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Sample records for impulsive force broke

  1. Force-Time Entropy of Isometric Impulse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Tsung-Yu; Newell, Karl M

    2016-01-01

    The relation between force and temporal variability in discrete impulse production has been viewed as independent (R. A. Schmidt, H. Zelaznik, B. Hawkins, J. S. Frank, & J. T. Quinn, 1979 ) or dependent on the rate of force (L. G. Carlton & K. M. Newell, 1993 ). Two experiments in an isometric single finger force task investigated the joint force-time entropy with (a) fixed time to peak force and different percentages of force level and (b) fixed percentage of force level and different times to peak force. The results showed that the peak force variability increased either with the increment of force level or through a shorter time to peak force that also reduced timing error variability. The peak force entropy and entropy of time to peak force increased on the respective dimension as the parameter conditions approached either maximum force or a minimum rate of force production. The findings show that force error and timing error are dependent but complementary when considered in the same framework with the joint force-time entropy at a minimum in the middle parameter range of discrete impulse.

  2. Impulse Force Balance for Ultrashort Duration Hypersonic Test Facilities

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    P. Singh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the measurement of side force, pitching, and yawing moments on a model, using an accelerometer force balance, in a short duration hypersonic shock tunnel. The test model is a blunt-nosed, flapped delta wing, mounted on a support sting through a force balance. The flexible rubber bushes constituting the balance allow the model to float freely on the sting during the test. The accelerometers were located in the model to record accelerations in the directions of interest. The model was tested in shock tunnel at Mach 8 at different angles of incidence with the freestream. Dynamic calibration of the test assembly was carried out for the acquisition of impulse response functions for the above components of force and moments, using an impulse hammer. The convolution technique was applied to derive the impulse response functions. The accelerometer outputs from the model in the hypersonic freestream were processed using the respective impulse response functions to derive the unknown aerodynamic force and moments. The newly adopted convolution technique has been found very effective for data reduction from accelerometer force balances developed for shock tunnel applications.

  3. Bifurcation analysis of the logistic map via two periodic impulsive forces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang Hai-Bo; Li Tao; Zeng Xiao-Liang; Zhang Li-Ping

    2014-01-01

    The complex dynamics of the logistic map via two periodic impulsive forces is investigated in this paper. The influences of the system parameter and the impulsive forces on the dynamics of the system are studied respectively. With the parameter varying, the system produces the phenomenon such as periodic solutions, chaotic solutions, and chaotic crisis. Furthermore, the system can evolve to chaos by a cascading of period-doubling bifurcations. The Poincaré map of the logistic map via two periodic impulsive forces is constructed and its bifurcation is analyzed. Finally, the Floquet theory is extended to explore the bifurcation mechanism for the periodic solutions of this non-smooth map. (general)

  4. Chaos in periodically forced Holling type IV predator-prey system with impulsive perturbations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Shuwen; Tan Dejun; Chen Lansun

    2006-01-01

    The effect of periodic forcing and impulsive perturbations on predator-prey model with Holling type IV functional response is investigated. The periodic forcing is affected by assuming a periodic variation in the intrinsic growth rate of the prey. The impulsive perturbations are affected by introducing periodic constant impulsive immigration of predator. The dynamical behavior of the system is simulated and bifurcation diagrams are obtained for different parameters. The results show that periodic forcing and impulsive perturbation can easily give rise to complex dynamics, including (1) quasi-periodic oscillating, (2) period doubling cascade, (3) chaos, (4) period halfing cascade

  5. Chaos in periodically forced Holling type II predator-prey system with impulsive perturbations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Shuwen; Tan Dejun; Chen Lansun

    2006-01-01

    The effect of periodic forcing and impulsive perturbations on predator-prey model with Holling type II functional response is investigated. The periodic forcing is affected by assuming a periodic variation in the intrinsic growth rate of prey. The impulsive perturbation is affected by introducing periodic constant impulsive immigration of predator. The dynamical behavior of the system is simulated and bifurcation diagrams are obtained for different parameters. The results show that periodic forcing and impulsive perturbation can very easily give rise to complex dynamics, including (1) quasi-periodic oscillating, (2) period doubling cascade, (3) chaos, (4) period halfing cascade, (5) non-unique dynamics

  6. Minimum-domain impulse theory for unsteady aerodynamic force

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, L. L.; Liu, L. Q.; Su, W. D.; Wu, J. Z.

    2018-01-01

    We extend the impulse theory for unsteady aerodynamics from its classic global form to finite-domain formulation then to minimum-domain form and from incompressible to compressible flows. For incompressible flow, the minimum-domain impulse theory raises the finding of Li and Lu ["Force and power of flapping plates in a fluid," J. Fluid Mech. 712, 598-613 (2012)] to a theorem: The entire force with discrete wake is completely determined by only the time rate of impulse of those vortical structures still connecting to the body, along with the Lamb-vector integral thereof that captures the contribution of all the rest disconnected vortical structures. For compressible flows, we find that the global form in terms of the curl of momentum ∇ × (ρu), obtained by Huang [Unsteady Vortical Aerodynamics (Shanghai Jiaotong University Press, 1994)], can be generalized to having an arbitrary finite domain, but the formula is cumbersome and in general ∇ × (ρu) no longer has discrete structures and hence no minimum-domain theory exists. Nevertheless, as the measure of transverse process only, the unsteady field of vorticity ω or ρω may still have a discrete wake. This leads to a minimum-domain compressible vorticity-moment theory in terms of ρω (but it is beyond the classic concept of impulse). These new findings and applications have been confirmed by our numerical experiments. The results not only open an avenue to combine the theory with computation-experiment in wide applications but also reveal a physical truth that it is no longer necessary to account for all wake vortical structures in computing the force and moment.

  7. Increased multiaxial lumbar motion responses during multiple-impulse mechanical force manually assisted spinal manipulation

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    Gunzburg Robert

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Spinal manipulation has been found to create demonstrable segmental and intersegmental spinal motions thought to be biomechanically related to its mechanisms. In the case of impulsive-type instrument device comparisons, significant differences in the force-time characteristics and concomitant motion responses of spinal manipulative instruments have been reported, but studies investigating the response to multiple thrusts (multiple impulse trains have not been conducted. The purpose of this study was to determine multi-axial segmental and intersegmental motion responses of ovine lumbar vertebrae to single impulse and multiple impulse spinal manipulative thrusts (SMTs. Methods Fifteen adolescent Merino sheep were examined. Tri-axial accelerometers were attached to intraosseous pins rigidly fixed to the L1 and L2 lumbar spinous processes under fluoroscopic guidance while the animals were anesthetized. A hand-held electromechanical chiropractic adjusting instrument (Impulse was used to apply single and repeated force impulses (13 total over a 2.5 second time interval at three different force settings (low, medium, and high along the posteroanterior axis of the T12 spinous process. Axial (AX, posteroanterior (PA, and medial-lateral (ML acceleration responses in adjacent segments (L1, L2 were recorded at a rate of 5000 samples per second. Peak-peak segmental accelerations (L1, L2 and intersegmental acceleration transfer (L1–L2 for each axis and each force setting were computed from the acceleration-time recordings. The initial acceleration response for a single thrust and the maximum acceleration response observed during the 12 multiple impulse trains were compared using a paired observations t-test (POTT, alpha = .05. Results Segmental and intersegmental acceleration responses mirrored the peak force magnitude produced by the Impulse Adjusting Instrument. Accelerations were greatest for AX and PA measurement axes. Compared to

  8. Interval oscillation criteria for second-order forced impulsive delay differential equations with damping term.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thandapani, Ethiraju; Kannan, Manju; Pinelas, Sandra

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, we present some sufficient conditions for the oscillation of all solutions of a second order forced impulsive delay differential equation with damping term. Three factors-impulse, delay and damping that affect the interval qualitative properties of solutions of equations are taken into account together. The results obtained in this paper extend and generalize some of the the known results for forced impulsive differential equations. An example is provided to illustrate the main result.

  9. Non-contact quantification of laser micro-impulse in water by atomic force microscopy and its application for biomechanics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosokawa, Yoichiroh

    2011-12-01

    We developed a local force measurement system of a femtosecond laser-induced impulsive force, which is due to shock and stress waves generated by focusing an intense femtosecond laser into water with a highly numerical aperture objective lens. In this system, the force localized in micron-sized region was detected by bending movement of a cantilever of atomic force microscope (AFM). Here we calculated the bending movement of the AFM cantilever when the femtosecond laser is focused in water at the vicinity of the cantilever and the impulsive force is loaded on the cantilever. From the result, a method to estimate the total of the impulsive force at the laser focal point was suggested and applied to estimate intercellular adhesion strength.

  10. FORCE-VELOCITY, IMPULSE-MOMENTUM RELATIONSHIPS: IMPLICATIONS FOR EFFICACY OF PURPOSEFULLY SLOW RESISTANCE TRAINING

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    Brian K. Schilling

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this brief review is to explain the mechanical relationship between impulse and momentum when resistance exercise is performed in a purposefully slow manner (PS. PS is recognized by ~10s concentric and ~4-10s eccentric actions. While several papers have reviewed the effects of PS, none has yet explained such resistance training in the context of the impulse-momentum relationship. A case study of normal versus PS back squats was also performed. An 85kg man performed both normal speed (3 sec eccentric action and maximal acceleration concentric action and PS back squats over a several loads. Normal speed back squats produced both greater peak and mean propulsive forces than PS action when measured across all loads. However, TUT was greatly increased in the PS condition, with values fourfold greater than maximal acceleration repetitions. The data and explanation herein point to superior forces produced by the neuromuscular system via traditional speed training indicating a superior modality for inducing neuromuscular adaptation

  11. If It's Part Broke Half Fix It / Virginija Januskeviciute

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Januskeviciute, Virginija, 1979-

    2011-01-01

    Kaasaegse Kunsti Eesti Keskuse ja Vilniuse Kaasaegse Kunsti Keskuse korraldatud näitus "If It's Part Broke, Half Fix It" Kaasaegse Kunsti Keskuses Vilniuses 28.01.-13.03.2011, kuraator Margit Säde Lehni. Osalesid kunstnikud Eestist, Leedust, Saksamaalt, Rootsist, Soomest, Inglismaalt ja Hollandist, osalejad loetletud

  12. Shock Tube as an Impulsive Application Device

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    Soumya Ranjan Nanda

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Current investigations solely focus on application of an impulse facility in diverse area of high-speed aerodynamics and structural mechanics. Shock tube, the fundamental impulse facility, is specially designed and calibrated for present objectives. Force measurement experiments are performed on a hemispherical test model integrated with the stress wave force balance. Similar test model is considered for heat transfer measurements using coaxial thermocouple. Force and heat transfer experiments demonstrated that the strain gauge and thermocouple have lag time of 11.5 and 9 microseconds, respectively. Response time of these sensors in measuring the peak load is also measured successfully using shock tube facility. As an outcome, these sensors are found to be suitable for impulse testing. Lastly, the response of aluminum plates subjected to impulsive loading is analyzed by measuring the in-plane strain produced during deformation. Thus, possibility of forming tests in shock is also confirmed.

  13. Some aspects of the electromagnetic-impulse pendulum and Biot-Savart-Lorentz force

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moyssides, P.G.; Hatzikonstantinou, P.

    1988-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to cast light on various serious mistakes which have been involved during the analysis of two experiments, related to the correctness of the Biot-Savart-Lorentz force law. At first in the MIT experiment, carried out by Graneau et al., they claim that the calculated momentum, imparted to an electrodynamic-impulse pendulum, using the BSL force law, is 43% larger than the experimentally measured momentum of the pi-frame pendulum. It has been found that discrepancy, using their own data, is due to the use of a wrong value for the time constant parameter introduced in the current formula. In addition Pappas, like Graneau, although states that all the available energy is dissipated to Joule heating, considers that all the pendulum momentum is imparted to field momentum yielding an enormous amount of field-radiated energy, which is also completely wrong

  14. ACOUSTIC RADIATION FORCE IMPULSE IS EQUIVALENT TO LIVER BIOPSY TO EVALUATE LIVER FIBROSIS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C AND NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE

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    Juliana Ayres de Alencar Arrais GUERRA

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundLiver biopsy is recommended as the gold standard method for assessing the stage of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. However, it is invasive, with potential risks and complications. Elastography is an ultrasound technique that provides information of changes in the liver tissue, evaluating tissue elasticity and acoustic radiation force impulse is one of the available techniques.ObjectiveThe main objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of acoustic radiation force impulse comparing to liver biopsy to evaluate fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.MethodsTwenty four patients were included, everyone underwent liver biopsy and acoustic radiation force impulse, and the results were compared with values described in the literature by several authors.ResultsIn the population of patients with chronic hepatitis C, our data were better correlated with data published by Carmen Fierbinteanu-Braticevici et al., with an accuracy of 82.4%, sensitivity of 71.4% and specificity of 90%. For nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, our data were better correlated with data published by Masato Yoneda et al., with an accuracy of 85.7%, sensitivity 80% and specificity of 100%.ConclusionAcoustic radiation force impulse is a method with good accuracy to distinguish initial fibrosis from advanced fibrosis in hepatitis C virus and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and can replace biopsy in most cases.

  15. Reliability Evaluation of Monolithic Vertical Wall Breakwaters Considering Impulsive Wave Breaking Forces and Failure Modes of the Foundation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Burcharth, H. F.; Sørensen, Jørgen S.; Christiani, E.

    1994-01-01

    Impulsive wave breaking forces on a vertical caisson breakwater has been included by Takahashi et al, (1994) in Goda's wave pressure formula (Goda et al. 1972 and Goda 1974). Based on these formulae a deterministic design method following the Japanese recommendations has been used for the design...

  16. On the Evolution of Pulsatile Flow Subject to a Transverse Impulse Body Force

    Science.gov (United States)

    di Labbio, Giuseppe; Keshavarz-Motamed, Zahra; Kadem, Lyes

    2014-11-01

    In the event of an unexpected abrupt traffic stop or car accident, automotive passengers will experience an abrupt body deceleration. This may lead to tearing or dissection of the aortic wall known as Blunt Traumatic Aortic Rupture (BTAR). BTAR is the second leading cause of death in automotive accidents and, although quite frequent, the mechanisms leading to BTAR are still not clearly identified, particularly the contribution of the flow field. As such, this work is intended to provide a fundamental framework for the investigation of the flow contribution to BTAR. In this fundamental study, pulsatile flow in a three-dimensional, straight pipe of circular cross-section is subjected to a unidirectional, transverse, impulse body force applied on a strictly bounded volume of fluid. These models were simulated using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software FLUENT. The evolution of fluid field characteristics was investigated during and after the application of the force. The application of the force significantly modified the flow field. The force induces a transverse pressure gradient causing the development of secondary flow structures that dissipate the energy added by the acceleration. Once the force ceases to act, these structures are carried downstream and gradually dissipate their excess energy.

  17. Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Quantification in the Evaluation of Thyroid Elasticity in Pediatric Patients With Hashimoto Thyroiditis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yucel, Serap; Ceyhan Bilgici, Meltem; Kara, Cengiz; Can Yilmaz, Gulay; Aydin, H Murat; Elmali, Muzaffer; Tomak, Leman; Saglam, Dilek

    2018-05-01

    To evaluate the parenchymal elasticity of the thyroid gland with acoustic radiation force impulse imaging in pediatric patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis and to compare it with healthy volunteers. Twenty-six patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis and 26 healthy volunteers between 6 and 17 years were included. The shear wave velocity (SWV) values of both thyroid lobes in both groups were evaluated. The age and sex characteristics of the controls and patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis were similar. The SWV of the thyroid gland in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis (mean ± SD, 1.67 ± 0.63 m/s) was significantly higher than that in the control group (1.30 ± 0.13 m/s; P thyroid lobes in both groups. A receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed an optimal cutoff value of 1.41 m/s, with 73.1% sensitivity, 80.8% specificity, a 79.2 % positive predictive value, and a 75.0% negative predictive value (area under the curve, 0.806; P Hashimoto thyroiditis, there was a positive correlation between the SWV values versus anti-thyroperoxidase (Pearson r = 0.46; P = .038). There were no correlations between age, body mass index, thyroid function test results, and anti-thyroglobulin values and versus SWV values. Also, no significant differences were seen between the groups for gland size, gland vascularity, and l-thyroxine treatment. Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography showed a significant difference in the stiffness of the thyroid gland between children with Hashimoto thyroiditis and the healthy group. Using acoustic radiation force impulse elastography immediately after a standard ultrasound evaluation may predict chronic autoimmune thyroiditis. © 2017 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

  18. FORCED OSCILLATIONS OF SECOND ORDER SUPER-LINEAR DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION WITH IMPULSES

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2012-01-01

    At first,by means of Kartsatos technique,we reduce the impulsive differential equation to a second order nonlinear impulsive homogeneous equation.We find some suitable impulse functions such that all the solutions to the equation are oscillatory.Several criteria on the oscillations of solutions are given.At last,we give an example to demonstrate our results.

  19. A new autogenous mobile system driven by vibration without impacts, excited by an impulse periodic force

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    Duong The-Hung

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This report describes a new proposed design for autogenous mobile systems which can move without any external mechanisms such as legs or wheels. A Duffing oscillator with a cubic spring, which is excited by an impulse periodic force, is utilized to drive the whole system. The rectilinear motion of the system is performed employing the periodically oscillation of the internal mass interacting without collisions with the main body. Utilizing the nonlinear restoring force of the cubic spring, the system can move in desired directions. When the ratio between the excitation force and the friction force is smaller than 2.5, backward or forward motion can be easily achieved by applying an excitation force in the same desired direction. Different from other vibro-impact drifting devices, no impact needed to drive the new proposed system. This novel structure allows to miniaturize the device as well as to simplify the control algorithm thus can significantly expand applicability of the proposed system.

  20. Modification of NSSC pulp broke fibers using layering method and investigating its effect on paper properties

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    hamidreza rudi

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In the current study, modification of NSSC pulp broke fibers was done by forming starch polymeric multilayers, using Layer-by-Layer (LbL layering method. After fiber slushing and preparation of pulp suspension with 0.5% consistency and conductivity formation of about 437 µS/cm, adding water solution of 1 mM NaCl, the experiments of fibers treatment were conducted to build the polymeric layers (up to 5 consecutive layers. Afterward, water retention value (WRV of fibers was calculated in samples to evaluate the influence of this method on fibers hydrophilicity. The fibers were then used to prepare standard handsheets (60±3g/m2 and the physical and strength properties of sheets were evaluated as a function of the number of layers deposited on the fibers. The results showed that the WRV index of the fibers was improved by the LbL treatment of NSSC broke pulp fibers, due to the increase in starch electrostatic absorption. Successive variation in paper apparent density increase and paper thickness decrease confirmed the construction of starch multilayers on the surface of broke fibers. Formation of such multilayers on broke fibers has led to considerable improvement in tensile index (from 13.21 N.m/g to 30.65 N.m/g and burst index (from 1.23 kPa.m2/g to 2.36 kPa.m2/g. Also, the prepared SEM micrographs approve the sheet web compaction and paper mechanical improvement resulted due to an increase in inter-fiber bonding.

  1. Impulse measurement using an Arduíno

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espindola, P. R.; Cena, C. R.; Alves, D. C. B.; Bozano, D. F.; Goncalves, A. M. B.

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, we propose a simple experimental apparatus that can measure the force variation over time to study the impulse-momentum theorem. In this proposal, a body attached to a rubber string falls freely from rest until it stretches and changes the linear momentum. During that process the force due to the tension on the rubber string is measured with a load cell by using an Arduíno board. We check the instrumental results with the basic concept of impulse, finding the area under the force versus time curve and comparing this with the linear momentum variation estimated from software analysis. The apparatus is presented as a simple and low cost alternative to mechanical physics laboratories.

  2. Relativistic impulse dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swanson, Stanley M

    2011-08-01

    Classical electrodynamics has some annoying rough edges. The self-energy of charges is infinite without a cutoff. The calculation of relativistic trajectories is difficult because of retardation and an average radiation reaction term. By reconceptuallizing electrodynamics in terms of exchanges of impulses rather than describing it by forces and potentials, we eliminate these problems. A fully relativistic theory using photonlike null impulses is developed. Numerical calculations for a two-body, one-impulse-in-transit model are discussed. A simple relationship between center-of-mass scattering angle and angular momentum was found. It reproduces the Rutherford cross section at low velocities and agrees with the leading term of relativistic distinguishable-particle quantum cross sections (Møller, Mott) when the distance of closest approach is larger than the Compton wavelength of the particle. Magnetism emerges as a consequence of viewing retarded and advanced interactions from the vantage point of an instantaneous radius vector. Radiation reaction becomes the local conservation of energy-momentum between the radiating particle and the emitted impulse. A net action is defined that could be used in developing quantum dynamics without potentials. A reinterpretation of Newton's laws extends them to relativistic motion.

  3. Roberto De Gaetano: impulse-images and the cinema between the forms and the forces

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    Bruno Bueno Pinto Leites

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Since the early nineties Roberto De Gaetano works on the relationship between cinema, aesthetics and philosophy. In this interview, he talks about the impulse-images, a concept among Gilles Deleuze`s taxonomy that has remained someway “marginal” although being powerful for understanding a large set of problems, as the body of images, the inscription of a death drive in cinema and the conception of worlds in the act of their own destruction. We also had the opportunity to talk about De Gaetano`s latest works and the difference that he establishes between cinema of form and the cinema of force.

  4. Applications of acoustic radiation force impulse quantification in chronic kidney disease: A review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Liang [Dept. of Ultrasound, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing (China)

    2016-08-15

    Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is an emerging technique with great promise in the field of elastography. Previous studies have validated ARFI quantification as a method of estimating fibrosis in chronic liver disease. Similarly, fibrosis is the principal process underlying the progression of chronic kidney disease, which is the major cause of renal failure. However, the quantification of tissue stiffness using ARFI imaging is more complex in the kidney than in the liver. Moreover, not all previous studies are comparable because they employed different procedures. Therefore, subsequent studies are warranted, both in animal models and in clinical patients, in order to better understand the histopathological mechanisms associated with renal elasticity and to further improve this imaging method by developing a standardized guidelines for its implementation.

  5. Applications of acoustic radiation force impulse quantification in chronic kidney disease: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Liang

    2016-01-01

    Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is an emerging technique with great promise in the field of elastography. Previous studies have validated ARFI quantification as a method of estimating fibrosis in chronic liver disease. Similarly, fibrosis is the principal process underlying the progression of chronic kidney disease, which is the major cause of renal failure. However, the quantification of tissue stiffness using ARFI imaging is more complex in the kidney than in the liver. Moreover, not all previous studies are comparable because they employed different procedures. Therefore, subsequent studies are warranted, both in animal models and in clinical patients, in order to better understand the histopathological mechanisms associated with renal elasticity and to further improve this imaging method by developing a standardized guidelines for its implementation

  6. Microwave emission from lead zirconate titanate induced by impulsive mechanical load

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aman, A., E-mail: alexander.aman@ovgu.de [Department of Engineering, Brandenburg University of Applied Science, 14470 Brandenburg an derHavel (Germany); Packaging Group, Institute of Micro- and Sensorsytems, Otto-von-Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg (Germany); Majcherek, S. [Packaging Group, Institute of Micro- and Sensorsytems, Otto-von-Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg (Germany); Hirsch, S. [Department of Engineering, Brandenburg University of Applied Science, 14470 Brandenburg an derHavel (Germany); Schmidt, B. [Chair of Micorsystem Technology, Institute of Micro- and Sensorsytems, Otto-von-Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg (Germany)

    2015-10-28

    This paper focuses on microwave emission from Lead zirconate titanate Pb [Zr{sub x}Ti{sub 1−x}] O{sub 3} (PZT) induced by mechanical stressing. The mechanical stress was initiated by impact of a sharp tungsten indenter on the upper surface of PZT ceramic. The sequences of microwave and current impulses, which flew from indenter to electric ground, were detected simultaneously. The voltage between the upper and lower surface of ceramic was measured to obtain the behavior of mechanical force acting on ceramic during the impact. It was found that the amplitude, form, and frequency of measured microwave impulses were different by compression and restitution phase of impact. Two different mechanisms of electron emission, responsible for microwave impulse generation, were proposed based on the dissimilar impulse behavior. The field emission from tungsten indenter is dominant during compression, whereas ferroemission dominates during restitution phase. Indeed, it was observed that the direction of the current flow, i.e., sign of current impulses is changed by transitions from compression to restitution phase of impact. The observed dissimilar behavior of microwave impulses, caused by increasing and decreasing applied force, can be used to calculate the contact time and behavior of mechanical force during mechanical impact on ceramic surface. It is shown that the generation of microwave impulses exhibits high reproducibility, impulse intensity, a low damping factor, and high mechanical failure resistance. Based on these microwave emission properties of PZT, the development of new type of stress sensor with spatial resolution of few microns becomes possible.

  7. Effect of transient occlusal loading on the threshold of tooth tactile sensation perception for tapping like the impulsive stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morimoto, Yuta; Oki, Kazuhiro; Iida, Sachiyo; Shirahige, Chieko; Maeda, Naoto; Kawakami, Shigehisa; Matsunaga, Tadashi; Minagi, Shogo

    2013-07-01

    The objectives of this study were (1) to establish a reliable method for detecting the force threshold of the tooth tactile sensation while avoiding experimenter bias and (2) to examine the effect of occlusal force loading on the threshold for impulsive force stimulation in subjects with normal dentition. Twenty volunteers participated in this study (10 males and 10 females; mean age, 26.6 ± 2.9 years). To simulate the bite force during occlusal tapping, a force-loading device was designed to exert impulsive force to the occlusal surface in the direction parallel to the tooth axis. The impulsive force detection threshold of the periodontal sensation was measured before and after loading 98 N of occlusal force on the left upper first molar for 1 min. Transient mechanical loading of the upper first molar caused an increase in the absolute threshold for impulsive force. This increase did not vanish immediately, and the increment of the threshold was maintained during the remainder of the experiment. A computer-controlled method for the evaluation of tooth tactile sensation using impulsive stimulation was established. Transient occlusal force loading parallel to the tooth axis increases the threshold of periodontal sensation for mechanical impulsive stimulation.

  8. Concurrent Validity of a Portable Force Plate Using Vertical Jump Force-Time Characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lake, Jason; Mundy, Peter; Comfort, Paul; McMahon, John J; Suchomel, Timothy J; Carden, Patrick

    2018-05-29

    This study examined concurrent validity of countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) reactive strength index modified and force-time characteristics recorded using a one dimensional portable and laboratory force plate system. Twenty-eight men performed bilateral CMJs on two portable force plates placed on top of two in-ground force plates, both recording vertical ground reaction force at 1000 Hz. Time to take-off, jump height, reactive strength index modified, braking and propulsion impulse, mean net force, and duration were calculated from the vertical force from both force plate systems. Results from both systems were highly correlated (r≥.99). There were small (dbraking impulse, braking mean net force, propulsion impulse, and propulsion mean net force (psystem (95% CL: .9% to 2.5%), indicating very good agreement across all of the dependent variables. The largest limits of agreement belonged to jump height (2.1%), time to take-off (3.4%), and reactive strength index modified (3.8%). The portable force plate system provides a valid method of obtaining reactive strength measures, and several underpinning force-time variables, from unloaded CMJ and practitioners can use both force plates interchangeably.

  9. Testicular microlithiasis and preliminary experience of acoustic radiation force impulse imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pedersen, Malene Roland; Osther, Palle Jørn Sloth; Rafaelsen, Søren Rafael

    2016-01-01

    Elastography of the testis can be used as a part of multiparametric examination of the scrotum. To determine the testicular stiffness using acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI) technique in men with testicular microlithiasis (TML). In 2013, 12 patients with diagnosed testicular microlithiasis in 2008 (mean age, 51 years; age range, 25–76 years) underwent a 5-year follow-up B-mode ultrasonography with three ARFI elastography measurements of each testis. We used a Siemens Acuson S3000 machine. No malignancy was found at the 5-year follow-up B-mode and elastography in 2013. However, we found an increase in TML; in the previous ultrasonography in 2008, eight men had bilateral TML, whereas in 2013, 10 men were diagnosed with bilateral TML. The mean elasticity of testicles with TML was 0.82 m/s (interquartile range [IQR], 0.72–0.88 m/s; range, 65–1.08 m/s). Elastography velocity of testis with TML seems to be in the same velocity range as in men with normal testis tissue

  10. An Impulse Based Substructuring approach for impact analysis and load case simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rixen, Daniel J.; van der Valk, Paul L. C.

    2013-12-01

    In the present paper we outline the basic theory of assembling substructures for which the dynamics are described as Impulse Response Functions. The assembly procedure computes the time response of a system by evaluating per substructure the convolution product between the Impulse Response Functions and the applied forces, including the interface forces that are computed to satisfy the interface compatibility. We call this approach the Impulse Based Substructuring method since it transposes to the time domain the Frequency Based Substructuring approach. In the Impulse Based Substructuring technique the Impulse Response Functions of the substructures can be gathered either from experimental tests using a hammer impact or from time-integration of numerical submodels. In this paper the implementation of the method is outlined for the case when the impulse responses of the substructures are computed numerically. A simple bar example is shown in order to illustrate the concept. The Impulse Based Substructuring allows fast evaluation of impact response of a structure when the impulse response of its components is known. It can thus be used to efficiently optimize designs of consumer products by including impact behavior at the early stage of the design, but also for performing substructured simulations of complex structures such as offshore wind turbines.

  11. Impulse-variability theory: implications for ballistic, multijoint motor skill performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urbin, M A; Stodden, David F; Fischman, Mark G; Weimar, Wendi H

    2011-01-01

    Impulse-variability theory (R. A. Schmidt, H. N. Zelaznik, B. Hawkins, J. S. Frank, & J. T. Quinn, 1979) accounts for the curvilinear relationship between the magnitude and resulting variability of the muscular forces that influence the success of goal-directed limb movements. The historical roots of impulse-variability theory are reviewed in the 1st part of this article, including the relationship between movement speed and spatial error. The authors then address the relevance of impulse-variability theory for the control of ballistic, multijoint skills, such as throwing, striking, and kicking. These types of skills provide a stark contrast to the relatively simple, minimal degrees of freedom movements that characterized early research. However, the inherent demand for ballistic force generation is a strong parallel between these simple laboratory tasks and multijoint motor skills. Therefore, the authors conclude by recommending experimental procedures for evaluating the adequacy of impulse variability as a theoretical model within the context of ballistic, multijoint motor skill performance. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

  12. Identifying Vulnerable Plaques with Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doherty, Joshua Ryan

    The rupture of arterial plaques is the most common cause of ischemic complications including stroke, the fourth leading cause of death and number one cause of long term disability in the United States. Unfortunately, because conventional diagnostic tools fail to identify plaques that confer the highest risk, often a disabling stroke and/or sudden death is the first sign of disease. A diagnostic method capable of characterizing plaque vulnerability would likely enhance the predictive ability and ultimately the treatment of stroke before the onset of clinical events. This dissertation evaluates the hypothesis that Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) imaging can noninvasively identify lipid regions, that have been shown to increase a plaque's propensity to rupture, within carotid artery plaques in vivo. The work detailed herein describes development efforts and results from simulations and experiments that were performed to evaluate this hypothesis. To first demonstrate feasibility and evaluate potential safety concerns, finite- element method simulations are used to model the response of carotid artery plaques to an acoustic radiation force excitation. Lipid pool visualization is shown to vary as a function of lipid pool geometry and stiffness. A comparison of the resulting Von Mises stresses indicates that stresses induced by an ARFI excitation are three orders of magnitude lower than those induced by blood pressure. This thesis also presents the development of a novel pulse inversion harmonic tracking method to reduce clutter-imposed errors in ultrasound-based tissue displacement estimates. This method is validated in phantoms and was found to reduce bias and jitter displacement errors for a marked improvement in image quality in vivo. Lastly, this dissertation presents results from a preliminary in vivo study that compares ARFI imaging derived plaque stiffness with spatially registered composition determined by a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) gold standard

  13. Sex differences in impulsive action and impulsive choice

    OpenAIRE

    Weafer, Jessica; de Wit, Harriet

    2013-01-01

    Here, we review the evidence for sex differences in behavioral measures of impulsivity for both humans and laboratory animals. We focus on two specific components of impulsivity: impulsive action (i.e., difficulty inhibiting a prepotent response) and impulsive choice (i.e., difficulty delaying gratification). Sex differences appear to exist on these measures, but the direction and magnitude of the differences vary. In laboratory animals, impulsive action is typically greater in males than fem...

  14. Sex differences in impulsive action and impulsive choice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weafer, Jessica; de Wit, Harriet

    2014-11-01

    Here, we review the evidence for sex differences in behavioral measures of impulsivity for both humans and laboratory animals. We focus on two specific components of impulsivity: impulsive action (i.e., difficulty inhibiting a prepotent response) and impulsive choice (i.e., difficulty delaying gratification). Sex differences appear to exist on these measures, but the direction and magnitude of the differences vary. In laboratory animals, impulsive action is typically greater in males than females, whereas impulsive choice is typically greater in females. In humans, women discount more steeply than men, but sex differences on measures of impulsive action depend on tasks and subject samples. We discuss implications of these findings as they relate to drug addiction. We also point out the major gaps in this research to date, including the lack of studies designed specifically to examine sex differences in behavioral impulsivity, and the lack of consideration of menstrual or estrous phase or sex hormone levels in the studies. © 2013.

  15. Dynamic complexities for prey-dependent consumption integrated pest management models with impulsive effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hui Jing; Zhu Deming

    2006-01-01

    In this paper, we consider the prey-dependent consumption predator-prey (natural enemy-pest) models with age structure for the predator, immature and mature natural enemies are released and pesticide is applied impulsively. We prove that, when the impulsive period is no longer than some threshold, the pest-eradication solution is globally asymptotically stable, or say, the pest population can be eradicated totally. But from the point of ecological balance and saving resources, we only need to control the pest population under the economic threshold level instead of eradicating it totally, so we further prove that, when the impulsive period is longer than the threshold, pest population and natural enemy population can coexist, i.e., the system is uniformly permanent. Considering population communities always are imbedded in periodically varying environments, and the parameters in ecosystem models may oscillate simultaneously with the periodically varying environments, we add a forcing term into the prey population's intrinsic growth rate. From two aspects, i.e., when the period of forcing term is same as the impulsive period and when the two periods are different, we illustrate that, the dynamical behaviors of corresponding impulsive system are very complex

  16. Periodic components of hand acceleration/deceleration impulses during telemanipulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Draper, J.V. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Handel, S. [Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Psychology

    1994-01-01

    Responsiveness is the ability of a telemanipulator to recreate user trajectories and impedance in time and space. For trajectory production, a key determinant of responsiveness is the ability of the system to accept user inputs, which are forces on the master handle generated by user hand acceleration/deceleration (a/d) impulses, and translate them into slave arm acceleration/deceleration. This paper presents observations of master controller a/d impulses during completion of a simple target acquisition task. Power spectral density functions (PSDF`s) calculated from hand controller a/d impulses were used to assess impulse waveform. The relative contributions of frequency intervals ranging up to 25 Hz for three spatially different versions of the task were used to determine which frequencies were most important. The highest relative power was observed in frequencies between 1 Hz and 6 Hz. The key frequencies related to task difficulty were in the range from 2 Hz to 8 Hz. the results provide clues to the source of the performance inhibition.

  17. Periodic components of hand acceleration/deceleration impulses during telemanipulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Draper, J.V.; Handel, S.

    1994-01-01

    Responsiveness is the ability of a telemanipulator to recreate user trajectories and impedance in time and space. For trajectory production, a key determinant of responsiveness is the ability of the system to accept user inputs, which are forces on the master handle generated by user hand acceleration/deceleration (a/d) impulses, and translate them into slave arm acceleration/deceleration. This paper presents observations of master controller a/d impulses during completion of a simple target acquisition task. Power spectral density functions (PSDF's) calculated from hand controller a/d impulses were used to assess impulse waveform. The relative contributions of frequency intervals ranging up to 25 Hz for three spatially different versions of the task were used to determine which frequencies were most important. The highest relative power was observed in frequencies between 1 Hz and 6 Hz. The key frequencies related to task difficulty were in the range from 2 Hz to 8 Hz. the results provide clues to the source of the performance inhibition

  18. Propulsive force calculations in swimming frogs I. A momentum-impulse approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nauwelaerts, S; Stamhuis, EJ; Aerts, P

    Frogs are animals that are capable of locomotion in two physically different media, aquatic and terrestrial. A comparison of the kinematics of swimming frogs in a previous study revealed a difference in propulsive impulse between jumping and swimming. To explore this difference further, we

  19. How birds direct impulse to minimize the energetic cost of foraging flight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chin, Diana; Lentink, David

    2017-11-01

    Foraging arboreal birds frequently hop and fly between branches by extending long-jumps with a few wingbeats. Their legs transfer impulse to the branch during takeoff and landing, and their wings transfer impulse to the air to support their bodyweight during flight. To determine the mechanical energy tradeoffs of this bimodal locomotion, we studied how Pacific parrotlets transfer impulse during voluntary perch-to-perch flights. We tested five foraging flight variations by varying the inclination and distance between instrumented perches inside a novel aerodynamic force platform. This setup enables direct, time-resolved in vivo measurements of both leg and wing forces, which we combined with high-speed kinematics to develop a new bimodal long-jump and flight model. The model demonstrates how parrotlets direct their leg impulse to minimize the mechanical energy needed for each flight, and further shows how even a single proto-wingbeat would have significantly lengthened the long-jump of foraging arboreal dinosaurs. By directing jumps and flapping their wings, both extant and ancestral birds could thus improve foraging effectiveness. Similarly, bimodal robots could also employ these locomotion strategies to traverse cluttered environments more effectively.

  20. Impulsive stabilization and impulsive synchronization of discrete-time delayed neural networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wu-Hua; Lu, Xiaomei; Zheng, Wei Xing

    2015-04-01

    This paper investigates the problems of impulsive stabilization and impulsive synchronization of discrete-time delayed neural networks (DDNNs). Two types of DDNNs with stabilizing impulses are studied. By introducing the time-varying Lyapunov functional to capture the dynamical characteristics of discrete-time impulsive delayed neural networks (DIDNNs) and by using a convex combination technique, new exponential stability criteria are derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities. The stability criteria for DIDNNs are independent of the size of time delay but rely on the lengths of impulsive intervals. With the newly obtained stability results, sufficient conditions on the existence of linear-state feedback impulsive controllers are derived. Moreover, a novel impulsive synchronization scheme for two identical DDNNs is proposed. The novel impulsive synchronization scheme allows synchronizing two identical DDNNs with unknown delays. Simulation results are given to validate the effectiveness of the proposed criteria of impulsive stabilization and impulsive synchronization of DDNNs. Finally, an application of the obtained impulsive synchronization result for two identical chaotic DDNNs to a secure communication scheme is presented.

  1. Pulsed-laser-activated impulse response encoder: Sensitive detection of surface elastic waves on biomimetic microsized gel spheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasukuni, Ryohei; Fukushima, Ryosuke; Iino, Takanori; Hosokawa, Yoichiroh

    2017-11-01

    A femtosecond-laser-induced impulsive force was applied to microsized calcium alginate (CaAlg) gel spheres as an external force to excite elastic waves. To evaluate elasticity, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was applied to detect vibration propagation. The sphere size dependence of the vibration was well reproduced by finite element method (FEM) simulation for pressure waves and surface acoustic waves. The obtained results indicate that the pulsed-laser-activated impulse response encoder (PLAIRE) enables the sensitive detection of elasticities, not only on inside but also on the surface.

  2. Impulsive Synchronization and Adaptive-Impulsive Synchronization of a Novel Financial Hyperchaotic System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiuli Chai

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The impulsive synchronization and adaptive-impulsive synchronization of a novel financial hyperchaotic system are investigated. Based on comparing principle for impulsive functional differential equations, several sufficient conditions for impulsive synchronization are derived, and the upper bounds of impulsive interval for stable synchronization are estimated. Furthermore, a nonlinear adaptive-impulsive control scheme is designed to synchronize the financial system using invariant principle of impulsive dynamical systems. Moreover, corresponding numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed methods.

  3. "Impulsive" youth suicide attempters are not necessarily all that impulsive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witte, Tracy K; Merrill, Katherine A; Stellrecht, Nadia E; Bernert, Rebecca A; Hollar, Daniel L; Schatschneider, Christopher; Joiner, Thomas E

    2008-04-01

    The relationship between impulsivity and suicide has been conceptualized in the literature as a direct one. In contrast, Joiner's [Joiner, T.E., 2005. Why people die by suicide. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.] theory posits that this relationship is indirect in that impulsive individuals are more likely to engage in suicidal behavior because impulsivity makes one more likely to be exposed to painful and provocative stimuli. Adolescents were selected from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) sample between the years of 1993-2003 who had planned for a suicide attempt but did not actually attempt (n=5685), who did not plan but did attempt ("impulsive attempters;" n=1172), and who both planned and attempted (n=4807). Items were selected from the YRBS to assess demographic variables, suicidal behaviors, and impulsive behaviors. Participants who had planned suicide without attempting were significantly less impulsive than those who had attempted without planning and than those who had both planned and attempted. Crucially, participants who had made a suicide attempt without prior planning were less impulsive than those who had planned and attempted. We were unable to conduct a multi-method assessment (i.e., measures were self-report); the measure of impulsivity consisted of items pulled from the YRBS rather than a previously validated impulsivity measure. The notion that the most impulsive individuals are more likely to plan for suicide attempts is an important one for many reasons both theoretical and clinical, including that it may refine risk assessment and attendant clinical decision-making.

