An African grassland responds similarly to long-term fertilization to the Park Grass experiment.

PubMed

Ward, David; Kirkman, Kevin; Tsvuura, Zivanai

2017-01-01

We compared the results of a long-term (65 years) experiment in a South African grassland with the world's longest-running ecological experiment, the Park Grass study at Rothamsted, U.K. The climate is warm and humid in South Africa and cool and temperate in England. The African grassland has been fertilized with two forms of nitrogen applied at four levels, phosphorus and lime in a crossed design in 96 plots. In 1951, about 84% of plant cover consisted of Themeda triandra, Tristachya leucothrix and Setaria nigrirostris. Currently, the dominant species are Panicum maximum, Setaria sphacelata and Eragrostis curvula, making up 71% of total biomass. As in the Park Grass experiment, we found a significant (additive) interaction effect on ANPP of nitrogen and phosphorus, and a (marginally significant) negative correlation between ANPP and species richness. Unlike the Park Grass experiment, there was no correlation between ANPP and species richness when pH was included as a covariate. There was also a significant negative effect of nitrogen amount and nitrogen form and a positive effect of lime on species richness and species diversity. Soil pH had an important effect on species richness. Liming was insufficient to balance the negative effects on species richness of nitrogen fertilization. There was a significant effect of pH on biomass of three abundant species. There were also significant effects of light on the biomass of four species, with only Panicum maximum having a negative response to light. In all of the abundant species, adding total species richness and ANPP to the model increased the amount of variance explained. The biomass of Eragrostis curvula and P. maximum were negatively correlated with species richness while three other abundant species increased with species richness, suggesting that competition and facilitation were active. Consistent with the results from the Park Grass and other long-term fertilization experiments of grasslands, we found a positive effect of soil pH and a negative effect of nitrogen amount on species richness, a more acutely negative effect on species richness of acidic ammonium sulphate fertilizer than limestone ammonium nitrate, a negative relationship between species richness and biomass, and a positive effect on species richness of lime interacting with nitrogen.

Effects of anthropogenic heavy metal contamination on litter decomposition in streams - A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ferreira, Verónica; Koricheva, Julia; Duarte, Sofia; Niyogi, Dev K; Guérold, François

2016-03-01

Many streams worldwide are affected by heavy metal contamination, mostly due to past and present mining activities. Here we present a meta-analysis of 38 studies (reporting 133 cases) published between 1978 and 2014 that reported the effects of heavy metal contamination on the decomposition of terrestrial litter in running waters. Overall, heavy metal contamination significantly inhibited litter decomposition. The effect was stronger for laboratory than for field studies, likely due to better control of confounding variables in the former, antagonistic interactions between metals and other environmental variables in the latter or differences in metal identity and concentration between studies. For laboratory studies, only copper + zinc mixtures significantly inhibited litter decomposition, while no significant effects were found for silver, aluminum, cadmium or zinc considered individually. For field studies, coal and metal mine drainage strongly inhibited litter decomposition, while drainage from motorways had no significant effects. The effect of coal mine drainage did not depend on drainage pH. Coal mine drainage negatively affected leaf litter decomposition independently of leaf litter identity; no significant effect was found for wood decomposition, but sample size was low. Considering metal mine drainage, arsenic mines had a stronger negative effect on leaf litter decomposition than gold or pyrite mines. Metal mine drainage significantly inhibited leaf litter decomposition driven by both microbes and invertebrates, independently of leaf litter identity; no significant effect was found for microbially driven decomposition, but sample size was low. Overall, mine drainage negatively affects leaf litter decomposition, likely through negative effects on invertebrates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fidelity Moderates the Association Between Negative Condom Attitudes and Outcome Behavior in an Evidence-Based Sexual Risk Reduction Intervention for Female Sex Workers.

PubMed

Pitpitan, Eileen V; Chavarin, Claudia V; Semple, Shirley J; Mendoza, Doroteo; Rodriguez, Carlos Magis; Staines, Hugo; Aarons, Gregory A; Patterson, Thomas L

2017-06-01

Intervention fidelity and participant-level variables, such as negative attitudes towards condoms, are important variables to consider in the successful implementation of evidence-based HIV prevention interventions. Mujer Segura is an intervention that has been shown to be efficacious at reducing condomless sex for female sex workers (FSWs) in Mexico [1]. We examined main effects of fidelity, negative condom attitudes, and their interaction on the effectiveness of the Mujer Segura intervention at reducing condomless sex at intervention follow-up. Of the FSWs recruited from 13 cities across Mexico, 528 participated in the Mujer Segura intervention. We measured negative condom attitudes at baseline (comprising of beliefs and outcome evaluations) and condomless sex with clients at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Fidelity was measured by a fidelity checklist completed by independent raters; the sum of potentially 43 total elements completed by the counselor constituted fidelity. Complete fidelity was found in only 15.1% (n = 73) of sessions. There was no significant main effect of intervention fidelity on condomless sex with clients at follow-up. There was a significant and positive main effect of negative condom attitudes and a significant two-way interaction. At lower levels of fidelity, negative condom attitudes predicted greater condomless sex acts, whereas at higher levels of fidelity, the effect of condom attitudes became weaker. The results also indicated that the interaction between negative condom attitudes and fidelity were driven primarily by negative condom beliefs, as opposed to negative condom outcome evaluations. Ensuring treatment fidelity in an HIV prevention intervention is particularly important when participants have negative attitudes towards condoms.

Trait emotional intelligence and mental distress: the mediating role of positive and negative affect.

PubMed

Kong, Feng; Zhao, Jingjing; You, Xuqun

2012-01-01

Over the past decade, emotional intelligence (EI) has received much attention in the literature. Previous studies indicated that higher trait or ability EI was associated with greater mental distress. The present study focused on mediating effects of positive and negative affect on the association between trait EI and mental distress in a sample of Chinese adults. The participants were 726 Chinese adults (384 females) with an age range of 18-60 years. Data were collected by using the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale, and the General Health Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that EI was a significant predictor of positive affect, negative affect and mental distress. Further mediation analysis showed that positive and negative affect acted as partial mediators of the relationship between EI and mental distress. Furthermore, effect contrasts showed that there was no significant difference between the specific indirect effects through positive affect and through negative affect. This result indicated that positive affect and negative affect played an equally important function in the association between EI and distress. The significance and limitations of the results are discussed.

Meta-analysis of the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on negative and positive symptoms in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Freitas, Catarina; Fregni, Felipe; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro

2009-01-01

Background A growing body of evidence suggests that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can alleviate negative and positive symptoms of refractory schizophrenia. However, trials to date have been small and results are mixed. Methods We performed meta-analyses of all prospective studies of the therapeutic application of rTMS in refractory schizophrenia assessing the effects of high-frequency rTMS to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) to treat negative symptoms, and low-frequency rTMS to the left temporo-parietal cortex (TPC) to treat auditory hallucinations (AH) and overall positive symptoms. Results When analyzing controlled (active arms) and uncontrolled studies together, the effect sizes showed significant and moderate effects of rTMS on negative and positive symptoms (based on PANSS-N or SANS, and PANSS-P or SAPS, respectively). However, the analysis for the sham-controlled studies revealed a small non-significant effect size for negative (0.27, p=0.417) and for positive symptoms (0.17, p=0.129). When specifically analyzing AH (based on AHRS, HCS or SAH), the effect size for the sham-controlled studies was large and significant (1.04; p=0.002). Conclusions These meta-analyses support the need for further controlled, larger trials to assess the clinical efficacy of rTMS on negative and positive symptoms of schizophrenia, while suggesting the need for exploration for alternative stimulation protocols. PMID:19138833

Emotion dysregulation explains the relation between insomnia symptoms and negative reinforcement smoking cognitions among daily smokers.

PubMed

Kauffman, Brooke Y; Farris, Samantha G; Alfano, Candice A; Zvolensky, Michael J

2017-09-01

Insomnia co-occurs with smoking. However, mechanisms that may explain their comorbidity are not well known. The present study tested the hypothesis that insomnia would exert an indirect effect on negative reinforcement smoking processes via emotion dysregulation among 126 adult non-treatment seeking daily smokers (55 females; M age =44.1years, SD=9.72). Negative reinforcement smoking processes included negative reinforcement smoking outcome expectancies, negative reinforcement smoking motives, and two negative expectancies from brief smoking abstinence (somatic symptoms and harmful consequences). Insomnia symptoms yielded a significant indirect effect through emotion dysregulation for negative reinforcement smoking outcome expectancies, negative reinforcement smoking motives, and harmful consequences expectancies from brief smoking abstinence. In contrast to prediction, however, insomnia was not associated with somatic symptom expectancies from brief smoking abstinence through emotion dysregulation. These data may suggest that the indirect effect of emotion dysregulation is more relevant to cognitive-affective negative reinforcement processes rather than somatic states. Overall, the present findings contribute to a growing body of literature linking emotion dysregulation as an explanatory mechanism for insomnia and smoking and uniquely extend such work to an array of clinically significant negative reinforcement smoking processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect Of Stem Degrees On The Performance And Retention Of Junior Officers In The U.S. Navy

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s thesis 4 . TITLE AND SUBTITLE THE EFFECT OF STEM DEGREES ON THE PERFORMANCE AND RETENTION OF JUNIOR OFFICERS IN...has positive and significant effects on retention and on promotion to O- 4 , and a negative effect on Fitness Report performance. Further research can...inconclusive, this thesis’s findings show that a STEM degree has positive and significant effects on retention and on promotion to O- 4 , and a negative effect

The effect of physical activity on sleep quality, well-being, and affect in academic stress periods.

PubMed

Wunsch, Kathrin; Kasten, Nadine; Fuchs, Reinhard

2017-01-01

The stress-buffering hypothesis postulates that physical activity and exercise can buffer the negative effects of (academic) stress on health. It still remains an open question whether students, who regularly engage in physical activity and exercise within their academic examination period, can successfully diminish these negative effects. Sixty-four subjects participated in this study and completed a total of five surveys, with T1 at the end of the semester break (baseline) and T2-T5 being presented every Friday in the last 4 weeks of the semester (examination period). They were asked to answer questions about their activity level, sleep quality, well-being and affect. Hierarchical linear models showed significant dependencies on time for all dependent measures. The expansion of the model for exercise also showed significant main effects of this predictor on well-being and positive affect (PA) and negative affect. Moreover, significant interactions with time for sleep quality and PA were found. Results suggest that physical activity and exercise in the academic examination period may be able to buffer the negative effects of stress on health-related outcomes. Therefore, activity levels should be maintained in times of high stress to prevent negative effects on sleep, well-being and affect in students.

Sex differences in effective fronto-limbic connectivity during negative emotion processing.

PubMed

Lungu, Ovidiu; Potvin, Stéphane; Tikàsz, Andràs; Mendrek, Adrianna

2015-12-01

In view of the greater prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders in women than in men, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have examined sex-differences in brain activations during emotion processing. Comparatively, sex-differences in brain connectivity received little attention, despite evidence for important fronto-limbic connections during emotion processing across sexes. Here, we investigated sex-differences in fronto-limbic connectivity during negative emotion processing. Forty-six healthy individuals (25 women, 21 men) viewed negative, positive and neutral images during an fMRI session. Effective connectivity between significantly activated regions was examined using Granger causality and psychophysical interaction analyses. Sex steroid hormones and feminine-masculine traits were also measured. Subjective ratings of negative emotional images were higher in women than in men. Across sexes, significant activations were observed in the dorso-medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and the right amygdala. Granger connectivity from right amygdala was significantly greater than that from dmPFC during the 'high negative' condition, an effect driven by men. Magnitude of this effect correlated negatively with highly negative image ratings and feminine traits and positively with testosterone levels. These results highlight critical sex differences in brain connectivity during negative emotion processing and point to the fact that both biological (sex steroid hormones) and psychosocial (gender role and identity) variables contribute to them. As the dmPFC is involved in social cognition and action planning, and the amygdala-in threat detection, the connectivity results suggest that compared to women, men have a more evaluative, rather than purely affective, brain response during negative emotion processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Neonicotinoid insecticides negatively affect performance measures of non‐target terrestrial arthropods: a meta‐analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Main, Anson; Webb, Elisabeth B.; Goyne, Keith W.; Mengel, Doreen C.

2018-01-01

Neonicotinoid insecticides are currently the fastest‐growing and most widely used insecticide class worldwide. Valued for their versatility in application, these insecticides may cause deleterious effects in a range of non‐target (beneficial) arthropods. However, it remains unclear whether strong patterns exist in terms of their major effects, if broad measures of arthropod performance are negatively affected, or whether different functional groups are equally vulnerable. Here, we present a meta‐analysis of 372 observations from 44 field and laboratory studies that describe neonicotinoid effects on 14 arthropod orders across five broad performance measures: abundance, behavior, condition, reproductive success, and survival. Across studies, neonicotinoids negatively affected all performance metrics evaluated; however, magnitude of the effects varied. Arthropod behavior and survival were the most negatively affected and abundance was the least negatively affected. Effects on arthropod functional groups were inconsistent. Pollinator condition, reproductive success, and survival were significantly lower in neonicotinoid treatments compared to untreated controls; whereas, neonicotinoid effects on detritivores were not significant. Although magnitude of arthropod response to neonicotinoids varied among performance measures and functional groups, we documented a consistent negative relationship between exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides in published studies and beneficial arthropod performance.

Combinatorial Effects of Lapatinib and Rapamycin in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Liu, Tongrui; Yacoub, Rami; Taliaferro-Smith, LaTonia D.; Sun, Shi-Yong; Graham, Tisheeka R.; Dolan, Ryan; Lobo, Christine; Tighiouart, Mourad; Yang, Lily; Adams, Amy; O'Regan, Ruth M.

2016-01-01

Triple-negative breast cancers, which lack estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2/neu overexpression, account for approximately 15% of breast cancers, but occur more commonly in African Americans. The poor survival outcomes seen with triple-negative breast cancers patients are, in part, due to a lack of therapeutic targets. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in 50% of triple-negative breast cancers, but EGFR inhibitors have not been effective in patients with metastatic breast cancers. However, mTOR inhibition has been shown to reverse resistance to EGFR inhibitors. We examined the combination effects of mTOR inhibition with EGFR inhibition in triple-negative breast cancer in vitro and in vivo. The combination of EGFR inhibition by using lapatinib and mTOR inhibition with rapamycin resulted in significantly greater cytotoxicity than the single agents alone and these effects were synergistic in vitro. The combination of rapamycin and lapatinib significantly decreased growth of triple-negative breast cancers in vivo compared with either agent alone. EGFR inhibition abrogated the expression of rapamycin-induced activated Akt in triple-negative breast cancer cells in vitro. The combination of EGFR and mTOR inhibition resulted in increased apoptosis in some, but not all, triple-negative cell lines, and these apoptotic effects correlated with a decrease in activated eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF4E). These results suggest that mTOR inhibitors could sensitize a subset of triple-negative breast cancers to EGFR inhibitors. Given the paucity of effective targeted agents in triple-negative breast cancers, these results warrant further evaluation. PMID:21690228

Electronic Cigarette Expectancies in Smokers with Psychological Distress.

PubMed

Miller, Mollie E; Tidey, Jennifer W; Rohsenow, Damaris J; Higgins, Stephen T

2017-01-01

Very few studies have evaluated perceptions of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) among smokers with mental illness. This study assessed expectancies about the effects of smoking combustible cigarettes or using ENDS among current smokers with and without severe psychological distress (SPD). We used a crowdsourcing system to survey 268 smokers on their expectancies for the effects of combustible cigarettes and ENDS. Positive expectancies assessed included negative affect reduction, stimulation, positive social effects and weight control, and negative expectancies included negative physical effects, negative psychosocial effects and future health concerns. Smokers with SPD had higher positive expectancies for weight control and social effects of both products compared to those without such distress, and higher expectancies for stimulation from combustible cigarettes compared to ENDS. All participants had significantly lower negative expectancies for ENDS compared to combustible cigarettes, with no significant differences between the groups. Smokers with SPD may be more vulnerable toward ENDS use, as they are for combustible cigarette use, due to greater positive expectancies of the products. Challenging positive expectancies may increase the efficacy of tobacco control efforts in this vulnerable population.

Electronic Cigarette Expectancies in Smokers with Psychological Distress

PubMed Central

Miller, Mollie E.; Tidey, Jennifer W.; Rohsenow, Damaris J.; Higgins, Stephen T.

2017-01-01

Objectives Very few studies have evaluated perceptions of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) among smokers with mental illness. This study assessed expectancies about the effects of smoking combustible cigarettes or using ENDS among current smokers with and without severe psychological distress (SPD). Methods We used a crowdsourcing system to survey 268 smokers on their expectancies for the effects of combustible cigarettes and ENDS. Positive expectancies assessed included negative affect reduction, stimulation, positive social effects and weight control, and negative expectancies included negative physical effects, negative psychosocial effects and future health concerns. Results Smokers with SPD had higher positive expectancies for weight control and social effects of both products compared to those without such distress, and higher expectancies for stimulation from combustible cigarettes compared to ENDS. All participants had significantly lower negative expectancies for ENDS compared to combustible cigarettes, with no significant differences between the groups. Conclusions Smokers with SPD may be more vulnerable toward ENDS use, as they are for combustible cigarette use, due to greater positive expectancies of the products. Challenging positive expectancies may increase the efficacy of tobacco control efforts in this vulnerable population. PMID:28653023

Effects of cognitive remediation on negative symptoms dimensions: exploring the role of working memory.

PubMed

Cella, M; Stahl, D; Morris, S; Keefe, R S E; Bell, M D; Wykes, T

2017-09-04

Recent theories suggest that poor working memory (WM) may be the cognitive underpinning of negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia. In this study, we first explore the effect of cognitive remediation (CR) on two clusters of negative symptoms (i.e. expressive and social amotivation), and then assess the relevance of WM gains as a possible mediator of symptom improvement. Data were accessed for 309 people with schizophrenia from the NIMH Database of Cognitive Training and Remediation Studies and a separate study. Approximately half the participants received CR and the rest were allocated to a control condition. All participants were assessed before and after therapy and at follow-up. Expressive negative symptoms and social amotivation symptoms scores were calculated from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. WM was assessed with digit span and letter-number span tests. Participants who received CR had a significant improvement in WM scores (d = 0.27) compared with those in the control condition. Improvements in social amotivation levels approached statistical significance (d = -0.19), but change in expressive negative symptoms did not differ between groups. WM change did not mediate the effect of CR on social amotivation. The results suggest that a course of CR may benefit behavioural negative symptoms. Despite hypotheses linking memory problems with negative symptoms, the current findings do not support the role of this cognitive domain as a significant mediator. The results indicate that WM improves independently from negative symptoms reduction.

The effect of music-induced mood on attentional networks.

PubMed

Jiang, Jun; Scolaro, Ashley J; Bailey, Kira; Chen, Antao

2011-06-01

Attention network theory suggests that there are three separate neural networks that execute the discrete functions of alerting, orienting, and executive attention. Previous research on the influence of mood on attention has shown subtle and inconsistent results. The attention network theory may aid in clarifying the influence of mood on attention. The present study investigated the influence of mood on attentional networks in a normal population. Participants performed the Attention Network Test (ANT), which provides functional measures of alerting, orienting, and executive attention. Positive or negative mood was induced by listening to music with a positive or negative valence, respectively; neutral mood was induced by reading a collection of basic facts about China. The results revealed that negative mood led to a significantly higher alerting efficiency relative to other moods, while there were no significant mood effects on orienting or executive attention efficiency. According to the algorithm underlying the ANT, the higher alerting efficiency in the negative mood condition can be attributed to relatively greater benefits of cueing effects. The findings are discussed in the context of the noradrenergic system and of evolutionary significance. Specifically, the increase in the alerting function during negative mood states may be due to the modulation effect of negative mood on the noradrenergic system, and/or to the survival benefit resulting from an increase in automatic vigilance towards negative information. The current results suggest that as the influence of negative mood on attention appears to specifically consist in an enhanced alerting function, it may not be found in studies where the three attentional networks are not dissociated.

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

PubMed

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

2015-09-01

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

Positive smoking outcome expectancies mediate the association between negative affect and smoking urge among women during a quit attempt.

PubMed

Cano, Miguel Ángel; Lam, Cho Y; Chen, Minxing; Adams, Claire E; Correa-Fernández, Virmarie; Stewart, Diana W; McClure, Jennifer B; Cinciripini, Paul M; Wetter, David W

2014-08-01

Ecological momentary assessment was used to examine associations between negative affect, positive smoking outcome expectancies, and smoking urge during the first 7 days of a smoking quit attempt. Participants were 302 female smokers who enrolled in an individually tailored smoking cessation treatment study. Multilevel mediation analysis was used to examine the temporal relationship among the following: (a) the effects of negative affect and positive smoking outcome expectancies at 1 assessment point (e.g., time j) on smoking urge at the subsequent time point (e.g., time j + 1) in Model 1; and, (b) the effects of negative affect and smoking urge at time j on positive smoking outcome expectancies at time j + 1 in Model 2. The results from Model 1 showed a statistically significant effect of negative affect at time j on smoking urge at time j + 1, and this effect was mediated by positive smoking outcome expectancies at time j, both within- and between-participants. In Model 2, the within-participant indirect effect of negative affect at time j on positive smoking outcome expectancies at time j + 1 through smoking urge at time j was nonsignificant. However, a statistically significant indirect between-participants effect was found in Model 2. The findings support the hypothesis that urge and positive smoking outcome expectancies increase as a function of negative affect, and suggest a stronger effect of expectancies on urge as opposed to the effect of urge on expectancies.

Positive Smoking Outcome Expectancies Mediate the Association between Negative Affect and Smoking Urge among Women During a Quit Attempt

PubMed Central

Cano, Miguel Ángel; Lam, Cho Y.; Chen, Minxing; Adams, Claire E.; Correa-Fernández, Virmarie; Stewart, Diana W.; McClure, Jennifer B.; Cinciripini, Paul M.; Wetter, David W.

2014-01-01

Ecological momentary assessment was used to examine associations between negative affect, positive smoking outcome expectancies, and smoking urge during the first 7 days of a smoking quit attempt. Participants were 302 female smokers who enrolled in an individually tailored smoking cessation treatment study. Multilevel mediation analysis was used to examine the temporal relationship among: 1) the effects of negative affect and positive smoking outcome expectancies at one assessment point (e.g., time j) on smoking urge at the subsequent time point (e.g., time j + 1) in Model 1; and, 2) the effects of negative affect and smoking urge at time j on positive smoking outcome expectancies at time j + 1 in Model 2. The results from Model 1 showed a statistically significant effect of negative affect at time j on smoking urge at time j + 1, and this effect was mediated by positive smoking outcome expectancies at time j, both within- and between-participant. In Model 2, the within-participant indirect effect of negative affect at time j on positive smoking outcome expectancies at time j + 1 through smoking urge at time j was nonsignificant. However, a statistically significant indirect between-participant effect was found in Model 2. The findings support the hypothesis that urge and positive smoking outcome expectancies increase as a function of negative affect, and suggest a stronger effect of expectancies on urge as opposed to the effect of urge on expectancies. PMID:24796849

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.

[Effects of long time different negative pressures on osteogenic differentiation of rabbit bone mesenchymal stem cells].

PubMed

Zhao, Bowen; Zhang, Hongwei; Xu, Qiang; Ge, Quanhu; Li, Bolong; Peng, Xinyu; Wu, Xiangwei

2017-05-01

To investigate the effects of long time different negative pressures on osteogenic diffe-rentiation of rabbit bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). The rabbit BMSCs were isolated and cultured by density gradient centrifugation. Flow cytometry was used to analyze expression of surface markers. The third passage cells cultured under condition of osteogenic induction and under different negative pressure of 0 mm Hg (control group), 75 mm Hg (low negative pressure group), and 150 mm Hg (high negative pressure group) (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa), and the negative pressure time was 30 min/h. Cell growth was observed under phase contrast microscopy, and the growth curve was drawn; alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was detected by ELISA after induced for 3, 7, and 14 days. The mRNA and protein expressions of collagen type I (COL-I) and osteocalcin (OC) in BMSCs were analyzed by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot. The cultured cells were identified as BMSCs by flow cytometry. The third passage BMSCs exhibited typical long shuttle and irregular shape. Cell proliferation was inhibited with the increase of negative pressure. After induced for 4 days, the cell number of high negative pressure group was significantly less than that in control group and low negative pressure group ( P <0.05), but there was no significant difference between the low negative pressure group and the control group ( P >0.05); at 5-7 days, the cell number showed significant difference between 3 groups ( P <0.05). The greater the negative pressure was, the greater the inhibition of cell proliferation was. There was no significant difference in ALP activity between groups at 3 days after induction ( P >0.05); the ALP activity showed significant difference ( P <0.05) between the high negative pressure group and the control group at 7 days after induction; and significant difference was found in the ALP activity between 3 groups at 14 days after induction ( P <0.05). The greater the negative pressure was, the higher the ALP activity was. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot detection showed that the mRNA and protein expressions of COL-I and OC protein were significantly higher in low negative pressure group and high negative pressure group than control group ( P <0.05), and in the high negative pressure group than the low negative pressure group ( P <0.05). With the increase of the negative pressure, the osteogenic differentiation ability of BMSCs increases gradually, but the cell proliferation is inhibited.

Local cardiac effects of substance P: roles of acetylcholine and noradrenaline.

PubMed Central

Chiao, H; Caldwell, R W

1995-01-01

1. The local cardiac actions of substance P were examined in isolated perfused hearts and atria of the guinea-pig. 2. In both hearts and right atria, substance P caused negative inotropic and chronotropic effects. 3. Atropine (10(-6) M) or depletion of acetylcholine, by electrical stimulation and hemicholinium-3 perfusion, significantly attenuated the negative inotropic and chronotropic effects of substance P. alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor blockade by nadolol and phentolamine (10(-6) M each) did not prevent the negative inotropic and chronotropic effects of substance P. This indicates that cholinergic neurones, but not adrenergic neurones, partially mediate the effects of substance P. 4. There was no significant difference in the effects of substance P observed between groups with acetylcholine depletion and with cholinoceptor blockade. This suggests that substance P elicits its effects mainly through release of acetylcholine. 5. These results indicate that substance P has negative inotropic and chronotropic effects in guinea-pig hearts and right atria mediated partly by release of acetylcholine. Substance P also appears to have direct effects on cardiac tissue. PMID:7533612

Negative incidental emotions augment fairness sensitivity.

PubMed

Liu, Cuizhen; Chai, Jing Wen; Yu, Rongjun

2016-04-22

Previous studies have shown that task-unrelated emotions induced incidentally exert carryover effects on individuals' subsequent decisions in financial negotiations. However, the specificity of these emotion effects are not clear. In three experiments, we systematically investigated the role of seven transiently induced basic emotions (disgust, sadness, anger, fear, happiness, surprise and neutral) on rejection of unfair offers using the ultimatum game. We found that all negative emotions (disgust, sadness, anger and fear), but not happiness or surprise, significantly increased rejection rates, suggesting that the effect of incidental negative emotions on fairness is not specific to the type of negative emotion. Our findings highlight the role of fleeting emotions in biasing decision-making processes and suggest that all incidental negative emotions exert similar effects on fairness sensitivity, possibly by potentiating attention towards negative aspects of the situation.

Varying negative work assistance at the ankle with a soft exosuit during loaded walking.

PubMed

Malcolm, Philippe; Lee, Sangjun; Crea, Simona; Siviy, Christopher; Saucedo, Fabricio; Galiana, Ignacio; Panizzolo, Fausto A; Holt, Kenneth G; Walsh, Conor J

2017-06-26

Only very recently, studies have shown that it is possible to reduce the metabolic rate of unloaded and loaded walking using robotic ankle exoskeletons. Some studies obtained this result by means of high positive work assistance while others combined negative and positive work assistance. There is no consensus about the isolated contribution of negative work assistance. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to examine the effect of varying negative work assistance at the ankle joint while maintaining a fixed level of positive work assistance with a multi-articular soft exosuit. We tested eight participants during walking at 1.5 ms -1 with a 23-kg backpack. Participants wore a version of the exosuit that assisted plantarflexion via Bowden cables tethered to an off-board actuation platform. In four active conditions we provided different rates of exosuit bilateral ankle negative work assistance ranging from 0.015 to 0.037 W kg -1 and a fixed rate of positive work assistance of 0.19 W kg -1 . All active conditions significantly reduced metabolic rate by 11 to 15% compared to a reference condition, where the participants wore the exosuit but no assistance was provided. We found no significant effect of negative work assistance. However, there was a trend (p = .08) toward greater reduction in metabolic rate with increasing negative work assistance, which could be explained by observed reductions in biological ankle and hip joint power and moment. The non-significant trend of increasing negative work assistance with increasing reductions in metabolic rate motivates the value in further studies on the relative effects of negative and positive work assistance. There may be benefit in varying negative work over a greater range or in isolation from positive work assistance.

The asymmetrical force of persuasive knowledge across the positive-negative divide.

PubMed

Nordmo, Mads; Selart, Marcus

2015-01-01

In two experimental studies we explore to what extent the general effects of positive and negative framing also apply to positive and negative persuasion. Our results reveal that negative persuasion induces substantially higher levels of skepticism and awareness of being subjected to a persuasion attempt. Furthermore, we demonstrate that in positive persuasion, more claims lead to stronger persuasion, while in negative persuasion, the numerosity of claims carries no significant effect. We interpret this finding along the lines of a satiety-model of persuasion. Finally, using diluted, or low strength claims in a persuasion attempt, we reveal a significant interaction between dispositional reactance and dilution of claims on persuasion knowledge. The interaction states that diluted claims increase the awareness of being subjected to a persuasion attempt, but only for those with a high dispositional level of reactance.

The asymmetrical force of persuasive knowledge across the positive–negative divide

PubMed Central

Nordmo, Mads; Selart, Marcus

2015-01-01

In two experimental studies we explore to what extent the general effects of positive and negative framing also apply to positive and negative persuasion. Our results reveal that negative persuasion induces substantially higher levels of skepticism and awareness of being subjected to a persuasion attempt. Furthermore, we demonstrate that in positive persuasion, more claims lead to stronger persuasion, while in negative persuasion, the numerosity of claims carries no significant effect. We interpret this finding along the lines of a satiety-model of persuasion. Finally, using diluted, or low strength claims in a persuasion attempt, we reveal a significant interaction between dispositional reactance and dilution of claims on persuasion knowledge. The interaction states that diluted claims increase the awareness of being subjected to a persuasion attempt, but only for those with a high dispositional level of reactance. PMID:26388821

PERCEIVED RACISM AND NEGATIVE AFFECT: ANALYSES OF TRAIT AND STATE MEASURES OF AFFECT IN A COMMUNITY SAMPLE

PubMed Central

BRONDOLO, ELIZABETH; BRADY, NISHA; THOMPSON, SHOLA; TOBIN, JONATHAN N.; CASSELLS, ANDREA; SWEENEY, MONICA; MCFARLANE, DELANO; CONTRADA, RICHARD J.

2008-01-01

Racism is a significant psychosocial stressor that is hypothesized to have negative psychological and physical health consequences. The Reserve Capacity Model (Gallo & Matthews, 2003) suggests that low socioeconomic status may influence health through its effects on negative affect. We extend this model to study the effects of racism, examining the association of lifetime perceived racism to trait and daily negative affect. A multiethnic sample of 362 American–born Black and Latino adults completed the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire–Community Version (PEDQ–CV). Trait negative affect was assessed with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and state negative affect was measured using ecological momentary assessments (EMA), in the form of an electronic diary. Analyses revealed a significant relationship of lifetime perceived racism to both daily negative affect and trait negative affect, even when controlling for trait hostility and socioeconomic status. The relationship of perceived racism to negative affect was moderated by education, such that the relationships were strongest for those with less than a high school education. The findings support aspects of the Reserve Capacity Model and identify pathways through which perceived racism may affect health status. PMID:19079772

Environmental Regulation, Foreign Direct Investment and Green Technological Progress-Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Industries.

PubMed

Hu, Jiangfeng; Wang, Zhao; Lian, Yuehan; Huang, Qinghua

2018-01-29

This study examines the spillover effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) on green technology progress rate (as measured by the green total factor productivity). The analysis utilizes two measures of FDI, labor-based FDI and capital-based FDI, and separately investigates four sets of industry classifications-high/low discharge regulation and high/low emission standard regulation. The results indicate that in the low discharge regulation and low emission standard regulation industry, labor-based FDI has a significant negative spillover effect, and capital-based FDI has a significant positive spillover effect. However, in the high-intensity environmental regulation industry, the negative influence of labor-based FDI is completely restrained, and capital-based FDI continues to play a significant positive green technological spillover effects. These findings have clear policy implications: the government should be gradually reducing the labor-based FDI inflow or increasing stringency of environmental regulation in order to reduce or eliminate the negative spillover effect of the labor-based FDI.

Environmental Regulation, Foreign Direct Investment and Green Technological Progress—Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Industries

PubMed Central

Hu, Jiangfeng; Wang, Zhao; Lian, Yuehan; Huang, Qinghua

2018-01-01

This study examines the spillover effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) on green technology progress rate (as measured by the green total factor productivity). The analysis utilizes two measures of FDI, labor-based FDI and capital-based FDI, and separately investigates four sets of industry classifications—high/low discharge regulation and high/low emission standard regulation. The results indicate that in the low discharge regulation and low emission standard regulation industry, labor-based FDI has a significant negative spillover effect, and capital-based FDI has a significant positive spillover effect. However, in the high-intensity environmental regulation industry, the negative influence of labor-based FDI is completely restrained, and capital-based FDI continues to play a significant positive green technological spillover effects. These findings have clear policy implications: the government should be gradually reducing the labor-based FDI inflow or increasing stringency of environmental regulation in order to reduce or eliminate the negative spillover effect of the labor-based FDI. PMID:29382112

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

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.

[Expression of multidrug resistance P-170 and MRP and their correlation with clinical drug resistance in acute leukemia].

PubMed

Lin, Xiu-mei; Xie, Zhao-xia; Zhu, Yan

2002-12-28

To investigate the relevance between the expression of P-170 and MRP and clinical drug resistance in acute leukemia. The expression of P-170 and MRP in mononuclear cells of bone marrows was analyzed by the immunohistochemical technique in 72 acute leukemia patients. The expression of P-170 was positive in 46 and negative in 26 of the 72 post-chemotherapy acute leukemia patients. The therapeutic effect of the P-170 positive expression patients was significantly poorer than that of the negative expression patients (P < 0.01). The expression of MRP was positive in 39 and negative in 33 of the 72 post-chemotherapy acute leukemia patients. The therapeutic effect of the MRP positive expression patients was significantly poorer than that in the negative expression patients (P < 0.01). The expression of P-170 and MRP had a significant concordance (Kappa = 0.427, P < 0.01). The sensitivity of P-170 and MRP which were analyzed simultaneously was 97.5%, which was higher than that of P-170 (90%) or MRP (77.5%) analyzed respectively in drug resistance patients. The expression of P-170 and/or MRP was significantly related with drug resistance in clinical chemotherapy. The therapeutic effect was significantly poorer in P-170 and/or MRP positive expression patients than that in negative expression patients. These data suggest that P-170 and MRP analyzed simultaneously can improve the value of diagnosis and prognosis in patients with drug resistance leukemia.

The Unique Effects of Parental Alcohol and Affective Disorders, Parenting, and Parental Negative Affect on Adolescent Maladjustment

PubMed Central

Haller, Moira; Chassin, Laurie

2010-01-01

Using a high-risk community sample, multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for mothers (N=416) and fathers (N= 346) to test the unique, prospective influence of parental negative affect on adolescent maladjustment (internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and negative emotionality) two years later over and above parental alcohol and affective disorders, major disruption in the family environment, and parenting. Adolescent sex was tested as a moderator. Results indicated that maternal (but not paternal) negative affect had a unique, prospective effect on adolescent internalizing symptoms in girls and negative emotionality in both sexes, but did not predict adolescent externalizing symptoms. Findings demonstrate that mothers’ negative affect may have unique effects on adolescent adjustment, separate from the effects of clinically significant parental psychopathology, parenting, and disruption in the family environment. PMID:23761947

The Unique Effects of Parental Alcohol and Affective Disorders, Parenting, and Parental Negative Affect on Adolescent Maladjustment.

PubMed

Haller, Moira; Chassin, Laurie

2011-07-01

Using a high-risk community sample, multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for mothers ( N =416) and fathers ( N = 346) to test the unique, prospective influence of parental negative affect on adolescent maladjustment (internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and negative emotionality) two years later over and above parental alcohol and affective disorders, major disruption in the family environment, and parenting. Adolescent sex was tested as a moderator. Results indicated that maternal (but not paternal) negative affect had a unique, prospective effect on adolescent internalizing symptoms in girls and negative emotionality in both sexes, but did not predict adolescent externalizing symptoms. Findings demonstrate that mothers' negative affect may have unique effects on adolescent adjustment, separate from the effects of clinically significant parental psychopathology, parenting, and disruption in the family environment.

Negative incidental emotions augment fairness sensitivity

PubMed Central

Liu, Cuizhen; Chai, Jing Wen; Yu, Rongjun

2016-01-01

Previous studies have shown that task-unrelated emotions induced incidentally exert carryover effects on individuals’ subsequent decisions in financial negotiations. However, the specificity of these emotion effects are not clear. In three experiments, we systematically investigated the role of seven transiently induced basic emotions (disgust, sadness, anger, fear, happiness, surprise and neutral) on rejection of unfair offers using the ultimatum game. We found that all negative emotions (disgust, sadness, anger and fear), but not happiness or surprise, significantly increased rejection rates, suggesting that the effect of incidental negative emotions on fairness is not specific to the type of negative emotion. Our findings highlight the role of fleeting emotions in biasing decision-making processes and suggest that all incidental negative emotions exert similar effects on fairness sensitivity, possibly by potentiating attention towards negative aspects of the situation. PMID:27101931

Prominent dominant negative effect of a mutant Fas molecule lacking death domain on cell-mediated induction of apoptosis.

PubMed

Yokota, Aya; Takeuchi, Emiko; Iizuka, Misao; Ikegami, Yuko; Takayama, Hajime; Shinohara, Nobukata

2005-01-01

Using a panel of transfectant B lymphoma cells expressing varying amounts of the mutant Fas together with the endogenous wild type Fas, semi-quantitative studies on the dominant negative effect of a murine mutant Fas molecule lacking death domain were carried out. In anti-Fas antibody-mediated induction of apoptosis, the mutant molecules exerted significant dominant-negative effect only when their expression level was comparable to or higher than that of wild type molecules, or when exposed to low amounts of the antibody. The inhibitory effect was accompanied by the failure in DISC formation in spite of Fas aggregation. When they were subjected to T cell-mediated Fas-based induction of apoptosis, however, the dominant negative effect was prominent such that the expression of even a small amount of the mutant molecules resulted in significant inhibition. Such a strong inhibitory effect explains the dominant phenotype of this type of mutant Fas molecules in ALPS heterozygous patients and also implies that the physiological effectors for Fas in vivo are cells, i.e., FasL-expressing activated T cells.

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.

The combined effects of self-referent information processing and ruminative responses on adolescent depression.

PubMed

Black, Stephanie Winkeljohn; Pössel, Patrick

2013-08-01

Adolescents who develop depression have worse interpersonal and affective experiences and are more likely to develop substance problems and/or suicidal ideation compared to adolescents who do not develop depression. This study examined the combined effects of negative self-referent information processing and rumination (i.e., brooding and reflection) on adolescent depressive symptoms. It was hypothesized that the interaction of negative self-referent information processing and brooding would significantly predict depressive symptoms, while the interaction of negative self-referent information processing and reflection would not predict depressive symptoms. Adolescents (n = 92; 13-15 years; 34.7% female) participated in a 6-month longitudinal study. Self-report instruments measured depressive symptoms and rumination; a cognitive task measured information processing. Path modelling in Amos 19.0 analyzed the data. The interaction of negative information processing and brooding significantly predicted an increase in depressive symptoms 6 months later. The interaction of negative information processing and reflection did not significantly predict depression, however, the model not meet a priori standards to accept the null hypothesis. Results suggest clinicians working with adolescents at-risk for depression should consider focusing on the reduction of brooding and negative information processing to reduce long-term depressive symptoms.

Aberrant interference of auditory negative words on attention in patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Iwashiro, Norichika; Yahata, Noriaki; Kawamuro, Yu; Kasai, Kiyoto; Yamasue, Hidenori

2013-01-01

Previous research suggests that deficits in attention-emotion interaction are implicated in schizophrenia symptoms. Although disruption in auditory processing is crucial in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, deficits in interaction between emotional processing of auditorily presented language stimuli and auditory attention have not yet been clarified. To address this issue, the current study used a dichotic listening task to examine 22 patients with schizophrenia and 24 age-, sex-, parental socioeconomic background-, handedness-, dexterous ear-, and intelligence quotient-matched healthy controls. The participants completed a word recognition task on the attended side in which a word with emotionally valenced content (negative/positive/neutral) was presented to one ear and a different neutral word was presented to the other ear. Participants selectively attended to either ear. In the control subjects, presentation of negative but not positive word stimuli provoked a significantly prolonged reaction time compared with presentation of neutral word stimuli. This interference effect for negative words existed whether or not subjects directed attention to the negative words. This interference effect was significantly smaller in the patients with schizophrenia than in the healthy controls. Furthermore, the smaller interference effect was significantly correlated with severe positive symptoms and delusional behavior in the patients with schizophrenia. The present findings suggest that aberrant interaction between semantic processing of negative emotional content and auditory attention plays a role in production of positive symptoms in schizophrenia. (224 words).

Hostility, Cigarette Smoking, and Responses to a Lab-based Social Stressor

PubMed Central

Kahler, Christopher W.; Leventhal, Adam M.; Colby, Suzanne M.; Gwaltney, Chad J.; Kamarck, Thomas W.; Monti, Peter M.

2013-01-01

High trait hostility is associated with persistent cigarette smoking. To better understand mechanisms that may account for this association, we examined the effects of acute smoking abstinence and delayed versus immediate smoking reinstatement on responses to a social stressor among 48 low hostile (LH) and 48 high hostile (HH) smokers. Participants completed two laboratory sessions, one before which they had smoked ad lib and one before which they had abstained for the prior 12 hours. During each session, participants completed a stressful speaking task and then smoked immediately after the stressor or after a 15-minute delay. The effect of immediate vs. delayed smoking reinstatement on recovery in negative mood was significantly moderated by hostility. When reinstatement was delayed, HH participants showed significant increases in negative mood over time, whereas LH participants showed little change. When reinstatement was immediate, HH and LH smokers showed similar significant decreases in negative mood. Smoking abstinence did not moderate hostility effects. Cigarette smoking may prevent continuing increases in negative mood following social stress in HH smokers, which may partially explain their low rates of quitting. PMID:19968406

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.

Hostile Attributional Bias, Negative Emotional Responding, and Aggression in Adults: Moderating Effects of Gender and Impulsivity

PubMed Central

Chen, Pan; Coccaro, Emil F.; Jacobson, Kristen C.

2012-01-01

The current study examined the main effects of hostile attributional bias (HAB) and negative emotional responding on a variety of aggressive behaviors in adults, including general aggression, physical aggression, relational aggression, and verbal aggression. Effects of both externalizing (anger) and internalizing (embarrassment/upset) negative emotions were considered. In addition, the moderating roles of gender and impulsivity on the effects of HAB and negative emotional responding were explored. Multilevel models were fitted to data from 2,749 adult twins aged 20–55 from the PennTwins cohort. HAB was positively associated with all four forms of aggression. There was also a significant interaction between impulsivity and HAB for general aggression. Specifically, the relationship between HAB and general aggression was only significant for individuals with average or above-average levels of impulsivity. Negative emotional responding was also found to predict all measures of aggression, although in different ways. Anger was positively associated with all forms of aggression, whereas embarrassment/upset predicted decreased levels of general, physical, and verbal aggression but increased levels of relational aggression. The associations between negative emotional responding and aggression were generally stronger for males than females. The current study provides evidence for the utility of HAB and negative emotional responding as predictors of adult aggression and further suggests that gender and impulsivity may moderate their links with aggression. PMID:24833604

Hostile attributional bias, negative emotional responding, and aggression in adults: moderating effects of gender and impulsivity.

PubMed

Chen, Pan; Coccaro, Emil F; Jacobson, Kristen C

2012-01-01

The current study examined the main effects of hostile attributional bias (HAB) and negative emotional responding on a variety of aggressive behaviors in adults, including general aggression, physical aggression, relational aggression, and verbal aggression. Effects of both externalizing (anger) and internalizing (embarrassment/upset) negative emotions were considered. In addition, the moderating roles of gender and impulsivity on the effects of HAB and negative emotional responding were explored. Multilevel models were fitted to data from 2,749 adult twins aged 20-55 from the PennTwins cohort. HAB was positively associated with all four forms of aggression. There was also a significant interaction between impulsivity and HAB for general aggression. Specifically, the relationship between HAB and general aggression was only significant for individuals with average or above-average levels of impulsivity. Negative emotional responding was also found to predict all measures of aggression, although in different ways. Anger was positively associated with all forms of aggression, whereas embarrassment/upset predicted decreased levels of general, physical, and verbal aggression but increased levels of relational aggression. The associations between negative emotional responding and aggression were generally stronger for males than females. The current study provides evidence for the utility of HAB and negative emotional responding as predictors of adult aggression and further suggests that gender and impulsivity may moderate their links with aggression. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Monetary incentives at retrieval promote recognition of involuntarily learned emotional information.

PubMed

Yan, Chunping; Li, Yunyun; Zhang, Qin; Cui, Lixia

2018-03-07

Previous studies have suggested that the effects of reward on memory processes are affected by certain factors, but it remains unclear whether the effects of reward at retrieval on recognition processes are influenced by emotion. The event-related potential was used to investigate the combined effect of reward and emotion on memory retrieval and its neural mechanism. The behavioral results indicated that the reward at retrieval improved recognition performance under positive and negative emotional conditions. The event-related potential results indicated that there were significant interactions between the reward and emotion in the average amplitude during recognition, and the significant reward effects from the frontal to parietal brain areas appeared at 130-800 ms for positive pictures and at 190-800 ms for negative pictures, but there were no significant reward effects of neutral pictures; the reward effect of positive items appeared relatively earlier, starting at 130 ms, and that of negative pictures began at 190 ms. These results indicate that monetary incentives at retrieval promote recognition of involuntarily learned emotional information.

Location negative priming effects in children with developmental dyslexia: An event-related potential study.

PubMed

Ma, Yujun; Wang, Enguo; Yuan, Tian; Zhao, Guo Xiang

2016-08-01

As the reading process is inseparable from working memory, inhibition, and other higher cognitive processes, the deep cognitive processing defects that are associated with dyslexia may be due to defective distraction inhibition systems. In this study, we used event-related potential technology to explore the source of negative priming effects in children with developmental dyslexia and in a group of healthy children for comparison. We found that the changes in the average response times in the negative priming and control conditions were consistent across the two groups, while the negative priming effects differed significantly between the groups. The magnitude of the negative priming effect was significantly different between the two groups, with the magnitude being significantly higher in the control group than it was in the developmental dyslexia group. These results indicate that there are deficits in distraction inhibition in children with developmental dyslexia. In terms of the time course of processing, inhibition deficits in the dyslexia group appeared during early-stage cognition selection and lasted through the response selection phase. Regarding the cerebral cortex locations, early-stage cognition selection was mainly located in the parietal region, while late-stage response selection was mainly located in the frontal and central regions. The results of our study may help further our understanding of the intrinsic causes of developmental dyslexia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of extracts and isolated compounds from safflower on some index of promoting blood circulation and regulating menstruation.

PubMed

Yao, Dong; Wang, Zheng; Miao, Li; Wang, Linyan

2016-09-15

Carthamus tinctorius is used as one of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) materials in prescriptions and composite to promote blood circulation to remove blood stasis, regulate menstruation and alleviate pain for over 2500 years. Modern pharmacological experiments have demonstrated that safflower has wide-reaching biological activities, including dilating coronary artery, modulating immune system, improving myocardial ischemia, anticoagulation and thromboprophylaxis, antioxidation, antihypoxic, antiaging, antifatigue, antiinflammation, anti-hepatic fibrosis, antitumor, analgesia, etc. Platelet aggregation of safflower extract and main constituents in safflower were determined by PAF-induced or ADP-induced platelet aggregation in vitro. Anticoagulation activity was measured by clotting assay of thrombin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) according to the methods provided by the biological reagents provider (Sun Biochemical). Antioxidant effects of safflower were assessed using DPPH radical-scavenging activity test, ABTS radical-scavenging activity test and ferric reducing antioxidant power test. In addition, rats ovary granulosa cell proliferation activity was used for the bio-activity index on regulate menstruation of safflower. Safflower extract at the concentration of 0.7g/mL (P<0.001) and 0.5g/mL (P<0.01) had significantly antagonistic effect on PAF-induced platelet aggregation, compared with negative control. And the anti-platelet aggregation of 0.7g/mL safflower extract was significantly stronger than that of positive control (P<0.001). 0.7g/mL of hydroxysafflor yellow A (P<0.01), anhydrosafflor yellow B (P<0.05), 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (P<0.05), keampferol-3-O-β-rutinoside (P<0.01) had significant effect on platelet aggregation compared with negative control. Safflower extract at the concentration of 0.5g/mL (P<0.001) and 0.125g/mL (P<0.01) could significantly inhibit ADP-induced platelet aggregation, compared with negative control. And antagonistic effect of safflower extract was significantly stronger than the effect of positive control (P<0.001). Adenosine (P<0.001), anhydrosafflor yellow B (P<0.01) and 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (P<0.01) at the concentration of 0.5g/mL had significant effect on ADP-induced platelet aggregation compared with negative control. 0.125g/mL of adenosine (P<0.05) had significant effect on ADP-induced platelet aggregation compared with negative control. The effect of 0.5g/mL adenosine (P<0.01) and 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (P<0.05) was significantly stronger than that of positive control. Safflower extract at the concentration of 0.7mg/mL (P<0.001) and 0.5mg/mL (P<0.001) had significantly anticoagulation activity in PT, TT and APTT, compared with negative control. However, the respective compound didn't have significant effect on PT and TT at experiment concentration. At the concentration of 0.7mg/mL, hydroxysafflor yellow A (P<0.01), 6-hydroxykaempferol-3,6,7-tri-O-β-d-glucoside (P<0.05), 6-hydroxyapigenin-6-O-glucoside-7-O-glucuronide (P<0.01), anhydrosafflor yellow B (P<0.001), 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (P<0.05) and keampferol-3-O-β-rutinoside (P<0.05) significantly prolonged APTT, compared with negative control. At the concentration of 0.5mg/mL, hydroxysafflor yellow A (P<0.05), 6-hydroxyapigenin-6-O-glucoside-7-O-glucuronide (P<0.05), anhydrosafflor yellow B (P<0.001), 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (P<0.05) and keampferol-3-O-β-rutinoside (P<0.05) could significantly prolong APTT, compared with negative control. From the results of DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activity test and Fe(3+) reduction power test, 5mg/mL, 2.5mg/mL and 1.25mg/mL safflower extract had antioxidant effects. Every compound with each concentration (5mg/mL, 2.5mg/mL and 1.25mg/mL) had significant effect on Fe(3+) reduction power (P<0.001 vs. negative control). Safflower extract, cytidine, 6-hydroxy-kaempferol-3,6-di-O-β-d-glucoside-7-O-β-d-glucuronide, 6-hydroxykaemp-ferol-3,6,7-tri-O-β-D-glucoside and keampferol-3-O-β-rutinoside significantly promoted ovarian granulosa cell proliferation. Based on previous researches, the activities of safflower extract and pure compounds isolated from safflower were studied in this paper. This study found some compounds with the effects of anti-platelet aggregation, anticoagulation, antioxidation and ovarian granulosa cell proliferation, and further revealed the possible pharmacological mechanism of safflower. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Folate supplementation in schizophrenia: a possible role for MTHFR genotype.

PubMed

Hill, Michele; Shannahan, Kelsey; Jasinski, Sarah; Macklin, Eric A; Raeke, Lisa; Roffman, Joshua L; Goff, Donald C

2011-04-01

Folate deficiency and the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T polymorphism have been linked to negative symptoms in schizophrenia both independently and synergistically. This study examined the effect of folate supplementation on negative symptoms overall and in relation to MTHFR 677C>T genotype. Forty-six stable adult schizophrenia outpatients were enrolled and 32 were randomised, double-blind, in a parallel-group, twelve week add-on trial of folate 2mg/d or matching placebo. The primary outcome measure was change from baseline to week 12 on the modified SANS total score using a mixed-model analysis. In addition, we measured the effect of MTHFR genotype on treatment effects and on changes in serum folate by grouping participants with T/T genotype together with C/T genotype and comparing their interactions to patients with C/C genotype. Twenty-eight participants completed the trial. Folate supplementation did not significantly affect negative symptoms compared to placebo across the entire cohort. However, there was a significant genotype×treatment effect on negative symptoms (F=7.13, df=1,39, p=0.01). In addition, MTHFR status significantly moderated the relationship between change in serum folate and change in negative symptoms: among participants with at least one copy of the T allele negative symptoms were more likely to improve with increased serum folate (p=0.03). We did not detect a therapeutic benefit of folate supplementation in a sample of patients with residual negative symptoms. However, a possible association between genotypes associated with reduced MTHFR activity and benefit from folate supplementation should be investigated further. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Targeted Gene Silencing of Tumor Necrosis Factor Attenuates the Negative Inotropic Effects of Lipopolysaccharide in Isolated Contracting Cardiac Myocytes

PubMed Central

Ramabadran, R. S.; Chancey, Amanda; Vallejo, Jesus G.; Barger, Philip M.; Sivasubramanian, Natarajan; Mann, Douglas L.

2008-01-01

Bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) depresses cardiovascular function; however, the mediators and signaling pathways that are responsible for the negative inotropic effects of lipopolysaccharide are not fully known. We used RNA interference to determine the relative role of tumor necrosis factor with respect to mediating the negative inotropic effects of lipopolysaccharide in isolated cardiac myocytes. Cardiac myocyte cultures were treated with lipopolysaccharide in the presence or absence of small interfering RNAs (siRNA) for tumor necrosis factor. We examined the effects of tumor necrosis factor siRNA on lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein biosynthesis, as well as the negative inotropic effects of lipopolysaccharide in isolated contracting cardiac myocytes. Treatment of adult cardiac myocyte cultures with tumor necrosis factor siRNA significantly attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor mRNA and protein biosynthesis, whereas transfection with a double-stranded RNA that does not target mammalian mRNA had no effect. Pretreatment with tumor necrosis factor siRNA significantly attenuated, but did not abrogate, the lipopolysaccharide-induced decrease in sarcomere shortening in isolated contracting cardiac myocytes. In contrast, tumor necrosis factor siRNA had a comparatively smaller effect on improving sarcomere shortening once the negative inotropic effects of lipopolysaccharide were fully established. These results suggest that tumor necrosis factor plays an important upstream role in lipopolysaccharide-induced negative inotropic effects in isolated contracting cardiac myocytes and that other molecular mechanisms are responsible for the decrease in sarcomere shortening after sustained lipopolysaccharide signaling. PMID:18427645

Meta-atom cluster acoustic metamaterial with broadband negative effective mass density

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

Chen, Huaijun; Zhai, Shilong; Ding, Changlin

2014-02-07

We design a resonant meta-atom cluster, via which a two-dimensional (2D) acoustic metamaterial (AM) with broadband negative effective mass density from 1560 Hz to 5580 Hz is fabricated. Experimental results confirm that there is only weak interaction among the meta-atoms in the cluster. And then the meta-atoms in the cluster independently resonate, resulting in the cluster becoming equivalent to a broadband resonance unit. Extracted effective refractive indices from reflection and transmission measurements of the 2D AM appear to be negative from 1500 Hz to 5480 Hz. The broadband negative refraction has also been demonstrated by our further experiments. We expectmore » that this meta-atom cluster AM will significantly contribute to the design of broadband negative effective mass density AM.« less

Lack of association between dopaminergic antagonism and negative symptoms in schizophrenia: a positron emission tomography dopamine D2/3 receptor occupancy study

PubMed Central

Fervaha, Gagan; Caravaggio, Fernando; Mamo, David C.; Mulsant, Benoit H.; Pollock, Bruce G.; Nakajima, Shinichiro; Gerretsen, Philip; Rajji, Tarek K.; Mar, Wanna; Iwata, Yusuke; Plitman, Eric; Chung, Jun Ku; Remington, Gary; Graff-Guerrero, Ariel

2016-01-01

Rationale Several pre-clinical studies suggest that antipsychotic medications cause secondary negative symptoms. However, direct evidence for a relationship among antipsychotic medications, their direct effects on neurotransmitter systems, and negative symptoms in schizophrenia remains controversial. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between antipsychotic-related dopamine D2/3 receptor occupancy and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Methods Forty-one clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia participated in this prospective dose reduction positron emission tomography (PET) study. Clinical assessments and [11C]-raclopride PET scans were performed before and after participants underwent gradual dose reduction of their antipsychotic medication by up to 40% from the baseline dose. Results No significant relationship was found between antipsychotic-related dopamine D2/3 receptor occupancy and negative symptom severity at baseline or follow-up. Similar null findings were found for subdomains of negative symptoms (amotivation and diminished expression). Occupancy was significantly lower following dose reduction; however, negative symptom severity did not change significantly, though a trend toward reduction was noted. Examination of change scores between these two variables revealed no systematic relationship. Conclusions Our cross-sectional and longitudinal results failed to find a significant dose-dependent relationship between severity of negative symptoms and antipsychotic-related dopaminergic antagonism in schizophrenia. These findings argue against the notion that antipsychotics necessarily cause secondary negative symptoms. Our results are also in contrast with the behavioural effects of dopaminergic antagonism routinely reported in pre-clinical investigations, suggesting that the role of this variable in the context of chronic treatment and schizophrenia needs to be re-examined. PMID:27557949

Drinking Motives and Alcohol Outcome Expectancies as Mediators of the Association between Negative Urgency and Alcohol Consumption

PubMed Central

Anthenien, Amber M.; Lembo, Jordanna; Neighbors, Clayton

2017-01-01

Objective To determine whether the effects of negative urgency, a unique facet of impulsivity marked by engaging in potentially unhealthy and rash behaviors in order to cope with anxiety or negative moods, on drinking behavior can be explained by positive and negative alcohol outcome expectancies and specific drinking motives (i.e., coping and enhancement). Methods College students (N = 194) completed web-based surveys in exchange for course credit. Students completed measures of negative urgency, comprehensive effects of alcohol, drinking motives, and alcohol use behaviors. Results Results of path analysis indicated significant indirect effects of negative urgency and alcohol use through both alcohol outcome expectancies and enhancement motives. The effects of enhancement motives on drinking were mediated by positive alcohol outcome expectancies. The effects of coping motives on drinking were not attributable to negative expectancies. Conclusions Individuals high on negative urgency may consume alcohol in order to ameliorate their emotional distress due to strong desires to increase positive and decrease negative experiences associated with drinking. Emotion-focused impulsivity’s influence on drinking outcomes can be ascribed to enhancement motives for drinking as well as positive and negative alcohol outcome expectancies. Prevention efforts should target drinking motives and alcohol outcome expectancies among those higher in negative urgency. PMID:27914226

Drinking motives and alcohol outcome expectancies as mediators of the association between negative urgency and alcohol consumption.

PubMed

Anthenien, Amber M; Lembo, Jordanna; Neighbors, Clayton

2017-03-01

To determine whether the effects of negative urgency, a unique facet of impulsivity marked by engaging in potentially unhealthy and rash behaviors in order to cope with anxiety or negative moods, on drinking behavior can be explained by positive and negative alcohol outcome expectancies and specific drinking motives (i.e., coping and enhancement). College students (N=194) completed web-based surveys in exchange for course credit. Students completed measures of negative urgency, comprehensive effects of alcohol, drinking motives, and alcohol use behaviors. Results of path analysis indicated significant indirect effects of negative urgency and alcohol use through both alcohol outcome expectancies and enhancement motives. The effects of enhancement motives on drinking were mediated by positive alcohol outcome expectancies. The effects of coping motives on drinking were not attributable to negative expectancies. Individuals high on negative urgency may consume alcohol in order to ameliorate their emotional distress due to strong desires to increase positive and decrease negative experiences associated with drinking. Emotion-focused impulsivity's influence on drinking outcomes can be ascribed to enhancement motives for drinking as well as positive and negative alcohol outcome expectancies. Prevention efforts should target drinking motives and alcohol outcome expectancies among those higher in negative urgency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed

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

2016-02-01

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

Suppressor Effects of Positive and Negative Religious Coping on Academic Burnout Among Korean Middle School Students.

PubMed

Noh, Hyunkyung; Chang, Eunbi; Jang, Yoojin; Lee, Ji Hae; Lee, Sang Min

2016-02-01

Statistical suppressor effects in prediction models can provide evidence of the interdependent relationship of independent variables. In this study, the suppressor effects of positive and negative religious coping on academic burnout were examined using longitudinal data. First, 388 middle school students reported their type of religion and use of positive and negative religious coping strategies. Four months later, they also reported their level of academic burnout. From structural equation modeling, significant suppressor effects were found among religious students. That is, the coefficients became larger when both positive and negative religious coping predicted academic burnout simultaneously, compared to when each religious coping predicted academic burnout alone. However, suppressor effects were not found among non-religious students.

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

The impact of husband physical aggression and alcohol use on marital functioning: does alcohol "excuse" the violence?

PubMed

Testa, M; Leonard, K E

2001-10-01

Alcohol has been posited to serve as an "excuse" for deviant behavior, including domestic violence. A recent study suggested that wives hold husbands less responsible for their aggressive behavior when husbands are problem drinkers. To replicate and extend this study, the independent and interactive effects of husband physical aggression and husband alcohol use on wives' marital satisfaction and thoughts of divorce were examined among newlywed couples (n = 387). Husband physical aggression had a significant negative effect on marital satisfaction and a significant positive effect on divorce ideation regardless of the measure of husband alcohol use employed. Alcohol dependence had a negative effect on satisfaction; however, in no case was there an interaction between alcohol and aggression. Results fail to replicate an earlier study supporting an excuse function of alcohol and suggest that alcohol does not mitigate the negative effects of domestic violence on marital functioning.

Differences in Expressivity Based on Attractiveness: Target or Perceiver Effects?

PubMed

Rennels, Jennifer L; Kayl, Andrea J

2015-09-01

A significant association exists between adults' expressivity and facial attractiveness, but it is unclear whether the association is linear or significant only at the extremes of attractiveness. It is also unclear whether attractive persons actually display more positive expressivity than unattractive persons (target effects) or whether high and low attractiveness influences expressivity valence judgments (perceiver effects). Experiment 1 demonstrated adult ratings of attractiveness were predictive of expressivity valence only for high and low attractive females and medium attractive males. Experiment 2 showed that low attractive females actually display more negative expressivity than medium and high attractive females, but there were no target effects for males. Also, attractiveness influenced expressivity valence judgments (perceiver effects) for both females and males. Our findings demonstrate that low attractive females are at a particular disadvantage during social interactions due to their low attractiveness, actual displays of negative expressivity, and perceptions of their negative expressivity.

Differences in Expressivity Based on Attractiveness: Target or Perceiver Effects?

PubMed Central

Rennels, Jennifer L.; Kayl, Andrea J.

2015-01-01

A significant association exists between adults’ expressivity and facial attractiveness, but it is unclear whether the association is linear or significant only at the extremes of attractiveness. It is also unclear whether attractive persons actually display more positive expressivity than unattractive persons (target effects) or whether high and low attractiveness influences expressivity valence judgments (perceiver effects). Experiment 1 demonstrated adult ratings of attractiveness were predictive of expressivity valence only for high and low attractive females and medium attractive males. Experiment 2 showed that low attractive females actually display more negative expressivity than medium and high attractive females, but there were no target effects for males. Also, attractiveness influenced expressivity valence judgments (perceiver effects) for both females and males. Our findings demonstrate that low attractive females are at a particular disadvantage during social interactions due to their low attractiveness, actual displays of negative expressivity, and perceptions of their negative expressivity. PMID:26366010

Developing the Pieta House Suicide Intervention Model: a quasi-experimental, repeated measures design.

PubMed

Surgenor, Paul Wg; Freeman, Joan; O'Connor, Cindy

2015-01-01

While most crisis intervention models adhere to a generalised theoretical framework, the lack of clarity around how these should be enacted has resulted in a proliferation of models, most of which have little to no empirical support. The primary aim of this research was to propose a suicide intervention model that would resolve the client's suicidal crisis by decreasing their suicidal ideation and improve their outlook through enhancing a range of protective factors. The secondary aim was to assess the impact of this model on negative and positive outlook. A quasi-experimental, pre-test post-test repeated measures design was employed. A questionnaire assessing self-esteem, depression, and positive and negative suicidal ideation was administered to the same participants pre- and post- therapy facilitating paired responses. Multiple analysis of variance and paired-samples t-tests were conducted to establish whether therapy using the PH-SIM had a significant effect on the clients' negative and positive outlook. Analyses revealed a statistically significant effect of therapy for depression, negative suicidal ideation, self-esteem, and positive suicidal ideation. Negative outlook was significantly lower after therapy and positive outlook significantly higher. The decreased negative outlook and increased positive outlook following therapy provide some support for the proposed model in fulfilling its role, though additional research is required to establish the precise role of the intervention model in achieving this.

Self-affirmation increases defensiveness toward health risk information among those experiencing negative emotions: Results from two national samples.

PubMed

Ferrer, Rebecca A; Klein, William M P; Graff, Kaitlin A

2017-04-01

Self-affirmation can promote health behavior change and yield long-term improvements in health via its effect on receptiveness to risk information in behavior change interventions. Across 2 studies, we examined whether the emotional state of the person presented with health risk information moderates self-affirmation effectiveness. Data were collected from 2 U.S. national samples (n = 652, n = 448) via GfK, an Internet-based survey company. Female alcohol consumers completed an emotion induction (fear, anger, or neutral). They then completed a standard self-affirmation (or no-affirmation) essay-writing task, and subsequently received a health message linking alcohol to breast cancer. There was a significant interaction between emotion and self-affirmation conditions, such that self-affirmation reduced the specificity of health behavior change plans among those experiencing negative emotion (Study 1: B = -0.55, p < .001), with consistent but not significant effects for anger (Study 2: B = -.47, p = .069. Among self-affirmed participants, essays were rated as significantly less self-affirming for individuals experiencing negative emotion (or anger). Mediation analyses limited to the self-affirmation condition revealed an indirect effect of negative emotion condition on health behavior change plan specificity via self-affirmation ratings of essay content in Study 1: β = 0.04, p = .041. The salutary effect of self-affirmation on plan specificity was reversed with negative emotion. These findings may be attributed to disruption of the self-affirmation process. Individuals who enter interventions using self-affirmation in a negative emotion state may be less prepared to benefit from other intervention content, and may even be less likely to change health behaviors as a result of the intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Self- affirmation increases defensiveness toward health risk information among those experiencing negative emotions: Results from two national samples

PubMed Central

Ferrer, Rebecca A.; Klein, William M.P.; Graff, Kaitlin A.

