Subjective, cardiovascular and EMG spectral recovery after lumbar extension exhaustion test

The purpose of this randomized study was to evaluate EMG spectral, subjective and cardiovascular recovery parameters after isometric lumbar extension contractions. Ten healthy women performed isometric lumbar extensions until exhaustion with 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction on 4 different days (random order). One baseline five second contraction was performed before the fatiguing task which was followed by eight submaximal five second extension contractions (until 20 minutes after the end of the fatiguing task) at the same intensity as the trial to evaluate muscle recovery. EMG (Median Frequency, Peak Power, Peak Power Frequency, Total Power and Zero-crossing Rate) and cardiovascular variables did not demonstrate any statistical difference between the 5-second contractions (p > 0.05) performed before and after the fatiguing task, showing a quick EMG recovery. However, the data analysis showed that the perceived effort variable had not recovered even 10 minutes after the fatigue contraction (p < 0.05). Our results represent a data basis for future comparisons and since subjective felling can affect performance, this study shows the importance of its analysis, since the subjective effort rate was not fully recovered after 10 minutes the end of the exhaustion contraction. © 2008 IOS Press. All rights reserved.

Social cohesion: inclusion and a sense of belonging in Latin America and the Caribbean. Summary

Includes bibliography

Critical discourses on resilience: exploring alternatives strategies used by young people at-risk

The concept of resilience is often situated in a dominant discourse that reflects medical and developmentalist epistemology, in Western models, with the ideology of white people, and middle class hegemonic norms. Behavior that falls outside of the normal, or what is socially acceptable, is associated with riskiness and tacitly if not explicitly labeled as pathological, and then, not resilient. However, the context of social injustice of many young people at-risk can have drastic effects on them. When we offer institutions such as schools that do not understand their needs, they may refuse our services and some of them may engage in antisocial activities, since they are looking for personal validation, pathways to recognize themselves, and places and organizations that contribute to the building of their social identity. This paper analyses how the denial of support and resources for the wellbeing of young people can lead them to situations that are socially unacceptable, such as sexual exploitation and drug trafficking. The main argument is that these activities, in the absence of conventional mechanisms, may bring some benefit to the subjects. Benefits may be in material conditions, though strongly marked by issues of social inequality; or subjective, in gaining relationships with people outside the normative places and institutions for young people. Unconventional circumstances produce unconventional attitudes that are expressed in alternative forms of resilience.

Subjective assessment of adhesives usage by complete denture wearers in a brazilian population

The information about the knowledge and usage of denture adhesives is still limited, particularly in Brazilian populations. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the aspects related to the use or nonuse of denture adhesives by complete denture wearers. Material and method: Questionnaires were applied to 100 bimaxillary complete denture wearers concerning their usage of denture adhesives. The survey was carried out according to three categories: those who had never tried adhesive, those who had tried adhesive at least once but no longer used it, and those who currently used it. Result: Of the 100 participants, 80% had never tried adhesives, 16% had tried at least once but no longer used it and 4% had used on a regular basis. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the results of this subjective assessment suggest that within the participants that had never tried adhesives, 77.5% inform that the adhesive is not needed, and all participants who regularly use it inform its efficiency.

A new method to analyze the subjective visual vertical in patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the subjective visual vertical in patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction and to propose a new method to analyze subjective visual vertical data in these patients. METHODS: Static subjective visual vertical tests were performed in 40 subjects split into two groups. Group A consisted of 20 healthy volunteers, and Group B consisted of 20 patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction. Each patient performed six measurements of the subjective visual vertical test, and the mean values were calculated and analyzed. RESULTS: Analyses of the numerical values of subjective visual vertical deviations (the conventional method of analysis) showed that the mean deviation was 0.326 +/- 1.13 degrees in Group A and 0.301 +/- 1.87 degrees in Group B. However, by analyzing the absolute values of the subjective visual vertical (the new method of analysis proposed), the mean deviation became 1.35 +/- 0.48 degrees in Group A and 2.152 +/- 0.93 degrees in Group B. The difference in subjective visual vertical deviations between groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05) only when the absolute values and the range of deviations were considered. CONCLUSION: An analysis of the absolute values of the subjective visual vertical more accurately reflected the visual vertical misperception in patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction.

Positive Affection Measurement: Subjective Well-Being in Married People

The study analyzed the correlations among the different factors of subjective well-being (SWB) using a sample of 106 married people with an average of 16.11 years of marriage. The following instruments were used: Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Socioeconomic Questionnaire, and Subjective Well-being Scale (SWBS). Data analyses were conducted using the Software R and a multivariate model to understand the correlations among the factors of the SWBS. All factors of the SWBS were significantly inter-correlated, which confirm the results of the scale validation study. Future studies are necessary to evaluate the SWB in couples (dyads), which can help to understand whether this concept is influenced by the spouse or only by the marital status.