  4. Impulsive control of time-delay systems using delayed impulse and its application to impulsive master-slave synchronization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Jitao; Han Qinglong; Jiang Xiefu

    2008-01-01

    This Letter is concerned with impulsive control of a class of nonlinear time-delay systems. Some uniform stability criteria for the closed-loop time-delay system under delayed impulsive control are derived by using piecewise Lyapunov functions. Then the criteria are applied to impulsive master-slave synchronization of some secure communication systems with transmission delays and sample delays under delayed impulsive control. Two numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the derived results

  5. The relationship between impulsive choice and impulsive action: a cross-species translational study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nienke Broos

    Full Text Available Maladaptive impulsivity is a core symptom in various psychiatric disorders. However, there is only limited evidence available on whether different measures of impulsivity represent largely unrelated aspects or a unitary construct. In a cross-species translational study, thirty rats were trained in impulsive choice (delayed reward task and impulsive action (five-choice serial reaction time task paradigms. The correlation between those measures was assessed during baseline performance and after pharmacological manipulations with the psychostimulant amphetamine and the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine. In parallel, to validate the animal data, 101 human subjects performed analogous measures of impulsive choice (delay discounting task, DDT and impulsive action (immediate and delayed memory task, IMT/DMT. Moreover, all subjects completed the Stop Signal Task (SST, as an additional measure of impulsive action and filled out the Barratt impulsiveness scale (BIS-11. Correlations between DDT and IMT/DMT were determined and a principal component analysis was performed on all human measures of impulsivity. In both rats and humans measures of impulsive choice and impulsive action did not correlate. In rats the within-subject pharmacological effects of amphetamine and atomoxetine did not correlate between tasks, suggesting distinct underlying neural correlates. Furthermore, in humans, principal component analysis identified three independent factors: (1 self-reported impulsivity (BIS-11; (2 impulsive action (IMT/DMT and SST; (3 impulsive choice (DDT. This is the first study directly comparing aspects of impulsivity using a cross-species translational approach. The present data reveal the non-unitary nature of impulsivity on a behavioral and pharmacological level. Collectively, this warrants a stronger focus on the relative contribution of distinct forms of impulsivity in psychopathology.

  6. Buying Impulses: A Study on Impulsive Consumption

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Herabadi, A.G.

    2003-01-01

    This dissertation's objectives were to validate impulse buying tendency as a genuinely distinctive construct related to impulse purchase behavior and attached to fundamental personality traits, and its relationships to a number of relevant factors. Studies reported were steps to a better

  7. Impulsive and non-impulsive suicide attempts in patients treated for alcohol dependence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wojnar, Marcin; Ilgen, Mark A; Czyz, Ewa; Strobbe, Stephen; Klimkiewicz, Anna; Jakubczyk, Andrzej; Glass, Jennifer; Brower, Kirk J

    2009-05-01

    Suicidal behavior has been recognized as an increasing problem among alcohol-dependent subjects. The aim of the study was to identify correlates of impulsive and non-impulsive suicide attempts among a treated population of alcohol-dependent patients. A total of 154 patients with alcohol dependence consecutively admitted for addiction treatment participated in the study. Suicidal behavior was assessed together with severity of alcohol dependence, childhood abuse, impulsivity, and family history. A stop-signal procedure was used as a behavioral measure of impulsivity. Lifetime suicide attempts were reported by 43% of patients in alcohol treatment; of which 62% were impulsive. Compared to patients without a suicide attempt, those with a non-impulsive attempt were more likely to have a history of sexual abuse (OR=7.17), a family history of suicide (OR=4.09), and higher scores on a personality measure of impulsiveness (OR=2.27). The only significant factor that distinguished patients with impulsive suicide attempts from patients without a suicide attempt and from patients with a non-impulsive suicide attempt was a higher level of behavioral impulsivity (OR=1.84-2.42). Retrospective self-report of suicide attempts and family history. Lack of diagnostic measure.

  8. Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography of the kidneys: is shear wave velocity affected by tissue fibrosis or renal blood flow?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asano, Kenichiro; Ogata, Ai; Tanaka, Keiko; Ide, Yoko; Sankoda, Akiko; Kawakita, Chieko; Nishikawa, Mana; Ohmori, Kazuyoshi; Kinomura, Masaru; Shimada, Noriaki; Fukushima, Masaki

    2014-05-01

    The aim of this study was to identify the main influencing factor of the shear wave velocity (SWV) of the kidneys measured by acoustic radiation force impulse elastography. The SWV was measured in the kidneys of 14 healthy volunteers and 319 patients with chronic kidney disease. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was calculated by the serum creatinine concentration and age. As an indicator of arteriosclerosis of large vessels, the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was measured in 183 patients. Compared to the degree of interobserver and intraobserver deviation, a large variance of SWV values was observed in the kidneys of the patients with chronic kidney disease. Shear wave velocity values in the right and left kidneys of each patient correlated well, with high correlation coefficients (r = 0.580-0.732). The SWV decreased concurrently with a decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate. A low SWV was obtained in patients with a high brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity. Despite progression of renal fibrosis in the advanced stages of chronic kidney disease, these results were in contrast to findings for chronic liver disease, in which progression of hepatic fibrosis results in an increase in the SWV. Considering that a high brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity represents the progression of arteriosclerosis in the large vessels, the reduction of elasticity succeeding diminution of blood flow was suspected to be the main influencing factor of the SWV in the kidneys. This study indicates that diminution of blood flow may affect SWV values in the kidneys more than the progression of tissue fibrosis. Future studies for reducing data variance are needed for effective use of acoustic radiation force impulse elastography in patients with chronic kidney disease.

  9. Relationships between ground reaction impulse and sprint acceleration performance in team sport athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawamori, Naoki; Nosaka, Kazunori; Newton, Robert U

    2013-03-01

    Large horizontal acceleration in short sprints is a critical performance parameter for many team sport athletes. It is often stated that producing large horizontal impulse at each ground contact is essential for high short sprint performance, but the optimal pattern of horizontal and vertical impulses is not well understood, especially when the sprints are initiated from a standing start. This study was an investigation of the relationships between ground reaction impulses and sprint acceleration performance from a standing start in team sport athletes. Thirty physically active young men with team sport background performed 10-m sprint from a standing start, whereas sprint time and ground reaction forces were recorded during the first ground contact and at 8 m from the start. Associations between sprint time and ground reaction impulses (normalized to body mass) were determined by a Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) analysis. The 10-m sprint time was significantly (p < 0.01) correlated with net horizontal impulse (r = -0.52) and propulsive impulse (r = -0.66) measured at 8 m from the start. No significant correlations were found between sprint time and impulses recorded during the first ground contact after the start. These results suggest that applying ground reaction impulse in a more horizontal direction is important for sprint acceleration from a standing start. This is consistent with the hypothesis of training to increase net horizontal impulse production using sled towing or using elastic resistance devices, which needs to be validated by future longitudinal training studies.

  10. Thin film eddy current impulse deicer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Samuel O.; Zieve, Peter B.

    1990-01-01

    Two new styles of electrical impulse deicers has been developed and tested in NASA's Icing Research Tunnel. With the Eddy Current Repulsion Deicing Boot (EDB), a thin and flexible spiral coil is encapsulated between two thicknesses of elastomer. The coil, made by an industrial printed circuit board manufacturer, is bonded to the aluminum aircraft leading edge. A capacitor bank is discharged through the coil. Induced eddy currents repel the coil from the aluminum aircraft structure and shed accumulated ice. A second configuration, the Eddy Current Repulsion Deicing-Strip (EDS) uses an outer metal erosion strip fastened over the coil. Opposite flowing eddy currents repel the strip and create the impulse deicing force. The outer strip serves as a surface for the collection and shedding of ice and does not require any structural properties. The EDS is suitable for composite aircraft structures. Both systems successfully dispelled over 95 percent of the accumulated ice from airfoils over the range of the FAA icing envelope.

  11. Evaluation of the clinical maxim: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell-Duffy, Chris; Hrynchak, Patricia K; Irving, Elizabeth L; Mouat, Graham S V; Elliott, David B

    2012-01-01

    A significant number of patients return to optometric practice dissatisfied with their spectacles. An important question is whether any of these cases are preventable. There are several different clinical maxims that are used to modify the subjective refraction when determining the refractive prescription. These maxims aim to improve patient comfort and adaptation and thereby reduce patient dissatisfaction with new spectacles. They are not based on research evidence, but rather on expert opinion gained from clinical experience. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze a large number of case records of dissatisfied patients to assess the possible usefulness of the prescribing maxim "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Three hundred eighteen non-tolerance cases from a university-based Canadian optometric clinic were categorized by a focus group of optometrists. Three prescribing categories were defined and comprised cases in which application of the proposed maxim may have prevented the recheck eye examination; a more limited application of the maxim for one working distance may have been appropriate; and finally scenarios in which the maxim did not work in that the practitioner was judged to have initially followed the maxim, yet patient dissatisfaction was still reported. The remaining unallocated records comprised prescribing situations outside the scope of this study. Approximately 32% of non-tolerance cases were judged to have been preventable by use of the proposed maxim. Furthermore, an additional 10% reduction in recheck cases may have been possible by a more liberal interpretation of the maxim. Conversely, 4% of cases were deemed to comprise scenarios in which the maxim was followed yet the patient returned later to report problems with their spectacles. The prescribing maxim "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" appears to have a role in reducing recheck eye examinations and improving patient satisfaction with new spectacles.

  12. Campground marketing - the impulse camper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilbur F. LaPage; Dale P. Ragain

    1972-01-01

    Impulse or unplanned campground visits may account for one-fourth to one-half of all camping activity. The concepts of impulse travel and impulse camping appear to be potentially useful extensions of the broader concept of impulse purchasing, which has become an important influence in retail marketing. Impulse campers may also be impulse buyers; they were found to...

  13. Going broke on atoms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loeb, P.

    1982-01-01

    The financial mess surrounding four unfinished nuclear plants planned by the Washington State Public Power Supply System (WPPSS) with public support has turned the projects into a controversial issue that threatens the future of US nuclear power. The economic effects of construction delays are multiplied by the need to respond to new safety standards and challenges, but many also blame the young labor force, the billing system which committed ratepayers to cover costs, and poor management for the problems

  14. Numerical simulation of flows in a circular pipe transversely subjected to a localized impulsive body force with applications to blunt traumatic aortic rupture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Labbio, G Di; Keshavarz-Motamed, Z; Kadem, L, E-mail: lcfd@encs.concordia.ca [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8 (Canada)

    2017-06-15

    Much debate surrounds the mechanisms responsible for the occurrence of blunt traumatic aortic rupture in car accidents, particularly on the role of the inertial body force experienced by the blood due to the abrupt deceleration. The isolated influence of such body forces acting on even simple fluid flows is a fundamental problem in fluid dynamics that has not been thoroughly investigated. This study numerically investigates the fundamental physical problem, where the pulsatile flow in a straight circular pipe is subjected to a transverse body force on a localized volume of fluid. The body force is applied as a brief rectangular impulse in three distinct cases, namely during the accelerating, peak, and decelerating phases of the pulsatile flow. A dimensionless number, termed the degree of influence of the body force (Ψ), is devised to quantify the relative strength of the body force over the flow inertia. The impact induces counter-rotating cross-stream vortices at the boundaries of the forced section accompanied by complex secondary flow structures. This secondary flow is found to develop slowest for an impact occurring during an accelerating flow and fastest during a decelerating flow. The peak skewness of the velocity field, however, occurred at successively later times for the three respective cases. After the impact, these secondary flows act to restore the unforced state and such dominant spatial structures are revealed by proper orthogonal decomposition of the velocity field. This work presents a new class of problems that requires further theoretical and experimental investigation. (paper)

  15. Numerical simulation of flows in a circular pipe transversely subjected to a localized impulsive body force with applications to blunt traumatic aortic rupture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Labbio, G.; Keshavarz-Motamed, Z.; Kadem, L.

    2017-06-01

    Much debate surrounds the mechanisms responsible for the occurrence of blunt traumatic aortic rupture in car accidents, particularly on the role of the inertial body force experienced by the blood due to the abrupt deceleration. The isolated influence of such body forces acting on even simple fluid flows is a fundamental problem in fluid dynamics that has not been thoroughly investigated. This study numerically investigates the fundamental physical problem, where the pulsatile flow in a straight circular pipe is subjected to a transverse body force on a localized volume of fluid. The body force is applied as a brief rectangular impulse in three distinct cases, namely during the accelerating, peak, and decelerating phases of the pulsatile flow. A dimensionless number, termed the degree of influence of the body force (Ψ), is devised to quantify the relative strength of the body force over the flow inertia. The impact induces counter-rotating cross-stream vortices at the boundaries of the forced section accompanied by complex secondary flow structures. This secondary flow is found to develop slowest for an impact occurring during an accelerating flow and fastest during a decelerating flow. The peak skewness of the velocity field, however, occurred at successively later times for the three respective cases. After the impact, these secondary flows act to restore the unforced state and such dominant spatial structures are revealed by proper orthogonal decomposition of the velocity field. This work presents a new class of problems that requires further theoretical and experimental investigation.

  16. Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Elastography in Determining the Effects of Type 1 Diabetes on Pancreas and Kidney Elasticity in Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sağlam, Dilek; Bilgici, Meltem Ceyhan; Kara, Cengiz; Yılmaz, Gülay Can; Çamlıdağ, İlkay

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the effects of type 1 diabetes on pancreas and kidney elasticity in children, using acoustic radiation force impulse ultrasound elastography. Sixty autoantibody-positive patients with type 1 diabetes (45% girls; mean [± SD] age, 11.7 ± 4.4 years; range, 1.9-19.3 years) admitted to the pediatric endocrinology outpatient clinic and 32 healthy children (50% girls; mean age, 10.2 ± 3.8 years; range, 2.1-17.3 years) were included in the study. Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography measurements were performed of the kidneys and pancreas in both groups. Body mass index, duration of diabetes, HbA1c levels, and insulin dosage of patients with type 1 diabetes were recorded. The mean shear-wave velocities of the pancreas were 0.99 ± 0.25 m/s in patients with type 1 diabetes and 1.09 ± 0.22 m/s in healthy control subjects; the difference was not significant (p = 0.08). The median shear-wave velocities of the right and left kidneys in patients with type 1 diabetes were 2.43 ± 0.29 and 2.47 ± 0.25 m/s, respectively. There were no significant differences in the shear-wave velocities of the right and left kidneys between the patients with type 1 diabetes and the healthy control subjects (p = 0.91 and p = 0.73, respectively). Correlation analysis showed no correlation between the shear-wave velocities of the pancreas and kidney versus HbA1c level, duration of diabetes, insulin dosage, height, weight, and body mass index of the patients with type 1 diabetes. The current study showed no significant difference in the shear-wave velocity of kidneys in children with type 1 diabetes with normoalbuminuria compared with the healthy control subjects. We also observed that the shear-wave velocity of the pancreas in children with type 1 diabetes and healthy control subjects did not differ significantly.

  17. Pathological gambling: an impulse control disorder? Measurement of impulsivity using neurocognitive tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dannon, Pinhas N; Shoenfeld, Netta; Rosenberg, Oded; Kertzman, Semion; Kotler, Moshe

    2010-04-01

    Pathological gambling is classified in the DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and in the ICD-10 (International Classification of Disease) as an impulse control disorder. The association between impulsivity and pathological gambling remains a matter of debate: some researchers find high levels of impulsivity within pathological gamblers, others report no difference compared to controls, and yet others even suggest that it is lower. In this review we examine the relationship between pathological gambling and impulsivity assessed by various neurocognitive tests. These tests--the Stroop task, the Stop Signal Task, the Matching Familiar Figures Task, the Iowa Gambling Task, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Tower of London test, and the Continuous Performance Test--demonstrated less impulsivity in gambling behavior. The differences in performance between pathological gamblers and healthy controls on the neurocognitive tasks could be due to addictive behavior features rather than impulsive behavior.

  18. Test-retest reliability of behavioral measures of impulsive choice, impulsive action, and inattention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weafer, Jessica; Baggott, Matthew J; de Wit, Harriet

    2013-12-01

    Behavioral measures of impulsivity are widely used in substance abuse research, yet relatively little attention has been devoted to establishing their psychometric properties, especially their reliability over repeated administration. The current study examined the test-retest reliability of a battery of standardized behavioral impulsivity tasks, including measures of impulsive choice (i.e., delay discounting, probability discounting, and the Balloon Analogue Risk Task), impulsive action (i.e., the stop signal task, the go/no-go task, and commission errors on the continuous performance task), and inattention (i.e., attention lapses on a simple reaction time task and omission errors on the continuous performance task). Healthy adults (n = 128) performed the battery on two separate occasions. Reliability estimates for the individual tasks ranged from moderate to high, with Pearson correlations within the specific impulsivity domains as follows: impulsive choice (r range: .76-.89, ps reliable measures and thus can be confidently used to assess various facets of impulsivity as intermediate phenotypes for drug abuse.

  19. Improved forced impulse method calculations of single and double ionization of helium by collision with high-energy protons and antiprotons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ford, A.L.; Reading, J.F.

    1994-01-01

    Our previous forced impulse method calculations of single and double ionization of helium by protons and antiprotons have been improved by including d orbitals in the target centre basis. The calculations are in good agreement with experimental measurements of the ratio R of double to single ionization, without the 1.35 scaling factor we applied to our previous results. We also compare the separate single and double ionization cross sections to experiment and find good agreement. Experimental cross sections differential in projectile scattering angle at large angle (greater than 2.5 mrad) are compared to our impact parameter dependent ionization probabilities at small impact parameter, for the double to single ratio. The agreement is good, except at the lowest energy we have considered, 0.3 eV. (Author)

  20. Impulsivity in borderline personality disorder: a matter of disturbed impulse control or a facet of emotional dysregulation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sebastian, Alexandra; Jacob, Gitta; Lieb, Klaus; Tüscher, Oliver

    2013-02-01

    Impulsivity is regarded as a clinical, diagnostic and pathophysiological hallmark of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Self-report measures of impulsivity consistently support the notion of higher impulsive traits in BPD patients as compared to healthy control subjects. Laboratory tests of impulsivity, i.e. neuropsychological tests of impulse control render weak and inconsistent results both across different cognitive components of impulse control and within the same cognitive component of impulse control. One important factor worsening impulsive behaviors and impulse control deficits in BPD is comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, emotional dysregulation interacts with impulse control especially for BPD salient emotions. In sum, although basic mechanisms of impulse control seem not to be disturbed in BPD, clinically well observed impulsive behaviors may be explained by comorbid ADHD or may be the consequence of dysregulation of BPD salient emotions.

  1. Distribution of squid and fish in the pelagic zone of the Cosmonaut Sea and Prydz Bay region during the BROKE-West campaign

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van de Putte, Anton P.; Jackson, George D.; Pakhomov, Evgeny; Flores, Hauke; Volckaert, Filip A. M.

    The composition and distribution of squid and fish collected by Rectangular Midwater Trawls in the upper 200 m were investigated during the BROKE-West (Baseline Research on Oceanography, Krill and the Environment-West) survey (January-March 2006) in CCAMLR Subdivision 58.4.2 of the Southern Ocean. A

  2. Distribution of squid and fish in the pelagic zone of the Cosmonaut Sea and Prydz Bay region during the BROKE-West campaign

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Putte, van de A.P.; Jackson, G.D.; Pakhomov, E.; Florentino De Souza Silva, A.P.; Volckaert, F.A.M.

    2010-01-01

    The composition and distribution of squid and fish collected by Rectangular Midwater Trawls in the upper 200 m were investigated during the BROKE-West (Baseline Research on Oceanography, Krill and the Environment-West) survey (January-March 2006) in CCAMLR Subdivision 58.4.2 of the Southern Ocean. A

  3. Nucleus accumbens and impulsivity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Basar, K.; Sesia, T.; Groenewegen, H.J.; Steinbusch, H.W.; Visser-vandewalle, V.; Temel, Y.

    2010-01-01

    The multifaceted concept of impulsivity implies that different impulsivity aspects, mediated by different neural processes, influence behavior at different levels. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key component of the neural processes regulating impulsivity. In this review, we discuss the findings

  4. The clinical assessment of impulsivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nagesh Brahmavar Pai

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The term impulsivity is often used to describe behavior that is both spontaneous and detrimental. Impulsivity is multidimensional and derives from personality, general psychopathology as well as specific mental disorders. Thus, the construct of impulsivity is important as it is associated with numerous mental disorders as well as socially deviant behaviors ranging from behaviors targeted towards others such as aggression, to behaviors targeted toward oneself, for example, self-harm and suicide. As a clinical construct impulsivity is highly predictive of poor prognosis thus further emphasizing its clinical relevance. Therefore, the need exists for impulsivity to be clinically assessed and this assessment should take place at the same time as the assessment of risk. As risk and impulsivity are interrelated and interact. Although there are existing self-report rating scales for trait-based impulsivity, a dearth exists in regards to assessment of impulsivity in clinical practice that is focused and pragmatic. Thus, a pragmatic rubric to guide the individualized assessment of impulsivity in a clinical population is proposed. The quadrants espoused will assist both with the formulation of questions and categorization of responses to determine the most appropriate interventions for the client.

  5. The Effect of Visual Merchandising on Impulsive Buying with Impulsive Buying Tendency As Moderating Variable

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica Novia

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to classify the female consumer demographic segments linked by impulsive buying, to determine the effect of visual merchandising on impulsive buying, and to determine the effect of visual merchandising on impulsive buying with impulsive buying tendency as moderating variable on customers of Gaudi in Taman Anggrek Mall. This research is quantitative research with a total sample of 100 people. Data were obtained by distributing questionnaires to the respondents by cross sectional. Research used Cluster Analysis and Moderated Regression Analysis. Data processing was performed using SPSS software for Windows version 20. Research found that customers of Gaudi were divided into three groups: the way of the world, sufficient money, and promotions. Then, research found that visual merchandising affected impulsive buying. In addition, there visual merchandising had also an effect on impulsive buying with impulsive buying tendency as moderating variable. As a conclusion, moderating variable strengthens the effect of visual merchandising on impulse buying.

  6. 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.

  7. 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

  8. Cross-bridge mechanism of residual force enhancement after stretching in a skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamura, Youjiro

    2018-01-01

    A muscle model that uses a modified Langevin equation with actomyosin potentials was used to describe the residual force enhancement after active stretching. Considering that the new model uses cross-bridge theory to describe the residual force enhancement, it is different from other models that use passive stretching elements. Residual force enhancement was simulated using a half sarcomere comprising 100 myosin molecules. In this paper, impulse is defined as the integral of an excess force from the steady isometric force over the time interval for which a stretch is applied. The impulse was calculated from the force response due to fast and slow muscle stretches to demonstrate the viscoelastic property of the cross-bridges. A cross-bridge mechanism was proposed as a way to describe the residual force enhancement on the basis of the impulse results with reference to the compliance of the actin filament. It was assumed that the period of the actin potential increased by 0.5% and the amplitude of the potential decreased by 0.5% when the half sarcomere was stretched by 10%. The residual force enhancement after 21.0% sarcomere stretching was 6.9% of the maximum isometric force of the muscle; this value was due to the increase in the number of cross-bridges.

  9. Neuroanatomical and Neurochemical Basis of Impulsivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kemal Yazici

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available The term ‘impulsivity’ encompasses a multitude of behaviours that are poorly conceived, premature, inappropriate, and that frequently result in unwanted or deleterious outcomes. Impulsivity manifests as impatience carelessness, risk-taking, sensation-seeking and pleasure-seeking, an underestimated sense of harm, and extroversion. Impulsivity is a core symptom of a broad spectrum of psychiatric disorders. Through focusing on different aspects of impulsive behavior, it has proved possible to devise a variety of behavioral paradigms to measure impulsivity in both human and non-human subjects. These can be broadly divided into two categories: those measuring impulsive action or motoric impulsivity, and those measuring impulsive choice or impulsive decision-making. Impulsive action can be broadly defined as the inability to withhold from making a response. Within the framework of behavioral neuroscience and cognitive psychology, impulse control has been described as an active inhibitory mechanism which modulates the internally or externally driven pre-potent desire for primary reinforcers such as food, sex or other highly desirable rewards. This inhibitory control mechanism may provide the substrate by which rapid conditioned responses and reflexes are transiently suppressed, so that slower cognitive mechanisms can guide behavior. This process is referred to as response inhibition. Two of the most common tests used to study inhibitory processes are the go/no-go and stop-signal reaction time tasks. Impulsivity is also evident in the making of impulsive decisions or choices as well as in impulsive actions. Here, there is no “pre-potent” response that is primed and then forcibly inhibited, but a decision-making processes. Impulsive decision making or impulsive choice is defined as initiating actions without adequately considering other possible choices or consequences. Impulsive choice is typically measured in the delay discounting paradigm. In

  10. Comprehensive evaluation of the acoustic impulse-response of apples as a measure of fruit quality

    OpenAIRE

    Landahl, Sandra

    2007-01-01

    The acoustic impulse-response technique is a means to evaluate apple quality. In this work the effect of physiological changes in the fruit on the physical measurements of fruit quality are examined. In the acoustic impulse-response technique the fruit is mechanically excited by an impact force and starts to vibrate at its own natural frequency. The resulting sound waves are then recorded and analysed. It is a fast method and yields a produce-averaged value: the stiffness factor. Experimen...

  11. Ground vibration test results of a JetStar airplane using impulsive sine excitation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kehoe, Michael W.; Voracek, David F.

    1989-01-01

    Structural excitation is important for both ground vibration and flight flutter testing. The structural responses caused by this excitation are analyzed to determine frequency, damping, and mode shape information. Many excitation waveforms have been used throughout the years. The use of impulsive sine (sin omega t)/omega t as an excitation waveform for ground vibration testing and the advantages of using this waveform for flight flutter testing are discussed. The ground vibration test results of a modified JetStar airplane using impulsive sine as an excitation waveform are compared with the test results of the same airplane using multiple-input random excitation. The results indicated that the structure was sufficiently excited using the impulsive sine waveform. Comparisons of input force spectrums, mode shape plots, and frequency and damping values for the two methods of excitation are presented.

  12. Impulse pumping modelling and simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pierre, B; Gudmundsson, J S

    2010-01-01

    Impulse pumping is a new pumping method based on propagation of pressure waves. Of particular interest is the application of impulse pumping to artificial lift situations, where fluid is transported from wellbore to wellhead using pressure waves generated at wellhead. The motor driven element of an impulse pumping apparatus is therefore located at wellhead and can be separated from the flowline. Thus operation and maintenance of an impulse pump are facilitated. The paper describes the different elements of an impulse pumping apparatus, reviews the physical principles and details the modelling of the novel pumping method. Results from numerical simulations of propagation of pressure waves in water-filled pipelines are then presented for illustrating impulse pumping physical principles, and validating the described modelling with experimental data.

  13. Impulse attack-free four random phase mask encryption based on a 4-f optical system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Pramod; Joseph, Joby; Singh, Kehar

    2009-04-20

    Optical encryption methods based on double random phase encryption (DRPE) have been shown to be vulnerable to different types of attacks. The Fourier plane random phase mask (RPM), which is the most important key, can be cracked with a single impulse function attack. Such an attack is viable because the Fourier transform of a delta function is a unity function. Formation of a unity function can be avoided if RPMs are placed in front of both lenses in a 4-f optical setup, thereby protecting the DRPE from an impulse attack. We have performed numerical simulations to verify the proposed scheme. Resistance of this scheme is checked against the brute force and the impulse function attacks. The experimental results validate the feasibility of the scheme.

  14. Differences between Impulsive and Non-Impulsive Suicide Attempts among Individuals Treated in Emergency Rooms of South Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Meerae; Lee, Soojung

    2016-01-01

    Objective A considerable proportion of suicide attempts are the result of sudden desires. Understanding such impulsive suicide attempts is necessary for effective interventions. We evaluated the impulsivity of suicide attempters treated in emergency rooms. The aim of the study was to identify the characteristics of impulsive suicide attempts by comparing these individuals to those who attempted to commit suicide in a non-impulsive manner. Methods This study analyzed suicide attempters who visited the emergency departments of seven selected university hospitals. A total of 269 medical records in which impulsivity of suicide attempt were confirmed were subject to be analyzed. The impulsivity of the suicide attempt was examined using a summative score of items 6 and 15 on the Suicide Intent Scale. Results A total of 48.0% of the participants were impelled by sudden inclinations to attempt suicide. Impulsive attempters were younger, unmarried and less physical illness than non-impulsive attempters, whereas no significant differences were found on psychiatric history and previous suicide history. Impulsive suicide attempters had suicide ideations that were not as severe (χ2=55.33, pimpulsive suicide attempts were better than non-impulsive suicide attempts (t=-3.77, psuicide attempts were the result of sudden inclinations. Impulsive attempts were made in relatively earlier stages of suicide ideation; consequently, they have less intent than non-impulsive attempts. PMID:27482239

  15. Assessment of liver steatosis in chicken by using acoustic radiation force impulse imaging: preliminary results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guzman Aroca, Florentina; Serrano, Laura; Berna-Serna, Juan D.; Reus, Manuel [Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Department of Radiology, El Palmar, Murcia (Spain); Ayala, Ignacio [University of Murcia, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Murcia (Spain); Castell, Maria T. [University of Murcia, Department of Cell Biology, Murcia (Spain); Garcia-Perez, Bartolome [Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Internal Medicine Service, El Palmar, Murcia (Spain)

    2010-10-15

    To evaluate acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging as a non-invasive tool for quantification of the grades of liver steatosis in chickens. We used two different diets: a standard diet (SD group) and a hyperlipidaemic diet (HD group). The ARFI technique was performed in all the animals in the right hepatic lobe and shear wave velocity (SWV) was measured and expressed in metres per second (m/s). Plasma lipid levels were analysed. Steatosis was quantified by using semiquantitative analysis. Statistical analysis was used and Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated. Mean SWV was 0.94 {+-} 0.16 m/s (range 0.8-1.3 m/s) in the SD group and 1.91 {+-} 0.25 m/s (range 1.3-2.2 m/s) in the HD group (p < 0.001). The lowest SWVs ({<=}1.3 m/s) corresponded to the chickens in the SD group, with 100% of the animals returning a score of 0, whereas the range of SWV in the HD group chickens was between 1.6 and 2.2 m/s. A substantial correlation was observed between SWVs with histological semiquantitative analysis of steatosis (r = 0.85, p < 0.001). ARFI imaging is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that allows discrimination between the grades of liver steatosis in chickens. (orig.)

  16. Assessment of liver steatosis in chicken by using acoustic radiation force impulse imaging: preliminary results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guzman Aroca, Florentina; Serrano, Laura; Berna-Serna, Juan D.; Reus, Manuel; Ayala, Ignacio; Castell, Maria T.; Garcia-Perez, Bartolome

    2010-01-01

    To evaluate acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging as a non-invasive tool for quantification of the grades of liver steatosis in chickens. We used two different diets: a standard diet (SD group) and a hyperlipidaemic diet (HD group). The ARFI technique was performed in all the animals in the right hepatic lobe and shear wave velocity (SWV) was measured and expressed in metres per second (m/s). Plasma lipid levels were analysed. Steatosis was quantified by using semiquantitative analysis. Statistical analysis was used and Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated. Mean SWV was 0.94 ± 0.16 m/s (range 0.8-1.3 m/s) in the SD group and 1.91 ± 0.25 m/s (range 1.3-2.2 m/s) in the HD group (p < 0.001). The lowest SWVs (≤1.3 m/s) corresponded to the chickens in the SD group, with 100% of the animals returning a score of 0, whereas the range of SWV in the HD group chickens was between 1.6 and 2.2 m/s. A substantial correlation was observed between SWVs with histological semiquantitative analysis of steatosis (r = 0.85, p < 0.001). ARFI imaging is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that allows discrimination between the grades of liver steatosis in chickens. (orig.)

  17. Impulsive force on the head during performance of typical ukemi techniques following different judo throws.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, Toshihiko; Ishii, Takanori; Okada, Naoyuki; Itoh, Masahiro

    2015-01-01

    In this study, eight judo athletes who are major candidates for the Japan national team were recruited as participants. Kinematic analysis of exemplary ukemi techniques was carried out using two throws, o-soto-gari, a throw linked to frequent injury, and o-uchi-gari. The aim of this study was to kinematically quantify the timing patterns of exemplary ukemi techniques and to obtain kinematic information of the head, in a sequence of ukemi from the onset of the throw to the completion of ukemi. The results indicated that the vertical velocity with which the uke's head decelerated was reduced by increasing the body surface exposed to the collision with the tatami and by increasing the elapsed time. In particular, overall upper limb contact with the tatami is greatly associated with deceleration. In o-soto-gari, the impulsive force on the faller's head as the head reached the lowest point was 204.82 ± 19.95 kg m · s(-2) while in o-uchi-gari it was 118.46 ± 63.62 kg m · s(-2), z = -1.75, P = 0.08, and it did present a large-sized effect with r = 0.78. These findings indicate that the exemplary o-soto-gari as compared to o-uchi-gari is the technique that causes more significant damage to the uke's head.

  18.  Usefulness of acoustic radiation force impulse and fibrotest in liver fibrosis assessment after liver transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bignulin, Sara; Falleti, Edmondo; Cmet, Sara; Cappello, Dario; Cussigh, Annarosa; Lenisa, Ilaria; Dissegna, Denis; Pugliese, Fabio; Vivarelli, Cinzia; Fabris, Carlo; Fabris, Carlo; Toniutto, Pierluigi

    2016-01-01

     Background and rationale. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) is a non-invasive tool used in the evaluation of liver fibrosis in HCV positive immune-competent patients. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of ARFI in discriminating liver transplanted patients with different graft fibrosis severity and to verify whether ARFI, eventually combined with non-invasive biochemical tests, could spare liver biopsies. This prospective study included 51 HCV positive liver transplanted patients who consecutively underwent to annual liver biopsy concomitantly with ARFI and blood chemistry tests measurements needed to calculate several non-invasive liver fibrosis tests. Overall ARFI showed an AUC of 0.885 in discriminating between patients without or with significant fibrosis (Ishak score 0-2vs. 3-6). Using a cut-off of 1.365 m/s, ARFI possesses a negative predictive value of 100% in identifying patients without significant fibrosis. AUC for Fibrotest was 0.848 in discriminating patients with Ishak fibrosis score 0-2 vs. 3-6. The combined assessment of ARFI and Fibro-test did not improve the results obtained by ARFI alone. ARFI measurement in HCV positive liver transplanted patients can be considered an easy and accurate non-invasive tool in identify patients with a benign course of HCV recurrence.

  19. Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography for differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules with concurrent Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bo-Ji; Xu, Hui-Xiong; Zhang, Yi-Feng; Xu, Jun-Mei; Li, Dan-Dan; Bo, Xiao-Wan; Li, Xiao-Long; Guo, Le-Hang; Xu, Xiao-Hong; Qu, Shen

    2015-03-01

    The purpose of the study was to explore the diagnostic performance of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in differential diagnosis between benign and malignant thyroid nodules in patients with coexistent Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). A total of 141 pathological proven nodules in 141 HT patients (7 males and 134 females, mean age 50.1 years, range 23-75 years) received conventional ultrasound (US), elasticity imaging (EI) and ARFI elastography, including virtual touch tissue imaging (VTI) and virtual touch tissue quantification (VTQ), before surgery. Shear wave velocity (SWV) and SWV ratio were measured for each nodule on VTQ. The US, EI and ARFI elastography features were compared between benign and malignant nodules in HT patients. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses and area under curve (AUC) were performed to assess the diagnostic performance. Pathologically, 70 nodules were benign and 71 nodules were malignant. Significant differences were found between benign and malignant nodules in HT patients for EI (EI score) and ARFI (VTI grade and SWV) (all P value benign and malignant thyroid nodules in HT patients. The diagnostic performance of ARFI elastography is better than EI.

  20. Diet-induced impulsivity: Effects of a high-fat and a high-sugar diet on impulsive choice in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, Catherine C; Pirkle, Jesseca R A; Kirkpatrick, Kimberly

    2017-01-01

    Impulsive choice is a common charactertistic among individuals with gambling problems, obesity, and substance abuse issues. Impulsive choice has been classified as a trans-disease process, and understanding the etiology of trait impulsivity could help to understand how diseases and disorders related to impulsive choice are manifested. The Western diet is a possible catalyst of impulsive choice as individuals who are obese and who eat diets high in fat and sugar are typically more impulsive. However, such correlational evidence is unable to discern the direction and causal nature of the relationship. The present study sought to determine how diet may directly contribute to impulsive choice. After 8 weeks of dietary exposure (high-fat, high-sugar, chow), the rats were tested on an impulsive choice task, which presented choices between a smaller-sooner reward (SS) and a larger-later reward (LL). Then, the rats were transferred to a chow diet and retested on the impulsive choice task. The high-sugar and high-fat groups made significantly more impulsive choices than the chow group. Both groups became more self-controlled when they were off the diet, but there were some residual effects of the diet on choice behavior. These results suggest that diet, specifically one high in processed fat or sugar, induces impulsive choice. This diet-induced impulsivity could be a precursor to other disorders that are characterized by impulsivity, such as diet-induced obesity, and could offer potential understanding of the trans-disease nature of impulsive choice.

  1. Partial admission effect on the performance and vibration of a supersonic impulse turbine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hang Gi; Shin, Ju Hyun; Choi, Chang-Ho; Jeong, Eunhwan; Kwon, Sejin

    2018-04-01

    This study experimentally investigates the effects of partial admission on the performance and vibration outcomes of a supersonic impulse turbine with circular nozzles. The turbine of a turbopump for a gas-generator-type liquid rocket engine in the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II is of the supersonic impulse type with the partial admission configuration for obtaining a high specific power. Partial admission turbines with a low-flow-rate working gas exhibit benefits over turbines with full admission, such as loss reduction, ease of controllability of the turbine power output, and simple turbine configurations with separate starting sections. However, the radial force of the turbine rotor due to the partial admission causes an increase in turbine vibration. Few experimental studies have previously been conducted regarding the partial admission effects on supersonic impulse turbines with circular nozzles. In the present study, performance tests of supersonic impulse turbines with circular nozzles were conducted for various partial admission ratios using a turbine test facility with high-pressure air in order to investigate the resulting aerodynamic performance and vibration. Four types of turbines with partial admission ratios of 0.17, 0.42, 0.75 and 0.83 were tested. Results show that the efficiencies at the design point increase linearly as the partial admission ratios increase. Moreover, as the velocity ratios increase, the difference in efficiency from the reference turbine with a partial admission ratio of 0.83 becomes increasingly significant, and the magnitudes of these differences are proportional to the square of the velocity ratios. Likewise, the decrease in the partial admission ratio results in an increase in the turbine vibration level owing to the increase in the radial force.

  2. Variation of explosive force at different times of day

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R Pereira

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available AIM: The purpose of this study was to compare the explosive force and electromyographic (EMG activity at three different times of the day. METHODS: Thirty healthy subjects took part in the study, and carried out two maximum isometric voluntary knee extensions to measure explosive force, through contractile impulse (CI and rate of force development (RFD, and myoelectric signals from quadriceps muscles in the following periods: 07:30-09:30, 13:30-15:30 and 19:30-21:30 (called morning, afternoon and night respectively, on three non-consecutive days. RESULTS: The body temperature was lower in the morning than in the afternoon and night periods. The explosive force, evaluated through contractile impulse (CI and rate of force development (RFD, was greater at night than in the morning, without differences in the myoelectric signal. CONCLUSION: The ability to produce explosive force varies throughout different times of the day without variation in muscular recruitment, indicating that peripheral and not neural mechanisms could be responsible for this variation.

  3. The Effect of Visual Merchandising on Impulsive Buying with Impulsive Buying Tendency As Moderating Variable

    OpenAIRE

    Jessica Novia

    2015-01-01

    This research aims to classify the female consumer demographic segments linked by impulsive buying, to determine the effect of visual merchandising on impulsive buying, and to determine the effect of visual merchandising on impulsive buying with impulsive buying tendency as moderating variable on customers of Gaudi in Taman Anggrek Mall. This research is quantitative research with a total sample of 100 people. Data were obtained by distributing questionnaires to the respondents by cross secti...

  4. The influence of hepatic steatosis on the evaluation of fibrosis with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by acoustic radiation force impulse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yanrong Guo; Haoming Lin; Xinyu Zhang; Huiying Wen; Siping Chen; Xin Chen

    2017-07-01

    Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography is a non-invasive method for the assessment of liver by measuring liver stiffness. The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of ARFI for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis and to assess impact of steatosis on liver fibrosis stiffness measurement, in rats model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The rat models were conducted in 59 rats. The right liver lobe was processed and embedded in a fabricated gelatin solution. Liver mechanics were measured using shear wave velocity (SWV) induced by acoustic radiation force. In rats with NAFLD, the diagnostic performance of ARFI elastography in predicting severe fibrosis (F ≥ 3) and cirrhosis (F ≥ 4) had the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) of 0.993 and 0.985. Among rats mean SWV values were significantly higher in rats with severe steatosis by histology compared to those mild or without steatosis for F0-F2 fibrosis stages (3.07 versus 2.51 m/s, P = 0.01). ARFI elastography is a promising method for staging hepatic fibrosis with NAFLD in rat models. The presence of severe steatosis is a significant factor for assessing the lower stage of fibrosis.

