Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction and E-Loyalty: Online Shopping Environment among the Young Adults

OpenAIRE

Izyan Hizza Bt. HILA LUDIN; Boon Liat CHENG

2014-01-01

According to Internet World Stats (2012) about 60.7% of the total population in Malaysia uses the Internet and about more than 11 million people out of that number are young adults. From business and marketing perspectives, according to Nelson (2012), satisfied customers tend to share their experiences about a company or business to other people. Thus, this study aims to examine the factors influencing customer satisfaction, and how customer satisfaction subsequently affects e-loyalty towards...

Efficacy and safety of insulin pump treatment in adult T1DM patients--influence of age and social environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Grzanka, Małgorzata; Matejko, Bartłomiej; Cyganek, Katarzyna; Kozek, Elżbieta; Małecki, Maciej T; Klupa, Tomasz

2012-01-01

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) via personal insulin pump is a valuable therapeutic tool in T1DM patients. However, adherence to recommended CSII-related behaviours may be of concern to young adults with intensive, variable daily activities (students, young professionals). The aim of this observational study was to estimate treatment outcomes in young adult patients with T1DM, and compare them with older individuals. Overall, 140 adults with T1DM on CSII were examined, divided into 2 subgroups: 77 patients younger than 26 years of age (mean 20.6 years) and 63 older subjects (mean 39.0). We compared the glycaemic control in both groups of T1DM subjects and analyzed treatment attitudes to identify potentially modifiable behaviours influencing the efficacy of the treatment. The younger individuals were characterized by significantly worse treatment outcomes, compared to the older ones: the mean HbA1c levels were 7.6 ± 1.3% and 6.9±1.3% (p=0.00001), while the mean glucose levels based on glucometer downloads were 161±33.6 mg/dL and 136±21.8 mg/dL (p=0.00001), respectively. The frequency of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) was lower in younger individuals (5.3±2.1 vs. 7.0±2.8 daily, p=0.0005, respectively); they were also less frequently used advanced pump functions, e.g. the bolus calculator (48% vs. 67% users, p=0.0014, respectively). The efficacy of CSII treatment observed in young T1DM adults was worse than in older patients. The reason for this phenomenon remains unclear, it may be due simply to age-dependend behaviours, to social environment, or both.

Situational cues and momentary food environment predict everyday eating behavior in adults with overweight and obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliston, Katherine G; Ferguson, Stuart G; Schüz, Natalie; Schüz, Benjamin

2017-04-01

Individual eating behavior is a risk factor for obesity and highly dependent on internal and external cues. Many studies also suggest that the food environment (i.e., food outlets) influences eating behavior. This study therefore examines the momentary food environment (at the time of eating) and the role of cues simultaneously in predicting everyday eating behavior in adults with overweight and obesity. Intensive longitudinal study using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) over 14 days in 51 adults with overweight and obesity (average body mass index = 30.77; SD = 4.85) with a total of 745 participant days of data. Multiple daily assessments of eating (meals, high- or low-energy snacks) and randomly timed assessments. Cues and the momentary food environment were assessed during both assessment types. Random effects multinomial logistic regression shows that both internal (affect) and external (food availability, social situation, observing others eat) cues were associated with increased likelihood of eating. The momentary food environment predicted meals and snacking on top of cues, with a higher likelihood of high-energy snacks when fast food restaurants were close by (odds ratio [OR] = 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.22, 2.93) and a higher likelihood of low-energy snacks in proximity to supermarkets (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.38, 3.82). Real-time eating behavior, both in terms of main meals and snacks, is associated with internal and external cues in adults with overweight and obesity. In addition, perceptions of the momentary food environment influence eating choices, emphasizing the importance of an integrated perspective on eating behavior and obesity prevention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Evidence for Gender-Dependent Genotype by Environment Interaction in Adult Depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Molenaar, Dylan; Middeldorp, Christel M; Willemsen, Gonneke; Ligthart, Lannie; Nivard, Michel G; Boomsma, Dorret I

2015-10-14

Depression in adults is heritable with about 40 % of the phenotypic variance due to additive genetic effects and the remaining phenotypic variance due to unique (unshared) environmental effects. Common environmental effects shared by family members are rarely found in adults. One possible explanation for this finding is that there is an interaction between genes and the environment which may mask effects of the common environment. To test this hypothesis, we investigated genotype by environment interaction in a large sample of female and male adult twins aged 18-70 years. The anxious depression subscale of the Adult Self Report from the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (Achenbach and Rescorla in Manual for the ASEBA adult: forms and profiles, 2003) was completed by 13,022 twins who participate in longitudinal studies of the Netherlands Twin Register. In a single group analysis, we found genotype by unique environment interaction, but no genotype by common environment interaction. However, when conditioning on gender, we observed genotype by common environment interaction in men, with larger common environmental variance in men who are genetically less at risk to develop depression. Although the effect size of the interaction is characterized by large uncertainty, the results show that there is at least some variance due to the common environment in adult depression in men.

Abstinence environment contributes to age differences in reinstatement of cocaine seeking between adolescent and adult male rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chen; Frantz, Kyle J

2017-07-01

Extinction responding and cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking after 60-days of forced abstinence are attenuated in male rats that self-administered cocaine during adolescence, compared with adults. Given that environmental enrichment during abstinence decreases reinstatement among adults, a possible explanation for attenuated reinstatement among adolescents is that standard pair-housing in prior studies creates a more stimulating environment for younger rats. Therefore, we tested whether standard pair-housing is necessary for the attenuated reinstatement among adolescents by determining whether an impoverished environment during abstinence would increase reinstatement among adolescents, up to adult levels. Conversely, we also tested whether environmental enrichment could further decrease reinstatement among adolescents, and whether we could replicate effects of environmental enrichment to decrease reinstatement among adults down to adolescent levels (positive controls). Adolescent and adult male Wistar rats self-administered cocaine intravenously for 12days (fixed ratio 1; 0.36mg/kg per infusion; 2h sessions). Rats were then moved into enriched (grouped, large cages, novel toys), standard (pair-housed, shoebox cages), or impoverished (isolated, hanging cages) housing conditions. After 60days, extinction and cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking were tested, followed by drug-primed reinstatement (0, 5, 10mg/kg cocaine, i.p.). Consistent with previous results, extinction and cue-induced reinstatement were attenuated in adolescent-onset groups compared with adults; this age difference also extended to drug-primed reinstatement. In support of the present hypothesis, an impoverished environment during abstinence increased reinstatement among adolescents to levels that were not different from adult standard-housing levels. These data suggest that abstinence environment influences the enduring effects of cocaine among adolescents as well as adults

Early-life school, neighborhood, and family influences on adult health: a multilevel cross-classified analysis of the Aberdeen children of the 1950s study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dundas, Ruth; Leyland, Alastair H; Macintyre, Sally

2014-07-15

Lifetime exposures to adverse social environments influence adult health, as do exposures in early life. It is usual to examine the influences of school on teenage health and of adult area of residence on adult health. We examined the combined long-term association of the school attended, as well as the area of residence in childhood, with adult health. A total of 6,285 children from Aberdeen, Scotland, who were aged 5-12 years in 1962, were followed up at a mean age of 47 years in 2001. Cross-classified multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate the associations of family, school, and area of residence with self-reported adult health and mental health, adjusting for childhood family-, school-, and neighborhood-level factors, as well as current adult occupational position. Low early-life social position (as determined by the father's occupational level) was associated with poor adult self-rated health but not poor mental health. There were small contextual associations between childhood school environment (median odds ratio = 1.08) and neighborhood environment (median odds ratio = 1.05) and adult self-rated health. The share of the total variance in health at the family level was 10.1% compared with 89.6% at the individual level. Both socioeconomic context and composition in early life appear to have an influence on adult health, even after adjustment for current occupational position. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Differential heritability of adult and juvenile antisocial traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, M J; True, W R; Eisen, S A; Goldberg, J; Meyer, J M; Faraone, S V; Eaves, L J; Tsuang, M T

1995-11-01

Studies of adult antisocial behavior or criminality usually find genetic factors to be more important than the family environment, whereas studies of delinquency find the family environment to be more important. We compared DSM-III-R antisocial personality disorder symptoms before vs after the age of 15 years within a sample of twins, rather than comparing across studies. We administered the Diagnostic Interview Schedule Version III-revised by telephone to 3226 pairs of male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. Biometrical modeling was applied to each symptom of antisocial personality disorder and summary measures of juvenile and adult symptoms. Five juvenile symptoms were significantly heritable, and five were significantly influenced by the shared environment. Eight adult symptoms were significantly heritable, and one was significantly influenced by the shared environment. The shared environment explained about six times more variance in juvenile anti-social traits than in adult traits. Shared environmental influences on adult antisocial traits overlapped entirely with those on juvenile traits. Additive genetic factors explained about six times more variance in adult vs juvenile traits. The juvenile genetic determinants overlapped completely with genetic influences on adult traits. The unique environment (plus measurement error) explained the largest proportion of variance in both juvenile and adult antisocial traits. Characteristics of the shared or family environment that promote antisocial behavior during childhood and early adolescence also promote later antisocial behavior, but to a much lesser extent. Genetic causal factors are much more prominent for adult than for juvenile antisocial traits.

Exploring the influence of local food environments on food behaviours: a systematic review of qualitative literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Pitt, Erin; Gallegos, Danielle; Comans, Tracy; Cameron, Cate; Thornton, Lukar

2017-09-01

Systematic reviews investigating associations between objective measures of the food environment and dietary behaviours or health outcomes have not established a consistent evidence base. The present paper aims to synthesise qualitative evidence regarding the influence of local food environments on food and purchasing behaviours. A systematic review in the form of a qualitative thematic synthesis. Urban localities. Adults. Four analytic themes were identified from the review including community and consumer nutrition environments, other environmental factors and individual coping strategies for shopping and purchasing decisions. Availability, accessibility and affordability were consistently identified as key determinants of store choice and purchasing behaviours that often result in less healthy food choices within community nutrition environments. Food availability, quality and food store characteristics within consumer nutrition environments also greatly influenced in-store purchases. Individuals used a range of coping strategies in both the community and consumer nutrition environments to make optimal purchasing decisions, often within the context of financial constraints. Findings from the current review add depth and scope to quantitative literature and can guide ongoing theory, interventions and policy development in food environment research. There is a need to investigate contextual influences within food environments as well as individual and household socio-economic characteristics that contribute to the differing use of and views towards local food environments. Greater emphasis on how individual and environmental factors interact in the food environment field will be key to developing stronger understanding of how environments can support and promote healthier food choices.

Adult Students' Perceptions in Distance Education Learning Environments Based on a Videoconferencing Platform – QoE Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toni Malinovski

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Distance education learning environments provide tremendous convenience and flexibility, allowing busy, mobile adult learners to engage in education while coping with their limited resources in terms of time, energy and finances. Following a student-centered approach this study investigates adult students’ subjective perceptions while using distance education systems based on a videoconferencing platform as Quality of Experience (QoE. Based on a literature review, sociological behavior and expectations, we have constructed a structural equation model (SEM illustrating relations among different variables that can predict positive levels of adult students’ QoE, thus providing guidelines for proper development. We have tested the model using a survey of 198 primary education school teachers involved in a videoconferencing-based learning program for teacher enhancement. Results show a good fit to the model developed. The analysis showed that adult students’ QoE is directly influenced by appropriateness of teacher-student interaction and ease of participation, as well predicted by students’ motivation to attend similar trainings. Additionally, we found that variances in technical quality did not directly influence their QoE from the learning sessions.

The influence of enriched environment on spatial memory in Swiss mice of different ages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra Fernandes Druzian

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of enriched environment on spatial memory acquisition in mice of three different age groups. Weanling, young, and young adult female Swiss mice were housed in a standard control or enriched environment for 50 days, and their spatial memory was tested with the Morris Water Maze. We did not observe an experimental effect for spatial memory acquisition, and there was neither an effect of time of analysis nor an interaction between experimental group and time of analysis. Regarding effects of experimental group and training day in relation to latency in finding the hidden platform, we did find an effect in the experimental young adult mice group (p = 0.027, but there was no interaction between these factors in all three groups. Based on these findings environmental enrichment did not enhance spatial memory acquisition in female Swiss mice in the tested age groups.

Mobile Based User-Centered Learning Environment for Adult Absolute Illiterates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inayat ur-Rehman

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Education plays a vital role in the success of any community. Countries with increased literacy rate have improved their status on the world map. In recent years, the use of e-learning methodologies has been significant. However, majority of the previous methodologies are focused on the formal education or toddlers. The technoliteracy solutions for children are not suitable for adults and those designed specifically for adults are text dominant and require the users of these applications to be functional literate. Moreover, users’ interest (sense of belonging is not taken into consideration in existing solutions. To address the aforementioned issues, a user study is conducted to collect users’ interests. Another highlight of our study is that we develop our system as a mobile device application to facilitate our target user group. Based on the collected interests, a 3D virtual learning environment is designed and developed for adult illiterate learners. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed environment, an experimental study is carried out with users. The results show that the proposed learning environment significantly improves adults learning.

The "Double-Edged Sword" of the Adult Learning Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Sara; Mitchell, Jane

2013-01-01

The vocational education and training sector plays a critical role in the provision of educational opportunities for young adults who have left school prior to completing a qualification. Some research has found that a major factor that supports student re-engagement in formal education is the "adult learning environment" that…

Environmental Influences on Physical Activity among Rural Adults in Montana, United States: Views from Built Environment Audits, Resident Focus Groups, and Key Informant Interviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Brian K; Morgan, Emily H; Folta, Sara C; Graham, Meredith L; Paul, Lynn C; Nelson, Miriam E; Jew, Nicolette V; Moffat, Laurel F; Seguin, Rebecca A

2017-10-04

Rural populations in the United States have lower physical activity levels and are at a higher risk of being overweight and suffering from obesity than their urban counterparts. This paper aimed to understand the environmental factors that influence physical activity among rural adults in Montana. Eight built environment audits, 15 resident focus groups, and 24 key informant interviews were conducted between August and December 2014. Themes were triangulated and summarized into five categories of environmental factors: built, social, organizational, policy, and natural environments. Although the existence of active living features was documented by environmental audits, residents and key informants agreed that additional indoor recreation facilities and more well-maintained and conveniently located options were needed. Residents and key informants also agreed on the importance of age-specific, well-promoted, and structured physical activity programs, offered in socially supportive environments, as facilitators to physical activity. Key informants, however, noted that funding constraints and limited political will were barriers to developing these opportunities. Since building new recreational facilities and structures to support active transportation pose resource challenges, especially for rural communities, our results suggest that enhancing existing features, making small improvements, and involving stakeholders in the city planning process would be more fruitful to build momentum towards larger changes.

Environmental Influences on Physical Activity among Rural Adults in Montana, United States: Views from Built Environment Audits, Resident Focus Groups, and Key Informant Interviews

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian K. Lo

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Rural populations in the United States have lower physical activity levels and are at a higher risk of being overweight and suffering from obesity than their urban counterparts. This paper aimed to understand the environmental factors that influence physical activity among rural adults in Montana. Eight built environment audits, 15 resident focus groups, and 24 key informant interviews were conducted between August and December 2014. Themes were triangulated and summarized into five categories of environmental factors: built, social, organizational, policy, and natural environments. Although the existence of active living features was documented by environmental audits, residents and key informants agreed that additional indoor recreation facilities and more well-maintained and conveniently located options were needed. Residents and key informants also agreed on the importance of age-specific, well-promoted, and structured physical activity programs, offered in socially supportive environments, as facilitators to physical activity. Key informants, however, noted that funding constraints and limited political will were barriers to developing these opportunities. Since building new recreational facilities and structures to support active transportation pose resource challenges, especially for rural communities, our results suggest that enhancing existing features, making small improvements, and involving stakeholders in the city planning process would be more fruitful to build momentum towards larger changes.

Adult Education under a Comparative Lens: Areas of Influence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holford, John; Milana, Marcella; Rasmussen, Palle Damkjær

2018-01-01

This chapter outlines key areas of literature and policy that have influenced or affected our research on the comparative study of adult education. Policy influences include the growth of lifelong learning within a neoliberal framing since the 1990s and the rise of ‘evidence-based’ approaches...... with a narrow reliance on quantitative data. Much of our work has been inspired by the need to critique these trends, adopt broader approaches to lifelong learning and defend the more democratic traditions of adult education. Important areas of theoretical inspiration, many of which interrogate these policy...... developments, are also outlined. The critical reinterpretation of historical adult education practices is another important area of work and inspiration. In relation to sustainability, we have been influenced particularly by the capabilities approach....

Transient, but not persistent, adult food insecurity influences toddler development.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, Daphne C; Jacknowitz, Alison

2009-08-01

In this study, we examined characteristics associated with experiencing persistent and transitional adult food insecurity and how persistent and transitional adult food insecurity influences toddler cognitive and motor development, along with toddler's weight and health status. Using the first 2 waves of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, 4 mutually exclusive variables capturing persistent and transitional adult food insecurity were created to capture those adults that experience adult food insecurity in the following: both waves, in 1 wave (at 9 or 24 mo after birth), and never experience food insecurity. We used logistic regression models to estimate characteristics associated with the likelihood of experiencing persistent and transitional adult food insecurity. Ordinary least squares regression models were used to estimate how persistent and transitional adult food insecurity influences toddler development. Similar factors influenced one's likelihood of experiencing adult transitional and persistent food insecurity; individuals who experienced any food insecurity were more economically disadvantaged. Thus, outreach efforts do not need to vary by duration of food insecurity. Whereas negative effects of food insecurity on school-aged children are found in the literature, it appears toddlers are buffered from the effects of persistent adult food insecurity. Our findings suggest that toddlers residing with a temporarily food-insecure adult compared with a never food-insecure adult experienced immediate, but small, negative effects on their development. Hence, outreach and assistance may lessen immediate impacts of food insecurity on toddler development.

Face Age and Eye Gaze Influence Older Adults' Emotion Recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Anna; Murray, Janice E; Atkinson, Lianne; Ruffman, Ted

2017-07-01

Eye gaze has been shown to influence emotion recognition. In addition, older adults (over 65 years) are not as influenced by gaze direction cues as young adults (18-30 years). Nevertheless, these differences might stem from the use of young to middle-aged faces in emotion recognition research because older adults have an attention bias toward old-age faces. Therefore, using older face stimuli might allow older adults to process gaze direction cues to influence emotion recognition. To investigate this idea, young and older adults completed an emotion recognition task with young and older face stimuli displaying direct and averted gaze, assessing labeling accuracy for angry, disgusted, fearful, happy, and sad faces. Direct gaze rather than averted gaze improved young adults' recognition of emotions in young and older faces, but for older adults this was true only for older faces. The current study highlights the impact of stimulus face age and gaze direction on emotion recognition in young and older adults. The use of young face stimuli with direct gaze in most research might contribute to age-related emotion recognition differences. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The built environment and older adults: A literature review and an applied approach to engaging older adults in built environment improvements for health.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuckett, Anthony G; Banchoff, Ann W; Winter, Sandra J; King, Abby C

2018-03-01

This paper presents a review of the literature about the built environment as it impacts the health of older people. It then introduces the gerontological nurse and researcher to the Our Voice framework for engaging older people as citizen scientists in order to empower them as agents of change in improving their local built environment and ultimately advancing community health. Community-level strategies to promote successful ageing in place are critical both to optimising health outcomes and containing healthcare costs. Such strategies must take into account the influence of the built environment both on individual health behaviours and on overall community health. At the same time, the perspectives and experiences of older people themselves ought to inform policies and practices in a systematic way. Integrative literature review. A wide scan of English language articles published in the EMBASE, PubMed and CINAHL bibliographic databases was conducted. Additional articles were sourced by mining relevant reference lists (i.e., snowball sampling). Papers included were published between 2005 and 2016. Three distinct components emerged from the review: the impact of the built environment on health-in particular the health of older persons; citizen science and its applicability for older people research; and the promise of the Our Voice citizen science framework to activate changes in the built environment that improve older peoples' health. The ageing of the world's population brings with it an increased population-level risk of chronic disease and disability. We present the Our Voice framework, developed by researchers at Stanford University, as a promising strategy for engaging and empowering older people as citizen scientists, as a framework to apply to gerontological nursing and improving community health. Gerontology nurses are encouraged to: (i) Recognise the impact of the built environment and other community-level factors on the health of their patients. (ii

Child-orientated environmental education influences adult knowledge and household behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Damerell, P.; Howe, C.; Milner-Gulland, E. J.

2013-03-01

Environmental education is frequently undertaken as a conservation intervention designed to change the attitudes and behaviour of recipients. Much conservation education is aimed at children, with the rationale that children influence the attitudes of their parents, who will consequently change their behaviour. Empirical evidence to substantiate this suggestion is very limited, however. For the first time, we use a controlled trial to assess the influence of wetland-related environmental education on the knowledge of children and their parents and household behaviour. We demonstrate adults exhibiting greater knowledge of wetlands and improved reported household water management behaviour when their child has received wetland-based education at Seychelles wildlife clubs. We distinguish between ‘folk’ knowledge of wetland environments and knowledge obtained from formal education, with intergenerational transmission of each depending on different factors. Our study provides the first strong support for the suggestion that environmental education can be transferred between generations and indirectly induce targeted behavioural changes.

Child-orientated environmental education influences adult knowledge and household behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damerell, P; Milner-Gulland, E J; Howe, C

2013-01-01

Environmental education is frequently undertaken as a conservation intervention designed to change the attitudes and behaviour of recipients. Much conservation education is aimed at children, with the rationale that children influence the attitudes of their parents, who will consequently change their behaviour. Empirical evidence to substantiate this suggestion is very limited, however. For the first time, we use a controlled trial to assess the influence of wetland-related environmental education on the knowledge of children and their parents and household behaviour. We demonstrate adults exhibiting greater knowledge of wetlands and improved reported household water management behaviour when their child has received wetland-based education at Seychelles wildlife clubs. We distinguish between ‘folk’ knowledge of wetland environments and knowledge obtained from formal education, with intergenerational transmission of each depending on different factors. Our study provides the first strong support for the suggestion that environmental education can be transferred between generations and indirectly induce targeted behavioural changes. (letter)

Sex stereotypes influence adults' perception of babies' cries

OpenAIRE

Reby, David; Levréro, Florence; Gustafsson, Erik; Mathevon, Nicolas

2016-01-01

Background Despite widespread evidence that gender stereotypes influence human parental behavior, their potential effects on adults? perception of babies? cries have been overlooked. In particular, whether adult listeners overgeneralize the sex dimorphism that characterizes the voice of adult speakers (men are lower-pitched than women) to their perception of babies? cries has not been investigated. Methods We used playback experiments combining natural and re-synthesised cries of 3?month-old ...

Understanding the Influence of Environment on Adults’ Walking Experiences: A Meta-Synthesis Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Dadpour

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The environment has an important impact on physical activity, especially walking. The relationship between the environment and walking is not the same as for other types of physical activity. This study seeks to comprehensively identify the environmental factors influencing walking and to show how those environmental factors impact on walking using the experiences of adults between the ages of 18 and 65. The current study is a meta-synthesis based on a systematic review. Seven databases of related disciplines were searched, including health, transportation, physical activity, architecture, and interdisciplinary databases. In addition to the databases, two journals were searched. Of the 11,777 papers identified, 10 met the eligibility criteria and quality for selection. Qualitative content analysis was used for analysis of the results. The four themes identified as influencing walking were “safety and security”, “environmental aesthetics”, “social relations”, and “convenience and efficiency”. “Convenience and efficiency” and “environmental aesthetics” could enhance the impact of “social relations” on walking in some aspects. In addition, “environmental aesthetics” and “social relations” could hinder the influence of “convenience and efficiency” on walking in some aspects. Given the results of the study, strategies are proposed to enhance the walking experience.

Does the Effect of Micro-Environmental Factors on a Street's Appeal for Adults' Bicycle Transport Vary across Different Macro-Environments? An Experimental Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mertens, Lieze; Van Cauwenberg, Jelle; Ghekiere, Ariane; Van Holle, Veerle; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Deforche, Benedicte; Nasar, Jack; Van de Weghe, Nico; Van Dyck, Delfien

2015-01-01

Characteristics of the physical environment can be classified into two broad categories: macro- ("raw" urban planning features influenced on a regional level) and micro- (features specifically within a streetscape influenced on a neighborhood level) environmental factors. In urban planning applications, it is more feasible to modify conditions at the neighborhood level than at the regional level. Yet for the promotion of bicycle transport we need to know whether relationships between micro-environmental factors and bicycle transport depend on different types of macro-environments. This study aimed to identify whether the effect of three micro-environmental factors (i.e., evenness of the cycle path surface, speed limits and type of separation between cycle path and motorized traffic) on the street's appeal for adults' bicycle transport varied across three different macro-environments (i.e., low, medium and high residential density street). In total, 389 middle-aged adults completed a web-based questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic characteristics and a series of choice tasks with manipulated photographs, depicting two possible routes to cycle along. Conjoint analysis was used to analyze the data. Although the magnitude of the overall effects differed, in each macro-environment (i.e., low, medium and high residential density), middle-aged adults preferred a speed limit of 30 km/h, an even cycle path surface and a hedge as separation between motorized traffic and the cycle path compared to a speed limit of 50 or 70 km/h, a slightly uneven or uneven cycle path surface and a curb as separation or no separation between motorized traffic and the cycle path. Our results suggest that irrespective of the macro-environment, the same micro-environmental factors are preferred in middle-aged adults concerning the street's appeal for bicycle transport. The controlled environment simulations in the experimental choice task have the potential to inform real life

Does the Effect of Micro-Environmental Factors on a Street's Appeal for Adults' Bicycle Transport Vary across Different Macro-Environments? An Experimental Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lieze Mertens

Full Text Available Characteristics of the physical environment can be classified into two broad categories: macro- ("raw" urban planning features influenced on a regional level and micro- (features specifically within a streetscape influenced on a neighborhood level environmental factors. In urban planning applications, it is more feasible to modify conditions at the neighborhood level than at the regional level. Yet for the promotion of bicycle transport we need to know whether relationships between micro-environmental factors and bicycle transport depend on different types of macro-environments. This study aimed to identify whether the effect of three micro-environmental factors (i.e., evenness of the cycle path surface, speed limits and type of separation between cycle path and motorized traffic on the street's appeal for adults' bicycle transport varied across three different macro-environments (i.e., low, medium and high residential density street.In total, 389 middle-aged adults completed a web-based questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic characteristics and a series of choice tasks with manipulated photographs, depicting two possible routes to cycle along. Conjoint analysis was used to analyze the data.Although the magnitude of the overall effects differed, in each macro-environment (i.e., low, medium and high residential density, middle-aged adults preferred a speed limit of 30 km/h, an even cycle path surface and a hedge as separation between motorized traffic and the cycle path compared to a speed limit of 50 or 70 km/h, a slightly uneven or uneven cycle path surface and a curb as separation or no separation between motorized traffic and the cycle path.Our results suggest that irrespective of the macro-environment, the same micro-environmental factors are preferred in middle-aged adults concerning the street's appeal for bicycle transport. The controlled environment simulations in the experimental choice task have the potential to inform real life

Setting-related influences on physical inactivity of older adults in residential care settings: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Douma, Johanna G; Volkers, Karin M; Engels, Gwenda; Sonneveld, Marieke H; Goossens, Richard H M; Scherder, Erik J A

2017-04-28

Despite the detrimental effects of physical inactivity for older adults, especially aged residents of residential care settings may spend much time in inactive behavior. This may be partly due to their poorer physical condition; however, there may also be other, setting-related factors that influence the amount of inactivity. The aim of this review was to review setting-related factors (including the social and physical environment) that may contribute to the amount of older adults' physical inactivity in a wide range of residential care settings (e.g., nursing homes, assisted care facilities). Five databases were systematically searched for eligible studies, using the key words 'inactivity', 'care facilities', and 'older adults', including their synonyms and MeSH terms. Additional studies were selected from references used in articles included from the search. Based on specific eligibility criteria, a total of 12 studies were included. Quality of the included studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Based on studies using different methodologies (e.g., interviews and observations), and of different quality (assessed quality range: 25-100%), we report several aspects related to the physical environment and caregivers. Factors of the physical environment that may be related to physical inactivity included, among others, the environment's compatibility with the abilities of a resident, the presence of equipment, the accessibility, security, comfort, and aesthetics of the environment/corridors, and possibly the presence of some specific areas. Caregiver-related factors included staffing levels, the available time, and the amount and type of care being provided. Inactivity levels in residential care settings may be reduced by improving several features of the physical environment and with the help of caregivers. Intervention studies could be performed in order to gain more insight into causal effects of improving setting-related factors on

Deconstructing the Environment: The Case of Adult Immigrants to Canada Learning English

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreea CERVATIUC

2008-11-01

Full Text Available This article identifies and deconstructs the ways in which professionally successful adult immigrants to Canada chose to interact with and reshape different environments in order to foster their English learning process. The sample for this study was selected to be representative of the “brain gain” immigration wave to Canada of the last two decades. All 20 participants belong to the same category of highly-educated (17+ years of education, independent immigrants who came to Canada as young adults. The data collection process consisted of a series of three interviews with each participant. The data were analyzed following the principles of the grounded theory method. Several qualitative themes associated with learning English as an adult immigrant in various types of environments in Canada (instructed environments, ‘manipulated’ naturalistic environments, and unaltered naturalistic environments emerged from the interviews with the participants. The themes are critically explored and special emphasis is laid on the ways in which participants overcame difficulties inherent in the environmental factors that were not readily structured to offer immigrants opportunities to learn and practice English.

Millennials at work: workplace environments of young adults and associations with weight-related health.

Science.gov (United States)

Watts, Allison W; Laska, Melissa N; Larson, Nicole I; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne R

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the workplace environments of young adults and examine associations with diet, physical activity (PA) and body mass index (BMI). Cross-sectional data were collected (2008-2009) from 1538 employed young adult participants in Project EAT (Eating and Activity among Teens and Young Adults), a diverse population-based sample. Survey measures assessed height, weight, diet, moderate-to-vigorous PA, transportation-related PA and perceptions of the workplace food and PA environments (eg, soda availability, coworker support). Healthful characteristics were summed to reflect overall workplace healthfulness. Modified Poisson regression analyses conducted in 2015 identified associations between workplace food and PA environments and diet, PA and BMI. The healthfulness of workplace environments was suboptimal. Greater exposure to healthful workplace characteristics was related to more young adults engaged in favourable diet and PA behaviours and a lower prevalence obesity. For example, adjusted rates of obesity were 24% and 17% among those reporting low (≤1 characteristic) versus high (≥3 characteristics) exposure to healthful food environments, respectively (pwork and perceived ease of eating a healthy diet or being active at work. A more healthful workplace environment overall, including physical attributes and perceived social norms, may contribute to more favourable weight-related behaviours and lower prevalence of obesity among young adults. Employer-initiated and community-initiated policies may represent one way to create healthier workplace environments for young adults. 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/

Factors Influencing Learning Environments in an Integrated Experiential Program

Science.gov (United States)

Koci, Peter

The research conducted for this dissertation examined the learning environment of a specific high school program that delivered the explicit curriculum through an integrated experiential manner, which utilized field and outdoor experiences. The program ran over one semester (five months) and it integrated the grade 10 British Columbian curriculum in five subjects. A mixed methods approach was employed to identify the students' perceptions and provide richer descriptions of their experiences related to their unique learning environment. Quantitative instruments were used to assess changes in students' perspectives of their learning environment, as well as other supporting factors including students' mindfulness, and behaviours towards the environment. Qualitative data collection included observations, open-ended questions, and impromptu interviews with the teacher. The qualitative data describe the factors and processes that influenced the learning environment and give a richer, deeper interpretation which complements the quantitative findings. The research results showed positive scores on all the quantitative measures conducted, and the qualitative data provided further insight into descriptions of learning environment constructs that the students perceived as most important. A major finding was that the group cohesion measure was perceived by students as the most important attribute of their preferred learning environment. A flow chart was developed to help the researcher conceptualize how the learning environment, learning process, and outcomes relate to one another in the studied program. This research attempts to explain through the consideration of this case study: how learning environments can influence behavioural change and how an interconnectedness among several factors in the learning process is influenced by the type of learning environment facilitated. Considerably more research is needed in this area to understand fully the complexity learning

Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction and E-Loyalty: Online Shopping Environment among the Young Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Izyan Hizza Bt. HILA LUDIN

2014-12-01

Full Text Available According to Internet World Stats (2012 about 60.7% of the total population in Malaysia uses the Internet and about more than 11 million people out of that number are young adults. From business and marketing perspectives, according to Nelson (2012, satisfied customers tend to share their experiences about a company or business to other people. Thus, this study aims to examine the factors influencing customer satisfaction, and how customer satisfaction subsequently affects e-loyalty towards online shopping among young adults. A convenience sampling of 193 responses were collected throughout the Klang Valley and it took about three months to complete the whole process of data collection and analyses. In addition, questionnaire survey method was used to collect data from the respondents. All the data gained were analysed by various statistical methods in Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS. The reliability of the data was verified via reliability analysis. Furthermore, descriptive analysis was used to describe the basic features of the data in the study; and regression analysis was adopted to test the hypothesised relationships among the variables. Findings show that only e-service quality and information quality have effects on customer’s satisfaction. It was also found that customer’s satisfaction does positively impact e-loyalty. On the other hand, the findings reveal that website design and security were insignificant towards customer’s satisfaction. Overall, the findings of this study would help marketers to formulate and implement effective online marketing strategies, as well as in the decision making process.

Affect or cognition: which is more influencing older adult consumers' loyalty?

Science.gov (United States)

Kaur, Deepraj; Mustika, Martina Dwi; Sjabadhyni, Bertina

2018-04-01

In studies on consumer behavior science, it is argued that brand affect, consumer satisfaction, and disconfirmation influence brand loyalty. This study aims to investigate whether the interaction of brand affect and cognition predicts brand loyalty in older adult consumers if consumer satisfaction is considered. A group of 344 older adult consumers participated and a mediated moderation analysis of the data was used to test our hypotheses. The results showed that consumer satisfaction increased the relationship between brand affect and brand loyalty in older adult consumers. However, disconfirmation did not influence that relationship. It can be concluded that the loyalty of older adult consumers toward a brand was more likely to be influenced by their affection than their cognition. Therefore, marketers should design products that better satisfy this population group and create loyalty to the product through enhancing affect connections.

Neighborhood alcohol outlet density and genetic influences on alcohol use: evidence for gene-environment interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Slutske, Wendy S; Deutsch, Arielle R; Piasecki, Thomas M

2018-05-07

Genetic influences on alcohol involvement are likely to vary as a function of the 'alcohol environment,' given that exposure to alcohol is a necessary precondition for genetic risk to be expressed. However, few gene-environment interaction studies of alcohol involvement have focused on characteristics of the community-level alcohol environment. The goal of this study was to examine whether living in a community with more alcohol outlets would facilitate the expression of the genetic propensity to drink in a genetically-informed national survey of United States young adults. The participants were 2434 18-26-year-old twin, full-, and half-sibling pairs from Wave III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Participants completed in-home interviews in which alcohol use was assessed. Alcohol outlet densities were extracted from state-level liquor license databases aggregated at the census tract level to derive the density of outlets. There was evidence that the estimates of genetic and environmental influences on alcohol use varied as a function of the density of alcohol outlets in the community. For example, the heritability of the frequency of alcohol use for those residing in a neighborhood with ten or more outlets was 74% (95% confidence limits = 55-94%), compared with 16% (95% confidence limits = 0-34%) for those in a neighborhood with zero outlets. This moderating effect of alcohol outlet density was not explained by the state of residence, population density, or neighborhood sociodemographic characteristics. The results suggest that living in a neighborhood with many alcohol outlets may be especially high-risk for those individuals who are genetically predisposed to frequently drink.

Adult maturational processes and the facilitating environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Acklin, M W

1986-09-01

The psychoanalytic theory of religion has been seriously limited in its development, largely owing to Freud's emphasis on religion's neurotic elements and an overemphasis on the infantile origins of religious development. This paper offers a conceptual framework and advances the thesis, based on contemporary psychoanalytic, developmental theory, that 1) Erikson's concept of epigenesis has applicability across the life span; 2) that beyond-the-self identity is constituent to human maturation and self-completion; 3) that successful adult maturation requires a mirroring-facilitating environment; and 4) that religious values, meanings, images, and communities play an essential role-as-elements of the facilitating environment of later life.

INFLUENCE OF MARKETING ENVIRONMENT ON THE TOY MARKET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Violeta A. ANDREIANA (Mihaescu

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Along with the passage of time, parents have manifested a different attitude towards their children, trying to offer them everything they wanted in what concerns the toys. Therefore, the toy market is constantly expending, and the tough competition leads to the quality improvement of the toys and enforces certain standards on the market. The originality and topicality of the theme consist in the change in the toy consumers’ and users’ preferences which required greater attention to be paid to the influence manifested by the marketing environment on this market. The case study identifies the occurred problems and the toy influence factors by an analysis over the marketing environment components, i.e.: marketing internal environment, micro-environment and macro-environment. The study ends with the recommendation of several solutions for the improvement of the current situation.

The influence of postnatal handling on adult neuroendocrine and behavioural stress reactivity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meerlo, P; Horvath, KM; Nagy, GM; Bohus, B; Koolhaas, JM

1999-01-01

Environmental stimuli during early stages of life can influence the development of an organism and may result in permanent changes in adult behaviour and physiology. In the present study we investigated the influence of early postnatal handling on adult neuroendocrine and behavioural stress

The relationship between the built environment and habitual levels of physical activity in South African older adults: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolbe-Alexander, Tracy L; Pacheco, Kyla; Tomaz, Simone A; Karpul, David; Lambert, Estelle V

2015-05-30

Previous research has shown that the built environment plays a role in habitual levels of physical activity (PA), however much of this research has been conducted in adults and higher income countries. The aim of this pilot study was to examine the strength of association between the built environment and PA in South African older adults. Participants were recruited (n = 44, mean age 65 ± 8.5 years) from two suburbs, representing either a high socioeconomic (HSA) or low socioeconomic area (LSA). Self-reported PA, and subjective assessments of neighborhood walkability (Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale, NEWS) was measured. Participants wore Actigraph GT3x accelerometers to objectively quantify PA. HSA participants reported significantly more leisure-time and less transport PA. Objectively measured and self-reported MVPA was significantly higher in HSA participants. NEWS 'Land-use Mix' was negatively associated with leisure-time MVPA, (r(2) = 0.20; p leisure-time physical activity (r(2) = 0.33; p = 0.02). 'Safety from traffic' was inversely associated with travel-related PA (r(2) = 0.14, p = 0.01). None of the other NEWS scores were associated with PA for the total group. Leisure-time and transport-related PA was influenced by socio-economic status. Attributes of the perceived built environment associated with leisure-time and total MVPA in older South Africa adults were different in low- and high- income settings.

Affect or cognition: which is more influencing older adult consumers' loyalty?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepraj Kaur

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In studies on consumer behavior science, it is argued that brand affect, consumer satisfaction, and disconfirmation influence brand loyalty. This study aims to investigate whether the interaction of brand affect and cognition predicts brand loyalty in older adult consumers if consumer satisfaction is considered. A group of 344 older adult consumers participated and a mediated moderation analysis of the data was used to test our hypotheses. The results showed that consumer satisfaction increased the relationship between brand affect and brand loyalty in older adult consumers. However, disconfirmation did not influence that relationship. It can be concluded that the loyalty of older adult consumers toward a brand was more likely to be influenced by their affection than their cognition. Therefore, marketers should design products that better satisfy this population group and create loyalty to the product through enhancing affect connections. Keywords: Business, Psychology

Do indoor environments influence asthma and asthma-related symptoms among adults in homes? A review of the literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Jie

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This review summarizes the results of epidemiological studies focusing on the detrimental effects of home environmental factors on asthma morbidity in adults. We reviewed the literature on indoor air quality (IAQ, physical and sociodemographic factors, and asthma morbidity in homes, and identified commonly reported asthma, allergic, and respiratory symptoms involving the home environment. Reported IAQ and asthma morbidity data strongly indicated positive associations between indoor air pollution and adverse health effects in most studies. Indoor factors most consistently associated with asthma and asthma-related symptoms in adults included fuel combustion, mold growth, and environmental tobacco smoke. Environmental exposure may increase an adult’s risk of developing asthma and also may increase the risk of asthma exacerbations. Evaluation of present IAQ levels, exposure characteristics, and the role of exposure to these factors in relation to asthma morbidity is important for improving our understanding, identifying the burden, and for developing and implementing interventions aimed at reducing asthma morbidity.

Orthography and Modality Influence Speech Production in Adults and Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Saletta, Meredith; Goffman, Lisa; Hogan, Tiffany P

2016-12-01

The acquisition of literacy skills influences the perception and production of spoken language. We examined if orthography influences implicit processing in speech production in child readers and in adult readers with low and high reading proficiency. Children (n = 17), adults with typical reading skills (n = 17), and adults demonstrating low reading proficiency (n = 18) repeated or read aloud nonwords varying in orthographic transparency. Analyses of implicit linguistic processing (segmental accuracy and speech movement stability) were conducted. The accuracy and articulatory stability of productions of the nonwords were assessed before and after repetition or reading. Segmental accuracy results indicate that all 3 groups demonstrated greater learning when they were able to read, rather than just hear, the nonwords. Speech movement results indicate that, for adults with poor reading skills, exposure to the nonwords in a transparent spelling reduces the articulatory variability of speech production. Reading skill was correlated with speech movement stability in the groups of adults. In children and adults, orthography interacts with speech production; all participants integrate orthography into their lexical representations. Adults with poor reading skills do not use the same reading or speaking strategies as children with typical reading skills.

The influence of outdoor thermal environment on young Japanese females

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sakoi, Tomonori; Ishii, Jin; Kondo, Emi

2014-01-01

The influence of short wave solar radiation appears to be strong outdoors in summer, and the influence of airflow appears to be strong outdoors in winter. The purpose of this paper was to clarify the influence of the outdoor environment on young Japanese females. This research shows the relations......The influence of short wave solar radiation appears to be strong outdoors in summer, and the influence of airflow appears to be strong outdoors in winter. The purpose of this paper was to clarify the influence of the outdoor environment on young Japanese females. This research shows...

Decision-making processes shaping the home food environments of young adult women with and without children.

Science.gov (United States)

Raskind, Ilana G; Woodruff, Rebecca C; Ballard, Denise; Cherry, Sabrina T; Daniel, Sandra; Haardörfer, Regine; Kegler, Michelle C

2017-06-01

Although young adult women consume the majority of their total daily energy intake from home food sources, the decision-making processes that shape their home food environments have received limited attention. Further, how decision-making may be affected by the transformative experience of motherhood is unknown. In this study, we explore the factors that influence two key decision-making processes-food choices while grocery shopping and the use of non-home food sources-and whether there are differences by motherhood status. In-depth interviews were conducted with 40 women, aged 20-29, living in southwest Georgia. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data stratified by whether or not children were present in the home. Decision-making was affected by numerous factors, which differed across groups. In regard to grocery shopping, women with children more frequently discussed the influence of nutrition and the preferences of children, while women without children more frequently discussed the influence of taste and the preferences of other household members. Cost, convenience, weight control, and pre-planning meals emerged as salient in both groups. In regard to the use of non-home food sources, convenience and taste were discussed by both groups, while social factors were only discussed by women without children. The cost of eating out was the only reason cited for eating inside the home, and this factor only emerged among women with children. Motherhood may be an important contributor to the decision-making processes that shape young adult women's home food environments. Interventions may find success in framing messaging to emphasize factors identified as motivating healthy decisions, such as protecting the health of children, and practical strategies may be adapted from those already in use, such as pre-planning and budgeting for healthy meals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influencing behaviour for safe working environments

OpenAIRE

Boer, de, J. (Johannes); Teeuw, W.B. (Wouter)

2011-01-01

Safety at work The objective of the project Safety at Work is to increase safety at the workplace by applying and combining state of the art artefacts from personal protective equipment and ambient intelligence technology. In this state of the art document we focus on the developments with respect to how (persuasive) technology can help to influence behaviour in a natural, automatic way in order to make industrial environments safer. We focus on personal safety, safe environments and safe beh...

The influence of reflexive educational environment on students ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The influence of reflexive educational environment on students' reflection development in ... based on them) from which, as they integrate, a reflexive personality style is developed. ... (narrative, dialogical, cognitive and axiological) are the factors influencing the outcome of social adaptation. ... AJOL African Journals Online.

Influence of Social Media on Alcohol Use in Adolescents and Young Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Megan A.; Whitehill, Jennifer M.

2014-01-01

Participation in online social media Web sites (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) has skyrocketed in recent years and created a new environment in which adolescents and young adults may be exposed to and influenced by alcohol-related content. Thus, young people are exposed to and display pro-alcohol messages and images through online portrayals of drinking on personal pages as well as unregulated alcohol marketing on social media sites that may reach underage people. Such online displays of alcohol behavior have been correlated with offline alcohol behavior and risky drinking. Health behavior theories have been used to describe the influence of social media sites, including Social Learning Theory, the Media Practice Model, and a more recent conceptual approach called the Facebook Influence Model. Researchers are beginning to assess the potential of social media sites in identifying high-risk drinkers through online display patterns as well as delivering prevention messages and interventions. Future studies need to further expand existing observational work to better understand the role of social media in shaping alcohol-related behaviors and fully exploit the potential of these media for alcohol-related interventions. PMID:26259003

Influence of Social Media on Alcohol Use in Adolescents and Young Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Megan A; Whitehill, Jennifer M

2014-01-01

Participation in online social media Web sites (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) has skyrocketed in recent years and created a new environment in which adolescents and young adults may be exposed to and influenced by alcohol-related content. Thus, young people are exposed to and display pro-alcohol messages and images through online portrayals of drinking on personal pages as well as unregulated alcohol marketing on social media sites that may reach underage people. Such online displays of alcohol behavior have been correlated with offline alcohol behavior and risky drinking. Health behavior theories have been used to describe the influence of social media sites, including Social Learning Theory, the Media Practice Model, and a more recent conceptual approach called the Facebook Influence Model. Researchers are beginning to assess the potential of social media sites in identifying high-risk drinkers through online display patterns as well as delivering prevention messages and interventions. Future studies need to further expand existing observational work to better understand the role of social media in shaping alcohol-related behaviors and fully exploit the potential of these media for alcohol-related interventions.

Early and adult social environments have independent effects on individual fitness in a social vertebrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Vérane; Lemaître, Jean-François; Allainé, Dominique; Gaillard, Jean-Michel; Cohas, Aurélie

2015-08-22

Evidence that the social environment at critical stages of life-history shapes individual trajectories is accumulating. Previous studies have identified either current or delayed effects of social environments on fitness components, but no study has yet analysed fitness consequences of social environments at different life stages simultaneously. To fill the gap, we use an extensive dataset collected during a 24-year intensive monitoring of a population of Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota), a long-lived social rodent. We test whether the number of helpers in early life and over the dominance tenure length has an impact on litter size at weaning, juvenile survival, longevity and lifetime reproductive success (LRS) of dominant females. Dominant females, who were born into a group containing many helpers and experiencing a high number of accumulated helpers over dominance tenure length showed an increased LRS through an increased longevity. We provide evidence that in a wild vertebrate, both early and adult social environments influence individual fitness, acting additionally and independently. These findings demonstrate that helpers have both short- and long-term effects on dominant female Alpine marmots and that the social environment at the time of birth can play a key role in shaping individual fitness in social vertebrates. © 2015 The Author(s).

Connection between competence, usability, environment and risk of falls in elderly adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Alex Leiva-Caro

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: to determine connections between competence, usability, environment and risk of falls in elderly adults. Method: correlational descriptive study, 123 elderly adults, both male and female, aged 70 years and older were included. Data was collected via the Tinetti Scale, CESD-7 Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Usability Questionnaire on Housing and Housing Enabler; and sociodemographic and health background certificate data. For data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were used, multivariate linear and logistic regression models were adjusted. Results: 42.0% of the elderly adults had presented with falls, with a higher prevalence in women, and in the group of 70-75 years. The physical environment of the house, gait, and usability were set as risk factors for falls. A negative relationship between usability and depressive symptoms, cognitive health, balance, gait, the social and physical environment was found, p <0.05; and a strong positive correlation between walking and balance, p <0.05. Conclusion: this study helps to better understand the phenomenon of falling, to find a connection between usability with the risk of falls, and other variables.

Neighborhood environment and physical activity among older adults: do the relationships differ by driving status?

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Ding; Sallis, James F; Norman, Gregory J; Frank, Lawrence D; Saelens, Brian E; Kerr, Jacqueline; Conway, Terry L; Cain, Kelli; Hovell, Melbourne F; Hofstetter, C Richard; King, Abby C

2014-07-01

Some attributes of neighborhood environments are associated with physical activity among older adults. This study examined whether the associations were moderated by driving status. Older adults from neighborhoods differing in walkability and income completed written surveys and wore accelerometers (N = 880, mean age = 75 years, 56% women). Neighborhood environments were measured by geographic information systems and validated questionnaires. Driving status was defined on the basis of a driver's license, car ownership, and feeling comfortable to drive. Outcome variables included accelerometer-based physical activity and self-reported transport and leisure walking. Multilevel generalized linear regression was used. There was no significant Neighborhood Attribute × Driving Status interaction with objective physical activity or reported transport walking. For leisure walking, almost all environmental attributes were positive and significant among driving older adults but not among nondriving older adults (five significant interactions at p driving status is likely to moderate the association between neighborhood environments and older adults' leisure walking.

ATTRIBUTES OF FORM IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT THAT INFLUENCE PERCEIVED WALKABILITY.

Science.gov (United States)

Oreskovic, Nicolas M; Charles, Pablina Roth Suzanne Lanyi; Shepherd, Dido Tsigaridi Kathrine; Nelson, Kerrie P; Bar, Moshe

2014-01-01

A recent focus of design and building regulations, including form-based codes and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development rating system, has been on promoting pedestrian activity. This study assessed perceptions of walkability for residential and commercial streetscapes with different design attributes in order to inform form-based regulations and codes that aim to impact walkability. We scored 424 images on four design attributes purported to influence walkability: variation in building height, variation in building plane, presence of ground-floor windows, and presence of a street focal point. We then presented the images to 45 adults, who were asked to rate the images for walkability. The results showed that perceived walkability varied according to the degree to which a particular design attribute was present, with the presence of ground-floor windows and a street focal point most consistently associated with a space's perceived walkability. Understanding if and which design attributes are most related to walkability could allow planners and developers to focus on the most salient built-environment features influencing physical activity, as well as provide empirical scientific evidence for form-based regulations and zoning codes aimed at impacting walkabilit.

