent voltage controlled NR effect during the resetting of anion migration based RRAM devices is discussed. The N-type voltage controlled NR is a high field driven phenomena. The current conduction within the range of a certain negative voltage is mostly dominated by space charge limited current. But with the higher negative voltage, a field induced tunneling effect is generated in the NR region. The voltage controlled NR is strongly dependent on the compliance current. The area independent behavior indicates the filamentary switching. The peak to valley ratio (PVR) is > 5. The variation of PVR as a function of the conduction band offset is achieved. Compared to other reported works, based on the PVR, it is possible to distinguish the RRAM types. Generally, due to the higher electric field effect on the metallic bridge during RESET, the electrochemical metallization type RRAM shows much higher PVR than the valance change type RRAM.

Foundational errors in the Neutral and Nearly-Neutral theories of evolution in relation to the Synthetic Theory: is a new evolutionary paradigm necessary?

PubMed

Valenzuela, Carlos Y

2013-01-01

The Neutral Theory of Evolution (NTE) proposes mutation and random genetic drift as the most important evolutionary factors. The most conspicuous feature of evolution is the genomic stability during paleontological eras and lack of variation among taxa; 98% or more of nucleotide sites are monomorphic within a species. NTE explains this homology by random fixation of neutral bases and negative selection (purifying selection) that does not contribute either to evolution or polymorphisms. Purifying selection is insufficient to account for this evolutionary feature and the Nearly-Neutral Theory of Evolution (N-NTE) included negative selection with coefficients as low as mutation rate. These NTE and N-NTE propositions are thermodynamically (tendency to random distributions, second law), biotically (recurrent mutation), logically and mathematically (resilient equilibria instead of fixation by drift) untenable. Recurrent forward and backward mutation and random fluctuations of base frequencies alone in a site make life organization and fixations impossible. Drift is not a directional evolutionary factor, but a directional tendency of matter-energy processes (second law) which threatens the biotic organization. Drift cannot drive evolution. In a site, the mutation rates among bases and selection coefficients determine the resilient equilibrium frequency of bases that genetic drift cannot change. The expected neutral random interaction among nucleotides is zero; however, huge interactions and periodicities were found between bases of dinucleotides separated by 1, 2... and more than 1,000 sites. Every base is co-adapted with the whole genome. Neutralists found that neutral evolution is independent of population size (N); thus neutral evolution should be independent of drift, because drift effect is dependent upon N. Also, chromosome size and shape as well as protein size are far from random.

Are there specific benefits of amoxicillin plus metronidazole in Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans-associated periodontitis? Double-masked, randomized clinical trial of efficacy and safety.

PubMed

Mombelli, Andrea; Cionca, Norbert; Almaghlouth, Adnan; Décaillet, Fabien; Courvoisier, Delphine S; Giannopoulou, Catherine

2013-06-01

It has been suggested that prescription of amoxicillin plus metronidazole in the context of periodontal therapy should be limited to patients with specific microbiologic profiles, especially those testing positive for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The main purpose of this analysis is to determine if patients positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans with moderate to advanced periodontitis benefit specifically from amoxicillin plus metronidazole given as an adjunct to full-mouth scaling and root planing. This is a double-masked, placebo-controlled, randomized longitudinal study including 41 participants who were positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans and 41 participants who were negative for A. actinomycetemcomitans. All 82 patients received full-mouth periodontal debridement performed within 48 hours. Patients then received either systemic antibiotics (375 mg amoxicillin and 500 mg metronidazole, three times daily) or placebo for 7 days. The primary outcome variable was persistence of sites with a probing depth (PD) >4 mm and bleeding on probing (BOP) at the 3-month reevaluation. Using multilevel logistic regression, the effect of the antibiotics was analyzed according to the following factors (interaction effect): A. actinomycetemcomitans-positive or -negative at baseline, sex, age, smoking, tooth being a molar, and interdental location. At reevaluation, participants in the test group had significantly fewer sites with a persisting PD >4 mm and BOP than control patients (P <0.01). Being A. actinomycetemcomitans-positive or -negative did not change the effect of the antibiotics. Patients benefited from the antibiotics irrespective of sex, age, or smoking status. Molars benefited significantly more from the antibiotics than non-molars (P for interaction effect = 0.03). Patients who were positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans had no specific benefit from amoxicillin plus metronidazole. Sites on molars benefited significantly more from the antibiotics than non-molar sites.

Threats from patients and their effects on medical decision making: a cross-sectional, randomised trial.

PubMed

Kristiansen, I S; Førde, O H; Aasland, O; Hotvedt, R; Johnsen, R; Førde, R

2001-04-21

Negative experiences are not uncommon among doctors in Norway. Our aim was to find out about the various types of negative reactions (eg, complaints, negative exposure to the media, financial claims, and notification to the police) received by physicians from patients or relatives in response to treatment, to identify their cause, and to study their effects on subsequent clinical decisions. We posted questionnaires about negative reactions of patients to a random sample (n=1260) of Norwegian doctors. Each doctor was additionally sent five written case simulations and asked to choose one of several proposed clinical strategies. Half (630) the physicians received cases containing threats from the patient or their relatives. 988 (78%) physicians returned the questionnaire, 463 (47%) of whom reported negative experiences. Such experiences were reported more frequently by men (357 [51%]) and family physicians (157 [58%]) than by other participants. Negative experiences did not affect choice of strategy for case simulations. For the first case, chest pain, 217 (44%) physicians presented with a threat chose a defensive strategy compared with 145 (30%) of those who were not (difference 14%; 95% CI 8-20). For the second case, a headache case, the corresponding numbers were 278 (57%) and 118 (25%) (32%; 26-38). Physician age, sex, specialty, or experience of negative reactions of patients did not alter the effect of threats received during our study. Negative experiences do not affect subsequent decision making. However, doctors do comply with wishes from patients or relatives when presented with direct threats.

Therapist-Aided Exposure for Women with Lifelong Vaginismus: Mediators of Treatment Outcome: A Randomized Waiting List Control Trial.

PubMed

Ter Kuile, Moniek M; Melles, Reinhilde J; Tuijnman-Raasveld, Charlotte C; de Groot, Helen E; van Lankveld, Jacques J D M

2015-08-01

Therapist-aided exposure seems an effective treatment for lifelong vaginismus, but mechanisms of action have not yet been established. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether treatment outcome of a therapist-aided exposure treatment was mediated by changes in positive and negative penetration beliefs or feelings of sexual disgust. Participants with lifelong vaginismus were allocated at random to a 3-month exposure (n = 35) or a waiting list control condition (n = 35). Full intercourse was assessed daily during 12 weeks. Secondary outcome measures (complaints about vaginismus and coital pain) were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks. Possible mediators: penetration beliefs (catastrophic pain beliefs, genital incompatibility beliefs, perceived control beliefs) and feelings of sexual disgust were assessed at baseline and 6 weeks. Treatment outcome (coital frequency, symptoms of vaginismus, and coital pain) at 12 weeks was mediated by changes in negative and positive penetration beliefs at 6 weeks, in particular by more pronounced reduction of catastrophic pain penetration beliefs. No evidence was found that changes in feelings of sexual disgust mediated treatment outcome. The results strongly suggest that therapist-aided exposure affects negative penetration beliefs and that these changes in negative penetration beliefs mediate treatment outcome in women with lifelong vaginismus. Implications for treatment are discussed. © 2015 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Pacing for neurally mediated syncope: is placebo powerless?

PubMed

Brignole, M; Sutton, R

2007-01-01

After two recent controlled trials failed to prove superiority of cardiac pacing over placebo in patients affected by neurally mediated syncope, a widely accepted opinion is that cardiac pacing therapy is not very effective and that a strong placebo effect exists. To measure the effect of placebo pacing therapy. We compared the recurrence rate of syncope during placebo vs. no treatment in controlled trials of drug or pacing therapy. Syncope recurred in 38% of 252 patients randomized to placebo pooled from five trials vs. 34% of 881 patients randomized to no treatment pooled from eight trials. The corresponding recurrence rate with active cardiac pacing was 15% in 203 patients from six trials. Placebo is not an effective therapy for neurally mediated syncope. Different selection criteria in patients who are candidates for cardiac pacing-for example, presence, absence, or severity of the cardioinhibitory reflex may separate positive from negative trials.

Telephone-based continuing care counseling in substance abuse treatment: economic analysis of a randomized trial

PubMed Central

Daley, Marilyn C.; Neuman, Matthew J.; Blaakman, Aaron P.; McKay, James R.

2016-01-01

Purpose To investigate whether telephone-based continuing care (TEL) is a promising alternative to traditional face-to-face counseling for clients in treatment for substance abuse. Methods Patients with alcohol and/or cocaine dependence who had completed a 4-week intensive outpatient program were randomly assigned through urn randomization into one of three 12-week interventions: standard continuing care (STD), in-person relapse prevention (RP), or telephone-based continuing care (TEL). This study performed cost, cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit analyses of TEL and RP compared to STD, using results from the randomized clinical trial with two years of follow up (359 participants). In addition, the study examined the potential moderating effect of baseline patient costs on economic outcomes. Results The study found that TEL was less expensive per client from the societal perspective ($569) than STD ($870) or RP ($1,684). TEL also was also significantly more effective, with an abstinence rate of 57.1% compared to 46.7% for STD (p<0.05). Thus TEL dominated STD, with a highly favorable negative incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (−$1,400 per abstinent year). TEL also proved favorable under a benefit-cost perspective. Conclusions TEL proved to be a cost-effective and cost-beneficial contributor to long-term recovery over two years. Because TEL dominated STD care interventions, wider adoption should be considered. PMID:26718395

Telephone-based continuing care counseling in substance abuse treatment: Economic analysis of a randomized trial.

PubMed

Shepard, Donald S; Daley, Marilyn C; Neuman, Matthew J; Blaakman, Aaron P; McKay, James R

2016-02-01

To investigate whether telephone-based continuing care (TEL) is a promising alternative to traditional face-to-face counseling for clients in treatment for substance abuse. Patients with alcohol and/or cocaine dependence who had completed a 4-week intensive outpatient program were randomly assigned through urn randomization into one of three 12-week interventions: standard continuing care (STD), in-person relapse prevention (RP), or telephone-based continuing care (TEL). This study performed cost, cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit analyses of TEL and RP compared to STD, using results from the randomized clinical trial with two years of follow up (359 participants). In addition, the study examined the potential moderating effect of baseline patient costs on economic outcomes. The study found that TEL was less expensive per client from the societal perspective ($569) than STD ($870) or RP ($1684). TEL also was also significantly more effective, with an abstinence rate of 57.1% compared to 46.7% for STD (p<0.05). Thus TEL dominated STD, with a highly favorable negative incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (-$1400 per abstinent year). TEL also proved favorable under a benefit-cost perspective. TEL proved to be a cost-effective and cost-beneficial contributor to long-term recovery over two years. Because TEL dominated STD care interventions, wider adoption should be considered. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multidisciplinary rehabilitation for subacute low back pain: graded activity or workplace intervention or both? A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Anema, Johannes R; Steenstra, Ivan A; Bongers, Paulien M; de Vet, Henrica C W; Knol, Dirk L; Loisel, Patrick; van Mechelen, Willem

2007-02-01

Population-based randomized controlled trial. To assess the effectiveness of workplace intervention and graded activity, separately and combined, for multidisciplinary rehabilitation of low back pain (LBP). Effective components for multidisciplinary rehabilitation of LBP are not yet established. Participants sick-listed 2 to 6 weeks due to nonspecific LBP were randomized to workplace intervention (n = 96) or usual care (n = 100). Workplace intervention consisted of workplace assessment, work modifications, and case management involving all stakeholders. Participants still sick-listed at 8 weeks were randomized for graded activity (n = 55) or usual care (n = 57). Graded activity comprised biweekly 1-hour exercise sessions based on operant-conditioning principles. Outcomes were lasting return to work, pain intensity and functional status, assessed at baseline, and at 12, 26, and 52 weeks after the start of sick leave. Time until return to work for workers with workplace intervention was 77 versus 104 days (median) for workers without this intervention (P = 0.02). Workplace intervention was effective on return to work (hazard ratio = 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2-2.3; P = 0.002). Graded activity had a negative effect on return to work (hazard ratio = 0.4; 95% CI, 0.3-0.6; P < 0.001) and functional status. Combined intervention had no effect. Workplace intervention is advised for multidisciplinary rehabilitation of subacute LBP. Graded activity or combined intervention is not advised.

Clinical study results from a randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioural guided self-help in patients with partially remitted depressive disorder.

PubMed

Schlögelhofer, Monika; Willinger, Ulrike; Wiesegger, Georg; Eder, Harald; Priesch, Margrit; Itzlinger, Ulrike; Bailer, Ursula; Schosser, Alexandra; Leisch, Friedrich; Aschauer, Harald

2014-06-01

Cognitive behavioural guided self-help has been shown to be effective in mild and moderate depressive disorder. It is not known, however, if it is effective in individuals with partially remitted depressive disorder, which is a serious clinical problem in up to 50-60% of treated patients. This study is the first one to examine the clinical benefit of this intervention in this patient population. For the purpose of this study, a single-blind, randomized controlled design was used. We randomized 90 individuals with partially remitted depressive disorder either to cognitive behavioural guided self-help plus psychopharmacotherapy (n = 49) or psychopharmacotherapy alone (n = 41). They were clinically assessed at regular intervals with ratings of depressive symptoms and stress-coping strategies over a 3-week run-in period and a 6-week treatment period. After 6 weeks, intention-to-treat analysis (n = 90) showed that patients treated with cognitive behavioural guided self-help plus psychopharmacotherapy did not have significantly lower scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression (17-item version; HRSD-17) and on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) compared to patients treated with psychopharmacotherapy alone. When negative stress-coping strategies were considered, there was a significant difference between the two groups at the end of treatment with respect to the BDI but not to the HRSD-17. Guided self-help did not lead to a significant reduction in symptom severity in patients with partially remitted depressive disorder after a 6-week intervention. However, the intervention leads to a reduction of negative stress-coping strategies. Cognitive behavioural guided self-help did not significantly improve depressive symptoms measured with the Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression (17-item version; HRSD-17) in patients with partially remitted depressive disorder. Improvements were found in reducing negative stress-coping strategies for those allocated to the cognitive behavioural guided self-help, which significantly improved Beck Depression Inventory but not HRSD-17. These findings suggest that cognitive behavioural guided self-help may offer some assistance in managing negative stress-coping strategies. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Acute aerobic exercise helps overcome emotion regulation deficits.

PubMed

Bernstein, Emily E; McNally, Richard J

2017-06-01

Although colloquial wisdom and some studies suggest an association between regular aerobic exercise and emotional well-being, the nature of this link remains poorly understood. We hypothesised that aerobic exercise may change the way people respond to their emotions. Specifically, we tested whether individuals experiencing difficulties with emotion regulation would benefit from a previous session of exercise and show swifter recovery than their counterparts who did not exercise. Participants (N = 80) completed measures of emotion response tendencies, mood, and anxiety, and were randomly assigned to either stretch or jog for 30 minutes. All participants then underwent the same negative and positive mood inductions, and reported their emotional responses. Analyses showed that more perceived difficulty generating regulatory strategies and engaging in goal-directed behaviours after the negative mood induction predicted more intense and persistent negative affect in response to the stressor, as would be expected. Interactions revealed that aerobic exercise attenuated these effects. Moderate aerobic exercise may help attenuate negative emotions for participants initially experiencing regulatory difficulties. This study contributes to the literature on aerobic exercise's therapeutic effects with experimental data, specifically in the realm of emotional processing.

The Impact of Mindfulness and Perspective-Taking on Implicit Associations Toward the Elderly: a Relational Frame Theory Account

PubMed Central

McEnteggart, Ciara; Barnes-Holmes, Yvonne; Lowe, Rob; Evans, Nicky; Vilardaga, Roger

2017-01-01

Perspective-taking interventions have been shown to improve attitudes toward social outgroups. In contrast, similar interventions have produced opposite effects (i.e., enhanced negativity) in the context of attitudes toward elderly groups. The current study investigated whether a brief perspective-taking intervention enhanced with mindfulness would be associated with less negativity than perspective-taking alone. One hundred five participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions which comprised of an active or control perspective-taking component and an active or control mindfulness component. Participants were then administered an Implicit Associated Test to assess implicit biases toward the elderly. Results supported previous findings in that the condition in which perspective-taking was active but mindfulness was inactive was associated with greater negative implicit bias toward the elderly; however, some of this negativity decreased in the active perspective-taking and active mindfulness condition. The current findings and other mixed effects that have emerged from perspective-taking interventions are discussed from a Relational Frame Theory perspective. PMID:29399210

Cognitive defusion versus thought distraction: a clinical rationale, training, and experiential exercise in altering psychological impacts of negative self-referential thoughts.

PubMed

Masuda, Akihiko; Feinstein, Amanda B; Wendell, Johanna W; Sheehan, Shawn T

2010-11-01

Using two modes of intervention delivery, the present study compared the effects of a cognitive defusion strategy with a thought distraction strategy on the emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts. One mode of intervention delivery consisted of a clinical rationale and training (i.e., Partial condition). The other mode contained a condition-specific experiential exercise with the negative self-referential thought in addition to the clinical rationale and training (i.e., Full condition). Nonclinical undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of five protocols: Partial-Defusion, Full-Defusion, Partial-Distraction, Full-Distraction, and a distraction-based experimental control task. The Full-Defusion condition reduced the emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts significantly more than other comparison conditions. The positive results of the Full-Defusion condition were also found among participants with elevated depressive symptoms.

Project Connect Online: Randomized Trial of an Internet-Based Program to Chronicle the Cancer Experience and Facilitate Communication

PubMed Central

Stanton, Annette L.; Thompson, Elizabeth H.; Crespi, Catherine M.; Link, John S.; Waisman, James R.

2013-01-01

Purpose Evidence suggests that expressing emotions related to cancer and receiving interpersonal support can promote psychological and physical health in women diagnosed with breast cancer. However, adaptive expression of feelings and communication with one's social network can pose challenges for patients with cancer. We report on a randomized controlled trial of an intervention, Project Connect Online, for patients with breast cancer to create personal Web sites to chronicle their experience and communicate with their social network. Patients and Methods Women (N = 88) diagnosed with breast cancer (any stage, any interval since diagnosis) were randomly assigned to participate in a 3-hour workshop for hands-on creation of personal Web sites with a follow-up call to facilitate Web site use, or to a waiting-list control. Assessed before randomization and 6 months after the intervention, dependent variables included depressive symptoms, positive and negative mood, cancer-related intrusive thoughts, and perceived cancer-related benefits in life appreciation and strengthened relationships. Results Relative to control participants, women randomly assigned to Project Connect Online evidenced significant benefit 6 months later on depressive symptoms, positive mood, and life appreciation, but not negative mood, perceived strengthened relationships, or intrusive thoughts. Treatment status moderated the intervention effects, such that women currently undergoing medical treatment for cancer benefitted significantly more from the intervention on depressive symptoms and positive mood than did women not receiving treatment. Conclusion Findings suggest the promise of an intervention to facilitate the ability of women diagnosed with breast cancer to chronicle their experience and communicate with their social network via the Internet. PMID:23940228

Project connect online: randomized trial of an internet-based program to chronicle the cancer experience and facilitate communication.

PubMed

Stanton, Annette L; Thompson, Elizabeth H; Crespi, Catherine M; Link, John S; Waisman, James R

2013-09-20

Evidence suggests that expressing emotions related to cancer and receiving interpersonal support can promote psychological and physical health in women diagnosed with breast cancer. However, adaptive expression of feelings and communication with one's social network can pose challenges for patients with cancer. We report on a randomized controlled trial of an intervention, Project Connect Online, for patients with breast cancer to create personal Web sites to chronicle their experience and communicate with their social network. Women (N = 88) diagnosed with breast cancer (any stage, any interval since diagnosis) were randomly assigned to participate in a 3-hour workshop for hands-on creation of personal Web sites with a follow-up call to facilitate Web site use, or to a waiting-list control. Assessed before randomization and 6 months after the intervention, dependent variables included depressive symptoms, positive and negative mood, cancer-related intrusive thoughts, and perceived cancer-related benefits in life appreciation and strengthened relationships. Relative to control participants, women randomly assigned to Project Connect Online evidenced significant benefit 6 months later on depressive symptoms, positive mood, and life appreciation, but not negative mood, perceived strengthened relationships, or intrusive thoughts. Treatment status moderated the intervention effects, such that women currently undergoing medical treatment for cancer benefitted significantly more from the intervention on depressive symptoms and positive mood than did women not receiving treatment. Findings suggest the promise of an intervention to facilitate the ability of women diagnosed with breast cancer to chronicle their experience and communicate with their social network via the Internet.

Interaction between a tannin-containing legume and endophyte-infected tall fescue seed on lambs’ feeding behavior and physiology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

It was hypothesized that a tannin-rich legume like sainfoin reduces the negative post-ingestive effects of ergot alkaloids in tall fescue. Thirty-two 4-month-old lambs were individually penned and randomly assigned to a 2X2 factorial arrangement with two legume species (1-sainfoin [SAN; ' 3% condens...

Just a Harmless Website?: An Experimental Examination of RateMyProfessors.com's Effect on Student Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewandowski, Gary W., Jr.; Higgins, Emma; Nardone, Natalie N.

2012-01-01

This set of experiments assessed the influence of RateMyProfessors.com profiles, and the perceived credibility of those profiles, on students' evaluations of professors and retention of material. In Study 1, 302 undergraduates were randomly assigned to read positive or negative RateMyProfessors.com profiles with comments that focused on…

Promoting Secondary Teachers' Well-Being and Intentions to Implement Evidence-Based Practices: Randomized Evaluation of the Achiever Resilience Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Clayton R.; Miller, Faith G.; Fiat, Aria; Renshaw, Tyler; Frye, Megan; Joseph, Gail; Decano, Polocarpio

2017-01-01

Teaching is regarded as one of the most challenging yet rewarding professions. Moreover, research has shown that stress and burnout are likely to undermine teacher effectiveness and negatively impact their willingness and intentions to implement evidence-based practices. The present study sought to contribute to a growing body of research…

Blonanserin: a review of its use in the management of schizophrenia.

PubMed

Deeks, Emma D; Keating, Gillian M

2010-01-01

Oral blonanserin (Lonasen) is an atypical antipsychotic agent indicated for use in patients with schizophrenia in Japan and Korea. It is effective in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia, providing short- and long-term efficacy against both the positive and negative symptoms of the disorder in several randomized and noncomparative trials. Notably, in two randomized, double-blind trials of 8 weeks' duration, blonanserin was noninferior to haloperidol or risperidone for primary endpoints, although it appeared to be better than haloperidol in improving negative symptoms. Blonanserin is generally well tolerated and appears to have an acceptable profile in terms of bodyweight gain. Potential tolerability benefits of the drug in short-term trials included fewer extrapyramidal symptoms than haloperidol and fewer reports of prolactin level increases or hyperprolactinaemia than risperidone. Nevertheless, extrapyramidal symptoms and hyperprolactinaemia were among the most common adverse reactions associated with blonanserin in noncomparative long-term studies. Further prospective and long-term comparative studies are required in order to definitively position blonanserin with respect to other antipsychotic agents. In the meantime, available clinical data suggest that blonanserin is an effective and generally well tolerated option for the short-term treatment of schizophrenia and for those requiring longer-term therapy.

Smoke your troubles away: exploring the effects of death cognitions on cannabis craving and consumption.

PubMed

Nagar, Maayan; Rabinovitz, Sharon

2015-01-01

Two studies informed by the terror management health model were conducted to examine the question of how death cognition affects cannabis craving and whether actual cannabis smoking alleviates death cognitions. The first study examined whether priming thoughts of death are associated with subjective cannabis craving among 42 frequent cannabis users randomly assigned to either a mortality salience or control task. When reminded of their death, participants craved cannabis, even though there was no change in their conscious negative mood. The second study examined the effect of cannabis smoking on death cognitions in an exploratory field setting. Fifty frequent cannabis users were randomly assigned to either mortality reminders or control task and completed death-related words accessibility measures before and after smoking cannabis. Results indicate that cannabis served as a buffer and prevented death-related thoughts from entering consciousness, thus acting as a defense mechanism against death anxiety. These findings indicate that death-related concerns may play a hitherto unsuspected role in cannabis craving and consumption. Also discussed are the implications of a terror management perspective in communication of negative health consequences of recreational cannabis smoking and in the use of cannabis for medical purposes among people with terminal illness.

Spatiotemporal hurdle models for zero-inflated count data: Exploring trends in emergency department visits.

PubMed

Neelon, Brian; Chang, Howard H; Ling, Qiang; Hastings, Nicole S

2016-12-01

Motivated by a study exploring spatiotemporal trends in emergency department use, we develop a class of two-part hurdle models for the analysis of zero-inflated areal count data. The models consist of two components-one for the probability of any emergency department use and one for the number of emergency department visits given use. Through a hierarchical structure, the models incorporate both patient- and region-level predictors, as well as spatially and temporally correlated random effects for each model component. The random effects are assigned multivariate conditionally autoregressive priors, which induce dependence between the components and provide spatial and temporal smoothing across adjacent spatial units and time periods, resulting in improved inferences. To accommodate potential overdispersion, we consider a range of parametric specifications for the positive counts, including truncated negative binomial and generalized Poisson distributions. We adopt a Bayesian inferential approach, and posterior computation is handled conveniently within standard Bayesian software. Our results indicate that the negative binomial and generalized Poisson hurdle models vastly outperform the Poisson hurdle model, demonstrating that overdispersed hurdle models provide a useful approach to analyzing zero-inflated spatiotemporal data. © The Author(s) 2014.

Phenylpropanolamine appears not to promote weight loss in patients with schizophrenia who have gained weight during clozapine treatment.

PubMed

Borovicka, Mary C; Fuller, Matthew A; Konicki, P Eric; White, John C; Steele, Vickie M; Jaskiw, George E

2002-04-01

Weight gain is a common side effect of clozapine treatment and may expose patients to obesity-associated health risks. We proposed that concomitant treatment with an appetite suppressant such as phenylpropanolamine (PPA) would lead to a decrease in appetite and therefore loss of weight. This was a 12-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of PPA, 75 mg/day, in outpatients with treatment-refractory schizophrenia (DSM-IV) who were stable on clozapine treatment for at least 4 months and had gained > 10% of their baseline body weight since starting clozapine. Patients were evaluated for adverse effects and weighed weekly. A Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) assessment, a short dietary quiz, and blood indices were completed monthly. Sixteen patients were equally randomly assigned to receive PPA or placebo. The groups did not differ in mean age, baseline weight, dose of clozapine, baseline PANSS scores, or the percent of weight gained since the start of clozapine. There was no significant effect of treatment on weight (t = 0.219, df = 10, p = .831). There was no significant change in either the total PANSS scores (t = -0.755, df = 10, p = .468), the positive or negative symptom cluster scores, or any of the remaining variables. Phenylpropanolamine 75 mg/day was well tolerated but was not effective in reversing established weight gain associated with clozapine treatment in stable outpatients with schizophrenia.

Plasticity of Decision-Making Abilities Among Maltreated Adolescents: Evidence From a Random Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Weller, Joshua A.; Leve, Leslie D.; Kim, Hyoun K.; Bhimji, Jabeene; Fisher, Philip A.

2014-01-01

Childhood maltreatment has lasting negative effects throughout the lifespan. Early intervention research has demonstrated that these effects can be remediated through skill-based, family-centered interventions. However, less is known about plasticity during adolescence, and whether interventions are effective many years after children experience maltreatment. This study investigated this question by examining adolescent girls’ ability to make advantageous decisions in the face of risk using a validated decision-making task; performance on this task has been associated with key neural regions involved in affective processing and executive functioning. Maltreated foster girls (n = 92), randomly assigned at age 11 to either an intervention designed to prevent risk-taking behaviors or services as usual (SAU), and non-maltreated age and SES-matched girls living with their biological parent(s) (n = 80), completed a decision-making task (at age 15–17) that assessed risk-taking and sensitivity to expected value, an index of advantageous decision-making. Girls in the SAU condition demonstrated the greatest decision-making difficulties, primarily for risks to avoid losses. In the SAU group, frequency of neglect was related to greater difficulties in this area. Girls in the intervention condition with less neglect performed similarly to non-maltreated peers. This research suggests that early maltreatment may impact decision-making abilities into adolescence and that enriched environments during early adolescence provide a window of plasticity that may ameliorate these negative effects. PMID:25997770

How cannabis causes paranoia: using the intravenous administration of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to identify key cognitive mechanisms leading to paranoia.

PubMed

Freeman, Daniel; Dunn, Graham; Murray, Robin M; Evans, Nicole; Lister, Rachel; Antley, Angus; Slater, Mel; Godlewska, Beata; Cornish, Robert; Williams, Jonathan; Di Simplicio, Martina; Igoumenou, Artemis; Brenneisen, Rudolf; Tunbridge, Elizabeth M; Harrison, Paul J; Harmer, Catherine J; Cowen, Philip; Morrison, Paul D

2015-03-01

Paranoia is receiving increasing attention in its own right, since it is a central experience of psychotic disorders and a marker of the health of a society. Paranoia is associated with use of the most commonly taken illicit drug, cannabis. The objective was to determine whether the principal psychoactive ingredient of cannabis-∆(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-causes paranoia and to use the drug as a probe to identify key cognitive mechanisms underlying paranoia. A randomized, placebo-controlled, between-groups test of the effects of intravenous THC was conducted. A total of 121 individuals with paranoid ideation were randomized to receive placebo, THC, or THC preceded by a cognitive awareness condition. Paranoia was assessed extensively via a real social situation, an immersive virtual reality experiment, and standard self-report and interviewer measures. Putative causal factors were assessed. Principal components analysis was used to create a composite paranoia score and composite causal variables to be tested in a mediation analysis. THC significantly increased paranoia, negative affect (anxiety, worry, depression, negative thoughts about the self), and a range of anomalous experiences, and reduced working memory capacity. The increase in negative affect and in anomalous experiences fully accounted for the increase in paranoia. Working memory changes did not lead to paranoia. Making participants aware of the effects of THC had little impact. In this largest study of intravenous THC, it was definitively demonstrated that the drug triggers paranoid thoughts in vulnerable individuals. The most likely mechanism of action causing paranoia was the generation of negative affect and anomalous experiences. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center.

Computer Modeling of High-Intensity Cs-Sputter Ion Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, T. A.; Roberts, M. L.; Southon, J. R.

The grid-point mesh program NEDLab has been used to computer model the interior of the high-intensity Cs-sputter source used in routine operations at the Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS), with the goal of improving negative ion output. NEDLab has several features that are important to realistic modeling of such sources. First, space-charge effects are incorporated in the calculations through an automated ion-trajectories/Poissonelectric-fields successive-iteration process. Second, space charge distributions can be averaged over successive iterations to suppress model instabilities. Third, space charge constraints on ion emission from surfaces can be incorporate under Child's Law based algorithms. Fourth, the energy of ions emitted from a surface can be randomly chosen from within a thermal energy distribution. And finally, ions can be emitted from a surface at randomized angles The results of our modeling effort indicate that significant modification of the interior geometry of the source will double Cs+ ion production from our spherical ionizer and produce a significant increase in negative ion output from the source.

Comparative efficacy of two daily use mouthrinses: randomized clinical trial using an experimental gingivitis model.

PubMed

Charles, Christine Ann; McGuire, James Anthony; Sharma, Naresh Chandra; Qaqish, James

2011-01-01

Two antimicrobial agents, a fixed combination of essential oils (EOs) and 0.07% cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) are found in commercially available mouthrinses, Listerine® Antiseptic and Crest® Pro HealthTM, respectively. Both mouthrinses have been shown to control dental plaque and gingivitis in short and longer term studies. The aim of this study was to determine the comparative effectiveness of these two mouthrinses using a 2-week experimental gingivitis model. Qualified subjects were randomly assigned to one of three mouthrinse groups: a fixed combination of EOs, 0.07% CPC, or negative control (C) rinse. Following baseline clinical assessments and a dental prophylaxis, subjects began a two-week period in which they rinsed twice daily with their assigned rinse and abstained from any mechanical oral hygiene procedures or other oral care products. Subjects were reassessed at the end of the two-week period. One hundred and forty-seven subjects were randomized and 142 completed this study. After two weeks use, the EOs rinse was superior (p < 0.011) to the CPC rinse in inhibiting the development of gingivitis, plaque, and bleeding, with 9.4% and 6.6% reductions compared to CPC for gingivitis and plaque, respectively. Both rinses were superior to the negative control rinse (p < 0.001). This study demonstrates that the essential oil-containing mouthrinse has superior antiplaque/antigingivitis effectiveness compared to the 0.07% CPC-containing mouthrinse without mechanical oral hygiene influence.

A naturalistic study of fat talk and its behavioral and affective consequences.

PubMed

Jones, Michelle D; Crowther, Janis H; Ciesla, Jeffrey A

2014-09-01

Fat talk is a style of verbal expression among young women involving negative self-statements, complaints about physical appearance, and weight management. This research used ecological momentary assessment to examine the impact of naturalistic fat talk experiences on body dissatisfaction, body checking, negative affect, and disordered eating behaviors. We examined trait self-objectification as a moderator. Sixty-five female college students completed a baseline questionnaire and responded to questions when randomly prompted by palm pilot devices for five days. Results indicated fat talk is common and associated with greater body dissatisfaction, body checking, negative affect, and disordered eating behaviors. Fat talk participation was associated with greater body checking than overhearing fat talk. Greater trait self-objectification was associated with greater body dissatisfaction and body checking following fat talk. These results suggest that fat talk negatively impacts the cognitions, affect, and behavior of young women and has increased negative effects for women higher in self-objectification. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Negative symptoms in schizophrenia: psychotherapeutic approaches].

PubMed

Azorin, J-M; Adida, M; Belzeaux, R; Pringuey, D; Micoulaud Franchi, J-A; Simon, N; Cermolacce, M; Kaladjian, A; Fakra, E

2015-12-01

Although negative symptoms are recognized as a central feature of schizophrenia, their definition as well as phenomenology have long been a vexing issue. During these last years, a major progress has been made with the delineation of two underlying subdomains of negative symptoms: diminished expression and anhedonia-avolition-apathy. As current guidelines are not always in accord on the efficacy of treatments on negative symptoms, it may be tempting to re-interpret the findings of clinical trials by looking at the effects of treatments on these two subdomains. This could concern both psychotropic treatments and psychotherapeutic interventions. Furthermore, neuroimaging as well as emotional response studies have permitted to better understand the mechanism which could be at the root of diminished expression and anhedonia in schizophrenia. On this basis, new psychotherapeutic methods have been devised which, by specifically targeting these two subdomains, are likely to be more efficient on negative symptoms. Further research is warranted to test their efficacy in randomized controlled trials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Association between social contact frequency and negative symptoms, psychosocial functioning and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Siegrist, Karin; Millier, Aurelie; Amri, Ikbal; Aballéa, Samuel; Toumi, Mondher

2015-12-30

The lack of social contacts may be an important element in the presumed vicious circle aggravating, or at least stabilising negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. A European 2-year cohort study collected negative symptom scores, psychosocial functioning scores, objective social contact frequency scores and quality of life scores every 6 months. Bivariate analyses, correlation analyses, multivariate regressions and random effects regressions were conducted to describe relations between social contact and outcomes of interest and to gain a better understanding of this relation over time. Using data from 1208 patients with schizophrenia, a link between social contact frequency and negative symptom scores, functioning and quality of life at baseline was established. Regression models confirmed the significant association between social contact and negative symptoms as well as psychosocial functioning. This study aimed at demonstrating the importance of social contact for deficient behavioural aspects of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effects of a price increase on purchases of sugar sweetened beverages. Results from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Waterlander, Wilma Elzeline; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona; Steenhuis, Ingrid H M

2014-07-01

Sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes are receiving increased political interest. However, there have been no experimental studies of the effects of price increases on SSBs or the effects on close substitutes such as diet drinks, alcohol or sugary snacks. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of a price increase on SSBs on beverage and snack purchases using a randomized controlled design within a three-dimensional web-based supermarket. The trial contained two conditions: experimental condition with a 19% tax on SSBs (to reflect an increase in Dutch value added tax from 6% to 19%); and a control condition with regular prices. N = 102 participants were randomized and purchased groceries on a single occasion at a three-dimensional Virtual Supermarket. Data were analysed using independent t-tests and regression analysis. Results showed that participants in the price increase condition purchased significantly less SSBs than the control group (B = -.90; 95% CI = -1.70 to -.10 L per household per week). There were no significant effects on purchases in other beverage or snack food categories. This means that the higher VAT rate was effective in reducing SSB purchases and had no negative side-effects. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Microcredit and willingness to pay for environmental quality: Evidence from a randomized-controlled trial of finance for sanitation in rural Cambodia.

PubMed

Ben Yishay, Ariel; Fraker, Andrew; Guiteras, Raymond; Palloni, Giordano; Shah, Neil Buddy; Shirrell, Stuart; Wang, Paul

2017-11-01

Low willingness to pay (WTP) for environmental quality in developing countries is a key research question in environmental economics. One explanation is that missing credit markets may suppress WTP for environmental improvements that require large up-front investments. We test the impact of microloans on WTP for hygienic latrines via a randomized controlled trial in 30 villages in rural Cambodia. We find that microcredit dramatically raises WTP for improved latrines, with 60% of households in the Financing arm willing to purchase at an unsubsidized price, relative to 25% in the Non-financing arm. Effects on latrine installation are positive but muted by several factors, including a negative peer effect: randomly induced purchases by neighbors reduce a household's probability of installing its own latrine. On methodological grounds, this paper shows that a "decision-focused evaluation" can be integrated into academic analysis to provide insight into questions of general interest.

Impact of sleep restriction versus idealized sleep on emotional experience, reactivity and regulation in healthy adolescents.

PubMed

Reddy, Radhika; Palmer, Cara A; Jackson, Christine; Farris, Samantha G; Alfano, Candice A

2017-08-01

Sleep loss is associated with affective disturbances and disorders; however, there is limited understanding of specific mechanisms underlying these links, especially in adolescence. The current study tested the effects of sleep restriction versus idealized sleep on adolescents' emotional experience, reactivity and regulation (specifically cognitive reappraisal). Following 1 week of sleep monitoring, healthy adolescents (n = 42; ages 13-17 years) were randomized to 1 night of sleep restriction (4 h) or idealized sleep (9.5 h). The following day, adolescents provided self-reports of affect and anxiety and completed a laboratory-based task to assess: (1) emotional reactivity in response to positive, negative, and neutral images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS); and (2) ability to use cognitive reappraisal to decrease negative emotional responses. Large effects were observed for the adverse impact of sleep restriction on positive affect and anxiety as well as a medium-sized effect for negative affect, compared to the idealized sleep condition. Subjective reactivity to positive and neutral images did not differ between the groups, but a moderate effect was detected for reactivity to negative images whereby sleep-restricted teens reported greater reactivity. Across both sleep conditions, use of cognitive reappraisal down-regulated negative emotion effectively; however, sleep restriction did not impact upon adolescents' ability to use this strategy. These findings add to a growing body of literature demonstrating the deleterious effects of sleep restriction on aspects of emotion and highlight directions for future research in adolescents. © 2016 European Sleep Research Society.