  5. Impulsive behavior in adults with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder: characterization of attentional, motor and cognitive impulsiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malloy-Diniz, L; Fuentes, D; Leite, W Borges; Correa, H; Bechara, A

    2007-07-01

    Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity. Impulsivity persists in adults with ADHD and might be the basis of much of the impairment observed in the daily lives of such individuals. The objective of this study was to address the presence, and more importantly, the three dimensions of impulsivity: attentional, non-planning and motor, in how they may relate to neuropsychological mechanisms of impulse control. We studied a sample of 50 adults with ADHD and 51 healthy comparison controls using the Barratt Impulsivity Scale Version 11 (BIS), and neuropsychological tasks, namely the Continuous Performance Task (CPT-II) and the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The ADHD group showed more signs of impulsivity on the three dimensions of BIS, committed more errors of omission and commission on the CPT-II, and made more disadvantageous choices on the IGT. These results support the existence of deficits related to three components of impulsivity: motor, cognitive, and attentional among adults with ADHD. Most importantly, this study also highlights the complementary nature of self-report questionnaires and neuropsychological tasks in the assessment of impulsivity in ADHD adults.

  6. NORMATIVE MODERATORS OF IMPULSE BUYING BEHAVIOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danes Jaya Negara

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Prior research has presented the moderating role of normative evaluations in the relationship between the impulsive buying trait and consumers’ buying behaviors. In this article the authors show that consumer tendency to buy something spontaneous, unreflectively and immediately can be perceived as a factor which describes buying impulsiveness. This article also shows conceptual and empirical evidence that there is some support for the moderating role of normative evaluations in the relationship between buying impulsiveness and impulse buying behaviors. Significance occurs when consumers believe that act on impulse is suitable. The result suggests that consumers’ normative evaluation can moderate the link between the trait and behavioral aspects of impulse buying.

  7. IMPULSIVE BUYING PADA DEWASA AWAL DI YOGYAKARTA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulus Henrietta

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available T his research aimed to know the impulsive buying tendency of early adult in Yogyakarta. Impulsive buying was a buying activity without cosideration, and accompanied by strong emotional response. High impulsive buying tendency occured between age 18 to 39 years old. This research was a quantitative descriptive research with 395 subjects. Generally, the impulsive buying tendency in this research was low. Based on comparation between man and woman, it was found that woman was more impulsive than man. The result also showed that married person was more impulsive than unmarried person. Based on the types of job, there was several different among those types. But there was no different of impulsive buying tendency based on the education background level. Keywords: impulsive buying, early adult

  8. Unique aspects of impulsive traits in substance use and overeating: specific contributions of common assessments of impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaton, Derek; Abdi, Hervé; Filbey, Francesca M

    2014-11-01

    Abstract Background: Impulsivity is a complex trait often studied in substance abuse and overeating disorders, but the exact nature of impulsivity traits and their contribution to these disorders are still debated. Thus, understanding how to measure impulsivity is essential for comprehending addictive behaviors. Identify unique impulsivity traits specific to substance use and overeating. Impulsive Sensation Seeking (ImpSS) and Barratt's Impulsivity scales (BIS) Scales were analyzed with a non-parametric factor analytic technique (discriminant correspondence analysis) to identify group-specific traits on 297 individuals from five groups: Marijuana (n = 88), Nicotine (n = 82), Overeaters (n = 27), Marijuauna + Nicotine (n = 63), and CONTROLs (n = 37). A significant overall factor structure revealed three components of impulsivity that explained respectively 50.19% (pperm Overeating: lacks focus, but plans (short and long term). Our results reveal impulsivity traits specific to each group. This may provide better criteria to define spectrums and trajectories - instead of categories - of symptoms for substance use and eating disorders. Defining symptomatic spectrums could be an important step forward in diagnostic strategies.

  9. Differential diagnosis of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis and breast cancer using acoustic radiation force impulse imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teke, Memik; Teke, Fatma; Alan, Bircan; Türkoğlu, Ahmet; Hamidi, Cihad; Göya, Cemil; Hattapoğlu, Salih; Gumus, Metehan

    2017-01-01

    Differentiation of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) from carcinoma with routine imaging methods, such as ultrasonography (US) and mammography, is difficult. Therefore, we evaluated the value of a newly developed noninvasive technique called acoustic radiation force impulse imaging in differentiating IGM versus malignant lesions in the breast. Four hundred and eighty-six patients, who were referred to us with a presumptive diagnosis of a mass, underwent Virtual Touch tissue imaging (VTI; Siemens) and Virtual Touch tissue quantification (VTQ; Siemens) after conventional gray-scale US. US-guided percutaneous needle biopsy was then performed on 276 lesions with clinically and radiologically suspicious features. Malignant lesions (n = 122) and IGM (n = 48) were included in the final study group. There was a statistically significant difference in shear wave velocity marginal and internal values between the IGM and malignant lesions. The median marginal velocity for IGM and malignant lesions was 3.19 m/s (minimum-maximum 2.49-5.82) and 5.05 m/s (minimum-maximum 2.09-8.46), respectively (p < 0.001). The median internal velocity for IGM and malignant lesions was 2.76 m/s (minimum-maximum 1.14-4.12) and 4.79 m/s (minimum-maximum 2.12-8.02), respectively (p < 0.001). The combination of VTI and VTQ as a complement to conventional US provides viscoelastic properties of tissues, and thus has the potential to increase the specificity of US.

  10. Impulsive action and impulsive choice across substance and behavioral addictions: cause or consequence?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Jon E; Chamberlain, Samuel R

    2014-11-01

    Substance use disorders are prevalent and debilitating. Certain behavioral syndromes ('behavioral addictions') characterized by repetitive habits, such as gambling disorder, stealing, shopping, and compulsive internet use, may share clinical, co-morbid, and neurobiological parallels with substance addictions. This review considers overlap between substance and behavioral addictions with a particular focus on impulsive action (inability to inhibit motor responses), and impulsive choice (preference for immediate smaller rewards to the detriment of long-term outcomes). We find that acute consumption of drugs with abuse potential is capable of modulating impulsive choice and action, although magnitude and direction of effect appear contingent on baseline function. Many lines of evidence, including findings from meta-analyses, show an association between chronic drug use and elevated impulsive choice and action. In some instances, elevated impulsive choice and action have been found to predate the development of substance use disorders, perhaps signifying their candidacy as objective vulnerability markers. Research in behavioral addictions is preliminary, and has mostly focused on impulsive action, finding this to be elevated versus controls, similar to that seen in chronic substance use disorders. Only a handful of imaging studies has explored the neural correlates of impulsive action and choice across these disorders. Key areas for future research are highlighted along with potential implications in terms of neurobiological models and treatment. In particular, future work should further explore whether the cognitive deficits identified are state or trait in nature: i.e. are evident before addiction perhaps signaling risk; or are a consequence of repetitive engagement in habitual behavior; and effects of novel agents known to modulate these cognitive abilities on various addictive disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Impulsivity and the Sexes: Measurement and Structural Invariance of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cyders, Melissa A.

    2013-01-01

    Before it is possible to test whether men and women differ in impulsivity, it is necessary to evaluate whether impulsivity measures are invariant across sex. The UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking, with added subscale of positive urgency) is one measure of five…

  12. Impulsiveness and venturesomeness in German smokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernow, Nina; Kruck, Bernadette; Pfeifer, Philippe; Lieb, Klaus; Tüscher, Oliver; Fehr, Christoph

    2011-08-01

    Cigarette smoking is a behavior, which is influenced by genetic, demographic, and psychological factors. A large body of research has examined the association of cigarette smoking variables with individual differences in personality traits. The aim of the current study was to replicate the findings of higher self-reported impulsivity in smokers compared with never-smokers in a German sample using Eysenck´s construct of impulsivity. Furthermore, it was intended to further the knowledge about associations between different self-reported impulsivity components and different smoking variables. We used the Impulsiveness-Venturesomeness-Empathy questionnaire (I7) to measure self-reported impulsiveness and venturesomeness and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) to measure novelty seeking (NS) in a sample of 82 nicotine-dependent smokers and 119 never-smokers. Smokers scored higher on impulsiveness, venturesomeness, and NS than never-smokers independent of age, gender, and years of education. We found a significant association between venturesomeness, impulsiveness and smoking status in daily smokers. In summary, this study provides evidence that impulsiveness and venturesomeness as well as the novelty-seeking subscale extravagance are significantly associated with smoking status in a German sample of female and male smokers compared with never-smokers.

  13. Impaired decisional impulsivity in pathological videogamers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael A Irvine

    Full Text Available Pathological gaming is an emerging and poorly understood problem. Impulsivity is commonly impaired in disorders of behavioural and substance addiction, hence we sought to systematically investigate the different subtypes of decisional and motor impulsivity in a well-defined pathological gaming cohort.Fifty-two pathological gaming subjects and age-, gender- and IQ-matched healthy volunteers were tested on decisional impulsivity (Information Sampling Task testing reflection impulsivity and delay discounting questionnaire testing impulsive choice, and motor impulsivity (Stop Signal Task testing motor response inhibition, and the premature responding task. We used stringent diagnostic criteria highlighting functional impairment.In the Information Sampling Task, pathological gaming participants sampled less evidence prior to making a decision and scored fewer points compared with healthy volunteers. Gaming severity was also negatively correlated with evidence gathered and positively correlated with sampling error and points acquired. In the delay discounting task, pathological gamers made more impulsive choices, preferring smaller immediate over larger delayed rewards. Pathological gamers made more premature responses related to comorbid nicotine use. Greater number of hours played also correlated with a Motivational Index. Greater frequency of role playing games was associated with impaired motor response inhibition and strategy games with faster Go reaction time.We show that pathological gaming is associated with impaired decisional impulsivity with negative consequences in task performance. Decisional impulsivity may be a potential target in therapeutic management.

  14. Narcissism predicts impulsive buying: phenotypic and genetic evidence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huajian eCai

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Impulsive buying makes billions of dollars for retail businesses every year, particularly in an era of thriving e-commerce. Narcissism, characterized by impulsivity and materialism, may serve as a potential antecedent to impulsive buying. To test this hypothesis, two studies examined the relationship between narcissism and impulsive buying. In study 1, we surveyed narcissism and the impulsive buying tendency among an online sample and found that while adaptive narcissism was not correlated with impulsive buying, maladaptive narcissism was significantly predictive of the impulsive buying tendency. By investigating narcissism and the impulsive buying tendency in 304 twin pairs, study 2 showed that global narcissism and its two components, adaptive and maladaptive narcissism, as well as the impulsive buying tendency were heritable. The study found, moreover, that the connections between global narcissism and impulsive buying, and between maladaptive narcissism and impulsive buying were genetically based. These findings not only establish a link between narcissism and impulsive buying but also help to identify the origins of the link. The present studies deepen our understanding of narcissism, impulsive buying, and their interrelationship.

  15. Assessment of placental stiffness using acoustic radiation force impulse elastography in pregnant women with fetal anomalies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alan, Bircan; Goya, Cemil; Tunc, Senem; Teke, Memik; Hattapoglu, Salih [Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir (Turkmenistan)

    2016-04-15

    We aimed to evaluate placental stiffness measured by acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in pregnant women in the second trimester with a normal fetus versus those with structural anomalies and non-structural findings. Forty pregnant women carrying a fetus with structural anomalies diagnosed sonographically at 18-28 weeks of gestation comprised the study group. The control group consisted of 34 healthy pregnant women with a sonographically normal fetus at a similar gestational age. Placental shear wave velocity (SWV) was measured by ARFI elastography and compared between the two groups. Structural anomalies and non-structural findings were scored based on sonographic markers. Placental stiffness measurements were compared among fetus anomaly categories. Doppler parameters of umbilical and uterine arteries were compared with placental SWV measurements. All placental SWV measurements, including minimum SWV, maximum SWV, and mean SWV were significantly higher in the study group than the control group ([0.86 ± 0.2, 0.74 ± 0.1; p < 0.001], [1.89 ± 0.7, 1.59 ± 0.5; p = 0.04], and [1.26 ± 0.4, 1.09 ± 0.2; p = 0.01]), respectively. Placental stiffness evaluated by ARFI elastography during the second trimester in pregnant women with fetuses with congenital structural anomalies is higher than that of pregnant women with normal fetuses.

  16. Impulsivity: A deficiency of inhibitory control?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lansbergen, M.M.

    2007-01-01

    Impulsivity has been defined as acting without thinking. Impulsivity can be quantified by impulsivity questionnaires, but also by behavioral paradigms which tax inhibitory control. Previous research has repeatedly demonstrated deficient inhibitory control in psychopathological samples characterized

  17. Parental monitoring may protect impulsive children from overeating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, C; Blissett, J

    2017-10-01

    Research has highlighted links between impulsivity and weight in children and adults. Nevertheless, little is known about the nature of this link in very young children or about the underlying mechanism by which impulsivity leads to greater adiposity. The present study aimed to explore relationships between impulsivity, weight and eating behaviour in a sample of 95 2 to 4-year-olds. Parent-child dyads visited the laboratory and consumed a meal after which parents completed measures of child impulsivity, eating behaviour and parental feeding, whilst children completed impulsivity tasks measuring the impulsivity facet delay of gratification (Snack Delay task), motor impulsivity (Line Walking task) and inhibitory control (Tower task). Pearson's correlations showed that girls with greater motor impulsivity were heavier. Additionally, monitoring moderated the relationship between impulsivity and food approach behaviour, indicating that monitoring may protect more impulsive children from displaying problematic eating behaviours. The motor impulsivity facet appears particularly relevant to child weight; parents can modulate the impact of impulsivity on child eating behaviour through their feeding style. © 2016 World Obesity Federation.

  18. Impulsivity and Cluster B Personality Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Daniel; Sebastian, Alexandra; Tüscher, Oliver

    2017-03-01

    Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct and an important personality trait in various mental health conditions. Among personality disorders (PDs), especially cluster B PDs are affected. The aims of this review are to summarize the relevant findings of the past 3 years concerning impulsivity in cluster B PDs and to identify those subcomponents of self-reported impulsivity and experimentally measured impulse control that are most affected in these disorders. All studies referred to antisocial (ASPD) or borderline PD (BPD), and none were found for narcissistic or histrionic PD. In ASPD as well as BPD, self-report scales primarily revealed heightened impulsivity compared to healthy controls. In experimental tasks, ASPD patients showed impairments in response inhibition, while fewer deficits were found in delay discounting. BPD patients showed specific impairments in delay discounting and proactive interference, while response inhibition was less affected. However, after inducing high levels of stress, deficits in response inhibition could also be observed in BPD patients. Furthermore, negative affect led to altered brain activation patterns in BPD patients during impulse control tasks, but no behavioral impairments were found. As proposed by the DSM-5 alternative model for personality disorders, heightened impulsivity is a core personality trait in BPD and ASPD, which is in line with current research findings. However, different components of experimentally measured impulse control are affected in BPD and ASPD, and impulsivity occurring in negative emotional states or increased distress seems to be specific for BPD. Future research could be focused on measures that assess impulsive behaviors on a momentary basis as this is a promising approach especially for further ecological validation and transfer into clinical practice.

  19. Impulse: Memory System Support for Scientific Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John B. Carter

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available Impulse is a new memory system architecture that adds two important features to a traditional memory controller. First, Impulse supports application‐specific optimizations through configurable physical address remapping. By remapping physical addresses, applications control how their data is accessed and cached, improving their cache and bus utilization. Second, Impulse supports prefetching at the memory controller, which can hide much of the latency of DRAM accesses. Because it requires no modification to processor, cache, or bus designs, Impulse can be adopted in conventional systems. In this paper we describe the design of the Impulse architecture, and show how an Impulse memory system can improve the performance of memory‐bound scientific applications. For instance, Impulse decreases the running time of the NAS conjugate gradient benchmark by 67%. We expect that Impulse will also benefit regularly strided, memory‐bound applications of commercial importance, such as database and multimedia programs.

  20. Impulsive behavior and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohmura, Yu; Tsutsui-Kimura, Iku; Yoshioka, Mitsuhiro

    2012-01-01

    Higher impulsivity is thought to be a risk factor for drug addiction, criminal involvement, and suicide. Excessive levels of impulsivity are often observed in several psychiatric disorders including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia. Previous studies have demonstrated that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are involved in impulsive behavior. Here, we introduce recent advances in this field and describe the role of the following nAChR-related brain mechanisms in modulating impulsive behavior: dopamine release in the ventral striatum; α4β2 nAChRs in the infralimbic cortex, which is a ventral part of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC); and dopamine release in the mPFC. We also suggest several potential therapeutic drugs to address these mechanisms in impulsivity-related disorders and explore future directions to further elucidate the roles of central nAChRs in impulsive behavior.

  1. Narcissism predicts impulsive buying: phenotypic and genetic evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Huajian; Shi, Yuanyuan; Fang, Xiang; Luo, Yu L. L.

    2015-01-01

    Impulsive buying makes billions of dollars for retail businesses every year, particularly in an era of thriving e-commerce. Narcissism, characterized by impulsivity and materialism, may serve as a potential antecedent to impulsive buying. To test this hypothesis, two studies examined the relationship between narcissism and impulsive buying. In Study 1, we surveyed an online sample and found that while adaptive narcissism was not correlated with impulsive buying, maladaptive narcissism was significantly predictive of the impulsive buying tendency. By investigating 304 twin pairs, Study 2 showed that global narcissism and its two components, adaptive and maladaptive narcissism, as well as the impulsive buying tendency were heritable. The study found, moreover, that the connections between global narcissism and impulsive buying, and between maladaptive narcissism and impulsive buying were genetically based. These findings not only establish a link between narcissism and impulsive buying but also help to identify the origins of the link. The present studies deepen our understanding of narcissism, impulsive buying, and their interrelationship. PMID:26217251

  2. Narcissism predicts impulsive buying: phenotypic and genetic evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Huajian; Shi, Yuanyuan; Fang, Xiang; Luo, Yu L L

    2015-01-01

    Impulsive buying makes billions of dollars for retail businesses every year, particularly in an era of thriving e-commerce. Narcissism, characterized by impulsivity and materialism, may serve as a potential antecedent to impulsive buying. To test this hypothesis, two studies examined the relationship between narcissism and impulsive buying. In Study 1, we surveyed an online sample and found that while adaptive narcissism was not correlated with impulsive buying, maladaptive narcissism was significantly predictive of the impulsive buying tendency. By investigating 304 twin pairs, Study 2 showed that global narcissism and its two components, adaptive and maladaptive narcissism, as well as the impulsive buying tendency were heritable. The study found, moreover, that the connections between global narcissism and impulsive buying, and between maladaptive narcissism and impulsive buying were genetically based. These findings not only establish a link between narcissism and impulsive buying but also help to identify the origins of the link. The present studies deepen our understanding of narcissism, impulsive buying, and their interrelationship.

  3. Trait impulsivity in suicide attempters: preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doihara, Chiho; Kawanishi, Chiaki; Ohyama, Nene; Yamada, Tomoki; Nakagawa, Makiko; Iwamoto, Yohko; Odawara, Toshinari; Hirayasu, Yoshio

    2012-10-01

    Suicide attempt is a risk factor for suicide. To investigate trait impulsivity among suicide attempters, 93 attempters admitted to an emergency department and 113 healthy controls were evaluated using the Japanese version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11J). Impulsivity was analyzed in relation to clinical data in the attempters. Total BIS-11J, attention impulsiveness, and motor impulsiveness scores were significantly higher in the attempters than in the controls. Both total BIS-11J and non-planning impulsiveness scores were significantly higher in attempters with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders among the diagnostic groups. Control of impulsivity should be considered as one of the targets for suicide prevention. © 2012 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2012 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

  4. Correlations between the disintegration of melt and the measured impulses in steam explosions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Froehlich, G.; Linca, A.; Schindler, M. [Univ. of Stuttgart (Germany)

    1995-09-01

    To find our correlations in steam explosions (melt water interactions) between the measured impulses and the disintegration of the melt, experiments were performed in three configurations i.e. stratified, entrapment and jet experiments. Linear correlations were detected between the impulse and the total surface of the fragments. Theoretical considerations point out that a linear correlation assumes superheating of a water layer around the fragments of a constant thickness during the fragmentation process to a constant temperature (here the homogeneous nucleation temperature of water was assumed) and a constant expansion velocity of the steam in the main expansion time. The correlation constant does not depend on melt temperature and trigger pressure, but it depends on the configuration of the experiment or of a scenario of an accident. Further research is required concerning the correlation constant. For analysing steam explosion accidents the explosivity is introduced. The explosivity is a mass specific impulse. The explosivity is linear correlated with the degree of fragmentation. Knowing the degree of fragmentation with proper correlation constant the explosivity can be calculated and from the explosivity combined with the total mass of fragments the impulse is obtained which can be used to an estimation of the maximum force.

  5. "Impulsive" suicide attempts: What do we really mean?

    Science.gov (United States)

    May, Alexis M; Klonsky, E David

    2016-07-01

    Suicide attempts are often regarded as impulsive acts. However, there is little consensus regarding the definition or clinical characteristics of an "impulsive" attempt. To clarify this issue, we examined 3 indicators of the impulsivity of an attempt: (a) preparation, (b) time contemplating the attempt, and (c) self-report that impulsivity motivated the attempt. We examined relationships among the indicators and their relationship to trait impulsivity and characteristics of the suicide attempt. Adult participants (N = 205) with a history of suicide attempts were administered validated interviews and questionnaires. In general, the 3 attempt impulsivity indicators correlated only moderately with each other and not at all with trait impulsivity or with important characteristics of the attempt (e.g., lethality, preattempt communication, motivations). However, there were 2 exceptions. First, intent to die was inversely related to the 3 attempt impulsivity indicators (rs ranged from -.17 to .45) such that more impulsive attempts were associated with lower intent. Second, self-report that the attempt was motivated by impulsivity was related to 3 facets of trait impulsivity (rs ranged from .16 to .41). These findings suggest that individuals endorsing trait impulsivity are likely to describe their attempts as motivated by impulsivity, regardless of the presence of preparation or prolonged contemplation. Overall, study results suggest that the common conception of a unidimensional impulsive attempt may be inaccurate and that the emphasis on general impulsivity in prevention guidelines should be tempered. Implications for suicide risk assessment and prevention are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. Self-reported impulsivity, but not behavioral choice or response impulsivity, partially mediates the effect of stress on drinking behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, Kristen R; Ansell, Emily B; Reynolds, Brady; Potenza, Marc N; Sinha, Rajita

    2013-01-01

    Stress and impulsivity contribute to alcohol use, and stress may also act via impulsivity to increase drinking behavior. Impulsivity represents a multi-faceted construct and self-report and behavioral assessments may effectively capture distinct clinically relevant factors. The present research investigated whether aspects of impulsivity mediate the effect of stress on alcohol use. A community-based sample of 192 men and women was assessed on measures of cumulative stress, alcohol use, self-reported impulsivity, and behavioral choice and response impulsivity. Data were analyzed using regression and bootstrapping techniques to estimate indirect effects of stress on drinking via impulsivity. Cumulative adversity exhibited both direct effects and indirect effects (via self-reported impulsivity) on drinking behavior. Additional models examining specific types of stress indicated direct and indirect effects of trauma and recent life events, and indirect effects of major life events and chronic stressors on drinking behavior. Overall, cumulative stress was associated with increased drinking behavior, and this effect was partially mediated by self-reported impulsivity. Self-reported impulsivity also mediated the effects of different types of stress on drinking behavior. These findings highlight the value of mediation models to examine the pathways through which different types of stress increase drinking behavior. Treatment and prevention strategies should focus on enhancing stress management and self-control.

  7. Impulsive Buying Pada Dewasa Awal Di YOGYAKARTA

    OpenAIRE

    Henrietta, Paulus

    2012-01-01

    This research aimed to know the impulsive buying tendency of early adult in Yogyakarta. Impulsive buying was a buying activity without cosideration, and accompanied by strong emotional response. High impulsive buying tendency occured between age 18 to 39 years old. This research was a quantitative descriptive research with 395 subjects. Generally, the impulsive buying tendency in this research was low. Based on comparation between man and woman, it was found that woman was more impulsive than...

  8. IMPULSIVE BUYING PADA DEWASA AWAL DI YOGYAKARTA

    OpenAIRE

    Paulus Henrietta

    2012-01-01

    T his research aimed to know the impulsive buying tendency of early adult in Yogyakarta. Impulsive buying was a buying activity without cosideration, and accompanied by strong emotional response. High impulsive buying tendency occured between age 18 to 39 years old. This research was a quantitative descriptive research with 395 subjects. Generally, the impulsive buying tendency in this research was low. Based on comparation between man and woman, it was found that woman was more impulsive...

  9. The electromagnetic impulse pendulum and momentum conservation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Graneau, P.; Graneau, P.N.

    1986-01-01

    Largely quantitative experiments by Pappas have indicated that the momentum imparted to an electrodynamic impulse pendulum was not balanced by an equal and opposite momentum change of field energy as required by the special theory of relativity. The authors repeated Pappas' experiment using discharge currents from a capacitor bank which contained a known amount of stored energy. It turned out that, for momentum conservation, the magnetic-field energy required would have been 1000 to 2000 times as large as the energy that was actually stored in the capacitors. In the second part of the paper the pendulum experiments are interpreted in terms of Ampere's force law

  10. A Capabilities Based Assessment of the United States Air Force Critical Care Air Transport Team

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-01

    MSgt Boyle was notified for a last minute tasking. He was told that the Respiratory Therapist that was originally on alert broke their ankle while...torso and her left foot had been amputated just above the ankle . The third 172 injured person was a Special Forces Soldier. He had been shot in the...damaged area. The USS DENVER is anchored 30 NM due east of the damaged area; whereas USS FRESNO and USS DAYTON have been anchored strategically along

  11. Proficient motor impulse control in Parkinson disease patients with impulsive and compulsive behaviors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Claassen, D.O.; van den Wildenberg, W.P.; Harrison, M.B.; van Wouwe, N.C.; Kanoff, K.; Neimat, J.S.; Wylie, S.A.

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Parkinson disease (PD) patients treated with dopamine agonist therapy can develop maladaptive reward-driven behaviors, known as impulse control disorder (ICD). In this study, we assessed if ICD patients have evidence of motor-impulsivity. METHODS: We used the stop-signal task in a cohort

  12. Angular distributions of plasma edge velocity and integrated intensity: Update on specific impulse for Ablative Laser Propulsion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Jun; Pakhomov, Andrew V.

    2005-04-01

    This work concludes our discussion of the image processing technique developed earlier for determination of specific impulse (Isp) for Ablative Laser Propulsion (ALP). The plasma plumes are recorded with a time-resolved intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera. The plasma was formed in vacuum (˜ 3×10-3 Torr) by focusing output pulses of a laser system (100-ps pulsewidth at 532 nm wavelength and ˜35 mJ energy) on surfaces of C (graphite), Al, Si, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sn, and Pb elements. Angular profiles for integrated intensity and plasma expansion velocity were determined for the tested elements. Such profiles were used further for assessment of specific impulse. Specific impulses derived from angular distributions of plasma expansion velocity and integral intensity appeared in excellent agreement with the data derived earlier from force measurements.

  13. Angular distributions of plasma edge velocity and integrated intensity: Update on specific impulse for Ablative Laser Propulsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Jun; Pakhomov, Andrew V.

    2005-01-01

    This work concludes our discussion of the image processing technique developed earlier for determination of specific impulse (Isp) for Ablative Laser Propulsion (ALP). The plasma plumes are recorded with a time-resolved intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera. The plasma was formed in vacuum (∼ 3x10-3 Torr) by focusing output pulses of a laser system (100-ps pulsewidth at 532 nm wavelength and ∼35 mJ energy) on surfaces of C (graphite), Al, Si, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sn, and Pb elements. Angular profiles for integrated intensity and plasma expansion velocity were determined for the tested elements. Such profiles were used further for assessment of specific impulse. Specific impulses derived from angular distributions of plasma expansion velocity and integral intensity appeared in excellent agreement with the data derived earlier from force measurements

  14. Renal shear wave velocity by acoustic radiation force impulse did not reflect advanced renal impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takata, Tomoaki; Koda, Masahiko; Sugihara, Takaaki; Sugihara, Shinobu; Okamoto, Toshiaki; Miyoshi, Kenichi; Matono, Tomomitsu; Hosho, Keiko; Mae, Yukari; Iyama, Takuji; Fukui, Takeaki; Fukuda, Satoko; Munemura, Chishio; Isomoto, Hajime

    2016-12-01

    Acoustic radiation force impulse is a noninvasive method for evaluating tissue elasticity on ultrasound. Renal shear wave velocity measured by this technique has not been fully investigated in patients with renal disease. The aim of the present study was to compare renal shear wave velocity in end-stage renal disease patients and that in patients without chronic kidney disease and to investigate influencing factors. Renal shear wave velocities were measured in 59 healthy young subjects (control group), 31 subjects without chronic kidney disease (non-CKD group), and 39 end-stage renal disease patients (ESRD group). Each measurement was performed 10 times at both kidneys, and the mean value of eight of 10 measurements, excluding the maximum and minimum values, was compared. Renal shear wave velocity could be measured in all subjects. Renal shear wave velocity in the control group was higher than in the non-CKD group and in the ESRD group, and no difference was found between the non-CKD group and the ESRD group. Age and depth were negatively correlated to the renal shear wave velocity. In multiple regression analysis, age and depth were independent factors for renal shear wave velocity, while renal impairment was not. There was no difference between the non-CKD group and the ESRD group, even when ages were matched and depth was adjusted. Renal shear wave velocity was not associated with advanced renal impairment. However, it reflected alteration of renal aging, and this technique may be useful to detect renal impairment in the earlier stages. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

  15. Impulsivity, self-control, and hypnotic suggestibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ludwig, V U; Stelzel, C; Krutiak, H; Prunkl, C E; Steimke, R; Paschke, L M; Kathmann, N; Walter, H

    2013-06-01

    Hypnotic responding might be due to attenuated frontal lobe functioning after the hypnotic induction. Little is known about whether personality traits linked with frontal functioning are associated with responsiveness to hypnotic suggestions. We assessed whether hypnotic suggestibility is related to the traits of self-control and impulsivity in 154 participants who completed the Brief Self-Control Scale, the Self-Regulation Scale, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility (HGSHS:A). BIS-11 non-planning impulsivity correlated positively with HGSHS:A (Bonferroni-corrected). Furthermore, in the best model emerging from a stepwise multiple regression, both non-planning impulsivity and self-control positively predicted hypnotic suggestibility, and there was an interaction of BIS-11 motor impulsivity with gender. For men only, motor impulsivity tended to predict hypnotic suggestibility. Hypnotic suggestibility is associated with personality traits linked with frontal functioning, and hypnotic responding in men and women might differ. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Rethinking Impulsivity in Suicide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klonsky, E. David; May, Alexis

    2010-01-01

    Elevated impulsivity is thought to facilitate the transition from suicidal thoughts to suicidal behavior. Therefore, impulsivity should distinguish those who have attempted suicide (attempters) from those who have only considered suicide (ideators-only). This hypothesis was examined in three large nonclinical samples: (1) 2,011 military recruits,…

  17. Multiple modes of impulsivity in Parkinson's disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Nombela

    Full Text Available Cognitive problems are a major factor determining quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease. These include deficits in inhibitory control, ranging from subclinical alterations in decision-making to severe impulse control disorders. Based on preclinical studies, we proposed that Parkinson's disease does not cause a unified disorder of inhibitory control, but rather a set of impulsivity factors with distinct psychological profiles, anatomy and pharmacology. We assessed a broad set of measures of the cognitive, behavioural and temperamental/trait aspects of impulsivity. Sixty adults, including 30 idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients (Hoehn and Yahr stage I-III and 30 healthy controls, completed a neuropsychological battery, objective behavioural measures and self-report questionnaires. Univariate analyses of variance confirmed group differences in nine out of eleven metrics. We then used factor analysis (principal components method to identify the structure of impulsivity in Parkinson's disease. Four principal factors were identified, consistent with four different mechanisms of impulsivity, explaining 60% of variance. The factors were related to (1 tests of response conflict, interference and self assessment of impulsive behaviours on the Barrett Impulsivity Scale, (2 tests of motor inhibitory control, and the self-report behavioural approach system, (3 time estimation and delay aversion, and (4 reflection in hypothetical scenarios including temporal discounting. The different test profiles of these four factors were consistent with human and comparative studies of the pharmacology and functional anatomy of impulsivity. Relationships between each factor and clinical and demographic features were examined by regression against factor loadings. Levodopa dose equivalent was associated only with factors (2 and (3. The results confirm that impulsivity is common in Parkinson's disease, even in the absence of impulse control disorders, and

  18. The influence of cadence and power output on force application and in-shoe pressure distribution during cycling by competitive and recreational cyclists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanderson, D J; Hennig, E M; Black, A H

    2000-03-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the response of cyclists to manipulations of cadence and power output in terms of force application and plantar pressure distribution. Two groups of cyclists, 17 recreational and 12 competitive, rode at three nominal cadences (60, 80, 100 rev x min(-1)) and four power outputs (100, 200, 300, 400 W) while simultaneous force and in-shoe pressure data were collected. Two piezoelectric triaxial force transducers mounted in the right pedal measured components of the pedal force and orientation, and a discrete transducer system with 12 transducers recorded the in-shoe pressures. Force application was characterized by calculating peak resultant and peak effective pedal forces and positive and negative impulses. In-shoe pressures were analysed as peak pressures and as the percent relative load. The force data showed no significant group effect but there was a cadence and power main effect. The impulse data showed a significant three-way interaction. Increased cadence resulted in a decreased positive impulse, while increased power output resulted in an increased impulse. The competitive group produced less positive impulse but the difference became less at higher cadences. Few between-group differences were found in pressure, notable only in the pressure under the first metatarsal region. This showed a consistent pattern of in-shoe pressure distribution, where the primary loading structures were the first metatarsal and hallux. There was no indication that pressure at specific sites influenced the pedal force application. The absence of group differences indicated that pressure distribution was not the result of training, but reflected the intrinsic relationship between the foot, the shoe and the pedal.

  19. Ethanol induces impulsive-like responding in a delay-of-reward operant choice procedure: impulsivity predicts autoshaping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomie, A; Aguado, A S; Pohorecky, L A; Benjamin, D

    1998-10-01

    Autoshaping conditioned responses (CRs) are reflexive and targeted motor responses expressed as a result of experience with reward. To evaluate the hypothesis that autoshaping may be a form of impulsive responding, within-subjects correlations between performance on autoshaping and impulsivity tasks were assessed in 15 Long-Evans hooded rats. Autoshaping procedures [insertion of retractable lever conditioned stimulus (CS) followed by the response-independent delivery of food (US)] were followed by testing for impulsive-like responding in a two-choice lever-press operant delay-of-reward procedure (immediate small food reward versus delayed large food reward). Delay-of-reward functions revealed two distinct subject populations. Subjects in the Sensitive group (n=7) were more impulsive-like, increasing immediate reward choices at longer delays for large reward, while those in the Insensitive group (n=8) responded predominantly on only one lever. During the prior autoshaping phase, the Sensitive group had performed more autoshaping CRs, and correlations revealed that impulsive subjects acquired the autoshaping CR in fewer trials. In the Sensitive group, acute injections of ethanol (0, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50 g/kg) given immediately before delay-of-reward sessions yielded an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve with increased impulsivity induced by the 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 g/kg doses of ethanol, while choice strategy of the Insensitive group was not influenced by ethanol dose. Ethanol induced impulsive-like responding only in rats that were flexible in their response strategy (Sensitive group), and this group also performed more autoshaping CRs. Data support the hypothesis that autoshaping and impulsivity are linked.

  20. Dynamic Structural Flexible-Beam Response to a Moving Barge Train Impact Force Time-History Using Impact_Beam

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-01

    White, Mohamed and Barker, 2010). The engineering formulation for Impact_Force uses the impulse momentum principle to convert the linear momentum of a...flexure the plane cross-section of a beam remains plane, i.e., the Bernoulli -Euler theory. That is, shear deformations are negligible for a slender...observation that the magnitude of the impulse is equal to the change in momentum . This allows for the introduc- tion of the force time-history into the

  1. Mechanism of transient force augmentation varying with two distinct timescales for interacting vortex rings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Zhidong; Qin, Suyang; Liu, Hong

    2014-01-01

    The dynamics of dual vortex ring flows is studied experimentally and numerically in a model system that consists of a piston-cylinder apparatus. The flows are generated by double identical strokes which have the velocity profile characterized by the sinusoidal function of half the period. By calculating the total wake impulse in two strokes in the experiments, it is found that the average propulsive force increases by 50% in the second stroke for the sufficiently small stroke length, compared with the first stroke. In the numerical simulations, two types of transient force augmentation are revealed, there being the transient force augmentation for the small stroke lengths and the absolute transient force augmentation for the large stroke lengths. The relative transient force augmentation increases to 78% for L/D = 1, while the absolute transient force augmentation for L/D = 4 is twice as much as that for L/D = 1. Further investigation demonstrates that the force augmentation is attributed to the interaction between vortex rings, which induces transport of vortex impulse and more evident fluid entrainment. The critical situation of vortex ring separation is defined and indicated, with vortex spacing falling in a narrow gap when the stroke lengths vary. A new model is proposed concerning the limiting process of impulse, further suggesting that apart from vortex formation timescale, vortex spacing should be interpreted as an independent timescale to reflect the dynamics of vortex interaction.

  2. Assessing hepatic fibrosis: comparing the intravoxel incoherent motion in MRI with acoustic radiation force impulse imaging in US

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Chih-Horng; Liang, Po-Chin; Shih, Tiffany Ting-Fang [National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Medical Imaging, Taipei (China); National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Taipei (China); Ho, Ming-Chih; Hu, Rey-Heng; Lai, Hong-Shiee [National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Taipei (China); Jeng, Yung-Ming [National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Taipei (China)

    2015-12-15

    This study compared the diagnostic performance of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI) in ultrasound (US) for liver fibrosis (LF) evaluation. A total of 49 patients scheduled for liver surgery were recruited. LF in the non-tumorous liver parenchyma at the right lobe was estimated using a slow diffusion coefficient, fast diffusion coefficient (D{sub fast}), perfusion fraction (f) of the IVIM parameters, the total apparent diffusion coefficient of conventional diffusion-weighted imaging and the shear wave velocity (Vs) of ARFI. LF was graded using the Metavir scoring system on histological examination. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient for correlation and analysis of variance was used for determining difference. The diagnostic performance was compared using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. LF exhibited significant correlation with the three parameters D{sub fast}, f, and Vs (r = -0.528, -0.337, and 0.481, respectively, P < 0.05). The D{sub fast} values in the F4 group were significantly lower than those in the F0, F1 and F2 groups. D{sub fast} exhibited a non-inferior performance for diagnosing all fibrosis grades compared with that of Vs. Both IVIM and ARFI provide reliable estimations for the noninvasive assessment of LF. (orig.)

  3. Dynamic calibration and validation of an accelerometer force balance for hypersonic lifting models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Prakash; Trivedi, Sharad; Menezes, Viren; Hosseini, Hamid

    2014-01-01

    An accelerometer-based force balance was designed and developed for the measurement of drag, lift, and rolling moment on a blunt-nosed, flapped delta wing in a short-duration hypersonic shock tunnel. Calibration and validation of the balance were carried out by a convolution technique using hammer pulse test and surface pressure measurements. In the hammer pulse test, a known impulse was applied to the model in the appropriate direction using an impulse hammer, and the corresponding output of the balance (acceleration) was recorded. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) was operated on the output of the balance to generate a system response function, relating the signal output to the corresponding load input. Impulse response functions for three components of the balance, namely, axial, normal, and angular, were obtained for a range of input load. The angular system response function was corresponding to rolling of the model. The impulse response functions thus obtained, through dynamic calibration, were operated on the output (signals) of the balance under hypersonic aerodynamic loading conditions in the tunnel to get the time history of the unknown aerodynamic forces and moments acting on the model. Surface pressure measurements were carried out on the model using high frequency pressure transducers, and forces and moments were deduced thereon. Tests were carried out at model angles of incidence of 0, 5, 10, and 15 degrees. A good agreement was observed among the results of different experimental methods. The balance developed is a comprehensive force/moment measurement device that can be used on complex, lifting, aerodynamic geometries in ground-based hypersonic test facilities.

  4. Random Fuzzy Differential Equations with Impulses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ho Vu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We consider the random fuzzy differential equations (RFDEs with impulses. Using Picard method of successive approximations, we shall prove the existence and uniqueness of solutions to RFDEs with impulses under suitable conditions. Some of the properties of solution of RFDEs with impulses are studied. Finally, an example is presented to illustrate the results.