The Influence of the Transportation Environment on Driving Reduction and Cessation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vivoda, Jonathon M; Heeringa, Steven G; Schulz, Amy J; Grengs, Joe; Connell, Cathleen M

2017-10-01

Driving is by far the most common mode of transportation in the United States, but driving ability is known to decline as people experience age-related functional declines. Some older adults respond to such declines by self-limiting their driving to situations with a low perceived risk of crashing, and many people eventually stop driving completely. Previous research has largely focused on individual and interpersonal predictors of driving reduction and cessation (DRC). The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of the transportation environment on DRC. Data were combined from the Health and Retirement Study, the Urban Mobility Scorecard, and StreetMap North America (GIS data). Longitudinal survival analysis techniques were used to analyze seven waves of data spanning a 12-year period. As roadway density and congestion increased in the environment, the odds of DRC also increased, even after controlling for individual and interpersonal predictors. Other predictors of DRC included demographics, relationship status, health, and household size. The current study identified an association between the transportation environment and DRC. Future research is needed to determine whether a causal link can be established. If so, modifications to the physical environment (e.g., creating livable communities with goods and services in close proximity) could reduce driving distances in order to improve older drivers' ability to remain engaged in life. In addition, older individuals who wish to age in place should consider how their local transportation environment may affect their quality of life. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Exploring associations between perceived home and work neighborhood environments, diet behaviors, and obesity: Results from a survey of employed adults in Missouri

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel Tabak, PhD, RD

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Dietary behaviors are associated with obesity, and may be influenced by the environment. The objective of the current work was to investigate whether perceptions of built environment factors related to eating in the residential neighborhood will have different, independent associations with BMI and dietary behaviors than perceived built environment factors in the worksite neighborhood. In 2012–2013, a cross-sectional telephone-survey of Missouri adults (n = 2015 assessed perceptions of home and workplace built environment factors related to eating, dietary behaviors, and height and weight. Logistic regression models explored associations between perceived neighborhood built environment variables, diet, and obesity. The only variable associated with any of the outcomes explored in the fully adjusted models was the home neighborhood composite scale. None of the work environment variables were significantly associated with any of the health/behavior outcomes after adjustment. Few associations were found after adjustment for personal and job-related characteristics, and none were identified with the workplace neighborhood environment. While few home environment associations were found after adjustment, and none were identified with the perceived workplace neighborhood environment, the current study adds to the limited literature looking at associations between the perceived neighborhood around the workplace neighborhood and the perceived neighborhood around the home and dietary behaviors and obesity in adults. Future studies are needed to determine whether relationships between these environments and behavior exist, and if so, if they are causal and warrant intervention attempts.

Time-of-day influences postural balance in older adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jorgensen, M G; Rathleff, Michael Skovdal; Laessoe, U

2012-01-01

Postural balance assessments are performed in both clinical and basic research settings on a daily basis. During a 24-h time span our physiology and physical performance undergo radical changes as we are influenced by the circadian rhythm. The time-of-day interaction on postural balance is unknow...... in older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the time-of-day effect on postural balance in older adults....

Adults' and Children's Understanding of How Expertise Influences Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Danovitch, Judith H; Shenouda, Christine K

2018-01-01

Adults and children use information about expertise to infer what a person is likely to know, but it is unclear whether they realize that expertise also has implications for learning. We explore adults' and children's understanding that expertise in a particular category supports learning about a closely related category. In four experiments, 5-year-olds and adults (n = 160) judged which of two people would be better at learning about a new category. When faced with an expert and a nonexpert, adults consistently indicated that expertise supports learning in a closely related category; however, children's judgments were inconsistent and were strongly influenced by the description of the nonexpert. The results suggest that although children understand what it means to be an expert, they may judge an individual's learning capacity based on different considerations than adults.

Social and Individual Influences on Tractor Operating Practices of Young Adult Agricultural Workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudolphi, Josie M; Campo, Shelly; Gerr, Fred; Rohlman, Diane S

2018-05-01

Tractor-related incidents are the leading cause of agricultural-related fatalities in the United States. Injuries from rollovers can be prevented by equipping tractors with rollover protective structures (ROPS, an engineering approach) and by using seatbelts (a behavior-based approach). While adult farmers report low seatbelt use and frequent use of tractors without ROPS, it is unknown whether the young adult population has adopted similar tractor driving practices. This study was designed to identify tractor operating practices among young adult agricultural workers and the influence of supervisors, peers, and parents on their safety behaviors. An online survey was conducted among college students enrolled in agricultural science classes in four Midwestern colleges and universities. Participants answered questions about their tractor operating practices, the influence of supervisors, peers, parents, and individual risk taking tendencies on their workplace practices. A tractor operation safety score was estimated from participants' responses. Linear regression was used to examine the association of these influences and the tractor operation safety score. Of the 193 respondents, most (78.8%) reported that they never or rarely wear a seatbelt when operating a tractor with a ROPS. Supervisory influences, such as being negatively evaluated by a supervisor, were found to be more strongly associated with tractor operating behaviors than peer or parent influence. Young adult agricultural workers frequently reported unsafe tractor operating behaviors. Supervisors were found to have the most influence over reported behaviors of young adult agricultural workers. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A photovoice documentation of the role of neighborhood physical and social environments in older adults' physical activity in two metropolitan areas in North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmood, Atiya; Chaudhury, Habib; Michael, Yvonne L; Campo, Michael; Hay, Kara; Sarte, Ann

2012-04-01

A substantial body of evidence indicates that regular engagement in moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week is sufficient for older adults to achieve positive health outcomes. Although there is a growing body of literature that examines the affect of neighborhood environment on physical activity in older adults, the research tends to overlook social aspects that potentially shape the relationship between physical environment and physical activity. This article presents qualitative themes related to the role of the physical and social environments in influencing physical activity among older adults as identified through the photovoice method with sixty-six older adults in eight neighborhoods in metropolitan Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and Greater Portland, Oregon, USA. The photovoice data generated seven themes: being safe and feeling secure, getting there, comfort in movement, diversity of destinations, community-based programs, peer support and intergenerational/volunteer activities. Although the majority of these themes have explicit or implicit physical and social aspects, certain themes are primarily based on physical environmental aspects (e.g., safe and feeling secure, comfort in movement), while a few themes are more oriented to social context (e.g., peer support, intergenerational activity/volunteering). The themes are discussed with a focus on how the neighborhood physical and social environmental aspects interplay to foster or hinder older adults in staying active in both everyday activities and intentional physical activities. Policy implications of the findings are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variables That Influence the Environmental Behavior of Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Anat; Orion, Nir; Leshem, Yossi

2018-01-01

This study focuses on understanding the factors that encourage adults' environmental behavior. This mixed approach methodology study used 10 Likert type questionnaires to collect data about nine cognitive and affective components that might influence environmental behavior. The qualitative data was collected through open questions and interviews.…

Relation between local food environments and obesity among adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raine Kim D

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Outside of the United States, evidence for associations between exposure to fast-food establishments and risk for obesity among adults is limited and equivocal. The purposes of this study were to investigate whether the relative availability of different types of food retailers around people's homes was associated with obesity among adults in Edmonton, Canada, and if this association varied as a function of distance between food locations and people's homes. Methods Data from a population health survey of 2900 adults (18 years or older conducted in 2002 was linked with geographic measures of access to food retailers. Based upon a ratio of the number of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores to supermarkets and specialty food stores, a Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI was calculated for 800 m and 1600 m buffers around people's homes. In a series of logistic regressions, associations between the RFEI and the level of obesity among adults were examined. Results The median RFEI for adults in Edmonton was 4.00 within an 800 m buffer around their residence and 6.46 within a 1600 m buffer around their residence. Approximately 14% of the respondents were classified as being obese. The odds of a resident being obese were significantly lower (OR = 0.75, 95%CI 0.59 – 0.95 if they lived in an area with the lowest RFEI (below 3.0 in comparison to the highest RFEI (5.0 and above. These associations existed regardless of the covariates included in the model. No significant associations were observed between RFEI within a 1600 m buffer of the home and obesity. Conclusion The lower the ratio of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores to grocery stores and produce vendors near people's homes, the lower the odds of being obese. Thus the proximity of the obesogenic environment to individuals appears to be an important factor in their risk for obesity.

Factors Influencing the Research Participation of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Haas, Kaaren; Costley, Debra; Falkmer, Marita; Richdale, Amanda; Sofronoff, Kate; Falkmer, Torbjörn

2016-01-01

Recruiting adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) into research poses particular difficulties; longitudinal studies face additional challenges. This paper reports on a mixed methods study to identify factors influencing the participation in longitudinal autism research of adults with ASD, including those with an intellectual disability, and…

influences on smoking behaviour of adolescents and young adults

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Administrator

have any influence on the smoking behaviour of adolescents and young adults. The participants ... music to risky areas such as drugs, sex, and smoking, and ..... Nakamuk, Takano, 2005), work stress ..... Anger management for families. Parent.

Environmental, psychological, and social influences on physical activity among Japanese adults: structural equation modeling analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishii, Kaori; Shibata, Ai; Oka, Koichiro

2010-08-05

An understanding of the contributing factors to be considered when examining how individuals engage in physical activity is important for promoting population-based physical activity. The environment influences long-term effects on population-based health behaviors. Personal variables, such as self-efficacy and social support, can act as mediators of the predictive relationship between the environment and physical activity. The present study examines the direct and indirect effects of environmental, psychological, and social factors on walking, moderate-intensity activity excluding walking, and vigorous-intensity activity among Japanese adults. The participants included 1,928 Japanese adults aged 20-79 years. Seven sociodemographic attributes (e.g., gender, age, education level, employment status), psychological variables (self-efficacy, pros, and cons), social variables (social support), environmental variables (home fitness equipment, access to facilities, neighborhood safety, aesthetic sensibilities, and frequency of observing others exercising), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire were assessed via an Internet-based survey. Structural equation modeling was conducted to determine associations between environmental, psychological, and social factors with physical activity. Environmental factors could be seen to have indirect effects on physical activity through their influence on psychological and social variables such as self-efficacy, pros and cons, and social support. The strongest indirect effects could be observed by examining the consequences of environmental factors on physical activity through cons to self-efficacy. The total effects of environmental factors on physical activity were 0.02 on walking, 0.02 on moderate-intensity activity excluding walking, and 0.05 on vigorous-intensity activity. The present study indicates that environmental factors had indirect effects on walking, moderate-intensity activity excluding walking and

Environmental, psychological, and social influences on physical activity among Japanese adults: structural equation modeling analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ishii Kaori

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background An understanding of the contributing factors to be considered when examining how individuals engage in physical activity is important for promoting population-based physical activity. The environment influences long-term effects on population-based health behaviors. Personal variables, such as self-efficacy and social support, can act as mediators of the predictive relationship between the environment and physical activity. The present study examines the direct and indirect effects of environmental, psychological, and social factors on walking, moderate-intensity activity excluding walking, and vigorous-intensity activity among Japanese adults. Methods The participants included 1,928 Japanese adults aged 20-79 years. Seven sociodemographic attributes (e.g., gender, age, education level, employment status, psychological variables (self-efficacy, pros, and cons, social variables (social support, environmental variables (home fitness equipment, access to facilities, neighborhood safety, aesthetic sensibilities, and frequency of observing others exercising, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire were assessed via an Internet-based survey. Structural equation modeling was conducted to determine associations between environmental, psychological, and social factors with physical activity. Results Environmental factors could be seen to have indirect effects on physical activity through their influence on psychological and social variables such as self-efficacy, pros and cons, and social support. The strongest indirect effects could be observed by examining the consequences of environmental factors on physical activity through cons to self-efficacy. The total effects of environmental factors on physical activity were 0.02 on walking, 0.02 on moderate-intensity activity excluding walking, and 0.05 on vigorous-intensity activity. Conclusions The present study indicates that environmental factors had indirect effects on

The food environment and adult obesity in US metropolitan areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Michimi, Akihiko; Wimberly, Michael C

2015-11-26

This research examines the larger-scale associations between obesity and food environments in metropolitan areas in the United States (US). The US Census County Business Patterns dataset for 2011 was used to construct various indices of food environments for selected metropolitan areas. The numbers of employees engaged in supermarkets, convenience stores, full service restaurants, fast food restaurants, and snack/coffee shops were standardised using the location quotients, and factor analysis was used to produce two uncorrelated factors measuring food environments. Data on obesity were obtained from the 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Individual level obesity measures were linked to the metropolitan area level food environment factors. Models were fitted using generalised estimating equations to control for metropolitan area level intra-correlation and individual level sociodemographic characteristics. It was found that adults residing in cities with a large share of supermarket and full-service restaurant workers were less likely to be obese, while adults residing in cities with a large share of convenience store and fast food restaurant workers were more likely to be obese. Supermarkets and full-service restaurant workers are concentrated in the Northeast and West of the US, where obesity prevalence is relatively lower, while convenience stores and fast-food restaurant workers are concentrated in the South and Midwest, where obesity prevalence is relatively higher. The food environment landscapes measured at the metropolitan area level explain the continental-scale patterns of obesity prevalence. The types of food that are readily available and widely served may translate into obesity disparities across metropolitan areas.

Neighborhood environment and physical activity among older adults: Do the relationships differ by driving status?

OpenAIRE

Ding, Ding; Sallis, James F.; Norman, Gregory J.; Frank, Lawrence D.; Saelens, Brian; Kerr, Jaqueline; Conway, Terry L.; Cain, Kelli L.; Hovell, Melbourne Frank; Hofstetter, C. Richard; King, Abby C.

2013-01-01

Some attributes of neighborhood environments are associated with physical activity among older adults. This study examined whether the associations were moderated by driving status. Older adults from neighborhoods differing in walkability and income completed written surveys and wore accelerometers (N=880, mean age=75 years, 56% women). Neighborhood environments were measured by geographic information systems and validated questionnaires. Driving status was defined on the basis of a driver’s ...

Predicting Adult Occupational Environments from Gender and Childhood Personality Traits

Science.gov (United States)

Woods, Stephen A.; Hampson, Sarah E.

2010-01-01

To test aspects of a theory of the role of personality and gender on the development of vocational interests and their subsequent effects on adult occupational choices, the authors of this study examined associations among childhood personality traits, gender, and occupational environments more than 40 years later. Participants (N = 587) were…

Places and faces: Geographic environment influences the ingroup memory advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

Rule, Nicholas O; Garrett, James V; Ambady, Nalini

2010-03-01

The preferential allocation of attention and memory to the ingroup (the ingroup memory advantage) is one of the most replicated effects in the psychological literature. But little is known about what factors may influence such effects. Here the authors investigated a potential influence: category salience as determined by the perceiver's geographic environment. They did so by studying the ingroup memory advantage in perceptually ambiguous groups for whom perceptual cues do not make group membership immediately salient. Individuals in an environment in which a particular group membership was salient (Mormon and non-Mormon men and women living in Salt Lake City, Utah) showed better memory for faces belonging to their ingroup in an incidental encoding paradigm. Majority group participants in an environment where this group membership was not salient (non-Mormon men and women in the northeastern United States), however, showed no ingroup memory advantage whereas minority group participants (Mormons) in the same environment did. But in the same environment, when differences in group membership were made accessible via an unobtrusive priming task, non-Mormons did show an ingroup memory advantage and Mormons' memory for ingroup members increased. Environmental context cues therefore influence the ingroup memory advantage for categories that are not intrinsically salient.

Adult EFL Reading Selection: Influence on Literacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Sebastián Basallo Gómez

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is about the impact of systematic reading selection used to promote English as foreign language learning in adult students. A qualitative action research methodology was used to carry out this project. Ten class sessions were designed to provide students an opportunity to select texts according to criteria based upon their language levels and personal/professional interests. The findings align with three categories of influence: motivation, engagement, and contextualization/interpretation of readings. The main objective of this project was to see how the students’ text selection processes, guided by systematically designed criteria and elaborated strategies, influenced learning and acquisition in terms of motivation, perceptions, and opinions towards reading in English.

Factors influencing life satisfaction of Korean older adults living with family.

Science.gov (United States)

Sok, Sohyune R

2010-03-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing life satisfaction of Korean older adults living with family. Participants included 267 adults age 65 and older who met eligibility criteria. Analyses showed that the prediction model of the life satisfaction of older adults who are living with their family was significant (F=24.429, ppocket money (beta=0.060), and age (beta=0.040). It is possible that older adults' life satisfaction increases when they are provided with nursing interventions and are able to effectively manage their health. Nursing interventions must strive to improve their self-esteem and address their depression.

How Diverse Detrital Environments Influence Nutrient Stoichiometry between Males and Females of the Co-Occurring Container Mosquitoes Aedes albopictus, Ae. aegypti, and Culex quinquefasciatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Yee, Donald A; Kaufman, Michael G; Ezeakacha, Nnaemeka F

2015-01-01

Allocation patterns of carbon and nitrogen in animals are influenced by food quality and quantity, as well as by inherent metabolic and physiological constraints within organisms. Whole body stoichiometry also may vary between the sexes who differ in development rates and reproductive allocation patterns. In aquatic containers, such as tree holes and tires, detrital inputs, which vary in amounts of carbon and nitrogen, form the basis of the mosquito-dominated food web. Differences in development times and mass between male and female mosquitoes may be the result of different reproductive constraints, which could also influence patterns of nutrient allocation. We examined development time, survival, and adult mass for males and females of three co-occurring species, Aedes albopictus, Ae. aegypti, and Culex quinquefasciatus, across environments with different ratios of animal and leaf detritus. We quantified the contribution of detritus to biomass using stable isotope analysis and measured tissue carbon and nitrogen concentrations among species and between the sexes. Development times were shorter and adults were heavier for Aedes in animal versus leaf-only environments, whereas Culex development times were invariant across detritus types. Aedes displayed similar survival across detritus types whereas C. quinquefasciatus showed decreased survival with increasing leaf detritus. All species had lower values of 15N and 13C in leaf-only detritus compared to animal, however, Aedes generally had lower tissue nitrogen compared to C. quinquefasciatus. There were no differences in the C:N ratio between male and female Aedes, however, Aedes were different than C. quinquefasciatus adults, with male C. quinquefasciatus significantly higher than females. Culex quinquefasciatus was homeostatic across detrital environments. These results allow us to hypothesize an underlying stoichiometric explanation for the variation in performance of different container species under similar

The influences of family environment on personality traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakao, K; Takaishi, J; Tatsuta, K; Katayama, H; Iwase, M; Yorifuji, K; Takeda, M

2000-02-01

In order to clarify the influences of family environment on the development of personality traits, 150 children (104 males and 46 females, mean age 13.2 +/- 2.4 years) who had been interviewed at the Child Guidance Clinic in Osaka were investigated. From 13 behavioral characteristics (activity, talkativeness, sociability, social skills, rule-keeping, will, aggression, emotional control, imagination, anxiety, maturity, intelligence, and neuroticism), factor analysis identified three personality traits: extraversion, maturity, and intellect. The effects of family environment (maternal and paternal participation in child rearing before and after 4years of age, child-rearing style, parental relationship, sibling relationship, number of siblings, birth order, and socioeconomic status) on these personality traits were examined based on a structural equation model. The results found, first, that extraversion was negatively associated with overprotection/interference and with maternal participation in child rearing. Maturity correlated with high socioeconomic status, appropriate child-rearing style, and paternal participation in child rearing. Intellect was related to high socioeconomic status and maternal participation in child rearing. Second, path analysis with selected variables revealed that 8% of variance in extraversion, 14% in maturity, and 10% in intellect was due to family environment. Third, children with high introversion or high intellect had stronger influences from family environment than did those with high extraversion or low intellect.

Modifiable environmental influences on body mass index shared by young adult brothers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rokholm, B; Silventoinen, K; Tynelius, P

2013-01-01

Twin and adoption studies suggest that family environment has little, if any, influence on body mass index (BMI) in adulthood. We investigated the hypothesis that the differences in the years of birth between siblings influence their similarity in BMI at comparable ages, which would give evidence...... for a possibly modifiable influence of the environment shared by family members....

Individual, social environmental, and physical environmental influences on physical activity among black and white adults: a structural equation analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

McNeill, Lorna Haughton; Wyrwich, Kathleen W; Brownson, Ross C; Clark, Eddie M; Kreuter, Matthew W

2006-02-01

Social ecological models suggest that conditions in the social and physical environment, in addition to individual factors, play important roles in health behavior change. Using structural equation modeling, this study tested a theoretically and empirically based explanatory model of physical activity to examine theorized direct and indirect effects of individual (e.g., motivation and self-efficacy), social environmental (e.g., social support), and physical environmental factors (e.g., neighborhood quality and availability of facilities). A community-based sample of adults (N = 910) was recruited from 2 public health centers (67% female, 43% African American, 43% motivation for physical activity, perceived social support, self-efficacy, and perceptions of the physical environment. Results indicated that (a) perceptions of the physical environment had direct effects on physical activity, (b) both the social and physical environments had indirect effects on physical activity through motivation and self-efficacy, and (c) social support influenced physical activity indirectly through intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. For all forms of activity, self-efficacy was the strongest direct correlate of physical activity, and evidence of a positive dose-response relation emerged between self-efficacy and intensity of physical activity. Findings from this research highlight the interactive role of individual and environmental influences on physical activity.

Sex stereotypes influence adults' perception of babies' cries.

Science.gov (United States)

Reby, David; Levréro, Florence; Gustafsson, Erik; Mathevon, Nicolas

2016-04-14

Despite widespread evidence that gender stereotypes influence human parental behavior, their potential effects on adults' perception of babies' cries have been overlooked. In particular, whether adult listeners overgeneralize the sex dimorphism that characterizes the voice of adult speakers (men are lower-pitched than women) to their perception of babies' cries has not been investigated. We used playback experiments combining natural and re-synthesised cries of 3 month-old babies to investigate whether the interindividual variation in the fundamental frequency (pitch) of cries affected adult listeners' identification of the baby's sex, their perception the baby's femininity and masculinity, and whether these biases interacted with their perception of the level of discomfort expressed by the cry. We show that low-pitched cries are more likely to be attributed to boys and high-pitched cries to girls, despite the absence of sex differences in pitch. Moreover, low-pitched boys are perceived as more masculine and high-pitched girls are perceived as more feminine. Finally, adult men rate relatively low-pitched cries as expressing more discomfort when presented as belonging to boys than to girls. Such biases in caregivers' responses to babies' cries may have implications on children's immediate welfare and on the development of their gender identity.

When we test, do we stress? Impact of the testing environment on cortisol secretion and memory performance in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Sindi, Shireen; Fiocco, Alexandra J; Juster, Robert-Paul; Pruessner, Jens; Lupien, Sonia J

2013-08-01

The majority of studies find that older adults have worse memory performance than young adults. However, contextual features in the testing environment may be perceived as stressful by older adults, increasing their stress hormone levels. Given the evidence that older adults are highly sensitive to the effects of stress hormones (cortisol) on memory performance, it is postulated that a stressful testing environment in older adults can lead to an acute stress response and to memory impairments. The current study compared salivary cortisol levels and memory performance in young and older adults tested in environments manipulated to be stressful (unfavourable condition) or not stressful (favourable condition) for each age group. 28 young adults and 32 older adults were tested in two testing conditions: (1) a condition favouring young adults (constructed to be less stressful for young adults), and (2) a condition favouring older adults (constructed to be less stressful for older adults). The main outcome measure was salivary cortisol levels. Additionally, immediate and delayed memory performances were assessed during each condition. In older adults only, we found significantly high cortisol levels and low memory performance in the condition favouring young adults. In contrast, cortisol levels were lower and memory performance was better when older adults were tested in conditions favouring them. There was no effect of testing condition in young adults. The results demonstrate that older adults' memory performance is highly sensitive to the testing environment. These findings have important implications for both research and clinical settings in which older adults are tested for memory performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Speech Disfluency-dependent Amygdala Activity in Adults Who Stutter: Neuroimaging of Interpersonal Communication in MRI Scanner Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Toyomura, Akira; Fujii, Tetsunoshin; Yokosawa, Koichi; Kuriki, Shinya

2018-03-15

Affective states, such as anticipatory anxiety, critically influence speech communication behavior in adults who stutter. However, there is currently little evidence regarding the involvement of the limbic system in speech disfluency during interpersonal communication. We designed this neuroimaging study and experimental procedure to sample neural activity during interpersonal communication between human participants, and to investigate the relationship between the amygdala activity and speech disfluency. Participants were required to engage in live communication with a stranger of the opposite sex in the MRI scanner environment. In the gaze condition, the stranger gazed at the participant without speaking, while in the live conversation condition, the stranger asked questions that the participant was required to answer. The stranger continued to gaze silently at the participant while the participant answered. Adults who stutter reported significantly higher discomfort than fluent controls during the experiment. Activity in the right amygdala, a key anatomical region in the limbic system involved in emotion, was significantly correlated with stuttering occurrences in adults who stutter. Right amygdala activity from pooled data of all participants also showed a significant correlation with discomfort level during the experiment. Activity in the prefrontal cortex, which forms emotion regulation neural circuitry with the amygdala, was decreased in adults who stutter than in fluent controls. This is the first study to demonstrate that amygdala activity during interpersonal communication is involved in disfluent speech in adults who stutter. Copyright © 2018 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of parental influence, school environment, learners ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study examined the predicting effects of parental influence, school environment, Learners\\' interest, and self–efficacy on academic performance of police children in Ibadan Metropolis, Oyo state, Nigeria. The sample consisted of 200 primary IV, V and VI pupils (Mean age = 9 years). The results of the multiple regression ...

Family Influences on the Career Development of Young Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Splete, Howard; Freeman-George, Ann

1985-01-01

This article (1) reviews family influences on career development (geographic location, genetic inheritance, family background, socioeconomic status, family composition, parenting style, parental work-related attitudes) and (2) suggests counselor interventions to aid young adults in becoming autonomous in their career development (e.g., review…

Teacher Attitudes, Perceived Influences, and Self-Reported Classroom Behaviors Related to School Nutrition Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Girard, Beverly Lawler

2010-01-01

This study determined attitudes of kindergarten through fifth grade teachers about school nutrition environments, their perceived influence on school nutrition environments, and self-reported classroom behaviors. Specific objectives were to: (a) identify perceived factors that influence the school nutrition environment, according to teachers…

The influence of housing characteristics on leisure-time sitting. A prospective cohort study in Danish adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Saidj, Madina; Jørgensen, Torben; Jacobsen, Rikke Kart; Linneberg, Allan; Aadahl, Mette

2015-12-01

Built environmental attributes have been studied in relation to domestic time spent sedentary. An indoor behaviour has thus been linked to an outdoor setting. Yet, attributes of the actual domestic environment may also influence the time spent sedentary at home. Therefore, the aim was to examine if housing characteristics were cross-sectionally and prospectively related to leisure-time sitting in adults. In the Danish Health2006 cohort, 2308 adults were followed for 5 years. At baseline, subjects self-reported housing characteristics (habitat type, habitat surface area and household size), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and socio-demographic factors. Leisure-time sitting was self-reported at baseline and 5-year follow-up. Multiple linear regression was used to assess cross-sectional and prospective associations. At baseline habitat surface area and household size were inversely associated with leisure-time sitting (pleisure-time sitting compared to living in a house (pleisure-time sitting (pleisure-time sitting in adults, while especially household size was a predictor of leisure-time sitting five years later. The findings highlight the importance of home-environmental attributes when targeting a reduction in sedentary behaviours. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does Sex Influence the Diagnostic Evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults?

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, C. Ellie; Murphy, Clodagh M.; McAlonan, Grainne; Robertson, Dene M.; Spain, Debbie; Hayward, Hannah; Woodhouse, Emma; Deeley, P. Quinton; Gillan, Nicola; Ohlsen, J. Chris; Zinkstok, Janneke; Stoencheva, Vladimira; Faulkner, Jessica; Yildiran, Hatice; Bell, Vaughan; Hammond, Neil; Craig, Michael C.; Murphy, Declan G. M.

2016-01-01

It is unknown whether sex influences the diagnostic evaluation of autism spectrum disorder, or whether male and female adults within the spectrum have different symptom profiles. This study reports sex differences in clinical outcomes for 1,244 adults (935 males and 309 females) referred for autism spectrum disorder assessment. Significantly, more…

Influence of season and sex on hemato-biochemical traits in adult turkeys under arid tropical environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anil Gattani

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of season and sex on hemato-biochemical parameters of turkey (Meleagris gallopavo in the arid tropical environment. Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted on 20-week old turkeys consisting of 20 males and 20 females. Blood was collected from all turkeys during January and May. Hemoglobin (Hb, red blood cell (RBC, packed cell volume (PCV, mean corpuscular volume (MCV, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC were estimated in whole blood and glucose, protein, albumin, globulin, A/G ratio, calcium, phosphorus, alanine aminotransferase (ALT, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST in serum. Result: Season has significant (p<0.05 effect on Hb concentration, RBC, and PCV in both male and female. Male has significantly higher (p<0.05 Hb concentration, RBC, and PCV. There is no significant effect of sex, and season was observed on MCV, MCH, and MCHC. Glucose, protein, albumin, globulin, and A/G ratio were significantly (p<0.05 affected by season and sex. AST and ALT were significantly (p<0.05 affected by season in both sexes. There is no significant difference was recorded on calcium, phosphorus due to season and sex. Conclusion: Under arid tropical environment, turkey hemato-biochemical parameters are influenced by both sex and season.

Physical activity and its relationship with perceived environment among adults living in a region of low socioeconomic level.

Science.gov (United States)

Florindo, Alex Antonio; Salvador, Emanuel Péricles; Reis, Rodrigo Siqueira

2013-05-01

The environment has a great influence on people's lifestyles and their capacity to choose healthy habits. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between perceived environment and physical activity among adults living in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. This was a cross-sectional population-based study conducted with 890 people age 18 years or over. Physical activity was measured through the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ; long version) and perceived environment was evaluated using the Neighborhood Walkability Scale (NEWS) adapted. Poisson's regression was used for statistical analyses and prevalence ratios were calculated. The outcome variable was the attainment of at least 150 minutes per week of physical activities. The independent variables consisted of perceived environment variables and control variables (sex, age, schooling, time living in the home, and number of cars per household). The perceived environment variables that explained physical activity were: receiving invitations from friends for activities (P = .012), low environmental pollution scores (p trend = 0.030) and high general safety scores (P-trend = 0.039). These results suggest that physical activity promotion in regions like this should be envisaged as a complex phenomenon and investments in public safety, prevention and combating of environmental pollution and social support networks are needed.

Age-related sensitive periods influence visual language discrimination in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Weikum, Whitney M; Vouloumanos, Athena; Navarra, Jordi; Soto-Faraco, Salvador; Sebastián-Gallés, Núria; Werker, Janet F

2013-01-01

Adults as well as infants have the capacity to discriminate languages based on visual speech alone. Here, we investigated whether adults' ability to discriminate languages based on visual speech cues is influenced by the age of language acquisition. Adult participants who had all learned English (as a first or second language) but did not speak French were shown faces of bilingual (French/English) speakers silently reciting sentences in either language. Using only visual speech information, adults who had learned English from birth or as a second language before the age of 6 could discriminate between French and English significantly better than chance. However, adults who had learned English as a second language after age 6 failed to discriminate these two languages, suggesting that early childhood exposure is crucial for using relevant visual speech information to separate languages visually. These findings raise the possibility that lowered sensitivity to non-native visual speech cues may contribute to the difficulties encountered when learning a new language in adulthood.

The Connections between Latino Ethnic Identity and Adult Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, Vasti; Martinez, Sylvia; Wallace, Lisa D.; Medrano, Christianne I.; Robledo, Andrea L.; Hernandez, Ebelia

2012-01-01

This study considers the influence of adult experiences on the development of Latino ethnic identity. Using purposeful and snowball sampling, adult participants responded to open-ended questions about their understanding of being Latino. Analysis indicated that changes in the environment or life circumstances had the greatest effect on the…

Sex differences in the genetic and environmental influences on childhood conduct disorder and adult antisocial behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, Madeline H; Slutske, Wendy S; Heath, Andrew C; Martin, Nicholas G

2011-05-01

Sex differences in the genetic and environmental influences on childhood conduct disorder and adult antisocial behavior were examined in a large community sample of 6,383 adult male, female, and opposite-sex twins. Retrospective reports of childhood conduct disorder (prior to 18 years of age) were obtained when participants were approximately 30 years old, and lifetime reports of adult antisocial behavior (antisocial behavior after 17 years of age) were obtained 8 years later. Results revealed that either the genetic or the shared environmental factors influencing childhood conduct disorder differed for males and females (i.e., a qualitative sex difference), but by adulthood, these sex-specific influences on antisocial behavior were no longer apparent. Further, genetic and environmental influences accounted for proportionally the same amount of variance in antisocial behavior for males and females in childhood and adulthood (i.e., there were no quantitative sex differences). Additionally, the stability of antisocial behavior from childhood to adulthood was slightly greater for males than females. Though familial factors accounted for more of the stability of antisocial behavior for males than females, genetic factors accounted for the majority of the covariation between childhood conduct disorder and adult antisocial behavior for both sexes. The genetic influences on adult antisocial behavior overlapped completely with the genetic influences on childhood conduct disorder for both males and females. Implications for future twin and molecular genetic studies are discussed.

Impulsive social influence increases impulsive choices on a temporal discounting task in young adults.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jodi M Gilman

Full Text Available Adolescents and young adults who affiliate with friends who engage in impulsive behavior are more likely to engage in impulsive behaviors themselves, and those who associate with prosocial (i.e. more prudent, future oriented peers are more likely to engage in prosocial behavior. However, it is difficult to disentangle the contribution of peer influence vs. peer selection (i.e., whether individuals choose friends with similar traits when interpreting social behaviors. In this study, we combined a novel social manipulation with a well-validated delay discounting task assessing impulsive behavior to create a social influence delay discounting task, in which participants were exposed to both impulsive (smaller, sooner or SS payment and non-impulsive (larger, later or LL payment choices from their peers. Young adults in this sample, n = 51, aged 18-25 had a higher rate of SS choices after exposure to impulsive peer influence than after exposure to non-impulsive peer influence. Interestingly, in highly susceptible individuals, the rate of non-impulsive choices did not increase after exposure to non-impulsive influence. There was a positive correlation between self-reported suggestibility and degree of peer influence on SS choices. These results suggest that, in young adults, SS choices appear to be influenced by the choices of same-aged peers, especially for individuals who are highly susceptible to influence.

Impulsive Social Influence Increases Impulsive Choices on a Temporal Discounting Task in Young Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Gilman, Jodi M.; Curran, Max T.; Calderon, Vanessa; Stoeckel, Luke E.; Evins, A. Eden

2014-01-01

Adolescents and young adults who affiliate with friends who engage in impulsive behavior are more likely to engage in impulsive behaviors themselves, and those who associate with prosocial (i.e. more prudent, future oriented) peers are more likely to engage in prosocial behavior. However, it is difficult to disentangle the contribution of peer influence vs. peer selection (i.e., whether individuals choose friends with similar traits) when interpreting social behaviors. In this study, we combined a novel social manipulation with a well-validated delay discounting task assessing impulsive behavior to create a social influence delay discounting task, in which participants were exposed to both impulsive (smaller, sooner or SS payment) and non-impulsive (larger, later or LL payment) choices from their peers. Young adults in this sample, n = 51, aged 18–25 had a higher rate of SS choices after exposure to impulsive peer influence than after exposure to non-impulsive peer influence. Interestingly, in highly susceptible individuals, the rate of non-impulsive choices did not increase after exposure to non-impulsive influence. There was a positive correlation between self-reported suggestibility and degree of peer influence on SS choices. These results suggest that, in young adults, SS choices appear to be influenced by the choices of same-aged peers, especially for individuals who are highly susceptible to influence. PMID:24988440

Influence of colour in working environment

OpenAIRE

Gabrovšek, Barbara

2014-01-01

Anton Trstenjak wrote: »Our life is practically sinking in the sea of light and colours.« Different colours create different psycho-physiological responses. That is why colours have various impacts on human experiences and arrangements of our attention. When we know how control the colours in our environment, we can influence human psychological and physiological well-being and attention in the space. In my thesis, I explore how colours affect our feelings, our body and attention. Knowing all...

Family Environment and Behavior Problems in Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Fragile X Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, Jan S.; Seltzer, Marsha Mailick; Baker, Jason K.; Smith, Leann E.; Warren, Steven F.; Brady, Nancy; Hong, Jinkuk

2012-01-01

We examine how the family environment is associated with aspects of the Fragile X syndrome phenotype during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Mothers of children (n = 48), adolescents (n = 85), and adults (n = 34) with Fragile X syndrome participated in a multisite study. For children and adults with Fragile X syndrome, the presence of warmth…

Does contingency in adults' responding influence 12-month-old infants' social referencing?

Science.gov (United States)

Stenberg, Gunilla

2017-11-01

In two experiments we examined the influence of contingent versus non-contingent responding on infant social referencing behavior. EXPERIMENT 1: Forty 12-month-old infants were exposed to an ambiguous toy in a social referencing situation. In one condition an unfamiliar adult who in a previous play situation had responded contingently to the infant's looks gave the infant positive information about the toy. In the other condition an unfamiliar adult who previously had not responded contingently delivered the positive information. EXPERIMENT 2: Forty-eight 12-month-old infants participated in Experiment 2. In this experiment it was examined whether the familiarity of the adult influences infants' reactions to contingency in responding. In one condition a parent who previously had responded contingently to the infant's looks provided positive information about the ambiguous toy, and in the other condition a parent who previously had not responded contingently provided the positive information. The infants looked more at the contingent experimenter in Experimenter 1, and also played more with the toy after receiving positive information from the contingent experimenter. No differences in looking at the parent and in playing with the toy were found in Experiment 2. The results indicate that contingency in responding, as well as the familiarity of the adult, influence infants' social referencing behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of adolescent psychiatric disorder on young adult recidivism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoeve, M.; McReynolds, L.S.; Wasserman, G.A.

2013-01-01

This study examined the influence of adolescent psychiatric disorder on young adult recidivism and compared findings with earlier studies of juvenile recidivism. Logistic regression analysis examined subsequent adulthood recidivism (through age 23 years) by disorder profile, adjusting for prior

The Influence of Free Space Environment in the Mission Life Cycle: Material Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, David L.; Burns, Howard D.; de Groh, Kim K.

2014-01-01

The natural space environment has a great influence on the ability of space systems to perform according to mission design specification. Understanding the natural space environment and its influence on space system performance is critical to the concept formulation, design, development, and operation of space systems. Compatibility with the natural space environment is a primary factor in determining the functional lifetime of the space system. Space systems being designed and developed today are growing in complexity. In many instances, the increased complexity also increases its sensitivity to space environmental effects. Sensitivities to the natural space environment can be tempered through appropriate design measures, material selection, ground processing, mitigation strategies, and/or the acceptance of known risks. The design engineer must understand the effects of the natural space environment on the space system and its components. This paper will discuss the influence of the natural space environment in the mission life cycle with a specific focus on the role of material selection.

Factors influencing young adults' attitudes and knowledge of late-life sexuality among older women.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Rebecca S; Petro, Kathryn N; Phillips, Laura L

2009-03-01

Although sexuality is valued throughout the lifespan, older women's sexual expression can be influenced by physical, mental and social factors, including attitudes and stereotypes held by younger generations. By gaining an understanding of what influences negative attitudes toward sexuality and beliefs about sexual consent capacity, the stigma associated with sexuality in late life may be reduced. Using vignette methodology in an online survey, we examined older women's health and young adults' (N = 606; mean age = 18.86, SD = 1.42, range 17-36) general knowledge and attitudes toward aging and sexuality, personal sexual behavior, religious beliefs and perceived closeness with an older adult on attitudes towards sexual behavior and perceptions of consent capacity among older women. The health status of older women proved important in determining young adults' acceptance and perception of sexual consent capacity regarding late-life heterosexual/autoerotic and homosexual behaviors. Specifically, young adults expressed lower acceptance and more doubt regarding capacity to consent to sexual expression when the older woman was described as cognitively impaired. Additionally, young adults' personal attitudes toward late-life sexuality, but not knowledge, predicted acceptance toward sexual expression and belief in sexual consent capacity. Attention toward the influence of older women's cognitive health and young adults' attitudes toward late-life sexuality may prove beneficial in designing interventions to decrease the stigma associated with sexual activity in later life.

The influence of Algae on the natural environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baas Becking, L.G.M.

1958-01-01

In the development of the various scientific disciplines certain contacts have been established between neighbouring sciences, while other endeavour still proceeds almost on its own. The study of the influence of the environment on chemical reactions has given us a large part of physical chemistry,

Associations between Young Adult Romantic Relationship Quality and Problem Behaviors: An Examination of Personality-Environment Interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yu, Rongqin; Branje, Susan; Keijsers, Loes; Meeus, Wim

2015-01-01

This longitudinal study examined person-environment interplay by testing interaction effects between adolescent personality type (i.e., overcontrollers, undercontrollers, and resilients) and young adult romantic relationship quality on young adult delinquency and anxiety. The study employed six

Associations between young adult romantic relationship quality and problem behaviors : An examination of personality-environment interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yu, Rongqin; Branje, Susan; Keijsers, Loes; Meeus, W.H.J.

This longitudinal study examined person–environment interplay by testing interaction effects between adolescent personality type (i.e., overcontrollers, undercontrollers, and resilients) and young adult romantic relationship quality on young adult delinquency and anxiety. The study employed six

A review of factors that influence adult handwriting performance.

Science.gov (United States)

van Drempt, Nadege; McCluskey, Annie; Lannin, Natasha A

2011-10-01

Handwriting is an important activity for people of all ages. Handwriting is frequently affected after stroke and other neurological conditions. However, research on the handwriting of healthy adults is difficult to find. This review aims to advance the development of evidence-informed handwriting assessment and retraining. The aim of this paper was to review factors that influence the handwriting performance of unimpaired adults, some of which are amenable to intervention. Searches were conducted of eight electronic databases up to April 2009 and again in November 2010. Reference lists were also used to identify potential studies of interest. No limits were placed on study design.  Age: Younger adults write more legibly and faster than older adults. Gender: Women write faster and more legibly than men. Pengrip: Grips other than the traditional dynamic tripod are functional, producing legible text in an acceptable time. Pen pressure: Pressure varies with different letters, words, text size, speed and across a page of text. Error corrections and a mixed writing style occur in healthy adult handwriting. Research was inconclusive about the association between speed, pressure and upper limb movements on handwriting performance. Other factors able to predict adult handwriting legibility have been largely unexplored. A number of knowledge and research gaps about adult handwriting were identified, including the need for more contemporary normative data. © 2011 The Authors. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2011 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Influence of age, marital status and environment on sexism in Nigeria

African Journals Online (AJOL)

05] and environment of living [t (777) = 3.21, p<.01] are significant factors influencing hostile sex discrimination (sexism) in Nigeria. Results also indicated that benevolent sex discriminations are not significantly influenced by age, marital status ...

Display conditions that influence wayfinding in virtual environments

Science.gov (United States)

Browse, Roger A.; Gray, Derek W. S.

2006-02-01

As virtual environments may be used in training and evaluation for critical real navigation tasks, it is important to investigate the factors influencing navigational performance in virtual environments. We have carried out controlled experiments involving two visual factors known to induce or sustain vection, the illusory perception of self-motion. The first experiment had subjects navigate mazes with either a narrow or wide field of view. We measured the percentage of wrong turns, the total time taken for each attempt, and we examined subjects' drawings of the mazes. We found that a wide field of view can have a substantial effect on navigational abilities, even when the wide field of view does not offer any additional clues to the task, and really only provides a larger view of blank walls on the sides. The second experiment evaluated the effect of perspective accuracy in the scene by comparing the use of displays that were corrected for changing head position against those that were not corrected. The perspective corrections available through headtracking did not appear have any influence on navigational abilities. Another component of our study suggests that during navigation in a virtual environment, memory for directions may not be as effective as it could be with supplemental symbolic representations.

Human environment and cultural influence on the development of international business

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolae ȚÂU

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Peoples always seek to improve their life conditions. This sought had significantly contributed to the improvement of human life. Urbanization was a major turning point in the history of human development. It contributed to a change of lifestyle and a progress of business. The establishment of urban areas led to a transformation in the human and cultural environments. Furthermore, globalization processes contributed considerably to the alteration of human and cultural environments. In this work, we are going to explore the components of the human and cultural environment. The main aim of this work is reveal how can human environment and cultural influence the development of international business. This work is similarly meant to exhibit how cultural differences can and cultural transformation caused by globalization processes, affect communication, negotiation and management processes, thus influencing the development of international business.

Social influence on evacuation behavior in real and virtual environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Max Kinateder

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Virtual reality (VR is a promising tool to study evacuation behavior as it allows experimentally controlled, safe simulation of otherwise dangerous situations. However, validation studies comparing evacuation behavior in real and virtual environments are still scarce. We compare the decision to evacuate in response to a fire alarm in matched physical and virtual environments. 150 participants were tested individually in a one-trial experiment in one of three conditions. In the Control condition, the fire alarm sounded while the participant performed a bogus perceptual matching task. In the Passive bystander condition, the participant performed the task together with a confederate who ignored the fire alarm. In the Active bystander condition, the confederate left the room when the fire alarm went off. Half of the participants in each condition experienced the scenario in the real laboratory, and the other half in a matched virtual environment with a virtual bystander, presented in a head-mounted display. The active bystander group was more likely to evacuate, and the passive bystander group less likely to evacuate, than the control group. This pattern of social influence was observed in both the real and virtual environments, although the overall response to the virtual alarm was reduced; positive influence was comparable, whereas negative influence was weaker in VR. We found no reliable gender effects for the participant or the bystander. These findings extend the bystander effect to the decision to evacuate, revealing a positive as well as the previous negative social influence. The results support the ecological validity of VR as a research tool to study evacuation behavior in emergency situations, with the caveat that effect sizes may be smaller in VR.

The Influence of Neurocognitive Functioning on Proactive Coping Behaviors in Adults With HIV.

Science.gov (United States)

Cody, Shameka L; Fazeli, Pariya L; D Moneyham, Linda; Vance, David E

2016-10-01

Although many can appreciate the life-sustaining benefits of combination antiretroviral therapy, some adults with HIV continue to have difficulty managing physical, neurocognitive, and everyday stressors. Fortunately, some adults with HIV are able to use accumulated resources (e.g., social networks) to help them engage in proactive coping behaviors such as planning and problem solving. Others, however, manage their stressors by engaging in avoidant coping, isolating themselves, or ruminating about the negative aspects of their situation. Perhaps, the capacity to engage in proactive coping may be influenced by damage to the frontal-striatal-thalamo circuitry, a region of the brain responsible for executive functioning and often compromised in adults with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. This study examined potential neurocognitive influences on proactive coping behaviors in adults with HIV (N = 98). Participants were administered a series of neurocognitive and psychosocial measures to determine if neurocognitive functioning and other factors that have been associated with coping in other populations, such as spirituality/religiosity, influenced proactive coping behaviors. Multiple regression analysis revealed that spirituality/religiosity (p = .002), rather than neurocognitive functioning (Useful Field of View, p = .277; Trails A, p = .701; Trails B, p = .365; Wechsler Memory Scale-III Digit Span, p = .864), was a significant predictor of proactive coping. Interventions to address spirituality/religiosity needs of adults with HIV may possibly facilitate proactive coping behaviors and improve mood, both of which are important for healthy neurocognitive functioning.

Literature survey on how different factors influence human comfort in indoor environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frontczak, Monika Joanna; Wargocki, Pawel

2011-01-01

examined the extent to which other factors unrelated to the indoor environment, such as individual characteristics of building occupants, building-related factors and outdoor climate including seasonal changes, influence whether the indoor environment is evaluated as comfortable or not. The results suggest...... environmental conditions influencing comfort in the built environment were surveyed: thermal, visual and acoustic, as well as air quality. The literature was surveyed to determine which of these conditions were ranked by building users as being the most important determinants of comfort. The survey also...... quality. Thermal comfort is ranked by building occupants to be of greater importance compared with visual and acoustic comfort and good air quality. It also seems to influence to a higher degree the overall satisfaction with indoor environmental quality compared with the impact of other indoor...

The influence of PTSD, sleep fears, and neighborhood stress on insomnia and short sleep duration in urban, young adult, African Americans.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall Brown, Tyish; Mellman, Thomas A

2014-01-01

African Americans residing in stressful urban environments have high rates of insomnia and short sleep duration, both of which are associated with adverse health outcomes. However, limited data exist that explore factors influencing inadequate sleep in this high-risk population. This study sought to evaluate the contributions of demographics, trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, sleep fears, and neighborhood stress to both insomnia and short sleep in urban African American young adults. Data were analyzed from self-report measures completed by 378 participants 18-35 years of age. PTSD symptom severity and sleep fears were independently associated with insomnia severity, and sleep fears was associated with sleep duration. Results have implications for preventative health intervention strategies for urban African American young adults.

Leader Influence, the Professional Practice Environment, and Nurse Engagement in Essential Nursing Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Ducharme, Maria P; Bernhardt, Jean M; Padula, Cynthia A; Adams, Jeffrey M

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between leaders' perceived influence over professional practice environments (PPEs) and clinical nurses' reported engagement in essential professional nursing practice. There is little empirical evidence identifying impact of nurse leader influence or why nursing leaders are not perceived, nor do they perceive themselves, as influential in healthcare decision making. A nonexperimental method of prediction was used to examine relationships between engagement in professional practice, measured by Essentials of Magnetism II (EOMII) tool, and nurse leaders' perceived influence, measured by Leadership Influence over Professional Practice Environment Scale (LIPPES). A convenience sample of 30 nurse leaders and 169 clinical nurses, employed in a 247-bed acute care Magnet® hospital, participated. Findings indicated that leaders perceived their influence presence from "often" to "always," with mean scores of 3.02 to 3.70 on a 4-point Likert scale, with the lowest subscale as "access to resources" for which a significant relationship was found with clinical nurses' reported presence of adequate staffing (P influence links structures necessary for an environment that supports outcomes.

Adult Students' Perceptions in Distance Education Learning Environments Based on a Videoconferencing Platform--QoE Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Malinovski, Toni; Vasileva-Stojanovska, Tatjana; Jovevski, Dobri; Vasileva, Marina; Trajkovik, Vladimir

2015-01-01

Distance education learning environments provide tremendous convenience and flexibility, allowing busy, mobile adult learners to engage in education while coping with their limited resources in terms of time, energy and finances. Following a student-centered approach this study investigates adult students' subjective perceptions while using…

The Comparative Effects of Adults and Peer Group Influence on Children's Moral Judgments.

Science.gov (United States)

Siegal, M.; Boyes, M. C.

1980-01-01

In this review, little support is found for Piaget's claim that with increasing peer group interaction adult authority becomes less legitimate to the child. It is suggested that the adult exerts increasing influence with age on children's moral judgment and, therefore, emphasis on peer-centered moral education may be misdirected. (Author/SJL)

External built residential environment characteristics that affect mental health of adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Ochodo, Charles; Ndetei, D M; Moturi, W N; Otieno, J O

2014-10-01

External built residential environment characteristics include aspects of building design such as types of walls, doors and windows, green spaces, density of houses per unit area, and waste disposal facilities. Neighborhoods that are characterized by poor quality external built environment can contribute to psychosocial stress and increase the likelihood of mental health disorders. This study investigated the relationship between characteristics of external built residential environment and mental health disorders in selected residences of Nakuru Municipality, Kenya. External built residential environment characteristics were investigated for 544 residents living in different residential areas that were categorized by their socioeconomic status. Medically validated interview schedules were used to determine mental health of residents in the respective neighborhoods. The relationship between characteristics of the external built residential environment and mental health of residents was determined by multivariable logistic regression analyses and chi-square tests. The results show that walling materials used on buildings, density of dwelling units, state of street lighting, types of doors, states of roofs, and states of windows are some built external residential environment characteristics that affect mental health of adult males and females. Urban residential areas that are characterized by poor quality external built environment substantially expose the population to daily stressors and inconveniences that increase the likelihood of developing mental health disorders.