Health warnings promote healthier dietary decision making: Effects of positive versus negative message framing and graphic versus text-based warnings.

PubMed

Rosenblatt, Daniel H; Bode, Stefan; Dixon, Helen; Murawski, Carsten; Summerell, Patrick; Ng, Alyssa; Wakefield, Melanie

2018-08-01

Food product health warnings have been proposed as a potential obesity prevention strategy. This study examined the effects of text-only and text-and-graphic, negatively and positively framed health warnings on dietary choice behavior. In a 2 × 5 mixed experimental design, 96 participants completed a dietary self-control task. After providing health and taste ratings of snack foods, participants completed a baseline measure of dietary self-control, operationalized as participants' frequency of choosing healthy but not tasty items and rejecting unhealthy yet tasty items to consume at the end of the experiment. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of five health warning groups and presented with 10 health warnings of a given form: text-based, negative framing; graphic, negative framing; text, positive framing; graphic, positive framing; or a no warning control. Participants then completed a second dietary decision making session to determine whether health warnings influenced dietary self-control. Linear mixed effects modeling revealed a significant interaction between health warning group and decision stage (pre- and post-health warning presentation) on dietary self-control. Negatively framed graphic health warnings promoted greater dietary self-control than other health warnings. Negatively framed text health warnings and positively framed graphic health warnings promoted greater dietary self-control than positively framed text health warnings and control images, which did not increase dietary self-control. Overall, HWs primed healthier dietary decision making behavior, with negatively framed graphic HWs being most effective. Health warnings have potential to become an important element of obesity prevention. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Affective mediators of a physical activity intervention for depression in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Kratz, Anna L; Ehde, Dawn M; Bombardier, Charles H

2014-02-01

Previous analyses showed that a telephone-based intervention to increase physical activity in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and depression resulted in significantly improved depressive symptoms compared to a wait-list control group. The aim of this study was to test positive affect and negative affect as mediators of the effect of the physical activity counseling on depressive symptoms. Ninety-two adults with MS, who met diagnostic criteria for either major depression or dysthymia and who reported low levels of physical activity, were randomized 1:1 to a 12-week telephone-based motivational interviewing (MI) intervention to improve physical activity (n = 44) or to a 12-week wait-list control group (n = 48). Self-reported positive and negative affect, physical activity, and depressive symptoms were gathered at baseline and postintervention. Path-analysis was used to test whether positive affect and negative affect mediated the positive effects of the intervention on depressive symptoms. Both positive and negative affect were significant mediators of the effects of the intervention on depressive symptoms; however, only positive affect mediated the association between changes in physical activity and improved depressive symptoms. Findings support physical activity and positive affect as key mediators of the MI treatment effect on improved mood. Decreases in negative affect were also evident in the treatment group, but were not related to improved physical activity. Findings may suggest the use of exercise-based interventions in conjunction with treatments that specifically target negative affective mechanisms for depression. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Effects of negative air ions on oxygen uptake kinetics, recovery and performance in exercise: a randomized, double-blinded study.

PubMed

Nimmerichter, Alfred; Holdhaus, Johann; Mehnen, Lars; Vidotto, Claudia; Loidl, Markus; Barker, Alan R

2014-09-01

Limited research has suggested that acute exposure to negatively charged ions may enhance cardio-respiratory function, aerobic metabolism and recovery following exercise. To test the physiological effects of negatively charged air ions, 14 trained males (age: 32 ± 7 years; VO2max: 57 ± 7 mL min(-1) kg(-1)) were exposed for 20 min to either a high-concentration of air ions (ION: 220 ± 30 × 10(3) ions cm(-3)) or normal room conditions (PLA: 0.1 ± 0.06 × 10(3) ions cm(-3)) in an ionization chamber in a double-blinded, randomized order, prior to performing: (1) a bout of severe-intensity cycling exercise for determining the time constant of the phase II VO2 response (τ) and the magnitude of the VO2 slow component (SC); and (2) a 30-s Wingate test that was preceded by three 30-s Wingate tests to measure plasma [adrenaline] (ADR), [nor-adrenaline] (N-ADR) and blood [lactate] (B(Lac)) over 20 min during recovery in the ionization chamber. There was no difference between ION and PLA for the phase II VO2 τ (32 ± 14 s vs. 32 ± 14 s; P = 0.7) or VO2 SC (404 ± 214 mL vs 482 ± 217 mL; P = 0.17). No differences between ION and PLA were observed at any time-point for ADR, N-ADR and B(Lac) as well as on peak and mean power output during the Wingate tests (all P > 0.05). A high-concentration of negatively charged air ions had no effect on aerobic metabolism during severe-intensity exercise or on performance or the recovery of the adrenergic and metabolic responses after repeated-sprint exercise in trained athletes.

Partial Sleep Deprivation Attenuates the Positive Affective System: Effects Across Multiple Measurement Modalities.

PubMed

Finan, Patrick H; Quartana, Phillip J; Remeniuk, Bethany; Garland, Eric L; Rhudy, Jamie L; Hand, Matthew; Irwin, Michael R; Smith, Michael T

2017-01-01

Ample behavioral and neurobiological evidence links sleep and affective functioning. Recent self-report evidence suggests that the affective problems associated with sleep loss may be stronger for positive versus negative affective state and that those effects may be mediated by changes in electroencepholographically measured slow wave sleep (SWS). In the present study, we extend those preliminary findings using multiple measures of affective functioning. In a within-subject randomized crossover experiment, we tested the effects of one night of sleep continuity disruption via forced awakenings (FA) compared to one night of uninterrupted sleep (US) on three measures of positive and negative affective functioning: self-reported affective state, affective pain modulation, and affect-biased attention. The study was set in an inpatient clinical research suite. Healthy, good sleeping adults (N = 45) were included. Results indicated that a single night of sleep continuity disruption attenuated positive affective state via FA-induced reductions in SWS. Additionally, sleep continuity disruption attenuated the inhibition of pain by positive affect as well as attention bias to positive affective stimuli. Negative affective state, negative affective pain facilitation, nor negative attention bias were altered by sleep continuity disruption. The present findings, observed across multiple measures of affective function, suggest that sleep continuity disruption has a stronger influence on the positive affective system relative to the negative affective affective system. © Sleep Research Society 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Stochastic Seismic Response of an Algiers Site with Random Depth to Bedrock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badaoui, M.; Berrah, M. K.; Mébarki, A.

2010-05-01

Among the important effects of the Boumerdes earthquake (Algeria, May 21st 2003) was that, within the same zone, the destructions in certain parts were more important than in others. This phenomenon is due to site effects which alter the characteristics of seismic motions and cause concentration of damage during earthquakes. Local site effects such as thickness and mechanical properties of soil layers have important effects on the surface ground motions. This paper deals with the effect of the randomness aspect of the depth to bedrock (soil layers heights) which is assumed to be a random variable with lognormal distribution. This distribution is suitable for strictly non-negative random variables with large values of the coefficient of variation. In this case, Monte Carlo simulations are combined with the stiffness matrix method, used herein as a deterministic method, for evaluating the effect of the depth to bedrock uncertainty on the seismic response of a multilayered soil. This study considers a P and SV wave propagation pattern using input accelerations collected at Keddara station, located at 20 km from the epicenter, as it is located directly on the bedrock. A parametric study is conducted do derive the stochastic behavior of the peak ground acceleration and its response spectrum, the transfer function and the amplification factors. It is found that the soil height heterogeneity causes a widening of the frequency content and an increase in the fundamental frequency of the soil profile, indicating that the resonance phenomenon concerns a larger number of structures.

The influence of negative urgency, attentional bias, and emotional dimensions on palatable food consumption.

PubMed

Becker, Kendra Davis; Fischer, Sarah; Smith, Gregory T; Miller, Joshua D

2016-05-01

We tested a theoretical model concerning the role of attentional bias and negative affect in food consumption that offers important advances. We hypothesized that the effects of negative affect manipulations on food consumption vary as a function of trait levels of negative urgency (NU; tendency to act impulsively when distressed), and attentional bias and that the roles of emotional arousal and negative emotional valence differ and should be studied separately. 190 undergraduate women were randomly assigned to either an anger or neutral mood condition. Women in both conditions completed the Food Stroop, in which the presentation of food and neutral words were counterbalanced. After the task, participants were given the opportunity to eat mandarin oranges and/or chocolate candy while the experimenter was out of the room. The type and quantity of food consumed was counted after the participant departed. As hypothesized, the roles of emotional arousal and valence differed and the effect of the induced emotion was moderated by NU. Women high in NU who experienced emotional arousal were more likely to eat candy and consumed more candy than other women. Emotional valence had no effect on candy consumption. Neither increases in emotional arousal or emotional valence influenced attentional bias to food cues. Attentional bias was also unrelated to food consumption. The impact of negative mood inductions on palatable food consumption appears to operate through emotional arousal and not negative emotional valence, and it may operate primarily for women high in NU. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emotion word processing: does mood make a difference?

PubMed Central

Sereno, Sara C.; Scott, Graham G.; Yao, Bo; Thaden, Elske J.; O'Donnell, Patrick J.

2015-01-01

Visual emotion word processing has been in the focus of recent psycholinguistic research. In general, emotion words provoke differential responses in comparison to neutral words. However, words are typically processed within a context rather than in isolation. For instance, how does one's inner emotional state influence the comprehension of emotion words? To address this question, the current study examined lexical decision responses to emotionally positive, negative, and neutral words as a function of induced mood as well as their word frequency. Mood was manipulated by exposing participants to different types of music. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions—no music, positive music, and negative music. Participants' moods were assessed during the experiment to confirm the mood induction manipulation. Reaction time results confirmed prior demonstrations of an interaction between a word's emotionality and its frequency. Results also showed a significant interaction between participant mood and word emotionality. However, the pattern of results was not consistent with mood-congruency effects. Although positive and negative mood facilitated responses overall in comparison to the control group, neither positive nor negative mood appeared to additionally facilitate responses to mood-congruent words. Instead, the pattern of findings seemed to be the consequence of attentional effects arising from induced mood. Positive mood broadens attention to a global level, eliminating the category distinction of positive-negative valence but leaving the high-low arousal dimension intact. In contrast, negative mood narrows attention to a local level, enhancing within-category distinctions, in particular, for negative words, resulting in less effective facilitation. PMID:26379570

Sensitivity of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in Detecting Treatment Effects via Network Analysis.

PubMed

Esfahlani, Farnaz Zamani; Sayama, Hiroki; Visser, Katherine Frost; Strauss, Gregory P

2017-12-01

Objective: The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale is a primary outcome measure in clinical trials examining the efficacy of antipsychotic medications. Although the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale has demonstrated sensitivity as a measure of treatment change in studies using traditional univariate statistical approaches, its sensitivity to detecting network-level changes in dynamic relationships among symptoms has yet to be demonstrated using more sophisticated multivariate analyses. In the current study, we examined the sensitivity of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale to detecting antipsychotic treatment effects as revealed through network analysis. Design: Participants included 1,049 individuals diagnosed with psychotic disorders from the Phase I portion of the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) study. Of these participants, 733 were clinically determined to be treatment-responsive and 316 were found to be treatment-resistant. Item level data from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale were submitted to network analysis, and macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic network properties were evaluated for the treatment-responsive and treatment-resistant groups at baseline and post-phase I antipsychotic treatment. Results: Network analysis indicated that treatment-responsive patients had more densely connected symptom networks after antipsychotic treatment than did treatment-responsive patients at baseline, and that symptom centralities increased following treatment. In contrast, symptom networks of treatment-resistant patients behaved more randomly before and after treatment. Conclusions: These results suggest that the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale is sensitive to detecting treatment effects as revealed through network analysis. Its findings also provide compelling new evidence that strongly interconnected symptom networks confer an overall greater probability of treatment responsiveness in patients with psychosis, suggesting that antipsychotics achieve their effect by enhancing a number of central symptoms, which then facilitate reduction of other highly coupled symptoms in a network-like fashion.

Effect of desensitizing toothpastes on dentine hypersensitivity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Hu, Meng-Long; Zheng, Gang; Zhang, You-Dong; Yan, Xiang; Li, Xiao-Chan; Lin, Hong

2018-05-19

To evaluate the desensitizing effect of toothpastes that contain ingredients that act against dentine hypersensitivity (DH) and to compare this effect with negative controls. Five databases were searched to identify relevant articles published up to November 27, 2017. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing desensitizing toothpastes with a toothpastes without desensitizing component in adult patients that suffer from DH were included. The risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane guidelines, and the quality of the evidence was evaluated using the GRADE tool. Inverse variance random-effects meta-analyses of standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using RevMan 5.3 software. 53 RCTs with 4796 patients were finally included in the meta-analysis. The toothpastes that contain active desensitization ingredients showed a better desensitizing effect on DH than the negative control, except the strontium- and amorphous calcium phosphate-containing toothpastes. The amorphous calcium phosphate-containing toothpaste had very low-quality evidence, the strontium, potassium and strontium, and potassium and stannous fluoride-containing toothpastes had low-quality evidence, and the other five toothpastes had moderate quality evidence. Our result support the premise that toothpastes containing potassium, stannous fluoride, potassium and strontium, potassium and stannous fluoride, calcium sodium phosphosilicate, arginine, and nano-hydroxyapatite relieve the symptoms of DH, but does not advise the use of toothpastes that contain strontium and amorphous calcium phosphate. Furthermore, high-quality studies are needed to confirm our results. (PROSPERO CRD42018085639). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emotional Reactions Mediate the Effect of Music Listening on Creative Thinking: Perspective of the Arousal-and-Mood Hypothesis.

PubMed

He, Wu-Jing; Wong, Wan-Chi; Hui, Anna N-N

2017-01-01

This study examined the effect of music listening on creative thinking through the lens of the arousal-and-mood hypothesis, which posits that emotional reactions (i.e., arousal and valence) mediate the effect of music listening on cognitive functioning. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: a positive music group ( n = 198), a negative music group ( n = 195), and a control group ( n = 191). Creative thinking and emotional reactions were assessed with the Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Production and the Affect Grid, respectively. The results showed that both positively and negatively arousing music enhanced creative thinking. The results further revealed that arousal, regardless of valence, significantly mediated the music-creativity relationship. This study enriches the research on the arousal-and-mood hypothesis by (1) providing direct empirical testing on the mediating roles of emotional reactions; (2) including both positively and negatively arousing music in the study design; and (3) identifying that only arousal, and not valence, was a significant mediator in the music-creativity link.

Emotional Reactions Mediate the Effect of Music Listening on Creative Thinking: Perspective of the Arousal-and-Mood Hypothesis

PubMed Central

He, Wu-Jing; Wong, Wan-Chi; Hui, Anna N.-N.

2017-01-01

This study examined the effect of music listening on creative thinking through the lens of the arousal-and-mood hypothesis, which posits that emotional reactions (i.e., arousal and valence) mediate the effect of music listening on cognitive functioning. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: a positive music group (n = 198), a negative music group (n = 195), and a control group (n = 191). Creative thinking and emotional reactions were assessed with the Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Production and the Affect Grid, respectively. The results showed that both positively and negatively arousing music enhanced creative thinking. The results further revealed that arousal, regardless of valence, significantly mediated the music-creativity relationship. This study enriches the research on the arousal-and-mood hypothesis by (1) providing direct empirical testing on the mediating roles of emotional reactions; (2) including both positively and negatively arousing music in the study design; and (3) identifying that only arousal, and not valence, was a significant mediator in the music-creativity link. PMID:29018395

Attention training through gaze-contingent feedback: Effects on reappraisal and negative emotions.

PubMed

Sanchez, Alvaro; Everaert, Jonas; Koster, Ernst H W

2016-10-01

Reappraisal is central to emotion regulation but its mechanisms are unclear. This study tested the theoretical prediction that emotional attention bias is linked to reappraisal of negative emotion-eliciting stimuli and subsequent emotional responding using a novel attentional control training. Thirty-six undergraduates were randomly assigned to either the control or the attention training condition and were provided with different task instructions while they performed an interpretation task. Whereas control participants freely created interpretations, participants in the training condition were instructed to allocate attention toward positive words to efficiently create positive interpretations (i.e., recruiting attentional control) while they were provided with gaze-contingent feedback on their viewing behavior. Transfer to attention bias and reappraisal success was evaluated using a dot-probe task and an emotion regulation task which were administered before and after the training. The training condition was effective at increasing attentional control and resulted in beneficial effects on the transfer tasks. Analyses supported a serial indirect effect with larger attentional control acquisition in the training condition leading to negative attention bias reduction, in turn predicting greater reappraisal success which reduced negative emotions. Our results indicate that attentional mechanisms influence the use of reappraisal strategies and its impact on negative emotions. The novel attention training highlights the importance of tailored feedback to train attentional control. The findings provide an important step toward personalized delivery of attention training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, 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

Neurophysiological evidence that perceptions of fluency produce mere exposure effects.

PubMed

Leynes, P Andrew; Addante, Richard J

2016-08-01

Recent exposure to people or objects increases liking ratings, the "mere exposure effect" (Zajonc in American Psychologist, 35, 117-123, 1968), and an increase in processing fluency has been identified as a potential mechanism for producing this effect. This fluency hypothesis was directly tested by altering the trial-by-trial image clarity (i.e., fluency) while Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) were recorded. In Experiment 1, clarity was altered across two trial blocks that each had homogenous trial-by-trial clarity, whereas clarity varied randomly across trials in Experiment 2. Blocking or randomizing image clarity across trials was expected to produce different levels of relative fluency and alter mere exposure effects. The mere exposure effect (i.e., old products liked more than new products) was observed when stimulus clarity remained constant across trials, and clear image ERPs were more positive than blurry image ERPs. Importantly, these patterns were reversed when clarity varied randomly across test trials, such that participants liked clear images more than blurry (i.e., no mere exposure effect) and clear image ERPs were more negative than blurry image ERPs. The findings provide direct experimental support from both behavioral and electrophysiological measures that, in some contexts, mere exposure is the product of top-down interpretations of fluency.

Indices of Psychological Strain During Hypoxis Bedrest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stavrou, Nektarios A.; McDonnell, Adam C.; Eiken, Ola; Mekjavic, Igor B.

2013-02-01

Much attention has been devoted to the physiological changes that occur during bed rest. However, there has been a lack of focus on the psychological aspects per se. We investigated indices of psychological strain during three 10-d interventions, designed to assess the combined effects of inactivity/unloading and normobaric hypoxia on several physiological systems. Eleven male participants underwent three 10-d campaigns in a randomized manner: 1) normobaric hypoxic ambulatory confinement (HAMB), 2) normobaric hypoxic bed rest (HBR) and 3) normoxic bed rest (NBR). The most negative psychological profile appeared on BR10 of HBR and HAmb conditions (hypoxic conditions). Concomitantly a decrease in positive emotions was observed from BR-2 to BR10. Bed rest and exposure to hypoxic environments seems to exert a negative effect on person’s psychological mood.

A reinforcement-based therapeutic workplace for the treatment of drug abuse: three-year abstinence outcomes.

PubMed

Silverman, Kenneth; Svikis, Dace; Wong, Conrad J; Hampton, Jacqueline; Stitzer, Maxine L; Bigelow, George E

2002-08-01

Long-term Therapeutic Workplace effects were evaluated in heroin- and cocaine-dependent, unemployed, treatment-resistant young mothers. Participants were paid to work or to train in the Therapeutic Workplace but had to provide drug-free urine samples to gain daily access. Participants (N = 40) were randomly assigned to a Therapeutic Workplace or usual care control group. Therapeutic Workplace participants could work for 3 years. Relative to controls, Therapeutic Workplace participants increased cocaine (28% vs. 54% negative; p = .04) and opiate (37% vs. 60% negative; p = .05) abstinence on the basis of monthly urine samples collected until 3 years after intake. The Therapeutic Workplace can be an effective long-term treatment of cocaine and heroin addiction in poor and chronically unemployed young mothers.

Competitive testing of health behavior theories: how do benefits, barriers, subjective norm, and intention influence mammography behavior?

PubMed Central

Murphy, Caitlin C.; Vernon, Sally W.; Diamond, Pamela M.; Tiro, Jasmin A.

2013-01-01

Background Competitive hypothesis testing may explain differences in predictive power across multiple health behavior theories. Purpose We tested competing hypotheses of the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to quantify pathways linking subjective norm, benefits, barriers, intention, and mammography behavior. Methods We analyzed longitudinal surveys of women veterans randomized to the control group of a mammography intervention trial (n=704). We compared direct, partial mediation, and full mediation models with Satorra-Bentler χ2 difference testing. Results Barriers had a direct and indirect negative effect on mammography behavior; intention only partially mediated barriers. Benefits had little to no effect on behavior and intention; however, it was negatively correlated with barriers. Subjective norm directly affected behavior and indirectly affected intention through barriers. Conclusions Our results provide empiric support for different assertions of HBM and TRA. Future interventions should test whether building subjective norm and reducing negative attitudes increases regular mammography. PMID:23868613

Reinforcing Abstinence and Treatment Participation among Offenders in a Drug Diversion Program: Are Vouchers Effective?

PubMed Central

Hall, Elizabeth A.; Prendergast, Michael L.; Roll, John M.; Warda, Umme

2010-01-01

This study assessed a 26-week voucher-based intervention to reinforce abstinence and participation in treatment-related activities among substance-abusing offenders court referred to outpatient treatment under drug diversion legislation (California's Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act). Standard treatment consisted of criminal justice supervision and an evidence-based model for treating stimulant abuse. Participants were randomly assigned to four groups, standard treatment (ST) only, ST plus vouchers for testing negative, ST plus vouchers for performing treatment plan activities, and ST plus vouchers for testing negative and/or performing treatment plan activities. Results indicate that voucher-based reinforcement of negative urines and of treatment plan tasks (using a flat reinforcement schedule) showed no statistically significant effects on measures of retention or drug use relative to the standard treatment protocol. It is likely that criminal justice contingencies had a stronger impact on participants' treatment retention and drug use than the relatively low-value vouchers awarded as part of the treatment protocol. PMID:20463918

Polymyxin B moderates acidosis and hypotension in established, experimental gram-negative septicemia.

PubMed

Flynn, P M; Shenep, J L; Stokes, D C; Fairclough, D; Hildner, W K

1987-11-01

Polymyxin B (PMB), an antibiotic, and sodium deoxycholate (NaD), a bile salt, are surface-active agents. Each protected mice against an otherwise lethal challenge with purified endotoxin (P less than .001). To determine if either of these agents was effective in treating established, overwhelming gram-negative septicemia, we infected rabbits by intraperitoneal injection of Escherichia coli K1. Animals were treated with moxalactam 1 hr after infection, then randomly assigned to groups receiving either saline, PMB, or NaD. Serial samples of blood were assayed for bacterial concentration, levels of plasma endotoxin, arterial blood gases, and complete blood cell counts. Physiologic functions were monitored continuously. Although levels of bacteremia and endotoxemia were similar in all three groups, rabbits receiving PMB had significantly higher mean arterial blood pressure, blood pH, and bicarbonate concentrations than did control rabbits (P less than .05). Rabbits receiving NaD fared no better than controls. In this model, PMB moderates some of the deleterious effects of established, overwhelming gram-negative bacterial sepsis.

Increased positive versus negative affective perception and memory in healthy volunteers following selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition.

PubMed

Harmer, Catherine J; Shelley, Nicholas C; Cowen, Philip J; Goodwin, Guy M

2004-07-01

Antidepressants that inhibit the reuptake of serotonin (SSRIs) or norepinephrine (SNRIs) are effective in the treatment of disorders such as depression and anxiety. Cognitive psychological theories emphasize the importance of correcting negative biases of information processing in the nonpharmacological treatment of these disorders, but it is not known whether antidepressant drugs can directly modulate the neural processing of affective information. The present study therefore assessed the actions of repeated antidepressant administration on perception and memory for positive and negative emotional information in healthy volunteers. Forty-two male and female volunteers were randomly assigned to 7 days of double-blind intervention with the SSRI citalopram (20 mg/day), the SNRI reboxetine (8 mg/day), or placebo. On the final day, facial expression recognition, emotion-potentiated startle response, and memory for affect-laden words were assessed. Questionnaires monitoring mood, hostility, and anxiety were given before and after treatment. In the facial expression recognition task, citalopram and reboxetine reduced the identification of the negative facial expressions of anger and fear. Citalopram also abolished the increased startle response found in the context of negative affective images. Both antidepressants increased the relative recall of positive (versus negative) emotional material. These changes in emotional processing occurred in the absence of significant differences in ratings of mood and anxiety. However, reboxetine decreased subjective ratings of hostility and elevated energy. Short-term administration of two different antidepressant types had similar effects on emotion-related tasks in healthy volunteers, reducing the processing of negative relative to positive emotional material. Such effects of antidepressants may ameliorate the negative biases in information processing that characterize mood and anxiety disorders. They also suggest a mechanism of action potentially compatible with cognitive theories of anxiety and depression.

Biologically-variable rhythmic auditory cues are superior to isochronous cues in fostering natural gait variability in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Dotov, D G; Bayard, S; Cochen de Cock, V; Geny, C; Driss, V; Garrigue, G; Bardy, B; Dalla Bella, S

2017-01-01

Rhythmic auditory cueing improves certain gait symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Cues are typically stimuli or beats with a fixed inter-beat interval. We show that isochronous cueing has an unwanted side-effect in that it exacerbates one of the motor symptoms characteristic of advanced PD. Whereas the parameters of the stride cycle of healthy walkers and early patients possess a persistent correlation in time, or long-range correlation (LRC), isochronous cueing renders stride-to-stride variability random. Random stride cycle variability is also associated with reduced gait stability and lack of flexibility. To investigate how to prevent patients from acquiring a random stride cycle pattern, we tested rhythmic cueing which mimics the properties of variability found in healthy gait (biological variability). PD patients (n=19) and age-matched healthy participants (n=19) walked with three rhythmic cueing stimuli: isochronous, with random variability, and with biological variability (LRC). Synchronization was not instructed. The persistent correlation in gait was preserved only with stimuli with biological variability, equally for patients and controls (p's<0.05). In contrast, cueing with isochronous or randomly varying inter-stimulus/beat intervals removed the LRC in the stride cycle. Notably, the individual's tendency to synchronize steps with beats determined the amount of negative effects of isochronous and random cues (p's<0.05) but not the positive effect of biological variability. Stimulus variability and patients' propensity to synchronize play a critical role in fostering healthier gait dynamics during cueing. The beneficial effects of biological variability provide useful guidelines for improving existing cueing treatments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A combination of whey protein and potassium bicarbonate supplements during head-down-tilt bed rest: Presentation of a multidisciplinary randomized controlled trial (MEP study)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buehlmeier, Judith; Mulder, Edwin; Noppe, Alexandra; Frings-Meuthen, Petra; Angerer, Oliver; Rudwill, Floriane; Biolo, Gianni; Smith, Scott M.; Blanc, Stéphane; Heer, Martina

2014-02-01

Inactivity, as it appears during space flight and in bed rest, induces reduction of lean body and bone mass, glucose intolerance, and weakening of the cardiovascular system. Increased protein intake, whey protein in particular, has been proposed to counteract some of these effects, but has also been associated with negative effects on bone, likely caused by a correspondingly high ratio of acid to alkali precursors in the diet.

Dyadic planning of health-behavior change after prostatectomy: a randomized-controlled planning intervention.

PubMed

Burkert, Silke; Scholz, Urte; Gralla, Oliver; Roigas, Jan; Knoll, Nina

2011-09-01

In this study, we investigated the role of dyadic planning for health-behavior change. Dyadic planning refers to planning health-behavior change together with a partner. We assumed that dyadic planning would affect the implementation of regular pelvic-floor exercise (PFE), with other indicators of social exchange and self-regulation strategies serving as mediators. In a randomized-controlled trial at a German University Medical Center, 112 prostatectomy-patients with partners were randomly assigned to a dyadic PFE-planning condition or one of three active control conditions. Questionnaire data were assessed at multiple time points within six months post-surgery, measuring self-reported dyadic PFE-planning and pelvic-floor exercise as primary outcomes and social exchange (support, control) and a self-regulation strategy (action control) as mediating mechanisms. There were no specific intervention effects with regard to dyadic PFE-planning or pelvic-floor exercise, as two active control groups also showed increases in either of these variables. However, results suggested that patients instructed to plan dyadically still benefited from self-reported dyadic PFE-planning regarding pelvic-floor exercise. Cross-sectionally, received negative control from partners was negatively related with PFE only in control groups and individual action control mediated between self-reported dyadic PFE-planning and PFE for participants instructed to plan PFE dyadically. Longitudinally, action control mediated between self-reported dyadic PFE-planning and pelvic-floor exercise for all groups. Findings provide support for further investigation of dyadic planning in health-behavior change with short-term mediating effects of behavior-specific social exchange and long-term mediating effects of better self-regulation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Family Maltreatment, Substance Problems, and Suicidality: Randomized Prevention Effectiveness Trial

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-02-01

yelling, or spanking . The 1-2-3 Magic videotape demonstrates positive and negative parenting strategies, as well as methods of self-control and...Participation also decreases parents’ use of spanking and reduces child conduct problems (for reviews, see Webster-Stratton, 2001; Webster-Stratton...child from becoming spoiled, and less likely to report actually spanking or slapping their babies (Riley, 1997). Self- reported parenting behavior

Measuring Behavioral Outcomes Associated with Comprehensive Character Education Programs: A Practical Approach to Using Fewer Schools in School-Randomized Controlled Trials While Maintaining Adequate Statistical Power

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holtzapple, Carol K.

2011-01-01

Character education programs support the development of positive character traits in children and adults. Effective violence prevention programs improve pro-social competencies and reduce negative behaviors in students by enhancing protective factors (strong bonds with teachers; clear rules of conduct that are consistently enforced) and targeting…

[Vis-NIR spectroscopic pattern recognition combined with SG smoothing applied to breed screening of transgenic sugarcane].

PubMed

Liu, Gui-Song; Guo, Hao-Song; Pan, Tao; Wang, Ji-Hua; Cao, Gan

2014-10-01

Based on Savitzky-Golay (SG) smoothing screening, principal component analysis (PCA) combined with separately supervised linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) were used for non-destructive visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) detection for breed screening of transgenic sugarcane. A random and stability-dependent framework of calibration, prediction, and validation was proposed. A total of 456 samples of sugarcane leaves planting in the elongating stage were collected from the field, which was composed of 306 transgenic (positive) samples containing Bt and Bar gene and 150 non-transgenic (negative) samples. A total of 156 samples (negative 50 and positive 106) were randomly selected as the validation set; the remaining samples (negative 100 and positive 200, a total of 300 samples) were used as the modeling set, and then the modeling set was subdivided into calibration (negative 50 and positive 100, a total of 150 samples) and prediction sets (negative 50 and positive 100, a total of 150 samples) for 50 times. The number of SG smoothing points was ex- panded, while some modes of higher derivative were removed because of small absolute value, and a total of 264 smoothing modes were used for screening. The pairwise combinations of first three principal components were used, and then the optimal combination of principal components was selected according to the model effect. Based on all divisions of calibration and prediction sets and all SG smoothing modes, the SG-PCA-LDA and SG-PCA-HCA models were established, the model parameters were optimized based on the average prediction effect for all divisions to produce modeling stability. Finally, the model validation was performed by validation set. With SG smoothing, the modeling accuracy and stability of PCA-LDA, PCA-HCA were signif- icantly improved. For the optimal SG-PCA-LDA model, the recognition rate of positive and negative validation samples were 94.3%, 96.0%; and were 92.5%, 98.0% for the optimal SG-PCA-LDA model, respectively. Vis-NIR spectro- scopic pattern recognition combined with SG smoothing could be used for accurate recognition of transgenic sugarcane leaves, and provided a convenient screening method for transgenic sugarcane breeding.

The Demand for, and Impact of, Learning HIV Status

PubMed Central

Thornton, Rebecca L.

2011-01-01

This paper evaluates an experiment in which individuals in rural Malawi were randomly assigned monetary incentives to learn their HIV results after being tested. Distance to the HIV results centers was also randomly assigned. Without any incentive, 34 percent of the participants learned their HIV results. However, even the smallest incentive doubled that share. Using the randomly assigned incentives and distance from results centers as instruments for the knowledge of HIV status, sexually active HIV-positive individuals who learned their results are three times more likely to purchase condoms two months later than sexually active HIV-positive individuals who did not learn their results; however, HIV-positive individuals who learned their results purchase only two additional condoms than those who did not. There is no significant effect of learning HIV-negative status on the purchase of condoms. PMID:21687831

"Exercise to be fit, not skinny": The effect of fitspiration imagery on women's body image.

PubMed

Tiggemann, Marika; Zaccardo, Mia

2015-09-01

Fitspiration is an online trend designed to inspire viewers towards a healthier lifestyle by promoting exercise and healthy food. The present study aimed to experimentally investigate the impact of fitspiration images on women's body image. Participants were 130 female undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to view either a set of Instagram fitspiration images or a control set of travel images presented on an iPad. Results showed that acute exposure to fitspiration images led to increased negative mood and body dissatisfaction and decreased state appearance self-esteem relative to travel images. Importantly, regression analyses showed that the effects of image type were mediated by state appearance comparison. Thus it was concluded that fitspiration can have negative unintended consequences for body image. The results offer support to general sociocultural models of media effects on body image, and extend these to "new" media. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Air pollution, neighbourhood and maternal-level factors modify the effect of smoking on birth weight: a multilevel analysis in British Columbia, Canada.

PubMed

Erickson, Anders C; Ostry, Aleck; Chan, Hing Man; Arbour, Laura

2016-07-16

Maternal smoking during pregnancy negatively impacts fetal growth, but the effect is not homogenous across the population. We sought to determine how the relationship between cigarette use and fetal growth is modified by the social and physical environment. Birth records with covariates were obtained from the BC Perinatal Database Registry (N = 232,291). Maternal smoking status was self-reported as the number of cigarettes smoked per day usually at the first prenatal care visit. Census dissemination areas (DAs) were used as neighbourhood-level units and linked to individual births using residential postal codes to assign exposure to particulate air pollution (PM 2.5 ) and neighbourhood-level attributes such as socioeconomic status (SES), proportion of post-secondary education, immigrant density and living in a rural place. Random coefficient models were used with cigarettes/day modeled with a random slope to estimate its between-DA variability and test cross-level interactions with the neighbourhood-level variables on continuous birth weight. A significant negative and non-linear association was found between maternal smoking and birth weight. There was significant between-DA intercept variability in birth weight as well as between-DA slope variability of maternal smoking on birth weight of which 68 and 30 % respectively was explained with the inclusion of DA-level variables and their cross-level interactions. High DA-level SES had a strong positive association with birth weight but the effect was moderated with increased cigarettes/day. Conversely, heavy smokers showed the largest increases in birth weight with rising neighbourhood education levels. Increased levels of PM 2.5 and immigrant density were negatively associated with birth weight, but showed positive interactions with increased levels of smoking. Older maternal age and suspected drug or alcohol use both had negative interactions with increased levels of maternal smoking. Maternal smoking had a negative and non-linear dose-response association with birth weight which was highly variable between neighbourhoods and evidence of effect modification with neighbourhood-level factors. These results suggest that focusing exclusively on individual behaviours may have limited success in improving outcomes without addressing the contextual influences at the neighbourhood-level. Further studies are needed to corroborate our findings and to understand how neighbourhood-level attributes interact with smoking to affect birth outcomes.

A cultural perspective on emotional experiences across the life span.

PubMed

Grossmann, Igor; Karasawa, Mayumi; Kan, Chiemi; Kitayama, Shinobu

2014-08-01

Past research suggests that older adults place a greater priority on goals of maintaining positive experiences and distancing from negative experiences. We hypothesized that these aging-related differences in emotional experiences are more pronounced in Western cultures that encourage linear approaches to well-being compared with Eastern cultures that encourage more dialectic approaches to well-being. We compared reports of positive and negative emotional experiences from random samples of Americans (a culture characterized by focus on positive and distancing from negative experiences) and Japanese (a culture characterized by its endorsement of dialectical experiences). In support of our hypothesis, older Americans reported significantly less negative emotions in unpleasant situations, relative to their younger counterparts. Furthermore, both trait-level negativity (i.e., rumination) and interpersonal negativity (i.e., recall of unpleasant relationships and intensity of an unpleasant interpersonal experience) were lower among older compared with younger Americans. In contrast, such aging-related effects were absent in the Japanese respondents. Even though older and younger Japanese reported the same amount of negative emotions in unpleasant situations, older Japanese also reported more positive emotions in the same unpleasant situations. Together, these findings highlight the role of culture for understanding how emotional experiences unfold across adulthood.

High and low negative pressure suction techniques in EUS-guided fine-needle tissue acquisition by using 25-gauge needles: a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Kudo, Taiki; Kawakami, Hiroshi; Hayashi, Tsuyoshi; Yasuda, Ichiro; Mukai, Tsuyoshi; Inoue, Hiroyuki; Katanuma, Akio; Kawakubo, Kazumichi; Ishiwatari, Hirotoshi; Doi, Shinpei; Yamada, Reiko; Maguchi, Hiroyuki; Isayama, Hiroyuki; Mitsuhashi, Tomoko; Sakamoto, Naoya

2014-12-01

EUS-guided FNA (EUS-FNA) has a high diagnostic accuracy for pancreatic diseases. However, although most reports have typically focused on cytology, histological tissue quality has rarely been investigated. The effectiveness of EUS-FNA combined with high negative pressure (HNP) suction was recently indicated for tissue acquisition, but has not thus far been tested in a prospective, randomized clinical trial. To evaluate the adequacy of EUS-FNA with HNP for the histological diagnosis of pancreatic lesions by using 25-gauge needles. Prospective, single-blind, randomized, controlled crossover trial. Seven tertiary referral centers. Patients referred for EUS-FNA of pancreatic solid lesions. From July 2011 to April 2012, 90 patients underwent EUS-FNA of pancreatic solid masses by using normal negative pressure (NNP) and HNP with 2 respective passes. The order of the passes was randomized, and the sample adequacy, quality, and histology were evaluated by a single expert pathologist. EUS-FNA by using NNP and HNP. The adequacy of tissue acquisition and the accuracy of histological diagnoses made by using the EUS-FNA technique with HNP. We found that 72.2% (65/90) and 90% (81/90) of the specimens obtained using NNP and HNP, respectively, were adequate for histological diagnosis (P = .0003, McNemar test). For 73.3% (66/90) and 82.2% (74/90) of the specimens obtained by using NNP and HNP, respectively, an accurate diagnosis was achieved (P = .06, McNemar test). Pancreatitis developed in 1 patient after this procedure, which subsided with conservative therapy. This was a single-blinded, crossover study. Biopsy procedures that combine the EUS-FNA with HNP techniques are superior to EUS-FNA with NNP procedures for tissue acquisition. ( UMIN000005939.). Copyright © 2014 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Versus Aerobic Exercise: Effects on the Self-Referential Brain Network in Social Anxiety Disorder

PubMed Central

Goldin, Philippe; Ziv, Michal; Jazaieri, Hooria; Gross, James J.