2017-01-01

Objective Self-affirmation can promote health behavior change and yield long-term improvements in health via its effect on receptiveness to risk information in behavior change interventions. Across two studies, we examined whether the emotional state of the person presented with health risk information moderates self-affirmation effectiveness. Methods Data were collected from two U.S. national samples (n=652, n=448) via GfK, an internet-based survey company. Female alcohol consumers completed an emotion induction (fear, anger, or neutral). They then completed a standard self-affirmation (or no-affirmation) essay-writing task, and subsequently received a health message linking alcohol to breast cancer. Results There was a significant interaction between emotion and self-affirmation conditions, such that self-affirmation reduced the specificity of health behavior change plans among those experiencing negative emotion (Study 1: B= −0.55, p<.001), with consistent but not significant effects for anger (Study 2: B= −.47, p=.069. Among self-affirmed participants, essays were rated as significantly less self-affirming for individuals experiencing negative emotion (or anger). Mediation analyses limited to the self-affirmation condition revealed an indirect effect of negative emotion condition on health behavior change plan specificity via self-affirmation ratings of essay content in Study 1: β=0.04, p=.041. Conclusions The salutary effect of self-affirmation on plan specificity was reversed with negative emotion. These findings may be attributed to disruption of the self-affirmation process. Individuals who enter interventions employing self-affirmation in a negative emotion state may be less prepared to benefit from other intervention content, and may even be less likely to change health behaviors as a result of the intervention. PMID:28206787

Sexual Minority Stress and Same-Sex Relationship Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis of Research Prior to the U.S. Nationwide Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage.

PubMed

Cao, Hongjian; Zhou, Nan; Fine, Mark; Liang, Yue; Li, Jiayao; Mills-Koonce, W Roger

2017-10-01

Meta-analytic methods were used to analyze 179 effect sizes retrieved from 32 research reports on the implications that sexual minority stress may have for same-sex relationship well-being. Sexual minority stress (aggregated across different types of stress) was moderately and negatively associated with same-sex relationship well-being (aggregated across different dimensions of relationship well-being). Internalized homophobia was significantly and negatively associated with same-sex relationship well-being, whereas heterosexist discrimination and sexual orientation visibility management were not. Moreover, the effect size for internalized homophobia was significantly larger than those for heterosexist discrimination and sexual orientation visibility management. Sexual minority stress was significantly and negatively associated with same-sex relationship quality but not associated with closeness or stability. Sexual minority stress was significantly and negatively associated with relationship well-being among same-sex female couples but not among same-sex male couples. The current status of research approaches in this field was also summarized and discussed.

Effects of discharge chamber length on the negative ion generation in volume-produced negative hydrogen ion source

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

Chung, Kyoung-Jae; Jung, Bong-Ki; An, YoungHwa

2014-02-15

In a volume-produced negative hydrogen ion source, control of electron temperature is essential due to its close correlation with the generation of highly vibrationally excited hydrogen molecules in the heating region as well as the generation of negative hydrogen ions by dissociative attachment in the extraction region. In this study, geometric effects of the cylindrical discharge chamber on negative ion generation via electron temperature changes are investigated in two discharge chambers with different lengths of 7.5 cm and 11 cm. Measurements with a radio-frequency-compensated Langmuir probe show that the electron temperature in the heating region is significantly increased by reducingmore » the length of the discharge chamber due to the reduced effective plasma size. A particle balance model which is modified to consider the effects of discharge chamber configuration on the plasma parameters explains the variation of the electron temperature with the chamber geometry and gas pressure quite well. Accordingly, H{sup −} ion density measurement with laser photo-detachment in the short chamber shows a few times increase compared to the longer one at the same heating power depending on gas pressure. However, the increase drops significantly as operating gas pressure decreases, indicating increased electron temperatures in the extraction region degrade dissociative attachment significantly especially in the low pressure regime. It is concluded that the increase of electron temperature by adjusting the discharge chamber geometry is efficient to increase H{sup −} ion production as long as low electron temperatures are maintained in the extraction region in volume-produced negative hydrogen ion sources.« less

Moderating Effects of a Craving Intervention on the Relation between Negative Mood and Heavy Drinking Following Treatment for Alcohol Dependence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witkiewitz, Katie; Bowen, Sarah; Donovan, Dennis M.

2011-01-01

Objective: Negative affect is a significant predictor of alcohol relapse, and the relation between negative affect and drinking has been shown to be strongly mediated by alcohol craving. Thus, targeting craving during treatment could potentially attenuate the relation between negative affect and drinking. Method: The current study is a secondary…

Factors affecting plant growth in membrane nutrient delivery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dreschel, T. W.; Wheeler, R. M.; Sager, J. C.; Knott, W. M.

1990-01-01

The development of the tubular membrane plant growth unit for the delivery of water and nutrients to roots in microgravity has recently focused on measuring the effects of changes in physical variables controlling solution availability to the plants. Significant effects of membrane pore size and the negative pressure used to contain the solution were demonstrated. Generally, wheat grew better in units with a larger pore size but equal negative pressure and in units with the same pore size but less negative pressure. Lettuce also exhibited better plant growth at less negative pressure.

Learning from negative feedback in patients with major depressive disorder is attenuated by SSRI antidepressants

PubMed Central

Herzallah, Mohammad M.; Moustafa, Ahmed A.; Natsheh, Joman Y.; Abdellatif, Salam M.; Taha, Mohamad B.; Tayem, Yasin I.; Sehwail, Mahmud A.; Amleh, Ivona; Petrides, Georgios; Myers, Catherine E.; Gluck, Mark A.

2013-01-01

One barrier to interpreting past studies of cognition and major depressive disorder (MDD) has been the failure in many studies to adequately dissociate the effects of MDD from the potential cognitive side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) use. To better understand how remediation of depressive symptoms affects cognitive function in MDD, we evaluated three groups of subjects: medication-naïve patients with MDD, medicated patients with MDD receiving the SSRI paroxetine, and healthy control (HC) subjects. All were administered a category-learning task that allows for dissociation between learning from positive feedback (reward) vs. learning from negative feedback (punishment). Healthy subjects learned significantly better from positive feedback than medication-naïve and medicated MDD groups, whose learning accuracy did not differ significantly. In contrast, medicated patients with MDD learned significantly less from negative feedback than medication-naïve patients with MDD and healthy subjects, whose learning accuracy was comparable. A comparison of subject’s relative sensitivity to positive vs. negative feedback showed that both the medicated MDD and HC groups conform to Kahneman and Tversky’s (1979) Prospect Theory, which expects losses (negative feedback) to loom psychologically slightly larger than gains (positive feedback). However, medicated MDD and HC profiles are not similar, which indicates that the state of medicated MDD is not “normal” when compared to HC, but rather balanced with less learning from both positive and negative feedback. On the other hand, medication-naïve patients with MDD violate Prospect Theory by having significantly exaggerated learning from negative feedback. This suggests that SSRI antidepressants impair learning from negative feedback, while having negligible effect on learning from positive feedback. Overall, these findings shed light on the importance of dissociating the cognitive consequences of MDD from those of SSRI treatment, and from cognitive evaluation of MDD subjects in a medication-naïve state before the administration of antidepressants. Future research is needed to correlate the mood-elevating effects and the cognitive balance between reward- and punishment-based learning related to SSRIs. PMID:24065894

Learning from negative feedback in patients with major depressive disorder is attenuated by SSRI antidepressants.

PubMed

Herzallah, Mohammad M; Moustafa, Ahmed A; Natsheh, Joman Y; Abdellatif, Salam M; Taha, Mohamad B; Tayem, Yasin I; Sehwail, Mahmud A; Amleh, Ivona; Petrides, Georgios; Myers, Catherine E; Gluck, Mark A

2013-01-01

One barrier to interpreting past studies of cognition and major depressive disorder (MDD) has been the failure in many studies to adequately dissociate the effects of MDD from the potential cognitive side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) use. To better understand how remediation of depressive symptoms affects cognitive function in MDD, we evaluated three groups of subjects: medication-naïve patients with MDD, medicated patients with MDD receiving the SSRI paroxetine, and healthy control (HC) subjects. All were administered a category-learning task that allows for dissociation between learning from positive feedback (reward) vs. learning from negative feedback (punishment). Healthy subjects learned significantly better from positive feedback than medication-naïve and medicated MDD groups, whose learning accuracy did not differ significantly. In contrast, medicated patients with MDD learned significantly less from negative feedback than medication-naïve patients with MDD and healthy subjects, whose learning accuracy was comparable. A comparison of subject's relative sensitivity to positive vs. negative feedback showed that both the medicated MDD and HC groups conform to Kahneman and Tversky's (1979) Prospect Theory, which expects losses (negative feedback) to loom psychologically slightly larger than gains (positive feedback). However, medicated MDD and HC profiles are not similar, which indicates that the state of medicated MDD is not "normal" when compared to HC, but rather balanced with less learning from both positive and negative feedback. On the other hand, medication-naïve patients with MDD violate Prospect Theory by having significantly exaggerated learning from negative feedback. This suggests that SSRI antidepressants impair learning from negative feedback, while having negligible effect on learning from positive feedback. Overall, these findings shed light on the importance of dissociating the cognitive consequences of MDD from those of SSRI treatment, and from cognitive evaluation of MDD subjects in a medication-naïve state before the administration of antidepressants. Future research is needed to correlate the mood-elevating effects and the cognitive balance between reward- and punishment-based learning related to SSRIs.

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

The Effects of Supervisors' Support and Mediating Factors on the Nurses' Job Performance Using Structural Equation Modeling: A Case Study.

PubMed

Ravangard, Ramin; Yasami, Shamim; Shokrpour, Nasrin; Sajjadnia, Zahra; Farhadi, Payam

2015-01-01

Nurses are the largest group and an important part of the providers in the health care systems that who a key role in hospitals. Any defect and deficiency in their work can result in irreversible outcomes. This study aimed to determine the effect of supervisors' support and mediating factors on the job performance (JOBPER) of 400 nurses working in the teaching hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, using structural equation modeling. The results showed that the supervisor's support had a significant negative effect on work-family conflict (t = -2.57) and a positive effect on organizational commitment (t = 4.03); Work-family conflict had a significant positive effect on job stress (t = 11.24) and a negative effect on organizational commitment (t = -3.35) and JOBPER (t = -2.29). Family-work conflict had a positive effect on job stress (t = 4.48) and a negative effect on organizational commitment (t = -2.54). Finally, job stress had a negative effect (t = -3.30), and organizational commitment showed a positive effect (t = 5.96) on the studied nurses' JOBPER. According to the results, supervisor's support could influence JOBPER through reducing work-family conflict and increasing organizational commitment. Therefore, to improve the nurses' JOBPER in the hospitals, some strategies are recommended.

Effects of native herbs and light on garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) invasion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips-Mao, Laura; Larson, Diane L.; Jordan, Nicholas R.

2014-01-01

The degree to which invasive species drive or respond to environmental change has important implications for conservation and invasion management. Often characterized as a driver of change in North American woodlands, the invasive herb garlic mustard may instead respond to declines in native plant cover and diversity. We tested effects of native herb cover, richness, and light availability on garlic mustard invasion in a Minnesota oak woodland. We planted 50 garlic mustard seeds into plots previously planted with 0 to 10 native herb species. We measured garlic mustard seedling establishment, survival to rosette and adult stages, and average (per plant) and total (per plot) biomass and silique production. With the use of structural equation models, we analyzed direct, indirect, and net effects of native cover, richness, and light on successive garlic mustard life stages. Native plant cover had a significant negative effect on all life stages. Species richness had a significant positive effect on native cover, resulting in indirect negative effects on all garlic mustard stages, and net negative effects on adult numbers, total biomass, and silique production. Light had a strong negative effect on garlic mustard seedling establishment and a positive effect on native herb cover, resulting in significant negative net effects on garlic mustard rosette and adult numbers. However, light's net effect on total garlic mustard biomass and silique production was positive; reproductive output was high even in low-light/high-cover conditions. Combined effects of cover, richness, and light suggest that native herbs provide biotic resistance to invasion by responding to increased light availability and suppressing garlic mustard responses, although this resistance may be overwhelmed by high propagule pressure. Garlic mustard invasion may occur, in part, in response to native plant decline. Restoring native herbs and controlling garlic mustard seed production may effectively reduce garlic mustard spread and restore woodland diversity.

The effects of name and religious priming on ratings of a well-known political figure, President Barack Obama.

PubMed

Williams, Gary A; Guichard, AnaMarie C; An, JungHa

2017-01-01

Priming with race-typed names and religious concepts have been shown to activate stereotypes and increase prejudice towards out-groups. We examined the effects of name and religious word priming on views of a specific and well-known person, President Barack Obama. We predicted that politically conservative participants primed with President Obama's middle name (Hussein) would rate him more negatively and be more likely to view him as a Muslim than those not shown his middle name. We also examined whether conservatives primed with concrete religious words would rate President Obama more negatively and be more likely to view him as Muslim than those primed with other word types. Furthermore, we predicted that those who mis-identify President Obama as Muslim would rate him more negatively than would those who view him as Christian. The results provided mixed support for these hypotheses. Conservatives primed with President Obama's middle name rated him significantly more negatively than did those in the control condition. This effect was not found for politically liberal or moderate participants. Name priming did not significantly affect views of President Obama's religious affiliation. Although not statistically significant, conservatives primed with abstract religious words tended to rate President Obama more negatively than did those primed with other word types. Religious word priming significantly influenced views of President Obama's religious affiliation; interestingly, participants primed with abstract religious words were more likely to think President Obama is Muslim than were those primed with religious agent or non-religious words. As predicted, participants who thought president Obama was Muslim rated him significantly more negatively than did those who thought he was Christian. Overall, our results provide some evidence that ethnic name and religious word priming can significantly influence opinions, even with a well-known and specific person.

The effects of name and religious priming on ratings of a well-known political figure, President Barack Obama

PubMed Central

Guichard, AnaMarie C.; An, JungHa

2017-01-01

Priming with race-typed names and religious concepts have been shown to activate stereotypes and increase prejudice towards out-groups. We examined the effects of name and religious word priming on views of a specific and well-known person, President Barack Obama. We predicted that politically conservative participants primed with President Obama’s middle name (Hussein) would rate him more negatively and be more likely to view him as a Muslim than those not shown his middle name. We also examined whether conservatives primed with concrete religious words would rate President Obama more negatively and be more likely to view him as Muslim than those primed with other word types. Furthermore, we predicted that those who mis-identify President Obama as Muslim would rate him more negatively than would those who view him as Christian. The results provided mixed support for these hypotheses. Conservatives primed with President Obama’s middle name rated him significantly more negatively than did those in the control condition. This effect was not found for politically liberal or moderate participants. Name priming did not significantly affect views of President Obama’s religious affiliation. Although not statistically significant, conservatives primed with abstract religious words tended to rate President Obama more negatively than did those primed with other word types. Religious word priming significantly influenced views of President Obama’s religious affiliation; interestingly, participants primed with abstract religious words were more likely to think President Obama is Muslim than were those primed with religious agent or non-religious words. As predicted, participants who thought president Obama was Muslim rated him significantly more negatively than did those who thought he was Christian. Overall, our results provide some evidence that ethnic name and religious word priming can significantly influence opinions, even with a well-known and specific person. PMID:28665980

Work–Family Conflict and Mental Health Among Female Employees: A Sequential Mediation Model via Negative Affect and Perceived Stress

PubMed Central

Zhou, Shiyi; Da, Shu; Guo, Heng; Zhang, Xichao

2018-01-01

After the implementation of the universal two-child policy in 2016, more and more working women have found themselves caught in the dilemma of whether to raise a baby or be promoted, which exacerbates work–family conflicts among Chinese women. Few studies have examined the mediating effect of negative affect. The present study combined the conservation of resources model and affective events theory to examine the sequential mediating effect of negative affect and perceived stress in the relationship between work–family conflict and mental health. A valid sample of 351 full-time Chinese female employees was recruited in this study, and participants voluntarily answered online questionnaires. Pearson correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and multiple mediation analysis were used to examine the relationships between work–family conflict, negative affect, perceived stress, and mental health in full-time female employees. We found that women’s perceptions of both work-to-family conflict and family-to-work conflict were significant negatively related to mental health. Additionally, the results showed that negative affect and perceived stress were negatively correlated with mental health. The 95% confidence intervals indicated the sequential mediating effect of negative affect and stress in the relationship between work–family conflict and mental health was significant, which supported the hypothesized sequential mediation model. The findings suggest that work–family conflicts affected the level of self-reported mental health, and this relationship functioned through the two sequential mediators of negative affect and perceived stress. PMID:29719522

Work-Family Conflict and Mental Health Among Female Employees: A Sequential Mediation Model via Negative Affect and Perceived Stress.

PubMed

Zhou, Shiyi; Da, Shu; Guo, Heng; Zhang, Xichao

2018-01-01

After the implementation of the universal two-child policy in 2016, more and more working women have found themselves caught in the dilemma of whether to raise a baby or be promoted, which exacerbates work-family conflicts among Chinese women. Few studies have examined the mediating effect of negative affect. The present study combined the conservation of resources model and affective events theory to examine the sequential mediating effect of negative affect and perceived stress in the relationship between work-family conflict and mental health. A valid sample of 351 full-time Chinese female employees was recruited in this study, and participants voluntarily answered online questionnaires. Pearson correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and multiple mediation analysis were used to examine the relationships between work-family conflict, negative affect, perceived stress, and mental health in full-time female employees. We found that women's perceptions of both work-to-family conflict and family-to-work conflict were significant negatively related to mental health. Additionally, the results showed that negative affect and perceived stress were negatively correlated with mental health. The 95% confidence intervals indicated the sequential mediating effect of negative affect and stress in the relationship between work-family conflict and mental health was significant, which supported the hypothesized sequential mediation model. The findings suggest that work-family conflicts affected the level of self-reported mental health, and this relationship functioned through the two sequential mediators of negative affect and perceived stress.

Negative ions of polyatomic molecules.

PubMed Central

Christophorou, L G

1980-01-01

In this paper general concepts relating to, and recent advances in, the study of negative ions of polyatomic molecules area discussed with emphasis on halocarbons. The topics dealt with in the paper are as follows: basic electron attachment processes, modes of electron capture by molecules, short-lived transient negative ions, dissociative electron attachment to ground-state molecules and to "hot" molecules (effects of temperature on electron attachment), parent negative ions, effect of density, nature, and state of the medium on electron attachment, electron attachment to electronically excited molecules, the binding of attached electrons to molecules ("electron affinity"), and the basic and the applied significance of negative-ion studies. PMID:7428744

The indirect effect of emotion dysregulation in terms of negative affect and smoking-related cognitive processes.

PubMed

Johnson, Adrienne L; McLeish, Alison C

2016-02-01

Although negative affect is associated with a number of smoking-related cognitive processes, the mechanisms underlying these associations have yet to be examined. The current study sought to examine the indirect effect of emotion regulation difficulties in terms of the association between negative affect and smoking-related cognitive processes (internal barriers to cessation, negative affect reduction smoking motives, negative affect reduction smoking outcome expectancies). Participants were 126 daily cigarette smokers (70.4% male, Mage=36.5years, SD=13.0; 69.8% Caucasian) who smoked an average of 18.5 (SD=8.7) cigarettes per day and reported moderate nicotine dependence. Formal mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS to examine the indirect effect of negative affect on internal barriers to cessation and negative affect reduction smoking motives and outcome expectancies through emotion regulation difficulties. After accounting for the effects of gender, daily smoking rate, and anxiety sensitivity, negative affect was indirectly related to internal barriers to cessation and negative affect reduction smoking motives through emotion regulation difficulties. There was no significant indirect effect for negative affect reduction smoking outcome expectancies. These findings suggest that greater negative affect is associated with a desire to smoke to reduce this negative affect and perceptions that quitting smoking will be difficult due to negative emotions because of greater difficulties managing these negative emotions. Thus, emotion regulation difficulties may be an important target for smoking cessation interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed

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

2017-10-27

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

Effect of Negative Pressure on Proliferation, Virulence Factor Secretion, Biofilm Formation, and Virulence-Regulated Gene Expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa In Vitro

PubMed Central

Wang, Guo-Qi; Li, Tong-Tong; Li, Zhi-Rui; Zhang, Li-Cheng

2016-01-01

Objective. To investigate the effect of negative pressure conditions induced by NPWT on P. aeruginosa. Methods. P. aeruginosa was cultured in a Luria–Bertani medium at negative pressure of −125 mmHg for 24 h in the experimental group and at atmospheric pressure in the control group. The diameters of the colonies of P. aeruginosa were measured after 24 h. ELISA kit, orcinol method, and elastin-Congo red assay were used to quantify the virulence factors. Biofilm formation was observed by staining with Alexa Fluor® 647 conjugate of concanavalin A (Con A). Virulence-regulated genes were determined by quantitative RT-PCR. Results. As compared with the control group, growth of P. aeruginosa was inhibited by negative pressure. The colony size under negative pressure was significantly smaller in the experimental group than that in the controls (p < 0.01). Besides, reductions in the total amount of virulence factors were observed in the negative pressure group, including exotoxin A, rhamnolipid, and elastase. RT-PCR results revealed a significant inhibition in the expression level of virulence-regulated genes. Conclusion. Negative pressure could significantly inhibit the growth of P. aeruginosa. It led to a decrease in the virulence factor secretion, biofilm formation, and a reduction in the expression level of virulence-regulated genes. PMID:28074188

Small Family, Smart Family? Family Size and the IQ Scores of Young Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Sandra E.; Devereux, Paul J.; Salvanes, Kjell G.

2010-01-01

This paper uses Norwegian data to estimate the effect of family size on IQ scores of men. Instrumental variables (IV) estimates using sex composition as an instrument show no significant negative effect of family size; however, IV estimates using twins imply that family size has a negative effect on IQ scores. Our results suggest that the effect…

Drinking motives as mediators of the impulsivity-substance use relation: pathways for negative urgency, lack of premeditation, and sensation seeking.

PubMed

Adams, Zachary W; Kaiser, Alison J; Lynam, Donald R; Charnigo, Richard J; Milich, Richard

2012-07-01

Trait impulsivity is a reliable, robust predictor of risky, problematic alcohol use. Mounting evidence supports a multidimensional model of impulsivity, whereby several distinct traits serve as personality pathways to rash action. Different impulsivity-related traits may predispose individuals to drink for different reasons (e.g., to enhance pleasure, to cope with distress) and these different motives may, in turn, influence drinking behavior. Previous findings support such a mediational model for two well-studied traits: sensation seeking and lack of premeditation. This study addresses other impulsivity-related traits, including negative urgency. College students (N=432) completed questionnaires assessing personality, drinking motives, and multiple indicators of problematic drinking. Negative urgency, sensation seeking, and lack of premeditation were all significantly related to problematic drinking. When drinking motives were included in the model, direct effects for sensation seeking and lack of premeditation remained significant, and indirect effects of sensation seeking and lack of premeditation on problematic drinking were observed through enhancement motives. A distinct pathway was observed for negative urgency. Negative urgency bore a significant total effect on problematic drinking through both coping and enhancement motives. This study highlights unique motivational pathways through which different impulsive traits may operate, suggesting that interventions aimed at preventing or reducing problematic drinking should be tailored to individuals' personalities. For instance, individuals high in negative urgency may benefit from learning healthier strategies for coping with distress. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drinking Motives as Mediators of the Impulsivity-Substance Use Relation: Pathways for Negative Urgency, Lack of Premeditation, and Sensation Seeking

PubMed Central

Adams, Zachary W.; Kaiser, Alison J.; Lynam, Donald R.; Charnigo, Richard J.; Milich, Richard

2012-01-01

Trait impulsivity is a reliable, robust predictor of risky, problematic alcohol use. Mounting evidence supports a multidimensional model of impulsivity, whereby several distinct traits serve as personality pathways to rash action. Different impulsivity-related traits may predispose individuals to drink for different reasons (e.g., to enhance pleasure, to cope with distress) and these different motives may, in turn, influence drinking behavior. Previous findings support such a mediational model for two well-studied traits: sensation seeking and lack of premeditation. This study addresses other impulsivity-related traits, including negative urgency. College students (N = 432) completed questionnaires assessing personality, drinking motives, and multiple indicators of problematic drinking. Negative urgency, sensation seeking, and lack of premeditation were all significantly related to problematic drinking. When drinking motives were included in the model, direct effects for sensation seeking and lack of premeditation remained significant, and indirect effects of sensation seeking and lack of premeditation on problematic drinking were observed through enhancement motives. A distinct pathway was observed for negative urgency. Negative urgency bore a significant total effect on problematic drinking through both coping and enhancement motives. This study highlights unique motivational pathways through which different impulsive traits may operate, suggesting that interventions aimed at preventing or reducing problematic drinking should be tailored to individuals' personalities. For instance, individuals high in negative urgency may benefit from learning healthier strategies for coping with distress. PMID:22472524

Effects of type of value appealed to and valence of appeal on children's dental health behavior.

PubMed

Knapp, L G

1991-12-01

Examined the effects of the type of value appealed to and valence of appeal on children's intentions to engage in toothbrushing, their self-report of toothbrushing frequency, and their plaque level. 98 fifth-grade students served as the participants. Slide shows appealed to either health- or socially oriented values and also differed with respect to valence (positive vs. negative). A control group received a message that provided basic dental health information. Group comparisons revealed that children who received the negative social appeal showed a significant improvement in plaque level. Only the negative social appeal group differed significantly from the control group on the dependent measures.

[Effect of body image in adolescent orthodontic treatment].

PubMed

Minghui, Peng; Jing, Kang; Xiao, Deng

2017-10-01

This study was designed to probe the psychological factors adolescent orthodontic patients, the role of body image and self-esteem in the whole process of orthodontic treatment and the impact on the efficacy and satisfaction of orthodontic. Five hundred and twenty-eight patients were selected in this study. The Aesthetic Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN-AC) , Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), Negative Physical Self-General (NPS-G) and other body analysis scale study after orthodontic lasted 18-24 months were used to investigate the role of body image in adolescent orthodontic treatment. Esthetic evaluation of patients teeth after correction had been significantly improved, patient self-evaluation difference IOTN-AC doctor evaluation, Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire-tooth confidence, aesthetic concerns, psychological impact and social function were significantly improved. The improvement of the dental aesthetics component (T2 when doctors evaluate IOTN-AC) was positively correlated with the evaluation of the efficacy, and was significantly negatively correlated with the negative emotions of patients at baseline. Negative body image-dental dissatisfied-cognitive component and the affective component, the overall negative body image and negative emotions can predict patient satisfaction with treatment efficacy. Orthodontic treatment not only improves the self-aesthetic evaluation of adolescent patients, but also has a positive effect on the mental health of adolescent patients.

Effect of Time Delay on Recognition Memory for Pictures: The Modulatory Role of Emotion

PubMed Central

Wang, Bo

2014-01-01

This study investigated the modulatory role of emotion in the effect of time delay on recognition memory for pictures. Participants viewed neutral, positive and negative pictures, and took a recognition memory test 5 minutes, 24 hours, or 1 week after learning. The findings are: 1) For neutral, positive and negative pictures, overall recognition accuracy in the 5-min delay did not significantly differ from that in the 24-h delay. For neutral and positive pictures, overall recognition accuracy in the 1-week delay was lower than in the 24-h delay; for negative pictures, overall recognition in the 24-h and 1-week delay did not significantly differ. Therefore negative emotion modulates the effect of time delay on recognition memory, maintaining retention of overall recognition accuracy only within a certain frame of time. 2) For the three types of pictures, recollection and familiarity in the 5-min delay did not significantly differ from that in the 24-h and the 1-week delay. Thus emotion does not appear to modulate the effect of time delay on recollection and familiarity. However, recollection in the 24-h delay was higher than in the 1-week delay, whereas familiarity in the 24-h delay was lower than in the 1-week delay. PMID:24971457

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.

Ocean acidification ameliorates harmful effects of warming in primary consumer.

PubMed

Pedersen, Sindre Andre; Hanssen, Anja Elise

2018-01-01

Climate change-induced warming and ocean acidification are considered two imminent threats to marine biodiversity and current ecosystem structures. Here, we have for the first time examined an animal's response to a complete life cycle of exposure to co-occurring warming (+3°C) and ocean acidification (+1,600 μatm CO 2 ), using the key subarctic planktonic copepod, Calanus finmarchicus , as a model species. The animals were generally negatively affected by warming, which significantly reduced the females' energy status and reproductive parameters (respectively, 95% and 69%-87% vs. control). Unexpectedly, simultaneous acidification partially offset the negative effect of warming in an antagonistic manner, significantly improving reproductive parameters and hatching success (233%-340% improvement vs. single warming exposure). The results provide proof of concept that ocean acidification may partially offset negative effects caused by warming in some species. Possible explanations and ecological implications for the observed antagonistic effect are discussed.

Remediating Child Poverty via Preschool: Exploring Practitioners' Perspectives in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Donald

2013-01-01

Within developed countries child poverty is a social problem with significant negative effects. With a backdrop of austerity, the UK's first child poverty strategy was released in 2011. Pervaded by neo-liberal ideology this strategy identifies preschool services as key to remediating the negative effects of child poverty on children and families…

The effect of paternal age on offspring intelligence and personality when controlling for paternal trait level.

PubMed

Arslan, Ruben C; Penke, Lars; Johnson, Wendy; Iacono, William G; McGue, Matt

2014-01-01

Paternal age at conception has been found to predict the number of new genetic mutations. We examined the effect of father's age at birth on offspring intelligence, head circumference and personality traits. Using the Minnesota Twin Family Study sample we tested paternal age effects while controlling for parents' trait levels measured with the same precision as offspring's. From evolutionary genetic considerations we predicted a negative effect of paternal age on offspring intelligence, but not on other traits. Controlling for parental intelligence (IQ) had the effect of turning an initially positive association non-significantly negative. We found paternal age effects on offspring IQ and Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire Absorption, but they were not robustly significant, nor replicable with additional covariates. No other noteworthy effects were found. Parents' intelligence and personality correlated with their ages at twin birth, which may have obscured a small negative effect of advanced paternal age (<1% of variance explained) on intelligence. We discuss future avenues for studies of paternal age effects and suggest that stronger research designs are needed to rule out confounding factors involving birth order and the Flynn effect.

Mood and selective attention in the cold: the effect of interval versus continuous exercise.

PubMed

Muller, Matthew D; Muller, Sarah M; Kim, Chul-Ho; Ryan, Edward J; Gunstad, John; Glickman, Ellen L

2011-07-01

Both mood and cognitive function are altered in cold environments. Body warming through exercise may improve Stroop interference score and lessen total negative mood. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of equal caloric bouts of interval (INT) and continuous (CONT) exercise on mood and selective attention in the cold. Eleven young men underwent two experimental trials in 5°C air. Both trials consisted of 90 min acute cold exposure (ACE), 30 min exercise (INT vs. CONT), and 60 min recovery (REC). The Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Stroop Color Word Test (SCWT) were administered at four time points. Mean body temperature decreased during ACE, increased during exercise, and decreased during REC. Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a main effect for time for several of the POMS sub scores. In particular, negative mood was significantly decreased after exercise relative to ACE and then significantly increased during REC. Further, CONT appears to be more effective than INT at decreasing negative mood. Components of the SCWT supported both the arousal and distraction theories for simple perception, but no significant effects were shown for the interference score. In the cold, exercise decreases negative mood but does not appear to affect selective attention. Further mechanistic studies could determine the best mode and intensity of exercise for improving cognitive function in the cold.

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

PubMed

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

2012-10-01

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

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

PubMed

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

2013-05-01

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

Effect of infection with bovine leukosis virus on lymphocyte proliferation and apoptosis in dairy cattle.

PubMed

Erskine, Ronald J; Corl, Christine M; Gandy, Jeffery C; Sordillo, Lorraine M

2011-08-01

To determine effects of infection with bovine leukosis virus (BLV) on lymphocyte proliferation and apoptosis in dairy cattle. 27 adult Holstein cows. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from whole blood from lactating Holstein cows seronegative for BLV (n = 9 cows), seropositive for BLV and aleukemic (aleukemic; 9), and seropositive for BLV and persistently lymphocytotic (PL; 9). Isolated PBMCs were assayed for mitogen-induced proliferation and were analyzed by means of flow cytometry. The PBMCs from a subset of each group were assayed for apoptosis, caspase-9 activity, and expression of selected genes related to apoptosis. PL cows had significantly higher total lymphocyte counts and significantly lower proportions of T-lymphocyte populations than did BLV-negative and aleukemic cows. Both groups of BLV-infected cows had significantly higher proportions of B cells and major histocompatibility complex II-expressing cells than did BLV-negative cows. Proliferation with concanavalin A was significantly lower for PL cows, compared with proliferation for BLV-negative cows. Pokeweed mitogen-induced proliferation was significantly higher for aleukemic and PL cows than for BLV-negative cows. Gene expression of apoptosis-inhibitory proteins BCL2 and BCL2L1 was significantly higher for aleukemic cows and expression of BCL2 was significantly higher for PL cows than for BLV-negative cows. Cattle infected with BLV had marked changes in PBMC populations accompanied by alterations in proliferation and apoptosis mechanisms. Because the relative distribution and function of lymphocyte populations are critical for immune competence, additional studies are needed to investigate the ability of BLV-infected cattle to respond to infectious challenge.

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.

The mediational significance of negative/depressive affect in the relationship of childhood maltreatment and eating disorder features in adolescent psychiatric inpatients.

PubMed

Hopwood, C J; Ansell, E B; Fehon, D C; Grilo, C M

2011-03-01

Childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for eating disorder and negative/depressive affect appears to mediate this relation. However, the specific elements of eating- and body-related psychopathology that are influenced by various forms of childhood maltreatment remain unclear, and investigations among adolescents and men/boys have been limited. This study investigated the mediating role of negative affect/depression across multiple types of childhood maltreatment and eating disorder features in hospitalized adolescent boys and girls. Participants were 148 adolescent psychiatric inpatients who completed an assessment battery including measures of specific forms of childhood maltreatment (sexual, emotional, and physical abuse), negative/depressive affect, and eating disorder features (dietary restriction, binge eating, and body dissatisfaction). Findings suggest that for girls, negative/depressive affect significantly mediates the relationships between childhood maltreatment and eating disorder psychopathology, although effects varied somewhat across types of maltreatment and eating disorder features. Generalization of mediation effects to boys was limited.

Work-life balance culture, work-home interaction, and emotional exhaustion: a structural equation modeling approach.

PubMed

Nitzsche, Anika; Pfaff, Holger; Jung, Julia; Driller, Elke

2013-01-01

To examine the relationships among employees' emotional exhaustion, positive and negative work-home interaction, and perceived work-life balance culture in companies. Data for this study were collected through online surveys of employees from companies in the micro- and nanotechnology sectors (N = 509). A structural equation modeling analysis was performed. A company culture perceived by employees as supportive of their work-life balance was found to have both a direct negative effect on emotional exhaustion and an indirect negative effect meditated by negative work-home interaction. In addition, whereas negative work-home interaction associated positively with emotional exhaustion, positive work-home interaction had no significant effect. The direct and indirect relationship between work-life balance culture and emotional exhaustion has practical implications for health promotion in companies.

Negative and positive pretrial publicity affect juror memory and decision making.

PubMed

Ruva, Christine L; McEvoy, Cathy

2008-09-01

The experiment examined the effects of exposure to pretrial publicity (PTP) and delay on juror memory and decision-making. Mock jurors read news articles containing negative PTP, positive PTP, or unrelated articles. Five days later, they viewed a videotaped murder trial, after which they made decisions about guilt. Finally, all participants independently attributed specific information as having been presented during the trial or in the news articles. Half of the jurors rendered their verdicts and completed the source-memory test immediately after the trial, while the other half did so after a 2-day delay. Exposure to PTP significantly affected guilty verdicts, perceptions of defendant credibility, juror ratings of the prosecuting and defense attorneys, and misattributions of PTP as having been presented as trial evidence. Similar effects were obtained for negative and positive PTP. Delay significantly increased source-memory errors but did not influence guilt ratings. Defendant's credibility and juror ratings of prosecuting and defense attorneys significantly mediated the effect of PTP on guilt ratings. (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved.

Appraisals of negative events by preadolescent children of divorce.

PubMed

Sheets, V; Sandler, I; West, S G

1996-10-01

This study investigated the appraisals of the significance of negative events made by 256 preadolescent children of divorce. Appraisals were assessed by a 24-item self-report scale. Confirmatory factor analysis of this scale found support for a 3-dimensional model: negative self-appraisal, negative other-appraisal, and material loss. Differentiation between the dimensions of appraisal increased with age in both cross-sectional and over-time data. Evidence for convergent and discriminant validity of the self-report measure of appraisals was found with scores derived from children's open-ended descriptions of their appraisals. Cross-sectional structural equation models found significant paths between negative appraisal and psychological symptoms, over and above the direct effects of the traditional life event measure of stress. Structural equation modeling of longitudinal (5.5 months) data found a significant path from Time 1 appraisal to Time 2 anxiety for the older children.

Dispersion relations for electromagnetic wave propagation in chiral plasmas

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

Gao, M. X.; Guo, B., E-mail: binguo@whut.edu.cn; Peng, L.

2014-11-15

The dispersion relations for electromagnetic wave propagation in chiral plasmas are derived using a simplified method and investigated in detail. With the help of the dispersion relations for each eignwave, we explore how the chiral plasmas exhibit negative refraction and investigate the frequency region for negative refraction. The results show that chirality can induce negative refraction in plasmas. Moreover, both the degree of chirality and the external magnetic field have a significant effect on the critical frequency and the bandwidth of the frequency for negative refraction in chiral plasmas. The parameter dependence of the effects is calculated and discussed.

A longitudinal path analysis of peer victimization, threat appraisals to the self, and aggression, anxiety, and depression among urban African American adolescents.

PubMed

Taylor, Katherine A; Sullivan, Terri N; Kliewer, Wendy

2013-02-01

Threat appraisals-individuals' perceptions of how stressful situations may threaten their well-being-are an important but understudied mechanism that could explain links between peer victimization and adjustment. The goal of the present study was to examine relationships between physical and relational victimization by peers, threats to the self, and aggression, anxiety, and depression to better understand the cognitive evaluations that make youth vulnerable to negative adjustment. The sample comprised two cohorts of African American adolescents (N = 326; 54 % female; M = 12.1; SD = 1.6) and their maternal caregivers, who participated in three waves of a longitudinal study. Path models revealed significant direct effects from Time 1 relational victimization, but not physical victimization, to Time 2 threat appraisals (i.e., negative self-evaluations and negative evaluations by others), controlling for Time 1 threat appraisals. Significant direct effects were found from Time 2 threats of negative evaluations by others to Time 3 youth-reported aggression, controlling for Time 1 and Time 2 aggression. Significant direct effects also were found from Time 2 threats of negative self-evaluations to T3 youth-reported depression, controlling for Time 1 and Time 2 depression. Overall, findings highlight the need to consider the role of threats to the self in pathways from peer victimization to adjustment and the implications these appraisals have for youth prevention and intervention efforts.

Factors affecting the diffusion of online end user literature searching.

PubMed

Ash, J S

1999-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify factors that affect diffusion of usage of online end user literature searching. Fifteen factors clustered into three attribute sets (innovation attributes, organizational attributes, and marketing attributes) were measured to study their effect on the diffusion of online searching within institutions. A random sample of sixty-seven academic health sciences centers was selected and then 1,335 library and informatics staff members at those institutions were surveyed by mail with electronic mail follow-up. Multiple regression analysis was performed. The survey yielded a 41% response rate with electronic mail follow-up being particularly effective. Two dependent variables, internal diffusion (spread of diffusion) and infusion (depth of diffusion), were measured. There was little correlation between them, indicating they measured different things. Fifteen independent variables clustered into three attribute sets were measured. The innovation attributes set was significant for both internal diffusion and infusion. Significant individual variables were visibility for internal diffusion and image enhancement effects (negative relation) as well as visibility for infusion (depth of diffusion). Organizational attributes were also significant predictors for both dependent variables. No individual variables were significant for internal diffusion. Communication, management support (negative relation), rewards, and existence of champions were significant for infusion. Marketing attributes were not significant predictors. Successful diffusion of online end user literature searching is dependent on the visibility of the systems, communication among, rewards to, and peers of possible users who promote use (champions). Personal image enhancement effects have a negative relation to infusion, possibly because the use of intermediaries is still seen as the more luxurious way to have searches done. Management support also has a negative relation to infusion, perhaps indicating that depth of diffusion can increase despite top-level management actions.

Stigma resistance is positively associated with psychiatric and psychosocial outcomes: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Firmin, Ruth L; Luther, Lauren; Lysaker, Paul H; Minor, Kyle S; Salyers, Michelle P

2016-08-01

To better understand how stigma resistance impacts functioning-related domains, we examined mean effect sizes between stigma resistance and: 1) symptoms (overall, positive, negative, and mood symptoms); 2) self-stigma; 3) self-efficacy; 4) quality of life; 5) recovery; 6) hope; 7) insight, and 8) overall outcomes (the average effect size across the constructs examined in each study). The mean effect size between stigma resistance and overall outcomes was significant and positive (r=0.46, p<0.001, k=48). A large, negative effect size was found between stigma resistance and self-stigma (r=-0.57, p<0.001, k=40). Large, positive effect sizes were found with self-efficacy (r=0.60, p<0.001, k=25), quality of life (r=0.51, p<0.001, k=17), hope (r=0.54, p<0.001, k=8), and recovery (r=0.60, p<0.001, k=7). Stigma resistance had a significant medium and small relationship with insight and symptoms, respectively. Race significantly moderated overall outcomes, self-stigma, mood symptoms, functioning, and hope associations. Education significantly moderated symptoms, functioning, and mood symptoms associations, and age significantly moderated self-stigma and negative symptom associations. Stigma resistance may be a key requirement for recovery. Individual characteristics influence resisting stigma and future work should prioritize cultural factors surrounding stigma resistance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The implicit influence of a negative mood on the subliminal mere exposure effect.

PubMed

Kawakami, Naoaki

2012-12-01

Despite numerous studies on the mere exposure effect, it is still not clear why it occurs. The present study examined whether a negative mood would enhance or inhibit the effects. Fifty-two participants (30 men, 22 women; M age = 20.5 yr.) were assigned to one of two mood-induction groups (negative and neutral), and were exposed to a photograph 20 times after the mood induction. Thereafter, a single-category Implicit Association Test was conducted to measure their implicit attitudes toward the photograph. There was a significant interaction, with exposed stimuli evaluated more favorably than unexposed stimuli in the neutral condition, but not in the negative condition. This result suggests that a negative mood inhibited the mere exposure effect, implying that people could use their emotional states as cues to evaluate ambiguous objects that they have been repeatedly exposed to.

Evaluation of the mutagenic and cytotoxic effects of mercurous chloride by the micronuclei technique in golden Syrian hamsters.

PubMed

Cortés-Gutiérrez, Elva I; Cerda-Flores, Ricardo M; González-Ramírez, Diego; Zúñiga-Charles, Miguel A; Lazcano-Martínez, Sigifredo; Sampayo-Reyes, Adriana; Leal-Garza, Carlos H

2004-05-01

The aims of this study were to evaluate the mutagenic and cytotoxic activity of mercurous chloride by the micronucleus technique in vivo on the bone marrow of golden Syrian hamsters after a single i.p. drug administration. Forty male golden Syrian hamsters were classified into eight groups: negative control, positive control and six groups treated with different doses of mercurous chloride (1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg). The negative control was injected with physiological saline i.p. and the positive control with cyclophosphamide at a dose of 80 mg/kg i.p. With respect to mutagenic effect, the average number of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MPE) in hamsters treated with different doses of mercurous chloride was not significant compared with the negative control. With respect to cytotoxic effect, the average polychromatic erythrocyte/red blood cell ratio showed a significant decrease when the doses were higher than the 2.5 mg/kg dose compared with the negative control. In conclusion, this preliminary study shows a cytotoxic effect but not a mutagenic effect of calomel in vivo at one time point (24 h).

Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and attitudes about social support: Does shame matter?

PubMed

Dodson, Thomas S; Beck, J Gayle

2017-04-01

Considerable research has examined the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and social support. One facet of this relationship that deserves greater attention concerns trauma survivors' negative expectations towards social support, termed negative network orientation. To expand our understanding of negative network orientation, the current study examined shame as a possible mediator in the relationship between PTSD symptoms and negative network orientation, in a sample of 202 female survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Additionally, a history of child abuse (CA) was evaluated as a moderator of the association between shame and negative network orientation in this model. Path analyses indicated a significant indirect effect between PTSD symptoms and negative network orientation through shame, indicative of mediation. A history of CA moderated this effect, such that women with a history of CA in addition to IPV showed a significantly stronger relationship between PTSD symptoms and negative network orientation through shame, relative to women who only had a history of IPV. These findings support the relevance of shame in understanding the association between PTSD symptoms and negative beliefs about social support and highlight the role of childhood abuse as a moderator in this process among IPV survivors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Positive fantasies or negative contrasts: the effect of media body ideals on restrained eaters' mood, weight satisfaction, and food intake.

PubMed

Boyce, Jessica A; Kuijer, Roeline G; Gleaves, David H

2013-09-01

Although viewing media body ideals promotes body dissatisfaction and problematic eating among women (e.g., extreme restraint/overeating), some argue that women only report such negative effects because they think that they are meant to (i.e., demand characteristics). Because restrained eaters are trying to lose weight, they might be vulnerable to such media exposure. However, because of demand characteristics, evidence is mixed. Therefore, we minimized demand characteristics and explored whether media body ideals would trigger restrained eaters to report negative (negative mood, weight dissatisfaction) or positive (positive mood, weight satisfaction) effects. We also hypothesized that this change (negative or positive) would encourage food intake. Restrained and unrestrained eaters (n=107) memorized media or control images. Restrained eaters exposed to media images reported decreased weight satisfaction and increased negative mood, but their food intake was not significantly affected. Perhaps paying advertent attention to the images caused goal-related negative affect, which triggered restraint. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of increased vertebral number on carcass weight in PIC pigs.

PubMed

Huang, Jieping; Zhang, Mingming; Ye, Runqing; Ma, Yun; Lei, Chuzhao

2017-12-01

Variation of the vertebral number is associated with carcass traits in pigs. However, results from different populations do not match well with others, especially for carcass weight. Therefore, effects of increased vertebral number on carcass weight were investigated by analyzing the relationship between two loci multi-vertebra causal loci (NR6A1 g.748 C > T and VRTN g.20311_20312ins291) and carcass weight in PIC pigs. Results from the association study between vertebral number and carcass weight showed that increased thoracic number had negative effects on carcass weight, but the results were not statistically significant. Further, VRTN Ins/Ins genotype increased more than one thoracic than that of Wt/Wt genotype on average in this PIC population. Meanwhile, there was a significant negative effect of VRTN Ins on carcass weight (P < 0.05). Thus, our results suggested negative effect of increased thoracic number on carcass weight in PIC pigs. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Which Factors Contribute to False-Positive, False-Negative, and Invalid Results in Fetal Fibronectin Testing in Women with Symptoms of Preterm Labor?

PubMed

Bruijn, Merel M C; Hermans, Frederik J R; Vis, Jolande Y; Wilms, Femke F; Oudijk, Martijn A; Kwee, Anneke; Porath, Martina M; Oei, Guid; Scheepers, Hubertina C J; Spaanderman, Marc E A; Bloemenkamp, Kitty W M; Haak, Monique C; Bolte, Antoinette C; Vandenbussche, Frank P H A; Woiski, Mallory D; Bax, Caroline J; Cornette, Jérôme M J; Duvekot, Johannes J; Bijvank, Bas W A N I J; van Eyck, Jim; Franssen, Maureen T M; Sollie, Krystyna M; van der Post, Joris A M; Bossuyt, Patrick M M; Kok, Marjolein; Mol, Ben W J; van Baaren, Gert-Jan

2017-02-01

Objective  We assessed the influence of external factors on false-positive, false-negative, and invalid fibronectin results in the prediction of spontaneous delivery within 7 days. Methods  We studied symptomatic women between 24 and 34 weeks' gestational age. We performed uni- and multivariable logistic regression to estimate the effect of external factors (vaginal soap, digital examination, transvaginal sonography, sexual intercourse, vaginal bleeding) on the risk of false-positive, false-negative, and invalid results, using spontaneous delivery within 7 days as the outcome. Results  Out of 708 women, 237 (33%) had a false-positive result; none of the factors showed a significant association. Vaginal bleeding increased the proportion of positive fetal fibronectin (fFN) results, but was significantly associated with a lower risk of false-positive test results (odds ratio [OR], 0.22; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.12-0.39). Ten women (1%) had a false-negative result. None of the investigated factors was significantly associated with a significantly higher risk of false-negative results. Twenty-one tests (3%) were invalid; only vaginal bleeding showed a significant association (OR, 4.5; 95% CI, 1.7-12). Conclusion  The effect of external factors on the performance of qualitative fFN testing is limited, with vaginal bleeding as the only factor that reduces its validity. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

I think therefore I om: cognitive distortions and coping style as mediators for the effects of mindfulness meditation on anxiety, positive and negative affect, and hope.

PubMed

Sears, Sharon; Kraus, Sue

2009-06-01

This study examined cognitive distortions and coping styles as potential mediators for the effects of mindfulness meditation on anxiety, negative affect, positive affect, and hope in college students. Our pre- and postintervention design had four conditions: control, brief meditation focused on attention, brief meditation focused on loving kindness, and longer meditation combining both attentional and loving kindness aspects of mindfulness. Each group met weekly over the course of a semester. Longer combined meditation significantly reduced anxiety and negative affect and increased hope. Changes in cognitive distortions mediated intervention effects for anxiety, negative affect, and hope. Further research is needed to determine differential effects of types of meditation. Copyright 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Age-related differences in recall for words using semantics and prosody.

PubMed

Sober, Jonathan D; VanWormer, Lisa A; Arruda, James E

2016-01-01

The positivity effect is a developmental shift seen in older adults to be increasingly influenced by positive information in areas such as memory, attention, and decision-making. This study is the first to examine the age-related differences of the positivity effect for emotional prosody. Participants heard a factorial combination of words that were semantically positive or negative said with either positive or negative intonation. Results showed a semantic positivity effect for older adults, and a prosody positivity effect for younger adults. Additionally, older adults showed a significant decrease in recall for semantically negative words said in an incongruent prosodically positive tone.

Relation between social information processing and intimate partner violence in dating couples.

PubMed

Setchell, Sarah; Fritz, Patti Timmons; Glasgow, Jillian

2017-07-01

We used couple-level data to predict physical acts of intimate partner violence (IPV) from self-reported negative emotions and social information-processing (SIP) abilities among 100 dating couples (n = 200; mean age = 21.45 years). Participants read a series of hypothetical conflict situation vignettes and responded to questionnaires to assess negative emotions and various facets of SIP including attributions for partner behavior, generation of response alternatives, and response selection. We conducted a series of negative binomial mixed-model regressions based on the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM; Kenny, Kashy, & Cook, 2006, Dyadic data analysis. New York, NY: Guilford Press). There were significant results for the response generation and negative emotion models. Participants who generated fewer coping response alternatives were at greater risk of victimization (actor effect). Women were at greater risk of victimization if they had partners who generated fewer coping response alternatives (sex by partner interaction effect). Generation of less competent coping response alternatives predicted greater risk of perpetration among men, whereas generation of more competent coping response alternatives predicted greater risk of victimization among women (sex by actor interaction effects). Two significant actor by partner interaction effects were found for the negative emotion models. Participants who reported discrepant levels of negative emotions from their partners were at greatest risk of perpetration. Participants who reported high levels of negative emotions were at greatest risk of victimization if they had partners who reported low levels of negative emotions. This research has implications for researchers and clinicians interested in addressing the problem of IPV. Aggr. Behav. 43:329-341, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of hysteretic and non-hysteretic negative capacitance on tunnel FETs DC performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saeidi, Ali; Jazaeri, Farzan; Stolichnov, Igor; Luong, Gia V.; Zhao, Qing-Tai; Mantl, Siegfried; Ionescu, Adrian M.

2018-03-01

This work experimentally demonstrates that the negative capacitance effect can be used to significantly improve the key figures of merit of tunnel field effect transistor (FET) switches. In the proposed approach, a matching condition is fulfilled between a trained-polycrystalline PZT capacitor and the tunnel FET (TFET) gate capacitance fabricated on a strained silicon-nanowire technology. We report a non-hysteretic switch configuration by combining a homojunction TFET and a negative capacitance effect booster, suitable for logic applications, for which the on-current is increased by a factor of 100, the transconductance by 2 orders of magnitude, and the low swing region is extended. The operation of a hysteretic negative capacitance TFET, when the matching condition for the negative capacitance is fulfilled only in a limited region of operation, is also reported and discussed. In this late case, a limited improvement in the device performance is observed. Overall, the paper demonstrates the main beneficial effects of negative capacitance on TFETs are the overdrive and transconductance amplification, which exactly address the most limiting performances of current TFETs.

Gender Roles, Externalizing Behaviors, and Substance Use Among Mexican-American Adolescents

PubMed Central

KULIS, STEPHEN; MARSIGLIA, FLAVIO F.; NAGOSHI, JULIE L.

2010-01-01

A sample of 60 male and 91 female Mexican-American adolescents (age 13–18) were administered measures of positive (i.e., assertive masculinity, affective femininity) and negative (i.e., aggressive masculinity, submissive femininity) gender roles, internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors, peer substance use, and own substance use (alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana). Negative gender roles were significantly correlated with internalizing and externalizing problems for both boys and girls, with aggressive masculinity also predicting peer substance use for both genders. Assertive masculinity significantly predicted lower alcohol use in boys, and this effect was not mediated by internalizing problems, externalizing problems, or peer substance use. Negative gender roles significantly predicted higher alcohol use in girls, but this effect was almost completely mediated by internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and peer substance use. Results are discussed in terms of gender role socialization among Mexican Americans. PMID:21031145

Perceived positive and negative consequences after surviving cancer and their relation to quality of life.

PubMed

Castellano-Tejedor, Carmina; Eiroa-Orosa, Francisco-José; Pérez-Campdepadrós, Marta; Capdevila, Lluís; Sánchez de Toledo, José; Blasco-Blasco, Tomás

2015-06-01

Surviving childhood cancer has multiple implications on both physical and psychological domains of the individual. However, its study and possible effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes of adolescent survivors has been understudied. The objective of this study was twofold; to assess positive and negative cancer-related consequences (psychosocial and physical) in a sample of adolescent cancer survivors and to explore their relationship with HRQoL outcomes. Forty-one participants answered two questions about positive and negative consequences in the aftermath of cancer and filled in the KIDSCREEN-52 self-reported version. Data were analysed using mixed methods approach. Overall, 87.8% of the studied sample identified positive consequences and 63.4% negative consequences in survivorship. Four positive categories and five negative categories with regard to cancer-related consequences were found. Changed perspectives in life narratives seem to be the positive consequence more related to HRQoL (physical well-being, mood & emotions, autonomy, social support & peers), followed by useful life experience (physical well-being, autonomy, social support & peers). Psychological impact was the most referred negative consequence with a significant detrimental effect on social support and peers HRQoL dimension. Even if the majority of survivors reported benefit finding in the aftermath of cancer, concomitant positive and negative consequences have been found. However, findings only reveal a significant relationship between positive narratives and HRQoL, and negative consequences do not seem to have a significant influence on overall HRQoL in survivorship. © 2015 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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

Influence of negative emotion on the framing effect: evidence from event-related potentials.

PubMed

Ma, Qingguo; Pei, Guanxiong; Wang, Kai

2015-04-15

The framing effect is the phenomenon in which different descriptions of an identical problem can result in different choices. The influence of negative emotions on the framing effect and its neurocognitive basis are important issues, especially in the domain of saving lives, which is essential and highly risky. In each trial of our experiment, the emotion stimulus is presented to the participants, followed by the decision-making stimulus, which comprises certain and risky options with the same expected value. Each pair of options is positively or negatively framed. The behavioral results indicate a significant interactive effect between negative emotion and frame; thus, the risk preference under the positive frame can be enhanced by negative emotions, whereas this finding is not true under the negative frame. The event-related potential analysis indicates that choosing certain options under the positive frame with negative emotion priming generates smaller P2 and P3 amplitudes and a larger N2 amplitude than with neutral emotion priming. The event-related potential findings indicate that individuals can detect risk faster and experience more conflict and increased decision difficulty if they choose certain options under the positive frame with negative priming compared with neutral priming.

Novel stimuli are negative stimuli: evidence that negative affect is reduced in the mere exposure effect.

PubMed

Robinson, Brent M; Elias, Lorin J

2005-04-01

Repeated exposure of a nonreinforced stimulus results in an increased preference for that stimulus, the mere exposure effect. The present study repeatedly presented positive, negative, and neutrally affective faces to 48 participants while they made judgments about the emotional expression. Participants then rated the likeability of novel neutrally expressive faces and some of these previously presented faces, this time in their neutral expression. Faces originally presented as happy were rated as the most likeable, followed by faces originally presented as neutral. Negative and novel faces were not rated significantly differently from each other. These findings support the notion that the increase in preference towards repeatedly presented stimuli is the result of the reduction in negative affect, consistent with the modified two-factor uncertainty-reduction model and classical conditioning model of the mere exposure effect.

The effects of commonly used intravitreal steroids on proliferation index of ciliary body-derived mesenchymal stem cells: an in vitro study.

PubMed

Demir, M Necati; Acar, Ugur; Sobaci, Gungor; Pınarlı, Ferda Alpaslan; Erginturk Acar, Damla; Beyazyıldız, Emrullah; Yesilyurt, Ahmet; Delibasi, Tuncay

2016-03-01

To investigate the effects of commonly used intravitreal steroids on survival and proliferation (namely, proliferation index) of ciliary body-derived mesenchymal stem cells (CB-MSC). CB-MSCs were isolated from newborn rats' eye, and they were expanded in the medium. Commonly used intravitreal steroids such as dexamethasone (Dex) and triamcinolone acetonide (TA) were added into the medium at commonly used concentration in clinical practice (0.1 mg/mL) and at lower concentration (0.01 mg/mL). Proliferation indexes of CB-MSCs were analyzed with the xCELLigence system at nine consecutive times (at 3rd, 6th, 21th, 30th, 45th, 60th, 75th, 90th and 100th h). Both TA and Dex at both 0.01 mg/mL and 0.1 mg/mL concentrations had negative effect on proliferation indexes of CB-MSC. Although negative effect of TA on proliferation index of CB-MSC at both concentrations was not statistically significant, statistically significant negative effect of Dex at 0.01 mg/mL concentration started 60th h (p = 0.017) and 0.1 mg/mL concentration started 30th h (p = 0.014). Even therapeutic doses of intravitreal corticosteroid agents might have negative effects on limited numbers of stem cells. Especially, Dex caused statistically significant toxic effects on CB-MSCs even at lower concentrations of those used clinically. These novel findings deserve further in vivo investigations.

Effects of zolpidem and zopiclone on cognitive and attentional function in young healthy volunteers: an event-related potential study.

PubMed

Nakajima, T; Takazawa, S; Hayashida, S; Nakagome, K; Sasaki, T; Kanno, O

2000-02-01

The effects of zolpidem and zopiclone, non-benzodiazepine ultra-short-acting hypnotics, on cognitive function and vigilance level were investigated in the morning following nocturnal administration using event-related potentials (ERP) and a sleep latency test (SLT). Zopiclone significantly shortened the sleep latency the following morning, whereas zolpidem did not, perhaps due to the difference in the elimination half-lives between the compounds. No significant effect was observed for either drug on the ERP indices, including the P3, mismatch negativity and negative difference components. At a clinically prescribed dosage these sleep inducers have no remarkable effect on cognitive or attentional functions but increase sleepiness of the subjects.

Novel formulation of abiraterone acetate might allow significant dose reduction and eliminates substantial positive food effect.

PubMed

Solymosi, Tamás; Ötvös, Zsolt; Angi, Réka; Ordasi, Betti; Jordán, Tamás; Molnár, László; McDermott, John; Zann, Vanessa; Church, Ann; Mair, Stuart; Filipcsei, Genovéva; Heltovics, Gábor; Glavinas, Hristos

2017-10-01

Zytiga (abiraterone acetate, AA) is known to exhibit very low bioavailability and a significant positive food effect in men. The unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties are attributed to the inadequate and variable dissolution of the compound. Using a continuous flow precipitation technology, a novel AA formulation has been developed with improved solubility and dissolution characteristics. The current study was performed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and safety of this novel formulation in healthy volunteers. The study was conducted in 11 healthy men aged 47-57 years. All subjects received 3 consecutive single doses of the novel formulation of AA (100 and 200 mg in the fasted state and 200 mg in the fed state). Data were compared with pharmacokinetic and safety data reported for 1000 mg Zytiga, the marketed drug. The novel formulation of AA allows rapid absorption of the compound with t max values within 1 hour. Based on AUC values, a ~250 mg dose of the novel formulation is predicted to give the same exposure as 1000 mg Zytiga in the fasted state. The significant positive food effect was also eliminated; actually, a slight, but statistically significant negative food effect was observed. Variability of exposure was significantly reduced when compared to Zytiga. AA administered in the novel formulation was well tolerated with no IMP-related safety AEs reported. The novel formulation might allow a 75% dose reduction with significant reduction of inter-individual variability. The negative food effect observed requires further investigations; however, elimination of the significant positive food effect could be adequate to negate the restriction of a food label.

The moderating role of overcommitment in the relationship between psychological contract breach and employee mental health.

PubMed

Reimann, Mareike

2016-09-30

This study investigated whether the association between perceived psychological contract breach (PCB) and employee mental health is moderated by the cognitive-motivational pattern of overcommitment (OC). Linking the psychological contract approach to the effort-reward imbalance model, this study examines PCB as an imbalance in employment relationships that acts as a psychosocial stressor in the work environment and is associated with stress reactions that in turn negatively affect mental health. The analyses were based on a sample of 3,667 employees who participated in a longitudinal linked employer-employee survey representative of large organizations (with at least 500 employees who are subject so social security contributions) in Germany. Fixed-effects regression models, including PCB and OC, were estimated for employee mental health, and interaction effects between PCB and OC were assessed. The multivariate fixed-effects regression analyses showed a significant negative association between PCB and employee mental health. The results also confirmed that OC does indeed significantly increase the negative effect of PCB on mental health and that OC itself has a significant and negative effect on mental health. The results suggest that employees characterized by the cognitive-motivational pattern of OC are at an increased risk of developing poor mental health if they experience PCB compared with employees who are not overly committed to their work. The results of this study support the assumption that psychosocial work stressors play an important role in employee mental health.

The moderating role of overcommitment in the relationship between psychological contract breach and employee mental health

PubMed Central

Reimann, Mareike

2016-01-01

Objectives: This study investigated whether the association between perceived psychological contract breach (PCB) and employee mental health is moderated by the cognitive-motivational pattern of overcommitment (OC). Linking the psychological contract approach to the effort-reward imbalance model, this study examines PCB as an imbalance in employment relationships that acts as a psychosocial stressor in the work environment and is associated with stress reactions that in turn negatively affect mental health. Methods: The analyses were based on a sample of 3,667 employees who participated in a longitudinal linked employer-employee survey representative of large organizations (with at least 500 employees who are subject so social security contributions) in Germany. Fixed-effects regression models, including PCB and OC, were estimated for employee mental health, and interaction effects between PCB and OC were assessed. Results: The multivariate fixed-effects regression analyses showed a significant negative association between PCB and employee mental health. The results also confirmed that OC does indeed significantly increase the negative effect of PCB on mental health and that OC itself has a significant and negative effect on mental health. Conclusions: The results suggest that employees characterized by the cognitive-motivational pattern of OC are at an increased risk of developing poor mental health if they experience PCB compared with employees who are not overly committed to their work. The results of this study support the assumption that psychosocial work stressors play an important role in employee mental health. PMID:27488041

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

Throughfall reduction and nutrient availability effects on carbon balance in loblolly pine plantations in the southeastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bracho, R. G.; Vogel, J.; Jokela, E. J.; Cucinella, J.; Noormets, A.; Laviner, M. A.; Gonzalez-Benecke, C. A.; Samuelson, L. J.; Markewitz, D.; Will, R.; Meek, C.; Seiler, J.; Strahm, B. D.; McElligott, K.; Martin, T.

2016-12-01

Planted loblolly pine covers over 11 million hectares in the southeastern United States. Occurring across a range of climatic conditions, these pine plantations are critical for the regional economy and offset a significant fraction of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Loblolly pine productivity has been enhanced through genetic improvement and intensive silviculture. However, climate projections forecast higher air temperature and more variable precipitation patterns for the region. A critical question is how silvicultural practices will interact with projected climate change to affect loblolly pine carbon balance. A fertilization by throughfall reduction experiment was established in the spring of 2012 at four loblolly pine plantations at the margins of the natural range of the specie (Florida FL, Georgia GA, Oklahoma OK and Virginia VA). Net primary productivity (NPP) was estimated from repeated tree inventories and net ecosystem productivity (NEP) as the difference between NPP and heterotrophic respiration (RH). Soil respiration (RS) and RH were measured simultaneously several times during the experiment. Throughfall reduction significantly decreased surface soil water content at all sites. After four years of treatment, fertilization increased NPP at all sites and throughfall reduction had a negative effect on NPP at the GA and OK sites. The combination fertilization x throughfall reduction did not have a significant effect on NPP. RS and RH were, in general negatively affected by fertilization and throughfall reduction with differential responses between sites, leading to significant NEP increases under fertilization, while throughfall reduction increased NEP at FL and VA due to no effect on NPP and negative effect on RS. Fertilization offset the negative effect of throughfall reduction on NEP in the fertilization x throughfall reduction treatment. All sites were significant carbon sinks, accumulating from 3.5 to 24 Mg C ha-1 in a 3 year period under a range of climatic conditions, age and treatments.