Neighborhood Environment and Cognition in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Besser, Lilah M; McDonald, Noreen C; Song, Yan; Kukull, Walter A; Rodriguez, Daniel A

2017-08-01

Some evidence suggests that treating vascular risk factors and performing mentally stimulating activities may delay cognitive impairment onset in older adults. Exposure to a complex neighborhood environment may be one mechanism to help delay cognitive decline. PubMed, Web of Science, and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses Global database were systematically reviewed, identifying 25 studies published from February 1, 1989 to March 5, 2016 (data synthesized, May 3, 2015 to October 7, 2016). The review was restricted to quantitative studies focused on: (1) neighborhood social and built environment and cognition; and (2) community-dwelling adults aged ≥45 years. The majority of studies were cross-sectional, U.S.-based, and found at least one significant association. The diversity of measures and neighborhood definitions limited the synthesis of findings in many instances. Evidence was moderately strong for an association between neighborhood SES and cognition, and modest for associations between neighborhood demographics, design, and destination accessibility and cognition. Most studies examining effect modification found significant associations, with some evidence for effect modification of the neighborhood SES-cognition association by individual-level SES. No studies had low risk of bias and many tested multiple associations that increased the chance of a statistically significant finding. Considering the studies to date, the evidence for an association between neighborhood characteristics and cognition is modest. Future studies should include longitudinal measures of neighborhood characteristics and cognition; examine potential effect modifiers, such as sex and disability; and study mediators that may help elucidate the biological mechanisms linking neighborhood environment and cognition. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementing an Active Learning Environment to Influence Students' Motivation in Biochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Cicuto, Camila Aparecida Tolentino; Torres, Bayardo Baptista

2016-01-01

The Biochemistry: Biomolecules Structure and Metabolism course's goal is to promote meaningful learning through an active learning environment. Thus, study periods (SP) and discussion groups (DG) are used as a substitute for lecture classes. The goal of this study was to evaluate how this learning environment influences students' motivation (n =…

The Relationship between Urbanization, the Built Environment, and Physical Activity among Older Adults in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuan-Ching Huang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Urbanization and ageing are global phenomena and offer unique challenges in different countries. A supportive environment plays a critical role in addressing the issue of behavioral change and health promotion among older adults. Many studies in the U.S., EU, and Australia have considered promoting physical activity in the community based on ecological models, whereas very few Asian studies have examined the relationships among urbanization, the built environment and physical activity in elderly at the ecological level, especially from a multi-level perspective. Due to the prevalence of post-war baby boomers and a very low birth-rate, the older population (aged 65 years old and older in Taiwan has increased rapidly since 2011 and has exceeded the younger generation (0–14 years old in 2017. Hence, the purpose of this study was first to examine the degree of urbanization in townships and the status of related built environments in Taiwan and then to investigate whether the built environment is associated with recommended amounts of physical activity among older adults. Three national datasets and a multi-level design were used in this research. Data at the individual level was obtained from the 2009 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS which was taken from June 2009 to February 2010. Ecological data was obtained from the 2006 National Land Use Investigation of the National Geographic Information System and the 2010 Population and Housing Census. The analyses included a descriptive analysis, a bivariate analysis, a multiple logistic regression, and a multi-level analysis, utilizing a mostly hierarchical linear model (HLM. The results showed a significant relationship between factors at the environmental levels and physical activity in older adults. Urbanization, the built environment, and the median income of townships were positively correlated to the physical activity of the older adults. After controlling for individual-level factors

Theory of quantum dynamics in fermionic environment: an influence functional approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Y.

1987-01-01

Quantum dynamics of a particle coupled to a fermionic environment is considered, with particular emphasis on the formulation of macroscopic quantum phenomena. The framework is based on a path integral formalism for the real-time density matrix. After integrating out of the fermion variables of the environment, they embed the whole environmental effects on the particle into the so-called influence functional in analogy to Feynman and Vernon's initial work. They then show that to the second order of the coupling constant, the exponent of the influence functional is in exact agreement with that due to a linear dissipative environment (boson bath). Having obtained this, they turn to a specific model in which the influence functional can be exactly evaluated in a long-term limit (long compared to the inverse of the cutoff frequency of the environmental spectrum). In this circumstance, they mainly address their attention to the quantum mechanical representation of the system-plus-environment from the known classical properties of the particle. It is shown that, in particular, the equivalence between the fermion bath and the boson bath is generally correct for a single-channel coupling provided they make a simple mapping between the nonlinear interaction functions of the baths. Finally, generalizations of the model to more complicated situations are discussed and significant applications and connections to certain practically interesting problems are mentioned

Does sex influence the diagnostic evaluation of autism spectrum disorder in adults?

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, C Ellie; Murphy, Clodagh M; McAlonan, Grainne; Robertson, Dene M; Spain, Debbie; Hayward, Hannah; Woodhouse, Emma; Deeley, P Quinton; Gillan, Nicola; Ohlsen, J Chris; Zinkstok, Janneke; Stoencheva, Vladimira; Faulkner, Jessica; Yildiran, Hatice; Bell, Vaughan; Hammond, Neil; Craig, Michael C; Murphy, Declan GM

2016-01-01

It is unknown whether sex influences the diagnostic evaluation of autism spectrum disorder, or whether male and female adults within the spectrum have different symptom profiles. This study reports sex differences in clinical outcomes for 1244 adults (935 males and 309 females) referred for autism spectrum disorder assessment. Significantly, more males (72%) than females (66%) were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder of any subtype (x2 = 4.09; p = 0.04). In high-functioning autism spectrum disorder adults (IQ > 70; N = 827), there were no significant sex differences in severity of socio-communicative domain symptoms. Males had significantly more repetitive behaviours/restricted interests than females (p = 0.001, d = 0.3). A multivariate analysis of variance indicated a significant interaction between autism spectrum disorder subtype (full-autism spectrum disorder/partial-autism spectrum disorder) and sex: in full-autism spectrum disorder, males had more severe socio-communicative symptoms than females; for partial-autism spectrum disorder, the reverse was true. There were no sex differences in prevalence of co-morbid psychopathologies. Sex influenced diagnostic evaluation in a clinical sample of adults with suspected autism spectrum disorder. The sexes may present with different manifestations of the autism spectrum disorder phenotype and differences vary by diagnostic subtype. Understanding and awareness of adult female repetitive behaviours/restricted interests warrant attention and sex-specific diagnostic assessment tools may need to be considered. PMID:26802113

A social network perspective on heroin and cocaine use among adults: evidence of bidirectional influences.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohnert, Amy S B; Bradshaw, Catherine P; Latkin, Carl A

2009-07-01

While several studies have documented a relationship between initiation of drug use and social network drug use in youth, the direction of this association is not well understood, particularly among adults or for stages of drug involvement beyond initiation. The present study sought to examine two competing theories (social selection and social influence) in the longitudinal relationship between drug use (heroin and/or cocaine) and social network drug use among drug-experienced adults. Three waves of data came from a cohort of 1108 adults reporting a life-time history of heroin and/or cocaine use. Low-income neighborhoods with high rates of drug use in Baltimore, Maryland. Participants had weekly contact with drug users and were 18 years of age or older. Drug use data were self-report. Network drug use was assessed through a social network inventory. Close friends were individuals whom the participant reported seeing daily or rated as having the highest level of trust. Findings Structural equation modeling indicated significant bidirectional influences. The majority of change in network drug use over time was due to change in the composition of the network rather than change in friends' behavior. Drug use by close peers did not influence participant drug use beyond the total network. There is evidence of both social selection and social influence processes in the association between drug use and network drug use among drug-experienced adults.

Identifying the Potential for Robotics to Assist Older Adults in Different Living Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Mitzner, Tracy L.; Chen, Tiffany L.; Kemp, Charles C.; Rogers, Wendy A.

2014-01-01

As the older adult population grows and becomes more diverse, so will their needs and preferences for living environments. Many adults over 65 years of age require some assistance [1, 2]; yet it is important for their feelings of well-being that the assistance not restrict their autonomy [3]. Not only is autonomy correlated with quality of life [4], autonomy enhancement may improve functionality [2, 5]. The goal of this paper is to provide guidance for the development of technology to enhance autonomy and quality of life for older adults. We explore the potential for robotics to meet these needs. We evaluated older adults' diverse living situations and the predictors of residential moves to higher levels of care in the United States. We also examined older adults' needs for assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and medical conditions when living independently or in a long-term care residence. By providing support for older adults, mobile manipulator robots may reduce need-driven, undesired moves from residences with lower levels of care (i.e., private homes, assisted living) to those with higher levels of care (i.e., skilled nursing). PMID:24729800

Physical activity levels of community-dwelling older adults are influenced by winter weather variables.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, G R; Brandon, C; Gill, D P

2017-07-01

Winter weather conditions may negatively influence participation of older adults in daily physical activity (PA). Assess the influence of winter meteorological variables, day-time peak ambient temperature, windchill, humidity, and snow accumulation on the ground to accelerometer measured PA values in older adults. 50 community-dwelling older adults (77.4±4.7yrs; range 71-89; 12 females) living in Southwestern Ontario (Latitude 42.9°N Longitude 81.2° W) Canada, wore a waist-borne accelerometer during active waking hours (12h) for 7 consecutive days between February and April 2007. Hourly temperature, windchill, humidity, and snowfall accumulation were obtained from meteorological records and time locked to hourly accelerometer PA values. Regression analysis revealed significant relationships between time of day, ambient daytime high temperature and a humidity for participation in PA. Windchill temperature added no additional influence over PA acclamation already influenced by ambient day-time temperature and the observed variability in PA patterns relative to snow accumulation over the study period was too great to warrant its inclusion in the model. Most PA was completed in the morning hours and increased as the winter month's transitioned to spring (February through April). An equation was developed to adjust for winter weather conditions using temperature, humidity and time of day. Accurate PA assessment during the winter months must account for the ambient daytime high temperatures, humidity, and time of day. These older adults were more physically active during the morning hours and became more active as the winter season transitioned to spring. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Older adults' influence in family care: how do daughters and aging parents navigate differences in care goals?

Science.gov (United States)

Heid, Allison R; Zarit, Steven H; Van Haitsma, Kimberly

2016-01-01

This study seeks to address how older adults influence their daily care when their preferences conflict with those of their adult daughter caregivers. Using a sample of 10 dyads (N = 20) of an older adult and adult daughter, we utilize content analysis strategies to analyze in-depth, semi-structured interview data with QSR NVIVO to investigate how older adults influence their care, how daughters respond to such efforts of influence, and how dyads navigate differences in care goals. When there is agreement in goals, dyads report tasks going well and both individuals' requests are honored. When there are differences in care goals, daughters most frequently reason with their older parents, while parents walk away or 'let go' of their requests. Daughters report making decisions for their parents for health or safety-related needs. However, all dyads discuss differences in care goals, whereby parents are perceived as insisting, resisting, or persisting in care. Findings illustrate complex patterns of responses by families when navigating differences in daily care goals that carry important implications for research and the development of dyadic-based family interventions.

Immediate movement history influences reach-to-grasp action selection in children and adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Kent, Samuel W; Wilson, Andrew D; Plumb, Mandy S; Williams, Justin H G; Mon-Williams, Mark

2009-01-01

Action selection is subject to many biases. Immediate movement history is one such bias seen in young infants. Is this bias strong enough to affect adult behavior? Adult participants reached and grasped a cylinder positioned to require either pronation or supination of the hand. Successive cylinder positions changed either randomly or systematically between trials. Random positioning led to optimized economy of movement. In contrast, systematic changes in position biased action selection toward previously selected actions at the expense of movement economy. Thus, one switches to a new movement only when the savings outweigh the costs of the switch. Immediate movement history had an even larger influence on children aged 7-15 years. This suggests that switching costs are greater in children, which is consistent with their reduced grasping experience. The presence of this effect in adults suggests that immediate movement history exerts a more widespread and pervasive influence on patterns of action selection than researchers had previously recognized.

Choosing between staying at home or moving: A systematic review of factors influencing housing decisions among frail older adults

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Noémie; Dubé, Roxanne; Després, Carole; Freitas, Adriana

2018-01-01

Background Most older adults wish to stay at home during their late life years, but physical disabilities and cognitive impairment may force them to face a housing decision. However, they lack relevant information to make informed value-based housing decisions. Consequently, we sought to identify the sets of factors influencing the housing decision-making of older adults. Methods We performed a systematic literature search for studies evaluating any factors influencing the housing decisions among older adults over 65 years old without cognitive disabilities. Primary research from any study design reported after 1990 in a peer-reviewed journal, a book chapter or an evaluated doctoral thesis and written in English, French or Spanish were eligible. We extracted the main study characteristics, the participant characteristics and any factors reported as associated with the housing decision. We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis from the perspective of the meaning and experience of home. Results The search resulted in 660 titles (after duplicate removal) from which 86 studies were kept for analysis. One study out of five reported exclusively on frail older adults (n = 17) and two on adults over 75 years old. Overall, a total of 88 factors were identified, of which 71 seem to have an influence on the housing decision-making of older adults, although the influence of 19 of them remains uncertain due to discrepancies between research methodologies. No conclusion was made regarding 12 additional factors due to lack of evidence. Conclusion A wealth of factors were found to influence housing decisions among older adults. However, very few of them have been studied extensively. Our results highlight the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork to study the influence of a broader range of factors as a whole. These results will help older adults make the best possible housing decision based on their unique situation and values. PMID:29293511

Choosing between staying at home or moving: A systematic review of factors influencing housing decisions among frail older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Noémie; Dubé, Roxanne; Després, Carole; Freitas, Adriana; Légaré, France

2018-01-01

Most older adults wish to stay at home during their late life years, but physical disabilities and cognitive impairment may force them to face a housing decision. However, they lack relevant information to make informed value-based housing decisions. Consequently, we sought to identify the sets of factors influencing the housing decision-making of older adults. We performed a systematic literature search for studies evaluating any factors influencing the housing decisions among older adults over 65 years old without cognitive disabilities. Primary research from any study design reported after 1990 in a peer-reviewed journal, a book chapter or an evaluated doctoral thesis and written in English, French or Spanish were eligible. We extracted the main study characteristics, the participant characteristics and any factors reported as associated with the housing decision. We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis from the perspective of the meaning and experience of home. The search resulted in 660 titles (after duplicate removal) from which 86 studies were kept for analysis. One study out of five reported exclusively on frail older adults (n = 17) and two on adults over 75 years old. Overall, a total of 88 factors were identified, of which 71 seem to have an influence on the housing decision-making of older adults, although the influence of 19 of them remains uncertain due to discrepancies between research methodologies. No conclusion was made regarding 12 additional factors due to lack of evidence. A wealth of factors were found to influence housing decisions among older adults. However, very few of them have been studied extensively. Our results highlight the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork to study the influence of a broader range of factors as a whole. These results will help older adults make the best possible housing decision based on their unique situation and values.

Perceptions, Expectations, and Informal Supports Influence Exercise Activity in Frail Older Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louise Broderick

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This study aims to explore frail older adults’ perceptions of what influences their exercise behaviors. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted with 29 frail older adults. Thematic content analysis established the findings. Frail older adults perceive exercise as a by-product of other purposeful activities such as manual work or social activities. Progression into frailty appears to be associated with a decline in non-family support, changing traditional roles within family support networks, and lower baseline activity levels. Frail older adults perceive exercise as incidental to more purposeful activities rather than an endpoint in itself. Therefore, exercise programs concentrating on functional outcomes may be more relevant for this population. Strategies that educate and promote social support networks may also benefit frail older adults.

"We definitely are role models": Exploring how clinical instructors' influence nursing students' attitudes towards older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbs, Sheena Simpkins; Kulig, Judith C

2017-09-01

The world's population is getting older, which will inevitably cause increased demands for nurses to provide high quality care to this demographic. Attitudes have been shown to influence the quality of care that older adults receive. It is therefore important to gain a better understanding of what influences nursing students' attitudes towards older adults. This article reports on one of three inter-connected research questions of a mixed methods study that explored the relationship between clinical instructors' attitudes and nursing students' attitudes towards older adults. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 6 clinical instructors and 13 nursing students. Interview data was analyzed using thematic analysis. A conceptual model was developed from the research findings, which revealed that nursing instructors are seen as strong role models for their students, and as role models, they influence students through demonstrations, expectations and support. As a result, nursing students mirror the attitudes of their instructors towards older adults. Findings from this study highlight the strong connection between nursing instructors' and students' attitudes. This has important implications for nursing education including strategies that instructors can employ to enhance students' attitudes towards older adults. Insights from this study also have the potential to improve the quality of care that future nurses provide to older adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cues of High and Low Body Weight Negatively Influence Adults' Perceptions and Ratings in the Hypothetical Adoption Paradigm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony A. Volk

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Infant and child facial cues influence perceptions and ratings in the Hypothetical Adoption Paradigm as well as actual parental care. A previous study demonstrated that infant and child facial cues of low body weight negatively influenced adults' ratings. The current study sought to replicate and expand on those results by presenting adults with normal faces as well as faces that were digitally altered to display high or low body weight. Cues of abnormal body weight significantly, and negatively, influenced adults’ ratings of adoption preference, health, and cuteness. Effect sizes were larger for cues of high body weight. Thus, infant and child facial cues of abnormal body weight may represent a relative risk factor to the quality of adult care obtained by children with abnormal body weight.

Can executive control be influenced by performance feedback? Two experimental studies with younger and older adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara eDrueke

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Executive control describes a wide range of cognitive processes which are critical for the goal-directed regulation of stimulus processing and action regulation. Previous studies have shown that executive control performance declines with age but yet, it is still not clear whether different internal and external factors - as performance feedback and age - influence these cognitive processes and how they might interact with each other. Therefore, we investigated feedback effects in the flanker task in young as well as in older adults in two experiments. Performance feedback significantly improved executive performance in younger adults at the expense of errors. In older adults, feedback also led to higher error rates, but had no significant effect on executive performance which might be due to stronger interference. Results indicate that executive functions can be positively influenced by performance feedback in younger adults, but not necessarily in older adults.

Teach English, Teach about the Environment: A Resource for Teachers of Adult English for Speakers of Other Languages

Science.gov (United States)

The EPA has developed the Teach English, Teach about the Environment curriculum to help you teach English to adult students while introducing basic concepts about the environment and individual environmental responsibility.

Study of Selected Components of Architectural Environment of Primary Schools - Preferences of Adults and Analysis of the Specialist Literature

Science.gov (United States)

Halarewicz, Aleksandra

2017-10-01

The school is one of the oldest social institutions designed to prepare a young man for an adult life. It performs a teaching and educational function in child’s life. It is a place where, apart from home, the child spends most of the time in a day, therefore it is one of the most important institutions in the life of a young person. The school environment has a direct impact on the student's personality and ambition, and it shapes an attitude of the young person. Therefore, the design process preceding the establishment of school facilities is extremely responsible and should be conducted in a conscious and thoughtful way. This article is a summary and an attempt to synthesize the data obtained from the survey carried out by the author in the context of the design guidelines contained in the specialist literature. The questionnaire survey was designed to make an attempt to determine adult’s preferences, opinions and perceptions about selected components of the primary school environment, including the factors which determine the choice of school for children, the priorities of architecture components made for early childhood use, also to specify the type and the scale of existing drawbacks and problems in the school construction industry, as well as expectations about the contemporary architecture of primary schools and its future changes. Moreover, in the article, based on the analysis of the available specialist’s literature, the following are broadly discussed: the general division and characterization of school spaces, issues related to the influence of selected components of the architectural environment on the physical, mental and psychological safety of children. Furthermore, the author raises the subject of the influence of the architectural interiors and furniture on the mood, emotions or comfort of children in the early school age, based on the anthropometric characteristics of children and issues related to the perception of space with an extra

The influence of the macro-environment on physical activity: a multilevel analysis of 38 countries worldwide.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosdriesz, Jizzo R; Witvliet, Margot I; Visscher, Tommy L S; Kunst, Anton E

2012-09-11

As indicated by the ANGELO framework and similar models, various environmental factors influence population levels of physical activity (PA). To date attention has focused on the micro-level environment, while evidence on the macro-level environment remains scarce and mostly limited to high-income countries. This study aims to investigate whether environmental factors at macro-level are associated with PA among a broader range of countries. Data from the World Health Survey (WHS) was used to analyze 177,035 adults from 38 (mostly low and middle income) countries. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-S) was used to measure PA. Respondents were classified as active or inactive for vigorous PA, moderate PA and walking. Multilevel logistic regression was performed to assess associations between macro-level environmental factors and the prevalence of PA, with control for individual-level socioeconomic factors. The prevalence of PA varied widely between countries and types of PA (5.0%-93.8%). A negative association was found between gross domestic product and PA, odds ratios for men were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.65-0.89) for moderate PA and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.63-0.98) for walking. A higher temperature was associated with less PA (all types) and higher urbanization was associated with less vigorous and moderate PA. More gender equality was also associated with more walking for women. Governmental functioning and literacy rate were not found to be associated with any type of PA. This exploratory study indicates that factors such as climate, economic development and cultural factors are determinants of the level of overall PA at national levels. This underlines the suggestion that the macro-environment should be regarded as an important influence on PA.

The influence of the macro-environment on physical activity: a multilevel analysis of 38 countries worldwide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bosdriesz Jizzo R

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background As indicated by the ANGELO framework and similar models, various environmental factors influence population levels of physical activity (PA. To date attention has focused on the micro-level environment, while evidence on the macro-level environment remains scarce and mostly limited to high-income countries. This study aims to investigate whether environmental factors at macro-level are associated with PA among a broader range of countries. Methods Data from the World Health Survey (WHS was used to analyze 177,035 adults from 38 (mostly low and middle income countries. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-S was used to measure PA. Respondents were classified as active or inactive for vigorous PA, moderate PA and walking. Multilevel logistic regression was performed to assess associations between macro-level environmental factors and the prevalence of PA, with control for individual-level socioeconomic factors. Results The prevalence of PA varied widely between countries and types of PA (5.0%-93.8%. A negative association was found between gross domestic product and PA, odds ratios for men were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.65-0.89 for moderate PA and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.63-0.98 for walking. A higher temperature was associated with less PA (all types and higher urbanization was associated with less vigorous and moderate PA. More gender equality was also associated with more walking for women. Governmental functioning and literacy rate were not found to be associated with any type of PA. Conclusions This exploratory study indicates that factors such as climate, economic development and cultural factors are determinants of the level of overall PA at national levels. This underlines the suggestion that the macro-environment should be regarded as an important influence on PA.

The impact of active and passive peer influence on young adult smoking: an experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Harakeh, Zeena; Vollebergh, Wilma A M

2012-03-01

Peers influence adolescent and young adult smoking, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. It is necessary to understand whether the current assumption of peer pressure is valid, or whether an alternative explanation as imitation is more appropriate. We examined whether passive (imitation) and/or active (pressure) peer influence affects young adult smoking. An experiment was conducted among 68 daily-smoking students aged 16-24. The actual study aim was masked. Participants had to do a 30-min music task with a confederate. The experiment consisted of a 2 (smoking condition: confederate smokes or not) by 2 (pressure condition: confederate offers the participant a cigarette or not) factorial design, resulting in four conditions: (1) no smoking and no pressure (N=15); (2) smoking but no pressure (N=16); (3) pressure but no smoking (N=20); and (4) smoking and pressure (N=17). The primary outcome tested was the total number of cigarettes smoked during this music assignment. Peer smoking significantly predicted the total number of cigarettes smoked by young adults while peer pressure did not. The interaction effect of peer pressure and peer smoking was not significant. Peer pressure did not have a significant additional contribution, over and above smoking of the peer. Passive (imitation) peer influence affected young adult smoking rather than active (pressure) peer influence. Thus, smoking cessation efforts should aim at preventing interaction with smoking peers and raising awareness about its impact. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of anatomic landmarks in the virtual environment on simulated angled laparoscope navigation

Science.gov (United States)

Christie, Lorna S.; Goossens, Richard H. M.; de Ridder, Huib; Jakimowicz, Jack J.

2010-01-01

Background The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of the presence of anatomic landmarks on the performance of angled laparoscope navigation on the SimSurgery SEP simulator. Methods Twenty-eight experienced laparoscopic surgeons (familiar with 30° angled laparoscope, >100 basic laparoscopic procedures, >5 advanced laparoscopic procedures) and 23 novices (no laparoscopy experience) performed the Camera Navigation task in an abstract virtual environment (CN-box) and in a virtual representation of the lower abdomen (CN-abdomen). They also rated the realism and added value of the virtual environments on seven-point scales. Results Within both groups, the CN-box task was accomplished in less time and with shorter tip trajectory than the CN-abdomen task (Wilcoxon test, p  0.05). In both groups, the CN tasks were perceived as hard work and more challenging than anticipated. Conclusions Performance of the angled laparoscope navigation task is influenced by the virtual environment surrounding the exercise. The task was performed better in an abstract environment than in a virtual environment with anatomic landmarks. More insight is required into the influence and function of different types of intrinsic and extrinsic feedback on the effectiveness of preclinical simulator training. PMID:20419318

Influence of Cognitive Ability on Therapy Outcomes for Anomia in Adults with Chronic Poststroke Aphasia

Science.gov (United States)

Dignam, Jade; Copland, David; O'Brien, Kate; Burfein, Penni; Khan, Asaduzzaman; Rodriguez, Amy D.

2017-01-01

Purpose: The relationship between cognitive abilities and aphasia rehabilitation outcomes is complex and remains poorly understood. This study investigated the influence of language and cognitive abilities on anomia therapy outcomes in adults with aphasia. Method: Thirty-four adults with chronic aphasia participated in Aphasia Language Impairment…

Influence of heat cost allocation on occupants' control of indoor environment in 56 apartments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Søren; Andersen, Rune Korsholm; Olesen, Bjarne W.

2016-01-01

-structured interviews showed a strong influence of the heat cost allocation plan on the occupants' control strategies. Occupants whose heating bills were based on floor area focused on a healthy and comfortable indoor environment. Occupants whose heating bills were based on meter readings focused on energy conservation...... of this paper was to study the indoor environment in buildings with collective and individual heat cost allocation plans, to investigate how the heat cost allocation influenced occupant behaviour and how occupants controlled the indoor environment. The effects of the heat cost allocation type were studied...

Influence of Forest Therapy on Cardiovascular Relaxation in Young Adults

OpenAIRE

Lee, Juyoung; Tsunetsugu, Yuko; Takayama, Norimasa; Park, Bum-Jin; Li, Qing; Song, Chorong; Komatsu, Misako; Ikei, Harumi; Tyrväinen, Liisa; Kagawa, Takahide; Miyazaki, Yoshifumi

2014-01-01

Background. Despite increasing attention toward forest therapy as an alternative medicine, very little evidence continues to be available on its therapeutic effects. Therefore, this study was focused on elucidating the health benefits of forest walking on cardiovascular reactivity. Methods. Within-group comparisons were used to examine the cardiovascular responses to walking in forest and urban environments. Forty-eight young adult males participated in the two-day field research. Changes in ...

Psychological influences on distance estimation in a virtual reality environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kohske eTakahashi

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Researches on embodied perception have revealed that social, psychological and physiological factors influence perception of space. While many of these influences were observed with real or highly realistic stimuli, the present work showed that even the orientation of abstract geometric objects with a non-realistic virtual environment could influence distance perception. Observers wore a head mounted display and watched virtual cones moving within an invisible cube for five seconds with their head movement recorded. Subsequently, observers estimated the distance to the cones or evaluated their friendliness. The cones either faced the observer, a target behind the cones, or random orientations. Average viewing distance to the cones varied between 1.2 and 2.0 m. At a viewing distance of 1.6 m, observers perceived cones facing them as closer than cones facing an opposite target or random orientations. Furthermore, irrespective of viewing distance, observers moved their head away from the cones more strongly and evaluated the cones as less friendly when the cones were facing observers. Similar results of distance estimation were obtained with a 3D projection onto a large screen, although the effective viewing distance was farther away. These results suggest that factors other than physical distance could influence distance perception even with non-realistic geometric objects within a virtual environment. Furthermore, the modulation of distance perception was also accompanied by changes in subjective impression and avoidance movement. We propose that cones facing an observer are perceived as socially discomforting or threatening and potentially violate an observer’s personal space, which might influence the perceived distance of cones.

Environmental influences on physical activity in rural Midwestern adults: a qualitative approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Chrisman, Matthew; Nothwehr, Faryle; Yang, Ginger; Oleson, Jacob

2015-01-01

Qualitative research can be used to examine multiple factors associated with physical activity and help practitioners identify language used by the rural adult population when discussing this behavior. Three focus groups were conducted among 19 residents of multiple towns in a rural Midwestern county to examine the language and influences on rural physical activity. Focus group members were asked to define physical activity, exercise, community, and neighborhood. They were asked about the activities they engaged in and facilitators and barriers to those activities. A guidebook was developed to capture major themes and common patterns that emerged in the responses to the topics discussed. The data were reviewed for repeated statements and points that were agreed on by multiple participants. Important factors associated with physical activity include the importance of social support and modeling physical activity behavior. Also, the influence of pets and children was important for engaging these adults in physical activity. The focus group members engaged in walking and bicycling in their neighborhood streets and community trails, and desired to see community buildings be open to the public for exercise. This study revealed contextual issues and culturally relevant language for practitioners to use in tailoring physical activity measurement tools or designing interventions for a rural adult population. Social support (specifically, seeing others being active and using pets as motivators for being active) and policy attitudes may be targeted for interventions to increase physical activity in rural adults. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

Moderation of genetic and environmental influences on diurnal preference by age in adult twins.

Science.gov (United States)

Barclay, Nicola L; Watson, Nathaniel F; Buchwald, Dedra; Goldberg, Jack

2014-03-01

Diurnal preference changes across the lifespan. However, the mechanisms underlying this age-related shift are poorly understood. The aim of this twin study was to determine the extent to which genetic and environmental influences on diurnal preference are moderated by age. Seven hundred and sixty-eight monozygotic and 674 dizygotic adult twin pairs participating in the University of Washington Twin Registry completed the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire as a measure of diurnal preference. Participants ranged in age from 19 to 93 years (mean = 36.23, SD = 15.54) and were categorized on the basis of age into three groups: younger adulthood (19-35 years, n = 1715 individuals), middle adulthood (36-64 years, n = 1003 individuals) and older adulthood (65+ years, n = 168 individuals). Increasing age was associated with an increasing tendency towards morningness (r = 0.42, p influences for the total sample as well as for each age group separately. Additive genetic influences accounted for 52%[46-57%], and non-shared environmental influences 48%[43-54%], of the total variance in diurnal preference. In comparing univariate genetic models between age groups, the best-fitting model was one in which the parameter estimates for younger adults and older adults were equated, in comparison with middle adulthood. For younger and older adulthood, additive genetic influences accounted for 44%[31-49%] and non-shared environmental influences 56%[49-64%] of variance in diurnal preference, whereas for middle adulthood these estimates were 34%[21-45%] and 66%[55-79%], respectively. Therefore, genetic influences on diurnal preference are attenuated in middle adulthood. Attenuation is likely driven by the increased importance of work and family responsibilities during this life stage, in comparison with younger and older adulthood when these factors may be less influential in determining sleep-wake timing. These findings have implications for studies

TRIBOLAYER FORMED ON MULTIFUNCTIONAL COATINGS: INFLUENCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Daniel Biasoli de Mello

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Friction and wear control can be achieved primarily by considering the nature of the counter faces, together with the environmental conditions. In most cases, a transfer film is found on the sliding surfaces. Environment plays a crucial role on the kinetics of formation and on the composition of the transfer film, and thus strongly influences friction levels and wear rates. In this paper, the effect of the actual environment (refrigerant present in hermetic compressors on the tribological behaviour of a Si rich multifunctional DLC coating deposited on 1020 steel is analyzed. Unlubricated reciprocating pin-on- disk tests are performed using a High Pressure Tribometer under different atmospheres (Air, CO2 and R600a. Samples tested in R600a environment present the lowest friction coefficient and the lowest wear rate for both body and counter-body

Age-dependent nongenetic influences of birth weight and adult body fat on insulin sensitivity in twins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Monrad, Rikke Nygaard; Grunnet, Louise Groth; Rasmussen, Eva Lind

2009-01-01

We hypothesized a nongenetic influence of birth weight (BW) and twin and zygosity status on dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry determined adult total and regional body composition and a quantitative equal, although independent, importance of adult body composition and BW for insulin sensitivity....

The Influence of Social Media on Collaborative Learning in a Cohort Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natasha James-Waldon

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper provides an overview of the impact that social media has on the development of collaborative learning within a cohort environment in a doctoral program. The researchers surveyed doctoral students in an education program to determine how social media use has influenced the doctoral students. The study looked at the following areas: a the ability of social media use to develop a collaborative learning environment, b access to social media content which supports learning, and c whether social media use has contributed to the enhancement of the doctoral students’ academic achievement and learning progress. As social media use and on-line learning become more prevalent in education, it is important to continue to understand the impact that social media has on improving students’ ability to achieve their academic goals. This study provides insight on how doctoral students used social media and how social media use has influenced academic development in their cohort environment. In addition, this paper provides a discerning view into the role social media plays when developing a collaborative learning environment in a cohort.

[Spatial imprinting influence on development of cognitive process in adult animals].

Science.gov (United States)

Serkova, V V; Nikol'skaia, K A

2013-12-01

The influence of spatial imprinting on cognitive activity of adult mice F1 from DBA/2J C57BL/6J in a transformable multialternative maze has been studied. A control mice initially learned in a maze with "direct" and "bypass" pathway between feeders. They successfully formed a food-getting habit after 9-10 sessions using mainly direct pathway, so the final route decision was consistent with the principle of least action. Experimental mice previously placed into reduced maze with only "bypass" pathway between feeders for 1-2 trials (1-3 min), and turn up in the complete maze immediately after that. Experimental mice could not organize a food-getting behavior according a task conditions since attempted to include in final decision both "direct" and "bypass" pathways, united in a single ring-like construction. They demonstrated situational behavior running from one feeder to another one, despite of fact that therein had no feed. So it opposed the realization of least action principle, becoming a source of psycho-emotional stress. The results showed that spatial information perceiving in the first few minutes of exploring the experimental environment can manifest itself as the acquired preference and come in conflict with an instinctive one. Cognitive dissonance predetermined the direction of the cognitive process.

The Role of Neighborhood Environment in Promoting Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease among Young Adults: Data from Middle to High Income Population in an Asian Megacity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Ahraz Hussain

Full Text Available Modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVD have their triggers in the neighborhood environments of communities. Studying the environmental triggers for CVD risk factors is important to understand the situation in a broader perspective. Young adults are influenced the most by the environment profile around them hence it is important to study this subset of the population.This was a descriptive study conducted using the EPOCH research tool designed by the authors of the PURE study. The study population consisted of young adults aged 18-25 in two areas of Karachi. The study setting was busy shopping malls frequented by young adults in the particular community being studied.Our total sample size was 120 individuals, who consented to be interviewed by our interviewers. Less than 50% of the population recognized some form of restriction regarding smoking in their communities. The largest contributor to tobacco advertising was actors smoking in movies and TV shows with 89% responses from both communities. Only 11.9% of the individuals disapproved of smoking cigarettes among men with wide acceptance of 'sheesha' across all age groups. Advertising for smoking and junk food was more frequent as compared to smoking cessation, healthy diet and exercise in both the areas. Unhealthy food items were more easily available in contrast to healthier options. The cost of healthy snack food options including vegetables and fruits was higher than sugary drinks and foods.This assessment showed that both communities were exposed to environments that promote risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Influence of the day care, home and neighbourhood environment on young children's physical activity and health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christian, Hayley; Maitland, Clover; Enkel, Stephanie

2016-01-01

to determine outdoor location of physical activity around the home and neighbourhood for a subsample (n=310). The day care environment will be objectively measured using a validated audit tool. Other potential individual, social and physical environmental influences on preschoolers' physical activity...... such as long day care. Research is required to determine how the design of day care outdoor (and indoor) spaces provides opportunities or constraints for physical activity. A significant evidence gap surrounds what objectively measured attributes of the home and neighbourhood environment influence preschoolers......' physical activity. The PLAY Spaces & Environments for Children's Physical Activity (PLAYCE) study will empirically investigate the relative and cumulative influence of the day care, home and neighbourhood environment on preschoolers' physical activity. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The PLAYCE study is a cross...

High Blood Pressure in Adults with Disabilities: Influence of Gender, Body Weight and Health Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Lan-Ping; Liu, Chien-Ting; Liou, Shih-Wen; Hsu, Shang-Wei; Lin, Jin-Ding

2012-01-01

The aims of this study were to explore the mean and distribution of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and to examine the influence of gender, body weight and health behaviors on hypertension in adults with disabilities. We analyzed the 2010 annual community health examination chart of adults with disabilities in east Taiwan. The study samples…

Environment influence on the solidity of the adhesive joint

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimír Válek

2006-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper “Environment influence on the solidity of the adhesive joint” I have dealt with the utilization of the bonding metals and practising experimental laboratory tests of adhesive joints depending on different laboratory environments and anticorrosive protection of the samples.For this laboratory tests I have chosen a universal adhesive. It is a two-component epoxy adhesive with suitable conditions for bonding metals. The samples were made from steel and were produced by the standard ČSN EN 1465. After the bonding and the cure procedure the samples were exposed in H20 environment for exact intervals (parts of the samples were painted by anticorrosive painting. After the exposition I have examinated the solidity of the adhesive joint in shearing stress on the measuring instrument Zwick 050. The samples were compared with etalon that were exposed to no environment.Results of the particular measuring were described into the graphs and were recorded the break down maximum force. When the samples were broken down I have taken a photo of it, which is in the appendix.

Mechanical behaviour of austenitic stainless steels in inert environment and in hot chloride environment: influence of molybdenum addition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daret, Jacques

1978-01-01

This research thesis reports the study of the influence of molybdenum addition. It is based on an experimental method which brings to the fore correlations between mechanical and electrochemical parameters of the phenomenon of stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steels. After having recalled some characteristics of dry corrosion and electrochemical corrosion, presented austenitic stainless steels (mechanical properties such as elastic modulus, yield strength, tensile strength, ultimate elongation, creep behaviour, inter-crystalline and pitting corrosion, stress corrosion cracking behaviour), the author addresses the stress corrosion cracking behaviour of these steels in chloride environment (general characteristics, parameters, proposes theories to explain stress corrosion cracking), reports the study of the influence of molybdenum in these steels, notably on corrosion resistance and on stress corrosion cracking. Experimental method and results are described and discussed: tensile tests and creep tests in inert environment, stress corrosion cracking test in chloride environment with analysis based either on corrosion potential evolution or on sample elongation evolution. Results are notably discussed in terms of crack situation within metal lattice, crack growth rate, and scanning electronic microscopy observations [fr

Psychological influences on distance estimation in a virtual reality environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Kohske; Meilinger, Tobias; Watanabe, Katsumi; Bülthoff, Heinrich H

2013-01-01

Studies of embodied perception have revealed that social, psychological, and physiological factors influence space perception. While many of these influences were observed with real or highly realistic stimuli, the present work showed that even the orientation of abstract geometric objects in a non-realistic virtual environment could influence distance perception. Observers wore a head mounted display and watched virtual cones moving within an invisible cube for 5 s with their head movement recorded. Subsequently, the observers estimated the distance to the cones or evaluated their friendliness. The cones either faced the observer, a target behind the cones, or were oriented randomly. The average viewing distance to the cones varied between 1.2 and 2.0 m. At a viewing distance of 1.6 m, the observers perceived the cones facing them as closer than the cones facing a target in the opposite direction, or those oriented randomly. Furthermore, irrespective of the viewing distance, observers moved their head away from the cones more strongly and evaluated the cones as less friendly when the cones faced the observers. Similar distance estimation results were obtained with a 3-dimensional projection onto a large screen, although the effective viewing distances were farther away. These results suggest that factors other than physical distance influenced distance perception even with non-realistic geometric objects in a virtual environment. Furthermore, the distance perception modulation was accompanied by changes in subjective impression and avoidance movement. We propose that cones facing an observer are perceived as socially discomforting or threatening, and potentially violate an observer's personal space, which might influence the perceived distance of cones.

The influence of outdoor thermal environment on young Japanese females

Science.gov (United States)

Kurazumi, Yoshihito; Ishii, Jin; Kondo, Emi; Fukagawa, Kenta; Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov; Sakoi, Tomonori; Tsuchikawa, Tadahiro; Matsubara, Naoki; Horikoshi, Tetsumi

2014-07-01

The influence of short wave solar radiation appears to be strong outdoors in summer, and the influence of airflow appears to be strong outdoors in winter. The purpose of this paper was to clarify the influence of the outdoor environment on young Japanese females. This research shows the relationship between the physiological and psychological responses of humans and the enhanced conduction-corrected modified effective temperature (ETFe). Subjective experiments were conducted in an outdoor environment. Subjects were exposed to the thermal environment in a standing posture. Air temperature, humidity, air velocity, short wave solar radiation, long wave radiation, ground surface temperature, sky factor, and the green solid angle were measured. The temperatures of skin exposed to the atmosphere and in contact with the ground were measured. Thermal sensation and thermal comfort were measured by means of rating the whole-body thermal sensation (cold-hot) and the whole body thermal comfort (comfortable-uncomfortable) on a linear scale. Linear rating scales are given for the hot (100) and cold (0), and comfortable (100) and uncomfortable (0) directions only. Arbitrary values of 0 and 100 were assigned to each endpoint, the reported values read in, and the entire length converted into a numerical value with an arbitrary scale of 100 to give a linear rating scale. The ETFe considered to report a neither hot nor cold, thermally neutral sensation of 50 was 35.9 °C, with 32.3 °C and 42.9 °C, respectively, corresponding to the low and high temperature ends of the ETFe considered to report a neither comfortable nor uncomfortable comfort value of 50. The mean skin temperature considered to report a neither hot nor cold, thermally neutral sensation of 50 was 33.3 °C, with 31.0 °C and 34.3 °C, respectively, corresponding to the low and high temperature ends of the mean skin temperature considered to report a neither comfortable nor uncomfortable comfort value of 50. The

The effect of developmental nutrition on life span and fecundity depends on the adult reproductive environment in Drosophila melanogaster

NARCIS (Netherlands)

May, C.M.; Doroszuk, A.; Zwaan, B.J.

2015-01-01

Both developmental nutrition and adult nutrition affect life-history traits; however, little is known about whether the effect of developmental nutrition depends on the adult environment experienced. We used the fruit fly to determine whether life-history traits, particularly life span and

Then and Now: Examining Memories of Pediatric Experiences and Their Influence on Opinions about Healthcare as an Adult

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sherwood Burns-Nader

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Children use their memories of healthcare experiences to navigate subsequent visits. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine young adults’ (N =343 memories of childhood medical experiences, how support from parents and the medical team influenced these memories, and how memories of pediatric experiences influence opinions about healthcare as an adult. The participants remembered having mild anxiety about childhood medical visits, feeling parents and the medical team were helpful with coping, and thinking the medical staff were supportive/friendly. Participants remembered having a relationship with their healthcare providers and the healthcare providers communicating with them as a child. The adults reported their current opinion and healthcare use was influenced by childhood healthcare experiences. These findings highlight the importance of parents and the medical team during pediatric healthcare visits. Also, visits during childhood were found to influence use of healthcare as an adult, highlighting the need for positive pediatric experiences, both at the doctor and dentist.

Neighborhood environment correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior among Latino adults in Massachusetts.

Science.gov (United States)

Silfee, Valerie J; Rosal, Milagros C; Sreedhara, Meera; Lora, Vilma; Lemon, Stephenie C

2016-09-13

U.S. Latinos experience high rates of cardio-metabolic diseases and have high rates of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior. Understanding the environmental factors associated with physical activity and sedentary behaviors among Latinos could inform future interventions. The purpose of this study is to explore the neighborhood environment correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior in a sample of U.S. Latino adults. Cross-sectional study of 602 Latino adults in Lawrence, MA. Survey assessments of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and neighborhood environment were verbally administered. The neighborhood environment scale assessed violence, safety, aesthetic quality, walkability, availability of healthy foods, social cohesion, and activities with neighbors. After controlling forage, gender, education, body mass index (BMI), and smoking status, two variables were associated with the outcomes of interest. Living in more walkable neighborhoods was associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in adequate levels of physical activity (>150 min per week, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)) (OR = 1.403, p = .018); and greater frequency of activities with neighbors was associated with greater sedentary behavior (β = .072, p = .05). There were different neighborhood environment correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior in this Latino community. Focusing on a greater understanding of the distinct social and physical environmental correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior may provide important insights for reducing CVD risk and health disparities among Latinos.

Neighborhood environment correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior among Latino adults in Massachusetts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valerie J. Silfee

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background U.S. Latinos experience high rates of cardio-metabolic diseases and have high rates of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior. Understanding the environmental factors associated with physical activity and sedentary behaviors among Latinos could inform future interventions. The purpose of this study is to explore the neighborhood environment correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior in a sample of U.S. Latino adults. Methods Cross-sectional study of 602 Latino adults in Lawrence, MA. Survey assessments of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and neighborhood environment were verbally administered. The neighborhood environment scale assessed violence, safety, aesthetic quality, walkability, availability of healthy foods, social cohesion, and activities with neighbors. Results After controlling forage, gender, education, body mass index (BMI, and smoking status, two variables were associated with the outcomes of interest. Living in more walkable neighborhoods was associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in adequate levels of physical activity (>150 min per week, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM (OR = 1.403, p = .018; and greater frequency of activities with neighbors was associated with greater sedentary behavior (β = .072, p = .05. Conclusions There were different neighborhood environment correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior in this Latino community. Focusing on a greater understanding of the distinct social and physical environmental correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior may provide important insights for reducing CVD risk and health disparities among Latinos.

The Influence of Cultural Values on Classroom Behaviors of Adult Vietnamese Refugees.

Science.gov (United States)

Boss, Roberta S.

A study examined the influence of cultural values on classroom behaviors of adult Vietnamese refugees. More specifically, the study was designed to determine the effect of culturally acquired attitudes and personality traits on the refugees' classroom behaviors, the relationship between these behaviors and the cognitive learning styles favored by…

Neighborhood built environment and cognition in non-demented older adults: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Besser, Lilah M; Rodriguez, Daniel A; McDonald, Noreen; Kukull, Walter A; Fitzpatrick, Annette L; Rapp, Stephen R; Seeman, Teresa

2018-03-01

Preliminary studies suggest that neighborhood social and built environment (BE) characteristics may affect cognition in older adults. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to the neighborhood environment due to a decreasing range of routine travel with increasing age. We examined if multiple neighborhood BE characteristics are cross-sectionally associated with cognition in a diverse sample of older adults, and if the BE-cognition associations vary by individual-level demographics. The sample included 4539 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the associations between five BE measures and four cognitive measures, and effect modification by individual-level education and race/ethnicity. In the overall sample, increasing social destination density, walking destination density, and intersection density were associated with worse overall cognition, whereas increasing proportion of land dedicated to retail was associated with better processing speed. Effect modification results suggest that the association between urban density and worse cognition may be limited to or strongest in those of non-white race/ethnicity. Although an increase in neighborhood retail destinations was associated with better cognition in the overall sample, these results suggest that certain BE characteristics in dense urban environments may have a disproportionately negative association with cognition in vulnerable populations. However, our findings must be replicated in longitudinal studies and other regional samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of snake-directed antipredator behavior by wild white-faced capuchin monkeys: II. Influence of the social environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Meno, Whitney; Coss, Richard G; Perry, Susan

2013-03-01

Young animals are known to direct alarm calls at a wider range of animals than adults. If social cues are safer and/or more reliable to use than asocial cues for learning about predators, then it is expected that the development of this behavior will be affected by the social environment. Our study examined the influence of the social environment on antipredator behavior in infant, juvenile, and adult wild white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) at Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve in Costa Rica during presentations of different species of model snakes and novel models. We examined (a) the alarm calling behavior of the focal animal when alone versus in the vicinity of conspecific alarm callers and (b) the latency of conspecifics to alarm call once the focal animal alarm called. Focal animals alarm called more when alone than after hearing a conspecific alarm call. No reliable differences were found in the latencies of conspecifics to alarm call based on age or model type. Conspecifics were more likely to alarm call when focal individuals alarm called at snake models than when they alarm called at novel models. Results indicate (a) that alarm calling may serve to attract others to the predator's location and (b) that learning about specific predators may begin with a generalized response to a wide variety of species, including some nonthreatening ones, that is winnowed down via Pavlovian conditioned inhibition into a response directed toward specific dangerous species. This study reveals that conspecifics play a role in the development of antipredator behavior in white-faced capuchins. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Surviving Parents' Influence on Adult Children's Depressive Symptoms Following the Death of a First Parent.

Science.gov (United States)

Stokes, Jeffrey E

2016-10-01

Parents and children are linked across the life course, and they share common experiences. This article focuses on the bereavement experience of adult children's loss of a first parent during adulthood and examines the downward influence of emotional closeness with a surviving parent on adult children's depressive symptoms following loss. Analyses are based on adult children who experienced the death of a first parent (N = 227), drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Generations, a study of three-and four-generation families from Southern California. Multilevel lagged dependent variable models indicate that an emotionally close relationship with a surviving parent is related with fewer post-bereavement depressive symptoms when a mother survives a father, but not vice versa. This analysis extends the theory of linked lives and highlights the mutual influence parents and children exert, as well as the complex role of gender in shaping family relationships. © The Author(s) 2014.

Socioeconomic Position, Rural Residence, and Marginality Influences on Obesity Status in the Adult Mexican Population

OpenAIRE

Sparks, P. Johnelle; Sparks, Corey S.

2012-01-01

This paper assesses individual and social environment determinants of obesity in the adult Mexican population based on socioeconomic position, rural residence, and areal deprivation. Using a nationally representative health and nutrition survey, this analysis considers individual and structural determinants of obesity from a socioeconomic position and health disparities conceptual framework using multilevel logistic regression models. We find that more than thirty percent of Mexican adults we...

Does the Effort of Processing Potential Incentives Influence the Adaption of Context Updating in Older Adults?