2012-01-01

Background: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by distorted self-views. The goal of this study was to examine whether mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) alters behavioral and brain measures of negative and positive self-views. Methods: Fifty-six adult patients with generalized SAD were randomly assigned to MBSR or a comparison aerobic exercise (AE) program. A self-referential encoding task was administered at baseline and post-intervention to examine changes in behavioral and neural responses in the self-referential brain network during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Patients were cued to decide whether positive and negative social trait adjectives were self-descriptive or in upper case font. Results: Behaviorally, compared to AE, MBSR produced greater decreases in negative self-views, and equivalent increases in positive self-views. Neurally, during negative self versus case, compared to AE, MBSR led to increased brain responses in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). There were no differential changes for positive self versus case. Secondary analyses showed that changes in endorsement of negative and positive self-views were associated with decreased social anxiety symptom severity for MBSR, but not AE. Additionally, MBSR-related increases in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) activity during negative self-view versus case were associated with decreased social anxiety related disability and increased mindfulness. Analysis of neural temporal dynamics revealed MBSR-related changes in the timing of neural responses in the DMPFC and PCC for negative self-view versus case. Conclusion: These findings suggest that MBSR attenuates maladaptive habitual self-views by facilitating automatic (i.e., uninstructed) recruitment of cognitive and attention regulation neural networks. This highlights potentially important links between self-referential and cognitive-attention regulation systems and suggests that MBSR may enhance more adaptive social self-referential processes in patients with SAD. PMID:23133411

Evaluating guilt and shame in an expressive writing alcohol intervention.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Lindsey M; Young, Chelsie M; Neighbors, Clayton; Campbell, Michelle T; Lu, Qian

2015-08-01

Expressive writing interventions have shown positive physical and psychological health benefits over time, with the presumed mechanism being emotional disclosure. However, work utilizing expressive writing in behavior change has been minimal. The current research applied the expressive writing paradigm to reduce drinking intentions among college students, and evaluated the role of event-related guilt and shame in intervention effects. College students (N=429) completed a baseline survey and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Negative (write about a heavy drinking event that was negative); Positive (write about a heavy drinking event that was positive); or Neutral (write about their first day of college). After writing, readiness to change and future drinking intentions were assessed. Results revealed intervention effects on intended drinks per week and intended number of drinks during peak and typical drinking occasions. Participants in the negative condition also displayed higher levels of event-related guilt and shame. Results showed that guilt mediated intervention effects on readiness to change, which also mediated the association between guilt-reparative behavior and drinking intentions. Results provide initial support for an expressive writing intervention on alcohol use and underscore the importance of eliciting emotions associated with reparative behavior when considering negative past experiences and future behavior change. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating guilt and shame in an expressive writing alcohol intervention

PubMed Central

Rodriguez, Lindsey M.; Young, Chelsie M.; Neighbors, Clayton; Campbell, Michelle T.; Lu, Qian

2016-01-01

Expressive writing interventions have shown positive physical and psychological health benefits over time, with the presumed mechanism being emotional disclosure. However, work utilizing expressive writing in behavior change has been minimal. The current research applied the expressive writing paradigm to reduce drinking intentions among college students, and evaluated the role of event-related guilt and shame in intervention effects. College students (N = 429) completed a baseline survey and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Negative (write about a heavy drinking event that was negative); Positive (write about a heavy drinking event that was positive); or Neutral (write about their first day of college). After writing, readiness to change and future drinking intentions were assessed. Results revealed intervention effects on intended drinks per week and intended number of drinks during peak and typical drinking occasions. Participants in the negative condition also displayed higher levels of event-related guilt and shame. Results showed that guilt mediated intervention effects on readiness to change, which also mediated the association between guilt-reparative behavior and drinking intentions. Results provide initial support for an expressive writing intervention on alcohol use and underscore the importance of eliciting emotions associated with reparative behavior when considering negative past experiences and future behavior change. PMID:26074424

Effect of high-dose nicotine patch on craving and negative affect leading up to lapse episodes.

PubMed

Ferguson, Stuart G; Shiffman, Saul

2014-07-01

Nicotine patches have been reliably demonstrated to improve smoking cessation outcomes but most users still lapse, and then relapse, during treatment. While patch has been shown to alleviate background cravings, its effects on cue-induced cravings - which have been linked to the occurrence of lapse events - are poorly understood. Here we investigate the effect of nicotine patch on the intensity of craving and negative affect experienced during the hours immediately preceding lapse episodes. Participants were 185 smokers who had quit in the context of a randomized, double-blind trial of high-dose (35 mg) nicotine patch and who lapsed at least once during the first 5 weeks of treatment. Participants used electronic diaries to monitor their smoking, affect, and craving during their cessation attempt. The data suggest that developments on the lapse day - either external events or changes in internal states - caused craving and negative affect to rise, cumulating in the lapse. Nicotine is known to lower background craving and negative affect, but the difference between patch and placebo appeared to dissipate in the hours immediately preceding lapse episodes. Understanding the process by which these symptoms "spike" prior to a lapse - and developing treatments to counter it - are worthy research endeavors.

Coping-Infused Dialogue through Patient-Preferred Live Music: A Medical Music Therapy Protocol and Randomized Pilot Study for Hospitalized Organ Transplant Patients.

PubMed

Hogan, Tyler James; Silverman, Michael J

2015-01-01

Solid organ transplant patients often experience a variety of psychosocial stressors that can lead to distress and may hinder successful recovery. Using coping-infused dialogue (CID) through patient- preferred live music (PPLM) music therapy sessions may improve mood and decrease pain while also imparting psychoeducational knowledge concerning the identification of local and global problems and coping skills. The purpose of this pilot study was to develop a coping-based medical music therapy protocol that combines coping-infused dialogue (CID) with patient-preferred live music (PPLM) and measure the effects of the resulting CID-PPLM protocol on mood (positive and negative affect) and pain in hospitalized transplant patients. Our study used a pre-/posttest single-session wait-list control design. Participants (N=25) were randomly assigned to experimental (CID-PPLM) or control (usual care) conditions. Participants in the CID-PPLM condition received a single 30-minute session that integrated stressor identification and knowledge of coping skills (CID) with patient-preferred live music (PPLM). Results indicated no between-group differences at pretest and significant correlations between pre- and posttest measures. Concerning posttest ANCOVA analyses, there were significant between-group differences in positive affect, negative affect, and pain, with experimental participants having more favorable posttest scores than control participants. Effect sizes were in the medium-to-large range for positive affect (η2=.198), negative affect (η2=.422), and pain (η2=.303). CID through receptive PPLM may be an effective protocol for improving mood and decreasing pain in organ transplant recipients. MT interventions can be an important tool to develop rapport and enhance outcomes with patients. As greater engagement during interventions may have stronger treatment effects, we recommend future research examining patient engagement as a potential mediator of intervention effects, as well as the number of sessions required to maximize clinical outcomes. © the American Music Therapy Association 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Expectancy Effects on Self-Reported Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Simulated Neurofeedback: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Lee, Grace J; Suhr, Julie A

2018-03-31

Expectancy is a psychological factor that can impact treatment effectiveness. Research on neurofeedback for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) suggests expectancy may contribute to treatment outcomes, though evidence for expectancy as an explanatory factor is sparse. This pilot study investigated the effects of expectancies on self-reported ADHD symptoms in simulated neurofeedback. Forty-six adults who were concerned that they had ADHD expected to receive active neurofeedback, but were randomly assigned to receive a placebo with false feedback indicating attentive (positive false feedback) or inattentive (negative false feedback) states. Effects of the expectancy manipulation were measured on an ADHD self-report scale. Large expectancy effects were found, such that individuals who received positive false feedback reported significant decreases in ADHD symptoms, whereas individuals who received negative false feedback reported significant increases in ADHD symptoms. Findings suggest that expectancy should be considered as an explanatory mechanism for ADHD symptom change in response to neurofeedback.

Graphic Warning Labels Elicit Affective and Thoughtful Responses from Smokers: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Evans, Abigail T.; Peters, Ellen; Strasser, Andrew A.; Emery, Lydia F.; Sheerin, Kaitlin M.; Romer, Daniel

2015-01-01

Objective Observational research suggests that placing graphic images on cigarette warning labels can reduce smoking rates, but field studies lack experimental control. Our primary objective was to determine the psychological processes set in motion by naturalistic exposure to graphic vs. text-only warnings in a randomized clinical trial involving exposure to modified cigarette packs over a 4-week period. Theories of graphic-warning impact were tested by examining affect toward smoking, credibility of warning information, risk perceptions, quit intentions, warning label memory, and smoking risk knowledge. Methods Adults who smoked between 5 and 40 cigarettes daily (N = 293; mean age = 33.7), did not have a contra-indicated medical condition, and did not intend to quit were recruited from Philadelphia, PA and Columbus, OH. Smokers were randomly assigned to receive their own brand of cigarettes for four weeks in one of three warning conditions: text only, graphic images plus text, or graphic images with elaborated text. Results Data from 244 participants who completed the trial were analyzed in structural-equation models. The presence of graphic images (compared to text-only) caused more negative affect toward smoking, a process that indirectly influenced risk perceptions and quit intentions (e.g., image->negative affect->risk perception->quit intention). Negative affect from graphic images also enhanced warning credibility including through increased scrutiny of the warnings, a process that also indirectly affected risk perceptions and quit intentions (e.g., image->negative affect->risk scrutiny->warning credibility->risk perception->quit intention). Unexpectedly, elaborated text reduced warning credibility. Finally, graphic warnings increased warning-information recall and indirectly increased smoking-risk knowledge at the end of the trial and one month later. Conclusions In the first naturalistic clinical trial conducted, graphic warning labels are more effective than text-only warnings in encouraging smokers to consider quitting and in educating them about smoking’s risks. Negative affective reactions to smoking, thinking about risks, and perceptions of credibility are mediators of their impact. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01782053 PMID:26672982

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY AND HUMAN CAPITAL FORMATION FROM INFANCY TO ADOLESCENCE: EVIDENCE FROM TWO LARGE US COHORTS.

PubMed

Murasko, Jason E

2015-03-01

Body mass index (BMI) levels in US children and adolescents have increased over the past several decades. The negative health effects of this trend are well-documented. Recent work has evaluated the potential effects on skills formation. Studies are mixed on whether there is an association between high BMI and skills outcomes, and those that estimate causal effects find none. This paper offers estimates on the causal effect of BMI-defined overweight and obesity on skills formation using two large cohorts of contemporary US children followed from infancy to 5 years and from kindergarten (6 years) to the eighth grade (14 years). Significant negative associations were observed in the random effects models for males in early life with respect to a mental skills assessment, for females during the pre-school years for reading and maths assessments, for both males and females during the schooling years for reading assessments and for females during the schooling years for maths assessments. Fixed effects models yielded a significant negative association only with respect to the latter. The implication of these findings is that any improvement in skills outcomes that may accompany reductions in obesity prevalence may depend on whether interventions are general to overall health productivity or whether they are specific to dietary and exercise behaviours.

Into the Woods or a Stroll in the Park: How Virtual Contact with Nature Impacts Positive and Negative Affect

PubMed Central

McAllister, Elizabeth; Schutte, Nicola S.

2017-01-01

This study examined the effects of virtual contact with nature on positive and negative affect, and investigated the psychological process of perceived restorativeness as a mediator of this relationship. A sample of 220 Australians aged between 18 and 75 years (M = 49.07, SD = 14.34, female = 72%) participated in the study. Participants were randomly allocated to one of the three experimental conditions experienced through video presentations: (1) ‘wild’ nature, (2) ‘urban’ nature, and (3) non-nature control. They then completed measures of perceived restorativeness as well as positive and negative affect. Compared to the non-nature control condition, the experience of wild nature resulted in significantly higher levels of positive affect and lower levels of negative affect. The experience of urban nature resulted in significantly lower levels of negative affect only compared to the non-nature control video. Experience of wild and urban nature resulted in greater perceptions of restorativeness as compared to the non-nature control video. Restorativeness was a significant underlying psychological mediating path through which nature experience exerted its influence on affect. These results have the potential to inform nature-based green care interventions for mental health as well as for urban planning to maximize beneficial effects of natural environments. PMID:28708074

Into the Woods or a Stroll in the Park: How Virtual Contact with Nature Impacts Positive and Negative Affect.

PubMed

McAllister, Elizabeth; Bhullar, Navjot; Schutte, Nicola S

2017-07-14

This study examined the effects of virtual contact with nature on positive and negative affect, and investigated the psychological process of perceived restorativeness as a mediator of this relationship. A sample of 220 Australians aged between 18 and 75 years (M = 49.07, SD = 14.34, female = 72%) participated in the study. Participants were randomly allocated to one of the three experimental conditions experienced through video presentations: (1) 'wild' nature, (2) 'urban' nature, and (3) non-nature control. They then completed measures of perceived restorativeness as well as positive and negative affect. Compared to the non-nature control condition, the experience of wild nature resulted in significantly higher levels of positive affect and lower levels of negative affect. The experience of urban nature resulted in significantly lower levels of negative affect only compared to the non-nature control video. Experience of wild and urban nature resulted in greater perceptions of restorativeness as compared to the non-nature control video. Restorativeness was a significant underlying psychological mediating path through which nature experience exerted its influence on affect. These results have the potential to inform nature-based green care interventions for mental health as well as for urban planning to maximize beneficial effects of natural environments.

Negative mood increases selective attention to food cues and subjective appetite.

PubMed

Hepworth, Rebecca; Mogg, Karin; Brignell, Catherine; Bradley, Brendan P

2010-02-01

Following negative reinforcement and affect-regulation models of dysfunctional appetitive motivation, this study examined the effect of negative mood on objective and subjective cognitive indices of motivation for food; i.e., attentional bias for food cues and self-reported hunger/urge to eat, respectively. The study extended previous research on the effect of mood on food motivation by using (i) an experimental mood manipulation, (ii) an established index of attentional bias from the visual-probe task and (iii) pictorial food cues, which have greater ecological validity than word stimuli. Young female adults (n=80) were randomly allocated to a neutral or negative mood induction procedure. Attentional biases were assessed at two cue exposure durations (500 and 2000ms). Results showed that negative mood increased both attentional bias for food cues and subjective appetite. Attentional bias and subjective appetite were positively inter-correlated, suggesting a common mechanism, i.e. activation of the food-reward system. Attentional bias was also associated with trait eating style, such as external and restrained eating. Thus, current mood and trait eating style each influenced motivation for food (as reflected by subjective appetite and attentional bias). Findings relate to models of cognitive mechanisms underlying normal and dysfunctional appetitive motivation and eating behaviour. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Wealth Shocks on Loss Aversion: Behavior and Neural Correlates.

PubMed

Pammi, V S Chandrasekhar; Ruiz, Sergio; Lee, Sangkyun; Noussair, Charles N; Sitaram, Ranganatha

2017-01-01

Kahneman and Tversky (1979) first demonstrated that when individuals decide whether or not to accept a gamble, potential losses receive more weight than possible gains in the decision. This phenomenon is referred to as loss aversion. We investigated how loss aversion in risky financial decisions is influenced by sudden changes to wealth, employing both behavioral and neurobiological measures. We implemented an fMRI experimental paradigm, based on that employed by Tom et al. (2007). There are two treatments, called RANDOM and CONTINGENT. In RANDOM, the baseline setting, the changes to wealth, referred to as wealth shocks in economics, are independent of the actual choices participants make. Under CONTINGENT, we induce the belief that the changes in income are a consequence of subjects' own decisions. The magnitudes and sequence of the shocks to wealth are identical between the CONTINGENT and RANDOM treatments. We investigated whether more loss aversion existed in one treatment than another. The behavioral results showed significantly greater loss aversion in CONTINGENT compared to RANDOM after a negative wealth shock. No differences were observed in the response to positive shocks. The fMRI results revealed a neural loss aversion network, comprising the bilateral striatum, amygdala and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex that was common to the CONTINGENT and RANDOM tasks. However, the ventral prefrontal cortex, primary somatosensory cortex and superior occipital cortex, showed greater activation in response to a negative change in wealth due to individual's own decisions than when the change was exogenous. These results indicate that striatum activation correlates with loss aversion independently of the source of the shock, and that the ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC) codes the experimental manipulation of agency in one's actions influencing loss aversion.

The Effect of Wealth Shocks on Loss Aversion: Behavior and Neural Correlates

PubMed Central

Pammi, V. S. Chandrasekhar; Ruiz, Sergio; Lee, Sangkyun; Noussair, Charles N.; Sitaram, Ranganatha

2017-01-01

Kahneman and Tversky (1979) first demonstrated that when individuals decide whether or not to accept a gamble, potential losses receive more weight than possible gains in the decision. This phenomenon is referred to as loss aversion. We investigated how loss aversion in risky financial decisions is influenced by sudden changes to wealth, employing both behavioral and neurobiological measures. We implemented an fMRI experimental paradigm, based on that employed by Tom et al. (2007). There are two treatments, called RANDOM and CONTINGENT. In RANDOM, the baseline setting, the changes to wealth, referred to as wealth shocks in economics, are independent of the actual choices participants make. Under CONTINGENT, we induce the belief that the changes in income are a consequence of subjects' own decisions. The magnitudes and sequence of the shocks to wealth are identical between the CONTINGENT and RANDOM treatments. We investigated whether more loss aversion existed in one treatment than another. The behavioral results showed significantly greater loss aversion in CONTINGENT compared to RANDOM after a negative wealth shock. No differences were observed in the response to positive shocks. The fMRI results revealed a neural loss aversion network, comprising the bilateral striatum, amygdala and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex that was common to the CONTINGENT and RANDOM tasks. However, the ventral prefrontal cortex, primary somatosensory cortex and superior occipital cortex, showed greater activation in response to a negative change in wealth due to individual's own decisions than when the change was exogenous. These results indicate that striatum activation correlates with loss aversion independently of the source of the shock, and that the ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC) codes the experimental manipulation of agency in one's actions influencing loss aversion. PMID:28496399

Prevalence of Circulating Tumor Cells After Adjuvant Chemotherapy With or Without Anthracyclines in Patients With HER2-negative, Hormone Receptor-positive Early Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Schramm, Amelie; Schochter, Fabienne; Friedl, Thomas W P; de Gregorio, Nikolaus; Andergassen, Ulrich; Alunni-Fabbroni, Marianna; Trapp, Elisabeth; Jaeger, Bernadette; Heinrich, Georg; Camara, Oumar; Decker, Thomas; Ober, Angelika; Mahner, Sven; Fehm, Tanja N; Pantel, Klaus; Fasching, Peter A; Schneeweiss, Andreas; Janni, Wolfgang; Rack, Brigitte K

2017-07-01

Use of anthracycline-based chemotherapy in patients with early breast cancer (EBC) has been well-established but is often associated with cardiotoxicity. Based on data suggesting a limited benefit of anthracyclines in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative patients, the Simultaneous Study of Docetaxel Based Anthracycline Free Adjuvant Treatment Evaluation, as well as Life Style Intervention Strategies (SUCCESS) C study randomized patients to either anthracycline-containing or anthracycline-free chemotherapy. Given the proven prognostic value of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in EBC, we compared the prevalence of CTCs after chemotherapy between both treatment arms for a preliminary efficacy assessment. The SUCCESS C trial (NCT00847444) is an open-label, phase III study randomizing 3547 patients with HER2-negative EBC to either 3 cycles of epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil, and cyclophosphamide followed by 3 cycles of docetaxel (FEC-DOC) or 6 cycles of docetaxel and cyclophosphamide (DOC-C). CTC status was prospectively evaluated in hormone receptor-positive patients at the time of last chemotherapy cycle using the US Food and Drug Administration-approved CellSearch System (Janssen Diagnostics). Data on CTC status were available for 1766 patients. Overall, CTCs were found in 221 (12.5%) patients. Univariate analyses revealed that presence of CTCs at time of last chemotherapy cycle was not significantly associated with tumor or patient characteristics (all P > .1). There was no significant difference with respect to presence of CTCs between patients randomized to FEC-DOC or DOC-C (11.5% vs. 13.6%; P = .18). The comparable prevalence of CTCs at the time of last chemotherapy cycle may indicate that anthracycline-free chemotherapy is equally effective to anthracycline-containing chemotherapy in HER2-negative, hormone receptor-positive EBC. However, efficacy data from the final survival analysis of SUCCESS C have to be awaited to confirm these preliminary findings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Final Results of the Randomized Phase II NorCap-CA223 Trial Comparing First-Line All-Oral Versus Taxane-Based Chemotherapy for HER2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Cinieri, Saverio; Chan, Arlene; Altundag, Kadri; Vandebroek, An; Tubiana-Mathieu, Nicole; Barnadas, Agusti; Dodyk, Patricia; Lazzarelli, Silvia; Botha, Michiel; Rauch, Daniel; Villanova, Gustavo; Coskun, Ugur

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 3 first-line chemotherapy combination regimens for HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (mBC). In this open-label, 3-arm, randomized phase II trial, patients were randomized to all-oral NORCAP (vinorelbine/capecitabine), GEMPAC (gemcitabine/paclitaxel), or GEMDOC (gemcitabine/docetaxel) as first-line chemotherapy for HER2-negative mBC. Stratification factors were center, previous (neo)adjuvant anthracycline, and age. The primary end point was disease control rate (DCR; complete or partial response, or stable disease for ≥3 months). The DCR was 73% (95% confidence interval [CI], 59-85) with NORCAP (36 of 49 patients), 78% (95% CI, 64-88) with GEMPAC (39 of 50 patients), and 80% (95% CI, 66-90) with GEMDOC (40 of 50 patients). Objective response rates were 33% (16 of 49 patients), 24% (12 of 50 patients), and 50% (25 of 50 patients), respectively; median progression-free survival was 7.6, 9.0, and 11.4 months, respectively. Median overall survival was 30 to 31 months with all regimens. The most common Grade ≥3 adverse event with each regimen was neutropenia (24 patients [50%], 23 patients [46%], and 43 patients [86%], respectively). The most common nonhematological Grade ≥3 adverse event was fatigue. Grade 2 alopecia occurred in 36 patients (72%) who received GEMPAC and 38 patients (76%) who received GEMDOC, but only 4 patients (8%) who received NORCAP. There was no evidence of a detrimental effect of NORCAP on quality of life. All-oral NORCAP is an active first-line chemotherapy regimen and might be offered as an alternative to first-line taxane-based therapy for HER2-negative mBC, particularly if patients wish to avoid alopecia or frequent intravenous administrations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does higher education protect against obesity? Evidence using Mendelian randomization.

PubMed

Böckerman, Petri; Viinikainen, Jutta; Pulkki-Råback, Laura; Hakulinen, Christian; Pitkänen, Niina; Lehtimäki, Terho; Pehkonen, Jaakko; Raitakari, Olli T

2017-08-01

The aim of this explorative study was to examine the effect of education on obesity using Mendelian randomization. Participants (N=2011) were from the on-going nationally representative Young Finns Study (YFS) that began in 1980 when six cohorts (aged 30, 33, 36, 39, 42 and 45 in 2007) were recruited. The average value of BMI (kg/m 2 ) measurements in 2007 and 2011 and genetic information were linked to comprehensive register-based information on the years of education in 2007. We first used a linear regression (Ordinary Least Squares, OLS) to estimate the relationship between education and BMI. To identify a causal relationship, we exploited Mendelian randomization and used a genetic score as an instrument for education. The genetic score was based on 74 genetic variants that genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have found to be associated with the years of education. Because the genotypes are randomly assigned at conception, the instrument causes exogenous variation in the years of education and thus enables identification of causal effects. The years of education in 2007 were associated with lower BMI in 2007/2011 (regression coefficient (b)=-0.22; 95% Confidence Intervals [CI]=-0.29, -0.14) according to the linear regression results. The results based on Mendelian randomization suggests that there may be a negative causal effect of education on BMI (b=-0.84; 95% CI=-1.77, 0.09). The findings indicate that education could be a protective factor against obesity in advanced countries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Random Feedback Makes Listeners Tone-Deaf.

PubMed

Vuvan, Dominique T; Zendel, Benjamin Rich; Peretz, Isabelle

2018-05-08

The mental representation of pitch structure (tonal knowledge) is a core component of musical experience and is learned implicitly through exposure to music. One theory of congenital amusia (tone deafness) posits that conscious access to tonal knowledge is disrupted, leading to a severe deficit of music cognition. We tested this idea by providing random performance feedback to neurotypical listeners while they listened to melodies for tonal incongruities and had their electrical brain activity monitored. The introduction of random feedback was associated with a reduction of accuracy and confidence, and a suppression of the late positive brain response usually elicited by conscious detection of a tonal violation. These effects mirror the behavioural and neurophysiological profile of amusia. In contrast, random feedback was associated with an increase in the amplitude of the early right anterior negativity, possibly due to heightened attention to the experimental task. This successful simulation of amusia in a normal brain highlights the key role of feedback in learning, and thereby provides a new avenue for the rehabilitation of learning disorders.

Psilocybin biases facial recognition, goal-directed behavior, and mood state toward positive relative to negative emotions through different serotonergic subreceptors.

PubMed

Kometer, Michael; Schmidt, André; Bachmann, Rosilla; Studerus, Erich; Seifritz, Erich; Vollenweider, Franz X

2012-12-01

Serotonin (5-HT) 1A and 2A receptors have been associated with dysfunctional emotional processing biases in mood disorders. These receptors further predominantly mediate the subjective and behavioral effects of psilocybin and might be important for its recently suggested antidepressive effects. However, the effect of psilocybin on emotional processing biases and the specific contribution of 5-HT2A receptors across different emotional domains is unknown. In a randomized, double-blind study, 17 healthy human subjects received on 4 separate days placebo, psilocybin (215 μg/kg), the preferential 5-HT2A antagonist ketanserin (50 mg), or psilocybin plus ketanserin. Mood states were assessed by self-report ratings, and behavioral and event-related potential measurements were used to quantify facial emotional recognition and goal-directed behavior toward emotional cues. Psilocybin enhanced positive mood and attenuated recognition of negative facial expression. Furthermore, psilocybin increased goal-directed behavior toward positive compared with negative cues, facilitated positive but inhibited negative sequential emotional effects, and valence-dependently attenuated the P300 component. Ketanserin alone had no effects but blocked the psilocybin-induced mood enhancement and decreased recognition of negative facial expression. This study shows that psilocybin shifts the emotional bias across various psychological domains and that activation of 5-HT2A receptors is central in mood regulation and emotional face recognition in healthy subjects. These findings may not only have implications for the pathophysiology of dysfunctional emotional biases but may also provide a framework to delineate the mechanisms underlying psylocybin's putative antidepressant effects. Copyright © 2012 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

Cooperative effect of random and time-periodic coupling strength on synchronization transitions in one-way coupled neural system: mean field approach.

PubMed

Jiancheng, Shi; Min, Luo; Chusheng, Huang

2017-08-01

The cooperative effect of random coupling strength and time-periodic coupling strengh on synchronization transitions in one-way coupled neural system has been investigated by mean field approach. Results show that cooperative coupling strength (CCS) plays an active role for the enhancement of synchronization transitions. There exist an optimal frequency of CCS which makes the system display the best CCS-induced synchronization transitions, a critical frequency of CCS which can not further affect the CCS-induced synchronization transitions, and a critical amplitude of CCS which can not occur the CCS-induced synchronization transitions. Meanwhile, noise intensity plays a negative role for the CCS-induced synchronization transitions. Furthermore, it is found that the novel CCS amplitude-induced synchronization transitions and CCS frequency-induced synchronization transitions are found.

CHESS improves cancer caregivers' burden and mood: results of an eHealth RCT.

PubMed

DuBenske, Lori L; Gustafson, David H; Namkoong, Kang; Hawkins, Robert P; Atwood, Amy K; Brown, Roger L; Chih, Ming-Yuan; McTavish, Fiona; Carmack, Cindy L; Buss, Mary K; Govindan, Ramaswamy; Cleary, James F

2014-10-01

Informal caregivers (family and friends) of people with cancer are often unprepared for their caregiving role, leading to increased burden or distress. Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (CHESS) is a Web-based lung cancer information, communication, and coaching system for caregivers. This randomized trial reports the impact on caregiver burden, disruptiveness, and mood of providing caregivers access to CHESS versus the Internet with a list of recommended lung cancer websites. A total of 285 informal caregivers of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer were randomly assigned to a comparison group that received Internet or a treatment group that received Internet and CHESS. Caregivers were provided a computer and Internet service if needed. Written surveys were completed at pretest and during the intervention period bimonthly for up to 24 months. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) compared the intervention's effect on caregivers' disruptiveness and burden (CQOLI-C), and negative mood (combined Anxiety, Depression, and Anger scales of the POMS) at 6 months, controlling for blocking variables (site, caregiver's race, and relationship to patient) and the given outcome at pretest. Caregivers randomized to CHESS reported lower burden, t(84) = 2.36, p = .021, d = .39, and negative mood, t(86) = 2.82, p = .006, d = .44, than those in the Internet group. The effect on disruptiveness was not significant. Although caring for someone with a terminal illness will always exact a toll on caregivers, eHealth interventions like CHESS may improve caregivers' understanding and coping skills and, as a result, ease their burden and mood.

CHESS Improves Cancer Caregivers’ Burden and Mood: Results of an eHealth RCT

PubMed Central

DuBenske, Lori L.; Gustafson, David H.; Namkoong, Kang; Hawkins, Robert P.; Atwood, Amy K.; Brown, Roger L.; Chih, Ming-Yuan; McTavish, Fiona; Carmack, Cindy L.; Buss, Mary K.; Govindan, Ramaswamy; Cleary, James F.

2014-01-01

Objective Informal caregivers (family and friends) of people with cancer are often unprepared for their caregiving role, leading to increased burden or distress. CHESS (Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System) is a web-based lung cancer information, communication and coaching system for caregivers. This randomized trial reports the impact on caregiver burden, disruptiveness and mood of providing caregivers access to CHESS versus the Internet with a list of recommended lung cancer websites. Methods 285 informal caregivers of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer were randomly assigned to a comparison group that received Internet or a treatment group that received Internet and CHESS. Caregivers were provided a computer and Internet service if needed. Written surveys were completed at pretest and during the intervention period bimonthly for up to 24 months. ANCOVA analyses compared the intervention’s effect on caregivers’ disruptiveness and burden (CQOLI-C), and negative mood (combined Anxiety, Depression, and Anger scales of the POMS) at six months, controlling for blocking variables (site, caregiver’s race, and relationship to patient) and the given outcome at pretest. Results Caregivers randomized to CHESS reported lower burden [t (84) = 2.36, p = .021, d= .39] and negative mood [t (86) = 2.82, p = .006, d= .44] than those in the Internet group. The effect on disruptiveness was not significant. Conclusions Although caring for someone with a terminal illness will always exact a toll on caregivers, eHealth interventions like CHESS may improve caregivers’ understanding and coping skills and, as a result, ease their burden and mood. PMID:24245838

Online attention modification for social anxiety disorder: replication of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Carleton, R Nicholas; Teale Sapach, Michelle J N; Oriet, Chris; LeBouthillier, Daniel M

2017-01-01

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) models posit vigilance for external social threat cues and exacerbated self-focused attention as key in disorder development and maintenance. Evidence indicates a modified dot-probe protocol may reduce symptoms of SAD; however, the efficacy when compared to a standard protocol and long-term maintenance of treatment gains remains unclear. Furthermore, the efficacy of such protocols on SAD-related constructs remains relatively unknown. The current investigation clarified these associations using a randomized control trial replicating and extending previous research. Participants with SAD (n = 113; 71% women) were randomized to complete a standard (i.e. control) or modified (i.e. active) dot-probe protocol consisting of 15-min sessions twice weekly for four weeks. Self-reported symptoms were measured at baseline, post-treatment, and 4-month and 8-month follow-ups. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated significant self-reported reductions in symptoms of social anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, trait anxiety, and depression, but no such reductions in fear of positive evaluation. Symptom changes did not differ based on condition and were maintained at 8-month follow-up. Attentional biases during the dot-probe task were not related to symptom change. Overall, our results replicate support for the efficacy of both protocols in reducing symptoms of SAD and specific related constructs, and suggest a role of exposure, expectancy, or practice effects, rather than attention modification, in effecting such reductions. The current results also support distinct relationships between fears of negative and positive evaluation and social anxiety. Further research focused on identifying the mechanisms of change in attention modification protocols appears warranted.

Soy proteins and isoflavones affect bone mineral density in older women: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kenny, Anne M; Mangano, Kelsey M; Abourizk, Robin H; Bruno, Richard S; Anamani, Denise E; Kleppinger, Alison; Walsh, Stephen J; Prestwood, Karen M; Kerstetter, Jane E

2009-07-01

Soy foods contain several components (isoflavones and amino acids) that potentially affect bone. Few long-term, large clinical trials of soy as a means of improving bone mineral density (BMD) in late postmenopausal women have been conducted. Our goal was to evaluate the long-term effect of dietary soy protein and/or soy isoflavone consumption on skeletal health in late postmenopausal women. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 131 healthy ambulatory women aged >60 y. Ninety-seven women completed the trial. After a 1-mo baseline period, subjects were randomly assigned into 1 of 4 intervention groups: soy protein (18 g) + isoflavone tablets (105 mg isoflavone aglycone equivalents), soy protein + placebo tablets, control protein + isoflavone tablets, and control protein + placebo tablets. Consumption of protein powder and isoflavone pills did not differ between groups, and compliance with the study powder and pills was 80-90%. No significant differences in BMD were observed between groups from baseline to 1 y after the intervention or in BMD change between equol and non-equol producers. However, there were significant negative correlations between total dietary protein (per kg) and markers of bone turnover (P < 0.05). Because soy protein and isoflavones (either alone or together) did not affect BMD, they should not be considered as effective interventions for preserving skeletal health in older women. The negative correlation between dietary protein and bone turnover suggests that increasing protein intakes may suppress skeletal turnover. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT00668447.

Effect of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on Cellular Fibronectin and Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Expression in Diabetic Foot Wounds.

PubMed

Yang, Shao Ling; Zhu, Lv Yun; Han, Rui; Sun, Lei Lei; Dou, Jing Tao

2017-08-01

Chronic diabetic foot wounds are a leading cause of amputation, morbidity, and hospitalization for patients with diabetes. Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) can putatively facilitate wound healing, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Cellular fibronectin (cFN) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) play an important role in wound healing. This prospective randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of NPWT on the production of cFN and the expression of TGF-β1 in diabetic foot wounds of patients. From January 2012 to January 2015, 40 patients with diabetic foot wounds were randomly and equally apportioned to receive either NPWT or advanced moist wound therapy (control) for 7 days. Granulation tissue was harvested before and after treatment. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were performed to evaluate protein levels of cFN and TGF-β1, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to measure corresponding mRNA expressions. NPWT facilitated the expression of cFN and TGF-β1 in diabetic foot wounds. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed higher levels of cFN and TGF-β1 in the NPWT group than in the control group. Western blot and real-time PCR analysis further showed that protein and mRNA levels of cFN or TGF-β1 were higher in the NPWT group than that in the control group ( P < .01, both). Our results showed that NPWT facilitated the production of cFN and the expression of TGF-β1 in granulation tissue in diabetic foot ulcers. Level I, randomized controlled study.

Effects of a randomized exercise trial on physical activity, psychological distress and quality of life in older adults.

PubMed

Awick, Elizabeth A; Ehlers, Diane K; Aguiñaga, Susan; Daugherty, Ana M; Kramer, Arthur F; McAuley, Edward

2017-11-01

Evidence suggests improvements in positive psychological health indices (e.g., self-esteem) may explain the relationship between physical activity and quality of life (QoL) in older adults. Less is known about the role of reductions in negative psychological health indices (e.g., depression). The present study examined the effects of changes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and psychological distress on change in QoL in older adults enrolled in an exercise program. Older adults (N=247, Mage=65.68±4.59) participated in a six-month randomized exercise trial. Participants wore accelerometers and completed questionnaires to measure MVPA, psychological health, and QoL at baseline and post-intervention. Psychological distress was modeled as a latent factor comprised of anxiety, depression, sleep dysfunction, and stress. Structural models were used to examine the effects of changes in MVPA and distress on change in QoL. Increases in MVPA predicted reductions in distress from baseline to post-intervention (B=-0.10, p=0.05). In turn, reductions in distress predicted increases in QoL (B=-0.51, p=0.001). The indirect effect of MVPA on QoL through distress was also significant (p=0.05; 90% CI=0.005, 0.125). Findings extend previous research on the mediators of the MVPA-QoL relationship in older adults, suggesting reductions in negative psychological health outcomes may also mediate this pathway. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Negative rumination in social anxiety: A randomised trial investigating the effects of a brief intervention on cognitive processes before, during and after a social situation.

PubMed

Modini, Matthew; Abbott, Maree J

2017-06-01

According to cognitive models of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), negative rumination is a key maintaining factor in the vicious cycle of social anxiety. However, there is a scarcity of research investigating treatment effects on rumination in social anxiety, as well as other key cognitive variables. The current study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a brief intervention on a range of cognitive processes, most notably negative rumination. Additionally, predictors of negative rumination and state anxiety are also investigated. Participants with a diagnosis of SAD were randomly allocated to an intervention (n = 24) or control group (n = 23). Participant's initially completed trait and state based measures with the intervention group also completing a brief cognitive intervention. One-week later participants completed state anxiety and cognitive measures before and after a speech task. Finally, one-week post-speech task participants completed further trait and state based measures. While the brief cognitive intervention had positive effects on some of the cognitive processes measured at different time points of the study, levels of negative rumination remained stable. Predictors of negative rumination and state anxiety were consistent with cognitive models of SAD. The brief nature of the intervention and temporal stance of the intervention (delivered one-week before the speech) may have impacted outcomes. Cognitive technique can potentially impact a range of key processes that maintain SAD, however, more powerful and tailored interventions are needed that address the different processes at play before, during and after a social situation for socially anxious individuals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Profertility and antidiabetic properties of Gynura procumbens on streptozotocin induced male rats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khaidatul Akmar, K.; Mahanem, M. N.

2016-11-01

Gynura procumbens (GP) is an herbal plant that is used for treating diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular and also fertility. The objective of this study was to determine the anti-diabetic and pro-fertility effect of GP on streptozotocin induced male rats within 14 days. A total of 42 male rats were randomly assigned into six groups; normal, negative, and positive control, and three treated groups of different dosages of GP; 150 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg and 450 mg/kg. The treated groups were given aqueous extract GP via oral gavage for 14 consecutive days. The fasting blood glucose (FBG) level in all treated groups showed significant decreased compared to negative and positive group after 14 days treatment. Sperm quality parameters in GP treated group (450 mg/kg) showed significant increase when compared to negative and positive group. It was observed that the histology of testes in the treated group (450 mg/kg) produced a significant result whereby the germinal cell layer shown an arranged order of cells compared to the negative and positive control groups. It appeared that aqueous extract of GP have a pro-fertility effect and possess anti-hyperglycemic activity within 14 days of treatment.