  5. OUTWARD BRAZILIAN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT: IMPULSES AND RESPONSES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ronald de Oliveira Concer

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper models the outward foreign direct investment from Brazil series using time a series econometrics model, namely the Vector Auto Regressive (VAR model. We have drawn impulse response functions for the key relevant factors that may explain the outward foreign direct investment flows. We start with a review of the literature on the Dunning location approach to international business. We worked with a data set of quarterly observations from Q1-1995 to Q1-2010. We carried also out Granger causality tests as for determining whether international business travelling should be included as an explanatory variable in our model. Results stressed that although the strong exchange rate in Brazil is often blamed for forcing companies to invest abroad, the evidence found in the aggregate data suggests that there is not a significant relationship between the level of foreign exchange rate and the outward Brazilian foreign direct investment. Differently from previous studies, this paper uses impulse response functions to present dynamic results, thus avoiding the typical binary results “affect” or “don’t affect”, and in so doing we provide a more detailed insight into this important location factor.

  6. OUTWARD BRAZILIAN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT: IMPULSES AND RESPONSES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ronald de Oliveira Concer

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper models the outward foreign direct investment from Brazil series using time a series econometrics model, namely the Vector Auto Regressive (VAR model. We have drawn impulse response functions for the key relevant factors that may explain the outward foreign direct investment flows. We start with a review of the literature on the Dunning location approach to international business. We worked with a data set of quarterly observations from Q1-1995 to Q1-2010. We carried also out Granger causality tests as for determining whether international business travelling should be included as an explanatory variable in our model. Results stressed that although the strong exchange rate in Brazil is often blamed for forcing companies to invest abroad, the evidence found in the aggregate data suggests that there is not a significant relationship between the level of foreign exchange rate and the outward Brazilian foreign direct investment. Differently from previous studies, this paper uses impulse response functions to present dynamic results, thus avoiding the typical binary results “affect” or “don’t affect”, and in so doing we provide a more detailed insight into this important location factor.

  7. A bifurcation giving birth to order in an impulsively driven complex system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seshadri, Akshay, E-mail: akshayseshadri@gmail.com; Sujith, R. I., E-mail: sujith@iitm.ac.in [Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai (India)

    2016-08-15

    Nonlinear oscillations lie at the heart of numerous complex systems. Impulsive forcing arises naturally in many scenarios, and we endeavour to study nonlinear oscillators subject to such forcing. We model these kicked oscillatory systems as a piecewise smooth dynamical system, whereby their dynamics can be investigated. We investigate the problem of pattern formation in a turbulent combustion system and apply this formalism with the aim of explaining the observed dynamics. We identify that the transition of this system from low amplitude chaotic oscillations to large amplitude periodic oscillations is the result of a discontinuity induced bifurcation. Further, we provide an explanation for the occurrence of intermittent oscillations in the system.

  8. Preclinical evaluation of acoustic radiation force impulse measurements in regions of heterogeneous elasticity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hollerieth, Katharina; Moog, Philipp; Vo-Cong, Minh-Truc; Heemann, Uwe [Nephrology Department, Klinikum Rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich, Munich (Germany); Gassmann, Bernhard [Meso International GmbH, Berlin (Germany); Wagenpfeil, Stefan [Institute for Medical Biometry, Epidemiology and Medical Informatics, Saarland University, Campus Homburg (Saar), Homburg (Germany)

    2016-08-15

    The purpose of this study was to compare the reliability of ultrasound-based shear wave elastography in regions of homogeneous versus heterogeneous elasticity by using two different probes. Using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography, we measured the shear wave velocity (SWV) in different lesions of an elastography phantom with the convex {sub 4}C{sub 1} probe and the linear {sub 9}L{sub 4} probe. The region of interest (ROI) was positioned in such a way that it was partly filled by one of the lesions (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) and partly by the background of the phantom (100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, and 0%, respectively). The success rate was 98.5%. The measured value and the reference value of SWV correlated significantly (r=0.89, P<0.001). Further, a comparison of the two probes revealed that there was no statistical difference in either the mean or the variance values. However, the deviation of SWV from the reference was higher in the case of the {sub 9}L{sub 4} probe than in the case of the {sub 4}C{sub 1} probe, both overall and in measurements in which the ROI contained structures of different elasticity (P=0.021 and P=0.002). Taking into account all data, for both probes, we found that there was a greater spread and deviation of the SWV from the reference value when the ROI was positioned in structures having different elastic properties (standard deviation, 0.02±0.01 m/sec vs. 0.04±0.04 m/sec; P=0.010; deviation from the reference value, 0.21±0.12 m/sec vs. 0.38±0.27 m/sec; P=0.050). Quantitative ARFI elastography was achievable in structures of different elasticity; however, the validity and the reliability of the SWV measurements decreased in comparison to those of the measurements performed in structures of homogeneous elasticity. Therefore, a convex probe is preferred for examining heterogeneous structures.

  9. Non-instantaneous impulses in differential equations

    CERN Document Server

    Agarwal, Ravi; O'Regan, Donal

    2017-01-01

    This monograph is the first published book devoted to the theory of differential equations with non-instantaneous impulses. It aims to equip the reader with mathematical models and theory behind real life processes in physics, biology, population dynamics, ecology and pharmacokinetics. The authors examine a wide scope of differential equations with non-instantaneous impulses through three comprehensive chapters, providing an all-rounded and unique presentation on the topic, including: - Ordinary differential equations with non-instantaneous impulses (scalar and n-dimensional case) - Fractional differential equa tions with non-instantaneous impulses (with Caputo fractional derivatives of order q ϵ (0, 1)) - Ordinary differential equations with non-instantaneous impulses occurring at random moments (with exponential, Erlang, or Gamma distribution) Each chapter focuses on theory, proofs and examples, and contains numerous graphs to enrich the reader’s understanding. Additionally, a carefully selected bibliogr...

  10. Impulsivity and compulsive buying are associated in a non-clinical sample: an evidence for the compulsivity-impulsivity continuum?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paula, Jonas J de; Costa, Danielle de S; Oliveira, Flavianne; Alves, Joana O; Passos, Lídia R; Malloy-Diniz, Leandro F

    2015-01-01

    Compulsive buying is controversial in clinical psychiatry. Although it is defined as an obsessive-compulsive disorder, other personality aspects besides compulsivity are related to compulsive buying. Recent studies suggest that compulsivity and impulsivity might represent a continuum, with several psychiatric disorders lying between these two extremes. In this sense, and following the perspective of dimensional psychiatry, symptoms of impulsivity and compulsivity should correlate even in a non-clinical sample. The present study aims to investigate whether these two traits are associated in a healthy adult sample. We evaluated 100 adults, with no self-reported psychiatric disorders, using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 and two scales of compulsive buying. Using multiple linear regressions, we found that impulsivity accounted for about 15% of variance in the compulsive-buying measure. Our results suggest that an association between impulsivity and compulsive buying occurs even in non-clinical samples, evidence that compulsivity and impulsivity might form a continuum and that compulsive buying might be an intermediate condition between these two personality traits.

  11. Narcissism predicts impulsive buying: phenotypic and genetic evidence

    OpenAIRE

    Cai, Huajian; Shi, Yuanyuan; Fang, Xiang; Luo, Yu L. L.

    2015-01-01

    Impulsive buying makes billions of dollars for retail businesses every year, particularly in an era of thriving e-commerce. Narcissism, characterized by impulsivity and materialism, may serve as a potential antecedent to impulsive buying. To test this hypothesis, two studies examined the relationship between narcissism and impulsive buying. In study 1, we surveyed narcissism and the impulsive buying tendency among an online sample and found that while adaptive narcissism was not correlated wi...

  12. Impulsivity and eating behaviour: an examination of subtypes of impulsive behaviour and overeating in healthy females

    OpenAIRE

    Leitch, Margaret

    2011-01-01

    A wealth of support has shown higher levels of state and trait impulsivity can be found among those individuals prone to developing problematic eating behaviors and obesity. Thus, upon commencing the investigations in this thesis, it was hypothesized that impulsivity is an individual difference implicated in overeating behaviour.\\ud \\ud Increasing information indicates that there are divisions within impulsivity subtypes. Prior to this thesis, studies in the field of eating behaviour had not ...

  13. Barratt Impulsivity and Neural Regulation of Physiological Arousal.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheng Zhang

    Full Text Available Theories of personality have posited an increased arousal response to external stimulation in impulsive individuals. However, there is a dearth of studies addressing the neural basis of this association.We recorded skin conductance in 26 individuals who were assessed with Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11 and performed a stop signal task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Imaging data were processed and modeled with Statistical Parametric Mapping. We used linear regressions to examine correlations between impulsivity and skin conductance response (SCR to salient events, identify the neural substrates of arousal regulation, and examine the relationship between the regulatory mechanism and impulsivity.Across subjects, higher impulsivity is associated with greater SCR to stop trials. Activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC negatively correlated to and Granger caused skin conductance time course. Furthermore, higher impulsivity is associated with a lesser strength of Granger causality of vmPFC activity on skin conductance, consistent with diminished control of physiological arousal to external stimulation. When men (n = 14 and women (n = 12 were examined separately, however, there was evidence suggesting association between impulsivity and vmPFC regulation of arousal only in women.Together, these findings confirmed the link between Barratt impulsivity and heightened arousal to salient stimuli in both genders and suggested the neural bases of altered regulation of arousal in impulsive women. More research is needed to explore the neural processes of arousal regulation in impulsive individuals and in clinical conditions that implicate poor impulse control.

  14. Barratt Impulsivity and Neural Regulation of Physiological Arousal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Sheng; Hu, Sien; Hu, Jianping; Wu, Po-Lun; Chao, Herta H; Li, Chiang-shan R

    2015-01-01

    Theories of personality have posited an increased arousal response to external stimulation in impulsive individuals. However, there is a dearth of studies addressing the neural basis of this association. We recorded skin conductance in 26 individuals who were assessed with Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) and performed a stop signal task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Imaging data were processed and modeled with Statistical Parametric Mapping. We used linear regressions to examine correlations between impulsivity and skin conductance response (SCR) to salient events, identify the neural substrates of arousal regulation, and examine the relationship between the regulatory mechanism and impulsivity. Across subjects, higher impulsivity is associated with greater SCR to stop trials. Activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) negatively correlated to and Granger caused skin conductance time course. Furthermore, higher impulsivity is associated with a lesser strength of Granger causality of vmPFC activity on skin conductance, consistent with diminished control of physiological arousal to external stimulation. When men (n = 14) and women (n = 12) were examined separately, however, there was evidence suggesting association between impulsivity and vmPFC regulation of arousal only in women. Together, these findings confirmed the link between Barratt impulsivity and heightened arousal to salient stimuli in both genders and suggested the neural bases of altered regulation of arousal in impulsive women. More research is needed to explore the neural processes of arousal regulation in impulsive individuals and in clinical conditions that implicate poor impulse control.

  15. Impulsivity, "advergames," and food intake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Folkvord, Frans; Anschütz, Doeschka J; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Westerik, Henk; Buijzen, Moniek

    2014-06-01

    Previous studies have focused on the effect of food advertisements on the caloric intake of children. However, the role of individual susceptibility in this effect is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the role of impulsivity in the effect of advergames that promote energy-dense snacks on children's snack intake. First, impulsivity scores were assessed with a computer task. Then a randomized between-subject design was conducted with 261 children aged 7 to 10 years who played an advergame promoting either energy-dense snacks or nonfood products. As an extra manipulation, half of the children in each condition were rewarded for refraining from eating, the other half were not. Children could eat freely while playing the game. Food intake was measured. The children then completed questionnaire measures, and were weighed and measured. Overall, playing an advergame containing food cues increased general caloric intake. Furthermore, rewarding children to refrain from eating decreased their caloric intake. Finally, rewarding impulsive children to refrain from eating had no influence when they were playing an advergame promoting energy-dense snacks, whereas it did lead to reduced intake among low impulsive children and children who played nonfood advergames. Playing an advergame promoting energy-dense snacks contributes to increased caloric intake in children. The advergame promoting energy-dense snacks overruled the inhibition task to refrain from eating among impulsive children, making it more difficult for them to refrain from eating. The findings suggest that impulsivity plays an important role in susceptibility to food advertisements. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  16. Milnacipran affects mouse impulsive, aggressive, and depressive-like behaviors in a distinct dose-dependent manner

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iku Tsutsui-Kimura

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Serotonin/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs are widely used for the treatment for major depressive disorder, but these drugs induce several side effects including increased aggression and impulsivity, which are risk factors for substance abuse, criminal involvement, and suicide. To address this issue, milnacipran (0, 3, 10, or 30 mg/kg, an SNRI and antidepressant, was intraperitoneally administered to mice prior to the 3-choice serial reaction time task, resident–intruder test, and forced swimming test to measure impulsive, aggressive, and depressive-like behaviors, respectively. A milnacipran dose of 10 mg/kg suppressed all behaviors, which was accompanied by increased dopamine and serotonin levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC but not in the nucleus accumbens (NAc. Although the most effective dose for depressive-like behavior was 30 mg/kg, the highest dose increased aggressive behavior and unaffected impulsive behavior. Increased dopamine levels in the NAc could be responsible for the effects. In addition, the mice basal impulsivity was negatively correlated with the latency to the first agonistic behavior. Thus, the optimal dose range of milnacipran is narrower than previously thought. Finding drugs that increase serotonin and dopamine levels in the mPFC without affecting dopamine levels in the NAc is a potential strategy for developing novel antidepressants.

  17. Impulsivity and compulsive buying are associated in a non-clinical sample: an evidence for the compulsivity-impulsivity continuum?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonas J. de Paula

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective:Compulsive buying is controversial in clinical psychiatry. Although it is defined as an obsessive-compulsive disorder, other personality aspects besides compulsivity are related to compulsive buying. Recent studies suggest that compulsivity and impulsivity might represent a continuum, with several psychiatric disorders lying between these two extremes. In this sense, and following the perspective of dimensional psychiatry, symptoms of impulsivity and compulsivity should correlate even in a non-clinical sample. The present study aims to investigate whether these two traits are associated in a healthy adult sample.Methods:We evaluated 100 adults, with no self-reported psychiatric disorders, using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 and two scales of compulsive buying.Results:Using multiple linear regressions, we found that impulsivity accounted for about 15% of variance in the compulsive-buying measure.Conclusions:Our results suggest that an association between impulsivity and compulsive buying occurs even in non-clinical samples, evidence that compulsivity and impulsivity might form a continuum and that compulsive buying might be an intermediate condition between these two personality traits.

  18. Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography of the liver. Can fat deposition in the liver affect the measurement of liver stiffness?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Motosugi, Utaroh; Ichikawa, Tomoaki; Araki, Tsutomu; Niitsuma, Yoshibumi

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to compare acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) results between livers with and without fat deposition. We studied 200 consecutive healthy individuals who underwent health checkups at our institution. The subjects were divided into three groups according to the echogenicity of the liver on ultrasonography (US) and the liver-spleen attenuation ratio index (LSR) on computed tomography: normal liver group (n=121, no evidence of bright liver on US and LSR >1); fatty liver group (n=46, bright liver on US and LSR 5 days a week (n=18) were excluded from the analysis. The velocities measured by ARFI in the normal and fatty liver groups were compared using the two one-sided test. The mean (SD) velocity measured in the normal and fatty liver groups were 1.03 (0.12) m/s and 1.02 (0.12) m/s, respectively. The ARFI results of the fatty liver group were similar to those of the normal liver group (P<0.0001). This study suggested that fat deposition in the liver does not affect the liver stiffness measurement determined by ARFI. (author)

  19. Combination of elastography and tissue quantification using the acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) technology for differential diagnosis of breast masses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tozaki, Mitsuhiro; Isobe, Sachiko; Sakamoto, Masaaki

    2012-10-01

    We evaluated the diagnostic performance of elastography and tissue quantification using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) technology for differential diagnosis of breast masses. There were 161 mass lesions. First, lesion correspondence on ARFI elastographic images to those on the B-mode images was evaluated: no findings on ARFI images (pattern 1), lesions that were bright inside (pattern 2), lesions that were dark inside (pattern 4), lesions that contained both bright and dark areas (pattern 3). In addition, pattern 4 was subdivided into 4a (dark area same as B-mode lesion) and 4b (dark area larger than lesion). Next, shear wave velocity (SWV) was measured using virtual touch tissue quantification. There were 13 pattern 1 lesions and five pattern 2 lesions; all of these lesions were benign, whereas all pattern 4b lesions (n = 43) were malignant. When the value of 3.59 m/s was chosen as the cutoff value, the combination of elastography and tissue quantification showed 91 % (83-91) sensitivity, 93 % (65-70) specificity, and 92 % (148-161) accuracy. The combination of elastography and tissue quantification is thought to be a promising ultrasound technique for differential diagnosis of breast-mass lesions.

  20. Sit-to-stand ground reaction force characteristics in blind and sighted female children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faraji Aylar, Mozhgan; Jafarnezhadgero, Amir Ali; Salari Esker, Fatemeh

    2018-03-05

    The association between visual sensory and sit-to-stand ground reaction force characteristics is not clear. Impulse is the amount of force applied over a period of time. Also, free moment represents the vertical moment applied in the center of pressure (COP). How the ground reaction force components, vertical loading rate, impulses and free moment respond to long and short term restricted visual information? Fifteen female children with congenital blindness and 45 healthy girls with no visual impairments participated in this study. The girls with congenital blindness were placed in one group and the 45 girls with no visual impairments were randomly divided into three groups of 15; eyes open, permanently eyes closed, and temporary eyes closed. The participants in the permanently eyes closed group closed their eyes for 20 min before the test, whereas temporary eyes closed group did tests with their eyes closed throughout, and those in the eyes open group kept their eyes open. Congenital blindness was associated with increased vertical loading rate, range of motion of knee and hip in the medio-lateral plane. Also, medio-lateral and vertical ground reaction force impulses. Similar peak negative and positive free moments were observed in three groups. In conclusion, the results reveal that sit-to-stand ground reaction force components in blind children may have clinical importance for improvement of balance control of these individuals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Impulse position control algorithms for nonlinear systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sesekin, A. N., E-mail: sesekin@list.ru [Ural Federal University, 19 S. Mira, Ekaterinburg, 620002 (Russian Federation); Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics, Ural Division of Russian Academy of Sciences, 16 S. Kovalevskaya, Ekaterinburg, 620990 (Russian Federation); Nepp, A. N., E-mail: anepp@urfu.ru [Ural Federal University, 19 S. Mira, Ekaterinburg, 620002 (Russian Federation)

    2015-11-30

    The article is devoted to the formalization and description of impulse-sliding regime in nonlinear dynamical systems that arise in the application of impulse position controls of a special kind. The concept of trajectory impulse-sliding regime formalized as some limiting network element Euler polygons generated by a discrete approximation of the impulse position control This paper differs from the previously published papers in that it uses a definition of solutions of systems with impulse controls, it based on the closure of the set of smooth solutions in the space of functions of bounded variation. The need for the study of such regimes is the fact that they often arise when parry disturbances acting on technical or economic control system.

  2. Impulse position control algorithms for nonlinear systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sesekin, A. N.; Nepp, A. N.

    2015-11-01

    The article is devoted to the formalization and description of impulse-sliding regime in nonlinear dynamical systems that arise in the application of impulse position controls of a special kind. The concept of trajectory impulse-sliding regime formalized as some limiting network element Euler polygons generated by a discrete approximation of the impulse position control This paper differs from the previously published papers in that it uses a definition of solutions of systems with impulse controls, it based on the closure of the set of smooth solutions in the space of functions of bounded variation. The need for the study of such regimes is the fact that they often arise when parry disturbances acting on technical or economic control system.

  3. Destabilizing Effects of Impulse in Delayed Bam Neural Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chuandong; Li, Chaojie; Liu, Chao

    This paper further studies the global exponential stability of the equilibrium point of the delayed bidirectional associative memory (DBAM) neural networks with impulse effects. Several results characterizing the aggregated effects of impulse and dynamical property of the impulse-free DBAM on the exponential stability of the considered DBAM have been established. It is shown that the impulsive DBAM will preserve the global exponential stability of the impulse-free DBAM even if the impulses have enlarging effects on the states of neurons.

  4. Diagnostic value of coustic radiation force impulse for BI-RADS category 4 breast lesions of different sizes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Rong

    2018-04-14

    To determine the diagnostic value of combined conventional ultrasound (US) and acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging for the differential diagnosis of BI-RADS category 4 breast lesions of different sizes. From April 2013 to January 2015, 283 patients (with a total of 292 breast lesions) who underwent US and ARFI examination were included in this retrospective study. The SWV for the lesion and adjacent normal breast tissue were measured and the SWV ratio was calculated. VTI grade was also assessed. The lesions were separated into three groups on the basis of size, and two combinations of ARFI parameters (SWV + VTI and SWV ratio + VTI) were applied to reassess the BI-RADS categories. Diagnoses were confirmed by pathological examination after biopsy or surgery. ROC analysis was performed to assess the diagnostic efficiency of each method. The Z test was used to compare the difference between AUC of the two methods. Significant improvement was seen in the diagnostic performance of US with the use of the ARFI parameters SWV + VTI (77/179 [43.0%] of BI-RADS category 4A breast lesions were downgraded) and SWV ratio + VTI (64/179 [35.8%] of BI-RADS category 4A breast lesions were downgraded, including two malignant cases that were misdiagnosed as benign) (P BI-RADS category 4 breast lesions. The combination of SWV ratio + VTI can improve BI-RADS classification of small lesions (<10 mm size).

  5. Impulsive synchronization of Chen's hyperchaotic system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haeri, Mohammad; Dehghani, Mahsa

    2006-01-01

    In this Letter the impulsive synchronization of the Chen's hyperchaotic systems is discussed. Some new and sufficient conditions on varying impulsive distance are established in order to guarantee the synchronizabillity of the systems using the synchronization method. In particular, some simple conditions are derived in synchronizing the systems by equal impulsive distances. Two illustrative examples are provided to show the feasibility and the effectiveness of the proposed method. The boundaries of the stable regions are also estimated

  6. Ballistic impulse gauge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ault, Stanley K.

    1993-01-01

    A gauge for detecting the impulse generated in sample materials by X-rays or other impulse producing mechanisms utilizes a pair of flat annular springs to support a plunger relative to a housing which may itself be supported by a pair of flat annular springs in a second housing. The plunger has a mounting plate mounted on one end and at the other, a position or velocity transducer is mounted. The annular springs consist of an outer ring and an inner ring with at least three arcuate members connecting the outer ring with the inner ring.

  7. Impulsive action and motivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frijda, Nico H

    2010-07-01

    This paper explores the way in which emotions are causal determinants of action. It argues that emotional events, as appraised by the individual, elicit changes in motive states (called states of action readiness), which in turn may (or may not) cause action. Actions can be elicited automatically, without prior intention (called impulsive actions), or intentionally. Impulsive actions reflect the simplest and biologically most general form in which emotions can cause action, since they require no reflection, no foresight, and no planning. Impulsive actions are determined conjointly by the nature of action readiness, the affordances perceived in the eliciting event as appraised, and the individual's action repertoire. Those actions from one's repertoire are performed that both match the perceived affordances and the aim of the state of action readiness. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Behind impulsive suicide attempts: indications from a community study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wyder, Marianne; De Leo, Diego

    2007-12-01

    A considerable proportion of suicide attempts are made on impulse. However, knowledge of characteristics of impulsive attempters is still limited. The present study investigated some of these characteristics and aimed to identify the pattern (if any) of suicidal ideation before an impulsive attempt. Data from a randomized and stratified population of 5130 individuals from Brisbane, Australia, were analysed. Computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) were adopted to recruit subjects. Those reporting previous suicidal behaviour were sent a questionnaire by mail. One hundred and twelve subjects reported a suicide attempt. One quarter of these described a pattern consistent with an impulsive attempt. Most impulsive attempters experienced suicidal thoughts before their attempt. They were less likely to believe that their attempt would cause death, and less likely to experience depression. Impulsive attempters did not differ significantly from non-impulsive attempters in regards to age, gender, and motivations for the attempt. Surprisingly, no differences in mean scores of trait impulsivity between impulsive and non-impulsive attempters were found. In addition, the majority of suicide attempters (whether impulsive or not) experienced the suicidal process as fluctuating and not as developing along a continuum. The number of attempters who validly entered the study limited our ability to identify potential confounders. Due to the retrospective nature of the survey, the reliability of the information collected may have been affected by recall biases. In addition, as the surveys were administered by mail, it is possible that some questions may have been misinterpreted. The presence of suicidal feelings prior to an attempt constitutes an opportunity for intervention also in impulsive attempters. However, the identification of impulsiveness requires more research efforts.

  9. Comparison between acoustic radiation force impulse quantification data and perfusion-CT parameters in hepatocellular carcinoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Esser, Michael, E-mail: michael.esser@med.uni-tuebingen.de; Schneeweiß, Sven, E-mail: sven.schneeweiss@med.uni-tuebingen.de; Kolb, Manuel, E-mail: manuel.kolb@med.uni-tuebingen.de; Kurucay, Mustafa, E-mail: mustafa.kurucay@med.uni-tuebingen.de; Ruff, Christer, E-mail: christer.ruff@med.uni-tuebingen.de; Nikolaou, Konstantin, E-mail: konstantin.nikolaou@med.uni-tuebingen.de; Horger, Marius, E-mail: marius.horger@med.uni-tuebingen.de

    2017-04-15

    Highlights: • HCC tissue stiffness did not correlate with the degree of tumor vascularization. • HCC tissue stiffness declined while increasing HCC distance to the skin surface. • HCC tissue stiffness showed higher values the larger the respective tumor was. • Poorly differentiated HCCs showed increased values of tumor tissue stiffness. - Abstract: Objective: To find out, if ultrasound elastography of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can predict patterns of tumor perfusion in volume perfusion computed tomography (VPCT). Material and methods: 25 consecutive patients (mean age, 68.9; range, 51–85 years) with liver cirrhosis suspected of HCC underwent VPCT and acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography the same day. Quantitative elasticity values were registered, while blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV) and hepatic perfusion index (HPI) of the HCC lesions were calculated. Additionally, we identified histologic WHO grading, lesion size and localization. The Siemens Acuson S 3000 HELX-System with Virtual Touch™-Software and Siemens Somatom Definition Flash with Syngo{sup ®} software were used. Results: A total of 43 HCC lesions were assessed. Mean shear wave velocity was 2.6 m/s (range, 1.1–4.3 m/s). There was no significant linear correlation between the elasticity values and BF (p = 0.751), BV (p = 0.426) and HPI (p = 0.437). However, elasticity values were higher, the larger the tumor was (p = 0.008). Shear wave velocity declined with increasing distance of the HCC to the skin surface (p = 0.028) and depending on liver segment. In addition, elasticity values were higher in less differentiated HCCs. This trend was not statistically significant (p = 0.842). Conclusion: Tissue elasticity in HCC does not correlate with the degree of tumor vascularization, but calculated values are influenced both by the tumor size and localization inside the liver.

  10. Role of acoustic radiation force impulse elastography in the characterization of focal solid hepatic lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harshavardhan Nagolu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The purpose of the study is to investigate the usefulness of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI elastography in the characterization of focal solid liver lesions as benign, malignant, or metastatic using ARFI two-dimensional (2D imaging and ARFI quantification (shear wave velocities [SWVs]. Materials and Methods: Sixty lesions were included in this study. The lesions were classified into three groups: Group I included benign lesions (n = 25, Group II included malignant lesions (n = 27, and Group III included metastatic lesions (n = 8. ARFI elastography was performed in all these patients using a Siemens ACUSON S 2000TM ultrasound machine. Stiffness and size of the lesions were assessed on ARFI 2D images in correlation with B-mode ultrasound images. SWVs were obtained in these lesions for the quantification of stiffness. Results: In ARFI 2D images, malignant lesions were predominantly stiffer and larger, while benign lesions were softer and similar in size (P < 0.05. The mean SWVs in benign, malignant, and metastatic lesions were 1.30 ± 0.35 m/s, 2.93 ± 0.75 m/s, and 2.77 ± 0.90 m/s, respectively. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of SWV for differentiating benign from malignant lesions was 0.877, suggesting fair accuracy (95% confidence interval: 0.777–0.976; with a cutoff value of 2 m/s, showing sensitivity: 92%; specificity: 96%; positive predictive value: 96%; negative predictive value: 93% (P < 0.05. Statistically significant difference exists in SWV of benign and malignant or metastatic lesions. Conclusion: ARFI elastography with 2D imaging and quantification might be useful in the characterization of benign and malignant liver lesions.

  11. The error-related negativity (ERN is an electrophysiological marker of motor impulsiveness on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11 during adolescence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jasmine B. Taylor

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Previous studies have postulated that the error-related negativity (ERN may reflect individual differences in impulsivity; however, none have used a longitudinal framework or evaluated impulsivity as a multidimensional construct. The current study evaluated whether ERN amplitude, measured in childhood and adolescence, is predictive of impulsiveness during adolescence. Methods: Seventy-five children participated in this study, initially at ages 7–9 years and again at 12–18 years. The interval between testing sessions ranged from 5 to 9 years. The ERN was extracted in response to behavioural errors produced during a modified visual flanker task at both time points (i.e. childhood and adolescence. Participants also completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale − a measure that considers impulsiveness to comprise three core sub-traits − during adolescence. Results: At adolescence, the ERN amplitude was significantly larger than during childhood. Additionally, ERN amplitude during adolescence significantly predicted motor impulsiveness at that time point, after controlling for age, gender, and the number of trials included in the ERN. In contrast, ERN amplitude during childhood did not uniquely predict impulsiveness during adolescence. Conclusions: These findings provide preliminary evidence that ERN amplitude is an electrophysiological marker of self-reported motor impulsiveness (i.e. acting without thinking during adolescence. Keywords: Error-related negativity, ERN, Impulsivity, BIS, Development, Adolescence

  12. Factors that influence ground reaction force profiles during counter movement jumping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eagles, Alexander N; Sayers, Mark G; Lovell, Dale I

    2017-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine how hip, knee and ankle kinetics and kinematics influence effective impulse production during countermovement jumps. Eighteen semi-professional soccer players (22.8±2.2 years) volunteered to participate in the study. Participants completed three maximal countermovement jumps on two force platforms (1000 Hz) that were linked to a nine camera infrared motion capture system (500 Hz). Kinetic and kinematic data revealed jumpers who fail to achieve uniform ground reaction force curves that result in optimal impulse production during their jump always display hip adduction and or hip internal rotation during the concentric phase of the countermovement jump. The variation of hip adduction and or internal rotation likely represents failed joint transition during the concentric phase of the countermovement jump and appears to account for a non-uniform force trace seen in these jumpers. The findings suggest rehabilitation and conditioning exercises for injury prevention and performance may benefit from targeting frontal and transverse plane movement.

  13. Generalized synchronization via impulsive control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Rong; Xu Zhenyuan; Yang, Simon X.; He Xueming

    2008-01-01

    This paper demonstrates theoretically that two completely different systems can implement GS via impulsive control, moreover by using impulsive control, for a given manifold y = H(x) we construct a response system to achieve GS with drive system and the synchronization manifold is y = H(x). Our theoretical results are supported by numerical examples

  14. Cognitive control training for emotion-related impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peckham, Andrew D; Johnson, Sheri L

    2018-06-01

    Many forms of psychopathology are tied to a heightened tendency to respond impulsively to strong emotions, and this tendency, in turn, is closely tied to problems with cognitive control. The goal of the present study was to test whether a two-week, six-session cognitive control training program is efficacious in reducing emotion-related impulsivity. Participants (N = 52) reporting elevated scores on an emotion-related impulsivity measure completed cognitive control training targeting working memory and response inhibition. A subset of participants were randomized to a waitlist control group. Impulsivity, emotion regulation, and performance on near and far-transfer cognitive tasks were assessed at baseline and after completion of training. Emotion-related impulsivity declined significantly from pre-training to post-training and at two-week follow-up; improvements were not observed in the waitlist control group. A decrease in brooding rumination and an increase in reappraisal were also observed. Participants showed significant improvements on trained versions of the working memory and inhibition tasks as well as improvements on an inhibition transfer task. In sum, these preliminary findings show that cognitive training appears to be well-tolerated for people with significant emotion-driven impulsivity. Results provide preliminary support for the efficacy of cognitive training interventions as a way to reduce emotion-related impulsivity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Impulsivity in bipolar disorders in a Tunisian sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feki, Ines; Moalla, Mariem; Baati, Imen; Trigui, Dorsaf; Sellami, Rim; Masmoudi, Jaweher

    2016-08-01

    Impulsivity as a trait characteristic is increased in bipolar disorder and may be a core factor of the illness. The objectives of our work are to evaluate the level of impulsivity among patients with bipolar disorder and to study its relation with mood state, alcohol misuse, suicide attempts and other socio-demographic and clinical factors. We measured impulsivity in 60 subjects with bipolar disorder in relationship to socio-demographic and clinical variables. The subjects completed Data included socio-demographic details and clinical variables, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) in an Arabic version to assess impulsivity, The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview "MINI" version 05 to screen for alcohol abuse or dependence and mood graphic rate scale (MGRS) to evaluate mood state. Our results show that the mean score of BIS-11 was 71.5. Fifty-five per cent of the patients had a high level of impulsiveness. No differences were found relating to mood state. Impulsivity was related to Male gender, lower educational level, early age of onset, smoking, alcohol and drug misuse and prior suicide attempts. The treatment of patients with BD should consider to reduce impulsivity to improve morbidity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Impulsivity in remitted depression: a meta-analytical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saddichha, Sahoo; Schuetz, Christian

    2014-06-01

    Depressive disorder and suicide have been associated with impulsivity in several studies. This paper aimed to review measures of trait impulsivity in remitted depressive disorder. We used keywords "impulsivity and depression"; "impulsivity and depressive disorder" to narrow down our search on Medline, EMBASE and Psychinfo to include those studies that had reported impulsivity scores using validated and reliable assessment measures in remitted depressive disorder. We searched all English language studies from 1990 to December 2012 with 9 reports meeting the inclusion criteria for depression, which were then reviewed by the two reviewers independently. We generated weighted mean differences (WMDs) for depression from the pooled data using RevManager 5.1 from Cochrane analysis. The Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) 11 was the instrument commonly used in depression. 9 studies met inclusion criteria in depression, which yielded a WMD of 10.12 on BIS 11 total scores. There is a strong association of impulsivity and depression, which persists even in remission. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Comparison among various methods of assessment of impulsiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrillo-de-la-Peña, M T; Otero, J M; Romero, E

    1993-10-01

    The current confused status of the research on impulsivity may be attributed to the lack of precise definitions, the reliance of most operationalizations on a single index, and inconsistency among different measures of the construct. Empirical measurements of impulsivity by self-reports, rating scales, or performance tasks suggest that the instruments employed measure aspects that have very little in common, a finding that throws serious doubts on the validity of the construct and implies a need for further research. To clarify this topic, we applied four different measures of impulsivity to 46 7th-grade (12 to 13 years old) schoolchildren. The children were rated by their teachers on an impulsivity behavior scale and were administered Kagan's Matching Familiar Figures Test, Version MFF-20, and two self-report forms, the Eysenck Impulsiveness Questionnaire, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Although the results confirmed the lack of convergence among these measures, high latencies on matching were associated with the cognitive aspect of the self-report scales. Treating impulsivity as a multidimensional construct is discussed.

  18. A high temperature superconducting impulse generator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Locker, J.R.; Geers, S.

    1992-01-01

    A mechanism based upon the Superconducting Vector Switch (SVS) effect displays the property of impulse generation. In this paper the principle of operation of this impulse generator is discussed. Experimental results and analytical predictions are presented

  19. Impulse oscillometry: a measure for airway obstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vink, Geraldine R; Arets, Hubertus G M; van der Laag, Johan; van der Ent, Cornelis K

    2003-03-01

    The impulse oscillometry system (IOS) was introduced as a new technique to assess airflow obstruction in patients who are not able to perform forced breathing maneuvers, e.g., subjects with cerebral palsy or severe mental retardation, and young children. This study evaluates the sensitivity and specificity of IOS parameters to quantify changes in airflow obstruction in comparison with forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV(1)) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements. Measurements of FEV(1), PEF, and resistance (R) and reactance (X) at frequencies of 5-35 Hz were performed in 19 children with asthma before, during, and after methacholine challenge and subsequent bronchodilatation. All parameters changed significantly during tests. Values of R5 and R10 correlated with FEV(1) (r = -0.71 and -0.73, respectively, P operating characteristic (ROC) curve to predict a 15% fall in FEV(1) showed better sensitivity and specificity for R5 (area under the curve, 0.85) compared to PEF (0.79) or R10 (0.73). We conclude that IOS parameters can be easily used as an indirect measure of airflow obstruction. This might be helpful in patients who are not able to perform forced breathing maneuvers. In individual subjects, R values measured at 5 Hz showed to be superior to PEF measurements in the detection of a 15% fall in FEV(1). Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  20. Milnacipran affects mouse impulsive, aggressive, and depressive-like behaviors in a distinct dose-dependent manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsutsui-Kimura, Iku; Ohmura, Yu; Yoshida, Takayuki; Yoshioka, Mitsuhiro

    2017-07-01

    Serotonin/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are widely used for the treatment for major depressive disorder, but these drugs induce several side effects including increased aggression and impulsivity, which are risk factors for substance abuse, criminal involvement, and suicide. To address this issue, milnacipran (0, 3, 10, or 30 mg/kg), an SNRI and antidepressant, was intraperitoneally administered to mice prior to the 3-choice serial reaction time task, resident-intruder test, and forced swimming test to measure impulsive, aggressive, and depressive-like behaviors, respectively. A milnacipran dose of 10 mg/kg suppressed all behaviors, which was accompanied by increased dopamine and serotonin levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) but not in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Although the most effective dose for depressive-like behavior was 30 mg/kg, the highest dose increased aggressive behavior and unaffected impulsive behavior. Increased dopamine levels in the NAc could be responsible for the effects. In addition, the mice basal impulsivity was negatively correlated with the latency to the first agonistic behavior. Thus, the optimal dose range of milnacipran is narrower than previously thought. Finding drugs that increase serotonin and dopamine levels in the mPFC without affecting dopamine levels in the NAc is a potential strategy for developing novel antidepressants. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Elastography for Focal Hepatic Tumors: Usefulness for Differentiating Hemangiomas from Malignant Tumors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Ji Eun [Department of Radiology, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju 660-702 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jae Young [Department of Radiology and Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of); Bae, Kyung Soo [Department of Radiology, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju 660-702 (Korea, Republic of); Han, Joon Koo; Choi, Byung Ihn [Department of Radiology and Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744 (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-07-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate whether acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography with ARFI quantification and ARFI 2-dimensional (2D) imaging is useful for differentiating hepatic hemangiomas from malignant hepatic tumors. One-hundred-and-one tumors in 74 patients were included in this study: 28 hemangiomas, 26 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), three cholangiocarcinomas (CCCs), 20 colon cancer metastases and 24 other metastases. B-mode ultrasound, ARFI 2D imaging, and ARFI quantification were performed in all tumors. Shear wave velocities (SWVs) of the tumors and the adjacent liver and their SWV differences were compared among the tumor groups. The ARFI 2D images were compared with B-mode images regarding the stiffness, conspicuity and size of the tumors. The mean SWV of the hemangiomas was significantly lower than the malignant hepatic tumor groups: hemangiomas, 1.80 ± 0.57 m/sec; HCCs, 2.66 ± 0.94 m/sec; CCCs, 3.27 ± 0.64 m/sec; colon cancer metastases, 3.70 ± 0.61 m/sec; and other metastases, 2.82 ± 0.96 m/sec (p < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of SWV for differentiating hemangiomas from malignant tumors was 0.86, with a sensitivity of 96.4% and a specificity of 65.8% at a cut-off value of 2.73 m/sec (p < 0.05). In the ARFI 2D images, the malignant tumors except HCCs were stiffer and more conspicuous as compared with the hemangiomas (p < 0.05). ARFI elastography with ARFI quantification and ARFI 2D imaging may be useful for differentiating hepatic hemangiomas from malignant hepatic tumors.

  2. Training impulsive choices for healthy and sustainable food

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veling, H.P.; Chen, Z.; Tombrock, M.C.; Verpaalen, I.A.M.; Schmitz, L.I.; Dijksterhuis, A.J.; Holland, R.W.

    2017-01-01

    Many people find it hard to change their dietary choices. Food choice often occurs impulsively, without deliberation, and it has been unclear whether impulsive food choice can be experimentally created. Across 3 exploratory and 2 confirmatory preregistered experiments we examined whether impulsive

  3. Impulsive phase of solar flares: theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mackinnon, A.L.

    1986-01-01

    The paper reviews the theoretical interpretation of impulsive phase phenomena in solar flares. The impulsive phase is defined to be that period of approx. 10 - 100s duration, during which the flare radiative output undergoes its most rapid, dramatic increase and decrease. The interpretation of the various impulsive phase radiation signatures are examined, including the i) hard x-ray emission, ii) radio emission, iii) UV, Hα and white light emissions and iv) gamma-ray emission. The acceleration mechanisms are discussed with respect to candidate acceleration mechanisms, and the synthesis of the theory and observations. (UK)

  4. High impulsivity predicting vulnerability to cocaine addiction in rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Molander, Anna C; Mar, Adam; Norbury, Agnes

    2011-01-01

    RATIONALE: Impulsivity is a vulnerability marker for drug addiction in which other behavioural traits such as anxiety and novelty seeking ('sensation seeking') are also widely present. However, inter-relationships between impulsivity, novelty seeking and anxiety traits are poorly understood...... increasing or decreasing impulsivity in SHI and SLI rats, did reduce the contrast in impulsivity between these two groups of animals. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation indicates that behavioural impulsivity in rats on the 5-CSRTT, which predicts vulnerability for cocaine addiction, is distinct from anxiety...