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, Hannah; Kray, Jutta; Ferdinand, Nicola K

2017-01-01

A number of aging studies suggest that older adults process positive and negative information differently. For instance, the socioemotional selectivity theory postulates that older adults preferably process positive information in service of emotional well-being (Reed and Carstensen, 2012). Moreover, recent research has started to investigate whether incentives like gains or losses can influence cognitive control in an ongoing task. In an earlier study (Schmitt et al., 2015), we examined whether incentive cues, indicating potential monetary gains, losses, or neutral outcomes for good performance in the following trial, would influence older adults' ability to exert cognitive control. Cognitive control was measured in an AX-Continuous-Performance-Task (AX-CPT) in which participants had to select their responses to probe stimuli depending on a preceding context cue. In this study, we did not find support for a positivity effect in older adults, but both gains and losses led to enhanced context processing. As the trial-wise presentation mode may be too demanding on cognitive resources for such a bias to occur, the main goal of the present study was to examine whether motivational mindsets, induced by block-wise presentation of incentives, would result in a positivity effect. For this reason, we examined 17 older participants (65-76 years) in the AX-CPT using a block-wise presentation of incentive cues and compared them to 18 older adults (69-78 years) with the trial-wise presentation mode from our earlier study (Schmitt et al., 2015). Event-related potentials were recorded to the onset of the motivational cue and during the AX-CPT. Our results show that (a) older adults initially process cues signaling potential losses more strongly, but later during the AX-CPT invest more cognitive resources in preparatory processes like context updating in conditions with potential gains, and (b) block-wise and trial-wise presentation of incentive cues differentially influenced

The influence of the social environment context in stress and coping in sport

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kerdijk, Carlijn; van der Kamp, John; Polman, Remco

2016-01-01

Lazarus (1999) model of stress and coping is based on the reciprocal interaction between the person and the environment. The aim of this study therefore was to examine whether the social environment (significant others) are of influence on the stress and coping of team athletes. The study consisted

Urban built environments and trajectories of mobility disability: findings from a national sample of community-dwelling American adults (1986-2001).

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Philippa; Ailshire, Jennifer A; Lantz, Paula

2009-09-01

As people age, they become more dependent on their local communities, especially when they are no longer able to drive. Uneven or discontinuous sidewalks, heavy traffic, and inaccessible public transportation, are just some of the built environment characteristics that can create barriers for outdoor mobility in later adulthood. A small body of literature has been investigating the role of the built environment on disability, but has been limited to cross-sectional analyses. The purpose of this paper is to further advance this area of research by examining the role of the built environment on long-term trajectories of mobility disability in a national sample of American adults (age 45+) followed over a 15-year period. Using multilevel logistic growth curve models with nationally representative data from the Americans' Changing Lives Study (1986-2001), we find that trajectories of mobility disability are steeper in older age groups. Women and those with lower education had a higher odds of mobility disability over time. The presence of just one chronic health condition doubled the odds of mobility disability at each of the four study waves. Among older adults (age 75+), living in neighborhoods characterized by more motorized travel was associated with an odds ratio for mobility disability that was 1.5 times higher in any given year than for older adults living in environments that were more pedestrian friendly. These results suggest that the built environment can exacerbate mobility difficulties for older adults. When considering ways to minimize disability as the population ages, simple changes in the built environment may be easier to implement than efforts to change risk factors at the individual level.

[Influence of home nurture environment on language development and social emotion in children with developmental language disorder].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guo-Kai; Liu, Gui-Hua; Qian, Qin-Fang; Ge, Pin; Xie, Yan-Qin; Yang, Min-Yan; Wang, Zhang-Qiong; Ou, Ping

2017-05-01

To investigate the influence of home nurture environment on language development and social emotion in children with developmental language disorder (DLD). The 1-3 Years Child Home Nurture Environment Scale, Gesell Developmental Scale, and Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment Scale were used for the evaluation of 125 children with DLD. A total of 130 children with normal language development matched for age and sex were enrolled as control group. Compared with the control group, the DLD group had a significantly higher proportion of children in a bad home nurture environment and significantly lower scores of all domains of home nurture environment (Pnurture environment score was positively correlated with the level of language development (r=0.536, Pnurture environment had direct influence on language development in children with DLD and affected their language development via the mediating effect of social emotion. Home nurture environment influences language development and social emotion in children with DLD, and social emotion has a partial mediating effect between home nurture environment and language development.

Childhood conditions influence adult progesterone levels.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandra Núñez-de la Mora

2007-05-01

to reproductive maturation to monitor their environment and to modulate reproductive steroid levels in accordance with projected conditions they might encounter as adults. Given the prolonged investment of human pregnancy and lactation, such plasticity (extending beyond any intrauterine programming enables a more flexible and finely tuned adjustment to the potential constraints or opportunities of the later adult environment. This research is the first, to our knowledge, to demonstrate a postuterine developmental component to variation in reproductive steroid levels in women.

The influence of "Coca-Cola" company over the quality of the environment of Zemun

OpenAIRE

Topalović Sanja

2012-01-01

Food industry can be a significant source of environmental pollution, which depends on the type of food industry. In the industrial area “Gornji Zemun” there are at least ten larger factories. Among these Coca-Cola HBC Serbia, as a representative of the industry of non-alcoholic beverages, is the most active and has the biggest influence on the environment. The success in business is based on the sustainable development and the lesser influence over the environment, which will be proven...

Do indoor environments in schools influence student performance? A review of the literature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mendell, Mark J.; Heath, Garvin A.

2004-11-24

Limited research is available on potential adverse effects of school environments on academic performance, despite strong public concern. We examine the scientific evidence relevant to this relationship by reviewing available research relating schools and other indoor environments to human performance or attendance. As a primary focus, we critically review evidence for direct relationships between indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in buildings and performance or attendance. As a secondary focus, we summarize, without critique, evidence on potential connections indirectly linking IEQ to performance or attendance: relationships between IEQ and health, between health and performance or attendance, and between attendance and performance. The most persuasive direct evidence showed increases in indoor concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and outdoor concentrations of several specific pollutants to be related to reduced school attendance. The most persuasive indirect evidence showed indoor dampness and microbiologic pollutants to be related to asthma and respiratory infections, which have in turn been related to reduced performance and attendance. Furthermore, a substantial scientific literature links poor IEQ (e.g., low ventilation rate, excess moisture or formaldehyde) with respiratory and other health effects in children and adults. Overall, evidence suggests that poor IEQ in schools can influence the performance and attendance of students, primarily through health effects from indoor pollutants. Also, inadequate IEQ in schools seems sufficiently common to merit strong public concern. Evidence is available to justify (1) immediate actions to protect IEQ in schools and (2) focused research on exposures, prevention, and causation, to better guide policies and actions on IEQ in schools.

Influence of color on acceptance and identification of flavor of foods by adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nayane Aparecida Araújo Dias

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The sensory characteristics color and flavor of food play an important role not only in the selection, but also in the determination of consumption, satiation, and ingestion. With the objective to determine and evaluate the influence of color on the acceptance and identification of flavor of foods for adults, sensory analysis was performed on jellies by non-trained tasters of both sexes aged between 18 and 60 years (1750 tests. A hedonic scale and combinations of five colors (red, yellow, green, blue and purple and three flavors (strawberry, pineapple, and limes were used in the acceptance test totaling 15 samples. In the duo-trio discrimination test, together with the reference sample (R, one sample identical to the reference and another of identical color and different flavor were offered, and the judges were requested to identify the sample that was different from the reference sample. The colors used did not influence the acceptance of the samples (P > 0.05, and as there was not significant interaction between color and flavor. However, the limes flavor negatively influenced acceptance when compared to the other flavors. With regard to flavor differentiation, the colors used did not influence flavor identification (P > 0.05; However, differentiated behavior was identified between females and males, and the latter were more error-prone. Therefore, under the experimental conditions tested, color did not influence the acceptance and identification of the flavor of the samples by adults.

Social neighborhood environment and sports participation among Dutch adults: does sports location matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, D; Stronks, K; Maas, J; Wingen, M; Kunst, A E

2015-04-01

Studies on the relation between the social neighborhood environment and sports participation have produced inconsistent results. Use of generic sports outcomes may have obscured associations only apparent for sports at certain locations. This study aims to assess the association between the social neighborhood environment and three location-specific sports outcomes. Repeated cross-sectional data on sports participation (any type of sports, sports at indoor sports clubs, sports at outdoor sports clubs, sports on streets) were obtained from 20 600 adults using the Dutch national health survey 2006-2009. Data on neighborhood social safety and social capital were obtained using the Dutch Housing Research 2006. Over 40% of Dutch adults participated in any type of sports. Indoor sports clubs were most popular. Multilevel logistic regression analyses revealed that neighborhood social safety was positively associated with sports at indoor sports clubs [odds ratio (OR) = 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06-1.48), but not with the other sports outcomes. Contrary, neighborhood social capital was positively associated with sports on streets only (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.17-2.44). The results suggest that a positive social neighborhood environment enhances sports participation, but that this impact depends on the location of the sports activity. This study highlights the importance of using location-specific sports outcomes when assessing environmental determinants. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The influence of environment temperature on SEM image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Li; Liu, Junshan

2015-01-01

As the structure dimension goes down to the nano-scale, it often requires a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to provide image magnification up to 100 000  ×. However, SEM images at such a high magnification usually suffer from high resolution value and low signal-to-noise ratio, which results in low quality of the SEM image. In this paper, the quality of the SEM image is improved by optimizing the environment temperature. The experimental results indicate that at 100 000  ×, the quality of the SEM image is influenced by the environment temperature, whereas at 50 000  × it is not. At 100 000  × the best SEM image quality can be achieved from the environment temperature ranging 292 from 294 K, and the SEM image quality evaluated by the double stimulus continuous quality scale method can increase from grade 1 to grade 5. It is expected that this image quality improving method can be used in routine measurements with ordinary SEMs to get high quality images by optimizing the environment temperature. (paper)

Influence of the residential and work environment on car use in dual-earner households

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maat, K.; Timmermans, H.J.P.

2009-01-01

This paper analyses whether the decision to commute by car is influenced by built environment characteristics of residential neighbourhoods and, more especially, of work locations, taking into account interdependencies between household partners. It shows that the residential environment only

Neighborhood environments and obesity among Afro-Caribbean, African American, and Non-Hispanic white adults in the United States: results from the National Survey of American Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Samaah M; Brashear, Meghan M; Broyles, Stephanie T; Rung, Ariane L

2014-04-01

To examine possible associations between perceived neighborhood environments and obesity among a U.S. nationally representative sample of Afro-Caribbean, African American, and Non-Hispanic white adults. Data was used from the 2001-2003 National Survey of American Life (NSAL). All measures including neighborhood characteristics, height, and weight were self-reported. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compute odds ratios (ORs) of obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) based on perceived neighborhood physical and social characteristics. The odds of obesity were significantly lower for adults who reported involvement in clubs, associations, or help groups (odds ratio (OR): 0.62; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.44, 0.85) and perceived that they had a park, playground, or open space in their neighborhood (odds ratio (OR): 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.47, 0.98). These associations remained significant after adjusting for leisure-time physical activity. Race/ethnicity appeared to modify the association between involvement in clubs, associations, or help groups and obesity. Providing parks, playgrounds, or open space or increasing the perception of those amenities may assist in the prevention of obesity, especially in ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the United States. More research is needed to investigate how perceptions of the neighborhood environment influence obesity and whether perceptions of the neighborhood environment differ between individuals within the same neighborhoods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of "Coca-Cola" company over the quality of the environment of Zemun

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Topalović Sanja

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Food industry can be a significant source of environmental pollution, which depends on the type of food industry. In the industrial area “Gornji Zemun” there are at least ten larger factories. Among these Coca-Cola HBC Serbia, as a representative of the industry of non-alcoholic beverages, is the most active and has the biggest influence on the environment. The success in business is based on the sustainable development and the lesser influence over the environment, which will be proven by this article.

Cancer Risk-Promoting Information: The Communication Environment of Young Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

McCloud, Rachel F; Kohler, Racquel E; Viswanath, K

2017-09-01

Young adulthood represents a time of myriad transitions, which leave young adults (YAs) more susceptible to the influences of cancer risk-promoting information. The tobacco, alcohol, indoor tanning, and food and beverage industries engage in aggressive marketing strategies through both traditional and social media to target this age group to consume their products, which have known links to cancer. Despite this barrage of messaging, detailed data are lacking on the communication behaviors of subgroups of this diverse age group, particularly those from low SES. This paper explores the available data on media usage among YAs and describes the cancer risk-promoting information environment, with a focus on communication inequalities and their implications for cancer research and control. Nationally representative data on media consumption patterns indicate that the majority of YAs access a diverse range of traditional and social media platforms, but these data do not fully describe differences at the intersection of age and important factors such as SES, gender, race/ethnicity, or urban/rural residence. Meanwhile, risk-promoting information is heavily marketed to YAs across media, with an increasing focus on using social media sites to normalize products and evade marketing restrictions. Gaps in the available data on YAs' media consumption behaviors, coupled with aggressive risk-promoting marketing strategies toward YAs, may impede cancer control efforts. Relationships between exposure to various cancer risk-promoting information, concurrent risk behaviors, SES disparities, and communication inequalities should be investigated to develop innovative and effective control programs and policies to promote cancer control in this important group. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variable activation in striatal subregions across components of a social influence task in young adult cannabis users.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilman, Jodi M; Lee, Sang; Kuster, John K; Lee, Myung Joo; Kim, Byoung Woo; van der Kouwe, Andre; Blood, Anne J; Breiter, Hans C

2016-05-01

Decades of research have demonstrated the importance of social influence in initiation and maintenance of drug use, but little is known about neural mechanisms underlying social influence in young adults who use recreational drugs. To better understand whether the neural and/or behavioral response to social influence differs in young adults using illicit drugs, 20 marijuana-using young adults (MJ) aged 18-25, and 20 controls (CON) performed a decision-making task in the context of social influence, while they underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. A priori analyses focused on the nucleus accumbens (NAc), with post hoc analyses in the rest of the striatum. In this task, participants could choose to either follow or go against group influence. When subjects applied social information to response choice selection (independent of following or going against group influence), we observed activation in the middle striatum (caudate), in the MJ group only, that extended ventrally into the NAc. MJ users but not CON showed greater activation in the NAc but not the caudate while making choices congruent with group influence as opposed to choices going against group influence. Activation in the NAc when following social influence was associated with amount of drug use reported. In contrast, during the feedback phase of the task we observed significant NAc activation in both MJ and CON, along with dorsal caudate activation only in MJ participants. This NAc activation did not correlate with drug use. This study shows that MJ users, but not CON, show differential brain activation across striatal subregions when applying social information to make a decision, following versus going against a group of peers, or receiving positive feedback. The current work suggests that differential neural sensitivity to social influence in regions such as the striatum may contribute to the development and/or maintenance of marijuana use.

Influencing factors of the 6-min walk distance in adult Arab populations: a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Joobeur, Samah; Rouatbi, Sonia; Latiri, Imed; Sfaxi, Raoudha; Ben Saad, Helmi

2016-05-01

Background Walk tests, especially the 6-min walk-test (6MWT), are commonly used in order to evaluate submaximal exercise capacity. The primary outcome of the 6MWT is the 6-min walk-distance (6MWD). Numerous demographic, physiological and anthropometric factors can influence the 6MWD in healthy adults. Objective The purpose of the present review is to highlight and discuss the 6MWD influencing factors in healthy of the healthy adult Arab populations. Methods It is a review including a literature search, from 1970 to September 31th 2015 using the PubMed, the Science Direct databases and the World Wide Web on Google search engine. Reference lists of retrieved English/French articles were searched for any additional references. Results Six studies, conducted in Tunisia (n=2), Saudi Arabia (n=3) and Algeria (n=1) were included. All studies were conducted according to the 2002-American-thoracic-society guidelines for the 6MWT. In addition to anthropometric data (sex, age, height, weight, body mass index, lean mass), the following data were recognized as 6MWD influencing factors: schooling and socioeconomic levels, urban origin, parity, physical activity score or status, metabolic equivalent task for moderate activity, spirometric data, end-walk heart-rate, resting diastolic blood pressure, dyspnoea Borg value and niqab-wearing. Conclusion The 6MWD influencing factors in adult Arab populations are numerous and include some specific predictors such as parity, physical activity level and niqab-wearing.

Large Grain Instruction and Phonological Awareness Skill Influence Rime Sensitivity, Processing Speed, and Early Decoding Skill in Adult L2 Learners

Science.gov (United States)

Brennan, Christine; Booth, James R.

2015-01-01

Linguistic knowledge, cognitive ability, and instruction influence how adults acquire a second orthography yet it remains unclear how different forms of instruction influence grain size sensitivity and subsequent decoding skill and speed. Thirty-seven monolingual, literate English-speaking adults were trained on a novel artificial orthography…

A cross-sectional study of the influence of neighborhood environment on childhood overweight and obesity: Variation by age, gender, and environment characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yong; Jiang, Yu; Xu, Yanqing; Mzayek, Fawaz; Levy, Marian

2018-03-01

To examine the influence of neighborhood environment on childhood overweight and obesity in Shelby County Schools, Tennessee, and whether and to what extent that influence varies by age, gender, and the specific environment characteristics. 41,283 students were surveyed covering both individual-level covariates and several objective measures of neighborhood environment. Multilevel logistic regressions were used to examine the influence of neighborhood-level variables on overweight+obesity and obesity with adjustment of individual-level covariates. Further, a stratified analysis for each of the six groups by school level and gender. For both overweight+obesity and obesity, younger children were less sensitive to neighborhood characteristics than older children, and boys are less sensitive than girls. For girls in middle and high schools, the risk of overweight+obesity and obesity were positively associated with population density, and negatively associated with percent of poverty and percent of unhealthy food. Boys' risk of overweight+obesity and obesity were positively associated with distance to park. Neighborhood environment plays an important role in childhood overweight and obesity, and the effects vary by age, gender, and the specific neighborhood characteristic. Intervention programs tailored to specific groups may be more effective than ones targeted to children as a whole. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influences of built environment on walking and cycling by latent segments of aging population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kemperman, A.D.A.M.; Timmermans, H.J.P.

2009-01-01

Walking and bicycling are relatively easy ways for the growing group of older adults to be physically active. The built environment may facilitate or restrict participation in walking and bicycling trips. A study was done to describe aspects of participation in walking and bicycling activities and

The long arm of community: the influence of childhood community contexts across the early life course.

Science.gov (United States)

Wickrama, K A S; Noh, Samuel

2010-08-01

This study examines the longitudinal effects of childhood community contexts on young adult outcomes. The study uses a sample of 14,000 adolescents (52% female) derived from the 1990 US Census and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Addhealth). The study examines whether community and family environments exert separate and/or joint long-term influences on young adult achievement and depression. We found both direct and indirect long-term influences of childhood community adversity on young adult educational attainment. The indirect influences of childhood community adversity operated through family and individual-level factors. The long-term influence of childhood community adversity on young adult depression was only indirect. Overall, community influences on young adult achievement outcomes were mediated by family context and by the adolescents' adjustments and transitions, including adolescent depression, school adjustment, and disruptive transitional events. The moderating effect of childhood community adversity suggests that the protective effects of family resources on young adult outcomes dissipate significantly in extremely adverse neighborhoods. The findings demonstrate the importance of integrating multiple theoretical perspectives for longitudinal research to capture pathways of community influence on adolescent developmental and young adulthood outcomes.

Social Relationships Moderate Genetic Influences on Heavy Drinking in Young Adulthood.

Science.gov (United States)

Barr, Peter B; Salvatore, Jessica E; Maes, Hermine H; Korhonen, Tellervo; Latvala, Antti; Aliev, Fazil; Viken, Richard; Rose, Richard J; Kaprio, Jaakko; Dick, Danielle M

2017-11-01

Social relationships, such as committed partnerships, limit risky behaviors like heavy drinking, in part, because of increased social control. The current analyses examine whether involvement in committed relationships or social support extend beyond a main effect to limit genetic liability in heavy drinking (gene-environment interaction) during young adulthood. Using data from the young adult wave of the Finnish Twin Study, FinnTwin12 (n = 3,269), we tested whether involvement in romantic partnerships or social support moderated genetic influences on heavy drinking using biometric twin modeling for gene-environment interaction. Involvement in a romantic partnership was associated with a decline in genetic variance in both males and females, although the overall magnitude of genetic influence was greater in males. Sex differences emerged for social support: increased social support was associated with increased genetic influence for females and reduced genetic influence for males. These findings demonstrate that social relationships are important moderators of genetic influences on young adult alcohol use. Mechanisms of social control that are important in limiting genetic liability during adolescence extend into young adulthood. In addition, although some relationships limit genetic liability equally, others, such as extensive social networks, may operate differently across sex.

Auditory Emotion Word Primes Influence Emotional Face Categorization in Children and Adults, but Not Vice Versa.

Science.gov (United States)

Vesker, Michael; Bahn, Daniela; Kauschke, Christina; Tschense, Monika; Degé, Franziska; Schwarzer, Gudrun

2018-01-01

In order to assess how the perception of audible speech and facial expressions influence one another for the perception of emotions, and how this influence might change over the course of development, we conducted two cross-modal priming experiments with three age groups of children (6-, 9-, and 12-years old), as well as college-aged adults. In Experiment 1, 74 children and 24 adult participants were tasked with categorizing photographs of emotional faces as positive or negative as quickly as possible after being primed with emotion words presented via audio in valence-congruent and valence-incongruent trials. In Experiment 2, 67 children and 24 adult participants carried out a similar categorization task, but with faces acting as visual primes, and emotion words acting as auditory targets. The results of Experiment 1 showed that participants made more errors when categorizing positive faces primed by negative words versus positive words, and that 6-year-old children are particularly sensitive to positive word primes, giving faster correct responses regardless of target valence. Meanwhile, the results of Experiment 2 did not show any congruency effects for priming by facial expressions. Thus, audible emotion words seem to exert an influence on the emotional categorization of faces, while faces do not seem to influence the categorization of emotion words in a significant way.

Education and working life: VET adults' problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments

OpenAIRE

Hämäläinen, Raija; Wever, Bram De; Malin, Antero; Cincinnato, Sebastiano

2015-01-01

The rapidly-advancing technological landscape in the European workplace is challenging adults’ problem-solving skills. Workers with vocational education and training need flexible abilities to solve problems in technology-rich work settings. This study builds on Finnish PIAAC data to understand adults’ (N=4503) skills for solving problems in technology-rich environments. The results indicate the critical issue that more than two thirds of adults with vocational education and train...

Does the Effort of Processing Potential Incentives Influence the Adaption of Context Updating in Older Adults?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannah Schmitt

2017-11-01

Full Text Available A number of aging studies suggest that older adults process positive and negative information differently. For instance, the socioemotional selectivity theory postulates that older adults preferably process positive information in service of emotional well-being (Reed and Carstensen, 2012. Moreover, recent research has started to investigate whether incentives like gains or losses can influence cognitive control in an ongoing task. In an earlier study (Schmitt et al., 2015, we examined whether incentive cues, indicating potential monetary gains, losses, or neutral outcomes for good performance in the following trial, would influence older adults’ ability to exert cognitive control. Cognitive control was measured in an AX-Continuous-Performance-Task (AX-CPT in which participants had to select their responses to probe stimuli depending on a preceding context cue. In this study, we did not find support for a positivity effect in older adults, but both gains and losses led to enhanced context processing. As the trial-wise presentation mode may be too demanding on cognitive resources for such a bias to occur, the main goal of the present study was to examine whether motivational mindsets, induced by block-wise presentation of incentives, would result in a positivity effect. For this reason, we examined 17 older participants (65–76 years in the AX-CPT using a block-wise presentation of incentive cues and compared them to 18 older adults (69–78 years with the trial-wise presentation mode from our earlier study (Schmitt et al., 2015. Event-related potentials were recorded to the onset of the motivational cue and during the AX-CPT. Our results show that (a older adults initially process cues signaling potential losses more strongly, but later during the AX-CPT invest more cognitive resources in preparatory processes like context updating in conditions with potential gains, and (b block-wise and trial-wise presentation of incentive cues

The Association between Belgian Older Adults' Physical Functioning and Physical Activity: What Is the Moderating Role of the Physical Environment?

Science.gov (United States)

Van Holle, Veerle; Van Cauwenberg, Jelle; Gheysen, Freja; Van Dyck, Delfien; Deforche, Benedicte; Van de Weghe, Nico; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

2016-01-01

Better physical functioning in the elderly may be associated with higher physical activity levels. Since older adults spend a substantial part of the day in their residential neighborhood, the neighborhood physical environment may moderate associations between functioning and older adults' physical activity. The present study investigated the moderating role of the objective and perceived physical environment on associations between Belgian older adults' physical functioning and transport walking, recreational walking, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Data from 438 older adults were included. Objective physical functioning was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery. Potential moderators included objective neighborhood walkability and perceptions of land use mix diversity, access to recreational facilities, access to services, street connectivity, physical barriers for walking, aesthetics, crime-related safety, traffic speeding-related safety, and walking infrastructure. Transport and recreational walking were self-reported, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was assessed through accelerometers. Multi-level regression analyses were conducted using MLwiN to examine two-way interactions between functioning and the environment on both walking outcomes. Based on a previous study where environment x neighborhood income associations were found for Belgian older adults' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, three-way functioning x environment x income interactions were examined for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Objectively-measured walkability moderated the association between functioning and transport walking; this positive association was only present in high-walkable neighborhoods. Moreover, a three-way interaction was observed for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Only in high-income, high-walkable neighborhoods, there was a positive association between functioning and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. No

Influence of Affordances in the Home Environment on Motor Development of Young Children in Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shiro Mori

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Previous research indicates that the home environment is a significant factor in early child development. The present study examined influence of the multidimensional home environment on young Japanese children’s motor development. A Japanese translation of the Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development-Self Report (AHEMD-SR was used to assess home motor affordances in 262 families. Motor ability was assessed by parental report using the Enjoji Infant Analytic Developmental Test. We also asked parents to rate their own physical activity in terms of level and years of experience. As results, we found that the home environment in Japan was generally sufficient for children’s motor development and that children’s access to Fine Motor Toys (FMT and Gross Motor Toys (GMT had the strongest influence on their development. Analysis also indicated that AHEMD-SR scores were higher for children of parents who had some level of physical activity experience compared to children whose parents indicated no physical activity experience. Parents’ self-reported activity level was correlated with higher scores for the subscales FMT and GMT and for total AHEMD-SR score. These results indicate that both the physical and social-psychological environments (parental experience and views of the home influenced children’s motor development.

Cutoff Values of Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) in Normal Korean Adults and Factors Influencing Serum CEA Level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong Soon; Kim, Sun Wook; Chung, June Key; Lee, Dong Soo

1994-01-01

Carcinoembryonic Antigen is one of most frequently checked tumor markers in cancer management. We performed statistical analysis with serum CEA data of 2626 persons who received regular health examination and were thought to be free of active disease to determine the cutoff values of serum CEA level in normal Korean adults and to study the factors influencing serum CEA levels in normal subjects. 1) The cutoff values of serum CEA in normal Korean adults in general were 9.28 ng/ml for men, 5.90 ng/ml for women. 2) Serum CEA level was influenced by age, present smoking history, sex, and abnormal findings in chest X ray. 3) Serum CEA level had no correlation with the history of amount of alcohol consumption or obesity. 4) Cutoff values of serum CEA in normal Korean adults were tabulated according to age, sex, and smoking history. Serum CEA level was influenced by age, sex, present smoking history and abnormal findings in chest X ray and cutoff values of serum CEA were tabulated according to age, sex, and smoking history.

The Influence of Major Life Events on Economic Attitudes in a World of Gene-Environment Interplay.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatemi, Peter K

2013-10-01

The role of "genes" on political attitudes has gained attention across disciplines. However, person-specific experiences have yet to be incorporated into models that consider genetic influences. Relying on a gene-environment interplay approach, this study explicates how life-events, such as losing one's job or suffering a financial loss, influence economic policy attitudes. The results indicate genetic and environmental variance on support for unions, immigration, capitalism, socialism and property tax is moderated by financial risks. Changes in the magnitude of genetic influences, however, are temporary. After two years, the phenotypic effects of the life events remain on most attitudes, but changes in the sources of individual differences do not. Univariate twin models that estimate the independent contributions of genes and environment on the variation of attitudes appear to provide robust baseline indicators of sources of individual differences. These estimates, however, are not event or day specific. In this way, genetic influences add stability, while environment cues change, and this process is continually updated.

Soil emanometry possibilities in assessment of different influences on environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mojzes, A.

2004-01-01

Radioactive gas radon having origin in mineral composition of rocks is a dangerous radio-toxic element. This fact imposes a need of its detection and quantification with the aid of radon risk assessment in either geological basement or living rooms. Except for this it is possible to use the radon detection, thanks to its relatively simple measurement, for purposes of geological near-surface structure characterization because this object has also a direct influence on human environment. The goal of contribution is to present an attempt of utilization of field emanation survey (in complex with other geophysical survey methods) as means to closer and more detailed definition of that part of geological environment which is affected by both human activity of undermining and natural tectonic faults. In situ field measurements were carried out in the Homa Nitra Region whose environment is heavily burdened with such factors. (authors)

Roots & shoots remembered: A qualitative study of the influence of childhood place-based experiences on the lives of young adults

Science.gov (United States)

Macht, Katrina G.

This dissertation is a qualitative interview study that explored the memories of 10 former students, now young adults, long removed from their intermediate school (grades 4 -- 6) experiences. The purpose of the study was to learn what impact involvement in the school's Roots & Shoots program had on later attitudes and behaviors. Specifically, the study focused on the relationship between distant childhood experiences and current dispositions towards the environment and civic responsibility. The results from the study were based on data collected from interviews, written reflections, and email correspondence, with 10 young adults who attended the intermediate school between 1997 and 2007. At the time of the study, the participants' ages ranged from 18 to 26. They were interviewed, both individually and in a focus group setting, as well as asked to write reflections based on follow-up questions. Their responses were analyzed, using constant comparative thematic analysis. Each former student contributed significant data to the research, and all of their voices are included in this dissertation. While their perceptions' of the program's influence ranged along a continuum, all but one of the participants agreed that the most significant aspects of the program were its place-based, justice-oriented, service-learning dimensions. They linked their experiences in the school's outdoor classroom to current attitudes and beliefs about nature and society. The data revealed that it was the outdoor experiences in a local environment that both planted the seeds for ecological literacy and inspired lifelong civic engagement.

IS EIA - Assessment of influences on the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suchova, K.

2005-01-01

Environmental Impact Assessment - EIA is considered as one of main instruments of international environmental politics for performance of permanent sustainable development. It is asserted almost three decades in advanced countries. In the Slovak Republic the EIA is realised since 1994 year when the law of National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 127/1994 Coll. Laws became effective. The purpose of EIA is complex, special and public assessment of influences of proposed constructions, equipment and activities on the environment before resolution on their license according special regulation. Data bases and their modules used for EIA in the Slovak Republic are presented

A place for play? The influence of the home physical environment on children's physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Maitland, Clover; Stratton, Gareth; Foster, Sarah; Braham, Rebecca; Rosenberg, Michael

2013-08-17

The home environment is an important influence on the sedentary behaviour and physical activity of children, who have limited independent mobility and spend much of their time at home. This article reviews the current evidence regarding the influence of the home physical environment on the sedentary behaviour and physical activity of children aged 8-14 years. A literature search of peer reviewed articles published between 2005 and 2011 resulted in 38 observational studies (21 with activity outcomes, 23 with sedentary outcomes) and 11 experimental studies included in the review. The most commonly investigated behavioural outcomes were television watching and moderate to vigorous physical activity. Media equipment in the home and to a lesser extent the bedroom were positively associated with children's sedentary behaviour. Physical activity equipment and the house and yard were not associated with physical activity, although environmental measures were exclusively self-reported. On the other hand, physical activity equipment was inversely associated with sedentary behaviours in half of studies. Observational studies that investigated the influence of the physical and social environment within the home space, found that the social environment, particularly the role of parents, was important. Experimental studies that changed the home physical environment by introducing a television limiting device successfully decreased television viewing, whereas the influence of introducing an active video game on activity outcomes was inconsistent. Results highlight that the home environment is an important influence on children's sedentary behaviour and physical activity, about which much is still unknown. While changing or controlling the home physical environment shows promise for reducing screen based sedentary behaviour, further interventions are needed to understand the broader impact of these changes. Future studies should prioritise investigating the influence of the home

The Influence of Social Media on Collaborative Learning in a Cohort Environment

OpenAIRE

Natasha James-Waldon; Debbi Bromley; Zandra Henry; Silas Wandera

2016-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the impact that social media has on the development of collaborative learning within a cohort environment in a doctoral program. The researchers surveyed doctoral students in an education program to determine how social media use has influenced the doctoral students. The study looked at the following areas: a) the ability of social media use to develop a collaborative learning environment, b) access to social media content which supports learning, and c) whe...

Food Shopping Venues, Neighborhood Food Environment, and Body Mass Index Among Guyanese, Black, and White Adults in an Urban Community in the US.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosler, Akiko S; Michaels, Isaac H; Buckenmeyer, Erin M

2016-06-01

To investigate relationships among food shopping venues, food environment, and body mass index (BMI). Cross-sectional survey data and directly assessed food environment data were linked at the neighborhood level. Schenectady, NY. A sample of Guyanese, black, and white adults (n = 226, 485, and 908, respectively). BMI. Linear regression models were constructed with 10 food shopping venues and neighborhood food environment as explanatory variables, controlling for sociodemographics, dietary behavior, physical activity, and perception of healthy food access. On average, respondents used 3.5 different food shopping venues. Supermarkets and ethnic markets were associated with a lower BMI in Guyanese adults. Among black adults, farmers' markets were associated with a lower BMI, whereas supermarkets, wholesale clubs, and food pantries were associated with a higher BMI. Among white adults, food coops and supermarkets were associated with a lower BMI and wholesale clubs were associated with a higher BMI. Neighborhoods with less a favorable food environment (longer travel distance to a supermarket) were associated with a lower BMI in Guyanese adults. Both primary (ie, supermarkets) and secondary food shopping venues could be independent determinants of BMI. The observed variations by race and ethnicity provided insights into a culturally tailored approach to address obesity. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Emotional Material on Encoding and Retrieving Intentions: An ERP Study in Younger and Older Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Hering, Alexandra; Kliegel, Matthias; Bisiacchi, Patrizia S.; Cona, Giorgia

2018-01-01

Prospective memory is a cognitive process that comprises the encoding and maintenance of an intention until the appropriate moment of its retrieval. It is of highly relevance for an independent everyday life, especially in older adults; however, there is ample evidence that prospective memory declines with increasing age. Because most studies have used neutral stimuli, it is still an open question how emotional factors influence age-related differences in prospective remembering. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of emotional material on prospective memory encoding, monitoring, maintaining, and retrieval in younger and older adults using behavioral and electrophysiological measures. We tested 24 younger adults (M = 26.4 years) and 20 older adults (M = 68.1 years) using a picture one-back task as ongoing activity with an embedded prospective memory instruction. The experimental task consisted of three sessions. In each session, participants had to encode series of images that represented the prospective memory cues for the consecutive block. The images were either of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral valence. The pictures used in the ongoing task were likewise of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral valence. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to assess the neural correlates of intention encoding, maintenance, and self-initiated retrieval. We did not find age differences between younger and older adults on the behavioral level. However, the ERP results revealed an interesting pattern that suggested for both age groups elevated attentional processing of emotional cues during encoding indicated by an elevated LPP for the emotional cues. Additionally, younger adults showed increased activity for unpleasant cues. During the maintenance phase, both age groups engaged in strategic monitoring especially for pleasant cues, which led to enhanced sustained positivity. During retrieval, older adults showed increased activity of ERP components related

The Influence of Emotional Material on Encoding and Retrieving Intentions: An ERP Study in Younger and Older Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra Hering

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Prospective memory is a cognitive process that comprises the encoding and maintenance of an intention until the appropriate moment of its retrieval. It is of highly relevance for an independent everyday life, especially in older adults; however, there is ample evidence that prospective memory declines with increasing age. Because most studies have used neutral stimuli, it is still an open question how emotional factors influence age-related differences in prospective remembering. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of emotional material on prospective memory encoding, monitoring, maintaining, and retrieval in younger and older adults using behavioral and electrophysiological measures. We tested 24 younger adults (M = 26.4 years and 20 older adults (M = 68.1 years using a picture one-back task as ongoing activity with an embedded prospective memory instruction. The experimental task consisted of three sessions. In each session, participants had to encode series of images that represented the prospective memory cues for the consecutive block. The images were either of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral valence. The pictures used in the ongoing task were likewise of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral valence. Event-related potentials (ERPs were recorded to assess the neural correlates of intention encoding, maintenance, and self-initiated retrieval. We did not find age differences between younger and older adults on the behavioral level. However, the ERP results revealed an interesting pattern that suggested for both age groups elevated attentional processing of emotional cues during encoding indicated by an elevated LPP for the emotional cues. Additionally, younger adults showed increased activity for unpleasant cues. During the maintenance phase, both age groups engaged in strategic monitoring especially for pleasant cues, which led to enhanced sustained positivity. During retrieval, older adults showed increased activity of ERP

Urban Students' Perceptions of the School Environment's Influence on School Violence

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Sarah Lindstrom; Burke, Jessica Griffin; Gielen, Andrea Carlson

2012-01-01

This article provides information about aspects of the school environment students perceive to influence the occurrence of school violence. Concept mapping, a mixed-methods methodology, was used with two groups of urban, primarily African American high school students (N = 27) to create conceptual frameworks of their understanding of the school…

Associations of Older Taiwanese Adults' Personal Attributes and Perceptions of the Neighborhood Environment Concerning Walking for Recreation and Transportation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Yung; Huang, Pin-Hsuan; Hsiang, Chih-Yu; Huang, Jing-Huei; Hsueh, Ming-Chun; Park, Jong-Hwan

2017-12-18

This study examines the cross-sectional associations between personal and perceived neighborhood environment attributes regarding walking for recreation and transportation among older Taiwanese adults. Data related to personal factors, perceived environmental factors, and time spent engaging in transportation-related and recreational walking were obtained from 1032 older adults aged 65 years and above. The data were analyzed by carrying out an adjusted binary logistic regression. After adjusting for potential confounders, two commonly perceived environmental factors, the presence of sidewalks (PS) and the presence of a destination (PD), were positively associated with 150 min of walking for recreation. Different personal and perceived environmental factors were associated with walking for recreation and transportation. These findings suggest that policy-makers and physical activity intervention designers should develop both common and individual environmental strategies in order to improve and increase awareness of the neighborhood environment to promote recreational and transportation walking behaviors among older adults.

Are College Students' Assessments of Threat Shaped by the Dangers of Their Childhood Environment?

Science.gov (United States)

Sherman, Amanda K; Minich, Steven H; Langen, Tom A; Skufca, Joseph; Wilke, Andreas

2016-07-01

Humans internalize environmental cues of mortality risk at an early age, which influences subsequent risk perceptions and behavior. In this respect, an individual's current risk assessment may be viewed as an adaptive response to the dangers present within his or her early local environment. Here we examine the relationship between several variables indicating threat within an individual's early environment (e.g., prevalence of violent and property crimes, registered sex offenders) and their perception of crime risk within both the childhood and current adult environments. We recruited a group of 657 students who hail from diverse geographic backgrounds to provide the zip code location of their childhood residence along with subjective ratings of danger of that and their current location, which enabled us to compare their ratings of risk/danger with the federally reported crime statistics of each setting. Our results indicate that the early prevalence of registered sex offenders indeed influences an individual's risk perception in adulthood, and that these factors have a differential effect on males and females. Our findings provide support for the theory that early environmental factors signaling danger affect how individuals assess risk within their adult environment. © The Author(s) 2015.

Influences of Visual Attention and Reading Time on Children and Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Chun-Chun; Ma, Min-Yuan

2017-01-01

This study investigates the relationship between visual attention and reading time using a mobile electroencephalography device. The mobile electroencephalography device uses a single channel dry sensor, which easily measures participants' attention in the real-world reading environment. The results reveal that age significantly influences visual…

Influence of the physical environment on treatment effect in exercise therapy for knee or hip pain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandal, Louise Fleng

treatment outcomes in other health-care settings, such as rehabilitation and exercise therapy settings. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the role of the physical environment as a contributor to context effects in the treatment response from exercise therapy as treatment for muskuloskeletal pain......Context effects are defined as the effects of a given treatment, not directly caused by the treatment itself, but, rather, caused by the context in which the treatment is delivered. The patient-practitioner relationship is a known context factor, but it is hard to standardize across health-care...... settings. The physical environment is easier to standardize and may act as a context factor and influence treatment outcomes. Studies from hospital environments have shown that the physical environment influences health outcomes, patients, and clinicians. It is unknown if the physical environment affects...

ABOUT INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT SCHEMES IMPACT RADIATION ENVIRONMENTS AND LOADS ON REINFORCED LAMELLAR STRUCTURAL MEMBERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafail B. Garibov

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the model of deformation of fiber-reinforced concrete rectangular plate under the influence of radiation environments. In the calculation of the plate was considered different schemes impact of the applied external loads and radiation environments.

Twin study of genetic and environmental influences on adult body size, shape and composition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schousboe, K.; Visscher, P.M.; Erbas, B.

2004-01-01

), we determined zygosity by DNA similarity, and performed anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis of body composition. The contribution to the total phenotypic variance of genetic, common environment, and individual environment was estimated in multivariate analysis using the FISHER program...... effects under the assumptions of no nonadditive effect. The pattern of age trends was inconsistent. However, when significant there was a decrease in heritability with advancing age. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that adult body size, shape, and composition are highly heritable in both women and men...

Influence of the medication environment on the unsafe medication behavior of nurses: A path analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xi; Li, Ce; Gao, Xueqin; Liu, Furong; Lin, Ping

2018-04-20

To explore the relationship between the medication environment and the unsafe medication behavior of nurses and to analyze its influence path. Unsafe medication behavior is the direct cause of medication error. The organizational environment is the foundation of and plays a guiding role in work behavior. Whether the medication environment correlates with the unsafe medication behavior of nurses remains unclear. This study used a correlative design with self-administered questionnaires, and the SHEL model, an acronym of its elements of software, hardware, environment, and liveware, was used as the framework for the medication environment. A survey was conducted among 1012 clinical nurses from five tertiary hospitals in China using the nurse unsafe medication behavior scale (NUMBS) and the nurses' perceptions of the medication environment scale (NPMES). Data were collected from January to February 2017. Path analyses were used to examine the hypothesized model. The medication environment correlated negatively with unsafe medication behavior (r=-0.48, pbehavior. Software, hardware and the environment indirectly influenced unsafe medication behavior, and nurses' personal factors played a mediating role in the relationships of unsafe medication behavior with software, hardware, and the environment. The unsafe medication behavior of nurses should be further improved. The medication environment was a predictor of unsafe medication behavior. Care managers should actively improve the medication environment to reduce the incidence of unsafe medication behaviors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Understanding environment-influenced swarm behavior from a social force perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, J.; Lu, D.; Jiang, Y.; Lee, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Yu, J.

2018-02-01

The relevant research on swarm behavior has focused on the facts that when individuals agree with other members in the system globally consistent behaviors are generated and that individual decisions are completely dominated by other members. In fact, when individuals generate their own behavior strategies, they tend to consider not only the influences of other members but also autonomically consider their current environment. For example, in the social foraging of flocks, the behavior strategy of each individual animal is influenced by the food distribution, and individual movement patterns are characterized by a highly efficient search strategy-Lévy walks. To investigate this, this paper proposes using an environment-driven social force perspective to explore the Lévy walks of individuals in a group in patchy food environments. This model adopts the concept of social force to quantify the social effects and the interactions between individuals and food. The coordination between forces is a key in the formation of individual behavior strategies. Our simulation results show a power-law frequency distribution for agent flight lengths that conforms to Lévy walks and verifies the hypothesis of a relationship between food density and the Lévy index. In our model, the flock still exhibits collective consistency and cohesion and yields a high value for the order parameter and population density when moving between food patches. In addition, our model explains the intraspecific cooperation and competition that occurs during foraging as proposed in related work. The simulation also validates the impact of two inducements for individual behaviors compared with several benchmark models.

Objectively measured physical environmental neighbourhood factors are not associated with accelerometer-determined total sedentary time in adults

OpenAIRE

Compernolle, Sofie; De Cocker, Katrien; Mackenbach, Joreintje D.; Van Nassau, Femke; Lakerveld, Jeroen; Cardon, Greet; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

2017-01-01

Background: The physical neighbourhood environment may influence adults' sedentary behaviour. Yet, most studies examining the association between the physical neighbourhood environment and sedentary behaviour rely on self-reported data of either the physical neighbourhood environment and/or sedentary behaviour. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between objectively measured physical environmental neighbourhood factors and accelerometer-determined total sedentary time in...

Factors that influence dental students' attitudes about older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Nochajski, Thomas H; Waldrop, Deborah P; Davis, Elaine L; Fabiano, Jude A; Goldberg, Louis J

2009-01-01

Our study considered dental students' general attitudes towards older persons using the Aging Semantic Differential. The influence of age, gender, cohort, education, and academic exposure on general attitudes towards older adults was evaluated using a total of 328 dental students across all four years of academic standing. Students were assessed in the fall and spring semesters. The results showed differential responding on the four subscales, with slight positive ratings on the autonomy, acceptability, and integrity subscales and a slight negative rating for instrumentality. Females expressed more negative attitudes than their male counterparts, with no age differences. There was also no significant impact from a specific, didactic educational component offered to the fourth-year students. However, the fourth-year students were the only group to show positive changes across the full academic year. The results suggest that general attitudes can be changed, but didactic (classroom) forms of education alone are insufficient to meaningfully modify students' perceptions of the elderly. Exposure to older adults in a clinical setting appears to be a critical element, as the fourth-year students received much greater exposure to older patients and more intensified interface with their mentors.

Environmental Influences on Adult Motivation for Career Choice in Science Professions

Science.gov (United States)

Fawcett-Adams, Victoria Joan

Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education is an issue of great concern for the country with implications for sustaining a skilled workforce in science-based professions. This empirical study explored adults' science career choice and explored the environmental influences that motivated, influenced and shaped these choices. This qualitative study used the analytical lens of narrative inquiry storytelling and thick description. Participants lived in medium-sized rural towns and a small city, and they were adults who had been in science careers for a minimum of ten years in the fields of health care, education and agriculture. Interviews were semi-structured with open-ended questions and were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Observations took place at the workplace site. The interview transcripts were reviewed with each participant in person for authenticity and additional specific questions were designed to further explore their responses, meaning and provide accurate interpretations of the data. Themes and subthemes emerged from coding the data and suggested four dominant themes: people, identity, beliefs and attitudes, and feelings. Findings showed that people such as parents, grandparents, siblings and teachers were most influential in forming identity as well as shaping beliefs and attitudes, and feelings in science career choice. Participants did not remember educational experiences as influential; however, they did remember some teachers and advisors as influential, especially during college. The researcher recommends that parents and other adults build relationships with students specifically to discuss career opportunities. Parents and teachers should increase their knowledge and awareness of science careers. This knowledge can then contribute to a more informed conversation when discussing career objectives with students. Industry should partner with K-16 education to help develop a scientific workforce and participate in further career

Exploring the Influence of Nurse Work Environment and Patient Safety Culture on Attitudes Toward Incident Reporting.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Moon Sook; Kim, Kyoung Ja

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to explore the influence of nurse work environments and patient safety culture on attitudes toward incident reporting. Patient safety culture had been known as a factor of incident reporting by nurses. Positive work environment could be an important influencing factor for the safety behavior of nurses. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The structured questionnaire was administered to 191 nurses working at a tertiary university hospital in South Korea. Nurses' perception of work environment and patient safety culture were positively correlated with attitudes toward incident reporting. A regression model with clinical career, work area and nurse work environment, and patient safety culture against attitudes toward incident reporting was statistically significant. The model explained approximately 50.7% of attitudes toward incident reporting. Improving nurses' attitudes toward incident reporting can be achieved with a broad approach that includes improvements in work environment and patient safety culture.

Promoting Active Urban Aging: A Measurement Approach to Neighborhood Walkability for Older Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachael L. Weiss

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Understanding the role of the built environment on physical activity behavior among older adults is an important public health goal, but evaluating these relationships remains complicated due to the difficulty of measuring specific attributes of the environment. As a result, there is conflicting evidence regarding the association between perceived and objectively measured walkability and physical activity among urban-dwelling older adults. This suggests that both actual environmental features and perceptions of these attributes influence walking behavior. The purpose of this pilot project is to create an Objective Walkability Index (OWI by census block using a Geographic Information System (GIS and supplement the results with resident perceptions thus more accurately characterizing the context of walkability. Computerized Neighborhood Environment Tracking (ComNET was used to systematically assess environmental risks impacting activity patterns of older adults in two New York City neighborhoods. In addition, the Senior Center Evaluation of the Neighborhood Environment (SCENE survey was administered to older adults attending two senior centers located within the target neighborhoods. The results indicate that there is substantial variation in OWI score both between and within the neighborhoods suggesting that residence in some communities may increase the risk of inactivity among older adults. Also, low walkability census blocks were clustered within each neighborhood providing an opportunity for targeted investigation into localized threats to walkability. A lack of consensus regarding the association between the built environment and physical activity among older adults is a consequence of the problems inherent in measuring these determinants. Further empirical evidence evaluating the complex relationships between the built environment and physical activity is an essential step towards creating active communities.

Promoting Active Urban Aging: A Measurement Approach to Neighborhood Walkability for Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Rachael L; Maantay, Juliana A; Fahs, Marianne

2010-01-01

Understanding the role of the built environment on physical activity behavior among older adults is an important public health goal, but evaluating these relationships remains complicated due to the difficulty of measuring specific attributes of the environment. As a result, there is conflicting evidence regarding the association between perceived and objectively measured walkability and physical activity among urban-dwelling older adults. This suggests that both actual environmental features and perceptions of these attributes influence walking behavior. The purpose of this pilot project is to create an Objective Walkability Index (OWI) by census block using a Geographic Information System (GIS) and supplement the results with resident perceptions thus more accurately characterizing the context of walkability. Computerized Neighborhood Environment Tracking (ComNET) was used to systematically assess environmental risks impacting activity patterns of older adults in two New York City neighborhoods. In addition, the Senior Center Evaluation of the Neighborhood Environment (SCENE) survey was administered to older adults attending two senior centers located within the target neighborhoods. The results indicate that there is substantial variation in OWI score both between and within the neighborhoods suggesting that residence in some communities may increase the risk of inactivity among older adults. Also, low walkability census blocks were clustered within each neighborhood providing an opportunity for targeted investigation into localized threats to walkability. A lack of consensus regarding the association between the built environment and physical activity among older adults is a consequence of the problems inherent in measuring these determinants. Further empirical evidence evaluating the complex relationships between the built environment and physical activity is an essential step towards creating active communities.