Financial incentives to promote extended smoking abstinence in opioid-maintained patients: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Sigmon, Stacey C; Miller, Mollie E; Meyer, Andrew C; Saulsgiver, Kathryn; Badger, Gary J; Heil, Sarah H; Higgins, Stephen T

2016-05-01

Prior studies by our group demonstrated the efficacy of a brief but intensive behavioral intervention for producing initial smoking abstinence among opioid-dependent patients. In the present study, our aim was to promote longer-duration abstinence in this population. Following an initial 2-week incentive intervention for smoking abstinence, we examined whether a 10-week maintenance arm involving continuation of contingent reinforcement will produce greater smoking abstinence than a similar duration of noncontingent reinforcement. Randomized, 12-week, parallel-group study. Out-patient research clinic in Burlington, Vermont, USA. Opioid-maintained smokers (n = 88) who provided breath carbon monoxide and urinary cotinine specimens and received contingent reinforcement for smoking abstinence during weeks 1-2 (phase 1), with 63 randomized on day 14 to an extended contingent (EC; n = 31) or extended noncontingent (EN; n = 32) experimental condition for weeks 3-12 (phase 2). The EC condition consisted of voucher values that escalated across consecutive negative samples until they reached $30, after which they remained at $30 per negative sample. A positive or a missing sample resulted in no vouchers for that day and reset the value of the next negative same to $9. Two consecutive negatives returned the schedule to the pre-reset value. The EN control condition consisted of vouchers delivered for providing scheduled samples, but independent of smoking status. The primary outcome was percentage of biochemically abstinent samples during phase 2. Secondary measures included abstinence status at final study visit, complete abstinence, participants' longest duration of continuous abstinence, cotinine and carbon monoxide (CO) levels and self-reported cigarettes per day. EC participants achieved greater smoking abstinence during phase 2 than EN participants [46.7 versus 23.5% negative samples, respectively; odds ratio (OR) = 2.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16-7.65, χ(2) 1  (=)  5.0, P = 0.02]. When longest duration of continuous abstinence was compared between experimental groups, EC participants achieved twice the mean duration of continuous abstinence compared with EN participants (3.31 versus 1.68 weeks; t61  = 1.83, P = 0.07). An effect of experimental condition was also seen on mean cotinine levels (42.5 versus 210.6 ng/ml, respectively; F1,61 =5.9, P = 0.02). Among opioid-maintained smokers receiving an initial period of daily contingent incentives, a contingent reinforcement intervention appears to be more effective at extending smoking abstinence than noncontingent reinforcement over 10 weeks. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Partner-assisted emotional disclosure for patients with GI cancer: 8-week follow-up and processes associated with change.

PubMed

Porter, Laura S; Keefe, Francis J; Baucom, Donald H; Hurwitz, Herbert; Moser, Barry; Patterson, Emily; Kim, Hong Jin

2012-08-01

We recently reported that a partner-assisted emotional disclosure intervention for gastrointestinal cancer led to improvements in relationship quality and intimacy for couples in which the patient initially reported higher levels of holding back from discussing cancer-related concerns. The purposes of the present study were to examine outcomes at 8-week follow-up and process variables that may influence treatment effects. One hundred thirty couples were randomly assigned to either partner-assisted emotional disclosure or an education/support control condition. Participants completed measures of relationship quality, intimacy, and psychological distress before randomization, post-treatment, and 8 weeks later. Patients in the disclosure intervention completed measures of negative affect immediately following each treatment session, and their level of expressiveness during the sessions was rated by trained observers. Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Among couples in which the patient initially reported higher levels of holding back, the disclosure intervention led to improvements in relationship quality and intimacy that were maintained at 8-weeks follow-up. High levels of patient expressiveness during the disclosure sessions were associated with improvements in relationship quality and intimacy, and high levels of patient negative affect immediately following the sessions were associated with reductions in psychological distress at the post-test assessment. For couples in which the patient tends to hold back from discussing concerns, partner-assisted emotional disclosure is a beneficial intervention leading to improvements in relationship functioning that maintain over time. Future research is needed to examine methods of enhancing intervention effects, including encouraging patient expressiveness and negative affect during the sessions.

Social stressors and cardiovascular response: influence of ambivalent relationships and behavioral ambivalence.

PubMed

Holt-Lunstad, Julianne; Clark, Benjamin D

2014-09-01

The protective influence of social relationships on health is well documented; however, not all relationships are positive and negative aspects of relationships may be detrimental. Relatively less is known about the relationships characterized by both positivity and negativity (i.e., ambivalence). The goal of this study was to examine the relative influence of ambivalence in relationship quality and social behavior on cardiovascular response. 104 healthy young adults were randomly assigned to bring in either a supportive or ambivalent same-sex friend to the experiment. Participants were also randomly assigned to receive positive, negative, ambivalent or ambiguous feedback from their friend after giving a series of speeches. Cardiovascular response was obtained before, during, and after the social stressor (speech task). Results indicate a significant effect of relationship type before, during, and after the stressor task. Adjusting for baseline, heart rate reactivity and anxiety was significantly higher among those assigned to ambivalent friends relative to those assigned to supportive friends during the stressor task (ps<.05). There was also a significant effect of behavioral feedback during the speech task, such that those receiving ambivalent messages had the greatest systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity (p<.05); however, there was no interaction between relationship and feedback conditions. Those in the ambivalent friend condition also exhibited significantly higher SBP, DBP, and anxiety during the baseline and recovery periods (ps<.05). These findings suggest that both relationship quality and the actions of relationships may have a significant influence on health-relevant physiology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The efficacy and safety of irsogladine maleate in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug or aspirin-induced peptic ulcer and gastritis.

PubMed

Shim, Ki-Nam; Kim, Jin Il; Kim, Nayoung; Kim, Sang Gyun; Jo, Yun Ju; Hong, Su Jin; Shin, Jeong Eun; Kim, Gwang Ha; Park, Kyung Sik; Choi, Suck Chei; Kwon, Joong Goo; Kim, Jie-Hyun; Kim, Hyun Jin; Kim, Ji Won

2018-06-01

Irsogladine maleate, an enhancer of gastric mucosal protective factors, has demonstrated its efficacy for various gastric mucosal injuries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of irsogladine for prevention of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or aspirin-induced peptic ulcer and gastritis. In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, exploratory clinical trial, 100 patients over 50 years of age who needed continuous NSAIDs or aspirin for more than 8 weeks were randomly assigned to either test group (irsogladine maleate 2 mg, twice daily, 39 patients for full analysis) or placebo group (37 patients for full analysis). Primary outcomes were incidence of peptic ulcer and ratio of modified Lanza score (MLS) 2 to 4. Secondary outcome was the number of acute erosions confirmed by endoscopy at 8 weeks. Adverse effects were also compared. There were no significant differences in gastric protective effects between test and placebo groups. However, two cases of peptic ulcer in the placebo group but none in the test group were observed. These two cases of peptic ulcer were Helicobacter pylori-negative. In addition, H. pylori-negative group showed significant changes in MLS score (p = 0.0247) and edema score (p = 0.0154) after the treatment compared to those before treatment in the test group. There was no significant difference in adverse events between the two groups. The efficacy of irsogladine maleate was found in H. pylori-negative group, suggesting its potential as a protective agent against NSAIDs or aspirin-induced peptic ulcer and gastritis.

Single-Session Personalized Cognitive Counseling to Change HIV Risk Behavior among HIV-Negative Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Two-Part Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McPhee, Brian; Skinta, Matthew D.; Paul, Jay; Dilley, James W.

2012-01-01

Two previous randomized controlled clinical trials have shown the effectiveness of a single-session cognitive intervention, personalized cognitive counseling (PCC), in decreasing HIV risk among men who have sex with men (MSM; Dilley et al., 2002; Dilley et al., 2007). PCC is a counseling technique based on social cognitive theory and the stages of…

Changes in negative implicit evaluations in patients of hypochondriasis after treatment with cognitive therapy or exposure therapy.

PubMed

Schreiber, Franziska; Witthöft, Michael; Neng, Julia M B; Weck, Florian

2016-03-01

Previous studies using modified versions of the Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP; Payne, Cheng, Govorun, & Stewart, 2005) have revealed that there is an implicit negative evaluation bias of illness-related information in patients with hypochondriasis (HYP), which might be a maintaining feature of HYP. However, there is no evidence on whether this bias might be targeted successfully by effective treatments, such as exposure therapy (ET) or cognitive therapy (CT). This is the first study to examine the change in negative implicit evaluations in a randomized controlled trial, including individual CT and ET, compared to a wait-list control group for HYP. An AMP with illness, symptom and neutral primes was used in 70 patients with HYP before and after treatment (wait-list respectively). There was no significant change in negative implicit affective evaluations in both CT and ET, compared to wait-list. However, comparisons between the two active treatments revealed an interaction effect, that only for CT were the affective reactions on illness-as well as symptom-related prime trials (but not neutral primes) significantly more positive at post-compared to pre-treatment. In CT but not in ET, the reduction of implicit negative evaluation bias regarding symptom-related primes was significantly related to the reduction of self-reported health anxiety. The small subsample sizes for CT and ET, in comparison to wait-list, prohibit the detection of smaller effects. Formal cognitive restructuring is necessary for reducing implicit negative evaluation bias in HYP, but the latter is not a prerequisite for reducing health anxiety. Thus, the importance of the negative implicit evaluation bias for the maintenance of HYP remains questionable. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy of reboxetine and citalopram as adjuncts to atypical antipsychotics for negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

PubMed

Usall, Judith; López-Carrilero, Raquel; Iniesta, Raquel; Roca, Mercedes; Caballero, Montserrat; Rodriguez-Jimenez, Roberto; Oliveira, Cristina; Bernardo, Miguel; Corripio, Iluminada; Sindreu, Santiago Durán; González Piqueras, Jose Carlos; Felipe, Ana Espliego; Fernandez de Corres, Blanca; Ibáñez, Angela; Huerta, Raúl

2014-06-01

In this study, we assessed the efficacy of 2 pharmacodynamically different antidepressants, citalopram (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) and reboxetine (a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor), as adjunctive therapy to risperidone and olanzapine for the treatment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. We performed a 6-month, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The recruitment period was from November 2008 to December 2011.The sample comprised 90 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (DSM-IV criteria) who exhibited negative symptoms. The patients were recruited from 10 centers in different cities of the Spanish State. The primary efficacy measure was change in score on the negative subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) between baseline and 6-month assessment. Other efficacy measures were changes in the PANSS subscales and total score, as well as the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) subscales and total score. For statistical analysis, we employed mixed-effects models. We did not find statistically significant differences between the placebo group and the 2 treatment groups at 6-month assessments for the PANSS total (P=.6511), any PANSS subscale (negative [P=.5533], positive [P=.1723], or general psychopathology [P=.2083]), or the SANS (P= .5884). Cohen d measure showed a small effect size below the 0.5 threshold for all comparisons. In conclusion, our results do not support adjunctive use of citalopram or reboxetine with risperidone or olanzapine for the treatment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01300364. © Copyright 2014 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Effect of Lepidium meyenii Walp. on Semen Parameters and Serum Hormone Levels in Healthy Adult Men: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Melnikovova, Ingrid; Fait, Tomas; Kolarova, Michaela; Fernandez, Eloy C.

2015-01-01

Background/Aims. Products of Lepidium meyenii Walp. (maca) are touted worldwide as an alimentary supplement to enhance fertility and restore hormonal balance. Enhancing properties of maca on semen parameters in animals were previously reported by various authors, but we present to the best of our knowledge the first double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial in men. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of maca on semen parameters and serum hormone levels in healthy adult men. Methods. A group of 20 volunteers aged 20–40 years was supplied by milled hypocotyl of maca or placebo (1.75 g/day) for 12 weeks. Negative controls of semen were compared to the samples after 6 and 12 weeks of maca administration; negative blood controls were compared to the samples after 12 weeks of treatment. Results. Sperm concentration and motility showed rising trends compared to placebo even though levels of hormones did not change significantly after 12 weeks of trial. Conclusion. Our results indicate that maca possesses fertility enhancing properties in men. As long as men prefer to use alimentary supplement to enhance fertility rather than prescribed medication or any medical intervention, it is worth continuing to assess its possible benefits. PMID:26421049

Social problem-solving among adolescents treated for depression.

PubMed

Becker-Weidman, Emily G; Jacobs, Rachel H; Reinecke, Mark A; Silva, Susan G; March, John S

2010-01-01

Studies suggest that deficits in social problem-solving may be associated with increased risk of depression and suicidality in children and adolescents. It is unclear, however, which specific dimensions of social problem-solving are related to depression and suicidality among youth. Moreover, rational problem-solving strategies and problem-solving motivation may moderate or predict change in depression and suicidality among children and adolescents receiving treatment. The effect of social problem-solving on acute treatment outcomes were explored in a randomized controlled trial of 439 clinically depressed adolescents enrolled in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS). Measures included the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R), the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire--Grades 7-9 (SIQ-Jr), and the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R). A random coefficients regression model was conducted to examine main and interaction effects of treatment and SPSI-R subscale scores on outcomes during the 12-week acute treatment stage. Negative problem orientation, positive problem orientation, and avoidant problem-solving style were non-specific predictors of depression severity. In terms of suicidality, avoidant problem-solving style and impulsiveness/carelessness style were predictors, whereas negative problem orientation and positive problem orientation were moderators of treatment outcome. Implications of these findings, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dissonance and Healthy Weight Eating Disorder Prevention Programs: Long-Term Effects from a Randomized Efficacy Trial

PubMed Central

Stice, Eric; Marti, C. Nathan; Spoor, Sonja; Presnell, Katherine; Shaw, Heather

2009-01-01

Adolescent girls with body dissatisfaction (N=481; SD=1.4) were randomized to a dissonance-based thin-ideal internalization reduction program, healthy weight control program, expressive-writing control condition, or assessment-only control condition. Dissonance participants showed significantly greater decreases in thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, negative affect, eating disorder symptoms, and psychosocial impairment, and lower risk for eating pathology onset through 2–3 year follow-up than assessment-only controls. Dissonance participants showed greater decreases in thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, and psychosocial impairment than expressive-writing controls. Healthy weight participants showed greater decreases in thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, negative affect, eating disorder symptoms, and psychosocial impairment, less increases in weight, and lower risk for eating pathology and obesity onset through 2–3 year follow-up than assessment-only controls. Healthy weight participants showed greater decreases in thin-ideal internalization and weight than expressive writing controls. Dissonance participants showed a 60% reduction in risk for eating pathology onset and healthy weight participants showed a 61% reduction in risk for eating pathology onset and a 55% reduction in risk for obesity onset relative to assessment-only controls through 3-year follow-up, implying that the effects are clinically important and enduring. PMID:18377128

Diagnostic value of secreted frizzled-related protein 2 gene promoter hypermethylation in stool for colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhiran; Zhang, Huitian; Lei, Yunxia

2016-10-01

To evaluate the diagnostic value of secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) gene promoter hypermethylation in stool for colorectal cancer (CRC). Open published diagnostic study of SFRP2 gene promoter hypermethylation in stool for CRC detection was electronic searched in the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. The data of true positive, false positive false negative, and true negative identified by stool SFRP2 gene hypermethylation was extracted and pooled for diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we finally included nine publications with 792 cases in the meta-analysis. Thus, the diagnostic sensitivity was aggregated through random effect model. The pooled sensitivity was 0.82 with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of 0.79-0.85; the pooled specificity and its corresponding 95% CI were 0.47 and 0.40-0.53 by the random effect model; we pooled the SROC curve by sensitivity versus specificity according to data published in the nine studies. The area under the SROC curve was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.65-0.73). SFRP2 gene promoter hypermethylation in stool can was a potential biomarker for CRC diagnosis with relative high sensitivity.

Effect of Lepidium meyenii Walp. on Semen Parameters and Serum Hormone Levels in Healthy Adult Men: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study.

PubMed

Melnikovova, Ingrid; Fait, Tomas; Kolarova, Michaela; Fernandez, Eloy C; Milella, Luigi

2015-01-01

Background/Aims. Products of Lepidium meyenii Walp. (maca) are touted worldwide as an alimentary supplement to enhance fertility and restore hormonal balance. Enhancing properties of maca on semen parameters in animals were previously reported by various authors, but we present to the best of our knowledge the first double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial in men. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of maca on semen parameters and serum hormone levels in healthy adult men. Methods. A group of 20 volunteers aged 20-40 years was supplied by milled hypocotyl of maca or placebo (1.75 g/day) for 12 weeks. Negative controls of semen were compared to the samples after 6 and 12 weeks of maca administration; negative blood controls were compared to the samples after 12 weeks of treatment. Results. Sperm concentration and motility showed rising trends compared to placebo even though levels of hormones did not change significantly after 12 weeks of trial. Conclusion. Our results indicate that maca possesses fertility enhancing properties in men. As long as men prefer to use alimentary supplement to enhance fertility rather than prescribed medication or any medical intervention, it is worth continuing to assess its possible benefits.

Examination of the Effect of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators on Health-Related Quality of Life

PubMed Central

Noyes, Katia; Corona, Ethan; Veazie, Peter; Dick, Andrew W.; Zhao, Hongwei; Moss, Arthur J.

2015-01-01

Background While implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) improve survival, their benefit in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is negligible. Objective To examine how shocks and congestive heart failure (CHF) mediate the effect of ICDs on HRQOL. Methods The US patients from the MADIT-II (Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Trial-II) trial (n = 983) were randomized to receive an ICD or medical treatment only. HRQOL was assessed using the Health Utility Index 3 at baseline and 3, 12, 24, and 36 months following randomization. Logistic regressions were used to test for the effect of ICDs on the CHF indicator, and linear regressions were used to examine the effect of ICD shocks and CHF on HRQOL in living patients. We used a Monte Carlo simulation and a parametric Weibull distribution survival model to test for the effect of selective attrition. Observations were clustered by patients and robust standard errors (RSEs) were used to control for the non-independence of multiple observations provided by the same patient. Results Patients in the ICD arm had 41% higher odds of experiencing CHF since their last assessment compared with those in the control arm (RSE = 0.19, p = 0.01). Developing CHF reduced HRQOL at the subsequent visit by 0.07 (p < 0.01). Having ICD shocks reduced overall HRQOL by 0.04 (p = 0.04) at the subsequent assessment. The negative effect of ICD firing on HRQOL was an order of magnitude greater than the effect of CHF. Conclusions A higher prevalence of CHF and shocks among patients with ICDs and their negative effect on HRQOL may partially explain the lack of HRQOL benefit of ICD therapy. PMID:19929037

Stochastic Seismic Response of an Algiers Site with Random Depth to Bedrock

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

Badaoui, M.; Mebarki, A.; Berrah, M. K.

2010-05-21

Among the important effects of the Boumerdes earthquake (Algeria, May 21{sup st} 2003) was that, within the same zone, the destructions in certain parts were more important than in others. This phenomenon is due to site effects which alter the characteristics of seismic motions and cause concentration of damage during earthquakes. Local site effects such as thickness and mechanical properties of soil layers have important effects on the surface ground motions.This paper deals with the effect of the randomness aspect of the depth to bedrock (soil layers heights) which is assumed to be a random variable with lognormal distribution. Thismore » distribution is suitable for strictly non-negative random variables with large values of the coefficient of variation. In this case, Monte Carlo simulations are combined with the stiffness matrix method, used herein as a deterministic method, for evaluating the effect of the depth to bedrock uncertainty on the seismic response of a multilayered soil. This study considers a P and SV wave propagation pattern using input accelerations collected at Keddara station, located at 20 km from the epicenter, as it is located directly on the bedrock.A parametric study is conducted do derive the stochastic behavior of the peak ground acceleration and its response spectrum, the transfer function and the amplification factors. It is found that the soil height heterogeneity causes a widening of the frequency content and an increase in the fundamental frequency of the soil profile, indicating that the resonance phenomenon concerns a larger number of structures.« less

The effect of meaningfulness and integrative processing in expressive writing on positive and negative affect and life satisfaction.

PubMed

Schutte, Nicola S; Searle, Trudy; Meade, Stephen; Dark, Neill A

2012-01-01

Meaningfulness and integrative processing of expressive writing may influence the effect of expressive writing. Participants completed measures of positive affect, negative affect and life satisfaction before and after an expressive writing intervention. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four expressive writing instruction conditions, which combined higher and lower levels of meaning and integrative processing instructions. Meaningfulness and integrative processing instructions had significant effects in increasing positive affect and there was a significant interaction between meaningfulness instructions and integrative processing instructions; participants in the high meaningfulness and high integrative processing instruction condition showed the greatest increase in positive affect. Meaningfulness had a significant effect in decreasing negative affect. The intervention did not influence life satisfaction. Both meaningfulness and integrative processing instructions led to more self-reported personal meaningfulness of the writing and more cognitive, emotional, behavioural and situational changes. More self-reported meaningfulness of the writing and more cognitive, emotional, behavioural and situational changes made as a result of the writing were in turn associated with greater increases in positive affect. The results of the study affirm the importance of meaningfulness and processing in expressive writing and potentially provide information regarding how to increase the effectiveness of expressive writing.

An Experimental Exploration of the Effects of Exposure to Images of Nature on Rumination

PubMed Central

Gatersleben, Birgitta; Cropley, Mark

2018-01-01

Exposure to natural environments has been shown to have beneficial effects on mood. Rumination is a thinking style associated with negative mood, and sometimes depression, and is characterized by repetitive, intrusive thoughts, often with a negative emotional element. This study investigated whether exposure to nature, operationalized using photographs presented as a slideshow, could aid reduction in levels of state rumination. An experimental, within-between (Time x Condition) participant design was used; participants (n = 58) undertook a presentation task designed to induce rumination and influence mood. Participants were then randomly allocated to either: watch a slideshow of a natural environment, watch a slideshow of an urban environment, or wait patiently with no distractions. Data were collected at baseline, after the presentation, and after the slideshow. Environmental exposure had no effect on levels of rumination or negative mood, but did have a significant effect on levels of positive mood, ‘being away’, and ‘fascination’. Positive mood declined in those who saw the urban slideshow, but remained the same in those who saw the nature slideshow, whilst levels of being away and fascination were highest in those who saw the nature slideshow. This study extends previous restorative environment research by exploring the effects of nature on rumination. PMID:29425140

An Experimental Exploration of the Effects of Exposure to Images of Nature on Rumination.

PubMed

Golding, Sarah Elizabeth; Gatersleben, Birgitta; Cropley, Mark

2018-02-09

Exposure to natural environments has been shown to have beneficial effects on mood. Rumination is a thinking style associated with negative mood, and sometimes depression, and is characterized by repetitive, intrusive thoughts, often with a negative emotional element. This study investigated whether exposure to nature, operationalized using photographs presented as a slideshow, could aid reduction in levels of state rumination. An experimental, within-between (Time x Condition) participant design was used; participants ( n = 58) undertook a presentation task designed to induce rumination and influence mood. Participants were then randomly allocated to either: watch a slideshow of a natural environment, watch a slideshow of an urban environment, or wait patiently with no distractions. Data were collected at baseline, after the presentation, and after the slideshow. Environmental exposure had no effect on levels of rumination or negative mood, but did have a significant effect on levels of positive mood, 'being away', and 'fascination'. Positive mood declined in those who saw the urban slideshow, but remained the same in those who saw the nature slideshow, whilst levels of being away and fascination were highest in those who saw the nature slideshow. This study extends previous restorative environment research by exploring the effects of nature on rumination.

Children's feedback preferences in response to an experimentally manipulated peer evaluation outcome: the role of depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Reijntjes, Albert; Dekovic, Maja; Vermande, Marjolijn; Telch, Michael J

2007-06-01

The present study examined the linkage between pre-adolescent children's depressive symptoms and their preferences for receiving positive vs. negative feedback subsequent to being faced with an experimentally manipulated peer evaluation outcome in real time. Participants (n = 142) ages 10 to 13, played a computer contest based on the television show Survivor and were randomized to either a peer rejection (i.e., receiving the lowest total 'likeability' score from a group of peer-judges), a peer success (i.e., receiving the highest score), or a control peer evaluation condition. Children's self-reported feedback preferences were then assessed. Results revealed that participants assigned to the negative evaluation outcome, relative to either the success or the control outcome, showed a significantly higher subsequent preference for negatively tuned feedback. Contrary to previous work and predictions derived from self-verification theory, children higher in depressive symptoms were only more likely to prefer negative feedback in response to the negative peer evaluation outcome. These effects for depression were not accounted for by either state mood at baseline or mood change in response to the feedback manipulation.

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

Effects of emotionally valenced working memory taxation on negative memories.

PubMed

Tsai, Cynthia; McNally, Richard J

2014-03-01

Memories enter a labile state during recollection. Thus, memory changes that occur during recollection can affect future instances of its activation. Having subjects perform a secondary task that taxes working memory while they recall a negative emotional memory often reduces its vividness and emotional intensity during subsequent recollections. However, researchers have not manipulated the emotional valence of the secondary task itself. Subjects viewed a video depicting the aftermath of three fatal road traffic accidents, establishing the same negative emotional memory for all subjects. We then tested their memory for the video after randomly assigning them to no secondary task or a delayed match-to-sample secondary task involving photographs of positive, negative, or neutral emotional valence. The positive secondary task reduced memory for details about the video, whereas negative and neutral tasks did not. We did not assess the vividness and emotionality of the subjects' memory of the video. Having subjects recall a stressful experience while performing a positively valent secondary task can decrement details of the memory and perhaps its emotionality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The efficacy and safety of blonanserin compared with haloperidol in acute-phase schizophrenia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study.

PubMed

Garcia, Esther; Robert, Marta; Peris, Francesc; Nakamura, Hiroshi; Sato, Noriko; Terazawa, Yoshikatsu

2009-01-01

Blonanserin is a novel atypical antipsychotic agent with potent dopamine D(2) and serotonin 5-HT(2) antagonist properties. It may potentially have a lower incidence of adverse events than other antipsychotic agents. To determine the efficacy and safety of three doses of blonanserin compared with placebo and haloperidol in patients with acute-phase schizophrenia. This was a 6-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo- and haloperidol-controlled, international, multicentre study. Patients with an acute exacerbation of their schizophrenia, with a Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score >/=70 and a Clinical Global Impression - Severity of Illness (CGI-S) score >/=4 ('moderately ill') [with no decrease >/=20% or >/=1 point, respectively, during the wash-out period] were randomized into one of five treatment groups (blonanserin 2.5, 5 or 10 mg, haloperidol 10 mg or placebo once daily). Patients were assessed weekly for clinical efficacy, adverse events, extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and drug compliance, and were assessed biweekly for other safety variables. All 307 randomized patients received at least one dose of study medication and 228 (74.3%) completed the study. The mean reduction in PANSS total score at week 6 was significantly greater with all active treatments compared with placebo (-12.58; p < 0.001); blonanserin 10 mg was significantly superior to blonanserin 2.5 mg (-30.18 vs -20.6; p < 0.001), but blonanserin 5 mg (-27.19) and haloperidol 10 mg (-28.16) were not. All active treatments showed greater efficacy against the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, and blonanserin (5 and 10 mg) was more effective against the negative symptoms than haloperidol. Blonanserin was well tolerated at all doses and there was no evidence of clinically important weight gain, orthostatic hypotension, corrected QT interval prolongation or clinically relevant changes in laboratory test results. Haloperidol caused persistent elevation in prolactin levels, but this was not seen with any dose of blonanserin throughout the study period. There was a lower incidence of EPS with blonanserin 10 mg (26.6%) than with haloperidol 10 mg (53.3%). Blonanserin was effective in the treatment of acute schizophrenia and showed greater efficacy in negative symptoms compared with placebo and haloperidol. Blonanserin was well tolerated and its safety profile compared favourably with haloperidol, particularly with respect to prolactin elevation and EPS frequency.

You have been framed! How antecedents of information need mediate the effects of risk communication messages.

PubMed

Terpstra, T; Zaalberg, R; de Boer, J; Botzen, W J W

2014-08-01

This study investigates the processes that mediate the effects of framing flood risks on people's information needs. Insight into the effects of risk frames is important for developing balanced risk communication that explains both risks and benefits of living near water. The research was inspired by the risk information seeking and processing model and related models. In a web-based survey, respondents (n = 1,457) were randomly assigned to one of three communication frames or a control frame (experimental conditions). Each frame identically explained flood risk and additionally refined the message by emphasizing climate change, the quality of flood risk management, or the amenities of living near water. We tested the extent to which risk perceptions, trust, and affective responses mediate the framing effects on information need. As expected, the frames on average resulted in higher information need than the control frame. Attempts to lower fear appeal by stressing safety or amenities instead of climate change were marginally successful, a phenomenon that is known as a "negativity bias." Framing effects were mediated by negative attributes (risk perception and negative affect) but not by positive attributes (trust and positive affect). This finding calls for theoretical refinement. Practically, communication messages will be more effective when they stimulate risk perceptions and evoke negative affect. However, arousal of fear may have unwanted side effects. For instance, fear arousal could lead to lower levels of trust in risk management among citizens. Regular monitoring of citizens' attitudes is important to prevent extreme levels of distrust or cynicism. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Biased and greedy random walks on two-dimensional lattices with quenched randomness: The greedy ant within a disordered environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitran, T. L.; Melchert, O.; Hartmann, A. K.

2013-12-01

The main characteristics of biased greedy random walks (BGRWs) on two-dimensional lattices with real-valued quenched disorder on the lattice edges are studied. Here the disorder allows for negative edge weights. In previous studies, considering the negative-weight percolation (NWP) problem, this was shown to change the universality class of the existing, static percolation transition. In the presented study, four different types of BGRWs and an algorithm based on the ant colony optimization heuristic were considered. Regarding the BGRWs, the precise configurations of the lattice walks constructed during the numerical simulations were influenced by two parameters: a disorder parameter ρ that controls the amount of negative edge weights on the lattice and a bias strength B that governs the drift of the walkers along a certain lattice direction. The random walks are “greedy” in the sense that the local optimal choice of the walker is to preferentially traverse edges with a negative weight (associated with a net gain of “energy” for the walker). Here, the pivotal observable is the probability that, after termination, a lattice walk exhibits a total negative weight, which is here considered as percolating. The behavior of this observable as function of ρ for different bias strengths B is put under scrutiny. Upon tuning ρ, the probability to find such a feasible lattice walk increases from zero to 1. This is the key feature of the percolation transition in the NWP model. Here, we address the question how well the transition point ρc, resulting from numerically exact and “static” simulations in terms of the NWP model, can be resolved using simple dynamic algorithms that have only local information available, one of the basic questions in the physics of glassy systems.

Communicating advanced cancer patients' symptoms via the Internet: a pooled analysis of two randomized trials examining caregiver preparedness, physical burden, and negative mood.

PubMed

Chih, Ming-Yuan; DuBenske, Lori L; Hawkins, Robert P; Brown, Roger L; Dinauer, Susan K; Cleary, James F; Gustafson, David H

2013-06-01

Using available communication technologies, clinicians may offer timely support to family caregivers in managing symptoms in patients with advanced cancer at home. To assess the effects of an online symptom reporting system on caregiver preparedness, physical burden, and negative mood. A pooled analysis of two randomized trials (NCT00214162 and NCT00365963) was conducted to compare caregiver outcomes at 6 and 12 months after intervention between two randomized, unblinded groups using General Linear Mixed Modeling. Caregivers in one group (Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System-Only) were given access to an interactive cancer communication system, the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System. Those in the other group (Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System + Clinician Report) received access to Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System plus an online symptom reporting system called the Clinician Report. Clinicians of patients in the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System + Clinician Report group received e-mail alerts notifying them when a symptom distress was reported over a predetermined threshold. Dyads (n = 235) of advanced-stage lung, breast, and prostate cancer patients and their adult caregivers were recruited at five outpatient oncology clinics in the United States. Caregivers in the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System + Clinician Report group reported less negative mood than those in the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System-Only group at both 6 months (p = 0.009) and 12 months (p = 0.004). Groups were not significantly different on caregiver preparedness or physical burden at either time point. This study provides new evidence that by using an online symptom reporting system, caregivers may experience less emotional distress due to the Clinician Report's timely communication of caregiving needs in symptom management to clinicians.

Impact of Viral Status on Survival in Patients Receiving Sorafenib for Advanced Hepatocellular Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Phase III Trials.

PubMed

Jackson, Richard; Psarelli, Eftychia-Eirini; Berhane, Sarah; Khan, Harun; Johnson, Philip

2017-02-20

Purpose Following the Sorafenib Hepatocellular Carcinoma Assessment Randomized Protocol (SHARP) trial, sorafenib has become the standard of care for patients with advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, but the relation between survival advantage and disease etiology remains unclear. To address this, we undertook an individual patient data meta-analysis of three large prospective randomized trials in which sorafenib was the control arm. Methods Of a total of 3,256 patients, 1,643 (50%) who received sorafenib were available. The primary end point was overall survival (OS). A Bayesian hierarchical approach for individual patient data meta-analyses was applied using a piecewise exponential model. Results are presented in terms of hazard ratios comparing sorafenib with alternative therapies according to hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV) status. Results Hazard ratios show improved OS for sorafenib in patients who are both HBV negative and HCV positive (log [hazard ratio], -0.27; 95% CI, -0.46 to -0.06). Median unadjusted survival is 12.6 (11.15 to 13.8) months for sorafenib and 10.2 (8.88 to 12.2) months for "other" treatments in this subgroup. There was no evidence of improvement in OS for any other patient subgroups defined by HBV and HCV. Results were consistent across all trials with heterogeneity assessed using Cochran's Q statistic. Conclusion There is consistent evidence that the effect of sorafenib on OS is dependent on patients' hepatitis status. There is an improved OS for patients negative for HBV and positive for HCV when treated with sorafenib. There was no evidence of any improvement in OS attributable to sorafenib for patients positive for HBV and negative for HCV.

Efficacy of human papillomavirus-based screen-and-treat for cervical cancer prevention among HIV-infected women.

PubMed

Kuhn, Louise; Wang, Chunhui; Tsai, Wei-Yann; Wright, Thomas C; Denny, Lynette

2010-10-23

Cervical cancer prevention should be provided as part of primary healthcare services for HIV-infected women but conventional screening programs are difficult to implement in low-resource settings. Here, we evaluate the efficacy among HIV-infected women of a simpler, screen-and-treat strategy in which all women with a positive screening test are treated with cryotherapy. We conducted a randomized clinical trial of two screen-and-treat strategies among 6555 women in Cape Town, South Africa, among whom 956 were HIV-positive. Women were randomized to screen-and-treat utilizing either human papillomavirus DNA testing or visual inspection with acetic acid as the screening method or to a control group. Women were followed for up to 36 months after randomization with colposcopy and biopsy to determine the study endpoint of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or higher. In the control group, HIV-positive women had higher rates of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or higher detected by 36 months (14.9%) than HIV-negative women (4.6%) (P = 0.0006). Screen-and-treat utilizing human papillomavirus DNA testing significantly reduced cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or higher through 36 months in both HIV-positive (relative risk = 0.20, 95% confidence interval 0.06-0.69) and HIV-negative women (relative risk = 0.31, 95% confidence interval 0.20-0.50). Reductions in the visual inspection with acetic acid-and-treat group were less marked. Complications of cryotherapy were mostly minor and did not differ in frequency between HIV-positive and HIV-negative women. Screen-and-treat using human papillomavirus testing is a simple and effective method to reduce high-grade cervical cancer precursors in HIV-infected women.

A comparison of three strategies for reducing the public stigma associated with stuttering.

PubMed

Boyle, Michael P; Dioguardi, Lauren; Pate, Julie E

2016-12-01

The effects of three anti-stigma strategies for stuttering-contact (hearing personal stories from an individual who stutters), education (replacing myths about stuttering with facts), and protest (condemning negative attitudes toward people who stutter)-were examined on attitudes, emotions, and behavioral intentions toward people who stutter. Two hundred and twelve adults recruited from a nationwide survey in the United States were randomly assigned to one of the three anti-stigma conditions or a control condition. Participants completed questionnaires about stereotypes, negative emotional reactions, social distance, discriminatory intentions, and empowerment regarding people who stutter prior to and after watching a video for the assigned condition, and reported their attitude changes about people who stutter. Some participants completed follow-up questionnaires on the same measures one week later. All three anti-stigma strategies were more effective than the control condition for reducing stereotypes, negative emotions, and discriminatory intentions from pretest to posttest. Education and protest effects for reducing negative stereotypes were maintained at one-week follow-up. Contact had the most positive effect for increasing affirming attitudes about people who stutter from pretest to posttest and pretest to follow-up. Participants in the contact and education groups, but not protest, self-reported significantly more positive attitude change about people who stutter as a result of watching the video compared to the control group. Advocates in the field of stuttering can use education and protest strategies to reduce negative attitudes about people who stutter, and people who stutter can increase affirming attitudes through interpersonal contact with others. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preventing Negative Behaviors Among Elementary-School Students Through Enhancing Students’ Social-Emotional and Character Development

PubMed Central

Snyder, Frank J.; Acock, Alan C.; Vuchinich, Samuel; Beets, Michael W.; Washburn, Isaac J.; Flay, Brian R.

2013-01-01

Purpose Examine the effects of a comprehensive, school-wide social-emotional and character development program using a positive youth development perspective. Specifically, we examined a mediation mechanism whereby positive academic-related behaviors mediated the intervention effects on substance use, violence, and sexual activity. Design Matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled design. Setting Twenty (10 intervention and 10 control) racially/ethnically diverse schools in Hawaii. Subjects Elementary-aged students (N = 1784) from grade 5. Intervention The Positive Action program. Measures Students self-reported their academic behaviors, together with their substance use, violence, and voluntary sexual activity; teachers rated students’ academic behaviors, substance use, and violence. Analysis Structural equation modeling. Results Students attending intervention schools reported significantly better academic behavior (B = .273, SE = .039, p < .001) and significantly less substance use (B = −.970, SE = .292, p < .01, incidence-rate ratio [IRR] = .379), violence (B = −1.410, SE = .296, p < .001, IRR= .244), and sexual activity (B = − 2.415, SE = .608, p < .001, odds ratio = .089); boys reported more negative behaviors than girls. Intervention effects on student-reported substance use, violence, and sexual activity were mediated by positive academic behavior. Teacher reports corroborated these results, with rated academic behavior partially mediating the effects of the intervention on rated negative behaviors. Conclusion This study (1) provides evidence that adds insight into one mechanism through which a social-emotional and character development program affects negative outcomes and (2) supports social-emotional and character development and positive youth development perspectives that posit that focusing on youths’ assets may reduce negative behaviors. PMID:23470183

Stress and alcohol use in rural Chinese residents: A moderated mediation model examining the roles of resilience and negative emotions.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Chen, Xinguang

2015-10-01

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. 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. 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. 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. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mediators of the Association of Major Depressive Syndrome and Anxiety Syndrome with Postpartum Smoking Relapse

PubMed Central

Correa-Fernández, Virmarie; Ji, Lingyun; Castro, Yessenia; Heppner, Whitney L.; Vidrine, Jennifer Irvin; Costello, Tracy J.; Mullen, Patricia Dolan; Cofta-Woerpel, Ludmila; Velasquez, Mary M.; Greisinger, Anthony; Cinciripini, Paul M.; Wetter, David W.