  5. Characteristics of individuals who make impulsive suicide attempts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spokas, Megan; Wenzel, Amy; Brown, Gregory K; Beck, Aaron T

    2012-02-01

    Previous research has identified only a few variables that have been associated with making an impulsive suicide attempt. The aim of the current study was to compare individuals who made an impulsive suicide attempt with those who made a premeditated attempt on both previously examined and novel characteristics. Participants were classified as making an impulsive or premeditated attempt based on the Suicide Intent Scale (Beck et al., 1974a) and were compared on a number of characteristics relevant to suicidality, psychiatric history, and demographics. Individuals who made an impulsive attempt expected that their attempts would be less lethal; yet the actual lethality of both groups' attempts was similar. Those who made an impulsive attempt were less depressed and hopeless than those who made a premeditated attempt. Participants who made an impulsive attempt were less likely to report a history of childhood sexual abuse and more likely to be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder than those who made a premeditated attempt. Although the sample size was adequate for bivariate statistics, future studies using larger sample sizes will allow for multivariate analyses of characteristics that differentiate individuals who make impulsive and premeditated attempts. Clinicians should not minimize the significance of impulsive attempts, as they are associated with a similar level of lethality as premeditated attempts. Focusing mainly on depression and hopelessness as indicators of suicide risk has the potential to under-identify those who are at risk for making impulsive attempts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Individual differences in impulsivity predict anticipatory eye movements.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laetitia Cirilli

    Full Text Available Impulsivity is the tendency to act without forethought. It is a personality trait commonly used in the diagnosis of many psychiatric diseases. In clinical practice, impulsivity is estimated using written questionnaires. However, answers to questions might be subject to personal biases and misinterpretations. In order to alleviate this problem, eye movements could be used to study differences in decision processes related to impulsivity. Therefore, we investigated correlations between impulsivity scores obtained with a questionnaire in healthy subjects and characteristics of their anticipatory eye movements in a simple smooth pursuit task. Healthy subjects were asked to answer the UPPS questionnaire (Urgency Premeditation Perseverance and Sensation seeking Impulsive Behavior scale, which distinguishes four independent dimensions of impulsivity: Urgency, lack of Premeditation, lack of Perseverance, and Sensation seeking. The same subjects took part in an oculomotor task that consisted of pursuing a target that moved in a predictable direction. This task reliably evoked anticipatory saccades and smooth eye movements. We found that eye movement characteristics such as latency and velocity were significantly correlated with UPPS scores. The specific correlations between distinct UPPS factors and oculomotor anticipation parameters support the validity of the UPPS construct and corroborate neurobiological explanations for impulsivity. We suggest that the oculomotor approach of impulsivity put forth in the present study could help bridge the gap between psychiatry and physiology.

  7. Advantage of impulse oscillometry over spirometry to diagnose chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and monitor pulmonary responses to bronchodilators: An observational study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Constantine Saadeh

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: This retrospective study was a comparative analysis of sensitivity of impulse oscillometry and spirometry techniques for use in a mixed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease group for assessing disease severity and inhalation therapy. Methods: A total of 30 patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were monitored by impulse oscillometry, followed by spirometry. Lung function was measured at baseline after bronchodilation and at follow-up (3–18 months. The impulse oscillometry parameters were resistance in the small and large airways at 5 Hz (R5, resistance in the large airways at 15 Hz (R15, and lung reactance (area under the curve X; AX. Results: After the bronchodilator therapy, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1 readings evaluated by spirometry were unaffected at baseline and at follow-up, while impulse oscillometry detected an immediate improvement in lung function, in terms of AX (p = 0.043. All impulse oscillometry parameters significantly improved at follow-up, with a decrease in AX by 37% (p = 0.0008, R5 by 20% (p = 0.0011, and R15 by 12% (p = 0.0097. Discussion: Impulse oscillometry parameters demonstrated greater sensitivity compared with spirometry for monitoring reversibility of airway obstruction and the effect of maintenance therapy. Impulse oscillometry may facilitate early treatment dose optimization and personalized medicine for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

  8. Reconsidering the link between impulsivity and suicidal behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anestis, Michael D; Soberay, Kelly A; Gutierrez, Peter M; Hernández, Theresa D; Joiner, Thomas E

    2014-11-01

    It is widely accepted that suicidal behavior often occurs with little planning. We propose, however, that suicidal behavior is rarely if ever impulsive-that it is too frightening and physically distressing to engage in without forethought-and that suicidal behavior in impulsive individuals is accounted for by painful and fearsome behaviors capable of enhancing their capacity for suicide. We conducted a meta-analysis of the association between trait impulsivity and suicidal behavior and a critical review of research considering the impulsiveness of specific suicide attempts. Meta-analytic results suggest the relationship between trait impulsivity and suicidal behavior is small. Furthermore, studies examining a mediating role of painful and provocative behaviors have uniformly supported our model. Results from our review suggest that researchers have been unable to adequately measure impulsivity of attempts and that measures sensitive to episodic planning must be developed to further our understanding of this phenomenon. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

  9. Impulsivity in self-mutilative behavior: psychometric and biological findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herpertz, S; Sass, H; Favazza, A

    1997-01-01

    This paper examines impulsivity as a central factor in moderate/superficial self-mutilation such as skin-cutting and burning. A sample of 165 subjects were divided into four groups, namely self-mutilators, patients with any modes of impulsive behavior other than self-mutilation, patients without any impulsive behavior, and normal probands. All were administered the 10th version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, and the Inventory for the Assessment of Factors of Aggressiveness. They also were interviewed carefully in regards to both impulsive and self-mutilative behavior. A d-fenfluramine challenge test was administered to 36 females and prolactin levels were measured. On the whole results implicate impulsive personality functioning as a major factor in subjects with moderate/superficial self-mutilative behavior whose trait pathology is similar to personality disordered patients with other modes of self-harming impulsive behavior.

  10. Virtual touch tissue quantification of acoustic radiation force impulse: a new ultrasound elastic imaging in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-Feng Zhang

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Virtual touch tissue quantification (VTQ of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI is a new quantitative technique to measure tissue stiffness. The study was aimed to assess the usefulness of VTQ in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules. METHODS: 173 pathologically proven thyroid nodules in 142 patients were included and all were examined by conventional ultrasound (US, conventional elasticity imaging (EI and VTQ of ARFI. The tissue stiffness for VTQ was expressed as shear wave velocity (SWV (m/s. Receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance. Intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of VTQ measurement was assessed. RESULTS: The SWVs of benign and malignant thyroid nodules were 2.34±1.17 m/s (range: 0.61-9.00 m/s and 4.82±2.53 m/s (range: 2.32-9.00 m/s respectively (P20 mm and lowest for those ≤10 mm. The correlation coefficients were 0.904 for intraobserver measurement and 0.864 for interobserver measurement. CONCLUSIONS: VTQ of ARFI provides quantitative and reproducible information about the tissue stiffness, which is useful for the differentiation between benign and malignant thyroid nodules. The diagnostic performance of VTQ is higher than that of conventional EI.

  11. Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Elastography for Efficacy Evaluation after Hepatocellular Carcinoma Radiofrequency Ablation: A Comparative Study with Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaohong Xu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To explore acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI elastography in assessing residual tumors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC after radiofrequency ablation (RFA. Materials and Methods. There were 83 HCC lesions among 72 patients. All patients were examined with ARFI, contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS, and CT or MRI. Tumor brightness on virtual touch tissue imaging (VTI and shear wave velocity (SWV were assessed before and approximately one month after RFA. Results. There were 14 residual tumors after RFA. VTI showed that all the tumors were darker after RFA. VTI was not able to distinguish the ablated lesions and the residual tumors. 13 residual tumor lesions were detected by CEUS. All completely ablated nodules had SWV demonstration of x.xx., while with those residual nodules, 6 tumors had x.xx measurement and 8 tumors had measurable SWV. nine lesions with residual tumors occurred in cirrhosis subjects and 5 lesions with residual tumors occurred in fibrosis subjects; there was no residual tumor in the normal liver subjects. Conclusion. VTI technique cannot demonstrate residual tumor post RFA. While SWV measurement of less than x.xx is likely associated with residual tumors, measurement of less than x.xx cannot exclude residual tumors. Liver cirrhosis is associated with decreased chance of a complete ablation.

  12. Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Elastography for Efficacy Evaluation after Hepatocellular Carcinoma Radiofrequency Ablation: A Comparative Study with Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xiaohong; Luo, Liangping; Chen, Jiexin; Wang, Jiexin; Zhou, Honglian; Li, Mingyi; Jin, Zhanqiang; Chen, Nianping; Miao, Huilai; Lin, Manzhou; Dai, Wei; Ahuja, Anil T.; Wang, Yi-Xiang J.

    2014-01-01

    Aim. To explore acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in assessing residual tumors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Materials and Methods. There were 83 HCC lesions among 72 patients. All patients were examined with ARFI, contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and CT or MRI. Tumor brightness on virtual touch tissue imaging (VTI) and shear wave velocity (SWV) were assessed before and approximately one month after RFA. Results. There were 14 residual tumors after RFA. VTI showed that all the tumors were darker after RFA. VTI was not able to distinguish the ablated lesions and the residual tumors. 13 residual tumor lesions were detected by CEUS. All completely ablated nodules had SWV demonstration of x.xx., while with those residual nodules, 6 tumors had x.xx measurement and 8 tumors had measurable SWV. nine lesions with residual tumors occurred in cirrhosis subjects and 5 lesions with residual tumors occurred in fibrosis subjects; there was no residual tumor in the normal liver subjects. Conclusion. VTI technique cannot demonstrate residual tumor post RFA. While SWV measurement of less than x.xx is likely associated with residual tumors, measurement of less than x.xx cannot exclude residual tumors. Liver cirrhosis is associated with decreased chance of a complete ablation. PMID:24895624

  13. Domain-Specific Impulsivity in School-Age Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsukayama, Eli; Duckworth, Angela Lee; Kim, Betty

    2013-01-01

    Impulsivity is a salient individual difference in children with well-established predictive validity for life outcomes. The current investigation proposes that impulsive behaviors vary systematically by domain. In a series of studies with ethnically and socioeconomically diverse samples of middle school students, we find that schoolwork-related and interpersonal-related impulsivity, as observed by teachers, parents, and the students themselves, are distinct, moderately correlated behavioral tendencies. Each demonstrates differentiated relationships with dimensions of childhood temperament, Big Five personality factors, and outcomes, such as sociometric popularity, report card grades, and classroom conduct. Implications for theoretical conceptions of impulsivity as well as for practical applications (e.g., domain-specific interventions) are discussed. PMID:24118714

  14. Impulsivity and Suicidality in Adolescent Inpatients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auerbach, Randy P; Stewart, Jeremy G; Johnson, Sheri L

    2017-01-01

    Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents, and impulsivity has emerged as a promising marker of risk. The present study tested whether distinct domains of impulsivity are differentially associated with suicide ideation, plans, and attempts. Adolescents (n = 381; boys = 106, girls = 275) aged 13-19 years (M = 15.62, SD = 1.41) were recruited from an acute, residential treatment program. Within 48 h of admission to the hospital, participants were administered structured clinical interviews assessing mental health disorders and suicidality. Following these interviews, participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing symptom severity and impulsivity. Consistent with past research, an exploratory factor analysis of our 90-item impulsivity instrument resulted in a three-factor solution: Pervasive Influence of Feelings, Feelings Trigger Action, and Lack of Follow-Through. Concurrent analysis of these factors confirmed hypotheses of unique associations with suicide ideation and attempts in the past month. Specifically, whereas Pervasive Influence of Feelings (i.e., tendency for emotions to shape thoughts about the self and the future) is uniquely associated with greater suicidal ideation, Feelings Trigger Action (i.e., impulsive behavioral reactivity to emotions) is uniquely associated with the occurrence of suicide attempts, even after controlling for current psychiatric diagnoses and symptoms. Exploratory gender analyses revealed that these effects were significant in female but not male adolescents. These findings provide new insight about how specific domains of impulsivity differentially increase risk for suicide ideation and attempts. Implications for early identification and prevention of youth suicide are discussed.

  15. [Impulsiveness Among Short-Term Prisoners with Antisocial Personality Disorder].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lang, Fabian U; Otte, Stefanie; Vasic, Nenad; Jäger, Markus; Dudeck, Manuela

    2015-07-01

    The study aimed to investigate the correlation between impulsiveness and the antisocial personality disorder among short-term prisoners. The impulsiveness was diagnosed by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). Short-term prisoners with antisocial personality disorder scored significant higher marks on the BIS total scale than those without any personality disorder. In detail, they scored higher marks on each subscale regarding attentional, motor and nonplanning impulsiveness. Moderate and high effects were calculated. It is to be considered to regard impulsivity as a conceptual component of antisociality. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  16. Shear wave velocity measurements using acoustic radiation force impulse in young children with normal kidneys versus hydronephrotic kidneys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shon, Beom Seok; Kim, Myung Joon; Han, Sang Won; Im, Young Jae; Lee, Mi Jung

    2014-01-01

    To measure shear wave velocities (SWVs) by acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) ultrasound elastography in normal kidneys and in hydronephrotic kidneys in young children and to compare SWVs between the hydronephrosis grades. This study was approved by an institutional review board, and informed consent was obtained from the parents of all the children included. Children under the age of 24 months were prospectively enrolled. Hydronephrosis grade was evaluated on ultrasonography, and three valid ARFI measurements were attempted using a high-frequency transducer for both kidneys. Hydronephrosis was graded from 0 to 4, and high-grade hydronephrosis was defined as grades 3 and 4. Fifty-one children underwent ARFI measurements, and three valid measurements for both kidneys were obtained in 96% (49/51) of the patients. Nineteen children (38.8%) had no hydronephrosis. Twenty-three children (46.9%) had unilateral hydronephrosis, and seven children (14.3%) had bilateral hydronephrosis. Seven children had ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). Median SWVs in kidneys with high-grade hydronephrosis (2.02 m/sec) were higher than those in normal kidneys (1.75 m/sec; P=0.027). However, the presence of UPJO did not influence the median SWVs in hydronephrotic kidneys (P=0.362). Obtaining ARFI measurements of the kidney is feasible in young children with median SWVs of 1.75 m/sec in normal kidneys. Median SWVs increased in high-grade hydronephrotic kidneys but were not different between hydronephrotic kidneys with and without UPJO.

  17. Shear wave velocity measurements using acoustic radiation force impulse in young children with normal kidneys versus hydronephrotic kidneys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shon, Beom Seok; Kim, Myung Joon; Han, Sang Won; Im, Young Jae; Lee, Mi Jung [Severance Children' s Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-04-15

    To measure shear wave velocities (SWVs) by acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) ultrasound elastography in normal kidneys and in hydronephrotic kidneys in young children and to compare SWVs between the hydronephrosis grades. This study was approved by an institutional review board, and informed consent was obtained from the parents of all the children included. Children under the age of 24 months were prospectively enrolled. Hydronephrosis grade was evaluated on ultrasonography, and three valid ARFI measurements were attempted using a high-frequency transducer for both kidneys. Hydronephrosis was graded from 0 to 4, and high-grade hydronephrosis was defined as grades 3 and 4. Fifty-one children underwent ARFI measurements, and three valid measurements for both kidneys were obtained in 96% (49/51) of the patients. Nineteen children (38.8%) had no hydronephrosis. Twenty-three children (46.9%) had unilateral hydronephrosis, and seven children (14.3%) had bilateral hydronephrosis. Seven children had ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). Median SWVs in kidneys with high-grade hydronephrosis (2.02 m/sec) were higher than those in normal kidneys (1.75 m/sec; P=0.027). However, the presence of UPJO did not influence the median SWVs in hydronephrotic kidneys (P=0.362). Obtaining ARFI measurements of the kidney is feasible in young children with median SWVs of 1.75 m/sec in normal kidneys. Median SWVs increased in high-grade hydronephrotic kidneys but were not different between hydronephrotic kidneys with and without UPJO.

  18. Muscle size, neuromuscular activation, and rapid force characteristics in elderly men and women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Suetta, C; Aagaard, P; Magnusson, S P

    2007-01-01

    quadriceps muscle cross-sectional area (LCSA), contractile rate of force development (RFD, Delta force/Delta time), impulse (integral force dt), muscle activation deficit (interpolated twitch technique), maximal neuromuscular activity [electromyogram (EMG)], and antagonist muscle coactivation in elderly men......%), contractile RFD (W: 17-26%; M: 15-24%), impulse (W: 10-19%, M: 19-20%), maximal EMG amplitude (W: 22-25%, M: 22-28%), and an increased muscle activation deficit (-18%) compared with UN. Furthermore, women were less strong (AF: 40%; UN: 39%), had less muscle mass (AF: 33%; UN: 34%), and had a lower RFD (AF: 38......-50%; UN: 41-48%) compared with men. Similarly, maximum EMG amplitude was smaller for both agonists (AF: 51-63%; UN: 35-61%) and antagonist (AF: 49-64%; UN: 36-56%) muscles in women compared with men. However, when MVC and RFD were normalized to LCSA, there were no differences between genders. The present...

  19. An Exploration of Taiwanese Adolescents' Impulsive Buying Tendency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chien-Huang; Lin, Hung-Ming

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine via a questionnaire the personal characteristics and impulsive buying tendencies of 15- to 19-year-old Taiwanese adolescents. Results indicated that the impulsive buying was significantly associated with gender, age, and amount of pocket money available. Females indicated more impulsive buying than did…

  20. Lower limb ice application alters ground reaction force during gait initiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thiago B. Muniz

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cryotherapy is a widely used technique in physical therapy clinics and sports. However, the effects of cryotherapy on dynamic neuromuscular control are incompletely explained. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of cryotherapy applied to the calf, ankle and sole of the foot in healthy young adults on ground reaction forces during gait initiation. METHOD: This study evaluated the gait initiation forces, maximum propulsion, braking forces and impulses of 21 women volunteers through a force platform, which provided maximum and minimum ground reaction force values. To assess the effects of cooling, the task - gait initiation - was performed before ice application, immediately after and 30 minutes after removal of the ice pack. Ice was randomly applied on separate days to the calf, ankle and sole of the foot of the participants. RESULTS: It was demonstrated that ice application for 30 minutes to the sole of the foot and calf resulted in significant changes in the vertical force variables, which returned to their pre-application values 30 minutes after the removal of the ice pack. Ice application to the ankle only reduced propulsion impulse. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that although caution is necessary when performing activities that require good gait control, the application of ice to the ankle, sole of the foot or calf in 30-minute intervals may be safe even preceding such activities.

  1. Impulse sales cooler. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pedersen, Per Henrik (DTI, Taastrup (Denmark))

    2010-11-15

    In the past years, the use of impulse coolers has increased considerably and it is estimated that at least 30.000 are installed in shops in Denmark. In addition, there are many small barrel-shaped can coolers. Most impulse coolers are open, which results in a large consumption of energy, and the refrigeration systems are often quite inefficient. A typical impulse cooler uses app. 5 - 8 kWh/day corresponding to a consumption of energy in the magnitude of 60 GWh/year. For several years, the Danish company Vestfrost A/S has produced an impulse sales cooler in the high-efficiency end and the energy consumption of the cooler is measured to be 4.15 kWh/day. The POS72 cooler formed the baseline of this project. At the start-up meeting in 2008, several ideas were discussed with the objective to reduce energy consumption and to use natural refrigerants. Among the ideas were better air curtains, removable lids, better condensers, use of R600a refrigeration system and better insulation. Three generations of prototypes were built and tested in a climate chamber at Danish Technological Institute and the third generation showed very good performance: the energy consumption was measured to 2.215 kWh/day, which is a 47% reduction compared to the baseline. That was achieved by: 1) Improving the cold air cycling system including the air curtain. 2) Using the natural refrigerant R600a (isobutane) and the Danfoss NLE9KTK compressor, which has better efficiency compared to the compressor in the baseline product. 3) Using a box type condenser without fins (preventing dust build-up) and with a relatively high surface area. 4) Improving the insulation value of the plastic cabinet by reducing turbulence in the air gap between the plastic walls and improving the insulation value of the EPS moulded insulation surrounding the refrigeration system at the bottom of the cooler. 5) Preventing short-circuit of warm air around the condenser. 6) The improvements are cost efficient and will not add

  2. Projectile Aerodynamic Jump Due to Lateral Impulsives

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Cooper, Gene

    2003-01-01

    .... The formulation shows for sufficiently long-range target interception; lateral impulse trajectory response for a guided projectile is independent of when the impulse is activated during the yaw cycle...

  3. Is impulsivity a common trait in bipolar and unipolar disorders?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henna, Elaine; Hatch, John P; Nicoletti, Mark; Swann, Alan C; Zunta-Soares, Giovana; Soares, Jair C

    2013-03-01

    Impulsivity is increased in bipolar and unipolar disorders during episodes and is associated with substance abuse disorders and suicide risk. Impulsivity between episodes predisposes to relapses and poor therapeutic compliance. However, there is little information about impulsivity during euthymia in mood disorders. We sought to investigate trait impulsivity in euthymic bipolar and unipolar disorder patients, comparing them to healthy individuals and unaffected relatives of bipolar disorder patients.   Impulsivity was evaluated by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11A) in 54 bipolar disorder patients, 25 unipolar disorder patients, 136 healthy volunteers, and 14 unaffected relatives. The BIS-11A mean scores for all four groups were compared through the Games-Howell test for all possible pairwise combinations. Additionally, we compared impulsivity in bipolar and unipolar disorder patients with and without a history of suicide attempt and substance abuse disorder.   Bipolar and unipolar disorder patients scored significantly higher than the healthy controls and unaffected relatives on all measures of the BIS-11A except for attentional impulsivity. On the attentional impulsivity measures there were no differences among the unaffected relatives and the bipolar and unipolar disorder groups, but all three of these groups scored higher than the healthy participant group. There was no difference in impulsivity between bipolar and unipolar disorder subjects with and without suicide attempt. However, impulsivity was higher among bipolar and unipolar disorder subjects with past substance use disorder compared to patients without such a history.   Questionnaire-measured impulsivity appears to be relatively independent of mood state in bipolar and unipolar disorder patients; it remains elevated in euthymia and is higher in individuals with past substance abuse. Elevated attentional and lower non-planning impulsivity in unaffected relatives of bipolar disorder

  4. Impulsivity, aggression and suicide risk among male schizophrenia patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iancu, Iulian; Bodner, Ehud; Roitman, Suzana; Piccone Sapir, Anna; Poreh, Amir; Kotler, Moshe

    2010-01-01

    Impulsivity has been shown to be a major variable in the etiology of suicide and aggression, but has not been researched as much in the schizophrenic population, which is characterized by serious suicide and aggression risks. 68 male schizophrenia patients responded to a battery of measures including the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the impulsivity control scale (IS), the Suicide Risk Scale (SRS) and the Overt Aggression Scale. We divided our subjects into those who received scores above and below the median on the IS. The high-impulsivity group had higher present and past rates of suicidal ideation and showed a trend for more lifetime suicidal attempts than the low-impulsivity group. The impulsivity score correlated positively with the SRS score and with some of the scores of the PANSS (the positive symptoms score, the general psychopathology score and the total score). A multiple regression analysis revealed that an older age, higher levels of aggression, high impulsivity and an elevated score on the general psychopathology subscale of the PANSS contributed positively and significantly to the explained variance of the SRS. Our study supports the contention that high impulsivity in schizophrenia patients is significant in the etiology of suicide in schizophrenia. However, the relationship between impulsivity and aggression in schizophrenia patients, and also the amelioration of impulsivity by pharmacological interventions, require further study. Copyright (c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  5. Training impulsive choices for healthy and sustainable food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veling, Harm; Chen, Zhang; Tombrock, Merel C; Verpaalen, Iris A M; Schmitz, Laura I; Dijksterhuis, Ap; Holland, Rob W

    2017-06-01

    Many people find it hard to change their dietary choices. Food choice often occurs impulsively, without deliberation, and it has been unclear whether impulsive food choice can be experimentally created. Across 3 exploratory and 2 confirmatory preregistered experiments we examined whether impulsive food choice can be trained. Participants were cued to make motor responses upon the presentation of, among others, healthy and sustainable food items. They subsequently selected these food items more often for actual consumption when they needed to make their choices impulsively as a result of time pressure. This effect disappeared when participants were asked to think about their choices, merely received more time to make their choices, or when choosing required attention to alternatives. Participants preferred high to low valued food items under time pressure and without time pressure, suggesting that the impulsive choices reflect valid preferences. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to train impulsive choices for food items while leaving deliberative choices for these items unaffected, and connect research on attention training to dual-process theories of decision making. The present research suggests that attention training may lead to behavioral change only when people behave impulsively. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. Apt strain measurement technique for impulsive loading applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nanda, Soumya Ranjan; Kulkarni, Vinayak; Sahoo, Niranjan

    2017-01-01

    The necessity of precise measurement of strain time history for impulsive loading applications has been addressed in the present investigation. Finite element modeling is initially carried out for a hemispherical test model and stress bar assembly to arrive at an appropriate location for strain measurement. In dynamic calibration experiments, strain measurements are performed using two wire and three wire quarter bride arrangements along with half bridge circuit. Usefulness of these arrangements has been verified by analyzing strain signals in time and frequency domains. Comparison of recovered force time histories proved that the half bridge circuit is the most suitable for such applications. Actual shock tube testing of the instrumented hemispherical test model confirmed the applicability of half bridge circuit for short duration strain measurements. (technical note)

  7. Stability analysis of impulsive parabolic complex networks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Jinliang, E-mail: wangjinliang1984@yahoo.com.cn [Science and Technology on Aircraft Control Laboratory, School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, XueYuan Road, No. 37, HaiDian District, Beijing 100191 (China); Wu Huaining [Science and Technology on Aircraft Control Laboratory, School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, XueYuan Road, No. 37, HaiDian District, Beijing 100191 (China)

    2011-11-15

    Highlights: > Two impulsive parabolic complex network models are proposed. > The global exponential stability of impulsive parabolic complex networks are considered. > The robust global exponential stability of impulsive parabolic complex networks are considered. - Abstract: In the present paper, two kinds of impulsive parabolic complex networks (IPCNs) are considered. In the first one, all nodes have the same time-varying delay. In the second one, different nodes have different time-varying delays. Using the Lyapunov functional method combined with the inequality techniques, some global exponential stability criteria are derived for the IPCNs. Furthermore, several robust global exponential stability conditions are proposed to take uncertainties in the parameters of the IPCNs into account. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the results obtained here.

  8. Stability analysis of impulsive parabolic complex networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jinliang; Wu Huaining

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Two impulsive parabolic complex network models are proposed. → The global exponential stability of impulsive parabolic complex networks are considered. → The robust global exponential stability of impulsive parabolic complex networks are considered. - Abstract: In the present paper, two kinds of impulsive parabolic complex networks (IPCNs) are considered. In the first one, all nodes have the same time-varying delay. In the second one, different nodes have different time-varying delays. Using the Lyapunov functional method combined with the inequality techniques, some global exponential stability criteria are derived for the IPCNs. Furthermore, several robust global exponential stability conditions are proposed to take uncertainties in the parameters of the IPCNs into account. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the results obtained here.

  9. Temperament and impulsivity predictors of smoking cessation outcomes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisca López-Torrecillas

    Full Text Available AIMS: Temperament and impulsivity are powerful predictors of addiction treatment outcomes. However, a comprehensive assessment of these features has not been examined in relation to smoking cessation outcomes. METHODS: Naturalistic prospective study. Treatment-seeking smokers (n = 140 were recruited as they engaged in an occupational health clinic providing smoking cessation treatment between 2009 and 2013. Participants were assessed at baseline with measures of temperament (Temperament and Character Inventory, trait impulsivity (Barratt Impulsivity Scale, and cognitive impulsivity (Go/No Go, Delay Discounting and Iowa Gambling Task. The outcome measure was treatment status, coded as "dropout" versus "relapse" versus "abstinence" at 3, 6, and 12 months endpoints. Participants were telephonically contacted and reminded of follow-up face to face assessments at each endpoint. The participants that failed to answer the phone calls or self-reported discontinuation of treatment and failed to attend the upcoming follow-up session were coded as dropouts. The participants that self-reported continuing treatment, and successfully attended the upcoming follow-up session were coded as either "relapse" or "abstinence", based on the results of smoking behavior self-reports cross-validated with co-oximetry hemoglobin levels. Multinomial regression models were conducted to test whether temperament and impulsivity measures predicted dropout and relapse relative to abstinence outcomes. RESULTS: Higher scores on temperament dimensions of novelty seeking and reward dependence predicted poorer retention across endpoints, whereas only higher scores on persistence predicted greater relapse. Higher scores on the trait dimension of non-planning impulsivity but not performance on cognitive impulsivity predicted poorer retention. Higher non-planning impulsivity and poorer performance in the Iowa Gambling Task predicted greater relapse at 3 and 6 months and 6 months

  10. Chaotification of complex networks with impulsive control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Zhi-Hong; Liu, Feng; Li, Juan; Wang, Yan-Wu

    2012-06-01

    This paper investigates the chaotification problem of complex dynamical networks (CDN) with impulsive control. Both the discrete and continuous cases are studied. The method is presented to drive all states of every node in CDN to chaos. The proposed impulsive control strategy is effective for both the originally stable and unstable CDN. The upper bound of the impulse intervals for originally stable networks is derived. Finally, the effectiveness of the theoretical results is verified by numerical examples.

  11. Impulsive differential inclusions a fixed point approach

    CERN Document Server

    Ouahab, Abdelghani; Henderson, Johnny

    2013-01-01

    Impulsive differential equations have been developed in modeling impulsive problems in physics, population dynamics, ecology, biotechnology, industrial robotics, pharmacokinetics, optimal control, etc. The questions of existence and stability of solutions for different classes of initial values problems for impulsive differential equations and inclusions with fixed and variable moments are considered in detail. Attention is also given to boundary value problems and relative questions concerning differential equations. This monograph addresses a variety of side issues that arise from its simple

  12. Beyond discounting: possible experimental models of impulse control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monterosso, J; Ainslie, G

    1999-10-01

    Animal studies of impulsivity have typically used one of three models: a delay of reward procedure, a differential reinforcement for low rate responding (DRL) procedure, or an autoshaping procedure. In each of these paradigms, we argue, measurement of impulsivity is implicitly or explicitly equated with the effect delay has on the value of reward. The steepness by which delay diminishes value (the temporal discount function) is treated as an index of impulsivity. In order to provide a better analog of human impulsivity, this model needs to be expanded to include the converse of impulsivity - self-control. Through mechanisms such as committing to long range interests before the onset of temptation, or through bundling individual choices into classes of choices that are made at once, human decision-making can often look far less myopic than single trial experiments predict. For people, impulsive behavior may be more often the result of the breakdown of self-control mechanisms than of steep discount functions. Existing animal models of self-control are discussed, and future directions are suggested for psychopharmacological research.

  13. A Triadic Reflective-Impulsive-Interoceptive Awareness Model of General and Impulsive Information System Use: Behavioral Tests of Neuro-Cognitive Theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turel, Ofir; Bechara, Antoine

    2016-01-01

    This study examines a behavioral tripartite model developed in the field of addiction, and applies it here to understanding general and impulsive information technology use. It suggests that technology use is driven by two information-processing brain systems: reflective and impulsive, and that their effects on use are modulated by interoceptive awareness processes. The resultant reflective-impulsive-interoceptive awareness model is tested in two behavioral studies. Both studies employ SEM techniques to time-lagged self-report data from n 1 = 300 and n 2 = 369 social networking site users. Study 1 demonstrated that temptations augment the effect of habit on technology use, and reduce the effect of satisfaction on use. Study 2 showed that temptations strengthen the effect of habit on impulsive technology use, and weaken the effect of behavioral expectations on impulsive technology use. Hence, the results consistently support the notion that information technology users' behaviors are influenced by reflective and impulsive information processing systems; and that the equilibrium of these systems is determined, at least in part, by one's temptations. These results can serve as a basis for understanding the etiology of modern day addictions.

  14. Using Dual Process Models to Examine Impulsivity Throughout Neural Maturation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leshem, Rotem

    2016-01-01

    The multivariate construct of impulsivity is examined through neural systems and connections that comprise the executive functioning system. It is proposed that cognitive and behavioral components of impulsivity can be divided into two distinct groups, mediated by (1) the cognitive control system: deficits in top-down cognitive control processes referred to as action/cognitive impulsivity and (2) the socioemotional system: related to bottom-up affective/motivational processes referred to as affective impulsivity. Examination of impulsivity from a developmental viewpoint can guide future research, potentially enabling the selection of more effective interventions for impulsive individuals, based on the cognitive components requiring improvement.

  15. Acoustic radiation force impulse shear wave elastography (ARFI) of acute and chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic tumor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goertz, Ruediger S., E-mail: ruediger.goertz@uk-erlangen.de; Schuderer, Johanna, E-mail: Johanna@schuderer-floss.de; Strobel, Deike, E-mail: deike.strobel@uk-erlangen.de; Pfeifer, Lukas, E-mail: Lukas.Pfeifer@uk-erlangen.de; Neurath, Markus F., E-mail: Markus.Neurath@uk-erlangen.de; Wildner, Dane, E-mail: Dane.Wildner@uk-erlangen.de

    2016-12-15

    Highlights: • ARFI elastography of the pancreas is feasible. • Shear wave velocities in patients with acute or chronic pancreatitis or carcinoma are higher than those occurring in normal tissue. • ARFI values considerable overlap between different pathologies. - Abstract: Introduction: Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography evaluates tissue stiffness non-invasively and has rarely been applied to pancreas examinations so far. In a prospective and retrospective analysis, ARFI shear wave velocities of healthy parenchyma, pancreatic lipomatosis, acute and chronic pancreatitis, adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine tumor (NET) of the pancreas were evaluated and compared. Material and methods: In 95 patients ARFI elastography of the pancreatic head, and also of the tail for a specific group, was analysed retrospectively. Additionally, prospectively in 100 patients ARFI was performed in the head and tail of the pancreas. Results: A total of 195 patients were included in the study. Healthy parenchyma (n = 21) and lipomatosis (n = 30) showed similar shear wave velocities of about 1.3 m/s. Acute pancreatitis (n = 35), chronic pancreatitis (n = 53) and adenocarcinoma (n = 52) showed consecutively increasing ARFI values, respectively. NET (n = 4) revealed the highest shear wave velocities amounting to 3.62 m/s. ARFI elastography showed relevant differences between acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis or adenocarcinoma. With a cut-off value of 1.74 m/s for the diagnosis of a malignant disease the sensitivity was 91.1% whereas the specificity amounted to 60.4%. Conclusion: ARFI shear wave velocities present differences in various pathologies of the pancreas. Acute and chronic pancreatitis as well as neoplastic lesions show high ARFI values. Very high elasticity values may indicate malignant disease of the pancreas. However, there is a considerable overlap between the entities.

  16. Acoustic radiation force impulse shear wave elastography (ARFI) of acute and chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic tumor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goertz, Ruediger S.; Schuderer, Johanna; Strobel, Deike; Pfeifer, Lukas; Neurath, Markus F.; Wildner, Dane

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • ARFI elastography of the pancreas is feasible. • Shear wave velocities in patients with acute or chronic pancreatitis or carcinoma are higher than those occurring in normal tissue. • ARFI values considerable overlap between different pathologies. - Abstract: Introduction: Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography evaluates tissue stiffness non-invasively and has rarely been applied to pancreas examinations so far. In a prospective and retrospective analysis, ARFI shear wave velocities of healthy parenchyma, pancreatic lipomatosis, acute and chronic pancreatitis, adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine tumor (NET) of the pancreas were evaluated and compared. Material and methods: In 95 patients ARFI elastography of the pancreatic head, and also of the tail for a specific group, was analysed retrospectively. Additionally, prospectively in 100 patients ARFI was performed in the head and tail of the pancreas. Results: A total of 195 patients were included in the study. Healthy parenchyma (n = 21) and lipomatosis (n = 30) showed similar shear wave velocities of about 1.3 m/s. Acute pancreatitis (n = 35), chronic pancreatitis (n = 53) and adenocarcinoma (n = 52) showed consecutively increasing ARFI values, respectively. NET (n = 4) revealed the highest shear wave velocities amounting to 3.62 m/s. ARFI elastography showed relevant differences between acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis or adenocarcinoma. With a cut-off value of 1.74 m/s for the diagnosis of a malignant disease the sensitivity was 91.1% whereas the specificity amounted to 60.4%. Conclusion: ARFI shear wave velocities present differences in various pathologies of the pancreas. Acute and chronic pancreatitis as well as neoplastic lesions show high ARFI values. Very high elasticity values may indicate malignant disease of the pancreas. However, there is a considerable overlap between the entities.

  17. Impulsive-compulsive buying disorder: clinical overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dell'Osso, Bernardo; Allen, Andrea; Altamura, A Carlo; Buoli, Massimiliano; Hollander, Eric

    2008-04-01

    Impulsive-compulsive buying disorder (ICBD) is an impulse control disorder not otherwise specified (ICD-NOS) characterized by impulsive drives and compulsive behaviours (buying unneeded things), personal distress, impaired social and vocational functioning and financial problems. Despite being described in the 19th century, serious attention to ICBD began only in the last decade with the first epidemiological and pharmacological investigation. Biological, social and psychological factors contribute to the aetiology of ICBD. Cognitive-behavioural therapy and selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors are currently considered the more effective interventions in the treatment of ICBD. The present review aims to provide a broad overview of the epidemiology, aetiology, phenomenology and treatment options of ICBD.

  18. Proficient motor impulse control in Parkinson disease patients with impulsive and compulsive behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claassen, Daniel O; van den Wildenberg, Wery P M; Harrison, Madaline B; van Wouwe, Nelleke C; Kanoff, Kristen; Neimat, Joseph S; Wylie, Scott A

    2015-02-01

    Parkinson disease (PD) patients treated with dopamine agonist therapy can develop maladaptive reward-driven behaviors, known as impulse control disorder (ICD). In this study, we assessed if ICD patients have evidence of motor-impulsivity. We used the stop-signal task in a cohort of patients with and without active symptoms of ICD to evaluate motor-impulsivity. Of those with PD, 12 were diagnosed with ICD symptoms (PD-ICD) and were assessed before clinical reduction of dopamine agonist medication; 12 were without symptoms of ICD [PD-control] and taking equivalent dosages of dopamine agonist. Levodopa, if present, was maintained in both settings. Groups were similar in age, duration, and severity of motor symptoms, levodopa co-therapy, and total levodopa daily dose. All were tested in the dopamine agonist medicated and acutely withdrawn (24 h) state, in a counterbalanced manner. Primary outcome measures were mean reaction time to correct go trials (go reaction time), and mean stop-signal reaction time (SSRT). ICD patients produce faster SSRT than both Healthy Controls, and PD-Controls. Faster SSRT in ICD patients is apparent in both dopamine agonist medication states. Also, we show unique dopamine medication effects on Go Reaction time (GoRT). In dopamine agonist monotherapy patients, dopamine agonist administration speeds GoRT. Conversely, in those with levodopa co-therapy, dopamine agonist administration slows. PD patients with active ICD symptoms are significantly faster at stopping initiated motor actions, and this is not altered by acute dopamine agonist withdrawal. In addition, the effect of dopamine agonist on GoRT is strongly influenced by the presence or absence of levodopa, even though levodopa co-therapy does not appear to influence SSRT. We discuss these findings as they pertain to the multifaceted definition of 'impulsivity,' the lack of evidence for motor-impulsivity in PD-ICD, and dopamine effects on motor-control in PD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc

  19. Impulsivity, Mental Disorder, and Suicide in Rural China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Lin; Zhang, Jie

    2017-01-02

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among impulsivity, mental disorder, and suicide with a sample of rural young Chinese. Subjects were 392 consecutively recruited male and female suicides aged 15-34 years and 416 community male and female controls of the same age range sampled in rural China. The case-control data were obtained using psychological autopsy with structured and semi-structured instruments. Dysfunctional impulsivity was a significant risk factor regardless of mental disorder in rural China. Dysfunctional impulsivity is a potential area for further study of suicidal behavior. The suicide prevention efforts in rural China may address impulsivity.

  20. Impulsive control of a financial model [rapid communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jitao; Qiao, Fei; Wu, Qidi

    2005-02-01

    In this Letter, several new theorems on the stability of impulsive control systems are presented. These theorem are then used to find the conditions under which an advertising strategy can be asymptotically control to the equilibrium point by using impulsive control. Given the parameters of the financial model and the impulsive control law, an estimation of the upper bound of the impulse interval is given, i.e., number of advert can been decreased (i.e., can decrease cost) for to obtain the equivalent advertising effect.The result is illustrated to be efficient through a numerical example.