Influences of Creative Personality and Working Environment on the Research Productivity of Business School Faculty

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kihwan; Choi, Suk Bong

2017-01-01

Previous research on creative working environments has focused on business organizations. This study examined the influence of creative personality and creative working environment on the research productivity of business faculty. It was hypothesized that creative personality, family support, colleague support, research resources, and workload…

Nurses' Practice Environment and Their Job Satisfaction: A Study on Nurses Caring for Older Adults in Shanghai.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ying; Dong, Weizhen; Mauk, Kristen; Li, Peiying; Wan, Jin; Yang, Guang; Fang, Lyuying; Huan, Wan; Chen, Chun; Hao, Mo

2015-01-01

To examine the job satisfaction of nurses who are caring for older adults in healthcare settings in Shanghai, and to explore the underlying factors in order to explain and predict nurses' job satisfaction. China has the largest elderly population in the world, and its population is aging rapidly. Studies on job satisfaction of nurses providing care for the elderly in China can help to identify problem areas and develop strategies for the improvement of nurses' working conditions. However, to date, this subject matter has not been thoroughly studied in the Chinese context. Previous studies in other countries show that many factors impact nurses' job satisfaction, with the practice environment being a critical factor. There is a serious nursing shortage in China, especially in the big cities such as Shanghai. Given the increasing care demand of the aging population, learning about the job satisfaction level among nurses who are caring for older adults can provide essential information to help attract and retain nurses in this specialty area. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 444 nurses in 22 elderly care institutions in Shanghai. The Chinese version of the Index of Work Satisfaction (IWS) and the Nursing Practice Environment Scale were instruments used. Inferential statistical tests used to analyze the data included Spearman correlation analysis, one-way analysis of variance, and hierarchical regression tests. The average overall IWS (part B) score was 135.21 ± 19.34. Personality, job and organizational characteristics were found to be the most influential factors, and the practice environment was identified as having the strongest impact on job satisfaction (Beta = 0.494). Job satisfaction level among nurses who are caring for older adults in Shanghai is moderate, but the data suggest that this could be greatly increased if the nursing practice environment was improved.

Nurses' Practice Environment and Their Job Satisfaction: A Study on Nurses Caring for Older Adults in Shanghai.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Wang

Full Text Available To examine the job satisfaction of nurses who are caring for older adults in healthcare settings in Shanghai, and to explore the underlying factors in order to explain and predict nurses' job satisfaction.China has the largest elderly population in the world, and its population is aging rapidly. Studies on job satisfaction of nurses providing care for the elderly in China can help to identify problem areas and develop strategies for the improvement of nurses' working conditions. However, to date, this subject matter has not been thoroughly studied in the Chinese context. Previous studies in other countries show that many factors impact nurses' job satisfaction, with the practice environment being a critical factor. There is a serious nursing shortage in China, especially in the big cities such as Shanghai. Given the increasing care demand of the aging population, learning about the job satisfaction level among nurses who are caring for older adults can provide essential information to help attract and retain nurses in this specialty area.A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 444 nurses in 22 elderly care institutions in Shanghai. The Chinese version of the Index of Work Satisfaction (IWS and the Nursing Practice Environment Scale were instruments used. Inferential statistical tests used to analyze the data included Spearman correlation analysis, one-way analysis of variance, and hierarchical regression tests.The average overall IWS (part B score was 135.21 ± 19.34. Personality, job and organizational characteristics were found to be the most influential factors, and the practice environment was identified as having the strongest impact on job satisfaction (Beta = 0.494.Job satisfaction level among nurses who are caring for older adults in Shanghai is moderate, but the data suggest that this could be greatly increased if the nursing practice environment was improved.

Nurses’ Practice Environment and Their Job Satisfaction: A Study on Nurses Caring for Older Adults in Shanghai

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ying; Dong, Weizhen; Mauk, Kristen; Li, Peiying; Wan, Jin; Yang, Guang; Fang, Lyuying; Huan, Wan; Chen, Chun; Hao, Mo

2015-01-01

Aim To examine the job satisfaction of nurses who are caring for older adults in healthcare settings in Shanghai, and to explore the underlying factors in order to explain and predict nurses’ job satisfaction. Background China has the largest elderly population in the world, and its population is aging rapidly. Studies on job satisfaction of nurses providing care for the elderly in China can help to identify problem areas and develop strategies for the improvement of nurses’ working conditions. However, to date, this subject matter has not been thoroughly studied in the Chinese context. Previous studies in other countries show that many factors impact nurses’ job satisfaction, with the practice environment being a critical factor. There is a serious nursing shortage in China, especially in the big cities such as Shanghai. Given the increasing care demand of the aging population, learning about the job satisfaction level among nurses who are caring for older adults can provide essential information to help attract and retain nurses in this specialty area. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 444 nurses in 22 elderly care institutions in Shanghai. The Chinese version of the Index of Work Satisfaction (IWS) and the Nursing Practice Environment Scale were instruments used. Inferential statistical tests used to analyze the data included Spearman correlation analysis, one-way analysis of variance, and hierarchical regression tests. Results The average overall IWS (part B) score was 135.21 ± 19.34. Personality, job and organizational characteristics were found to be the most influential factors, and the practice environment was identified as having the strongest impact on job satisfaction (Beta = 0.494). Conclusion Job satisfaction level among nurses who are caring for older adults in Shanghai is moderate, but the data suggest that this could be greatly increased if the nursing practice environment was improved. PMID:26380980

The Influence of Ecological Factors on the Transmission and Stability of Avian Influenza Virus in the Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dyah Ayu Hewajuli

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Ecology is a science studying the correlation among organisms and some environmental factors. Ecological factors play an important role to transmit Avian Influenza (AI virus and influence its stability in the environment. Avian Influenza virus is classified as type A virus and belong to Orthomyxoviridae family. The virus can infect various vertebrates, mainly birds and mammals, including human. Avian Influenza virus transmission can occur through bird migration. The bird migration patterns usually occur in the large continent covers a long distance area within a certain periode hence transmit the virus from infected birds to other birds and spread to the environment. The biotic (normal flora microbes and abiotic (physical and chemical factors play important role in transmitting the virus to susceptible avian species and influence its stability in the environment. Disinfectant can inactivate the AI virus in the environment but its effectivity is influenced by the concentration, contact time, pH, temperature and organic matter.

Psychosocial factors for influencing healthy aging in adults in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, KyungHun; Lee, YunJung; Gu, JaSung; Oh, Hee; Han, JongHee; Kim, KwuyBun

2015-03-07

Healthy aging includes physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being in later years. The purpose of this study is to identify the psychosocial factors influencing healthy aging and examining their socio-demographic characteristics. Perceived health status, depression, self-esteem, self-achievement, ego-integrity, participation in leisure activities, and loneliness were identified as influential factors in healthy aging. 171 Korean adults aged between 45 and 77 years-old participated in the study. Self-reporting questionnaires were used, followed by descriptive statistics and multiple regressions as inferential statistical analyses. There were significant differences between participants' general characteristics: age, education, religion, housing, hobby, and economic status. The factors related to healthy aging had positive correlation with perceived health status, self-esteem, self-achievements, and leisure activities, and negative correlation with depression and loneliness. The factors influencing healthy aging were depression, leisure activities, perceived health status, ego integrity, and self-achievements. These factors were able to explain 51.9%. According to the results, depression is the factor with the greatest influence on healthy aging. Perceived health status, ego integrity, self-achievement, self-esteem, participation of leisure activities were also influential on healthy aging as beneficial factors.

Adverse Childhood Environment: Relationship With Sexual Risk Behaviors and Marital Status in a Large American Sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Kermyt G

2017-01-01

A substantial theoretical and empirical literature suggests that stressful events in childhood influence the timing and patterning of subsequent sexual and reproductive behaviors. Stressful childhood environments have been predicted to produce a life history strategy in which adults are oriented more toward short-term mating behaviors and less toward behaviors consistent with longevity. This article tests the hypothesis that adverse childhood environment will predict adult outcomes in two areas: risky sexual behavior (engagement in sexual risk behavior or having taken an HIV test) and marital status (currently married vs. never married, divorced, or a member of an unmarried couple). Data come from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The sample contains 17,530 men and 23,978 women aged 18-54 years living in 13 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia. Adverse childhood environment is assessed through 11 retrospective measures of childhood environment, including having grown up with someone who was depressed or mentally ill, who was an alcoholic, who used or abused drugs, or who served time in prison; whether one's parents divorced in childhood; and two scales measuring childhood exposure to violence and to sexual trauma. The results indicate that adverse childhood environment is associated with increased likelihood of engaging in sexual risk behaviors or taking an HIV test, and increased likelihood of being in an unmarried couple or divorced/separated, for both men and women. The predictions are supported by the data, lending further support to the hypothesis that childhood environments influence adult reproductive strategy.

The influence of family environment on dissociation in pediatric injury patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Nugent, Nicole R; Sledjeski, Eve M; Christopher, Norman C; Delahanty, Douglas L

2011-10-01

Emerging support for the roles of both early trauma and family environment in the development of dissociative symptomatology is complicated by the frequent co-occurrence of dysfunctional family environments and childhood maltreatment. The present investigation prospectively examined the influence of family environment on dissociative symptom course in 82 youths (8-18 years) who experienced accidental injury. The primary caretaker reported on six-week family environment (including family cohesion and adaptability) and on youth symptoms of dissociation prior to injury at six weeks and at six months; dissociation prior to injury was assessed via retrospective parent account at the six-week timepoint. Adolescents (aged 11-18) also reported on their own dissociative symptoms at six weeks. Latent growth modeling indicated that youth in more cohesive family environments evidenced decreased symptoms of dissociation at the six-week intercept (z = -2.80). Furthermore, parent income was negatively related to symptoms of dissociation at intercept (z = -1.96) and parent education was associated with a decrease in youth dissociation symptoms over time (z = -2.57). The present findings provide support for the importance of acute family environment in pediatric post-injury adjustment and further highlight the importance of parent resources, including income and education, in post-injury adjustment.

A place for play? The influence of the home physical environment on children’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

The home environment is an important influence on the sedentary behaviour and physical activity of children, who have limited independent mobility and spend much of their time at home. This article reviews the current evidence regarding the influence of the home physical environment on the sedentary behaviour and physical activity of children aged 8–14 years. A literature search of peer reviewed articles published between 2005 and 2011 resulted in 38 observational studies (21 with activity outcomes, 23 with sedentary outcomes) and 11 experimental studies included in the review. The most commonly investigated behavioural outcomes were television watching and moderate to vigorous physical activity. Media equipment in the home and to a lesser extent the bedroom were positively associated with children’s sedentary behaviour. Physical activity equipment and the house and yard were not associated with physical activity, although environmental measures were exclusively self-reported. On the other hand, physical activity equipment was inversely associated with sedentary behaviours in half of studies. Observational studies that investigated the influence of the physical and social environment within the home space, found that the social environment, particularly the role of parents, was important. Experimental studies that changed the home physical environment by introducing a television limiting device successfully decreased television viewing, whereas the influence of introducing an active video game on activity outcomes was inconsistent. Results highlight that the home environment is an important influence on children’s sedentary behaviour and physical activity, about which much is still unknown. While changing or controlling the home physical environment shows promise for reducing screen based sedentary behaviour, further interventions are needed to understand the broader impact of these changes. Future studies should prioritise investigating the influence of the

An evaluation of the influence of environment and biogeography on community structure: the case of Holarctic mammals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rodríguez, J.; Hortal, Joaquín; Nieto, M.

2006-01-01

Aim To evaluate the influence of environment and biogeographical region, as a proxy for historical influence, on the ecological structure of Holarctic communities from similar environments. It is assumed that similarities among communities from similar environments in different realms...... to Bailey's ecoregions (used as a surrogate of regional climate), and the positions of the communities in the dimensions of the CA are compared in relation to ecoregion and realm. Partial regression was used to test for the relative influence of ecoregion and realm over each dimension and to evaluate...... the effect of biogeographical realm on the variation in the factor scores of the communities of the same ecoregion. Results In some cases, mammalian communities from areas with similar regional climates exhibit convergence in community structure, irrespective of the biogeographical realm where...

Do Inequalities in Neighborhood Walkability Drive Disparities in Older Adults' Outdoor Walking?

Science.gov (United States)

Zandieh, Razieh; Flacke, Johannes; Martinez, Javier; Jones, Phil; van Maarseveen, Martin

2017-07-07

Older residents of high-deprivation areas walk less than those of low-deprivation areas. Previous research has shown that neighborhood built environment may support and encourage outdoor walking. The extent to which the built environment supports and encourages walking is called "walkability". This study examines inequalities in neighborhood walkability in high- versus low-deprivation areas and their possible influences on disparities in older adults' outdoor walking levels. For this purpose, it focuses on specific neighborhood built environment attributes (residential density, land-use mix and intensity, street connectivity, and retail density) relevant to neighborhood walkability. It applied a mixed-method approach, included 173 participants (≥65 years), and used a Geographic Information System (GIS) and walking interviews (with a sub-sample) to objectively and subjectively measure neighborhood built environment attributes. Outdoor walking levels were measured by using the Geographic Positioning System (GPS) technology. Data on personal characteristics was collected by completing a questionnaire. The results show that inequalities in certain land-use intensity (i.e., green spaces, recreation centers, schools and industries) in high- versus low-deprivation areas may influence disparities in older adults' outdoor walking levels. Modifying neighborhood land use intensity may help to encourage outdoor walking in high-deprivation areas.

The influence of the perinatal environment on the heart: morphological, electrocardiographic, and multimodality imaging features

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe Mercuro

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to review the studies performed to evaluate the influence of perinatal environment on neonatal heart, detected by electrocardiography, echocardiography, and other imaging techniques. Prenatal conditions (such as intrauterine growth retardation and prematurity at birth and some post-natal events (such as perinatal asphyxia and corticosteroids administration, may have early and late detrimental effects on the heart may predispose to a number of future cardiovascular adverse events. For example, subjects born preterm may be at potentially higher risk of developing malignant ventricular arrhythmias as well. Moreover, in individuals born with an extremely low birthweight atrial septal aneurysms are present in about one third of the subjects in the study. Thus, a long-life follow up is suggested in these subjects.Proceedings of the 11th International Workshop on Neonatology and Satellite Meetings · Cagliari (Italy · October 26th-31st, 2015 · From the womb to the adultGuest Editors: Vassilios Fanos (Cagliari, Italy, Michele Mussap (Genoa, Italy, Antonio Del Vecchio (Bari, Italy, Bo Sun (Shanghai, China, Dorret I. Boomsma (Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Gavino Faa (Cagliari, Italy, Antonio Giordano (Philadelphia, USA

The Family's Influence on Adolescent and Young Adult Career Development: Theory, Research and Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Cathy; Thomas, Trang

2003-01-01

A research review identified a range of family process variables associated with enhanced career development for adolescents and young adults. Findings were consistent with the theories of Roe (personality development and career choice) and Super (life-span, life-space) regarding the influence of family processes on career development. (Contains…

Influence of spatial environment on maze learning in an African mole-rat

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Du Toit, L

2012-05-01

Full Text Available -1 Anim Cogn DOI 10.1007/s10071-012-0503-0 Influence of spatial environment on maze learning in an African mole-rat Lydia du Toit ? Nigel C. Bennett ? Alecia Nickless ? Martin J. Whiting L. du Toit , A. Nickless , M. J. Whiting (email) School...

Seeing odors in color: Cross-modal associations in children and adults from two cultural environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Goubet, Nathalie; Durand, Karine; Schaal, Benoist; McCall, Daniel D

2018-02-01

We investigated the occurrence and underlying processes of odor-color associations in French and American 6- to 10-year-old children (n = 386) and adults (n = 137). Nine odorants were chosen according to their familiarity to either cultural group. Participants matched each odor with a color, gave hedonic and familiarity judgments, and identified each odor. By 6 years of age, children displayed culture-specific odor-color associations, but age differences were noted in the type of associations. Children and adults in both cultural groups shared common associations and formed associations that were unique to their environment, underscoring the importance of exposure learning in odor-color associations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Home Musical Environment of Children in Singapore: On Globalization, Technology, and Media

Science.gov (United States)

Lum, Chee-Hoo

2008-01-01

The home musical environments of a class of 28 first-grade children in Singapore were examined in this ethnographic study. Technology was an integral part of the soundscape in the home. The musical repertoire gathered was closely associated with electronic and pop-influenced music, approaching the styles favored by teens and adults. Particular…

The Influence of the High School Classroom Environment on Learning as Mediated by Student Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Shernoff, David J.; Ruzek, Erik A.; Sinha, Suparna

2017-01-01

Classroom learning environments are frequently assumed to exert their influence on learning indirectly, via student engagement. The present study examined the influence of environmental challenge and support on learning in high school classrooms, and the potential for student engagement to act as a mediator in this relationship. Data were…

Daily time management and influence of environmental factors on use of electronic planning devices in adults with mental disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Janeslätt, Gunnel; Lindstedt, Helena; Adolfsson, Päivi

2015-01-01

To describe daily time management in adults with and without mental disability and to examine differences in the level of their daily time management; to describe the possessions and use of electronic planning devices (EPDs) in activities and how environmental factors influence the use of EPDs in adults with mental disability. In a descriptive and cross-sectional design, 32 participants using EPDs and a matched comparison group of 32 healthy adults was recruited. Time-Self rating scale measuring daily time management was adapted for adults. A study specific questionnaire was applied to collect data on five ICF environmental factors. Rasch modelling, descriptive and non-parametric statistics were applied. Time-S has acceptable psychometric properties for use on adults with mental disability. People with mental disability and low level of daily time management who use advanced EPDs are more influenced by environmental factors. The study group perceived that encouragement and support from professionals as well as services influence their use of EPDs. Time-S can safely be used for people with mental disability. EPDs do not fully compensate the needs of the target-group. Prescribers need to give considerations to this and therefore they should be provided with more knowledge about this matter. Implications for Rehabilitation The Time-S can be applied for measuring daily time management in adults. Adults with mental disability provided with EPDs are not fully compensated in daily time management. Professional support and encouragement as well as backing from the services are important factors for the use of EPDs. Because the smart phones are not prescribed as assistive technology, the need for help from professionals to facilitate daily life is stressed. Therefore, the professionals should be provided with more knowledge about the use of EPDs.

Microbially influenced corrosion communities associated with fuel-grade ethanol environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, Charles H D; Jain, Luke A; Mishra, Brajendra; Olson, David L; Spear, John R

2015-08-01

Microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) is a costly problem that impacts hydrocarbon production and processing equipment, water distribution systems, ships, railcars, and other types of metallic infrastructure. In particular, MIC is known to cause considerable damage to hydrocarbon fuel infrastructure including production, transportation, and storage systems, often times with catastrophic environmental contamination results. As the production and use of alternative fuels such as fuel-grade ethanol (FGE) increase, it is important to consider MIC of engineered materials exposed to these "newer fuels" as they enter existing infrastructure. Reports of suspected MIC in systems handling FGE and water prompted an investigation of the microbial diversity associated with these environments. Small subunit ribosomal RNA gene pyrosequencing surveys indicate that acetic-acid-producing bacteria (Acetobacter spp. and Gluconacetobacter spp.) are prevalent in environments exposed to FGE and water. Other microbes previously implicated in corrosion, such as sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogens, were also identified. In addition, acetic-acid-producing microbes and sulfate-reducing microbes were cultivated from sampled environments containing FGE and water. Results indicate that complex microbial communities form in these FGE environments and could cause significant MIC-related damage that may be difficult to control. How to better manage these microbial communities will be a defining aspect of improving mitigation of global infrastructure corrosion.

The influence of education on performance of adults on the Clock Drawing Test.

Science.gov (United States)

de Noronha, Ísis Franci Cavalcanti; Barreto, Simone Dos Santos; Ortiz, Karin Zazo

2018-01-01

The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is an important instrument for screening individuals suspected of having cognitive impairment. To determine the influence of education on the performance of healthy adults on the CDT. A total of 121 drawings by healthy adults without neurological complaints or impairments were analysed. Participants were stratified by educational level into 4 subgroups: 27 illiterate adults, 34 individuals with 1-4 years of formal education, 30 with 5-11 years, and 30 adults with >11 years' formal education. Scores on the CDT were analyzed based on a scale of 1-10 points according to the criteria of Sunderland et al. (1989).¹ The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to compare the different education groups. Tukey's multiple comparisons test was used when a significant factor was found. Although scores were higher with greater education, statistically significant differences on the CDT were found only between the illiterate and other educated groups. The CDT proved especially difficult for illiterate individuals, who had lower scores. These results suggest that this screening test is suitable for assessing mainly visuoconstructional praxis and providing an overall impression of cognitive function among individuals, independently of years of education.

Hacking the hospital environment: young adults designing youth-friendly hospital rooms together with young people with cancer experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Boisen, Kirsten A; Boisen, Anne; Thomsen, Stine Legarth; Matthiesen, Simon Meggers; Hjerming, Maiken; Hertz, Pernille Grarup

2015-12-09

There is a need for youth-friendly hospital environments as the ward environment may affect both patient satisfaction and health outcomes. To involve young people in designing youth-friendly ward environment. We arranged a design competition lasting 42 h (Hackathon). Students in architecture, design, engineering, communication and anthropology participated (27 young adults) - forming eight groups. Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with current or former cancer experience participated as sparring partners. We provided workspace and food during the weekend. The groups presented their products to a jury and relevant stakeholders. The groups created eight unique design concepts. The young designers were extremely flexible listening to ideas and experiences from the young patients, which led to common features including individual and flexible design, privacy in two-bed wardrooms and social contact with other hospitalized AYA. The winning project included an integrated concept for both wardrooms and the AYA day room, including logos and names for the rooms and an 'energy wall' in the day room. A hackathon event was an effective mode of youth participation. The design concepts and ideas were in line with current evidence regarding pleasing hospital environment and youth-friendly inpatient facilities and may be applicable to other young patients.

Prevailing vitamin D status influences mitochondrial and glycolytic bioenergetics in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily K. Calton

2016-12-01

Conclusions: Inadequate vitamin D status adversely influenced bioenergetic parameters of PBMCs obtained from adults, in a pattern consistent with increased oxidative metabolism and activation of these cells.

Effects of Walking in Bamboo Forest and City Environments on Brainwave Activity in Young Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Hassan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background. In Japan, “Shinrin-yoku” or forest bathing (spending time in forests is a major practice used for relaxation. However, its effects on promoting human mental health are still under consideration. The objective of this study was to investigate the physiological and psychological relaxation effects of forest walking on adults. Sixty participants (50% males; 50% females were trained to walk 15-minute predetermined courses in a bamboo forest and a city area (control. The length of the courses was the same to allow comparison of the effects of both environments. Blood pressure and EEG results were measured to assess the physiological responses and the semantic differential method (SDM and STAI were used to study the psychological responses. Blood pressure was significantly decreased and variation in brain activity was observed in both environments. The results of the two questionnaires indicated that walking in the bamboo forest improves mood and reduces anxiety. Moreover, the mean meditation and attention scores were significantly increased after walking in a bamboo forest. The results of the physiological and psychological measurements indicate the relaxing effects of walking in a bamboo forest on adults.

HPRT gene mutation frequency and the factor of influence in adult peripheral blood lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Jingyong; Zheng Siying; Cui Fengmei; Wang Liuyi; Lao Qinhua; Wu Hongliang

2002-01-01

Objective: To study the HPRT gene loci mutation frequencies and the factor of influence in peripheral blood lymphocytes of adult with ages ranging from 21-50. Methods: HPRT gene mutation frequency (GMf) were examined by the technique of multinuclear cell assay. Relation between GMf and years were fitted with a computer. Results: Relation could be described by the following equation: y = 0.7555 + 0.0440x, r = 0.9829. Smoking has influence on GMf and sex hasn't. Conclusion: HPRT gene mutation frequency increases with increasing of age. Increasing rate is 0.00440% per year

Built Environment Influences of Children’s Physical Activity: Examining Differences by Neighbourhood Size and Sex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine A. Mitchell

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Neighbourhoods can facilitate or constrain moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA among children by providing or restricting opportunities for MVPA. However, there is no consensus on how to define a child’s neighbourhood. This study examines the influence of the neighbourhood built environment on objectively measured MVPA among 435 children (aged 9–14 years in London (ON, Canada. As there is no consensus on how to delineate a child’s neighbourhood, a geographic information system was used to generate measures of the neighbourhood built environment at two buffer sizes (500 m and 800 m around each child’s home. Linear regression models with robust standard errors (cluster were used to analyze the relationship between built environment characteristics and average daily MVPA during non-school hours on weekdays. Sex-stratified models assessed sex-specific relationships. When accounting for individual and neighbourhood socio-demographic variables, park space and multi-use path space were found to influence children’s MVPA. Sex-stratified models found significant associations between MVPA and park space, with the 800 m buffer best explaining boys’ MVPA and the 500 m buffer best explaining girls’ MVPA. Findings emphasize that, when designing built environments, programs, and policies to facilitate physical activity, it is important to consider that the size of the neighbourhood influencing a child’s physical activity may differ according to sex.

The quality of the outdoor environment influences childrens health -- a cross-sectional study of preschools.

Science.gov (United States)

Söderström, M; Boldemann, C; Sahlin, U; Mårtensson, F; Raustorp, A; Blennow, M

2013-01-01

To test how the quality of the outdoor environment of child day care centres (DCCs) influences children's health. The environment was assessed using the Outdoor Play Environmental Categories (OPEC) tool, time spent outdoors and physical activity as measured by pedometer. 172/253 (68%) of children aged 3.0-5.9 from nine DCCs participated in Southern Sweden. Health data collected were body mass index, waist circumference, saliva cortisol, length of night sleep during study, and symptoms and well-being which were scored (1-week diary - 121 parent responders). Also, parent-rated well-being and health of their child were scored (questionnaire, 132 parent responders). MANOVA, ANOVA and principal component analyses were performed to identify impacts of the outdoor environment on health. High-quality outdoor environment at DCCs is associated with several health aspects in children such as leaner body, longer night sleep, better well-being and higher mid-morning saliva cortisol levels. The quality of the outdoor environment at DCCs influenced the health and well-being of preschool children and should be given more attention among health care professionals and community planners. ©2012 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica ©2012 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

Older adults' quality of life - Exploring the role of the built environment and social cohesion in community-dwelling seniors on low income.

Science.gov (United States)

Engel, L; Chudyk, A M; Ashe, M C; McKay, H A; Whitehurst, D G T; Bryan, S

2016-09-01

The built environment and social cohesion are increasingly recognized as being associated with older adults' quality of life (QoL). However, limited research in this area still exists and the relationship has remained unexplored in the area of Metro Vancouver, Canada. This study examined the association between the built environment and social cohesion with QoL of 160 community-dwelling older adults (aged ≥ 65 years) on low income from Metro Vancouver. Cross-sectional data acquired from the Walk the Talk (WTT) study were used. Health-related QoL (HRQoL) and capability wellbeing were assessed using the EQ-5D-5L and the ICECAP-O, respectively. Measures of the environment comprised the NEWS-A (perceived built environment measure), the Street Smart Walk Score (objective built environment measure), and the SC-5PT (a measure of social cohesion). The primary analysis consists of Tobit regression models to explore the associations between environmental features and HRQoL as well as capability wellbeing. Key findings indicate that after adjusting for covariates, older adults' capability wellbeing was associated with street connectivity and social cohesion, while no statistically significant associations were found between environmental factors and HRQoL. Our results should be considered as hypothesis-generating and need confirmation in a larger longitudinal study. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation and global environment. Consideration for the influence on ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muramatsu, Yasuyuki; Doi, Masahiro; Yoshida, Satoshi

2003-09-01

This book is based on presentations at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) symposium of the same title held by the NIRS Research Center for Radiation Safety in December, 2002, is edited with somehow enlightening intention as well, and is composed from 6 parts of; 1. Reasons for concern for influence on ecosystems, 2. Behavior of substances in ecosystems, 3. Changes of global environments and life, 4. Various environmental stresses and living/eco-systems, 5. New development of evaluation studies on radiation effects, and 6. For the radiation protection of environments. The 1st part involves 3 chapters concerning studies on effects on ecosystems and radiation protection of environments; 2nd part, 4 chapters concerning behavior of radioactive and/or stable cesium and iodine in forest and environmental microorganisms, and behavior and effects of acidic substances; 3rd part, 2 chapters concerning terrestrial history and evolution/adaptation of livings; 4th part, 5 chapters concerning radiation stress, active oxygen, radiodurance/radio-resistant microorganisms, ultraviolet, and environmental hormones; 5th part, 6 chapters concerning effects on cells of environmental toxic substance and radiation, environmental stress evaluation by DNA micro-array, effects on taxis, use of microcosm, simulation of computational model ecosystem, and aquatic ecosystems; 6th part, 5 chapters concerning environmental radioecology, safety measures in high-level radioactive waste disposal under the ground, radiation protection of environments from radiation biology aspect, effects of chemicals, and aspect and strategy for radiation effects on environments. (N.I.)

Factors influencing the effectiveness of clinical learning environment in nursing education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Gurková

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Aim: The purpose of the cross-sectional descriptive study was to investigate how nursing students evaluate particular factors of clinical learning environment during their professional placement in hospitals. We explored which factors of clinical environment contribute significantly to students' evaluation of it. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods: The sample included 503 nursing students in their second or third year of study at six Slovak universities. A valid and reliable questionnaire, the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher evaluation scale (CLES+T, was used to evaluate the student nurses' experiences and clinical placement. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square test, multifactorial ANOVA procedure and Pearsons' correlations, and p-value < 0.05 was taken to indicate statistical significance for all comparisons. Results: A significant proportion of students experienced a traditional model of group supervision. Supervision method, supervisory session frequency, and duration of clinical placement had a significant impact on their evaluation of clinical environments. Conclusion: Supervision methods are a significant factor influencing student evaluation of their clinical placement environment. Compared to other European studies, we found a less frequent application of individual supervision and that the Slovak university setting is dominated by a traditional group model of supervision. The study offers a valuable insight into the analysis of factors contributing to improvements in clinical learning environment and models of clinical or workplace training.

Intelligence, Income, and Education as Potential Influences on a Child's Home Environment: A (Maternal) Sibling-Comparison Design

Science.gov (United States)

Hadd, Alexandria Ree; Rodgers, Joseph Lee

2017-01-01

The quality of the home environment, as a predictor, is related to health, education, and emotion outcomes. However, factors influencing the quality of the home environment, as an outcome, have been understudied--particularly how children construct their own environments. Further, most previous research on family processes and outcomes has…

The influence of the macro-environment on physical activity: a multilevel analysis of 38 countries worldwide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosdriesz, Jizzo R.; Witvliet, Margot I.; Visscher, Tommy L. S.; Kunst, Anton E.

2012-01-01

Background: As indicated by the ANGELO framework and similar models, various environmental factors influence population levels of physical activity (PA). To date attention has focused on the micro-level environment, while evidence on the macro-level environment remains scarce and mostly limited to

Older Adults' Experiences with Audiovisual Virtual Reality: Perceived Usefulness and Other Factors Influencing Technology Acceptance.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Amy Restorick; Schutter, Bob De; Franks, Kelley; Radina, M Elise

2018-02-21

This study explores how older adults respond to audiovisual virtual reality (VR) and perceive its usefulness to their lives. Focus groups were conducted with residents of a retirement community after they viewed two audiovisual VR simulations (n = 41). Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in responses. Older adults described positive and negative emotional reactions to aspects of the VR experience, articulated content preferences, shared ideas to improve the usability of the equipment, and identified facilitators and barriers that influenced perceived usefulness. Recommendations for improving this technology include maximizing the positive aspects of VR through increasing interactivity, facilitating socializing with friends or family, and enhancing older adults' ease of use. Desired content of simulations involved travel, continuing education, reminiscence, and self-care/therapy. Virtual reality was reviewed positively, yet modifications are necessary to facilitate optimal user experience and potential benefit for this population. As older adults are interested in using VR, especially if poor health prevents the continuation of desirable activities or new experiences, it is important to respond to older adults' preferences and remove barriers that limit use and enjoyment.

Decision support aids with anthropomorphic characteristics influence trust and performance in younger and older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Pak, Richard; Fink, Nicole; Price, Margaux; Bass, Brock; Sturre, Lindsay

2012-01-01

This study examined the use of deliberately anthropomorphic automation on younger and older adults' trust, dependence and performance on a diabetes decision-making task. Research with anthropomorphic interface agents has shown mixed effects in judgments of preferences but has rarely examined effects on performance. Meanwhile, research in automation has shown some forms of anthropomorphism (e.g. etiquette) have effects on trust and dependence on automation. Participants answered diabetes questions with no-aid, a non-anthropomorphic aid or an anthropomorphised aid. Trust and dependence in the aid was measured. A minimally anthropomorphic aide primarily affected younger adults' trust in the aid. Dependence, however, for both age groups was influenced by the anthropomorphic aid. Automation that deliberately embodies person-like characteristics can influence trust and dependence on reasonably reliable automation. However, further research is necessary to better understand the specific aspects of the aid that affect different age groups. Automation that embodies human-like characteristics may be useful in situations where there is under-utilisation of reasonably reliable aids by enhancing trust and dependence in that aid. Practitioner Summary: The design of decision-support aids on consumer devices (e.g. smartphones) may influence the level of trust that users place in that system and their amount of use. This study is the first step in articulating how the design of aids may influence user's trust and use of such systems.

Influences of the built environment on walking and cycling of latent segments of the aging population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kemperman, A.D.A.M.; Timmermans, H.J.P.

2009-01-01

Walking and bicycling are relatively easy ways to be physically active for the growing group of older adults. The built environment may facilitate or restrict their participation in walking and bicycling trips. The aim of this study is to describe various aspects of participation in walking and

Making time for family meals: Parental influences, home eating environments, barriers and protective factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Blake L

2018-04-06

Frequent family mealtimes have been associated with numerous positive dietary, health, and behavioral outcomes for children and families. This review article summarizes some of the beneficial outcomes associated with having frequent family dinners. Current trends in family dinner frequency are discussed in the context of barriers that influence how often families eat dinner together, including time issues, work issues, and distractions in the home environment. Next, several parental influences and home environment factors that promote healthy and consistent family dinners are outlined. Finally, limitations are discussed and a few practical suggestions are mentioned to help encourage families, employers, and policy-makers to make family mealtimes a regular practice for as many families as possible. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Influence of Test Section Geometry on the Blast Environment in an Explosively Driven Conical Shock Tube

Science.gov (United States)

2018-03-30

ARL-TR-8335•MAR 2018 US Army Research Laboratory Influence of Test Section Geometry on theBlast Environment in an Explosively DrivenConical Shock...ARL-TR-8335•MAR 2018 US Army Research Laboratory Influence of Test Section Geometry on theBlast Environment in an Explosively DrivenConical Shock...TITLE AND SUBTITLE    5a. CONTRACT NUMBER  5b. GRANT NUMBER  5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S)    5d.  PROJECT  NUMBER  5e. TASK NUMBER  5f

Local environment but not genetic differentiation influences biparental care in ten plover populations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orsolya Vincze

Full Text Available Social behaviours are highly variable between species, populations and individuals. However, it is contentious whether behavioural variations are primarily moulded by the environment, caused by genetic differences, or a combination of both. Here we establish that biparental care, a complex social behaviour that involves rearing of young by both parents, differs between closely related populations, and then test two potential sources of variation in parental behaviour between populations: ambient environment and genetic differentiation. We use 2904 hours behavioural data from 10 geographically distinct Kentish (Charadrius alexandrinus and snowy plover (C. nivosus populations in America, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa to test these two sources of behavioural variation. We show that local ambient temperature has a significant influence on parental care: with extreme heat (above 40 °C total incubation (i.e. % of time the male or female incubated the nest increased, and female share (% female share of incubation decreased. By contrast, neither genetic differences between populations, nor geographic distances predicted total incubation or female's share of incubation. These results suggest that the local environment has a stronger influence on a social behaviour than genetic differentiation, at least between populations of closely related species.

Longitudinal influences of neighbourhood built and social environment on children's weight status.

Science.gov (United States)

Gose, Maria; Plachta-Danielzik, Sandra; Willié, Bianca; Johannsen, Maike; Landsberg, Beate; Müller, Manfred J

2013-10-15

The objective was to examine longitudinal 4-year-relationships between neighbourhood social environment and children's body mass index-standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) taking into account the built environment. Furthermore, we have analysed the influence of potential interactions between the social environment and family/social data on children's BMI-SDS. Between 2006-2008 and 2010-2012, anthropometric measurements were conducted among 485 children (age at baseline: 6.1 (5.8-6.4)). Socio-demographic characteristics and perception of residential environment were reported by parents. Geographic Information Systems were used to examine street length, number of food outlets and distance to the nearest playground and park/green space within an 800 m Euclidian buffer of each participant address point. Additional data on neighbourhood characteristics (e.g., traffic density, walkability, crime rates) were obtained from the State Capital of Kiel, Germany. In a multivariate model, walkability, street type, socioeconomic status of the district and perceived frequency of passing trucks/buses were associated with BMI-SDS over 4 years, but only neighbourhood SES had an effect on change in BMI-SDS. However, familial/social factors rather than neighbourhood environment (especially social environment) had an impact on children's BMI-SDS over 4 years. Thus, social inequalities in childhood overweight are only partially explained by social neighbourhood environment.

The influence of local food environments on adolescents' food purchasing behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Meizi; Tucker, Patricia; Gilliland, Jason; Irwin, Jennifer D; Larsen, Kristian; Hess, Paul

2012-04-01

This study examined the relationship between the neighborhood food environment and the food purchasing behaviors among adolescents. Grade 7 and 8 students (n = 810) at 21 elementary schools in London, Ontario, Canada completed a questionnaire assessing their food purchasing behaviors. Parents of participants also completed a brief questionnaire providing residential address and demographic information. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to assess students' home and school neighborhood food environment and land use characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the influence of the home neighborhood food environment on students' food purchasing behaviors, while two-level Hierarchical Non-Linear Regression Models were used to examine the effects of school neighborhood food environment factors on students' food purchasing behaviors. The study showed that approximately 65% of participants reported self-purchasing foods from fast-food outlets or convenience stores. Close proximity (i.e., less than 1 km) to the nearest fast-food outlet or convenience store in the home neighborhood increased the likelihood of food purchasing from these food establishments at least once per week by adolescents (p purchasing by adolescents (i.e., at least once per week; p < 0.05). In conclusion, macro-level regulations and policies are required to amend the health-detracting neighborhood food environment surrounding children and youth's home and school.

Gender Gaps in the Effects of Childhood Family Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brenøe, Anne Ardila; Lundberg, Shelly

2016-01-01

We examine the differential effects of family disadvantage on the education and adult labor market outcomes of men and women using high-quality administrative data on the entire population of Denmark born between 1966 and 1995. We link parental education and family structure during childhood...... to male-female and brother-sister differences in teenage outcomes, educational attainment, and adult earnings and employment. Our results are consistent with U.S. findings that boys benefit more from an advantageous family environment than do girls in terms of the behavior and grade-school outcomes....... Father's education, which has not been examined in previous studies, is particularly important for sons. However, we find a very different pattern of parental influence on adult outcomes. The gender gaps in educational attainment, employment, and earnings are increasing in maternal education, benefiting...

Gene-environment interplay in depressive symptoms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petkus, A. J.; Beam, C. R.; Johnson, W.

2017-01-01

that genetic factors play a larger part in the association between depressive symptoms and physical illness for men than for women. For both sexes, across all ages, physical illness may similarly trigger social and health limitations that contribute to depressive symptoms.......Background Numerous factors influence late-life depressive symptoms in adults, many not thoroughly characterized. We addressed whether genetic and environmental influences on depressive symptoms differed by age, sex, and physical illness. Method The analysis sample included 24 436 twins aged 40......-90 years drawn from the Interplay of Genes and Environment across Multiple Studies (IGEMS) Consortium. Biometric analyses tested age, sex, and physical illness moderation of genetic and environmental variance in depressive symptoms. Results Women reported greater depressive symptoms than men. After age 60...

The influence of walkability on broader mobility for Canadian middle aged and older adults: An examination of Walk Score™ and the Mobility Over Varied Environments Scale (MOVES).

Science.gov (United States)

Hirsch, Jana A; Winters, Meghan; Clarke, Philippa J; Ste-Marie, Nathalie; McKay, Heather A

2017-02-01

Neighborhood built environments may play an important role in shaping mobility and subsequent health outcomes. However, little work includes broader mobility considerations such as cognitive ability to be mobile, social connections with community, or transportation choices. We used a population-based sample of Canadian middle aged and older adults (aged 45 and older) from the Canadian Community Health Survey-Healthy Aging (CCHS-HA, 2008-2009) to create a holistic mobility measure: Mobility over Varied Environments Scale (MOVES). Data from CCHS-HA respondents from British Columbia with MOVES were linked with Street Smart Walk Score™ data by postal code (n=2046). Mean MOVES was estimated across sociodemographic and health characteristics. Linear regression, adjusted for relevant covariates, was used to estimate the association between Street Smart Walk Score™ and the MOVES. The mean MOVES was 30.67 (95% confidence interval (CI) 30.36, 30.99), 5th percentile 23.27 (CI 22.16, 24.38) and 95th percentile was 36.93 (CI 35.98, 37.87). MOVES was higher for those who were younger, married, higher socioeconomic status, and had better health. In unadjusted models, for every 10 point increase in Street Smart Walk Score™, MOVES increased 4.84 points (CI 4.52, 5.15). However, results attenuated after adjustment for sociodemographic covariates: each 10 point increase in Street Smart Walk Score™ was associated with a 0.10 (CI 0.00, 0.20) point increase in MOVES. The modest but important link we observed between walkability and mobility highlights the implication of neighborhood design on the health of middle aged and older adults. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of the Nursing Practice Environment on Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intention

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang-Yi; Kim, Chul-Woung; Kang, Jeong-Hee; Yoon, Tae-Ho; Kim, Cheoul Sin

2014-01-01

Objectives: To examine whether the nursing practice environment at the hospital-level affects the job satisfaction and turnover intention of hospital nurses. Methods: Among the 11 731 nurses who participated in the Korea Health and Medical Workers’ Union’s educational program, 5654 responded to our survey. Data from 3096 nurses working in 185 general inpatient wards at 60 hospitals were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression modeling. Results: Having a standardized nursing process (odds ratio [OR], 4.21; pturnover intention. Conclusions: Favorable nursing practice environments are associated with job satisfaction among nurses. In particular, having a standardized nursing process, adequate nurse staffing, and good doctor-nurse relationship were found to positively influence nurses’ job satisfaction. However, the nursing practice environment was not related to nurses’ turnover intention. PMID:25284197

The influence of attention biases and adult attachment style on treatment outcome for adults with social anxiety disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrow, Yulisha; Peters, Lorna

2017-08-01

Attention biases figure prominently in CBT models of social anxiety and are thought to maintain symptoms of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Studies have shown that individual differences in pre-treatment attention biases predict cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) outcome. However, these findings have been inconsistent as to whether vigilance towards threat predicts better or poorer treatment outcome. Adult attachment style is an individual characteristic that may influence the relationship between attention bias and SAD. This study investigates the relationship between attention biases and CBT treatment outcome for SAD. Furthermore, we examined the influence of adult attachment style on this relationship. Participants with a primary diagnosis of SAD completed a passive viewing (measuring vigilance towards threat) and a novel difficulty to disengage (measuring difficulty to disengage attention) eye-tracking task prior to attending 12 CBT group sessions targeting SAD. Symptom severity was measured at pre- and post-treatment. Regression analyses were conducted on a sample of 50 participants. Greater vigilance for threat than avoidance of threat at pre-treatment predicted poorer treatment outcomes. Greater difficulty disengaging from happy faces, compared to neutral faces, predicted poorer treatment outcomes. Attachment style did not moderate these relationships. The associations between attention biases and specific components of CBT treatment were not examined. The novel findings regarding difficulty to disengage attention require replication. The findings have implications for the theoretical models of SAD and for the treatment of SAD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of the efficacy and safety of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: novel findings using a simulated adult workplace environment design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gao Joseph

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Duration of efficacy and safety of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX was assessed in adults (18-55 years with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD using the simulated adult workplace environment. Methods After open-label dose optimization (4-week with LDX, 30-70 mg/d, subjects entered a 2-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover phase. Efficacy assessments included the Permanent Product Measure of Performance (PERMP total score (attempted+correct measured predose and from 2 to 14 hours postdose, averaged across postdose sessions (primary and at each time point vs placebo (secondary, and ADHD Rating Scale IV (ADHD-RS-IV with adult prompts at baseline and crossover visits. Safety assessments included treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs, vital signs, and electrocardiograms. Results Of 127 randomized subjects, 105 were in the intention-to-treat population and 103 completed the study. While receiving LDX vs placebo, adults had greater improvement (P P ≤ .0017 for each time point and change from predose (P P Conclusions LDX significantly improved PERMP scores vs placebo and maintained improvement throughout the day from the first (2 hours to last (14 hours postdose time point vs placebo in adults with ADHD. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00697515 Safety and Efficacy Workplace Environment Study of Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate (LDX in Adults With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00697515?term=NCT00697515&rank=1

The development of energy and its influences on the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Yunhua; Wang DeLi; Zhu Jiaheng.

1989-01-01

Energy consumption is increasing substantially as the world economy rapidly develops. The influences of energy development on the environment will become more conspicuous. Among them, pollution caused by burning fossil fuels draws the greatest attention from all nations. Some experts hold that, since the early eighties, a second upsurge of environmental concern has occurred because of the increasing environmental pollution and damage to the ecological balance on a large scale. The first environmental movement occurred between the fifties and the sixties. At that time, environmental pollution in industrialized countries was so serious that it threatened directly the life and security of people, exerted a tremendous influence on economic development, and caused serious social disturbances. Despite all these disadvantages, however, it appeared only in some factories and districts in those countries. Comparatively, both the pollution sources and their range were more limited. The United Nations held the Conference of Human Environment at Stockholm in Sweden at this time. It was a milestone for mankind to recognize the importance of and make efforts for environmental improvement. In the recent environmental movement, people are more concerned about problems that have an extremely harmful impact on large areas, including the problems of acid rain, ozonosphere destruction, greenhouse effects, etc. These problems attract a great deal of attention in countries all over the world. Concerned authorities in China have also begun to attach importance to these problems. This is especially true of energy consumption in China, as the main fuels in cities and large industrial bases coal and other fossil fuels, whereas 75 percent of the energy in the countryside is dependent on biomass energy. Such a pattern undoubtedly exerts a big influence on environmental pollution and undermines the ecological balance

A Phenomenological Study of the Work Environment in Long-Term Care Facilities for the Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sandy Pin Pin; Yeung, Cheryl Chi Yan; Lee, Joseph Kok Long

2018-05-01

Attempts to meet the increasing demand for long-term care (LTC) services have been hindered by acute staff shortages and high turnover. Distinct from previous studies, a descriptive phenomenological approach with van Kaam's controlled explication method was adopted in this study, to delineate how attributes of the LTC work environment shape the workforce crisis. Individual interviews were conducted with 40 LTC workers from 10 facilities in Hong Kong. The results suggest that the work environment in LTC facilities is not only characterized by organization- and job-related attributes that influence staff outcomes but also is a socially constructed concept with derogatory connotations that can influence staff recruitment and retention. Concerted efforts from facility administrators and policy makers are needed to improve the quality of the work environment. Future initiatives should focus on developing a vision and strategic plan to facilitate the rise of the LTC sector as a profession.

Orchestrating care: nursing practice with hospitalised older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahlke, Sherry Ann; Phinney, Alison; Hall, Wendy Ann; Rodney, Patricia; Baumbusch, Jennifer

2015-12-01

The increased incidence of health challenges with aging means that nurses are increasingly caring for older adults, often in hospital settings. Research about the complexity of nursing practice with this population remains limited. To seek an explanation of nursing practice with hospitalised older adults. Design. A grounded theory study guided by symbolic interactionism was used to explore nursing practice with hospitalised older adults from a nursing perspective. Glaserian grounded theory methods were used to develop a mid-range theory after analysis of 375 hours of participant observation, 35 interviews with 24 participants and review of selected documents. The theory of orchestrating care was developed to explain how nurses are continuously trying to manage their work environments by understanding the status of the patients, their unit, mobilising the assistance of others and stretching available resources to resolve their problem of providing their older patients with what they perceived as 'good care' while sustaining themselves as 'good' nurses. They described their practice environments as hard and under-resourced. Orchestrating care is comprised of two subprocesses: building synergy and minimising strain. These two processes both facilitated and constrained each other and nurses' abilities to orchestrate care. Although system issues presented serious constraints to nursing practice, the ways in which nurses were making meaning of their work environment both aided them in managing their challenges and constrained their agency. Nurses need to be encouraged to share their important perspective about older adult care. Administrators have a role to play in giving nurses voice in workplace committees and in forums. Further research is needed to better understand how multidisciplinary teams influence care of hospitalized older adults. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The influence of a bystander agent's beliefs on children's and adults' decision-making process.

Science.gov (United States)

Buttelmann, Frances; Buttelmann, David

2017-01-01

The ability to attribute and represent others' mental states (e.g., beliefs; so-called "theory of mind") is essential for participation in human social interaction. Despite a considerable body of research using tasks in which protagonists in the participants' attentional focus held false or true beliefs, the question of automatic belief attribution to bystander agents has received little attention. In the current study, we presented adults and 6-year-olds (N=92) with an implicit computer-based avoidance false-belief task in which participants were asked to place an object into one of three boxes. While doing so, we manipulated the beliefs of an irrelevant human-like or non-human-like bystander agent who was visible on the screen. Importantly, the bystander agent's beliefs were irrelevant for solving the task. Still, children's decision making was significantly influenced by the bystander agent's beliefs even if this was a non-human-like self-propelled object. Such an influence did not become obvious in adults' deliberate decisions but occurred only in their reaction times, which suggests that they also processed the bystander agent's beliefs but were able to suppress the influence of such beliefs on their behavior regulation. The results of a control study (N=53) ruled out low-level explanations and confirmed that self-propelledness of agents is a necessary factor for belief attribution to occur. Thus, not only do humans spontaneously ascribe beliefs to self-propelled bystander agents, but those beliefs even influence meaningful decisions in children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Untangling the influences of voluntary running, environmental complexity, social housing and stress on adult hippocampal neurogenesis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine-Alexandra Grégoire

Full Text Available Environmental enrichment (EE exerts powerful effects on brain physiology, and is widely used as an experimental and therapeutic tool. Typical EE paradigms are multifactorial, incorporating elements of physical exercise, environmental complexity, social interactions and stress, however the specific contributions of these variables have not been separable using conventional housing paradigms. Here, we evaluated the impacts of these individual variables on adult hippocampal neurogenesis by using a novel "Alternating EE" paradigm. For 4 weeks, adult male CD1 mice were alternated daily between two enriched environments; by comparing groups that differed in one of their two environments, the individual and combinatorial effects of EE variables could be resolved. The Alternating EE paradigm revealed that (1 voluntary running for 3 days/week was sufficient to increase both mitotic and post-mitotic stages of hippocampal neurogenesis, confirming the central importance of exercise; (2 a complex environment (comprised of both social interactions and rotated inanimate objects had no effect on neurogenesis itself, but enhanced depolarization-induced c-Fos expression (attributable to social interactions and buffered stress-induced plasma corticosterone levels (attributable to inanimate objects; and (3 neither social isolation, group housing, nor chronically increased levels of plasma corticosterone had a prolonged impact on neurogenesis. Mouse strain, handling and type of running apparatus were tested and excluded as potential confounding factors. These findings provide valuable insights into the relative effects of key EE variables on adult neurogenesis, and this "Alternating EE" paradigm represents a useful tool for exploring the contributions of individual EE variables to mechanisms of neural plasticity.