2012-01-01

Objective Based on conceptual models of addiction and affect regulation, this study examined the mechanisms linking current major depressive syndrome (MDS) and anxiety syndrome (AS) to postpartum smoking relapse. Method Data were collected in a randomized clinical trial from 251 women who quit smoking during pregnancy. Simple and multiple mediation models of the relations of MDS and AS with postpartum relapse were examined using linear regression, continuation ratio logit models, and a Bootstrapping procedure to test the indirect effects. Results Both MDS and AS significantly predicted postpartum smoking relapse. After adjusting for MDS, AS significantly predicted relapse. However, after adjusting for AS, MDS no longer predicted relapse. Situationally-based self-efficacy, expectancies of controlling negative affect by means other than smoking, and various dimensions of primary and secondary tobacco dependence individually mediated the effect of both MDS and AS on relapse. In multiple mediation models, self-efficacy in negative/affective situations significantly mediated the effect of MDS and AS on relapse. Conclusion The findings underscore the negative impact of depression and anxiety on postpartum smoking relapse, and suggest that the effects of MDS on postpartum relapse may be largely explained by comorbid AS. The current investigation provided mixed support for affect regulation models of addiction. Cognitive and tobacco dependence-related aspects of negative and positive reinforcement significantly mediated the relationship of depression and anxiety with relapse, while affect and stress did not. The findings emphasize the unique role of low agency with respect to abstaining from smoking in negative affective situations as a key predictor of postpartum smoking relapse. PMID:22390410

Mediators of the association of major depressive syndrome and anxiety syndrome with postpartum smoking relapse.

PubMed

Correa-Fernández, Virmarie; Ji, Lingyun; Castro, Yessenia; Heppner, Whitney L; Vidrine, Jennifer Irvin; Costello, Tracy J; Mullen, Patricia Dolan; Cofta-Woerpel, Ludmila; Velasquez, Mary M; Greisinger, Anthony; Cinciripini, Paul M; Wetter, David W

2012-08-01

Based on conceptual models of addiction and affect regulation, this study examined the mechanisms linking current major depressive syndrome (MDS) and anxiety syndrome (AS) to postpartum smoking relapse. Data were collected in a randomized clinical trial from 251 women who quit smoking during pregnancy. Simple and multiple mediation models of the relations of MDS and AS with postpartum relapse were examined using linear regression, continuation ratio logit models, and a bootstrapping procedure to test the indirect effects. Both MDS and AS significantly predicted postpartum smoking relapse. After adjusting for MDS, AS significantly predicted relapse. However, after adjusting for AS, MDS no longer predicted relapse. Situationally based self-efficacy, expectancies of controlling negative affect by means other than smoking, and various dimensions of primary and secondary tobacco dependence individually mediated the effect of both MDS and AS on relapse. In multiple mediation models, self-efficacy in negative/affective situations significantly mediated the effect of MDS and AS on relapse. The findings underscore the negative impact of depression and anxiety on postpartum smoking relapse and suggest that the effects of MDS on postpartum relapse may be largely explained by comorbid AS. The current investigation provided mixed support for affect regulation models of addiction. Cognitive and tobacco dependence-related aspects of negative and positive reinforcement significantly mediated the relationship of depression and anxiety with relapse, whereas affect and stress did not. The findings emphasize the unique role of low agency with respect to abstaining from smoking in negative affective situations as a key predictor of postpartum smoking relapse. © 2012 American Psychological Association

Framing Effect in the Trolley Problem and Footbridge Dilemma.

PubMed

Cao, Fei; Zhang, Jiaxi; Song, Lei; Wang, Shoupeng; Miao, Danmin; Peng, Jiaxi

2017-02-01

The present study investigated the effect of dilemma type, framing, and number of saved lives on moral decision making. A total of 591 undergraduates, with a mean age of 20.56 (SD = 1.37) were randomly assigned to 12 groups on the basis of a grid of two dilemma types (the trolley problem or the footbridge dilemma) by three frames (positive, neutral, or negative frame) by two different numbers of workers (5 or 15 people). The main effects of dilemma type, frame, and number of saved workers were all significant. The interaction of dilemma type and number of saved workers and the interaction of the three independent factors were significant. Results indicated that moral judgment is affected by framing. Specifically, people were more inclined to utilitarianism in the positive or neutral frame and more inclined to intuitionism in the negative frame. Furthermore, this effect can be moderated by dilemma type and number of saved lives. Implications of our results are discussed.

Exploring the Influence of Differentiated Nutrition Information on Consumers' Mental Models Regarding Foods from Edible Insects: A Means-End Chain Analysis.

PubMed

Pambo, Kennedy O; Okello, Julius J; Mbeche, Robert M; Kinyuru, John N

2017-01-01

This study used a field experiment and means-end chain analysis to examine the effects of positive and perceived negative nutrition information on the households' motivations to consume insect-based foods. It used a random sample of households drawn from rural communities in Kenya. The study found that provision of nutrition information on benefits of edible insects and perceived negative aspects of insect-based foods influences participants' perceptions of insect-based foods and hence acceptance. We also found that tasting real products influenced the nature of mental constructs. The results provide marketers of edible insects with potential marketing messages for promotion.

Racial discrimination and the stress process.

PubMed

Ong, Anthony D; Fuller-Rowell, Thomas; Burrow, Anthony L

2009-06-01

The unique and combined effects of chronic and daily racial discrimination on psychological distress were examined in a sample of 174 African American doctoral students and graduates. Using a daily process design, 5 models of the stress process were tested. Multilevel random coefficient modeling analyses revealed that chronic exposure to racial discrimination predicted greater daily discrimination and psychological distress. Further, results show that differences in daily discrimination and negative events accounted for meaningful variation in daily distress responses. Finally, findings indicate that daily discrimination and negative events mediated the relationship between chronic discrimination and psychological distress. The study provides support for the need to measure chronic strains as distinctive from daily stressors in the lives of African Americans.

Plasmids as stochastic model systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulsson, Johan

2003-05-01

Plasmids are self-replicating gene clusters present in on average 2-100 copies per bacterial cell. To reduce random fluctuations and thereby avoid extinction, they ubiquitously autoregulate their own synthesis using negative feedback loops. Here I use van Kampen's Ω-expansion for a two-dimensional model of negative feedback including plasmids and ther replication inhibitors. This analytically summarizes the standard perspective on replication control -- including the effects of sensitivity amplification, exponential time-delays and noisy signaling. I further review the two most common molecular sensitivity mechanisms: multistep control and cooperativity. Finally, I discuss more controversial sensitivity schemes, such as noise-enhanced sensitivity, the exploitation of small-number combinatorics and double-layered feedback loops to suppress noise in disordered environments.

Profit intensity and cases of non-compliance with the law of demand/supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makowski, Marcin; Piotrowski, Edward W.; Sładkowski, Jan; Syska, Jacek

2017-05-01

We consider properties of the measurement intensity ρ of a random variable for which the probability density function represented by the corresponding Wigner function attains negative values on a part of the domain. We consider a simple economic interpretation of this problem. This model is used to present the applicability of the method to the analysis of the negative probability on markets where there are anomalies in the law of supply and demand (e.g. Giffen's goods). It turns out that the new conditions to optimize the intensity ρ require a new strategy. We propose a strategy (so-called à rebours strategy) based on the fixed point method and explore its effectiveness.

Record of hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions: validation of the hospital information system.

PubMed

Rehem, Tania Cristina Morais Santa Barbara; de Oliveira, Maria Regina Fernandes; Ciosak, Suely Itsuko; Egry, Emiko Yoshikawa

2013-01-01

To estimate the sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values of the Unified Health System's Hospital Information System for the appropriate recording of hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions. The hospital information system records for conditions which are sensitive to ambulatory care, and for those which are not, were considered for analysis, taking the medical records as the gold standard. Through simple random sampling, a sample of 816 medical records was defined and selected by means of a list of random numbers using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The sensitivity was 81.89%, specificity was 95.19%, the positive predictive value was 77.61% and the negative predictive value was 96.27%. In the study setting, the Hospital Information System (SIH) was more specific than sensitive, with nearly 20% of care sensitive conditions not detected. There are no validation studies in Brazil of the Hospital Information System records for the hospitalizations which are sensitive to primary health care. These results are relevant when one considers that this system is one of the bases for assessment of the effectiveness of primary health care.

Effects of workplace intervention on affective well-being in employees' children.

PubMed

Lawson, Katie M; Davis, Kelly D; McHale, Susan M; Almeida, David M; Kelly, Erin L; King, Rosalind B

2016-05-01

Using a group-randomized field experimental design, this study tested whether a workplace intervention-designed to reduce work-family conflict-buffered against potential age-related decreases in the affective well-being of employees' children. Daily diary data were collected from 9- to 17-year-old children of parents working in an information technology division of a U.S. Fortune 500 company prior to and 12 months after the implementation of the Support-Transform-Achieve-Results (STAR) workplace intervention. Youth (62 with parents in the STAR group, 41 in the usual-practice group) participated in 8 consecutive nightly phone calls, during which they reported on their daily stressors and affect. Well-being was indexed by positive and negative affect and affective reactivity to daily stressful events. The randomized workplace intervention increased youth positive affect and buffered youth from age-related increases in negative affect and affective reactivity to daily stressors. Future research should test specific conditions of parents' work that may penetrate family life and affect youth well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Tracheal intubation in critically ill patients: a comprehensive systematic review of randomized trials.

PubMed

Cabrini, Luca; Landoni, Giovanni; Baiardo Radaelli, Martina; Saleh, Omar; Votta, Carmine D; Fominskiy, Evgeny; Putzu, Alessandro; Snak de Souza, Cézar Daniel; Antonelli, Massimo; Bellomo, Rinaldo; Pelosi, Paolo; Zangrillo, Alberto

2018-01-20

We performed a systematic review of randomized controlled studies evaluating any drug, technique or device aimed at improving the success rate or safety of tracheal intubation in the critically ill. We searched PubMed, BioMed Central, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials and references of retrieved articles. Finally, pertinent reviews were also scanned to detect further studies until May 2017. The following inclusion criteria were considered: tracheal intubation in adult critically ill patients; randomized controlled trial; study performed in Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department or ordinary ward; and work published in the last 20 years. Exclusion criteria were pre-hospital or operating theatre settings and simulation-based studies. Two investigators selected studies for the final analysis. Extracted data included first author, publication year, characteristics of patients and clinical settings, intervention details, comparators and relevant outcomes. The risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool. We identified 22 trials on use of a pre-procedure check-list (1 study), pre-oxygenation or apneic oxygenation (6 studies), sedatives (3 studies), neuromuscular blocking agents (1 study), patient positioning (1 study), video laryngoscopy (9 studies), and post-intubation lung recruitment (1 study). Pre-oxygenation with non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and/or high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) showed a possible beneficial role. Post-intubation recruitment improved oxygenation , while ramped position increased the number of intubation attempts and thiopental had negative hemodynamic effects. No effect was found for use of a checklist, apneic oxygenation (on oxygenation and hemodynamics), videolaryngoscopy (on number and length of intubation attempts), sedatives and neuromuscular blockers (on hemodynamics). Finally, videolaryngoscopy was associated with severe adverse effects in multiple trials. The limited available evidence supports a beneficial role of pre-oxygenation with NIV and HFNC before intubation of critically ill patients. Recruitment maneuvers may increase post-intubation oxygenation. Ramped position increased the number of intubation attempts; thiopental had negative hemodynamic effects and videolaryngoscopy might favor adverse events.

A randomized clinical trial aimed at preventing poor psychosocial and glycemic outcomes in teens with type 1 diabetes (T1D)

PubMed Central

Weissberg-Benchell, Jill; Rausch, Joseph; Iturralde, Esti; Jedraszko, Aneta; Hood, Korey

2016-01-01

Adolescents with type 1 diabetes have an increased risk for a variety of emotional and behavioral challenges as well as negative diabetes outcomes. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of a depression-prevention, resilience promotion program with an advanced diabetes education program. Each program consisted of 9 group-based sessions. There were 264 adolescents enrolled in this multi-site randomized clinical trial. The primary outcomes were depressive symptoms and glycemic control; secondary outcomes included resilience skills, diabetes management and adherence, and diabetes-specific distress. The goal of the present paper is to describe the study design, the intervention, and the baseline characteristics of the sample. Preliminary data suggests that enrollment, randomization and retention were successful. Longitudinal follow-up and examination of mechanisms of action as they relate to psychosocial and glycemic outcomes will be explored in the future. PMID:27267154

The Cognitive and Behavioural Impact of Alcohol Promoting and Alcohol Warning Advertisements: An Experimental Study

PubMed Central

Brown, Kyle G.; Stautz, Kaidy; Hollands, Gareth J.; Winpenny, Eleanor M.; Marteau, Theresa M.

2016-01-01

Aims To assess the immediate effect of alcohol promoting and alcohol warning advertisements on implicit and explicit attitudes towards alcohol and on alcohol seeking behaviour. Methods We conducted a between-participants online experiment in which participants were randomly assigned to view one of three sets of advertisements: (a) alcohol promoting, (b) alcohol warning, or (c) unrelated to alcohol. A total of 373 participants (59.5% female) aged 18–40 (M = 28.03) living in the UK were recruited online through a research agency. Positive and negative implicit attitudes and explicit attitudes towards alcohol were assessed before and after advertisements were viewed. Alcohol seeking behaviour was measured by participants' choice of either an alcohol-related or non-alcohol-related voucher offered ostensibly as a reward for participation. Self-reported past week alcohol consumption was also recorded. Results There were no main effects on any of the outcome measures. In heavier drinkers, viewing alcohol promoting advertisements increased positive implicit attitudes (standardized beta = 0.15, P = 0.04) and decreased negative implicit attitudes (standardized beta = −0.17, P = 0.02). In heavier drinkers, viewing alcohol warning advertisements decreased negative implicit attitudes (standardized beta = −0.19, P = 0.01). Conclusions Viewing alcohol promoting advertisements has a cognitive impact on heavier drinkers, increasing positive and reducing negative implicit attitudes towards alcohol. Viewing alcohol warning advertisements reduces negative implicit attitudes towards alcohol in heavier drinkers, suggestive of a reactance effect. PMID:26391367

The Cognitive and Behavioural Impact of Alcohol Promoting and Alcohol Warning Advertisements: An Experimental Study.

PubMed

Brown, Kyle G; Stautz, Kaidy; Hollands, Gareth J; Winpenny, Eleanor M; Marteau, Theresa M

2016-05-01

To assess the immediate effect of alcohol promoting and alcohol warning advertisements on implicit and explicit attitudes towards alcohol and on alcohol seeking behaviour. We conducted a between-participants online experiment in which participants were randomly assigned to view one of three sets of advertisements: (a) alcohol promoting, (b) alcohol warning, or (c) unrelated to alcohol. A total of 373 participants (59.5% female) aged 18-40 (M = 28.03) living in the UK were recruited online through a research agency. Positive and negative implicit attitudes and explicit attitudes towards alcohol were assessed before and after advertisements were viewed. Alcohol seeking behaviour was measured by participants' choice of either an alcohol-related or non-alcohol-related voucher offered ostensibly as a reward for participation. Self-reported past week alcohol consumption was also recorded. There were no main effects on any of the outcome measures. In heavier drinkers, viewing alcohol promoting advertisements increased positive implicit attitudes (standardized beta = 0.15, P = 0.04) and decreased negative implicit attitudes (standardized beta = -0.17, P = 0.02). In heavier drinkers, viewing alcohol warning advertisements decreased negative implicit attitudes (standardized beta = -0.19, P = 0.01). Viewing alcohol promoting advertisements has a cognitive impact on heavier drinkers, increasing positive and reducing negative implicit attitudes towards alcohol. Viewing alcohol warning advertisements reduces negative implicit attitudes towards alcohol in heavier drinkers, suggestive of a reactance effect. © The Author 2015. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press.

A quantum-like model of homeopathy clinical trials: importance of in situ randomization and unblinding.

PubMed

Beauvais, Francis

2013-04-01

The randomized controlled trial (RCT) is the 'gold standard' of modern clinical pharmacology. However, for many practitioners of homeopathy, blind RCTs are an inadequate research tool for testing complex therapies such as homeopathy. Classical probabilities used in biological sciences and in medicine are only a special case of the generalized theory of probability used in quantum physics. I describe homeopathy trials using a quantum-like statistical model, a model inspired by quantum physics and taking into consideration superposition of states, non-commuting observables, probability interferences, contextuality, etc. The negative effect of blinding on success of homeopathy trials and the 'smearing effect' ('specific' effects of homeopathy medicine occurring in the placebo group) are described by quantum-like probabilities without supplementary ad hoc hypotheses. The difference of positive outcome rates between placebo and homeopathy groups frequently vanish in centralized blind trials. The model proposed here suggests a way to circumvent such problems in masked homeopathy trials by incorporating in situ randomization/unblinding. In this quantum-like model of homeopathy clinical trials, success in open-label setting and failure with centralized blind RCTs emerge logically from the formalism. This model suggests that significant differences between placebo and homeopathy in blind RCTs would be found more frequently if in situ randomization/unblinding was used. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Neuroticism modulates the effects of intranasal vasopressin treatment on the neural response to positive and negative social interactions.

PubMed

Feng, Chunliang; DeMarco, Ashley C; Haroon, Ebrahim; Rilling, James K

2015-07-01

Neuroticism is a fundamental personality trait associated with proneness to feel negative affect. Here we ask how Neuroticism influences the neural response to positive and negative social interactions and how Neuroticism modulates the effect of intranasal oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) on the neural response to social interactions. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 153 male participants were randomized to receive 24 IU intranasal OT, 20 IU AVP or placebo. Afterwards, they were imaged with fMRI while playing an iterated Prisoner's Dilemma Game. On a different day, subjects completed the NEO personality inventory to measure Neuroticism. Neuroticism was positively correlated with the neural response to negative social interactions in the anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex and with the neural response to positive social interactions in the insula, indicating that Neuroticism modulates neuropsychological processing of both negative and positive social interactions. Neuroticism did not modulate the effect of intranasal OT treatment on the neural response to either positive or negative social interactions. On the other hand, AVP treatment significantly interacted with Neuroticism to modulate the BOLD response to both positive and negative social interactions. Specifically, AVP increased anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex and lateral temporal lobe responses to negative social interactions to a greater extent in participants scoring high rather than low on Neuroticism. AVP also increased the insula response to positive social interactions to a greater extent in participants scoring high rather than low on Neuroticism. These results imply that AVP may increase emotion regulation in response to negative social interactions and the salience of positive social interactions to a greater extent in individuals high compared to low in Neuroticism. The current findings urge caution against uniform clinical application of nonapeptides and suggest that their efficacy may vary as a function of personality. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of thought importance on stress responses: a test of the metacognitive model.

PubMed

Capobianco, Lora; Morrison, Anthony P; Wells, Adrian

2018-03-01

Negative metacognitive beliefs are central determinants of distress in the metacognitive model of psychological vulnerability to stress. The current study tested this assertion in 75 undergraduate students assigned to either experimental (metacognitive belief manipulation) or control (no metacognitive belief manipulation) condition. All participants underwent a fake EEG, where they were told that the EEG would detect negative thoughts. The experimental subjects were informed that if they had a negative thought they may be exposed to a contingent burst of loud noise, while the control condition was told that they may be exposed to a burst of loud noise at random. Participants also underwent the Trier Social Stress Test. The results showed that on physiological measures (skin conductance level) there were no significant differences between groups. However, on self-report measures (positive and negative affect) participants in the experimental condition reported greater levels of negative affect and lower levels of positive affect in response to stress and maintained low positive affect at recovery. The results are consistent with the metacognitive model and suggest that metacognitive beliefs impact on positive and negative affect in reaction to and recovery from stress exposure.

Effects of mood induction via music on cardiovascular measures of negative emotion during simulated driving.

PubMed

Fairclough, Stephen H; van der Zwaag, Marjolein; Spiridon, Elena; Westerink, Joyce

2014-04-22

A study was conducted to investigate the potential of mood induction via music to influence cardiovascular correlates of negative emotions experience during driving behaviour. One hundred participants were randomly assigned to one of five groups, four of whom experienced different categories of music: High activation/positive valence (HA/PV), high activation/negative valence (HA/NV), low activation/positive valence (LA/PV) and low activation/negative valence (LA/NV). Following exposure to their respective categories of music, participants were required to complete a simulated driving journey with a fixed time schedule. Negative emotion was induced via exposure to stationary traffic during the simulated route. Cardiovascular reactivity was measured via blood pressure, heart rate and cardiovascular impedance. Subjective self-assessment of anger and mood was also recorded. Results indicated that low activation music, regardless of valence, reduced systolic reactivity during the simulated journey relative to HA/NV music and the control (no music) condition. Self-reported data indicated that participants were not consciously aware of any influence of music on their subjective mood. It is concluded that cardiovascular reactivity to negative mood may be mediated by the emotional properties of music. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of individualized social competence training for children with oppositional defiant disorders/conduct disorders: a randomized controlled trial with an active control group.

PubMed

Goertz-Dorten, Anja; Benesch, Christina; Berk-Pawlitzek, Emel; Faber, Martin; Hautmann, Christopher; Hellmich, Martin; Lindenschmidt, Timo; Schuh, Lioba; Stadermann, Rahel; Doepfner, Manfred

2018-03-28

Patient-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy in children with aggressive behavior, which uses group-based social skills training, has resulted in significant reductions in behavioral problems, with effect sizes in the small-to-medium range. However, effects of individually delivered treatments and effects on aggressive behavior and comorbid conditions rated from different perspectives, child functional impairment, child quality of life, parent-child relationship, and parental psychopathology have rarely been assessed. In a randomized controlled trial, 91 boys aged 6-12 years with a diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder and peer-related aggression were randomized to receive individually delivered social competence training (Treatment Program for Children with Aggressive Behavior, THAV) or to an active control involving group play that included techniques to activate resources and the opportunity to train prosocial interactions in groups (PLAY). Outcome measures were rated by parents, teachers, or clinicians. Mostly moderate treatment effects for THAV compared to PLAY were found in parent ratings and/or clinician ratings on aggressive behavior, comorbid symptoms, psychosocial impairment, quality of life, parental stress, and negative expressed emotions. In teacher ratings, significant effects were found for ADHD symptoms and prosocial behavior only. THAV is a specifically effective intervention for boys aged 6-12 years with oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder and peer-related aggressive behavior as rated by parents and clinicians.

Parental emotional management benefits family relationships: A randomized controlled trial in Hong Kong, China.

PubMed

Fabrizio, Cecilia S; Lam, Tai Hing; Hirschmann, Malia R; Pang, Irene; Yu, Nancy Xiaonan; Wang, Xin; Stewart, Sunita M

2015-08-01

There is a shortage of culturally appropriate, brief, preventive interventions designed to be sustainable and acceptable for community participants in nonwestern cultures. Parents' ability to regulate their emotions is an important factor for psychological well-being of the family. In Chinese societies, emotional regulation may be more important in light of the cultural desirability of maintaining harmonious family relationships. The objectives of our randomized controlled trial were to test the effectiveness of our Effective Parenting Programme (EPP) to increase the use of emotional management strategies (primary outcome) and enhance the parent-child relationship (secondary outcome). We utilized design characteristics that promoted recruitment, retention, and intervention sustainability. We randomized a community sample of 412 Hong Kong middle- and low-income mothers of children aged 6-8 years to the EPP or attention control group. At 3, 6 and 12- month follow up, the Effective Parent Program group reported greater increases in the use of emotion management strategies during parent-child interactions, with small to medium effect size, and lower negative affect and greater positive affect, subjective happiness, satisfaction with the parent-child relationship, and family harmony, compared to the control group, with small to medium effect size. Our results provided evidence of effectiveness for a sustainable, preventive, culturally appropriate, cognitive behaviorally-based emotion management program, in a non-clinical setting for Chinese mothers. HKCTR-1190. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A dynamic spatio-temporal model for spatial data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hefley, Trevor J.; Hooten, Mevin B.; Hanks, Ephraim M.; Russell, Robin; Walsh, Daniel P.

2017-01-01

Analyzing spatial data often requires modeling dependencies created by a dynamic spatio-temporal data generating process. In many applications, a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) is used with a random effect to account for spatial dependence and to provide optimal spatial predictions. Location-specific covariates are often included as fixed effects in a GLMM and may be collinear with the spatial random effect, which can negatively affect inference. We propose a dynamic approach to account for spatial dependence that incorporates scientific knowledge of the spatio-temporal data generating process. Our approach relies on a dynamic spatio-temporal model that explicitly incorporates location-specific covariates. We illustrate our approach with a spatially varying ecological diffusion model implemented using a computationally efficient homogenization technique. We apply our model to understand individual-level and location-specific risk factors associated with chronic wasting disease in white-tailed deer from Wisconsin, USA and estimate the location the disease was first introduced. We compare our approach to several existing methods that are commonly used in spatial statistics. Our spatio-temporal approach resulted in a higher predictive accuracy when compared to methods based on optimal spatial prediction, obviated confounding among the spatially indexed covariates and the spatial random effect, and provided additional information that will be important for containing disease outbreaks.

Protective effects of fermented honeybush (Cyclopia intermedia) extract (HU-018) against skin aging: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study.

PubMed

Choi, Sun Young; Hong, Ji Yeon; Ko, Eun Jung; Kim, Beom Joon; Hong, Sung-Woon; Lim, Mi Hyoung; Yeon, Sung Hum; Son, Rak Ho

2018-02-01

Oxidative stress and photodamage resulting from ultraviolet radiation exposure play key roles in skin aging. Fermented Cyclopia intermedia, which is used to brew honeybush tea, exerts antioxidant and anti-wrinkle effects by inhibiting reactive oxygen species production and downregulating matrix metalloproteinase activity. This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of fermented honeybush (Cyclopia intermedia) extract (HU-018) for skin rejuvenation. 120 Korean subjects with crow's feet wrinkles were randomized to receive either low-dose extract (400 mg/day), high-dose extract (800 mg/day), or placebo (negative control, only dextran) for 12 weeks. Wrinkles were evaluated using JANUS ® and PRIMO pico ® . Skin elasticity, hydration and transepidermal water loss were measured. Global skin wrinkle grade was significantly improved in both low-dose and high-dose groups compared to placebo group, as well as for skin hydration and elasticity. Both the low- and high-dose groups showed significantly decreased TEWL compared to the placebo group. There were no adverse effects during the entire study period. Our data indicate that HU-018 is effective for improving skin wrinkles, elasticity, and hydration. Therefore, daily supplementation with fermented honeybush could be helpful for protecting against skin aging.

Unexpected Effects of a System-Distributed Mobile Application in Maternity Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Ledford, Christy J W; Womack, Jasmyne J; Rider, Heather A; Seehusen, Angela B; Conner, Stephen J; Lauters, Rebecca A; Hodge, Joshua A

2018-06-01

As pregnant mothers increasingly engage in shared decision making regarding prenatal decisions, such as induction of labor, the patient's level of activation may influence pregnancy outcomes. One potential tool to increase patient activation in the clinical setting is mobile applications. However, research is limited in comparing mobile apps with other modalities of patient education and engagement tools. This study was designed to test the effectiveness of a mobile app as a replacement for a spiral notebook guide as a patient education and engagement tool in the prenatal clinical setting. This randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Women's Health Clinic and Family Health Clinic of three hospitals. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance was used to test intervention effects in the study sample of 205 patients. Mothers used a mobile app interface to more frequently record information about their pregnancy; however, across time, mothers using a mobile app reported a significant decrease in patient activation. The unexpected negative effects in the group of patients randomized to the mobile app prompt these authors to recommend that health systems pause before distributing their own version of mobile apps that may decrease patient activation. Mobile apps can be inherently empowering and engaging, but how a system encourages their use may ultimately determine their adoption and success.

Adaptive Randomization of Veliparib-Carboplatin Treatment in Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Rugo, Hope S; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I; DeMichele, Angela; Yau, Christina; van 't Veer, Laura J; Buxton, Meredith B; Hogarth, Michael; Hylton, Nola M; Paoloni, Melissa; Perlmutter, Jane; Symmans, W Fraser; Yee, Douglas; Chien, A Jo; Wallace, Anne M; Kaplan, Henry G; Boughey, Judy C; Haddad, Tufia C; Albain, Kathy S; Liu, Minetta C; Isaacs, Claudine; Khan, Qamar J; Lang, Julie E; Viscusi, Rebecca K; Pusztai, Lajos; Moulder, Stacy L; Chui, Stephen Y; Kemmer, Kathleen A; Elias, Anthony D; Edmiston, Kirsten K; Euhus, David M; Haley, Barbara B; Nanda, Rita; Northfelt, Donald W; Tripathy, Debasish; Wood, William C; Ewing, Cheryl; Schwab, Richard; Lyandres, Julia; Davis, Sarah E; Hirst, Gillian L; Sanil, Ashish; Berry, Donald A; Esserman, Laura J

2016-07-07

The genetic and clinical heterogeneity of breast cancer makes the identification of effective therapies challenging. We designed I-SPY 2, a phase 2, multicenter, adaptively randomized trial to screen multiple experimental regimens in combination with standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. The goal is to match experimental regimens with responding cancer subtypes. We report results for veliparib, a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, combined with carboplatin. In this ongoing trial, women are eligible for participation if they have stage II or III breast cancer with a tumor 2.5 cm or larger in diameter; cancers are categorized into eight biomarker subtypes on the basis of status with regard to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), hormone receptors, and a 70-gene assay. Patients undergo adaptive randomization within each biomarker subtype to receive regimens that have better performance than the standard therapy. Regimens are evaluated within 10 biomarker signatures (i.e., prospectively defined combinations of biomarker subtypes). Veliparib-carboplatin plus standard therapy was considered for HER2-negative tumors and was therefore evaluated in 3 signatures. The primary end point is pathological complete response. Tumor volume changes measured by magnetic resonance imaging during treatment are used to predict whether a patient will have a pathological complete response. Regimens move on from phase 2 if and when they have a high Bayesian predictive probability of success in a subsequent phase 3 neoadjuvant trial within the biomarker signature in which they performed well. With regard to triple-negative breast cancer, veliparib-carboplatin had an 88% predicted probability of success in a phase 3 trial. A total of 72 patients were randomly assigned to receive veliparib-carboplatin, and 44 patients were concurrently assigned to receive control therapy; at the completion of chemotherapy, the estimated rates of pathological complete response in the triple-negative population were 51% (95% Bayesian probability interval [PI], 36 to 66%) in the veliparib-carboplatin group versus 26% (95% PI, 9 to 43%) in the control group. The toxicity of veliparib-carboplatin was greater than that of the control. The process used in our trial showed that veliparib-carboplatin added to standard therapy resulted in higher rates of pathological complete response than standard therapy alone specifically in triple-negative breast cancer. (Funded by the QuantumLeap Healthcare Collaborative and others; I-SPY 2 TRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01042379.).

The Effect of Positive and Negative Feedback on Risk-Taking across Different Contexts.

PubMed

Losecaat Vermeer, Annabel B; Sanfey, Alan G

2015-01-01

Preferences for risky choices have often been shown to be unstable and context-dependent. Though people generally avoid gambles with mixed outcomes, a phenomenon often attributed to loss aversion, contextual factors can impact this dramatically. For example, people typically prefer risky options after a financial loss, while generally choosing safer options after a monetary gain. However, it is unclear what exactly contributes to these preference shifts as a function of prior outcomes, as these gain/loss outcomes are usually confounded with participant performance, and therefore it is unclear whether these effects are driven purely by the monetary gains or losses, or rather by success or failure at the actual task. Here, we experimentally separated the effects of monetary gains/losses from performance success/failure prior to a standard risky choice. Participants performed a task in which they experienced contextual effects: 1) monetary gain or loss based directly on performance, 2) monetary gain or loss that was randomly awarded and was, crucially, independent from performance, and 3) success or failure feedback based on performance, but without any monetary incentive. Immediately following these positive/negative contexts, participants were presented with a gain-loss gamble that they had to decide to either play or pass. We found that risk preferences for identical sets of gambles were biased by positive and negative contexts containing monetary gains and losses, but not by contexts containing performance feedback. This data suggests that the observed framing effects are driven by aversion for monetary losses and not simply by the positive or negative valence of the context, or by potential moods resulting from positive or negative contexts. These results highlight the specific context dependence of risk preferences.

Models for some aspects of atmospheric vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deissler, R. G.

1977-01-01

A frictionless adiabatic model is used to study the growth of random vortices in an atmosphere with buoyant instability and vertical wind shear, taking account of the effects of axial drag, heat transfer and precipitation-induced downdrafts. It is found that downdrafts of tornadic magnitude may occur in negatively buoyant columns. The radial-inflow velocity required to maintain a given maximum tangential velocity in a tornado is determined by using a turbulent vortex model. A tornado model which involves a rotating parent cloud as well as buoyancy and precipitation effects is also discussed.

Adaptive Appraisals of Anxiety Moderate the Association between Cortisol Reactivity and Performance in Salary Negotiations

PubMed Central

Fridman, Ilona; Mor, Shira; Morris, Michael W.; Crum, Alia J.

2016-01-01

Prior research suggests that stress can be harmful in high-stakes contexts such as negotiations. However, few studies actually measure stress physiologically during negotiations, nor do studies offer interventions to combat the potential negative effects of heightened physiological responses in negotiation contexts. In the current research, we offer evidence that the negative effects of cortisol increases on negotiation performance can be reduced through a reappraisal of anxiety manipulation. We experimentally induced adaptive appraisals by randomly assigning 97 male and female participants to receive either instructions to appraise their anxiety as beneficial to the negotiation or no specific instructions on how to appraise the situation. We also measured participants’ cortisol responses prior to and following the negotiation. Results revealed that cortisol increases were positively related to negotiation performance for participants who were told to view anxiety as beneficial, and not detrimental, for negotiation performance (appraisal condition). In contrast, cortisol increases were negatively related to negotiation performance for participants given no instructions on appraising their anxiety (control condition). These findings offer a means through which to combat the potentially deleterious effects of heightened cortisol reactivity on negotiation outcomes. PMID:27992484

Self-affirmation theory and cigarette smoking warning images.

PubMed

DiBello, Angelo M; Neighbors, Clayton; Ammar, Joe

2015-02-01

The present study examined self-affirmation theory, cigarette smoking, and health-related images depicting adverse effects of smoking. Previous research examining self-affirmation and negative health-related images has shown that individuals who engage in a self-affirmation activity are more receptive to messages when compared to those who do not affirm. We were interested in examining the extent to which self-affirmation would reduce defensive responding to negative health images related to cigarette smoking. Participants included 203 daily smokers who were undergraduate students at a large southern university. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires and were then randomly assigned to one of four conditions (non-smoking image control, smoking image control, low affirmation, and high affirmation). Analyses evaluated the effectiveness of affirmation condition as it related to defensive responding. Results indicated that both affirmation conditions were effective in reducing defensive responding for those at greatest risk (heavier smokers) and those more resistant to health benefits associated with quitting. Findings are discussed in terms of potential public health implications as well as the role defensive responding plays in the evaluation and processing of negative health messages. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptive Appraisals of Anxiety Moderate the Association between Cortisol Reactivity and Performance in Salary Negotiations.

PubMed

Akinola, Modupe; Fridman, Ilona; Mor, Shira; Morris, Michael W; Crum, Alia J

2016-01-01

Prior research suggests that stress can be harmful in high-stakes contexts such as negotiations. However, few studies actually measure stress physiologically during negotiations, nor do studies offer interventions to combat the potential negative effects of heightened physiological responses in negotiation contexts. In the current research, we offer evidence that the negative effects of cortisol increases on negotiation performance can be reduced through a reappraisal of anxiety manipulation. We experimentally induced adaptive appraisals by randomly assigning 97 male and female participants to receive either instructions to appraise their anxiety as beneficial to the negotiation or no specific instructions on how to appraise the situation. We also measured participants' cortisol responses prior to and following the negotiation. Results revealed that cortisol increases were positively related to negotiation performance for participants who were told to view anxiety as beneficial, and not detrimental, for negotiation performance (appraisal condition). In contrast, cortisol increases were negatively related to negotiation performance for participants given no instructions on appraising their anxiety (control condition). These findings offer a means through which to combat the potentially deleterious effects of heightened cortisol reactivity on negotiation outcomes.

[Influences of life event and coping style on left-behind middle school student mental health in a three-gorge area county].

PubMed

Wu, Rui; Li, Jianqiao; Liu, Qin; Wang, Hong

2014-07-01

To study the effects of life event and coping style on left-behind middle school student mental health. 1405 left-behind middle school students were selected by multi-stage cluster random sampling method and investigated with Middle School Student Mental Health Scale (MSSMHS), Multidimensional Life Events Rating Questionnaire for Middle School Students (MLERQ) and Trait Coping Style Questionnaire (TCSQ). The mental health detection rate of left-behind middle school students was 26.33%. Life event have significant influence on mental health (F = 447.624, P = 0.000). The main effect for negative coping style on mental health was significant (F = 263.669, P = 0.000). Positive coping style have effect on mental health but the main effect was not significant (F = 2.436, P = 0.119). The interaction effect of life event and negative coping style was significant (F = 23.173, P = 0.000). Life event and coping style has a certain effect on left-behind middle school student mental health, but its mechanism is complicated and still uncertain.

Bayesian Genomic Prediction with Genotype × Environment Interaction Kernel Models

PubMed Central

Cuevas, Jaime; Crossa, José; Montesinos-López, Osval A.; Burgueño, Juan; Pérez-Rodríguez, Paulino; de los Campos, Gustavo

2016-01-01

The phenomenon of genotype × environment (G × E) interaction in plant breeding decreases selection accuracy, thereby negatively affecting genetic gains. Several genomic prediction models incorporating G × E have been recently developed and used in genomic selection of plant breeding programs. Genomic prediction models for assessing multi-environment G × E interaction are extensions of a single-environment model, and have advantages and limitations. In this study, we propose two multi-environment Bayesian genomic models: the first model considers genetic effects (u) that can be assessed by the Kronecker product of variance–covariance matrices of genetic correlations between environments and genomic kernels through markers under two linear kernel methods, linear (genomic best linear unbiased predictors, GBLUP) and Gaussian (Gaussian kernel, GK). The other model has the same genetic component as the first model (u) plus an extra component, f, that captures random effects between environments that were not captured by the random effects u. We used five CIMMYT data sets (one maize and four wheat) that were previously used in different studies. Results show that models with G × E always have superior prediction ability than single-environment models, and the higher prediction ability of multi-environment models with u and f over the multi-environment model with only u occurred 85% of the time with GBLUP and 45% of the time with GK across the five data sets. The latter result indicated that including the random effect f is still beneficial for increasing prediction ability after adjusting by the random effect u. PMID:27793970

Bayesian Genomic Prediction with Genotype × Environment Interaction Kernel Models.

PubMed

Cuevas, Jaime; Crossa, José; Montesinos-López, Osval A; Burgueño, Juan; Pérez-Rodríguez, Paulino; de Los Campos, Gustavo

2017-01-05

The phenomenon of genotype × environment (G × E) interaction in plant breeding decreases selection accuracy, thereby negatively affecting genetic gains. Several genomic prediction models incorporating G × E have been recently developed and used in genomic selection of plant breeding programs. Genomic prediction models for assessing multi-environment G × E interaction are extensions of a single-environment model, and have advantages and limitations. In this study, we propose two multi-environment Bayesian genomic models: the first model considers genetic effects [Formula: see text] that can be assessed by the Kronecker product of variance-covariance matrices of genetic correlations between environments and genomic kernels through markers under two linear kernel methods, linear (genomic best linear unbiased predictors, GBLUP) and Gaussian (Gaussian kernel, GK). The other model has the same genetic component as the first model [Formula: see text] plus an extra component, F: , that captures random effects between environments that were not captured by the random effects [Formula: see text] We used five CIMMYT data sets (one maize and four wheat) that were previously used in different studies. Results show that models with G × E always have superior prediction ability than single-environment models, and the higher prediction ability of multi-environment models with [Formula: see text] over the multi-environment model with only u occurred 85% of the time with GBLUP and 45% of the time with GK across the five data sets. The latter result indicated that including the random effect f is still beneficial for increasing prediction ability after adjusting by the random effect [Formula: see text]. Copyright © 2017 Cuevas et al.