The Effect of Paternal Age on Offspring Intelligence and Personality when Controlling for Parental Trait Levels

PubMed Central

Arslan, Ruben C.; Penke, Lars; Johnson, Wendy; Iacono, William G.; McGue, Matt

2014-01-01

Paternal age at conception has been found to predict the number of new genetic mutations. We examined the effect of father’s age at birth on offspring intelligence, head circumference and personality traits. Using the Minnesota Twin Family Study sample we tested paternal age effects while controlling for parents’ trait levels measured with the same precision as offspring’s. From evolutionary genetic considerations we predicted a negative effect of paternal age on offspring intelligence, but not on other traits. Controlling for parental intelligence (IQ) had the effect of turning an initially positive association non-significantly negative. We found paternal age effects on offspring IQ and Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire Absorption, but they were not robustly significant, nor replicable with additional covariates. No other noteworthy effects were found. Parents’ intelligence and personality correlated with their ages at twin birth, which may have obscured a small negative effect of advanced paternal age (<1% of variance explained) on intelligence. We discuss future avenues for studies of paternal age effects and suggest that stronger research designs are needed to rule out confounding factors involving birth order and the Flynn effect. PMID:24587224

Life Events, Coping, and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms among Chinese Adolescents Exposed to 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, China

PubMed Central

Zheng, Yuhong; Fan, Fang; Liu, Xianchen; Mo, Lei

2012-01-01

Purpose To examine the relationship between negative life events, coping styles, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among adolescent survivors exposed to 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, China. Methods A survey was conducted in a sample of 2250 adolescent students from two schools in Dujiangyan District, a seriously damaged area, 20 kilometers away from the epicenter, 6 months after the earthquake. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire including demographics, negative life events, coping styles, and PTSD symptoms. Results Academic pressure was the strongest predictor of adolescents' PTSD symptoms among all negative life events. Main effects of negative life events, positive coping and negative coping on PTSD symptoms were significant in both younger adolescents and older adolescents, while the moderator effects of two coping styles were found significant only within older adolescents. Conclusions Coping may play a role to moderate the relationship between post-earthquake negative life events and PTSD symptom, but the function seems to depend on the age of participants. Psychosocial coping skills training may be important in the prevention and intervention of mental health problems in adolescent survivors of traumatic earthquake. PMID:22295059

Negative urgency and emotion regulation predict positive smoking expectancies in non-smoking youth.

PubMed

Dir, Allyson L; Banks, Devin E; Zapolski, Tamika C B; McIntyre, Elizabeth; Hulvershorn, Leslie A

2016-07-01

The purpose of the study was to better understand early risk for positive smoking expectancies, which have been shown to be consistent predictors of smoking initiation among youth. Two affect-based risk factors-negative urgency and emotion dysregulation-associated with smoking behaviors among youth, were examined for unique and interactive effects on positive smoking expectancies among substance-naïve youth. Participants were 61 10-14-year-old children with virtually no drug use (less than 5 substance use incidents across the lifetime), who were drawn from the community. Both negative urgency and emotion dysregulation were significantly associated with positive social facilitation smoking expectancies. Further, negative urgency was significantly related to positive social facilitation smoking expectancies at higher levels of emotion dysregulation (b=.09, p=.001). The findings provide evidence that both emotion dysregulation and negative urgency are positively associated with positive social-related smoking expectancies among a sample of 10-14-year-olds. Children who are emotionally dysregulated and who act rashly in response to negative emotions appear more likely to endorse beliefs regarding the socially enhancing effects of smoking, suggesting that these youth may be at high risk for smoking initiation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Innate immune system capabilities of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri.

PubMed

Arp, Alex P; Martini, Xavier; Pelz-Stelinski, Kirsten S

2017-09-01

Citrus production worldwide is currently threatened by Huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease. The associated pathogen, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri. Annotation of the D. citri genome revealed a reduced innate immune system lacking a number of antimicrobial peptides and the Imd pathway associated with defense against Gram-negative bacteria. We characterized this apparent immune reduction in survival assays in which D. citri were exposed to Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria. D. citri experienced significant mortality when exposed to Serratia marcescens (Gram-negative) through oral ingestion or by septic injury. Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) also caused significant D. citri mortality, but only when inoculated at high concentrations through oral ingestion or by septic injury. Neither Micrococcus luteus (Gram-positive) or Bacillus subtilis (Gram-positive) caused significant mortality as compared to controls in any experiment. E. coli titers increased rapidly following exposure, while M. luteus titer remained stable for 72 h. We demonstrate that D. citri is capable of defending against E. coli, a Gram-negative bacterium, despite lacking the Imd defense pathway. The tolerance of D. citri to M. luteus infection, yet inability to effectively clear infections, presents questions to efficacy of D. citri immune response to effectively clear Gram-positive infections. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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.

Examining the interplay among negative emotionality, cognitive functioning, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom severity.

PubMed

Healey, Dione M; Marks, David J; Halperin, Jeffrey M

2011-05-01

Cognition and emotion, traditionally thought of as largely distinct, have recently begun to be conceptualized as dynamically linked processes that interact to influence functioning. This study investigated the moderating effects of cognitive functioning on the relationship between negative emotionality and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom severity. A total of 216 (140 hyperactive/inattentive; 76 typically developing) preschoolers aged 3-4 years were administered a neuropsychological test battery (i.e., NEPSY). To avoid method bias, child negative emotionality was rated by teachers (Temperament Assessment Battery for Children-Revised), and parents rated symptom severity on the ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS-IV). Hierarchical Linear Regression analyses revealed that both negative emotionality and Perceptual-Motor & Executive Functions accounted for significant unique variance in ADHD symptom severity. Significant interactions indicated that when negative emotionality is low, but not high, neuropsychological functioning accounts for significant variability in ADHD symptoms, with lower functioning predicting more symptoms. Emotional and neuropsychological functioning, both individually and in combination, play a significant role in the expression of ADHD symptom severity.

[Mediating effects on depression regarding the relationship between negative life events and suicide ideation among college students].

PubMed

Wu, Jiao; Wu, Yun-tao; Feng, Shu-xiu; Meng, Heng; Chen, Hui

2012-11-01

To understand the relationship between negative life events and suicide ideation, and how it was influenced by the mediating effect of depression. 1145 college students from one university were selected using cluster sampling. Both Symptom Check List (SCL-90) and Questionnaire were administered to measure depression and suicide ideation in the past week and on the prevalence of negative life events and related information. Recent negative life events would include physical illness, academic problem, financial problem and interpersonal conflict etc. Multiple logistic regressions were used to identify the mediating effect of depression. Physical illness (OR = 2.5, P = 0.028), interpersonal conflict (OR = 7.2, P = 0.002) and financial problem (OR = 1.6, P = 0.026) were significantly associated with suicide ideation, but academically-related problems did not seem to be significantly associated with suicide ideation (OR = 1.8, P = 0.090). After adjusted for depression, both physical illness and interpersonal conflicts were not but financial problem remained significantly associated with suicide ideation (OR = 1.7, P = 0.014). Our data showed that depression fully mediated the relationship between physical illness, interpersonal conflict and suicide ideation, but did not mediate the relationship between financial problem and suicide ideation. Depression played different mediating roles between different negative life events and suicide ideation. The findings from this study might be able to provide some clues for the prevention interventions on college students.

The Effects of a Distracting N-Back Task on Recognition Memory Are Reduced by Negative Emotional Intensity

PubMed Central

Buratto, Luciano G.; Pottage, Claire L.; Brown, Charity; Morrison, Catriona M.; Schaefer, Alexandre

2014-01-01

Memory performance is usually impaired when participants have to encode information while performing a concurrent task. Recent studies using recall tasks have found that emotional items are more resistant to such cognitive depletion effects than non-emotional items. However, when recognition tasks are used, the same effect is more elusive as recent recognition studies have obtained contradictory results. In two experiments, we provide evidence that negative emotional content can reliably reduce the effects of cognitive depletion on recognition memory only if stimuli with high levels of emotional intensity are used. In particular, we found that recognition performance for realistic pictures was impaired by a secondary 3-back working memory task during encoding if stimuli were emotionally neutral or had moderate levels of negative emotionality. In contrast, when negative pictures with high levels of emotional intensity were used, the detrimental effects of the secondary task were significantly attenuated. PMID:25330251

The effects of a distracting N-back task on recognition memory are reduced by negative emotional intensity.

PubMed

Buratto, Luciano G; Pottage, Claire L; Brown, Charity; Morrison, Catriona M; Schaefer, Alexandre

2014-01-01

Memory performance is usually impaired when participants have to encode information while performing a concurrent task. Recent studies using recall tasks have found that emotional items are more resistant to such cognitive depletion effects than non-emotional items. However, when recognition tasks are used, the same effect is more elusive as recent recognition studies have obtained contradictory results. In two experiments, we provide evidence that negative emotional content can reliably reduce the effects of cognitive depletion on recognition memory only if stimuli with high levels of emotional intensity are used. In particular, we found that recognition performance for realistic pictures was impaired by a secondary 3-back working memory task during encoding if stimuli were emotionally neutral or had moderate levels of negative emotionality. In contrast, when negative pictures with high levels of emotional intensity were used, the detrimental effects of the secondary task were significantly attenuated.

Suggestibility and negative priming: two replication studies.

PubMed

David, Daniel; Brown, Richard J

2002-07-01

Research suggests that inhibiting the effect of irrelevant stimuli on subsequent thought and action (cognitive inhibition) may be an important component of suggestibility. Two small correlation studies were conducted to address the relationship between different aspects of suggestibility and individual differences in cognitive inhibition, operationalized as the degree of negative priming generated by to-be-ignored stimuli in a semantic categorization task. The first study found significant positive correlations between negative priming, hypnotic suggestibility, and creative imagination; a significant negative correlation was obtained between negative priming and interrogative suggestibility, demonstrating the discriminant validity of the study results. The second study replicated the correlation between negative priming and hypnotic suggestibility, using a different suggestibility measurement procedure that assessed subjective experience and hypnotic involuntariness as well as objective responses to suggestions. These studies support the notion that the ability to engage in cognitive inhibition may be an important component of hypnotic responsivity and maybe of other forms of suggestibility.

The importance of the function of exercise in the relationship between obligatory exercise and eating and body image concerns.

PubMed

De Young, Kyle P; Anderson, Drew A

2010-01-01

This study tested whether exercising in response to negative affect moderates the association between obligatory exercise and eating and body image psychopathology. Participants (n=226) completed the Eating Disorders Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire (OEQ), and a question assessing whether they ever exercise in response to negative affect. In total, 132 (58.4%) participants endorsed exercising in response to negative affect. Multiple regression analyses revealed significant main effects of negative affect motivated exercise, OEQ total scores, and gender on all four EDE-Q subscales and significant interactions of negative affect motivated exercise and OEQ scores on the Eating Concern, Shape Concern, and Weight Concern scales but not the Restraint scale of the EDE-Q. Obligatory exercisers may not demonstrate elevated eating and body image concerns in the absence of negative affect motivated exercise, providing further support of the importance of the function of exercise.

Comparing the effects of positive and negative feedback in information-integration category learning.

PubMed

Freedberg, Michael; Glass, Brian; Filoteo, J Vincent; Hazeltine, Eliot; Maddox, W Todd

2017-01-01

Categorical learning is dependent on feedback. Here, we compare how positive and negative feedback affect information-integration (II) category learning. Ashby and O'Brien (2007) demonstrated that both positive and negative feedback are required to solve II category problems when feedback was not guaranteed on each trial, and reported no differences between positive-only and negative-only feedback in terms of their effectiveness. We followed up on these findings and conducted 3 experiments in which participants completed 2,400 II categorization trials across three days under 1 of 3 conditions: positive feedback only (PFB), negative feedback only (NFB), or both types of feedback (CP; control partial). An adaptive algorithm controlled the amount of feedback given to each group so that feedback was nearly equated. Using different feedback control procedures, Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated that participants in the NFB and CP group were able to engage II learning strategies, whereas the PFB group was not. Additionally, the NFB group was able to achieve significantly higher accuracy than the PFB group by Day 3. Experiment 3 revealed that these differences remained even when we equated the information received on feedback trials. Thus, negative feedback appears significantly more effective for learning II category structures. This suggests that the human implicit learning system may be capable of learning in the absence of positive feedback.

Effects of Plasma Rich in Growth Factors and Platelet-Rich Fibrin on Proliferation and Viability of Human Gingival Fibroblasts

PubMed Central

Vahabi, Surena; Vaziri, Shahram; Torshabi, Maryam

2015-01-01

Objectives: Platelet preparations are commonly used to enhance bone and soft tissue regeneration. Considering the existing controversies on the efficacy of platelet products for tissue regeneration, more in vitro studies are required. The aim of the present study was to compare the in vitro effects of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) on proliferation and viability of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Materials and Methods: Anitua’s PRGF and Choukran’s PRF were prepared according to the standard protocols. After culture periods of 24, 48 and 72 hours, proliferation of HGFs was evaluated by the methyl thiazol tetrazolium assay. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey-Kramer’s multiple comparisons and P-values<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: PRGF treatment induced statistically significant (P<0.001) proliferation of HGF cells compared to the negative control (100% viability) at 24, 48 and 72 hours in values of 123%±2.25%, 102%±2.8% and 101%±3.92%, respectively. The PRF membrane treatment of HGF cells had a statistically significant effect on cell proliferation (21%±1.73%, P<0.001) at 24 hours compared to the negative control. However, at 48 and 72 hours after treatment, PRF had a negative effect on HGF cell proliferation and caused 38% and 60% decrease in viability and proliferation compared to the negative control, respectively. The HGF cell proliferation was significantly higher in PRGF than in PRF group (P< 0.001). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that PRGF had a strong stimulatory effect on HGF cell viability and proliferation compared to PRF. PMID:26877740

High Job Demands, Still Engaged and Not Burned Out? The Role of Job Crafting.

PubMed

Hakanen, Jari J; Seppälä, Piia; Peeters, Maria C W

2017-08-01

Traditionally, employee well-being has been considered as resulting from decent working conditions arranged by the organization. Much less is known about whether employees themselves can make self-initiated changes to their work, i.e., craft their jobs, in order to stay well, even in highly demanding work situations. The aim of this study was to use the job demands-resources (JD-R model) to investigate whether job crafting buffers the negative impacts of four types of job demands (workload, emotional dissonance, work contents, and physical demands) on burnout and work engagement. A questionnaire study was designed to examine the buffering role of job crafting among 470 Finnish dentists. All in all, 11 out of 16 possible interaction effects of job demands and job crafting on employee well-being were significant. Job crafting particularly buffered the negative effects of job demands on burnout (7/8 significant interactions) and to a somewhat lesser extent also on work engagement (4/8 significant interactions). Applying job crafting techniques appeared to be particularly effective in mitigating the negative effects of quantitative workload (4/4 significant interactions). By demonstrating that job crafting can also buffer the negative impacts of high job demands on employee well-being, this study contributed to the JD-R model as it suggests that job crafting may even be possible under high work demands, and not only in resourceful jobs, as most previous studies have indicated. In addition to the top-down initiatives for improving employee well-being, bottom-up approaches such as job crafting may also be efficient in preventing burnout and enhancing work engagement.

The negative priming effect in cognitive conflict processing.

PubMed

Pan, Fada; Shi, Liang; Lu, Qingyun; Wu, Xiaogang; Xue, Song; Li, Qiwei

2016-08-15

The present study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate the specific physiological mechanisms underlying the negative nature of cognitive conflict and its influence on affective word evaluations. The present study used an affective priming paradigm where Stroop stimuli were presented for 200ms after which affective target words had to be evaluated as being positive or negative. Behavioral results showed that reaction times (RTs) were shorter for positive targets following congruent primes relative to incongruent primes, and for negative targets following incongruent primes relative to congruent primes. The ERP results showed that the N2 amplitude (200-300ms) for incongruent stimuli was significantly larger than for congruent stimuli in the Stroop task, which indicated a significant conflict effect. Moreover, the N400 amplitude (300-500ms) was smaller for negative words following incongruent primes relative to congruent primes, and for positive words following congruent primes relative to incongruent primes. The results demonstrated that cognitive conflict modulated both behavioral and electrophysiological correlates of subsequent emotional processing, consistent with its hypothesized registration as an aversive signal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protective Effect of Self-Compassion to Emotional Response among Students with Chronic Academic Stress

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yonghong; Luo, Xi; Che, Xianwei; Duan, Wenjie

2016-01-01

The literature has shown that self-compassion is a protective factor of an individual’s emotional response to chronic stress. However, this stress-buffering effect has not been completely analyzed in individuals who report significantly high academic stress. The present study explored the role of self-compassion in a group of undergraduate students who experience chronic academic stress. A total of 208 undergraduate students who were preparing for the Postgraduate Entrance Examination (PEE) were recruited and completed the Self-Compassion Scale, Adolescent Self-Rating Life Event Check List, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Differences analysis confirmed that the participants reported significantly higher academic stress than their peers who were not preparing for PEE. Self-compassion positively related to positive affect but negatively related to negative affect and learning stress. Further analysis showed that self-compassion negatively mediated the relationship between chronic academic stress and negative affect. Findings imply that self-compassion-centered interventions can be developed in the educational context to assist students cope with chronic academic stress. PMID:27920736

Direct and indirect influences of fate control belief, gambling expectancy bias, and self-efficacy on problem gambling and negative mood among Chinese college students: a multiple mediation analysis.

PubMed

Tang, Catherine So-Kum; Wu, Anise M S

2010-12-01

A multiple mediation model was proposed to integrate core concepts of the social axioms framework and the social cognitive theory in order to understand gambling behavior. It was hypothesized that the influence of general fate control belief on problem gambling and negative mood would be mediated by gambling-specific beliefs. Data from 773 Chinese college recreational gamblers were collected. The bootstrapping procedure was used to test the multiple mediation hypotheses. Significant indirect effects of fate control belief on problem gambling and negative mood through two gambling-specific mediators were found. Gambling expectancy bias was a more salient mediator than gambling self-efficacy. Fate control belief was also found to have a significant direct effect on negative mood. In general, a high level of general fate control belief was related to greater gambling expectancy bias and lower self-efficacy in resisting gambling, which were in turn related to problem gambling and negative mood. Limitations and implications of the study were discussed.

Gender Difference in Interactions between MAOA Promoter uVNTR Polymorphism and Negative Familial Stressors on Body Mass Index among Chinese Adolescents

PubMed Central

Xie, Bin; Li, Dalin; London, Stephanie J.; Palmer, Paula H.; Johnshon, C. Anderson; Li, Yan; Shih, Jean; Bergen, Andrew W.; Nishita, Denise; Swan, Gary E.; Ahn, Rosa; Conti, David V.

2014-01-01

Summary Objectives Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) modulates metabolism of serotonin and dopamine metabolism, neurotransmitters involved in regulation of appetite and food intake. The gene coding for MAOA contains a 30-bp tandem repeat (uVNTR) polymorphism in its promoter region that has been previously identified to be associated with obesity with mixed findings in the literature. Our goals were to replicate the population effects of this functional polymorphism on obesity risk, and to further explore gender differences and interaction effects with negative stressors. Methods Analyses were conducted with data on genotypes, measured weight and height, and self-reported behavioral characteristics among 1,101 Chinese adolescents 11-15 years old living in Wuhan, China. Results Girls with the high activity allele had significantly lower BMI (β=-0.25±0.98, p=0.011) compared to those with the low activity allele. Experience of negative familial stressors(e.g., death or illness of family members, hit or scolded by parents and increased quarreling with parents, parents argued frequently) significantly weakened this protective genetic effect on BMI (p for interaction=0.043). Stratified analyses showed a significant protective genetic effect on BMI only within the stratum of low stress level (β=-0.44±0.14, p=0.002). No similar effect was observed among boys. Conclusions Our findings confirm the genetic effects of MAOA uVNTR polymorphism on BMI in a Chinese adolescent population and suggest potential genetic interactions with negative familial stressors. PMID:23761378

Close relationships and attributions for peer victimization among late adolescents.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaochen; Graham, Sandra

2012-12-01

This study examined the effect of close relationships (best friendship and romantic relationship) on late adolescents' casual attributions for peer victimization. A total of 1106 twelfth grade students completed self-report measures of perceived peer victimization, self-blame attribution, psychological maladjustment (loneliness and social anxiety), and quality of close peer relationships. Results indicated that self-blame partly mediated the link between peer victimization and psychological maladjustment. Relationship quality moderated the victimization-self-blame relation. Participants were more likely to endorse self-blame attributions for peer victimization when they had a negative relationship with a best friend or romantic partner. The moderated effect of negative best friendship quality was only significant for girls, whereas the moderated effect of negative romantic relationship quality was only significant for boys. Implications of these findings for future research on close relations during adolescence and for interventions to reduce the effects of peer victimization were discussed. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Signatures of negative selection in the genetic architecture of human complex traits.

PubMed

Zeng, Jian; de Vlaming, Ronald; Wu, Yang; Robinson, Matthew R; Lloyd-Jones, Luke R; Yengo, Loic; Yap, Chloe X; Xue, Angli; Sidorenko, Julia; McRae, Allan F; Powell, Joseph E; Montgomery, Grant W; Metspalu, Andres; Esko, Tonu; Gibson, Greg; Wray, Naomi R; Visscher, Peter M; Yang, Jian

2018-05-01

We develop a Bayesian mixed linear model that simultaneously estimates single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based heritability, polygenicity (proportion of SNPs with nonzero effects), and the relationship between SNP effect size and minor allele frequency for complex traits in conventionally unrelated individuals using genome-wide SNP data. We apply the method to 28 complex traits in the UK Biobank data (N = 126,752) and show that on average, 6% of SNPs have nonzero effects, which in total explain 22% of phenotypic variance. We detect significant (P < 0.05/28) signatures of natural selection in the genetic architecture of 23 traits, including reproductive, cardiovascular, and anthropometric traits, as well as educational attainment. The significant estimates of the relationship between effect size and minor allele frequency in complex traits are consistent with a model of negative (or purifying) selection, as confirmed by forward simulation. We conclude that negative selection acts pervasively on the genetic variants associated with human complex traits.

Elastic metamaterials with simultaneously negative effective shear modulus and mass density.

PubMed

Wu, Ying; Lai, Yun; Zhang, Zhao-Qing

2011-09-02

We propose a type of elastic metamaterial comprising fluid-solid composite inclusions which can possess a negative shear modulus and negative mass density over a large frequency region. Such a material has the unique property that only transverse waves can propagate with a negative dispersion while longitudinal waves are forbidden. This leads to many interesting phenomena such as negative refraction, which is demonstrated by using a wedge sample and a significant amount of mode conversion from transverse waves to longitudinal waves that cannot occur on the interface of two natural solids.

Relationship between cognitive emotion regulation, social support, resilience and acute stress responses in Chinese soldiers: Exploring multiple mediation model.

PubMed

Cai, Wen-Peng; Pan, Yu; Zhang, Shui-Miao; Wei, Cun; Dong, Wei; Deng, Guang-Hui

2017-10-01

The current study aimed to explore the association of cognitive emotion regulation, social support, resilience and acute stress responses in Chinese soldiers and to understand the multiple mediation effects of social support and resilience on the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and acute stress responses. A total of 1477 male soldiers completed mental scales, including the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire-Chinese version, the perceived social support scale, the Chinese version of the Connor-Davidson resilience scale, and the military acute stress scale. As hypothesized, physiological responses, psychological responses, and acute stress were associated with negative-focused cognitive emotion regulation, and negatively associated with positive-focused cognitive emotion regulation, social supports and resilience. Besides, positive-focused cognitive emotion regulation, social support, and resilience were significantly associated with one another, and negative-focused cognitive emotion regulation was negatively associated with social support. Regression analysis and bootstrap analysis showed that social support and resilience had partly mediating effects on negative strategies and acute stress, and fully mediating effects on positive strategies and acute stress. These results thus indicate that military acute stress is significantly associated with cognitive emotion regulation, social support, and resilience, and that social support and resilience have multiple mediation effects on the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and acute stress responses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Distinct neural representations of placebo and nocebo effect

PubMed Central

Freeman, Sonya; Yu, Rongjun; Egorova, Natalia; Chen, Xiaoyan; Kirsch, Irving; Claggett, Brian; Kaptchuk, Ted J.; Gollub, Randy L.; Kong, Jian

2015-01-01

Expectations shape the way we experience the world. In this study, we used fMRI to investigate how positive and negative expectation can changes pain experiences in the same cohort of subjects. We first manipulated subjects’ treatment expectation of the effectiveness of three inert creams, with one cream labeled “Lidocaine” (positive expectancy), one labeled “Capsaicin” (negative expectancy) and one labeled “Neutral” by surreptitiously decreasing, increasing, or not changing respectively, the intensity of the noxious stimuli administered following cream application. We then used fMRI to investigate the signal changes associated with administration of identical pain stimuli before and after the treatment and control creams. Twenty-four healthy adults completed the study. Results showed expectancy significantly modulated subjective pain ratings. After controlling for changes in the neutral condition, the subjective pain rating changes evoked by positive and negative expectancy were significantly associated. fMRI results showed that the expectation of an increase in pain induced significant fMRI signal changes in the insula, orbitofrontal cortex, and periaqueductal gray, whereas the expectation of pain relief evoked significant fMRI signal changes in the striatum. No brain regions were identified as common to both “Capsaicin” and “Lidocaine” conditioning. There was also no significant association between the brain response to identical noxious stimuli in the pain matrix evoked by positive and negative expectancy. Our findings suggest that positive and negative expectancy engage different brain networks to modulate our pain experiences, but, overall, these distinct patterns of neural activation result in a correlated placebo and nocebo behavioral response. PMID:25776211

Disability and Activity-related Emotion in Later Life: Are Effects Buffered by Intimate Relationship Support and Strain?

PubMed

Carr, Deborah; Cornman, Jennifer C; Freedman, Vicki A

2017-09-01

We use daily diary data from the Disability and Use of Time supplement to the 2013 Panel Study of Income Dynamics ( n = 1,162) to evaluate (1) the extent to which marital/partner support and strain moderate the effects of disability on five activity-related emotions (happiness, calm, sadness, frustration, worry) and overall negative and positive emotion among older married, cohabiting, and dating persons and (2) whether such patterns differ significantly by gender. Marital support buffers against negative emotions and increases feelings of calm among severely impaired women. By contrast, support intensifies negative emotions and decreases feelings of calm among severely impaired men. Relationship strain also intensifies the effect of severe impairment on men's frustration, sadness, worry, and negative mood but has negligible effects on the negative emotions of men with low impairment and women. Frequent support and criticism may threaten highly impaired older men's sense of autonomy and emotional well-being.

The Effect of Enumeration of Self-Relevant Words on Self-Focused Attention and Repetitive Negative Thoughts

PubMed Central

Muranaka, Seiji; Sasaki, Jun

2018-01-01

Self-focused attention refers to awareness of self-referent, internally generated information. It can be categorized into dysfunctional (i.e., self-rumination) and functional (self-reflection) aspects. According to theory on cognitive resource limitations (e.g., Moreno, 2006), there is a difference in cognitive resource allocation between these two aspects of self-focused attention. We propose a new task, self-relevant word (SRW) enumeration, that can aid in behaviorally identifying individuals’ use of self-rumination and self-reflection. The present study has two purposes: to determine the association between self-focus and SRW enumeration, and to examine the effect of dysfunctional SRW enumeration on repetitive negative thinking. One hundred forty-six undergraduate students participated in this study. They completed a measure of state anxiety twice, before and after imagining a social failure situation. They also completed the SRW enumeration task, Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire, Short Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, and Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire. A correlational analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between self-reflection and the number of SRWs. Furthermore, individuals high in self-reflection had a tendency to pay more attention to problems than did those high in self-rumination. A significant positive correlation was found between self-rumination and the strength of self-relevance of negative SRWs. Through a path analysis, we found a significant positive effect of the self-relevance of negative SRWs on repetitive negative thinking. Notably, however, the model that excluded self-rumination as an explanatory variable showed a better fit to the data than did the model that included it. In summary, SRW enumeration might enable selective and independent detection of the degree of self-reflection and self-rumination, and therefore should be examined in future research in order to design new behavioral procedures. PMID:29896140

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.

Significant treatment effect of adjunct music therapy to standard treatment on the positive, negative, and mood symptoms of schizophrenic patients: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Tseng, Ping-Tao; Chen, Yen-Wen; Lin, Pao-Yen; Tu, Kun-Yu; Wang, Hung-Yu; Cheng, Yu-Shian; Chang, Yi-Chung; Chang, Chih-Hua; Chung, Weilun; Wu, Ching-Kuan

2016-01-26

Music therapy (MT) has been used as adjunct therapy for schizophrenia for decades. However, its role is still inconclusive. A recent meta-analysis demonstrated that MT for schizophrenic patients only significantly benefits negative symptoms and mood symptoms rather than positive symptoms. In addition, the association between specific characteristics of MT and the treatment effect remains unclear. The aim of this study was to update the published data and to explore the role of music therapy in adjunct treatment in schizophrenia with a thorough meta-analysis. We compared the treatment effect in schizophrenic patients with standard treatment who did and did not receive adjunct MT through a meta-analysis, and investigated the clinical characteristics of MT through meta-regression. The main finding was that the treatment effect was significantly better in the patients who received adjunct MT than in those who did not, in negative symptoms, mood symptoms, and also positive symptoms (all p < 0.05). This significance did not change after dividing the patients into subgroups of different total duration of MT, amounts of sessions, or frequency of MT. Besides, the treatment effect on the general symptoms was significantly positively associated with the whole duration of illness, indicating that MT would be beneficial for schizophrenic patients with a chronic course. Our meta-analysis highlights a significantly better treatment effect in schizophrenic patients who received MT than in those who did not, especially in those with a chronic course, regardless of the duration, frequency, or amounts of sessions of MT. These findings provide evidence that clinicians should apply MT for schizophrenic patients to alleviate disease severity.

Are energy drinks unique mixers in terms of their effects on alcohol consumption and negative alcohol-related consequences?

PubMed

Johnson, Sean J; Alford, Chris; Stewart, Karina; Verster, Joris C

2018-01-01

Previous research has suggested that consuming alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AMED) increases overall alcohol consumption. However, there is limited research examining whether energy drinks are unique in their effects when mixed with alcohol, when compared with alcohol mixed with other caffeinated mixers (AOCM). Therefore, the aim of this survey was to investigate alcohol consumption on AMED occasions, to that on other occasions when the same individuals consumed AOCM or alcohol only (AO). A UK-wide online student survey collected data on the frequency of alcohol consumption and quantity consumed, as well as the number of negative alcohol-related consequences reported on AO, AMED and AOCM occasions (N=250). Within-subjects analysis revealed that there were no significant differences in the number of alcoholic drinks consumed on a standard and a heavy drinking session between AMED and AOCM drinking occasions. However, the number of standard mixers typically consumed was significantly lower on AMED occasions compared with AOCM occasions. In addition, when consuming AMED, students reported significantly fewer days consuming 5 or more alcohol drinks, fewer days mixing drinks, and fewer days being drunk, compared with when consuming AOCM. There were no significant differences in the number of reported negative alcohol-related consequences on AMED occasions to AOCM occasions. Of importance, alcohol consumption and negative alcohol-related consequences were significantly less on both AMED and AOCM occasions compared with AO occasions. The findings that heavy alcohol consumption occurs significantly less often on AMED occasions compared with AOCM occasions is in opposition to some earlier claims implying that greatest alcohol consumption occurs with AMED. The overall greatest alcohol consumption and associated negative consequences were clearly associated with AO occasions. Negative consequences for AMED and AOCM drinking occasions were similar, suggesting that energy drink was comparable with AOCM in this regard.

Breast Cancer Subtypes and Response to Docetaxel in Node-Positive Breast Cancer: Use of an Immunohistochemical Definition in the BCIRG 001 Trial

PubMed Central

Hugh, Judith; Hanson, John; Cheang, Maggie Chon U.; Nielsen, Torsten O.; Perou, Charles M.; Dumontet, Charles; Reed, John; Krajewska, Maryla; Treilleux, Isabelle; Rupin, Matthieu; Magherini, Emmanuelle; Mackey, John; Martin, Miguel; Vogel, Charles

2009-01-01

Purpose To investigate the prognostic and predictive significance of subtyping node-positive early breast cancer by immunohistochemistry in a clinical trial of a docetaxel-containing regimen. Methods Pathologic data from a central laboratory were available for 1,350 patients (91%) from the BCIRG 001 trial of docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (TAC) versus fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC) for operable node-positive breast cancer. Patients were classified by tumor characteristics as (1) triple negative (estrogen receptor [ER]–negative, progesterone receptor [PR]–negative, HER2/neu [HER2]–negative), (2) HER2 (HER2-positive, ER-negative, PR-negative), (3) luminal B (ER-positive and/or PR-positive and either HER2-positive and/or Ki67high), and (4) luminal A (ER-positive and/or PR-positive and not HER2-positive or Ki67high), and assessed for prognostic significance and response to adjuvant chemotherapy. Results Patients were subdivided into triple negative (14.5%), HER2 (8.5%), luminal B (61.1%), and luminal A (15.9%). Three-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates (P values with luminal B as referent) were 67% (P < .0001), 68% (P = .0008), 82% (referent luminal B), and 91% (P = .0027), respectively, with hazard ratios of 2.22, 2.12, and 0.46. Improved 3-year DFS with TAC was found in the luminal B group (P = .025) and a combined ER-positive/HER2-negative group treated with tamoxifen (P = .041), with a marginal trend in the triple negatives (P = .051) and HER2 (P = .068) subtypes. No DFS advantage was seen in the luminal A population. Conclusion A simple immunopanel can divide breast cancers into biologic subtypes with strong prognostic effects. TAC significantly complements endocrine therapy in patients with luminal B subtype and, in the absence of targeted therapy, is effective in the triple-negative population. PMID:19204205

PHOTOTROPISM OF GERMINATING MYCELIA OF SOME PARASITIC FUNGI

DTIC Science & Technology

uredinales on young wheat plants; Distribution and significance of the phototropism of germinating mycelia -- confirmation of older data, examination of...eight additional uredinales, probable meaning of negative phototropism for the occurrence of infection; Analysis of the stimulus physiology of the...reaction -- the minimum effective illumination intensity, the effective special region, inversion of the phototropic reaction in liquid paraffin, the negative light- growth reaction, the light-sensitive zone.

[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.

When hard times take a toll: the distressing consequences of economic hardship and life events within the family-work interface.

PubMed

Young, Marisa; Schieman, Scott

2012-03-01

Using two waves of data from a national survey of working Americans (N = 1,122), we examine the associations among economic hardship, negative life events, and psychological distress in the context of the family-work interface. Our findings demonstrate that family-to-work conflict mediates the effects of economic hardship and negative events to significant others on distress (net of baseline distress and hardship). Moreover, economic hardship and negative events to significant others moderate the association between family-to-work conflict and distress. While negative events to others exacerbate the positive effect of family-to-work conflict on distress, we find the opposite for economic hardship: The positive association between hardship and distress is weaker at higher levels of family-to-work conflict. These patterns hold across an array of family, work, and sociodemographic conditions. We discuss how these findings refine and extend ideas of the stress process model, including complex predictions related to processes of stress-buffering, resource substitution, and role multiplication.

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.

Effect of land cover, habitat fragmentation and ant colonies on the distribution and abundance of shrews in southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laakkonen, Juha; Fisher, Robert N.; Case, Ted J.

2001-01-01

Because effects of habitat fragmentation and anthropogenic disturbance on native animals have been relatively little studied in arid areas and in insectivores, we investigated the roles of different land covers, habitat fragmentation and ant colonies on the distribution and abundance of shrews, Notiosorex crawfordi and Sorex ornatus, in southern California.Notiosorex crawfordi was the numerically dominant species (trap-success rate 0·52) occurring in 21 of the 22 study sites in 85% of the 286 pitfall arrays used in this study.Sorex ornatus was captured in 14 of the sites, in 52% of the arrays with a total trap-success rate of 0·2. Neither of the species was found in one of the sites.The population dynamics of the two shrew species were relatively synchronous during the 4–5-year study; the peak densities usually occurred during the spring. Precipitation had a significant positive effect, and maximum temperature a significant negative effect on the trap-success rate of S. ornatus.Occurrence and abundance of shrews varied significantly between sites and years but the size of the landscape or the study site had no effect on the abundance of shrews. The amount of urban edge had no significant effect on the captures of shrews but increased edge allows invasion of the Argentine ants, which had a highly significant negative impact on the abundance of N. crawfordi.At the trap array level, the percentage of coastal sage scrub flora had a significant positive, and the percentage of other flora had a significant negative effect on the abundance of N. crawfordi. The mean canopy height and the abundance of N. crawfordi had a significant positive effect on the occurrence of S. ornatus.Our study suggests that the loss of native coastal sage scrub flora and increasing presence of Argentine ant colonies may significantly effect the distribution and abundance of N. crawfordi. The very low overall population densities of both shrew species in most study sites make both species susceptible to extinction in isolated habitat fragments due to environmental stochasticity, and anthropogenic disturbance.

[The interactive effects of comparative advertising on brand and company image change].

PubMed

Hama, Y

1991-04-01

The purpose of the present study was: 1) to investigate the effects of two types of comparative advertising--Merit-type (emphasizing positive aspects of their own brand) and Demerit-type (pointing out negative aspects of the rival brand); and 2) to find an effective strategy against comparative advertising of a rival company. Subjects were shown advertisements, and were then asked to evaluate those advertisements (17 items), the brands and company images (3 items) for these two companies. The results are as follows: Comparative advertising, especially of the Demerit-type, was the most conspicuous type of advertising, which also had a significant negative effect on the perception of rival brands. However, this type of advertising also had a negative effect on his own advertising, the brands advertised, and the company itself. Furthermore, it was found that when a rival company uses Demerit-type advertising, it is better not to respond by the same type, but to respond by Merit-type advertising. In such a situation, positive image of his own brand and company become significantly higher.

Investigation of air quality on mood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaac, L.

2017-12-01

My project evaluated the effect of air quality on mood. We quantified people's mood using an online survey and then looked at the relationship between mood and pm 2.5 and ozone concentrations. Mood was quantified using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). I found that with increasing ozone AQI the positive score for mood decreased and the negative score for mood increased. The trend was not significant (p=0.414 for positive and p=0.158 for negative). I also found that the positive score decreased with increasing PM2.5 AQI (p=0.19); however there was no pattern between the negative scores and PM 2.5 AQI. In summary, air quality does look to have a negative effect on mood; however more data is needed to confirm this relationship.

Social support and social strain among husbands and wives: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

DeLongis, Anita; Capreol, Martha; Holtzman, Susan; O'Brien, Tess; Campbell, Jennifer

2004-09-01

In response to recent calls in the literature for within-person examinations of social support processes over time, this study explores the relationships of spousal support, spousal strain, and well-being among husbands and wives, both within the same day and across days. Eighty-three couples were interviewed and completed a structured diary twice daily for 1 week. The results of multilevel hierarchical modeling suggest that both spousal support and spousal strain made significant, independent contributions to concurrent negative affect, although only spousal support was a significant predictor of next-day negative affect. Spousal strain interacted with spousal support to predict next-day negative affect. Direct and moderating effects of perceived marital adjustment on negative affect were discussed. Copyright 2004 American Psychological Association

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.

Framing effects in medical situations: distinctions of attribute, goal and risky choice frames.

PubMed

Peng, Jiaxi; Jiang, Yuan; Miao, Danmin; Li, Rui; Xiao, Wei

2013-06-01

To verify whether three different framing effects (risky choice, attribute and goal) exist in simulated medical situations and to analyse any differences. Medical decision-making problems were established, relating to medical skill evaluation, patient compliance and a selection of treatment options. All problems were described in positive and negative frame conditions. Significantly more positive evaluations were made if the doctor's medical records were described as 'of 100 patients, 70 patients became better' compared with those described as 'of 100 patients, 30 patients didn't become better'. Doctor's advice described in a negative frame resulted in significantly more decisions to comply, compared with advice described in a positive frame. Treatment options described in terms of survival rates resulted in significantly more adventurous choices compared with options described in terms of mortality rates. Decision-making reversal appeared in the risky choice and attribute frames, but not the goal frame. Framing effects were shown to exist in simulated medical situations, but there were significant differences among the three kinds of such effects.

Negative Mood States or Dysfunctional Cognitions: Their Independent and Interactional Effects in Influencing Severity of Gambling Among Chinese Problem Gamblers in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Wong, Daniel Fu Keung; Zhuang, Xiao Yu; Jackson, Alun; Dowling, Nicki; Lo, Herman Hay Ming

2017-09-04

Gambling-related cognitions and negative psychological states have been proposed as major factors in the initiation and maintenance of problem gambling (PG). While there are a substantial number of studies supporting the role of cognitive dysfunctions in the initiation and maintenance of PG, very few empirical studies have explored the specific role of negative psychological states in influencing PG behaviours. In addition, very few studies have examined the interaction effects of cognitive dysfunctions and negative psychological states in exerting influence on PG behaviours. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the main and interaction effects of gambling-related cognitions and psychological states on the gambling severity among a group of problem gamblers in Hong Kong. A cross-sectional research design was adopted. A purposive sample of 177 problem gamblers who sought treatment from a social service organization in Hong Kong completed a battery of standardised questionnaires. While gambling-related cognitions were found to exert significant effects on gambling severity, negative psychological states (i.e. stress) significantly moderated the relationship between gambling cognitions and gambling severity. In essence, those participants who reported a higher level of stress had more stable and serious gambling problems than those who reported a lower level of stress irrespective of the level of gambling-related cognitions. The findings of the moderating role of negative emotions in the relationship between cognitive distortions and severity of gambling provide insight towards developing an integrated intervention model which includes both cognitive-behavioural and emotion regulation strategies in helping people with PG.

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.

The antagonistic effect between STAT1 and Survivin and its clinical significance in gastric cancer.

PubMed

Deng, Hao; Zhen, Hongyan; Fu, Zhengqi; Huang, Xuan; Zhou, Hongyan; Liu, Lijiang

2012-01-01

In previous studies, we observed that STAT1 and Survivin correlated negatively with gastric cancer tissues, and that the functions of the IFN-γ-STAT1 pathway and Survivin in gastric cancer are the same as those reported for other types of cancer. In this study, the SGC7901 gastric cancer cell line and 83 gastric cancer specimens were used to confirm the relationship between STAT1 and Survivin, as well as the clinical significance of this relationship in gastric cancer. IFN-γ and STAT1 and Survivin antisense oligonucleotides (ASONs) were used to knock down the expression in SGC7901 cells. The protein expression of STAT1 and Survivin was tested by immunocytochemical and image analysis methods. A gastric cancer tissue microarray was prepared and tested by immunohistochemical methods. Data were analyzed by the Spearman's rank correlation analysis, the χ(2) test and Cox's multivariate regression analysis. Upon knockdown of IFN-γ, STAT1 and Survivin expression by ASON in the SGC7901 cell line, an antagonistic effect was observed between STAT1 and Survivin. In gastric cancer tissues, STAT1 showed a negative correlation with depth of invasion (p<0.05) in gastric cancer tissues exhibiting a negative Survivin protein expression. Furthermore, in tissues exhibiting a negative STAT1 protein expression, Survivin correlated negatively with N stage (p<0.05). Pathological and molecular markers were used to conduct Cox's multivariate regression analysis, and depth of invasion and N stage were found to be prognostic factors (p<0.05). On the other hand, in tissues exhibiting a negative Survivin protein expression, Cox's multivariate regression analysis revealed that the differentiation type and STAT1 protein expression were prognostic factors (p<0.05). There is an antagonistic effect between STAT1 and Survivin in gastric cancer, and this antagonistic effect is of clinical significance in gastric cancer.

Are Competition and Extrinsic Motivation Reliable Predictors of Academic Cheating?

PubMed Central

Orosz, Gábor; Farkas, Dávid; Roland-Lévy, Christine

2013-01-01

Previous studies suggest that extrinsic motivation and competition are reliable predictors of academic cheating. The aim of the present questionnaire study was to separate the effects of motivation- and competition-related variables on academic cheating by Hungarian high school students (N = 620, M = 264, F = 356). Structural equation modeling showed that intrinsic motivation has a negative effect, and amotivation has a positive indirect effect on self-reported academic cheating. In contrast, extrinsic motivation had no significant effect. Indirect positive influence on cheating, based on some characteristics of hypercompetition, was also found, whereas attitudes toward self-developmental competition had a mediated negative influence. Neither constructive nor destructive competitive classroom climate had a significant impact on academic dishonesty. Acceptance of cheating and guilt has significant and direct effect on self-reported cheating. In comparison with them, the effects of motivational and competition-related variables are relatively small, even negligible. These results suggest that extrinsic motivation and competition are not amongst the most reliable predictors of academic cheating behavior. PMID:23450676

Are competition and extrinsic motivation reliable predictors of academic cheating?

PubMed

Orosz, Gábor; Farkas, Dávid; Roland-Lévy, Christine

2013-01-01

Previous studies suggest that extrinsic motivation and competition are reliable predictors of academic cheating. The aim of the present questionnaire study was to separate the effects of motivation- and competition-related variables on academic cheating by Hungarian high school students (N = 620, M = 264, F = 356). Structural equation modeling showed that intrinsic motivation has a negative effect, and amotivation has a positive indirect effect on self-reported academic cheating. In contrast, extrinsic motivation had no significant effect. Indirect positive influence on cheating, based on some characteristics of hypercompetition, was also found, whereas attitudes toward self-developmental competition had a mediated negative influence. Neither constructive nor destructive competitive classroom climate had a significant impact on academic dishonesty. Acceptance of cheating and guilt has significant and direct effect on self-reported cheating. In comparison with them, the effects of motivational and competition-related variables are relatively small, even negligible. These results suggest that extrinsic motivation and competition are not amongst the most reliable predictors of academic cheating behavior.

Understanding Associations Between Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Negative Consequences of Drinking: a Moderated Mediation Analysis.

PubMed

Karriker-Jaffe, Katherine J; Liu, HuiGuo; Kaplan, Lauren M

2016-05-01

We explored how neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) is related to negative consequences of drinking to explain why racial/ethnic minority group members are more at risk than Whites for adverse alcohol outcomes. We tested direct and indirect effects of neighborhood SES on alcohol problems and examined differences by gender and race. We used data from the 2000 and 2005 National Alcohol Surveys (N = 7912 drinkers aged 18 and older; 49 % female) linked with data from the 2000 Decennial Census in multivariate path models adjusting for individual demographics. In the full sample, neighborhood disadvantage had a significant direct path to increased negative consequences, with no indirect paths through depression, positive affect or pro-drinking attitudes. Neighborhood affluence had significant indirect paths to increased negative consequences through greater pro-drinking attitudes and increased heavy drinking. Subgroup analyses showed the indirect path from affluence to consequences held for White men, with no effects of neighborhood disadvantage. For racial/ethnic minority men, significant indirect paths emerged from both neighborhood disadvantage and affluence to increased consequences through greater pro-drinking attitudes and more heavy drinking. For minority women, there was an indirect effect of neighborhood affluence through reduced depression to fewer drinking consequences. There were limited neighborhood effects on alcohol outcomes for White women. Interventions targeting pro-drinking attitudes in both affluent and disadvantaged areas may help reduce alcohol-related problems among men. Initiatives to improve neighborhood conditions could enhance mental health of minority women and reduce alcohol-related health disparities.

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.

Self-control and parental control mediate the relationship between negative emotions and emotional eating among adolescents.

PubMed

Zhu, Hong; Luo, Xingwei; Cai, Taisheng; Li, Zhihua; Liu, Wenli

2014-11-01

The study was conducted to simultaneously investigate the mediating effects of parental control and adolescents' self-control on the relationship between adolescents' negative emotions and emotional eating, and to determine pathways with the greatest effect among these variables. Negative emotions, emotional eating, parental control, and self-control were investigated in 594 high school students (average age=16.70, SD=1.09) in Changsha City, China. High levels of negative emotions and parental control and low levels of self-control were strongly related to high levels of emotional eating in adolescents. In addition to the direct relationship between negative emotions and emotional eating, there was a mediating effect observed through low self-control and high parental control. The mediational effect of parental control was non-significant in adolescent boys. Furthermore, negative emotions related to emotional eating through the effect of parental control on adolescents' self-control. The degree to which both mediators explained the relationship between negative emotions and emotional eating ranged from 52.6% to 66.8%, and self-control had a stronger mediational effect than did parental control. The results indicate that both self-control and parental control should be considered in designing preventative measures against emotional eating in adolescents. Adolescent self-control training could also assist in preventing emotional eating. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of present and past antipsychotic side effects on attitude toward typical antipsychotic treatment and adherence.

PubMed

Lambert, M; Conus, P; Eide, P; Mass, R; Karow, A; Moritz, S; Golks, D; Naber, D

2004-11-01

(1) determine which antipsychotic side effects (SE) schizophrenic patients consider the most distressing during treatment with typical antipsychotics, (2) measure the impact of actual and past SE on patients' attitude toward antipsychotics and (3) assess the influence of both on adherence. The 213 schizophrenics, treated with conventional antipsychotics, were recruited in two psychiatric hospitals in Hamburg. Subjects were assessed about type and severity of present and past side effects and their attitude and adherence to antipsychotic treatment. The 82 (39%) patients presented present SE while 131 (61%) did not. Sexual dysfunctions (P < 0.001), extrapyramidal (P < 0.05) and psychic side effects (P < 0.05) were rated as significantly subjectively more distressing than sedation or vegetative side effects. Patients presenting with present SE compared with patients without present SE had a significantly more negative general attitude toward antipsychotics (P < 0.05), were more doubtful about their efficacy (P < 0.01) and were less likely to encourage a relative to take such a medication in case of need (P < 0.001). A regression analysis indicated that nonadherence was mainly influenced by negative general and efficacy attitudes toward antipsychotics and the experience of past or present antipsychotic side effects. All antipsychotic side effects, present or past, can have a durable negative impact on patient's attitude toward antipsychotic treatment and adherence. Non-adherence is mainly determined, among other factors, by these negative attitudes, which are partly influenced by the experience of past or present antipsychotic-induced side effects.

A cross-cultural investigation of attachment style, catastrophizing, negative pain beliefs, and symptom severity in irritable bowel syndrome.

PubMed

Gerson, C D; Gerson, M-J; Chang, L; Corazziari, E S; Dumitrascu, D; Ghoshal, U C; Porcelli, P; Schmulson, M; Wang, W-A; Zali, M

2015-04-01

Little information exists regarding whether psychosocial variables in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) vary by geographic location. Adult attachment is an important psychological concept rooted in childhood relationship experience that has not been previously studied in IBS. Catastrophizing and negative pain beliefs have been described in IBS and may be affected by attachment. In this cross-cultural study, we determined: (i) whether attachment differs between IBS patients and controls, (ii) whether geographic location has a significant effect on attachment style, catastrophizing and negative pain beliefs, and (iii) how all three variables correlate with IBS symptom severity. 463 IBS patients, with moderate to severe symptom scores, and 192 healthy controls completed validated questionnaires about attachment, catastrophizing, negative pain beliefs and IBS-SSS in nine locations, USA (New York, Los Angeles), Mexico, Italy (Rome, Bari), Romania, Iran, India, and China. Attachment anxiety and avoidance scores were significantly higher in IBS patients than in controls (p < 0.001). This was particularly true for the fearful-avoidant attachment category, especially in China and Romania. Path analysis showed that attachment anxiety and avoidance had indirect effects on IBS-SSS through catastrophizing (p < 0.0001) and negative pain beliefs (p = 0.005). All three psychosocial measures varied significantly depending on location. In the IBS population studied, attachment style was significantly different in IBS compared to a control population. Geographic differences in attachment, catastrophizing and negative pain beliefs were documented and their correlation with symptom severity and thus, research of psychosocial variables in IBS should take into account the location of the population studied. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The therapeutic effect of negative pressure in treating femoral head necrosis in rabbits.

PubMed

Zhang, Yin-gang; Wang, Xuezhi; Yang, Zhi; Zhang, Hong; Liu, Miao; Qiu, Yushen; Guo, Xiong

2013-01-01

Because negative pressure can stimulate vascular proliferation, improve blood circulation and promote osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells, we investigated the therapeutic effect of negative pressure on femoral head necrosis (FHN) in a rabbit model. Animals were divided into four groups (n = 60/group): [1] model control, [2] core decompression, [3] negative pressure and [4] normal control groups. Histological investigation revealed that at 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively, improvements were observed in trabecular bone shape, empty lacunae and numbers of bone marrow hematopoietic cells and fat cells in the negative pressure group compared to the core decompression group. At week 8, there were no significant differences between the negative pressure and normal control groups. Immunohistochemistry staining revealed higher expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in the femoral heads in the negative pressure group compared with the core decompression group. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that cell organelles were further developed in the negative pressure group compared with the core decompression group. Microvascular ink staining revealed an increased number of bone marrow ink-stained blood vessels, a thicker vascular lumen and increased microvascular density in the negative pressure group relative to the core decompression group. Real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that expression levels of both VEGF and BMP-2 were higher in the negative pressure group compared with the core decompression group. In summary, negative pressure has a therapeutic effect on FHN. This effect is superior to core decompression, indicating that negative pressure is a potentially valuable method for treating early FHN.

The Therapeutic Effect of Negative Pressure in Treating Femoral Head Necrosis in Rabbits

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yin-gang; Wang, Xuezhi; Yang, Zhi; Zhang, Hong; Liu, Miao; Qiu, Yushen; Guo, Xiong

2013-01-01

Because negative pressure can stimulate vascular proliferation, improve blood circulation and promote osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells, we investigated the therapeutic effect of negative pressure on femoral head necrosis (FHN) in a rabbit model. Animals were divided into four groups (n = 60/group): [1] model control, [2] core decompression, [3] negative pressure and [4] normal control groups. Histological investigation revealed that at 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively, improvements were observed in trabecular bone shape, empty lacunae and numbers of bone marrow hematopoietic cells and fat cells in the negative pressure group compared to the core decompression group. At week 8, there were no significant differences between the negative pressure and normal control groups. Immunohistochemistry staining revealed higher expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in the femoral heads in the negative pressure group compared with the core decompression group. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that cell organelles were further developed in the negative pressure group compared with the core decompression group. Microvascular ink staining revealed an increased number of bone marrow ink-stained blood vessels, a thicker vascular lumen and increased microvascular density in the negative pressure group relative to the core decompression group. Real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that expression levels of both VEGF and BMP-2 were higher in the negative pressure group compared with the core decompression group. In summary, negative pressure has a therapeutic effect on FHN. This effect is superior to core decompression, indicating that negative pressure is a potentially valuable method for treating early FHN. PMID:23383276

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

PubMed

Lee, Chulhee

2014-01-01

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

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.

The negative ions emission in nitrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soon, W. H.; Kunc, J. A.

1991-01-01

The contribution of negative atomic ions to continuum radiation in nitrogen plasma is discussed. It is shown that both unstable N(-)(3P) and metastable N(-)(1D) ions have a significant effect on the total production of the continuum radiation at electron temperatures below 12,000 K.

Work-family spillover and metabolic syndrome indicators: Findings from a national sample.

PubMed

Versey, H Shellae; Tan, Mingxuan

2018-03-01

This study examines the link between negative work-family spillover and metabolic risk factors over a 9-year period. Data from two waves of the Midlife in the United States Survey were used to explore relationships between negative work-family spillover and four indicators of metabolic syndrome-blood pressure, triglycerides, body mass index, and glucose levels. In a sample of full-time working men and women ( N = 630), increased negative spillover at baseline significantly predicted higher body mass index nearly a decade later, with a marginally significant effect for triglyceride levels. Increases in spillover also body mass index and glucose levels at follow-up. This study extends research tying work-life spillover to health and suggests that further investigation is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of work stress.

Alertness Modulates Conflict Adaptation and Feature Integration in an Opposite Way

PubMed Central

Chen, Jia; Huang, Xiting; Chen, Antao

2013-01-01

Previous studies show that the congruency sequence effect can result from both the conflict adaptation effect (CAE) and feature integration effect which can be observed as the repetition priming effect (RPE) and feature overlap effect (FOE) depending on different experimental conditions. Evidence from neuroimaging studies suggests that a close correlation exists between the neural mechanisms of alertness-related modulations and the congruency sequence effect. However, little is known about whether and how alertness mediates the congruency sequence effect. In Experiment 1, the Attentional Networks Test (ANT) and a modified flanker task were used to evaluate whether the alertness of the attentional functions had a correlation with the CAE and RPE. In Experimental 2, the ANT and another modified flanker task were used to investigate whether alertness of the attentional functions correlate with the CAE and FOE. In Experiment 1, through the correlative analysis, we found a significant positive correlation between alertness and the CAE, and a negative correlation between the alertness and the RPE. Moreover, a significant negative correlation existed between CAE and RPE. In Experiment 2, we found a marginally significant negative correlation between the CAE and the RPE, but the correlation between alertness and FOE, CAE and FOE was not significant. These results suggest that alertness can modulate conflict adaptation and feature integration in an opposite way. Participants at the high alerting level group may tend to use the top-down cognitive processing strategy, whereas participants at the low alerting level group tend to use the bottom-up processing strategy. PMID:24250824

The brief negative symptom scale (BNSS): Sensitivity to treatment effects.

PubMed

Kirkpatrick, Brian; Saoud, Jay B; Strauss, Gregory P; Ahmed, Anthony O; Tatsumi, Kazunori; Opler, Mark; Luthringer, Remy; Davidson, Michael

2017-12-21

The Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) grew out of a recommendation by the NIMH-sponsored Consensus Development Conference on Negative Symptoms that a scale based on contemporary concepts be developed. We assessed sensitivity to change of the BNSS in a trial of MIN-101, which showed efficacy for negative symptoms (PANSS pentagonal model) at daily doses of 32 and 64mg/day. Using mixed-effects model for repeated measures, we examined change in BNSS total score and in the BNSS factors of anhedonia/avolition/asociality (AAA), and expressivity (EXP). Compared to placebo, the 64mg group (N=83) showed a significant decrease in BNSS total score (effect size d [ES] 0.56, p<0.01) and both factor scores (AAA ES=0.48, EXP ES=0.46, p<0.02 for both). Patients in the trial had minimal depression and positive symptom scores; covarying for disorganization, positive symptoms, or anxiety/depression did not cause a meaningful change in the significance of the BNSS total or factor scores in this group. The 32mg group (N=78) did not differ significantly from placebo (N=83) on BNSS total score (ES=0.33, p<0.09), AAA (ES=0.25, p<0.20) or EXP (ES=0.30, p<0.12) scores. These results demonstrate the BNSS is sensitive to change. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Parenting stress as a mediator of parents' negative mood state and behavior problems in children with newly diagnosed cancer.

PubMed

van der Geest, Ivana M; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M; Passchier, Jan; van den Hoed-Heerschop, Corry; Pieters, Rob; Darlington, Anne-Sophie E

2014-07-01

The aim was to investigate the influence of parents' negative mood state and parenting stress on behavior in children with newly diagnosed cancer. A total of 123 parents (n=58 fathers, n=65 mothers) of 67 children with newly diagnosed cancer completed three questionnaires separately at the same time measuring parents' negative mood state, parenting stress, and child behavior problems. Parents' negative mood state was weakly correlated to more child behavior problems (r=0.31, p<0.01), and higher levels of parenting stress were strongly correlated to more child behavior problems (r=0.61, p<0.01). Mediation analyses indicated that the relationship between parents' negative mood state and child behavior problems (c=0.29, p=0.02 (fathers); c=0.25, p=0.04 (mothers)) became non-significant after mediating for parenting stress (c'=0.003, p=0.98 (fathers); c'=0.10, p=0.42 (mothers)). The indirect effect of parents' negative mood state and child behavior problems was only significant for fathers (95% CI [0.12; 0.51]), indicating that parenting stress mediates the effect between fathers' negative mood state and child behavior problems. This is the first study to demonstrate the mediational role of parenting stress in fathers of a child with newly diagnosed cancer. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Clinical Validity of PROMIS® Depression, Anxiety, and Anger across Diverse Clinical Samples

PubMed Central

Schalet, Benjamin D.; Pilkonis, Paul A.; Yu, Lan; Dodds, Nathan; Johnston, Kelly L.; Yount, Susan; Riley, William; Cella, David

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate the responsiveness to change of the PROMIS® negative affect measures (Depression, Anxiety, and Anger) using longitudinal data collected in six chronic health conditions. Study Design and Setting Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD), back pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic heart failure (CHF), and cancer completed PROMIS negative affect instruments as computerized adaptive test (CAT) or as fixed-length short form (SF) at baseline and a clinically-relevant follow-up interval. Participants also completed global ratings of health. Linear mixed effects models and standardized response means (SRM) were estimated at baseline and follow-up. Results 903 individuals participated (back pain, n = 218; cancer, n = 304; CHF, n = 60; COPD, n = 125; MDD, n = 196). All three negative affect instruments improved significantly for treatments of depression and pain. Depression improved for CHF patients (anxiety and anger not administered), while anxiety improved significantly in COPD groups (stable and exacerbation). Response to treatment was not assessed in cancer. Subgroups of patients reporting better or worse health showed a corresponding positive or negative average SRM for negative affect across samples. Conclusion This study provides evidence that the PROMIS negative affect scores are sensitive to change in intervention studies in which negative affect is expected to change. These results inform the estimation of meaningful change and enable comparative effectiveness research. PMID:26931289

Additive-dominance genetic model analyses for late-maturity alpha-amylase activity in a bread wheat factorial crossing population.

PubMed

Rasul, Golam; Glover, Karl D; Krishnan, Padmanaban G; Wu, Jixiang; Berzonsky, William A; Ibrahim, Amir M H

2015-12-01

Elevated level of late maturity α-amylase activity (LMAA) can result in low falling number scores, reduced grain quality, and downgrade of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) class. A mating population was developed by crossing parents with different levels of LMAA. The F2 and F3 hybrids and their parents were evaluated for LMAA, and data were analyzed using the R software package 'qgtools' integrated with an additive-dominance genetic model and a mixed linear model approach. Simulated results showed high testing powers for additive and additive × environment variances, and comparatively low powers for dominance and dominance × environment variances. All variance components and their proportions to the phenotypic variance for the parents and hybrids were significant except for the dominance × environment variance. The estimated narrow-sense heritability and broad-sense heritability for LMAA were 14 and 54%, respectively. High significant negative additive effects for parents suggest that spring wheat cultivars 'Lancer' and 'Chester' can serve as good general combiners, and that 'Kinsman' and 'Seri-82' had negative specific combining ability in some hybrids despite of their own significant positive additive effects, suggesting they can be used as parents to reduce LMAA levels. Seri-82 showed very good general combining ability effect when used as a male parent, indicating the importance of reciprocal effects. High significant negative dominance effects and high-parent heterosis for hybrids demonstrated that the specific hybrid combinations; Chester × Kinsman, 'Lerma52' × Lancer, Lerma52 × 'LoSprout' and 'Janz' × Seri-82 could be generated to produce cultivars with significantly reduced LMAA level.

Effects of cannabis use on body mass, fasting glucose and lipids during the first 12 months of treatment in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Scheffler, F; Kilian, S; Chiliza, B; Asmal, L; Phahladira, L; du Plessis, S; Kidd, M; Murray, R M; Di Forti, M; Seedat, S; Emsley, R

2018-03-06

While acute cannabis use stimulates appetite, general population studies suggest that chronic use is associated with reduced risk of obesity and other cardiometabolic risk factors. In this study we investigated changes in body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose and lipids, and rates of metabolic syndrome risk factors in cannabis users vs. non-users in 109 minimally treated patients with first-episode schizophrenia, schizophreniform or schizo-affective disorder who were treated according to a standardized treatment regime with depot antipsychotic medication over 12 months. Participants underwent repeated urine toxicology tests for cannabis and those testing positive at any time during the study (n = 40), were compared with those who tested negative at all time points (n = 69). There was a significant group*time interaction effect (p = 0.002) with the cannabis negative group showing a greater increase in BMI than the cannabis positive group, after adjusting for age, sex, methamphetamine use and modal dose of antipsychotic. There were no group*time interaction effects for fasting blood glucose or lipids. Post hoc tests indicated significant increases in fasting blood glucose and triglycerides and a decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol for the cannabis negative group, with no significant changes in the cannabis positive group. Rates of metabolic syndrome did not differ significantly between groups, although more cannabis negative patients had elevated waist-circumference at endpoint (p = 0.003). It may be that chronic cannabis use directly suppresses appetite, thereby preventing weight gain in users. However, other indirect effects such as dietary neglect and smoking may be contributory and could explain our findings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Randomized Clinical Trial of Cognitive Behavioral Social Skills Training for Schizophrenia: Improvement in Functioning and Experiential Negative Symptoms

PubMed Central

Granholm, Eric; Holden, Jason; Link, Peter C.; McQuaid, John R.

2014-01-01

Objective Identifying treatments to improve functioning and reduce negative symptoms in consumers with schizophrenia is of high public health significance. Method In this randomized clinical trial, participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (N=149) were randomly assigned to cognitive behavioral social skills training (CBSST) or an active goal-focused supportive contact (GFSC) control condition. CBSST combined cognitive behavior therapy with social skills training and problem solving training to improve functioning and negative symptoms. GFSC was weekly supportive group therapy focused on setting and achieving functioning goals. Blind raters assessed functioning (primary outcome: Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS)), CBSST skill knowledge, positive and negative symptoms, depression, and defeatist performance attitudes. Results In mixed-effects regression models in intent-to-treat analyses, CBSST skill knowledge, functioning, amotivation/asociality negative symptoms and defeatist performance attitudes improved significantly more in CBSST relative to GFSC. In both treatment groups, comparable improvements were also found for positive symptoms and a performance-based measure of social competence. Conclusions The results suggest CBSST is an effective treatment to improve functioning and experiential negative symptoms in consumers with schizophrenia, and both CBSST and supportive group therapy that is actively focused on setting and achieving functioning goals can improve social competence and reduce positive symptoms. PMID:24911420

Gender difference in interactions between MAOA promoter uVNTR polymorphism and negative familial stressors on body mass index among Chinese adolescents.

PubMed

Xie, B; Li, D; London, S J; Palmer, P H; Johnshon, C A; Li, Y; Shih, J; Bergen, A W; Nishita, D; Swan, G E; Ahn, R; Conti, D V

2014-10-01

Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) modulates metabolism of serotonin and dopamine metabolism, neurotransmitters involved in regulation of appetite and food intake. The gene coding for MAOA contains a 30-bp tandem repeat (uVNTR) polymorphism in its promoter region that has been previously identified to be associated with obesity with mixed findings in the literature. Our goals were to replicate the population effects of this functional polymorphism on obesity risk, and to further explore gender differences and interaction effects with negative stressors. Analyses were conducted with data on genotypes, measured weight and height, and self-reported behavioural characteristics among 1101 Chinese adolescents 11-15 years old living in Wuhan, China. Girls with the high-activity allele had significantly lower body mass index (BMI; β = -0.25 ± 0.98, P = 0.011) compared to those with the low activity allele. Experience of negative familial stressors (e.g., death or illness of family members, hit or scolded by parents and increased quarrelling with parents, parents argued frequently) significantly weakened this protective genetic effect on BMI (P for interaction = 0.043). Stratified analyses showed a significant protective genetic effect on BMI only within the stratum of low stress level (β = -0.44 ± 0.14, P = 0.002). No similar effect was observed among boys. Our findings confirm the genetic effects of MAOA uVNTR polymorphism on BMI in a Chinese adolescent population and suggest potential genetic interactions with negative familial stressors. © 2013 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity © 2013 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Adolescent smokers' response to reducing the nicotine content of cigarettes: Acute effects on withdrawal symptoms and subjective evaluations.