Validation of the Subjective Handicap of Epilepsy (SHE) in Brazilian patients with epilepsy

The objectives of the study were to translate and adapt the Subjective Handicap of Epilepsy (SHE) instrument to Brazilian Portuguese and to determine its psychometric properties for the evaluation of quality of life in patients with epilepsy. A sample of 448 adult patients with epilepsy with different clinical profiles (investigation, preoperative period, postoperative period, and drug treatment follow-up) was evaluated with the SHE and the Epilepsy Surgery Inventory (ESI-55). Exploratory factorial analysis demonstrated that four factors explained 60.47% of the variance and were sensitive to discriminate the different clinical groups, with the preoperative group having the poorest quality of life. Internal consistency ranged from 0.92 to 0.96, and concurrent validity with the ESI-55 was moderate/strong (0.32-0.70). Test-retest reliability was confirmed, with an ICC value of 0.54 (2 days), 0.91 (7 days), and 0.97 (30 days). The SHE had satisfactory psychometric qualities for use in the Brazilian population, similar to those of the original version. The instrument seems to be more adequate in psychometric terms for the postoperative and drug treatment follow-up groups, and its use should be encouraged. (c) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Software for subjective visual vertical assessment: an observational cross-sectional study

Spatial orientation in relation to the gravitational axis is significantly important for the maintenance of the posture, gait and for most of the human's motor activities. The subjective visual vertical exam evaluates the individual's perception of vertical orientation. Objectives: The aims of this study were (1) to develop a virtual system to evaluate the subjective visual vertical exam, (2) to provide a simple tool to clinical practice and (3) to assess the subjective visual vertical values of h ealthy subjects using the new software. Study Design: observational cross-sectional study. Methods: Thirty healthy volunteers performed the subjective visual vertical exam in both static and dynamic conditions. The exam consisted in adjusting a virtual line in the vertical position using the computer mouse. For the static condition, the virtual line was projected in a white background. For the dynamic condition, black circles rotated in clockwise or counterclockwise directions. Six measurements were taken and the mean deviations in relation to the real vertical calculated. Results: The mean values of subjective visual vertical measurements were: static -0.372 degrees; +/- 1.21; dynamic clockwise 1.53 degrees +/- 1.80 and dynamic counterclockwise -1.11 degrees +/- 2.46. Conclusion: This software showed to be practical and accurate to be used in clinical routines.

An in vitro comparison of subjective image quality of panoramic views acquired via 2D or 3D imaging

Objectives: The objective of this study is to compare subjective image quality and diagnostic validity of cone-beam CT (CBCT) panoramic reformatting with digital panoramic radiographs. Materials and methods: Four dry human skulls and two formalin-fixed human heads were scanned using nine different CBCTs, one multi-slice CT (MSCT) and one standard digital panoramic device. Panoramic views were generated from CBCTs in four slice thicknesses. Seven observers scored image quality and visibility of 14 anatomical structures. Four observers repeated the observation after 4 weeks. Results: Digital panoramic radiographs showed significantly better visualization of anatomical structures except for the condyle. Statistical analysis of image quality showed that the 3D imaging modalities (CBCTs and MSCT) were 7.3 times more likely to receive poor scores than the 2D modality. Yet, image quality from NewTom VGi® and 3D Accuitomo 170® was almost equivalent to that of digital panoramic radiographs with respective odds ratio estimates of 1.2 and 1.6 at 95% Wald confidence limits. A substantial overall agreement amongst observers was found. Intra-observer agreement was moderate to substantial. Conclusions: While 2D-panoramic images are significantly better for subjective diagnosis, 2/3 of the 3D-reformatted panoramic images are moderate or good for diagnostic purposes. Clinical relevance: Panoramic reformattings from particular CBCTs are comparable to digital panoramic images concerning the overall image quality and visualization of anatomical structures. This clinically implies that a 3D-derived panoramic view can be generated for diagnosis with a recommended 20-mm slice thickness, if CBCT data is a priori available for other purposes.

Women's subjective and objective health over time : the role of psychosocial conditions and physiological stress responses

