Psychologic factors are related to some sensory pain thresholds but not nociceptive flexion reflex threshold in chronic whiplash

OBJECTIVES: Sensory hypersensitivity, central hyperexcitability [lowered nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) thresholds], and psychologic distress are features of chronic whiplash. However, relationships between these substrates are not clear. This study tested the hypothesis that psychologic distress and catastrophization are correlated with sensory hypersensitivity and NFR responses in chronic whiplash. METHODS: Pressure and thermal pain thresholds (mean values across 3 body sites), NFR threshold, and pain at threshold Visual Analog Scale were measured in 30 participants with chronic whiplash and 30 asymptomatic controls. Pain and disability levels Neck Disability Index, psychologic distress (GHQ-28), and catastrophization (PCS) were also measured in the whiplash group. RESULTS: Whiplash injured participants demonstrated lowered pain thresholds to pressure and cold (P<0.05); lowered NFR thresholds (P=0.003), and demonstrated above threshold levels of psychologic distress (GHQ-28) and levels of catastrophization comparable with other musculoskeletal conditions. There were no group differences for heat pain thresholds or pain at NFR threshold. In the whiplash group, PCS scores correlated moderately with cold pain threshold (r=0.51, P=0.01). In contrast, there were no significant correlations between GHQ-28 scores and pain threshold measures or between psychologic factors and NFR responses in whiplash participants. There were no significant correlations between psychologic factors and pain thresholds or NFR responses in controls. DISCUSSION: We have demonstrated that psychologic factors have some association with sensory hypersensitivity (cold pain threshold measures) in chronic whiplash but do not seem to influence spinal cord excitability. This suggests that psychologic disorders are important, but not the only, determinants of central hypersensitivity in whiplash patients.

Influence of age and genetic risk on anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA titers

OBJECTIVES: False-positive results of anti-tissue-transglutaminase (tTG) IgA autoantibodies have been reported in subjects with a genetic risk for celiac disease (CD). The aims of this retrospective study were to assess the prevalence of false-positive tTG titers in patients at risk of CD compared with symptomatic children and to evaluate the influence of age and indication for testing on tTG titers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All tTG results measured in our institution during a 33-month period were evaluated. Patients with known CD were excluded. Indications for testing were either symptoms suggestive of CD (group 1) or history of being at risk for CD (group 2). Duodenal biopsies were recommended if titers were positive (> or =10 U/mL) and offered if borderline (> or =4 to <10 U/mL). RESULTS: The final analysis included 2056 patients, 1707 belonged to group 1, and 349 to group 2. All 65 patients with positive tTG results underwent biopsy (group 1: 57, group 2: 8). Celiac disease was confirmed in 61 subjects (median titer: 107.8 U/mL, range 12.0-1748 mL, NS between group 1 and 2), whereas 4 had normal histology (10.2-25.2 U/mL). Three out of 16 patients with borderline results underwent biopsy and had normal histology. Borderline titers were more common in group 2 patients (2.6% vs 0.4%, P<0.001). Multiple regression analysis in patients with negative tTG results (n=1975) revealed that titers were independently related to age (P<0.05) and indication for testing (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The influence of age and genetic predisposition/risk has to be taken into account when interpreting tTG results.

Who has really paid for the Reconstruction of East Germany? Expected and Realized Returns on Real Estate Investments in East and West Germany in the 1990s

We evaluate the profitability of investments in residential property in Germany after unification with a focus on the comparison of East and West Germany. Calculations are carried out for (1) the after-tax return an investor might have expected at the beginning of the 1990s, and (2) the after-tax return that has been realized ten years after. We compare a set of statistical data for investments in fifty major cities by using complete financial budgeting. The results show that tax subsidies could not always protect investors from losing money, but they have boosted realized returns after tax considerably. Therefore, it was indeed the taxpayers, not the investors, who have borne the cost of reconstructing East Germany.

What Does the Market Learn from Stock Offering Revisions?

We examine the disclosure of size revisions of seasoned stock offerings to see what information revisions impart to investros. Revisions could deliver firm-originated infoirmation, which discloses something managers know about the firm. Alternatively, they could disseminate market-originated information, which is information market participants have but which is not conveyed until trading takes place. Our results reject the notion that revisions reveal firm-originated news. Instead, the results are consistent with the market-originated news hypothesis and suggest a mechanism that investros and underwriters use to learn about the demand for an offering.

Lernumgebungen positiv(er) gestalten. Ergebnisse zur Bedeutung von Kompetition und Misserfolgserfahrungen für die Einstellungen von Jugendlichen gegenüber der Schule

Neben einer hohen fachwissenschaftlichen Qualität kommt nicht-kognitiven Faktoren eine wichtige Funktion für Schule und Unterricht zu, da diese gleichermaßen wichtig für einen erfolgreichen Bildungsverlauf sind. Kinder und Jugendliche sollen sich deshalb in der Schule wohl fühlen können. Diese gilt es besonders zu beachten, da die Schule Gefahr läuft, sich zu einer negativen Institution für die Kinder und Jugendlichen zu entwickeln. Die hier vorgestellte Arbeit soll – empirisch gestützt am Beispiel der An- alyse von positiven Einstellungen zur Schule und Freude in der Schule – Hinweise auf relevante Aspekte in Bezug auf die positive Gestaltung von Schule und Unterricht liefern.

Emotionen im Mathematikunterricht in der Grundschule

In der empirisch pädagogischen Forschung wird mehrfach darauf hingewiesen, dass positive Emotionen gegenüber der Schule bereits im Grundschulalter abnehmen (Hascher, Hagenauer & Schaffer, 2011; Helmke, 1993). Der Verlauf der Emotionen in den ersten Schuljahren wurde bisher allerdings noch wenig untersucht. Zudem fehlen Studien, die mehrere diskrete Emotionen fachspezifisch analysieren. In der hier vorgestellten Studie wurden Kinder der Klassenstufen 1-4 in acht österreichischen Grundschulklassen über den Zeitraum eines Jahres an vier Messzeitpunkten zu ihren Emotionen im Mathematikunterricht befragt. Die Ergebnisse aus Varianzanalysen mit Messwiederholung verweisen einerseits auf einen Rückgang positiver Emotionen und damit auf eine zunehmend distanzierte Haltung gegenüber Mathematik. Andererseits verdeutlichen sie auch den Rückgang negativer Emotionen und einen Erholungseffekt, der sich durch die Sommerferien einstellt. Die emotionsform- und schulklassen- spezifischen Veränderungen wiederum legen nahe, die Emotionsentwicklung in der Schule künftig differenzierter zu erforschen.