The Time-Varying Influences of Peer and Family Support on Adolescent Daily Positive and Negative Affect

PubMed Central

Weinstein, Sally M.; Mermelstein, Robin J.; Hedeker, Donald; Hankin, Benjamin L.; Flay, Brian R.

2008-01-01

The time-varying influences of peer and family support on adolescent daily mood were explored among youth transitioning from middle school to high school (8th to 9th grade, N = 268) as compared to youth transitioning from 10th to 11th grade (N = 240). Real-time measures of daily positive and negative affect (ecological momentary assessments) were collected via palmtop computers at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Participants rated 12 mood adjectives in response to 5 to 7 random prompts per day for 7 consecutive days. Perceived peer and family support were assessed via self-report. Mixed-effects regression analyses revealed significant grade by time by peer support interactions for positive and negative mood, with the younger cohort showing greater increases in the relation between peer support and affect over time than the older cohort. Family support did not interact with cohort or time. PMID:16836479

Cyclical absenteeism among private sector, public sector and self-employed workers.

PubMed

Pfeifer, Christian

2013-03-01

This research note analyzes differences in the number of absent working days and doctor visits and in their cyclicality between private sector, public sector and self-employed workers. For this purpose, I used large-scale German survey data for the years 1995 to 2007 to estimate random effects negative binomial (count data) models. The main findings are as follows. (i) Public sector workers have on average more absent working days than private sector and self-employed workers. Self-employed workers have fewer absent working days and doctor visits than dependent employed workers. (ii) The regional unemployment rate is on average negatively correlated with the number of absent working days among private and public sector workers as well as among self-employed men. The correlations between regional unemployment rate and doctor visits are only significantly negative among private sector workers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Single exposure to disclaimers on airbrushed thin ideal images increases negative thought accessibility.

PubMed

Selimbegović, Leila; Chatard, Armand

2015-01-01

Disclaimers on airbrushed thin ideal images can attract attention to the thin ideal standard promoted by the advertisements, which can be damaging rather than helpful. In this study, 48 female college students were exposed to a thin ideal image including a disclaimer, a neutral sentence, or nothing. Two weeks and two months after this, they were again exposed to the same image but with no accompanying text in any of the conditions. Negative thought accessibility was assessed three times, after each exposure to the thin-ideal image, using reaction time measures. Participants randomly assigned to the disclaimer condition systematically showed greater accessibility of negative thoughts than those in the other two conditions, irrespective of the time of measurement. These results suggest that disclaimers on airbrushed images may have some counter-productive effects by accentuating the problems that they precisely aim to address. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Peritoneal Drainage Versus Pleural Drainage After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

PubMed

Gowda, Keshava Murty Narayana; Zidan, Marwan; Walters, Henry L; Delius, Ralph E; Mastropietro, Christopher W

2014-07-01

We aimed to determine whether infants undergoing cardiac surgery would more efficiently attain negative fluid balance postoperatively with passive peritoneal drainage as compared to traditional pleural drainage. A prospective, randomized study including children undergoing repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) or atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) was completed between September 2011 and June 2013. Patients were randomized to intraoperative placement of peritoneal catheter or right pleural tube in addition to the requisite mediastinal tube. The primary outcome measure was fluid balance at 48 hours postoperatively. Variables were compared using t tests or Fisher exact tests as appropriate. A total of 24 patients were enrolled (14 TOF and 10 AVSD), with 12 patients in each study group. Mean fluid balance at 48 hours was not significantly different between study groups, -41 ± 53 mL/kg in patients with periteonal drainage and -9 ± 40 mL/kg in patients with pleural drainage (P = .10). At 72 hours however, postoperative fluid balance was significantly more negative with peritoneal drainage, -52.4 ± 71.6 versus +2.0 ± 50.6 (P = .04). On subset analysis, fluid balance at 48 hours in patients with AVSD was more negative with peritoneal drainage as compared to pleural, -82 ± 51 versus -1 ± 38 mL/kg, respectively (P = .02). Fluid balance at 48 hours in patients with TOF was not significantly different between study groups. Passive peritoneal drainage may more effectively facilitate negative fluid balance when compared to pleural drainage after pediatric cardiac surgery, although this benefit is not likely universal but rather dependent on the patient's underlying physiology. © The Author(s) 2014.

High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex restores attention bias to negative information in methamphetamine addicts.

PubMed

Zhang, Ling; Cao, Xinyu; Liang, Qiongdan; Li, Xiang; Yang, Jiemin; Yuan, Jiajin

2018-07-01

Methamphetamine (hereafter, meth) addiction results in various emotional problems linked to structural impairments in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). In this paper, we investigated whether high-frequency (10 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the left dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) can improve emotional attention. Thirty-one meth addicts were randomly assigned to a 10 Hz or sham rTMS group; additionally, 31 healthy participants were enrolled, who were required to respond as correctly and quickly as possible to a yellow arrow embedded in an image depicting emotional content (neutral, fear, sadness, or disgust). Results showed that the healthy participants responded more rapidly to negative compared to neutral stimuli, while meth addicts responded indiscriminately to stimuli representing disgust, fear, and neutral content. The randomization check showed no significant differences in the pretest of emotional attention measures between the 10 Hz and sham groups. However, 10 Hz rTMS yielded faster response to negative pictures than to neutral pictures, which was similar to the performance of healthy participants but Sham not. However, this attention bias effect persisted in the 10 Hz group 2 weeks later. These results demonstrate that high-frequency rTMS of the left DLPFC can improve the emotional attention of meth addicts. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do family order and neighbor intervention against intimate partner violence protect children from abuse? Findings from Kathmandu.

PubMed

Emery, Clifton R; Thapa, Sirjana; Do, Mi Hyang; Chan, Ko Ling

2015-03-01

Drawing on previous research on intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, and informal social control, we hypothesized relationships between child abuse severity and (1) protective informal social control of intimate partner violence (ISC_IPV) by neighbors, (2) intimate terrorism, (3) family order, and (4) the power of mothers in intimate relationships. In what we believe may be a first study of physical child abuse by parents in Nepal, we used a three stage cluster approach to draw a random sample of 300 families in Kathmandu. Random effects regression models were used to test the study hypotheses. The analyses found support for hypotheses one and two, but with an important caveat. Although observed (actual) protective ISC_IPV had the hypothesized negative association with child abuse severity, in one of our models perceived protective ISC_IPV was positively associated with child abuse severity. The models clarify that the overall direction of protective ISC_IPV appears to be negative (protective), but the positive finding is important to consider for both research and practice. A significant relationship between family order and child abuse severity was found, but the direction was negative rather than positive as in hypothesis three. Implications for neighborhood research and typological research on IPV and child maltreatment are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reducing Body Image-Related Distress in Women With Breast Cancer Using a Structured Online Writing Exercise: Results From the My Changed Body Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Sherman, Kerry A; Przezdziecki, Astrid; Alcorso, Jessica; Kilby, Christopher Jon; Elder, Elisabeth; Boyages, John; Koelmeyer, Louise; Mackie, Helen

2018-07-01

Purpose Breast cancer treatment adverse effects result in one in three survivors experiencing body image-related distress (BID) that negatively impacts on a woman's ability to recover after cancer and into survivorship. My Changed Body (MyCB) is a Web-based psychological intervention to alleviate BID and improve body appreciation in survivors of breast cancer (BCSs) through a single-session, self-compassion focused writing activity. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of MyCB on BID and body appreciation in BCSs. The moderating effect of lymphedema status (affected or unaffected) and appearance investment (self-importance placed on personal appearance) and the mediating effect of self-compassion were evaluated. Patients and Methods Women (disease-free stage I to III BCSs who had experienced at least one negative event related to bodily changes after breast cancer) were randomly assigned to MyCB (n = 149) or an expressive writing control arm (n = 155). Primary outcomes were reduction in BID and improvement in body appreciation 1 week after intervention. Secondary outcomes included psychological distress (depression and anxiety) and self-compassion. Follow-up assessments occurred 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after writing. Results Compliance with the MyCB intervention was 88%, and attrition was 9.2%. Intent-to-treat linear mixed models indicated that participants who received MyCB reported significantly less BID ( P = .035) and greater body appreciation ( P = .004) and self-compassion ( P < .001) than expressive writing participants. Intervention effects on BID were moderated by lymphedema status ( P = .007) and appearance investment ( P = .042). Self-compassion mediated effects on both primary outcomes. Therapeutic effects were maintained at 1 month (BID and body appreciation) and 3 months (body appreciation) after intervention. Significant reductions in psychological distress (1-month depression, P = .001; 1-week and 1-month anxiety, P = .007) were evident for MyCB participants with lymphedema. Conclusion This study supports the efficacy of MyCB for reducing BID and enhancing body appreciation among BCSs.

The effect of psychotherapeutic interventions on positive and negative affect in depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Boumparis, Nikolaos; Karyotaki, Eirini; Kleiboer, Annet; Hofmann, Stefan G; Cuijpers, Pim

2016-09-15

Depression is a mental disorder characterized by high and dysregulated negative affect in addition to diminished positive affect. To our knowledge, there has been no systematic review of the impact of psychotherapeutic interventions on these affective dimensions. Two comprehensive literature searches for all randomized controlled trials of psychotherapy in adults with depression were performed. The first from 1996 to December 31, 2014 and the second from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015. The primary outcome was the mean score of positive and negative affect. Depressive symptoms were measured to be included as a predictor in the meta-regression analyses. Ten studies with 793 adults with depression were included. All studies assessed positive and negative affect. Psychotherapeutic interventions resulted in significantly increased positive affect (g=0.41; 95% CI: 0.16-0.66 p=0.001), and significantly decreased negative affect (g=0.32; 95% CI: 0.15-0.78, p=0.001) in depressed adults. Because of the small number and substantial heterogeneity of the existing studies the meta-regression analyses produced conflicting results. As a consequence, we were unable to sufficiently demonstrate whether NA and depressive symptoms are in fact correlated or not. Given the small number and heterogeneity of the included studies, the findings should be considered with caution. Psychotherapeutic interventions demonstrate low to moderate effects in enhancing positive and reducing negative affect in depressed adults. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of news media messages about mass shootings on attitudes toward persons with serious mental illness and public support for gun control policies.

PubMed

McGinty, Emma E; Webster, Daniel W; Barry, Colleen L

2013-05-01

In recent years, mass shootings by persons with serious mental illness have received extensive news media coverage. The authors test the effects of news stories about mass shootings on public attitudes toward persons with serious mental illness and support for gun control policies. They also examine whether news coverage of proposals to prevent persons with serious mental illness from having guns exacerbates the public's negative attitudes toward this group. The authors conducted a survey-embedded randomized experiment using a national sample (N=1,797) from an online panel. Respondents were randomly assigned to groups instructed to read one of three news stories or to a no-exposure control group. The news stories described, respectively, a mass shooting by a person with serious mental illness, the same mass shooting and a proposal for gun restrictions for persons with serious mental illness, and the same mass shooting and a proposal to ban large-capacity magazines. Outcome measures included attitudes toward working with or living near a person with serious mental illness, perceived dangerousness of persons with serious mental illness, and support for gun restrictions for persons with serious mental illness and for a ban on large-capacity magazines. Compared with the control group, the story about a mass shooting heightened respondents' negative attitudes toward persons with serious mental illness and raised support for gun restrictions for this group and for a ban on large-capacity magazines. Including information about the gun restriction policy in a story about a mass shooting did not heighten negative attitudes toward persons with serious mental illness or raise support for the restrictions. The aftermath of mass shootings is often viewed as a window of opportunity to garner support for gun control policies, but it also exacerbates negative attitudes toward persons with serious mental illness.

Immense random colocalization, revealed by automated high content image cytometry, seriously questions FISH as gold standard for detecting EML4-ALK fusion.

PubMed

Smuk, Gábor; Tornóczky, Tamás; Pajor, László; Chudoba, Ilse; Kajtár, Béla; Sárosi, Veronika; Pajor, Gábor

2018-05-19

EML4-ALK gene fusion (inv2(p21p23)) of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) predisposes to tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment. One of the gold standard diagnostics is the dual color (DC) break-apart (BA) FISH technique, however, the unusual closeness of the involved genes has been suggested to raise likelihood of random co-localization (RCL) of signals. Although this is suspected to decrease sensitivity (often to as low as 40-70%), the exact level and effect of RCL has not been revealed thus far. Signal distances were analyzed to the 0.1 µm precision in more than 25,000 nuclei, via automated high content-image cytometry. Negative and positive controls were created using conventional DC BA-, and inv2(p21p23) mimicking probe-sets, respectively. Average distance between red and green signals was 9.72 pixels (px) (±5.14px) and 3.28px (±2.44px), in positives and negatives, respectively; overlap in distribution being 41%. Specificity and sensitivity of correctly determining ALK status was 97% and 29%, respectively. When investigating inv2(p21p23) with DC BA FISH, specificity is high, but seven out of ten aberrant nuclei are inevitably falsely classified as negative, due to the extreme level of RCL. Together with genetic heterogeneity and dilution effect of non-tumor cells in NSCLC, this immense analytical false negativity is the primary cause behind the often described low diagnostic sensitivity. These results convincingly suggest that if FISH is to remain a gold standard for detecting the therapy relevant inv(2), either a modified evaluation protocol, or a more reliable probe-design should be considered than the current DC BA one. © 2018 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. © 2018 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

The influence of message framing, intention to quit smoking, and nicotine dependence on the persuasiveness of smoking cessation messages.

PubMed

Moorman, Marjolein; van den Putte, Bas

2008-10-01

This study explores the combined effect of message framing, intention to quit smoking, and nicotine dependence on the persuasiveness of smoking cessation messages. Pre- and post-message measures of quit intention, attitude toward smoking cessation, and perceived behavioral control were taken in two separate waves from current cigarette smokers with varying levels of nicotine dependence (N=151). In the second wave, participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the first group, participants read a smoking cessation message which emphasized the benefits of quitting (positive frame). In the second group participants read a message which emphasized the costs of not quitting (negative frame). Results show that smokers' intentions to quit smoking and their level of nicotine dependence jointly influence the persuasiveness of positive and negative message frames. When nicotine dependence and quitting intention are both high, a negative frame works best. Conversely, a positive frame is preferable when nicotine dependence or quitting intention is low. Smokers' level of processing is proposed as the underlying mechanism explaining the different effects of message frames.

Computerized transrectal ultrasound (C-TRUS) of the prostate: detection of cancer in patients with multiple negative systematic random biopsies.

PubMed

Loch, Tillmann

2007-08-01

This study was designed to compare the diagnostic yield of computerized transrectal ultrasound (C-TRUS) guided biopsies in the detection of prostate cancer in a group of men with a history of multiple systematic random biopsies with no prior evidence of prostate cancer. The question was asked: Can we detect cancer by C-TRUS that has been overlooked by multiple systematic biopsies? The entrance criteria for this study were prior negative systematic random biopsies regardless of number of biopsy sessions or number of individual biopsy cores. Serial static TRUS images were evaluated by C-TRUS, which assessed signal information independent of visual gray scale. Five C-TRUS algorithms were utilized to evaluate the information of the ultrasound signal. Interpretation of the results were documented and the most suspicious regions marked by C-TRUS were biopsied by guiding the needle to the marked location. Five hundred and forty men were biopsied because of an elevated PSA or abnormal digital rectal exam. 132 had a history of prior negative systematic random biopsies (1-7 sessions, median: 2 and between 6 and 72 individual prostate biopsies, median: 12 cores). Additionally, a diagnostic TUR-P of the prostate with benign result was performed in four patients. The PSA ranged from 3.1-36 ng/ml with a median of 9.01 ng/ml. The prostate volume ranged from 6-203 ml with a median of 42 ml. Of the 132 patients with prior negative systematic random biopsies, cancer was found in 66 (50%) by C-TRUS targeted biopsies. In this group the median number of negative biopsy sessions was two and a median of 12 biopsy cores were performed. From literature we would expect a cancer detection rate in this group with systematic biopsies of approximately 7%. We only found five carcinomas with a Gleason Score (GS) of 5, 25 with GS 6, 22 with GS 7, 8 with GS 8 and even 7 with GS 9. The results of this prospective clinical trail indicates that the additional use of the C-TRUS identifies clinical significant cancerous lesions that could not been visualized or detected by systematic random biopsies in a very high percentage. In addition, the results of the study support the efforts to search for strategies that utilize expertise and refinement of imaging modalities rather than elevating the number of random biopsies (f.e. 141 cores in one session) in the detection of prostate cancer.

Treatment of inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy and (peri)myocarditis with immunosuppression and i.v. immunoglobulins.

PubMed

Maisch, Bernhard; Hufnagel, Günther; Kölsch, Susanne; Funck, Rainer; Richter, Annette; Rupp, Heinz; Herzum, Matthias; Pankuweit, Sabine

2004-09-01

Treatment objectives in inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMi), myocarditis (M) and peri(myo)carditis are 1) the elimination of inflammatory cells from the myocardium and pericardium, 2) the elimination or (second best) mitigation of B-cell products such as antibodies and immuncomplexes directed against cardiac epitopes such as sarcolemmal, fibrillary and mitochondrial epitopes, and 3) the eradication of the causative viral or microbial agent, if present. A "non-specific" anti-inflammatory treatment in peri(myo)carditis can be carried out with antiphlogistics (NSAIDs preferably colchicine 1-3 mg/d) independent from the presence of the infective agent. In larger virus and bacteria negative effusions we recommend intrapericardial instillation of cristalloid triamcinolon (Volon A) at a dose of 500 mg/m(2), which should be left in place to have a sustained effect over at least 4 weeks. This will effectively prevent recurrences particularly when colchicine is added over a period of at least 3-6 months. Taking into account the 2004 ESC task force recommendations on the management of pericardial diseases the treatment recommendation for NSAIDs and colchicine can be classified as level of evidence A, indication class I, for intrapericardial triamcinolon instillation as level of evidence B, indication class IIa. In (immuno)histologically validated autoreactive (virus negative) myocarditis and DCMi double-blind randomized trials are lacking to demonstrate the superiority of immunosuppression over conventional heart failure management. The only published randomized and double-blind immunosuppression treatment trial (American Myocarditis Treatment Trial) was underpowered and did not distinguish viral from non-viral disease. It showed neither benefit nor harm of a combination of cyclosporin and prednisone. A number of retrospective analyses of immunosuppression in myocarditis showed some benefit of surrogate parameters (ejection fraction, exercise tolerance) but improvement under conventional heart failure treatment cannot be ruled out completely as the main cause for amelioration. ESETCID (European Study on the Epidemiology and Treatment of Cardiac Inflammatory Disease) is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controled three-armed trial with prednisolone and azathioprine for autoreactive (virus negative) DCMi, interferon alpha for enterovirus positive DCMi, high-dose immunoglobulin for cytomegalovirus and intermediate dose for adeno- and Parvo B19 DCMi. It has now randomized more than 120 patients to the different treatment arms. Its final result has still to be awaited.-Patients not willing to randomize in the trial were included in a registry follow-up, which shows improvement of hemodynamic parameters and elimination of the inflammation in the majority of patients. This is in concordance with several non-randomized trials. Since evidence is conflicting (level of evidence C, indication class IIb; if negative viral etiology is taken into consideration class IIa) treatment with immunosuppression cannot be generally recommended but should be further evaluated in doubleblind randomized clinical trials or at least in controlled trials and registries. This also applies to treatment with interferon for enteroviral or other viral infections in the heart. : The elimination of anticardiac antibodies, which have been associated with DCMi, is a currently discussed concept, which is supported by published registry data and a few very small controlled investigations but not by a randomized double-blind trial with clinical endpoints of relevance. In some studies immunoglobulins have been substituted, so that an additional immunomodulatory effect has to be taken into account. The current proof of concept can be ranked level of evidence C, indication class IIa only. An even more challenging and still more attractive hypothesis is that cardiac inflammation caused by specific circulating beta-adrenoceptor antibodies can be eradicated with the elimination of the beta-receptor antibody thus healing dilated cardiomyopathy. Application of this approach can be ranked level of evidence C, indication class IIb at present only. Therefore these two pathophysiologically attractive concepts have to await further validation by a double-blind, randomized clinical endpoint trial. It has been shown that immunoglobulins have both an antiviral and an anti-inflammatory effect. They may suppress proinflammatory cytokines and reduce oxidative stress. HIGH-DOSE I.V. In biopsy proven CMVmyocarditis a controlled trial demonstrated eradication of inflammation and of the virus (level of evidence B, indication class IIa), which is in accordance with registry data and case reports. In suspected myocarditis (not biopsy proven, no viral etiology established or excluded) conflicting data exist with respect to the improvement of surrogate markers such as the ejection fraction under high-dose immunoglobulins. More evidence can be weighted in favour of a positive treatment effect (level of evidence B, indication class IIb). Importantly there were no detrimental effects of the ivIG reported in these trials. One has to consider the high costs of this treatment, however. A trial taking into account the different etiologies (different viruses assessed separately vs. non-viral/autoreactive vs. placebo) is still lacking. MODERATE-DOSE I.V. Registry data support a positive effect of 20 g i.v. pentaglobin (IgG and IgM) in adenovirus positive myocarditis for clinical improvement, eradication of both the inflammation and the virus. In Parvo B19 myocarditis our own registry data indicate that clinical improvement can be noted, but only inflammation is successfully eliminated, whereas Parvo B19 persistence remains a problem in the majority of patients. In Parvo B19 associated DCMi therefore dose finding studies and randomized trials are needed.

At the Frontiers of Modeling Intensive Longitudinal Data: Dynamic Structural Equation Models for the Affective Measurements from the COGITO Study.

PubMed

Hamaker, E L; Asparouhov, T; Brose, A; Schmiedek, F; Muthén, B

2018-04-06

With the growing popularity of intensive longitudinal research, the modeling techniques and software options for such data are also expanding rapidly. Here we use dynamic multilevel modeling, as it is incorporated in the new dynamic structural equation modeling (DSEM) toolbox in Mplus, to analyze the affective data from the COGITO study. These data consist of two samples of over 100 individuals each who were measured for about 100 days. We use composite scores of positive and negative affect and apply a multilevel vector autoregressive model to allow for individual differences in means, autoregressions, and cross-lagged effects. Then we extend the model to include random residual variances and covariance, and finally we investigate whether prior depression affects later depression scores through the random effects of the daily diary measures. We end with discussing several urgent-but mostly unresolved-issues in the area of dynamic multilevel modeling.

Comparing Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy With Treatment as Usual for Opioid Dependents: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Study Protocol.

PubMed

Imani, Saeed; Atef Vahid, Mohammad Kazem; Gharraee, Banafsheh; Habibi, Mojtaba; Bowen, Sarah; Noroozi, Alireza

2015-03-01

In response to high burden of opioid abuse in Iran, Ministry of Health has launched a large-scale opioid maintenance treatment program, delivered through a network of certified drug treatment centers. To promote opioid pharmacotherapies, there is an urgent need to develop and introduce evidence-based psychosocial interventions into the network. This is a randomized clinical trial (RCT) to investigate feasibility and effectiveness of adding mindfulness-based group therapy to opioid pharmacotherapies as compared to opioid pharmacotherapies alone. The primary outcomes were treatment retention and percentage of weekly morphine, methamphetamine, and benzodiazepine negative tests. This is the first RCT that explores the effectiveness of mindfulness-based relapse prevention group therapy among opioid dependent clients in Iran. The feasibility of group therapy and comparison of outcomes in intervention and control groups should be discussed in the outcome article.

Women's experiences as members of attention control and experimental intervention groups in a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Beal, Claudia C; Stuifbergen, Alexa; Volker, Deborah; Becker, Heather

2009-12-01

Attention control groups are often used in research testing the efficacy of psychosocial and behavioural interventions in order to control for placebo effects. The authors conducted a descriptive qualitative study to investigate how participants viewed their experiences in attention control and experimental intervention groups following a randomized controlled trial for women with fibromyalgia syndrome. Moderately structured interviews were conducted with 18 women (12 from the experimental intervention group and 6 from the attention control group). Members of the control group reported some benefits but few behavioural changes as a result of participating in the RCT, and some participants expressed disappointment at not receiving the intervention. Perceptions of changes in attitudes towards fibromyalgia syndrome and behaviours reported by the intervention group appear to be consistent with the theory underlying the intervention. Possible placebo effects identified in both groups include negative and positive social interactions with other participants.

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluations of the Anticalculus Effect of a Novel Stabilized Stannous Fluoride Dentifrice.

PubMed

He, Tao; Anastasia, Mary Kay; Zsiska, Marianne; Farmer, Teresa; Schneiderman, Eva; Milleman, Jeffery L

2017-12-01

To evaluate the effect of a novel stannous fluoride dentifrice with zinc citrate on calculus inhibition using both in vitro and clinical models. Each investigation tested a novel stabilized 0.454% stannous fluoride dentifrice with zinc citrate as an anticalculus agent (Crest® Pro-Health™ smooth formula) compared to a negative control fluoride dentifrice. The in vitro study used the modified Plaque Growth and Mineralization Model (mPGM). Plaque biofilms were prepared and mineralized by alternate immersion of glass rods in human saliva and artificial mineralization solution. Treatments of 25% w/w dentifrice/water slurries were carried out for 60 seconds daily for 6 days, between saliva and mineralization solution immersions. Plaque calcium levels were determined by digestion and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. Student's t-test (p < 0.05) was used for statistical analysis. The clinical study was a parallel group, double-blind, randomized, and controlled trial. Following a dental prophylaxis, subjects entered a two-month run-in phase. At the end, they received a Volpe-Manhold Index (V-MI) calculus examination. Eighty (80) qualified subjects who had formed at least 9 mm of calculus on the linguals of the mandibular anterior teeth were re-prophied and randomly assigned to either the stannous fluoride dentifrice or the negative control. Subjects brushed twice daily, unsupervised, during the three-month test period, returning at Weeks 6 and 12 for safety and V-MI examinations. Statistical analyses were via ANCOVA. In vitro mPGM: The stabilized stannous fluoride dentifrice showed 20% less in vitro tartar formation, measured as calcium accumulation normalized by biofilm mass, versus the negative control (106.95 versus 133.04 µg Ca/mg biofilm, respectively, p < 0.05). Clinical Trial: Seventy-eight (78) subjects completed with fully evaluable data. The stannous fluoride dentifrice group had 15.1% less adjusted mean calculus at Week 6 compared to the negative control group (p = 0.05) and 21.7% less calculus at Week 12 (p < 0.01). Both dentifrices were well-tolerated. The stannous fluoride dentifrice produced significant anticalculus benefits in vitro and in a clinical trial compared to a negative control.

The role of negative affect and message credibility in perceived effectiveness of smokeless tobacco health warning labels in Navi Mumbai, India and Dhaka, Bangladesh: A moderated-mediation analysis.

PubMed

Mutti-Packer, Seema; Reid, Jessica L; Thrasher, James F; Romer, Daniel; Fong, Geoffrey T; Gupta, Prakash C; Pednekar, Mangesh S; Nargis, Nigar; Hammond, David

2017-10-01

There is strong evidence showing that pictorial health warnings are more effective than text-only warnings. However, much of this evidence comes from high-income countries and is limited to cigarette packaging. Moreover, few studies have identified mechanisms that might explain the impact of warnings. The current study examined the potential mediating role of negative affect and the moderating influence of message credibility in perceived effectiveness of smokeless tobacco warnings in two low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Field interviews were conducted in India and Bangladesh, with adult (19+ years) smokeless tobacco users (n=1053), and youth (16-18years) users (n=304) and non-users (n=687). Respondents were randomly assigned to view warnings in one of four conditions: (1) Text-only, (2) pictorial with symbolic imagery, (3) pictorial with graphic images of health effects, or (4) pictorial with personalized graphic images plus a personal testimonial. The findings provide support for the mediating influence of negative affect in perceived effectiveness, for adult and youth smokeless tobacco users who viewed pictorial warnings (vs. text-only), and graphic health warnings (vs. personal testimonials). Among adults, message credibility moderated the indirect effect; the association was stronger when credibility was high and weaker when it was low. Among youth users and non-users, message credibility did not moderate the indirect effect. Consistent with research from high-income countries, these findings highlight the importance of selecting imagery that will elicit negative emotional reactions and be perceived as credible. Differential effects among adults and youth highlight the importance of pre-testing images. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of interpretation training on hostile attribution bias and reactivity to interpersonal insult.

PubMed

Hawkins, Kirsten A; Cougle, Jesse R

2013-09-01

Research suggests that individuals high in anger have a bias for attributing hostile intentions to ambiguous situations. The current study tested whether this interpretation bias can be altered to influence anger reactivity to an interpersonal insult using a single-session cognitive bias modification program. One hundred thirty-five undergraduate students were randomized to receive positive training, negative training, or a control condition. Anger reactivity to insult was then assessed. Positive training led to significantly greater increases in positive interpretation bias relative to the negative group, though these increases were only marginally greater than the control group. Negative training led to increased negative interpretation bias relative to other groups. During the insult, participants in the positive condition reported less anger than those in the control condition. Observers rated participants in the positive condition as less irritated than those in the negative condition and more amused than the other two conditions. Though mediation of effects via bias modification was not demonstrated, among the positive condition posttraining interpretation bias was correlated with self-reported anger, suggesting that positive training reduced anger reactivity by influencing interpretation biases. Findings suggest that positive interpretation training may be a promising treatment for reducing anger. However, the current study was conducted with a non-treatment-seeking student sample; further research with a treatment-seeking sample with problematic anger is necessary. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Personality traits and dysfunctional construal of online health promotion messages.

PubMed

Lee, Yaeeun; Kurtz, John E

2017-10-20

With the Internet becoming increasingly popular as a source of information, blogs offering healthy lifestyle techniques and knowledge have become popular and accessible. Despite their focus on health, these blogs portray content that may be negatively construed by viewers, especially those with or at risk for eating disorders. The present study investigated changes in affect and self-esteem after viewing a prototypic health blog. Personality traits, specifically neuroticism and conscientiousness, were also investigated. A prototypic health blog was constructed after extensive review of existing blogs. A parallel format was then followed to create a home décor website for a control condition. Female undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of two blog sites, and participants completed an earlier personality assessment and post-viewing study questionnaires. Contrary to the hypothesis that readers of the health blog will report more negative outcomes, no main effect of blog condition was found. However, individuals high in trait neuroticism experienced greater differences in negative affect, but not self-esteem, when viewing the health blog versus the control blog. This study found that viewing health blogs did not have immediate effects on affect and self-esteem, but more neurotic individuals were more inclined to experience negative affect when viewing health promotion messages. Personality traits assessed prior to the experiment were more predictive of negative affect and self-esteem during the experiment than blog viewing conditions. No level of evidence, experimental study.

Emotional tone of ontario newspaper articles on the health effects of industrial wind turbines before and after policy change.

PubMed

Deignan, Benjamin; Hoffman-Goetz, Laurie

2015-01-01

Newspapers are often a primary source of health information for the public about emerging technologies. Information in newspapers can amplify or attenuate readers' perceptions of health risk depending on how it is presented. Five geographically distinct wind energy installations in Ontario, Canada were identified, and newspapers published in their surrounding communities were systematically searched for articles on health effects from industrial wind turbines from May 2007 to April 2011. The authors retrieved 421 articles from 13 community, 2 provincial, and 2 national newspapers. To measure the emotional tone of the articles, the authors used a list of negative and positive words, informed from previous studies as well as from a random sample of newspaper articles included in this study. The majority of newspaper articles (64.6%, n = 272) emphasized negative rather than positive/neutral tone, with community newspapers publishing a higher proportion of negative articles than provincial or national newspapers, χ(2)(2) = 15.1, p < .001. Articles were more likely to be negative when published 2 years after compared with 2 years before provincial legislation to reduce dependence on fossil fuels (the Green Energy Act), χ(2)(3) = 9.7, p < .05. Repeated public exposure to negative newspaper content may heighten readers' health risk perceptions about wind energy.

Reduced sensitivity to neutral feedback versus negative feedback in subjects with mild depression: Evidence from event-related potentials study.

PubMed

Li, Peng; Song, Xinxin; Wang, Jing; Zhou, Xiaoran; Li, Jiayi; Lin, Fengtong; Hu, Zhonghua; Zhang, Xinxin; Cui, Hewei; Wang, Wenmiao; Li, Hong; Cong, Fengyu; Roberson, Debi

2015-11-01

Many previous event-related potential (ERP) studies have linked the feedback related negativity (FRN) component with medial frontal cortex processing and associated this component with depression. Few if any studies have investigated the processing of neutral feedback in mildly depressive subjects in the normal population. Two experiments compared brain responses to neutral feedback with behavioral performance in mildly depressed subjects who scored highly on the Beck Depression Inventory (high BDI) and a control group with lower BDI scores (low BDI). In the first study, the FRN component was recorded when neutral, negative or positive feedback was pseudo-randomly delivered to the two groups in a time estimation task. In the second study, real feedback was provided to the two groups in the same task in order to measure their actual accuracy of performance. The results of experiment one (Exp. 1) revealed that a larger FRN effect was elicited by neutral feedback than by negative feedback in the low BDI group, but no significant difference was found between neutral condition and negative condition in the High BDI group. The present findings demonstrated that depressive tendencies influence the processing of neutral feedback in medial frontal cortex. The FRN effect may work as a helpful index for investigating cognitive bias in depression in future studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Oxytocin and social context moderate social support seeking in women during negative memory recall.

PubMed

Cardoso, Christopher; Valkanas, Helen; Serravalle, Lisa; Ellenbogen, Mark A

2016-08-01

Oxytocin is theorized to promote social support seeking under stress- an alternate biobehavioural response to challenge known as the tend-and-befriend response. These effects may be context dependent, however, and no study has evaluated this effect in the presence and absence of social support. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of oxytocin on the experience of recalling emotional autobiographical memories in two contexts-with and without social contact with an experimenter. Sixty-three individuals (32 female) participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and within-subject study. During recall of negative memories in the absence of social contact, oxytocin decreased perceived emotional support relative to placebo F(1,62)=10.75, p=0.002. In this same context, women who were motivated to affiliate with the experimenter following oxytocin administration showed this effect in greater magnitude t(57)=-2.04, p=0.047, but showed the reverse effect (i.e. increased perceived support in response to oxytocin) when social contact with the experimenter was available t(57)=2.78, p=0.007. Male participants did not evidence this pattern. These findings support the role of oxytocin in social support seeking in distressed women, and highlight the negative consequences of increasing oxytocin bioavailability in the absence of social support. Supportive relationships may be necessary to elicit the prosocial effects oxytocin. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A test of the stress-buffering model of social support in smoking cessation: is the relationship between social support and time to relapse mediated by reduced withdrawal symptoms?

PubMed

Creswell, Kasey G; Cheng, Yu; Levine, Michele D

2015-05-01

Social support has been linked to quitting smoking, but the mechanisms by which social support affects cessation are poorly understood. The current study tested a stress-buffering model of social support, which posits that social support protects or "buffers" individuals from stress related to quitting smoking. We hypothesized that social support would be negatively associated with risk of relapse, and that this effect would be mediated by reduced withdrawal and depressive symptoms (i.e., cessation-related stress) over time. Further, we predicted that trait neuroticism would moderate this mediational effect, such that individuals high in negative affectivity would show the greatest stress-buffering effects of social support. Participants were weight-concerned women (n = 349) ages 18-65 enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled smoking cessation trial of bupropion and cognitive behavioral therapy. Social support was assessed at baseline, and biochemically-verified abstinence, withdrawal-related symptoms, and depressive symptoms were assessed at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up. Social support was negatively related to risk of relapse in survival models and negatively related to withdrawal symptoms and depression in mixed effects models. These relationships held after controlling for the effects of pre-quit day negative affect and depression symptoms, assignment to treatment condition, and number of cigarettes smoked per day. A temporal mediation model showed that the effect of social support on risk of relapse was mediated by reductions in withdrawal symptoms over time but not by depression over time. Contrary to hypotheses, we did not find that neuroticism moderated this mediation effect. Increased social support may buffer women from the harmful effects of cessation-related withdrawal symptoms, which in turn improve cessation outcomes. © The Author 2014. 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.

A Test of the Stress-Buffering Model of Social Support in Smoking Cessation: Is the Relationship Between Social Support and Time to Relapse Mediated by Reduced Withdrawal Symptoms?

PubMed Central

Cheng, Yu; Levine, Michele D.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Social support has been linked to quitting smoking, but the mechanisms by which social support affects cessation are poorly understood. The current study tested a stress-buffering model of social support, which posits that social support protects or “buffers” individuals from stress related to quitting smoking. We hypothesized that social support would be negatively associated with risk of relapse, and that this effect would be mediated by reduced withdrawal and depressive symptoms (i.e., cessation-related stress) over time. Further, we predicted that trait neuroticism would moderate this mediational effect, such that individuals high in negative affectivity would show the greatest stress-buffering effects of social support. Methods: Participants were weight-concerned women (n = 349) ages 18–65 enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled smoking cessation trial of bupropion and cognitive behavioral therapy. Social support was assessed at baseline, and biochemically-verified abstinence, withdrawal-related symptoms, and depressive symptoms were assessed at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up. Results: Social support was negatively related to risk of relapse in survival models and negatively related to withdrawal symptoms and depression in mixed effects models. These relationships held after controlling for the effects of pre-quit day negative affect and depression symptoms, assignment to treatment condition, and number of cigarettes smoked per day. A temporal mediation model showed that the effect of social support on risk of relapse was mediated by reductions in withdrawal symptoms over time but not by depression over time. Contrary to hypotheses, we did not find that neuroticism moderated this mediation effect. Conclusions: Increased social support may buffer women from the harmful effects of cessation-related withdrawal symptoms, which in turn improve cessation outcomes. PMID:25257978

Using an Experimental Medicine Model to Explore Combination Effects of Pharmacological and Cognitive Interventions for Depression and Anxiety

PubMed Central

Browning, Michael; Grol, Maud; Ly, Verena; Goodwin, Guy M; Holmes, Emily A; Harmer, Catherine J

2011-01-01

Selective serotonergic reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and cognitive therapies are effective in the treatment of anxiety and depression. Previous research suggests that both forms of treatments may work by altering cognitive biases in the processing of affective information. The current study assessed the effects of combining an SSRI with a cognitive intervention on measures of affective processing bias and resilience to external challenge. A total of 62 healthy participants were randomly assigned to receive either 7 days of citalopram (20 mg) or placebo capsules while also completing either an active or a control version of a computerized cognitive bias training task. After treatment, standard measures of affective processing bias were collected. Participants' resilience to external stress was also tested by measuring the increase in negative symptoms induced by a negative mood induction. Participants who received both citalopram and the active cognitive bias training task showed a smaller alteration in emotional memory and categorization bias than did those who received either active intervention singly. The degree to which memory for negative information was altered by citalopram predicted participants' resistance to the negative mood induction. These results suggest that co-administration of an SSRI and a cognitive training intervention can reduce the effectiveness of either treatment alone in terms of anxiety- and depression-relevant emotional processing. More generally, the findings suggest that pinpointing the cognitive actions of treatments may inform future development of combination strategies in mental health. PMID:21832988

London Education and Inclusion Project (LEIP): Exploring Negative and Null Effects of a Cluster-Randomised School-Intervention to Reduce School Exclusion—Findings from Protocol-Based Subgroup Analyses

PubMed Central

Obsuth, Ingrid; Cope, Aiden; Sutherland, Alex; Pilbeam, Liv; Murray, Aja Louise; Eisner, Manuel

2016-01-01

This paper presents subgroup analyses from the London Education and Inclusion Project (LEIP). LEIP was a cluster-randomised controlled trial of an intervention called Engage in Education-London (EiE-L) which aimed to reduce school exclusions in those at greatest risk of exclusion. Pupils in the control schools attended an hour-long employability seminar. Minimisation was used to randomly assign schools to treatment and control following baseline data collection. The study involved 36 schools (17 in treatment—373 pupils; 19 in control—369 pupils) with >28% free school meal eligibility across London and utilised on pupil self-reports, teacher reports as well as official records to assess the effectiveness of EiE-L. Due to multiple data sources, sample sizes varied according to analysis. Analyses of pre-specified subgroups revealed null and negative effects on school exclusion following the intervention. Our findings suggest that the design and implementation of EiE-L may have contributed to the negative outcomes for pupils in the treatment schools when compared to those in the control schools. These findings call into question the effectiveness of bolt-on short-term interventions with pupils, particularly those at the highest risk of school exclusion and when they are faced with multiple problems. This is especially pertinent given the possibility of negative outcomes. Trial Registration: Controlled Trials: ISRCTN23244695 PMID:27045953

Effects of Previous Fruit Intake, Descriptive Majority Norms, and Message Framing on Fruit Intake Intentions and Behaviors in Dutch Adults Across a 1-Week Period.

