Anticipated affective consequences of physical activity adoption and maintenance.

Objective: The expected emotional consequences of future actions are thought to play an important role in health behavior change. This research examined whether anticipated affective consequences of success and failure vary across stages of physical activity change and differentially predict physical activity adoption as compared to maintenance. Design: Using a prospective design over a 3-month period, a community sample of 329 healthy, middle-aged adults were assessed at 2 time points. Main Outcome Measures: Anticipated positive and negative emotions, stage of behavior change (precontemplation [PC], contemplation [C], preparation [P], action [A], maintenance [M]), and level of physical activity. Results: At baseline, anticipated positive emotions were greater in C versus PC, whereas anticipated negative emotions were greater in M versus A and in M versus P. Higher anticipated positive but not negative emotions predicted physical activity adoption and maintenance after 3 months. Conclusion: Although the expected affective consequences of future success and failure differentiated among individuals in the early and later stages of physical activity change, respectively; only the anticipated affective consequences of success predicted future behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Urinary incontinence among a 65-year old Swedish population: medical history and psychosocial consequences

The content of lipid peroxidation products (malonic dialdehyde) in the aqueous humor is increased in patients with mature cataracts developing after antiglaucoma surgery. Antioxidative activity of the humor was decreased. A relationship was revealed between the postoperative changes in ocular hydrodynamics and metabolic disorders in the chamber humor (reduction of the antioxidative activity of the humor and its suppressed production), which explains one mechanism of cataract development in patients operated on for glaucoma.     

Extra-terrestrial life in the European Space Agency's Cosmic Vision plan and beyond

Our exciting time allows us to contemplate the moment in the not-too-distant future when we can detect the presence of life on worlds orbiting stars other than our Sun. It will not be easy and will require the development and use of the very latest technologies. It also very probably demands deployment in space of relevant instrumentation in order to carry out these investigations. The European Space Agency has been involved in the studies and development of the required technologies for more than a decade and is currently formulating a roadmap for how to achieve the ultimate detection of signs of life as we know it on terrestrial exoplanets. The major elements of the roadmap consist of the following. First, the search for and detection of terrestrial exoplanets. Here, some progress has been made recently and is reported in this paper. Second, the more and more detailed study of the physical characteristics of such exoplanets. Finally, the search for biomarkers--indicators of biological activity--that can be observed at interstellar distances. The last is probably one of the most difficult problems ever contemplated by observational astronomy.     

Social reactions toward people vs. computers: How mere lables shape interactions

What criteria afford a machine the status of a social agent? In this investigation, the mere label identifying an oral interviewer as human or computer was sufficient to affect participants’ responses toward the interviewer during an online interview for a competitive mock job. Participants’ impressions of the interviewer and self-reported emotional reactions to the interview were unaffected by the interviewer’s identity. Despite this invariance, however, participants exhibited more interpersonal displays when the interviewer was identified as human. Overall, these results show that participants engaged in heightened impression management strategies (deferral to, or attempts to engage or appease) with the “human” interviewer. The computer interviewer did not merit equivalent social status.     

Patients' conceptions of their life situation within the first week after a stroke event: a qualitative analysis

The aim of this study was to find out how stroke patients conceived their life situation within the first week of the acute care phase as seen from the nurses' viewpoint. Six patients were interviewed within 3 weeks from their first stroke, using questions based on a holistic philosophy and analysed with the phenomonographic approach. Two main categories emerged from the results: the feeling of unreality and the awareness of a changed role in life, together with six subcategories; feeling of a changed perception of the body; feeling of being confused; loss of capability; awareness of confined life space; the importance of support and encouragement; and the will to look for new opportunities. The study concludes that the body change resulting from a stroke leads to both physical and psychological trauma, in which the psychological crisis can be very deep and best described as a personal catastrophe. The patient's capability to receive and understand information becomes blocked, which influences both the nurse and the patient's next of kin with regard to their care of the patient. Conversations with the patient must be frequent so that the acute care can be evaluated and agreement reached between the patient's wishes and the nurses' objectives. The results indicate the significance of intervention programmes based on crisis theory within the first week of a stroke event.     

Dietitians view the horizon

In honor of the American Dietetic Association's landmark 75th anniversary, FM asked ADA members representing six market sectors to share their perspectives on the opportunities & challenges for dietitians in the '90s. An exciting era lies ahead.     

Anxiety and striate-muscle activation: Evidence from electromyographic pattern analysis.

Recorded electromyograph (EMGH) responses of 32 self-reported high- and low-anxious undergraduate females during a 15-min anticipation period followed by 5 min of 105-db binaural white noise stimulation. A computer-controlled scanning EMG sampled integrated surface EMG activity from a total of 8 muscle sites on the head, neck, and limbs. Results indicate that high-anxious Ss evidenced higher mean EMG levels than low-anxious Ss both preceding and during the stimulus period. Microanalysis of the within-Ss data arrays involving P-factoring on principal components provided detailed diachronic observations of striate-muscle action in trait-anxious Ss. Little evidence was obtained to support a general tension factor in either low-anxious or high-anxious Ss. Furthermore, no differences were observed in multiple-site covariance structures between the 2 groups. EMG elevations in the high-anxious Ss consisted of largely uncorrelated response bursts. Data mitigate prevalent conceptions of increased tonic muscular contraction during arousal and anxiety. Findings suggest that anxiety reflects activation more than immobilization or defense. (92 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Female patients with congestive heart failure: how they conceive their life situation

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a significant health problem for women, particularly elderly women. The risk factors for heart failure appear to be different in women than in men, with hypertension and diabetes playing a greater role in women and ischaemic heart disease a greater role in men. The aim of this study was to describe, from a nurse's perspective, how female patients with CHF conceive their life situation. Interview questions were designed with a focus on five dimensions: biophysical, socio-cultural, emotional, intellectual and spiritual-existential. A qualitative method was used with a phenomenographic approach, as this approach examines aspects of the surroundings as they are conceived. Five categories emerged in the results: feeling content, feeling a sense of support, feeling a sense of limitation, feeling anxiety and feeling powerless. A sense of limitation regarding working capacity and being able to support those in their surroundings causes patients with CHF to experience anxiety due to feeling insecure about themselves and in relation to their surroundings. This may result in feelings of worthlessness in women with CHF, both concerning their own capacity and the fact that they feel they are a burden to those around them. Through nursing intervention, these patients can receive help to break this vicious circle of feeling limited and powerless. This can be done by encouraging them to verbalize their feelings and set realistic goals and expectations, and by increasing their knowledge and that of their families concerning CHF and its symptoms, with a focus on self-care and existing possibilities. These measures will make it easier for women with CHF to maintain a hopeful perspective and a sense of control, competence, and self-esteem.