  1. Impulsivity and self-harm in adolescence: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lockwood, Joanna; Daley, David; Townsend, Ellen; Sayal, Kapil

    2017-04-01

    Research supports an association between impulsivity and self-harm, yet inconsistencies in methodology across studies have complicated understanding of this relationship. This systematic review examines the association between impulsivity and self-harm in community-based adolescents aged 11-25 years and aims to integrate findings according to differing concepts and methods. Electronic searches of EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, PubMed and The Cochrane Library, and manual searches of reference lists of relevant reviews identified 4496 articles published up to July 2015, of which 28 met inclusion criteria. Twenty-four of the studies reported an association between broadly specified impulsivity and self-harm. However, findings varied according to the conception and measurement of impulsivity and the precision with which self-harm behaviours were specified. Specifically, lifetime non-suicidal self-injury was most consistently associated with mood-based impulsivity-related traits. However, cognitive facets of impulsivity (relating to difficulties maintaining focus or acting without forethought) differentiated current self-harm from past self-harm. These facets also distinguished those with thoughts of self-harm (ideation) from those who acted on thoughts (enaction). The findings suggested that mood-based impulsivity is related to the initiation of self-harm, while cognitive facets of impulsivity are associated with the maintenance of self-harm. In addition, behavioural impulsivity is most relevant to self-harm under conditions of negative affect. Collectively, the findings indicate that distinct impulsivity facets confer unique risks across the life-course of self-harm. From a clinical perspective, the review suggests that interventions focusing on reducing rash reactivity to emotions or improving self-regulation and decision making may offer most benefit in supporting those who self-harm.

  2. Periodicity and stability for variable-time impulsive neural networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hongfei; Li, Chuandong; Huang, Tingwen

    2017-10-01

    The paper considers a general neural networks model with variable-time impulses. It is shown that each solution of the system intersects with every discontinuous surface exactly once via several new well-proposed assumptions. Moreover, based on the comparison principle, this paper shows that neural networks with variable-time impulse can be reduced to the corresponding neural network with fixed-time impulses under well-selected conditions. Meanwhile, the fixed-time impulsive systems can be regarded as the comparison system of the variable-time impulsive neural networks. Furthermore, a series of sufficient criteria are derived to ensure the existence and global exponential stability of periodic solution of variable-time impulsive neural networks, and to illustrate the same stability properties between variable-time impulsive neural networks and the fixed-time ones. The new criteria are established by applying Schaefer's fixed point theorem combined with the use of inequality technique. Finally, a numerical example is presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Force balance in the take-off of a pierid butterfly: relative importance and timing of leg impulsion and aerodynamic forces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bimbard, Gaëlle; Kolomenskiy, Dmitry; Bouteleux, Olivier; Casas, Jérôme; Godoy-Diana, Ramiro

    2013-09-15

    Up to now, the take-off stage has remained an elusive phase of insect flight that was relatively poorly explored compared with other maneuvers. An overall assessment of the different mechanisms involved in force production during take-off has never been explored. Focusing on the first downstroke, we have addressed this problem from a force balance perspective in butterflies taking off from the ground. In order to determine whether the sole aerodynamic wing force could explain the observed motion of the insect, we have firstly compared a simple analytical model of the wing force with the acceleration of the insect's center of mass estimated from video tracking of the wing and body motions. Secondly, wing kinematics were also used for numerical simulations of the aerodynamic flow field. Similar wing aerodynamic forces were obtained by the two methods. However, neither are sufficient, nor is the inclusion of the ground effect, to predict faithfully the body acceleration. We have to resort to the leg forces to obtain a model that best fits the data. We show that the median and hind legs display an active extension responsible for the initiation of the upward motion of the insect's body, occurring before the onset of the wing downstroke. We estimate that legs generate, at various times, an upward force that can be much larger than all other forces applied to the insect's body. The relative timing of leg and wing forces explains the large variability of trajectories observed during the maneuvers.

  4. Applied impulsive mathematical models

    CERN Document Server

    Stamova, Ivanka

    2016-01-01

    Using the theory of impulsive differential equations, this book focuses on mathematical models which reflect current research in biology, population dynamics, neural networks and economics. The authors provide the basic background from the fundamental theory and give a systematic exposition of recent results related to the qualitative analysis of impulsive mathematical models. Consisting of six chapters, the book presents many applicable techniques, making them available in a single source easily accessible to researchers interested in mathematical models and their applications. Serving as a valuable reference, this text is addressed to a wide audience of professionals, including mathematicians, applied researchers and practitioners.

  5. Stability analysis of impulsive functional differential equations

    CERN Document Server

    Stamova, Ivanka

    2009-01-01

    This book is devoted to impulsive functional differential equations which are a natural generalization of impulsive ordinary differential equations (without delay) and of functional differential equations (without impulses). At the present time the qualitative theory of such equationsis under rapid development. After a presentation of the fundamental theory of existence, uniqueness and continuability of solutions, a systematic development of stability theory for that class of problems is given which makes the book unique. It addresses to a wide audience such as mathematicians, applied research

  6. State-dependent impulses boundary value problems on compact interval

    CERN Document Server

    Rachůnková, Irena

    2015-01-01

    This book offers the reader a new approach to the solvability of boundary value problems with state-dependent impulses and provides recently obtained existence results for state dependent impulsive problems with general linear boundary conditions. It covers fixed-time impulsive boundary value problems both regular and singular and deals with higher order differential equations or with systems that are subject to general linear boundary conditions. We treat state-dependent impulsive boundary value problems, including a new approach giving effective conditions for the solvability of the Dirichlet problem with one state-dependent impulse condition and we show that the depicted approach can be extended to problems with a finite number of state-dependent impulses. We investigate the Sturm–Liouville boundary value problem for a more general right-hand side of a differential equation. Finally, we offer generalizations to higher order differential equations or differential systems subject to general linear boundary...

  7. Ultrahigh Specific Impulse Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anne Charmeau; Brandon Cunningham; Samim Anghaie

    2009-02-09

    Research on nuclear thermal propulsion systems (NTP) have been in forefront of the space nuclear power and propulsion due to their design simplicity and their promise for providing very high thrust at reasonably high specific impulse. During NERVA-ROVER program in late 1950's till early 1970's, the United States developed and ground tested about 18 NTP systems without ever deploying them into space. The NERVA-ROVER program included development and testing of NTP systems with very high thrust (~250,000 lbf) and relatively high specific impulse (~850 s). High thrust to weight ratio in NTP systems is an indicator of high acceleration that could be achieved with these systems. The specific impulse in the lowest mass propellant, hydrogen, is a function of square root of absolute temperature in the NTP thrust chamber. Therefor optimizing design performance of NTP systems would require achieving the highest possible hydrogen temperature at reasonably high thrust to weight ratio. High hydrogen exit temperature produces high specific impulse that is a diret measure of propellant usage efficiency.

  8. Impulse generation by detonation tubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Marcia Ann

    Impulse generation with gaseous detonation requires conversion of chemical energy into mechanical energy. This conversion process is well understood in rocket engines where the high pressure combustion products expand through a nozzle generating high velocity exhaust gases. The propulsion community is now focusing on advanced concepts that utilize non-traditional forms of combustion like detonation. Such a device is called a pulse detonation engine in which laboratory tests have proven that thrust can be achieved through continuous cyclic operation. Because of poor performance of straight detonation tubes compared to conventional propulsion systems and the success of using nozzles on rocket engines, the effect of nozzles on detonation tubes is being investigated. Although previous studies of detonation tube nozzles have suggested substantial benefits, up to now there has been no systematic investigations over a range of operating conditions and nozzle configurations. As a result, no models predicting the impulse when nozzles are used exist. This lack of data has severely limited the development and evaluation of models and simulations of nozzles on pulse detonation engines. The first experimental investigation measuring impulse by gaseous detonation in plain tubes and tubes with nozzles operating in varying environment pressures is presented. Converging, diverging, and converging-diverging nozzles were tested to determine the effect of divergence angle, nozzle length, and volumetric fill fraction on impulse. The largest increases in specific impulse, 72% at an environment pressure of 100 kPa and 43% at an environment pressure of 1.4 kPa, were measured with the largest diverging nozzle tested that had a 12° half angle and was 0.6 m long. Two regimes of nozzle operation that depend on the environment pressure are responsible for these increases and were first observed from these data. To augment this experimental investigation, all data in the literature regarding

  9. Chronotype differences in suicidal behavior and impulsivity among suicide attempters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selvi, Yavuz; Aydin, Adem; Atli, Abdullah; Boysan, Murat; Selvi, Fatih; Besiroglu, Lutfullah

    2011-03-01

    Morning- and evening-type individuals differ on a number of psychological and biological variables. There has been increasing interest in the relationship between chronotype and personality traits. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between impulsivity and chronotype in suicide attempters. Eighty-nine suicide attempters were included in the study, and systematic information on suicide attempts was recorded. The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire was applied to determine chronotype, and attempter impulsivity was measured by the total score of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Significant differences between chronotype and impulsivity scores were found. Evening-type subjects reported significantly higher impulsivity scores than both neither- and morning-types. A significant association between chronotype and type of suicide attempt was detected. The largest proportion of violent suicide attempters were evening-type subjects. Violent suicide attempters also reported significantly higher impulsivity scores than nonviolent attempters. Previous studies have pointed out possible relations between eveningness and impulsivity. Current findings suggest that eveningness may be a risk factor for violent suicide attempts by increasing impulsivity.

  10. Why are you happy with impulse buying? Evidence from Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wiwik Handayani

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Happiness is an ideal condition needed by everyone. In the real life, happiness comes not only from the harmony in the home but also from the exciting environment or atmosphere outside the home, such as impulse buying. When someone makes impulse buying, she could feel the happiness be-cause she gets something she wants. This means that when someone makes a purchase, she will experience happiness. This study aimed to examine the variables that affect impulse buying which may also affect the happiness. It is assumed that the experience and the pleasant shopping atmosphere affect the impulse buying and, as a result, the impulse buying affects happiness. The samples in this study were 150 women making purchases of fashion products at malls in Surabaya. The hypothesis testing was conducted by using Structural Equation Modelling. The test results indicated the hypothesis 1 stating that the experiential marketing influenced the impulse buying and hypothesis 2 stating that the shopping enjoyment affected the impulse buying were accepted. Further, hypothesis 3 were also accepted, stating that the impulse buying influenced happiness.

  11. Relationship between impulsivity, snack consumption and children's weight

    OpenAIRE

    Scholten, Eline W. M.; Schrijvers, Carola; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Kremers, Stef; Rodenburg, Gerda

    2014-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Childhood overweight is a public health problem associated with psychosocial and physical problems. Personality traits, such as impulsivity, may contribute to the development of overweight. Objective: This study examines 1) the association between general impulsivity traits (reward sensitivity and disinhibition) and children's weight, 2) the association between impulsivity traits and unhealthy snack consumption, and 3) the potential mediating role of unhealthy snack co...

  12. Razumikhin-Type Stability Criteria for Differential Equations with Delayed Impulses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qing; Zhu, Quanxin

    2013-01-01

    This paper studies stability problems of general impulsive differential equations where time delays occur in both differential and difference equations. Based on the method of Lyapunov functions, Razumikhin technique and mathematical induction, several stability criteria are obtained for differential equations with delayed impulses. Our results show that some systems with delayed impulses may be exponentially stabilized by impulses even if the system matrices are unstable. Some less restrictive sufficient conditions are also given to keep the good stability property of systems subject to certain type of impulsive perturbations. Examples with numerical simulations are discussed to illustrate the theorems. Our results may be applied to complex problems where impulses depend on both current and past states.

  13. Razumikhin-type stability criteria for differential equations with delayed impulses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qing Wang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper studies stability problems of general impulsive differential equations where time delays occur in both differential and difference equations. Based on the method of Lyapunov functions, Razumikhin technique and mathematical induction, several stability criteria are obtained for differential equations with delayed impulses. Our results show that some systems with delayed impulses may be exponentially stabilized by impulses even if the system matrices are unstable. Some less restrictive sufficient conditions are also given to keep the good stability property of systems subject to certain type of impulsive perturbations. Examples with numerical simulations are discussed to illustrate the theorems. Our results may be applied to complex problems where impulses depend on both current and past states.

  14. Resonant Impulsive Stimulated Raman Scattering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mokhtari, A; Chesnoy, J

    1988-03-15

    Using a femtosecond dye laser, we observe in real-time vibrational oscillations excited by impulsive stimulated Raman scattering (ISRS) close to an electronic resonance. We perform single-beam Raman excitation and probe the driven coherence by a polarization-sensitive detection. We demonstrate for the first time impulsively Raman-induced dichroism, birefringence as well as frequency and time delay shifts. We analyse the characteristics of resonant ISRS on a vibrational mode of a dye molecule (malachite green) in solution.

  15. Resonant Impulsive Stimulated Raman Scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mokhtari, A.; Chesnoy, J.

    1988-01-01

    Using a femtosecond dye laser, we observe in real-time vibrational oscillations excited by impulsive stimulated Raman scattering (ISRS) close to an electronic resonance. We perform single-beam Raman excitation and probe the driven coherence by a polarization-sensitive detection. We demonstrate for the first time impulsively Raman-induced dichroism, birefringence as well as frequency and time delay shifts. We analyse the characteristics of resonant ISRS on a vibrational mode of a dye molecule (malachite green) in solution

  16. Are old people so gentle? Functional and dysfunctional impulsivity in the elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales-Vives, Fabia; Vigil-Colet, Andreu

    2012-03-01

    Although old people may seem less impulsive than adults, numerous experimental studies report that they have inhibitory deficits. Bearing in mind that there is a relationship between inhibition processes and impulsivity, age-related inhibition deficits suggest that older people could be more impulsive than adults. The aim of the current study was to compare the functional and dysfunctional impulsivity scores obtained in a sample of elderly people (65 years old and above) with those obtained in previous studies on samples of adolescents and adults. Dickman's Impulsivity Inventory was administered to 190 individuals aged between 65 and 94 years without dementia or cognitive impairment. Results indicated that the elderly sample showed higher dysfunctional impulsivity levels than the adult samples, which is consistent with the inhibition deficits mentioned above. There were no significant differences in functional impulsivity. Furthermore, old women had higher scores than old men on dysfunctional impulsivity. This study provides evidence of age-related changes in dysfunctional impulsivity. Functional impulsivity did not show the same pattern as dysfunctional impulsivity, being quite stable across the age span. it seems, then, that impulsivity cannot be considered to decrease with age and dysfunctional impulsivity may even increase.

  17. Detection of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in patients with morbid obesity before bariatric surgery: preliminary evaluation with acoustic radiation force impulse imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guzman-Aroca, F.; Reus, M.; Dios Berna-Serna, Juan de; Frutos-Bernal, M.D.; Lujan-Mompean, J.A.; Parrilla, P.; Bas, A.

    2012-01-01

    To investigate the utility of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging, with the determination of shear wave velocity (SWV), to differentiate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in patients with morbid obesity before bariatric surgery. Thirty-two patients with morbid obesity were evaluated with ARFI and conventional ultrasound before bariatric surgery. The ARFI and ultrasound results were compared with liver biopsy findings, which is the reference standard. The patients were classed according to their histological findings into three groups: group A, simple steatosis; group B, inflammation; and group C, fibrosis. The median SWV was 1.57 ± 0.79 m/s. Hepatic alterations were observed in the histopathological findings for all the patients in the study (100 %), with the results of the laboratory tests proving normal. Differences in SWV were also observed between groups A, B and C: 1.34 ± 0.90 m/s, 1.55 ± 0.79 m/s and 1.86 ± 0.75 m/s (P < 0.001), respectively. The Az for differentiating NAFLD from NASH or fibrosis was 0.899 (optimal cut-off value 1.3 m/s; sensitivity 85 %; specificity 83.3 %). The ARFI technique is a useful diagnostic tool for differentiating NAFLD from NASH in asymptomatic patients with morbid obesity. (orig.)

  18. Detection of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in patients with morbid obesity before bariatric surgery: preliminary evaluation with acoustic radiation force impulse imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guzman-Aroca, F.; Reus, M.; Dios Berna-Serna, Juan de [Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Department of of Radiology, El Palmar, Murcia (Spain); Frutos-Bernal, M.D.; Lujan-Mompean, J.A.; Parrilla, P. [Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Department of Surgery, El Palmar, Murcia (Spain); Bas, A. [Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Department of Pathology, El Palmar, Murcia (Spain)

    2012-11-15

    To investigate the utility of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging, with the determination of shear wave velocity (SWV), to differentiate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in patients with morbid obesity before bariatric surgery. Thirty-two patients with morbid obesity were evaluated with ARFI and conventional ultrasound before bariatric surgery. The ARFI and ultrasound results were compared with liver biopsy findings, which is the reference standard. The patients were classed according to their histological findings into three groups: group A, simple steatosis; group B, inflammation; and group C, fibrosis. The median SWV was 1.57 {+-} 0.79 m/s. Hepatic alterations were observed in the histopathological findings for all the patients in the study (100 %), with the results of the laboratory tests proving normal. Differences in SWV were also observed between groups A, B and C: 1.34 {+-} 0.90 m/s, 1.55 {+-} 0.79 m/s and 1.86 {+-} 0.75 m/s (P < 0.001), respectively. The Az for differentiating NAFLD from NASH or fibrosis was 0.899 (optimal cut-off value 1.3 m/s; sensitivity 85 %; specificity 83.3 %). The ARFI technique is a useful diagnostic tool for differentiating NAFLD from NASH in asymptomatic patients with morbid obesity. (orig.)

  19. The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy of Impulse Control on Reduction of Impulsiveness, Crave of Usage and Addiction Severity among Crack Users

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rohollah Hadadi

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The present study was done in order to study of the effectiveness of CBT of impulse control on the reduction of impulsiveness, crave of usage and addiction severity of Crack users. Method: In a quasi experimental design 30 Crack addict users who were treating with Methadone in a clinic selected by interview method and consideration of entrance criterions. Then they allocated to two groups (15 subjects for each group as a witness and experimental groups. The experimental group was under Methadone drug therapy and CBT of impulse control for 8 sessions, and 60 min for each session. But witness group was under Methadone drug therapy and there was not any other intervention. All participants in research were examined before and after treatment by three scales namely: Bart's Impulsiveness Scale, Tifani's Crave Usage, and Addiction Severity Index. MANCOVA was run for analyzing of data. Results: The results showed that significant difference between two groups on impulsiveness subscales crave usage, and addiction severity (except of medical status, job status, law status, and family status. Conclusion: It can say CBT of impulse control can be effective on the reduction of impulsiveness, crave usage and addiction severity in Crack users.

  20. Association between Impulsivity and Weight Status in a General Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marc Bénard

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study is to examine the association between impulsivity and weight status in a large sample of the adult general population in France, and the influence of gender on this relationship. A total of 11,929 men and 39,114 women participating in the NutriNet-Santé cohort were selected in this cross-sectional analysis. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11 was used to assess impulsivity. Weight and height were self-reported. The association between impulsivity and BMI was estimated using logistic regressions adjusted for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors. Individuals with high impulsivity levels (BIS-11 total score >71 were more likely to be obese (Odds Ratio (OR = 1.80, 95% Confidence Interval (CI: 1.39, 2.33 in men; OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.48 in women compared to individuals in the average range of impulsivity. The strongest associations between impulsivity and obesity were observed in men, where highly impulsive participants were more likely to be class III obese (BMI > 40 kg/m2 (OR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.86, 6.85. This large sample analysis supports the existence of a relationship between impulsivity and weight status and the importance of psychological factors in the prevention of obesity.

  1. Association between Impulsivity and Weight Status in a General Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bénard, Marc; Camilleri, Géraldine M; Etilé, Fabrice; Méjean, Caroline; Bellisle, France; Reach, Gérard; Hercberg, Serge; Péneau, Sandrine

    2017-03-01

    The objective of this study is to examine the association between impulsivity and weight status in a large sample of the adult general population in France, and the influence of gender on this relationship. A total of 11,929 men and 39,114 women participating in the NutriNet-Santé cohort were selected in this cross-sectional analysis. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) was used to assess impulsivity. Weight and height were self-reported. The association between impulsivity and BMI was estimated using logistic regressions adjusted for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors. Individuals with high impulsivity levels (BIS-11 total score >71) were more likely to be obese (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.80, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.39, 2.33 in men; OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.48 in women) compared to individuals in the average range of impulsivity. The strongest associations between impulsivity and obesity were observed in men, where highly impulsive participants were more likely to be class III obese (BMI > 40 kg/m²) (OR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.86, 6.85). This large sample analysis supports the existence of a relationship between impulsivity and weight status and the importance of psychological factors in the prevention of obesity.

  2. Study of suicidal ideations, hopelessness and impulsivity in elderly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Surbhi C Trivedi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to assess the suicidal ideations, hopelessness and impulsivity in depressed and non-depressed elderly and to study the relationship of suicidal ideations with hopelessness and impulsivity in them. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was done on 60 elderly patients (30 cases and 30 controls above the age of 60 years. The scales used were Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Barrat′s Impulsiveness Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale. Results: Mean Geriatric Suicide Ideations Scale scores, mean Beck Hopelessness Scale scores and mean Barrat′s Impulsiveness Scale and scores of depressed elderly were higher than that of elderly who were not depressed and these differences were statistically significant. Hopelessness was a significant predictor of suicidal ideation in the entire sample as well as in the depressed and non-depressed elderly when the two groups were considered separately. Impulsivity when considered alone was a significant predictor of suicidal ideations in the entire sample. Conclusion: Hopelessness and impulsivity both by themselves are significant predictors for suicidal ideations in the elderly and when both are considered together hopelessness is a better predictor of suicidal ideations than impulsivity.

  3. Relationship between impulsivity, snack consumption and children's weight.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eline W M Scholten

    Full Text Available Childhood overweight is a public health problem associated with psychosocial and physical problems. Personality traits, such as impulsivity, may contribute to the development of overweight.This study examines 1 the association between general impulsivity traits (reward sensitivity and disinhibition and children's weight, 2 the association between impulsivity traits and unhealthy snack consumption, and 3 the potential mediating role of unhealthy snack consumption in the relationship between impulsivity traits and children's weight.Included were 1,377 parent-child dyads participating in the IVO Nutrition and Physical Activity Child cohorT (INPACT. Children had a mean age of 10 years. Parents completed a questionnaire to measure children's unhealthy snack consumption. Children completed a door-opening task to assess reward sensitivity and completed a questionnaire to measure disinhibition. Children's height and weight were measured to calculate their BMI z-scores. Cross-sectional linear regression analyses were performed to test the associations.Disinhibition was positively associated with unhealthy snack consumption but not with BMI z-scores. Reward sensitivity was not related to unhealthy snack consumption or to BMI z-scores.No evidence was found for a mediating effect of unhealthy snack consumption in the relation between impulsivity traits and children's weight. However, disinhibition appears to have a negative influence on children's unhealthy snack consumption. Future research focusing on food-related impulsivity in addition to general impulsivity will provide additional insight into factors that influence children's unhealthy snack consumption and weight.

  4. Relationship between impulsivity, snack consumption and children's weight.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholten, Eline W M; Schrijvers, Carola T M; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Kremers, Stef P J; Rodenburg, Gerda

    2014-01-01

    Childhood overweight is a public health problem associated with psychosocial and physical problems. Personality traits, such as impulsivity, may contribute to the development of overweight. This study examines 1) the association between general impulsivity traits (reward sensitivity and disinhibition) and children's weight, 2) the association between impulsivity traits and unhealthy snack consumption, and 3) the potential mediating role of unhealthy snack consumption in the relationship between impulsivity traits and children's weight. Included were 1,377 parent-child dyads participating in the IVO Nutrition and Physical Activity Child cohorT (INPACT). Children had a mean age of 10 years. Parents completed a questionnaire to measure children's unhealthy snack consumption. Children completed a door-opening task to assess reward sensitivity and completed a questionnaire to measure disinhibition. Children's height and weight were measured to calculate their BMI z-scores. Cross-sectional linear regression analyses were performed to test the associations. Disinhibition was positively associated with unhealthy snack consumption but not with BMI z-scores. Reward sensitivity was not related to unhealthy snack consumption or to BMI z-scores. No evidence was found for a mediating effect of unhealthy snack consumption in the relation between impulsivity traits and children's weight. However, disinhibition appears to have a negative influence on children's unhealthy snack consumption. Future research focusing on food-related impulsivity in addition to general impulsivity will provide additional insight into factors that influence children's unhealthy snack consumption and weight.

  5. Usefulness of acoustic radiation force impulse elastography in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant solid pancreatic lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Min Kyoung; Jo, Jeong Hyun; Kwon, Hee Jin; Cho, Jin Han; Oh, Jong Young; Noh, Myung Hwan; Nam, Kyung Jin [Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-03-15

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the tissue stiffness of solid pancreatic lesions by using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography to differentiate benign from malignant pancreatic lesions. ARFI elastography was performed in 26 patients who had 27 focal solid pancreatic lesions, including 8 benign lesions (mass-forming pancreatitis, 5; autoimmune pancreatitis, 3) and 19 malignant lesions (pancreatic adenocarcinoma, 16; metastasis from colorectal cancer, 2; malignant neuroendocrine tumor, 1). On the elastographic images of virtual touch tissue imaging (VTI), the echogenicity of the mass was categorized on a 5-grade scale. On the elastographic image of virtual touch tissue quantification (VTQ), the shear wave velocities (SWVs) of the lesion and surrounding parenchyma were measured. On the VTI images, the mean echogenicity score of the malignant lesions (3.7±1.0) was higher than that of the benign lesions (3.1±0.4; P=0.023). On the VTQ images, there were no statistical differences in the mean SWV between the benign (2.4±1.1 m/sec) and malignant (3.3±1.0 m/sec) lesions (P=0.101). However, the mean SWV difference values between the lesion and background parenchyma of the malignant lesions (1.5±0.8 m/sec) were higher than those of the benign lesions (0.4±0.3 m/sec; P=0.011). ARFI elastography can determine the relative stiffness between a lesion and the background pancreatic parenchyma using VTI and VTQ, which is helpful in the differentiation between benign and malignant solid pancreatic lesions.

  6. Trait impulsivity and impaired prefrontal impulse inhibition function in adolescents with internet gaming addiction revealed by a Go/No-Go fMRI study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Wei-na; Sun, Jin-hua; Sun, Ya-Wen; Chen, Xue; Zhou, Yan; Zhuang, Zhi-guo; Li, Lei; Zhang, Yong; Xu, Jian-rong; Du, Ya-song

    2014-05-30

    Recent studies suggest that Internet gaming addiction (IGA) is an impulse disorder, or is at least related to impulse control disorders. In the present study, we hypothesized that different facets of trait impulsivity may be specifically linked to the brain regions with impaired impulse inhibition function in IGA adolescents. Seventeen adolescents with IGA and seventeen healthy controls were scanned during performance of a response-inhibition Go/No-Go task using a 3.0 T MRI scanner. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS)-11 was used to assess impulsivity. There were no differences in the behavioral performance on the Go/No-Go task between the groups. However, the IGA group was significantly hyperactive during No-Go trials in the left superior medial frontal gyrus, right anterior cingulate cortex, right superior/middle frontal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, left precentral gyrus, and left precuneus and cuneus. Further, the bilateral middle temporal gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, and right superior parietal lobule were significantly hypoactive during No-Go trials. Activation of the left superior medial frontal gyrus was positively associated with BIS-11 and Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) total score across IGA participants. Our data suggest that the prefrontal cortex may be involved in the circuit modulating impulsivity, while its impaired function may relate to high impulsivity in adolescents with IGA, which may contribute directly to the Internet addiction process.

  7. The nature of impulsivity: visual exposure to natural environments decreases impulsive decision-making in a delay discounting task.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meredith S Berry

    Full Text Available The benefits of visual exposure to natural environments for human well-being in areas of stress reduction, mood improvement, and attention restoration are well documented, but the effects of natural environments on impulsive decision-making remain unknown. Impulsive decision-making in delay discounting offers generality, predictive validity, and insight into decision-making related to unhealthy behaviors. The present experiment evaluated differences in such decision-making in humans experiencing visual exposure to one of the following conditions: natural (e.g., mountains, built (e.g., buildings, or control (e.g., triangles using a delay discounting task that required participants to choose between immediate and delayed hypothetical monetary outcomes. Participants viewed the images before and during the delay discounting task. Participants were less impulsive in the condition providing visual exposure to natural scenes compared to built and geometric scenes. Results suggest that exposure to natural environments results in decreased impulsive decision-making relative to built environments.

  8. Forced vibrations of rotating circular cylindrical shells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Igawa, Hirotaka; Maruyama, Yoshiyuki; Endo, Mitsuru

    1995-01-01

    Forced vibrations of rotating circular cylindrical shells are investigated. Basic equations, including the effect of initial stress due to rotation, are formulated by the finite-element method. The characteristic relations for finite elements are derived from the energy principle by considering the finite strain. The equations of motion can be separated into quasi-static and dynamic ones, i.e., the equations in the steady rotating state and those in the vibration state. Radial concentrated impulses are considered as the external dynamic force. The transient responses of circular cylindrical shells are numerically calculated under various boundary conditions and rotating speeds. (author)

  9. Acquisition and deconvolution of seismic signals by different methods to perform direct ground-force measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poletto, Flavio; Schleifer, Andrea; Zgauc, Franco; Meneghini, Fabio; Petronio, Lorenzo

    2016-12-01

    We present the results of a novel borehole-seismic experiment in which we used different types of onshore-transient-impulsive and non-impulsive-surface sources together with direct ground-force recordings. The ground-force signals were obtained by baseplate load cells located beneath the sources, and by buried soil-stress sensors installed in the very shallow-subsurface together with accelerometers. The aim was to characterize the source's emission by its complex impedance, function of the near-field vibrations and soil stress components, and above all to obtain appropriate deconvolution operators to remove the signature of the sources in the far-field seismic signals. The data analysis shows the differences in the reference measurements utilized to deconvolve the source signature. As downgoing waves, we process the signals of vertical seismic profiles (VSP) recorded in the far-field approximation by an array of permanent geophones cemented at shallow-medium depth outside the casing of an instrumented well. We obtain a significant improvement in the waveform of the radiated seismic-vibrator signals deconvolved by ground force, similar to that of the seismograms generated by the impulsive sources, and demonstrates that the results obtained by different sources present low values in their repeatability norm. The comparison evidences the potentiality of the direct ground-force measurement approach to effectively remove the far-field source signature in VSP onshore data, and to increase the performance of permanent acquisition installations for time-lapse application purposes.

  10. Measuring fN force variations in the presence of constant nN forces: a torsion pendulum ground test of the LISA Pathfinder free-fall mode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russano, G.; Cavalleri, A.; Cesarini, A.; Dolesi, R.; Ferroni, V.; Gibert, F.; Giusteri, R.; Hueller, M.; Liu, L.; Pivato, P.; Tu, H. B.; Vetrugno, D.; Vitale, S.; Weber, W. J.

    2018-02-01

    LISA Pathfinder is a differential accelerometer with the main goal being to demonstrate the near perfect free-fall of reference test masses, as is needed for an orbiting gravitational wave observatory, with a target sensitivity of 30 fm s‑2 Hz-1/2 at 1 mHz. Any lasting background differential acceleration between the two test masses must be actively compensated, and noise associated with the applied actuation force can be a dominant source of noise. To remove this actuation, and the associated force noise, a ‘free-fall’ actuation control scheme has been designed; actuation is limited to brief impulses, with both test masses in free-fall in the time between the impulses, allowing measurement of the remaining acceleration noise sources. In this work, we present an on-ground torsion pendulum testing campaign of this technique and associated data analysis algorithms at a level nearing the sub-femto-g/\\sqrtHz performance required for LISA Pathfinder.

  11. Impulsivity facets’ predictive relations with DSM-5 PTSD symptom clusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roley, Michelle E.; Contractor, Ateka A.; Weiss, Nicole H.; Armour, Cherie; Elhai, Jon D.

    2017-01-01

    Objective Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has a well-established theoretical and empirical relation with impulsivity. Prior research has not used a multidimensional approach for measuring both PTSD and impulsivity constructs when assessing their relationship. Method The current study assessed the unique relationship of impulsivity facets on PTSD symptom clusters among a non-clinical sample of 412 trauma-exposed adults. Results Linear regression analyses revealed that impulsivity facets best accounted for PTSD’s arousal symptoms. The negative urgency facet of impulsivity was most predictive, as it was associated with all of PTSD’s symptom clusters. Sensation seeking did not predict PTSD’s intrusion symptoms, but did predict the other symptom clusters of PTSD. Lack of perseverance only predicted intrusion symptoms, while lack of premeditation only predicted PTSD’s mood/cognition symptoms. Conclusions Results extend theoretical and empirical research on the impulsivity-PTSD relationship, suggesting that impulsivity facets may serve as both risk and protective factors for PTSD symptoms. PMID:27243571

  12. Effects of Strategies Marketing of Collective Buying about Impulsive Behavior

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzi Elen Ferreira Dias

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Brazil has the second largest e-commerce market in the world. One model used in this sector is "collective buying", a feature of which is impulse sales. Consumer behavior can be influenced by several factors, two of which are addressed in this article: the individual impulsivity of consumers and strategies of mix marketing. Impulsive buying is characterized by an unplanned purchase, i.e. the need to acquire the product arises just before the purchase. Consumers respond differently to mixed strategies depending on their degree of impulsivity. Thus, this article aims to analyze the efficacy of different marketing mix strategies for impulsive and non-impulsive consumer purchasing behavior. 137 participants were given a questionnaire containing the Buying Impulsiveness scale from Rook and Fisher (1995, and statements about the marketing strategies used by collective buying sites. Through a regression analysis, three strategies were found to relate more to impulsivity: search for products from well-known brands, search for deals with big discounts and confidence in receiving the product. For e-commerce and researchers, this study elucidates which strategies, from the consumer's perspective, effectively persuade purchasing behavior.

  13. Influence of demographic and individual difference factors on impulse buying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirela Mihić

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of the paper is to determine the correlation of consumers’ demographic or socioeconomic characteristics and individual difference factors on the impulse buying behavior with respect to a number of single impulsivity indicators and one collective indicator. The paper consists of theoretical and research aspects. The first part encompasses theoretical insights into the secondary research regarding impulse buying while the practical part presents the methodology and primary research results. With respect to the subject matter, research goals as well as previous findings and primary research results, corresponding hypotheses were set and mainly confirmed. The results showed that demographic factors, such as the age and working status, are related to most impulse buying indicators and to the impulsivity collective indicator. However, household income produced opposite results. Household income proved to have no major influence on the majority of impulse buying indicators but to be related noticeably to the collective impulsivity indicator, indicating that this result should be regarded with caution. Research results also pointed to the fact that the majority of individual indicators (innovativeness, tendency to the fashionable and shopping enjoyment are positively and negatively related to the impulse buying behavior and that individual difference factors have a greater influence on impulse buying than do demographic characteristics. The paper also summarizes research limitations as well as the work contribution and future research guidelines.

  14. Trait impulsivity is associated with the risk of falls in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smulders, Katrijn; Esselink, Rianne A; Cools, Roshan; Bloem, Bastiaan R

    2014-01-01

    Impulsivity is a "tendency to act prematurely without foresight." Clinical experience suggests that such impulsive behavior can impact on the fall risk in Parkinson's disease (PD), but this has never been tested. We investigated whether trait impulsivity is related to fall risk in a large cohort of PD patients. We also investigated whether trait impulsivity affects the fall risk differently for patients with more or less postural instability and gait disability (PIGD). 388 patients with PD (H&Y ≤ 3) completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11, higher scores indicating greater impulsivity) to assess trait impulsivity, including three subscales: motor impulsivity (e.g. "I do things without thinking"), attentional impulsivity (e.g. "I concentrate easily") and non-planning (e.g. "I plan tasks carefully"). Falls were registered prospectively for 6 months. Patients classified as non-fallers (0 falls, n = 237) were compared to recurrent PD fallers (>1 fall, n = 78). Total impulsivity scores were higher for recurrent fallers (59.5) compared to non-fallers (56.8; p = .012). This effect was predominantly driven by higher scores on the subscale for attentional impulsivity (p = .003). The difference in attentional impulsivity was independent of gender, disease severity, dopaminergic medication, and cognitive function. Motor and non-planning impulsivity did not differ between recurrent fallers and non-fallers. There was no evidence that impulsivity modulated the association between PIGD and fall risk. This is the first evidence that impulsivity, in particular in the attentional domain, is related to fall risk in PD.

  15. Analytical studies of blowdown thrust force and dynamic response of pipe at pipe rupture accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyazaki, Noriyuki

    1985-01-01

    The motion of a pipe due to blowdown thrust when the pipe broke is called pipe whip. In LWR power plants, by installing restraints, the motion of a pipe when it broke is suppressed, so that the damage does not spread to neighboring equipment by pipe whip. When the pipe whip of a piping system in a LWR power plant is analyzed, blowdown thrust and the dynamic response of a pipe-restraint system are calculated with a computer. The blowdown thrust can be calculated by using such physical quantities as the pressure, flow velocity, density and so on in the system at the time of blowdown, obtained by the thermal-fluid analysis code at LOCA. The dynamic response of a piping-restraint system can be determined by the stress analysis code using finite element method taking the blowdown thrust as an external force acting on the piping. In this study, the validity of the analysis techniques was verified by comparing with the experimental results of the measurement of blowdown thrust and the pipe whip of a piping-restraint system, carried out in the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. Also the simplified analysis method to give the maximum strain on a pipe surface is presented. (Kako, I.)

  16. Integrative Understanding of Familial Impulsivity, Early Adversity and Suicide Risk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabela M. M. Lima

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Impulsivity is a core characteristic of bipolar disorder and it was observed as elevated in individuals with the disorder and in their relatives. Both impulsivity and history of maltreatment are risk factors for suicide attempts, however, these two key variables may not be independent, given the fact that parental impulsivity and associated social context could increase the risk of child maltreatment. In this study it was examined the association between the impulsivity of relatives and child maltreatment taking into consideration the conjoint and unique effects of these two variables on the risk of suicide attempts among the patients.Materials and Methods: Participants of the study consisted of 117 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and 25 first-degree relatives. Linear regression model was conducted to describe associations between facets of impulsivity of relatives and levels of child maltreatment reported by patients. The independent associations of suicide attempt history with the dimensions of impulsivity of the patient and maltreatment were tested by multinomial logistic regression.Results: Impulsivity of relatives and, more specifically, inhibitory control can predict the maltreatment of the patient. Inhibitory control and emotional abuse were related, conjointly, to a greater likelihood of having a history of more than one suicide attempt.Discussion: Considering that the impulsivity of relatives predicts child maltreatment, it is possible that a genetically shared impulsivity is an underlying feature associated with the history of multiple suicide attempts. These findings highlight the importance of considering child maltreatment, impulsivity and suicide attempt history in integrative models.

  17. Integrative Understanding of Familial Impulsivity, Early Adversity and Suicide Risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Isabela M M; Malloy-Diniz, Leandro F; de Miranda, Débora M; Da Silva, Antônio G; Neves, Fernando S; Johnson, Sheri L

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Impulsivity is a core characteristic of bipolar disorder and it was observed as elevated in individuals with the disorder and in their relatives. Both impulsivity and history of maltreatment are risk factors for suicide attempts, however, these two key variables may not be independent, given the fact that parental impulsivity and associated social context could increase the risk of child maltreatment. In this study it was examined the association between the impulsivity of relatives and child maltreatment taking into consideration the conjoint and unique effects of these two variables on the risk of suicide attempts among the patients. Materials and Methods: Participants of the study consisted of 117 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and 25 first-degree relatives. Linear regression model was conducted to describe associations between facets of impulsivity of relatives and levels of child maltreatment reported by patients. The independent associations of suicide attempt history with the dimensions of impulsivity of the patient and maltreatment were tested by multinomial logistic regression. Results: Impulsivity of relatives and, more specifically, inhibitory control can predict the maltreatment of the patient. Inhibitory control and emotional abuse were related, conjointly, to a greater likelihood of having a history of more than one suicide attempt. Discussion: Considering that the impulsivity of relatives predicts child maltreatment, it is possible that a genetically shared impulsivity is an underlying feature associated with the history of multiple suicide attempts. These findings highlight the importance of considering child maltreatment, impulsivity and suicide attempt history in integrative models.

  18. Cued to Act on Impulse: More Impulsive Choice and Risky Decision Making by Women Susceptible to Overeating after Exposure to Food Stimuli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeomans, Martin R; Brace, Aaron

    2015-01-01

    There is increasing evidence that individual differences in tendency to overeat relate to impulsivity, possibly by increasing reactivity to food-related cues in the environment. This study tested whether acute exposure to food cues enhanced impulsive and risky responses in women classified on tendency to overeat, indexed by scores on the three factor eating questionnaire disinhibition (TFEQ-D), restraint (TFEQ-R) and hunger scales. Ninety six healthy women completed two measures of impulsive responding (delayed discounting, DDT and a Go No-Go, GNG, task) and a measure of risky decision making (the balloon analogue risk task, BART) as well as questionnaire measures of impulsive behaviour either after looking at a series of pictures of food or visually matched controls. Impulsivity (DDT) and risk-taking (BART) were both positively associated with TFEQ-D scores, but in both cases this effect was exacerbated by prior exposure to food cues. No effects of restraint were found. TFEQ-D scores were also related to more commission errors on the GNG, while restrained women were slower on the GNG, but neither effect was modified by cue exposure. Overall these data suggest that exposure to food cues act to enhance general impulsive responding in women at risk of overeating and tentatively suggest an important interaction between tendency for impulsive decision making and food cues that may help explain a key underlying risk factor for overeating.