PubMed

Cassidy, Rachel N; Colby, Suzanne M; Tidey, Jennifer W; Jackson, Kristina M; Cioe, Patricia A; Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra; Hatsukami, Dorothy

2018-05-15

Mandating a reduction in the nicotine content of cigarettes to a minimally addictive level could dramatically reduce smoking rates in the US. However, little is known about the effects of reduced nicotine content cigarettes in adolescents. Following overnight abstinence, adolescent daily smokers (ages 15-19, n = 50) reported on their craving, withdrawal, and positive and negative affect pre- and post- ad lib smoking of one cigarette containing varying nicotine content (15.8, 5.2, 1.3 and 0.4 mg/g of tobacco) in the laboratory and reported their subjective evaluations of each cigarette. Carbon monoxide (CO) boost from pre- to post-cigarette was calculated to determine if lower-nicotine cigarettes led to differential acute changes in toxicant exposure. All four nicotine cigarette types significantly reduced abstinence-induced craving, withdrawal, and negative affect (all p's < .05). Mixed models evaluating the effect of nicotine content, with nicotine dependence level and gender included as covariates, revealed a significant effect of nicotine content on craving and subjective evaluations: higher nicotine content resulted in greater reductions in craving and increases in both positive and negative subjective evaluations. There were no significant effects of nicotine dose on withdrawal symptoms, negative affect, or CO boost. These results suggest that lower nicotine cigarettes might result in reduced abuse liability compared to higher nicotine content cigarettes due to reduced positive subjective effects, while still reducing withdrawal, in adolescents. These results highlight the potential feasibility of this policy approach and support continued research on how a nicotine reduction policy may affect adolescent smoking patterns. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of interval tubal sterilization on sexual interest and pleasure.

PubMed

Costello, Caroline; Hillis, Susan D; Marchbanks, Polly A; Jamieson, Denise J; Peterson, Herbert B

2002-09-01

To determine if interval tubal sterilization leads to a change in female sexual interest or pleasure and to identify predictors of a positive or negative effect. Our study population comprised 4576 women enrolled in a prospective, multicenter cohort study between 1978 and 1983. Potential demographic, clinical, and surgical predictors of sexual outcome were tested for significant variation from the overall pattern of unchanged, increased, and decreased sexual interest and pleasure. Over 80% of the 4576 study women reported no consistent change in either sexual interest (80.0%) or pleasure (81.7%) after interval tubal sterilization. Among women with consistent change, positive effects were reported ten and 15 times more often than negative effects for sexual interest and pleasure, respectively. All subgroups of women, except for those with poststerilization regret, were significantly (P <.05) more likely to experience increased rather than decreased interest or pleasure. Women with poststerilization regret were the subgroup most likely to have a negative effect; in multivariate analyses, poststerilization regret was the only factor to be a predictor for decreased interest (odds ratio 4.0) and decreased pleasure (odds ratio 5.1). Similarly, women reporting regret were significantly less likely to report increased interest or pleasure. Whether the regret or the decreased sexual interest or pleasure occurred first is unclear. Interval tubal ligation is unlikely to result in changed sexual interest or pleasure. Among those with change, the majority experienced positive sexual effects.

Genetic origin of the relationship between parental negativity and behavior problems from early childhood to adolescence: A longitudinal genetically sensitive study

PubMed Central

Alemany, Silvia; Rijsdijk, Frühling V.; Haworth, Claire Margaret Alison; Fañanás, Lourdes; Plomin, Robert

2013-01-01

Little is known about how genetic and environmental factors contribute to the association between parental negativity and behavior problems from early childhood to adolescence. The current study fitted a cross-lagged model in a sample consisting of 4,075 twin pairs to explore (a) the role of genetic and environmental factors in the relationship between parental negativity and behavior problems from age 4 to age 12, (b) whether parent-driven and child-driven processes independently explain the association, and (c) whether there are sex differences in this relationship. Both phenotypes showed substantial genetic influence at both ages. The concurrent overlap between them was mainly accounted for by genetic factors. Causal pathways representing stability of the phenotypes and parent-driven and child-driven effects significantly and independently account for the association. Significant but slight differences were found between males and females for parent-driven effects. These results were highly similar when general cognitive ability was added asa covariate. In summary, the longitudinal association between parental negativity and behavior problems seems to be bidirectional and mainly accounted for by genetic factors. Furthermore, child-driven effects were mainly genetically mediated, and parent-driven effects were a function of both genetic and shared-environmental factors. PMID:23627958

Women Benefit More Than Men in Response to College-based Meditation Training

PubMed Central

Rojiani, Rahil; Santoyo, Juan F.; Rahrig, Hadley; Roth, Harold D.; Britton, Willoughby B.

2017-01-01

Objectives: While recent literature has shown that mindfulness training has positive effects on treating anxiety and depression, there has been virtually no research investigating whether effects differ across genders—despite the fact that men and women differ in clinically significant ways. The current study investigated whether college-based meditation training had different effects on negative affect for men and women. Methods: Seventy-seven university students (36 women, age = 20.7 ± 3.0 years) participated in 12-week courses with meditation training components. They completed self-report questionnaires of affect, mindfulness, and self-compassion before and after the course. Results: Compared to men, women showed greater decreases in negative affect and greater increases on scales measuring mindfulness and self-compassion. Women’s improvements in negative affect were correlated to improvements in measures of both mindfulness skills and self-compassion. In contrast, men showed non-significant increases in negative affect, and changes in affect were only correlated with ability to describe emotions, not any measures of experiential or self-acceptance. Conclusion: These findings suggest that women may have more favorable responses than men to school-based mindfulness training, and that the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions may be maximized by gender-specific modifications. PMID:28473783

Feeding on Beauveria bassiana-treated Frankliniella occidentalis causes negative effects on the predatory mite Neoseiulus barkeri

PubMed Central

Wu, Shengyong; Gao, Yulin; Xu, Xuenong; Wang, Dengjie; Li, Juan; Wang, Haihong; Wang, Endong; Lei, Zhongren

2015-01-01

The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana and the predatory mite Neoseiulus barkeri are both potential biocontrol agents for their shared host/prey Frankliniella occidentalis. The combination of the two agents may enhance biological control of F. occidentalis if the fungus does not negatively affect N. barkeri. This study evaluated the indirect effects of B. bassiana strain SZ-26 on N. barkeri mediated by F. occidentalis using the age-stage, two-sex life table. When fed on the first instar larvae of F. occidentalis that had been exposed for 12 h to the SZ-26 suspension, the developmental time of preadult N. barkeri was significantly longer, and the longevity and fecundity were significantly lower than that of N. barkeri fed on untreated F. occidentalis. The mean generation time (T), net reproductive rate (R0), finite rate of increase (λ), intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) and predation rates were correspondingly affected. The data showed that B. bassiana has indirect negative effects on N. barkeri population dynamics via influencing their prey F. occidentalis larvae, which indicates that there is a risk in combining B. bassiana with N. barkeri simultaneously for the biocontrol of F. occidentalis. The probable mechanism for the negative effects is discussed. PMID:26153532

Feeding on Beauveria bassiana-treated Frankliniella occidentalis causes negative effects on the predatory mite Neoseiulus barkeri.

PubMed

Wu, Shengyong; Gao, Yulin; Xu, Xuenong; Wang, Dengjie; Li, Juan; Wang, Haihong; Wang, Endong; Lei, Zhongren

2015-07-08

The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana and the predatory mite Neoseiulus barkeri are both potential biocontrol agents for their shared host/prey Frankliniella occidentalis. The combination of the two agents may enhance biological control of F. occidentalis if the fungus does not negatively affect N. barkeri. This study evaluated the indirect effects of B. bassiana strain SZ-26 on N. barkeri mediated by F. occidentalis using the age-stage, two-sex life table. When fed on the first instar larvae of F. occidentalis that had been exposed for 12 h to the SZ-26 suspension, the developmental time of preadult N. barkeri was significantly longer, and the longevity and fecundity were significantly lower than that of N. barkeri fed on untreated F. occidentalis. The mean generation time (T), net reproductive rate (R0), finite rate of increase (λ), intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) and predation rates were correspondingly affected. The data showed that B. bassiana has indirect negative effects on N. barkeri population dynamics via influencing their prey F. occidentalis larvae, which indicates that there is a risk in combining B. bassiana with N. barkeri simultaneously for the biocontrol of F. occidentalis. The probable mechanism for the negative effects is discussed.

A comprehensive biophysical description of pairwise epistasis throughout an entire protein domain

PubMed Central

Olson, C. Anders; Wu, Nicholas C.; Sun, Ren

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Background Non-additivity in fitness effects from two or more mutations, termed epistasis, can result in compensation of deleterious mutations or negation of beneficial mutations. Recent evidence shows the importance of epistasis in individual evolutionary pathways. However, an unresolved question in molecular evolution is how often and how significantly fitness effects change in alternative genetic backgrounds. Results To answer this question we quantified the effects of all single mutations and double mutations between all positions in the IgG-binding domain of protein G (GB1). By observing the first two steps of all possible evolutionary pathways, this fitness profile enabled the characterization of the extent and magnitude of pairwise epistasis throughout an entire protein molecule. Furthermore, we developed a novel approach to quantitatively determine the effects of single mutations on structural stability (ΔΔGU). This enabled determination of the importance of stability effects in functional epistasis. Conclusions Our results illustrate common biophysical mechanisms for occurrences of positive and negative epistasis. Our results show pervasive positive epistasis within a conformationally dynamic network of residues. The stability analysis shows that significant negative epistasis, which is more common than positive epistasis, mostly occurs between combinations of destabilizing mutations. Furthermore, we show that although significant positive epistasis is rare, many deleterious mutations are beneficial in at least one alternative mutational background. The distribution of conditionally beneficial mutations throughout the domain demonstrates that the functional portion of sequence space can be significantly expanded by epistasis. PMID:25455030

Impact of disaster-related mortality on gross domestic product in the WHO African Region

PubMed Central

Kirigia, Joses M; Sambo, Luis G; Aldis, William; Mwabu, Germano M

2004-01-01

Background Disaster-related mortality is a growing public health concern in the African Region. These deaths are hypothesized to have a significantly negative effect on per capita gross domestic product (GDP). The objective of this study was to estimate the loss in GDP attributable to natural and technological disaster-related mortality in the WHO African Region. Methods The impact of disaster-related mortality on GDP was estimated using double-log econometric model and cross-sectional data on various Member States in the WHO African Region. The analysis was based on 45 of the 46 countries in the Region. The data was obtained from various UNDP and World Bank publications. Results The coefficients for capital (K), educational enrolment (EN), life expectancy (LE) and exports (X) had a positive sign; while imports (M) and disaster mortality (DS) were found to impact negatively on GDP. The above-mentioned explanatory variables were found to have a statistically significant effect on GDP at 5% level in a t-distribution test. Disaster mortality of a single person was found to reduce GDP by US$0.01828. Conclusions We have demonstrated that disaster-related mortality has a significant negative effect on GDP. Thus, as policy-makers strive to increase GDP through capital investment, export promotion and increased educational enrolment, they should always keep in mind that investments made in the strengthening of national capacity to mitigate the effects of national disasters expeditiously and effectively will yield significant economic returns. PMID:15113453

Nocebo and the potential harm of 'high risk' labelling: a scoping review.

PubMed

Symon, Andrew; Williams, Brian; Adelasoye, Qadir A; Cheyne, Helen

2015-07-01

A discussion of the existence, prevalence and characteristics of the nocebo effect in health care. There is increasing but inconsistent evidence for nocebo effects (the opposite of placebo). Causal mechanisms are believed to be similar to placebo (negative effects result from suggestions of negative clinical outcomes). Risk screening in health care may produce this unintended effect through labelling some patients as high risk. Given health care's almost universal coverage this potentially affects many people. Discussion paper following a scoping review of the existence and frequency of nocebo. Literature databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CCTR, CINAHL and EMBASE) searched from inception dates to 2013. Significant empirical evidence indicates that negative beliefs may impact on health outcomes (incidence estimates range from 3-27%). The nocebo effect, rooted in the complex interplay between physiological functioning and social factors, appears significantly more common among women and where prior negative knowledge or expectations exist. Pre-existing psychological characteristics (anxiety, neuroses, panic disorder or pessimism) exacerbate it. While the placebo effect is well documented, there has been no systematic attempt to synthesize primary empirical research on the role of nocebo. It is possible that nocebo outcomes may be preventable through careful consideration of information provision and the prior identification of potentially high risk individuals. This paper summarizes the scale and importance of the nocebo effect, its distribution according to a range of social and clinical variables and its known relation to psychological precursors. It identifies important gaps in the research literature. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Erosion of belief and disbelief: effects of religiosity and negative affect on beliefs in the paranormal and supernatural.

PubMed

Beck, R; Miller, J P

2001-04-01

The authors investigated the effects of religiosity and negative affect on beliefs in the paranormal and supernatural among 94 undergraduate students enrolled in psychology classes at a small, private U.S. university. They hypothesized that religiosity would predict differential beliefs in the supernatural versus the paranormal but that negative affect would attenuate these beliefs. In addition, the authors predicted that belief in the supernatural and negative affect would interact to predict belief in the paranormal. Overall, the results were consistent with predictions. The religious participants were skeptical of paranormal phenomena but were accepting of supernatural phenomena. In addition, increased reports of negative affect over the preceding year appeared to attenuate belief in the supernatural for the religious participants. By contrast, for the nonreligious participants, increased belief in both the supernatural and paranormal was predicted when reports of negative affect were high. Finally, the interaction of supernatural belief and negative affect significantly predicted belief in the paranormal.

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

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

The Yang and Yin of the Communications Future: Positive Technology and Negative Messages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haskins, Jack B.

Future developments in communication technology promise to have both positive and negative effects on information sources, messages, the media, and audiences. An increased tendency toward monopolistic control, for example, might accompany improvement in information management. A significant problem already in evidence among information…

Anxiety and the Use of Alcohol-Related Protective Behavioral Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Napper, Lucy E.; LaBrie, Joseph W.; Hummer, Justin F.

2015-01-01

Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are useful skills for reducing the negative consequences of alcohol. The moderating effects of anxiety on the relationship between 3 different types of PBS and negative consequences were examined among students accessing college counseling services. Results revealed a significant interaction between anxiety…

Does cholesterol screening result in negative labeling effects? Results of the Massachusetts Model Systems for Blood Cholesterol Screening Project.

PubMed

Havas, S; Reisman, J; Hsu, L; Koumjian, L

1991-01-01

Several previous studies that looked at the effects of labeling individuals as hypertensive found increases in psychosocial distress, diminished feelings of well-being, or absenteeism. Other studies found no such effects. Thus far, similar studies relating to labeling for high blood cholesterol levels have not been published. The Massachusetts Model Systems for Blood Cholesterol Screening Project investigated whether labeling effects occurred as a result of the community-based screening, education, and referral programs it conducted in Worcester and Lowell. Nine questions concerning perceptions of physical and psychological well-being were asked on a questionnaire given to screening participants. The same questions were asked as part of a follow-up questionnaire given to all individuals identified as having high blood cholesterol levels at one of the screenings. Comparison of the baseline and follow-up results did not demonstrate significant overall negative effects among any age, sex, racial, income, or educational groups. On the contrary, responses to many of the questions revealed small but statistically significant improvements in perceptions of physical and psychological well-being. The absence of negative labeling effects may be attributable to the positive, supportive approach to participant counseling taken by the project.

Effects of Couple Interactions and Relationship Quality on Plasma Oxytocin and Cardiovascular Reactivity: Empirical Findings and Methodological Considerations

PubMed Central

Smith, Timothy W.; Uchino, Bert N.; MacKenzie, Justin; Hicks, Angela; Campo, Rebecca A.; Reblin, Maija; Grewen, Karen; Amico, Janet A.; Light, Kathleen C.

2016-01-01

Cardiovascular reactivity is a potential mechanism underlying associations of close relationship quality with cardiovascular disease. Two models describe oxytocin as another mechanism. The “calm and connect” model posits an association between positive relationship experiences and oxytocin levels and responses, whereas the “tend and befriend” model emphasizes the effects of negative relationship experiences in evoking oxytocin release. In this study of 180 younger couples, relationship quality had a small, marginally significant inverse association with plasma oxytocin levels, and neither positive nor negative couple interactions evoked change in plasma oxytocin. Negative couple interactions evoked significant cardiovascular reactivity, especially among women. Hence, in the largest study of these issues to date, there was little support for key tenets of the “calm and connect” model, and only very modest support for the ”tend and befriend” model. However, findings were consistent with the view that CVR contributes to the effects of relationship difficulties on health. PMID:22543270

Positive life events predict salivary cortisol in pregnant women.

PubMed

Pluess, Michael; Wurmser, Harald; Buske-Kirschbaum, Angelika; Papousek, Mechthild; Pirke, Karl-Martin; Hellhammer, Dirk; Bolten, Margarete

2012-08-01

Maternal stress during pregnancy has been repeatedly associated with problematic child development. According to the fetal programming hypothesis adverse experiences during pregnancy increase maternal cortisol, which is then assumed to exert a negative effect on fetal development. Recent studies in non-pregnant women report significant associations between positive emotionality and low cortisol levels. We tested in a sample of 60 pregnant women whether both negative and positive life events independently predicted third-trimester baseline awakening cortisol levels. While the effect of negative life events proved unrelated positive life events significantly predicted lower cortisol levels. These findings suggest that positive experiences are of relevance regarding maternal morning cortisol levels in pregnancy reflecting a resource with potentially beneficial effects for the mother and the developing fetus. It might be promising for psychological intervention programs to focus on increasing positive experiences of the expecting mother rather than exclusively trying to reduce maternal stress during pregnancy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early trauma, negative affect, and anxious attachment: the role of metacognition.

PubMed

Myers, Samuel G; Wells, Adrian

2015-01-01

Metacognition is linked to the etiology and maintenance of negative emotions and psychological disorder in the Self-Regulatory Executive Function Model. Although there is significant evidence supporting the model, little is currently known about the situational factors for developing dysfunctional metacognitions. The current study explored the hypothesis that early aversive experiences might be important and also tested if metacognitions could mediate the relationship between such experiences and psychological symptoms. Three hundred and fifty non-clinical adults completed a retrospective early trauma measure, as well as measures of current metacognitive beliefs, negative affect, and anxious attachment. Early emotional abuse positively and significantly correlated with several metacognitive belief dimensions but other forms of early trauma did not. Metacognition fully mediated the relationship between emotional abuse and negative affect. Anxious attachment was also positively and significantly associated with metacognitive beliefs and specific relationships remained after controlling for early emotional abuse and current negative affect. Findings are consistent with the ideas that: (i) early negative experiences, and emotional abuse in particular, could be a factor in the formation of problematic metacognitions and (ii) these metacognitions may be important in determining the effects of abuse on subsequent psychological symptoms.

Perceived health in lung cancer patients: the role of positive and negative affect.

PubMed

Hirsch, Jameson K; Floyd, Andrea R; Duberstein, Paul R

2012-03-01

To examine the association of affective experience and health-related quality of life in lung cancer patients, we hypothesized that negative affect would be positively, and positive affect would be negatively, associated with perceived health. A sample of 133 English-speaking lung cancer patients (33% female; mean age = 63.68 years old, SD = 9.37) completed a battery of self-report surveys. Results of our secondary analysis indicate that trait negative affect was significantly associated with poor physical and social functioning, greater role limitations due to emotional problems, greater bodily pain, and poor general health. Positive affect was significantly associated with adaptive social functioning, fewer emotion-based role limitations, and less severe bodily pain. In a full model, positive affect was significantly associated with greater levels of social functioning and general health, over and above the effects of negative affect. Reduction of negative affect is an important therapeutic goal, but the ability to maintain positive affect may result in greater perceived health. Indeed, engagement in behaviors that result in greater state positive affect may, over time, result in dispositional changes and enhancement of quality of life.

Brain Processing of Emotional Scenes in Aging: Effect of Arousal and Affective Context

PubMed Central

Mathieu, Nicolas Gilles; Gentaz, Edouard; Harquel, Sylvain; Vercueil, Laurent; Chauvin, Alan; Bonnet, Stéphane; Campagne, Aurélie

2014-01-01

Research on emotion showed an increase, with age, in prevalence of positive information relative to negative ones. This effect is called positivity effect. From the cerebral analysis of the Late Positive Potential (LPP), sensitive to attention, our study investigated to which extent the arousal level of negative scenes is differently processed between young and older adults and, to which extent the arousal level of negative scenes, depending on its value, may contextually modulate the cerebral processing of positive (and neutral) scenes and favor the observation of a positivity effect with age. With this aim, two negative scene groups characterized by two distinct arousal levels (high and low) were displayed into two separate experimental blocks in which were included positive and neutral pictures. The two blocks only differed by their negative pictures across participants, as to create two negative global contexts for the processing of the positive and neutral pictures. The results show that the relative processing of different arousal levels of negative stimuli, reflected by LPP, appears similar between the two age groups. However, a lower activity for negative stimuli is observed with the older group for both tested arousal levels. The processing of positive information seems to be preserved with age and is also not contextually impacted by negative stimuli in both younger and older adults. For neutral stimuli, a significantly reduced activity is observed for older adults in the contextual block of low-arousal negative stimuli. Globally, our study reveals that the positivity effect is mainly due to a modulation, with age, in processing of negative stimuli, regardless of their arousal level. It also suggests that processing of neutral stimuli may be modulated with age, depending on negative context in which they are presented to. These age-related effects could contribute to justify the differences in emotional preference with age. PMID:24932857

Understanding the Relationship Between PTSD and Social Support: The Role of Negative Network Orientation

PubMed Central

Clapp, Joshua D.; Beck, J. Gayle

2009-01-01

Network orientation is conceptualized as an individual’s attitudes and expectations regarding the usefulness of support networks in coping with stress. The present research examined the potential for network orientation to explicate the well documented association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and attenuated social support. Data collected from survivors of serious motor vehicle trauma (N = 458) were used to test the hypothesis that severity of PTSD would hold a significant indirect relationship with social support through negative network orientation. Childhood victimization and elapsed time from the accident were examined as potential moderators of this indirect relationship. Consistent with hypotheses, path analyses demonstrated a significant indirect relationship between PTSD and social support through negative network orientation. Specifically, this indirect effect was the result of a direct association between PTSD severity and negative network orientation and an inverse association between negative network orientation and social support. This pattern of relationships was invariant across mode of PTSD assessment (interview vs. self-report). No moderation effects were noted. These data suggest that network orientation may be an important factor in understanding interface of interpersonal processes and posttrauma pathology. PMID:19162260

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.

Factors affecting yearly and monthly visits to Taipei Zoo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Ai-Tsen; Lin, Yann-Jou

2018-02-01

This study investigated factors affecting yearly and monthly numbers of visits to Taipei Zoo. Both linear and nonlinear regression models were used to estimate yearly visits. The results of both models showed that the "opening effect" and "animal star effect" had a significantly positive effect on yearly visits, while a SARS outbreak had a negative effect. The number of years had a significant influence on yearly visits. Results showed that the nonlinear model had better explanatory power and fitted the variations of visits better. Results of monthly model showed that monthly visits were significantly influenced by time fluctuations, weather conditions, and the animal star effect. Chinese New Year, summer vacation, numbers of holidays, and animal star exhibitions increased the number of monthly visits, while the number of days with temperatures at or below 15 °C, the number of days with temperatures at or above 30 °C, and the number of rainy days had significantly negative effects. Furthermore, the model of monthly visits showed that the animal star effect could last for over two quarters. The results of this study clarify the factors affecting visits to an outdoor recreation site and confirm the importance of meteorological factors to recreation use.

Rasagiline in the Treatment of the Persistent Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Buchanan, Robert W; Weiner, Elaine; Kelly, Deanna L; Gold, James M; Keller, William R; Waltz, James A; McMahon, Robert P; Gorelick, David A

2015-07-01

The current study examined the efficacy and safety of rasagiline, a selective MAO-B inhibitor, for the treatment of persistent negative symptoms. Sixty people with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, who met a priori criteria for persistent negative symptoms, were randomized to receive rasagiline, 1mg/d (n = 31) or placebo (n = 29) in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) total score was used to assess change in negative symptoms. The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), N-Back test, a probabilistic learning task, and a delayed discounting task were used to assess cognition. In a mixed model analysis of covariance (MM-ANCOVA), with time as a continuous variable, there was a significant treatment × time effect for SANS total score (F = 5.61(df = 1,40.3), P = .023). The treatment × time interaction effect was also significant for the SANS avolition subscale score (F(1,40.2) = 10.41, P = .002). In a post hoc MM-ANCOVA analyses, with time as a categorical variable, group differences were significant at week 12 for SANS total score (t(37.3) = 2.15; P = .04; d = -0.41) and SANS avolition subscale score (t(49.0) = 3.06; P = .004; d = -0.46). There was a significant difference in number of participants with a ≥20% reduction in SANS avolition score (χ(2)(1) = 10.94; P = .0009), but not in SANS total score (χ(2)(1) = 1.11; P = .29). There were no significant group differences on the RBANS, N-Back, probabilistic learning, or delayed discounting tasks. Study results support future studies of the utility of rasagiline for the treatment of negative symptoms, including avolition (clinicaltrials.gov trial number: NCT00492336). © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Rasagiline in the Treatment of the Persistent Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Buchanan, Robert W.; Weiner, Elaine; Kelly, Deanna L.; Gold, James M.; Keller, William R.; Waltz, James A.; McMahon, Robert P.; Gorelick, David A.

2015-01-01

Objective: The current study examined the efficacy and safety of rasagiline, a selective MAO-B inhibitor, for the treatment of persistent negative symptoms. Methods: Sixty people with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, who met a priori criteria for persistent negative symptoms, were randomized to receive rasagiline, 1mg/d (n = 31) or placebo (n = 29) in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) total score was used to assess change in negative symptoms. The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), N-Back test, a probabilistic learning task, and a delayed discounting task were used to assess cognition. Results: In a mixed model analysis of covariance (MM-ANCOVA), with time as a continuous variable, there was a significant treatment × time effect for SANS total score (F = 5.61(df = 1,40.3), P = .023). The treatment × time interaction effect was also significant for the SANS avolition subscale score (F(1,40.2) = 10.41, P = .002). In a post hoc MM-ANCOVA analyses, with time as a categorical variable, group differences were significant at week 12 for SANS total score (t(37.3) = 2.15; P = .04; d = −0.41) and SANS avolition subscale score (t(49.0) = 3.06; P = .004; d = −0.46). There was a significant difference in number of participants with a ≥20% reduction in SANS avolition score (χ2(1) = 10.94; P = .0009), but not in SANS total score (χ2(1) = 1.11; P = .29). There were no significant group differences on the RBANS, N-Back, probabilistic learning, or delayed discounting tasks. Conclusions: Study results support future studies of the utility of rasagiline for the treatment of negative symptoms, including avolition (clinicaltrials.gov trial number: NCT00492336). PMID:25368372

Negative Affect Mediates Effects of Psychological Stress on Disordered Eating in Young Chinese Women

PubMed Central

Chen, Jue; Wang, Zhen; Guo, Boliang; Arcelus, Jon; Zhang, Haiyin; Jia, Xiuzhen; Xu, Yong; Qiu, Jianyin; Xiao, Zeping; Yang, Min

2012-01-01

Background The bi-relationships between psychological stress, negative affect and disordered eating has been well studied in western culture, while tri-relationship among them, i.e. how some of those factors influence these bi-relationships, has rarely been studied. However, there has been little related study in the different Chinese culture. This study was conducted to investigate the bi-relationships and tri-relationship between psychological stress, negative affect, and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in young Chinese women. Methodology A total of 245 young Chinese policewomen employed to carry out health and safety checks at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo were recruited in this study. The Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Beck Depression Inventory Revised (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) were administered to all participants. Principal Findings The total scores of PSS-10, BDI-II and BAI were all highly correlated with that of EAT-26. The PSS-10 score significantly correlated with both BDI-II and BAI scores. There was no statistically significant direct effect from perceived stress to disordered eating (–0.012, 95%CI: –.038∼0.006, p = 0.357), however, the indirect effects from PSS-10 via affect factors were statistically significant, e.g. the estimated mediation effects from PSS to EAT-26 via depression and anxiety were 0.036 (95%CI: 0.022∼0.044, p<0.001) and 0.015 (95%CI: 0.005∼0.023, p<0.01), respectively. Conclusions Perceived stress and negative affects of depression and anxiety were demonstrated to be strongly associated with disordered eating. Negative affect mediated the relationship between perceived stress and disordered eating. The findings suggest that effective interventions and preventative programmes for disordered eating should pay more attention to depression and anxiety among the young Chinese female population. PMID:23071655

Examining the relationships between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, positive smoking outcome expectancies, and cigarette smoking in people with substance use disorders: a multiple mediator model.

PubMed

Hruska, Bryce; Bernier, Jennifer; Kenner, Frank; Kenne, Deric R; Boros, Alec P; Richardson, Christopher J; Delahanty, Douglas L

2014-01-01

Cigarette smoking is highly prevalent in people with substance use disorders (SUDs) and is associated with significant physical health problems. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is also highly associated with both SUDs and cigarette smoking and may serve as a barrier to smoking cessation efforts. In addition, people with PTSD are more likely to hold positive smoking outcome expectancies (i.e., beliefs that smoking cigarettes results in positive outcomes); these beliefs may contribute to cigarette smoking in people with SUDs experiencing PTSD symptoms. The present study examined the relationship between PTSD symptoms and typical daily cigarette smoking/cigarette dependence symptoms in a sample of 227 trauma-exposed current smokers with SUDs (59.9% male, 89.4% Caucasian) seeking detoxification treatment services. Additionally, the indirect effects of multiple types of positive smoking outcome expectancies on these relationships were examined. Participants completed questionnaires assessing PTSD symptoms, positive smoking outcome expectancies, cigarette consumption, and cigarette dependence symptoms. Results indicated that PTSD symptoms were not directly related to cigarette consumption or cigarette dependence symptoms. However, negative affect reduction outcome expectancies were shown to have a significant indirect effect between PTSD symptoms and cigarette consumption, while negative affect reduction, boredom reduction, and taste-sensorimotor manipulation outcome expectancies were all found to have significant indirect effects between PTSD symptoms and cigarette dependence symptoms. The indirect effect involving negative affect reduction outcome expectancies was statistically larger than that of taste sensorimotor manipulation outcome expectancies, while negative affect reduction and boredom reduction outcome expectancies were comparable in magnitude. These results suggest that expectancies that smoking can manage negative affective experiences are related to cigarette smoking in people with SUDs experiencing PTSD symptoms and suggest that effective smoking cessation treatments should take into account these expectancies. © 2013.

Success/failure condition influences attribution of control, negative affect, and shame among patients with depression in Singapore.

PubMed

Yeo, Si-Ning; Zainal, Hani; Tang, Catherine S; Tong, Eddie M; Ho, Cyrus S; Ho, Roger C

2017-08-02

There remains a paucity of research on control attribution and depression within Asian populations. This study examines: (1) Success/Failure condition as a moderator between depression and negative affect or shame, and (2) differences in control attribution between patients with depression and healthy controls in Singapore. Seventy one patients with depression and 71 healthy controls went through a digit-span memory task where they were randomized into either the Success or Failure condition. Participants in the Success condition had to memorize and recall 5-digit strings, while participants in the Failure condition did the same for 12-digit strings. They then completed self-report measures of negative affect, shame, and attribution of control. One-way ANCOVA was performed to examine task condition as a moderator of association between mental health status and post-task negative affect or shame. Test of simple effects was carried out on significant interactions. Sign test and Mann-Whitney U test were employed to investigate differences in attribution of control. Mental health status and Success/Failure condition had significant effects on reported negative affect and shame. Healthy controls reported less post-task negative affect and shame in the Success than in the Failure condition while patients with depression reported similar levels of post-task negative affect and shame in both conditions. However, these differences were not significant in the test of simple effects. In addition, healthy controls felt a stronger sense of personal control in success than in failure and were more likely to blame external factors in failure than in success. Conversely, patients with depression were more inclined to credit external factors in success than in failure and ascribed greater personal control in failure than in success. The results suggest that successful conditions may not necessitate the reduction of negative affect in Asians with depression, indicating possible cultural variation in affective states as a result of control attribution and the importance of attending to these variations in designing psychological intervention for Asians. Further studies are required to gather more evidence on control attributions in different contexts and study other cognitive mechanisms related to depression in the Asian population.

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.

Comparisons of false negative rates from a trend test alone and from a trend test jointly with a control-high groups pairwise test in the determination of the carcinogenicity of new drugs.

PubMed

Lin, Karl K; Rahman, Mohammad A

2018-05-21

Interest has been expressed in using a joint test procedure that requires that the results of both a trend test and a pairwise comparison test between the control and the high groups be statistically significant simultaneously at the levels of significance recommended in the FDA 2001 draft guidance for industry document for the separate tests in order for the drug effect on the development of an individual tumor type to be considered as statistically significant. Results of our simulation studies show that there is a serious consequence of large inflations of the false negative rate through large decreases of false positive rate in the use of the above joint test procedure in the final interpretation of the carcinogenicity potential of a new drug if the levels of significance recommended for separate tests are used. The inflation can be as high as 204.5% of the false negative rate when the trend test alone is required to test if the effect is statistically significant. To correct the problem, new sets of levels of significance have also been developed for those who want to use the joint test in reviews of carcinogenicity studies.

Negative affect mediates the relationship between interpersonal problems and binge-eating disorder symptoms and psychopathology in a clinical sample: a test of the interpersonal model.

PubMed

Ivanova, Iryna V; Tasca, Giorgio A; Hammond, Nicole; Balfour, Louise; Ritchie, Kerri; Koszycki, Diana; Bissada, Hany

2015-03-01

This study evaluated the validity of the interpersonal model of binge-eating disorder (BED) psychopathology in a clinical sample of women with BED. Data from a cross-sectional sample of 255 women with BED were examined for the direct effects of interpersonal problems on BED symptoms and psychopathology, and indirect effects mediated by negative affect. Structural equation modelling analyses demonstrated that higher levels of interpersonal problems were associated with greater negative affect, and greater negative affect was associated with higher frequency of BED symptoms and psychopathology. There was a significant indirect effect of interpersonal problems on BED symptoms and psychopathology mediated through negative affect. Interpersonal problems may lead to greater BED symptoms and psychopathology, and this relationship may be partially explained by elevated negative affect. The results of the study are the first to provide support for the interpersonal model of BED symptoms and psychopathology in a clinical sample of women. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

A Structural Model of Depression Based on Interpersonal Relationships: The Mediating Role of Coping Strategies and Loneliness.

PubMed

Majd Ara, Elahe; Talepasand, Siavash; Rezaei, Ali Mohammad

2017-06-01

The present study was conducted with the aim of examining the structural model of interpersonal relationships and depression using coping strategies and loneliness as mediators. Using multistage random sampling, 301 high-school students were selected from Minudasht city, Iran. The participants were aksed to complete the Network of Relationships Inventory (NRI); the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (Lazarus and Folkman); the Children's Loneliness Scale (CLS); and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Structural equation modeling was used to examine the pattern of direct and indirect effects. Findings of the present study show that the data are well fitted to the model. The indirect effect of the positive quality of relationships was significant on depression through loneliness. Moreover, the indirect effects of the negative quality of relationships on depression through loneliness and through emotion-focused coping strategies were statistically significant. Although the effect of loneliness and emotion-focused coping strategies on depression was significant, problem-focused coping strategies did not have a significant effect on depression. Additionally, the findings suggested that the indirect effect through loneliness on depression was stronger compared with the indirect effect through emotion-focused coping strategies. The positive or negative quality of interpersonal relationships, loneliness, and emotion-focused coping strategy can significantly predict depression.

Joint effects of emotion and color on memory.

PubMed

Kuhbandner, Christof; Pekrun, Reinhard

2013-06-01

Numerous studies have shown that memory is enhanced for emotionally negative and positive information relative to neutral information. We examined whether emotion-induced memory enhancement is influenced by low-level perceptual attributes such as color. Because in everyday life red is often used as a warning signal, whereas green signals security, we hypothesized that red might enhance memory for negative information and green memory for positive information. To capture the signaling function of colors, we measured memory for words standing out from the context by color, and manipulated the color and emotional significance of the outstanding words. Making words outstanding by color strongly enhanced memory, replicating the well-known von Restorff effect. Furthermore, memory for colored words was further increased by emotional significance, replicating the memory-enhancing effect of emotion. Most intriguingly, the effects of emotion on memory additionally depended on color type. Red strongly increased memory for negative words, whereas green strongly increased memory for positive words. These findings provide the first evidence that emotion-induced memory enhancement is influenced by color and demonstrate that different colors can have different functions in human memory.

Effect of Ichthyophonus on blood plasma chemistry of spawning Chinook salmon and their resulting offspring in a Yukon River tributary.

PubMed

Floyd-Rump, T P; Horstmann-Dehn, L A; Atkinson, S; Skaugstad, C

2017-01-24

Ichthyophonus is a protozoan parasite of Alaska Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. In this study, we determined whether spawning Chinook salmon in the Yukon River drainage exhibited a measurable stress response (i.e. elevated plasma cortisol concentrations) and detectable changes in selected blood plasma chemistry parameters when infected with Ichthyophonus. The resulting alevin were also analyzed for any differences in blood plasma chemistry caused by parental infection with Ichthyophonus. In 2010, 2011, and 2012, spawning adult Chinook salmon were collected from the Salcha River, Alaska, USA, and the prevalence of Ichthyophonus in these fish was 7.8, 6.3, and 8.3%, respectively. Fish with no clinical signs of Ichthyophonus and Ichthyophonus-positive parents were cross-fertilized to investigate potential second-generation effects as a result of Ichthyophonus infection. We found no significant difference in cortisol concentrations in blood plasma between Ichthyophonus-positive and -negative adults or between alevin from Ichthyophonus-positive and -negative parents. There were no significant differences in blood plasma parameters (e.g. alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, glucose) of Ichthyophonus-negative and -positive adults, with the exception of aspartate aminotransferase, which was significantly higher in plasma of Ichthyophonus-negative adults. All clinical chemistry parameters for alevin resulting from both Ichthyophonus-negative and -positive parents were not significantly different. Based on this study, which has a limited sample size and low prevalence of Ichthyophonus, offspring of Chinook salmon appear to suffer no disadvantage as a result of Ichthyophonus infection in their parents on the Salcha River.

Effectiveness and clinical predictors of response to combined ECT and antipsychotic therapy in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia and dominant negative symptoms.

PubMed

Pawełczyk, Tomasz; Kołodziej-Kowalska, Emilia; Pawełczyk, Agnieszka; Rabe-Jabłońska, Jolanta

2014-12-15

The effectiveness and predictors of response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) combined with antipsychotics (AP) in treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients with the dominance of negative symptoms (TRS-NS) have not been studied systematically so far. 29 patients aged 21-55 years diagnosed with TRS-NS underwent ECT combined with antipsychotics (ECT+AP). Prior to the ECT, the symptom profile and severity were evaluated using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Demographic and medical data was collected; ECT parameters and pharmacotherapy results were evaluated. After the combined ECT+AP therapy a significant decrease in symptom severity was found. A response to treatment was achieved by 60% of patients. The greatest reductions were obtained in general and positive PANSS subscale (median change: 11 and 7 pts.) and the smallest, but still significant, ones in negative symptoms subscale (median: 3.5 pts.). Patients who responded to ECT+AP demonstrated a significantly shorter duration of the current episode in comparison with patients who did not experience at least a 25% reduction in symptom severity (median: 4 vs. 8 months). A combination of ECT and antipsychotic therapy can provide a useful treatment option for patients with TRS-NS. The only significant predictor of response to treatment was a shorter duration of the current episode. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Parental health shocks and schooling: The impact of mutual health insurance in Rwanda.

PubMed

Woode, Maame Esi

2017-01-01

The goal of this study was to look at the educational spill-over effects of health insurance on schooling with a focus on the Rwandan Community Based Health Insurance Programme, the Mutual Health Insurance scheme. Using a two-person general equilibrium overlapping generations model, this paper theoretically analyses the possible effect of health insurance on the relationship between parental health shocks and child schooling. Individuals choose whether or not they want to incur a medical cost by seeking care in order to reduce the effect of health shocks on their labour market availability and productivity. The theoretical results show that, health shocks negatively affect schooling irrespective of insurance status. However, if the health shock is severe (incapacitating) or sudden in nature, there is a discernible mitigating effect of health insurance on the negative impact of parental ill health on child schooling. The results are tested empirically using secondary data from the third Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV) for Rwanda, collected in 2011. A total of 2401 children between the ages of 13 and 18 are used for the analysis. This age group is selected due to the age of compulsory education in Rwanda. Based on average treatment effect on treated we find a statistically significant difference in attendance between children with MHI affiliated parents and those with uninsured parents of about 0.044. The negative effect of a father being severely ill is significant only for uninsured household. For the case of the mother, this effect is felt by female children with uninsured parents only when the illness is sudden. The observed effects are more pronounced for older children. While the father's ill health (sever or sudden) significantly and negatively affects their working hours, health insurance plays appears to increase their working hours. The effects of health insurance extend beyond health outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prefrontal cortical thinning links to negative symptoms in schizophrenia via the ENIGMA consortium.

PubMed

Walton, E; Hibar, D P; van Erp, T G M; Potkin, S G; Roiz-Santiañez, R; Crespo-Facorro, B; Suarez-Pinilla, P; van Haren, N E M; de Zwarte, S M C; Kahn, R S; Cahn, W; Doan, N T; Jørgensen, K N; Gurholt, T P; Agartz, I; Andreassen, O A; Westlye, L T; Melle, I; Berg, A O; Morch-Johnsen, L; Færden, A; Flyckt, L; Fatouros-Bergman, H; Jönsson, E G; Hashimoto, R; Yamamori, H; Fukunaga, M; Jahanshad, N; De Rossi, P; Piras, F; Banaj, N; Spalletta, G; Gur, R E; Gur, R C; Wolf, D H; Satterthwaite, T D; Beard, L M; Sommer, I E; Koops, S; Gruber, O; Richter, A; Krämer, B; Kelly, S; Donohoe, G; McDonald, C; Cannon, D M; Corvin, A; Gill, M; Di Giorgio, A; Bertolino, A; Lawrie, S; Nickson, T; Whalley, H C; Neilson, E; Calhoun, V D; Thompson, P M; Turner, J A; Ehrlich, S

2018-01-01

Our understanding of the complex relationship between schizophrenia symptomatology and etiological factors can be improved by studying brain-based correlates of schizophrenia. Research showed that impairments in value processing and executive functioning, which have been associated with prefrontal brain areas [particularly the medial orbitofrontal cortex (MOFC)], are linked to negative symptoms. Here we tested the hypothesis that MOFC thickness is associated with negative symptom severity. This study included 1985 individuals with schizophrenia from 17 research groups around the world contributing to the ENIGMA Schizophrenia Working Group. Cortical thickness values were obtained from T1-weighted structural brain scans using FreeSurfer. A meta-analysis across sites was conducted over effect sizes from a model predicting cortical thickness by negative symptom score (harmonized Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms or Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores). Meta-analytical results showed that left, but not right, MOFC thickness was significantly associated with negative symptom severity (β std = -0.075; p = 0.019) after accounting for age, gender, and site. This effect remained significant (p = 0.036) in a model including overall illness severity. Covarying for duration of illness, age of onset, antipsychotic medication or handedness weakened the association of negative symptoms with left MOFC thickness. As part of a secondary analysis including 10 other prefrontal regions further associations in the left lateral orbitofrontal gyrus and pars opercularis emerged. Using an unusually large cohort and a meta-analytical approach, our findings point towards a link between prefrontal thinning and negative symptom severity in schizophrenia. This finding provides further insight into the relationship between structural brain abnormalities and negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

Hemolysis During Open-Heart Surgery With Vacuum-Assisted Venous Drainage at Different Negative Pressures in Pediatric Patients Weighing Less Than 10 kilograms.

PubMed

Kwak, Jae Gun; Lee, Jinkwon; Park, Minkyoung; Seo, Yu-Jin; Lee, Chang-Ha

2017-03-01

This study examined the degree of hemolysis during vacuum-assisted venous drainage at different negative pressures to identify an adequate negative pressure that provides effective venous drainage without significant hemolysis in open-heart surgery in children weighing less than 10 kg. Patients weighing less than 10 kg who underwent surgery for ventricular septal defect or atrial septal defect from 2011 to 2014 were enrolled. We used one of four negative pressures (20, 30, 40, or 60 mm Hg) for each patient. We measured haptoglobin, plasma hemoglobin, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase levels in the patients' blood three times perioperatively and determined the potential correlation between the change in each parameter with the level of negative pressure. Forty-six patients were enrolled in this study (mean age: 7.1 ± 7.0 months, mean body weight: 6.1 ± 1.8 kg). There were no significant differences according to the degree of negative pressure with respect to patient age, body weight, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, aorta cross-clamping time, blood flow during CPB, or lowest body temperature. All parameters that we measured reflected progression of hemolysis during CPB; however, the degree of change in the parameters did not correlate with negative pressure. In pediatric patients weighing less than 10 kg, the change in the degree of hemolysis did not differ with the amount of negative pressure. We may apply negative pressures up to 60 mm Hg without increasing the risk of hemolysis, with almost same the level of hemolysis using negative pressures of 20, 30, and 40 mm Hg for effective venous drainage and an ideal operative field during open-heart surgery.

A longitudinal mediation analysis of the effect of negative-self-schemas on positive symptoms via negative affect.

PubMed

Jaya, E S; Ascone, L; Lincoln, T M

2018-06-01

Cognitive models postulate that negative-self-schemas (NSS) cause and maintain positive symptoms and that negative affect mediates this link. However, only few studies have tested the temporal mediation claim systematically using an appropriate design. A longitudinal cohort design in an online community sample (N = 962) from Germany, Indonesia, and the USA was used. NSS, negative affect and positive symptoms were measured at four time-points (T0-T3) over a 1-year period. Cross-lagged panel and longitudinal mediation analyses with structural equation modeling were used to test the temporal mediation. Independent cross-lagged panel models showed a significant unidirectional longitudinal path from NSS to positive symptoms (T2-T3, β = 0.18, p < 0.01) and bidirectional longitudinal associations from NSS to negative affect (T0-T1, γ = 0.14, p < 0.01) and vice versa (T0-T1, γ = 0.19, p < 0.01). There was also a significant indirect pathway from NSS at baseline via negative affect at T1 and T2 to positive symptoms at T3 (unstandardized indirect effect coefficient = 0.020, p < 0.05, BCa CI 0.004-0.035), indicating mediation. Our findings support the postulated affective pathway from NSS to positive symptoms via negative affect. Specifically, our data indicate that NSS and negative affect influence each other and build up over the course of several months before leading on to positive symptoms. We conclude that interrupting this process by targeting NSS and negative affect early in the process could be a promising strategy to prevent the exacerbation of positive symptoms.

The effects of adjunctive intranasal oxytocin in patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Ota, Miho; Yoshida, Sumiko; Nakata, Masanori; Yada, Toshihiko; Kunugi, Hiroshi

2018-01-01

Both human and animal studies have suggested that oxytocin may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of schizophrenia. We evaluated the effects of intranasal oxytocin on cognition and its predictive factors in Japanese patients with schizophrenia. Subjects were 16 chronic schizophrenia patients who underwent intranasal oxytocin treatment for 3 months and were assessed for changes in severity of clinical symptoms and cognitions. Fifteen of the 16 subjects underwent 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging. Oxytocin significantly reduced scores on the positive and negative syndrome scale, especially on the negative symptoms. As for cognition, there was an improvement of the verbal fluency. Furthermore, the change of the negative score in positive and negative syndrome scale showed a negative correlation with the gray matter volumes of the right insula and left cingulate cortex. Our results indicate that daily administration of intranasal oxytocin may be effective for ameliorating clinical symptoms and cognitive functions in chronic schizophrenia patients, and this improvement may be related to the gray matter volume of the right insula and left cingulate cortex.

Altered patterns of cortical activation in ALS patients during attention and cognitive response inhibition tasks.

PubMed

Goldstein, L H; Newsom-Davis, I C; Bryant, V; Brammer, M; Leigh, P N; Simmons, A

2011-12-01

Since amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can be accompanied by executive dysfunction, it is hypothesised that ALS patients will have impaired performance on tests of cognitive inhibition. We predicted that ALS patients would show patterns of abnormal activation in extramotor regions when performing tests requiring the inhibition of prepotent responses (the Stroop effect) and the inhibition of prior negatively primed responses (the negative priming effect) when compared to healthy controls. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure activation during a sparse sequence block design paradigm investigating the Stroop and negative priming effects in 14 ALS patients and 8 healthy age- and IQ-matched controls. Behavioural measures of performance were collected. Both groups' reaction times (RTs) reflected the Stroop effect during scanning. The ALS and control groups did not differ significantly for any of the behavioural measures but did show significant differences in cerebral activation during both tasks. The ALS group showed increased activation predominantly in the left middle temporal gyrus (BA 20/21), left superior temporal gyrus (BA 22) and left anterior cingulate gyrus (BA 32). Neither group's RT data showed clear evidence of a negative priming effect. However the ALS group showed decreased activation, relative to controls, particularly in the left cingulate gyrus (BA 23/24), left precentral gyrus (BA 4/6) and left medial frontal gyrus (BA 6). Greater cerebral activation in the ALS group accompanying the performance of the Stroop effect and areas of decreased activation during the negative priming comparison suggest altered inhibitory processing in ALS, consistent with other evidence of executive dysfunction in ALS. The current findings require further exploration in a larger study.

Brain potentials associated with the outcome processing in framing effects.

PubMed

Ma, Qingguo; Feng, Yandong; Xu, Qing; Bian, Jun; Tang, Huixian

2012-10-24

Framing effect is a cognitive bias referring to the phenomenon that people respond differently to different but objectively equivalent descriptions of the same problem. By measuring event-related potentials, the present study aimed to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the framing effect, especially how the negative and positive frames influence the outcome processing in our brain. Participants were presented directly with outcomes framed either positively in terms of lives saved or negatively in terms of lives lost in large and small group conditions, and were asked to rate the favorableness of each of them. The behavioral results showed that the framing effect occurred in both group size conditions, with more favorable evaluations associated with positive framing. Compared with outcomes in positive framing condition, a significant feedback-related negativity (FRN) effect was elicited by outcomes in negative framing condition, even though the outcomes in different conditions were objectively equivalent. The results are explained in terms of the associative model of attribute framing effect which states that attribute framing effect occurs as a result of a valence-based associative processing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of Return Is Modulated by Negative Stimuli: Evidence from Subliminal Perception.

PubMed

Pan, Fada; Wu, Xiaogang; Zhang, Li; Ou, Yuhong

2017-01-01

Inhibition of return (IOR) is considered as a "blindness mechanism" that emotional stimuli have no impact on it. Most previous studies suggested that IOR was not modulated by emotional cues. However, one key question they ignored was that only supraliminal presentation of emotional stimuli was used in their experiments. The present experiment is aimed at exploring the possible interaction between the IOR effect and subliminal emotional process. We manipulated three different kinds of valence strength of negative stimuli (high negative, HN; moderate negative, MN; low negative, LN) which were presented under the subliminal perception level and an event-related potentials (ERPs) recording was adopted. The results showed that, compared to MN and HN, the IOR effect triggered by peripheral cues was more significant for LN with aspects of behavioral and electrophysiological data (a reduction P1 effect, more negative on cued trials than on uncued trials for both early posterior Nd and Nd components). This indicated that IOR can be modulated by emotionally relevant stimuli. The automatic processing that was triggered by subliminally negative stimuli of peripheral cues had an influence on the shifting of spatial attention that was triggered by IOR. These two mechanisms may occur in the perceptual stage simultaneously.

What effect did the global financial crisis have upon youth wellbeing? Evidence from four Australian cohorts.

PubMed

Parker, Philip D; Jerrim, John; Anders, Jake

2016-04-01

Recent research has suggested significant negative effects of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) on mental health and wellbeing. In this article, the authors suggest that the developmental period of late adolescence may be at particular risk of economic downturns. Harmonizing 4 longitudinal cohorts of Australian youth (N = 38,017), we estimate the impact of the GFC on 1 general and 11 domain specific measures of wellbeing at age 19 and 22. Significant differences in wellbeing in most life domains were found, suggesting that wellbeing is susceptible to economic shocks. Given that the GFC in Australia was relatively mild, the finding of clear negative effects across 2 ages is of international concern. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

What Effect Did the Global Financial Crisis Have Upon Youth Wellbeing? Evidence From Four Australian Cohorts

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Recent research has suggested significant negative effects of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) on mental health and wellbeing. In this article, the authors suggest that the developmental period of late adolescence may be at particular risk of economic downturns. Harmonizing 4 longitudinal cohorts of Australian youth (N = 38,017), we estimate the impact of the GFC on 1 general and 11 domain specific measures of wellbeing at age 19 and 22. Significant differences in wellbeing in most life domains were found, suggesting that wellbeing is susceptible to economic shocks. Given that the GFC in Australia was relatively mild, the finding of clear negative effects across 2 ages is of international concern. PMID:26854968

Effectiveness of tobacco control television advertisements with different types of emotional content on tobacco use in England, 2004–2010

PubMed Central

Sims, M; Langley, T; Lewis, S; Richardson, S; Szatkowski, L; McNeill, A; Gilmore, A B

2016-01-01

Aim To examine the effects of tobacco control television advertisements with positive and negative emotional content on adult smoking prevalence and cigarette consumption. Design Analysis of monthly cross-sectional surveys using generalised additive models. Setting England. Participants 60 000 adults aged 18 years or over living in England and interviewed in the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey from 2004 to 2010. Measurements Current smoking status, daily cigarette consumption, tobacco control gross rating points (GRPs—a measure of per capita advertising exposure), cigarette costliness, concurrent tobacco control policies, sociodemographic variables. Results After adjusting for cigarette costliness, other tobacco control policies and individual characteristics, we found that a 400-point increase in positive emotive GRPs was associated with 7% lower odds of smoking (odds ratio (OR) 0.93, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.98) 1 month later and a similar increase in negative emotive GRPs was significantly associated with 4% lower odds of smoking (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.92 to 0.999) 2 months later. An increase in negative emotive GRPs from 0 to 400 was also associated with a significant 3.3% (95% CI 1.1 to 5.6) decrease in average cigarette consumption. There was no evidence that the association between positive emotive GRPs and the outcomes differed depending on the intensity of negative emotive GRPs (and vice versa). Conclusions This is the first study to explore the effects of campaigns with different types of emotive content on adult smoking prevalence and consumption. It suggests that both types of campaign (positive and negative) are effective in reducing smoking prevalence, whereas consumption among smokers was only affected by campaigns evoking negative emotions. PMID:25037155

Emotion and relative reward processing: an investigation on instrumental successive negative contrast and ultrasonic vocalizations in the rat.

PubMed

Binkley, K A; Webber, E S; Powers, D D; Cromwell, H C

2014-09-01

Incentive contrast effects include changes in behavioral responses after a reward upshift (positive contrast) or downshift (negative contrast). Proposed influences on these behavioral changes are emotional state reactions after experiencing or anticipating a change in reward outcome. Rat ultrasonic vocalizations have been shown to be indicators of emotional state during behavior and anticipatory periods. The objective of the present study was to monitor rodent ultrasounds during incentive contrast using a classical runway procedure called instrumental successive negative contrast. The procedure is one that has been used often to examine incentive relativity because of its reliability in measuring negative contrast effects. Rats were trained to run in the alleyway to receive a high (12 pellets) or low magnitude (1 pellet) outcome. The high magnitude was then shifted to the low and running speeds in the alleyway for the reward and USV emission were compared. Replicating previous work, a negative contrast effect was observed with postshift running speeds significantly slower in the shifted group compared to the unshifted group. USVs did not follow the same pattern with an apparent lack of significant differences between the groups following the reward downshift. We also tested another group of animals using a visual predictive cue in the same runway test. When visual cues predicted high or low magnitude outcome, no incentive contrast was found for the running speeds following an outcome downshift, but a weak contrast effect was observed for the USV emission. These results demonstrate a separation between USVs and behavioral indicators of incentive contrast suggesting that concomitant shifts in negative affect may not be necessary for anticipatory relative reward processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The mediating effect of self-esteem, depression and anxiety between satisfaction with body appearance and problematic internet use.

PubMed

Koronczai, Beatrix; Kökönyei, Gyöngyi; Urbán, Róbert; Kun, Bernadette; Pápay, Orsolya; Nagygyörgy, Katalin; Griffiths, Mark D; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2013-07-01

Given that dissatisfaction with bodily appearance can sometimes lead to the avoidance of personal contacts and the increase of internet use, this study examines this relationship. The direct role of dissatisfaction with bodily appearance along with the possible mediation effects of depression, anxiety and self-esteem were tested. A total of 694 participants completed an online questionnaire (58.5% male, mean age 21.5 years), containing measures on problematic internet use, depression and anxiety symptoms, self-esteem and satisfaction with body image. Path analyses were used to test direct and indirect effects. Satisfaction with body appearance had a significant negative direct effect on problematic internet use among both sexes. Though, satisfaction with body appearance had a positive effect on self-esteem and negative on anxiety, neither self-esteem nor anxiety had a direct significant effect on problematic internet use. The effect of dissatisfaction with body appearance was mediated via the self-esteem-depression path toward problematic internet use. Dissatisfaction with physical appearance seems to have a significant role in individuals' immersing themselves in internet use.

The impact of self-imagery on aspects of the self-concept in individuals with high levels of eating disorder cognitions.

PubMed

Harlowe, Jodie; Farrar, Stephanie; Stopa, Lusia; Turner, Hannah

2018-05-08

Low self-esteem has been identified as a maintaining factor in Cognitive Behavioural models of eating disorders and links have been identified between early memories, negative core beliefs and mental imagery. This study explored the impact of positive and negative self-imagery on aspects of the working self (implicit and explicit self-esteem, self-concept clarity and self-discrepancy) and affect. Participants with high levels of eating disorder cognitions completed measures of explicit self-esteem, self-concept clarity, self-discrepancy and affect prior to completing a positive or negative self-imagery retrieval task. Baseline measures were then repeated and a measure of implicit self-esteem completed. Positive self-imagery retrieval led to a significant increase in positive explicit self-esteem and a significant reduction in negative explicit self-esteem and actual-ideal self-discrepancies. Negative self-imagery retrieval led to a significant increase in negative explicit self-esteem and actual-ideal self-discrepancies and a significant reduction in positive explicit self-esteem. Levels of implicit self-esteem did not differ between the two groups post imagery manipulation. Retrieving a positive self-image also led to an improvement in state self-concept clarity; however, no effect was found for the negative self-imagery intervention. Holding a positive self-image in mind led to an increase in state positive affect and a reduction in state negative affect. The opposite was found for negative self-image retrieval. The study did not measure implicit self-esteem at baseline. Imagery techniques that involve the retrieval of a positive self-image may help to improve aspects of the working-self and affect in those with eating difficulties. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Chronic Diseases on Work Productivity: A Propensity Score Analysis.

PubMed

Fouad, Ahmed Mahmoud; Waheed, Amani; Gamal, Amira; Amer, Shaimaa Ahmed; Abdellah, Rasha Farouk; Shebl, Fatma Mohamed

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic disease(s) on work productivity. Using the Health & Work Performance Questionnaire, information was collected from 516 workers on chronic disease status and work productivity. Propensity-score matching was performed to identify matched-pairs of workers. In the propensity-score matched sample, workers with chronic diseases were more likely to have increased absenteeism and presenteeism rates, 6.34 and 2.36 times the rates if no chronic diseases, respectively. In addition, they had greater odds for getting negative critical work incidents and less odds for positive incidents than none or balanced status. Multimorbidity showed more significant increase in absenteeism and presenteeism rates, as well as increased odds for excess negative critical work incidents. Chronic disease(s) can significantly reduce work productivity by increasing absenteeism, presenteeism, and net negative critical incidents.

Effectiveness of a knowledge-contact program in improving nursing students' attitudes and emotional competence in serving people living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Yiu, Jessie W; Mak, Winnie W S; Ho, Winnie S; Chui, Ying Yu

2010-07-01

This study compared the effectiveness of an AIDS knowledge-only program (knowledge) with a combined program of AIDS knowledge and contact with people having HIV/AIDS (PHA) (knowledge-contact) in reducing nursing students' stigma and discrimination towards PHA and in enhancing their emotional competence to serve PHA. Eighty-nine nursing students from two universities in Hong Kong were randomly assigned to either the knowledge or the knowledge-contact condition. All participants completed measures of AIDS knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, positive affect, and negative affect at pre-test, post-test, and six-week follow-up. Findings showed that in both groups, significant improvement in AIDS knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, and negative affect were found at post-test. The effects on AIDS knowledge, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, and negative affect were sustained at follow-up for both groups. Intergroup comparisons at post-test showed that the effectiveness of knowledge-contact program was significantly greater than knowledge program in improving stigmatizing attitudes. No significant difference between the two groups was found at follow-up. Findings showed the short-term effect of contact in improving nursing students' attitudes and emotional competence in serving PHA. Implications for research and training of nursing staff were discussed. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding Associations between Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Negative Consequences of Drinking: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

PubMed Central

Karriker-Jaffe, Katherine J.; Liu, HuiGuo; Kaplan, Lauren M.

2016-01-01

Aims We explored how neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) is related to negative consequences of drinking to explain why racial/ethnic minority group members are more at risk than Whites for adverse alcohol outcomes. We tested direct and indirect effects of neighborhood SES on alcohol problems and examined differences by gender and race. Methods We used data from the 2000 and 2005 National Alcohol Surveys (N=7,912 drinkers aged 18 and older; 49% female) linked with data from the 2000 Decennial Census in multivariate path models adjusting for individual demographics. Results In the full sample, neighborhood disadvantage had a significant direct path to increased negative consequences, with no indirect paths through depression, positive affect or pro-drinking attitudes. Neighborhood affluence had significant indirect paths to increased negative consequences through greater pro-drinking attitudes and increased heavy drinking. Sub-group analyses showed the indirect path from affluence to consequences held for White men, with no effects of neighborhood disadvantage. For racial/ethnic minority men, significant indirect paths emerged from both neighborhood disadvantage and affluence to increased consequences through greater pro-drinking attitudes and more heavy drinking. For minority women, there was an indirect effect of neighborhood affluence through reduced depression to fewer drinking consequences. There were limited neighborhood effects on alcohol outcomes for White women. Conclusions Interventions targeting pro-drinking attitudes in both affluent and disadvantaged areas may help reduce alcohol-related problems among men. Initiatives to improve neighborhood conditions could enhance mental health of minority women and reduce alcohol-related health disparities. PMID:26898509

Comparison of two control groups for estimation of oral cholera vaccine effectiveness using a case-control study design.

PubMed

Franke, Molly F; Jerome, J Gregory; Matias, Wilfredo R; Ternier, Ralph; Hilaire, Isabelle J; Harris, Jason B; Ivers, Louise C

2017-10-13

Case-control studies to quantify oral cholera vaccine effectiveness (VE) often rely on neighbors without diarrhea as community controls. Test-negative controls can be easily recruited and may minimize bias due to differential health-seeking behavior and recall. We compared VE estimates derived from community and test-negative controls and conducted bias-indicator analyses to assess potential bias with community controls. From October 2012 through November 2016, patients with acute watery diarrhea were recruited from cholera treatment centers in rural Haiti. Cholera cases had a positive stool culture. Non-cholera diarrhea cases (test-negative controls and non-cholera diarrhea cases for bias-indicator analyses) had a negative culture and rapid test. Up to four community controls were matched to diarrhea cases by age group, time, and neighborhood. Primary analyses included 181 cholera cases, 157 non-cholera diarrhea cases, 716 VE community controls and 625 bias-indicator community controls. VE for self-reported vaccination with two doses was consistent across the two control groups, with statistically significant VE estimates ranging from 72 to 74%. Sensitivity analyses revealed similar, though somewhat attenuated estimates for self-reported two dose VE. Bias-indicator estimates were consistently less than one, with VE estimates ranging from 19 to 43%, some of which were statistically significant. OCV estimates from case-control analyses using community and test-negative controls were similar. While bias-indicator analyses suggested possible over-estimation of VE estimates using community controls, test-negative analyses suggested this bias, if present, was minimal. Test-negative controls can be a valid low-cost and time-efficient alternative to community controls for OCV effectiveness estimation and may be especially relevant in emergency situations. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Young children's reasoning about the effects of emotional and physiological states on academic performance.

PubMed

Amsterlaw, Jennifer; Lagattuta, Kristin Hansen; Meltzoff, Andrew N

2009-01-01

This study assessed young children's understanding of the effects of emotional and physiological states on cognitive performance. Five, 6-, 7-year-olds, and adults (N= 96) predicted and explained how children experiencing a variety of physiological and emotional states would perform on academic tasks. Scenarios included: (a) negative and positive emotions, (b) negative and positive physiological states, and (c) control conditions. All age groups understood the impairing effects of negative emotions and physiological states. Only 7-year-olds, however, showed adult-like reasoning about the potential enhancing effects of positive internal states and routinely cited cognitive mechanisms to explain how internal states affect performance. These results shed light on theory-of-mind development and also have significance for children's everyday school success.

Addendum to the article: Misuse of null hypothesis significance testing: Would estimation of positive and negative predictive values improve certainty of chemical risk assessment?

PubMed

Bundschuh, Mirco; Newman, Michael C; Zubrod, Jochen P; Seitz, Frank; Rosenfeldt, Ricki R; Schulz, Ralf

2015-03-01

We argued recently that the positive predictive value (PPV) and the negative predictive value (NPV) are valuable metrics to include during null hypothesis significance testing: They inform the researcher about the probability of statistically significant and non-significant test outcomes actually being true. Although commonly misunderstood, a reported p value estimates only the probability of obtaining the results or more extreme results if the null hypothesis of no effect was true. Calculations of the more informative PPV and NPV require a priori estimate of the probability (R). The present document discusses challenges of estimating R.

Effect of Larval Density on Food Utilization Efficiency of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae).

PubMed

Morales-Ramos, Juan A; Rojas, M Guadalupe

2015-10-01

Crowding conditions of larvae may have a significant impact on commercial production efficiency of some insects, such as Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Although larval densities are known to affect developmental time and growth in T. molitor, no reports were found on the effects of crowding on food utilization. The effect of larval density on food utilization efficiency of T. molitor larvae was studied by measuring efficiency of ingested food conversion (ECI), efficiency of digested food conversion (EDC), and mg of larval weight gain per gram of food consumed (LWGpFC) at increasing larval densities (12, 24, 36, 48, 50, 62, 74, and 96 larvae per dm(2)) over four consecutive 3-wk periods. Individual larval weight gain and food consumption were negatively impacted by larval density. Similarly, ECI, ECD, and LWGpFC were negatively impacted by larval density. Larval ageing, measured as four consecutive 3-wk periods, significantly and independently impacted ECI, ECD, and LWGpFC in a negative way. General linear model analysis showed that age had a higher impact than density on food utilization parameters of T. molitor larvae. Larval growth was determined to be responsible for the age effects, as measurements of larval mass density (in grams of larvae per dm(2)) had a significant impact on food utilization parameters across ages and density treatments (in number of larvae per dm(2)). The importance of mass versus numbers per unit of area as measurements of larval density and the implications of negative effects of density on food utilization for insect biomass production are discussed. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Does clinical incident seriousness and receipt of work-based support influence mood experienced by nurses at work? A behavioural diary study.