Untangling the Influences of Voluntary Running, Environmental Complexity, Social Housing and Stress on Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Grégoire, Catherine-Alexandra; Bonenfant, David; Le Nguyen, Adalie; Aumont, Anne; Fernandes, Karl J. L.

2014-01-01

Environmental enrichment (EE) exerts powerful effects on brain physiology, and is widely used as an experimental and therapeutic tool. Typical EE paradigms are multifactorial, incorporating elements of physical exercise, environmental complexity, social interactions and stress, however the specific contributions of these variables have not been separable using conventional housing paradigms. Here, we evaluated the impacts of these individual variables on adult hippocampal neurogenesis by using a novel “Alternating EE” paradigm. For 4 weeks, adult male CD1 mice were alternated daily between two enriched environments; by comparing groups that differed in one of their two environments, the individual and combinatorial effects of EE variables could be resolved. The Alternating EE paradigm revealed that (1) voluntary running for 3 days/week was sufficient to increase both mitotic and post-mitotic stages of hippocampal neurogenesis, confirming the central importance of exercise; (2) a complex environment (comprised of both social interactions and rotated inanimate objects) had no effect on neurogenesis itself, but enhanced depolarization-induced c-Fos expression (attributable to social interactions) and buffered stress-induced plasma corticosterone levels (attributable to inanimate objects); and (3) neither social isolation, group housing, nor chronically increased levels of plasma corticosterone had a prolonged impact on neurogenesis. Mouse strain, handling and type of running apparatus were tested and excluded as potential confounding factors. These findings provide valuable insights into the relative effects of key EE variables on adult neurogenesis, and this “Alternating EE” paradigm represents a useful tool for exploring the contributions of individual EE variables to mechanisms of neural plasticity. PMID:24465980

Neighbourhood environment, physical activity, quality of life and depressive symptoms in Hong Kong older adults: a protocol for an observational study

OpenAIRE

Cerin, Ester; Sit, Cindy H P; Zhang, Casper J P; Barnett, Anthony; Cheung, Martin M C; Lai, Poh-chin; Johnston, Janice M; Lee, Ruby S Y

2016-01-01

Introduction The neighbourhood environment can assist the adoption and maintenance of an active lifestyle and affect the physical and mental well-being of older adults. The psychosocial and behavioural mechanisms through which the environment may affect physical and mental well-being are currently poorly understood. Aim This observational study aims to examine associations between the physical and social neighbourhood environments, physical activity, quality of life and depressive symptoms in...

The Influence of Social Media on Collaborative Learning in a Cohort Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Wandera, Silas; James-Waldon, Natasha; Bromley, Debbi; Henry, Zandra

2016-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the impact that social media has on the development of collaborative learning within a cohort environment in a doctoral program. The researchers surveyed doctoral students in an education program to determine how social media use has influenced the doctoral students. The study looked at the following areas: a)…

Understanding and Influencing Workplace Sedentary Behaviour

OpenAIRE

NYSSA TEGAN HADGRAFT

2017-01-01

Sedentary behaviour (or sitting) is a recently identified chronic disease risk factor. Many adults spend the majority of their working hours sitting, making the workplace a key setting for public health interventions. This thesis aimed to identify factors that influence workplace sitting time and the feasibility of reducing this behaviour. The most prominent factors identified were: the nature of work, social norms and workplace culture, and the workplace physical environment. These findings ...

The Influence of Weather Variation, Urban Design and Built Environment on Objectively Measured Sedentary Behaviour in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Katapally, Tarun Reddy; Rainham, Daniel; Muhajarine, Nazeem

2016-01-01

With emerging evidence indicating that independent of physical activity, sedentary behaviour (SB) can be detrimental to health, researchers are increasingly aiming to understand the influence of multiple contexts such as urban design and built environment on SB. However, weather variation, a factor that continuously interacts with all other environmental variables, has been consistently underexplored. This study investigated the influence of diverse environmental exposures (including weather variation, urban design and built environment) on SB in children. This cross-sectional observational study is part of an active living research initiative set in the Canadian prairie city of Saskatoon. Saskatoon's neighbourhoods were classified based on urban street design into grid-pattern, fractured grid-pattern and curvilinear types of neighbourhoods. Diverse environmental exposures were measured including, neighbourhood built environment, and neighbourhood and household socioeconomic environment. Actical accelerometers were deployed between April and June 2010 (spring-summer) to derive SB of 331 10-14 year old children in 25 one week cycles. Each cycle of accelerometry was conducted on a different cohort of children within the total sample. Accelerometer data were matched with localized weather patterns derived from Environment Canada weather data. Multilevel modeling using Hierarchical Linear and Non-linear Modeling software was conducted by factoring in weather variation to depict the influence of diverse environmental exposures on SB. Both weather variation and urban design played a significant role in SB. After factoring in weather variation, it was observed that children living in grid-pattern neighbourhoods closer to the city centre (with higher diversity of destinations) were less likely to be sedentary. This study demonstrates a methodology that could be replicated to integrate geography-specific weather patterns with existing cross-sectional accelerometry data to

Influence of gaseous annealing environment on the properties of indium-tin-oxide thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, R.X.; Beling, C.D.; Fung, S.; Djurisic, A.B.; Ling, C.C.; Li, S.

2005-01-01

The influence of postannealing in different gaseous environments on the optical properties of indiu-tin-oxide (ITO) thin films deposited on glass substrates using e-beam evaporation has been systematically investigated. It is found that the annealing conditions affect the optical and electrical properties of the films. Atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to obtain information on the chemical state and crystallization of the films. These data suggest that the chemical states and surface morphology of the ITO film are strongly influenced by the gaseous environment during the annealing process. The XPS data indicate that the observed variations in the optical transmittance can be explained by oxygen incorporation into the film, decomposition of the indium oxide phases, as well as the removal of metallic In

Age and Environment Influences on Mouse Prion Disease Progression: Behavioral Changes and Morphometry and Stereology of Hippocampal Astrocytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Bento-Torres

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Because enriched environment (EE and exercise increase and aging decreases immune response, we hypothesized that environmental enrichment and aging will, respectively, delay and increase prion disease progression. Mice dorsal striatum received bilateral stereotaxic intracerebral injections of normal or ME7 prion infected mouse brain homogenates. After behavior analysis, animals were euthanized and their brains processed for astrocyte GFAP immunolabeling. Our analysis related to the environmental influence are limited to young adult mice, whereas age influence refers to aged mice raised on standard cages. Burrowing activity began to reduce in ME7-SE two weeks before ME7-EE, while no changes were apparent in ME7 aged mice (ME7-A. Object placement recognition was impaired in ME7-SE, NBH-A, and ME7-A but normal in all other groups. Object identity recognition was impaired in ME7-A. Cluster analysis revealed two morphological families of astrocytes in NBH-SE animals, three in NBH-A and ME7-A, and four in NBH-EE, ME7-SE, and ME7-EE. As compared with control groups, astrocytes from DG and CA3 prion-diseased animals show significant numerical and morphological differences and environmental enrichment did not reverse these changes but induced different morphological changes in GFAP+ hippocampal astroglia. We suggest that environmental enrichment and aging delayed hippocampal-dependent behavioral and neuropathological signs of disease progression.

Early Educational Intervention, Early Cumulative Risk, and the Early Home Environment as Predictors of Young Adult Outcomes within a High-Risk Sample

Science.gov (United States)

Pungello, Elizabeth P.; Kainz, Kirsten; Burchinal, Margaret; Wasik, Barbara H.; Sparling, Joseph J.; Ramey, Craig T.; Campbell, Frances A.

2010-01-01

The extent to which early educational intervention, early cumulative risk, and the early home environment were associated with young adult outcomes was investigated in a sample of 139 young adults (age 21) from high-risk families enrolled in randomized trials of early intervention. Positive effects of treatment were found for education attainment,…

Age-friendly environments and life satisfaction among South Korean elders: person-environment fit perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sojung; Lee, Sangchul

2017-07-01

Drawing on the person-environment (P-E) fit perspective, this study examined the role of environment on the well-being of vulnerable older adults in a non-western context. Using the indicators from the World Health Organization's (WHO) framework for age friendly cities (ACF), we examined life satisfaction among South Korean older adults, exploring the extent to which multidimensional environmental characteristics are associated with low socioeconomic status (SES). Using the regionally representative data from the Seoul City-wide needs assessment of middle- and old-aged adults, an analytic sample (N = 1657) focused on community-living individuals aged 65 and older. Multilevel regression models examined interaction between SES subgroups and varying aspects of the environment (i.e. physical, social, and service environment) as related to life satisfaction. Consistent with the environmental docility hypothesis, members of the most vulnerable subgroup in the Korean context - older adults who are living alone and poor - are more likely to have higher life satisfaction when they have higher levels of support in physical and social environments. Interestingly, a higher level of support in the service environment was related to lower life satisfaction for this subgroup. This study provides an empirical foundation for efforts to identify age-friendly environmental characteristics as modifiable environmental resources that can improve older adults' psychological well-being. As the first attempt to use WHO ACF indicators within the P-E fit perspective in a non-Western context, our study provides a foundation for designing support services or programs that effectively meet the needs of vulnerable older adults.

Adult Students in the European Higher Educational Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. G. Gordiyenko

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The paper considers the issue of accessibility of higher education for adults – the people of various ages and social status. The author analyzes the educational policy of the European Union and its different members, and demonstrates the priority of the given issue. The Bologna agreement involves the reforms aimed at guaranteeing the lifelong education at any level.The interest to the adults education in the European Union results from the rising education requirements in the labor market; tough demographic situation and aging of professionals; redistribution of young people’s educational preferences; prolonged educational programs; flexible and consistent adult education policies in the European Union. Various approaches to interpreting a definition of the adult student are analyzed; classification according to students’ motivation and social status is given. 

Influence of stabilizer on the environment and their use as possible secondary raw material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jelenova, M.

2001-01-01

In this paper author deals with the environmental impact of coal combustion in coal fired power plants and with influence of ash and stabilizer on the environment and their use as possible secondary raw material

Influence of the Se environment on Cu-rich CIS devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deprédurand, Valérie; Bertram, Tobias; Siebentritt, Susanne

2014-01-01

Besides their better electronic properties, Cu-rich CuInSe 2 solar cells performed worse than the Cu-poor ones. Dominated by interface recombination which lowers their open circuit voltage, they also exhibit lower current. They are indeed limited by a high native doping which leads to tunneling enhanced recombination. In order to decrease this doping, we investigate the effect of the selenium environment during the absorber growth. We demonstrate that the chemical activity of the Se during the growth strongly influences both the film microstructure and the solar cell performance via various structural and opto-electronic characterization on both the absorber and the resulting solar cells: scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, X-ray diffraction in addition to classical current–voltage and quantum efficiency measurements on the solar cell devices. We show that low Se environment is beneficial to obtain better Cu-rich solar cells.

Empowerment, environment and person-centred care: A qualitative study exploring the hospital experience for adults with cognitive impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Prato, Laura; Lindley, Lyndsay; Boyles, Miriam; Robinson, Louise; Abley, Clare

2018-01-01

It is acknowledged that there are many challenges to ensuring a positive hospital experience for patients with cognitive impairment. The study ('Improving hospital care for adults with cognitive impairment') aimed to explore the positive and negative experiences of older adults with cognitive impairment (dementia and delirium) and their relatives and/or carers, during an acute hospital stay, from admission to discharge, using a qualitative, case study methodology. Six participants with cognitive impairment, eight relatives and 59 members of the health care team were recruited. Data was collected via ethnographic, observational periods at each stage of the hospital journey and through the use of semi-structured interviews with relatives, carers and health care staff including: medical staff; nursing staff; physiotherapists and ward managers. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to facilitate data analysis. 52 hours 55 minutes of ethnographic observations and 18 interviews with ward staff and relatives were undertaken. Three superordinate themes emerged from the data as crucial in determining the quality of the hospital experience: valuing the person; activities of empowerment and disempowerment and the interaction of environment with patient well-being. Whether the patient's hospital experience was positive or negative was powerfully influenced by family involvement and ward staff actions and communication. Participants identified a requirement for a ward based activity service for patients with cognitive impairment. Further research must be undertaken focusing on the development of ward based activities for patients with cognitive impairment, alongside a move towards care which explores measures to improve and expand relative involvement in hospital care.

Synchronizing Self and Object Movement: How Child and Adult Cyclists Intercept Moving Gaps in a Virtual Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Chihak, Benjamin J.; Plumert, Jodie M.; Ziemer, Christine J.; Babu, Sabarish; Grechkin, Timofey; Cremer, James F.; Kearney, Joseph K.

2010-01-01

Two experiments examined how 10- and 12-year-old children and adults intercept moving gaps while bicycling in an immersive virtual environment. Participants rode an actual bicycle along a virtual roadway. At 12 test intersections, participants attempted to pass through a gap between 2 moving, car-sized blocks without stopping. The blocks were…

Large wet-type cooling towers and their influence on the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schiffers, A.

1977-01-01

Large wet-type cooling towers with natural draft are said to be ecologically beneficial today, especially concerning the heat emission from power plants. A description is given of the influence of such cooling towers on the environment and the possible climatic influences are considered in detail. Recent investigations have shown that wet-type cooling towers represent no danger of any kind for fauna and flora as to the bacterial radiation. Physical studies have shown that neither the emitted water vapour nor the heat emitted into the atmosphere, can significantly change the macroclimate and microclimate. At present, wet-type cooling towers cannot be replaced by dry-type or so-called hybrid-type cooling towers, the technical development of which for large units being not yet guaranteed. (orig.) [de

The Influence of Local Food Environments on Adolescents’ Food Purchasing Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

He, Meizi; Tucker, Patricia; Gilliland, Jason; Irwin, Jennifer D.; Larsen, Kristian; Hess, Paul

2012-01-01

This study examined the relationship between the neighborhood food environment and the food purchasing behaviors among adolescents. Grade 7 and 8 students (n = 810) at 21 elementary schools in London, Ontario, Canada completed a questionnaire assessing their food purchasing behaviors. Parents of participants also completed a brief questionnaire providing residential address and demographic information. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to assess students’ home and school neighborhood food environment and land use characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the influence of the home neighborhood food environment on students’ food purchasing behaviors, while two-level Hierarchical Non-Linear Regression Models were used to examine the effects of school neighborhood food environment factors on students’ food purchasing behaviors. The study showed that approximately 65% of participants reported self-purchasing foods from fast-food outlets or convenience stores. Close proximity (i.e., less than 1 km) to the nearest fast-food outlet or convenience store in the home neighborhood increased the likelihood of food purchasing from these food establishments at least once per week by adolescents (p purchasing by adolescents (i.e., at least once per week; p < 0.05). In conclusion, macro-level regulations and policies are required to amend the health-detracting neighborhood food environment surrounding children and youth’s home and school. PMID:22690205

Genetic and environmental influences on adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms: a large Swedish population-based study of twins.

Science.gov (United States)

Larsson, H; Asherson, P; Chang, Z; Ljung, T; Friedrichs, B; Larsson, J-O; Lichtenstein, P

2013-01-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently persists into adulthood. Family and twin studies delineate a disorder with strong genetic influences among children and adolescents based on parent- and teacher-reported data but little is known about the genetic and environmental contribution to DSM-IV ADHD symptoms in adulthood. We therefore aimed to investigate the impact of genetic and environmental influences on the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms of ADHD in adults. Twin methods were applied to self-reported assessments of ADHD symptoms from a large population-based Swedish twin study that included data from 15 198 Swedish male and female twins aged 20 to 46 years. The broad heritability [i.e., A + D, where A is an additive genetic factor and D (dominance) a non-additive genetic factor] was 37% (A = 11%, D = 26%) for inattention and 38% (A = 18%, D = 20%) for hyperactivity-impulsivity. The results also indicate that 52% of the phenotypic correlation between inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity (r = 0.43) was explained by genetic influences whereas the remaining part of the covariance was explained by non-shared environmental influences. These results were replicated across age strata. Our findings of moderate broad heritability estimates are consistent with previous literature on self-rated ADHD symptoms in older children, adolescents and adults and retrospective reports of self-rated childhood ADHD by adults but differ from studies of younger children with informant ratings. Future research needs to clarify whether our data indicate a true decrease in the heritability of ADHD in adults compared to children, or whether this relates to the use of self-ratings in contrast to informant data.

Special Forces and the Art of Influence: A Grassroots Approach to Psychological Operations in an Unconventional Warfare Environment

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Thomas, II, Joel W

2006-01-01

This thesis researches the intricacies of the art of influence in an unconventional warfare environment to develop a model of influence that can be utilized by Special Forces conducting unconventional warfare...

The Influence of the Social Environment Context in Stress and Coping in Sport.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerdijk, Carlijn; van der Kamp, John; Polman, Remco

2016-01-01

Lazarus (1999) model of stress and coping is based on the reciprocal interaction between the person and the environment. The aim of this study therefore was to examine whether the social environment (significant others) are of influence on the stress and coping of team athletes. The study consisted of two separate studies in which a total of 12 team athletes participated. First, six field hockey players (two males, four females) aged 18-29 years (M = 23.0 years) participated in a diary study. Second, six team athletes of different sports (two males, four females) aged 24-29 years (M = 25.8 years) were interviewed. The results showed that in particular teammates are important for the appraisal of stress and coping in team sports. For over half (i.e., 51.5%) of the reported stressors in the diary study the participants felt that others were of influence on their coping. Team athletes experienced the highest stress intensity during competition, or when they appraised the situation as a threat. When others were of influence the team athletes were most likely to appraise the situation as a challenge and use problem- or emotion-focused coping strategies. These finding might provide a new portal for intervention to enhance coping with stress in sport and enhance performance and satisfaction.

Neighborhood Characteristics and Disability in Older Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Blaney, Shannon; Cerda, Magda; Frye, Victoria; Lovasi, Gina S.; Ompad, Danielle; Rundle, Andrew; Vlahov, David

2009-01-01

Objective To characterize the influence of the residential neighborhood of older adults on the prevalence of disability. Methods We combined Census data on disability in older adults living in New York City with environmental information from a comprehensive geospatial database. We used factor analysis to derive dimensions of compositional and physical neighborhood characteristics and linear regression to model their association with levels of disability. Measures of neighborhood collective efficacy were added to these models to explore the impact of the social environment. Results Low neighborhood socioeconomic status, residential instability, living in areas with low proportions of foreign born and high proportions of Black residents, and negative street characteristics were associated with higher prevalence of both “physical” disability and “going outside the home” disability. High crime levels were additionally associated with physical disability, although this relationship disappeared when misdemeanor arrests were removed from the crime variable. Low levels of collective efficacy were associated with more going-outside-the-home disability, with racial/ethnic composition dropping out of this model to be replaced by an interaction term. Conclusion The urban environment may have a substantial impact on whether an older adult with a given level of functional impairment is able to age actively and remain independent. PMID:19181694

Personality Traits and Second Language Acquisition: The Influence of the Enneagram on Adult ESOL Students

Science.gov (United States)

Coker, Crystal; Mihai, Florin

2017-01-01

In this qualitative study, researchers focused on providing explicit knowledge of personality traits via the Enneagram profile to a group of 10 adult advanced students of English for speakers of other languages. Through the Enneagram and two surveys, researchers gained insight into how students perceived the influence of their personality type on…

How Living or Traveling to Foreign Locations Influences Adults' Worldviews and Impacts Personal Identity

Science.gov (United States)

Yelich Biniecki, Susan M.; Conceição, Simone C. O.

2014-01-01

People are living and traveling to places all over the world. An exploration of how this movement influences learners' worldviews has implications for adult development, identity, and learning. The purpose of this paper is to present a phenomenological study conducted in the U.S. that examined how individuals' living or traveling…

The ventilation influence on the spatial distribution of Rn-222 and its decay products in human inhabited environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz, S.N.M.; Hadler, J.C.; Paulo, S.R.

1996-01-01

For the determination of the ventilation influence (directional flux of air induced by a fan) on the spatial distribution of Rn-222 and its decay products (daughters) present in human inhabited environments, a group of experimental results were obtained by means of the fission nuclear tracks left by α-particles over adequate plastic detectors CR-39). The exposure of these detectors was done in a closed environment considering the influence of ventilation for different angles, velocities and distances from fan. The results show that a relative quantity of daughters of Rn-222 are pulled out of the environment due to the effects of ventilation and plat-out

A brief review of salient factors influencing adult eating behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Emilien, Christine; Hollis, James H

2017-12-01

A better understanding of the factors that influence eating behaviour is of importance as our food choices are associated with the risk of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, CVD, type 2 diabetes or some forms of cancer. In addition, accumulating evidence suggests that the industrial food production system is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emission and may be unsustainable. Therefore, our food choices may also contribute to climate change. By identifying the factors that influence eating behaviour new interventions may be developed, at the individual or population level, to modify eating behaviour and contribute to society's health and environmental goals. Research indicates that eating behaviour is dictated by a complex interaction between physiology, environment, psychology, culture, socio-economics and genetics that is not fully understood. While a growing body of research has identified how several single factors influence eating behaviour, a better understanding of how these factors interact is required to facilitate the developing new models of eating behaviour. Due to the diversity of influences on eating behaviour this would probably necessitate a greater focus on multi-disciplinary research. In the present review, the influence of several salient physiological and environmental factors (largely related to food characteristics) on meal initiation, satiation (meal size) and satiety (inter-meal interval) are briefly discussed. Due to the large literature this review is not exhaustive but illustrates the complexity of eating behaviour. The present review will also highlight several limitations that apply to eating behaviour research.

Exploring direct and indirect influences of physical work environment on job satisfaction for early-career registered nurses employed in hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Djukic, Maja; Kovner, Christine T; Brewer, Carol S; Fatehi, Farida; Greene, William H

2014-08-01

We explored direct and indirect influences of physical work environment on job satisfaction in a nationally representative sample of 1,141 early-career registered nurses. In the fully specified model, physical work environment had a non-significant direct effect on job satisfaction. The path analysis used to test multiple indirect effects showed that physical work environment had a positive indirect effect (p nurse-physician relations, quantitative workload, organizational constraints, distributive justice, promotional opportunity, local and non-local job opportunities. The findings make important contributions to the understanding of the relationship between physical work environment and job satisfaction. The results can inform health care leaders' insight about how physical work environment influences nurses' job satisfaction. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Factors influencing beliefs about intimate partner violence among adults in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Young Ran; Jeong, Geum Hee; Kim, Shin-Jeong

2017-09-01

This study aimed to identify factors influencing beliefs about intimate partner violence among Korean adults. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that analyzed data from 466 adults. Beliefs about intimate partner violence were measured using a self-report questionnaire with a total of 28 items consisting of four subscales: perpetrator's justification for beating women, blaming women for violence against them, perpetrator's responsibility for violence, and giving help to victims. Men and women had significantly different beliefs about intimate partner violence (t = -7.19, p partner violence. Four variables-gender, age, educational level, and witnessing parental violence-had an explanatory power of 20% with regard to beliefs about IPV (F = 10.50, p = .000). In South Korea, men, older individuals, and those with less formal education or who have witnessed parental violence need education to foster healthier beliefs about intimate partner violence. Nurses can play a vital role in efforts to decrease intimate partner violence. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Factors influencing the transport of actinides in the groundwater environment. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheppard, J.C.; Kittrick, J.A.

1983-01-01

This report summarizes investigations of factors that significantly influence the transport of actinide cations in the groundwater environment. Briefly, measurements of diffusion coefficients for Am(III), Cm(III), and Np(V) in moist US soils indicated that diffusion is negligible compared to mass transport in flowing groundwater. Diffusion coefficients do, however, indicate that, in the absence of flowing water, actinide elements will migrate only a few centimeters in a thousand years. The remaining investigations were devoted to the determination of distribution ratios (K/sub d/s) for representative US soils, factors influencing them, and chemical and physical processes related to transport of actinides in groundwaters. The computer code GARD was modified to include complex formation to test the importance of humic acid complexing on the rate of transport of actinides in groundwaters. Use of the formation constant and a range of humic acid, even at rather low concentrations of 10 -5 to 10 -6 molar, significantly increases the actinide transport rate in a flowing aquifer. These computer calculations show that any strong complexing agent will have a similar effect on actinide transport in the groundwater environment. 32 references, 9 figures

Birth weight and creatinine clearance in young adult twins: influence of genetic, prenatal, and maternal factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gielen, Marij; Pinto-Sietsma, Sara-Joan; Zeegers, Maurice P.; Loos, Ruth J.; Fagard, Robert; de Leeuw, Peter W.; Beunen, Gaston; Derom, Catherine; Vlietinck, Robert

2005-01-01

Previous studies have shown that low birth weight (LBW) is a risk factor for renal impairment in adult life. The effects of LBW and renal function were studied by using twins, which allows distinguishing among fetoplacental, maternal, and genetic influences. Perinatal data were obtained at birth,

What factors influence uptake of retinal screening among young adults with type 2 diabetes? A qualitative study informed by the theoretical domains framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Lake, Amelia J; Browne, Jessica L; Rees, Gwyneth; Speight, Jane

2017-06-01

Young adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D, 18-39years) face increased risk of vision loss from diabetic retinopathy (DR). Retinal screening is essential to detect DR, yet screening rates for this group are low and little is known about the underlying factors influencing this important behavior. Using the theoretical domains framework (TDF) to guide data collection and analysis, we explored screening barriers and facilitator, contrasting them with a comparator group of older adults with T2D (40+ years). Thirty semi-structured telephone interviews (10 younger, 20 older adults) were conducted. Data were coded into TDF domains with salience identified by "frequency" of reference. Screening facilitators and barriers were systematically compared between groups. Although many screening facilitators and barriers were shared by younger and older adults, additional factors highly relevant to the former included: social comparison with others ('social influences'); concern for the impact on the family unit, unrealistic optimism and perceived invulnerability ('beliefs about consequences'); lack of time and financial resources ('environmental context and resources'), and DR misconceptions ('knowledge'). This study demonstrated that young adult retinal screening behavior was influenced by additional social cognitive factors compared to older adults, providing a first-step evidence base for clinicians and other health professionals, and potential targets for future eye health and retinal screening interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adult Connection in Assault Injury Prevention among Male Youth in Low-Resource Urban Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Culyba, Alison J; Miller, Elizabeth; Ginsburg, Kenneth R; Branas, Charles C; Guo, Wensheng; Fein, Joel A; Richmond, Therese S; Halpern-Felsher, Bonnie L; Wiebe, Douglas J

2018-04-26

Strengths-based strategies to reduce youth violence in low-resource urban communities are urgently needed. Supportive adolescent-adult relationships may confer protection, but studies have been limited by self-reported composite outcomes. We conducted a population-based case-control study among 10- to 24-year-old males in low-resource neighborhoods to examine associations between supportive adult connection and severe assault injury. Cases were victims of gunshot assault injury (n = 143) and non-gun assault injury (n = 206) from two level I trauma centers. Age- and race-matched controls (n = 283) were recruited using random digit dial from the same catchment. Adolescent-adult connections were defined by: (1) brief survey questions and (2) detailed family genograms. Analysis used conditional logistic regression. There were no significant associations between positive adult connection, as defined by brief survey questions, and either gunshot or non-gun assault injury among adolescents with high prior violence involvement (GSW OR = 2.46, 95% CI 0.81-7.49; non-gun OR = 1.59, 95% CI 0.54-4.67) or low prior violence involvement (GSW OR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.34-2.44; non-gun OR = 1.96, 95% CI 0.73-5.28). In contrast, among adolescents with high levels of prior violence involvement, reporting at least one supportive adult family member in the family genogram was associated with higher odds of gunshot assault injury (OR = 4.01, 95% CI 1.36-11.80) and non-gun assault injury (OR = 4.22, 95% CI 1.48-12.04). We were thus unable to demonstrate that positive adult connections protected adolescent males from severe assault injury in this highly under-resourced environment. However, at the time of injury, assault-injured adolescents, particularly those with high prior violence involvement, reported high levels of family support. The post-injury period may provide opportunities to intervene to enhance and leverage family connections to explore how to

The Influence of Local Food Environments on Adolescents’ Food Purchasing Behaviors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer D. Irwin

2012-04-01

Full Text Available This study examined the relationship between the neighborhood food environment and the food purchasing behaviors among adolescents. Grade 7 and 8 students (n = 810 at 21 elementary schools in London, Ontario, Canada completed a questionnaire assessing their food purchasing behaviors. Parents of participants also completed a brief questionnaire providing residential address and demographic information. A Geographic Information System (GIS was used to assess students’ home and school neighborhood food environment and land use characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the influence of the home neighborhood food environment on students’ food purchasing behaviors, while two-level Hierarchical Non-Linear Regression Models were used to examine the effects of school neighborhood food environment factors on students’ food purchasing behaviors. The study showed that approximately 65% of participants reported self-purchasing foods from fast-food outlets or convenience stores. Close proximity (i.e., less than 1 km to the nearest fast-food outlet or convenience store in the home neighborhood increased the likelihood of food purchasing from these food establishments at least once per week by adolescents (p < 0.05. High fast-food outlet density in both home and school neighborhoods was associated with increased fast-food purchasing by adolescents (i.e., at least once per week; p < 0.05. In conclusion, macro-level regulations and policies are required to amend the health-detracting neighborhood food environment surrounding children and youth’s home and school.

Factors influencing the intention of Malaysian working adults towards lifelong learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdullah Sarwar

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Lifelong learning is an option to fulfil societal needs in order to create a dynamic society. The rising in participation in lifelong learning programmes contributed due to the pressure of globalization and technologies in Malaysia’s changing demography. Therefore, this study aimed at identifying the factors that influence the intention of the Malaysian working adults towards lifelong learning and to develop marketing strategies for Malaysian education providers. The foundation of this study is based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. However, two additional variables were included as the extension to the current model which is trust and perceived usefulness. This research was designed as a cross-sectional field survey, where questionnaire were used for data collection. The target population for this study were the Malaysian working adults who are working in different organizations within the Klang Valley area. The sample size for this research is 210. The hypothesized path analysis was conducted through the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM. All the hypotheses were accepted due to the fact that they were statistically significant. The study provides the management of lifelong education centre an insight to develop effective marketing strategies to satisfy that value of potential customers. The findings will also be beneficial to government agencies, policy maker and higher education practitioner by creating insight into adult learner perception and building intentional behaviour to purchase the product. Finally, limitations were discussed and future study direction is proposed.

[Influence of Mapuche origin and socioeconomic conditions on adult height].

Science.gov (United States)

Erazo B, Marcia; Amigo C, Hugo; Bustos M, Patricia

2005-04-01

Studies in Chilean adults of low socioeconomic level suggest that their low height is likely to be due to their indigenous background. However this group also has been marginalized from socioeconomic development. To determine the influence of Mapuche ethnic origin and socioeconomic factors on the height of adults. In a cross sectional design, the height of 1,293 adults (528 males and 765 females) of Mapuche and non Mapuche origin were studied in the Araucania Region (Southern Chile) and in the Metropolitan Region (Central Chile). Subjects with Mapuche surnames were considered as pertaining to this ethnic community and those with Spanish surnames were considered as non Mapuche. Linear regression models were done, stratifying by sex, considering ethnic origin, to live in counties of different social vulnerability, and the level of family poverty. Among males, the mean height was 166.6+/-7.3 cm and among females, the figure was 153.6+/-5.9 cm. Mapuche subjects were significantly shorter: -3.2 cm (95% Confidence Interval (CI) -4.0 to -2.3) among females and -4.8 cm (CI -6.0 to -3.6) among males (non adjusted models). This deficit increased to -4.5 and -7.6 cm among females and males, respectively when they lived in poverty and in areas with highest social vulnerability. These differences decreased significantly if Mapuche subjects lived in communities with low social vulnerability and less poverty (-0.59 and -1.14 cm among females and males respectively). The studied population had low height, being lower in Mapuche subjects. The differences decreased among subjects living in counties of less vulnerability and less family poverty.

Perception Shapes Experience: The Influence of Actual and Perceived Classroom Environment Dimensions on Girls' Motivations for Science

Science.gov (United States)

Spearman, Juliette; Watt, Helen M. G.

2013-01-01

The classroom environment influences students' academic outcomes, but it is often students' perceptions that shape their classroom experiences. Our study examined the extent to which observed classroom environment features shaped perceptions of the classroom, and explained levels of, and changes in, girls' motivation in junior secondary school…

How Can Adult Children Influence Parents’ Long-Term Care Insurance Purchase Decisions?

Science.gov (United States)

Voils, Corrine I.; Coe, Norma B.; Konetzka, R. Tamara; Boles, Jillian; Van Houtven, Courtney Harold

2017-01-01

Abstract Purpose of the Study: Long-term care (LTC) poses a significant strain on public health insurance financing. In response, there is policy interest in bolstering the private long-term care insurance (LTCI) market. Although families are central to LTC provision, their role in LTCI demand remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to obtain in-depth information concerning: (a) How do older parents evaluate the need for LTCI, (b) what role do adult children play? and (c) How do families communicate about parents’ LTC preferences and plans, including LTCI purchase? Design and Methods: We conducted focus groups with older parents and adult children in diverse markets. Two groups were conducted with older parents who had purchased LTCI and two with parents who had not purchased LTCI. Four groups were conducted with adult children, mixed as to whether their parents had purchased LTCI. Probes were informed by published reasons for purchasing or not purchasing LTCI. We analyzed transcriptions using directed content analysis and constant comparative method. Results: Older parents valued autonomy for themselves and their children. Older parent purchasers regarded LTCI as supporting this value while nonpurchasers perceived limitations. Adult children described unstated expectations that they would care for their parents. Though discussions between parents and children about LTCI were rare, successful influence occurred when children appealed to shared values, specifically avoiding burden and remaining home. Implications: Messages that emphasize autonomy over LTC decisions and interventions that start the LTC conversation among families, with attention to shared values, could increase private LTCI uptake. PMID:25209446

Case-control study of genetic and environmental influences on premature death of adult adoptees.

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Liselotte; Nielsen, Gert G; Andersen, Per Kragh; Sørensen, Thorkild I A

2002-08-01

Genetic and environmental influence on risk of premature death in adulthood was investigated by estimating the associations in total and cause-specific mortality of adult Danish adoptees and their biological and adoptive parents. Among all 14,427 nonfamilial adoptions formally granted in Denmark during the period 1923 through 1947, we identified 976 case families in which the adoptee died before a fixed date. As control families, we selected 976 families where the adoptees were alive on that date, and matched to the case adoptees with regard to gender and year and month of birth. The data were viewed as a cohort of case parents and a cohort of control parents, and lifetime distributions in the two cohorts were compared using a Cox regression, stratified with regard to the matching variables: gender and year of birth. In the main analyses, the sample was restricted with regard to birth year of the adoptees, and age of transfer to the adoptive parents, and age at death was restricted to the same range for parents and offspring (25-64 years) in order to consider a symmetric lifetime distribution. This reduces the sample to 459 case families and 738 control families. Various truncations, restrictions, and stratifications were used in order to examine the robustness of the results. The results showed a higher mortality among biological parents who had children dying in the age range 25 through 64 years, and this was significant for death from natural causes, infectious causes, vascular causes, and from all causes combined. There were no significant effects for the adoptive parents. This study supports that there are moderate genetic influences on the risk of dying prematurely in adulthood, and only a small, if any, effect of the family environment. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Behavioral and environmental modification of the genetic influence on body mass index: A twin study

Science.gov (United States)

Horn, Erin E.; Turkheimer, Eric; Strachan, Eric; Duncan, Glen E.

2015-01-01

Body mass index (BMI) has a strong genetic basis, with a heritability around 0.75, but is also influenced by numerous behavioral and environmental factors. Aspects of the built environment (e.g., environmental walkability) are hypothesized to influence obesity by directly affecting BMI, by facilitating or inhibiting behaviors such as physical activity that are related to BMI, or by suppressing genetic tendencies toward higher BMI. The present study investigated relative influences of physical activity and walkability on variance in BMI using 5,079 same-sex adult twin pairs (70% monozygotic, 65% female). High activity and walkability levels independently suppressed genetic variance in BMI. Estimating their effects simultaneously, however, suggested that the walkability effect was mediated by activity. The suppressive effect of activity on variance in BMI was present even with a tendency for low-BMI individuals to select into environments that require higher activity levels. Overall, our results point to community- or macro-level interventions that facilitate individual-level behaviors as a plausible approach to addressing the obesity epidemic among U.S. adults. PMID:25894925

The influence of body size on adult skeletal age estimation methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Merritt, Catherine E

2015-01-01

Accurate age estimations are essential to archaeological and forensic analyses. However, reliability for adult skeletal age estimations is poor, especially for individuals over the age of 40 years. This is the first study to show that body size influences skeletal age estimation. The İşcan et al., Lovejoy et al., Buckberry and Chamberlain, and Suchey-Brooks age methods were tested on 764 adult skeletons from the Hamann-Todd and William Bass Collections. Statures ranged from 1.30 to 1.93 m and body masses ranged from 24.0 to 99.8 kg. Transition analysis was used to evaluate the differences in the age estimations. For all four methods, the smallest individuals have the lowest ages at transition and the largest individuals have the highest ages at transition. Short and light individuals are consistently underaged, while tall and heavy individuals are consistently overaged. When femoral length and femoral head diameter are compared with the log-age model, results show the same trend as the known stature and body mass measurements. The skeletal remains of underweight individuals have fewer age markers while those of obese individuals have increased surface degeneration and osteophytic lipping. Tissue type and mechanical loading have been shown to affect bone turnover rates, and may explain the differing patterns of skeletal aging. From an archaeological perspective, the underaging of light, short individuals suggests the need to revisit the current research consensus on the young mortality rates of past populations. From a forensic perspective, understanding the influence of body size will impact efforts to identify victims of mass disasters, genocides, and homicides. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Microorganisms and their influence on radionuclide migration in igneous rock environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedersen, Karsten

2005-01-01

Microorganisms interact with their surroundings and in some cases they greatly modify the characteristics of their environment. Several such interactions may have a significant influence on the behaviour of radionuclides possibly escaping from underground radioactive waste repositories. Microbes can mobilise trace elements. Unattached microbes may act as large colloids, transporting radionuclides on their cell surfaces with the groundwater flow. Many microbes produce ligands that can mobilise trace elements from solid phases and that can inhibit trace element sorption to solid phases. Bacterial species from the deep subsurface have demonstrated a significant effect on the mobilization of 59 Fe(III), 147 Pm(III), 234 Th(IV) and 241 Am(III) under varying redox conditions. The extent of bacterial immobilisation of radionuclides has been investigated under in situ conditions. Experiments have demonstrated this effect with 60 Co, 147 Pm, 234 Th, 237 Np, and 232 U. A large group of microbes catalyse the formation of iron oxides from dissolved ferrous iron in groundwater that reaches an oxidising environment. Such biological iron oxide systems (BIOS) will have a retardation effect on many radionuclides. Microorganisms execute an important influence on the chemical situation in groundwater. Especially, they may catalyse reactions that stabilise the redox potential in groundwater at a low and, therefore, beneficial level for a radioactive waste repository. (author)

Adults' Daily Walking for Travel and Leisure: Interaction Between Attitude Toward Walking and the Neighborhood Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yong; Diez-Roux, Ana V

2017-09-01

Studies on how the interaction of psychological and environmental characteristics influences walking are limited, and the results are inconsistent. Our aim is to examine how the attitude toward walking and neighborhood environments interacts to influence walking. Cross-sectional phone and mail survey. Participants randomly sampled from 6 study sites including Los Angeles, Chicago, Baltimore, Minneapolis, Manhattan, and Bronx Counties in New York City, and Forsyth and Davidson Counties in North Carolina. The final sample consisted of 2621 persons from 2011 to 2012. Total minutes of walking for travel or leisure, attitude toward walking, and perceptions of the neighborhood environments were self-reported. Street Smart (SS) Walk Score (a measure of walkability derived from a variety of geographic data) was obtained for each residential location. Linear regression models adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and income. Attitude toward walking was positively associated with walking for both purposes. Walking for travel was significantly associated with SS Walk Score, whereas walking for leisure was not. The SS Walk Score and selected perceived environment characteristics were associated with walking in people with a very positive attitude toward walking but were not associated with walking in people with a less positive attitude. Attitudes toward walking and neighborhood environments interact to affect walking behavior.

Diet quality of urban older adults age 60 to 99 years: the Cardiovascular Health of Seniors and Built Environment Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Deierlein, Andrea L; Morland, Kimberly B; Scanlin, Kathleen; Wong, Sally; Spark, Arlene

2014-02-01

There are few studies that evaluate dietary intakes and predictors of diet quality in older adults. The objectives of this study were to describe nutrient intakes and examine associations between demographic, economic, behavioral, social environment, and health status factors and diet quality. Cross-sectional data were from black, white, and Hispanic adults, age 60 to 99 years, living independently in New York City and participating in the Cardiovascular Health of Seniors and the Built Environment Study, 2009-2011 (n=1,306). Multivariable log-linear regression estimated associations between selected factors and good diet quality, defined as a Healthy Eating Index score more than 80 (based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans [HEI-2005]). Dietary intakes were similar for men and women; intakes of energy, fiber, and the majority of micronutrients were less than recommendations, whereas intakes of fats, added sugar, and sodium were within the upper range or exceeded recommendations. Hispanic ethnicity (relative risk [RR]=1.37; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.75), energy intake older adults, such as blacks or those who live alone, who may benefit from dietary interventions, as well as specific modifiable behaviors among older adults, such as eating restaurant meals or shopping at supermarkets, which may be targeted through interventions. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of Bilinguism on Socio-Cognitive Personality Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. V. Sokolova

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper gives an overeview of foreign studies devoted to bilinguism and its influence on socio-cognitive personality development. Experimental research conducted in the recent years has broken the myth of negative influence of childhood bilinguism. Moreover, based on the comparative analysis, the present research shows the advantages of children and adults grown up in the bilingual environment. Their advantages compared with the monolingual peers include the well-developed meta-lingual abilities and executive functions - executive control, attention, planning, concentration, rejection of inessential information - necessary for fulfilling verbal tasks and activity control. The paper emphasizes the influence of bilinguism on cognitive decentration, ability to learn foreign languages and develop higher social sensitivity regarding both verbal and non-verbal communication (i.e. interpretation of mimics, gestures, intonations, and more adequate reaction to communicative behavior of surrounding people.The author concludes that bilinguism stimulates creativity, facilitates divergent thinking necessary for observing a variety of possible solutions and creative ideas development. Bilingual skills broaden children’s mental horizons leaving them more prepared for adult life compared to their monolingual peers. 

Neighbourhood environment, physical activity, quality of life and depressive symptoms in Hong Kong older adults: a protocol for an observational study

Science.gov (United States)

Cerin, Ester; Sit, Cindy H P; Zhang, Casper J P; Barnett, Anthony; Cheung, Martin M C; Lai, Poh-chin; Johnston, Janice M; Lee, Ruby S Y

2016-01-01

Introduction The neighbourhood environment can assist the adoption and maintenance of an active lifestyle and affect the physical and mental well-being of older adults. The psychosocial and behavioural mechanisms through which the environment may affect physical and mental well-being are currently poorly understood. Aim This observational study aims to examine associations between the physical and social neighbourhood environments, physical activity, quality of life and depressive symptoms in Chinese Hong Kong older adults. Methods and analyses An observational study of the associations of measures of the physical and social neighbourhood environment, and psychosocial factors, with physical activity, quality of life and depressive symptoms in 900 Hong Kong older adults aged 65+ years is being conducted in 2012–2016. The study involves two assessments taken 6 months apart. Neighbourhood walkability and access to destinations are objectively measured using Geographic Information Systems and environmental audits. Demographics, socioeconomic status, walking for different purposes, perceived neighbourhood and home environments, psychosocial factors, health status, social networks, depressive symptoms and quality of life are being assessed using validated interviewer-administered self-report measures and medical records. Physical functionality is being assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery. Physical activity and sedentary behaviours are also being objectively measured in approximately 45% of participants using accelerometers over a week. Physical activity, sedentary behaviours, quality of life and depressive symptoms are being assessed twice (6 months apart) to examine seasonality effects on behaviours and their associations with quality of life and depressive symptoms. Ethics and dissemination The study received ethical approval from the University of Hong Kong Human Research Ethics Committee for Non-Clinical Faculties (EA270211) and the Department

A systematic review - physical activity in dementia: The influence of the nursing home environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Anderiesen, H.; Scherder, E.J.A.; Goossens, R.H.; Sonneveld, M.

2014-01-01

Most older persons with dementia living in nursing homes spend their days without engaging in much physical activity. This study therefore looked at the influence that the environment has on their level of physical activity, by reviewing empirical studies that measured the effects of environmental

Codevelopment of well-being and self-esteem in romantic partners: Disentangling the effects of mutual influence and shared environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Orth, Ulrich; Erol, Ruth Yasemin; Ledermann, Thomas; Grob, Alexander

2018-01-01

Common sense suggests that romantic partners tend to be interdependent in their well-being and self-esteem. The authors tested the degree to which codevelopment in romantic partners (i.e., development in similar directions) is due to mutual influence between partners or due to the effects of shared environment, using longitudinal data from 5 samples of couples (N = 4,116 participants). The samples included dating, cohabiting, and married couples, with a broad age range covering young adulthood to old age. The authors used a longitudinal version of the actor-partner interdependence model and examined measures of well-being (life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, and depression) and self-esteem. After conducting the study-level analyses, we meta-analytically aggregated the findings across studies. The results showed significant mutual influence between partners in life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, and depression, and significant effects of shared environment on life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, depression, and self-esteem. The findings suggest that both mutual influence and shared environment account for codevelopment of well-being in romantic partners. In contrast, only shared environment but not mutual influence contributes to the partners' codevelopment of self-esteem. The findings have important implications because they show that the level of well-being of a person's relationship partner has long-term influence on the person's own well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Determining the Relationship between U.S. County-Level Adult Obesity Rate and Multiple Risk Factors by PLS Regression and SVM Modeling Approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chau-Kuang Chen

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC has shown that the obesity rate doubled among adults within the past two decades. This upsurge was the result of changes in human behavior and environment. Partial least squares (PLS regression and support vector machine (SVM models were conducted to determine the relationship between U.S. county-level adult obesity rate and multiple risk factors. The outcome variable was the adult obesity rate. The 23 risk factors were categorized into four domains of the social ecological model including biological/behavioral factor, socioeconomic status, food environment, and physical environment. Of the 23 risk factors related to adult obesity, the top eight significant risk factors with high normalized importance were identified including physical inactivity, natural amenity, percent of households receiving SNAP benefits, and percent of all restaurants being fast food. The study results were consistent with those in the literature. The study showed that adult obesity rate was influenced by biological/behavioral factor, socioeconomic status, food environment, and physical environment embedded in the social ecological theory. By analyzing multiple risk factors of obesity in the communities, may lead to the proposal of more comprehensive and integrated policies and intervention programs to solve the population-based problem.

Neighborhood and Family Environment of Expectans Mothers May Influence Prenatal Programming of Adult Cancer Risk: Discussion and an Illustrative DNA Methylation Example

Science.gov (United States)

Childhood stressors including physical abuse predict adult cancer risk. Prior research portrays this finding as an indirect mechanism that operates through coping behaviors, including adult smoking, or through increased toxic exposures during childhood. Little is known about pote...

Influence of plasma shock wave on the morphology of laser drilling in different environments

Science.gov (United States)

Zhai, Zhaoyang; Wang, Wenjun; Mei, Xuesong; Wang, Kedian; Yang, Huizhu

2017-05-01

Nanosecond pulse laser was used to study nickel-based alloy drilling and compare processing results of microholes in air environment and water environment. Through analysis and comparison, it's found that environmental medium had obvious influence on morphology of laser drilling. High-speed camera was used to shoot plasma morphology during laser drilling process, theoretical formula was used to calculate boundary dimension of plasma and shock wave velocity, and finally parameters were substituted into computational fluid dynamics simulation software to obtain solutions. Obtained analysis results could intuitively explain different morphological features and forming reasons between laser drilling in air environment and water environment in the experiment from angle of plasma shock waves. By comparing simulation results and experimental results, it could help to get an understanding of formation mechanism of microhole morphology, thus providing basis for further improving process optimization of laser drilling quality.

Neighbourhood social and built environment factors and falls in community-dwelling canadian older adults: A validation study and exploration of structural confounding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Afshin Vafaei

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Older persons are vulnerable to the ill effects of their social and built environment due to age-related limitations in mobility and bio-psychological vulnerability. Falls are common in older adults and result from complex interactions between individual, social, and contextual determinants. We addressed two methodological issues of neighbourhood-health and social epidemiological studies in this analysis: (1 validity of measures of neighbourhood contexts, and (2 structural confounding resulting from social sorting mechanisms. Baseline data from International Mobility in Aging Study were used. Samples included community-dwelling Canadians older than 65 living in Kingston (Ontario and St-Hyacinthe (Quebec. We performed factor analysis and ecometric analysis to assess the validity of measures of neighbourhood social capital, socioeconomic status, and the built environment and stratified tabular analyses to explore structural confounding. The scales all demonstrated good psychometric and ecometric properties. There was an evidence of the existence of structural confounding in this sample of Canadian older adults as some combinations of strata for the three neighbourhood measures had no population. This limits causal inference in studying relationships between neighbourhood factors and falls and should be taken into account in aetiological aging research. Keywords: Ecometric analysis, Falls, Social and built environment, Neighbourhoods, Older adults, Social Capital, Structural confounding, Validity

Factors that influence outcomes in cochlear implantation in adults, based on patient related characteristics - a retrospective study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraaijenga, Véronique J C; Smit, Adriana L; Stegeman, Inge; Smilde, Jeanet J M; van Zanten, G A; Grolman, Wilko

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Outcomes in speech perception following cochlear implantation in adults vary widely. Many studies have been carried out to identify and quantify factors that influence outcomes. This paper adds a new dimension to pre-existing literature. DESIGN: Single center retrospective cohort study.

Influence of adult nutrition on the relationship between body size and reproductive parameters in a parasitoid wasp

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bezemer, T.M.; Harvey, J.A.; Mills, N.J.

2005-01-01

1. An important constraint upon life-history evolution in parasitoids is the limit imposed by body size on allocation of limited metabolic resources to different fitness-related physiological functions such as reproduction and survival. 2. The influence of adult nutrition on reproductive and

Informative-Consulting Model for Ecological Estimation of Influence of NPP on Surrounding Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vlasenko, N.I.; Vlasova, E.V.; Korotenko, M.N.; Pyshnaya, D.V.

2006-01-01

In the NAEK 'Energoatom' the development of informative-consulting model (ICM) for ecological estimation of influence of NPP on surrounding an environment has began. In ICM the use of modern program complexes is foreseen that will allow to analyses data of the radio ecological monitoring in the real-time mode and promote the validity of administrative decisions

Does Early Environmental Complexity Influence Tyrosine Hydroxylase in the Chicken Hippocampus and "Prefrontal" Caudolateral Nidopallium?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tahamtani, Fernanda M; Nordgreen, Janicke; Brantsæter, Margrethe; Østby, Gunn C; Nordquist, Rebecca E; Janczak, Andrew M

2016-01-01

In adult chickens, the housing system influences hippocampal morphology and neurochemistry. However, no work has been done investigating the effects of the early life environment on chicken brain development. In the present study, we reared 67 commercial laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) in two

Longitudinal Influences of Neighbourhood Built and Social Environment on Children’s Weight Status

Science.gov (United States)

Gose, Maria; Plachta-Danielzik, Sandra; Willié, Bianca; Johannsen, Maike; Landsberg, Beate; Müller, Manfred J.

