Perceived malleability of self versus the world and its impact on youths’ control orientation and well-being in the US, Germany, and India

Primary control is defined as changing the world to fit the self, while secondary control is defined as changing the self to fit the world. To understand why different individuals prefer different kinds of control processes, we proposed a research project looking at US, German and Indian young adults. We hypothesize that theories of self and the world (fixed vs. malleable; Dweck, 1999) affect the prevailing mode of control used. Furthermore, adolescents’ cultural background is assumed to affect their self-world theories as well as the adaptiveness of specific modes of control. For example, in the US, where the self is tended to be seen as fixed and the world as malleable, primary control prevails and is more adaptive than secondary control while the reverse is expected for India. We present the theoretical outline and methodology of the study as well as first results.

Self-sufficient control of urate homeostasis in mice by a synthetic circuit

Synthetic biology has shown that the metabolic behavior of mammalian cells can be altered by genetic devices such as epigenetic and hysteretic switches, timers and oscillators, biocomputers, hormone systems and heterologous metabolic shunts. To explore the potential of such devices for therapeutic strategies, we designed a synthetic mammalian circuit to maintain uric acid homeostasis in the bloodstream, disturbance of which is associated with tumor lysis syndrome and gout. This synthetic device consists of a modified Deinococcus radiodurans-derived protein that senses uric acids levels and triggers dose-dependent derepression of a secretion-engineered Aspergillus flavus urate oxidase that eliminates uric acid. In urate oxidase-deficient mice, which develop acute hyperuricemia, the synthetic circuit decreased blood urate concentration to stable sub-pathologic levels in a dose-dependent manner and reduced uric acid crystal deposits in the kidney. Synthetic gene-network devices providing self-sufficient control of pathologic metabolites represent molecular prostheses, which may foster advances in future gene- and cell-based therapies.

Prevalence of halitosis in young male adults: a study in swiss army recruits comparing self-reported and clinical data

BACKGROUND: Sound epidemiologic data on halitosis are rare. We evaluated the prevalence of halitosis in a young male adult population in Switzerland using a standardized questionnaire and clinical examination. METHODS: Six hundred twenty-six Swiss Army recruits aged 18 to 25 years (mean: 20.3 years) were selected as study subjects. First, a standardized questionnaire focusing on dental hygiene, self-reported halitosis, smoking, and alcohol consumption was filled out by all participants. In the clinical examination, objective values for the presence of halitosis were gathered through an organoleptic assessment of the breath odor and the measurement of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). Additionally, tongue coating, plaque index, and probing depths were evaluated for each recruit. RESULTS: The questionnaire revealed that only 17% of all included recruits had never experienced halitosis. The organoleptic evaluation (grades 0 to 3) identified eight persons with grade 3, 148 persons with grade 2, and 424 persons with grade 1 or 0. The calculation of the Pearson correlation coefficient to evaluate the relationship among the three methods of assessing halitosis revealed little to no correlation. The organoleptic score showed high reproducibility (kappa = 0.79). Tongue coating was the only influencing factor found to contribute to higher organoleptic scores and higher VSC values. CONCLUSIONS: Oral malodor seemed to pose an oral health problem for about one-fifth of 20-year-old Swiss males questioned. No correlation between self-reported halitosis and organoleptic or VSC measurements could be detected. Although the organoleptic method described here offers a high reproducibility, the lack of correlation between VSC values and organoleptic scores has to be critically addressed. For further studies assessing new organoleptic scores, a validated index should always be included as a direct control.

Children's and adolescent's self - assessment of metabolic control versus professional judgment: a cross-sectional retrospective and prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Morbidity and mortality in T1DM depend on metabolic control, which is assessed by HbA1c measurements every 3-4 months. Patients' self-perception of glycemic control depends on daily blood glucose monitoring. Little is known about the congruence of patients' and professionals' perception of metabolic control in T1DM. OBJECTIVE To assess the actual patients' self-perception and objective assessment (HbA1c) of metabolic control in T1DM children and adolescents and to investigate the possible factors involved in any difference. METHODS Patients with T1DM aged 8 - 18 years were recruited in a cross-sectional, retrospective and prospective cohort study. Data collection consisted of clinical details, measured HbA1c, self-monitored blood glucose values and questionnaires assessing self and professionals' judgment of metabolic control. RESULTS 91 patients participated. Mean HbA1c was 8.03%. HbA1c was higher in patients with a diabetes duration > 2 years (p = 0.025) and in patients of lower socioeconomic level (p = 0.032). No significant correlation was found for self-perception of metabolic control in well and poorly controlled patients. We found a trend towards false-positive memory of the last HbA1c in patients with a HbA1c > 8.5% (p = 0.069) but no difference in patients' knowledge on target HbA1c between well and poorly controlled patients. CONCLUSIONS T1DM patients are aware of a target HbA1c representing good metabolic control. Ill controlled patients appear to have a poorer recollection of their HbA1c. Self-perception of actual metabolic control is similar in well and poorly controlled T1DM children and adolescents. Therefore, professionals should pay special attention that ill controlled T1DM patients perceive their HbA1c correctly.