PubMed

de Bruijn, Gert-Jan; Visscher, Ilse; Mollen, Saar

2015-01-01

To test the effects of descriptive norm and message framing on fruit intake (intentions) in Dutch adults. Randomized pretest-posttest study using a 2 × 2 design. Internet-based. Dutch adults recruited via leaflets and announcements on intranet and Internet and who provided immediate intention (n = 294) and 1-week follow-up intention and fruit intake data (n = 177). Messages combining information on intake of others (low vs high intake) with information about positive or negative outcomes of (in)sufficient fruit intake. Fruit intake intentions and fruit intake. Analyses of covariance. Those already consuming sufficient fruit and receiving negative information about insufficient fruit intake increased their motivation to consume sufficient fruit immediately (P = .03), but not at 1-week follow-up. Those who read positive information about sufficient fruit intake reported higher fruit consumption than those who read negative information about insufficient fruit intake (P = .03). This was stronger in those already consuming sufficient fruit. There were no effects of descriptive norm information (P > .19). Information about outcomes was more persuasive than descriptive majority norm information. Effects were generally stronger in those already consuming sufficient fruit. Copyright © 2015 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Causal Effects of Language on the Exchange of Social Support in an Online Community.

PubMed

Biehl, Sarah A; Kahn, Jeffrey H

2016-07-01

The provision of social support is a common function of many online communities, but a full understanding of the causal effect of emotion language on the provision of support requires experimental study. The frequency of positive- and negative-emotion words in simulated posts requesting emotional support was manipulated and presented to a sample of college students (N = 442) who were randomly assigned to read one of four simulated posts. Participants completed measures of the original poster's (OP's) distress, and they provided a response to the simulated post. These responses were subjected to a computerized text analysis, and their overall effectiveness was rated by two independent judges. Fewer positive-emotion and more negative-emotion words in the simulated post led to perceptions that the OP was distressed and unable to cope. Participant-generated responses to the post were highest in positive-emotion words when the simulated post was high in positive-emotion words, but low in negative-emotion words. Finally, simulated posts that were low in positive-emotion words received responses that were judged to be more effective than did simulated posts that were high in positive-emotion words. These findings have implications for understanding the role of emotion language on the exchange of online social support.

Effects of Anti-Smoking Public Service Announcements on the Attitudes of Korean College Students toward Smoking.

PubMed

Cho, Kyoung Won; Lee, Jakyoung; Ryu, Ji-Hye; Kim, Soo Jeong

2017-12-01

This study aimed to identify the effects of anti-smoking public service announcements on the attitudes of Korean college students toward smoking. This study involved students via convenience sampling from seven universities who were randomly assigned to four groups. All groups completed a preliminary questionnaire, before being shown a public service announcement twice, and then completed a post viewing questionnaire. For announcements with positive messages, the proportion of changes in beliefs and attitudes were 39.1% and 19.8%, respectively, whereas those with negative messages showed a greater proportion of changes in the beliefs (59.7%) and attitudes (40.3%). After adjusting for sex and change in belief, the message types and smoking status were identified as factors affecting the change in the participants attitudes. A negative message resulted in a greater change in attitudes (odds ratio [OR], 3.047; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.847-5.053). Ever-smokers including current smokers showed a greater positive change in attitude than never-smokers (OR, 6.965; 95% CI, 4.107-11.812). This study found that positive anti-smoking public service announcements were more effective on attitude change than negative messages. Additionally these announcements were more effective among viewers who were current smokers or had a prior smoking experience.

Effects of high-intensity exercise and protein supplement on muscle mass in ADL dependent older people with and without malnutrition: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Carlsson, M; Littbrand, H; Gustafson, Y; Lundin-Olsson, L; Lindelöf, N; Rosendahl, E; Håglin, L

2011-08-01

Loss of muscle mass is common among old people living in institutions but trials that evaluate interventions aimed at increasing the muscle mass are lacking. Objective, participants and intervention: This randomized controlled trial was performed to evaluate the effect of a high-intensity functional exercise program and a timed protein-enriched drink on muscle mass in 177 people aged 65 to 99 with severe physical or cognitive impairments, and living in residential care facilities. Three-month high-intensity exercise was compared with a control activity and a protein-enriched drink was compared with a placebo drink. A bioelectrical impedance spectrometer (BIS) was used in the evaluation. The amount of muscle mass and body weight (BW) were followed-up at three and six months and analyzed in a 2 x 2 factorial ANCOVA, using the intention to treat principle, and controlling for baseline values. At 3-month follow-up there were no differences in muscle mass and BW between the exercise and the control group or between the protein and the placebo group. No interaction effects were seen between the exercise and nutritional intervention. Long-term negative effects on muscle mass and BW was seen in the exercise group at the 6-month follow-up. A three month high-intensity functional exercise program did not increase the amount of muscle mass and an intake of a protein-enriched drink immediately after the exercise did not induce any additional effect on muscle mass. There were negative long-term effects on muscle mass and BW, indicating that it is probably necessary to compensate for an increased energy demand when offering a high-intensity exercise program.

Complete convergence of randomly weighted END sequences and its application.

PubMed

Li, Penghua; Li, Xiaoqin; Wu, Kehan

2017-01-01

We investigate the complete convergence of partial sums of randomly weighted extended negatively dependent (END) random variables. Some results of complete moment convergence, complete convergence and the strong law of large numbers for this dependent structure are obtained. As an application, we study the convergence of the state observers of linear-time-invariant systems. Our results extend the corresponding earlier ones.

Sentinel-lymph-node resection compared with conventional axillary-lymph-node dissection in clinically node-negative patients with breast cancer: overall survival findings from the NSABP B-32 randomised phase 3 trial.

PubMed

Krag, David N; Anderson, Stewart J; Julian, Thomas B; Brown, Ann M; Harlow, Seth P; Costantino, Joseph P; Ashikaga, Takamaru; Weaver, Donald L; Mamounas, Eleftherios P; Jalovec, Lynne M; Frazier, Thomas G; Noyes, R Dirk; Robidoux, André; Scarth, Hugh Mc; Wolmark, Norman

2010-10-01

Sentinel-lymph-node (SLN) surgery was designed to minimise the side-effects of lymph-node surgery but still offer outcomes equivalent to axillary-lymph-node dissection (ALND). The aims of National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) trial B-32 were to establish whether SLN resection in patients with breast cancer achieves the same survival and regional control as ALND, but with fewer side-effects. NSABP B-32 was a randomised controlled phase 3 trial done at 80 centres in Canada and the USA between May 1, 1999, and Feb 29, 2004. Women with invasive breast cancer were randomly assigned to either SLN resection plus ALND (group 1) or to SLN resection alone with ALND only if the SLNs were positive (group 2). Random assignment was done at the NSABP Biostatistical Center (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) with a biased coin minimisation approach in an allocation ratio of 1:1. Stratification variables were age at entry (≤ 49 years, ≥ 50 years), clinical tumour size (≤ 2·0 cm, 2·1-4·0 cm, ≥ 4·1 cm), and surgical plan (lumpectomy, mastectomy). SLN resection was done with a blue dye and radioactive tracer. Outcome analyses were done in patients who were assessed as having pathologically negative sentinel nodes and for whom follow-up data were available. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. All deaths, irrespective of cause, were included. The mean time on study for the SLN-negative patients with follow-up information was 95·6 months (range 70·1-126·7). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00003830. 5611 women were randomly assigned to the treatment groups, 3989 had pathologically negative SLN. 309 deaths were reported in the 3986 SLN-negative patients with follow-up information: 140 of 1975 patients in group 1 and 169 of 2011 in group 2. Log-rank comparison of overall survival in groups 1 and 2 yielded an unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1·20 (95% CI 0·96-1·50; p=0·12). 8-year Kaplan-Meier estimates for overall survival were 91·8% (95% CI 90·4-93·3) in group 1 and 90·3% (88·8-91·8) in group 2. Treatment comparisons for disease-free survival yielded an unadjusted HR of 1·05 (95% CI 0·90-1·22; p=0·54). 8-year Kaplan-Meier estimates for disease-free survival were 82·4% (80·5-84·4) in group 1 and 81·5% (79·6-83·4) in group 2. There were eight regional-node recurrences as first events in group 1 and 14 in group 2 (p=0·22). Patients are continuing follow-up for longer-term assessment of survival and regional control. The most common adverse events were allergic reactions, mostly related to the administration of the blue dye. Overall survival, disease-free survival, and regional control were statistically equivalent between groups. When the SLN is negative, SLN surgery alone with no further ALND is an appropriate, safe, and effective therapy for breast cancer patients with clinically negative lymph nodes. US Public Health Service, National Cancer Institute, and Department of Health and Human Services. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Group behavioral activation for patients with severe obesity and binge eating disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Alfonsson, Sven; Parling, Thomas; Ghaderi, Ata

2015-03-01

The aim of the present study was to assess whether behavioral activation (BA) is an efficacious treatment for decreasing eating disorder symptoms in patients with obesity and binge eating disorder (BED). Ninety-six patients with severe obesity and BED were randomized to either 10 sessions of group BA or wait-list control. The study was conducted at an obesity clinic in a regular hospital setting. The treatment improved some aspects of disordered eating and had a positive effect on depressive symptoms but there was no significant difference between the groups regarding binge eating and most other symptoms. Improved mood but lack of effect on binge eating suggests that dysfunctional eating (including BED) is maintained by other mechanisms than low activation and negative mood. However, future studies need to investigate whether effects of BA on binge eating might emerge later than at post-assessment, as in interpersonal psychotherapy for bulimia nervosa. © The Author(s) 2014.

The intensive margin of technology adoption--Experimental evidence on improved cooking stoves in rural Senegal.

PubMed

Bensch, Gunther; Peters, Jörg

2015-07-01

Today, almost 3 billion people in developing countries rely on biomass as primary cooking fuel, with profound negative implications for their well-being. Improved biomass cooking stoves are alleged to counteract these adverse effects. This paper evaluates take-up and impacts of low-cost improved stoves through a randomized controlled trial. The randomized stove is primarily designed to curb firewood consumption, but not smoke emissions. Nonetheless, we find considerable effects not only on firewood consumption, but also on smoke exposure and, consequently, smoke-related disease symptoms. The reduced smoke exposure results from behavioural changes in terms of increased outside cooking and a reduction in cooking time. We conclude that in order to assess the effectiveness of a technology-oriented intervention, it is critical to not only account for the incidence of technology adoption - the extensive margin - but also for the way the new technology is used - the intensive margin. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Qualitative Examination of Yoga for Middle School Adolescents

PubMed Central

Butzer, Bethany; LoRusso, Amanda Marie; Windsor, Regina; Riley, Frankye; Frame, Kate; Khalsa, Sat Bir S.; Conboy, Lisa

2017-01-01

The present study was part of a group randomized controlled trial in which 7th grade students were assigned to a yoga intervention or physical-education-as-usual. Sixteen students were randomly selected from the yoga condition to participate in one-on-one interviews. Qualitative analyses revealed 13 themes that were organized into two categories: Usability (student perceptions of the usefulness, learnability, and convenience of the yoga intervention) and Effect (student perceptions of the direct results of the yoga intervention). Students reported both positive and negative opinions of yoga, especially when making direct comparisons between yoga and physical education. Students had particularly positive opinions regarding the beneficial effects of yoga on stress, sleep, and relaxation. Student opinions regarding the effects of yoga on self-regulation, social interaction, substance use, and academic performance were also generally positive, although somewhat mixed. Results suggest that qualitative research shows promise for providing an in-depth perspective on the impact of mind-body interventions in schools. PMID:28757897

Graphic and Arousing? Emotional and Cognitive Reactions to Tobacco Graphic Health Warnings and Associated Quit-Related Outcomes Among Low SEP Population Groups.

PubMed

Bekalu, Mesfin Awoke; Ramanadhan, Shoba; Bigman, Cabral A; Nagler, Rebekah H; Viswanath, Kasisomayajula

2018-02-01

Research on graphic health warnings (GHWs) indicates that beyond changing cognitions about the health effects of smoking, GHWs evoke emotional reactions that can influence quit-related outcomes. Emotions can be classified based on valence (positive or negative) and arousal (calm or excited). However, although considerable research has examined the differential effectiveness of positive versus negative GHW-evoked emotions, research investigating the role of arousal activation in quit-related behaviors is scarce. This study examined associations between quit-related outcomes (intention and attempt to quit) and GHWs-evoked negative emotions classified as high and low in arousal activation as well as cognitive reactions among smokers of low socioeconomic position (SEP). It also examined whether perceived health risks of smoking moderate the relationship between emotional and cognitive reactions to GHWs and quit-related outcomes. Data were collected from low SEP smokers in three Massachusetts communities. Participants were screened and randomized to view one of the nine GHWs initially proposed for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and answered pre- and post-exposure questions. Results showed that GHW-evoked negative emotions high in arousal activation and cognitive reactions were both significantly associated with intention to quit during immediate post-test, controlling for age, warning label difference, and prior quit intention. However, these associations did not hold for quit attempts at follow-up. Perceived health risks of smoking moderated the association between cognitive reactions to GHWs and quit attempts at follow-up. The findings suggest that not all negative emotions evoked by GHWs are effective. Negative emotions high in arousal activation may be more effective in influencing quit-related behavioral intentions in low SEP groups. Additionally, unlike emotional reactions, cognitive reactions to GHWs may have effects that last relatively longer, but only among smokers who had low levels of perceived health risks of smoking at baseline.

The effect of neighborhood-based community organizing: results from the Seattle Minority Youth Health Project.

PubMed

Cheadle, A; Wagner, E; Walls, M; Diehr, P; Bell, M; Anderman, C; McBride, C; Catalano, R F; Pettigrew, E; Simmons, R; Neckerman, H

2001-08-01

To evaluate the effect of a community mobilization and youth development strategy to prevent drug abuse, violence, and risky sexual activity. Primary surveys of youth, parents, and key neighborhood leaders were carried out at baseline (1994) and at the end of the intervention period (1997). The study took place in four intervention and six control neighborhoods in Seattle. The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial with neighborhood as the unit of randomization. The intervention consisted of a paid community organizer in each neighborhood who recruited a group of residents to serve as a community action board. Key variables included perceptions of neighborhood mobilization by youth, parents, and key neighborhood leaders. Youth surveys were self-administered during school hours. Parent and neighborhood leader surveys were conducted over the phone by trained interviewers. Survey results showed that mobilization increased to the same degree in both intervention and control neighborhoods with no evidence of an overall intervention effect. There did appear to be a relative increase in mobilization in the neighborhood with the highest level of intervention activity. This randomized study failed to demonstrate a measurable effect for a community mobilization intervention. It is uncertain whether the negative finding was because of a lack of strength of the interventions or problems detecting intervention effects using individual-level closed-end surveys.

Use of a Social and Character Development Program to Prevent Substance Use, Violent Behaviors, and Sexual Activity Among Elementary-School Students in Hawaii

PubMed Central

Flay, Brian R.; Vuchinich, Samuel; Snyder, Frank J.; Acock, Alan; Li, Kin-Kit; Burns, Kate; Washburn, Isaac J.; Durlak, Joseph

2009-01-01

Objectives. We assessed the effectiveness of a 5-year trial of a comprehensive school-based program designed to prevent substance use, violent behaviors, and sexual activity among elementary-school students. Methods. We used a matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled design, with 10 intervention schools and 10 control schools. Fifth-graders (N = 1714) self-reported on lifetime substance use, violence, and voluntary sexual activity. Teachers of participant students reported on student (N = 1225) substance use and violence. Results. Two-level random-effects count models (with students nested within schools) indicated that student-reported substance use (rate ratio [RR] = 0.41; 90% confidence interval [CI] = 0.25, 0.66) and violence (RR = 0.42; 90% CI = 0.24, 0.73) were significantly lower for students attending intervention schools. A 2-level random-effects binary model indicated that sexual activity was lower (odds ratio = 0.24; 90% CI = 0.08, 0.66) for intervention students. Teacher reports substantiated the effects seen for student-reported data. Dose-response analyses indicated that students exposed to the program for at least 3 years had significantly lower rates of all negative behaviors. Conclusions. Risk-related behaviors were substantially reduced for students who participated in the program, providing evidence that a comprehensive school-based program can have a strong beneficial effect on student behavior. PMID:19542037

Inbreeding avoidance through non-random mating in sticklebacks

PubMed Central

Frommen, Joachim G; Bakker, Theo C.M

2006-01-01

Negative effects of inbreeding are well documented in a wide range of animal taxa. Hatching success and survival of inbred offspring is reduced in many species and inbred progeny are often less attractive to potential mates. Thus, individuals should avoid mating with close kin. However, experimental evidence for inbreeding avoidance through non-random mating in vertebrates is scarce. Here, we show that gravid female three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) when given the choice between a courting familiar brother and a courting unfamiliar non-sib prefer to mate with the non-sib and thus avoid the disadvantages of incest. We controlled for differences in males' body size and red intensity of nuptial coloration. Thus, females adjust their courting behaviour to the risk of inbreeding. PMID:17148370

Inbreeding avoidance through non-random mating in sticklebacks.

PubMed

Frommen, Joachim G; Bakker, Theo C M

2006-06-22

Negative effects of inbreeding are well documented in a wide range of animal taxa. Hatching success and survival of inbred offspring is reduced in many species and inbred progeny are often less attractive to potential mates. Thus, individuals should avoid mating with close kin. However, experimental evidence for inbreeding avoidance through non-random mating in vertebrates is scarce. Here, we show that gravid female three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) when given the choice between a courting familiar brother and a courting unfamiliar non-sib prefer to mate with the non-sib and thus avoid the disadvantages of incest. We controlled for differences in males' body size and red intensity of nuptial coloration. Thus, females adjust their courting behaviour to the risk of inbreeding.

Application of intermittent negative pressure on the lower extremity and its effect on macro- and microcirculation in the foot of healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Sundby, Øyvind H; Høiseth, Lars Øivind; Mathiesen, Iacob; Jørgensen, Jørgen J; Weedon-Fekjær, Harald; Hisdal, Jonny

2016-09-01

Intermittent negative pressure (INP) applied to the lower leg and foot may increase peripheral circulation. However, it is not clear how different patterns of INP affect macro- and microcirculation in the foot. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the effect of different patterns of negative pressure on foot perfusion in healthy volunteers. We hypothesized that short periods with INP would elicit an increase in foot perfusion compared to no negative pressure. In 23 healthy volunteers, we continuously recorded blood flow velocity in a distal foot artery, skin blood flow, heart rate, and blood pressure during application of different patterns of negative pressure (-40 mmHg) to the lower leg. Each participant had their right leg inside an airtight chamber connected to an INP generator. After a baseline period at atmospheric pressure, we applied four different 120 sec sequences with either constant negative pressure or different INP patterns, in a randomized order. The results showed corresponding fluctuations in blood flow velocity and skin blood flow throughout the INP sequences. Blood flow velocity reached a maximum at 4 sec after the onset of negative pressure (average 44% increase above baseline, P < 0.001). Skin blood flow and skin temperature increased during all INP sequences (P < 0.001). During constant negative pressure, average blood flow velocity, skin blood flow, and skin temperature decreased (P < 0.001). In conclusion, we observed increased foot perfusion in healthy volunteers after the application of INP on the lower limb. © 2016 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Physiological Society and The Physiological Society.

Determinants of health-related quality of life in the postpartum period after obstetric complications.

PubMed

Prick, Babette W; Bijlenga, Denise; Jansen, A J Gerard; Boers, Kim E; Scherjon, Sicco A; Koopmans, Corine M; van Pampus, Marielle G; Essink-Bot, Marie-Louise; van Rhenen, Dick J; Mol, Ben W; Duvekot, Johannes J

2015-02-01

To determine the influence of socio-demographic, clinical parameters and obstetric complications on postpartum health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We used data of three randomized controlled trials to investigate HRQoL determinants in women after an obstetric complication. The DIGITAT and HYPITAT trials compared induction of labor and expectant management in women with intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) and hypertensive disorders. The WOMB trial randomized anemic women after postpartum hemorrhage to red blood cell transfusion or expectant management. The HRQoL-measure Short-Form36 was completed at six weeks postpartum. Multivariable analyses were used to identify which parameters affected the Short-Form36 physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS). HRQoL analyses included 1391 women (60%) of the 2310 trial participants. HYPITAT and DIGITAT participants had significantly lower MCS than WOMB participants. In multivariable analysis, PCS after elective and emergency cesarean section was 5-6 points lower than after vaginal delivery. Gestational hypertension, neonatal admission and delivery in an academic hospital had a small negative effect on PCS. No effect was found for randomization status, maternal age, BMI, country of birth, education, parity, induction of labor, analgesics, birth weight, perineal laceration, delivery of placenta, postpartum hemorrhage, congenital anomaly, urinary tract infection, thromboembolic event or endometritis. MCS was influenced only mildly by these parameters. IUGR and hypertensive disorders lead to lower HRQoL scores postpartum than PPH. In a heterogeneous obstetric population, only mode of delivery by cesarean section has a profound, negative impact, on physical HRQoL (PCS). No profound impacts on MCS were detected. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the effect of two endodontic irrigation protocols on the elimination of bacteria from root canal system: a prospective, randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Beus, Christopher; Safavi, Kamran; Stratton, Jeffrey; Kaufman, Blythe

2012-11-01

The purpose of this prospective, randomized clinical study was to compare the results of a nonactivated single-irrigation protocol (NAI) that used only 1% NaOCl with a passive ultrasonic multi-irrigation protocol (PUI) that used 1% NaOCl, 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and 2% chlorhexidine in rendering canals bacteria free. In addition, the effect of a second-visit instrumentation after intra-appointment calcium hydroxide (CaOH(2)) was also evaluated in bacterial elimination. Fifty patients were recruited with a posterior tooth requiring primary endodontic treatment of apical periodontitis. Standard nonsurgical endodontic therapy was performed on both groups in a 2-visit approach by using calcium hydroxide intracanal medicament. Teeth were randomly treated with the NAI or PUI protocols in the first visit after complete instrumentation. Bacterial cultures were obtained at 4 periods during treatment from the canals: (1) before instrumentation, (2) after irrigation protocol, (3) after CaOH(2) medication, and (4) before obturation. Statistical analysis was performed on data by using the Fisher exact test and multivariate analysis. NAI and PUI rendered canals 80% and 84% bacteria free, respectively, at the end of the first visit. After CaOH(2) medication the total sample (NAI + PUI) had increased to 87% bacteria free, and the second-visit instrumentation resulted in a total of 91% bacteria free. These differences were not significant (P > .05). There was no statistical difference between irrigation methods. Each protocol resulted in a high frequency of negative cultures. This high frequency of negative cultures obtained in 1 visit is most likely related to an increased volume and depth of irrigation compared with previously reported protocols. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficacy and safety of 1 % terbinafine film-forming solution in Chinese patients with tinea pedis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group study.

PubMed

Li, Ruo Yu; Wang, A P; Xu, J H; Xi, L Y; Fu, M H; Zhu, M; Xu, M L; Li, X Q; Lai, W; Liu, W D; Lu, X Y; Gong, Z Q

2014-03-01

Superficial fungal skin infections are treated using topical antifungals. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy of a single application of 1 % terbinafine film-forming solution (FFS) versus placebo for the treatment of tinea pedis in the Chinese population. Six centers in China randomized 290 patients in a 1:1 ratio to receive either 1 % terbinafine FFS or FFS vehicle (placebo) once on the affected foot/feet. Efficacy assessments included microscopy and mycologic culture, and assessing clinical signs and symptoms at baseline, and at weeks 1 and 6 after the topical treatment. All adverse events were recorded. At week 6, 1 % terbinafine FFS was superior to placebo for effective treatment rate (63 vs. 8 %); clinical cure (30 vs. 6 %); mycological cure (86 vs. 12 %); negative microscopy (90 vs. 24 %); and negative mycological culture (90 vs. 27 %): all p ≤ 0.001 and clinically relevant. At week 6, 1 % terbinafine FFS was clinically superior to placebo for the absence of: erythema (69 vs. 29 %); desquamation (33 vs. 8 %); and pruritus (70 vs. 30 %): all p ≤ 0.001 and clinically relevant. At week 6, differences in the average total signs and symptoms scores were significantly lower for 1 % terbinafine FFS versus placebo (p ≤ 0.001). Both 1 % terbinafine FFS and placebo were safe and well tolerated based on adverse events and investigator and patient assessments. This double-blind, randomized, multicenter study demonstrated one single topical application of 1 % terbinafine FFS was safe and effective in the treatment of tinea pedis in the Chinese population.

Effects on cognitive and clinical insight with the use of Guided Self-Determination in outpatients with schizophrenia: A randomized open trial.

PubMed

Jørgensen, R; Licht, R W; Lysaker, P H; Munk-Jørgensen, P; Buck, K D; Jensen, S O W; Hansson, L; Zoffmann, V

2015-07-01

Poor insight has a negative impact on the outcome in schizophrenia; consequently, poor insight is a logical target for treatment. However, neither medication nor psychosocial interventions have been demonstrated to improve poor insight. A method originally designed for diabetes patients to improve their illness management, Guided Self-Determination (GSD), has been adapted for use in patients with schizophrenia (GSD-SZ). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect on insight of GSD-SZ as a supplement to treatment as usual (TAU) as compared to TAU alone in outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia. The design was an open randomized trial. The primary hypothesis was cognitive insight would improve in those patients who received GSD-SZ+TAU as assessed by the BCIS. We additionally explored whether the intervention led to changes in clinical insight, self-perceived recovery, self-esteem, social functioning and symptom severity. Assessments were conducted at baseline, and at 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up. Analysis was based on the principles of intention to treat and potential confounders were taken into account through applying a multivariate approach. A total of 101 participants were randomized to GSD-SZ+TAU (n=50) or to TAU alone (n=51). No statistically significant differences were found on the cognitive insight. However, at 12-month follow-up, clinical insight (measured by G12 from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale), symptom severity, and social functioning had statistically significantly improved in the intervention group as compared to the control group. "Improving insight in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia", NCT01282307, http://clinicaltrials.gov/. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effects of exercise training with traditional dancing on functional capacity and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Kaltsatou, A; Kouidi, E; Fountoulakis, K; Sipka, C; Theochari, V; Kandylis, D; Deligiannis, A

2015-09-01

To examine the effects of an eight-month exercise training programme with Greek traditional dancing on functional capacity and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. Randomized controlled trial. Sports Medicine Laboratory. A total of 31 patients, aged 59.9 ± 14.1 years. They were randomly assigned either to a Greek traditional dancing programme (Group A) or to a sedentary control group (Group B). A functional capacity assessment was performed at baseline and the end of the study. Global Assessment of Functioning Scale and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale were also used. Quality of life was examined using the Quality of Life and Satisfaction questionnaire. After the eight months, Group A increased walking distance in the 6-minute walk test (328.4 ± 35.9 vs. 238.0 ± 47.6 m), sit-to-stand test (19.1 ± 1.8 vs. 25.1 ± 1.4 seconds), Berg Balance Scale score (53.1 ± 2.1 vs. 43.2 ± 6.7), lower limbs maximal isometric force (77.7 ± 25.7 vs. 51.0 ± 29.8 lb), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total score (77.0 ± 23.1 vs. 82.0 ± 24.4), Global Assessment of Functioning Scale total score (51.3 ± 15.5 vs. 47.7 ± 13.3) and Quality of Life total score (34.9 ± 5.2 vs. 28 ± 4.5), compared with Group B. Our results demonstrate that Greek traditional dances improve functional capacity and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. © The Author(s) 2014.

The effects of two different doses of hydrocortisone on cognition in patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency--results from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Werumeus Buning, Jorien; Brummelman, Pauline; Koerts, Janneke; Dullaart, Robin P F; van den Berg, Gerrit; van der Klauw, Melanie M; Tucha, Oliver; Wolffenbuttel, Bruce H R; van Beek, André P

2015-05-01

A wide variety in hydrocortisone (HC) substitution dose-regimens are considered physiological for patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency (SAI). However, it is likely that cognition is negatively influenced by higher cortisol exposure to the brain. To examine the effects of a high physiological HC dose in comparison to a low physiological HC dose on cognition. This study was a randomized double blind cross-over study at the University Medical Center Groningen. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01546922. Forty-seven patients (29 males, 18 females; mean [SD] age, 51 [14] years, range 19-73) with SAI participated. Patients randomly received first a low dose of HC (0.2-0.3 mg/kg body weight/day) during 10 weeks followed by a high dose (0.4-0.6 mg/kg body weight/day) for another 10 weeks, or vice versa. HC substitution was given in three divided doses with the highest dose in the morning. Cognitive performance (memory, attention, executive functioning and social cognition) of patients was measured at baseline and after each treatment period using a battery of 12 standardized cognitive tests. The higher dose of HC resulted in significantly higher systemic cortisol exposure for example measured at 1h after first dose ingestion (mean [SD], low dose: 653 [281] nmol/L; high dose: 930 [148] nmol/L; P<0.001). No differences in cognitive performance were found between the two dose regimens. No negative influence on memory, attention, executive functioning and social cognition was observed after 10 weeks of treatment with a higher physiological dose of HC in patients with SAI when compared to a lower dose. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discussion on joint operation of wind farm and pumped-storage hydroplant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Caifang; Wu, Yichun; Liang, Hao; Li, Miao

2017-12-01

Due to the random fluctuations in wind power, large amounts of grid integration will have a negative impact on grid operation and the consumers. The joint operation with pumped-storage hydroplant with good peak shaving performance can effectively reduce the negative impact on the safety and economic operation of power grid, and improve the utilization of wind power. In addition, joint operation can achieve the optimization of green power and improve the comprehensive economic benefits. Actually, the rational profit distribution of joint operation is the premise of sustainable and stable cooperation. This paper focuses on the profit distribution of joint operation, and applies improved shapely value method, which taking the investments and the contributions of each participant in the cooperation into account, to determine the profit distribution. Moreover, the distribution scheme can provide an effective reference for the actual joint operation of wind farm and pumped-storage hydroplant.

The Relationships of Intergroup Ideologies to Ethnic Prejudice: A Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Whitley, Bernard E; Webster, Gregory D

2018-04-01

This meta-analysis summarizes the results of research on the relationships of majority group members' endorsement of assimilation, colorblindness, multiculturalism, and the relative relationships of colorblindness and multiculturalism to ethnic prejudice. Random effects analyses found that assimilation was positively related to explicit prejudice ( g. = 0.80), multiculturalism was negatively related to both explicit ( g. = -0.26) and implicit prejudice ( g. = -0.19), and colorblindness was negatively related to explicit prejudice ( g. = -0.07). Multiculturalism was more closely associated with low prejudice than colorblindness ( g. = 0.15). Effect sizes varied as a function of methodology (experimental vs. correlational), country in which research was conducted (United States vs. other countries), and, in experimental studies of multiculturalism, type of prime used (abstract vs. concrete). Discussion points include methodological issues, groups used as targets of prejudice, national diversity norms, additional issues raised in the studies reviewed, and directions for future research.

Wigner time delay in photodetachment of Tm-and in photoionization of Yb: A comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Soumyajit; Jose, Jobin; Deshmukh, Pranawa; Dolmatov, Valeriy; Kheifets, Anatoli; Manson, Steven

2017-04-01

Preliminary studies of Wigner time delay in photodetachment spectra of negative ions have been reported. Photodetachment time delay for some dipole channels of Tm- and of Cl- were calculated using relativistic random phase approximation (RRPA). Comparisons between photodetachment time delay of Cl- and photoionization time delay of Ar were made. We investigate the photodetachment time delay for all three relativistically split nd -> ɛ f channels of Tm- and for nd -> ɛ f channels of Yb (isoelectronic to Tm-) using RRPA. We study the effect of the shape resonance, brought about by the centrifugal barrier potential, on photodetachment time delay. A negative ion is a good laboratory for studying the effects of shape resonances on time delay since the phase is unaffected by the Coulomb component. Wigner time delay in photodetachment of Tm- and in photoionization of Yb: A comparative study.

Mediators of Outcome in Complicated Grief Treatment.

PubMed

Glickman, Kim; Shear, M Katherine; Wall, Melanie M

2017-07-01

In this study, we examined the mechanisms of action of complicated grief treatment (CGT), an efficacious psychotherapy for complicated grief. We explored 3 putative mediators (guilt/self-blame related to the deceased, negative thoughts about the future, and avoidance) among treatment completers assigned to either CGT (n = 35) or interpersonal psychotherapy (n = 34) in a previously reported randomized controlled trial. Antidepressant use was examined as a moderator of mediation effects. A reduction in guilt/self-blame, negative thoughts about the future, and avoidance behavior each mediated the relationship between treatment group and complicated grief outcomes. Reduction in avoidance emerged as an independent mediator after controlling for all mediators. Reducing avoidance of situations and emotions connected to the loss seems to be a key mechanism of change in CGT. Revising counterfactual thinking around troubling aspects of the death may also play a role in facilitating effective adaptation to loss. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The emotional memory effect: differential processing or item distinctiveness?

PubMed

Schmidt, Stephen R; Saari, Bonnie

2007-12-01

A color-naming task was followed by incidental free recall to investigate how emotional words affect attention and memory. We compared taboo, nonthreatening negative-affect, and neutral words across three experiments. As compared with neutral words, taboo words led to longer color-naming times and better memory in both within- and between-subjects designs. Color naming of negative-emotion nontaboo words was slower than color naming of neutral words only during block presentation and at relatively short interstimulus intervals (ISIs). The nontaboo emotion words were remembered better than neutral words following blocked and random presentation and at both long and short ISIs, but only in mixed-list designs. Our results support multifactor theories of the effects of emotion on attention and memory. As compared with neutral words, threatening stimuli received increased attention, poststimulus elaboration, and benefit from item distinctiveness, whereas nonthreatening emotional stimuli benefited only from increased item distinctiveness.

Effectiveness of preventive support groups for children of mentally ill or addicted parents: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

van Santvoort, Floor; Hosman, Clemens M H; van Doesum, Karin T M; Janssens, Jan M A M

2014-06-01

In various countries preventive support groups are offered to children of mentally ill and/or addicted parents to reduce the risk that they will develop problems themselves. This study assessed the effectiveness of Dutch support groups for children aged 8-12 years old in terms of reducing negative cognitions; improving social support, competence, and parent-child interaction (direct intervention goals); and reducing emotional and behavioural problems (ultimate intervention aim). Children from 254 families were randomly assigned to the intervention or a control condition. Parents and children completed questionnaires at baseline and 3 and 6 months later. Emotional and behavioural problems of intervention group children were also assessed 1 year after the start. Univariate analyses of variance showed that children in the intervention group experienced a greater decrease in negative cognitions and sought more social support, immediately after participation and 3 months later, as compared to control group children. They also remained stable in their feelings of social acceptance (competence aspect) immediately after the intervention, whereas these feelings declined in control group children. The intervention and control groups both improved over time in terms of cognitions, competence, parent-child interaction and emotional and behavioural problem scores. Additional improvement in terms of problem scores was found in the intervention group 1 year after baseline. Further enhancement of effectiveness requires re-consideration of the support group goals; it should be studied whether the goals reflect the most important and influential risk and protective factors for this specific population. Besides, effects should be studied over a longer period.

We cannot change the past, but we can change its meaning. A randomized controlled trial on the effects of self-help imagery rescripting on depression.

PubMed

Moritz, Steffen; Ahlf-Schumacher, Jana; Hottenrott, Birgit; Peter, Ulrike; Franck, Stephanie; Schnell, Thomas; Peter, Helmut; Schneider, Brooke C; Jelinek, Lena

2018-05-01

Imagery rescripting is a psychotherapeutic technique that aims to ameliorate negative emotions by altering (i.e., rescripting) inner representations of negative memories and images. Although the treatment was initially developed for traumatized individuals, face-to-face interventions have yielded promising results for patients with other diagnoses as well. The present study explored the feasibility and efficacy of the approach when used as a self-help intervention for depression. A total of 127 individuals with diagnosed depression were randomly allocated to either a wait-list control condition or received a brief or long version of a manual teaching imagery rescripting. Six weeks after inclusion, patients were invited to participate in the post assessment. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) served as the primary outcome (registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03299127). The long version was superior to the wait-list control condition on the BDI-II, self-esteem, and quality of life at a medium effect size. No effects emerged for anxiety. No significant between-group differences were found for the brief version. Moderation analyses indicated that the self-help approach seems particularly beneficial for those scoring high on symptoms, willingness to change, and expectancy (baseline). Most patients indicated they would use the technique in the future. The efficacy of imagery rescripting was confirmed when applied via self-help. Use of the long form of the manual is recommended. Future studies are needed to ascertain whether treatment effects are sustained over time. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The impact of second generation antipsychotics on insight in schizophrenia: Results from 14 randomized, placebo controlled trials.