2013-01-01

The objective was to examine longitudinal 4-year-relationships between neighbourhood social environment and children’s body mass index-standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) taking into account the built environment. Furthermore, we have analysed the influence of potential interactions between the social environment and family/social data on children’s BMI-SDS. Between 2006–2008 and 2010–2012, anthropometric measurements were conducted among 485 children (age at baseline: 6.1 (5.8–6.4)). Socio-demographic characteristics and perception of residential environment were reported by parents. Geographic Information Systems were used to examine street length, number of food outlets and distance to the nearest playground and park/green space within an 800 m Euclidian buffer of each participant address point. Additional data on neighbourhood characteristics (e.g., traffic density, walkability, crime rates) were obtained from the State Capital of Kiel, Germany. In a multivariate model, walkability, street type, socioeconomic status of the district and perceived frequency of passing trucks/busses were associated with BMI-SDS over 4 years, but only neighbourhood SES had an effect on change in BMI-SDS. However, familial/social factors rather than neighbourhood environment (especially social environment) had an impact on children’s BMI-SDS over 4 years. Thus, social inequalities in childhood overweight are only partially explained by social neighbourhood environment. PMID:24132135

Longitudinal Influences of Neighbourhood Built and Social Environment on Children’s Weight Status

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manfred J. Müller

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The objective was to examine longitudinal 4-year-relationships between neighbourhood social environment and children’s body mass index-standard deviation score (BMI-SDS taking into account the built environment. Furthermore, we have analysed the influence of potential interactions between the social environment and family/social data on children’s BMI-SDS. Between 2006–2008 and 2010–2012, anthropometric measurements were conducted among 485 children (age at baseline: 6.1 (5.8–6.4. Socio-demographic characteristics and perception of residential environment were reported by parents. Geographic Information Systems were used to examine street length, number of food outlets and distance to the nearest playground and park/green space within an 800 m Euclidian buffer of each participant address point. Additional data on neighbourhood characteristics (e.g., traffic density, walkability, crime rates were obtained from the State Capital of Kiel, Germany. In a multivariate model, walkability, street type, socioeconomic status of the district and perceived frequency of passing trucks/busses were associated with BMI-SDS over 4 years, but only neighbourhood SES had an effect on change in BMI-SDS. However, familial/social factors rather than neighbourhood environment (especially social environment had an impact on children’s BMI-SDS over 4 years. Thus, social inequalities in childhood overweight are only partially explained by social neighbourhood environment.

Adolescent perspectives of the recreational ice hockey food environment and influences on eating behaviour revealed through photovoice.

Science.gov (United States)

Caswell, M Susan; Hanning, Rhona M

2018-05-01

Unhealthy dietary behaviours are prevalent among adolescents. This might relate, in part, to obesogenic environments, including recreation food facilities. The REFRESH Study (Recreation Environment and Food Research: Experiences from Hockey) aimed to explore, from the perspectives of adolescent ice hockey players and parents, broad social and physical environmental influences on adolescent food behaviours associated with hockey participation. Players used photovoice to describe their food experiences in relation to ice hockey. The approach included photos, individual interviews and focus groups. Exemplar photographs were exhibited for stakeholders, including five parents who were interviewed. Interview and focus group transcripts were thematically analysed. Recreational ice hockey environment, Ontario, Canada, 2015-16. Ice hockey players (n 24) aged 11-15 years recruited from five leagues. Dominant influences among players included: their perceived importance of nutrients (e.g. protein) or foods (e.g. chocolate milk) for performance and recovery; marketing and branding (e.g. the pro-hockey aura of Tim Horton's®, Canada's largest quick-service restaurant); social aspects of tournaments and team meals; and moral values around 'right' and 'wrong' food choices. Both players and parents perceived recreational facility food options as unhealthy and identified that travel and time constraints contributed to less healthy choices. Results indicate recreation facilities are only one of a range of environments that influence eating behaviours of adolescent ice hockey players. Players' susceptibility to advertising/brand promotion and the value of healthy food choices for performance are findings that can inform policy and interventions to support healthy environments and behaviours.

UnAdulterated - children and adults' visual attention to healthy and unhealthy food.

Science.gov (United States)

Junghans, Astrid F; Hooge, Ignace T C; Maas, Josje; Evers, Catharine; De Ridder, Denise T D

2015-04-01

Visually attending to unhealthy food creates a desire to consume the food. To resist the temptation people have to employ self-regulation strategies, such as visual avoidance. Past research has shown that self-regulatory skills develop throughout childhood and adolescence, suggesting adults' superior self-regulation skills compared to children. This study employed a novel method to investigate self-regulatory skills. Children and adults' initial (bottom-up) and maintained (top-down) visual attention to simultaneously presented healthy and unhealthy food were examined in an eye-tracking paradigm. Results showed that both children and adults initially attended most to the unhealthy food. Subsequently, adults self-regulated their visual attention away from the unhealthy food. Despite the children's high self-reported attempts to eat healthily and importance of eating healthily, children did not self-regulate visual attention away from unhealthy food. Children remained influenced by the attention-driven desire to consume the unhealthy food whereas adults visually attended more strongly to the healthy food thereby avoiding the desire to consume the unhealthy option. The findings emphasize the necessity of improving children's self-regulatory skills to support their desire to remain healthy and to protect children from the influences of the obesogenic environment. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

FISCALITY – RELEVANT FACTOR INFLUENCING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ionel MĂNDESCU

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Main tool for macroeconomic management - fiscal policy consists in establishing the levels of taxation and spending in order to influence macroeconomic performance. Fiscal policy, promoted by the government authorities of any contemporary state, is directed usually to achieving microeconomic and macroeconomic goals deriving from the roles the state must fulfill in the economy, respectively the allocative role, distributive, regulatory and the stabilizer role. Governmental authorities, through the production and supply of public goods that are financed at the expense of taxes or duties, or on the public debt, affect both individuals’ utility functions and production functions of economic agents in the private sector. At the macroeconomic level, fiscal policy decisions of governmental authorities relating to either public spending or taxation can be directed towards the stimulation of development. Fiscality is a business cost in investment, where the decisions are taken by representatives of the business environment.

Examining Contextual Influences on Fall-Related Injuries Among Older Adults for Population Health Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Geoffrey J; Rodriguez, Hector P

2015-12-01

The objectives were to assess the associations between fall-related injuries (FRIs) treated in the emergency department (ED) among older adults in California and contextual county-level physical, social, and economic characteristics, and to assess how county-level economic conditions are associated with FRIs when controlling for other county-level factors. Data from 2008 California ED discharge, Medicare Impact File, and County Health Rankings were used. Random effects logistic regression models estimated contextual associations between county-level factors representing economic conditions, the built environment, community safety, access to care, and obesity with patient-level FRI treatment among 1,712,409 older adults, controlling for patient-level and hospital-level characteristics. Patient-level predictors of FRI treatment were consistent with previous studies not accounting for contextual associations. Larger and rural hospitals had higher odds of FRI treatment, while teaching and safety net hospitals had lower odds. Better county economic conditions were associated with greater odds (ß=0.73, P=0.001) and higher county-level obesity were associated with lower odds (ß=-0.37, P=0.004), but safer built environments (ß=-0.31, P=0.38) were not associated with FRI treatment. The magnitude of association between county-level economic conditions and FRI treatment attenuated with the inclusion of county-level obesity rates. FRI treatment was most strongly and consistently related to more favorable county economic conditions, suggesting differences in treatment or preferences for treatment for FRIs among older individuals in communities of varying resource levels. Using population health data on FRIs, policy makers may be able to remove barriers unique to local contexts when implementing falls prevention educational programs and built environment modifications.

What factors influence healthy aging? A person-centered approach among older adults in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Li-Fan; Su, Pei-Fang

2017-05-01

The present study aimed to identify the health profiles of older adults by using latent class analysis to investigate health heterogeneity and to determine what factors predicted healthy aging among an oldest-old sample cohort that was followed up for 14 years in Taiwan. Data were drawn from five waves (carried out in 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007) of the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging to examine the changes in health heterogeneity in a nationally representative oldest-old cohort of Taiwanese. Overall, data from a total of 11 145 observations of 3155 older adults were considered. The influential factors predicting health changes were analyzed by using a generalized estimating equation. The results showed that four health profiles were identified among the aging population observed in the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging. With increasing age, the combined effects of the physical functioning, cognitive and emotional health, and comorbidities of older adults significantly impact their health changes. Apart from health deteriorating with age and sex disparities, educational and economic status, health behaviors, and social participation at the individual level were found to be the robust factors in predicting healthy aging. In considering what factors impact healthy aging, we suggest that a person-centered approach would be useful and critical for policy makers to understand the compositions of health profiles and the influencing factors in view of a life-course perspective. Based on the factors identified as influencing healthy aging at the individual level, it is imperative from a policy-making perspective to maximize opportunities for healthy aging. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 697-707. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

How Can Adult Children Influence Parents' Long-Term Care Insurance Purchase Decisions?

Science.gov (United States)

Sperber, Nina R; Voils, Corrine I; Coe, Norma B; Konetzka, R Tamara; Boles, Jillian; Van Houtven, Courtney Harold

2017-04-01

Long-term care (LTC) poses a significant strain on public health insurance financing. In response, there is policy interest in bolstering the private long-term care insurance (LTCI) market. Although families are central to LTC provision, their role in LTCI demand remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to obtain in-depth information concerning: (a) How do older parents evaluate the need for LTCI, (b) what role do adult children play? and (c) How do families communicate about parents' LTC preferences and plans, including LTCI purchase? We conducted focus groups with older parents and adult children in diverse markets. Two groups were conducted with older parents who had purchased LTCI and two with parents who had not purchased LTCI. Four groups were conducted with adult children, mixed as to whether their parents had purchased LTCI. Probes were informed by published reasons for purchasing or not purchasing LTCI. We analyzed transcriptions using directed content analysis and constant comparative method. Older parents valued autonomy for themselves and their children. Older parent purchasers regarded LTCI as supporting this value while nonpurchasers perceived limitations. Adult children described unstated expectations that they would care for their parents. Though discussions between parents and children about LTCI were rare, successful influence occurred when children appealed to shared values, specifically avoiding burden and remaining home. Messages that emphasize autonomy over LTC decisions and interventions that start the LTC conversation among families, with attention to shared values, could increase private LTCI uptake. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Age, environment, object recognition and morphological diversity of GFAP-immunolabeled astrocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Diniz, Daniel Guerreiro; de Oliveira, Marcus Augusto; de Lima, Camila Mendes; Fôro, César Augusto Raiol; Sosthenes, Marcia Consentino Kronka; Bento-Torres, João; da Costa Vasconcelos, Pedro Fernando; Anthony, Daniel Clive; Diniz, Cristovam Wanderley Picanço

2016-10-10

Few studies have explored the glial response to a standard environment and how the response may be associated with age-related cognitive decline in learning and memory. Here we investigated aging and environmental influences on hippocampal-dependent tasks and on the morphology of an unbiased selected population of astrocytes from the molecular layer of dentate gyrus, which is the main target of perforant pathway. Six and twenty-month-old female, albino Swiss mice were housed, from weaning, in a standard or enriched environment, including running wheels for exercise and tested for object recognition and contextual memories. Young adult and aged subjects, independent of environment, were able to distinguish familiar from novel objects. All experimental groups, except aged mice from standard environment, distinguish stationary from displaced objects. Young adult but not aged mice, independent of environment, were able to distinguish older from recent objects. Only young mice from an enriched environment were able to distinguish novel from familiar contexts. Unbiased selected astrocytes from the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus were reconstructed in three-dimensions and classified using hierarchical cluster analysis of bimodal or multimodal morphological features. We found two morphological phenotypes of astrocytes and we designated type I the astrocytes that exhibited significantly higher values of morphological complexity as compared with type II. Complexity = [Sum of the terminal orders + Number of terminals] × [Total branch length/Number of primary branches]. On average, type I morphological complexity seems to be much more sensitive to age and environmental influences than that of type II. Indeed, aging and environmental impoverishment interact and reduce the morphological complexity of type I astrocytes at a point that they could not be distinguished anymore from type II. We suggest these two types of astrocytes may have different physiological roles

Factors that influence pa of adult inhabitants in the Olomouc region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svatopluk Horák

2011-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Regular physical activity has significant benefits for health. For instance, it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and osteoporosis, help control weight, and promote psychological well-being. There are many factors that can influence physical activity; socioeconomic status, family, size of place of residence, environmental conditions etc AIM: The aim of the study was to analyze physical activity and inactivity of adult population in the Olomouc region in terms of size of residence, type of housing, body weight status, smoking and participation in organized physical activity. METHODS: 1011 randomly selected residents of the Olomouc region (448 males and 563 females aged 41.14 ± 8.63 years participated in this study. To obtain selected indicators of physical activity, we used the ANEWS questionnaire which was distributed by university students in Spring and Fall periods from 2005 to 2009. For healthy adults aged 18 to 65 years, the goal recommended by the WHO is to achieve a minimum of 30 minutes of moderateintensity physical activity 5 days a week or at least 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity 3 days a week. RESULTS: The most physically active were males aged 36-45 years. From the selected correlates, those with the highest influence on total weekly PA were the size of residence and type of house. On the other hand, factors that did not affect total weekly PA were smoking, participation in organized PA and body mass index. The most commonly performed type of PA is cycling; followed in males with soccer and tennis and in women with aerobic dance and fitness walking. CONCLUSION: In the Olomouc region there is a need to preserve and develop the conditions to perform PA. Due to the landscape in the Olomouc region and due to the popularity of cycling, we recommend focus on this type of PA.

Self-reported physical activity in perceived neighborhood in Czech adults – national study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Mitáš

2013-06-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: International studies associate physical activity (PA to other factors such as the environment, culture, and policy. External influences on lifestyle and PA, such as the effect of the physical and built environment, are discussed. Neighborhood environments seem to be one of the important aspects in prevention of unhealthy lifestyle and physical inactivity research. OBJECTIVE: The main objective is to analyze the relationship between PA and neighborhood environment of the adult population of the Czech Republic. The study tries to define the basic correlates of PA in relation to environmental and other socio-demographic factors. METHODS: Nationwide data collection of adult PA was done regionally in the Czech Republic between the years 2005–2009 using the IPAQ (long and ANEWS questionnaires. RESULTS: The results show that males realize significantly more vigorous PA than females while females realize more moderate PA and walking than males. PA of residents of smaller communities is higher than those living in large cities. The level of weekly PA does not significantly affect the neighborhood walkability [H(3, 8708 = 19.60; p CONCLUSIONS: The results clearly indicate the need to connect multiple sectors that affect the lifestyle of the general population. Possible solution is an interdisciplinary approach to the evaluation of the fundamental environmental factors influencing the level of PA (walkability; SES; participation in organized and voluntary PA; neighborhood safety; type of transportation; size of the community.

The Influence of the Openness of an E-Learning Situation on Adult Students' Self-Regulation

Science.gov (United States)

Jezegou, Annie

2013-01-01

This article presents empirical research conducted with French speaking adults studying for a diploma. Their training took place mainly in e-learning. The goal of this research was to identify and explain the processes of influence existing between two specific dimensions: the degree of openness of the components of the e-learning situation and…

Creating and Maintaining a Wellness Environment in Child Care Centers Participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program

Science.gov (United States)

Lofton, Kristi L.; Carr, Deborah H.

2010-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: This study identifies issues associated with creating and maintaining a wellness environment in child care centers (CCCs) participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Methods: Structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with CCC professionals and state agency personnel to develop a survey to assess…

Relationship between the physical environment and different domains of physical activity in European adults: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Van Holle Veerle

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the past decade, various reviews described the relationship between the physical environment and different physical activity (PA domains. Yet, the majority of the current review evidence relies on North American/Australian studies, while only a small proportion of findings refer to European studies. Given some clear environmental differences across continents, this raises questions about the applicability of those results in European settings. This systematic review aimed at summarizing Europe-specific evidence on the relationship between the physical environment and different PA domains in adults. Methods Seventy eligible papers were identified through systematic searches across six electronic databases. Included papers were observational studies assessing the relationship between several aspects of the physical environment and PA in European adults (18-65y. Summary scores were calculated to express the strength of the relationship between each environmental factor and different PA domains. Results Convincing evidence on positive relationships with several PA domains was found for following environmental factors: walkability, access to shops/services/work and the composite factor environmental quality. Convincing evidence considering urbanization degree showed contradictory results, dependent on the observed PA domain. Transportation PA was more frequently related to the physical environment than recreational PA. Possible evidence for a positive relationship with transportation PA emerged for walking/cycling facilities, while a negative relationship was found for hilliness. Some environmental factors, such as access to recreational facilities, aesthetics, traffic- and crime-related safety were unrelated to different PA domains in Europe. Conclusions Generally, findings from this review of European studies are in accordance with results from North American/Australian reviews and may contribute to a generalization of the

THE INFLUENCE OF FAMILY ENVIRONMENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN'S SUBJECTIVITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. V. Suvorova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents theoretical and experimental study of children's subjectivity in the age of transition from preschool to primary school age. Contains an analysis of the development of subjectivity of the child in the age of transition from preschool to primary school age. The process of personality development is seen as a movement from doobjective to presubject and resubjected levels. Presents the results of an empirical study of the development of subjectivity of the child under the influence of the family environment, personality traits and communication parents.

Detection vs. selection: integration of genetic, epigenetic and environmental cues in fluctuating environments.

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, John M; Dall, Sasha R X; Hammerstein, Peter; Leimar, Olof

2016-10-01

There are many inputs during development that influence an organism's fit to current or upcoming environments. These include genetic effects, transgenerational epigenetic influences, environmental cues and developmental noise, which are rarely investigated in the same formal framework. We study an analytically tractable evolutionary model, in which cues are integrated to determine mature phenotypes in fluctuating environments. Environmental cues received during development and by the mother as an adult act as detection-based (individually observed) cues. The mother's phenotype and a quantitative genetic effect act as selection-based cues (they correlate with environmental states after selection). We specify when such cues are complementary and tend to be used together, and when using the most informative cue will predominate. Thus, we extend recent analyses of the evolutionary implications of subsets of these effects by providing a general diagnosis of the conditions under which detection and selection-based influences on development are likely to evolve and coexist. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Fast or Smart? How the Use of Scrum Can Influence the Temporal Environment in a Project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scheller, Vibeke Kristine; Hvid, Helge Søndergaard; Pries-Heje, Jan

2015-01-01

A recent survey shows that 40% of all projects use, or have used, agile methods. The most commonly used agile method is Scrum, one reason being that Scrum provides mechanisms for building a healthy temporal environment for the project participants. Through a case study carried out in a Danish...... municipality we demkonstrate how the tgemporal environment in a project is influenced - enhanced as well as challenged - by the use of Scrum....

Modelling categorical data to identify factors influencing concern for the natural environment in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Parizanganeh, Abdolhossein; Lakhan, V Chris; Yazdani, Mahmoud; Ahmad, Sajid R

2011-10-01

Loglinear modelling techniques were used to identify the interactions and interrelationships underlying categorical environmental concern data collected from 9062 respondents in Iran. After fitting various loglinear models to the data, the most parsimonious model highlighted that a combination of interacting factors, namely educational attainment, age, gender, and residential location were responsible for influencing personal concern for the environment. Although high educational attainment had a close correspondence with high concern for the environment the loglinear results, when visualized with a geographical information system, demonstrated wide spatial variations in educational attainment and concern for the environment. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents were not highly educated, and were therefore not highly concerned for the environment. The finding that both rural and urban male and female respondents in the 15-24 years age category, with 10-12 years of education, had the strongest interaction with personal concern for the environment could be beneficial for policy planners to utilize education as the primary instrument to enhance environmental governance and prospects for sustainable development. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental barriers and enablers to physical activity participation among rural adults: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cleland, Verity; Hughes, Clarissa; Thornton, Lukar; Squibb, Kathryn; Venn, Alison; Ball, Kylie

2015-08-01

Social-ecological models of health behaviour acknowledge environmental influences, but research examining how the environment shapes physical activity in rural settings is limited. This study aimed to explore the environmental factors that act as barriers or facilitators to physical activity participation among rural adults. Forty-nine adults from three regions of rural Tasmania, Australia, participated in semi-structured interviews that explored features of the environment that supported or hindered physical activity. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Four key themes emerged: functionality, diversity, spaces and places for all and realistic expectations. 'Functionality' included connectivity with other destinations, distance, safety, continuity, supporting infrastructure and surfacing. While there was limited 'diversity' of structured activities and recreational facilities, the importance of easy and convenient access to a natural environment that accommodated physical activity was highlighted. 'Spaces and places for all' highlighted the importance of shared-use areas, particularly those that were family- and dog-friendly. Despite desires for more physical activity opportunities, many participants had 'realistic expectations' of what was feasible in rural settings. Functionality, diversity, spaces and places for all and realistic expectations were identified as considerations important for physical activity among rural adults. Further research using quantitative approaches in larger samples is needed to confirm these findings. SO WHAT? Urban-centric views of environmental influences on physical activity are unlikely to be entirely appropriate for rural areas. Evidence-based recommendations are provided for creating new or modifying existing infrastructure to support active living in rural settings.

Influence of Nanotoxicity on Human Health and Environment: The Alternative Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Viswanath, Buddolla; Kim, Sanghyo

Currently, nanotechnology revolutionizing both scientific and industrial community due to their applications in the fields of medicine, environmental protection, energy, and space exploration. Despite of the evident benefits of nanoparticles, there are still open questions about the influence of these nanoparticles on human health and environment. This is one of the critical issues that have to be addressed in the near future, before massive production of nanomaterials. Manufactured nanoparticles, which are finding ever-increasing applications in industry and consumer products fall into the category of emerging contaminants with ecological and toxicological effects on populations, communities and ecosystems. The existing experimental knowledge gave evidence that inhaled nanoparticles are less efficiently separated than larger particles by the macrophage clearance mechanisms and these nanoparticles are known to translocate through the lymphatic, circulatory and nervous systems to many tissues and organs, including the brain. In this review we highlight adverse impacts of nanoparticles on human and the environment with special emphasis on green nanoscience as a sustainable alternative.

Family environment and emotional and behavioural symptoms in adolescent Cambodian Refugees: influence of time, gender, and acculturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rousseau, Cécile; Drapeau, Aline; Platt, Robert

2004-01-01

For young refugees, the turmoil of adolescence is exacerbated by the acculturation process that sometimes places them at odds with the traditional culture of their ethnic group. The family environment can affect how adolescents cross that pivotal period. This paper focuses on the influence of family environment, gender and acculturation on the mental health of young refugees from early to mid-adolescence. Sixty-seven Cambodian adolescents were followed up from early to mid-adolescence. The effects of the youths' acculturation level, gender, and family environment and structure on internalising and externalising symptoms were analysed through linear regression analyses. Family conflict tends to increase from early to mid-adolescence. The association between family environment and mental health changes over time and, overall, family environment is associated with externalisation whereas gender, acculturation level, and family structure influence internalisation. Cambodian girls and boys cope differently with the challenges of adolescence in the host country, adopting traditional strategies and borrowing new ones from the host culture. Family therapy may help the parents and their adolescents address this process of change, which is both a source of vulnerability and of fulfilment, and enhances the ability of the family to negotiate between the cultural worlds of the home and of the host countries.

Exploring the Influence of Nursing Work Environment and Patient Safety Culture on Missed Nursing Care in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kyoung-Ja; Yoo, Moon Sook; Seo, Eun Ji

2018-04-20

This study aimed to explore the influence of nurse work environment and patient safety culture in hospital on instances of missed nursing care in South Korea. A cross-sectional design was used, in which a structured questionnaire was administered to 186 nurses working at a tertiary university hospital. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test or ANOVA, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. Missed nursing care was found to be correlated with clinical career, nursing work environment and patient safety culture. The regression model explained approximately 30.3 % of missed nursing care. Meanwhile, staffing and resource adequacy (β = -.31, p = .001), nurse manager ability, leadership and support of nurses (β = -.26, p = .004), clinical career (β = -.21, p = .004), and perception on patient safety culture within unit (β = -.19, p = .041) were determined to be influencing factors on missed nursing care. This study has significance as it suggested that missed nursing care is affected by work environment factors within unit. This means that missed nursing care is a unit outcome affected by nurse work environment factors and patient safety culture. Therefore, missed nursing care can be managed through the implementation of interventions that promote a positive nursing work environment and patient safety culture. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Influence of the environment in the body position attitude during the practice of the physical activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valia Alina Crespo Almeira

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The paper addresses the importance of postural attitude in environmental ergonomics considering that ergonomics is a multidisciplinary discipline that studies the systemic interactions between human machine in the development of different physical activities in their environment with the purpose of obtaining a state health, safety, mechanical efficiency and productivity to prevent repetitive strain injuries, positions held and musculoskeletal problems which can develop over time and can reach disabilities short or long term. Considering the influence of the environment on man to work: thermal, sound, light environments and its impact on health; anthropometric and biomechanical data: measures of bone, amplitudes segments of joint movements; the characteristics of muscular effort: The efficiency and effectiveness in physical activities in its various manifestations is contingent on first order to study the physical conditions such as; thermal environment, noise levels, air conditioning level, vibration hygienic conditions, including conditions schedules and secondly the attitude that sums the man in front of the activities which in one way or another affect job performance. It addresses the influence of postural attitude in environmental ergonomics while performing physical activities of man from the importance and prevalence of health problems related to the non-application of standards of environmental ergonomics.

Larval starvation improves metabolic response to adult starvation in honey bees (Apis mellifera L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ying; Campbell, Jacob B; Kaftanoglu, Osman; Page, Robert E; Amdam, Gro V; Harrison, Jon F

2016-04-01

Environmental changes during development have long-term effects on adult phenotypes in diverse organisms. Some of the effects play important roles in helping organisms adapt to different environments, such as insect polymorphism. Others, especially those resulting from an adverse developmental environment, have a negative effect on adult health and fitness. However, recent studies have shown that those phenotypes influenced by early environmental adversity have adaptive value under certain (anticipatory) conditions that are similar to the developmental environment, though evidence is mostly from morphological and behavioral observations and it is still rare at physiological and molecular levels. In the companion study, we applied a short-term starvation treatment to fifth instar honey bee larvae and measured changes in adult morphology, starvation resistance, hormonal and metabolic physiology and gene expression. Our results suggest that honey bees can adaptively respond to the predicted nutritional stress. In the present study, we further hypothesized that developmental starvation specifically improves the metabolic response of adult bees to starvation instead of globally affecting metabolism under well-fed conditions. Here, we produced adult honey bees that had experienced a short-term larval starvation, then we starved them for 12 h and monitored metabolic rate, blood sugar concentrations and metabolic reserves. We found that the bees that experienced larval starvation were able to shift to other fuels faster and better maintain stable blood sugar levels during starvation. However, developmental nutritional stress did not change metabolic rates or blood sugar levels in adult bees under normal conditions. Overall, our study provides further evidence that early larval starvation specifically improves the metabolic responses to adult starvation in honey bees. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Estimation of the Driving Style Based on the Users’ Activity and Environment Influence

Science.gov (United States)

Sysoev, Mikhail; Kos, Andrej; Guna, Jože; Pogačnik, Matevž

2017-01-01

New models and methods have been designed to predict the influence of the user’s environment and activity information to the driving style in standard automotive environments. For these purposes, an experiment was conducted providing two types of analysis: (i) the evaluation of a self-assessment of the driving style; (ii) the prediction of aggressive driving style based on drivers’ activity and environment parameters. Sixty seven h of driving data from 10 drivers were collected for analysis in this study. The new parameters used in the experiment are the car door opening and closing manner, which were applied to improve the prediction accuracy. An Android application called Sensoric was developed to collect low-level smartphone data about the users’ activity. The driving style was predicted from the user’s environment and activity data collected before driving. The prediction was tested against the actual driving style, calculated from objective driving data. The prediction has shown encouraging results, with precision values ranging from 0.727 up to 0.909 for aggressive driving recognition rate. The obtained results lend support to the hypothesis that user’s environment and activity data could be used for the prediction of the aggressive driving style in advance, before the driving starts. PMID:29065476

Estimation of the Driving Style Based on the Users' Activity and Environment Influence.

Science.gov (United States)

Sysoev, Mikhail; Kos, Andrej; Guna, Jože; Pogačnik, Matevž

2017-10-21

New models and methods have been designed to predict the influence of the user's environment and activity information to the driving style in standard automotive environments. For these purposes, an experiment was conducted providing two types of analysis: (i) the evaluation of a self-assessment of the driving style; (ii) the prediction of aggressive driving style based on drivers' activity and environment parameters. Sixty seven h of driving data from 10 drivers were collected for analysis in this study. The new parameters used in the experiment are the car door opening and closing manner, which were applied to improve the prediction accuracy. An Android application called Sensoric was developed to collect low-level smartphone data about the users' activity. The driving style was predicted from the user's environment and activity data collected before driving. The prediction was tested against the actual driving style, calculated from objective driving data. The prediction has shown encouraging results, with precision values ranging from 0.727 up to 0.909 for aggressive driving recognition rate. The obtained results lend support to the hypothesis that user's environment and activity data could be used for the prediction of the aggressive driving style in advance, before the driving starts.

Analysis of commode grab bar usage for the monitoring of older adults in the smart home environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Arcelus, Amaya; Holtzman, Megan; Goubran, Rafik; Sveistrup, Heidi; Guitard, Paulette; Knoefel, Frank

2009-01-01

The occurrence of falls inside the home is a common yet potentially hazardous issue for adults as they age. Even with the installation of physical aids such as grab bars, weight transfers on and off a toilet or bathtub can become increasingly difficult as a person's level of physical mobility and sense of balance deteriorate. Detecting this deterioration becomes an important goal in fall prevention within a smart home. This paper develops an unobtrusive method of analyzing the usage of toilet grab bars using pressure sensors embedded into the arm rests of a commode. Clinical parameters are successfully extracted automatically from a series of stand-to-sit (StSi) and sit-to-stand (SiSt) transfers performed by a trial group of young and older adults. A preliminary comparison of the parameters indicates differences between the two groups, and aligns well with published characteristics obtained using accelerometers worn on the body. The unobtrusive nature of this method provides a useful tool to be incorporated into a system of continuous monitoring of older adults within the smart home environment.

Discourses on the influence of the social environment in the drive towards a healthier lifestyle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siiger, Charlotte

Research question: How do Danish middle-aged urban dwellers verbalize the influence of their social environment in the drive towards a healthier lifestyle? Data: 10 semi-structured, qualitative interviews; six men and five women with high blood pressure, overweight, signs of diabetes or high...... cholesterol level. Concepts: Discourse, self-technology , social mirroring, role , social identity . Conclusion: Interviewees draw on a 'discourse of lifestyle changes' containing two sub-discourses: the ‘sub-discourse of encouragement’ vs. the 'sub-discourse of fear’. The near social environment (family...

Relationships between middle childhood outdoor experiences and an adult individual's knowledge of the environment

Science.gov (United States)

Gillette, Brandon A.

During the last several decades, the nature of childhood has changed. There is not much nature in it anymore. Numerous studies in environmental education, environmental psychology, and conservation psychology show that the time children spend outdoors encourages healthy physical development, enriches creativity and imagination, and enhances classroom performance. Additional research shows that people's outdoor experiences as children, and adults can lead to more positive attitudes and behavior towards the environment, along with more environmental knowledge with which to guide public policy decisions. The overall purpose of this study was to examine the effect of middle childhood (age 6-11) outdoor experiences on an individual's current knowledge of the environment. This correlational study evaluated the following potential relationships: 1) The effect of "outdoorsiness" (defined as a fondness or enjoyment of the outdoors and related activities) on an individual's environmental knowledge; 2) The effect of gender on an individual's level of outdoorsiness; 3) The effect of setting (urban, suburban, rural, farm) on an individual's level of outdoorsiness and environmental knowledge; 4) The effect of formal [science] education on an individual's level of outdoorsiness and environmental knowledge; and 5) The effect of informal, free-choice learning on an individual's level of outdoorsiness and environmental knowledge. Outdoorsiness was measured using the Natural Experience Scale (NES), which was developed through a series of pilot surveys and field-tested in this research study. Participants included 382 undergraduate students at the University of Kansas with no preference or bias given to declared or undeclared majors. The information from this survey was used to analyze the question of whether outdoor experiences as children are related in some way to an adult's environmental knowledge after accounting for other factors of knowledge acquisition such as formal education

Environmental influences on the at-sea behaviour of a major consumer, Mirounga leonina, in a rapidly changing environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trevor McIntyre

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Understanding the distribution and foraging ecology of major consumers within pelagic systems, specifically in relation to physical parameters, can be important for the management of bentho-pelagic systems undergoing rapid change associated with global climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances such as fishing (i.e., the Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Sea. We tracked 11 adult male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina, during their five-month post-moult foraging migrations from King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo, northern Antarctic Peninsula, using tags capable of recording and transmitting behavioural data and in situ temperature and salinity data. Seals foraged mostly within the Weddell–Scotia Confluence, while a few foraged along the western Antarctic Peninsula shelf of the Bellingshausen Sea. Mixed model outputs suggest that the at-sea behaviour of seals was associated with a number of environmental parameters, especially seafloor depth, sea-ice concentrations and the temperature structure of the water column. Seals increased dive bottom times and travelled at slower speeds in shallower areas and areas with increased sea-ice concentrations. Changes in dive depth and durations, as well as relative amount of time spent during the bottom phases of dives, were observed in relation to differences in overall temperature gradient, likely as a response to vertical changes in prey distribution associated with temperature stratification in the water column. Our results illustrate the likely complex influences of bathymetry, hydrography and sea ice on the behaviour of male southern elephant seals in a changing environment and highlight the need for region-specific approaches to studying environmental influences on behaviour.

Influence of demography and environment on persistence in toad populations

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Brad A.; Schorr, Robert A.; Schneider, Scott C.; Muths, Erin L.

2016-01-01

Effective conservation of rare species requires an understanding of how potential threats affect population dynamics. Unfortunately, information about population demographics prior to threats (i.e., baseline data) is lacking for many species. Perturbations, caused by climate change, disease, or other stressors can lead to population declines and heightened conservation concerns. Boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) have undergone rangewide declines due mostly to the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), with only a few sizable populations remaining in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA, that are disease-free. Despite the apparent region-wide occurrence of Bd, our focal populations in central Colorado were disease free over a 14-year capture-mark-recapture study until the recent discovery of Bd at one of the sites. We used recapture data and the Pradel reverse-time model to assess the influence of environmental and site-specific conditions on survival and recruitment. We then forecast changes in the toad populations with 2 growth models; one using an average lambda value to initiate the projection, and one using the most recent value to capture potential effects of the incursion of disease into the system. Adult survival was consistently high at the 3 sites, whereas recruitment was more variable and markedly low at 1 site. We found that active season moisture, active season length, and breeding shallows were important factors in estimating recruitment. Population growth models indicated a slight increase at 1 site but decreasing trends at the 2 other sites, possibly influenced by low recruitment. Insight into declining species management can be gained from information on survival and recruitment and how site-specific environmental factors influence these demographic parameters. Our data are particularly useful because they provide baseline data on demographics in populations before a disease outbreak and enhance our ability to detect changes

Adult educators' core competences

Science.gov (United States)

Wahlgren, Bjarne

2016-06-01

Which competences do professional adult educators need? This research note discusses the topic from a comparative perspective, finding that adult educators' required competences are wide-ranging, heterogeneous and complex. They are subject to context in terms of national and cultural environment as well as the kind of adult education concerned (e.g. basic education, work-related education etc.). However, it seems that it is possible to identify certain competence requirements which transcend national, cultural and functional boundaries. This research note summarises these common or "core" requirements, organising them into four thematic subcategories: (1) communicating subject knowledge; (2) taking students' prior learning into account; (3) supporting a learning environment; and (4) the adult educator's reflection on his or her own performance. At the end of his analysis of different competence profiles, the author notes that adult educators' ability to train adult learners in a way which then enables them to apply and use what they have learned in practice (thus performing knowledge transfer) still seems to be overlooked.

Association of food environment and food retailers with obesity in US adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Renfei; Bastian, Nathaniel D; Griffin, Paul M

2015-05-01

The food environment has been shown to be a factor affecting the obesity rate. We studied the association of density of food retailer type with obesity rate in U.S. adults in local regions controlling for socioeconomic factors. Parametric nonlinear regression was used on publically available data (year=2009) at the county level. We used the results of this association to estimate the impact of the addition of a new food retailer type in a geographic region. Obesity rate increased in supercenters (0.25-0.28%) and convenience stores (0.05%) and decreased in grocery stores (0.08%) and specialized food stores (0.27-0.36%). The marginal measures estimated in this work could be useful in identifying regions where interventions based on food retailer type would be most effective. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Extracellular Environment of the CNS: Influence on Plasticity, Sprouting, and Axonal Regeneration after Spinal Cord Injury

Science.gov (United States)

Forbes, Lindsey H.

2018-01-01

The extracellular environment of the central nervous system (CNS) becomes highly structured and organized as the nervous system matures. The extracellular space of the CNS along with its subdomains plays a crucial role in the function and stability of the CNS. In this review, we have focused on two components of the neuronal extracellular environment, which are important in regulating CNS plasticity including the extracellular matrix (ECM) and myelin. The ECM consists of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) and tenascins, which are organized into unique structures called perineuronal nets (PNNs). PNNs associate with the neuronal cell body and proximal dendrites of predominantly parvalbumin-positive interneurons, forming a robust lattice-like structure. These developmentally regulated structures are maintained in the adult CNS and enhance synaptic stability. After injury, however, CSPGs and tenascins contribute to the structure of the inhibitory glial scar, which actively prevents axonal regeneration. Myelin sheaths and mature adult oligodendrocytes, despite their important role in signal conduction in mature CNS axons, contribute to the inhibitory environment existing after injury. As such, unlike the peripheral nervous system, the CNS is unable to revert to a “developmental state” to aid neuronal repair. Modulation of these external factors, however, has been shown to promote growth, regeneration, and functional plasticity after injury. This review will highlight some of the factors that contribute to or prevent plasticity, sprouting, and axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury. PMID:29849554

Shared Environment Estimates for Educational Attainment: A Puzzle and Possible Solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Freese, Jeremy; Jao, Yu-Han

2017-02-01

Classical behavioral genetics models for twin and other family designs decompose traits into heritability, shared environment, and nonshared environment components. Estimates of heritability of adult traits are pervasively observed to be far higher than those of shared environment, which has been used to make broad claims about the impotence of upbringing. However, the most commonly studied nondemographic variable in many areas of social science, educational attainment, exhibits robustly high estimates both for heritability and for shared environment. When previously noticed, the usual explanation has emphasized family resources, but evidence suggests this is unlikely to explain the anomalous high estimates for shared environment of educational attainment. We articulate eight potential complementary explanations and discuss evidence of their prospective contributions to resolving the puzzle. In so doing, we hope to further consideration of how behavioral genetics findings may advance studies of social stratification beyond the effort to articulate specific genetic influences. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Influence of the nuclear energetics on the environment and population in Poland - methods, survey, opinions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

During the conference 14 lectures were presented which describe all possible aspects of the nuclear power plants influence on the environment and population in Poland. They were delivered by the outstanding polish scientists from ten institutions. The supervisor of the conference is National Atomic Energy Agency

A study of asthma severity in adult twins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Simon Francis; van der Sluis, Sophie; Kyvik, Kirsten Ohm

2012-01-01

Introduction: The tendency to develop asthma runs in families, but whether the severity of asthma symptoms is inherited is not known. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine whether genetic factors influence the variation in the severity of asthma. Methods: Of a sample of 21 133 adult......, and markers of airway impairment and allergy were measured. Results: After adjusting for confounders, genetic factors explained 24% (10%-37%), P = 0.0004, of the variation in overall asthma symptom severity, whereas non-shared environment accounted for the remaining 76% of the variation. A significant genetic...

Matchmaking: the influence of monitoring environments on the effectiveness of performance pay systems

OpenAIRE

Richard Belfield; David Marsden

2002-01-01

This study uses cross-section and panel data from the 1998 Workplace Employee Relations Survey to explore contextual influences on the relationship between performance-related pay (PRP) and organizational performance. While it finds strong evidence that the use of PRP can enhance performance outcomes, it also determines that this relationship is qualified by the structure of workplace monitoring environments. In addition, it presents evidence that managers learn about optimum combinations of ...

Influence of Sea Surface Roughness on the Electromagnetic Wave Propagation in the Duct Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X. Zhao

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with a study of the influence of sea surface roughness on the electromagnetic wave propagation in the duct environment. The problem of electromagnetic wave propagation is modeled by using the parabolic equation method. The roughness of the sea surface is computed by modifying the smooth surface Fresnel reflection coefficient to account for the reduction in the specular reflection due to the roughness resulting from sea wind speed. The propagation model is solved by the mixed Fourier split-step algorithm. Numerical experiments indicate that wind-driven roughened sea surface has an impact on the electromagnetic wave propagation in the duct environment, and the strength is intensified along with the increment of sea wind speeds and/or the operating frequencies. In a fixed duct environment, however, proper disposition of the transmitter could reduce these impacts.

Neighborhood built environment and physical activity of Japanese older adults: results from the Aichi Gerontological Evaluation Study (AGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hirai Hiroshi

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although many studies have reported the association between neighborhood built environment (BE and physical activity (PA, less is known about the associations for older populations or in countries besides the US and Australia. The aim of this paper is to examine the associations for older adult populations in Japan. Methods Our analyses were based on cross-sectional data from the Aichi Gerontological Evaluation Study (AGES, conducted in 2003. The respondents were older adults, aged 65 years or over (n = 9,414, from 8 municipalities across urban, suburban, and rural areas. The frequency of leisure time sports activity and total walking time were used as the outcome variables. Using geographic information systems (GIS, we measured residential density, street connectivity, number of local destinations, access to recreational spaces, and land slope of the respondents' neighborhoods, based on network distances with multiple radii (250 m, 500 m, 1,000 m. An ordinal logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between PA and BE measures. Results Population density and presence of parks or green spaces had positive associations with the frequency of sports activity, regardless of the selected buffer zone. The analysis of total walking time, however, showed only a few associations. Conclusions Our findings provide mixed support for the association between PA and the characteristics of BE measures, previously used in Western settings. Some characteristics of the neighborhood built environment may facilitate leisure time sports activity, but not increase the total walking time for Japanese older adults.

The influence of pornography on sexual scripts and hooking up among emerging adults in college.

Science.gov (United States)

Braithwaite, Scott R; Coulson, Gwen; Keddington, Krista; Fincham, Frank D

2015-01-01

The explosive growth in access to the Internet has led to a commensurate increase in the availability, anonymity, and affordability of pornography. An emerging body of research has shown associations between pornography and certain behaviors and attitudes; yet, how pornography actually influences these outcomes has not been documented. In two studies (Study 1 N = 969; Study 2 N = 992) we examined the hypothesis that pornography influences potentially risky sexual behavior (hooking up) among emerging adults via sexual scripts. Our results demonstrate that more frequent viewing of pornography is associated with a higher incidence of hooking up and a higher number of unique hook up partners. We replicated these effects both cross-sectionally and longitudinally while accounting for the stability of hook ups over the course of an academic semester. We also demonstrated that more frequent viewing of pornography is associated with having had more previous sexual partners of all types, more one occasion sexual partners ("one night stands"), and plans to have a higher number of sexual partners in the future. Finally, we provided evidence that more permissive sexual scripts mediated the association between more frequent pornography viewing and hooking up. We discuss these findings with an eye toward mitigating potential personal and public health risks among emerging adults.

A Common Language: How Neuroimmunological Cross Talk Regulates Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Odette Leiter

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Immune regulation of the brain is generally studied in the context of injury or disease. Less is known about how the immune system regulates the brain during normal brain function. Recent work has redefined the field of neuroimmunology and, as long as their recruitment and activation are well regulated, immune cells are now known to have protective properties within the central nervous system in maintaining brain health. Adult neurogenesis, the process of new neuron generation in the adult brain, is highly plastic and regulated by diverse extrinsic and intrinsic cues. Emerging research has shown that immune cells and their secreted factors can influence adult neurogenesis, both under baseline conditions and during conditions known to change neurogenesis levels, such as aging and learning in an enriched environment. This review will discuss how, under nonpathological conditions, the immune system can interact with the neural stem cells to regulate adult neurogenesis with particular focus on the hippocampus—a region crucial for learning and memory.

Links between social environment and health care utilization and costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Brault, Marie A; Brewster, Amanda L; Bradley, Elizabeth H; Keene, Danya; Tan, Annabel X; Curry, Leslie A

2018-01-01

The social environment influences health outcomes for older adults and could be an important target for interventions to reduce costly medical care. We sought to understand which elements of the social environment distinguish communities that achieve lower health care utilization and costs from communities that experience higher health care utilization and costs for older adults with complex needs. We used a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach. We classified community performance based on three outcomes: rate of hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions, all-cause risk-standardized hospital readmission rates, and Medicare spending per beneficiary. We conducted in-depth interviews with key informants (N = 245) from organizations providing health or social services. Higher performing communities were distinguished by several aspects of social environment, and these features were lacking in lower performing communities: 1) strong informal support networks; 2) partnerships between faith-based organizations and health care and social service organizations; and 3) grassroots organizing and advocacy efforts. Higher performing communities share similar social environmental features that complement the work of health care and social service organizations. Many of the supportive features and programs identified in the higher performing communities were developed locally and with limited governmental funding, providing opportunities for improvement.

A parametric study of influence of material properties on car cabin environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pokorny Jan

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Recently the author presented the paper describing a car cabin heat load model for the prediction of the car cabin environment. The model allowed to simulate a transient behavior of the car cabin, i.e. radiant temperature of surfaces, air temperature and relative humidity. The model was developed in Dymola and was built on the basic principles of thermodynamics and heat balance equations. The model was validated by experiments performed on the Škoda Felicia during various operational conditions. In this paper the authors present a parametric study investigating influence of material properties on a car cabin environment. The Matlab version of the car cabin heat load model has been developed and used. The model was extended by simple graphical user interface and it was deployed into the stand alone executable application. The aim of this parametric study is to identify most important material properties and its effect on the cabin environment during specific operational conditions of car. By means of a sensitive analysis it can identified which material parameters have to be defined precisely and which parameters are not so important for the prediction of the air temperature inside cabin.

Influence of the Built Environment on Pedestrian Route Choices of Adolescent Girls

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rodriguez, Daniel A.; Merlin, Louis; Prato, Carlo Giacomo

2015-01-01

We examined the influence of the built environment on pedestrian route selection among adolescent girls. Portable global positioning system units, accelerometers, and travel diaries were used to identify the origin, destination, and walking routes of girls in San Diego, California, and Minneapolis...... of route choice. Shorter distance had the strongest positive association with route choice, whereas the presence of a greenway or trail, higher safety, presence of sidewalks, and availability of destinations along a route were also consistently positively associated with route choice at both sites...

Older Adults Pay an Additional Cost When Texting and Walking: Effects of Age, Environment, and Use of Mixed Reality on Dual-Task Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Krasovsky, Tal; Weiss, Patrice L; Kizony, Rachel

2018-04-06

Texting while walking (TeWW) has become common among people of all ages, and mobile phone use during gait is increasingly associated with pedestrian injury. Although dual-task walking performance is known to decline with age, data regarding the effect of age on dual-task performance in ecological settings are limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of age, environment (indoors/outdoors), and mixed reality (merging of real and virtual environments) on TeWW performance. A cross-sectional design was used. Young (N = 30; 27.8 ± 4.4 years) and older (N = 20; 68.9 ± 3.9 years) adults performed single and dual-task texting and walking indoors and outdoors, with and without a mixed reality display. Participants also completed evaluations of visual scanning and cognitive flexibility (Trail Making Test) and functional mobility (Timed Up and Go). Indoors, similar interference to walking and texting occurred for both groups, but only older adults' gait variability increased under dual task conditions. Outdoors, TeWW was associated with larger age-related differences in gait variability, texting accuracy, and gait dual-task costs. Young adults with better visual scanning and cognitive flexibility performed TeWW with lower gait costs (r = 0.52 to r = 0.65). The mixed reality display was unhelpful and did not modify walking or texting. Older adults tested in this study were relatively high-functioning. Gaze of participants was not directly monitored. Although young and older adults possess the resources necessary for TeWW, older adults pay an additional "price" when dual-tasking, especially outdoors. TeWW may have potential as an ecologically-valid assessment and/or an intervention paradigm for dual task performance among older adults as well as for clinical populations.

Influence of anatomic landmarks in the virtual environment on simulated angled laparoscope navigation

OpenAIRE

Buzink, S.N.; Christie, L.S.; Goossens, R.H.M.; De Ridder, H.; Jakimowicz, J.J.

2010-01-01

Background - The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of the presence of anatomic landmarks on the performance of angled laparoscope navigation on the SimSurgery SEP simulator. Methods - Twenty-eight experienced laparoscopic surgeons (familiar with 30º angled laparoscope, >100 basic laparoscopic procedures, >5 advanced laparoscopic procedures) and 23 novices (no laparoscopy experience) performed the Camera Navigation task in an abstract virtual environment (CN-box) and in a virtu...

Genotype and local environment dynamically influence growth, disturbance response and survivorship in the threatened coral, Acropora cervicornis.

Science.gov (United States)

Drury, Crawford; Manzello, Derek; Lirman, Diego

2017-01-01

The relationship between the coral genotype and the environment is an important area of research in degraded coral reef ecosystems. We used a reciprocal outplanting experiment with 930 corals representing ten genotypes on each of eight reefs to investigate the influence of genotype and the environment on growth and survivorship in the threatened Caribbean staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis. Coral genotype and site were strong drivers of coral growth and individual genotypes exhibited flexible, non-conserved reaction norms, complemented by ten-fold differences in growth between specific G-E combinations. Growth plasticity may diminish the influence of local adaptation, where foreign corals grew faster than native corals at their home sites. Novel combinations of environment and genotype also significantly affected disturbance response during and after the 2015 bleaching event, where these factors acted synergistically to drive variation in bleaching and recovery. Importantly, small differences in temperature stress elicit variable patterns of survivorship based on genotype and illustrate the importance of novel combinations of coral genetics and small differences between sites representing habitat refugia. In this context, acclimatization and flexibility is especially important given the long lifespan of corals coping with complex environmental change. The combined influence of site and genotype creates short-term differences in growth and survivorship, contributing to the standing genetic variation needed for adaptation to occur over longer timescales and the recovery of degraded reefs through natural mechanisms.

The influence of parental care and overprotection, neuroticism and adult stressful life events on depressive symptoms in the general adult population.