PubMed

Jones, Martyn C; Johnston, Derek W

2012-08-01

While the relationship between general perceptions of the work environment and negative mood is well detailed, little is known about the effect of specific clinical incident characteristics on the mood experienced at work by nurses. This study examines the effect of incident seriousness and receipt of work-based support in the worst event of a shift from managers and colleagues on the Negative and Positive Affect experienced by nurses at work. We approached the total cohort of medical and surgical nurses in 4 large district general hospitals in England, 17% volunteered. Some 171 nurses filled end of shift and standard entry (every 90 min) computerised behavioural diaries over three consecutive shifts. The diaries measured Incident Seriousness, Receipt of Managerial and Co-worker Support, Negative Affect and Positive Affect. Results were analysed using multilevel modelling (MLwiN 2.19). Following the worst clinical incident of a shift, nurses reported higher Negative Affect (β=1.28, [95%CI: 0.12, 2.45], z=2.17, p<.05) and lower Positive Affect (β=-2.39, [95%CI: -3.96, -0.82], z=2.99, p<.005) which persisted for the remainder of the shift. Most critically, Negative Affect was more elevated after serious incidents (β=0.07, [95%CI: 0.04, 0.10], z=3.5, p<.005). Nurses who reported Receipt of Managerial Support following an incident reported significantly lower levels of Positive Affect compared to those reporting no such contact (β=-5.30, [95%CI: -9.51, -1.09], z=2.47, p<.05). The interaction between Incident and the Receipt of Work-Based Support on NA was not significant (β=2.34 [95%CI: -0.82, 3.95], z=1.45, p>.05). Receipt of Colleague Support had no relationship with Negative Affect or Positive Affect. Free text reports mainly revealed the negative impact of managerial support, although there were instances of contact with managers which were sought following exposure to difficult clinical situations. Serious clinical incidents have enduring effects on Negative Affect and Positive Affect for the remainder of the shift. Nurse Positive Affect was significantly worse following the worst clinical incident of shift when managerial support was received. Further research is required to determine the positive and negative effects of managerial support on the mood experienced by nurses at work. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wound Healing Potential of Intermittent Negative Pressure under Limited Access Dressing in Burn Patients: Biochemical and Histopathological Study

PubMed Central

Muguregowda, Honnegowda Thittamaranahalli; Kumar, Pramod; Govindarama, Padmanabha Udupa Echalasara

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND Malondialdehyde (MDA) is an oxidant that causes damage to membranes, DNA, proteins, and lipids at the cellular level. Antioxidants minimize the effects of oxidants and thus help in formation of healthy granulation tissues with higher level of hydroxyproline and total protein. This study compared the effect of limited access dressing (LAD) with conventional closed dressing biochemically and histopathologically. METHODS Seventy-two 12-65 years old burn patients with mean wound size of 14 cm2 were divided to two groups of LAD (n=37), and conventional dressing groups (n=35). Various biochemical parameters were measured in granulation tissue. Histopathological analysis of the granulation tissue was studied too. RESULTS LAD group showed significant increase in hydroxyproline, total protein, GSH, and GPx and decrease in MDA levels compared to conventional dressing group. A significant negative correlation between GSH and MDA was noted in LAD group, but in conventional dressing group there was no significant correlation. A significant negative correlation between GPx and MDA was noticed in LAD group, but in conventional dressing group was not significant. There was a histologically fewer inflammatory cells, increased and well organized extracellular matrix deposit, more angiogenesis in LAD group after 10 days while the difference was significant between the groups. CONCLUSION Our study showed a significant reduction in oxidative stress biomarker of MDA, increase in hydroxyproline, total protein, antioxidants and amount of ECM deposition, number of blood vessels and a decrease in the amount of inflammatory cells and necrotic tissues in LAD group indicating the better healing effect of burn wounds. PMID:29651393

Measurement of negativity bias in personal narratives using corpus-based emotion dictionaries.

PubMed

Cohen, Shuki J

2011-04-01

This study presents a novel methodology for the measurement of negativity bias using positive and negative dictionaries of emotion words applied to autobiographical narratives. At odds with the cognitive theory of mood dysregulation, previous text-analytical studies have failed to find significant correlation between emotion dictionaries and negative affectivity or dysphoria. In the present study, an a priori list dictionary of emotion words was refined based on the actual use of these words in personal narratives collected from close to 500 college students. Half of the corpus was used to construct, via concordance analysis, the grammatical structures associated with the words in their emotional sense. The second half of the corpus served as a validation corpus. The resulting dictionary ignores words that are not used in their intended emotional sense, including negated emotions, homophones, frozen idioms etc. Correlations of the resulting corpus-based negative and positive emotion dictionaries with self-report measures of negative affectivity were in the expected direction, and were statistically significant, with medium effect size. The potential use of these dictionaries as implicit measures of negativity bias and in the analysis of psychotherapy transcripts is discussed.

The Achievement Impacts of Arkansas Open-Enrollment Charter Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Jonathan N.

2013-01-01

This article examines the impacts of Arkansas charter schools on the academic achievement of participating students. Our findings are that charter schools have small but statistically significant, negative impacts on student achievements for both math and literacy. Such negative effects, however, tend to decline with the number of years of charter…

The Influence of Staff Training on Challenging Behaviour in Individuals with Intellectual Disability: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Alison D.; Dube, Charmayne; Temple, Beverley

2015-01-01

Many individuals with intellectual disability engage in challenging behaviour. This can significantly limit quality of life and also negatively impact caregivers (e.g., direct care staff, family caregivers and teachers). Fortunately, efficacious staff training may alleviate some negative side effects of client challenging behaviour. Currently, a…

Psychological Resilience, Affective Mechanisms, and Symptom Burden in a Tertiary Care Sample of Patients with Fibromyalgia

PubMed Central

McAllister, Samantha J; Vincent, Ann; Hassett, Afton L; Whipple, Mary O; Oh, Terry H; Benzo, Roberto P; Toussaint, Loren L

2014-01-01

Research demonstrates that patients with fibromyalgia who have higher positive and lower negative affect have lower symptom burden. Affect has been shown to be associated with resilience. This study examined the relationship between affect, resilience, and fibromyalgia symptom burden in a clinical sample of patients with fibromyalgia. We hypothesized that (a) positive and negative affect would be associated with fibromyalgia symptom burden; (b) resilience would be associated with positive and negative affect; (c) resilience would be associated with fibromyalgia symptom burden; and (d) the connection between resilience and fibromyalgia symptom burden would be mediated by both positive and negative affect. A sample of 858 patients with fibromyalgia completed questionnaires. Mediation modeling revealed statistically significant direct effects of resilience on fibromyalgia symptom burden (β =−.10, P < .001) and statistically significant indirect effects of resilience on fibromyalgia symptom burden through affect (β =−.36, P < .001), suggesting that both resilience and affect influence fibromyalgia symptom burden. Our results suggest that improving affect through resiliency training could be studied as a modality for improving fibromyalgia symptom burden. PMID:24376184

Communications with health professionals and psychological distress in family caregivers to cancer patients: A model based on stress-coping theory.

PubMed

Oh, Young Sam

2017-02-01

In cancer care settings, family caregivers often experience negative or little communication with the health professionals, and this negative communication and limited health-related information causes psychological distress in family caregivers to cancer patients. The first aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between communication with health professionals and psychological distress in family caregivers. The second aim is to investigate the mediating effects of self-efficacy in this hypothetical model. A total of 1397 family caregivers were included in this research. A structural equation model was then applied, in order to examine the hypothesized model based on the stress-coping model. More negative communication with health professionals was associated with higher psychological distress. Self-efficacy in health information seeking significantly mediated the relationship between communication with health professionals and psychological distress. This study indicates that as a coping resource, self-efficacy in health information seeking, plays a significant role in reducing the effects of negative communication with health professionals on psychological distress in family caregivers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Factors influencing conception rate after synchronization of ovulation and timed artificial insemination--a review].

PubMed

Tenhagen, B A

2005-04-01

This review describes factors that affect conception rate after synchronization of ovulation and timed artificial insemination. Intervals of 7 days between GnRH and PGF2alpha, 48 hours to the second GnRH treatment and a further 16 to 20 hours to the timed insemination have been proven to be most effective. Conception rates (CR) increase as lactation progresses up to 100 days in milk. Primiparous cows have higher CR than older cows. Anovular cows at the start of the synchronization protocols have poor CR. These are highest for cows started in early dioestrus. While poor body condition and some post partum and post insemination health disorders have negative effects on the CR, a significant effect of postpartum chronic endometritis could not be demonstrated. High milk yield was also not shown to have a negative effect on CR in almost all studies, while the negative effect of heat stress on fertility is also found in Ovsynch cows. However, the negative effects of high milk yields and heat stress on AI submission rates are overcome by the timed insemination protocol.

Long-term effects of asenapine or olanzapine in patients with persistent negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a pooled analysis.

PubMed

Potkin, Steven G; Phiri, Phillip; Szegedi, Armin; Zhao, Jun; Alphs, Larry; Cazorla, Pilar

2013-11-01

A Phase 2 efficacy study suggested that asenapine (ASE) was superior to risperidone in decreasing negative symptoms in schizophrenia at 6 weeks, prompting design of two negative symptom studies. Two 26-week core studies with 26-week extensions compared asenapine (ASE: 5-10mg twice-daily] and olanzapine (OLA: 5-20mg once-daily) as monotherapies in reducing persistent negative symptoms (PNS). While neither study met the primary endpoint of superiority of ASE over OLA, ASE was statistically superior to OLA in one extension study. This prompted a pooled analysis of the treatment effects of both drugs. Data were pooled from two 26-week core studies and extensions. Efficacy endpoints: change in Negative Symptom Assessment scale-16 (NSA-16) total score at Week 26 (prespecified primary endpoint) and Week 52. Additional measures: change in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)-total, Marder factors, negative subscale scores, Clinical Global Impression Severity of Illness score (CGI-S) assessments, NSA-16 factor domains, NSA global score, and individual items. Pooled data from the extension studies (n=502) showed no differences between ASE and OLA at Week 26. At Week 52, ASE showed superiority over OLA in NSA-16 total score, NSA global, PANSS Marder negative and PANSS negative subscales, some NSA-16 items, and four of five factor domains. In addition, pooled data for patients who entered the core trials (n=949) were analyzed over 52weeks (whether or not patients entered the extension). No significant differences between groups were observed in change in NSA-16 total score at 26-weeks. At Week 52, ASE was significantly superior over OLA in this measure, NSA global score and PANSS Marder negative factor. There were more early dropouts due to AEs, including worsening of the disease, in the ASE group. In this pooled analysis, ASE and OLA did not differ significantly over 26 weeks, but indicated a signal of superiority for ASE with continued treatment up to 52 weeks. © 2013.

Monetary policy and the effects of oil price shocks on the Japanese economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Byung Rhae

1998-12-01

The evidence of output decreases and price level increases following oil price shocks in the Japanese economy is presented in this paper. These negative effects of oil shocks are better explained by Hamilton's (1996) net oil price increase measure (NOPI) than by other oil measures. The fact that an oil shock has a statistically significant effect on the call money rate and real output and that the call money rate also has a statistically significant effect on real output appears to explain that the effects of oil price shocks on economic activity are partially attributed to contractionary monetary policy responses. The asymmetric effects of positive and negative oil shocks are also found in the Japanese economy and this asymmetry can also be partially explained by monetary policy responses. To assess the relative contribution of oil shocks and endogenous monetary policy responses to the economic downturns, I shut off the responses of the call money rate to oil shocks utilizing the impulse response results from the VAR model. Then, I re-run the VAR with the adjusted call money rate series. The empirical results show that around 30--40% of the negative effects of oil price shocks on the Japanese economy can be accounted for by oil shock induced monetary tightening.

Clinical validity of PROMIS Depression, Anxiety, and Anger across diverse clinical samples.

PubMed

Schalet, Benjamin D; Pilkonis, Paul A; Yu, Lan; Dodds, Nathan; Johnston, Kelly L; Yount, Susan; Riley, William; Cella, David

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the responsiveness to change of the PROMIS negative affect measures (depression, anxiety, and anger) using longitudinal data collected in six chronic health conditions. Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD), back pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic heart failure (CHF), and cancer completed PROMIS negative affect instruments as computerized adaptive test or as fixed-length short form at baseline and a clinically relevant follow-up interval. Participants also completed global ratings of health. Linear mixed effects models and standardized response means (SRM) were estimated at baseline and follow-up. A total of 903 individuals participated (back pain, n = 218; cancer, n = 304; CHF, n = 60; COPD, n = 125; MDD, n = 196). All three negative affect instruments improved significantly for treatments of depression and pain. Depression improved for CHF patients (anxiety and anger not administered), whereas anxiety improved significantly in COPD groups (stable and exacerbation). Response to treatment was not assessed in cancer. Subgroups of patients reporting better or worse health showed a corresponding positive or negative average SRM for negative affect across samples. This study provides evidence that the PROMIS negative affect scores are sensitive to change in intervention studies in which negative affect is expected to change. These results inform the estimation of meaningful change and enable comparative effectiveness research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aversive properties of negative incentive shifts in Fischer 344 and Lewis rats

PubMed Central

Brewer, Adam; Johnson, Patrick; Stein, Jeff; Schlund, Michael; Williams, Dean C.

2018-01-01

Research on incentive contrast highlights that reward value is not absolute but rather is based upon comparisons we make to rewards we have received and expect to receive. Both human and nonhuman studies on incentive contrast show that shifting from a larger more-valued reward to a smaller less-valued reward is associated with long periods of nonresponding—a negative contrast effect. In this investigation, we used two different genetic rat strains, Fischer 344 and Lewis rats that putatively differ in their sensitivity to aversive stimulation, to assess the aversive properties of large-to-small reward shifts (negative incentive shifts). Additionally, we examined the extent to which increasing cost (fixed-ratio requirements) modulates negative contrast effects. In the presence of a cue that signaled the upcoming reward magnitude, lever pressing was reinforced with one of two different magnitudes of food (large or small). This design created two contrast shifts (small-to-large, large-to-small) and two shifts used as control conditions (small-to-small, large-to-large). Results showed a significant interaction between rat strain and cost requirements only during the negative incentive shift with the emotionally reactive Fischer 344 rats exhibiting significantly longer response latencies with increasing cost, highlighting greater negative contrast. These findings are more consistent with emotionality accounts of negative contrast and results of neurophysiological research that suggests shifting from a large to a small reward is aversive. Findings also highlight how subjective reward value and motivation is a product of gene-environment interactions. PMID:27864048

Advertising bans as a means of tobacco control policy: a systematic literature review of time-series analyses.

PubMed

Quentin, Wilm; Neubauer, Simone; Leidl, Reiner; König, Hans-Helmut

2007-01-01

This paper reviews the international literature that employed time-series analysis to evaluate the effects of advertising bans on aggregate consumption of cigarettes or tobacco. A systematic search of the literature was conducted. Three groups of studies representing analyses of advertising bans in the U.S.A., in other countries and in 22 OECD countries were defined. The estimated effects of advertising bans and their significance were analysed. 24 studies were identified. They used a wide array of explanatory variables, models, estimating methods and data sources. 18 studies found a negative effect of an advertising ban on aggregate consumption, but only ten of these studies found a significant effect. Two studies using data from 22 OECD countries suggested that partial bans would have little or no influence on aggregate consumption, whereas complete bans would significantly reduce consumption. The results imply that advertising bans have a negative but sometimes only narrow impact on consumption. Complete bans let expect a higher effectiveness. Because of methodological restrictions of analysing advertising bans' effects by time series approaches, also different approaches should be used in the future.

Maternal Punitive Reactions to Children's Negative Emotions and Young Adult Trait Anger: Effect of Gender and Emotional Closeness.

PubMed

Perry, Nicole B; Cavanaugh, Alyson; Dunbar, Angel; Leerkes, Esther M

The current study tested whether young adult's recollected reports of their mother's punitive reactions to their negative emotions in childhood predicted anger expression in young adulthood and whether emotional closeness weakens this association. Further, a three-way interaction was tested to examine whether emotional closeness is a stronger protective factor for young women than for young men. Results revealed a significant three-way interaction (gender X emotional closeness X maternal punitive reactions). For young men, maternal punitive reactions to negative emotions were directly associated with increased anger expressions. Maternal punitive reactions to young women's negative emotions in childhood were associated with increased anger in adulthood only when they reported low maternal emotional closeness. Findings suggest that maternal emotional closeness may serve as a buffer against the negative effects of maternal punitive reactions for women's anger expression in young adulthood.

Treatment of Gram-negative bacterial infections by potentiation of antibiotics.

PubMed

Zabawa, Thomas P; Pucci, Michael J; Parr, Thomas R; Lister, Troy

2016-10-01

Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens, particularly Gram-negative bacteria, represent significant treatment challenges for physicians resulting in high rates of morbidity and mortality. The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria acts as a permeability barrier to many compounds that would otherwise be effective antibacterial agents, including those effective against Gram-positive pathogens. Potentiator molecules disrupt this barrier allowing entry of otherwise impermeant molecules, thus providing a strategy to render multi-drug resistant pathogens susceptible to a broader range of antibiotics. Potentiator molecules are cationic and the mechanism of disruption involves interaction with the negatively charged outer membrane. This physical attribute, along with an often high degree of lipophilicity typically endears these molecules with unacceptable toxicity. Presented herein are examples of advanced potentiator molecules being evaluated for use in combination therapy for the treatment of resistant Gram-negative infections. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maternal Punitive Reactions to Children's Negative Emotions and Young Adult Trait Anger: Effect of Gender and Emotional Closeness

PubMed Central

Perry, Nicole B.; Cavanaugh, Alyson; Dunbar, Angel; Leerkes, Esther M.

2015-01-01

The current study tested whether young adult’s recollected reports of their mother’s punitive reactions to their negative emotions in childhood predicted anger expression in young adulthood and whether emotional closeness weakens this association. Further, a three-way interaction was tested to examine whether emotional closeness is a stronger protective factor for young women than for young men. Results revealed a significant three-way interaction (gender X emotional closeness X maternal punitive reactions). For young men, maternal punitive reactions to negative emotions were directly associated with increased anger expressions. Maternal punitive reactions to young women’s negative emotions in childhood were associated with increased anger in adulthood only when they reported low maternal emotional closeness. Findings suggest that maternal emotional closeness may serve as a buffer against the negative effects of maternal punitive reactions for women’s anger expression in young adulthood. PMID:26568644

Child nutritional status and child growth in Kenya: socioeconomic determinants.

PubMed

Deolalikar, A B

1996-01-01

The determinants of weight and height are explored using nationally representative data for Kenya. The author also uses recall data on child birth weights to estimate conditional reduced-form demand relations for weight gain among 7907 children aged 0-5 years. Maternal education was found to be a significant determinant of weight, height, and weight gain, with secondary schooling having larger, but not significantly different effects than primary schooling. Per capita household expenditure is highly significant but with only small numerical effects. Birth weight has a large, negative effect upon subsequent weight gain, indicating almost complete catch-up growth by age one. The effect becomes more negative when birth weight is treated as an endogenous variable. There is no evidence of any catch-up growth beyond age three. The study results indicate that small deficits in birth weight are not likely to be permanent, with infants making up for birth weight deficits completely within the first year of life through biological catch-up growth.

The relationship between subjective perception and the psychological effects of patients in spatial isolation.

PubMed

Ibert, Fabienne; Eckstein, Monika; Günther, Frank; Mutters, Nico T

2017-01-01

Background: Spatial isolation is a common infection control measure, but negative psychological effects are often neglected. We investigated which factors influence the perception of single room isolated patients. Methods: In the present correlative cross-sectional study, 32 isolated patients have been interviewed within three departments of the Heidelberg University Hospital, one of Germany's largest hospitals. The following questionnaires were used: 10-Item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and a self-developed questionnaire to evaluate the individual experience of isolation. Data were analysed using correlation and regression analysis. Results: A significant positive correlation was found between the isolation period and anxiety (r=.42, p<.05). Interestingly, a significant positive correlation was demonstrated between the duration of contact to nursing staff and negative daydreaming (r=.89, p<.01). The activity watching television was associated with higher levels of anxiety (r=.38, p<.05). Surfing the internet had a positive relationship with thinking about beautiful things (r=.41, p<.05). Conclusions: Our study results have implications how to improve the psychological situation of patients during spatial isolation. Contact between nursing staff and patients is crucial, since this contact significantly associated with negative daydreaming, probably due to increased neediness of emotional and physical care in some patients. The duration of the isolation has an influence on the experience of anxiety. Activities to cope with the isolation, however, not always have positive effects on the well-being of the patient.

Effects of parental verbal aggression on children's self-esteem and school marks.

PubMed

Solomon, C R; Serres, F

1999-04-01

The aim of the study was to distinguish the effects of verbal aggression from those of physical aggression and investigate whether parental verbal violence has negative effects on children's self-esteem and academic achievements. One hundred and forty-four 10-year-old children completed the Harter Self-perception Profile for Children questionnaire and a questionnaire concerning their mothers' and fathers' verbal aggression towards them and their use of physical punishment. The researchers used school records to obtain the subjects' marks in French (their native language) and Mathematics. Six children had never been the targets of either verbal aggression or physical punishment. Thirty-four children had been subjected to both types of aggression. Verbal aggression alone was found to be in significant negative correlation with three of six components of self-esteem. Verbal aggression alone was also found to be in significant negative correlation with French marks. In addition children who had been subject to greater verbal aggression had lower self-esteem and lower marks in French than children who had been subject to lesser verbal aggression. They were also significantly negatively affected in a fourth component of self-esteem. Parental verbal aggression alone as separate and distinct from physical punishment contributes to lowering children's self-esteem and school achievements. Given the extent of the use of verbal aggression by ordinary parents the authors suggested a need for parent education on the topic of positive methods of child rearing.

Negative Refraction Angular Characterization in One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals

PubMed Central

Lugo, Jesus Eduardo; Doti, Rafael; Faubert, Jocelyn

2011-01-01

Background Photonic crystals are artificial structures that have periodic dielectric components with different refractive indices. Under certain conditions, they abnormally refract the light, a phenomenon called negative refraction. Here we experimentally characterize negative refraction in a one dimensional photonic crystal structure; near the low frequency edge of the fourth photonic bandgap. We compare the experimental results with current theory and a theory based on the group velocity developed here. We also analytically derived the negative refraction correctness condition that gives the angular region where negative refraction occurs. Methodology/Principal Findings By using standard photonic techniques we experimentally determined the relationship between incidence and negative refraction angles and found the negative refraction range by applying the correctness condition. In order to compare both theories with experimental results an output refraction correction was utilized. The correction uses Snell's law and an effective refractive index based on two effective dielectric constants. We found good agreement between experiment and both theories in the negative refraction zone. Conclusions/Significance Since both theories and the experimental observations agreed well in the negative refraction region, we can use both negative refraction theories plus the output correction to predict negative refraction angles. This can be very useful from a practical point of view for space filtering applications such as a photonic demultiplexer or for sensing applications. PMID:21494332

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.

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

PubMed

Bowles, David P; Meyer, Björn

2008-02-01

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

Alpha 2B adrenoceptor genotype moderates effect of reboxetine on negative emotional memory bias in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Gibbs, Ayana A; Bautista, Carla E; Mowlem, Florence D; Naudts, Kris H; Duka, Theodora

2013-10-23

Evidence suggests that emotional memory plays a role in the pathophysiology of depression/anxiety disorders. Noradrenaline crucially modulates emotional memory. Genetic variants involved in noradrenergic signaling contribute to individual differences in emotional memory and vulnerability to psychopathology. A functional deletion polymorphism in the α-2B adrenoceptor gene (ADRA2B) has been linked to emotional memory and post-traumatic stress disorder. The noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor reboxetine attenuates enhanced memory for negative stimuli in healthy and depressed individuals. We examined whether the effect of reboxetine on emotional memory in healthy individuals would be moderated by ADRA2B genotype. ADRA2B deletion carriers demonstrated enhanced emotional memory for negative stimuli compared with deletion noncarriers, consistent with prior studies. Reboxetine attenuated enhanced memory for negative stimuli in deletion noncarriers but had no significant effect in deletion carriers. This is the first demonstration of genetic variation influencing antidepressant drug effects on emotional processing in healthy humans.

Negative Emotionality and Disconstraint Influence PTSD Symptom Course via Exposure to New Major Adverse Life Events

PubMed Central

Sadeh, Naomi; Miller, Mark W.; Wolf, Erika J.; Harkness, Kate L.

2015-01-01

Identifying the factors that influence stability and change in chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is important for improving clinical outcomes. Using a cross-lagged design, we analyzed the reciprocal effects of personality and PTSD symptoms over time and their effects on stress exposure in a sample of 222 trauma-exposed veterans (ages 23 – 68; 90.5% male). Personality functioning and PTSD were measured approximately 4 years apart, and self-reported exposure to major adverse life events during the interim was also assessed. Negative emotionality positively predicted future PTSD symptoms, and this effect was partially mediated by exposure to new events. Constraint (negatively) indirectly affected PTSD via its association with exposure to new events. There were no significant effects of positive emotionality nor did PTSD symptom severity exert influences on personality over time. Results indicate that high negative affect and disconstraint influence the course of PTSD symptoms by increasing exposure to stressful life events. PMID:25659969

Negative emotionality and disconstraint influence PTSD symptom course via exposure to new major adverse life events.

PubMed

Sadeh, Naomi; Miller, Mark W; Wolf, Erika J; Harkness, Kate L

2015-04-01

Identifying the factors that influence stability and change in chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is important for improving clinical outcomes. Using a cross-lagged design, we analyzed the reciprocal effects of personality and PTSD symptoms over time and their effects on stress exposure in a sample of 222 trauma-exposed veterans (ages 23-68; 90.5% male). Personality functioning and PTSD were measured approximately 4 years apart, and self-reported exposure to major adverse life events during the interim was also assessed. Negative emotionality positively predicted future PTSD symptoms, and this effect was partially mediated by exposure to new events. Constraint (negatively) indirectly affected PTSD via its association with exposure to new events. There were no significant effects of positive emotionality nor did PTSD symptom severity exert influences on personality over time. Results indicate that high negative affect and disconstraint influence the course of PTSD symptoms by increasing exposure to stressful life events. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Risks, Risk Factors, and Outcomes Associated with Phone and Internet Sexting Among University Students in the United States.

PubMed

Dir, Allyson L; Cyders, Melissa A

2015-08-01

Sexting, defined as the exchange of sexually suggestive pictures or messages via mobile phone or social networking sites (SNS), has received media attention for its prevalence and associated negative outcomes; however, research has not yet fully established risk factors for and resulting outcomes from sexting behaviors. The current study was the first empirical test of a causal path model in males and females, in which impulsivity-related traits and expectancies influence sexual behaviors through phone and SNS sexting. We also examined prevalence and perceived likelihood of common negative outcomes associated with sexting. Multiple regression and structural equation modeling (SEM) statistics were conducted on two independent undergraduate samples (n = 611 and 255). The best fitting SEM model (RMSEA = 0.04, CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.94, and χ(2) = 176.06, df = 75, p < .001) demonstrated a significant indirect effect of sensation seeking on phone sexting behaviors through sex-related sexting expectancies and a significant indirect effect of sensation seeking on sexual hookup behaviors through phone sexting behaviors (b = 0.06, p = .03), but only for females. Reverse mediations and mediation with SNS were not significant. Negative outcomes were rare: sexts being spread to others was the most common negative sexting experience (n = 21, 12 %). This study suggests the viability of personality and expectancies affecting sexual hookup behaviors through engagement in sexting behaviors. It also suggests that although direct negative outcomes associated with sexting are thought to be common, they were rare in the current sample.

Evaluation of Intersection Collision Warning Systems in Minnesota

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-10-01

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is investing significant resources in intersection collision warning systems (ICWS) based on early indications of effectiveness. However, the effectiveness is not well documented, and negative change...

Does parental job insecurity matter? Money anxiety, money motives, and work motivation.

PubMed

Lim, Vivien K G; Sng, Qing Si

2006-09-01

A structural model focusing on the spillover effect of parental perceived job insecurity on money anxiety was developed and tested. The crossover effect of parents' money anxiety on their children's money anxiety, money motives, and motivation to work was also examined. Data were collected from a sample of undergraduates and their parents. Results of structural equation modeling analyses supported a spillover effect of paternal perceived job insecurity on paternal money anxiety. However, maternal perceived job insecurity was not significantly associated with maternal money anxiety. Results also supported a crossover effect of parental money anxiety on youths' money anxiety. Youths' money anxiety was significantly related to youths' negative money motives. In turn, youths' negative money motives were associated with their intrinsic motivation to work. Implications of the findings are discussed. (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved

Effect of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy on Negative Career Thoughts of Students in Technical Colleges in Nigeria.

PubMed

Ogbuanya, Theresa Chinyere; Eseadi, Chiedu; Orji, Chibueze Tobias; Anyanwu, Joy I; Ede, Moses Onyemaechi; Bakare, Jimoh

2018-04-01

Negative career thoughts are cognitive barriers that interfere with an individual's career decision-making and successful career development. The current study examined the effect of rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT) on negative career thoughts of students in technical colleges in Nigeria. The study utilized a pretest-posttest control group design. One hundred and seventy-three participants from technical colleges in the Southeast zone of the country completed a measure of career thoughts at pretest, posttreatment, and follow-up: the College Students' Career Thoughts Scale. An REBT career program manual guided the intervention for 12 weeks. Data collected were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance, chi-square, and t-test. Results show that the negative career thoughts of the REBT group participants were significantly reduced relative to a waitlist control group at the end of the intervention. Follow-up tests conducted after three months and six months revealed that the significant decrease in negative career thoughts of the REBT group participants was sustained. The outcomes of the current study suggest that REBT is an invaluable group therapy for assisting college students in overcoming negative thoughts associated with career choice and decision. It would be helpful if further longitudinal evaluation were implemented in Nigeria and in other countries to evaluate whether and how an REBT-based program can improve vocational maturity and vocational identity of technical college students.

Roscovitine strongly enhances the effect of olaparib on radiosensitivity for HPV neg. but not for HPV pos. HNSCC cell lines.

PubMed

Ziemann, Frank; Seltzsam, Steve; Dreffke, Kristin; Preising, Stefanie; Arenz, Andrea; Subtil, Florentine S B; Rieckmann, Thorsten; Engenhart-Cabillic, Rita; Dikomey, Ekkehard; Wittig, Andrea

2017-12-01

At present, advanced stage human Papillomavirus (HPV) negative and positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are treated by intense multimodal therapy that includes radiochemotherapy, which are associated with relevant side effects. Patients with HPV positive tumors possess a far better prognosis than those with HPV negative cancers. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are needed to improve the outcome especially of the latter one as well as quality of life for all HNSCC patients. Here we tested whether roscovitine, an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), which hereby also blocks homologous recombination (HR), can be used to enhance the radiation sensitivity of HNSCC cell lines. In all five HPV negative and HPV positive cell lines tested, roscovitine caused inhibition of CDK1 and 2. Surprisingly, all HPV positive cell lines were found to be defective in HR. In contrast, HPV negative strains demonstrated efficient HR, which was completely suppressed by roscovitine. In line with this, for HPV negative but not for HPV positive cell lines, treatment with roscovitine resulted in a pronounced enhancement of the radiation-induced G2 arrest as well as a significant increase in radiosensitivity. Due to a defect in HR, all HPV positive cell lines were efficiently radiosensitized by the PARP-1 inhibitor olaparib. In contrast, in HPV negative cell lines a significant radiosensitization by olaparib was only achieved when combined with roscovitine.

Self-management and quality of life in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): The mediating effects of positive affect.

PubMed

Benzo, Roberto P; Abascal-Bolado, Beatriz; Dulohery, Megan M

2016-04-01

This study aimed to increase our understanding of general self-management (SM) abilities in COPD by determining if SM can predict disease specific quality of life (QoL), by investigating whether specific SM domains are significant in COPD and by exploring the mediating effect of the positive/negative affect in the association between SM and QoL. Cross-sectional study based on 292 patients with COPD. Measures included demographics, lung function, gait speed, health care utilization, positive/negative affect, SM abilities, breathlessness and disease specific QoL. We performed, correlation, multiple regression models and mediation analysis (positive/negative affect being mediator between SM and QoL association). After controlling for breathlessness, living alone, marital status, hospitalization history, age and lung function, SM related to QoL (p<0.0001). Investment in behaviors (hobbies and social relationships) and self-efficacy are SM domains independently related to QoL in COPD. Positivity measured by the positive/negative affect ratio completely mediates the relationship of SM with QoL. SM is independently associated with disease specific QoL in COPD after adjustment significant covariates but positive/negative affect ratio completely mediates the relationship of SM with QoL. Measuring positive/negative affect and addressing investment behavior and self-efficacy are important in implementing COPD-SM programs. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The interactive role of distress tolerance and eating expectancies in bulimic symptoms among substance abusers.

PubMed

Lavender, Jason M; Happel, Kate; Anestis, Michael D; Tull, Matthew T; Gratz, Kim L

2015-01-01

Difficulties tolerating distress and the expectancy that eating will relieve negative affect have been linked with bulimic symptoms, which commonly co-occur with other forms of psychopathology characterized by emotion dysregulation (e.g., substance abuse). Indeed, problems with emotional functioning may be of particular relevance to bulimic symptoms in at-risk populations with heightened emotion dysregulation (such as substance use disorder patients). This study examined the interactive role of two emotion-related constructs (distress tolerance and the expectancy that eating relieves negative affect) in relation to bulimic symptoms among patients (N=93) recruited from a residential substance abuse treatment facility. Participants completed the Bulimia Test-Revised, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the Distress Tolerance Scale, and the Eating Expectancy Inventory. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the main effects and interaction of distress tolerance and negative affect eating expectancies in relation to bulimic symptoms, controlling for participant gender and overall negative affect. Significant main effects were found for both distress tolerance and negative affect eating expectancies, and these two constructs were found to significantly interact in the prediction of bulimic symptoms. Interventions that address these constructs may be useful in treating those with bulimic symptoms, as well as those with co-occurring bulimic symptoms and substance use disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disentangling the effects of species diversity, and intraspecific and interspecific tree size variation on aboveground biomass in dry zone homegarden agroforestry systems.

PubMed

Ali, Arshad; Mattsson, Eskil

2017-11-15

The biodiversity - aboveground biomass relationship has been intensively studied in recent decades. However, no consensus has been arrived to consider the interplay of species diversity, and intraspecific and interspecific tree size variation in driving aboveground biomass, after accounting for the effects of plot size heterogeneity, soil fertility and stand quality in natural forest including agroforests. We tested the full, partial and no mediations effects of species diversity, and intraspecific and interspecific tree size variation on aboveground biomass by employing structural equation models (SEMs) using data from 45 homegarden agroforestry systems in Sri Lanka. The full mediation effect of either species diversity or intraspecific and interspecific tree size variation was rejected, while the partial and no mediation effects were accepted. In the no mediation SEM, homegarden size had the strongest negative direct effect (β=-0.49) on aboveground biomass (R 2 =0.65), followed by strong positive direct effect of intraspecific tree size variation (β=0.32), species diversity (β=0.29) and interspecific tree size variation (β=0.28). Soil fertility had a negative direct effect on interspecific tree size variation (β=-0.31). Stand quality had a significant positive total effect on aboveground biomass (β=0.28), but homegarden size had a significant negative total effect (β=-0.62), while soil fertility had a non-significant total effect on aboveground biomass. Similar to the no mediation SEM, the partial mediation SEMs had explained almost similar variation in aboveground biomass because species diversity, and intraspecific and interspecific tree size variation had non-significant indirect effects on aboveground biomass via each other. Our results strongly suggest that a multilayered tree canopy structure, due to high intraspecific and interspecific tree size variation, increases light capture and efficient utilization of resources among component species, and hence, support the niche complementarity mechanism via plant-plant interactions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sex moderates the effects of positive and negative affect on clinical pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Speed, Traci J; Richards, Jessica M; Finan, Patrick H; Smith, Michael T

2017-07-01

Sex differences in clinical pain severity and response to experimental pain are commonly reported, with women generally showing greater vulnerability. Affect, including state (a single rating) and stable (average daily ratings over two weeks) positive affect and negative affect has also been found to impact pain sensitivity and severity, and research suggests that affect may modulate pain differentially as a function of sex. The current study aimed to examine sex as a moderator of the relationships between affect and pain-related outcomes among participants with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). One hundred and seventy-nine participants (59 men) with KOA completed electronic diaries assessing clinical pain, positive affect, and negative affect. A subset of participants (n=120) underwent quantitative sensory testing, from which a single index of central sensitization to pain was derived. We used multiple regression models to test for the interactive effects of sex and affect (positive versus negative and stable versus state) on pain-related outcomes. We used mixed effects models to test for the moderating effects of sex on the relationships between state affect and pain over time. Sex differences in affect and pain were identified, with men reporting significantly higher stable positive affect and lower central sensitization to pain indexed by quantitative sensory testing, as well as marginally lower KOA-specific clinical pain compared to women. Moreover, there was an interaction between stable positive affect and sex on KOA-specific clinical pain and average daily non-specific pain ratings. Post hoc analyses revealed that men showed trends towards an inverse relationship between stable positive affect and pain outcomes, while women showed no relationship between positive affect and pain. There was also a significant interaction between sex and stable negative affect and sex on KOA-specific pain such that men showed a significantly stronger positive relationship between stable negative affect and KOA-specific pain than women. Sex did not interact with state affect on pain outcomes. Findings suggest that men may be particularly sensitive to the effects of stable positive affect and negative affect on clinical pain. Future work with larger samples is needed in order to identify potential mechanisms driving the sex-specific effects of affect on pain. The current study provides novel data that suggesting that the association of positive affect, negative affect, and pain are different in men versus women with KOA. Further understanding of the difference in affective expression between men and women may lead to the development of novel therapeutic interventions and help to identify additional modifiable factors in the prevention and management of pain. Copyright © 2017 Scandinavian Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Superabsorbent polymer-containing wound dressings have a beneficial effect on wound healing by reducing PMN elastase concentration and inhibiting microbial growth.

PubMed

Wiegand, C; Abel, M; Ruth, P; Hipler, U C

2011-11-01

A comprehensive in vitro approach was used to assess the effects of superabsorbent polymer (SAP) containing wound dressings in treatment of non-healing wounds. A slight negative effect on HaCaT cells was noted in vitro which is most likely due to the Ca(2+) deprivation of the medium by binding to the SAP. It could be shown that SAP wound dressings are able to bind considerable amounts of elastase reducing enzyme activity significantly. Furthermore, SAP's inhibit the formation of free radicals. The SAP-containing wound dressings tested also exhibited a significant to strong antimicrobial activity effectively impeding the growth of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria as well as yeasts. In conclusion, in vitro data confirm the positive effect of SAP wound dressings observed in vivo and suggest that they should be specifically useful for wound cleansing.

Negative life events vary by neighborhood and mediate the relation between neighborhood context and psychological well-being.

PubMed

King, Katherine; Ogle, Christin

2014-01-01

Researchers have speculated that negative life events are more common in troubled neighborhoods, amplifying adverse effects on health. Using a clustered representative sample of Chicago residents (2001-03; n = 3,105) from the Chicago Community Adult Health Survey, we provide the first documentation that negative life events are highly geographically clustered compared to health outcomes. Associations between neighborhood context and negative life events were also found to vary by event type. We then demonstrate the power of a contextualized approach by testing path models in which life events mediate the relation between neighborhood characteristics and health outcomes, including self-rated health, anxiety, and depression. The indirect paths between neighborhood conditions and health through negative life event exposure are highly significant and large compared to the direct paths from neighborhood conditions to health. Our results indicate that neighborhood conditions can have acute as well as chronic effects on health, and that negative life events are a powerful mechanism by which context may influence health.

Effectiveness of group body psychotherapy for negative symptoms of schizophrenia: multicentre randomised controlled trial†

PubMed Central

Priebe, S.; Savill, M.; Wykes, T.; Bentall, R. P.; Reininghaus, U.; Lauber, C.; Bremner, S.; Eldridge, S.; Röhricht, F.

2016-01-01

Background Negative symptoms of schizophrenia have a severe impact on functional outcomes and treatment options are limited. Arts therapies are currently recommended but more evidence is required. Aims To assess body psychotherapy as a treatment for negative symptoms compared with an active control (trial registration: ISRCTN84216587). Method Schizophrenia out-patients were randomised into a 20-session body psychotherapy or Pilates group. The primary outcome was negative symptoms at end of treatment. Secondary outcomes included psychopathology, functional, social and treatment satisfaction outcomes at treatment end and 6-months later. Results In total, 275 participants were randomised. The adjusted difference in negative symptoms was 0.03 (95% CI −1.11 to 1.17), indicating no benefit from body psychotherapy. Small improvements in expressive deficits and movement disorder symptoms were detected in favour of body psychotherapy. No other outcomes were significantly different. Conclusions Body psychotherapy does not have a clinically relevant beneficial effect in the treatment of patients with negative symptoms of schizophrenia. PMID:27151073

Effects of overweight and leisure-time activities on aerobic fitness in urban and rural adolescents.

PubMed

Albarwani, Sulayma; Al-Hashmi, Khamis; Al-Abri, Mohammed; Jaju, Deepali; Hassan, Mohammed O

2009-08-01

The aim of this research was to study the effects of overweight and leisure-time activities on maximal aerobic capacity (VO(2)max) in urban and rural Omani adolescents. A total of 529 (245 males, 284 females) adolescents, aged 15-16 years were randomly selected from segregated urban and rural schools. Maximal aerobic capacity was estimated using the multistage 20-meter shuttle-run test. The body mass index (BMI) of urban boys and girls was significantly higher than that of rural boys and girls. Urban boys and girls spent significantly less weekly hours on sports activities and significantly more weekly hours on TV/computer games than their rural counterpart. Urban boys and girls achieved significantly less VO(2)max than rural boys and girls (44.2 and 33.0 vs. 48.3 and 38.6 mL/kg/min, respectively). Maximal aerobic capacity was negatively correlated with BMI in urban boys. Overweight and inactivity had significant negative effects on cardiorespiratory fitness in urban boys and girls as compared to their rural counterparts. Weight gain in adolescence requires early intervention.

Emotions and false memories: valence or arousal?

PubMed

Corson, Yves; Verrier, Nadège

2007-03-01

The effects of mood on false memories have not been studied systematically until recently. Some results seem to indicate that negative mood may reduce false recall and thus suggest an influence of emotional valence on false memory. The present research tested the effects of both valence and arousal on recall and recognition and indicates that the effect is actually due to arousal. In fact, whether participants' mood is positive, negative, or neutral, false memories are significantly more frequent under conditions of high arousal than under conditions of low arousal.

Fertility-dependent effects of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities on white spruce seedling nutrition.

PubMed

Smith, Alistair J H; Potvin, Lynette R; Lilleskov, Erik A

2015-11-01

Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcMF) typically colonize nursery seedlings, but nutritional and growth effects of these communities are only partly understood. To examine these effects, Picea glauca seedlings collected from a tree nursery naturally colonized by three dominant EcMF were divided between fertilized and unfertilized treatments. After one growing season seedlings were harvested, ectomycorrhizas identified using DNA sequencing, and seedlings analyzed for leaf nutrient concentration and content, and biomass parameters. EcMF community structure-nutrient interactions were tested using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) combined with vector analysis of foliar nutrients and biomass. We identified three dominant species: Amphinema sp., Atheliaceae sp., and Thelephora terrestris. NMDS + envfit revealed significant community effects on seedling nutrition that differed with fertilization treatment. PERMANOVA and regression analyses uncovered significant species effects on host nutrient concentration, content, and stoichiometry. Amphinema sp. had a significant positive effect on phosphorus (P), calcium and zinc concentration, and P content; in contrast, T. terrestris had a negative effect on P concentration. In the unfertilized treatment, percent abundance of the Amphinema sp. negatively affected foliar nitrogen (N) concentration but not content, and reduced foliar N/P. In fertilized seedlings, Amphinema sp. was positively related to foliar concentrations of N, magnesium, and boron, and both concentration and content of manganese, and Atheliaceae sp. had a negative relationship with P content. Findings shed light on the community and species effects on seedling condition, revealing clear functional differences among dominants. The approach used should be scalable to explore function in more complex communities composed of unculturable EcMF.

An investigation of two dimensions of impulsivity as predictors of loss-of-control eating severity and frequency.

PubMed

Espel, Hallie M; Muratore, Alexandra F; Lowe, Michael R

2017-10-01

Loss-of-control (LOC) eating episodes represent one form of dysregulated eating common to full- and sub-threshold eating disorders. Extensive evidence suggests that impulsivity, particularly in the context of negative affect and/or depression, may play an important etiological role in the development and maintenance of LOC eating. However, most prior studies have considered LOC eating as a dichotomous rather than dimensional construct, and few studies have considered the interaction of multiple dimensions of impulsivity while also accounting for the role of depressive symptoms. The present study examined the independent and interacting effects of two facets of impulsivity-response inhibition and negative urgency-on LOC eating episode severity and frequency among college women (N = 102). Depressive symptom severity was included as a covariate. Results indicated that greater negative urgency was associated with greater LOC severity; this effect was moderated by response inhibition, such that the effect of urgency was particularly pronounced for individuals with higher response inhibition capacity. Negative urgency was the only significant predictor of LOC frequency. Depression had no significant effect on either LOC severity or frequency (ps ≥ 0.16). Results support the importance of considering multiple facets of impulsivity in predicting LOC eating behavior, and further indicate that factors influencing subjective severity and frequency of LOC may be distinct. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Relation between Maternal Work Hours and Primary School Students' Affect in China: The Role of the Frequency of Mother-Child Communication (FMCC) and Maternal Education.

PubMed

Zhou, Huan; Lv, Bo; Guo, Xiaolin; Liu, Chunhui; Qi, Bing; Hu, Weiping; Liu, Zhaomin; Luo, Liang

2017-01-01

Background: Although substantial evidence suggests that maternal work hours may have a negative effect on children's cognitive development, the link between maternal work hours and children's affect remains unclear. Some studies have observed that non-daytime maternal work hours are associated with more emotional problems among children. However, few studies have focused on the effects of maternal work hours on workdays and non-workdays. Therefore, this study separately investigated the relation between maternal work hours on workdays and on non-workdays and explored the mediating role of the frequency of mother-child communication (FMCC) and the moderating role of maternal education. Method: Using cluster sampling, this study selected 879 students in grades 4-6 at two primary schools in the Hebei and Shandong provinces in China and their mothers as the study subjects. A multi-group structural equation model (SEM) was used to test the relations between maternal work hours, FMCC and children's affect and the moderating effect of maternal education. Results: (1) Non-college-educated mothers' work hours on workdays negatively predicted FMCC, but there was no such effect for college-educated mothers; (2) non-workday work hours of all employed mothers negatively predicted FMCC; (3) the FMCC of all employed mothers positively predicted children's positive affect; (4) the FMCC of college-educated mothers negatively predicted children's negative affect although there was no such relation for non-college-educated mothers; (5) there was a significant mediating effect of FMCC on the relation between maternal work hours and children's affect only for non-college-educated mothers; and (6) the workday work hours of non-college-educated mothers positively predicted children's negative affect, but this correlation was negative for college-educated mothers. Conclusion: Maternal work hours have a marginally significant negative effect on children's affect through FMCC only for non-college-educated mothers. Compared with non-college-educated mothers, college-educated mothers more easily compensate for the loss of communication opportunities caused by increased work hours on workdays, and children with college-educated mothers benefit more from this communication. However, compensating for the loss of communication opportunities caused by increased work hours on non-workdays is difficult for all employed mothers.

The Relation between Maternal Work Hours and Primary School Students’ Affect in China: The Role of the Frequency of Mother–Child Communication (FMCC) and Maternal Education

PubMed Central

Zhou, Huan; Lv, Bo; Guo, Xiaolin; Liu, Chunhui; Qi, Bing; Hu, Weiping; Liu, Zhaomin; Luo, Liang

2017-01-01

Background: Although substantial evidence suggests that maternal work hours may have a negative effect on children’s cognitive development, the link between maternal work hours and children’s affect remains unclear. Some studies have observed that non-daytime maternal work hours are associated with more emotional problems among children. However, few studies have focused on the effects of maternal work hours on workdays and non-workdays. Therefore, this study separately investigated the relation between maternal work hours on workdays and on non-workdays and explored the mediating role of the frequency of mother-child communication (FMCC) and the moderating role of maternal education. Method: Using cluster sampling, this study selected 879 students in grades 4–6 at two primary schools in the Hebei and Shandong provinces in China and their mothers as the study subjects. A multi-group structural equation model (SEM) was used to test the relations between maternal work hours, FMCC and children’s affect and the moderating effect of maternal education. Results: (1) Non-college-educated mothers’ work hours on workdays negatively predicted FMCC, but there was no such effect for college-educated mothers; (2) non-workday work hours of all employed mothers negatively predicted FMCC; (3) the FMCC of all employed mothers positively predicted children’s positive affect; (4) the FMCC of college-educated mothers negatively predicted children’s negative affect although there was no such relation for non-college-educated mothers; (5) there was a significant mediating effect of FMCC on the relation between maternal work hours and children’s affect only for non-college-educated mothers; and (6) the workday work hours of non-college-educated mothers positively predicted children’s negative affect, but this correlation was negative for college-educated mothers. Conclusion: Maternal work hours have a marginally significant negative effect on children’s affect through FMCC only for non-college-educated mothers. Compared with non-college-educated mothers, college-educated mothers more easily compensate for the loss of communication opportunities caused by increased work hours on workdays, and children with college-educated mothers benefit more from this communication. However, compensating for the loss of communication opportunities caused by increased work hours on non-workdays is difficult for all employed mothers. PMID:29075219

Toddler Emotional States, Temperamental Traits, and Their Interaction: Associations with Mothers’ and Fathers’ Parenting

PubMed Central

Fields, Margaret A.; Cole, Pamela M.; Maggi, Mirella C.

2016-01-01

We investigated the degree to which toddlers’ observed emotional states, toddlers’ temperamental traits, and their interaction accounted for variance in mothers’ and fathers’ parenting. Main effects of two emotional states (positive emotion and negative emotion), three temperamental traits (negative affectivity, effortful control, and surgency) as well as state-by-trait interactions, were examined in relation to parental sensitivity, positive affect, and negative affect. The hypothesis that toddlers’ temperamental traits would moderate the association between their observed emotional states and parenting was partially supported. Significant state-by-trait interactions were found in models predicting the probability that mothers and fathers expressed negative affect towards their toddlers. For parental sensitivity and positive affect, only main effects of temperament and/or emotion expression accounted for variance in parenting. PMID:28479643

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.

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

PubMed

Wendsche, Johannes; Lohmann-Haislah, Andrea

2016-01-01

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

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

PubMed Central

Wendsche, Johannes; Lohmann-Haislah, Andrea

2017-01-01

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

Negative relationship behavior is more important than positive: Correlates of outcomes during stressful life events.

PubMed

Rivers, Alannah Shelby; Sanford, Keith

2018-04-01

When people who are married or cohabiting face stressful life situations, their ability to cope may be associated with two separate dimensions of interpersonal behavior: positive and negative. These behaviors can be assessed with the Couple Resilience Inventory (CRI). It was expected that scales on this instrument would correlate with outcome variables regarding life well-being, stress, and relationship satisfaction. It was also expected that effects for negative behavior would be larger than effects for positive and that the effects might be curvilinear. Study 1 included 325 married or cohabiting people currently experiencing nonmedical major life stressors and Study 2 included 154 married or cohabiting people with current, serious medical conditions. All participants completed an online questionnaire including the CRI along with an alternate measure of couple behavior (to confirm scale validity), a measure of general coping style (to serve as a covariate), and measures of outcome variables regarding well-being, quality of life, perceived stress, and relationship satisfaction. The effects for negative behavior were larger than effects for positive in predicting most outcomes, and many effects were curvilinear. Notably, results remained significant after controlling for general coping style, and scales measuring positive and negative behavior demonstrated comparable levels of validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Responses of lichen communities to 18 years of natural and experimental warming.

PubMed

Alatalo, Juha M; Jägerbrand, Annika K; Chen, Shengbin; Molau, Ulf

2017-07-01

Climate change is expected to have major impacts on high alpine and arctic ecosystems in the future, but empirical data on the impact of long-term warming on lichen diversity and richness are sparse. This study report the effects of 18 years of ambient and experimental warming on lichens and vascular plant cover in two alpine plant communities, a dry heath with sparse canopy cover (54 %) and a mesic meadow with a more developed (67 %) canopy cover, in sub-arctic Sweden. The effects of long-term passive experimental warming using open top chambers (OTCs) on lichens and total vascular plant cover, and the impact of plant cover on lichen community parameters, were analysed. Between 1993 and 2013, mean annual temperature increased about 2 °C. Both site and experimental warming had a significant effect on cover, species richness, effective number of species evenness of lichens, and total plant canopy cover. Lichen cover increased in the heath under ambient conditions, and remained more stable under experimental warming. The negative effect on species richness and effective number of species was driven by a decrease in lichens under experimental warming in the meadow. Lichen cover, species richness, effective number of species evenness were negatively correlated with plant canopy cover. There was a significant negative impact on one species and a non-significant tendency of lower abundance of the most common species in response to experimental warming. The results from the long-term warming study imply that arctic and high alpine lichen communities are likely to be negatively affected by climate change and an increase in plant canopy cover. Both biotic and abiotic factors are thus important for future impacts of climate change on lichens. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

College students' intentions to seek help for suicidal ideation: accounting for the help-negation effect.

PubMed

Yakunina, Elena S; Rogers, James R; Waehler, Charles A; Werth, James L

2010-10-01

Prior research has identified a negative association between suicidal ideation and help-seeking, a phenomenon called "help-negation." Help-negation has been documented to occur for both professional and nonprofessional sources of help. In this study help-seeking attitudes, stigma concerns, and perceptions of social support were examined as possible mediators of help-negation. Data were collected from a nonclinical sample of college undergraduates at a midwestern university (N = 321). Findings provided partial support for the mediation hypotheses. Help-seeking attitudes and stigma were significant predictors of help-seeking intentions (β = .34 and β = -.17, p < .05, respectively), but did not mediate help-negation for professional sources. Perceptions of social support, on the other hand, fully mediated help-negation for nonprofessional sources (β = .27, p < .05).

Evidence that COMT genotype and proline interact on negative-symptom outcomes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Clelland, C L; Drouet, V; Rilett, K C; Smeed, J A; Nadrich, R H; Rajparia, A; Read, L L; Clelland, J D

2016-09-13

Elevated peripheral proline is associated with psychiatric disorders, and there is evidence that proline is a neuromodulator. The proline dehydrogenase (PRODH) gene, which encodes the enzyme that catalyzes proline catabolism, maps to human chromosome 22q11.2, a region conferring risk of schizophrenia. In the Prodh-null mouse, an interaction between elevated peripheral proline and another 22q11.2 gene, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), on neurotransmission and behavior has been reported. We explored the relationship between fasting plasma proline levels and COMT Val(158)Met genotype on symptoms (positive, negative and total) in schizophrenia patients. In an exploratory study we also examined symptom change in patients with bipolar disorder. There was a significant interaction between peripheral proline and COMT on negative symptoms in schizophrenia (P<0.0001, n=95). In COMT Val/Val patients, high proline was associated with low Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptom (SANS) scores. In contrast, high proline was associated with high SANS scores in patients carrying a Met allele. The relationship between proline and COMT also appears to modify negative symptoms across psychiatric illness. In bipolar disorder, a significant interaction was also observed on negative-symptom change (P=0.007, n=43). Negative symptoms are intractable and largely unaddressed by current medications. These data indicate a significant interaction between peripheral proline and COMT genotype, influencing negative symptoms in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. That high proline has converse effects on symptoms by COMT genotype, may have implications for therapeutic decisions.

Prosociality and negative emotionality mediate the association of serotonin transporter genotype with childhood ADHD and ODD.

PubMed

Brammer, Whitney A; Lee, Steve S

2013-01-01

Although there is evidence that the promoter polymorphism of the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) gene is associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), the pathways underlying these associations are largely unknown. Given their theoretical and biological plausibility, we tested whether individual differences in key temperament dimensions (i.e., prosociality, negative emotionality, daring) constituted potential pathways from 5-HTTLPR to ADHD and ODD. Using a well-characterized sample of 194 six to nine-year-old children with and without ADHD, we utilized multiple mediation procedures with bootstrapping to evaluate prosociality, negative emotionality, and daring as independent mediators of 5-HTTLPR with separate parent and teacher ratings of ADHD and ODD. Controlling for ODD, prosociality and negative emotionality significantly mediated the association of 5-HTTLPR and parent-reported ADHD. Similarly, controlling for ADHD, prosociality and negative emotionality each uniquely mediated the association of 5-HTTLPR and parent-reported ODD. For teacher-reported ADHD, prosociality significantly mediated the association of 5-HTTLPR (controlling for ODD) whereas controlling for ODD, negative emotionality significantly mediated the prediction of teacher-reported ODD from 5-HTTLPR. Specifically, the number of 5-HTTLPR long alleles was inversely associated with prosociality and positively associated with negative emotionality; prosociality was inversely associated and negative emotionality was positively associated with ADHD and ODD. We consider the role of temperament in genetically sensitive designs as well as its potential value in the development and delivery of effective interventions.

Could the negative effects of static stretching in warm-up be restored by sport specific exercise?

PubMed

Bengtsson, Victor; Yu, Ji-Guo; Gilenstam, Kajsa

2017-04-13

Static stretching (SS) is widely used in warm-up as it is generally believed to increase mobility and reduce the risk of injury; however, SS has been shown to induce transient negative effects on subsequent muscle performance. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that sport specific exercise could restore SS-induced negative effects on certain sports, especially of explosive muscular performance. Whether sport specific exercise could restore SS-induced negative effects on isokinetic muscle performance remains unclear. The present study conducted two different warm-ups: 2-component warm-up and 3-component warm-up on 15 university students. Both protocols contained low intensity aerobic exercise and sport specific exercise, whereas the 3-component warm-up also contained SS which has been previously proven to induce negative effects on subsequent muscle performance. After the warm-ups, the subjects performed an isokinetic test on a Biodex. To make the sport specific exercise mimic the subsequent test, both included concentric isokinetic knee extension. During the tests, muscle performance of peak torque, mean power, and total work was recorded. Comparison of the measurements on each parameter between the two warm-ups was performed using paired t test. The comparisons did not reveal any significant difference in the measurement of any parameter between the two different warm-up protocols, and calculation of Cohen's revealed small effect sizes on all of the three variables. On basis of the present results and that the SS could induce transient negative effects on subsequent muscle performance, we concluded that the negative effects of the SS on the variables were restored by the isokinetic contractions.

Electroconvulsive therapy regulates emotional memory bias of depressed patients.

PubMed

Bai, Tongjian; Xie, Wen; Wei, Qiang; Chen, Yang; Mu, Jingjing; Tian, Yanghua; Wang, Kai

2017-11-01

Emotional memory bias is considered to be an important base of the etiology of depression and can be reversed by antidepressants via enhancing the memory for positive stimuli. Another antidepressant treatment, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), has rapid antidepressant effect and frequently causes short-term memory impairment. However, it is unclear about the short-term effect of ECT on memory bias. In this study, the incidental memory task with emotional pictures were applied to evaluate the emotional memory of twenty depressed patients at pre- and post-ECT (three days after ECT) compared to twenty healthy controls. The depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Hamilton rating scale of depression (HRSD). Before ECT, patients showed decreased recognition memory for positive pictures compared to controls and remembered negative pictures more easily than positive pictures in the recognition task. In patients, the main effect of session (pre-ECT and post-ECT) was significant for both recognition and recall memory with reduced memory performance. The interaction between valence (positive, neutral and negative) and session was significant for recognition memory, indicating that negative memory was impaired more severely than positive memory. Our study indicates that ECT relieves depressive symptoms and regulates emotional memory through more severe impairment on memory for negative stimuli. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

OXTR polymorphism predicts social relationships through its effects on social temperament

PubMed Central

Wright, Aidan G. C.; Troxel, Wendy M.; Ferrell, Robert E.; Flory, Janine D.; Manuck, Stephen B.

2015-01-01

Humans have a fundamental need for strong interpersonal bonds, yet individuals differ appreciably in their degree of social integration. That these differences are also substantially heritable has spurred interest in biological mechanisms underlying the quality and quantity of individuals’ social relationships. We propose that polymorphic variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) associates with complex social behaviors and social network composition through intermediate effects on negative affectivity and the psychological processing of socially relevant information. We tested a hypothesized social cascade from the molecular level (OXTR variation) to the social environment, through negative affectivity and inhibited sociality, in a sample of 1295 men and women of European American (N = 1081) and African American (N = 214) ancestry. Compared to European Americans having any T allele of rs1042778, individuals homozygous for the alternate G allele reported significantly lower levels of negative affectivity and inhibited sociality, which in turn predicted significantly higher levels of social support and a larger/more diverse social network. Moreover, the effect of rs1042778 variation on social support was fully accounted for by associated differences in negative affectivity and inhibited sociality. Results replicated in the African American sample. Findings suggest that OXTR variation modulates levels of social support via proximal impacts on individual temperament. PMID:25326040

Effect of selective elimination of the oral flora on mucositis in irradiated head and neck cancer patients

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

Spijkervet, F.K.; Van Saene, H.K.; Van Saene, J.J.

Recently it has been reported that chlorhexidine 0.1% rinsing was not successful in eradication of gram-negative bacilli in patients who have head and neck cancer. These bacilli could play a role in irradiation mucositis. This study reports the effect of lozenges containing 2 mg polymyxin E, 1.8 mg tobramycin, and 10 mg amphotericin B qid on the oropharyngeal flora in 15 irradiated head and neck cancer patients. The results were compared with those of a previous study in two groups of 15 patients comparing chlorhexidine rinsing with placebo. In all patients using lozenges, eradication of gram-negative bacilli and yeasts wasmore » achieved within 3 weeks. A significant increase of enterococci was found. Mucositis was significantly reduced compared with the previous two groups. All patients showed erythema only, whereas 80% of both the placebo and chlorhexidine rinsing patients suffered from severe mucositis, with signs of pseudomembranes developing from the third week of conventional irradiation protocol. The effect of selective elimination of gram-negative bacilli from the oropharynx and the prevention of severe mucositis may be explained by the eradication of these bacteria and/or neutralization of salivary endotoxin, released by gram-negative bacilli, mediating the inflammatory processes.« less

Caffeine expectancies influence the subjective and behavioral effects of caffeine.

PubMed

Harrell, Paul T; Juliano, Laura M

2009-12-01

This study investigated the independent and interactive effects of caffeine pharmacology and expected effects of caffeine on performance and subjective outcomes. Abstinent coffee drinkers (n = 60) consumed decaffeinated coffee with either 280 mg or 0 mg added caffeine. Caffeine dose was crossed with varying instructions that the coffee would either enhance or impair performance in a 2 x 2 factorial design. Performance, mood, caffeine withdrawal, and negative somatic effects were assessed. Relative to placebo, caffeine improved reaction time and accuracy on the rapid visual information processing task, a measure of vigilance. However, there was a significant dose by expectancy interaction that revealed that among participants given placebo coffee, "impair" instructions produced better performance than "enhance" instructions. Caffeine also improved psychomotor performance as indicated by a finger tapping task with no main effects of expectancy or interactions. Impair instructions produced greater reports of negative somatic effects than enhance instructions, but only when caffeine was administered. Manipulating the expected effects of caffeine altered the behavioral and subjective effects of caffeine. A significant dose by expectancy interaction revealed a somewhat paradoxical outcome in the placebo conditions whereby those told "impair" performed better than those told "enhance." This may reflect compensatory responding as has been observed in similar studies using alcohol (Fillmore et al. Psychopharmacology 115:383-388, 1994). Impair instructions led to greater negative somatic effects only when caffeine was administered supporting the active placebo hypothesis.

Meta-analysis of the effects of forest fragmentation on interspecific interactions.

PubMed

Magrach, Ainhoa; Laurance, William F; Larrinaga, Asier R; Santamaria, Luis

2014-10-01

Forest fragmentation dramatically alters species persistence and distribution and affects many ecological interactions among species. Recent studies suggest that mutualisms, such as pollination and seed dispersal, are more sensitive to the negative effects of forest fragmentation than antagonisms, such as predation or herbivory. We applied meta-analytical techniques to evaluate this hypothesis and quantified the relative contributions of different components of the fragmentation process (decreases in fragment size, edge effects, increased isolation, and habitat degradation) to the overall effect. The effects of fragmentation on mutualisms were primarily driven by habitat degradation, edge effects, and fragment isolation, and, as predicted, they were consistently more negative on mutualisms than on antagonisms. For the most studied interaction type, seed dispersal, only certain components of fragmentation had significant (edge effects) or marginally significant (fragment size) effects. Seed size modulated the effect of fragmentation: species with large seeds showed stronger negative impacts of fragmentation via reduced dispersal rates. Our results reveal that different components of the habitat fragmentation process have varying impacts on key mutualisms. We also conclude that antagonistic interactions have been understudied in fragmented landscapes, most of the research has concentrated on particular types of mutualistic interactions such as seed dispersal, and that available studies of interspecific interactions have a strong geographical bias (arising mostly from studies carried out in Brazil, Chile, and the United States). © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Five-year lidar observational results and effects of El Chichon particles on Umkehr ozone data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchino, Osamu; Tabata, Isao; Kai, Kenji; Akita, Iwao

1988-08-01

Based on the values of integrated backscattering coefficient B, obtained from the ruby lidar measurements at the Meteorological Research Institude (MRI, at Tsukuba, Japan), the effect of dust particles due to two volcanic eruptions of Mt. El Chichon in 1982 on the Umkehr ozone data at the Tateno Aerological Observatory was determined. In addition, the effects of the aerosols on the Umkehr ozone data at Arosa, Switzerland were investigated using lidar data collected at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. It was found that both stratospheric and tropospheric aerosols induced a significant negative ozone error in the uppermost layers (33-47 km), caused a small and usually negative ozone error in layers between 16 and 33 km, and induced a significant positive ozone error in layers between 6 and 16 km.

The developmental origins of cognitive vulnerability to depression: temperament, parenting, and negative life events in childhood as contributors to negative cognitive style.