  19. Impulsive generalized function synchronization of complex dynamical networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Qunjiao; Chen, Juan; Wan, Li

    2013-01-01

    This Letter investigates generalized function synchronization of continuous and discrete complex networks by impulsive control. By constructing the reasonable corresponding impulsively controlled response networks, some criteria and corollaries are derived for the generalized function synchronization between the impulsively controlled complex networks, continuous and discrete networks are both included. Furthermore, the generalized linear synchronization and nonlinear synchronization are respectively illustrated by several examples. All the numerical simulations demonstrate the correctness of the theoretical results

  20. Boundary conditions of the exact impulse wave function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gravielle, M.; Miraglia, J.E.

    1997-01-01

    The behavior of the exact impulse wave function is investigated at intermediate and high impact energies. Numerical details of the wave function and its perturbative potential are reported. We conclude that the impulse wave function does not tend to the proper Coulomb asymptotic limit. For electron capture, however, it is shown that the impulse wave function produces reliable probabilities even for intermediate velocities and symmetric collision systems. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

  1. Modeling Impulse and Non-Impulse Store Choice Processes in a Multi-Agent Simulation of Pedestrian Activity in Shopping Environments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijkstra, J.; Timmermans, H.J.P.; Vries, de B.; Timmermans, H.J.P.

    2009-01-01

    This chapter presents a multi-agent approach for modeling impulse and non-impulse store choice processes of pedestrian activity in shopping environments. The pedestrian simulation context will be discussed as well as the behavioral principles underlying the store choice processes. For these

  2. Stimulating R and D of industrial energy-efficient technology. Policy lessons--impulse technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luiten, Esther; Blok, Kornelis

    2004-01-01

    Stimulating research and development (R and D) of innovative energy-efficient technologies for industry is an attractive option for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Impulse technology, an innovative papermaking technology, is always included in studies assessing the long-term potential of industrial energy efficiency. Aim of this article is to analyse the R and D trajectory of impulse technology in order to explore how government can stimulate the development of industrial energy-efficient technology. The concept of 'momentum' is used to characterise the network of actors and to understand the effect of government R and D support in this particular case study. The network analysis convincingly shows that although marketed as an energy-efficient technology, other benefits were in fact driving forces. Researchers at various national pulp and paper research institutes were successful in attracting government R and D support by claiming an improved energy efficiency. The momentum of the technology network was modest between 1980 and 1990. Therefore, government R and D support accelerated the development of impulse technology in this period. However, when the perspectives of the technology deteriorated--momentum decreased--researchers at national research institutes continued to attract government R and D support successfully. But 25 years of R and D--and over 15 years government R and D support--have not yet resulted in a proven technology. The case study illustrates the risk of continuing R and D support too long without taking into account actors' drivers to invest in R and D. Once momentum decreased, government should have been more circumspect in evaluating the (energy efficiency) promise of impulse technology. The major policy lesson is that government has to look beyond claimed energy efficiencies; government has to value (qualitative) information on (changing) technology networks in deciding upon starting, continuing or pulling out financial R and D support to

  3. Cooperation and stability through periodic impulses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo-Yu Zhang

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Basic games, where each individual chooses between two strategies, illustrate several issues that immediately emerge from the standard approach that applies strategic reasoning, based on rational decisions, to predict population behavior where no rationality is assumed. These include how mutual cooperation (which corresponds to the best outcome from the population perspective can evolve when the only individually rational choice is to defect, illustrated by the Prisoner's Dilemma (PD game, and how individuals can randomize between two strategies when neither is individually rational, illustrated by the Battle of the Sexes (BS game that models male-female conflict over parental investment in offspring. We examine these questions from an evolutionary perspective where the evolutionary dynamics includes an impulsive effect that models sudden changes in collective population behavior. For the PD game, we show analytically that cooperation can either coexist with defection or completely take over the population, depending on the strength of the impulse. By extending these results for the PD game, we also show that males and females each evolve to a single strategy in the BS game when the impulsive effect is strong and that weak impulses stabilize the randomized strategies of this game.

  4. Upper limb joint forces and moments during underwater cyclical movements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lauer, Jessy; Rouard, Annie Hélène; Vilas-Boas, João Paulo

    2016-10-03

    Sound inverse dynamics modeling is lacking in aquatic locomotion research because of the difficulty in measuring hydrodynamic forces in dynamic conditions. Here we report the successful implementation and validation of an innovative methodology crossing new computational fluid dynamics and inverse dynamics techniques to quantify upper limb joint forces and moments while moving in water. Upper limb kinematics of seven male swimmers sculling while ballasted with 4kg was recorded through underwater motion capture. Together with body scans, segment inertial properties, and hydrodynamic resistances computed from a unique dynamic mesh algorithm capable to handle large body deformations, these data were fed into an inverse dynamics model to solve for joint kinetics. Simulation validity was assessed by comparing the impulse produced by the arms, calculated by integrating vertical forces over a stroke period, to the net theoretical impulse of buoyancy and ballast forces. A resulting gap of 1.2±3.5% provided confidence in the results. Upper limb joint load was within 5% of swimmer׳s body weight, which tends to supports the use of low-load aquatic exercises to reduce joint stress. We expect this significant methodological improvement to pave the way towards deeper insights into the mechanics of aquatic movement and the establishment of practice guidelines in rehabilitation, fitness or swimming performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Lagrangian and energy forms for retrieving the impulse response of the Earth due to random electromagnetic forcing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slob, Evert; Weiss, Chester J

    2011-08-01

    We distinguish between trivial and nontrivial differences in retrieving the real or imaginary parts of the Green's function. Trivial differences come from different Green's function definitions. The energy and lagrangian forms constitute nontrivial differences. Magnetic noise sources suffice to extract the quasistatic electromagnetic-field Earth impulse response in the lagrangian form. This is of interest for Earth subsurface imaging. A numerical example demonstrates that all source vector components are necessary to extract a single-field vector component.

  6. Self-reported impulsivity and inhibitory control in problem gamblers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorains, Felicity K; Stout, Julie C; Bradshaw, John L; Dowling, Nicki A; Enticott, Peter G

    2014-01-01

    Impulsivity is considered a core feature of problem gambling; however, self-reported impulsivity and inhibitory control may reflect disparate constructs. We examined self-reported impulsivity and inhibitory control in 39 treatment-seeking problem gamblers and 41 matched controls using a range of self-report questionnaires and laboratory inhibitory control tasks. We also investigated differences between treatment-seeking problem gamblers who prefer strategic (e.g., sports betting) and nonstrategic (e.g., electronic gaming machines) gambling activities. Treatment-seeking problem gamblers demonstrated elevated self-reported impulsivity, more go errors on the Stop Signal Task, and a lower gap score on the Random Number Generation task than matched controls. However, overall we did not find strong evidence that treatment-seeking problem gamblers are more impulsive on laboratory inhibitory control measures. Furthermore, strategic and nonstrategic problem gamblers did not differ from their respective controls on either self-reported impulsivity questionnaires or laboratory inhibitory control measures. Contrary to expectations, our results suggest that inhibitory dyscontrol may not be a key component for some treatment-seeking problem gamblers.

  7. Independent effects of step length and foot strike pattern on tibiofemoral joint forces during running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowersock, Collin D; Willy, Richard W; DeVita, Paul; Willson, John D

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of step length and foot strike pattern along with their interaction on tibiofemoral joint (TFJ) and medial compartment TFJ kinetics during running. Nineteen participants ran with a rear foot strike pattern at their preferred speed using a short (-10%), preferred, and long (+10%) step length. These step length conditions were then repeated using a forefoot strike pattern. Regardless of foot strike pattern, a 10% shorter step length resulted in decreased peak contact force, force impulse per step, force impulse per kilometre, and average loading rate at the TFJ and medial compartment, while a 10% increased step length had the opposite effects (all P forefoot strike pattern significantly lowered TFJ and medial compartment TFJ average loading rates compared with a rear foot strike pattern (both forefoot strike pattern produced the greatest reduction in peak medial compartment contact force (P < 0.05). Knowledge of these running modification effects may be relevant to the management or prevention of TFJ injury or pathology among runners.

  8. Numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response for watermelon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Yong Sul; Yang, Dong Hoon; Choi, Young Jae; Bae, Tas Joo; So, Chul Ho; Lee, Yun Ho

    2002-01-01

    In this study, we conducted both analysis on impact pulse signal and acoustic impulse response method using numerical analysistic finite element method. Considering its velocity, density, Young's Modulus, and Poisson's Ratio, we extracted featured parameters and compared both results of analysis on impact pulse signal and numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response then we found the feature of generated acoustic sound signal by way of numerical analysis varying featured parameters and consequently intended to extract feature indices influenced on its internal maturity through analysis of acoustic impulse response. As we analyzed impact pulse signal and extracted featured parameters concerned with evaluation of its ripeness, we found the plausibility of progress on nondestructive evaluation of ripeness and adoption of numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response.

  9. Unified synchronization criteria in an array of coupled neural networks with hybrid impulses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Nan; Li, Xuechen; Lu, Jianquan; Alsaadi, Fuad E

    2018-05-01

    This paper investigates the problem of globally exponential synchronization of coupled neural networks with hybrid impulses. Two new concepts on average impulsive interval and average impulsive gain are proposed to deal with the difficulties coming from hybrid impulses. By employing the Lyapunov method combined with some mathematical analysis, some efficient unified criteria are obtained to guarantee the globally exponential synchronization of impulsive networks. Our method and criteria are proved to be effective for impulsively coupled neural networks simultaneously with synchronizing impulses and desynchronizing impulses, and we do not need to discuss these two kinds of impulses separately. Moreover, by using our average impulsive interval method, we can obtain an interesting and valuable result for the case of average impulsive interval T a =∞. For some sparse impulsive sequences with T a =∞, the impulses can happen for infinite number of times, but they do not have essential influence on the synchronization property of networks. Finally, numerical examples including scale-free networks are exploited to illustrate our theoretical results. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Gender and Impulsivity: Effects on Cue-Induced Alcohol Craving.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yarmush, Devorah E; Manchery, Linda; Luehring-Jones, Peter; Erblich, Joel

    2016-05-01

    Numerous studies have demonstrated that trait impulsivity is linked to increased risk of developing alcohol-use disorders and other substance abuse. Impulsivity has also been shown in some studies to potentiate cue-induced drug cravings. Despite considerable evidence of gender differences in impulsivity and drug craving among individuals suffering from alcohol dependence and other drug use, little research has focused on these processes in healthy young men and women who may be at risk for developing alcohol-use disorders. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between impulsivity and cue-induced craving, as well as possible gender differences in these effects among healthy young adults. To that end, female (n = 22) and male (n = 14) social drinkers aged 18 to 25, recruited from an urban university campus, completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and reported their alcohol cravings immediately before and after laboratory exposure to alcohol cues. Findings indicated that exposure to cues elicited increased alcohol cravings, but these effects did not differ by gender. Interestingly, a significant interaction of impulsivity and gender revealed that impulsivity predicted significantly higher cue-induced cravings in women, but not men. Findings underscore the importance of better understanding the interaction of situational factors (e.g., exposure to alcohol cues) and dispositional factors (e.g., impulsivity) as potential contributors to drinking motivation. Future prospective research is needed to identify gender-specific risk factors for the development of problem drinking. Copyright © 2016 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

  11. Obesity and dissociable forms of impulsivity in young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, Samuel R; Derbyshire, Katherine L; Leppink, Eric; Grant, Jon E

    2015-10-01

    Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality, and young people are increasingly affected. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between obesity and dissociable forms of impulsivity in young adults. A group of young adults (511) was recruited from city areas in the United States using media advertisements. These young adults were administered careful and extensive clinical and neurocognitive assessment in order to quantify different aspects of impulsivity (behavioral/phenomenological-, cognitive-, and personality-related measures). Associations between obesity and impulsivity were explored using multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant function analysis. 10.8% of the sample was obese, and 21.5% was overweight. Compared to controls, subjects with obesity showed significantly elevated rates of maladaptive gambling behaviors, monetary amounts lost to gambling, nicotine consumption, impulsive action (prolonged stop-signal reaction times in the Stop-Signal Test), and impulsive decision-making (reduced modulation of behavior as a function of risk in the Cambridge Gamble Test). Even accounting for potential confounding variables, obesity was significantly predicted by female gender, older age, more maladaptive gambling behaviors, and worse inhibitory control (stop-signal reaction times). Obesity is associated with several dissociable forms of impulsivity in young people, especially gambling and impulse dyscontrol. Family doctors should screen for gambling problems in obese young adults. Successful treatment of nicotine dependence in young obese people is likely to require intensive weight management support. Neuropsychological deficits relating to impulsivity occur in obese people in early adulthood, and may represent vulnerability markers rather than being due to chronic untoward metabolic effects on brain function.

  12. Sex differences in impulsivity and brain morphometry in methamphetamine users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kogachi, Shannon; Chang, Linda; Alicata, Daniel; Cunningham, Eric; Ernst, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Methamphetamine (METH) is an addictive stimulant, and METH users have abnormal brain structures and function. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between impulsivity, brain structures, and possible sex-specific differences between METH users and non-drug using Controls. Structural MRI and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) questionnaire were completed in 124 subjects: 62 METH (ages 41.2 ± 1.4 years, 34 males) and 62 Controls (ages 43.3 ± 2.3 years, 36 males). Independent and interactive effects of METH use status and sex were evaluated. Relationships between METH usage characteristics, brain morphometry, and impulsivity scores were examined. METH users had higher impulsivity scores, on both the Cognitive and Behavioral Factors from the BIS (p impulsivity (interaction-p ≤ 0.05). Only female METH users showed relatively larger nucleus accumbens (interaction-p = 0.03). Greater impulsivity and thinner frontal cortices in METH users are validated. Larger superior frontal cortex in male METH users with greater cognitive impulsivity suggest decreased dendritic pruning during adolescence might have contributed to their impulsive and drug use behaviors. In the female METH users, smaller frontal cortices and the associated greater impulsivity suggest greater neurotoxicity to these brain regions, while their relatively larger nucleus accumbens suggest an estrogen-mediated neuroprotective glial response. Men and women may be affected differently by METH use.

  13. Frequency modulation television analysis: Threshold impulse analysis. [with computer program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodge, W. H.

    1973-01-01

    A computer program is developed to calculate the FM threshold impulse rates as a function of the carrier-to-noise ratio for a specified FM system. The system parameters and a vector of 1024 integers, representing the probability density of the modulating voltage, are required as input parameters. The computer program is utilized to calculate threshold impulse rates for twenty-four sets of measured probability data supplied by NASA and for sinusoidal and Gaussian modulating waveforms. As a result of the analysis several conclusions are drawn: (1) The use of preemphasis in an FM television system improves the threshold by reducing the impulse rate. (2) Sinusoidal modulation produces a total impulse rate which is a practical upper bound for the impulse rates of TV signals providing the same peak deviations. (3) As the moment of the FM spectrum about the center frequency of the predetection filter increases, the impulse rate tends to increase. (4) A spectrum having an expected frequency above (below) the center frequency of the predetection filter produces a higher negative (positive) than positive (negative) impulse rate.

  14. Usefulness of percutaneous elastography by acoustic radiation force impulse for the non-invasive diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camilo Julio Llamoza-Torres

    Full Text Available Objective: To determine the accuracy of the acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI technique for the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. Materials and methods: We present an observational, single-center study that included patients with suspected chronic pancreatitis in the period between October 2012 and September 2015 who underwent endoscopic ultrasound (EUS and were classified according to the standard and Rosemont criteria. The same group of patients was assessed by the ARFI technology using ACUSON S2000™ equipment with Virtual Touch™ Quantification software for the assessment of pancreatic stiffness by obtaining the shear wave velocity (SWV in the head, body and tail of the pancreas. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and nonparametric correlation methods. Diagnostic accuracy was obtained by analyzing receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve. Results: A total of thirty-three patients were studied (45.5% women; mean age was 58.3 ± 11.8 years. Seventeen with a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis and sixteen classified as normal according to standard criteria. A significant difference was detected between the means of SWV in pancreatic body of patients without (SWV: 1.27 m/s and with chronic pancreatitis (SWV 1.57 m/s, p = 0.037. The area under the ROC curve was 71.3% (95% CI 0.532-0.895 and the accuracy of ARFI for diagnosing chronic pancreatitis was 69.7% for a SWV of 1.4 m/s in the pancreatic body. The SWV means in head (r = 0.421, p < 0.05 and body (r = 0.455, p < 0.05 of the pancreas showed a significant correlation with the number of EUS criteria for chronic pancreatitis. Conclusion: Quantification of pancreatic stiffness with ARFI elastography technique has proven to be useful for the non-invasive diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis.

  15. Study of Influencing Factors on ConsumerOnline Impulse Buying

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2015-01-01

    The convenience and anonymity of online shopping have stimulated people's impulse buying tendency. Impulse buying is notonly a competitive method for businesses, but also a crucial factor influencing sales of e-commerce. Based on a systematic reviewof literatures, this paper explores factors affecting the online impulse buying. Moreover, by using the S-O-R model, this paperdescribes the formation mechanism of the online impulse buying behavior. At Last, it points out issues worthy of future studies.For example, this paper suggests to take into consideration of sociocultural impact and to put more emphasis on empirical studies.

  16. Integrative Understanding of Familial Impulsivity, Early Adversity and Suicide Risk

    OpenAIRE

    Lima, Isabela M. M.; Malloy-Diniz, Leandro F.; de Miranda, Débora M.; Da Silva, Antônio G.; Neves, Fernando S.; Johnson, Sheri L.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Impulsivity is a core characteristic of bipolar disorder and it was observed as elevated in individuals with the disorder and in their relatives. Both impulsivity and history of maltreatment are risk factors for suicide attempts, however, these two key variables may not be independent, given the fact that parental impulsivity and associated social context could increase the risk of child maltreatment. In this study it was examined the association between the impulsivity of relat...

  17. Cued to Act on Impulse: More Impulsive Choice and Risky Decision Making by Women Susceptible to Overeating after Exposure to Food Stimuli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin R Yeomans

    Full Text Available There is increasing evidence that individual differences in tendency to overeat relate to impulsivity, possibly by increasing reactivity to food-related cues in the environment. This study tested whether acute exposure to food cues enhanced impulsive and risky responses in women classified on tendency to overeat, indexed by scores on the three factor eating questionnaire disinhibition (TFEQ-D, restraint (TFEQ-R and hunger scales. Ninety six healthy women completed two measures of impulsive responding (delayed discounting, DDT and a Go No-Go, GNG, task and a measure of risky decision making (the balloon analogue risk task, BART as well as questionnaire measures of impulsive behaviour either after looking at a series of pictures of food or visually matched controls. Impulsivity (DDT and risk-taking (BART were both positively associated with TFEQ-D scores, but in both cases this effect was exacerbated by prior exposure to food cues. No effects of restraint were found. TFEQ-D scores were also related to more commission errors on the GNG, while restrained women were slower on the GNG, but neither effect was modified by cue exposure. Overall these data suggest that exposure to food cues act to enhance general impulsive responding in women at risk of overeating and tentatively suggest an important interaction between tendency for impulsive decision making and food cues that may help explain a key underlying risk factor for overeating.

  18. Bilateral contact ground reaction forces and contact times during plyometric drop jumping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ball, Nick B; Stock, Christopher G; Scurr, Joanna C

    2010-10-01

    Drop jumping (DJ) is used in training programs aimed to improve lower extremity explosive power. When performing double-leg drop jumps, it is important to provide an equal stimulus to both legs to ensure balanced development of the lower legs. The aim of this study was to bilaterally analyze the ground reactions forces and temporal components of drop jumping from 3 heights. Ten recreationally active male subjects completed 3 bounce-drop jumps from 3 starting heights (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 m). Two linked force platforms were used to record left- and right-leg peak vertical force, time to peak force, average force, ground contact time, impulse and time differential. Between-height and between-leg comparisons for each variable were made using a multivariate analysis of variance with post hoc Wilcoxon tests (p < 0.05). Results indicated that force and time variables increased as drop jump height increased (p < 0.0001). Post hoc analyses showed that at 0.2- and 0.4-m bilateral differences were present in the time to peak force, average force, and impulse. No bilateral differences for any variables were shown at 0.6-m starting height. The contact time for all jumps was <0.26 seconds. At 0.2 m, only 63% of the subjects had a starting time differential of <0.01 seconds, rising to 96.3% at 0.6 m. The results indicated that 0.6 m is the suggested drop jump height to ensure that no bilateral differences in vertical forces and temporal components occur; however, shorter contact times were found at the lower heights.

  19. Impulse control disorders are associated with multiple psychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaakkola, Elina; Kaasinen, Valtteri; Siri, Chiara; Martikainen, Kirsti; Cilia, Roberto; Niemelä, Solja; Joutsa, Juho

    2014-01-01

    Impulse control disorders can have serious adverse consequences to the life of a patient with Parkinson's disease. Although impulse control disorders are common, a possible psychiatric comorbidity has not been fully characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychiatric symptoms exhibited by Parkinson's disease patients with impulse control disorders. The study was conducted as a postal survey to patients in the registry of the Finnish Parkinson Association. A total of 290 Parkinson's disease patients were evaluated for impulse control disorders using the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease. Psychiatric symptoms were systematically screened using the Symptom Checklist 90. We found that 108 of the evaluated patients had one or more impulse control disorders. Patients with impulse control disorders had markedly higher scores for symptoms of psychoticism (Bonferroni corrected p disorder (p impulse control disorders. Impulse control disorders were shown to be independently associated with these symptoms. Patients with multiple impulse control disorders had higher scores for depression and obsessive-compulsive symptoms when compared with patients that exhibited only one impulse control disorder. COUNCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the previous observations that impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease are linked with multiple psychiatric symptoms, including psychoticism, interpersonal sensitivity, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and depression. Clinicians treating these patients should acknowledge the concomitant psychiatric symptoms.

  20. Mood instability and impulsivity as trait predictors of suicidal thoughts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Evyn M; Balbuena, Lloyd; Marwaha, Steven; Baetz, Marilyn; Bowen, Rudy

    2016-12-01

    Impulsivity, the tendency to act quickly without adequate planning or concern for consequences, is a commonly cited risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviour. There are many definitions of impulsivity and how it relates to suicidality is not well understood. Mood instability, which describes frequent fluctuations of mood over time, is a concept related to impulsivity that may help explain this relationship. The purpose of this study was to determine whether impulsivity could predict suicidal thoughts after controlling for mood instability. This study utilized longitudinal data from the 2000 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (N = 2,406). There was a time interval of 18 months between the two waves of the study. Trait impulsivity and mood instability were measured with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate baseline impulsivity and mood instability as predictors of future suicidal thoughts. Impulsivity significantly predicted the presence of suicidal thoughts, but this effect became non-significant with mood instability included in the same model. Impulsivity may be a redundant concept when predicting future suicidal thoughts if mood instability is considered. The significance is that research and therapy focusing on mood instability along with impulsivity may be useful in treating the suicidal patient. Mood instability and impulsivity both predict future suicidal thoughts. Impulsivity does not predict suicidal thoughts after controlling for mood instability. Assessing and treating mood instability could be important aspects of suicide prevention and risk management. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

  1. Multidimensional Assessment of Impulsivity in Relation to Obesity and Food Addiction

    Science.gov (United States)

    VanderBroek-Stice, Lauren; Stojek, Monika K.; Beach, Steven R. H.; vanDellen, Michelle R.; MacKillop, James

    2017-01-01

    Based on similarities between overconsumption of food and addictive drugs, there is increasing interest in “food addiction,” a compulsive eating pattern defined using symptoms parallel to substance use disorders. Impulsivity, a multidimensional construct robustly linked to drug addiction, has been increasingly examined as an obesity determinant, but with mixed findings. This study sought to clarify relations between three major domains of impulsivity (i.e., impulsive personality traits, discounting of delayed rewards, and behavioral inhibition) in both obesity and food addiction. Based on the association between impulsivity and compulsive drug use, the general hypothesis was that the impulsivity-food addiction relation would be stronger than and responsible for the impulsivity-obesity relation. Using a cross-sectional dimensional design, participants (N = 181; 32% obese) completed a biometric assessment, the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scales, a Go/NoGo task, and measures of monetary delay discounting. Results revealed significantly higher prevalence of food addiction among obese participants and stronger zero-order associations between impulsivity indices and YFAS compared to obesity. Two aspects of impulsivity were independently significantly associated with food addiction: (a) a composite of Positive and Negative Urgency, reflecting proneness to act impulsively during intense mood states, and (b) steep discounting of delayed rewards. Furthermore, the results supported food addiction as a mediator connecting both urgency and delay discounting with obesity. These findings provide further evidence linking impulsivity to food addiction and obesity, and suggest that food addiction may be a candidate etiological pathway to obesity for individuals exhibiting elevations in these domains. PMID:28087369

  2. On some impulsive fractional differential equations in Banach spaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JinRong Wang

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with some impulsive fractional differential equations in Banach spaces. Utilizing the Leray-Schauder fixed point theorem and the impulsive nonlinear singular version of the Gronwall inequality, the existence of \\(PC\\-mild solutions for some fractional differential equations with impulses are obtained under some easily checked conditions. At last, an example is given for demonstration.

  3. Numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response for watermelon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Yong Sul; Yang, Dong Hoon; Choi, Young Jae; Bae, Tas Joo; So, Chul Ho [Dongshin University, Naju (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Yun Ho [Korea Inspection and Engineering CO.,LTD., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2002-11-15

    In this study, we conducted both analysis on impact pulse signal and acoustic impulse response method using numerical analysistic finite element method. Considering its velocity, density, Young's Modulus, and Poisson's Ratio, we extracted featured parameters and compared both results of analysis on impact pulse signal and numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response then we found the feature of generated acoustic sound signal by way of numerical analysis varying featured parameters and consequently intended to extract feature indices influenced on its internal maturity through analysis of acoustic impulse response. As we analyzed impact pulse signal and extracted featured parameters concerned with evaluation of its ripeness, we found the plausibility of progress on nondestructive evaluation of ripeness and adoption of numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response.

  4. Impulsive synchronisation of a class of fractional-order hyperchaotic systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Xing-Yuan; Zhang Yong-Lei; Lin Da; Zhang Na

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, an impulsive synchronisation scheme for a class of fractional-order hyperchaotic systems is proposed. The sufficient conditions of a class of integral-order hyperchaotic systems' impulsive synchronisation are illustrated. Furthermore, we apply the sufficient conditions to a class of fractional-order hyperchaotic systems and well achieve impulsive synchronisation of these fractional-order hyperchaotic systems, thereby extending the applicable scope of impulsive synchronisation. Numerical simulations further demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed scheme. (general)

  5. Trait Impulsivity and Anhedonia: Two Gateways for the Development of Impulse Control Disorders in Parkinson's Disease?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houeto, Jean-Luc; Magnard, Robin; Dalley, Jeffrey W; Belin, David; Carnicella, Sebastien

    2016-01-01

    Apathy and impulsivity are two major comorbid syndromes of Parkinson's disease (PD) that may represent two extremes of a behavioral spectrum modulated by dopamine-dependent processes. PD is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta to which are attributed the cardinal motor symptoms of the disorder. Dopamine replacement therapy (DRT), used widely to treat these motor symptoms, is often associated with deficits in hedonic processing and motivation, including apathy and depression, as well as impulse control disorders (ICDs). ICDs comprise pathological gambling, hypersexuality, compulsive shopping, binge eating, compulsive overuse of dopaminergic medication, and punding. More frequently observed in males with early onset PD, ICDs are associated not only with comorbid affective symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, but also with behavioral traits, such as novelty seeking and impulsivity, as well as with personal or familial history of alcohol use. This constellation of associated risk factors highlights the importance of inter-individual differences in the vulnerability to develop comorbid psychiatric disorders in PD patients. Additionally, withdrawal from DRT in patients with ICDs frequently unmasks a severe apathetic state, suggesting that apathy and ICDs may be caused by overlapping neurobiological mechanisms within the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical networks. We suggest that altered hedonic and impulse control processes represent distinct prodromal substrates for the development of these psychiatric symptoms, the etiopathogenic mechanisms of which remain unknown. Specifically, we argue that deficits in hedonic and motivational states and impulse control are mediated by overlapping, yet dissociable, neural mechanisms that differentially interact with DRT to promote the emergence of ICDs in vulnerable individuals. Thus, we provide a novel heuristic framework for basic and clinical research to better

  6. Trait impulsivity and anhedonia: two gateways for the development of impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Luc eHoueto

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Apathy and impulsivity are two major comorbid syndromes of Parkinson’s disease (PD that may represent two extremes of a behavioral spectrum modulated by dopamine-dependent processes. PD is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta to which are attributed the cardinal motor symptoms of the disorder. Dopamine replacement therapy (DRT, used widely to treat these motor symptoms, is often associated with deficits in hedonic processing and motivation, including apathy and depression, as well as impulse control disorders (ICDs. ICDs comprise pathological gambling, hypersexuality, compulsive shopping, binge eating, compulsive overuse of dopaminergic medication, and punding. More frequently observed in males with early onset PD, ICDs are associated not only with co-morbid affective symptoms such as depression and anxiety, but also with behavioral traits such as novelty seeking and impulsivity, as well as with personal or familial history of alcohol use. This constellation of associated risk factors highlights the importance of inter-individual differences in the vulnerability to develop comorbid psychiatric disorders in PD patients. Additionally, withdrawal from DRT in patients with ICDs frequently unmasks a severe apathetic state, suggesting that apathy and ICDs may be caused by overlapping neurobiological mechanisms within the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical networks. We suggest that altered hedonic and impulse control processes represent distinct prodromal substrates for the development of these psychiatric symptoms, the etiopathogenic mechanisms of which remain unknown. Specifically, we argue that deficits in hedonic and motivational states and impulse control are mediated by overlapping, yet dissociable, neural mechanisms that differentially interact with DRT to promote the emergence of ICDs in vulnerable individuals. We thus provide a novel heuristic framework for basic and clinical

  7. STRICT STABILITY OF IMPULSIVE SET VALUED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, we develop strict stability concepts of ODE to impulsive hybrid set valued differential equations. By Lyapunov’s original method, we get some basic strict stability criteria of impulsive hybrid set valued equations.

  8. On the Spur of the Moment: Intrinsic Predictors of Impulse Sports Betting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hing, Nerilee; Li, En; Vitartas, Peter; Russell, Alex M T

    2018-06-01

    Betting on impulse, without thoughtful consideration, research or informed decision-making, may cause financial and other harms and lead to the development of gambling problems. Impulse betting undermines responsible consumption of gambling because it reflects self-regulatory failure, impaired control, unreflective decision-making and betting more than planned. In this paper we define impulse gambling and report on a study that aimed to understand more about the intrinsic characteristics of sports bettors who have a greater tendency to bet on impulse. Specifically, the study aimed to identify behavioural, psychological and socio-demographic predictors of impulse sports betting. A sample of 1816 Australian sports bettors completed an online survey that measured the proportion of their bets placed on impulse both before and during sporting events, as well as bets that were researched and planned in advance. Impulse betting was common, accounting for nearly one-half of all past-year sports bets by respondents. Over three-quarters of respondents had placed one or more impulse bets in the last year and one in seven respondents had made all of their sports bets on impulse. More impulsive sports bettors were characterised as having higher trait impulsiveness, higher problem gambling severity, more frequent sports betting and a shorter history of sports betting. They favoured betting on in-match contingencies instead of overall match outcomes. While health promotion strategies are needed to discourage impulse betting, research into contextual factors that arouse urges to bet would also provide direction for harm minimisation measures that help consumers to resist impulsive betting decisions.

  9. Impulsivity, gender, and the platelet serotonin transporter in healthy subjects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donatella Marazziti

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Donatella Marazziti, Stefano Baroni, Irene Masala, Francesca Golia, Giorgio Consoli, Gabriele Massimetti, Michela Picchetti, Mario Catena Dell’Osso, Gino Giannaccini, Laura Betti, Antonio Lucacchini, Antonio CiapparelliDipartimento di Psichiatria, Neurobiologia, Farmacologia e Biotecnologie, University of Pisa, Pisa, ItalyAbstract: The present study explored the possible relationships between impulsivity, gender, and a peripheral serotonergic marker, the platelet serotonin (5-HT transporter (SERT, in a group of 32 healthy subjects. The impulsivity was measured by means of the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, version 11 (BIS-11, a widely used self-report questionnaire, and the platelet SERT was evaluated by means of the specific binding of 3H-paroxetine (3H-Par to platelet membranes, according to standardized protocols. The results showed that women had a higher BIS-11 total score than men, and also higher scores of two factors of the same scale: the motor impulsivity and the cognitive complexity. The analysis of the correlations revealed that the density of the SERT proteins, as measured by the maximum binding capacity (Bmax of 3H-Par, was significantly and positively related to the cognitive complexity factor, but only in men. Men showed also a significant and negative correlation with the dissociation constant, Kd, of (3H-Par binding, and the motor impulsivity factor. These findings suggest that women are generally more impulsive than men, but that the 5-HT system is more involved in the impulsivity of men than in that of women.Keywords: impulsivity, gender, serotonin transporter, Barratt Impulsivity Scale, platelets, 3H-paroxetine

  10. Impulsivity modulates performance under response uncertainty in a reaching task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzagarakis, C; Pellizzer, G; Rogers, R D

    2013-03-01

    We sought to explore the interaction of the impulsivity trait with response uncertainty. To this end, we used a reaching task (Pellizzer and Hedges in Exp Brain Res 150:276-289, 2003) where a motor response direction was cued at different levels of uncertainty (1 cue, i.e., no uncertainty, 2 cues or 3 cues). Data from 95 healthy adults (54 F, 41 M) were analysed. Impulsivity was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11). Behavioral variables recorded were reaction time (RT), errors of commission (referred to as 'early errors') and errors of precision. Data analysis employed generalised linear mixed models and generalised additive mixed models. For the early errors, there was an interaction of impulsivity with uncertainty and gender, with increased errors for high impulsivity in the one-cue condition for women and the three-cue condition for men. There was no effect of impulsivity on precision errors or RT. However, the analysis of the effect of RT and impulsivity on precision errors showed a different pattern for high versus low impulsives in the high uncertainty (3 cue) condition. In addition, there was a significant early error speed-accuracy trade-off for women, primarily in low uncertainty and a 'reverse' speed-accuracy trade-off for men in high uncertainty. These results extend those of past studies of impulsivity which help define it as a behavioural trait that modulates speed versus accuracy response styles depending on environmental constraints and highlight once more the importance of gender in the interplay of personality and behaviour.

  11. Sex differences in impulsivity and brain morphometry in methamphetamine users

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kogachi, Shannon; Chang, Linda; Alicata, Daniel; Cunningham, Eric; Ernst, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    Methamphetamine (METH) is an addictive stimulant, and METH users have abnormal brain structures and function. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between impulsivity, brain structures, and possible sex-specific differences between METH users and non-drug using Controls. Structural MRI and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) questionnaire were completed in 124 subjects: 62 METH (ages 41.2 ± 1.4 years, 34 males) and 62 Controls (ages 43.3 ± 2.3 years, 36 males). Independent and interactive effects of METH use status and sex were evaluated. Relationships between METH usage characteristics, brain morphometry, and impulsivity scores were examined. METH users had higher impulsivity scores, on both the Cognitive and Behavioral Factors from the BIS (p users had larger, while female METH users had smaller, right superior frontal cortex (interaction-p = 0.0005). The male METH users with larger frontal volumes and female METH users with smaller or thinner frontal cortices had greater Cognitive impulsivity (interaction-p ≤ 0.05). Only female METH users showed relatively larger nucleus accumbens (interaction-p = 0.03). Greater impulsivity and thinner frontal cortices in METH users are validated. Larger superior frontal cortex in male METH users with greater cognitive impulsivity suggest decreased dendritic pruning during adolescence might have contributed to their impulsive and drug use behaviors. In the female METH users, smaller frontal cortices and the associated greater impulsivity suggest greater neurotoxicity to these brain regions, while their relatively larger nucleus accumbens suggest an estrogen-mediated neuroprotective glial response. Men and women may be affected differently by METH use. PMID:27095357

  12. The importance of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in the diagnosis and clinical course of acute pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaya, Muhsin; Değirmenci, Serdar; Göya, Cemil; Tuncel, Elif Tuba; Uçmak, Feyzullah; Kaplan, Mehmet Ali

    2018-05-01

    Acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by acute inflammation of the pancreas and it has a highly variable clinical course. The aim of our study was to evaluate the value of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in the diagnosis and clinical course of AP. Consecutive patients with a diagnosis of AP (patients group) and healthy subject (control group) were prospectively enrolled to the study. Demographic features and clinical, laboratory, and radiological data were recorded. Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTQ) was used to implement ARFI elastography. The tissue elasticity is proportional to the square of the wave velocity (SWV). A total of 108 patients (age, 57±1.8 y) and 79 healthy subjects (age, 53.6±1.81 y) were included in the study. There were 100 (92.5%) edematous and 8 (7.4%) necrotizing AP. The mean SWV was significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (2.43±0.08 vs. 1.27±0.025 m/s, p < 0.001). There was not significant difference between patient and control group regarding age and gender. SWV cutoff value of 1.63 m/s was associated with 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity for the diagnosis of AP. There was not significant difference between patients with and without complications and patients with edematous and necrotizing AP regarding mean SWV value. There was also not significant correlation between mean SWV value and age, mean length of hospital stay, and mean amylase level. ARFI elastography may be a feasible method for the diagnosis of AP, but it has no value for the prediction of clinical course of AP.

  13. Global stability of discrete-time recurrent neural networks with impulse effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, L; Li, C; Wan, J

    2008-01-01

    This paper formulates and studies a class of discrete-time recurrent neural networks with impulse effects. A stability criterion, which characterizes the effects of impulse and stability property of the corresponding impulse-free networks on the stability of the impulsive networks in an aggregate form, is established. Two simplified and numerically tractable criteria are also provided

  14. Modelling impulsive factors for electronics and restaurant coupons’ e-store display

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariningsih, P. K.; Nainggolan, M.; Sandy, I. A.

    2018-04-01

    In many times, the increment of e-store visitors does not followed by sales increment. Most purchases through e-commerce are impulsive buying, however only small amount of study is available to understand impulsive factors of e-store display. This paper suggests a preliminary concept on understanding the impulsive factors in Electronics and Restaurant Coupons e-store display, which are two among few popular group products sold through e-commerce. By conducting literature study and survey, 31 attributes were identified as impulsive factors in electronics e-store display and 20 attributes were identified as impulsive factors for restaurant coupon e-store. The attributes were then grouped into comprehensive impulsive factors by factor analysis. Each group of impulsive attributes were generated into 3 factors. Accessibility Factors and Trust Factors appeared for each group products. The other factors are Internal Factors for electronics e-store and Marketing factors for restaurant coupons e-store. Structural Equation Model of the impulsive factors was developed for each type of e-store, which stated the covariance between Trust Factors and Accessibility Factors. Based on preliminary model, Internal Factor and Trust Factor are influencing impulsive buying in electronics store. Special factor for electronics e-store is Internal Factor, while for restaurant coupons e-store is Marketing Factor.