Differences in coping, self-efficacy, and external control beliefs between patients at-risk for psychosis and patients with first-episode psychosis

Patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) often show dysfunctional coping patterns, low self-efficacy, and external control beliefs that are considered to be risk factors for the development of psychosis. Therefore, these factors should already be present in patients at-risk for psychosis (AR). We compared frequencies of deficits in coping strategies (Stress-Coping-Questionnaires, SVF-120/SVF-KJ), self-efficacy, and control beliefs (Competence and Control Beliefs Questionnaire, FKK) between AR (n=21) and FEP (n=22) patients using a cross-sectional design. Correlations among coping, self-efficacy, and control beliefs were assessed in both groups. The majority of AR and FEP patients demonstrated deficits in coping skills, self-efficacy, and control beliefs. However, AR patients more frequently reported a lack of positive coping strategies, low self-efficacy, and a fatalistic externalizing bias. In contrast, FEP patients were characterized by being overly self-confident. These findings suggest that dysfunctional coping, self-efficacy, and control beliefs are already evident in AR patients, though different from those in FEP patients. The pattern of deficits in AR patients closely resembles that of depressive patients, which may reflect high levels of depressiveness in AR patients. Apart from being worthwhile treatment targets, these coping and belief patterns are promising candidates for predicting outcome in AR patients, including the conversion to psychosis

Invisible social control as predictor of daily negative affect and smoking after a self-set quit date

The dual-effects model of social control proposes that social control leads to increased psychological distress but also to better health practices. However, findings are inconsistent, and recent research suggests that the most effective control is unnoticed by the receiver (i. e., invisible). Yet, investigations of the influence of invisible control on daily negative affect and smoking have been limited. Using daily diaries, we investigated how invisible social control was associated with negative affect and smoking. Overall, 100 smokers (72.0 % men, age M = 40.48, SD = 9.82) and their nonsmoking partners completed electronic diaries from a self-set quit date for 22 consecutive days, reporting received and provided social control, negative affect, and daily smoking. We found in multilevel analyses of the within-person process that on days with higher-than-average invisible control, smokers reported more negative affect and fewer cigarettes smoked. Findings are in line with the assumptions of the dual-effects model of social control: Invisible social control increased daily negative affect and simultaneously reduced smoking at the within-person level.

Examining invisible social control as predictor of daily smoking and negative affect after a self-set quit date

Objectives: The dual-effects model of social control proposes that social control leads to better health practices, but also arouses psychological distress. However, findings are inconsistent in relation to health behavior and psychological distress. Recent research suggests that the most effective control is unnoticed by the receiver (i.e., invisible). There is some evidence that invisible social control is beneficial for positive and negative affective reactions. Yet, investigations of the influence of invisible social control on daily smoking and distress have been limited. In daily diaries, we investigated how invisible social control is associated with number of cigarettes smoked and negative affect on a daily basis. Methods: Overall, 99 smokers (72.0% men, mean age M = 40.48, SD = 9.82) and their non-smoking partners completed electronic diaries from a self-set quit date for 22 consecutive days within the hour before going to bed, reporting received and provided social control, daily number of cigarettes smoked, and negative affect. Results: Multilevel analyses indicated that between-person levels of invisible social control were associated with lower negative affect, whereas they were unrelated to number of cigarettes smoked. On days with higher-than-average invisible social control, smokers reported less cigarettes smoked and more negative affect. Conclusions: Between-person level findings indicate that invisible social control can be beneficial for negative affect. However, findings on the within-person level are in line with the assumptions of the dual-effects model of social control: Invisible social control reduced daily smoking and simultaneously increased daily negative affect within person.