PubMed

Mezulis, Amy H; Hyde, Janet Shibley; Abramson, Lyn Y

2006-11-01

Cognitive models of depression have been well supported with adults, but the developmental origins of cognitive vulnerability are not well understood. The authors hypothesized that temperament, parenting, and negative life events in childhood would contribute to the development of cognitive style, with withdrawal negativity and negative parental feedback moderating the effects of negative life events to predict more depressogenic cognitive styles. These constructs were assessed in 289 children and their parents followed longitudinally from infancy to 5th grade; a subsample (n = 120) also participated in a behavioral task in which maternal feedback to child failure was observed. Results indicated that greater withdrawal negativity in interaction with negative life events was associated with more negative cognitive styles. Self-reported maternal anger expression and observed negative maternal feedback to child's failure significantly interacted with child's negative events to predict greater cognitive vulnerability. There was little evidence of paternal parenting predicting child negative cognitive style.

OnabotulinumtoxinA effectiveness on chronic migraine, negative emotional states and sleep quality: a single-center prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Aydinlar, Elif Ilgaz; Dikmen, Pinar Yalinay; Kosak, Seda; Kocaman, Ayse Sagduyu

2017-12-01

OnabotulinumtoxinA (OnabotA) is considered effective in in patients with chronic migraine (CM) who failed on traditional therapies. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of OnabotA injection series on migraine outcome, negative emotional states and sleep quality in patients with CM. A total of 190 patients with CM (mean (SD) age: 39.3 (10.2) years; 87.9% were female) were included. Data on Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), headache frequency and severity, number of analgesics used, Migraine Disability Assessment Scale. (MIDAS) scores and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were evaluated at baseline (visit 1) and 4 consecutive follow up visits, each conducted after OnabotA injection series; at week 12 (visit 2), week 24 (visit 3), week 36 (visit 4) and week 48 (visit 5) to evaluate change from baseline to follow up. From baseline to visit 5, significant decrease was noted in least square (LS) mean headache frequency (from 19.5 to 8.4, p = 0.002), headache severity (from 8.1 to 6.1, p = 0.017), number of analgesics (from 26.9 to 10.4, p = 0.023) and MIDAS scores (from 67.3 to 18.5, p < 0.001). No significant change from baseline was noted in global PSOI and DASS-21 scores throughout the study. Our findings revealed that OnabotA therapy was associated with significant improvement in migraine outcome leading to decrease in headache frequency and severity, number of analgesics used and MIDAS scores. While no significant change was noted in overall sleep quality and prevalence of negative emotional states, patients without negative emotional states at baseline showed improved sleep quality throughout the study.

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

PubMed

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

2016-02-01

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

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.

An in-situ investigation of the acute effects of Bikram yoga on positive- and negative affect, and state-anxiety in context of perceived stress.

PubMed

Szabo, Attila; Nikházy, Letícia; Tihanyi, Benedek; Boros, Szilvia

2017-04-01

Bikram yoga is a relatively new, but an increasingly popular form of exercise. Its health benefits were demonstrated on physical and psychological measures. The current field study tested the acute effects of Bikram yoga on practitioners' positive-/negative-affect and state-anxiety, and their link to the self-perceived stress, in Bikram yoga participants. Field study, within-participants design, testing perceived stress and its relation to changes in positive-/negative-affect and state-anxiety in 53 habitual Bikram yoga participants. Statistically significant positive changes emerged in all three psychological measures after the 90-min Bikram yoga session. The decrease in negative-affect and state-anxiety were significantly and positively related to the perceived stress. Estimated effort was unrelated to the magnitude of the changes recorded in the psychological measures. Heart rates and self-report measures indicated that physically Bikram yoga is only mildly challenging. The findings illustrate that, independently of the physical effort, Bikram yoga is a new mild form of exercise that reduces negative-affect and state-anxiety, and the reduction is directly related to the perceived stress. Therefore, Bikram yoga appears to be beneficial for all practitioners, but even more so for the individuals who experience substantial stress in the daily life.

Meta-analysis and systematic review of studies on the effectiveness of HIV stigma reduction programs.

PubMed

Mak, Winnie W S; Mo, Phoenix K H; Ma, Gloria Y K; Lam, Maggie Y Y

2017-09-01

The present study conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review on studies evaluating the effectiveness of stigma reduction programs in improving knowledge and reducing negative attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLHIV). Meta-analysis (k = 42 studies) found significant and small effect sizes in the improvement of the participants' knowledge of HIV/AIDS from interventions with (Cohen's d = 0.48, 95% CI [0.30, 0.66]) and without control groups (Cohen's d = 0.42, 95% CI [0.28, 0.57]). Significant and small effect sizes were found in the improvement of the participants' attitudes toward PLHIV from interventions with (Cohen's d = 0.39, 95% CI [0.23, 0.55]) and without control groups (Cohen's d = 0.25, 95% CI [0.11, 0.39]). Significant and small effect sizes were sustained at the follow-up assessments. Subgroup analysis showed that number of intervention sessions, intervention settings, and sample type significantly moderated the effect sizes in the meta-analysis. Findings from the systematic review of 35 studies indicated that most of the included studies showed positive results in reducing negative attitudes toward PLHIV and improving HIV-related knowledge. Most of the included studies tended to have low methodological quality. The present meta-analysis and systematic review indicated that the studies generally found small improvement in HIV-related knowledge and reduction in negative attitudes towards PLHIV among the stigma reduction programs being evaluated. High-quality stigma reduction programs with multidimensional stigma indicators and psychometrically sound outcome measures are highly warranted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of Ocean Warming and Ocean Acidification on Larval Development and Calcification in the Sea Urchin Tripneustes gratilla

PubMed Central

Sheppard Brennand, Hannah; Soars, Natalie; Dworjanyn, Symon A.; Davis, Andrew R.; Byrne, Maria

2010-01-01

Background As the oceans simultaneously warm, acidify and increase in P CO2, prospects for marine biota are of concern. Calcifying species may find it difficult to produce their skeleton because ocean acidification decreases calcium carbonate saturation and accompanying hypercapnia suppresses metabolism. However, this may be buffered by enhanced growth and metabolism due to warming. Methodology/Principal Findings We examined the interactive effects of near-future ocean warming and increased acidification/P CO2 on larval development in the tropical sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla. Larvae were reared in multifactorial experiments in flow-through conditions in all combinations of three temperature and three pH/P CO2 treatments. Experiments were placed in the setting of projected near future conditions for SE Australia, a global change hot spot. Increased acidity/P CO2 and decreased carbonate mineral saturation significantly reduced larval growth resulting in decreased skeletal length. Increased temperature (+3°C) stimulated growth, producing significantly bigger larvae across all pH/P CO2 treatments up to a thermal threshold (+6°C). Increased acidity (-0.3-0.5 pH units) and hypercapnia significantly reduced larval calcification. A +3°C warming diminished the negative effects of acidification and hypercapnia on larval growth. Conclusions and Significance This study of the effects of ocean warming and CO2 driven acidification on development and calcification of marine invertebrate larvae reared in experimental conditions from the outset of development (fertilization) shows the positive and negative effects of these stressors. In simultaneous exposure to stressors the dwarfing effects of acidification were dominant. Reduction in size of sea urchin larvae in a high P CO2 ocean would likely impair their performance with negative consequent effects for benthic adult populations. PMID:20613879

The facilitating effect of positive emotions during an emotional Stroop task.

PubMed

Liu, Xingyu; Yang, Yisheng; Jiang, Songxiu; Li, Jie

2018-05-08

Prior research has shown that negative emotions, even though task irrelevant, are capable of delaying a participant's response to the color in which a negative emotional word is presented, a phenomenon known as the 'emotional Stroop effect'. However, relatively little is known about whether positive emotions have a similar or an opposite effect. The current study sets out to confirm the facilitating effect of positive emotions on color naming, which is predicted by Barbara Fredrickson's 'broaden and build' theory. Our results indicate that positive emotions did facilitate such processing in both of the study's experiments. We also found a significant difference in early posterior negativity amplitudes between positive and neutral stimuli, which was related to the 'fast effect'. Overall, the study's findings suggest that positive emotions can be detected quickly and automatically, and that this kind of prioritizing facilitates the ongoing cognitive processing.

Preferences for emotional information in older and younger adults: a meta-analysis of memory and attention tasks.

PubMed

Murphy, Nora A; Isaacowitz, Derek M

2008-06-01

The authors conducted a meta-analysis to determine the magnitude of older and younger adults' preferences for emotional stimuli in studies of attention and memory. Analyses involved 1,085 older adults from 37 independent samples and 3,150 younger adults from 86 independent samples. Both age groups exhibited small to medium emotion salience effects (i.e., preference for emotionally valenced stimuli over neutral stimuli) as well as positivity preferences (i.e., preference for positively valenced stimuli over neutral stimuli) and negativity preferences (i.e., preference for negatively valenced stimuli to neutral stimuli). There were few age differences overall. Type of measurement appeared to influence the magnitude of effects; recognition studies indicated significant age effects, where older adults showed smaller effects for emotion salience and negativity preferences than younger adults.

The Effect of Positive or Negative Frame on the Choices of Students in School Psychology and Educational Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fagley, N. S.; Miller, Paul M.; Jones, Robert N.

1999-01-01

Doctoral students (N=109) in school psychology and educational administration responded to five decision problems whose outcomes were framed either positively as gains or negatively as losses. Frame and profession significantly affected the number of risky choices. Educational administration students made more risky choices than school psychology…

Successive Negative Contrast after Partial Reinforcement in the Consummatory Behavior of Rats

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellegrini, Santiago; Muzio, Ruben N.; Mustaca, Alba E.; Papini, Mauricio R.

2004-01-01

Rats given access to a 32% sucrose solution later reject a 4% solution significantly more than controls that have only received the 4% solution. In Experiment 1, this consummatory successive negative contrast (cSNC) effect was attenuated by previous exposure to 50% partial reinforcement. Furthermore, recovery from cSNC was also facilitated by…

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

PubMed

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

2015-09-01

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

Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is overexpressed in p16-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and its inhibition in vitro potentiates the effects of chemoradiation.

PubMed

Patel, Kirtesh; Wen, Jing; Magliocca, Kelly; Muller, Susan; Liu, Yuan; Chen, Zhuo Georgia; Saba, Nabil; Diaz, Roberto

2014-11-01

Cisplatin and radiation therapy remain the current standard for treating locally advanced SCCHN. Novel treatment approaches are needed, especially in patients with human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative disease who have worse outcomes despite multimodality therapy. Using our institutional review board approved database, we obtained twenty oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tissue samples: ten p16 positive, ten p16-negative. Because p16 expression is strongly associated with HPV positivity in oropharyngeal SCC, p16 status was used as a marker of HPV. We subsequently analyzed, via immunohistochemistry, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) protein levels. Using HPV-positive and HPV-negative SCC cell lines, we compared baseline HSP90 expression levels and the effect of the HSP90 inhibitor ganetespib on viability and apoptosis. Clonogenic survival of HPV-negative cells treated with ganetespib, radiation therapy, and/or cisplatin was then investigated. We characterize the effects of ganetespib on proteins that are thought to drive DNA damage resistance in HPV-negative cells. HSP90 expression was significantly higher in p16-negative compared with p16-positive samples (p = 0.016) and in HPV-negative cell lines compared with positive cells. Ganetespib increased cytotoxicity and induced apoptosis in HPV-negative more than positive cells. Adding ganetespib to cisplatin and/or radiation therapy in HPV-negative cells further decreased clonogenic survival. Finally, ganetespib downregulated expressions of EGFR, ERK, AKT, p53, and HIF-1α. Ganetespib inhibited HPV-negative SCCHN viability and potentiated cell kill when combined with cisplatin or radiation therapy in vitro. With HSP90 expression higher in HPV-negative cells and in p16-negative patients, further exploration of the clinical activity of HSP90 inhibitors in SCCHN is warranted.

Hypoxia Worsens Affective Responses and Feeling of Fatigue During Prolonged Bed Rest

PubMed Central

Stavrou, Nektarios A. M.; Debevec, Tadej; Eiken, Ola; Mekjavic, Igor B.

2018-01-01

Previous research, although limited, suggests that both hypoxia and bed rest influence psychological responses by exaggerating negative psychological responses and attenuating positive emotions. The present study investigated the effect of a 21-day prolonged exposure to normobaric hypoxia and bed rest on affective responses and fatigue. Eleven healthy participants underwent three 21-day interventions using a cross-over design: (1) normobaric hypoxic ambulatory confinement (HAMB), (2) normobaric hypoxic bed rest (HBR) and (3) normoxic bed rest (NBR). Affective and fatigue responses were investigated using the Activation Deactivation Adjective Check List, and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, which were completed before (Pre), during (Day 7, Day 14, and Day 21) and after (Post) the interventions. The most negative psychological profile appeared during the HBR intervention. Specifically, tiredness, tension, general and physical fatigue significantly increased on days 7, 14, and 21, as well as at Post. After the HBR intervention, general and physical fatigue remained higher compared to Pre values. Additionally, a deterioration of psychological responses was also noted following HAMB and NBR. In particular, both hypoxia and BR per se induced subjective fatigue and negative affective responses. BR seems to exert a moderate negative effect on the sensation of fatigue, whereas exercise attenuates the negative effects of hypoxia as noted during the HAMB condition. In conclusion, our data suggest that the addition of hypoxia to bed rest-induced inactivity significantly worsens affective responses and feeling of fatigue. PMID:29628903

Predictors of urge to smoke under stressful conditions: An experimental investigation utilizing the PASAT-C task to induce negative affect in smokers.

PubMed

Karekla, Maria; Panayiotou, Georgia; Collins, Bradley N

2017-11-01

Experimental evidence has demonstrated that the presence of cues previously associated with smoking behavior can increase urges to smoke in abstinent smokers. This study examined the effect of a laboratory-induced negative affective task (paced auditory serial addition task) on smoking urges among a sample of 35 abstinent college smokers (Mage = 20.83 years, SD = 1.71). Emotional states and physiological reactions experienced during the experiment, as well as individual differences in stress intolerance (anxiety sensitivity and experiential avoidance) were examined as predictors of the association between stressful states and smoking cravings. Smoking urges (smoking desire and negative affect relief) and negative emotions (frustration, irritability, stress) significantly increased, whereas positive emotions decreased from pre- to posttask. No significant interactions between individual differences and changes in urge were found. Results suggest that changes in negative affect may in part explain the association between induced stress and smoking cravings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of Fantasy Behavior, Level of Fantasy Predisposition, Age, and Sex on Direction of Aggression in Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockwood, Julianne L.; Roll, Samuel

1980-01-01

Children who engaged in fantasy behavior after a frustrating incident were significantly more extrapunitive than control subjects. Age was significantly but negatively correlated with outward aggression. (Author/DB)

A Trial of the Effect of Micronutrient Supplementation on Treatment Outcome, T Cell Counts, Morbidity, and Mortality in Adults with Pulmonary Tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Villamor, Eduardo; Mugusi, Ferdinand; Urassa, Willy; Bosch, Ronald J.; Saathoff, Elmar; Matsumoto, Kenji; Meydani, Simin N.; Fawzi, Wafaie W.

2008-01-01

Background Tuberculosis (TB) often coincides with nutritional deficiencies. The effects of micronutrient supplementation on TB treatment outcomes, clinical complications, and mortality are uncertain. Methods We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of micronutrients (vitamins A, B complex, C, and E, as well as selenium) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We enrolled 471 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected and 416 HIV-negative adults with pulmonary TB at the time of initiating chemotherapy and monitored them for a median of 43 months. Results Micronutrients decreased the risk of TB recurrence by 45% overall (95% confidence interval [CI], 7% to 67%; P = .02) and by 63% in HIV-infected patients (95% CI, 8% to 85%; P = .02). There were no significant effects on mortality overall; however, we noted a marginally significant 64% reduction of deaths in HIV-negative subjects (95% CI, −14% to 88%; P = .08). Supplementation increased CD3+ and CD4+ cell counts and decreased the incidence of extrapulmonary TB and genital ulcers in HIV-negative patients. Micronutrients reduced the incidence of peripheral neuropathy by 57% (95% CI, 41% to 69%; P < .001), irrespective of HIV status. There were no significant effects on weight gain, body composition, anemia, or HIV load. Conclusions Micronutrient supplementation could improve the outcome in patients undergoing TB chemotherapy in Tanzania. PMID:18471061

A trial of the effect of micronutrient supplementation on treatment outcome, T cell counts, morbidity, and mortality in adults with pulmonary tuberculosis.

PubMed

Villamor, Eduardo; Mugusi, Ferdinand; Urassa, Willy; Bosch, Ronald J; Saathoff, Elmar; Matsumoto, Kenji; Meydani, Simin N; Fawzi, Wafaie W

2008-06-01

Tuberculosis (TB) often coincides with nutritional deficiencies. The effects of micronutrient supplementation on TB treatment outcomes, clinical complications, and mortality are uncertain. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of micronutrients (vitamins A, B complex, C, and E, as well as selenium) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We enrolled 471 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and 416 HIV-negative adults with pulmonary TB at the time of initiating chemotherapy and monitored them for a median of 43 months. Micronutrients decreased the risk ofTB recurrence by 45% overall (95% confidence interval [CI], 7% to 67%; P = .02) and by 63% in HIV-infected patients (95% CI, 8% to 85%; P = .02). There were no significant effects on mortality overall; however, we noted a marginally significant 64% reduction of deaths in HIV-negative subjects (95% CI, -14% to 88%; P = .08). Supplementation increased CD3+ and CD4+ cell counts and decreased the incidence of extrapulmonary TB and genital ulcers in HIV-negative patients. Micronutrients reduced the incidence of peripheral neuropathy by 57% (95% CI, 41% to 69%; P < .001), irrespective of HIV status. There were no significant effects on weight gain, body composition, anemia, or HIV load. Micronutrient supplementation could improve the outcome in patients undergoing TB chemotherapy in Tanzania.

Evaluating the case-positive, control test-negative study design for influenza vaccine effectiveness for the frailty bias.

PubMed

Talbot, H Keipp; Nian, Hui; Chen, Qingxia; Zhu, Yuwei; Edwards, Kathryn M; Griffin, Marie R

2016-04-04

Previous influenza vaccine effectiveness studies were criticized for their failure to control for frailty. This study was designed to see if the test-negative study design overcomes this bias. Adults ≥ 50 years of age with respiratory symptoms were enrolled from November 2006 through May 2012 during the influenza season (excluding the 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic season) to perform yearly test-negative control influenza vaccine effectiveness studies in Nashville, TN. At enrollment, both a nasal and throat swab sample were obtained and tested for influenza by RT-PCR. Frailty was calculated using a modified Rockwood Index that included 60 variables ascertained in a retrospective chart review giving a score of 0 to 1. Subjects were divided into three strata: non frail (≤ 0.08), pre-frail (> 0.08 to < 0.25), and frail (≥ 0.25). Vaccine effectiveness was calculated using the formula [1-adjusted odds ratio (OR)] × 100%. Adjusted ORs for individual years and all years combined were estimated by penalized multivariable logistic regression. Of 1023 hospitalized adults enrolled, 866 (84.7%) participants had complete immunization status, molecular influenza testing and covariates to calculate frailty. There were 83 influenza-positive cases and 783 test-negative controls overall, who were 74% white, 25% black, and 59% female. The median frailty index was 0.167 (Interquartile: 0.117, 0.267). The frailty index was 0.167 (0.100, 0.233) for the influenza positive cases compared to 0.183 (0.133, 0.267) for influenza negative controls (p = 0.07). Vaccine effectiveness estimates were 55.2% (95%CI: 30.5, 74.2), 60.4% (95%CI: 29.5, 74.4), and 54.3% (95%CI: 28.8, 74.0) without the frailty variable, including frailty as a continuous variable, and including frailty as a categorical variable, respectively. Using the case positive test negative study design to assess vaccine effectiveness, our measure of frailty was not a significant confounder as inclusion of this measure did not significantly change vaccine effectiveness estimates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

When training boomerangs - Negative outcomes associated with Cockpit Resource Management programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, Robert L.; Wilhelm, John A.

1989-01-01

Participants' self-reports and measures of attitudes regarding flightdeck management indicate that Cockpit Resource Management training is positively received and causes highly significant changes in attitudes regarding crew coordination and personal capabilities. However, a subset of participants react negatively to the training and show boomerangs (negative change) in attitudes. Explorations into the causes of this effect pinpoint personality factors and group dynamics as critical determinants of reactions to training and the magnitude and direction of attitude change.

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

Impact of non-medical switching on clinical and economic outcomes, resource utilization and medication-taking behavior: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Nguyen, Elaine; Weeda, Erin R; Sobieraj, Diana M; Bookhart, Brahim K; Piech, Catherine Tak; Coleman, Craig I

2016-07-01

To evaluate current knowledge of the impact of non-medical switching on clinical and economic outcomes, resource utilization and medication-taking behavior. The literature was searched (Medline and Web of Science, January 2000-November 2015) to identify United States' studies evaluating ≥25 patients and measuring the impact of non-medical switching of drugs (switching to a chemically distinct but similar medication for reasons other than lack of clinical efficacy/response, side effects or poor adherence) on ≥1 clinical, economic, resource utilization or medication-taking behavior outcome. The direction of association between non-medical switching and outcomes was classified as negative or positive if a statistically significant worsening or improvement was reported, or neutral if no significant difference was observed. Twenty-nine studies contributed 96 outcomes (60.4% clinical; 21.9% resource utilization; 13.5% economic; 4.2% medication-taking behavior) within six disease categories (cardio-metabolic, immune-mediated, acid suppression, psychiatric, hormone replacement therapy and pain). The direction of association was more frequently negative (33.3%) or neutral (55.2%) than it was positive (11.5%). Stratified by outcome type, non-medical switching was negatively associated with clinical, economic, healthcare utilization and medication-taking behavior outcomes in 20.7%, 69.2%, 38.1% and 75.0% of cases, respectively; and positively in only 4.8%-17.2% of outcomes subgroups. Of 32 outcomes in patients demonstrating stable/well controlled disease, 68.8% and 31.3% had a negative and neutral direction of association. In patients without demonstrated disease stability, outcomes were negatively, neutrally and positively impacted by non-medical switching in 15.6%, 67.2% and 17.2% of 64 outcomes. Our inability to evaluate specific disease state categories and studies/outcomes received equal weight regardless of sample size or magnitude of effect. Non-medical switching was more often associated with negative or neutral effects than positive effects on an array of important outcomes. Among patients with stable/well controlled disease, non-medical switching was associated with mostly negative effects.

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.

Emotion Recognition in Preschool Children: Associations with Maternal Depression and Early Parenting

PubMed Central

Kujawa, Autumn; Dougherty, Lea; Durbin, C. Emily; Laptook, Rebecca; Torpey, Dana; Klein, Daniel N.

2013-01-01

Emotion knowledge in childhood has been shown to predict social functioning and psychological well-being, but relatively little is known about parental factors that influence its development in early childhood. There is some evidence that both parenting behavior and maternal depression are associated with emotion recognition, but previous research has only examined these factors independently. The current study assessed auditory and visual emotion recognition ability among a large sample of preschool children to examine typical emotion recognition skills in children of this age, as well as the independent and interactive effects of maternal and paternal depression and negative parenting (i.e., hostility and intrusiveness). Results indicated that children were most accurate at identifying happy emotional expressions, followed by other basic emotions. The lowest accuracy was observed for neutral expressions. A significant interaction was found between maternal depression and negative parenting behavior, such that children with a maternal history of depression were particularly sensitive to the negative effects of maladaptive parenting behavior on emotion recognition ability. No significant effects were found for paternal depression. These results highlight the importance of examining the effects of multiple interacting factors on children’s emotional development, and provide suggestions for identifying children for targeted preventive interventions. PMID:24444174

Emotion recognition in preschool children: associations with maternal depression and early parenting.

PubMed

Kujawa, Autumn; Dougherty, Lea; Durbin, C Emily; Laptook, Rebecca; Torpey, Dana; Klein, Daniel N

2014-02-01

Emotion knowledge in childhood has been shown to predict social functioning and psychological well-being, but relatively little is known about parental factors that influence its development in early childhood. There is some evidence that both parenting behavior and maternal depression are associated with emotion recognition, but previous research has only examined these factors independently. The current study assessed auditory and visual emotion recognition ability among a large sample of preschool children to examine typical emotion recognition skills in children of this age, as well as the independent and interactive effects of maternal and paternal depression and negative parenting (i.e., hostility and intrusiveness). Results indicated that children were most accurate at identifying happy emotional expressions. The lowest accuracy was observed for neutral expressions. A significant interaction was found between maternal depression and negative parenting behavior: children with a maternal history of depression were particularly sensitive to the negative effects of maladaptive parenting behavior on emotion recognition ability. No significant effects were found for paternal depression. These results highlight the importance of examining the effects of multiple interacting factors on children's emotional development and provide suggestions for identifying children for targeted preventive interventions.

Improved emotional conflict control triggered by the processing priority of negative emotion.

PubMed

Yang, Qian; Wang, Xiangpeng; Yin, Shouhang; Zhao, Xiaoyue; Tan, Jinfeng; Chen, Antao

2016-04-18

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for emotional conflict resolution, and this control mechanism is affected by the emotional valence of distracting stimuli. In the present study, we investigated effects of negative and positive stimuli on emotional conflict control using a face-word Stroop task in combination with functional brain imaging. Emotional conflict was absent in the negative face context, in accordance with the null activation observed in areas regarding emotional face processing (fusiform face area, middle temporal/occipital gyrus). Importantly, these visual areas negatively coupled with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, the significant emotional conflict was observed in the positive face context, this effect was accompanied by activation in areas associated with emotional face processing, and the default mode network (DMN), here, DLPFC mainly negatively coupled with DMN, rather than visual areas. These results suggested that the conflict control mechanism exerted differently between negative faces and positive faces, it implemented more efficiently in the negative face condition, whereas it is more devoted to inhibiting internal interference in the positive face condition. This study thus provides a plausible mechanism of emotional conflict resolution that the rapid pathway for negative emotion processing efficiently triggers control mechanisms to preventively resolve emotional conflict.

Improved emotional conflict control triggered by the processing priority of negative emotion

PubMed Central

Yang, Qian; Wang, Xiangpeng; Yin, Shouhang; Zhao, Xiaoyue; Tan, Jinfeng; Chen, Antao

2016-01-01

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for emotional conflict resolution, and this control mechanism is affected by the emotional valence of distracting stimuli. In the present study, we investigated effects of negative and positive stimuli on emotional conflict control using a face-word Stroop task in combination with functional brain imaging. Emotional conflict was absent in the negative face context, in accordance with the null activation observed in areas regarding emotional face processing (fusiform face area, middle temporal/occipital gyrus). Importantly, these visual areas negatively coupled with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, the significant emotional conflict was observed in the positive face context, this effect was accompanied by activation in areas associated with emotional face processing, and the default mode network (DMN), here, DLPFC mainly negatively coupled with DMN, rather than visual areas. These results suggested that the conflict control mechanism exerted differently between negative faces and positive faces, it implemented more efficiently in the negative face condition, whereas it is more devoted to inhibiting internal interference in the positive face condition. This study thus provides a plausible mechanism of emotional conflict resolution that the rapid pathway for negative emotion processing efficiently triggers control mechanisms to preventively resolve emotional conflict. PMID:27086908

Resting lateralized activity predicts the cortical response and appraisal of emotions: an fNIRS study.

PubMed

Balconi, Michela; Grippa, Elisabetta; Vanutelli, Maria Elide

2015-12-01

This study explored the effect of lateralized left-right resting brain activity on prefrontal cortical responsiveness to emotional cues and on the explicit appraisal (stimulus evaluation) of emotions based on their valence. Indeed subjective responses to different emotional stimuli should be predicted by brain resting activity and should be lateralized and valence-related (positive vs negative valence). A hemodynamic measure was considered (functional near-infrared spectroscopy). Indeed hemodynamic resting activity and brain response to emotional cues were registered when subjects (N = 19) viewed emotional positive vs negative stimuli (IAPS). Lateralized index response during resting state, LI (lateralized index) during emotional processing and self-assessment manikin rating were considered. Regression analysis showed the significant predictive effect of resting activity (more left or right lateralized) on both brain response and appraisal of emotional cues based on stimuli valence. Moreover, significant effects were found as a function of valence (more right response to negative stimuli; more left response to positive stimuli) during emotion processing. Therefore, resting state may be considered a predictive marker of the successive cortical responsiveness to emotions. The significance of resting condition for emotional behavior was discussed. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An evaluation of Well Ways, a family education programme for carers of people with a mental illness.

PubMed

Stephens, Jessica R; Farhall, John; Farnan, Sue; Ratcliff, Kirk M

2011-01-01

Family education programmes aim to improve the well-being of carers of people with a mental illness. We evaluated the effectiveness of one such programme, Well Ways, in reducing negative care-giving consequences. We employed a pre-post design to evaluate the effectiveness of Well Ways in a naturalistic setting using a sample of carers of people with a mental illness. The Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire, a measure of care-giving consequences including worrying, tension, urging and supervision, and incorporating the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), was completed by 459 carers before and after participation in Well Ways. Participants' worrying, tension, urging and distress (GHQ-12) were significantly lower following completion of the programme. These improvements were maintained at 3 and 6 month follow up. Carers of people with a psychotic disorder experienced significantly greater reductions in worrying than did other carers. Females reported significantly greater reductions in tension than did males. Findings indicated support for the effectiveness of the Well Ways programme in reducing negative care-giving consequences for families of people with a mental illness. Given the evidence of poor psychological health and negatively appraised family relationships observed at baseline, these findings highlight the need for programmes such as Well Ways.

Acute effects of alcohol on feedback processing and outcome evaluation during risky decision-making: an ERP study.

PubMed

Euser, Anja S; van Meel, Catharina S; Snelleman, Michelle; Franken, Ingmar H A

2011-09-01

Although risky decision-making is one of the hallmarks of alcohol use disorders, relatively little is known about the acute psychopharmacological effects of alcohol on decision-making processes. The present study investigated the acute effects of alcohol on neural mechanisms underlying feedback processing and outcome evaluation during risky decision-making, using event-related brain potentials (ERPs). ERPs elicited by positive and negative feedback were recorded during performance of a modified version of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task in male participants receiving either a moderate dose of alcohol (0.65 g/kg alcohol; n = 32) or a non-alcoholic placebo beverage (n = 32). Overall, there was no significant difference in the mean number of pumps between the alcohol and the placebo condition. However, when analyzing over time, it was found that the alcohol group made more riskier choices at the beginning of the task than the placebo group. ERPs demonstrated that alcohol consumption did not affect early processing of negative feedback, indexed by the feedback-related negativity. By contrast, alcohol-intoxicated individuals showed significantly reduced P300 amplitudes in response to negative feedback as compared to sober controls, suggesting that more elaborate evaluation to losses was significantly diminished. These results suggest that alcohol consumption does not influence the ability to rapidly evaluate feedback valence, but rather the ability to assign sufficient attention to further process motivationally salient outcomes. Blunted P300 amplitudes may reflect poor integration of feedback across trials, particularly adverse ones. Consequently, alcohol may keep people from effectively predicting the probability of future gains and losses based on their reinforcement history.

Role of CD14 in responses to clinical isolates of Escherichia coli: effects of K1 capsule expression.

PubMed

Metkar, Shalaka; Awasthi, Shanjana; Denamur, Erick; Kim, Kwang Sik; Gangloff, Sophie C; Teichberg, Saul; Haziot, Alain; Silver, Jack; Goyert, Sanna M

2007-11-01

Severe bacterial infections leading to sepsis or septic shock can be induced by bacteria that utilize different factors to drive pathogenicity and/or virulence, leading to disease in the host. One major factor expressed by all clinical isolates of gram-negative bacteria is lipopolysaccharide (LPS); a second factor expressed by some Escherichia coli strains is a K1 polysaccharide capsule. To determine the role of the CD14 LPS receptor in the pathogenic effects of naturally occurring E. coli, the responses of CD14-/- and CD14+/+ mice to three different isolates of E. coli obtained from sepsis patients were compared; two isolates express both smooth LPS and the K1 antigen, while the third isolate expresses only LPS and is negative for K1. An additional K1-positive isolate obtained from a newborn with meningitis and a K1-negative isogenic mutant of this strain were also used for these studies. CD14-/- mice were resistant to the lethal effects of the K1-negative isolates. This resistance was accompanied by significantly lower levels of systemic tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in these mice than in CD14+/+ mice, enhanced clearance of the bacteria, and significantly fewer additional gross symptoms. In contrast, CD14-/- mice were as sensitive as CD14+/+ mice to the lethal effects of the K1-positive isolates, even though they had significantly lower levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 than CD14+/+ mice. These studies show that different bacterial isolates can use distinctly different mechanisms to cause disease and suggest that new, nonantibiotic therapeutics need to be directed against multiple targets.

Breast cancer subtypes can be determinant in the decision making process to avoid surgical axillary staging: A retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Marrazzo, Antonio; Boscaino, Giovanni; Marrazzo, Emilia; Taormina, Pietra; Toesca, Antonio

2015-09-01

The need for performing axillary lymph-node dissection in early breast cancer when the sentinel lymph node (SLN) is positive has been questioned in recent years. The purpose of this study was to identify a low-risk subgroup of early breast cancer patients in whom surgical axillary staging could be avoided, and to assess the probability of having a positive lymph-node (LN). We evaluated the cohort of 612 consecutive women affected by early breast cancer. We considered age, tumor size, histological grade, vascular invasion, lymphatic invasion and cancer subtype (Luminal A, Luminal B HER-2+, Luminal B HER-2-, HER-2+, and Triple Negative) as variables for univariate and multivariate analyses to assess probability of there being a positive SLN o nonsentinel lymph node (NSLN). Chi-square, Fisher's Exact test and Student's t tests were used to investigate the relationship between variables; whereas logit models were used to estimate and quantify the strength of the relationship among some covariates and SLN or the number of metastases. A significant positive effect of vascular invasion and lymphatic invasion (odds ratios are 4 and 6), and a negative effect of TN (odds ratios is 10) were noted. With respect to positive NSLN, size alone has a significant (positive) effect on tumor presence, but focusing on the number of metastases, also age has a (negative) significant effect. This work shows correlation between subtypes and the probability of having positive SLN. Patients not expressing vascular invasion, lymphatic invasion and, moreover, a triple-negative tumor subtype may be good candidates for breast conservative surgery without axillary surgical staging. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of negative and positive mood induction on eating behaviour: A meta-analysis of laboratory studies in the healthy population and eating and weight disorders.

PubMed

Cardi, Valentina; Leppanen, Jenni; Treasure, Janet

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis to quantify the effect of induced negative and positive mood on meal consumption in healthy participants and patients with eating and weight disorders. The search term "MOOD" was combined with the following keywords: "TEST MEAL" or "LABORATORY FEEDING" or "LABORATORY MEAL" or "TASTE TEST" or "TASTE TASK" to identify the relevant studies. Thirty-three studies were selected, including 2491 participants. Two meta-analyses compared negative mood or positive mood with neutral mood. Induced negative mood was significantly associated with greater food intake, especially in restrained eaters and binge eaters. Positive mood was also associated with greater caloric intake across groups. These findings support the causal relationship between negative mood and greater food intake, especially in restrained eaters and binge eaters. Preliminary evidence indicates that strategies to improve positive mood might be of benefit for people with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, although the size of the effect across a single meal is small. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential negative impacts of nuclear activities on local economies: Rethinking the issue

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

Metz, W.C.

1994-10-01

Surveys of public opinion about perceptions of risk associated with the nuclear fuel cycle have shown that the public professes a widespread feeling of dread, a fear of associated stigmas, and a concern about possible catastrophic nuclear accidents. Various interest groups and state governments that oppose congressionally mandated siting of centralized high-level radioactive waste (HLW) storage and disposal facilities are using this negative imagery to create a powerful, emotional obstacle to the siting process. From statistical analyses of images and location preferences, researchers have claimed that possible significant economic losses could potentially accompany the siting of HLW facilities. However, severalmore » paradoxes, or self-contradictory statements, apparently exist between the responses expressed in surveys and the actual economic and demographic behavior evidenced in the marketplace. Federal policymakers need to evaluate whether the request for a change in siting policy is based on subjective fear of a potential negative economic effect or on proven negative effects. Empirically observed behavior does not support predicted negative economic effects based on survey responses. 41 refs.« less

Vocal and visual stimulation, congruence and lateralization affect brain oscillations in interspecies emotional positive and negative interactions.

PubMed

Balconi, Michela; Vanutelli, Maria Elide

2016-01-01

The present research explored the effect of cross-modal integration of emotional cues (auditory and visual (AV)) compared with only visual (V) emotional cues in observing interspecies interactions. The brain activity was monitored when subjects processed AV and V situations, which represented an emotional (positive or negative), interspecies (human-animal) interaction. Congruence (emotionally congruous or incongruous visual and auditory patterns) was also modulated. electroencephalography brain oscillations (from delta to beta) were analyzed and the cortical source localization (by standardized Low Resolution Brain Electromagnetic Tomography) was applied to the data. Frequency band (mainly low-frequency delta and theta) showed a significant brain activity increasing in response to negative compared to positive interactions within the right hemisphere. Moreover, differences were found based on stimulation type, with an increased effect for AV compared with V. Finally, delta band supported a lateralized right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity in response to negative and incongruous interspecies interactions, mainly for AV. The contribution of cross-modality, congruence (incongruous patterns), and lateralization (right DLPFC) in response to interspecies emotional interactions was discussed at light of a "negative lateralized effect."

Repetitive Religious Chanting Modulates the Late-Stage Brain Response to Fear- and Stress-Provoking Pictures.

PubMed

Gao, Junling; Fan, Jicong; Wu, Bonnie W; Halkias, Georgios T; Chau, Maggie; Fung, Peter C; Chang, Chunqi; Zhang, Zhiguo; Hung, Yeung-Sam; Sik, Hinhung

2016-01-01

Chanting and praying are among the most popular religious activities, which are said to be able to alleviate people's negative emotions. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this mental exercise and its temporal course have hardly been investigated. Here, we used event-related potentials (ERPs) to explore the effects of chanting the name of a Buddha (Amitābha) on the brain's response to viewing negative pictures that were fear- and stress-provoking. We recorded and analyzed electroencephalography (EEG) data from 21 Buddhists with chanting experience as they viewed negative and neutral pictures. Participants were instructed to chant the names of Amitābha or Santa Claus silently to themselves or simply remain silent (no-chanting condition) during picture viewing. To measure the physiological changes corresponding to negative emotions, electrocardiogram and galvanic skin response data were also collected. Results showed that viewing negative pictures (vs. neutral pictures) increased the amplitude of the N1 component in all the chanting conditions. The amplitude of late positive potential (LPP) also increased when the negative pictures were viewed under the no-chanting and the Santa Claus condition. However, increased LPP was not observed when chanting Amitābha. The ERP source analysis confirmed this finding and showed that increased LPP mainly originated from the central-parietal regions of the brain. In addition, the participants' heart rates decreased significantly when viewing negative pictures in the Santa Claus condition. The no-chanting condition had a similar decreasing trend although not significant. However, while chanting Amitābha and viewing negative pictures participants' heart rate did not differ significantly from that observed during neutral picture viewing. It is possible that the chanting of Amitābha might have helped the participants to develop a religious schema and neutralized the effect of the negative stimuli. These findings echo similar research findings on Christian religious practices and brain responses to negative stimuli. Hence, prayer/religious practices may have cross-cultural universality in emotion regulation. This study shows for the first time that Buddhist chanting, or in a broader sense, repetition of religious prayers will not modulate brain responses to negative stimuli during the early perceptual stage, but only during the late-stage emotional/cognitive processing.

Repetitive Religious Chanting Modulates the Late-Stage Brain Response to Fear- and Stress-Provoking Pictures

PubMed Central

Gao, Junling; Fan, Jicong; Wu, Bonnie W.; Halkias, Georgios T.; Chau, Maggie; Fung, Peter C.; Chang, Chunqi; Zhang, Zhiguo; Hung, Yeung-Sam; Sik, Hinhung

2017-01-01

Chanting and praying are among the most popular religious activities, which are said to be able to alleviate people’s negative emotions. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this mental exercise and its temporal course have hardly been investigated. Here, we used event-related potentials (ERPs) to explore the effects of chanting the name of a Buddha (Amitābha) on the brain’s response to viewing negative pictures that were fear- and stress-provoking. We recorded and analyzed electroencephalography (EEG) data from 21 Buddhists with chanting experience as they viewed negative and neutral pictures. Participants were instructed to chant the names of Amitābha or Santa Claus silently to themselves or simply remain silent (no-chanting condition) during picture viewing. To measure the physiological changes corresponding to negative emotions, electrocardiogram and galvanic skin response data were also collected. Results showed that viewing negative pictures (vs. neutral pictures) increased the amplitude of the N1 component in all the chanting conditions. The amplitude of late positive potential (LPP) also increased when the negative pictures were viewed under the no-chanting and the Santa Claus condition. However, increased LPP was not observed when chanting Amitābha. The ERP source analysis confirmed this finding and showed that increased LPP mainly originated from the central-parietal regions of the brain. In addition, the participants’ heart rates decreased significantly when viewing negative pictures in the Santa Claus condition. The no-chanting condition had a similar decreasing trend although not significant. However, while chanting Amitābha and viewing negative pictures participants’ heart rate did not differ significantly from that observed during neutral picture viewing. It is possible that the chanting of Amitābha might have helped the participants to develop a religious schema and neutralized the effect of the negative stimuli. These findings echo similar research findings on Christian religious practices and brain responses to negative stimuli. Hence, prayer/religious practices may have cross-cultural universality in emotion regulation. This study shows for the first time that Buddhist chanting, or in a broader sense, repetition of religious prayers will not modulate brain responses to negative stimuli during the early perceptual stage, but only during the late-stage emotional/cognitive processing. PMID:28119651

The Role of Affect in the Maintenance of Anorexia Nervosa: Evidence from a Naturalistic Assessment of Momentary Behaviors and Emotion

PubMed Central

Engel, Scott G.; Wonderlich, Stephen A.; Crosby, Ross D.; Mitchell, James E.; Crow, Scott; Peterson, Carol B.; Le Grange, Daniel; Simonich, Heather K.; Cao, Li; Lavender, Jason M.; Gordon, Kathryn H.

2014-01-01

The current study examines the relationship of affect and eating disorder behavior in anorexia nervosa (AN) using ecological momentary assessment. Participants were 118 adult females recruited at three sites from eating disorder treatment centers and community advertisements. All participants met full DSM-IV criteria or sub-threshold criteria for AN. Participants were provided handheld computers and asked to report positive affect, negative affect, loss of control (LOC) eating, purging, exercise, drinking fluids to curb appetite, and weighing one's self multiple times per day as well as dietary restriction once daily over a two-week interval. Mixed-effects models were used to examine the extent to which affective states predict dietary restriction. Additionally, we used two analytic approaches to compare affect prior to and after other eating disorder behaviors. We found that higher daily ratings of negative affect were associated with a greater likelihood of dietary restriction on subsequent days. When examining the single rating immediately before and after behaviors, we found that negative affect increased significantly following LOC eating, purging, the combination of LOC and eating/purging, and weighing of one's self. Using this same analytic approach we also found negative affect to decrease significantly following the consumption of fluids to curb appetite and exercise. When examining the covariation of AN behaviors and negative affect assessed multiple times in the hours and minutes before the behaviors, we found negative affect significantly increased prior to LOC eating, purging, the combination of LOC eating/and purging, and weighing behavior. Negative affect also significantly decreased following the occurrence of these behaviors. These findings are consistent with the idea that that negative affect is potentially a critical maintenance mechanism of some AN symptoms, but that the analytic approach used to examine affect and behavior may have significant implications on the interpretation of findings. PMID:24016011

Role-modeling and medical error disclosure: a national survey of trainees.

PubMed

Martinez, William; Hickson, Gerald B; Miller, Bonnie M; Doukas, David J; Buckley, John D; Song, John; Sehgal, Niraj L; Deitz, Jennifer; Braddock, Clarence H; Lehmann, Lisa Soleymani

2014-03-01

To measure trainees' exposure to negative and positive role-modeling for responding to medical errors and to examine the association between that exposure and trainees' attitudes and behaviors regarding error disclosure. Between May 2011 and June 2012, 435 residents at two large academic medical centers and 1,187 medical students from seven U.S. medical schools received anonymous, electronic questionnaires. The questionnaire asked respondents about (1) experiences with errors, (2) training for responding to errors, (3) behaviors related to error disclosure, (4) exposure to role-modeling for responding to errors, and (5) attitudes regarding disclosure. Using multivariate regression, the authors analyzed whether frequency of exposure to negative and positive role-modeling independently predicted two primary outcomes: (1) attitudes regarding disclosure and (2) nontransparent behavior in response to a harmful error. The response rate was 55% (884/1,622). Training on how to respond to errors had the largest independent, positive effect on attitudes (standardized effect estimate, 0.32, P < .001); negative role-modeling had the largest independent, negative effect (standardized effect estimate, -0.26, P < .001). Positive role-modeling had a positive effect on attitudes (standardized effect estimate, 0.26, P < .001). Exposure to negative role-modeling was independently associated with an increased likelihood of trainees' nontransparent behavior in response to an error (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.15-1.64; P < .001). Exposure to role-modeling predicts trainees' attitudes and behavior regarding the disclosure of harmful errors. Negative role models may be a significant impediment to disclosure among trainees.

Effects of Sequential Fluoxetine and Gender on Pre-quit Depressive Symptoms, Affect, Craving, and Quit Day Abstinence in Smokers with Elevated Depressive Symptoms: A Growth Curve Modeling Approach

PubMed Central

Minami, Haruka; Kahler, Christopher W.; Bloom, Erika Litvin; Prince, Mark A.; Abrantes, Ana M.; Strong, David R.; Niaura, Raymond; Miller, Ivan W.; Palm Reed, Kathleen M.; Price, Lawrence H.; Brown, Richard A.

2015-01-01

While the important roles of post-quit affect and withdrawal symptoms in the process of smoking cessation have been well established, little is known about the relations between pre-quit affective trajectories and cessation outcome on the target quit date (TQD). This study examined whether a 16-week course of fluoxetine initiated 8 weeks pre-quit (“sequential” fluoxetine) improved TQD abstinence relative to placebo through its effects on pre-quit depressive symptoms, affect (withdrawal-relevant negative affect, general negative affect, and positive affect), and craving to smoke among 206 smokers with elevated depressed symptoms. The moderating effects of gender were also examined. A total of 83 smokers (40%) failed to achieve abstinence on TQD, with no difference between treatment conditions or gender. Overall structural equation models showed that fluoxetine had significant indirect effects on TQD abstinence through changes in pre-quit withdrawal-relevant negative affect and craving, but not depressive symptoms. However, multigroup analyses revealed gender differences. Sequential fluoxetine reduced pre-quit depressive symptoms, withdrawal-relevant negative affect, and craving only among women. Reduction in pre-quit depressive symptoms and craving among women, and withdrawal-relevant negative affect among men was associated with TQD abstinence. Moreover, exploratory analysis showed negative trend-level indirect effects of fluoxetine on TQD abstinence via increased side effects, regardless of gender. This study demonstrated the importance of considering gender when examining treatment efficacy. Identifying ways to further reduce pre-quit depressive symptoms and craving for women and withdrawal-relevant negative affect for men while alleviating side effects may help smokers with elevated depressed symptoms achieve the first smoking cessation milestone. PMID:25089930

Scale Dependence of Dark Energy Antigravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perivolaropoulos, L.

2002-09-01

We investigate the effects of negative pressure induced by dark energy (cosmological constant or quintessence) on the dynamics at various astrophysical scales. Negative pressure induces a repulsive term (antigravity) in Newton's law which dominates on large scales. Assuming a value of the cosmological constant consistent with the recent SnIa data we determine the critical scale $r_c$ beyond which antigravity dominates the dynamics ($r_c \\sim 1Mpc $) and discuss some of the dynamical effects implied. We show that dynamically induced mass estimates on the scale of the Local Group and beyond are significantly modified due to negative pressure. We also briefly discuss possible dynamical tests (eg effects on local Hubble flow) that can be applied on relatively small scales (a few $Mpc$) to determine the density and equation of state of dark energy.

Effects of electronic health information technology implementation on nursing home resident outcomes.

PubMed

Pillemer, Karl; Meador, Rhoda H; Teresi, Jeanne A; Chen, Emily K; Henderson, Charles R; Lachs, Mark S; Boratgis, Gabriel; Silver, Stephanie; Eimicke, Joseph P

2012-02-01

To examine the effects of electronic health information technology (HIT) on nursing home residents. The study evaluated the impact of implementing a comprehensive HIT system on resident clinical, functional, and quality of care outcome indicators as well as measures of resident awareness of and satisfaction with the technology. The study used a prospective, quasi-experimental design, directly assessing 761 nursing home residents in 10 urban and suburban nursing homes in the greater New York City area. No statistically significant impact of the introduction of HIT on residents was found on any outcomes, with the exception of a significant negative effect on behavioral symptoms. Residents' subjective assessment of the HIT intervention were generally positive. The absence of effects on most indicators is encouraging for the future development of HIT in nursing homes. The single negative finding suggests that further investigation is needed on possible impact on resident behavior. © The Author(s) 2012

The influence of negative emotion on brand extension as reflected by the change of N2: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Ma, Qingguo; Wang, Kai; Wang, Xiaoyi; Wang, Cuicui; Wang, Lei

2010-11-26

The aim of the present study is to find the neural features of the impact of induced negative emotion on brand extension. Facing three sequential stimuli in triples consisted of negative emotion pictures (stimulus 1), beverage brand names (stimulus 2), and product names (stimulus 3) in other categories, 20 participants were asked to indicate the suitability of extending the brand in stimulus 2 to the product category in stimulus 3. The stimulus triples were divided into six conditions depending on the emotion (neutral and negative) and the extension product category in stimulus 3: beverage, clothing, and the household appliance. A negative component reflecting conflict, N2, was recorded for each condition on the subjects' scalp. The induced negative emotion elicited significantly larger amplitude of N2 than did the induced neutral emotion in the moderate extension type (extending to the clothing product), whereas no significant difference was observed in any of the other two extension types. The findings indicate that the induced negative emotion has a specific negative impact on moderate brand extension, and the amplitude of N2 can be viewed as a reference measure reflecting such effect. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anticipatory pleasure and approach motivation in schizophrenia-like negative symptoms.

PubMed

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

2013-12-15

Previous research of negative symptoms in schizophrenia has emphasized an anticipatory pleasure deficit, yet the relationship of this deficit to patients' motivation in everyday life is poorly understood. This study tested the link between anticipatory pleasure and two broad motivational systems that are said to regulate the intensity of approach and avoidance behavior, the Behavioral Inhibition system (BIS) and the Behavioral Activation System (BAS). It was hypothesized that high vulnerability for negative symptoms would be associated with low reward responsiveness and that this association will be mediated by the amount of anticipated pleasure. Students (n=171) with varying vulnerability for negative symptoms (assessed by the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences) completed questionnaires regarding (a) anticipatory and consummatory pleasure, and (b) responsiveness to threat and reward. As hypothesized, anticipatory pleasure correlated significantly negatively with subclinical negative symptoms (r=-0.21) and significantly positively with BAS (r=0.55). Furthermore, evidence for a partial mediation effect was found. The findings support the notion of a close association between negative symptoms, the ability to anticipate pleasure and approach motivation that is evident even in healthy persons. It is suggested that the behavioral deficits immanent to negative symptoms reflect difficulties in the ability to translate emotions into motivation. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Negative Oxygen Isotope Effect in Manganites with an Ordered Cation Arrangement in a High Magnetic Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taldenkov, A. N.; Snegirev, V. V.; Babushkina, N. A.; Kalitka, V. S.; Kaul', A. R.

2018-03-01

The oxygen isotope effect in PrBaMn2 16-18 O5.97 manganite with an ordered cation arrangement is studied. The field dependences of magnetic susceptibility and magnetization are measured in the temperature range 100-270 K and magnetic fields up to 32 T. A significant increase in the temperature of the spin-reorientation antiferromagnet-ferromagnet phase transition is detected in samples enriched in heavy oxygen 18O (negative isotope effect). The transition temperature and the isotope effect depend strongly on the magnetic field. An H-T phase diagram is plotted for samples with various isotope compositions. An analysis of the experimental results demonstrates that the detected negative isotope effect and the giant positive isotope effect revealed earlier in doped manganites have the same nature. The mechanisms of appearance of isotope effects are discussed in terms of the double exchange model under a polaron narrowing of the free carrier band.

Drawbacks of proactivity: Effects of daily proactivity on daily salivary cortisol and subjective well-being.

PubMed

Fay, Doris; Hüttges, Annett

2017-10-01

The benefit of proactive work behaviors for performance-related outcomes has been well established. However, this approach to studying proactivity has not yet acknowledged its potential implications for the actor's well-being. Drawing on the fact that resources at work are limited and that the workplace is a social system characterized by interdependencies, we proposed that daily proactivity could have a negative effect on daily well-being. We furthermore proposed that this effect should be mediated by work overload and negative affect. We conducted a daily diary study (N = 72) to test the potential negative effects of proactivity on daily well-being. Data was collected across 3 consecutive work days. During several daily measurement occasions, participants reported proactivity, work overload, negative affect, and fatigue. They also provided 4 saliva samples per day, from which cortisol was assayed. Based on the 4 samples, a measure of daily cortisol output was produced. Multilevel analyses showed that daily proactivity was positively associated with higher daily cortisol output. The positive association of daily proactivity with bedtime fatigue was marginally significant. There was no support for a mediating effect of work overload and negative affect. Implications for theory-building on the proactivity-well-being link are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychopathic Personality and Negative Parent-to-Child Affect: A Longitudinal Cross-lag Twin Study.

PubMed

Tuvblad, Catherine; Bezdjian, Serena; Raine, Adrian; Baker, Laura A

2013-09-01

Previous studies that have explored the relationship between parenting style and children's antisocial behavior have generally found significant bidirectional effects, whereby parenting behaviors influence their child's antisocial outcomes, but a child's behaviors also lead to changes in parenting style. The present study investigated the genetic and environmental underpinnings of the longitudinal relationship between negative parent-to-child affect and psychopathic personality in a sample of 1,562 twins. Using a biometrical cross-lag analysis, bidirectional effects were investigated across two waves of assessment when the twins were ages 9-10 and 14-15, utilizing both caregiver and youth self-reports. Results demonstrated that negative parental affects observed at ages 9-10 influenced the child's later psychopathic personality at ages 14-15, based on both caregiver and youth self-reports. For these 'parent-driven effects', both genetic and non-shared environmental factors were important in the development of later psychopathic personality during adolescence. There were additional 'child-driven effects' such that children's psychopathic personality at ages 9-10 influenced negative parent-to-child affect at ages 14-15, but only within caregiver reports. Thus, children's genetically influenced psychopathic personality seemed to evoke parental negativity at ages 14-15, highlighting the importance of investigating bidirectional effects in parent-child relationships to understand the development of these traits.

Ventral striatal hypoactivation is associated with apathy but not diminished expression in patients with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Kirschner, Matthias; Hager, Oliver M.; Bischof, Martin; Hartmann, Matthias N.; Kluge, Agne; Seifritz, Erich; Tobler, Philippe N.; Kaiser, Stefan

2016-01-01

Background Negative symptoms of schizophrenia can be grouped in 2 dimensions: apathy and diminished expression. Increasing evidence suggests that negative symptoms are associated with altered neural activity of subcortical and cortical regions in the brain reward system. However, the neurobiological basis of the distinct symptom dimensions within negative symptoms is still poorly understood. The primary aim of our study was to examine the neural correlates of the negative symptom dimensions apathy and diminished expression during a reward processing task. Methods Patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls underwent event-related fMRI while performing a variant of the Monetary Incentive Delay Task. We assessed negative symptom dimensions using the Brief Negative Symptom Scale. Results We included 27 patients and 25 controls in our study. Both groups showed neural activation indicated by blood oxygen–level dependent signal in the ventral striatum during reward anticipation. Ventral striatal activation during reward anticipation showed a strong negative correlation with apathy. Importantly, this effect was not driven by cognitive ability, medication, depressive or positive symptoms. In contrast, no significant correlation with the diminished expression dimension was observed. Limitations Although the results remain significant when controlling for chlorpromazine equivalents, we cannot fully exclude potential confounding effects of medication with atypical antipsychotics. Conclusion The specific correlation of ventral striatal hypoactivation during reward anticipation with apathy demonstrates a differentiation of apathy and diminished expression on a neurobiological level and provides strong evidence for different pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these 2 negative symptom dimensions. Our findings contribute to a multilevel framework in which apathy and motivational impairment in patients with schizophrenia can be described on psychopathological, behavioural and neural levels. PMID:26395814

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.

Summary and trend analysis of water-quality data for the Oakes Test Area, southeastern North Dakota, 1984-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryberg, Karen R.

2007-01-01

The Oakes Test Area is operated and maintained by the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District, under a cooperative agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation, to evaluate the effectiveness and environmental consequences of irrigation. As part of the evaluation, the Bureau of Reclamation collected water-quality samples from seven sites on the James River and the Oakes Test Area. The data were summarized and examined for trends in concentration. A nonparametric statistical test was used to test whether each concentration was increasing or decreasing with time for selected physical properties and constituents, and a trend slope was estimated for each constituent at each site. Trends were examined for two time periods, 1988-2004 and 1994-2004. Results varied by site and by constituent. All sites and all constituents tested had at least one statistically significant trend in the period 1988-2004. Sulfate, total dissolved solids, nitrate, and orthophosphate have significant positive trends at multiple sites with no significant negative trend at any site. Alkalinity and arsenic have single significant positive trends. Hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sodium-adsorption ratio, potassium, and chloride have both significant positive and negative trends. Ammonia has a single significant negative trend. Fewer significant trends were identified in 1994-2004, and all but one were positive. The contribution to the James River from Oakes Test Area drainage appears to have little effect on water quality in the James River.

Interactions between social/ behavioral factors and ADRB2 genotypes may be associated with health at advanced ages in China.

PubMed

Zeng, Yi; Cheng, Lingguo; Zhao, Ling; Tan, Qihua; Feng, Qiushi; Chen, Huashuai; Shen, Ke; Li, Jianxin; Zhang, Fengyu; Cao, Huiqing; Gregory, Simon G; Yang, Ze; Gu, Jun; Tao, Wei; Tian, Xiao-Li; Hauser, Elizabeth R

2013-09-09

Existing literature indicates that ADRB2 gene is associated with health and longevity, but none of previous studies investigated associations of carrying the ADRB2 minor alleles and interactions between ADRB2 genotypes and social/behavioral factors(GxE) with health outcomes at advanced ages. This study intends to fill in this research gap. We conducted an exploratory analysis, using longitudinal survey phenotype/genotype data from 877 oldest-old aged 90+. To estimate association of GxE interactions with health outcome, adjusted for the potential correlation between genotypes and social/behavioral factors and various other potentially confounding factors, we develop and test an innovative three-step procedure which combines logistic regression and structural equation methods. Interaction between regular exercise and carrying rs1042718 minor allele is significantly and positively associated with good cognitive function; interaction between regular exercise and carrying rs1042718 or rs1042719 minor allele is significantly and positively associated with self-reported good health; and interaction between social-leisure activities and carrying rs1042719 minor allele is significantly and positively associated with self-reported good health. Carrying rs1042718 or rs1042719 minor alleles is significantly and negatively associated with negative emotion, but the ADRB2 SNPs are not significantly associated with cognitive function and self-reported health. Our structural equation analysis found that, adjusted for the confounding effects of correlation of the ADRB2 SNPs with negative emotion, interaction between negative emotion and carrying rs1042718 or rs1042719 minor allele is significantly and negatively associated with cognitive function. The positive association of regular exercise and social-leisure activities with cognitive function and self-reported health, and negative association of negative emotion with cognitive function, were much stronger among carriers of rs1042718 or rs1042719 alleles, compared to the non-carriers. The results indicate significant positive associations of interactions between social/behavioral factors and the ADRB2 genotypes with health outcomes of cognitive function and self-reported health, and negative associations of carrying rs1042718 or rs1042719 minor alleles with negative emotion, at advanced ages in China. Our findings are exploratory rather than causal conclusions. This study implies that near-future health promotion programs considering individuals' genetic profiles, with appropriate protection of privacy/confidentiality, would yield increased benefits and reduced costs to the programs and their participants.

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.

Comparison of oral health-related quality of life of patients treated by palatal expanders with patients treated by fixed orthodontic appliances.

PubMed

Alghamdi, Mariana A; Farsi, Nada J; Hassan, Ali H

2017-01-01

Wearing orthodontic appliances may negatively affect a patient's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) physiologically, psychologically, and socially. Few studies have assessed the effect of palatal expanders on OHRQoL. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of palatal expanders on OHRQoL and to compare it with that of fixed orthodontic appliances. All adolescent and adult orthodontic patients who were undergoing treatment with fixed appliances or palatal expanders between July 2015 and January 2016 in King Abdulaziz University Orthodontc Dental Clinics, were recruited (n=399). The OHRQoL of each participant was assessed using the shortened Arabic version of the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 questionnaire. OHRQoL was compared between users of fixed appliances and users of palatal expanders; it was also compared after stratifying the patients by gender. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were used, as indicated. Palatal expanders had significantly greater negative effects on chewing ability ( P ≤0.01) and pronunciation ( P =0.048). However, fixed orthodontic appliances had significantly greater negative impacts on mouth aching ( P =0.003), difficulty in relaxing ( P =0.01), irritability ( P =0.001), and embarrassment ( P ≤0.01). Palatal expanders had a significantly greater negative impact on some aspects of OHRQoL when compared with fixed orthodontic appliances in adolescents and young adults.

Motives for mixing alcohol with energy drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages and its effects on overall alcohol consumption among UK students.

PubMed

Johnson, Sean J; Alford, Chris; Verster, Joris C; Stewart, Karina

2016-01-01

A UK student survey examined the motivations for consuming energy drinks alone and mixed with alcohol, and aimed to determine whether the type of motive had a differential effect on overall alcohol consumption. The online survey (N = 1873) assessed alcohol consumption and motivations for consumption when mixed with energy drinks (AMED) and mixed with other non-alcoholic beverages (AMOB) using a within-subject design. The most frequent neutral motives reported for AMED consumption included "I like the taste" (66.5%), and "to celebrate a special occasion" (35.2%). 52.6% of AMED consumers reported consuming AMED for at least one of five negative motives, primarily "to get drunk" (45.6%). Despite these negative motives those students reported consuming significantly less alcohol and fewer negative alcohol-related consequences on AMED occasions compared to alcohol-only (AO) occasions. Although the motives for consuming AMED and AMOB were comparable, more participants reported consuming AMED "to celebrate a special occasion", "to get drunk", because they "received the drink from someone else" or "because others drink it as well". However, significantly more students reported consuming AMOB than AMED because "It feels like I can drink more alcohol". Alcohol consumption was significantly less on AMED occasions compared to AMOB occasions, and both occasions significantly less than AO occasions. The majority of reasons for consuming AMED relate to neutral motives. Although 52.6% of students reported one or more negative motives for AMED consumption (predominantly "to get drunk") this had no differential effect on total alcohol consumption. The differences in motives suggest AMED is consumed more to enjoy special occasions and as a group-bonding experience, however alcohol consumption is significantly lower on such occasions in comparison to when AMOB or AO are consumed. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The moderation of resilience on the negative effect of pain on depression and post-traumatic growth in individuals with spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Min, Jung-Ah; Lee, Chang-Uk; Hwang, Sung-Il; Shin, Jung-In; Lee, Bum-Suk; Han, Sang-Hoon; Ju, Hye-In; Lee, Cha-Yeon; Lee, Chul; Chae, Jeong-Ho

2014-01-01

To determine the moderating effect of resilience on the negative effects of chronic pain on depression and post-traumatic growth. Community-dwelling individuals with SCI (n = 37) were recruited at short-term admission for yearly regular health examination. Participants completed self-rating standardized questionnaires measuring pain, resilience, depression and post-traumatic growth. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed to identify the moderating effect of resilience on the relationships of pain with depression and post-traumatic growth after controlling for relevant covariates. In the regression model of depression, the effect of pain severity on depression was decreased (β was changed from 0.47 to 0.33) after entering resilience into the model. In the final model, both pain and resilience were significant independent predictors for depression (β = 0.33, p = 0.038 and β = -0.47, p = 0.012, respectively). In the regression model of post-traumatic growth, the effect of pain severity became insignificant after entering resilience into the model. In the final model, resilience was a significant predictor (β = 0.51, p = 0.016). Resilience potentially mitigated the negative effects of pain. Moreover, it independently contributed to reduced depression and greater post-traumatic growth. Our findings suggest that resilience might provide a potential target for intervention in SCI individuals.

Bacteriostatic Effect of Quercetin as an Antibiotic Alternative In Vivo and Its Antibacterial Mechanism In Vitro.

PubMed

Wang, Shengan; Yao, Jiaying; Zhou, Bo; Yang, Jiaxin; Chaudry, Maria T; Wang, Mi; Xiao, Fenglin; Li, Yao; Yin, Wenzhe

2018-01-01

Quercetin, a ubiquitous flavonoid, is known to have antibacterial effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of quercetin on cecal microbiota of Arbor Acre (AA) broiler chickens in vivo and the bacteriostatic effect and antibacterial mechanism of quercetin in vitro. In vivo, 480 AA broilers (1 day old) were randomly allotted to four treatments (negative control and 0.2, 0.4, or 0.6 g of quercetin per kg of diet) for 42 days. Cecal microbial population and distribution were measured at the end of the experiment. The cecal microflora in these broilers included Proteobacteria, Fimicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Deferribacteres. Compared with the negative control, quercetin significantly decreased the copies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( P < 0.05), Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium ( P < 0.01), Staphylococcus aureus ( P < 0.01), and Escherichia coli ( P < 0.01) but significantly increased the copies of Lactobacillus ( P < 0.01), Bifidobacterium ( P < 0.01), and total bacteria ( P < 0.01). In vitro, we investigated the bacteriostatic effect of quercetin on four kinds of bacteria ( E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. enterica Typhimurium, and S. aureus) and the antibacterial mechanism of quercetin in E. coli and S. aureus. The bacteriostatic effect of quercetin was stronger on gram-positive bacteria than on gram-negative bacteria. Quercetin damaged the cell walls and membranes of E. coli (at 50 × MIC) and S. aureus (at 10 × MIC). Compared with the control, the activity of the extracellular alkaline phosphatase and β-galactosidase and concentrations of soluble protein in E. coli and S. aureus were significantly increased (all P < 0.01), and the activity of ATP in S. aureus was significantly increased ( P < 0.01); however, no significant change in ATP activity in E. coli was observed ( P > 0.05). These results suggest that quercetin has potential as an alternative antibiotic feed additive in animal production.