Today, health problems are likely to have a complex and multifactorial etiology, whereby psychosocial factors interact with behaviour and bodily responses. Women generally report more health problems than men. The present thesis concerns the development of women’s health from a subjective and objective perspective, as related to psychosocial living conditions and physiological stress responses. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies were carried out on a representative sample of women. Data analysis was based on a holistic person-oriented approach as well as a variable approach. In Study I, the women’s self-reported symptoms and diseases as well as self-rated general health status were compared to physician-rated health problems and ratings of the general health of the women, based on medical examinations. The findings showed that physicians rated twice as many women as having poor health compared to the ratings of the women themselves. Moreover, the symptom ”a sense of powerlessness” had the highest predictive power for self-rated general health. Study II investigated individual and structural stability in symptom profiles between adolescence and middle-age as related to pubertal timing. There was individual stability in symptom reporting for nearly thirty years, although the effect of pubertal timing on symptom reporting did not extend into middle-age. Study III explored the longitudinal and current influence of socioeconomic and psychosocial factors on women’s self-reported health. Contemporary factors such as job strain, low income, financial worries, and double exposure in terms of high job strain and heavy domestic responsibilities increased the risk for poor self-reported health in middle-aged women. In Study IV, the association between self-reported symptoms and physiological stress responses was investigated. Results revealed that higher levels of medically unexplained symptoms were related to higher levels of cortisol, cholesterol, and heart rate. The empirical findings are discussed in relation to existing models of stress and health, such as the demand-control model, the allostatic load model, the biopsychosocial model, and the multiple role hypothesis. It was concluded that women’s health problems could be reduced if their overall life circumstances were improved. The practical implications of this might include a redesign of the labour market giving women more influence and control over their lives, both at and away from work.

Envy: A Psychometric Refinement of the Construct

The noticeable differences in the theoretical and operative definitions of envy across studies and approaches have produced a fragmentary representation and understanding of the envious emotion. The present dissertation aimed to clarify the inherent nature of the construct of envy through the integration of findings from three independent studies. We focused on malicious envy, and investigated it from both a dispositional and an episodic perspective. Studies 1 and 2 investigated the dimensionality of envy as a stable individual characteristic and an episodic emotional state, respectively. In order to elicit episodic envy, a scenario-based experiment was conducted. Results indicated that, in both its dispositional and episodic facets, envy is a bidimensional construct composed by an inner-directed dimension of inferiority and helplessness, and an outer-directed dimension of feelings of anger and ill will. Moreover, findings from Study 1 allowed to establish boundaries between envy and competing constructs that have often been included in conceptualizations of envy. The psychometrically validated definition of envy provided by Studies 1 and 2 represents a valuable contribution to empirical research. Implications for envy research concern the promotion of a shared operationalization of envy in future studies, which will arguably facilitate the comparison of findings between studies and between approaches. Study 3 examined the mechanisms through which dispositional envy affects individuals’ social adjustment and psychological wellbeing. Findings revealed that the detrimental effects of envy on perceived social support and subjective well-being are mostly mediated by other personal characteristics, such as neuroticism and self-esteem. By reducing global self-esteem, the envious disposition may damage supportive social networks via antisocial direct and indirect behaviors that may arise from envy and that are likely to drive others away. On the other hand, by damaging both emotional stability and self-worth, dispositional envy leads to reduced subjective well-being. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.

Vergleichende, prospektive Untersuchung der Arzneimittelcompliance, Funktionskapazität und Lebensqualität bei Patienten mit Rheuma, die mit Methotrexat peroral oder subkutan behandelt werden

Um einen positiven Einfluss auf den Krankheitsverlauf bei Patienten mit Rheumatoider Arthritis zu nehmen, ist die Compliance mit dem Basistherapeutikum Methotrexat unerlässlich. Therapietreue mit Methotrexat kann die Krankheitsprogression verhindern und irreversiblen Knochenerosionen vorbeugen. Methotrexat wird sowohl in subkutaner als auch in peroraler Applikationsform verordnet. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Compliance mit der Anwendung von Methotrexat Fertigspritzen und Tabletten mit einer elektronischen Messmethode (MEMS™) bestimmt. Hauptziel der Studie war die Bestimmung der Taking Compliance mit Methotrexat. Untersucht wurde hinsichtlich eines Unterschieds zwischen der Applikationsform und der Erkrankungsdauer. Daneben wurde die Dosing Compliance mit peroralem Methotrexat erfasst, sowie Einschätzungen der Patienten bezüglich der Compliance, Funktionskapazität, Lebensqualität und Zufriedenheit erhoben. Die Compliancestudie erfolgte in Kooperation mit dem Netzwerk ADAPTHERA. 74 Studienpatienten wurden 3 Gruppen zugeteilt: Gruppe 1 Methotrexat p.o.; Gruppe 2 Methotrexat s.c. und Erkrankungsdauer <24 Monate; Gruppe 3 Methotrexat s.c. und Erkrankungsdauer >24 Monate. Die Beobachtungsdauer betrug bei peroraler Applikationsform 9 Monate und bei subkutaner 6 Monate. Im Median wurde eine Taking und Dosing Compliance von 100% gemessen. Anhand der subjektiven Einschätzung der Patienten zur Funktionskapazität konnten geringe Einschränkungen für die Patienten im Alltag verzeichnet werden. 25% des Studienkollektivs litt unter einem reduzierten Wohlbefinden. Die Studie konnte zeigen, dass Patienten von einer frühzeitigen Therapie und einer hohen Compliancerate profitieren.