PubMed

Mattila, Taina; Koeter, Maarten; Wohlfarth, Tamar; Storosum, Jitschak; van den Brink, Wim; Derks, Eske; Leufkens, Hubertus; Denys, Damiaan

2017-01-01

Despite the negative impact of lack of insight on the prognosis, general functioning and treatment adherence, the effect of antipsychotic medication on insight has been investigated only in small samples and uncontrolled studies. In this study we examine whether previously reported effects of antipsychotics on insight from uncontrolled studies can be confirmed in a database including 14 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. The database contained placebo-controlled RCTs of five second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs: olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, risperidone and sertindole) and included a total of 4243 patients with schizophrenia. Insight was assessed with item G12 of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at baseline and at six weeks. Overall, SGA treatment resulted in a significantly larger improvement in insight than placebo (0.43 points versus 0.15 points; Hedge׳s g 0.23; p<0.001). However this difference in improvement in insight was largely explained by improvement in other symptoms. In the initial analysis, one of the compounds was significantly less effective in improving insight than the other SGAs, but this difference no longer persisted when improvement in other symptoms was taken into account. The effect of SGAs on improvement in insight was not moderated by geographic region, illness duration or drop-out. The present study showed that SGA treatment of patients with schizophrenia is associated with improved insight, but that this improvement is associated with SGA induced improvements in other symptoms, though the causal relationship may not be established. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Effects of various factors on Doppler ultrasonographic measurements of radial and coccygeal arterial blood pressure in privately owned, conscious cats.

PubMed

Whittemore, Jacqueline C; Nystrom, Michael R; Mawby, Dianne I

2017-04-01

OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of age, body condition score (BCS), and muscle condition score (MCS) on radial and coccygeal systolic arterial blood pressure (SAP) in cats. DESIGN Prospective randomized trial. ANIMALS 66 privately owned cats enrolled between May and December 2010. PROCEDURES BCS and MCS of cats were assessed by 2 investigators; SAP was measured via Doppler ultrasonic flow detector, with cats positioned in right lateral or sternal recumbency for measurements at the radial or coccygeal artery, respectively, with order of site randomized. Associations among variables were assessed through correlation coefficients, partial correlation coefficients, and ANCOVA. RESULTS Interrater reliability for BCS and MCS assessment was high (correlation coefficients, 0.95 and 0.83, respectively). No significant effect was identified for order of SAP measurement sites. Coccygeal and radial SAP were positively correlated (ρ = 0.45). The median difference in coccygeal versus radial SAP was 19 mm Hg, but differences were not consistently positive or negative. Radial SAP was positively correlated with age (ρ = 0.48) and negatively correlated with MCS (ρ = -0.30). On the basis of the correlation analysis, the association between radial SAP and MCS reflected the confounding influence of age. Coccygeal SAP was not significantly correlated with age, BCS, or MCS. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Use of the coccygeal artery is recommended to reduce the confounding effects of age and sarcopenia on Doppler ultrasonographic SAP measurements in cats. Additionally, monitoring for changes in MCS is recommended for cats undergoing serial SAP measurement.

[Epilepsy, cognition and ketogenic diet].

PubMed

Garcia-Penas, J J

2018-03-01

Most individuals with epilepsy will respond to pharmacologic treatment; however, approximately 20-30% will develop medically refractory epilepsy. Cognitive side effects of antiepileptic drugs are common and can negatively affect tolerability, compliance, and long-term retention of the treatment. Ketogenic diet is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for these children with refractory epilepsy without any negative effect on cognition or behavior. To review the current state of experimental and clinical data concerning the neuroprotective and cognitive effects of the ketogenic diet in both humans and animals. In different animal models, with or without epilepsy, the ketogenic diet seems to have neuroprotective and mood-stabilizing effects. In the observational studies in pediatric epilepsy, improvements during treatment with the ketogenic diet are reported in behavior and cognitive function, particularly with respect to attention, alertness, activity level, socialization, and sleep quality. One randomized controlled trial in patients with pediatric refractory epilepsy showed a mood and cognitive activation during ketogenic diet treatment. Ketogenic diet shows a positive impact on behavioral and cognitive functioning in children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy. More specifically, an improvement is observed in mood, sustained attention, and social interaction.

The interactive effects of housing and neighbourhood quality on psychological well-being.

PubMed

Jones-Rounds, McKenzie L; Evans, Gary W; Braubach, Matthias

2014-02-01

Many individuals are subject to the physically and mentally detrimental effects of living in substandard housing and inadequate neighbourhoods. We propose that better physical neighbourhood quality can partially offset some of the negative effects of poor housing quality on psychological well-being. Interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data in a cross-sectional study of housing quality, the state of the surrounding environment, and individual health and well-being for 5605 European adults from the Large Analysis and Review of European housing and health Status conducted by WHO in eight European cities. Multilevel random coefficient modelling was used to statistically analyse the main and interactive effects of housing quality and neighbourhood quality on psychological well-being. Socioeconomic status, employment status, gender and marital status were included as statistical controls. Substandard housing quality and poor neighbourhood quality each contribute to lower psychological well-being. Furthermore better neighbourhood quality buffers against the negative effects of poor housing quality on psychological well-being. These results fill a gap in research concerning the ability of neighbourhood quality to amplify or attenuate housing quality impacts on well-being.

The effect of a depression prevention program on negative cognitive style trajectories in early adolescents.

PubMed

Kindt, Karlijn C M; Kleinjan, Marloes; Janssens, Jan M A M; Scholte, Ron H J

2016-10-01

As restructuring a negative cognitive style is a central skill taught in many depression prevention programs, we tested whether a universal prevention program evoked a change in negative cognitive style in adolescents. In addition, we examined distinct developmental trajectories of negative cognitive styles and assessed whether research condition (intervention versus control) predicted these trajectories. Young adolescents (n = 1343; Mean age = 13.4 years; SD = 0.77; 52.3% girls) were randomly allocated to a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based depression prevention program or a care as usual control condition. A negative cognitive style was assessed at baseline, post-treatment and 6- and 12-months follow-up. Adolescents who received the intervention did not differ in their negative cognitive style from the control group at any time-point. We found four distinctive trajectories of negative cognitive style: normative, increasing, decreasing and stable high, which were not predicted by intervention condition and were not moderated by gender. Yet, the results revealed a trend, which indicated that adolescents who followed the program tended to show an increasing than a normative developmental pattern. We concluded that the CBT-based depression prevention program did not reduce or prevent an increase in negative cognitive style. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The role of negative affectivity and negative reactivity to emotions in predicting outcomes in the unified protocol for the transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders.

PubMed

Sauer-Zavala, Shannon; Boswell, James F; Gallagher, Matthew W; Bentley, Kate H; Ametaj, Amantia; Barlow, David H

2012-09-01

The present study aimed to understand the contributions of both the trait tendency to experience negative emotions and how one relates to such experience in predicting symptom change during participation in the Unified Protocol (UP), a transdiagnostic treatment for emotional disorders. Data were derived from a randomized controlled trial comparing the UP to a waitlist control/delayed-treatment condition. First, effect sizes of pre- to post-treatment change for frequency of negative emotions and several variables measuring reactivity to emotional experience (emotional awareness and acceptance, fear of emotions, and anxiety sensitivity) were examined. Second, the relative contributions of change in negative emotions and emotional reactivity in predicting symptom (clinician-rated anxiety, depression, and severity of principal diagnosis) reductions were investigated. Results suggested that decreases in the frequency of negative emotions and reactivity to emotions following participation in the UP were both large in magnitude. Further, two emotional reactivity variables (fear of emotions and anxiety sensitivity) remained significantly related to symptom outcomes when controlling for negative emotions, and accounted for significant incremental variance in their prediction. These findings lend support to the notion that psychological health depends less on the frequency of negative emotions and more on how one relates to these emotions when they occur. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of how outcomes are framed on decisions about whether to take antihypertensive medication: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Carling, Cheryl L L; Kristoffersen, Doris Tove; Oxman, Andrew D; Flottorp, Signe; Fretheim, Atle; Schünemann, Holger J; Akl, Elie A; Herrin, Jeph; MacKenzie, Thomas D; Montori, Victor M

2010-03-01

We conducted an Internet-based randomized trial comparing three valence framing presentations of the benefits of antihypertensive medication in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) for people with newly diagnosed hypertension to determine which framing presentation resulted in choices most consistent with participants' values. In this second in a series of televised trials in cooperation with the Norwegian Broadcasting Company, adult volunteers rated the relative importance of the consequences of taking antihypertensive medication using visual analogue scales (VAS). Participants viewed information (or no information) to which they were randomized and decided whether or not to take medication. We compared positive framing over 10 years (the number escaping CVD per 1000); negative framing over 10 years (the number that will have CVD) and negative framing per year over 10 years of the effects of antihypertensive medication on the 10-year risk for CVD for a 40 year-old man with newly diagnosed hypertension without other risk factors. Finally, all participants were shown all presentations and detailed patient information about hypertension and were asked to decide again. We calculated a relative importance score (RIS) by subtracting the VAS-scores for the undesirable consequences of antihypertensive medication from the VAS-score for the benefit of CVD risk reduction. We used logistic regression to determine the association between participants' RIS and their choice. 1,528 participants completed the study. The statistically significant differences between the groups in the likelihood of choosing to take antihypertensive medication in relation to different values (RIS) increased as the RIS increased. Positively framed information lead to decisions most consistent with those made by everyone for the second, more fully informed decision. There was a statistically significant decrease in deciding to take antihypertensives on the second decision, both within groups and overall. For decisions about taking antihypertensive medication for people with a relatively low baseline risk of CVD (70 per 1000 over 10 years), both positive and negative framing resulted in significantly more people deciding to take medication compared to what participants decided after being shown all three of the presentations. International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register ISRCTN 33771631.

The Role of Ethnicity in Father Absence and Children’s School Enrollment in Guatemala

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Despite the historical prevalence of single motherhood in Latin America and its rise in recent years, there is limited knowledge on the magnitude and consequences of father absence as experienced by children. Using a nationally representative sample from the 2002 Guatemalan Reproductive Health Survey, this study provides unprecedented documentation on the national prevalence of children’s separate living arrangements from their biological fathers and nonresident fathers’ paternity establishment and child support payments. Using random-intercept models, this study further demonstrates that father absence has a negative effect on the school enrollment of indigenous children of both sexes and Ladino male children. Increased poverty in father-absent households explains a smaller proportion of this adverse effect on indigenous children, suggesting that their fathers, when present, play a stronger social, rather than economic, role compared to their Ladino counterparts. Finally, child support payments attenuate the negative effects of father absence, particularly among Ladino male children. PMID:20694028

[Physical performance and sedation: comparative study of the effects of a benzodiazepine (temazepam) and of a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic (zolpidem)].

PubMed

Gremion, G; Sutter-Weyrich, C; Rostan, A; Forster, A

1992-09-01

It is well-known that many athletes experience some form of precompetition stress that may result in insomnia during the night before their competition. Yet, sleep withdrawal even if only partial, has a negative influence on performance, particularly when the type of exercise requires good psychomotor performance The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the intake of a hypnotic drug would have negative effects on physical performance capacity. The authors have compared the effects of oral temazepam, a medium half-life benzodiazepine vs oral zolpidem, a short half-life non-benzodiazepine drug, vs placebo. A randomized double-blind trial was used to assess endurance, resistance, strength and coordination in 26 athletes. The results did not show any differences between the three groups, neither in physical performance characteristic nor in coordination. It is concluded that as regards the performance capacity, there is no risk for stressed athletes to use sleep inducers the night before their competition.

Adjunctive memantine in clozapine-treated refractory schizophrenia: an open-label 1-year extension study.

PubMed

Veerman, S R T; Schulte, P F J; Deijen, J B; de Haan, L

2017-01-01

In a recent placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial (n = 52), significant beneficial effects on memory (d = 0.30) and negative symptoms (d = 0.29) were found after 12 weeks of memantine augmentation in patients with clozapine-refractory schizophrenia. In this open-label 1-year extension study we report the long-term effects and tolerability of memantine add-on therapy to clozapine. Completers of the first trial who experienced beneficial effects during 12 weeks of memantine treatment received memantine for 1 year. Primary endpoints were memory and executive function using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and the Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale (CGI-S). Of 31 randomized controlled trial completers who experienced beneficial effects from memantine, 24 received memantine for 1 year. The small improvement in memory found in the memantine condition in the placebo-controlled trial remained stable in the extension study. Executive function did not improve. After 26 weeks of memantine add-on therapy to clozapine, PANSS negative symptoms (r = 0.53), PANSS positive symptoms (r = 0.50) and PANSS total symptoms (r = 0.54) significantly improved. Even further significant improvement in all these measures was observed between 26 weeks and 52 weeks of memantine, with effect sizes varying from 0.39 to 0.51. CGI-S showed a non-significant moderate improvement at 26 weeks (r = 0.36) and 52 weeks (r = 0.34). Memantine was well tolerated without serious adverse effects. In the 1-year extension phase the favourable effect of adjunctive memantine on memory was sustained and we observed further improvement of negative, positive and overall symptoms in patients with clozapine-treated refractory schizophrenia.

Effects of patient-centered communication on anxiety, negative affect, and trust in the physician in delivering a cancer diagnosis: A randomized, experimental study.

PubMed

Zwingmann, Jelena; Baile, Walter F; Schmier, Johann W; Bernhard, Jürg; Keller, Monika

2017-08-15

When bad news about a cancer diagnosis is being delivered, patient-centered communication (PCC) has been considered important for patients' adjustment and well-being. However, few studies have explored how interpersonal skills might help cancer patients cope with anxiety and distress during bad-news encounters. A prospective, experimental design was used to investigate the impact of the physician communication style during a bad-news encounter. Ninety-eight cancer patients and 92 unaffected subjects of both sexes were randomly assigned to view a video of a clinician delivering a first cancer diagnosis with either an enhanced patient-centered communication (E-PCC) style or a low patient-centered communication (L-PCC) style. Participants rated state anxiety and negative affect before and immediately after the video exposure, whereas trust in the physician was rated after the video exposure only. Main and interaction effects were analyzed with generalized linear models. Viewing the disclosure of a cancer diagnosis resulted in a substantial increase in state anxiety and negative affect among all participants. This emotional response was moderated by the physician's communication style: Participants viewing an oncologist displaying an E-PCC style were significantly less anxious than those watching an oncologist displaying an L-PCC style. They also reported significantly higher trust in the physician. Under a threatening, anxiety-provoking disclosure of bad news, a short sequence of empathic PCC influences subjects' psychological state, insofar that they report feeling less anxious and more trustful of the oncologist. Video exposure appears to be a valuable method for investigating the impact of a physician's communication style during critical encounters. Cancer 2017;123:3167-75. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Testing the efficacy of Yoga as a Complementary Therapy for Smoking Cessation: Design and Methods of the BreathEasy trial

PubMed Central

Bock, Beth C; Rosen, Rochelle K.; Fava, Joseph L.; Gaskins, Ronnesia B.; Jennings, Ernestine; Thind, Herpreet; Carmody, James; Dunsiger, Shira I; Gidron, Naama; Becker, Bruce M.; Marcus, Bess H.

2014-01-01

Smokers trying to quit encounter many challenges including nicotine withdrawal symptoms, cigarette craving, increased stress and negative mood and concern regarding weight gain. These phenomena make it difficult to successfully quit smoking. Studies in non-smoking populations show that yoga reduces stress and negative mood and improves weight control. By increasing mindfulness we anticipate that yoga may also improve smokers’ ability to cope with the negative symptoms associated with quitting. Yoga may also improve cognitive deliberation which is needed to make effective choices and avoid smoking in tempting situations. The BreathEasy study is a rigorous, randomized controlled clinical trial examining the efficacy of Iyengar yoga as a complementary therapy to cognitive-behavioral therapy for smoking cessation. All participants are given an 8-week program of smoking cessation classes, and are randomized to either twice weekly yoga (Yoga) or twice-weekly health and wellness classes which serve as a control for contact and participant burden (CTL). Assessments are conducted at baseline, 8 weeks, 3, 6, and 12 months follow up. The primary outcome is prolonged abstinence using an intention-to-treat approach. Multiple internal and external audits using blind data collection are employed to ensure treatment fidelity and reliability of study results. To understand why yoga may be more effective than CTL, we will examine mechanisms of action (i.e., mediators) underlying intervention efficacy. We will examine maintenance of yoga practice and smoking status at each follow up. Focus groups and interviews will be used to enrich our understanding of the relationship of yoga practice and smoking abstinence. PMID:24937018

Does endometrial integrin expression in endometriosis patients predict enhanced in vitro fertilization cycle outcomes after prolonged GnRH agonist therapy?

PubMed

Surrey, Eric S; Lietz, Annette K; Gustofson, Robert L; Minjarez, Debra A; Schoolcraft, William B

2010-02-01

To determine whether endometrial expression of the integrin alpha(v)beta(3) vitronectin can predict which endometriosis patient subgroup will benefit from pre-IVF cycle prolonged GnRH agonist (GnRHa) therapy. Prospective randomized institutional review board approved pilot trial. Private assisted reproductive technology program. IVF candidates with regular menses, surgically confirmed endometriosis, and normal ovarian reserve. All patients underwent endometrial biopsy 9 to 11 days post-LH surge to evaluate alpha(v)beta(3) integrin expression. Patients were randomized either to receive depot leuprolide acetate 3.75 mg every 28 days for three doses before controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) or to proceed directly to COH and IVF. Group 1: integrin-positive controls (N = 12); group 2: integrin-positive administered prolonged GnRHa (N = 8). Group A: integrin-negative controls (N = 7); group B: integrin-negative administered prolonged GnRHa (N = 9). COH responses, ongoing pregnancy and implantation rates. There were no significant effects of GnRH agonist treatment in either of the integrin expression strata regarding ongoing pregnancy or implantation rates, although these outcomes were more frequent in group 2 vs. 1 (62.5% vs. 41.6% and 35% vs. 20.6%, respectively). This effect may have because of limited sample size. The value of a negative integrin biopsy in predicting an ongoing pregnancy after prolonged GnRH agonist therapy was only 44.4%. Endometrial alpha(v)beta(3) integrin expression did not predict which endometriosis patients would benefit from prolonged GnRHa therapy before IVF. Copyright 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A clinical rule (sex, contralateral occlusion, age, and restenosis) to select patients for stenting versus carotid endarterectomy: systematic review of observational studies with validation in randomized trials.

PubMed

Touzé, Emmanuel; Trinquart, Ludovic; Felgueiras, Rui; Rerkasem, Kittipan; Bonati, Leo H; Meliksetyan, Gayané; Ringleb, Peter A; Mas, Jean-Louis; Brown, Martin M; Rothwell, Peter M

2013-12-01

Compared with carotid endarterectomy (CEA), carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) is associated with a higher risk of procedural stroke or death especially in patients with symptomatic stenosis. However, after the perioperative period, risk is similar with both treatments, suggesting that CAS could be an acceptable option in selected patients. We performed systematic reviews of observational studies of procedural risks of CEA or CAS and extracted data on 9 predefined risk factors (age, contralateral carotid occlusion, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, sex, hypertension, peripheral artery disease, and type and side of stenosis). We calculated pooled relative risks of procedural stroke or death. Factors with differential effects on risk of CAS versus CEA were identified by interaction tests and used to derive a rule. The rule was tested using individual patient data from randomized trials of CAS versus CEA from the Carotid Stenting Trialists' Collaboration (CSTC). We identified 170 studies. The effects of sex, contralateral occlusion, age, and restenosis (SCAR) on the procedural risk of stroke or death differed. Patients with contralateral occlusion or restenosis and women<75 years were at relatively low risk for CAS (SCAR negative), with all others being high risk (SCAR positive). Among the 3049 patients in the CSTC validation, 694 (23%) patients were SCAR negative. The pooled RR of procedural stroke and death with CAS versus CEA was 0.93 (0.49-1.77; P=0.83) in SCAR-negative and 2.41 (1.68-3.45; P<0.0001) in SCAR-positive patients (P [interaction]=0.05). The SCAR rule is potentially useful to identify patients in whom CAS has a similar risk of perioperative stroke or death to CEA.

Generalizability of findings from randomized controlled trials: application to the National Institute of Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network.

PubMed

Susukida, Ryoko; Crum, Rosa M; Ebnesajjad, Cyrus; Stuart, Elizabeth A; Mojtabai, Ramin

2017-07-01

To compare randomized controlled trial (RCT) sample treatment effects with the population effects of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Statistical weighting was used to re-compute the effects from 10 RCTs such that the participants in the trials had characteristics that resembled those of patients in the target populations. Multi-site RCTs and usual SUD treatment settings in the United States. A total of 3592 patients in 10 RCTs and 1 602 226 patients from usual SUD treatment settings between 2001 and 2009. Three outcomes of SUD treatment were examined: retention, urine toxicology and abstinence. We weighted the RCT sample treatment effects using propensity scores representing the conditional probability of participating in RCTs. Weighting the samples changed the significance of estimated sample treatment effects. Most commonly, positive effects of trials became statistically non-significant after weighting (three trials for retention and urine toxicology and one trial for abstinence); also, non-significant effects became significantly positive (one trial for abstinence) and significantly negative effects became non-significant (two trials for abstinence). There was suggestive evidence of treatment effect heterogeneity in subgroups that are under- or over-represented in the trials, some of which were consistent with the differences in average treatment effects between weighted and unweighted results. The findings of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for substance use disorder treatment do not appear to be directly generalizable to target populations when the RCT samples do not reflect adequately the target populations and there is treatment effect heterogeneity across patient subgroups. © 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Association of schizophrenia onset age and white matter integrity with treatment effect of D-cycloserine: a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind crossover study.

PubMed

Takiguchi, Kazuo; Uezato, Akihito; Itasaka, Michio; Atsuta, Hidenori; Narushima, Kenji; Yamamoto, Naoki; Kurumaji, Akeo; Tomita, Makoto; Oshima, Kazunari; Shoda, Kosaku; Tamaru, Mai; Nakataki, Masahito; Okazaki, Mitsutoshi; Ishiwata, Sayuri; Ishiwata, Yasuyoshi; Yasuhara, Masato; Arima, Kunimasa; Ohmori, Tetsuro; Nishikawa, Toru

2017-07-12

It has been reported that drugs which promote the N-Methyl-D-aspartate-type glutamate receptor function by stimulating the glycine modulatory site in the receptor improve negative symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia patients being treated with antipsychotic drugs. We performed a placebo-controlled double-blind crossover study involving 41 schizophrenia patients in which D-cycloserine 50 mg/day was added-on, and the influence of the onset age and association with white matter integrity on MR diffusion tensor imaging were investigated for the first time. The patients were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS), and other scales. D-cycloserine did not improve positive or negative symptoms or cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. The investigation in consideration of the onset age suggests that D-cycloserine may aggravate negative symptoms of early-onset schizophrenia. The better treatment effect of D-cycloserine on BACS was observed when the white matter integrity of the sagittal stratum/ cingulum/fornix stria terminalis/genu of corpus callosum/external capsule was higher, and the better treatment effect on PANSS general psychopathology (PANSS-G) was observed when the white matter integrity of the splenium of corpus callosum was higher. In contrast, the better treatment effect of D-cycloserine on PANSS-G and SANS-IV were observed when the white matter integrity of the posterior thalamic radiation (left) was lower. It was suggested that response to D-cycloserine is influenced by the onset age and white matter integrity. UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (number UMIN000000468 ). Registered 18 August 2006.

Effect of negative emotions evoked by light, noise and taste on trigeminal thermal sensitivity.

PubMed

Yang, Guangju; Baad-Hansen, Lene; Wang, Kelun; Xie, Qiu-Fei; Svensson, Peter

2014-11-07

Patients with migraine often have impaired somatosensory function and experience headache attacks triggered by exogenous stimulus, such as light, sound or taste. This study aimed to assess the influence of three controlled conditioning stimuli (visual, auditory and gustatory stimuli and combined stimuli) on affective state and thermal sensitivity in healthy human participants. All participants attended four experimental sessions with visual, auditory and gustatory conditioning stimuli and combination of all stimuli, in a randomized sequence. In each session, the somatosensory sensitivity was tested in the perioral region with use of thermal stimuli with and without the conditioning stimuli. Positive and Negative Affect States (PANAS) were assessed before and after the tests. Subject based ratings of the conditioning and test stimuli in addition to skin temperature and heart rate as indicators of arousal responses were collected in real time during the tests. The three conditioning stimuli all induced significant increases in negative PANAS scores (paired t-test, P ≤0.016). Compared with baseline, the increases were in a near dose-dependent manner during visual and auditory conditioning stimulation. No significant effects of any single conditioning stimuli were observed on trigeminal thermal sensitivity (P ≥0.051) or arousal parameters (P ≥0.057). The effects of combined conditioning stimuli on subjective ratings (P ≤0.038) and negative affect (P = 0.011) were stronger than those of single stimuli. All three conditioning stimuli provided a simple way to evoke a negative affective state without physical arousal or influence on trigeminal thermal sensitivity. Multisensory conditioning had stronger effects but also failed to modulate thermal sensitivity, suggesting that so-called exogenous trigger stimuli e.g. bright light, noise, unpleasant taste in patients with migraine may require a predisposed or sensitized nervous system.

Acute effects of heroin on negative emotional processing: relation of amygdala activity and stress-related responses.

PubMed

Schmidt, André; Borgwardt, Stefan; Gerber, Hana; Wiesbeck, Gerhard A; Schmid, Otto; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Smieskova, Renata; Lang, Undine E; Walter, Marc

2014-08-15

Negative emotional states and abnormal stress reactivity are central components in drug addiction. The brain stress system in the amygdala is thought to play a key role in the maintenance of drug dependence through negative reinforcement. Although acute heroin administration was found to reduce anxiety, craving, and stress hormone release, whether these effects are reflected in amygdala activity has not yet been investigated. With a randomized, crossover, double-blind design, saline and heroin were administered to 22 heroin-dependent patients, whereas 17 healthy control subjects were included for the placebo administration only. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate blood oxygen level-dependent responses during fearful faces processing. Stress reactivity was measured by adrenocorticotropic hormone levels and by cortisol concentrations in serum and saliva 60 min after substance administration. Anxiety and craving levels were assessed with self-report ratings. Heroin administration acutely reduced the left amygdala response to fearful faces relative to the saline injection. Patients receiving saline showed a significantly higher left amygdala response to fearful faces than healthy control subjects, whose activity did not differ from patients receiving heroin. The left amygdala activity correlated significantly with scores on state-anxiety and levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone, serum cortisol, and saliva cortisol among all patients and control subjects. Our results show a direct relation between the acute heroin effects on stress-related emotions, stress reactivity, and left amygdala response to negative facial expressions. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying negative reinforcement in heroin addiction and the effects of regular heroin substitution. © 2013 Society of Biological Psychiatry Published by Society of Biological Psychiatry All rights reserved.

Choosing a Transformation in Analyses of Insect Counts from Contagious Distributions with Low Means

Treesearch

W.D. Pepper; S.J. Zarnoch; G.L. DeBarr; P. de Groot; C.D. Tangren

1997-01-01

Guidelines based on computer simulation are suggested for choosing a transformation of insect counts from negative binomial distributions with low mean counts and high levels of contagion. Typical values and ranges of negative binomial model parameters were determined by fitting the model to data from 19 entomological field studies. Random sampling of negative binomial...

Modafinil for Clozapine-Treated Schizophrenia Patients: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Trial

PubMed Central

Freudenreich, Oliver; Henderson, David C.; Macklin, Eric A.; Evins, A. Eden; Fan, Xiaoduo; Cather, Cori; Walsh, Jared P.; Goff, Donald C.

2016-01-01

Background Patients with schizophrenia often suffer from cognitive deficits and negative symptoms that are poorly responsive to antipsychotics including clozapine. Clozapine-induced sedation can worsen cognition and impair social and occupational functioning. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of modafinil for negative symptoms, cognition, and wakefulness/fatigue in DSM-IV–diagnosed schizophrenia patients treated with clozapine. Method A double-blind, placebo-controlled, flexible-dosed 8-week pilot trial was conducted between September 2003 and September 2007, adding modafinil up to 300 mg/d to stabilized schizophrenia outpatients receiving clozapine. Psychopathology, cognition, and wakefulness/fatigue were assessed with standard rating scales. Results Thirty-five patients were randomly assigned to treatment with study drug and included in the analysis. Modafinil did not reduce negative symptoms or wakefulness/fatigue or improve cognition compared to placebo. Modafinil was well tolerated and did not worsen psychosis. Conclusions Results of this pilot trial do not support routine use of modafinil to treat negative symptoms, cognitive deficits, or wakefulness/fatigue in patients on clozapine. However, given our limited power to detect a treatment effect and the clear possibility of a type II error, larger trials are needed to resolve or refute a potential therapeutic effect of uncertain magnitude. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00573417 PMID:19689921

Antismoking Ads at the Point of Sale: The Influence of Ad Type and Context on Ad Reactions.

PubMed

Kim, Annice; Nonnemaker, James; Guillory, Jamie; Shafer, Paul; Parvanta, Sarah; Holloway, John; Farrelly, Matthew

2017-06-01

Efforts are underway to educate consumers about the dangers of smoking at the point of sale (POS). Research is limited about the efficacy of POS antismoking ads to guide campaign development. This study experimentally tests whether the type of antismoking ad and the context in which ads are viewed influence people's reactions to the ads. A national convenience sample of 7,812 adult current smokers and recent quitters was randomized to 1 of 39 conditions. Participants viewed one of the four types of antismoking ads (negative health consequences-graphic, negative social consequences-intended emotive, benefits of quitting-informational, benefits of quitting-graphic) in one of the three contexts (alone, next to a cigarette ad, POS tobacco display). We assessed participants' reactions to the ads, including perceived effectiveness, negative emotion, affective dissonance, and motivational reaction. Graphic ads elicited more negative emotion and affective dissonance than benefits of quitting ads. Graphic ads elicited higher perceived effectiveness and more affective dissonance than intended emotive ads. Antismoking ads fared best when viewed alone, and graphic ads were least influenced by the context in which they were viewed. These results suggest that in developing POS campaigns, it is important to consider the competitive pro-tobacco context in which antismoking ads will be viewed.

Factors Associated with Hospital Length of Stay among Cancer Patients with Febrile Neutropenia

PubMed Central

Rosa, Regis G.; Goldani, Luciano Z.

2014-01-01

Purpose This study sought to evaluate factors associated with hospital length of stay in cancer patients with febrile neutropenia. Methods A prospective cohort study was performed at a single tertiary referral hospital in southern Brazil from October 2009 to August 2011. All adult cancer patients with febrile neutropenia admitted to the hematology ward were evaluated. Stepwise random-effects negative binomial regression was performed to identify risk factors for prolonged length of hospital stay. Results In total, 307 cases of febrile neutropenia were evaluated. The overall median length of hospital stay was 16 days (interquartile range 18 days). According to multiple negative binomial regression analysis, hematologic neoplasms (P = 0.003), high-dose chemotherapy regimens (P<0.001), duration of neutropenia (P<0.001), and bloodstream infection involving Gram-negative multi-drug-resistant bacteria (P = 0.003) were positively associated with prolonged hospital length of stay in patients with febrile neutropenia. The condition index showed no evidence of multi-collinearity effect among the independent variables. Conclusions Hematologic neoplasms, high-dose chemotherapy regimens, prolonged periods of neutropenia, and bloodstream infection with Gram-negative multi-drug-resistant bacteria are predictors of prolonged length hospital of stay among adult cancer patients with febrile neutropenia. PMID:25285790

Targeting Prodromal Alzheimer Disease With Avagacestat: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Coric, Vladimir; Salloway, Stephen; van Dyck, Christopher H; Dubois, Bruno; Andreasen, Niels; Brody, Mark; Curtis, Craig; Soininen, Hilkka; Thein, Stephen; Shiovitz, Thomas; Pilcher, Gary; Ferris, Steven; Colby, Susan; Kerselaers, Wendy; Dockens, Randy; Soares, Holly; Kaplita, Stephen; Luo, Feng; Pachai, Chahin; Bracoud, Luc; Mintun, Mark; Grill, Joshua D; Marek, Ken; Seibyl, John; Cedarbaum, Jesse M; Albright, Charles; Feldman, Howard H; Berman, Robert M

2015-11-01

Early identification of Alzheimer disease (AD) is important for clinical management and affords the opportunity to assess potential disease-modifying agents in clinical trials. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a randomized trial to prospectively enrich a study population with prodromal AD (PDAD) defined by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker criteria and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) symptoms. To assess the safety of the γ-secretase inhibitor avagacestat in PDAD and to determine whether CSF biomarkers can identify this patient population prior to clinical diagnosis of dementia. A randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical trial with a parallel, untreated, nonrandomized observational cohort of CSF biomarker-negative participants was conducted May 26, 2009, to July 9, 2013, in a multicenter global population. Of 1358 outpatients screened, 263 met MCI and CSF biomarker criteria for randomization into the treatment phase. One hundred two observational cohort participants who met MCI criteria but were CSF biomarker-negative were observed during the same study period to evaluate biomarker assay sensitivity. Oral avagacestat or placebo daily. Safety and tolerability of avagacestat. Of the 263 participants in the treatment phase, 132 were randomized to avagacestat and 131 to placebo; an additional 102 participants were observed in an untreated observational cohort. Avagacestat was relatively well tolerated with low discontinuation rates (19.6%) at a dose of 50 mg/d, whereas the dose of 125 mg/d had higher discontinuation rates (43%), primarily attributable to gastrointestinal tract adverse events. Increases in nonmelanoma skin cancer and nonprogressive, reversible renal tubule effects were observed with avagacestat. Serious adverse event rates were higher with avagacestat (49 participants [37.1%]) vs placebo (31 [23.7%]), attributable to the higher incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer. At 2 years, progression to dementia was more frequent in the PDAD cohort (30.7%) vs the observational cohort (6.5%). Brain atrophy rate in PDAD participants was approximately double that of the observational cohort. Concordance between abnormal amyloid burden on positron emission tomography and pathologic CSF was approximately 87% (κ = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.48-0.87). No significant treatment differences were observed in the avagacestat vs placebo arm in key clinical outcome measures. Avagacestat did not demonstrate efficacy and was associated with adverse dose-limiting effects. This PDAD population receiving avagacestat or placebo had higher rates of clinical progression to dementia and greater brain atrophy compared with CSF biomarker-negative participants. The CSF biomarkers and amyloid positron emission tomography imaging were correlated, suggesting that either modality could be used to confirm the presence of cerebral amyloidopathy and identify PDAD. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00890890.

Prognostic and predictive value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in two phase III randomized adjuvant breast cancer trials

PubMed Central

Dieci, M. V.; Mathieu, M. C.; Guarneri, V.; Conte, P.; Delaloge, S.; Andre, F.; Goubar, A.

2015-01-01

Background Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are emerging as strong prognostic factor for early breast cancer patients, especially in the triple-negative subtype. Here, we aim to validate previous findings on the prognostic role of TIL in the context of two randomized adjuvant trials and to investigate whether lymphocyte infiltrates can predict benefit from adjuvant anthracyclines. Patients and methods A total of 816 patients enrolled and treated at the Gustave Roussy in the context of two multicentric randomized trials comparing adjuvant anthracyclines versus no chemotherapy were included in the present analysis. Primary end point was overall survival (OS). Hematoxilin and eosin slides of primary tumors were retrieved and evaluated for the percentage of intratumoral (It) and stromal (Str) TIL. Each case was also defined as high-TIL or low-TIL breast cancer adopting previously validated cutoffs. Results TIL were assessable for 781 of 816 cases. High-TIL cases were more likely grade 3 and estrogen receptor (ER)-negative (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, both continuous It-TIL and Str-TIL were strong prognostic factors for OS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77–0.95 P = 0.003; HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81–0.96, P = 0.005 for It-TIL and Str-TIL, respectively]. The prognostic effect of continuous TIL was limited to triple-negative and HER2-positive patients. Ten-year OS rates were: 89% and 68% for triple-negative high-TIL and low-TIL, respectively (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.18–1.10, P = 0.07) and 78% and 57% for HER2-positive high-TIL versus low-TIL, respectively (HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.20–1.11, P = 0.08). Either continuous or binary TIL variables did not predict for the efficacy of anthracyclines. Test for interaction P value was not significant in the whole study population and in subgroups (ER+/HER2−, HER2+, ER−/HER2−). Conclusions We confirmed the prognostic role of TIL in triple-negative early breast cancer and suggested a prognostic impact in HER2+ patients as well. Basing on our data, TIL should not be used as a parameter to select patients for anthracyclines chemotherapy. PMID:25995301

Publication Bias in Psychology: A Diagnosis Based on the Correlation between Effect Size and Sample Size

PubMed Central

Kühberger, Anton; Fritz, Astrid; Scherndl, Thomas

2014-01-01

Background The p value obtained from a significance test provides no information about the magnitude or importance of the underlying phenomenon. Therefore, additional reporting of effect size is often recommended. Effect sizes are theoretically independent from sample size. Yet this may not hold true empirically: non-independence could indicate publication bias. Methods We investigate whether effect size is independent from sample size in psychological research. We randomly sampled 1,000 psychological articles from all areas of psychological research. We extracted p values, effect sizes, and sample sizes of all empirical papers, and calculated the correlation between effect size and sample size, and investigated the distribution of p values. Results We found a negative correlation of r = −.45 [95% CI: −.53; −.35] between effect size and sample size. In addition, we found an inordinately high number of p values just passing the boundary of significance. Additional data showed that neither implicit nor explicit power analysis could account for this pattern of findings. Conclusion The negative correlation between effect size and samples size, and the biased distribution of p values indicate pervasive publication bias in the entire field of psychology. PMID:25192357

Renormalization of effective interactions in a negative charge transfer insulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seth, Priyanka; Peil, Oleg E.; Pourovskii, Leonid; Betzinger, Markus; Friedrich, Christoph; Parcollet, Olivier; Biermann, Silke; Aryasetiawan, Ferdi; Georges, Antoine

2017-11-01

We compute from first principles the effective interaction parameters appropriate for a low-energy description of the rare-earth nickelate LuNiO3 involving the partially occupied eg states only. The calculation uses the constrained random-phase approximation and reveals that the effective on-site Coulomb repulsion is strongly reduced by screening effects involving the oxygen-p and nickel-t2 g states. The long-range component of the effective low-energy interaction is also found to be sizable. As a result, the effective on-site interaction between parallel-spin electrons is reduced down to a small negative value. This validates effective low-energy theories of these materials that were proposed earlier. Electronic structure methods combined with dynamical mean-field theory are used to construct and solve an appropriate low-energy model and explore its phase diagram as a function of the on-site repulsion and Hund's coupling. For the calculated values of these effective interactions, we find that in agreement with experiments, LuNiO3 is a metal without disproportionation of the eg occupancy when considered in its orthorhombic structure, while the monoclinic phase is a disproportionated insulator.

Publication bias in psychology: a diagnosis based on the correlation between effect size and sample size.

PubMed

Kühberger, Anton; Fritz, Astrid; Scherndl, Thomas

2014-01-01

The p value obtained from a significance test provides no information about the magnitude or importance of the underlying phenomenon. Therefore, additional reporting of effect size is often recommended. Effect sizes are theoretically independent from sample size. Yet this may not hold true empirically: non-independence could indicate publication bias. We investigate whether effect size is independent from sample size in psychological research. We randomly sampled 1,000 psychological articles from all areas of psychological research. We extracted p values, effect sizes, and sample sizes of all empirical papers, and calculated the correlation between effect size and sample size, and investigated the distribution of p values. We found a negative correlation of r = -.45 [95% CI: -.53; -.35] between effect size and sample size. In addition, we found an inordinately high number of p values just passing the boundary of significance. Additional data showed that neither implicit nor explicit power analysis could account for this pattern of findings. The negative correlation between effect size and samples size, and the biased distribution of p values indicate pervasive publication bias in the entire field of psychology.