The relationship between subjective perception and the psychological effects of patients in spatial isolation

PubMed Central

Ibert, Fabienne; Eckstein, Monika; Günther, Frank; Mutters, Nico T.

2017-01-01

Background: Spatial isolation is a common infection control measure, but negative psychological effects are often neglected. We investigated which factors influence the perception of single room isolated patients. Methods: In the present correlative cross-sectional study, 32 isolated patients have been interviewed within three departments of the Heidelberg University Hospital, one of Germany’s largest hospitals. The following questionnaires were used: 10-Item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and a self-developed questionnaire to evaluate the individual experience of isolation. Data were analysed using correlation and regression analysis. Results: A significant positive correlation was found between the isolation period and anxiety (r=.42, p<.05). Interestingly, a significant positive correlation was demonstrated between the duration of contact to nursing staff and negative daydreaming (r=.89, p<.01). The activity watching television was associated with higher levels of anxiety (r=.38, p<.05). Surfing the internet had a positive relationship with thinking about beautiful things (r=.41, p<.05). Conclusions: Our study results have implications how to improve the psychological situation of patients during spatial isolation. Contact between nursing staff and patients is crucial, since this contact significantly associated with negative daydreaming, probably due to increased neediness of emotional and physical care in some patients. The duration of the isolation has an influence on the experience of anxiety. Activities to cope with the isolation, however, not always have positive effects on the well-being of the patient. PMID:28840091

Stress, self-esteem, and suicidal ideation in late adolescents.

PubMed

Wilburn, Victor R; Smith, Delores E

2005-01-01

The relationships among stress, self-esteem, and suicidal ideation in late adolescents were examined in a group of college students. Multiple regression analysis indicated that both stress and self-esteem were significantly related to suicidal ideation; low self-esteem and stressful life events significantly predicted suicidal ideation. The hypothesis that self-esteem would moderate the effects of life stressors on suicidal ideation was supported at the .06 level. A significant minority of the sample indicated having thoughts severe enough to be classified as clinical suicidal ideation. In general, participants who had experienced negative life events in the 6 to 12 months prior to participating in the study had lower self-esteem than those who had similar stresses within the prior six months. However, the opposite was true for clinical suicidal ideators; those who experienced negative life stressors recently had lower self-esteem than those who experienced negative life events six months to a year in the past.

Self-reported experience of bullying of students who stutter: relations with life satisfaction, life orientation, and self-esteem.

PubMed

Blood, Gordon W; Blood, Ingrid M; Tramontana, G Michael; Sylvia, Anna J; Boyle, Michael P; Motzko, Gina R

2011-10-01

Self-reported self-esteem, life orientation, satisfaction with life, and bullying were examined in relation to victimization experiences among 54 students who stuttered and 54 students who did not stutter. Those who stuttered reported greater, i.e., clinically significant, victimization (44.4%) than students who did not stutter (9.2%). Significant differences were found between means for self-esteem and life orientation, with students who stuttered reporting lower self-esteem and less optimistic life orientation than those who did not stutter. In both groups of students, high victimization scores had statistically significant negative correlations with optimistic life orientation, high self-esteem, and high satisfaction with life scores. Given the increased likelihood of students who stuttered being bullied, the negative relation of adjustment variables and bullying, and the potentially negative long-term effects of bullying, increased vigilance and early intervention are discussed.

Restriction of cephalosporins and control of extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing gram negative bacteria in a neonatal intensive care unit.

PubMed

Murki, Srinivas; Jonnala, Sravanthi; Mohammed, Faheemuddin; Reddy, Anupama

2010-09-01

This interventional study with historical controls was conducted to study the effect of cephalosporin restriction on the incidence of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) gram negative infections in neonates admitted to intensive care unit. All gram negative isolates from the blood were evaluated for beta lactamase production. The incidence of ESBL production was compared before (year 2007) and after cephalosporin restriction (year 2008). Thirty two neonates (3% of NICU admissions) in the year 2007 and fifty six (5.2%) in the year 2008, had gram negative septicemia. The incidence of ESBL gram negatives decreased by 22% (47% to 25%, P=0.03). Restriction of all class of cephalosporins significantly decreased the incidence of ESBL gram negative infections.

Capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) use positive, but not negative, auditory cues to infer food location.

PubMed

Heimbauer, Lisa A; Antworth, Rebecca L; Owren, Michael J

2012-01-01

Nonhuman primates appear to capitalize more effectively on visual cues than corresponding auditory versions. For example, studies of inferential reasoning have shown that monkeys and apes readily respond to seeing that food is present ("positive" cuing) or absent ("negative" cuing). Performance is markedly less effective with auditory cues, with many subjects failing to use this input. Extending recent work, we tested eight captive tufted capuchins (Cebus apella) in locating food using positive and negative cues in visual and auditory domains. The monkeys chose between two opaque cups to receive food contained in one of them. Cup contents were either shown or shaken, providing location cues from both cups, positive cues only from the baited cup, or negative cues from the empty cup. As in previous work, subjects readily used both positive and negative visual cues to secure reward. However, auditory outcomes were both similar to and different from those of earlier studies. Specifically, all subjects came to exploit positive auditory cues, but none responded to negative versions. The animals were also clearly different in visual versus auditory performance. Results indicate that a significant proportion of capuchins may be able to use positive auditory cues, with experience and learning likely playing a critical role. These findings raise the possibility that experience may be significant in visually based performance in this task as well, and highlight that coming to grips with evident differences between visual versus auditory processing may be important for understanding primate cognition more generally.

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.

Alcohol expectancies and alcohol outcomes: effects of the use of protective behavioral strategies.

PubMed

Grazioli, Véronique S; Lewis, Melissa A; Garberson, Lisa A; Fossos-Wong, Nicole; Lee, Christine M; Larimer, Mary E

2015-05-01

Alcohol expectancies (AEs) are positively associated with drinking behaviors, whereas the use of protective behavioural strategies (PBS) is negatively related to alcohol outcomes among young adults. PBS have been shown to weaken relationships between some alcohol risk factors and alcohol outcomes. This study aimed to examine longitudinally the moderating effect of PBS on the relationships between AEs and alcohol outcomes among young adults. Participants (N = 188; 61.7% female) were U.S. young adults participating in a larger longitudinal study. Measures of PBS, AEs, alcohol use, and related consequences were used from the baseline and 12-month follow-up assessments. Negative binomial hurdle models found that PBS (total score) significantly moderated the relationship between positive AEs and consequences, such that among high school seniors endorsing higher positive AEs, those using more PBS in high school reported fewer negative consequences 1 year later. PBS (Manner of Drinking) also moderated the relationship between negative AEs and alcohol use, revealing the use of PBS in high school as having a protective function against later drinking among participants with high positive AEs. Last, PBS (Serious Harm Reduction) significantly moderated the associations between positive AEs and alcohol use and between negative AEs and consequences, such that participants with higher AEs and higher PBS use in high school were at greatest risk for drinking and experiencing negative consequences later. Overall, these findings suggest that PBS use may be protective by weakening relationships between positive AEs and alcohol outcomes. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

The effects of cognitive style and emotional trade-off difficulty on information processing in decision-making.

PubMed

Wang, Dawei; Hao, Leilei; Maguire, Phil; Hu, Yixin

2016-12-01

This study investigated the effects of cognitive style and emotional trade-off difficulty (ETOD) on information processing in decision-making. Eighty undergraduates (73.75% female, M = 21.90), grouped according to their cognitive style (field-dependent or field-independent), conducted an Information Display Board (IDB) task, through which search time, search depth and search pattern were measured. Participants' emotional states were assessed both before and after the IDB task. The results showed that participants experienced significantly more negative emotion under high ETOD compared to those under low ETOD. While both cognitive style and ETOD had significant effects on search time and search depth, only ETOD significantly influenced search pattern; individuals in both cognitive style groups tended to use attribute-based processing under high ETOD and to use alternative-based processing under low ETOD. There was also a significant interaction between cognitive style and ETOD for search time and search depth. We propose that these results are best accounted for by the coping behaviour framework under high ETOD, and by the negative emotion hypothesis under low ETOD. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Effect of guar gum conjugation on functional, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of egg white lysozyme.

PubMed

Hamdani, Afshan Mumtaz; Wani, Idrees Ahmed; Bhat, Naseer Ahmad; Siddiqi, Raushid Ahmad

2018-02-01

This study was undertaken to analyze the effect of conjugation of egg-white lysozyme with guar gum. Lysozyme is an antimicrobial polypeptide that can be used for food preservation. Its antibacterial activity is limited to gram positive bacteria. Conjugation with polysaccharides like guar gum may broaden its activity against gram negatives. Conjugate was developed through Maillard reaction. Assays carried out included sugar estimation, SDS-PAGE, GPC, color, FT-IR, DSC, thermal stability, solubility, emulsifying, foaming and antioxidant activity. In addition, antimicrobial activity of the conjugate was determined against two gram positive (Staphyllococcus aureus and Enterococcus) and two gram negative pathogens (E. coli and Salmonella). Results showed higher functional properties of lysozyme-guar gum conjugate. The antioxidant properties increased from 2.02-35.80% (Inhibition of DPPH) and 1.65-4.93AAE/g (reducing power) upon guar gum conjugation. Conjugate significantly inhibited gram negative bacteria and the antibacterial activity also increased significantly against gram positive pathogens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Associations between biological markers of prenatal stress and infant negative emotionality are specific to sex.

PubMed

Braithwaite, Elizabeth C; Murphy, Susannah E; Ramchandani, Paul G; Hill, Jonathan

2017-12-01

Fetal programming is the idea that environmental stimuli can alter the development of the fetus, which may have a long-term effect on the child. We have recently reported that maternal prenatal cortisol predicts infant negative emotionality in a sex-dependent manner: high prenatal cortisol was associated with increased negative emotionality in females, and decreased negative emotionality in males. This study aims to test for this sex-specific effect in a different cohort, and investigate whether sex differences in fetal programming may be specific to glucocorticoid mechanisms by also examining a maternal salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) by sex interaction. 88 pregnant women (mean gestational age=27.4 weeks, SD=7.4) collected saliva samples at home over two working days to be assayed for the hormone cortisol (range=0.13-88.22nmol/l) and the enzyme alpha-amylase (range=4.57-554.8units/ml). Samples were collected at waking, 30-min post-waking and 12h post-waking. Two months after birth participants reported infant negative emotionality using the distress to limits subscale of the Infant Behavior Questionnaire. The interaction between maternal prenatal cortisol and infant sex to predict distress to limits approached significance (p=0.067). In line with our previous finding there was a positive association between prenatal cortisol and negative emotionality in females, and a negative association in males. The interaction between sAA and sex to predict distress was significant (p=0.025), and the direction of effect was the same as for the cortisol data; high sAA associated with increased negative emotionality in females and reduced negative emotionality in males. In line with our previous findings, this research adds to an emerging body of literature, which suggests that fetal programming mechanisms may be sex-dependent. This is the first study to demonstrate that maternal prenatal sAA may be an important biomarker for infant behavior, and the findings have implications for understanding sex differences in developmental psychopathology. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Helicobacter pylori Eradication on the Levels of Essential Trace Elements

PubMed Central

Wu, Meng-Chieh; Huang, Chun-Yi; Kuo, Fu-Chen; Hsu, Wen-Hung; Wang, Sophie S. W.; Shih, Hsiang-Yao; Liu, Chung-Jung; Chen, Yen-Hsu; Wu, Deng-Chyang; Huang, Yeou-Lih; Lu, Chien-Yu

2014-01-01

Objective. This study was designed to compare the effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection treatment on serum zinc, copper, and selenium levels. Patients and Methods. We measured the serum zinc, copper, and selenium levels in H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative patients. We also evaluated the serum levels of these trace elements after H. pylori eradication. These serum copper, zinc, and selenium levels were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results. Sixty-three H. pylori-positive patients and thirty H. pylori-negative patients were studied. Serum copper, zinc, and selenium levels had no significant difference between H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative groups. There were 49 patients with successful H. pylori eradication. The serum selenium levels were lower after successful H. pylori eradication, but not significantly (P = 0.06). There were 14 patients with failed H. pylori eradication. In this failed group, the serum selenium level after H. pylori eradication therapy was significantly lower than that before H. pylori eradication therapy (P < 0.05). The serum zinc and copper levels had no significant difference between before and after H. pylori eradication therapies. Conclusion. H pylori eradication regimen appears to influence the serum selenium concentration (IRB number: KMUH-IRB-20120327). PMID:25548772

The Integrative Effects of Cognitive Reappraisal on Negative Affect: Associated Changes in Secretory Immunoglobulin A, Unpleasantness and ERP Activity

PubMed Central

Zhang, Wencai; Li, Fan; Qin, Shaozheng; Luo, Jing

2012-01-01

Although the regulatory role of cognitive reappraisal in negative emotional responses is widely recognized, this reappraisal's effect on acute saliva secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), as well as the relationships among affective, immunological, and event-related potential (ERP) changes, remains unclear. In this study, we selected only people with low positive coping scores (PCSs) as measured by the Trait Coping Style Questionnaire to avoid confounding by intrinsic coping styles. First, we found that the acute stress of viewing unpleasant pictures consistently decreased SIgA concentration and secretion rate, increased perceptions of unpleasantness and amplitude of late positive potentials (LPPs) between 200–300 ms and 400–1000 ms. After participants used cognitive reappraisal, their SIgA concentration and secretion rate significantly increased and their unpleasantness and LPP amplitudes significantly decreased compared with a control condition. Second, we found a significantly positive correlation between the increases in SIgA and the decreases in unpleasantness and a significantly negative correlation between the increases in SIgA and the increases in LPP across the two groups. This study is the first to demonstrate that cognitive reappraisal reverses the decrease of SIgA. In addition, it revealed strong correlations among affective, SIgA and electrophysiological changes with convergent multilevel evidence. PMID:22319586

Ictal affective symptoms in temporal lobe epilepsy are related to gender and age.

PubMed

Toth, Vanda; Fogarasi, Andras; Karadi, Kazmer; Kovacs, Norbert; Ebner, Alois; Janszky, Jozsef

2010-07-01

We systematically analyzed the video-recorded and patient-reported, as well as positive and negative ictal affective symptoms (IAS) in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Our aim was to assess (1) frequency, (2) gender effect, (3) lateralizing significance, (4) localizing value, and (5) prognostic significance in epilepsy surgery of IAS in patients with video-registered seizures. We reviewed ictal video recordings of 184 patients (99 women, aged 16-63). All patients had surgery for intractable TLE with video-recorded complex partial seizures (CPS) due to temporal lobe lesions visualized by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Affective auras (AAs) were categorized into two groups: positive or negative. We registered AAs in 18% of patients: positive in 3%, negative in 15%. We saw ictal affective behavior (IAB) in 22% of patients; 10% had positive, whereas 14% had negative IAB. Two patients had both positive and negative IAB. AAs showed an association with IAB in case of fear expression versus fear auras (p = 0.018). IAB, especially negative IAB, occurred more often in women than in men. Patients with negative IAB were younger than others. We could not demonstrate an association between IAS and the localization, lateralization, or hemispheric dominance. Surgical outcome did not associate with IAS. Patient-reported and video-recorded negative-but not positive-affective signs are related to each other. Video-recorded negative AAs occur more often in women and young patients.

Involvement of nitric oxide in the wound bed microcirculatory change during negative pressure wound therapy.

PubMed

Sano, Hitomi; Ichioka, Shigeru

2015-08-01

This study investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the mechanism of blood flow increase in the wound bed during negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). We developed an improved experimental model that allowed visualisation of the wound bed microcirculation under NPWT. Wounds were created on the mouse ear, taking care to preserve the subdermal vascular plexus, because the wound bed microcirculation was visualised using an intravital microscope system. We investigated whether application of a NO synthase inhibitor (N(G) -nitro-l-arginine methyl ester: L-NAME) might diminish the effect of the NPWT in increasing the wound blood flow. The experimental animals were divided into a negative pressure group (negative pressure of -125 mmHg applied to the wound for 5 minutes; n = 8), and a negative pressure plus L-NAME group (administration of L-NAME prior to application of the negative pressure; n = 8). In the negative pressure group, significant increase of blood flow was observed at 1 minute after the negative pressure application, which was sustained until 5 minutes. On the contrary, in the negative pressure plus L-NAME group, no significant changes were observed throughout the period of observation. These findings suggest that NO synthesis is involved in the wound bed microcirculatory change induced by NPWT. © 2013 The Authors. International Wound Journal © 2013 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Message framing in social networking sites.

PubMed

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

2013-10-01

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

Market structure and hospital-insurer bargaining in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Halbersma, R S; Mikkers, M C; Motchenkova, E; Seinen, I

2011-12-01

In 2005, competition was introduced in part of the hospital market in the Netherlands. Using a unique dataset of transactions and list prices between hospitals and insurers in the years 2005 and 2006, we estimate the influence of buyer and seller concentration on the negotiated prices. First, we use a traditional structure-conduct-performance model (SCP-model) along the lines of Melnick et al. (J Health Econ 11(3): 217-233, 1992) to estimate the effects of buyer and seller concentration on price-cost margins. Second, we model the interaction between hospitals and insurers in the context of a generalized bargaining model similar to Brooks et al. (J Health Econ 16: 417-434, 1997). In the SCP-model, we find that the market shares of hospitals (insurers) have a significantly positive (negative) impact on the hospital price-cost margin. In the bargaining model, we find a significant negative effect of insurer concentration, but no significant effect of hospital concentration. In both models, we find a significant impact of idiosyncratic effects on the market outcomes. This is consistent with the fact that the Dutch hospital sector is not yet in a long-run equilibrium.

Shear-mediated contributions to the effective properties of soft acoustic metamaterials including negative index

PubMed Central

Forrester, Derek Michael; Pinfield, Valerie J.

2015-01-01

Here we show that, for sub-wavelength particles in a fluid, viscous losses due to shear waves and their influence on neighbouring particles significantly modify the effective acoustic properties, and thereby the conditions at which negative acoustic refraction occurs. Building upon earlier single particle scattering work, we adopt a multiple scattering approach to derive the effective properties (density, bulk modulus, wavenumber). We show,through theoretical prediction, the implications for the design of “soft” (ultrasonic) metamaterials based on locally-resonant sub-wavelength porous rubber particles, through selection of particle size and concentration, and demonstrate tunability of the negative speed zones by modifying the viscosity of the suspending medium. For these lossy materials with complex effective properties, we confirm the use of phase angles to define the backward propagation condition in preference to “single-” and “double-negative” designations. PMID:26686414

Living in the Here and Now: Interrelationships between Impulsivity, Mindfulness, and Alcohol Misuse

PubMed Central

Murphy, Cara; MacKillop, James

2013-01-01

Rationale Impulsivity and mindfulness both emphasize orientation to the present, and both have been linked to alcohol misuse, but the relationship between the two is not clearly understood. Objectives To examine the relationships between elements of impulsivity and mindfulness, and to examine both variables in relation to alcohol misuse. Method Young adults (N = 116) were assessed for alcohol use, mindfulness, and impulsivity using psychometrically validated measures. Results Numerous significant associations were present among the facets of impulsivity and mindfulness. The variable most substantially associated with alcohol misuse was Negative Urgency (NU; i.e., proneness to act out under conditions of negative affect). After controlling for other variables, Negative Urgency (NU), Positive Urgency (PU), and delay discounting (DD) were significantly related to alcohol consumption. When examining drinking related consequences, only Lack of Premeditation (LoP) and Negative Urgency (NU) were significant associated. Conclusions There was considerable overlap between some elements of impulsivity and mindfulness while the overlap was negligible for other facets. The associations between mindfulness and alcohol misuse were entirely a function of impulsivity. In particular, acting on impulses while experiencing negative affect was significantly associated with level of alcohol consumption and level of alcohol-related risk. Steep discounting of future rewards was associated with alcohol consumption while poor premeditation was associated with adverse drinking consequences. These findings illustrate the importance of jointly studying impulsivity when examining purported effects of mindfulness traits. PMID:22169883

An Evaluation of Anxiety Sensitivity, Emotional Dysregulation, and Negative Affectivity among Daily Cigarette Smokers: Relation to Smoking Motives and Barriers to Quitting

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, Adam; Zvolensky, Michael J.; Vujanovic, Anka A.; Leyro, Teresa M.; Marshall, Erin C.

2008-01-01

The present investigation evaluated the relations between anxiety sensitivity and motivational bases of cigarette smoking, as well as barriers to quitting smoking, above and beyond concurrent substance use, negative affectivity, and emotional dysregulation among a community sample of 189 daily cigarette smokers (46% women; Mage = 24.97 years, SD = 9.78). Results indicated that anxiety sensitivity was significantly related to coping, addictive, and habitual smoking motives, as well as greater perceived barriers to quitting. These effects were evident above and beyond the variance accounted for by concurrent tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use and discernable from shared variance with negative affectivity and emotional dysregulation. Emotional dysregulation was significantly related to stimulation, habitual, and sensorimotor smoking motives and greater perceived barriers to quitting, whereas negative affectivity was only significantly related to smoking for relaxation. These findings uniquely add to a growing literature suggesting anxiety sensitivity is an important and unique cognitive factor for better understanding clinically-relevant psychological processes related to cigarette smoking. PMID:18417153

Public comment sentiment on educational videos: Understanding the effects of presenter gender, video format, threading, and moderation on YouTube TED talk comments

PubMed Central

Kimmons, Royce; Larsen, Ross; Dousay, Tonia A.; Lowenthal, Patrick R.

2018-01-01

Scholars, educators, and students are increasingly encouraged to participate in online spaces. While the current literature highlights the potential positive outcomes of such participation, little research exists on the sentiment that these individuals may face online and on the factors that may lead some people to face different types of sentiment than others. To investigate these issues, we examined the strength of positive and negative sentiment expressed in response to TEDx and TED-Ed talks posted on YouTube (n = 655), the effect of several variables on comment and reply sentiment (n = 774,939), and the projected effects that sentiment-based moderation would have had on posted content. We found that most comments and replies were neutral in nature and some topics were more likely than others to elicit positive or negative sentiment. Videos of male presenters showed greater neutrality, while videos of female presenters saw significantly greater positive and negative polarity in replies. Animations neutralized both the negativity and positivity of replies at a very high rate. Gender and video format influenced the sentiment of replies and not just the initial comments that were directed toward the video. Finally, we found that using sentiment as a way to moderate offensive content would have a significant effect on non-offensive content. These findings have far-reaching implications for social media platforms and for those who encourage or prepare students and scholars to participate online. PMID:29856749

Public comment sentiment on educational videos: Understanding the effects of presenter gender, video format, threading, and moderation on YouTube TED talk comments.

PubMed

Veletsianos, George; Kimmons, Royce; Larsen, Ross; Dousay, Tonia A; Lowenthal, Patrick R

2018-01-01

Scholars, educators, and students are increasingly encouraged to participate in online spaces. While the current literature highlights the potential positive outcomes of such participation, little research exists on the sentiment that these individuals may face online and on the factors that may lead some people to face different types of sentiment than others. To investigate these issues, we examined the strength of positive and negative sentiment expressed in response to TEDx and TED-Ed talks posted on YouTube (n = 655), the effect of several variables on comment and reply sentiment (n = 774,939), and the projected effects that sentiment-based moderation would have had on posted content. We found that most comments and replies were neutral in nature and some topics were more likely than others to elicit positive or negative sentiment. Videos of male presenters showed greater neutrality, while videos of female presenters saw significantly greater positive and negative polarity in replies. Animations neutralized both the negativity and positivity of replies at a very high rate. Gender and video format influenced the sentiment of replies and not just the initial comments that were directed toward the video. Finally, we found that using sentiment as a way to moderate offensive content would have a significant effect on non-offensive content. These findings have far-reaching implications for social media platforms and for those who encourage or prepare students and scholars to participate online.

Perceived Discrimination and Health: A Meta-Analytic Review

PubMed Central

Pascoe, Elizabeth A.; Richman, Laura Smart

2009-01-01

Perceived discrimination has been studied with regard to its impact on several types of health effects. This meta-analysis provides a comprehensive account of the relationships between multiple forms of perceived discrimination and both mental and physical health outcomes. In addition, this meta-analysis examines potential mechanisms by which perceiving discrimination may affect health, including through psychological and physiological stress responses and health behaviors. Analysis of 134 samples suggests that when weighting each study’s contribution by sample size, perceived discrimination has a significant negative effect on both mental and physical health. Perceived discrimination also produces significantly heightened stress responses and is related to participation in unhealthy and nonparticipation in healthy behaviors. These findings suggest potential pathways linking perceived discrimination to negative health outcomes. PMID:19586161

The Effects of Multiple Exposures to Filmed Violence against Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linz, Daniel; And Others

1984-01-01

Indicate that male college students viewing five R-rated movies depicting violence against women came to have fewer negative emotional reactions to the movies, to perceive them as significantly less violent, and to consider them significantly less degrading to women. (PD)

Antidepressant Controlled Trial For Negative Symptoms In Schizophrenia (ACTIONS): a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial.

PubMed

Barnes, Thomas R E; Leeson, Verity C; Paton, Carol; Costelloe, Céire; Simon, Judit; Kiss, Noemi; Osborn, David; Killaspy, Helen; Craig, Tom K J; Lewis, Shôn; Keown, Patrick; Ismail, Shajahan; Crawford, Mike; Baldwin, David; Lewis, Glyn; Geddes, John; Kumar, Manoj; Pathak, Rudresh; Taylor, Simon

2016-04-01

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia represent deficiencies in emotional responsiveness, motivation, socialisation, speech and movement. When persistent, they are held to account for much of the poor functional outcomes associated with schizophrenia. There are currently no approved pharmacological treatments. While the available evidence suggests that a combination of antipsychotic and antidepressant medication may be effective in treating negative symptoms, it is too limited to allow any firm conclusions. To establish the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of augmentation of antipsychotic medication with the antidepressant citalopram for the management of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. A multicentre, double-blind, individually randomised, placebo-controlled trial with 12-month follow-up. Adult psychiatric services, treating people with schizophrenia. Inpatients or outpatients with schizophrenia, on continuing, stable antipsychotic medication, with persistent negative symptoms at a criterion level of severity. Eligible participants were randomised 1 : 1 to treatment with either placebo (one capsule) or 20 mg of citalopram per day for 48 weeks, with the clinical option at 4 weeks to increase the daily dosage to 40 mg of citalopram or two placebo capsules for the remainder of the study. The primary outcomes were quality of life measured at 12 and 48 weeks assessed using the Heinrich's Quality of Life Scale, and negative symptoms at 12 weeks measured on the negative symptom subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. No therapeutic benefit in terms of improvement in quality of life or negative symptoms was detected for citalopram over 12 weeks or at 48 weeks, but secondary analysis suggested modest improvement in the negative symptom domain, avolition/amotivation, at 12 weeks (mean difference -1.3, 95% confidence interval -2.5 to -0.09). There were no statistically significant differences between the two treatment arms over 48-week follow-up in either the health economics outcomes or costs, and no differences in the frequency or severity of adverse effects, including corrected QT interval prolongation. The trial under-recruited, partly because cardiac safety concerns about citalopram were raised, with the 62 participants recruited falling well short of the target recruitment of 358. Although this was the largest sample randomised to citalopram in a randomised controlled trial of antidepressant augmentation for negative symptoms of schizophrenia and had the longest follow-up, the power of statistical analysis to detect significant differences between the active and placebo groups was limited. Although adjunctive citalopram did not improve negative symptoms overall, there was evidence of some positive effect on avolition/amotivation, recognised as a critical barrier to psychosocial rehabilitation and achieving better social and community functional outcomes. Comprehensive assessment of side-effect burden did not identify any serious safety or tolerability issues. The addition of citalopram as a long-term prescribing strategy for the treatment of negative symptoms may merit further investigation in larger studies. Further studies of the viability of adjunctive antidepressant treatment for negative symptoms in schizophrenia should include appropriate safety monitoring and use rating scales that allow for evaluation of avolition/amotivation as a discrete negative symptom domain. Overcoming the barriers to recruiting an adequate sample size will remain a challenge. European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Clinical Trials (EudraCT) number 2009-009235-30 and Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN42305247. This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 20, No. 29. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Encoding negative events under stress: high subjective arousal is related to accurate emotional memory despite misinformation exposure.

PubMed

Hoscheidt, Siobhan M; LaBar, Kevin S; Ryan, Lee; Jacobs, W Jake; Nadel, Lynn

2014-07-01

Stress at encoding affects memory processes, typically enhancing, or preserving, memory for emotional information. These effects have interesting implications for eyewitness accounts, which in real-world contexts typically involve encoding an aversive event under stressful conditions followed by potential exposure to misinformation. The present study investigated memory for a negative event encoded under stress and subsequent misinformation endorsement. Healthy young adults participated in a between-groups design with three experimental sessions conducted 48 h apart. Session one consisted of a psychosocial stress induction (or control task) followed by incidental encoding of a negative slideshow. During session two, participants were asked questions about the slideshow, during which a random subgroup was exposed to misinformation. Memory for the slideshow was tested during the third session. Assessment of memory accuracy across stress and no-stress groups revealed that stress induced just prior to encoding led to significantly better memory for the slideshow overall. The classic misinformation effect was also observed - participants exposed to misinformation were significantly more likely to endorse false information during memory testing. In the stress group, however, memory accuracy and misinformation effects were moderated by arousal experienced during encoding of the negative event. Misinformed-stress group participants who reported that the negative slideshow elicited high arousal during encoding were less likely to endorse misinformation for the most aversive phase of the story. Furthermore, these individuals showed better memory for components of the aversive slideshow phase that had been directly misinformed. Results from the current study provide evidence that stress and high subjective arousal elicited by a negative event act concomitantly during encoding to enhance emotional memory such that the most aversive aspects of the event are well remembered and subsequently more resistant to misinformation effects. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

Effectiveness of tobacco control television advertisements with different types of emotional content on tobacco use in England, 2004-2010.

PubMed

Sims, M; Langley, T; Lewis, S; Richardson, S; Szatkowski, L; McNeill, A; Gilmore, A B

2016-01-01

To examine the effects of tobacco control television advertisements with positive and negative emotional content on adult smoking prevalence and cigarette consumption. Analysis of monthly cross-sectional surveys using generalised additive models. England. 60 000 adults aged 18 years or over living in England and interviewed in the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey from 2004 to 2010. Current smoking status, daily cigarette consumption, tobacco control gross rating points (GRPs-a measure of per capita advertising exposure), cigarette costliness, concurrent tobacco control policies, sociodemographic variables. After adjusting for cigarette costliness, other tobacco control policies and individual characteristics, we found that a 400-point increase in positive emotive GRPs was associated with 7% lower odds of smoking (odds ratio (OR) 0.93, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.98) 1 month later and a similar increase in negative emotive GRPs was significantly associated with 4% lower odds of smoking (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.92 to 0.999) 2 months later. An increase in negative emotive GRPs from 0 to 400 was also associated with a significant 3.3% (95% CI 1.1 to 5.6) decrease in average cigarette consumption. There was no evidence that the association between positive emotive GRPs and the outcomes differed depending on the intensity of negative emotive GRPs (and vice versa). This is the first study to explore the effects of campaigns with different types of emotive content on adult smoking prevalence and consumption. It suggests that both types of campaign (positive and negative) are effective in reducing smoking prevalence, whereas consumption among smokers was only affected by campaigns evoking negative emotions. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Negative Life Events Vary by Neighborhood and Mediate the Relation between Neighborhood Context and Psychological Well-Being

PubMed Central

King, Katherine; Ogle, Christin

2014-01-01

Researchers have speculated that negative life events are more common in troubled neighborhoods, amplifying adverse effects on health. Using a clustered representative sample of Chicago residents (2001–03; n = 3,105) from the Chicago Community Adult Health Survey, we provide the first documentation that negative life events are highly geographically clustered compared to health outcomes. Associations between neighborhood context and negative life events were also found to vary by event type. We then demonstrate the power of a contextualized approach by testing path models in which life events mediate the relation between neighborhood characteristics and health outcomes, including self-rated health, anxiety, and depression. The indirect paths between neighborhood conditions and health through negative life event exposure are highly significant and large compared to the direct paths from neighborhood conditions to health. Our results indicate that neighborhood conditions can have acute as well as chronic effects on health, and that negative life events are a powerful mechanism by which context may influence health. PMID:24714115

Personality Traits, Motivations, and Emotional Consequences of Social Media Usage.

PubMed

Lin, Jhih-Syuan; Lee, Yen-I; Jin, Yan; Gilbreath, Bob

2017-10-01

This study explores social media users' personality traits and motivations for the usage of two different social media platforms, Facebook and Pinterest, as well as how the varied uses impact users' negative emotional experiences. The findings suggest that the intensity of social media usage is positively related to negative emotions. For Facebook users, socialization, entertainment, and information seeking motivations significantly influence their platform use intensity and, subsequently, lead to negative emotions. Self-status seeking also has a direct effect on Facebook users' negative emotions. For Pinterest users, socialization is not a significant motivation for usage of that platform. However, entertainment, information seeking, and self-status seeking significantly predict their platform use intensity, which subsequently lead to negative emotions. Similarly, all four motivations for Facebook and Pinterest uses are influenced by users' personality traits: extraversion and openness. Yet, openness has a greater impact on using Pinterest than Facebook in terms of fulfilling socialization needs. Neuroticism has a positive impact on socialization and information seeking motives for use of both platforms, while conscientiousness and agreeableness have a negative influence on fulfilling self-status seeking needs. In addition, agreeable social networking site users are less likely to use Facebook than Pinterest for fulfilling self-status related gratifications, while they are likely to use Pinterest instead of Facebook for entertainment and information needs. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Early-onset schizophrenia: Symptoms and social class of origin.

PubMed

Gallagher, Bernard J; Jones, Brian J

2017-09-01

The genesis of schizophrenia is multifactorial, including biological and environmental risk factors. We tested for an interactive effect between early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) and social class of origins (socioeconomic status (SES)). Data were further analyzed for a possible connection to type of schizophrenic symptoms. Sampling/Methods: Data for the study are taken from the medical records of 642 patients from a large state hospital in the northeastern United States. Clinical assessments were divided into positive and negative symptomatology through application of the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Detailed information about age of onset and SES of origin was obtained through Social Service Assessment interviews. We uncovered a significant impact of EOS among the poor that elevates risk for negative symptomatology. Poor SES alone does not increase the likelihood of EOS, but it magnifies the deleterious effect of EOS on negative symptoms. Future research on these variables may inform the relative contribution of each.

Fathers, daughters, and self-objectification: does bonding style matter?

PubMed

Miles-McLean, Haley; Liss, Miriam; Erchull, Mindy J

2014-09-01

As women are exposed to objectification and the "male gaze," they self-objectify, which predicts negative psychological outcomes. Given the centrality of the "male gaze," positive father/child relationships may have a buffering effect. In this study, women (N=447) completed a survey measuring paternal bonding (care and overprotection), self-objectification, negative eating attitudes, and depression. Women were categorized into four groups based on bonding style. Analyses indicated an interaction such that women who reported high care and low overprotection reported the fewest negative eating attitudes. A path model was tested for each group. The fit of the high care/high overprotection group's model significantly differed from that of the high care/low overprotection group. The relationships between body surveillance and shame as well as between shame and negative eating attitudes were stronger in the former group. These findings suggest that caring but overprotective fathers may exacerbate the negative effects of body surveillance and shame. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

To what extent have relaxed eligibility requirements and increased generosity of disability benefits acted as disincentives for employment? A systematic review of evidence from countries with well-developed welfare systems.

PubMed

Barr, Ben; Clayton, Stephen; Whitehead, Margaret; Thielen, Karsten; Burström, Bo; Nylén, Lotta; Dahl, Espen

2010-12-01

Reductions in the eligibility requirements and generosity of disability benefits have been introduced in several Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries in recent years, on the assumption that this will increase work incentives for people with chronic illness and disabilities. This paper systematically reviews the evidence for this assumption in the context of well-developed welfare systems. Systematic review of all empirical studies from five OECD countries from 1970 to December 2009 investigating the effect of changes in eligibility requirements or level of disability benefits on employment of disabled people. Sixteen studies were identified. Only one of five studies found that relaxed eligibility was significantly associated with a decline in employment. The most robust study found no significant effect. On generosity, eight out of 11 studies reported that benefit levels had a significant negative association with employment. The most robust study demonstrated a small but significant negative association. There was no firm evidence that changes in benefit eligibility requirements affected employment. While there was some evidence indicating that benefit level was negatively associated with employment, there was insufficient evidence of a high enough quality to determine the extent of that effect. Policy makers and researchers need to address the lack of a robust empirical basis for assessing the employment impact of these welfare reforms as well as potentially wider poverty impacts.

Psychophysiological effects of self-regulation method: EEG frequency analysis and contingent negative variations.

PubMed

Ikemi, A

1988-01-01

Experiments were conducted to investigate the psychophysiological effects of self-regulation method (SRM), a newly developed method of self-control, using EEG frequency analysis and contingent negative variations (CNV). The results of the EEG frequency analysis showed that there is a significant increase in the percentage (power) of the theta-band and a significant decrease in the percentage (power) of the beta-band during SRM. Moreover, the results of an identical experiment conducted on subjects in a drowsy state showed that the changes in EEG frequencies during SRM can be differentiated from those of a drowsy state. Furthermore, experiments using CNV showed that there is a significant reduction of CNV amplitude during SRM. Despite the reduced amplitude during SRM, the number of errors in a task to evoke the CNV was reduced significantly without significant delay of reaction time. When an identical experiment was conducted in a drowsy state, CNV amplitude was reduced significantly, but reaction time and errors increased. From these experiments, the state of vigilance during SRM was discussed as a state of 'relaxed alertness'.

Species-Specific Effects of Woody Litter on Seedling Emergence and Growth of Herbaceous Plants

PubMed Central

Koorem, Kadri; Price, Jodi N.; Moora, Mari

2011-01-01

The effect of litter on seedling establishment can influence species richness in plant communities. The effect of litter depends on amount, and also on litter type, but relatively little is known about the species-specific effects of litter. We conducted a factorial greenhouse experiment to examine the effect of litter type, using two woody species that commonly co-occur in boreonemoral forest—evergreen spruce (Picea abies), deciduous hazel (Corylus avellana), and a mixture of the two species—and litter amount—shallow (4 mm), deep (12 mm) and leachate—on seedling emergence and biomass of three understorey species. The effect of litter amount on seedling emergence was highly dependent on litter type; while spruce needle litter had a significant negative effect that increased with depth, seedling emergence in the presence of hazel broadleaf litter did not differ from control pots containing no litter. Mixed litter of both species also had a negative effect on seedling emergence that was intermediate compared to the single-species treatments. Spruce litter had a marginally positive (shallow) or neutral effect (deep) on seedling biomass, while hazel and mixed litter treatments had significant positive effects on biomass that increased with depth. We found non-additive effects of litter mixtures on seedling biomass indicating that high quality hazel litter can reduce the negative effects of spruce. Hazel litter does not inhibit seedling emergence; it increases seedling growth, and creates better conditions for seedling growth in mixtures by reducing the suppressive effect of spruce litter, having a positive effect on understorey species richness. PMID:22028890

Costs of living for juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in an increasingly warming and invaded world

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kuehne, Lauren M.; Olden, Julian D.; Duda, Jeffrey J.

2012-01-01

Rapid environmental change in freshwater ecosystems has created a need to understand the interactive effects of multiple stressors, with temperature and invasive predators identified as key threats to imperiled fish species. We tested the separate and interactive effects of water temperature and predation by non-native smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) on the lethal (mortality) and sublethal (behavior, physiology, and growth) effects for juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in seminatural stream channel experiments. Over 48 h trials, there was no difference in direct predation with warmer temperatures, but significant interactive effects on sublethal responses of juvenile salmon. Warmer temperatures resulted in significantly stronger and more variable antipredator responses (surface shoaling and swimming activity), while physiological indicators (plasma glucose, plasma cortisol) suggested suppression of physiological mechanisms in response to the combined stressors. These patterns corresponded with additive negative growth in predation, temperature, and combined treatments. Our results suggest that chronic increases in temperature may not increase direct predation over short periods, but can result in significant sublethal costs with negative implications for long-term development, disease resistance, and subsequent size-selective mortality of Pacific salmon.

Physiological and Psychological Effects of a Forest Therapy Program on Middle-Aged Females.

PubMed

Ochiai, Hiroko; Ikei, Harumi; Song, Chorong; Kobayashi, Maiko; Miura, Takashi; Kagawa, Takahide; Li, Qing; Kumeda, Shigeyoshi; Imai, Michiko; Miyazaki, Yoshifumi

2015-12-01

The natural environment is increasingly recognized as an effective counter to urban stress, and "Forest Therapy" has recently attracted attention as a relaxation and stress management activity with demonstrated clinical efficacy. The present study assessed the physiological and psychological effects of a forest therapy program on middle-aged females. Seventeen Japanese females (62.2 ± 9.4 years; mean ± standard deviation) participated in this experiment. Pulse rate, salivary cortisol level, and psychological indices were measured on the day before forest therapy and on the forest therapy day. Pulse rate and salivary cortisol were significantly lower than baseline following forest therapy, indicating that subjects were in a physiologically relaxed state. Subjects reported feeling significantly more "comfortable," "relaxed," and "natural" according to the semantic differential (SD) method. The Profile of Mood State (POMS) negative mood subscale score for "tension-anxiety" was significantly lower, while that for "vigor" was significantly higher following forest therapy. Our study revealed that forest therapy elicited a significant (1) decrease in pulse rate, (2) decrease in salivary cortisol levels, (3) increase in positive feelings, and (4) decrease in negative feelings. In conclusion, there are substantial physiological and psychological benefits of forest therapy on middle-aged females.

When you see it coming: Stressor anticipation modulates stress effects on negative affect.

PubMed

Neubauer, Andreas B; Smyth, Joshua M; Sliwinski, Martin J

2018-04-01

Research on the effect of exposure to minor stressors in people's daily lives consistently reports negative effects on indicators of well-being, often coined stress reactivity. Recent advances in the intensity of data collection have brought about an increasing interest in within-day associations of stress exposure and indicators of well-being, including dynamic aspects of the stress response such as stress recovery. In the present work, we investigated the other end of the stress response: the anticipation of a stressor. We hypothesized that anticipation of an upcoming stressor would be accompanied by higher negative affect. Based on the anticipatory coping account, lower negative affect after occurrence of anticipated (vs. not anticipated) stressors was predicted. We approached this question with a measurement burst study that allowed us to disentangle variation in stress processes across different time scales. One-hundred and seventy-five participants (mean age = 50, range 20-79) completed up to 3 measurement bursts. Each burst consisted of an ecological momentary assessment with 5 assessments per day over 7 days. In line with our expectations, negative affect was significantly higher after stressor anticipation, especially on days with high levels of intrusive thoughts. However, negative affect was not lower after anticipated (vs. not anticipated) stressors. Findings point to the role of perseverative cognition in the effect of stressor anticipation. Directions for future research including the role of controllability and effects on stress recovery are outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

EFFECTS OF MEDICAL DISPUTES ON INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS OF NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AND NEGATIVE ONLINE WORD-OF-MOUTH.

PubMed

Lee, Yi-Chih; Wu, Wei-Li

2015-08-01

Emotions play an important role in human behavior. Negative emotions resulting from medical disputes are problems for medical personnel to solve but also have a significant impact on a hospital's reputation and people's trust in the hospital. One medical dispute case was chosen from an Internet news source to assess the correlation between people's negative emotions and negative online word-of-mouth. Convenience sampling was used in school faculties and university students who had shared their medical treatment experiences online were the research participants. A total of 221 Taiwanese participants volunteered (158 women, 63 men; ages: 26.7% under 19, 22.6% 20-29, 30.8% 30-39,19.9% over 40). Four negative emotions were measured using rating scales: uncertainty, anger, disappointment, and sadness. Four negative online word-of-mouth measures were: venting, advice search, helping receiver, and revenge. A modeled relationship was assessed by partial least square method (PLS). Then, people's positive emotions were further analyzed to assess changes after spreading negative word-of-mouth. The results showed that uncertainty had a positive effect on venting and advice search. People who felt anger or regret spread word-of-mouth in order to help the receiver. Disappointment may trigger the revenge behavior of negative word-of-mouth. Negative emotions could be relieved after engaging in the behavior of helping the receiver.

Effects of negative pressures on epithelial tight junctions and migration in wound healing.

PubMed

Hsu, Chih-Chin; Tsai, Wen-Chung; Chen, Carl Pai-Chu; Lu, Yun-Mei; Wang, Jong-Shyan

2010-08-01

Negative-pressure wound therapy has recently gained popularity in chronic wound care. This study attempted to explore effects of different negative pressures on epithelial migration in the wound-healing process. The electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) technique was used to create a 5 x 10(-4) cm(2) wound in the Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) and human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells. The wounded cells were cultured in a negative pressure incubator at ambient pressure (AP) and negative pressures of 75 mmHg (NP(75)), 125 mmHg (NP(125)), and 175 mmHg (NP(175)). The effective time (ET), complete wound healing time (T(max)), healing rate (R(heal)), cell diameter, and wound area over time at different pressures were evaluated. Traditional wound-healing assays were prepared for fluorescent staining of cells viability, cell junction proteins, including ZO-1 and E-cadherin, and actins. Amount of cell junction proteins at AP and NP(125) was also quantified. In MDCK cells, the ET (1.25 +/- 0.27 h), T(max) (1.76 +/- 0.32 h), and R(heal) (2.94 +/- 0.62 x 10(-4) cm(2)/h) at NP(125) were significantly (P < 0.01) different from those at three other pressure conditions. In HaCaT cells, the T(max) (7.34 +/- 0.29 h) and R(heal) (6.82 +/- 0.26 x 10(-5) cm(2)/h) at NP(125) were significantly (P < 0.01) different from those at NP(75). Prominent cell migration features were identified in cells at the specific negative pressure. Cell migration activities at different pressures can be documented with the real-time wound-healing measurement system. Negative pressure of 125 mmHg can help disassemble the cell junction to enhance epithelial migration and subsequently result in quick wound closure.

Is desire to eat in response to positive emotions an 'obese' eating style: Is Kummerspeck for some people a misnomer?

PubMed

van Strien, Tatjana; Donker, Marianne H; Ouwens, Machteld A

2016-05-01

Is desire to eat in response to positive emotions an 'obese' eating style: a style more prevalent in people with obesity? In other words: Is Kummerspeck (German: sorrow-fat) for some people a misnomer? This question was addressed in three studies on women. Study 1 (n = 188) tested the moderator effect of subjective well-being on the association of BMI with the scale on desire to eat in response to negative emotions (DEBQ-E). Study 2 tested in women (n = 832) whether items on desire to eat in response to positive emotions loaded on the same factor as those in response to negative emotions and body mass. Study 3 assessed in the total sample (n = 203) and an overweight subsample (n = 40) a) whether self-reported desire to eat in response to positive emotions predicted actual food intake and b) whether this also held true over and above self-reported desire to eat in response to negative emotions. Study 1 showed only for women with low positive affect a significant positive association of BMI with DEBQ-E. In Study 2, only items on desire to eat in response to negative emotions loaded on the same factor as BMI. Study 3: In the total sample, the significant effect on food intake of the scale on desire to eat in response to positive emotions disappeared when a scale on desire to eat in response to negative emotions was added to the model. In the overweight-subsample there was only an effect on food intake for desire to eat in response to negative emotions. It is concluded that only desire to eat in response to negative emotions is an 'obese' eating style, suggesting that Kummerspeck is not a misnomer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The use of negative pressure wound therapy in the fixation of split-thickness skin grafts].

PubMed

Ulianko, J; Janek, J; Laca, Ľ

2017-01-01

Negative pressure wound therapy is one of the latest methods of dealing with complicated healing wounds. It promotes granulation, mechanically attracts the edges of the wound, removes secretions, reduces the number of bacteria in the wound and reduces swelling. In addition to its use to start and enhance the healing process, this method is also important in the fixation of split-thickness skin grafts in non-ideal conditions. The goal of this article is to establish basic indications for negative pressure fixation of meshed split-thickness skin grafts in non-ideal conditions in the wound and to assess the impact of contamination of wounds on engraftment using vacuum therapy. Additional goals are to verify the use of this method of fixation in defects of various etiologies (trauma, ischemia), to optimize and determine the advantages and disadvantages of fixation of grafts using this method in clinical practice, and to evaluate the effectiveness of fixation of meshed split-thickness skin grafts. Set of 89 operated patients of both sexes, various ages, etiologies of defects, in non-ideal conditions; statistical evaluation of the percentage of engraftment, depending on the etiology of the defect, microbial contamination and location of the defect. Measured in vivo using a centimeter measure at the point of maximum length and width. Our set of 100% engraftments of StSG included 68 persons, 65 males and 24 females, in the following age groups: up to 30 years 11 persons; 3050 years 19 persons; 5070 years 38 persons; and above 70 years 21 persons, with negative microbial contamination of the defect in 20 cases, contamination with one germ in 33 cases, contamination with two germs in 22 cases and contamination with three germs in 14 cases. We obtained 100% engraftment in 68 cases, 9099% engraftment in 7 cases, 8089% engraftment in 5 cases, 7079% engraftment in 7 cases, and the 6069% and 5059% sets of engraftment were combined because of the low number of patients in this set. 51 of the patients had a traumatic origin of their defect, 22 had an ischemic origin of their defect and 16 had a different origin of their defect. We found a significant relationship between contamination and the percentage of engraftment, as well as dependence between patient age and the percentage of engraftment. Negative pressure fixation of meshed split-thickness skin grafts seems to be a convenient method of fixation in patients with defects of various origins in non-ideal conditions; this method increases the percentage of engraftment and apparently reduces the time required for fixation of the graft and the length of hospitalisation. We obtained 100% engraftment of StSG using negative pressure fixation. We concluded that traumatic origin had no effect on the percentage of engraftment, while ischemic origin had a significant effect on engraftment. Also, negative contamination of the defect had a positive effect on StSG engraftment, and contamination wit three microbial germs had a significant negative effect on the percentage of StSG engraftment using negative pressure fixation.Key words: negative pressure therapy - NPWT plastic surgery skin grafts complicated wounds.

The differential effect of anticipated work-family conflict on the STEM major embeddedness of men and women

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, Dante P.

It is nationally concerning that many students who begin as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) majors do not complete their degrees. Of additional concern is that among the STEM students who do persist to degree completion, women are severely underrepresented. The present research investigates the extent to which anticipated conflicts between work and family life (AWFC) are negatively related to students' embeddedness in their STEM majors, especially the STEM embeddedness of women. The hypothesized model was tested using structural equation modeling in Mplus-7 with a sample of 218 STEM students from an archival database. As hypothesized, work-family decision making self-efficacy had a negative relationship with both anticipated work interference with family (AWIF) and anticipated family interference with work (AFIW). Notably, only AFIW was negatively related to major embeddedness and only the indirect effect of WFSE on major embeddedness through AFIW was positive and significant, partially supporting each corresponding hypothesis. Additionally, the relationships among study variables did not significantly differ by gender. However, the relationship between AFIW and major embeddedness approached significance for women. Implications of this research, future directions, and study limitations are discussed.

A Preliminary Examination of the Relationship Between Social Networking Interactions, Internet Use, and Thwarted Belongingness.

PubMed

Moberg, Fallon B; Anestis, Michael D

2015-01-01

Joiner's (2005) interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide hypothesizes that suicidal desire develops in response to the joint presence of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. To consider the potential influence of online interactions and behaviors on these outcomes. To address this, we administered an online protocol assessing suicidal desire and online interactions in a sample of 305 undergraduates (83.6% female). We hypothesized negative interactions on social networking sites and a preference for online social interactions would be associated with thwarted belongingness. We also conducted an exploratory analysis examining the associations between Internet usage and perceived burdensomeness. Higher levels of negative interactions on social networking sites, but no other variables, significantly predicted thwarted belongingness. Our exploratory analysis showed that none of our predictors were associated with perceived burdensomeness after accounting for demographics, depression, and thwarted belongingness. Our findings indicate that a general tendency to have negative interactions on social networking sites could possibly impact suicidal desire and that these effects are significant above and beyond depression symptoms. Furthermore, no other aspect of problematic Internet use significantly predicted our outcomes in multivariate analyses, indicating that social networking in particular may have a robust effect on thwarted belongingness.

Exercise program-induced mood improvement and improved eating in severely obese adults.

PubMed

Annesi, James J; Tennant, Gisèle A

Using a practical setting, this study aimed to test exercise and nutrition interventions' effects on negative mood, self-regulation, and self-efficacy to control eating; and to assess the ability of mood change to predict changes in eating behavior, while accounting for changes in self-regulation and self-efficacy. Severely obese adults participated in a cognitive-behavioral exercise support treatment paired with either nutrition education (n = 140) or cognitive-behavioral methods applied to improved eating (n = 146). They were assessed on measures of overall negative mood, self-regulatory skill usage, self-efficacy to control eating when negative moods are present, and fruit and vegetable consumption at baseline and Week 26. Significant improvements in each psychosocial variable and fruit and vegetable intake were found. Improved mood significantly predicted fruit and vegetable consumption change, R2 = 0.12, P < 0.001. Entry of changes in self-regulation and self-efficacy into the multiple regression equation significantly strengthened the variance explained, R2 = 0.18, P < 0.001. Findings suggest that exercise-induced improvements in mood improve eating behaviors, with increases in self-regulation and self-efficacy adding to this effect.

Maternal social support, quality of birth experience, and post-partum depression in primiparous women.

PubMed

Tani, Franca; Castagna, Valeria

2017-03-01

Social relationships provide individuals with a general sense of self-worth, psychological wellbeing, as well as allowing them access to resources during stressful periods and transitions in life. Pregnancy is a time of significant life change for every woman. The aim of this study was to verify the influence of social support perceived by mothers during pregnancy on the quality of their birth experience and post-partum depression. A longitudinal study at three different times was carried out on 179 nulliparous pregnant women. Women completed a Maternal Social Support Questionnaire during the third trimester of their pregnancy. Then, on the first day after childbirth, clinical birth indices were collected. Finally, a month after childbirth, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was administered. Post-partum depression was influenced negatively by maternal perceived social support and positively by negative clinical birth indices. In addition to these direct effects, analyses revealed a significant effect of maternal perceived social support on post-partum depression, mediated by the clinical indices considered. Social support perceived by mothers during pregnancy plays a significant role as a protection factor against post-partum depression, both directly and indirectly, reducing the negative clinical aspects of the birth experience.

OXTR polymorphism predicts social relationships through its effects on social temperament.

PubMed

Creswell, Kasey G; Wright, Aidan G C; Troxel, Wendy M; Ferrell, Robert E; Flory, Janine D; Manuck, Stephen B

2015-06-01

Humans have a fundamental need for strong interpersonal bonds, yet individuals differ appreciably in their degree of social integration. That these differences are also substantially heritable has spurred interest in biological mechanisms underlying the quality and quantity of individuals' social relationships. We propose that polymorphic variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) associates with complex social behaviors and social network composition through intermediate effects on negative affectivity and the psychological processing of socially relevant information. We tested a hypothesized social cascade from the molecular level (OXTR variation) to the social environment, through negative affectivity and inhibited sociality, in a sample of 1295 men and women of European American (N = 1081) and African American (N = 214) ancestry. Compared to European Americans having any T allele of rs1042778, individuals homozygous for the alternate G allele reported significantly lower levels of negative affectivity and inhibited sociality, which in turn predicted significantly higher levels of social support and a larger/more diverse social network. Moreover, the effect of rs1042778 variation on social support was fully accounted for by associated differences in negative affectivity and inhibited sociality. Results replicated in the African American sample. Findings suggest that OXTR variation modulates levels of social support via proximal impacts on individual temperament. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Analysis of asymmetries in air pollution with water resources, and energy consumption in Iran.

PubMed

Ashouri, Mohammad Javad; Rafei, Meysam

2018-04-17

Iran should pay special attention to its excessive consumption of energy and air pollution due to the limited availability of water resources. This study explores the effects of the consumption of energy and water resources on air pollution in Iran from 1971 to 2014. It utilizes the non-linear autoregressive distributed lag approach to establish a robust relationship between the variables which show that both long- and short-run coefficients are asymmetrical. The positive and negative aspects of the long-run coefficients of energy consumption and water resources were found to be 0.19, - 1.63, 0.18, and 2.36, respectively, while only the negative ones were significant for energy consumption. Based on the cumulative effects, it can be established that there are important and significant differences in the responses of air pollution to positive and negative changes in water productivity and energy consumption. In particular, CO 2 gas emissions are affected by negative changes in H 2 O productivity both in terms of the total and the GDP per unit of energy use in Iran. In regard to short-run results, considerable asymmetric effects occur on all the variables for CO 2 emissions. Based on the results obtained, some recommendations are presented, which policymakers can adopt in efforts to address the issues of pollution and consumption.

Negative Body Attitudes and Sexual Dissatisfaction in Men: The Mediating Role of Body Self-Consciousness During Physical Intimacy.

PubMed

van den Brink, Femke; Vollmann, Manja; Sternheim, Lot C; Berkhout, Lotte J; Zomerdijk, Renée A; Woertman, Liesbeth

2018-04-01

Previous research indicated that negative attitudes about the body and appearance are common among men and demonstrated that negative body attitudes are associated with negative sexual experiences. The present study investigated the association between body attitudes and sexual dissatisfaction and the mediating role of body self-consciousness during physical intimacy. In a cross-sectional design, 201 Dutch men completed an online survey regarding body attitudes toward muscularity, body fat, height, and genitals, body self-consciousness during physical intimacy, and sexual dissatisfaction. Hypotheses were tested using correlation analyses and a mediation analysis with body attitudes as predictors, body self-consciousness as mediator, and sexual dissatisfaction as outcome. Correlation analyses showed that negative body attitudes and body self-consciousness during physical intimacy were significantly related to sexual dissatisfaction. The mediation analysis revealed that negative attitudes toward muscularity, body fat, and genitals had indirect effects on sexual dissatisfaction through body self-consciousness during physical intimacy. Negative attitudes toward genitals additionally had a direct effect on sexual dissatisfaction. These findings indicate that body image interventions focused on male body attitudes may be beneficial in improving men's body image, which may ultimately increase sexual satisfaction.

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

PubMed

Khalaila, Rabia

2015-03-01

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

Negative Inotropic Effects of High Mobility Box Group 1 Protein in Isolated Contracting Cardiac Myocytes

PubMed Central

Tzeng, Huei-Ping; Fan, Jinping; Vallejo, Jesus G.; Dong, Jian Wen; Chen, Xiongwen; Houser, Steven R.; Mann, Douglas L.

2013-01-01

HMGB1 released from necrotic cells or macrophages functions as a late inflammatory mediator, and has been shown to induce cardiovascular collapse during sepsis. Thus far, however, the effect(s) of HMGB1 in the heart are not known. We determined the effects of HMGB1 on isolated feline cardiac myocytes by measuring sarcomere shortening in contracting cardiac myocytes, intracellular Ca2+ transients using fluo-3, and L-type calcium currents using whole cell perforate configuration of the patch clamp technique. Treatment of isolated myocytes with HMGB1 (100 ng/ml) resulted in a 70% decrease in sarcomere shortening and a 50% decrease in the height of the peak Ca++ transient within 5 min (p <0.01). The immediate negative inotropic effects HMGB1 on cell contractility and calcium homeostasis were partially reversible upon washout of HMGB1. A significant inhibition of the inward L-type calcium currents also was documented by the patch clamp technique. HMGB1 induced the PKCε translocation and a PKC inhibitor significantly attenuated the negative inotropic effects of HMGB1. These studies show for the first time that HMGB1 impairs sarcomere shortening by decreasing calcium availability in cardiac myocytes through modulating membrane calcium influx, and suggest that HMGB1 maybe act as a novel myocardial depressant factor during cardiac injury. PMID:18223193

Health significance and statistical uncertainty. The value of P-value.

PubMed

Consonni, Dario; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto

2017-10-27

The P-value is widely used as a summary statistics of scientific results. Unfortunately, there is a widespread tendency to dichotomize its value in "P<0.05" (defined as "statistically significant") and "P>0.05" ("statistically not significant"), with the former implying a "positive" result and the latter a "negative" one. To show the unsuitability of such an approach when evaluating the effects of environmental and occupational risk factors. We provide examples of distorted use of P-value and of the negative consequences for science and public health of such a black-and-white vision. The rigid interpretation of P-value as a dichotomy favors the confusion between health relevance and statistical significance, discourages thoughtful thinking, and distorts attention from what really matters, the health significance. A much better way to express and communicate scientific results involves reporting effect estimates (e.g., risks, risks ratios or risk differences) and their confidence intervals (CI), which summarize and convey both health significance and statistical uncertainty. Unfortunately, many researchers do not usually consider the whole interval of CI but only examine if it includes the null-value, therefore degrading this procedure to the same P-value dichotomy (statistical significance or not). In reporting statistical results of scientific research present effects estimates with their confidence intervals and do not qualify the P-value as "significant" or "not significant".

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

PubMed

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

2012-08-01

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

Influences of selected socioeconomic and demographic variables on fertility in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Islam, S M; Khan, H T

1995-06-01

"The data used in this study are from the 1989 Bangladesh Fertility Survey (1989 BFS), which was conducted...by the National Institute of Population Research and Training (NIPORT)....A two-stage probability sample design was used for the survey.... It has been found that female age at marriage has a significant direct negative influence on fertility. Thus, raising the age at marriage by implementing a minimum-age marriage law is likely to lower fertility on a national scale. Duration of breast-feeding is also found to have a significant direct negative effect on fertility....Fetal loss appears to have a significant direct positive effect on fertility...which means that mothers who have experienced fetal loss are found to have higher fertility.... Maternal mortality is also high in Bangladesh. Therefore, it is essential to provide primary health care, particularly maternal and child health care, for surviving children." excerpt

Bitter taste masking of enzyme-treated soy protein in water and bread.

PubMed

Bertelsen, Anne S; Laursen, Anne; Knudsen, Tine A; Møller, Stine; Kidmose, Ulla

2018-08-01

Bioactive protein hydrolysates are often very bitter. To overcome this challenge, xylitol, sucrose, α-cyclodextrin, maltodextrin and combinations of these were tested systematically as bitter-masking agents of an enzyme-treated soy protein in an aqueous model and in a bread model. Sensory descriptive analysis was used to reveal the bitter-masking effect of the taste-masking blends on the enzyme-treated soy protein. In water, xylitol, sucrose and maltodextrin reduced bitterness significantly, whereas α-cyclodextrin did not. No significant difference was observed in bitterness reduction between xylitol and sucrose. Both reduced bitterness significantly more than maltodextrin. No interactions between the taste-masking agents affecting bitterness reduction were found. Clearer bitter-masking effects were seen in the aqueous model compared with the bread model. The bitter-masking effects of α-cyclodextrin and maltodextrin were similar between water and bread. The effect of xylitol and sucrose on bitterness suppression varied between the systems. In water, bitterness was negatively correlated with sweetness. In bread, bitterness was negatively correlated with freshness, and maltodextrin significantly reduced bitterness of the enzyme-treated soy protein and increased freshness. Bitter-masking effects were generally more discernible in the aqueous model compared with the bread model. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Framing of feedback impacts student's satisfaction, self-efficacy and performance.

PubMed

van de Ridder, J M Monica; Peters, Claudia M M; Stokking, Karel M; de Ru, J Alexander; Ten Cate, Olle Th J

2015-08-01

Feedback is considered important to acquire clinical skills. Research evidence shows that feedback does not always improve learning and its effects may be small. In many studies, a variety of variables involved in feedback provision may mask either one of their effects. E.g., there is reason to believe that the way oral feedback is framed may affect its effect if other variables are held constant. In a randomised controlled trial we investigated the effect of positively and negatively framed feedback messages on satisfaction, self-efficacy, and performance. A single blind randomised controlled between-subject design was used, with framing of the feedback message (positively-negatively) as independent variable and examination of hearing abilities as the task. First year medical students' (n = 59) satisfaction, self-efficacy, and performance were the dependent variables and were measured both directly after the intervention and after a 2 weeks delay. Students in the positively framed feedback condition were significantly more satisfied and showed significantly higher self-efficacy measured directly after the performance. Effect sizes found were large, i.e., partial η (2) = 0.43 and η (2) = 0.32 respectively. They showed a better performance throughout the whole study. Significant performance differences were found both at the initial performance and when measured 2 weeks after the intervention: effects were of medium size, respectively r = -.31 and r = -.32. Over time in both conditions performance and self-efficacy decreased. Framing the feedback message in either a positive or negative manner affects students' satisfaction and self-efficacy directly after the intervention be it that these effects seem to fade out over time. Performance may be enhanced by positive framing, but additional studies need to confirm this. We recommend using a positive frame when giving feedback on clinical skills.

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.

Hyperoxia reduces insulin release and induces mitochondrial dysfunction with possible implications for hyperoxic treatment of neonates.

PubMed

Hals, Ingrid; Ohki, Tsuyoshi; Singh, Rinku; Ma, Zuheng; Björklund, Anneli; Balasuriya, Chandima; Scholz, Hanne; Grill, Valdemar

2017-10-01

We previously showed that hyperoxia in vitro negatively affects beta cells of the rat. Here, we tested for possible clinical significance as well as mitochondrial interactions by hyperoxia, using human islets (function and viability), INS-1 832/13 cells (mitochondrial metabolism), and mouse neonates (effects in vivo). Lastly, we assessed relevant parameters in a cohort of individuals born preterm and then exposed to hyperoxia. Human islets and INS-1 832/13 cells were exposed to 24 h of hyperoxia (90-92% oxygen). Mouse neonates were subjected to 5 days of continuous hyperoxia. Individuals born preterm were evaluated in terms of glucose homeostasis and beta cell function by HbA1c and the HOMA2 formula. In human islets, hyperoxia significantly reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by 42.2 ± 5.3% and viability assessed by MTT by 22.5 ± 5.4%. Hyperoxia down-regulated mitochondrial complex II by 21 ± 5% and upregulated complex III by 26 ± 10.1% and complex IV by 37 ± 10.6%. Partly similar effects on mitochondrial complexes were found in hyperoxia-exposed INS-1 832/13 cells. Exposure to hyperoxia swiftly reduced oxygen consumption in these cells and increased mitochondrial uncoupling. Hyperoxia transiently but significantly reduced insulin release in mouse neonates. Individuals born preterm displayed higher HbA1c versus controls, as well as insulin resistance. Thus, hyperoxia exerts negative effects in vitro on human beta cells and results indicate inhibitory effects on insulin secretion in vivo in mouse neonates. Negative effects may be lessened by the demonstrated swift and profound mitochondrial adaptability. Our findings open the possibility that hyperoxia could negatively affect beta cells of preterm human neonates. © 2017 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

Stress and Negative Relationship Quality among Older Couples: Implications for Blood Pressure

PubMed Central

Newton, Nicky J.; Cranford, James A.; Ryan, Lindsay H.