Science.gov (United States)

Ono, Yasuyuki; Takaesu, Yoshikazu; Nakai, Yukiei; Ichiki, Masahiko; Masuya, Jiro; Kusumi, Ichiro; Inoue, Takeshi

2017-08-01

The quality of parenting, neuroticism, and adult stressful life events are reportedly associated with depressive symptoms. However, previous studies have not examined the complex interaction between these three factors. In this study, we hypothesized that the quality of parenting (care and overprotection) acts on depressive symptoms through 'neuroticism' and the appraisal of adult stressful life events, and this hypothesis was verified by structural equation modeling. Four hundred one participants from the general adult population were studied using the following self-administered questionnaire surveys: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), neuroticism subscale of the short version of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-revised (EPQ-R), and Life Experiences Survey (LES). The data were analyzed with single and multiple regression analyses and covariance structure analyses. In the covariance structure analysis, neuroticism scores and negative change scores on the LES acted on the depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 scores) directly, but care or overprotection in childhood on the PBI did not act on them directly. Low care and high overprotection of the PBI increased depressive symptoms and negative change scores on the LES through enhanced neuroticism, which is regarded as a mediator in these effects. The subjects of this study were nonclinical volunteers; the findings might not be generalizable to psychiatric patients. This research showed that low care and high overprotection of maternal and paternal parenting in childhood influence depressive symptoms indirectly through enhanced neuroticism in general adults. These findings suggest that neuroticism mediates the long-term effect of the quality of parenting on depression in adulthood. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic and environmental influences on female sexual orientation, childhood gender typicality and adult gender identity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Burri

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Human sexual orientation is influenced by genetic and non-shared environmental factors as are two important psychological correlates--childhood gender typicality (CGT and adult gender identity (AGI. However, researchers have been unable to resolve the genetic and non-genetic components that contribute to the covariation between these traits, particularly in women. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we performed a multivariate genetic analysis in a large sample of British female twins (N = 4,426 who completed a questionnaire assessing sexual attraction, CGT and AGI. Univariate genetic models indicated modest genetic influences on sexual attraction (25%, AGI (11% and CGT (31%. For the multivariate analyses, a common pathway model best fitted the data. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This indicated that a single latent variable influenced by a genetic component and common non-shared environmental component explained the association between the three traits but there was substantial measurement error. These findings highlight common developmental factors affecting differences in sexual orientation.

Adult educators' core competences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wahlgren, Bjarne

2016-01-01

” requirements, organising them into four thematic subcategories: (1) communicating subject knowledge; (2) taking students’ prior learning into account; (3) supporting a learning environment; and (4) the adult educator’s reflection on his or her own performance. At the end of his analysis of different competence......Abstract Which competences do professional adult educators need? This research note discusses the topic from a comparative perspective, finding that adult educators’ required competences are wide-ranging, heterogeneous and complex. They are subject to context in terms of national and cultural...... environment as well as the kind of adult education concerned (e.g. basic education, work-related education etc.). However, it seems that it is possible to identify certain competence requirements which transcend national, cultural and functional boundaries. This research note summarises these common or “core...

Abilities in tactile discrimination of textures in adult rats exposed to enriched or impoverished environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bourgeon, Stéphanie; Xerri, Christian; Coq, Jacques-Olivier

2004-08-12

In previous studies, we have shown that housing in enriched environment for about 3 months after weaning improved the topographic organization and decreased the size of the receptive fields (RFs) located on the glabrous skin surfaces in the forepaw maps of the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) in rats [Exp. Brain Res. 121 (1998) 191]. In contrast, housing in impoverished environment induced a degradation of the SI forepaw representation, characterized by topographic disruptions, a reduction of the cutaneous forepaw area and an enlargement of the glabrous RFs [Exp. Brain Res. 129 (1999) 518]. Based on these two studies, we postulated that these representational alterations could underlie changes in haptic perception. Therefore, the present study was aimed at determining the influence of housing conditions on the rat's abilities in tactile texture discrimination. After a 2-month exposure to enriched or impoverished environments, rats were trained to perform a discrimination task during locomotion on floorboards of different roughness. At the end of every daily behavioral session, rats were replaced in their respective housing environment. Rats had to discriminate homogeneous (low roughness) from heterogeneous floorboards (combination of two different roughness levels). To determine the maximum performance in texture discrimination, the roughness contrast of the heterogeneous texture was gradually reduced, so that homogeneous and heterogeneous floorboards became harder to differentiate. We found that the enriched rats learned the first steps of the behavioral task faster than the impoverished rats, whereas both groups exhibited similar performances in texture discrimination. An individual "predilection" for either homogeneous or heterogeneous floorboards, presumably reflecting a behavioral strategy, seemed to account for the absence of differences in haptic discrimination between groups. The sensory experience depending on the rewarded texture discrimination task

[Cardiorespiratory arrest of the adult patient in a hospital environment: nursing contributions].

Science.gov (United States)

Luzia, Melissa de Freitas; Lucena, Amália de Fátima

2009-06-01

The objective of this study was to analyse the scientific production regarding cardiorespiratory arrest (CA) in adult patients in a hospital environment, as to support nursing knowledge. This is a systematic review, which were used SciELO, LILACS and MEDLINE databases from 1997 to 2007. Most of the articles used in the analysis referred to the survival prognostic factors of patients submitted to cardiopulmonary ressucitation (CPR) and to the results of this intervention. The prospective studies were methodologically prevalent. The nursing scientific production was numerically small when compared to the medical area. The importance of a nursing team trained and apt for CA treatment and prevention was pointed out; continual education programs were stimulated. The conclusion is that there are few nursing studies about CPR, and continual incentive to the scientific production regarding its acting both in CA prevention and RCP management is imperative.

Maternal-by-environment but not genotype-by-environment interactions in a fish without parental care.

Science.gov (United States)

Vega-Trejo, Regina; Head, Megan L; Jennions, Michael D; Kruuk, Loeske E B

2018-01-01

The impact of environmental conditions on the expression of genetic variance and on maternal effects variance remains an important question in evolutionary quantitative genetics. We investigate here the effects of early environment on variation in seven adult life history, morphological, and secondary sexual traits (including sperm characteristics) in a viviparous poeciliid fish, the mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki. Specifically, we manipulated food availability during early development and then assessed additive genetic and maternal effects contributions to the overall phenotypic variance in adults. We found higher heritability for female than male traits, but maternal effects variance for traits in both sexes. An interaction between maternal effects variance and rearing environment affected two adult traits (female age at maturity and male size at maturity), but there was no evidence of trade-offs in maternal effects across environments. Our results illustrate (i) the potential for pre-natal maternal effects to interact with offspring environment during development, potentially affecting traits through to adulthood and (ii) that genotype-by-environment interactions might be overestimated if maternal-by-environment interactions are not accounted for, similar to heritability being overestimated if maternal effects are ignored. We also discuss the potential for dominance genetic variance to contribute to the estimate of maternal effects variance.

Children's and adults' understanding of death: Cognitive, parental, and experiential influences.

Science.gov (United States)

Panagiotaki, Georgia; Hopkins, Michelle; Nobes, Gavin; Ward, Emma; Griffiths, Debra

2018-02-01

This study explored the development of understanding of death in a sample of 4- to 11-year-old British children and adults (N=136). It also investigated four sets of possible influences on this development: parents' religion and spiritual beliefs, cognitive ability, socioeconomic status, and experience of illness and death. Participants were interviewed using the "death concept" interview that explores understanding of the subcomponents of inevitability, universality, irreversibility, cessation, and causality of death. Children understood key aspects of death from as early as 4 or 5years, and with age their explanations of inevitability, universality, and causality became increasingly biological. Understanding of irreversibility and the cessation of mental and physical processes also emerged during early childhood, but by 10years many children's explanations reflected not an improved biological understanding but rather the coexistence of apparently contradictory biological and supernatural ideas-religious, spiritual, or metaphysical. Evidence for these coexistent beliefs was more prevalent in older children than in younger children and was associated with their parents' religious and spiritual beliefs. Socioeconomic status was partly related to children's biological ideas, whereas cognitive ability and experience of illness and death played less important roles. There was no evidence for coexistent thinking among adults, only a clear distinction between biological explanations about death and supernatural explanations about the afterlife. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors that influence emotional disturbance in adults living in extreme poverty.

Science.gov (United States)

Palomar-Lever, Joaquina; Victorio-Estrada, Amparo

2012-04-01

Living in poverty conditions implies exposure to severe circumstances of social disadvantage, associated with greater propensity to contract illnesses. A negative correlation has consistently been observed between health and poverty. The chronic exposure to stress affects people's well-being through the development of symptoms of anxiety and depression. The suffering of these symptoms for a long time period may be considered as part of a more general syndrome of emotional disturbance, in detriment to a person's mental health. The objective of this study is to identify psychological factors that influence emotional disturbance, measured as symptoms of anxiety and depression, in adults living in poverty conditions in Mexico's central region. A total of 913 adults, 65.2% female, were surveyed. The mean age of the participants was 43.71 (±12.58) years and the mean number of years of schooling was 4.04 (±3.36). Variables corresponding to personal characteristics were measured. The results indicate that the most important risk factor for depression is anxiety and vice versa. Additionally, gender, negative self-esteem, lack of adequate strategies for confronting and resolving difficulties, and lack of self-regulation predicted depression, whereas stress, lack of self-regulation, and coping style predicted anxiety. These variables were better predictors than optimism, locus of control, sense of humor or religiosity. © 2011 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2011 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

How is adults' screen time behaviour influencing their views on screen time restrictions for children? A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoeppe, Stephanie; Rebar, Amanda L; Short, Camille E; Alley, Stephanie; Van Lippevelde, Wendy; Vandelanotte, Corneel

2016-03-01

High screen time in children and its detrimental health effects is a major public health problem. How much screen time adults think is appropriate for children remains little explored, as well as whether adults' screen time behaviour would determine their views on screen time restrictions for children. This study aimed to investigate how adults' screen time behaviour influences their views on screen time restrictions for children, including differences by gender and parental status. In 2013, 2034 Australian adults participated in an online survey conducted by the Population Research Laboratory at Central Queensland University, Rockhampton. Adult screen time behaviour was assessed using the Workforce Sitting Questionnaire. Adults reported the maximum time children aged between 5-12 years should be allowed to spend watching TV and using a computer. Ordinal logistic regression was used to compare adult screen time behaviour with views on screen time restrictions for children. Most adults (68%) held the view that children should be allowed no more than 2 h of TV viewing and computer use on school days, whilst fewer adults (44%) thought this screen time limit is needed on weekend days. Women would impose higher screen time restrictions for children than men (p 2 h on watching TV and using the computer at home on work days (66%) and non-work days (88%). Adults spending ≤ 2 h/day in leisure-related screen time were less likely to permit children > 2 h/day of screen time. These associations did not differ by adult gender and parental status. Most adults think it is appropriate to limit children's screen time to the recommended ≤ 2 h/day but few adults themselves adhere to this screen time limit. Adults with lower screen use may be more inclined to limit children's screen time. Strategies to reduce screen time in children may also need to target adult screen use.

The influence of the physical environment on simulations of complex aquatic ecosystem dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Fenjuan

hydrodynamics. To test the hypothesis that the physical environment may induce strong influence on ecosystem processes, we applied and compared PCLake applications, with the same standard ecosystem model parameterization, for three different physical environment representations of the same volume of water body......The field of aquatic ecosystem modelling has been active since the late 1970s, and in recent decades the models have grown in complexity in terms of ecosystem components and included processes. However, the complexity in ecosystem conceptualizations generally comes at the expense of simple...... or no hydrodynamic representation, in particular for ecosystem models where higher trophic levels, such as fish, are included. On the other hand, physically resolved hydrodynamic models often include none or only simple representations of ecosystem dynamics. To overcome this discrepancy in complexity between...

Gender Gaps in the Effects of Childhood Family Environment: Do They Persist into Adulthood?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brenøe, Anne Ardila

2017-01-01

We examine the differential effects of family disadvantage on the education and adult labor market outcomes of men and women using high-quality administrative data on the entire population of Denmark born between 1966 and 1995. We link parental education and family structure during childhood...... to male–female and brother–sister differences in adolescent outcomes, educational attainment, and adult earnings and employment. Our results are consistent with U.S. findings that boys benefit more from an advantageous family environment than do girls in terms of grade-school outcomes. Father’s education......, which has not been examined in previous studies, is particularly important for sons. However, we find a very different pattern of parental influence on adult outcomes. Gender gaps in educational attainment, employment, and earnings are increasing in maternal education, benefiting daughters. Paternal...

Auditing the socio-environmental determinants of motivation towards physical activity or sedentariness in work-aged adults: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Keegan, Richard; Middleton, Geoff; Henderson, Hannah; Girling, Mica

2016-05-26

There is a lack of understanding of work aged adults' (30-60 years old) perspectives on the motivation of physical activity versus sedentariness. This study aims to: (1) identify which socio-environmental factors motivate physical activity and/or sedentary behavior, in adults aged 30-60 years; and (2) explore how these motivators interact and combine. Fifteen work-aged adults who, were able to engage in physical activity (Mean age = 43.9 years; SD 9.6, range 31-59), participated in semi-structured interviews. Inductive content analysis was used to generate an inventory of socio-environmental factors and their specific influences on motivation towards physical activity or sedentariness. Key socio-environmental agents found to influence motivation included: Spouse/partner, parents, children, siblings, whole family, grandchildren, friends, work-mates, neighbors, strangers, team-mates and class-mates, instructors, health care professionals, employers, gyms and health companies, governments, media and social media, cultural norms, and the physical environment. Mechanisms fell into five broad themes of socio-environmental motivation for both physical activity and sedentariness: (1) competence and progress; (2) informational influences, (3) emotional influences, (4) pragmatics and logistics, and (5) relationships. Similar socio-environmental factors were frequently reported as able to motivate both activity and sedentariness. Likewise, individual categories of influence could also motivate both behaviors, depending on context. The findings of this paper 'unpack' theoretical concepts into specific and targeted behavioral recommendations. The data suggested no simple solutions for promoting physical activity or reducing sedentariness, but rather complex and interacting systems surrounding work-aged adults. Findings also suggest that health professionals should be encouraged to support adults' health by examining the socio-environmental motivational influences, or

The Home Smoking Environment: Influence on Behaviors and Attitudes in a Racially Diverse Adolescent Population

Science.gov (United States)

Muilenburg, Jessica Legge; Latham, Teaniese; Annang, Lucy; Johnson, William D.; Burdell, Alexandra C.; West, Sabra J.; Clayton, Dixie L.

2009-01-01

Although studies indicate that public policy can influence the decrease in smoking behaviors, these policies have not necessarily transferred to home environments at the same rate. The authors surveyed 4,296 students in a southern urban area. African American students were 76.3% of the respondents and Caucasians accounted for 23.7%. African…

Transition from children's to adult services for young adults with life-limiting conditions: A realist review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, Helen; Price, Jayne; Nicholl, Honor; O'Halloran, Peter

2017-11-01

Improvements in care and treatment have led to more young adults with life-limiting conditions living beyond childhood, which means they must make the transition from children's to adult services. This has proved a challenging process for both young adults and service providers, with complex transition interventions interacting in unpredictable ways with local contexts. To explain how intervention processes interact with contextual factors to help transition from children's to adult services for young adults with life-limiting conditions. Systematic realist review of the literature. Literature was sourced from four electronic databases: Embase, MEDLINE, Science Direct and Cochrane Library from January 1995 to April 2016. This was supplemented with a search in Google Scholar and articles sourced from reference lists of included papers. Data were extracted using an adapted standardised data extraction tool which included identifying information related to interventions, mechanisms, contextual influences and outcomes. Two reviewers assessed the relevance of papers based on the inclusion criteria. Methodological rigor was assessed using the relevant Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tools. 78 articles were included in the review. Six interventions were identified related to an effective transition to adult services. Contextual factors include the need for children's service providers to collaborate with adult service providers to prepare an environment with knowledgeable staff and adequate resources. Mechanisms triggered by the interventions include a sense of empowerment and agency amongst all stakeholders. Early planning, collaboration between children's and adult service providers, and a focus on increasing the young adults' confidence in decision-making and engaging with adult services, are vital to a successful transition. Interventions should be tailored to their context and focused not only on organisational procedures but on equipping young adults, parents

Age-related differences in social influence on risk perception depend on the direction of influence.

Science.gov (United States)

Knoll, Lisa J; Leung, Jovita T; Foulkes, Lucy; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

2017-10-01

Adolescents are particularly susceptible to social influence. Here, we investigated the effect of social influence on risk perception in 590 participants aged eight to fifty-nine-years tested in the United Kingdom. Participants rated the riskiness of everyday situations, were then informed about the rating of these situations from a (fictitious) social-influence group consisting of teenagers or adults, and then re-evaluated the situation. Our first aim was to attempt to replicate our previous finding that young adolescents are influenced more by teenagers than by adults. Second, we investigated the social-influence effect when the social-influence group's rating was more, or less, risky than the participants' own risk rating. Younger participants were more strongly influenced by teenagers than by adults, but only when teenagers rated a situation as more risky than did participants. This suggests that stereotypical characteristics of the social-influence group - risk-prone teenagers - interact with social influence on risk perception. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Amygdala Volume in Offspring from Multiplex for Alcohol Dependence Families: The Moderating Influence of Childhood Environment and 5-HTTLPR Variation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Shirley Y; Wang, Shuhui; Carter, Howard; McDermott, Michael D; Zezza, Nicholas; Stiffler, Scott

2013-12-12

The increased susceptibility for developing alcohol dependence seen in offspring from families with alcohol dependence may be related to structural and functional differences in brain circuits that influence emotional processing. Early childhood environment, genetic variation in the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) of the SLCA4 gene and allelic variation in the Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) gene have each been reported to be related to volumetric differences in the temporal lobe especially the amygdala. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to obtain amygdala volumes for 129 adolescent/young adult individuals who were either High-Risk (HR) offspring from families with multiple cases of alcohol dependence (N=71) or Low-Risk (LR) controls (N=58). Childhood family environment was measured prospectively using age-appropriate versions of the Family Environment Scale during a longitudinal follow-up study. The subjects were genotyped for Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Val66Met and the serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR). Two family environment scale scores (Cohesion and Conflict), genotypic variation, and their interaction were tested for their association with amygdala volumes. Personal and prenatal exposure to alcohol and drugs were considered in statistical analyses in order to more accurately determine the effects of familial risk group differences. Amygdala volume was reduced in offspring from families with multiple alcohol dependent members in comparison to offspring from control families. High-Risk offspring who were carriers of the S variant of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism had reduced amygdala volume in comparison to those with an LL genotype. Larger amygdala volume was associated with greater family cohesion but only in Low-Risk control offspring. Familial risk for alcohol dependence is an important predictor of amygdala volume even when removing cases with significant personal exposure and covarying for

Fatigue crack growth in ferritic steels as influence by elevated temperature and environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, H.; Minakawa, K.; Murali, K.; Mc Evily, A.J.

1987-01-01

Fatigue crack growth studies have been carried out at room temperature and at 538 deg C in air as well as in vacuum in order to assess the influence of both temperature and environment on the growth process. The materials investigated were 2 1/4Cr-1Mo steel, a modified 9Cr-1Mo steel and a 9Cr-2Mo steel, as well as weldments of the 9Cr-2Mo steel. Crack opening levels were determined for all test conditions. The R-dependency of the crack growth rate could be accounted for by crack closure, both at room and elevated temperature. Closure in air at 538 deg C was due to oxidation, whereas at room temperature closure was due to microstructurally related roughness and the influence of oxygen. (Author)

Orienting in virtual environments: How are surface features and environmental geometry weighted in an orientation task?

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Debbie M; Bischof, Walter F

2008-10-01

We investigated how human adults orient in enclosed virtual environments, when discrete landmark information is not available and participants have to rely on geometric and featural information on the environmental surfaces. In contrast to earlier studies, where, for women, the featural information from discrete landmarks overshadowed the encoding of the geometric information, Experiment 1 showed that when featural information is conjoined with the environmental surfaces, men and women encoded both types of information. Experiment 2 showed that, although both types of information are encoded, performance in locating a goal position is better if it is close to a geometrically or featurally distinct location. Furthermore, although features are relied upon more strongly than geometry, initial experience with an environment influences the relative weighting of featural and geometric cues. Taken together, these results show that human adults use a flexible strategy for encoding spatial information.

Enteral Nutrition in the Management of Pediatric and Adult Crohn’s Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tawnya Hansen

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Genetic and environmental factors are thought to profoundly influence the pathophysiology of Crohn’s disease (CD. Changes in dietary and hygiene patterns affect the interactions between the immune system and environment. The gut microbiome is responsible for mediating host immune response with significant dysbiosis observed in individuals with CD. Diet therapy using exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN has been studied as primary therapy for the management of CD. EEN may cultivate the presence of beneficial microbiota, improve bile acid metabolism, and decrease the number of dietary microparticles possibly influencing disease and immune activity. In this review, we will address the current evidence on EEN in the management of adult and pediatric CD. In adults, EEN appears to be moderately beneficial for the induction of remission of CD; however, its use is understudied and underutilized. Stronger evidence is in place to support the use of EEN in pediatric CD with the added benefit of nutrition support and steroid-sparing therapy during the growth phase. Overall, EEN is an established therapy in inducing CD remission in the pediatric population while its role as primary therapy of adult Crohn’s disease remains to be defined.

Delayed Anticipatory Spoken Language Processing in Adults with Dyslexia—Evidence from Eye-tracking.

Science.gov (United States)

Huettig, Falk; Brouwer, Susanne

2015-05-01

It is now well established that anticipation of upcoming input is a key characteristic of spoken language comprehension. It has also frequently been observed that literacy influences spoken language processing. Here, we investigated whether anticipatory spoken language processing is related to individuals' word reading abilities. Dutch adults with dyslexia and a control group participated in two eye-tracking experiments. Experiment 1 was conducted to assess whether adults with dyslexia show the typical language-mediated eye gaze patterns. Eye movements of both adults with and without dyslexia closely replicated earlier research: spoken language is used to direct attention to relevant objects in the environment in a closely time-locked manner. In Experiment 2, participants received instructions (e.g., 'Kijk naar de(COM) afgebeelde piano(COM)', look at the displayed piano) while viewing four objects. Articles (Dutch 'het' or 'de') were gender marked such that the article agreed in gender only with the target, and thus, participants could use gender information from the article to predict the target object. The adults with dyslexia anticipated the target objects but much later than the controls. Moreover, participants' word reading scores correlated positively with their anticipatory eye movements. We conclude by discussing the mechanisms by which reading abilities may influence predictive language processing. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Biology, Genetics, and Environment: Underlying Factors Influencing Alcohol Metabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Wall, Tamara L; Luczak, Susan E; Hiller-Sturmhöfel, Susanne

2016-01-01

Gene variants encoding several of the alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), are among the largest genetic associations with risk for alcohol dependence. Certain genetic variants (i.e., alleles)--particularly the ADH1B*2, ADH1B*3, ADH1C*1, and ALDH2*2 alleles--have been associated with lower rates of alcohol dependence. These alleles may lead to an accumulation of acetaldehyde during alcohol metabolism, which can result in heightened subjective and objective effects. The prevalence of these alleles differs among ethnic groups; ADH1B*2 is found frequently in northeast Asians and occasionally Caucasians, ADH1B*3 is found predominantly in people of African ancestry, ADH1C*1 varies substantially across populations, and ALDH2*2 is found almost exclusively in northeast Asians. Differences in the prevalence of these alleles may account at least in part for ethnic differences in alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, these alleles do not act in isolation to influence the risk of AUD. For example, the gene effects of ALDH2*2 and ADH1B*2 seem to interact. Moreover, other factors have been found to influence the extent to which these alleles affect a person's alcohol involvement, including developmental stage, individual characteristics (e.g., ethnicity, antisocial behavior, and behavioral undercontrol), and environmental factors (e.g., culture, religion, family environment, and childhood adversity).

The Influence of Content on Adult L2 Learners’ Task Motivation: An Interest Theory Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glen Poupore

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract This study investigates the influence of content-related conditions on adult second language learners’ task motivation during interactive tasks. It also aims to identify what is referred to as interestingness conditions within task content, that is, elements that are intrinsically interesting to most individuals. The investigation was conducted with 38 adult Korean English learners of intermediate proficiency in a conversation course as part of a TESOL certificate program. Using a mixed methods approach to research, results from a task motivation questionnaire, a topic preference questionnaire, and interviews show that content associated with immediate personal life themes such as personal growth, human relationships, and life challenges is perceived to be more intrinsically interesting than that associated with more remote and abstract topics such as those related to global issues and current affairs. Consequently, incorporating life themes into adult-based courses, especially through story-based texts, may act as an important springboard for active motivational engagement during task-based interaction. Résumé Cette étude examine l’influence des conditions, en fonction du contenu, de certaines tâches interactives sur la motivation d’adultes apprenant une langue seconde. L’étude cherche également à identifier ce qui est appelé des conditions favorisant l’intérêt en rapport au contenu des tâches, c’est-à-dire des éléments qui s’avèrent intrinsèquement intéressants pour la plupart des individus. Cette étude a été menée auprès de 38 apprenants d’anglais, soit des adultes coréens de niveau intermédiaire inscrits à un cours de conversation faisant partie d’un programme de certificat en enseignement de l’anglais langue seconde. L’étude a été entreprise selon une approche méthodologique mixte de recherche. Les résultats proviennent d’un questionnaire traitant de la motivation des

Assessment of anthropogen aerosols : influence on environment and human health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwasny, F.

2010-01-01

The term aerosol describes a dispersion of liquid or solid particles in a gaseous medium, usually including particles at a size ranging from 0.001 to 100 μm. The size of an aerosol's particle is of special interest, as it influences its fate. Together with other physical properties like shape, density and mass of the particles, it defines the aerosol's possibilities of sedimentation, diffusion, dispersion, coagulation or impaction onto surfaces. As aerosols are by definition composed of a number of particles, this regime of constituent parts varies. Aerosols are well known with their common names such as dust, smoke, fume, fog, mist, spray or haze. The projects of this thesis deal with different aspects of anthropogenic aerosols. We investigated their influence on human health and environmental impact by looking at particle concentrations and size distributions of aerosols. Ultimately, we examined their fate in a human lung model to reveal a direct influence on humans. Our studies included brine inhalation at an open-air spa, exposure to ultrafine particles while driving a car through a heavy impacted environment, and the influence of aerosols on spectators while watching fireworks. In a project with the local environmental authorities we investigated the correlation of air quality, meteorological and traffic data with ultrafine particles. Resulting from our studies, we found beneficial effects of salt aerosols used for inhalation therapy, showing the positive influence in lung deposition, as well as, an effect on ultrafine particle inventory of the ambient air. Combustion aerosols and other man-made particulate matter proved to have adverse effects on human lung deposition, allowing ultrafine particles to reach deep into the human lung. This not only poses a threat to respiratory organs; particles can be translocated from the respiratory tract into the blood stream and from there to other organs, affecting the entire body. For the purpose of finding reasonable

Influence of bacterial exopolymers and the adult extract of Balanus amphitrite and Cthamalus sp. on cyprid metamorphosis of Balanus amphitrite

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Anil, A.C.; Khandeparker, L.; Mitbavkar, S.; Wagh, A.B.

play a major role in the recruitment of larvae of fouling organisms, probably by providing inducing/inhibitory chemical cues. In this experiment, the influence of the extract of adult Balanus amphitrite and the expolymers of the bacteria colonising...

Influence of aggressive ions on the degradation behavior of biomedical magnesium alloy in physiological environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Xin, Yunchang; Huo, Kaifu; Tao, Hu; Tang, Guoyi; Chu, Paul K

2008-11-01

Various electrochemical approaches, including potentiodynamic polarization, open circuit potential evolution and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), are employed to investigate the degradation behavior of biomedical magnesium alloy under the influence of aggressive ions, such as chloride, phosphate, carbonate and sulfate, in a physiological environment. The synergetic effects and mutual influence of these ions on the degradation behavior of Mg are revealed. Our results demonstrate that chloride ions can induce porous pitting corrosion. In the presence of phosphates, the corrosion rate decreases and the formation of pitting corrosion is significantly delayed due to precipitation of magnesium phosphate. Hydrogen carbonate ions are observed to stimulate the corrosion of magnesium alloy during the early immersion stage but they can also induce rapid passivation on the surface. This surface passivation behavior mainly results from the fast precipitation of magnesium carbonate in the corrosion product layer that can subsequently inhibit pitting corrosion completely. Sulfate ions are also found to stimulate magnesium dissolution. These results improve our understanding on the degradation mechanism of surgical magnesium in the physiological environment.

Influence of different environments on the excited-state proton transfer and dual fluorescence of fisetin

Science.gov (United States)

Guharay, Jayanti; Dennison, S. Moses; Sengupta, Pradeep K.

1999-05-01

The influence of different protic and aprotic solvent environments on the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) leading to a dual fluorescence behaviour of a biologically important, naturally occurring, polyhydroxyflavone, fisetin (3,3',4',7-tetrahydroxyflavone), has been investigated. The normal fluorescence band, in particular, is extremely sensitive to solvent polarity with νmax shifting from 24 510 cm -1 in dioxane ( ET(30)=36.0) to 20 790 cm -1 in methanol ( ET(30)=55.5). This is rationalized in terms of solvent dipolar relaxation process, which also accounts for the red edge excitation shifts (REES) observed in viscous environments such as glycerol at low temperatures. Significant solvent dependence of the tautomer fluorescence properties ( νmax, yield and decay kinetics) reveals the influence of external hydrogen bonding perturbation on the internal hydrogen bond of the molecule. These excited-state relaxation phenomena and their relevant parameters have been used to probe the microenvironment of fisetin in a membrane mimetic system, namely AOT reverse micelles in n-heptane at different water/surfactant molar ratio ( w0).

Moderating effects of age, gender and education on the associations of perceived neighborhood environment attributes with accelerometer-based physical activity: the IPEN Adult study Moderating effects of age, gender and education on the associations of perceived neighborhood environment attributes with accelerometer-based physical activity: the IPEN Adult study

Science.gov (United States)

Van Dyck, Delfien; Cerin, Ester; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Salvo, Deborah; Christiansen, Lars B; Macfarlane, Duncan; Owen, Neville; Mitas, Josef; Troelsen, Jens; Aguinaga-Ontoso, Ines; Davey, Rachel; Reis, Rodrigo; Sarmiento, Olga L; Schofield, Grant; Conway, Terry L; Sallis, James F

2015-01-01

The study's purpose was to examine age, gender, and education as potential moderators of the associations of perceived neighborhood environment variables with accelerometer-based moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Data were from 7273 adults from 16 sites (11 countries) that were part of a coordinated multi-country cross-sectional study. Age moderated the associations of perceived crime safety, and perceiving no major physical barriers to walking, with MVPA: positive associations were only found in older adults. Perceived land use mix-access was linearly (positive) associated with MVPA in men, and curvilinearly in women. Perceived crime safety was related to MVPA only in women. No moderating relationships were found for education. Overall the associations of adults’ perceptions of environmental attributes with MVPA were largely independent of the socio-demographic factors examined. These findings are encouraging, suggesting that efforts to optimize the perceived built and social environment may act in a socially-equitable manner to facilitate MVPA. PMID:26454247

Influence of schooling and age on cognitive performance in healthy older adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.V.O. Bento-Torres

Full Text Available Few studies have examined the influence of a low level of schooling on age-related cognitive decline in countries with wide social and economic inequalities by using the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery (CANTAB. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of schooling on age-related cognitive decline using unbiased cognitive tests. CANTAB allows cognitive assessment across cultures and education levels with reduced interference of the examiner during data acquisition. Using two-way ANOVA, we assessed the influences of age and education on test scores of old adults (61–84 years of age. CANTAB tests included: Visual Sustained Attention, Reaction Time, Spatial Working Memory, Learning and Episodic Memory. All subjects had a minimum visual acuity of 20/30 (Snellen Test, no previous or current history of traumatic brain/head trauma, stroke, language impairment, chronic alcoholism, neurological diseases, memory problems or depressive symptoms, and normal scores on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE. Subjects were grouped according to education level (1 to 7 and ≥8 years of schooling and age (60–69 and ≥70 years. Low schooling level was associated with significantly lower performance on visual sustained attention, learning and episodic memory, reaction time, and spatial working memory. Although reaction time was influenced by age, no significant results on post hoc analysis were detected. Our findings showed a significantly worse cognitive performance in volunteers with lower levels of schooling and suggested that formal education in early life must be included in the preventive public health agenda. In addition, we suggest that CANTAB may be useful to detect subtle cognitive changes in healthy aging.

Genotype and local environment dynamically influence growth, disturbance response and survivorship in the threatened coral, Acropora cervicornis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Crawford Drury

Full Text Available The relationship between the coral genotype and the environment is an important area of research in degraded coral reef ecosystems. We used a reciprocal outplanting experiment with 930 corals representing ten genotypes on each of eight reefs to investigate the influence of genotype and the environment on growth and survivorship in the threatened Caribbean staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis. Coral genotype and site were strong drivers of coral growth and individual genotypes exhibited flexible, non-conserved reaction norms, complemented by ten-fold differences in growth between specific G-E combinations. Growth plasticity may diminish the influence of local adaptation, where foreign corals grew faster than native corals at their home sites. Novel combinations of environment and genotype also significantly affected disturbance response during and after the 2015 bleaching event, where these factors acted synergistically to drive variation in bleaching and recovery. Importantly, small differences in temperature stress elicit variable patterns of survivorship based on genotype and illustrate the importance of novel combinations of coral genetics and small differences between sites representing habitat refugia. In this context, acclimatization and flexibility is especially important given the long lifespan of corals coping with complex environmental change. The combined influence of site and genotype creates short-term differences in growth and survivorship, contributing to the standing genetic variation needed for adaptation to occur over longer timescales and the recovery of degraded reefs through natural mechanisms.

Common mental disorders and the built environment in Santiago, Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Araya, Ricardo; Montgomery, Alan; Rojas, Graciela; Fritsch, Rosemarie; Solis, Jaime; Signorelli, Andres; Lewis, Glyn

2007-05-01

There is growing research interest in the influence of the built environment on mental disorders. To estimate the variation in the prevalence of common mental disorders attributable to individuals and the built environment of geographical sectors where they live. A sample of 3870 adults (response rate 90%) clustered in 248 geographical sectors participated in a household cross-sectional survey in Santiago, Chile. Independently rated contextual measures of the built environment were obtained. The Clinical Interview Schedule was used to estimate the prevalence of common mental disorders. There was a significant association between the quality of the built environment of small geographical sectors and the presence of common mental disorders among its residents. The better the quality of the built environment, the lower the scores for psychiatric symptoms; however, only a small proportion of the variation in common mental disorder existed at sector level, after adjusting for individual factors. Findings from our study, using a contextual assessment of the quality of the built environment and multilevel modelling in the analysis, suggest these associations may be more marked in non-Western settings with more homogeneous geographical sectors.

Selectivity of flesh-footed shearwaters for plastic colour: Evidence for differential provisioning in adults and fledglings.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavers, Jennifer L; Bond, Alexander L

2016-02-01

The ingestion of plastic by seabirds has been used as an indicator of population and ocean health. However, few studies have examined adults and juveniles of the same species concurrent with the availability of plastic in the local marine environment. In King George Sound (KGS), Western Australia, 13% of adult flesh-footed shearwaters (Ardenna carneipes) and 90% of fledglings contained plastic items in their digestive tract. On Lord Howe Island (LHI), New South Wales, 75% of adult shearwaters and 100% of fledglings contained plastic. Ingested items were assessed using Jaccard's Index (where J = 0 indicates complete dissimilarity and J = 1 complete similarity). The colour of items ingested by self- and chick-provisioning shearwaters from KGS exhibited broad overlap with plastic available in the local environment (J = 0.78-0.80), and plastic in adults and fledglings from LHI were less similar to those available (J = 0.31-0.58). Additional data on seabird colour selection would improve our understanding of the factors influencing the behaviour of ingesting plastic, and its contribution to the decline of some species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uticaj amfibijskog transportera PTS-M na životnu sredinu/Influence of the amphibious transporter STM-M on environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nenad V. Kovačević

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Vojska Srbije je jedina institucija društvenog sistema Republike Srbije koja poseduje i namenski koristi amfibijska sredstva. Cilj članka jeste sagledavanje uticaja amfibijskih sredstava na tri, po mnogim ekolozima i najbitnija indikatora životne sredine: zemljištu, vazduhu i vodi. U članku su, pored uticaja amfibijskih sredstava na indikatore životne sredine, obrađene i mere za unapređenje i poboljšanje sistema zaštite životne sredine sa aspekta promene načina upotrebe i rekonstrukcije samih sredstava. Članak je nastao prevashodno na osnovu kombinacije iskustava autora u radu sa amfibijskim sredstvima, kao i na osnovu elementarnih teoretskih odredbi vezanih za sistem zaštite životne sredine. Prikazano je koliko samo jedan tip sredstava koje Vojska Srbije trenutno koristi može štetno da deluje na životnu sredinu. Treba uzeti u obzir činjenicu da u radu nisu obuhvaćeni svi štetni efekti rada amfibijskih sredstava, već samo negativni uticaji na osnovne indikatore životne sredine. / The Serbian Army is the only institution of the social system in the Republic of Serbia which posesses amphibious vehicles and uses them for their designated purpose. The goal of this paper is to draw conclusions regarding the influence of amphibious vehicles on the three parts of the environment many scientists find the most important: land, air and water. The paper processes the influence of amphibious military vehicles on the basic parts of environment, as well as the measures for the improvement of safety and environmental management systems regarding the change in the usage and reconstruction of the vehicles. This paper is based on the authors' own experience in work with amphibious vehicles combined with the basic theoretical postulates of the safety and environmental management systems. It also shows how many negative consequences on the environment can be caused by just one type of the military vehicles. It is very important to emphasize

Special Forces and the Art of Influence: A Grassroots Approach to Psychological Operations in an Unconventional Warfare Environment

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Thomas, II, Joel W

2006-01-01

.... The research was based on several premises: (1) the strategic utility of Special Forces (SF) lies in its ability to influence a target audience in an unconventional warfare (UW) environment; (2...

The Influence of Trainee Gaming Experience and Computer Self-Efficacy on Learner Outcomes of Videogame-Based Learning Environments

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Orvis, Karin A; Orvis, Kara L; Belanich, James; Mullin, Laura N

2005-01-01

.... The purpose of the current research was to investigate the influence of two trainee characteristics, prior videogame experience and computer self-efficacy, on learner outcomes of a videogame-based training environment...

Parental effects alter the adaptive value of an adult behavioural trait.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilner, Rebecca M; Boncoraglio, Giuseppe; Henshaw, Jonathan M; Jarrett, Benjamin J M; De Gasperin, Ornela; Attisano, Alfredo; Kokko, Hanna

2015-09-22

The parents' phenotype, or the environment they create for their young, can have long-lasting effects on their offspring, with profound evolutionary consequences. Yet, virtually no work has considered how such parental effects might change the adaptive value of behavioural traits expressed by offspring upon reaching adulthood. To address this problem, we combined experiments on burying beetles (Nicrophorus vespilloides) with theoretical modelling and focussed on one adult behavioural trait in particular: the supply of parental care. We manipulated the early-life environment and measured the fitness payoffs associated with the supply of parental care when larvae reached maturity. We found that (1) adults that received low levels of care as larvae were less successful at raising larger broods and suffered greater mortality as a result: they were low-quality parents. Furthermore, (2) high-quality males that raised offspring with low-quality females subsequently suffered greater mortality than brothers of equivalent quality, which reared larvae with higher quality females. Our analyses identify three general ways in which parental effects can change the adaptive value of an adult behavioural trait: by influencing the associated fitness benefits and costs; by consequently changing the evolutionary outcome of social interactions; and by modifying the evolutionarily stable expression of behavioural traits that are themselves parental effects.

Exposure to dim light at night during early development increases adult anxiety-like responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Borniger, Jeremy C; McHenry, Zachary D; Abi Salloum, Bachir A; Nelson, Randy J

2014-06-22

Early experiences produce effects that may persist throughout life. Therefore, to understand adult phenotype, it is important to investigate the role of early environmental stimuli in adult behavior and health. Artificial light at night (LAN) is an increasingly common phenomenon throughout the world. However, animals, including humans, evolved under dark night conditions. Many studies have revealed affective, immune, and metabolic alterations provoked by aberrant light exposure and subsequent circadian disruption. Pups are receptive to entraining cues from the mother and then light early during development, raising the possibility that the early life light environment may influence subsequent behavior. Thus, to investigate potential influences of early life exposure to LAN on adult phenotype, we exposed mice to dim (~5 lux; full spectrum white light) or dark (~0 lux) nights pre- and/or postnatally. After weaning at 3 weeks of age, all mice were maintained in dark nights until adulthood (9 weeks of age) when behavior was assessed. Mice exposed to dim light in early life increased anxiety-like behavior and fearful responses on the elevated plus maze and passive avoidance tests. These mice also displayed reduced growth rates, which ultimately normalized during adolescence. mRNA expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin previously linked to early life environment and adult phenotype, was not altered in the prefrontal cortex or hippocampus by early life LAN exposure. Serum corticosterone concentrations were similar between groups at weaning, suggesting that early life LAN does not elicit a long-term physiologic stress response. Dim light exposure did not influence behavior on the open field, novel object, sucrose anhedonia, or forced swim tests. Our data highlight the potential deleterious consequences of low levels of light during early life to development and subsequent behavior. Whether these changes are due to altered maternal behavior

The influence of empowerment, authentic leadership, and professional practice environments on nurses' perceived interprofessional collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Regan, Sandra; Laschinger, Heather K S; Wong, Carol A

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of structural empowerment, authentic leadership and professional nursing practice environments on experienced nurses' perceptions of interprofessional collaboration. Enhanced interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is seen as one means of transforming the health-care system and addressing concerns about shortages of health-care workers. Organizational supports and resources are suggested as key to promoting IPC. A predictive non-experimental design was used to test the effects of structural empowerment, authentic leadership and professional nursing practice environments on perceived interprofessional collaboration. A random sample of experienced registered nurses (n = 220) in Ontario, Canada completed a mailed questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used. Higher perceived structural empowerment, authentic leadership, and professional practice environments explained 45% of the variance in perceived IPC (Adj. R² = 0.452, F = 59.40, P authentic leadership and a professional nursing practice environment may enhance IPC. Nurse leaders who ensure access to resources such as knowledge of IPC, embody authenticity and build trust among nurses, and support the presence of a professional nursing practice environment can contribute to enhanced IPC. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Plasma out of thermodynamical equilibrium: influence of the plasma environment on atomic structure and collisional cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belkhiri, Madeny

2014-01-01

In hot dense plasmas, the free-electron and ion spatial distribution may strongly affect the atomic structure. To account for such effects we have implemented a potential correction based on the uniform electron gas model and on a Thomas-Fermi Approach in the Flexible Atomic Code (FAC). This code has been applied to obtain energies, wave-functions and radiative rates modified by the plasma environment. In hydrogen-like ions, these numerical results have been successfully compared to an analytical calculation based on first-order perturbation theory. In the case of multi-electron ions, we observe level crossings in agreement with another recent model calculation. Various methods for the collision cross-section calculations are reviewed. The influence of plasma environment on these cross-sections is analyzed in detail. Some analytical expressions are proposed for hydrogen-like ions in the limit where Born or Lotz approximations apply and are compared to the numerical results from the FAC code. Finally, from this work, we study the influence of the plasma environment on our collisional-radiative model so-called Foch. Because of this environment, the mean charge state of the ions increases. The line shift is observed on the bound-bound emission spectra. A good agreement is found between our work and experimental data on a Titanium plasma. (author) [fr

On the influence of the environment on modeling the fatigue crack growth process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mc Evily, A.J.

1987-01-01

The effect of the environment at room and elevated temperature were considered with respect to the influence exerted on the basic mechanical aspects of the fatigue crack growth process. An experimental assessment of this influence was obtained by conducting fatigue crack growth tests both in air and vacuum and the results of such experiments are given. Topics considered include crack closure, short crack growth in notched and unnotched specimens, Mode II crack growth, and the effects of oxidation at elevated temperatures. It is shown that the basic mechanisms of fatigue crack growth can be greatly altered by the presence of oxide films at the fatigue crack tip. Modeling the mechanical aspects of the crack growth process is by itself a challenging task. In addition, the environmental considerations adds to the complexity of the modeling process. (Author)

THE PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON THE INFLUENCE OF SHOOTING RANGES ON ENVIRONMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karolina Wodnik

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the shooting activity on the environment. The studies were conducted in the area of the sports shooting range. The invertebrates assemblages were identified to the family level as well as morphospecies. The second method do not require the proficiency in identification. The following indices of the biodiversity were used for the assessment of the impact of sports shooting ranges: Simpson, Shannon-Wiener, Margalef, Berger-Parker and Menhinick. A decreased biodiversity was observed at two studied sites comparing to the reference site what proves the influence of shooting activity on the biodiversity and suggest disturbance of the ecosystem integrity because of shooting activity.

Family environment and child development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tina Kavčič

2005-04-01

Full Text Available The paper presents an overview of research findings on influence of family environment, especially parental behaviour, on child's development. Contemporary authors question early socialization researchers' claims that family characteristics and parental behaviour have important influence on behaviour of their children. Later researchers examined the size and durability of possible effects of family environment on child development. In addition, they focused on establishing whether it is actually the parental behaviour that influences child's development or, on the contrary, parental behaviour represents mainly a reaction to child's characteristics. Behaviour genetic studies have provided evidence that many traditional measures of family environment, including measures of parental behaviour, show genetic influence, thus reflecting genetically influenced child characteristics. Behaviour geneticists also suggest that environmental influences on child (personality development include predominantly non-shared environment, i.e. individual child's specific experiences, his/her own perceptions and interpretations of objectively same events. Based on empirically determined significant genetic effects on most behavioural traits and inconclusive results of studies on effects of family environment on child development some authors believe that it is not the parents, but rather genetic factor and/or peers who have the key role in child development. With respect to findings of behaviour genetics numerous recent studies of relations between family environment and child development involve child specific measures of (extrafamilial environment and examine the interactions between characteristics of an individual and those of his/her environment.

Characterising food environment exposure at home, at work, and along commuting journeys using data on adults in the UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Burgoine, Thomas; Monsivais, Pablo

2013-06-27

Socio-ecological models of behaviour suggest that dietary behaviours are potentially shaped by exposure to the food environment ('foodscape'). Research on associations between the foodscape and diet and health has largely focussed on foodscapes around the home, despite recognition that non-home environments are likely to be important in a more complete assessment of foodscape exposure. This paper characterises and describes foodscape exposure of different types, at home, at work, and along commuting routes for a sample of working adults in Cambridgeshire, UK. Home and work locations, and transport habits for 2,696 adults aged 29-60 were drawn from the Fenland Study, UK. Food outlet locations were obtained from local councils and classified by type - we focus on convenience stores, restaurants, supermarkets and takeaway food outlets. Density of and proximity to food outlets was characterised at home and work. Commuting routes were modelled based on the shortest street network distance between home and work, with exposure (counts of food outlets) that accounted for travel mode and frequency. We describe these three domains of food environment exposure using descriptive and inferential statistics. For all types of food outlet, we found very different foodscapes around homes and workplaces (with overall outlet exposure at work 125% higher), as well as a potentially substantial exposure contribution from commuting routes. On average, work and commuting environments each contributed to foodscape exposure at least equally to residential neighbourhoods, which only accounted for roughly 30% of total exposure. Furthermore, for participants with highest overall exposure to takeaway food outlets, workplaces accounted for most of the exposure. Levels of relative exposure between home, work and commuting environments were poorly correlated. Relying solely on residential neighbourhood characterisation greatly underestimated total foodscape exposure in this sample, with levels of

Social influence on risk perception during adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Knoll, Lisa J; Magis-Weinberg, Lucía; Speekenbrink, Maarten; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

2015-05-01

Adolescence is a period of life in which peer relationships become increasingly important. Adolescents have a greater likelihood of taking risks when they are with peers rather than alone. In this study, we investigated the development of social influence on risk perception from late childhood through adulthood. Five hundred and sixty-three participants rated the riskiness of everyday situations and were then informed about the ratings of a social-influence group (teenagers or adults) before rating each situation again. All age groups showed a significant social-influence effect, changing their risk ratings in the direction of the provided ratings; this social-influence effect decreased with age. Most age groups adjusted their ratings more to conform to the ratings of the adult social-influence group than to the ratings of the teenager social-influence group. Only young adolescents were more strongly influenced by the teenager social-influence group than they were by the adult social-influence group, which suggests that to early adolescents, the opinions of other teenagers about risk matter more than the opinions of adults. © The Author(s) 2015.

Disability, residential environment and social participation: factors influencing daily mobility of persons living in residential care facilities in two regions of France.

Science.gov (United States)

Rapegno, Noémie; Ravaud, Jean-François

2017-09-29

Despite the context of individualization of public policies and promotion of independent living, residential care facilities (RCFs) (called "établissements medico-sociaux" in France) still represent the main system used by disabled people. Through a study of their daily mobility, this article proposes a geographical approach to the examination of factors influencing the social participation of disabled persons with motor impairments who live in residential care facilities. The data were collected in three stages from several sources. We first carried out 24 semi-directive interviews among supervisory staff in all the institutions in two regions of France (Greater Paris and Upper Normandy) to better understand the nature of services offered by medico-social facilities. We next did field work in greater detail in 10 of these institutions. We selected residents by random sampling. These first stages then allowed us to study the mobility of residents and record their perceptions. We conducted participant observation and interviews with 81 disabled residents within the 10 RCF. Data analysis enabled consideration not only of the role of the residential environment in people's daily mobility, but the role of the institutions as well. We identified three typical profiles of mobility practices depending on the facilities: "the islanders", living in isolated facilities far from public transportation, or in so-called "difficult" neighborhoods; people who alternate individual and group mobility in a more or less large area; and "the navigators" who have high mobility over a very large area, often living in facilities located in urban areas. The study also enabled an analysis of the obstacles and facilitators inside and outside the residential facilities. These place restrictions on social participation by disabled adults. However, possibilities for individual negotiation may enable bypassing some obstacles. The three ideal-type profiles of mobility analyzed constitute

The early childhood sexual experiences and collusion in adult partner relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

Izdebska, Agnieszka; Beisert, Maria Janina; Roszyk, Anna

2015-01-01

The aim of the present research was verification of the hypothesis for the influence of negative sexual experiences in sexual development on the quality of partner relationships in the adult life. Special attention was given to the influence exercised by the level of erotization in the environment of the family of origin and to the experience of child sexual abuse. The quality of partner relationships was recognized using Jurg Willi's concept through the analysis of intensity of dysfunctions (collusions) in those relationships. The study was conducted on a population of 170 adults in partnerships. The surveyed group filled in the Questionnaire on Models of Sexual Upbringing in Families, the Couples Collusion Questionnaire and the Questionnaire on Sexual Abuse of Children. Positive interrelation has been confirmed between the level of erotization in the family of origin and the oral, anal and oedipal partner collusion in the procreative relationships of individuals. Such link has not been confirmed for narcissistic collusion. The interrelation between the sexually abusive experiences and the partner collusion has only been confirmed in masculine group within the oral collusion and the anal collusion. The findings largely support the assumption that there is a connection between the character of sexual experiences in childhood and functioning in adult partnership.