2016-01-01

Objectives: The cardiovascular system may represent a significant pathway by which marriage and stress influence health, but research has focused on married individuals cross-sectionally. This study examined associations among chronic stress, negative spousal relationship quality, and systolic blood pressure over time among middle-aged and older husbands and wives. Method: Participants were from the nationally representative longitudinal Health and Retirement Study. A total of 1,356 (N = 2,712) married and cohabitating couples completed psychosocial and biomeasure assessments in waves 2006 and 2010. Analyses examined whether Wave 1 (2006) relationship quality and stress were associated with changes in blood pressure over time. Results: The effects of stress and negative relationship quality were dyadic and varied by gender. Husbands had increased blood pressure when wives reported greater stress, and this link was exacerbated by negative spousal relationship quality. Negative relationship quality predicted increased blood pressure when both members of the couple reported negative quality relations. Discussion: Findings support the dyadic biopsychosocial model of marriage and health indicating: (a) stress and relationship quality directly effect the cardiovascular system, (b) relationship quality moderates the effect of stress, and (c) the dyad rather than only the individual should be considered when examining marriage and health. PMID:25852106

The impact of students with left-behind experiences on childhood: The relationship between negative life events and depression among college students in China.

PubMed

Han, Li; Zhao, Sheng-Yu; Pan, Xuan-Ying; Liao, Chuan-Jing

2018-02-01

The number of left-behind children in rural China has increased dramatically over the last decade. It is reported that about 21.88% of child population with an estimated number of 61 million are left-behind children whose parents leave them to work in cities. We conducted a cross-sectional study to explore the impacts of left-behind experience (LBE) on college students' depression and other influencing factors. This study discusses the mediation effect of self-esteem together with psychological resilience on college students with depression and negative life events of left-behind. The study also discusses the regulation effect of LBE. A total of 788 college students were selected from three universities in Sichuan and Chongqing (367 with LBEs, 421 without LBEs). Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check List (ASLEC), Self-Esteem Scale (SES), Resilience Scale of Chinese Adolescent (RSCA) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used to measure the negative life events, self-esteem, psychological resilience and depression, respectively. Bootstrap program was used to test the mediation effect, and multiple-group analysis was used to examine the regulation effect for LBE. Scores of ASLEC for the college students with LBEs were higher than those without LBEs (8.59 ± 3.57) vs (7.06 ± 3.38), p < .001). The scores of LBE, ASLEC and SDS were positively correlated with the college students with LBEs ( r = .21 to .29, p < .01), while the scores of RSCA and SES were negatively correlated ( r = -.30 to -.59, p < .01). The mediation effect of college students' self-esteem and psychological resilience between negative life events and depression was significant (mediating effect = .08, .13, .07; p < .01). Thus, the college students' self-esteem and psychological resilience on negative life events had strong mediation effect on depression. The test of Bootstrap showed that the mediation effect of self-esteem and psychological resilience was significant (95% confidence interval (CI) = [0.04-0.76]). The LBE had regulation effect on college students' self-esteem and psychological resilience. (The constraint model fitting degree of variation is Δχ 2  = 2,120.68, Δ df = 8, p < .001.) The self-esteem and psychological resilience of college students with LBEs can be used to mediate the relation between negative life events and depression, whereas those without LBEs cannot. Self-esteem and psychological resilience fully mediates college students' negative life events and depression, which is regulated by their previous LBEs.

Selective effects of acute alcohol intake on the prospective and retrospective components of a prospective-memory task with emotional targets.

PubMed

Walter, Nora T; Bayen, Ute J

2016-01-01

Prospective memory involves remembering to do something in the future and has a prospective component (remembering that something must be done) and a retrospective component (remembering what must be done and when it must be done). Initial studies reported an impairment in prospective-memory performance due to acute alcohol consumption. Retrospective-memory studies demonstrated that alcohol effects vary depending on the emotionality of the information that needs to be learned. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible differential effects of a mild acute alcohol dose (0.4 g/kg) on the prospective and retrospective components of prospective memory depending on cue valence. Seventy-five participants were allocated to an alcohol or placebo group and performed a prospective-memory task in which prospective-memory cue valence was manipulated (negative, neutral, positive). The multinomial model of event-based prospective memory (Smith and Bayen 2004) was used to measure alcohol and valence effects on the two prospective-memory components separately. Overall, no main effect of alcohol or valence on prospective-memory performance occurred. However, model-based analyses demonstrated a significantly higher retrospective component for positive compared with negative cues in the placebo group. In the alcohol group, the prospective component was weaker for negative than for neutral cues and the retrospective component was stronger for positive than for neutral cues. Group comparisons showed that the alcohol group had a significantly lower prospective component for negative cues and a lower retrospective component for neutral cues. This is the first study to demonstrate selective alcohol effects on prospective-memory components depending on prospective-memory cue valence.

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.

Time Perspectives and Gambling in Adolescent Boys: Differential Effects of Present- and Future-Orientation.

PubMed

Donati, Maria Anna; Sottili, Elena; Morsanyi, Kinga; Primi, Caterina

2018-06-04

Adolescent boys are characterised by increased risk-taking behavior, including a relatively high propensity to develop problem gambling habits. The association between gambling and sensitivity to immediately available rewards is well-established, suggesting that gamblers are less influenced by potential future consequences than non-gamblers. Nevertheless, existing studies have considered present- and future-orientation as two ends of the same continuum, and have not investigated the possibility that present and future perspectives might make independent contributions to gambling behavior. In the current study, we adopted Zimbardo's multidimensional approach, which discriminates between not only present and future perspectives, but also between a hedonistic and fatalistic present-orientation (in addition to positive and negative orientations towards the past). The participants were 223 male adolescents (mean age = 16.7 years). We investigated the effects of time perspectives on gambling frequency and gambling problem severity, after taking into account the effects of age, sensation seeking, and gambling-related cognitive distortions. Gambling frequency was significantly predicted by the present fatalistic perspective, and problem gambling was significantly (negatively) related to the future perspective. The present hedonistic and past negative perspectives were also significantly related to both gambling frequency and gambling problems, although they did not explain additional variance in gambling behavior when the effects of the other factors were controlled. Overall, these results offer a fresh perspective on the role of time perspectives in gambling behavior, with potential implications for understanding the origins of gambling problems and the development of novel interventions.

Impact of a film portrayal of a police officer with spinal cord injury on attitudes towards disability: a media effects experiment.

PubMed

Reinhardt, Jan D; Pennycott, Andrew; Fellinghauer, Bernd A G

2014-01-01

The portrayal of disabled people in the media can influence the public's perception of disability in both positive and negative ways. In this article, an experimental before and after design is used to determine the effects of a short film on the attitudes of non-disabled and disabled persons concerning employment and productivity of persons with disabilities. Three questions were posed to 480 study participants prior to and following a short film featuring a police officer with paraplegia. Linear mixed models were used to assess the effects of time point and disability status on the responses. The non-disabled participants' ratings of eligibility for employment of a paraplegic man and estimates of the employment rate of disabled people were significantly enhanced following the film. Nevertheless, the film had no significant effects on the ratings given by participants with disabilities in terms of eligibility, employment rate or productivity. This investigation highlights the potentially important influence of media portrayal and coverage of people with disabilities on attitudes of the public concerning disability. Restrictions in participation may result from an interaction of persons with impairments with an environment that is dominated by negative attitudes towards disability The portrayal of disabled people in the media can influence the public's attitudes towards disability in both positive and negative ways In this experimental study, attitudes of the general public were significantly improved following viewing a short film featuring a positive media portrayal of a police officer with paraplegia.

Memory shaped by age stereotypes over time.

PubMed

Levy, Becca R; Zonderman, Alan B; Slade, Martin D; Ferrucci, Luigi

2012-07-01

Previous studies showed that negative self-stereotypes detrimentally affect the cognitive performance of marginalized group members; however, these findings were confined to short-term experiments. In the present study, we considered whether stereotypes predicted memory over time, which had not been previously examined. We also considered whether self-relevance increased the influence of stereotypes on memory over time. Multiple waves of memory performance were analyzed using individual growth models. The sample consisted of 395 participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Those with more negative age stereotypes demonstrated significantly worse memory performance over 38 years than those with less negative age stereotypes, after adjusting for relevant covariates. The decline in memory performance for those aged 60 and above was 30.2% greater for the more negative age stereotype group than for the less negative age stereotype group. Also, the impact of age stereotypes on memory was significantly greater among those for whom the age stereotypes were self-relevant. This study shows that the adverse influence of negative self-stereotypes on cognitive performance is not limited to a short-term laboratory effect. Rather, the findings demonstrate, for the first time, that stereotypes also predict memory performance over an extended period in the community.

Can I trust you? Negative affective priming influences social judgments in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Hooker, Christine I.; Tully, Laura M.; Verosky, Sara C.; Fisher, Melissa; Holland, Christine; Vinogradov, Sophia

2010-01-01

Successful social interactions rely on the ability to make accurate judgments based on social cues as well as the ability to control the influence of internal or external affective information on those judgments. Prior research suggests that individuals with schizophrenia misinterpret social stimuli and this misinterpretation contributes to impaired social functioning. We tested the hypothesis that for people with schizophrenia social judgments are abnormally influenced by affective information. 23 schizophrenia and 35 healthy control participants rated the trustworthiness of faces following the presentation of neutral, negative (threat-related), or positive affective primes. Results showed that all participants rated faces as less trustworthy following negative affective primes compared to faces that followed neutral or positive primes. Importantly, this effect was significantly more pronounced for schizophrenia participants, suggesting that schizophrenia may be characterised by an exaggerated influence of negative affective information on social judgment. Furthermore, the extent that the negative affective prime influenced trustworthiness judgments was significantly associated with patients’ severity of positive symptoms, particularly feelings of persecution. These findings suggest that for people with schizophrenia negative affective information contributes to an interpretive bias, consistent with paranoid ideation, when judging the trustworthiness of others. This bias may contribute to social impairments in schizophrenia. PMID:20919787

Child Negative Emotionality and Parental Harsh Discipline in Chinese Preschoolers: The Different Mediating Roles of Maternal and Paternal Anxiety

PubMed Central

Xing, Xiaopei; Zhang, Hongli; Shao, Shuhui; Wang, Meifang

2017-01-01

Previous research has suggested that harsh discipline is still prevalent in modern Chinese families and it is necessary to explore the cause and the potential mechanisms of Chinese parental use of harsh discipline. This study examined the mediating effects of parental anxiety in the relations between child negative emotionality and parental harsh discipline in China. Using a sample of 328 Chinese father-mother dyads with their young children, findings revealed that maternal anxiety mediated the relations between child negative emotionality and maternal psychological aggression and corporal punishment, but the mediating effects of paternal anxiety on the relations between child negative emotionality and paternal harsh discipline was not significant. The findings provide an important supplement and extension to previous examinations of the factors associated with Chinese parental use of harsh discipline and its mechanisms. PMID:28326056

Child Negative Emotionality and Parental Harsh Discipline in Chinese Preschoolers: The Different Mediating Roles of Maternal and Paternal Anxiety.

PubMed

Xing, Xiaopei; Zhang, Hongli; Shao, Shuhui; Wang, Meifang

2017-01-01

Previous research has suggested that harsh discipline is still prevalent in modern Chinese families and it is necessary to explore the cause and the potential mechanisms of Chinese parental use of harsh discipline. This study examined the mediating effects of parental anxiety in the relations between child negative emotionality and parental harsh discipline in China. Using a sample of 328 Chinese father-mother dyads with their young children, findings revealed that maternal anxiety mediated the relations between child negative emotionality and maternal psychological aggression and corporal punishment, but the mediating effects of paternal anxiety on the relations between child negative emotionality and paternal harsh discipline was not significant. The findings provide an important supplement and extension to previous examinations of the factors associated with Chinese parental use of harsh discipline and its mechanisms.

"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

Effect of Fibromyalgia Symptoms on Outcome of Spinal Surgery.

PubMed

Ablin, Jacob N; Berman, Mark; Aloush, Valerie; Regev, Gilad; Salame, Khalil; Buskila, Dan; Lidar, Zvi

2017-04-01

To evaluate the effect of presurgical symptoms characteristic of fibromyalgia on the postsurgical outcome of patients undergoing spinal surgery. In this observational cohort study, participants were patients scheduled for spinal surgery, including cervical or lumbar laminectomy and foraminectomy. Presurgical evaluation included physical examination and manual dolorimetry. Questionnaires included the widespread pain index (WPI), symptom severity scale (SSS), and SF-36. Postsurgical evaluation performed at 10-12 weeks included questionnaires, physical examination, and dolorimetry. Forty patients (21 male, 19 female) were recruited. Four patients (10%) fulfilled American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1990 fibromyalgia; nine patients fulfilled 2010 criteria (22.5%). Overall, a significant 34% reduction in WPI was observed postsurgically ( P  < 0.01), but no significant change was observed in SSS. Comparing outcomes for patients fulfilling and not fulfilling fibromyalgia criteria, fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS)-negative patients experienced highly significant reductions of both SSS and WPI (-50.1% and -42.9%, respectively, P  < 0.01), while FMS-positive patients experienced no reduction of SSS symptoms and only a marginally significant reduction in WPI (-20.3%, P  = 0.04). A significant negative correlation was observed between results of presurgical WPI and change in physical role functioning SF-36 component postsurgically. A significant negative correlation was observed between presurgical SSS and change in composite physical functioning SF-36 component. Regression analysis demonstrated a difference in trend between FMS-positive and FMS-negative patients regarding postop changes in SSS, as well as a difference in trend regarding the general health role limitation due to emotional problems and pain components of the SF-36. Fibromyalgia symptoms were highly prevalent among patients scheduled for spinal surgery. A negative correlation was observed between presurgical severity of fibromyalgia symptoms and components of postsurgical SF-36. Patients with symptoms typical of fibromyalgia may have a less favorable outcome after spinal surgery. The clinical utility of surgical intervention in such patients should be carefully evaluated, and treatment specific for fibromyalgia might be considered before embarking on a surgical course. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Effect of dermal thickness, tissue composition, and body site on skin biomechanical properties.

PubMed

Smalls, Lola K; Randall Wickett, R; Visscher, Marty O

2006-02-01

Quantitative measurement of skin biomechanical properties has been used effectively in the investigation of physiological changes in tissue structure and function and to determine treatment efficacy. As the methods are applied to new questions, tissue characteristics that may influence the resultant biomechanical properties are important considerations in the research design. For certain applications, variables such as dermal thickness and subdermal tissue composition, as well as age and/or solar exposure, may influence the skin biomechanics. We determined the influence of dermal thickness, tissue composition, and age on the skin biomechanical properties at the shoulder, thigh, and calf among 30 healthy females. We compared two devices, the Biomechanical Tissue Characterization System and the Cutometer SEM 575 Skin Elasticity Meter , to determine the effect of tissue sampling size. Dermal thickness was measured with 20 MHz ultrasound (Dermascan C) and tissue composition was inferred from anthropomorphic data. Skin thickness was significantly correlated with stiffness, energy absorption, and U(r)/U(f) for the shoulder. Body mass index (BMI) was significantly correlated with stiffness (negative correlation), energy absorption (positive), and skin thickness (negative) for the shoulder. Significant differences across body sites were observed. The calf was significantly different from the thigh and shoulders for all parameters (P<0.05, one-way anova). The calf had significantly lower laxity, laxity%, elastic deformation, energy absorption, elasticity, elasticity %, U(r), U(f), and U(r)/U(f) and significantly higher stiffness compared with the thighs and shoulders. sites. The thigh and shoulder sites were significantly different for all parameters except U(r)/U(f), elasticity %, laxity%, and stiffness. The dominant and non-dominant sides were significantly different. The dominant side (right for 90% of the subjects) had increased stiffness and decreased energy absorption (tissue softness, compliance) compared with the left side. A significant (P< or =0.02) negative relationship with age was seen for all biomechanical measures except stiffness at the shoulder. For the thigh and calf sites, significant negative correlations with age were found for elasticity %, U(r), and U(r)/U(f). Age and skin thickness were not correlated in this population. Skin thickness and age influenced the energy absorption at the shoulder site. The biological elasticity at the calf site could be predicted by age and BMI. The biological activity at the thigh site could be predicted by skin thickness and BMI. Significant regional variations in biomechanical properties and dominant side effects were observed. The biomechanical properties were significantly influenced by age. Certain properties varied with dermal thickness and tissue composition. The parameters were well correlated between the two instruments. The Cutometer, with its smaller aperture, was found to be more sensitive to age relationships.

The interaction of miR-34b/c polymorphisms and negative life events increases susceptibility to major depressive disorder in Han Chinese population.

PubMed

Xu, Cheng; Yang, Chunxia; Zhang, Aixia; Xu, Yong; Li, Xinrong; Liu, Zhifen; Liu, Sha; Sun, Ning; Zhang, Kerang

2017-06-09

Previous studies have shown that microRNAs(miRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of MDD; in particular, miR-34b/c has been implicated in MDD risk and found to exert antidepressant effects. However, the effects of miR-34b/c polymorphisms on MDD risk have not been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the effect of miR-34b/c gene polymorphisms and their interaction with negative life events in relation to MDD, using data from 381 Han Chinese patients with MDD and 291 healthy volunteers. Allelic, genotypic, haplotypic, and gene-environment associations were analyzed using UNPHASED and SPSS software. After discarding data with extremely severe negative life events in our study population, we found an association between rs4938723, rs2187473 polymorphisms and MDD in the dominant models (TC/CC vs. TT, OR=1.45, P=0.027; TC/CC vs. TT, OR=3.32, P=0.030). In haplotype analysis, the C-G haplotype (rs4938723/rs28757623) showed the strongest association with MDD (OR=1.95, P=0.026). Additionally, we found significant gene-environment combination rs4938723 C allele, rs28757623 G allele and high level of negative life events (C-G-HN) was significantly associated with MDD (OR, 3.85; 95% CI, 1.62-9.13). In addition, the combination of (C-C-HN) is of significance (OR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.36-6.60), indicating that the rs28757623 C allele may contribute to the risk of MDD as well. The sample size was small and the role of miR-34b/c polymorphisms for MDD should be assessed using independent samples from other ethnic populations. Our results suggest that miR-34b/c is a susceptibility factor for MDD stratified by negative life events and that rs4938723 is a significant association locus for gene-environment interaction in relation to MDD risk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How the Emotional Content of Discourse Affects Language Comprehension

PubMed Central

Jiménez-Ortega, Laura; Martín-Loeches, Manuel; Casado, Pilar; Sel, Alejandra; Fondevila, Sabela; de Tejada, Pilar Herreros; Schacht, Annekathrin; Sommer, Werner

2012-01-01

Emotion effects on cognition have often been reported. However, only few studies investigated emotional effects on subsequent language processing, and in most cases these effects were induced by non-linguistic stimuli such as films, faces, or pictures. Here, we investigated how a paragraph of positive, negative, or neutral emotional valence affects the processing of a subsequent emotionally neutral sentence, which contained either semantic, syntactic, or no violation, respectively, by means of event-related brain potentials (ERPs). Behavioral data revealed strong effects of emotion; error rates and reaction times increased significantly in sentences preceded by a positive paragraph relative to negative and neutral ones. In ERPs, the N400 to semantic violations was not affected by emotion. In the syntactic experiment, however, clear emotion effects were observed on ERPs. The left anterior negativity (LAN) to syntactic violations, which was not visible in the neutral condition, was present in the negative and positive conditions. This is interpreted as reflecting modulatory effects of prior emotions on syntactic processing, which is discussed in the light of three alternative or complementary explanations based on emotion-induced cognitive styles, working memory, and arousal models. The present effects of emotion on the LAN are especially remarkable considering that syntactic processing has often been regarded as encapsulated and autonomous. PMID:22479432

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.

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.

Impacts of exposure to images of ideal bodies on male body dissatisfaction: a review.

PubMed

Blond, Anna

2008-09-01

Research suggests that young men's body dissatisfaction increases when they see images of attractive muscular men. This article provides the first extensive review of experimental studies exposing men to advertisements or commercials featuring idealized male bodies. Impacts on body dissatisfaction were evaluated by calculating and analyzing effect sizes from 15 studies. The effect sizes indicate that exposure to images of idealized male bodies has a small but statistically significant negative impact on men's body dissatisfaction. Three studies suggest that young men who are dissatisfied with their bodies are at increased risk for negative self-evaluations when exposed to idealized images. Two studies suggest that men who are satisfied with their bodies may be protected against negative impacts from seeing such images.

Use of simulation tools to illustrate the effect of data management practices for low and negative plate counts on the estimated parameters of microbial reduction models.

PubMed

Garcés-Vega, Francisco; Marks, Bradley P

2014-08-01

In the last 20 years, the use of microbial reduction models has expanded significantly, including inactivation (linear and nonlinear), survival, and transfer models. However, a major constraint for model development is the impossibility to directly quantify the number of viable microorganisms below the limit of detection (LOD) for a given study. Different approaches have been used to manage this challenge, including ignoring negative plate counts, using statistical estimations, or applying data transformations. Our objective was to illustrate and quantify the effect of negative plate count data management approaches on parameter estimation for microbial reduction models. Because it is impossible to obtain accurate plate counts below the LOD, we performed simulated experiments to generate synthetic data for both log-linear and Weibull-type microbial reductions. We then applied five different, previously reported data management practices and fit log-linear and Weibull models to the resulting data. The results indicated a significant effect (α = 0.05) of the data management practices on the estimated model parameters and performance indicators. For example, when the negative plate counts were replaced by the LOD for log-linear data sets, the slope of the subsequent log-linear model was, on average, 22% smaller than for the original data, the resulting model underpredicted lethality by up to 2.0 log, and the Weibull model was erroneously selected as the most likely correct model for those data. The results demonstrate that it is important to explicitly report LODs and related data management protocols, which can significantly affect model results, interpretation, and utility. Ultimately, we recommend using only the positive plate counts to estimate model parameters for microbial reduction curves and avoiding any data value substitutions or transformations when managing negative plate counts to yield the most accurate model parameters.

Translating research into practice: targeting negative thinking as a modifiable risk factor for depression prevention in the college student population.

PubMed

Buchanan, Jenna L

2013-06-01

This article describes the effects of an evidence-based depression prevention intervention on the depressive symptomatology, negative thinking, and self-esteem in college students. A feasibility study was conducted using pre-test post-test design sampling a total of 12 college students. Participants underwent 4-weeks of psychological treatment using Peden's cognitive behavioral group intervention. The Beck Depression Inventory, Crandell Cognitions Inventory, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were administered at two time points: prior to the intervention (T1) and 4weeks later (T2). Paired t-test analysis found participants had significantly decreased depressive symptoms and negative thinking, and significantly increased self-esteem from T1 to T2. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Negative urgency partially accounts for the relationship between major depressive disorder and marijuana problems.

PubMed

Gunn, Rachel L; Jackson, Kristina M; Borsari, Brian; Metrik, Jane

2018-01-01

To goal of this study was to better understand mechanisms underlying associations between Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and marijuana use and problems. Specifically, it was hypothesized that negative urgency (NU), the tendency to act rashly while experiencing negative mood states, would uniquely (compared to other impulsivity traits: positive urgency, sensation seeking, premeditation, and perseverance) account for the relationship between MDD and marijuana use and problems. Data were collected from a sample ( N  = 357) of veterans ( M age = 33.63) recruited from a Veterans Affairs hospital who used marijuana at least once in their lifetime. Participants completed the SCID-NP to assess MDD, a marijuana problems scale, a Time-Line Follow-back to assess six-month marijuana use, and the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale for impulsivity. Path analysis was conducted using bootstrapped ( k  = 20,000) and bias-corrected 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to estimate mediation (indirect) effects, controlling for age, sex, and race. Analyses revealed a significant direct effect of MDD on NU and NU on marijuana problems. Regarding mediational analyses, there was a significant indirect effect of MDD on marijuana problems via NU. The direct effect of MDD on marijuana problems was reduced, but remained significant, suggesting partial mediation. No other impulsivity scales accounted for the relationship between MDD and marijuana problems. In predicting marijuana use, there were no significant indirect effects for any impulsivity traits, including NU, despite significant bivariate associations between use and NU and MDD. Results suggest that high levels of NU may partially explain associations between MDD and marijuana problems, but not marijuana use. No other facets of impulsivity accounted for the relationship between MDD and marijuana use or problems, underscoring the specificity of NU as a putative mechanism and the importance of assessing NU in treatment settings.

Gender and Race Variations in the Intersection of Religious Involvement, Early Trauma, and Adult Health.

PubMed

Reinert, Katia G; Campbell, Jacquelyn C; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; Sharps, Phyllis; Lee, Jerry

2015-07-01

This study aimed to determine gender and race variations in regards to the influence of religious involvement (RI) as a moderator of the effects of early traumatic stress (ETS) on health-related quality of life among adult survivors of child abuse. A cross-sectional predictive design was used to study Seventh-day Adventist adults in North America (N = 10,283). A secondary analysis of data collected via questionnaires was done using multiple regression. Data revealed that women had a significantly higher prevalence of any or all ETS subtypes, except for physical abuse prevalence, which was the same for both genders. Blacks reported a significantly higher prevalence of at least one ETS subtype than did Whites, except for neglect, where Whites had a higher prevalence. Exposure to at least one ETS subtype was associated with worse negative effect on mental health (B = -2.08, p < .0001 vs. B = -1.54, p < .0001) and physical health (B = -2.01, p < .0001 vs. B = -1.11, p < .0001) for women compared to men. Among those exposed to all ETS subtypes (n = 447), Whites had significant worse physical health, with White women having almost two times the negative effect on physical health (B = -4.50, p < .0001) than White men (B = -2.87, p < .05). As for RI moderation, based on tests of three-way interactions of race-RI-ETS, there were no associated differences. However, tests of three-way interactions of gender-RI-ETS showed a significant buffering effect. Among those with high levels of negative religious coping (RC), women exposed to ETS had significantly worse physical health (B = -1.28) than men. Results give evidence of gender and racial differences on the magnitude of the ETS-health effect, as well as gender differences in ETS-health buffering by RC. Findings suggest gender and racial differences must be considered when devising holistic nursing interventions for improving health outcomes of early trauma survivors. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

The Effect of Hydration on Voice Quality in Adults: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Alves, Maxine; Krüger, Esedra; Pillay, Bhavani; van Lierde, Kristiane; van der Linde, Jeannie

2017-11-06

We aimed to critically appraise scientific, peer-reviewed articles, published in the past 10 years on the effects of hydration on voice quality in adults. This is a systematic review. Five databases were searched using the key words "vocal fold hydration", "voice quality", "vocal fold dehydration", and "hygienic voice therapy". The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. The included studies were scored based on American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's levels of evidence and quality indicators, as well as the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. Systemic dehydration as a result of fasting and not ingesting fluids significantly negatively affected the parameters of noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR), shimmer, jitter, frequency, and the s/z ratio. Water ingestion led to significant improvements in shimmer, jitter, frequency, and maximum phonation time values. Caffeine intake does not appear to negatively affect voice production. Laryngeal desiccation challenges by oral breathing led to surface dehydration which negatively affected jitter, shimmer, NHR, phonation threshold pressure, and perceived phonatory effort. Steam inhalation significantly improved NHR, shimmer, and jitter. Only nebulization of isotonic solution decreased phonation threshold pressure and showed some indication of a potential positive effect of nebulization substances. Treatments in high humidity environments prove to be effective and adaptations of low humidity environments should be encouraged. Recent literature regarding vocal hydration is high quality evidence. Systemic hydration is the easiest and most cost-effective solution to improve voice quality. Recent evidence therefore supports the inclusion of hydration in a vocal hygiene program. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The emotional eyewitness: the effects of emotion on specific aspects of eyewitness recall and recognition performance.

PubMed

Houston, Kate A; Clifford, Brian R; Phillips, Louise H; Memon, Amina

2013-02-01

The present set of experiments aimed to investigate the effects of negative emotion on specific aspects of eyewitness recall and recognition performance. The experience of emotion was manipulated between subjects, with participants either viewing a crime scenario (a mugging) or a neutral scenario (a conversation). Eyewitness recall was categorized into descriptions of the perpetrator, critical incident, victim, and environmental details. The completeness and accuracy of eyewitness recall across categories of detail were measured in Experiment 1. A significant main effect of negative emotion was found for the completeness of recall. Furthermore, a significant main effect of the completeness of eyewitness statements was found, but not for their accuracy. However, these main effects were qualified by a significant interaction between emotion and category of detail recalled. Specifically, emotional participants provided a more complete description of the perpetrator than neutral participants; however, they were less able than their neutral counterparts to describe what the perpetrator did to the victim. In light of these findings, Experiment 2 investigated whether enhanced completeness of perpetrator descriptions during recall translated into an enhanced ability to recognize the perpetrator from a photographic lineup by emotional compared with neutral participants. Results from Experiment 2 suggest that while emotional participants again provide a more complete description of the perpetrator, they are less able than their neutral counterparts to recognize the perpetrator from a photographic lineup. Results are discussed in terms of a retrieval motivation hypothesis of negative emotional experience and the possible consequences for eyewitness testimony. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Extended family and friendship support and suicidality among African Americans.

PubMed

Nguyen, Ann W; Taylor, Robert Joseph; Chatters, Linda M; Taylor, Harry Owen; Lincoln, Karen D; Mitchell, Uchechi A

2017-03-01

This study examined the relationship between informal social support from extended family and friends and suicidality among African Americans. Logistic regression analysis was based on a nationally representative sample of African Americans from the National Survey of American Life (N = 3263). Subjective closeness and frequency of contact with extended family and friends and negative family interaction were examined in relation to lifetime suicide ideation and attempts. Subjective closeness to family and frequency of contact with friends were negatively associated with suicide ideation and attempts. Subjective closeness to friends and negative family interaction were positively associated with suicide ideation and attempts. Significant interactions between social support and negative interaction showed that social support buffers against the harmful effects of negative interaction on suicidality. Findings are discussed in relation to the functions of positive and negative social ties in suicidality.

Can older adults resist the positivity effect in neural responding? The impact of verbal framing on event-related brain potentials elicited by emotional images.

PubMed

Rehmert, Andrea E; Kisley, Michael A

2013-10-01

Older adults have demonstrated an avoidance of negative information, presumably with a goal of greater emotional satisfaction. Understanding whether avoidance of negative information is a voluntary, motivated choice or an involuntary, automatic response will be important to differentiate, as decision making often involves emotional factors. With the use of an emotional framing event-related potential (ERP) paradigm, the present study investigated whether older adults could alter neural responses to negative stimuli through verbal reframing of evaluative response options. The late positive potential (LPP) response of 50 older adults and 50 younger adults was recorded while participants categorized emotional images in one of two framing conditions: positive ("more or less positive") or negative ("more or less negative"). It was hypothesized that older adults would be able to overcome a presumed tendency to down-regulate neural responding to negative stimuli in the negative framing condition, thus leading to larger LPP wave amplitudes to negative images. A similar effect was predicted for younger adults, but for positively valenced images, such that LPP responses would be increased in the positive framing condition compared with the negative framing condition. Overall, younger adults' LPP wave amplitudes were modulated by framing condition, including a reduction in the negativity bias in the positive frame. Older adults' neural responses were not significantly modulated, even though task-related behavior supported the notion that older adults were able to successfully adopt the negative framing condition.

The Older Adult Positivity Effect in Evaluations of Trustworthiness: Emotion Regulation or Cognitive Capacity?

PubMed

Zebrowitz, Leslie A; Boshyan, Jasmine; Ward, Noreen; Gutchess, Angela; Hadjikhani, Nouchine

2017-01-01

An older adult positivity effect, i.e., the tendency for older adults to favor positive over negative stimulus information more than do younger adults, has been previously shown in attention, memory, and evaluations. This effect has been attributed to greater emotion regulation in older adults. In the case of attention and memory, this explanation has been supported by some evidence that the older adult positivity effect is most pronounced for negative stimuli, which would motivate emotion regulation, and that it is reduced by cognitive load, which would impede emotion regulation. We investigated whether greater older adult positivity in the case of evaluative responses to faces is also enhanced for negative stimuli and attenuated by cognitive load, as an emotion regulation explanation would predict. In two studies, younger and older adults rated trustworthiness of faces that varied in valence both under low and high cognitive load, with the latter manipulated by a distracting backwards counting task. In Study 1, face valence was manipulated by attractiveness (low /disfigured faces, medium, high/fashion models' faces). In Study 2, face valence was manipulated by trustworthiness (low, medium, high). Both studies revealed a significant older adult positivity effect. However, contrary to an emotion regulation account, this effect was not stronger for more negative faces, and cognitive load increased rather than decreased the rated trustworthiness of negatively valenced faces. Although inconsistent with emotion regulation, the latter effect is consistent with theory and research arguing that more cognitive resources are required to process negative stimuli, because they are more cognitively elaborated than positive ones. The finding that increased age and increased cognitive load both enhanced the positivity of trustworthy ratings suggests that the older adult positivity effect in evaluative ratings of faces may reflect age-related declines in cognitive capacity rather than increases in the regulation of negative emotions.

Treatment with escitalopram improves the attentional bias toward negative facial expressions in patients with major depressive disorders.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhenhe; Cao, Suxia; Li, Hengfen; Li, Youhui

2015-10-01

We hypothesized that treatment with escitalopram would improve cognitive bias and contribute to the recovery process for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Many previous studies have established that patients with MDD tend to pay selective attention to negative stimuli. The assessment of the level of cognitive bias is regarded as a crucial dimension of treatment outcomes for MDD. To our knowledge, no prior studies have been reported on the effects of treatment with escitalopram on attentional bias in MDD, employing a dot probe task of facial expression. We studied 25 patients with MDD and 25 controls, and used a dot probe task of facial expression to measure cognitive bias. The patients' psychopathologies were rated using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment with escitalopram. All participants performed the facial expression dot probe task. The results revealed that the 8 week escitalopram treatment decreased the HAMD scores. The patients with MDD at baseline exhibited an attentional bias towards negative faces, however, no significant bias toward either negative or happy faces were observed in the controls. After the 8 week escitalopram treatment, no significant bias toward negative faces was observed in the patient group. In conclusion, patients with MDD pay more attention to negative facial expressions, and treatment with escitalopram improves this attentional bias toward negative facial expressions. This is the first study, to our knowledge, on the effects of treatment with escitalopram on attentional bias in patients with MDD that has employed a dot probe task of facial expression. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Complementary Effects of Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy and Pulsed Radiofrequency Energy on Cutaneous Wound Healing in Diabetic Mice.

PubMed

Chen, Bin; Kao, Huang-Kai; Dong, Ziqing; Jiang, Zhaohua; Guo, Lifei

2017-01-01

Negative-pressure wound therapy and pulsed radiofrequency energy are two clinical modalities used to treat soft-tissue wounds. They are purported to affect healing differently. The aim of this experimental study was to contrast the two modalities at a mechanistic level and to investigate whether their combined therapy could achieve additive and complementary effects on wound healing. Full-thickness dorsal cutaneous wounds of diabetic, db/db, mice were treated with either negative-pressure wound therapy, pulsed radiofrequency energy, or combined therapies. Macroscopic healing kinetics were examined. Epidermal regeneration (proliferation rate and length of reepithelialization) and neovascularization (blood vessel density) were investigated. Messenger RNA levels indicative of angiogenic (basic fibroblast growth factor), profibrotic (transforming growth factor-β), epidermal proliferative (keratinocyte growth factor), and extracellular matrix remodeling (collagen 1) processes were measured in wound tissues. All three treatment groups displayed faster wound healing. The negative-pressure wound therapy/pulsed radiofrequency energy combined therapy led to significantly faster healing than either the negative-pressure wound therapy or pulsed radiofrequency energy therapy alone. Epidermal regeneration and neovascularization were enhanced in all three groups. The two negative-pressure wound therapy groups (alone and combined with pulsed radiofrequency energy) demonstrated more significant increases in expression of all assayed growth factors than the pulsed radiofrequency energy group. Furthermore, the combined therapy exhibited a more profound elevation in collagen 1 expression than either of the two therapies alone. Combining the negative-pressure wound therapy and pulsed radiofrequency energy modalities can achieve additive benefits in cutaneous healing, and the two therapies can be easily used together to complement each other in clinical wound treatments.

The effects of anxiety upon attention allocation to affective stimuli.

PubMed

Waters, Allison M; Nitz, Ashley B; Craske, Michelle G; Johnson, Chris

2007-04-01

Pictures of emotionally aversive, neutral, and pleasant scenes were presented for 500 ms, followed by a probe presented in the same location (valid trials) or an alternate location (invalid trials) as the picture. Response-times to the probes were recorded in low (N=20) and high (N=27) trait anxious participants. Results revealed an overall negative cue validity effect of shorter reaction times (RTs) on invalid than valid trials, suggestive of an inhibition of return effect. Moreover, high trait anxious females showed a reduced negative cue validity effect for aversive pictures in comparison with neutral and pleasant pictures, suggestive of selective interference by the unpleasant material. By contrast, low trait anxious females showed an enhanced negative cue validity effect for aversive pictures relative to neutral and pleasant pictures, suggestive of attentional avoidance of the aversive content. The emotional content of picture cues did not significantly affect RTs in males, regardless of anxiety status. The results suggest that biased attention processes for aversive stimuli may contribute to the greater female propensity for anxiety disorders.

For Video Games, Bad News Is Good News: News Reporting of Violent Video Game Studies.

PubMed

Copenhaver, Allen; Mitrofan, Oana; Ferguson, Christopher J

2017-12-01

News coverage of video game violence studies has been critiqued for focusing mainly on studies supporting negative effects and failing to report studies that did not find evidence for such effects. These concerns were tested in a sample of 68 published studies using child and adolescent samples. Contrary to our hypotheses, study effect size was not a predictor of either newspaper coverage or publication in journals with a high-impact factor. However, a relationship between poorer study quality and newspaper coverage approached significance. High-impact journals were not found to publish studies with higher quality. Poorer quality studies, which tended to highlight negative findings, also received more citations in scholarly sources. Our findings suggest that negative effects of violent video games exposure in children and adolescents, rather than large effect size or high methodological quality, increase the likelihood of a study being cited in other academic publications and subsequently receiving news media coverage.

Is anybody doing it? An experimental study of the effect of normative messages on intention to do physical activity.

PubMed

van Bavel, René; Esposito, Gabriele; Baranowski, Tom

2014-07-31

The study explores whether messages about the physical activity levels of the majority (i.e. normative messages) affect young adults' intention to engage in regular physical activity. An experimental survey among 16 to 24 year-olds in Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania (n = 1200) was conducted in March 2013. A control group received no message; one treatment group was told that the majority was physically active (positive message); and another treatment group was told that the majority was not physically active (negative message). Both the positive and (unexpectedly) the negative normative messages showed a significant and positive effect on intention to be physically active. There was no difference between the effects of the messages. Normative messages affect intention, which is encouraging for public health campaigns. The effect of the positive message confirms previous findings on conformity to the norm; the effect of the negative message is unexpected and requires further research to be understood.

Evidence for negative effects of elevated intra-abdominal pressure on pulmonary mechanics and oxidative stress.

PubMed

Davarcı, I; Karcıoğlu, M; Tuzcu, K; İnanoğlu, K; Yetim, T D; Motor, S; Ulutaş, K T; Yüksel, R

2015-01-01

To compare the effects of pneumoperitoneum on lung mechanics, end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2), arterial blood gases (ABG), and oxidative stress markers in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) by using lung-protective ventilation strategy. Forty-six patients undergoing LC and abdominal wall hernia (AWH) surgery were assigned into 2 groups. Measurements and blood samples were obtained before, during pneumoperitoneum, and at the end of surgery. BALF samples were obtained after anesthesia induction and at the end of surgery. Peak inspiratory pressure, ETCO2, and pCO2 values at the 30th minute were significantly increased, while there was a significant decrease in dynamic lung compliance, pH, and pO2 values in LC group. In BALF samples, total oxidant status (TOS), arylesterase, paraoxonase, and malondialdehyde levels were significantly increased; the glutathione peroxidase levels were significantly decreased in LC group. The serum levels of TOS and paraoxonase were significantly higher at the end of surgery in LC group. In addition, arylesterase level in the 30th minute was increased compared to baseline. Serum paraoxonase level at the end of surgery was significantly increased when compared to AWH group. Our study showed negative effects of pneumoperitoneum in both lung and systemic levels despite lung-protective ventilation strategy.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Drugs and Growth: An Italian Prospective Observational Study

PubMed Central

Germinario, Elena A.P.; Arcieri, Romano; Bonati, Maurizio; Zuddas, Alessandro; Masi, Gabriele; Vella, Stefano; Chiarotti, Flavia

2013-01-01

Abstract Objective This study was conducted to assess the long-term effect of methylphenidate (MPH) or atomoxetine (ATX) on growth in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drug-naïve children. Design The study was an observational, post-marketing, fourth phase study. Methods Data on height and weight were collected at baseline and every 6 months up to 24 months. Results Both ATX and MPH lead to decreased height gain (assessed by means of z-scores); the effect was significantly higher for ATX than for MPH. At any time, height z-score decrease in the ATX group was higher than the corresponding decrease observed in the MPH group, but the difference was significantly relevant only during the first year of treatment. An increment of average weight was observed both in patients treated with MPH and in those treated with ATX. However, using Tanner's percentile, a subset of patients showed a degree of growth lower than expected. This negative effect was significantly higher for ATX than for MPH. Conclusions We conclude that ADHD drugs show a negative effect on linear growth in children in middle term. Such effect appears more evident for ATX than for MPH. PMID:24024538

Effects of Co-Worker and Supervisor Support on Job Stress and Presenteeism in an Aging Workforce: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

PubMed Central

Yang, Tianan; Shen, Yu-Ming; Zhu, Mingjing; Liu, Yuanling; Deng, Jianwei; Chen, Qian; See, Lai-Chu

2015-01-01

We examined the effects of co-worker and supervisor support on job stress and presenteeism in an aging workforce. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate data from the 2010 wave of the Health and Retirement Survey in the United States (n = 1649). The level of presenteeism was low and the level of job stress was moderate among aging US workers. SEM revealed that co-worker support and supervisor support were strongly correlated (β = 0.67; p < 0.001). Job stress had a significant direct positive effect on presenteeism (β = 0.30; p < 0.001). Co-worker support had a significant direct negative effect on job stress (β = −0.10; p < 0.001) and presenteeism (β = −0.11; p < 0.001). Supervisor support had a significant direct negative effect on job stress (β = −0.40; p < 0.001) but not presenteeism. The findings suggest that presenteeism is reduced by increased respect and concern for employee stress at the workplace, by necessary support at work from colleagues and employers, and by the presence of comfortable interpersonal relationships among colleagues and between employers and employees. PMID:26703705

Effects of Co-Worker and Supervisor Support on Job Stress and Presenteeism in an Aging Workforce: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach.

PubMed

Yang, Tianan; Shen, Yu-Ming; Zhu, Mingjing; Liu, Yuanling; Deng, Jianwei; Chen, Qian; See, Lai-Chu

2015-12-23

We examined the effects of co-worker and supervisor support on job stress and presenteeism in an aging workforce. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate data from the 2010 wave of the Health and Retirement Survey in the United States (n = 1649). The level of presenteeism was low and the level of job stress was moderate among aging US workers. SEM revealed that co-worker support and supervisor support were strongly correlated (β = 0.67; p < 0.001). Job stress had a significant direct positive effect on presenteeism (β = 0.30; p < 0.001). Co-worker support had a significant direct negative effect on job stress (β = -0.10; p < 0.001) and presenteeism (β = -0.11; p < 0.001). Supervisor support had a significant direct negative effect on job stress (β = -0.40; p < 0.001) but not presenteeism. The findings suggest that presenteeism is reduced by increased respect and concern for employee stress at the workplace, by necessary support at work from colleagues and employers, and by the presence of comfortable interpersonal relationships among colleagues and between employers and employees.

Trends in mercury wet deposition and mercury air concentrations across the U.S. and Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weiss-Penzias, Peter S.; Gay, David A.; Brigham, Mark E.; Parsons, Matthew T.; Gustin, Mae S.; ter Shure, Arnout

2016-01-01

This study examined the spatial and temporal trends of mercury (Hg) in wet deposition and air concentrations in the United States (U.S.) and Canada between 1997 and 2013. Data were obtained from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) and Environment Canada monitoring networks, and other sources. Of the 19 sites with data records from 1997–2013, 53% had significant negative trends in Hg concentration in wet deposition, while no sites had significant positive trends, which is in general agreement with earlier studies that considered NADP data up until about 2010. However, for the time period 2007–2013 (71 sites), 17% and 13% of the sites had significant positive and negative trends, respectively, and for the time period 2008–2013 (81 sites) 30% and 6% of the sites had significant positive and negative trends, respectively. Non-significant positive tendencies were also widespread. Regional trend analyses revealed significant positive trends in Hg concentration in the Rocky Mountains, Plains, and Upper Midwest regions for the recent time periods in addition to significant positive trends in Hg deposition for the continent as a whole. Sulfate concentration trends in wet deposition were negative in all regions, suggesting a lower importance of local Hg sources. The trend in gaseous elemental Hg from short-term datasets merged as one continuous record was broadly consistent with trends in Hg concentration in wet deposition, with the early time period (1998–2007) producing a significantly negative trend (− 1.5 ± 0.2% year− 1) and the recent time period (2008–2013) displaying a flat slope (− 0.3 ± 0.1% year− 1, not significant). The observed shift to more positive or less negative trends in Hg wet deposition primarily seen in the Central-Western regions is consistent with the effects of rising Hg emissions from regions outside the U.S. and Canada and the influence of long-range transport in the free troposphere.

Neighborhood racial discrimination and the development of major depression.

PubMed

Russell, Daniel W; Clavél, Frederick D; Cutrona, Carolyn E; Abraham, W Todd; Burzette, Rebecca G

2018-02-01

This study examined the impact of neighborhood racial discrimination on the development of major depressive disorder (MDD) in a sample of African American women. Participants were 499 women from Georgia and Iowa with no history of MDD who were followed for 9 to 11 years. Several neighborhood characteristics (community social disorder, community cohesion, and community racism) and individual characteristics (negative life events, financial strain, personal outlook, religious involvement, relationship quality, negative affectivity, and individual experiences of racism) were employed as predictors of whether or not the women met criteria for MDD during this period of time. In a multilevel logistic regression analysis, neighborhood-level discrimination as well as individual-level variables including the number of negative life events, financial strain, and negative affectivity were found to be significant predictors of developing MDD. Analyses of cross-level interactions indicated that the effects of neighborhood-level discrimination were moderated by the quality of individuals' relationships, such that better relationships with others served to lessen the effect of neighborhood discrimination on depression. Implications of these findings for understanding the negative effects of racial discrimination are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

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.

Personality Characteristics, Job Stressors, and Job Satisfaction: Main and Interaction Effects on Psychological and Physical Health Conditions of Italian Schoolteachers.

PubMed

Zurlo, Maria Clelia; Pes, Daniela; Capasso, Roberto

2016-08-01

The study proposed an application of the transactional model of stress in teaching elaborated by Travers and Cooper in 1996, and aimed to investigate the influence of personality characteristics (coping strategies, type A behaviors), situational characteristics (sources of pressure), and perceived job satisfaction in the prediction of teachers' psychophysical health conditions. The Italian version of the Teacher Stress Questionnaire was administered to 621 teachers. Logistic regression was used to evaluate significant main and interaction effects of personality characteristics, situational characteristics, and perceived job satisfaction on teachers' self-reported psychophysical health conditions. The findings highlighted specific coping strategies (focused on the problem, on innovation, and on hobbies and pastimes) and dimensions of job satisfaction (related to intrinsic aspects of job and to employee relations) buffering the negative effects of several job stressors. Type A behaviors and coping strategies focused on mobilized social support, suppression of stress, and not confronting the situation had main and interactions with negative effects on psychophysical health. Findings confirmed the necessity to run multi-factor research to analyze the different combinations of individual and situational variables implicated in negative health outcomes and to highlight the most significant buffering or increasing associations. © The Author(s) 2016.

Selective influences of oxytocin on the evaluative processing of social stimuli

PubMed Central

Norman, Greg J; Cacioppo, John T; Morris, John S; Karelina, Kate; Malarkey, William B; DeVries, A Courtney; Berntson, Gary G

2013-01-01

The neuropeptide oxytocin has been implicated in a wide range of social processes, such as pair bonding, affiliation, and social judgments that may contribute to normal adjustment and psychiatric states. The present experimental study sought to elucidate potential underlying mechanisms by which oxytocin may impact social processes by examining the effects of intranasal oxytocin on basic evaluative processes. Subjects rated slide stimuli from the International Affective Picture System, varying across multiple categories (pleasant, neutral, unpleasant) and social content. Separate ratings for arousal and for the positive and negative components of valence were obtained in the context of a bivariate evaluative space model. Oxytocin did not have an independent significant effect on positivity or negativity ratings, but instead oxytocin treatment altered the interaction between these component processes for social, relative to non-social stimuli regardless of valence conditions. Specifically, oxytocin, relative to vehicle, significantly decreased arousal ratings to threatening human stimuli without altering ratings of threatening animal stimuli. These results indicate that oxytocin may exert its effects through dynamic alterations in the partially separable neural substrates mediating arousal as well as positive and negative evaluations of social stimuli. PMID:20498133

Pressure ulcer management in paraplegic patients with a novel negative pressure device: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Dwivedi, M K; Srivastava, R N; Bhagat, A K; Agarwal, R; Baghel, K; Jain, A; Raj, S

2016-04-01

A randomised controlled trial to compare negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) using our innovative negative pressure device (NPD) and the standard pressure ulcer (PU) wound dressing of in traumatic paraplegia patients. This study was conducted in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India. Traumatic paraplegia patients with sacral pressure ulcers of stage 3 and 4 were randomised into two groups, receiving either standard wound dressings or NPWT with NPD. The outcomes monitored were length, width (surface area), depth of PU, exudates, discharge, tissue type (necrotic, slough and red granulating tissue), and cost-effectiveness during 0 to 9 weeks follow-up. Length and width were significantly (p<0.01) decreased in NPWT group as compared with standard care group at week 9. At weeks 1, 2 and 3, depth was significantly (p<0.05) higher in NPWT group, whereas at week 9 a significant reduction (p=0.01) was observed. Exudates were significantly (p=0.001) lower in NPWT group at weeks 4 and 9. Conversion of slough into red granulation tissue was significantly higher in NPWT group (p=0.001). Discharge became significantly (p=0.001) lower in NPWT at week 2 and no discharge was observed after week 6. In all parameters, decrease was larger in NPWT group compared with standard care, which was significant for exudates type (p=0.03) and tissue type (p=0.004). Our NPD is better than standard wound care procedures and cost-effective for management of PU.

High water availability increases the negative impact of a native hemiparasite on its non-native host

PubMed Central

Cirocco, Robert M.; Facelli, José M.; Watling, Jennifer R.

2016-01-01

Environmental factors alter the impacts of parasitic plants on their hosts. However, there have been no controlled studies on how water availability modulates stem hemiparasites’ effects on hosts. A glasshouse experiment was conducted to investigate the association between the Australian native stem hemiparasite Cassytha pubescens and the introduced host Ulex europaeus under high (HW) and low (LW) water supply. Cassytha pubescens had a significant, negative effect on the total biomass of U. europaeus, which was more severe in HW than LW. Regardless of watering treatment, infection significantly decreased shoot and root biomass, nodule biomass, nodule biomass per unit root biomass, F v/F m, and nitrogen concentration of U. europaeus. Host spine sodium concentration significantly increased in response to infection in LW but not HW conditions. Host water potential was significantly higher in HW than in LW, which may have allowed the parasite to maintain higher stomatal conductances in HW. In support of this, the δ13C of the parasite was significantly lower in HW than in LW (and significantly higher than the host). C. pubescens also had significantly higher F v/F m and 66% higher biomass per unit host in the HW compared with the LW treatment. The data suggest that the enhanced performance of C. pubescens in HW resulted in higher parasite growth rates and thus a larger demand for resources from the host, leading to poorer host performance in HW compared with LW. C. pubescens should more negatively affect U. europaeus growth under wet conditions rather than under dry conditions in the field. PMID:26703920

The impact of emotion intensity on recognition memory: Valence polarity matters.

PubMed

Meng, Xianxin; Zhang, Ling; Liu, Wenwen; Ding, XinSheng; Li, Hong; Yang, Jiemin; Yuan, JiaJin

2017-06-01

Although the effects of emotion of different emotional intensity on memory have been investigated, it remain unclear whether the influence of emotional intensity on memory varies depending on the stimulus valence polarity (i.e., positive or negative). To address this, event-related potentials were recorded when subjects performed a continuous old/new discrimination task, for highly negative (HN), mildly negative (MN) and neutral pictures in the negative session; and for highly positive (HP), mildly positive (MP) and neutral pictures in the positive session. The results showed that relative to neutral stimuli, both HN and MN stimuli showed increased memory discrimination scores, and enhanced old/new effect in early FN400 (Frontal Negativity), but not late positive component (LPC) amplitudes. By contrast, relative to MP stimuli, HP and neutral stimuli showed increased memory discrimination scores and enhanced old/new effect in LPC but not FN400 amplitudes. Additionally, we observed a significant positive correlation between the memory discrimination score and the old/new effect in the amplitudes of the FN400 and LPC, respectively. These results indicate that both HN and MN stimuli were remembered better than neutral stimuli; whereas the recognition was worse for MP stimuli than Neutral and HP stimuli. In conclusion, in the present study, we observed that the effect of emotion intensity on memory depends on the stimulus valence polarity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The effect of protein-coated contact lenses on the adhesion and viability of gram negative bacteria.

PubMed

Williams, Timothy J; Schneider, Rene P; Willcox, Mark D P

2003-10-01

Gram negative bacterial adhesion to contact lenses can cause adverse responses. During contact lens wear, components of the tear film adsorb to the contact lens. This study aimed to investigate the effect of this conditioning film on the viability of bacteria. Bacteria adhered to contact lenses which were either unworn, worn for daily-, extended- or overnight-wear or coated with lactoferrin or lysozyme. Numbers of viable and total cells were estimated. The number of viable attached cells was found to be significantly lower than the total number of cells on worn (50% for strain Paer1 on daily-wear lenses) or lactoferrin-coated lenses (56% for strain Paer1). Lysozyme-coated lenses no statistically significant effect on adhesion. The conditioning film gained through wear may not inhibit bacterial adhesion, but may act adversely upon those bacteria that succeed in attaching.

Price competition in the Chinese pharmaceutical market.

PubMed

Wang, Y Richard

2006-06-01

We study price competition between high-quality global products and low-quality local products in a developing country, i.e., China, Nearly all previous studies on pharmaceutical price competition focused on developed countries with bioequivalent generics. In China, local generic products are not bioequivalent and are deemed of lower quality, while global products in the same class are considered similar in quality and better substitutes. We hypothesize that local generic competition drives down local product price but not global product price. In addition, we hypothesize that therapeutic competition among similar global products lowers global product price. Our empirical results support both hypotheses. Number of local generic competitors has a significantly negative effect on local product price but no effect on global product price, while number of global therapeutic competitors has a significantly negative effect on global product price. Policy changes that encourage bioequivalent local products and accelerate global product approvals will enhance price competition in China.

Promoting calls to a quitline: quantifying the influence of message theme, strong negative emotions and graphic images in television advertisements.

PubMed

Farrelly, Matthew C; Davis, Kevin C; Nonnemaker, James M; Kamyab, Kian; Jackson, Christine

2011-07-01

To understand the relative effectiveness of television advertisements that differ in their thematic focus and portrayals of negative emotions and/or graphic images in promoting calls to a smokers' quitline. Regression analysis is used to explain variation in quarterly media market-level per smoker calls to the New York State Smokers' Quitline from 2001 to 2009. The primary independent variable is quarterly market-level delivery of television advertisements measured by target audience rating points (TARPs). Advertisements were characterised by their overall objective--promoting cessation, highlighting the dangers of secondhand smoke (SHS) or other--and by their portrayals of strong negative emotions and graphic images. Per smoker call volume is positively correlated with total TARPs (p<0.001), and cessation advertisements are more effective than SHS advertisements in promoting quitline call volume. Advertisements with graphic images only or neither strong negative emotions nor graphic images are associated with higher call volume with similar effect sizes. Call volume was not significantly associated with the number of TARPs for advertisements with strong negative emotions only (p=0.71) or with both graphic images and strong emotions (p=0.09). Exposure to television advertisements is strongly associated with quitline call volume, and both cessation and SHS advertisements can be effective. The use of strong negative emotions in advertisements may be effective in promoting smoking cessation in the population but does not appear to influence quitline call volume. Further research is needed to understand the role of negative emotions in promoting calls to quitlines and cessation more broadly among the majority of smokers who do not call quitlines.

Effects of Oxytocin and Vasopressin on Preferential Brain Responses to Negative Social Feedback.

PubMed

Gozzi, Marta; Dashow, Erica M; Thurm, Audrey; Swedo, Susan E; Zink, Caroline F

2017-06-01

Receiving negative social feedback can be detrimental to emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being, and fear of negative social feedback is a prominent feature of mental illnesses that involve social anxiety. A large body of evidence has implicated the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin in the modulation of human neural activity underlying social cognition, including negative emotion processing; however, the influence of oxytocin and vasopressin on neural activity elicited during negative social evaluation remains unknown. Here 21 healthy men underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design to determine how intranasally administered oxytocin and vasopressin modulated neural activity when receiving negative feedback on task performance from a study investigator. We found that under placebo, a preferential response to negative social feedback compared with positive social feedback was evoked in brain regions putatively involved in theory of mind (temporoparietal junction), pain processing (anterior insula and supplementary motor area), and identification of emotionally important visual cues in social perception (right fusiform). These activations weakened with oxytocin and vasopressin administration such that neural responses to receiving negative social feedback were not significantly greater than positive social feedback. Our results show effects of both oxytocin and vasopressin on the brain network involved in negative social feedback, informing the possible use of a pharmacological approach targeting these regions in multiple disorders with impairments in social information processing.

Discrepant HPV/cytology cotesting results: Are there differences between cytology-negative versus HPV-negative cervical intraepithelial neoplasia?

PubMed

Tracht, Jessica M; Davis, Antoinette D; Fasciano, Danielle N; Eltoum, Isam-Eldin A

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to compare cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions subcategorized as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia-3 (CIN-3)-positive after a negative cytology result but positive for high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) testing to those with a negative HR-HPV test but positive cytology (atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance [ASCUS]-positive/HPV-negative) and to assess reasons for discrepancies. The authors retrospectively analyzed women who underwent screening with cytology and HPV testing from 2010 through 2013. After a review of surgical specimens and cytology, discrepancies were classified as sampling or interpretation error. Clinical and pathologic findings were compared. In total, 15,173 women (age range, 25-95 years; 7.1% were aged < 30 years) underwent both HPV and cytologic testing, and 1184 (8.4%) underwent biopsy. Cytology was positive in 19.4% of specimens, and HPV was positive in 14.5%. Eighty-four CIN-3-positive specimens were detected, including 55 that tested ASCUS-positive/HPV-positive, 11 that tested negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM)/HPV-positive, 10 that tested ASCUS-positive/HPV-negative, 3 that tested NILM/HPV-negative, and 5 tests that were unsatisfactory. There was no significant difference between NILM/HPV-positive and ASCUS-positive/HPV-negative CIN-3 in terms of size, time to occurrence, the presence of a cytopathic effect, screening history, race, or age. Six of 11 NILM/HPV-positive cases were reclassified as ASCUS, indicating an interpreting error of 55% and a sampling error of 45%. No ASCUS-positive/HPV-negative cases were reclassified. Seven cases of CIN-3 with positive cytology were HPV-negative. There are no significant clinical or pathologic differences between NILM/HPV-positive and ASCUS-positive/HPV-negative CIN-3-positive specimens. Cytologic sampling or interpretation remains the main reason for discrepancies. However, HPV-negative CIN-3 with positive cytology exists and may be missed by primary HPV screening. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:795-805. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

The Sport Expert's Attention Superiority on Skill-related Scene Dynamic by the Activation of left Medial Frontal Gyrus: An ERP and LORETA Study.

PubMed

He, Mengyang; Qi, Changzhu; Lu, Yang; Song, Amanda; Hayat, Saba Z; Xu, Xia

2018-05-21

Extensive studies have shown that a sports expert is superior to a sports novice in visually perceptual-cognitive processes of sports scene information, however the attentional and neural basis of it has not been thoroughly explored. The present study examined whether a sport expert has the attentional superiority on scene information relevant to his/her sport skill, and explored what factor drives this superiority. To address this problem, EEGs were recorded as participants passively viewed sport scenes (tennis vs. non-tennis) and negative emotional faces in the context of a visual attention task, where the pictures of sport scenes or of negative emotional faces randomly followed the pictures with overlapping sport scenes and negative emotional faces. ERP results showed that for experts, the evoked potential of attentional competition elicited by the overlap of tennis scene was significantly larger than that evoked by the overlap of non-tennis scene, while this effect was absent for novices. The LORETA showed that the experts' left medial frontal gyrus (MFG) cortex was significantly more active as compared to the right MFG when processing the overlap of tennis scene, but the lateralization effect was not significant in novices. Those results indicate that experts have attentional superiority on skill-related scene information, despite intruding the scene through negative emotional faces that are prone to cause negativity bias toward their visual field as a strong distractor. This superiority is actuated by the activation of left MFG cortex and probably due to self-reference. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Macro-Invertebrate Decline in Surface Water Polluted with Imidacloprid

PubMed Central

Van Dijk, Tessa C.; Van Staalduinen, Marja A.; Van der Sluijs, Jeroen P.

2013-01-01

Imidacloprid is one of the most widely used insecticides in the world. Its concentration in surface water exceeds the water quality norms in many parts of the Netherlands. Several studies have demonstrated harmful effects of this neonicotinoid to a wide range of non-target species. Therefore we expected that surface water pollution with imidacloprid would negatively impact aquatic ecosystems. Availability of extensive monitoring data on the abundance of aquatic macro-invertebrate species, and on imidacloprid concentrations in surface water in the Netherlands enabled us to test this hypothesis. Our regression analysis showed a significant negative relationship (P<0.001) between macro-invertebrate abundance and imidacloprid concentration for all species pooled. A significant negative relationship was also found for the orders Amphipoda, Basommatophora, Diptera, Ephemeroptera and Isopoda, and for several species separately. The order Odonata had a negative relationship very close to the significance threshold of 0.05 (P = 0.051). However, in accordance with previous research, a positive relationship was found for the order Actinedida. We used the monitoring field data to test whether the existing three water quality norms for imidacloprid in the Netherlands are protective in real conditions. Our data show that macrofauna abundance drops sharply between 13 and 67 ng l−1. For aquatic ecosystem protection, two of the norms are not protective at all while the strictest norm of 13 ng l−1 (MTR) seems somewhat protective. In addition to the existing experimental evidence on the negative effects of imidacloprid on invertebrate life, our study, based on data from large-scale field monitoring during multiple years, shows that serious concern about the far-reaching consequences of the abundant use of imidacloprid for aquatic ecosystems is justified. PMID:23650513

Asthma exacerbations in children immediately following stressful life events: a Cox's hierarchical regression.

PubMed

Sandberg, S; Järvenpää, S; Penttinen, A; Paton, J Y; McCann, D C

2004-12-01

A recent prospective study of children with asthma employing a within subject, over time analysis using dynamic logistic regression showed that severely negative life events significantly increased the risk of an acute exacerbation during the subsequent 6 week period. The timing of the maximum risk depended on the degree of chronic psychosocial stress also present. A hierarchical Cox regression analysis was undertaken to examine whether there were any immediate effects of negative life events in children without a background of high chronic stress. Sixty children with verified chronic asthma were followed prospectively for 18 months with continuous monitoring of asthma by daily symptom diaries and peak flow measurements, accompanied by repeated interview assessments of life events. The key outcome measures were asthma exacerbations and severely negative life events. An immediate effect evident within the first 2 days following a severely negative life event increased the risk of a new asthma attack by a factor of 4.69, 95% confidence interval 2.33 to 9.44 (p<0.001) [corrected] In the period 3-10 days after a severe event there was no increased risk of an asthma attack (p = 0.5). In addition to the immediate effect, an increased risk of 1.81 (95% confidence interval 1.24 to 2.65) [corrected] was found 5-7 weeks after a severe event (p = 0.002). This is consistent with earlier findings. There was a statistically significant variation due to unobserved factors in the incidence of asthma attacks between the children. The use of statistical methods capable of investigating short time lags showed that stressful life events significantly increase the risk of a new asthma attack immediately after the event; a more delayed increase in risk was also evident 5-7 weeks later.

Genome-wide association study of clinical dimensions of schizophrenia: polygenic effect on disorganized symptoms.

PubMed

Fanous, Ayman H; Zhou, Baiyu; Aggen, Steven H; Bergen, Sarah E; Amdur, Richard L; Duan, Jubao; Sanders, Alan R; Shi, Jianxin; Mowry, Bryan J; Olincy, Ann; Amin, Farooq; Cloninger, C Robert; Silverman, Jeremy M; Buccola, Nancy G; Byerley, William F; Black, Donald W; Freedman, Robert; Dudbridge, Frank; Holmans, Peter A; Ripke, Stephan; Gejman, Pablo V; Kendler, Kenneth S; Levinson, Douglas F

2012-12-01

Multiple sources of evidence suggest that genetic factors influence variation in clinical features of schizophrenia. The authors present the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) of dimensional symptom scores among individuals with schizophrenia. Based on the Lifetime Dimensions of Psychosis Scale ratings of 2,454 case subjects of European ancestry from the Molecular Genetics of Schizophrenia (MGS) sample, three symptom factors (positive, negative/disorganized, and mood) were identified with exploratory factor analysis. Quantitative scores for each factor from a confirmatory factor analysis were analyzed for association with 696,491 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using linear regression, with correction for age, sex, clinical site, and ancestry. Polygenic score analysis was carried out to determine whether case and comparison subjects in 16 Psychiatric GWAS Consortium (PGC) schizophrenia samples (excluding MGS samples) differed in scores computed by weighting their genotypes by MGS association test results for each symptom factor. No genome-wide significant associations were observed between SNPs and factor scores. Most of the SNPs producing the strongest evidence for association were in or near genes involved in neurodevelopment, neuroprotection, or neurotransmission, including genes playing a role in Mendelian CNS diseases, but no statistically significant effect was observed for any defined gene pathway. Finally, polygenic scores based on MGS GWAS results for the negative/disorganized factor were significantly different between case and comparison subjects in the PGC data set; for MGS subjects, negative/disorganized factor scores were correlated with polygenic scores generated using case-control GWAS results from the other PGC samples. The polygenic signal that has been observed in cross-sample analyses of schizophrenia GWAS data sets could be in part related to genetic effects on negative and disorganized symptoms (i.e., core features of chronic schizophrenia).