  15. A simple method of equine limb force vector analysis and its potential applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hobbs, Sarah Jane; Robinson, Mark A; Clayton, Hilary M

    2018-01-01

    Ground reaction forces (GRF) measured during equine gait analysis are typically evaluated by analyzing discrete values obtained from continuous force-time data for the vertical, longitudinal and transverse GRF components. This paper describes a simple, temporo-spatial method of displaying and analyzing sagittal plane GRF vectors. In addition, the application of statistical parametric mapping (SPM) is introduced to analyse differences between contra-lateral fore and hindlimb force-time curves throughout the stance phase. The overall aim of the study was to demonstrate alternative methods of evaluating functional (a)symmetry within horses. GRF and kinematic data were collected from 10 horses trotting over a series of four force plates (120 Hz). The kinematic data were used to determine clean hoof contacts. The stance phase of each hoof was determined using a 50 N threshold. Vertical and longitudinal GRF for each stance phase were plotted both as force-time curves and as force vector diagrams in which vectors originating at the centre of pressure on the force plate were drawn at intervals of 8.3 ms for the duration of stance. Visual evaluation was facilitated by overlay of the vector diagrams for different limbs. Summary vectors representing the magnitude (VecMag) and direction (VecAng) of the mean force over the entire stance phase were superimposed on the force vector diagram. Typical measurements extracted from the force-time curves (peak forces, impulses) were compared with VecMag and VecAng using partial correlation (controlling for speed). Paired samples t -tests (left v. right diagonal pair comparison and high v. low vertical force diagonal pair comparison) were performed on discrete and vector variables using traditional methods and Hotelling's T 2 tests on normalized stance phase data using SPM. Evidence from traditional statistical tests suggested that VecMag is more influenced by the vertical force and impulse, whereas VecAng is more influenced by the

  16. A simple method of equine limb force vector analysis and its potential applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Jane Hobbs

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Background Ground reaction forces (GRF measured during equine gait analysis are typically evaluated by analyzing discrete values obtained from continuous force-time data for the vertical, longitudinal and transverse GRF components. This paper describes a simple, temporo-spatial method of displaying and analyzing sagittal plane GRF vectors. In addition, the application of statistical parametric mapping (SPM is introduced to analyse differences between contra-lateral fore and hindlimb force-time curves throughout the stance phase. The overall aim of the study was to demonstrate alternative methods of evaluating functional (asymmetry within horses. Methods GRF and kinematic data were collected from 10 horses trotting over a series of four force plates (120 Hz. The kinematic data were used to determine clean hoof contacts. The stance phase of each hoof was determined using a 50 N threshold. Vertical and longitudinal GRF for each stance phase were plotted both as force-time curves and as force vector diagrams in which vectors originating at the centre of pressure on the force plate were drawn at intervals of 8.3 ms for the duration of stance. Visual evaluation was facilitated by overlay of the vector diagrams for different limbs. Summary vectors representing the magnitude (VecMag and direction (VecAng of the mean force over the entire stance phase were superimposed on the force vector diagram. Typical measurements extracted from the force-time curves (peak forces, impulses were compared with VecMag and VecAng using partial correlation (controlling for speed. Paired samples t-tests (left v. right diagonal pair comparison and high v. low vertical force diagonal pair comparison were performed on discrete and vector variables using traditional methods and Hotelling’s T2 tests on normalized stance phase data using SPM. Results Evidence from traditional statistical tests suggested that VecMag is more influenced by the vertical force and impulse, whereas

  17. Experimental observation of 3-D, impulsive reconnection events in a laboratory plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dorfman, S.; Ji, H.; Yamada, M.; Yoo, J.; Lawrence, E.; Myers, C.; Tharp, T. D. [Center for Magnetic Self-Organization, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

    2014-01-15

    Fast, impulsive reconnection is commonly observed in laboratory, space, and astrophysical plasmas. In this work, impulsive, local, 3-D reconnection is identified for the first time in a laboratory current sheet. The two-fluid, impulsive reconnection events observed on the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX) [Yamada et al., Phys Plasmas 4, 1936 (1997)] cannot be explained by 2-D models and are therefore fundamentally three-dimensional. Several signatures of flux ropes are identified with these events; 3-D high current density regions with O-point structure form during a slow buildup period that precedes a fast disruption of the reconnecting current layer. The observed drop in the reconnection current and spike in the reconnection rate during the disruption are due to ejection of these flux ropes from the layer. Underscoring the 3-D nature of the events, strong out-of-plane gradients in both the density and reconnecting magnetic field are found to play a key role in this process. Electromagnetic fluctuations in the lower hybrid frequency range are observed to peak at the disruption time; however, they are not the key physics responsible for the impulsive phenomena observed. Important features of the disruption dynamics cannot be explained by an anomalous resistivity model. An important discrepancy in the layer width and force balance between the collisionless regime of MRX and kinetic simulations is also revisited. The wider layers observed in MRX may be due to the formation of flux ropes with a wide range of sizes; consistent with this hypothesis, flux rope signatures are observed down to the smallest scales resolved by the diagnostics. Finally, a 3-D two-fluid model is proposed to explain how the observed out-of-plane variation may lead to a localized region of enhanced reconnection that spreads in the direction of the out-of-plane electron flow, ejecting flux ropes from the layer in a 3-D manner.

  18. Multidimensional assessment of impulsivity in relation to obesity and food addiction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    VanderBroek-Stice, Lauren; Stojek, Monika K; Beach, Steven R H; vanDellen, Michelle R; MacKillop, James

    2017-05-01

    Based on similarities between overconsumption of food and addictive drugs, there is increasing interest in "food addiction," a compulsive eating pattern defined using symptoms parallel to substance use disorders. Impulsivity, a multidimensional construct robustly linked to drug addiction, has been increasingly examined as an obesity determinant, but with mixed findings. This study sought to clarify relations between three major domains of impulsivity (i.e., impulsive personality traits, discounting of delayed rewards, and behavioral inhibition) in both obesity and food addiction. Based on the association between impulsivity and compulsive drug use, the general hypothesis was that the impulsivity-food addiction relation would be stronger than and responsible for the impulsivity-obesity relation. Using a cross-sectional dimensional design, participants (N = 181; 32% obese) completed a biometric assessment, the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scales, a Go/NoGo task, and measures of monetary delay discounting. Results revealed significantly higher prevalence of food addiction among obese participants and stronger zero-order associations between impulsivity indices and YFAS compared to obesity. Two aspects of impulsivity were independently significantly associated with food addiction: (a) a composite of Positive and Negative Urgency, reflecting proneness to act impulsively during intense mood states, and (b) steep discounting of delayed rewards. Furthermore, the results supported food addiction as a mediator connecting both urgency and delay discounting with obesity. These findings provide further evidence linking impulsivity to food addiction and obesity, and suggest that food addiction may be a candidate etiological pathway to obesity for individuals exhibiting elevations in these domains. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Attentional and motor impulsivity interactively predict 'food addiction' in obese individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meule, Adrian; de Zwaan, Martina; Müller, Astrid

    2017-01-01

    Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct and constitutes a common risk factor for a range of behaviors associated with poor self-control (e.g., substance use or binge eating). The short form of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-15) measures impulsive behaviors related to attentional (inability to focus attention or concentrate), motor (acting without thinking), and non-planning (lack of future orientation or forethought) impulsivity. Eating-related measures appear to be particularly related to attentional and motor impulsivity and recent findings suggest that interactive effects between these two facets may play a role in eating- and weight-regulation. One-hundred thirty-three obese individuals presenting for bariatric surgery (77.4% female) completed the BIS-15 and the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) 2.0, which measures addiction-like eating based on the eleven symptoms of substance use disorder outlined in the fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Sixty-three participants (47.4%) were classified as being 'food addicted'. Scores on attentional and motor impulsivity interactively predicted 'food addiction' status: higher attentional impulsivity was associated with a higher likelihood of receiving a YFAS 2.0 diagnosis only at high (+1 SD), but not at low (-1 SD) levels of motor impulsivity. Results support previous findings showing that non-planning impulsivity does not appear to play a role in eating-related self-regulation. Furthermore, this is the first study that shows interactive effects between different impulsivity facets when predicting 'food addiction' in obese individuals. Self-regulatory failure in eating-regulation (e.g., addiction-like overeating) may particularly emerge when both attentional and motor impulsivity levels are elevated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. [Letter: Work of the impulse section of the horseshoe bat echolocator].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Livshits, M S

    1975-01-01

    Peculiarities of location impulse of Rhinolophidae bring about a distinctive combination of dopler and impulse parts working almost independently, in its locator. In particular the range of the effect of impulse locator connected with the presence of LFM splash in the end of location cry is determined by the value of the period of its repetition. The existence of a long monofrequent part of locaion impulse providing the work of acholocator dopler part due to its narrow bands presents only a comparatively small obstacle to the impulse locator.

  1. Relationship between impulsivity, snack consumption and children's weight

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    E.W.M. Scholten (Eline W. M.); C.Th.M. Schrijvers (Carola); C. Nederkoorn (Chantal); S.P.J. Kremers (Stef); G. Rodenburg (Gerda)

    2014-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Childhood overweight is a public health problem associated with psychosocial and physical problems. Personality traits, such as impulsivity, may contribute to the development of overweight. Objective: This study examines 1) the association between general impulsivity traits

  2. Impulse noise estimation and removal for OFDM systems

    KAUST Repository

    Al-Naffouri, Tareq Y.

    2014-03-01

    Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a modulation scheme that is widely used in wired and wireless communication systems. While OFDM is ideally suited to deal with frequency selective channels and AWGN, its performance may be dramatically impacted by the presence of impulse noise. In fact, very strong noise impulses in the time domain might result in the erasure of whole OFDM blocks of symbols at the receiver. Impulse noise can be mitigated by considering it as a sparse signal in time, and using recently developed algorithms for sparse signal reconstruction. We propose an algorithm that utilizes the guard band subcarriers for the impulse noise estimation and cancellation. Instead of relying on ℓ1 minimization as done in some popular general-purpose compressive sensing schemes, the proposed method jointly exploits the specific structure of this problem and the available a priori information for sparse signal recovery. The computational complexity of the proposed algorithm is very competitive with respect to sparse signal reconstruction schemes based on ℓ1 minimization. The proposed method is compared with respect to other state-of-the-art methods in terms of achievable rates for an OFDM system with impulse noise and AWGN. © 2014 IEEE.

  3. Impulse noise estimation and removal for OFDM systems

    KAUST Repository

    Al-Naffouri, Tareq Y.; Quadeer, Ahmed Abdul; Caire, Giuseppe

    2014-01-01

    Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a modulation scheme that is widely used in wired and wireless communication systems. While OFDM is ideally suited to deal with frequency selective channels and AWGN, its performance may be dramatically impacted by the presence of impulse noise. In fact, very strong noise impulses in the time domain might result in the erasure of whole OFDM blocks of symbols at the receiver. Impulse noise can be mitigated by considering it as a sparse signal in time, and using recently developed algorithms for sparse signal reconstruction. We propose an algorithm that utilizes the guard band subcarriers for the impulse noise estimation and cancellation. Instead of relying on ℓ1 minimization as done in some popular general-purpose compressive sensing schemes, the proposed method jointly exploits the specific structure of this problem and the available a priori information for sparse signal recovery. The computational complexity of the proposed algorithm is very competitive with respect to sparse signal reconstruction schemes based on ℓ1 minimization. The proposed method is compared with respect to other state-of-the-art methods in terms of achievable rates for an OFDM system with impulse noise and AWGN. © 2014 IEEE.

  4. Changes in liver stiffness measurement using acoustic radiation force impulse elastography after antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheng-Hung Chen

    Full Text Available To compare on-treatment and off-treatment parameters acquired using acoustic radiation force impulse elastography, the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4 index, and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC.Patients received therapies based on pegylated interferon or direct-acting antiviral agents. The changes in paired patient parameters, including liver stiffness (LS values, the FIB-4 index, and APRI, from baseline to sustained virologic response (SVR visit (24 weeks after the end of treatment were compared. Multiple regression models were used to identify significant factors that explained the correlations with LS, FIB-4, and APRI values and SVR.A total of 256 patients were included, of which 219 (85.5% achieved SVR. The paired LS values declined significantly from baseline to SVR visit in all groups and subgroups except the nonresponder subgroup (n = 10. Body mass index (P = 0.0062 and baseline LS (P < 0.0001 were identified as independent factors that explained the LS declines. Likewise, the baseline FIB-4 (P < 0.0001 and APRI (P < 0.0001 values independently explained the declines in the FIB-4 index and APRI, respectively. Moreover, interleukin-28B polymorphisms, baseline LS, and rapid virologic response were identified as independent correlates with SVR.Paired LS measurements in patients treated for CHC exhibited significant declines comparable to those in FIB-4 and APRI values. These declines may have correlated with the resolution of necroinflammation. Baseline LS values predicted SVR.

  5. Impulsive Alfven coupling between the magnetosphere and ionosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reddy, R.V.; Watanabe, K.; Sato, T.; Watanabe, T.H.

    1994-04-01

    Basic properties of the impulsive Alfven interaction between the magnetosphere and ionosphere have been studied by means of a three-dimensional self-consistent simulation of the coupled magnetosphere and ionosphere system. It is found that the duration time of an impulsive perturbation at the magnetospheric equator, the latitudinal distribution of the Alfven propagation time along the field lines, and the ratio between the magnetospheric impedance and the ionospheric resistance is the main key factors that determine the propagation dynamics and the ionospheric responses for an impulsive MHD perturbation in the magnetosphere. (author)

  6. The slant of the forehead as a craniofacial feature of impulsiveness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. David Guerrero-Apolo

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Impulsiveness has been the subject of much research, but little is known about the possible relationship between craniofacial anatomy and impulsiveness. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between one aspect of craniofacial structure (the angle of inclination of the forehead and impulsiveness. Method: Photographs in profile were obtained from 131 volunteers who had been fined for driving at high speed and were undergoing a court-mandated driving license point-recovery course. They completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11, the Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P, and Zuckerman’s Sensation Seeking Scale (V. The angle of the slant of the forehead was measured with a photographic support and a protractor. Results: High positive concordance was found between forehead inclination and 14 out of the 15 impulsiveness factors studied. Conclusions: The angle of inclination of the forehead was significantly associated with self-reported impulsiveness in this sample of traffic violators.

  7. The force, power and energy of the 100 meter sprint

    OpenAIRE

    Helene, O.; Yamashita, M. T.

    2009-01-01

    At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Usain Bolt broke the world record for the 100 m sprint. Just one year later, at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin he broke it again. A few months after Beijing, Eriksen [Am. J. Phys. 77, 224-228 (2009)] studied Bolt's performance and predicted that Bolt could have run about one-tenth of a second faster, which was confirmed in Berlin. In this paper we extend the analysis of Eriksen to model Bolt's velocity time dependence for the Beijin...

  8. Effect of nicotine on negative affect among more impulsive smokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doran, Neal; McChargue, Dennis; Spring, Bonnie; VanderVeen, Joe; Cook, Jessica Werth; Richmond, Malia

    2006-08-01

    In the present study, the authors tested the hypothesis that nicotine would provide greater relief from negative affect for more impulsive smokers than for less impulsive smokers. Euthymic adult smokers (N=70) participated in 2 laboratory sessions, during which they underwent a negative mood induction (music + autobiographical memory), then smoked either a nicotinized or de-nicotinized cigarette. Mixed-effects regression yielded a significant Impulsivity x Condition (nicotinized vs. de-nicotinized) x Time interaction. Simple effects analyses showed that heightened impulsivity predicted greater negative affect relief after smoking a nicotinized cigarette but not after smoking a de-nicotinized cigarette. These data suggest that nicotine may be a disproportionately powerful negative reinforcer for highly impulsive smokers, promoting higher levels of nicotine dependence and inhibiting smoking cessation.

  9. Partial discharge characteristics and mechanism in voids at impulse voltages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, X F; Guo, Z F; Wang, Y Y; Li, J H; Li, Y M; Yao, X

    2011-01-01

    Partial discharge (PD) characteristics and mechanism in artificial cavities in an epoxy plate have been investigated for different void dimensions and impulse voltage waveforms. A differential measurement system was developed in order to detect PD current pulses effectively. Experimental results showed that the 50% probability PD inception voltage (PDIV 50 ) increases initially as the cavity diameter decreases at constant depth for double exponential impulses as well as oscillating impulses, but after aging, it becomes independent of the cavity diameter. Moreover, some distinctive characteristics of PD (e.g. main discharge and reverse discharge during the rise and fall phases of the applied voltage) were also investigated. The differences of the PD propagation and the mechanism between double exponential impulses and oscillating impulse were discussed

  10. Impulsivity and pathological gambling: Is it a state or a trait problem?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lai Florence DM

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study tested 37 Chinese male pathological gamblers and 40 controls to understand the relationship between pathological gambling and impulsivity as a long-term trait or a short-term state in the cognitive and affective domain. Results Trait impulsivity was measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11. State impulsivity in the cognitive and affective domains were measured by the Stroop Color Word Test and the Emotional Conflict Task, respectively. The pathological gamblers scored significantly higher than the controls on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11. However, there were no significant group differences in performance on the Stroop Color Word Test or the Emotional Conflict Task. Conclusions Findings clearly show that pathological gambling is associated with trait but not state impulsivity. In other words, pathological gambling is associated with an impulsivity stemming from enduring personality characteristics that lead gamblers to focus on short-term gains (trait impulsivity rather than momentary cognitive or affective disinhibition (state impulsivity. Interventions should aim to change pathological gamblers' habitual functioning style by cultivating healthy reflection habits and focusing on long-term rewards.

  11. Dopamine and Impulse Control Disorders in Parkinson's Disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weintraub, Daniel

    2008-01-01

    There is an increasing awareness that impulse control disorders (ICDs), including compulsive gambling, buying, sexual behavior, and eating, can occur as a complication of Parkinson's disease (PD). In addition, other impulsive or compulsive disorders have been reported to occur, including dopamine

  12. Reduced rank adaptive filtering in impulsive noise environments

    KAUST Repository

    Soury, Hamza; Abed-Meraim, Karim; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

    2014-01-01

    An impulsive noise environment is considered in this paper. A new aspect of signal truncation is deployed to reduce the harmful effect of the impulsive noise to the signal. A full rank direct solution is derived followed by an iterative solution

  13. Minnesota Impulse Disorders Interview (MIDI): Validation of a structured diagnostic clinical interview for impulse control disorders in an enriched community sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, Samuel R; Grant, Jon E

    2018-05-08

    Disorders of impulsivity are common, functionally impairing, and highly relevant across different clinical and research settings. Few structured clinical interviews for the identification and diagnosis of impulse control disorders exist, and none have been validated in a community sample in terms of psychometric properties. The Minnesota Impulse control disorders Interview (MIDI v2.0) was administered to an enriched sample of 293 non-treatment seeking adults aged 18-35 years, recruited using media advertisements in two large US cities. In addition to the MIDI, participants undertook extended clinical interview for other mental disorders, the Barratt impulsiveness questionnaire, and the Padua obsessive-compulsive inventory. The psychometric properties of the MIDI were characterized. In logistic regression, the MIDI showed good concurrent validity against the reference measures (versus gambling disorder interview, p  0.05). Test re-test reliability was excellent (0.95). The MIDI has good psychometric properties and thus may be a valuable interview tool for clinical and research studies involving impulse control disorders. Further research is needed to better understanding the optimal diagnostic classification and neurobiology of these neglected disorders. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Bounded and Periodic Solutions of Semilinear Impulsive Periodic System on Banach Spaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei W

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A class of semilinear impulsive periodic system on Banach spaces is considered. First, we introduce the -periodic PC-mild solution of semilinear impulsive periodic system. By virtue of Gronwall lemma with impulse, the estimate on the PC-mild solutions is derived. The continuity and compactness of the new constructed Poincaré operator determined by impulsive evolution operator corresponding to homogenous linear impulsive periodic system are shown. This allows us to apply Horn's fixed-point theorem to prove the existence of -periodic PC-mild solutions when PC-mild solutions are ultimate bounded. This extends the study on periodic solutions of periodic system without impulse to periodic system with impulse on general Banach spaces. At last, an example is given for demonstration.

  15. Impulsivity, Working Memory, and Impaired Control over Alcohol: A Latent Variable Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wardell, Jeffrey D.; Quilty, Lena C.; Hendershot, Christian S.

    2017-01-01

    Impaired control over alcohol is an important risk factor for heavy drinking among young adults and may mediate, in part, the association between personality risk and alcohol problems. Research suggests that trait impulsivity is associated with impaired control over alcohol; however, few studies of this association have included a range of impulsivity facets. The purpose of this study was to examine specific pathways from higher-order impulsivity factors to alcohol problems mediated via impaired control over alcohol. We also examined the moderating role of working memory in these associations. Young heavy drinkers (N=300) completed two multidimensional impulsivity measures (UPPS-P and BIS-11) along with self-report measures of impaired control over alcohol, alcohol use, and alcohol problems. Working memory was assessed using a computerized digit span task. Results showed that the impulsivity facets loaded onto two higher-order factors that were labeled response and reflection impulsivity. Response impulsivity predicted unique variance in self-reported impaired control and alcohol problems, whereas reflection impulsivity predicted unique variance in heavy drinking frequency only. Further, significant indirect associations were observed from response and reflection impulsivity to alcohol problems mediated via impaired control and heavy drinking frequency, respectively. Working memory and sensation seeking were not uniquely associated with the alcohol variables, and no support was found for the moderating role of working memory. The results help to clarify associations among impulsivity, impaired control, and alcohol problems, suggesting that impaired control may play a specific role in the pathway to alcohol problems from response impulsivity but not from reflection impulsivity. PMID:27269291

  16. Impulsivity in adolescents with major depressive disorder: A comparative tunisian study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khemakhem, Khaoula; Boudabous, Jaweher; Cherif, Leila; Ayadi, Hela; Walha, Adel; Moalla, Yousr; Hadjkacem, Imen; Ghribi, Farhat

    2017-08-01

    The association between impulsivity and depressive disorders in adolescence has been little studied at the literature and in our country, yet impulsivity is a major risk factor for suicide. Thus we aimed on this study to evaluate impulsivity in 25 adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder MDD compared to a control sample and to analyze the correlations between impulsivity and clinical features of MDD. Employing a matched case-control design, participants included 25 adolescents with MDD and 75 controls. We have administered the Barratt Impulsivity Scale BIS-11 for the two groups to evaluate impulsivity. Semi structured interviews according DSM 5 criteria were conducted for adolescents with MDD. The Child Depressive Inventory CDI was used to measure depressive symptoms in the control sample. Adolescents with MDD were more impulsive compared to controls according to the BIS-11 in its three domains: motor (24.96±6.26 against 20.6±4.84; p=0.000), attentional (20.88±5.03 against 16.64±3.2; p=0.000) and non planning (28.2±7.26 against 24.44±4.32; p=0.02). Impulsivity was not correlated with clinical features of MDD (suicide attempts, psychiatric comorbidities, antidepressant medication …). Adolescents with MDD seem to be more impulsive than control subjects regardless their clinical features. Whether it is a specific characteristic or a symptom among others of MDD, impulsivity predicts health-related behaviors and associated damage that need to be detected and prevented in time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Does the uptake of wagering inducements predict impulse betting on sport?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hing, Nerilee; Russell, Alex M T; Li, En; Vitartas, Peter

    2018-03-01

    Background and aims Marketing inducements for addictive products, such as wagering, can prompt impulse purchasing by triggering consumption reminders, urges, and cravings. Wagering inducements incentivize betting by providing bonus bets, money-back guarantees, deposits into betting accounts, and discounts. Their promotion during sporting events, push marketing efforts directed at consumers, and ease of uptake at the point-of-sale, may trigger betting on impulse. This study examined whether the uptake of wagering inducements predicted impulse betting on sport. Methods Australian sports bettors (N = 1,813) completed an online survey measuring their proportion of planned bets, impulse bets before match commencement, and impulse bets during play; frequency of using wagering inducements; and several psychological, behavioral, and demographic variables. Results More frequent users of wagering inducements had a greater tendency to place impulse in-play bets, which were also predicted by problem gambling, higher buying impulsiveness, higher frequency of watching sports, younger age, and higher educational status. Sports bettors with a greater tendency to place impulse bets before match commencement also tended to have higher buying impulsiveness and to be younger, but they used inducements less frequently, and tended to be female, less-educated and non-problem, moderate risk, or problem gamblers. Discussion and conclusions Uptake of wagering inducements appeared to be particularly effective in stimulating impulse in-play betting among problem gamblers and frequent sports viewers. These results suggest that a more cautious approach to the regulation of both in-play bets and wagering inducements may be required to better protect young adults from gambling problems and harm.

  18. Characterization of impulsivity in suicide completers: clinical, behavioral and psychosocial dimensions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zouk, Hana; Tousignant, Michel; Seguin, Monique; Lesage, Alain; Turecki, Gustavo

    2006-06-01

    Impulsivity is a personality trait thought to be linked to suicide. Yet, not all suicides are highly impulsive. We aimed to better understand clinical, behavioral and psychosocial correlates of the association between suicide and impulsive behavior. One hundred sixty four suicide cases with impulsivity scores based on the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) were investigated. To examine the most extreme phenotypes, one hundred suicide cases, representing subjects with BIS scores above the 70th percentile and below the 30th percentile, were compared on clinical, behavioral and psychosocial suicide risk factors assessed by way of structured psychological autopsy methods with best informants. The impulsive suicide cases were significantly younger, exhibited higher measures of aggressive behavior, and were more likely to have a cluster B diagnosis as well as lifetime and 6-month prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse/dependence. They also differed significantly from their non-impulsive counterparts on all subscales of the TCI except for Harm Avoidance and Reward Dependence. Impulsive suicide completers were more likely to have had a history of childhood abuse and to have experienced a triggering life event up to a week preceding their death. A multivariate analysis indicated that 6-month prevalence of substance abuse/dependence and high aggressive behavior remained significant even after controlling for other significant variables. This study was carried out using proxy-based interviews. Most of the known clinical and behavioral risk factors commonly associated with suicide are particularly valid for impulsive suicide completers. Further, triggering and adverse life events seem to play a role primarily in impulsive suicide.

  19. Impulsivity, aggression and suicidal behavior in unipolar and bipolar disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perroud, Nader; Baud, Patrick; Mouthon, Dominique; Courtet, Philippe; Malafosse, Alain

    2011-11-01

    Predictors of suicidal behaviors (SB) in bipolar (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) patients are poorly understood. It has been recognized that behavioral dysregulation characterizes SB with traits of impulsivity and aggression being particularly salient. However, little is known about how these traits are segregated among mood disorder patients with and without a history of suicide attempt (SA). This article aims to compare impulsivity and aggression between 143 controls, 138 BD and 186 MDD subjects with or without a history of SA. BD and MDD patients showed higher impulsivity scores (BIS-10 = 57.9 vs. 44.7, p impulsivity helped to distinguish MDD subjects without a history of SA from those with such a history, this was not the case in BD subjects where no difference in impulsive traits was observed between BD without and with history of SA (57.2 vs. 63.2 for BIS-10; p = 0.259). Impulsive and aggressive traits were strongly correlated in suicide attempters (independently of the diagnosis) but not in non-suicide attempters. Dimensional traits were not characterized at different stages of illness. Impulsivity, as a single trait, may be a reliable suicide risk marker in MDD but not in BD patients, and its strong correlation with aggressive traits seems specifically related to SB. Our study therefore suggests that the specific dimension of impulsive aggression should be systematically assessed in mood disorder patients to address properly their suicidal risk. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Subtypes of trait impulsivity differentially correlate with neural responses to food choices

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Laan, Laura N.; Barendse, Marjolein E. A.; Viergever, Max A.; Smeets, Paul A. M.

    2016-01-01

    Impulsivity is a personality trait that is linked to unhealthy eating and overweight. A few studies assessed how impulsivity relates to neural responses to anticipating and tasting food, but it is unknown how impulsivity relates to neural responses during food choice. Although impulsivity is a

  1. Application of Impulse Control in Smart Grid Price System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peng Du

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available With the development of smart grid, flexible and interactive electricity market will finally emerge. Making full use of price can encourage consumers to use electricity during a low load period and reduce peak load, thus to guarantee electricity market stability. Impulse control is applied to price system in this paper. It is found that giving impulse control to price system can make the system reach stable state well, which is based on the theory of impulsive differential system. The sufficient condition for stable system and the max upper bound of impulse interval are also provided. The proposed method is proved to be feasible and effective by theoretically analysis and numerical simulation.

  2. Impulsivity, impulsive and reflective processes and the development of alcohol use and misuse in adolescents and young adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reinout Wiers

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper contrasts dual-process and personality approaches in the prediction of addictive behaviors and related risk behaviors. In dual-process models, behavior is described as the joint outcome of qualitatively different “impulsive” (or associative and “reflective” processes. There are important individual differences regarding both types of processes, and the relative strength of both in a specific situation is influenced by prior behavior and state variables (e.g., fatigue, alcohol use. From this perspective, a specific behavior (e.g., alcohol misuse can be predicted by the combined indices of the behavior-related impulsive processes (e.g., associations with alcohol, and reflective processes, including the ability to refrain from a motivationally salient action. Personality approaches have reported that general traits such as impulsivity predict addictive behaviors. Here we contrast these two approaches, with supplementary analyses on four datasets. We hypothesized that trait impulsivity can predict specific risky behaviors, but that its predictive power disappears once specific behavior-related associations, indicators of executive functioning, and their interaction are entered into the equation. In all four studies the observed interaction between specific associations and Executive Control (EC was robust: trait impulsivity did not diminish the prediction of alcohol use by the interaction. Trait impulsivity was not always related to alcohol use, and when it was, the predictive power disappeared after entering the interaction between behavior-specific associations and EC in one study, but not in the other. These findings are interpreted in relation to the validity of the measurements used, which leads to a more refined hypothesis.

  3. Impulsive nature in collisional driven reconnection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitabata, Hideyuki; Hayashi, Takaya; Sato, Tetsuya.

    1995-11-01

    Compressible magnetohydrodynamic simulation is carried out in order to investigate energy relaxation process of the driven magnetic reconnection in an open finite system through a long time calculation. It is found that a very impulsive energy release occurs in an intermittent fashion through magnetic reconnection for a continuous magnetic flux injection on the boundary. In the impulsive phase, the reconnection rate is remarkably enhanced up to more than ten times of the driving rate on the boundary. (author)

  4. Project NEO Specific Impulse Testing Solutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baffa, Bill

    2018-01-01

    The Neo test stand is currently configured to fire a horizontally mounted rocket motor with up to 6500 lbf thrust. Currently, the Neo test stand can measure flow of liquid propellant and oxidizer, pressures residing in the closed system up to the combustion chamber. The current configuration does not have the ability to provide all data needed to compute specific impulse. This presents three methods to outfit the NEO test fixture with instrumentation allowing for calculation of specific impulse.

  5. Impulsivity and compulsive buying are associated in a non-clinical sample: an evidence for the compulsivity-impulsivity continuum?

    OpenAIRE

    Paula, Jonas J. de; Costa, Danielle de S.; Oliveira, Flavianne; Alves, Joana O.; Passos, Lídia R.; Malloy-Diniz, Leandro F.

    2015-01-01

    Objective:Compulsive buying is controversial in clinical psychiatry. Although it is defined as an obsessive-compulsive disorder, other personality aspects besides compulsivity are related to compulsive buying. Recent studies suggest that compulsivity and impulsivity might represent a continuum, with several psychiatric disorders lying between these two extremes. In this sense, and following the perspective of dimensional psychiatry, symptoms of impulsivity and compulsivity should correlate ev...

  6. Depression in university students: associations with impulse control disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leppink, Eric W; Lust, Katherine; Grant, Jon E

    2016-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the implications of depression in a sample of university students, particularly relating to impulse control disorders. While previous studies have shown high rates of depression among university students, no study to date has assessed whether levels of depression show associations with the incidence of impulse control disorders in this population. In all, 6000 students participated in the College Student Computer Use Survey. A total of 1717 students completed the scales of interest for this analysis. Participants were assigned to groups based on depression scores: severe (N = 75), mild/moderate (N = 647) and none (N = 995). The three groups were assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) or chi-square test. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to elucidate associations between depression and impulse control disorder diagnoses. Groups differed across demographic, health and academic variables. The severe depression group reported higher rates of skin-picking disorder, compulsive sexual behaviour and compulsive buying. Results suggest a significant association between depression and impulse control disorders. One possibility is that a facet of impulsivity contributes to both problems, which could be important information for clinicians. Future studies will need to clarify the exact nature of the relationship between depression and impulse control disorders.

  7. Domain-Specific Relationships in Sexual Measures of Impulsive Behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahoney, Colin T; Lawyer, Steven R

    2018-04-25

    Impulsivity is an important construct for understanding sexual behaviors, but behavioral and self-report measures of impulsivity often are not correlated. One possible explanation for this is that there is little shared variance in the measures because behavioral measures index impulsivity by asking questions about monetary preferences, while self-report measures index impulsivity by asking about a broad range of real-world outcomes (including those of a sexual nature) largely unrelated to money-related preferences. Undergraduate students (total N = 105; female n = 77, male n = 28) completed laboratory measures-delay discounting (DD) and probability discounting (PD)-for two different outcomes-money and sexual activity. Participants also completed the Delaying Gratification Inventory (DGI), which measures difficulty with delaying gratification (i.e., impulsivity) across different domains, including money and physical pleasures. Findings indicated that DD and PD for money were not related to any of the DGI subscales. However, DD for sexual activity was significantly related to the DGI Physical Pleasures subscale, but not other subscales. These findings suggest that the relationship between behavioral and self-report measures of impulsive choice may be stronger when both are measuring domain-specific rather than domain-general behavioral patterns, but further research is warranted.

  8. Determination of acoustical transfer functions using an impulse method

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacPherson, J.

    1985-02-01

    The Transfer Function of a system may be defined as the relationship of the output response to the input of a system. Whilst recent advances in digital processing systems have enabled Impulse Transfer Functions to be determined by computation of the Fast Fourier Transform, there has been little work done in applying these techniques to room acoustics. Acoustical Transfer Functions have been determined for auditoria, using an impulse method. The technique is based on the computation of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of a non-ideal impulsive source, both at the source and at the receiver point. The Impulse Transfer Function (ITF) is obtained by dividing the FFT at the receiver position by the FFT of the source. This quantity is presented both as linear frequency scale plots and also as synthesized one-third octave band data. The technique enables a considerable quantity of data to be obtained from a small number of impulsive signals recorded in the field, thereby minimizing the time and effort required on site. As the characteristics of the source are taken into account in the calculation, the choice of impulsive source is non-critical. The digital analysis equipment required for the analysis is readily available commercially.

  9. Drug-induced impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reiff, J; Jost, W H

    2011-05-01

    Dopamine replacement treatment with excessive or aberrant dopamine receptor stimulation can cause behavioral disturbances in Parkinson's disease, comprising dopamine dysregulation syndrome, punding, and impulse control disorders. Common impulse control disorders are compulsive buying, pathological gambling, binge eating, hypersexuality, and compulsive reckless driving.

  10. Asymptotic behavior of second-order impulsive differential equations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haifeng Liu

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available In this article, we study the asymptotic behavior of all solutions of 2-th order nonlinear delay differential equation with impulses. Our main tools are impulsive differential inequalities and the Riccati transformation. We illustrate the results by an example.

  11. Attention deficit and impulsivity: Driving, drugs and electrophysiology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wester, A.E.

    2009-01-01

    Impulsivity can be interpreted as a cognitive dysfunction or as a motivational dysfunction. Motivational dysfunctions are reflected in impulsive decision making such as increased preference for immediate reward over delayed more beneficial reward (delay aversion) or increased risk taking due to poor

  12. The Effect of Individual Differences on Adolescents' Impulsive Buying Behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chien-Huang; Chuang, Shin-Chieh

    2005-01-01

    This study posits a relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Impulsive Buying Tendency (IBT). A survey of 574 adolescents found that high-EI adolescents manifested less impulsive behavior than did low-EI adolescents, and high-IBT adolescents were more likely to engage in more impulsive buying behavior than were low-IBT adolescents.…

  13. Relationship between Impulsivity, Social Media Usage and Loneliness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mustafa Savci

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between impulsivity, social media usage, and loneliness and to test the structural hypothetical model developed based on the literature. The study was conducted on 307 (164 female, 143 male university students. Data collection instruments of the study were the Barratt Impulsivity Scale Short Form (BIS-11-SF, Social Media Usage Scale (SMUS, and UCLA Loneliness Scale Short Form (ULS-8. The measurement models of the latent variables were tested initially and it was observed that the scales of the latent variables were efficient enough to be included in the structural equation model. In addition, the suggested hypothetical model was tested. According to the analysis, it was observed that impulsivity directly, positively and significantly predicts social media usage, that social media usage directly, positively and significantly predicts loneliness, and that impulsivity indirectly, positively and significantly predicts loneliness.

  14. State-Dependent Impulsive Control Strategies for a Tumor-Immune Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kwang Su Kim

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Controlling the number of tumor cells leads us to expect more efficient strategies for treatment of tumor. Towards this goal, a tumor-immune model with state-dependent impulsive treatments is established. This model may give an efficient treatment schedule to control tumor’s abnormal growth. By using the Poincaré map and analogue of Poincaré criterion, some conditions for the existence and stability of a positive order-1 periodic solution of this model are obtained. Moreover, we carry out numerical simulations to illustrate the feasibility of our main results and compare fixed-time impulsive treatment effects with state-dependent impulsive treatment effects. The results of our simulations say that, in determining optimal treatment timing, the model with state-dependent impulsive control is more efficient than that with fixed-time impulsive control.

  15. Suicidality in Bipolar Disorder: The Role of Emotion-Triggered Impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Sheri L; Carver, Charles S; Tharp, Jordan A

    2017-04-01

    A growing body of research suggests that impulsive responses to emotion more robustly predict suicidality than do other forms of impulsivity. This issue has not yet been examined within bipolar disorder, however. Participants diagnosed with bipolar I disorder (n = 133) and control participants (n = 110) diagnosed with no mood or psychotic disorder completed self-report measures of emotion-triggered impulsivity (Negative and Positive Urgency Scales) and interviews concerning lifetime suicidality. Analyses examined the effects of emotion-triggered impulsivity alone and in combination with gender, age of onset, depression severity, comorbid anxiety, comorbid substance use, and medication. A history of suicide ideation and attempts, as well as self-harm, were significantly more common in the bipolar disorder group compared with the control group. Impulsive responses to positive emotions related to suicide ideation, attempts, and self-harm within the bipolar group. Findings extend research on the importance of emotion-triggered impulsivity to a broad range of key outcomes within bipolar disorder. The discussion focuses on limitations and potential clinical implications. © 2016 The American Association of Suicidology.

  16. A new approach to calculating spatial impulse responses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

    1997-01-01

    Using linear acoustics the emitted and scattered ultrasound field can be found by using spatial impulse responses as developed by Tupholme (1969) and Stepanishen (1971). The impulse response is calculated by the Rayleigh integral by summing the spherical waves emitted from all of the aperture...

  17. A multidimensional approach of impulsivity in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez, Régis; Dauvilliers, Yves; Jaussent, Isabelle; Billieux, Joël; Bayard, Sophie

    2015-06-30

    We aimed to compare adult patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and matched controls on four dimensions of impulsivity (urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking) and to examine the association between impulsivity and ADHD symptoms. The study was conducted on 219 participants: 72 adult ADHD patients and 147 aged and gender matched controls. All participants completed questionnaires measuring the various facets of impulsivity (UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale), ADHD and depressive symptoms severity. Patients were also assessed for ADHD subtypes, mood disorders, and addictive behaviors. ADHD patients exhibited higher urgency, lower premeditation and lower perseverance in comparison to controls. Lack of perseverance showed the strongest association with ADHD (area under curve=0.95). Patients with combined inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive subtypes reported more frequently substance abuse problems and had higher scores on urgency and sensation seeking dimensions of impulsivity than those with predominantly inattentive subtype. We report for the first time a multidimensional evaluation of impulsivity in adult ADHD patients. The UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale may constitute a useful screening tool for ADHD in adults and may help to further understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying the differences between the ADHD subgroups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Minimal Time Problem with Impulsive Controls

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kunisch, Karl, E-mail: karl.kunisch@uni-graz.at [University of Graz, Institute for Mathematics and Scientific Computing (Austria); Rao, Zhiping, E-mail: zhiping.rao@ricam.oeaw.ac.at [Austrian Academy of Sciences, Radon Institute of Computational and Applied Mathematics (Austria)

    2017-02-15

    Time optimal control problems for systems with impulsive controls are investigated. Sufficient conditions for the existence of time optimal controls are given. A dynamical programming principle is derived and Lipschitz continuity of an appropriately defined value functional is established. The value functional satisfies a Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation in the viscosity sense. A numerical example for a rider-swing system is presented and it is shown that the reachable set is enlargered by allowing for impulsive controls, when compared to nonimpulsive controls.

  19. Sex differences in dimensions of impulsivity in a non-clinical sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lage, Guilherme Menezes; Albuquerque, Maicon Rodrigues; Fuentes, Daniel; Corrêa, Humberto; Malloy-Diniz, Leandro Fernandes

    2013-10-01

    Impulsivity has been more closely associated with men than with women because men are more often involved in illegal behaviors. The few studies that have investigated sex differences in impulsivity have used self-report questionnaires and have obtained contradictory results. Two computerized behavioral tests were administered to 125 healthy undergraduate students (75 women, M age 23.8 yr.; 50 men, M age 25.0 yr.). Men exhibited higher scores on motor impulsivity, but there were no significant differences between men and women on attentional and non-planning impulsivity scores. These findings are discussed in terms of the relationship between impulsivity and low- and high-order control.

  20. Individual differences in impulsive action and dopamine transporter function in rat orbitofrontal cortex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yates, J R; Darna, M; Beckmann, J S; Dwoskin, L P; Bardo, M T

    2016-01-28

    Impulsivity, which can be subdivided into impulsive action and impulsive choice, is implicated as a factor underlying drug abuse vulnerability. Although previous research has shown that dopamine (DA) systems in prefrontal cortex are involved in impulsivity and substance abuse, it is not known if inherent variation in DA transporter (DAT) function contributes to impulsivity. The current study determined if individual differences in either impulsive action or impulsive choice are related to DAT function in orbitofrontal (OFC) and/or medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Rats were first tested both for impulsive action in a cued go/no-go task and for impulsive choice in a delay-discounting task. Following behavioral evaluation, in vitro [(3)H]DA uptake assays were performed in OFC and mPFC isolated from individual rats. Vmax in OFC, but not mPFC, was correlated with performance in the cued go/no-go task, with decreased OFC DAT function being associated with high impulsive action. In contrast, Vmax in OFC and mPFC was not correlated with performance in the delay-discounting task. The current results demonstrate that impulsive behavior in cued go/no-go performance is associated with decreased DAT function in OFC, suggesting that hyperdopaminergic tone in this prefrontal subregion mediates, at least in part, increased impulsive action. Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Analysis of Caputo Impulsive Fractional Order Differential Equations with Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lakshman Mahto

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We use Sadovskii's fixed point method to investigate the existence and uniqueness of solutions of Caputo impulsive fractional differential equations of order with one example of impulsive logistic model and few other examples as well. We also discuss Caputo impulsive fractional differential equations with finite delay. The results proven are new and compliment the existing one.

  2. Rheosensing by impulsive cells at intermediate Reynolds numbers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathijssen, Arnold; Bhamla, Saad; Prakash, Manu

    2017-11-01

    For aquatic organisms, mechanical signals are often carried by the surrounding liquid, through viscous and inertial forces. Here we consider a unicellular yet millimetric ciliate, Spirostomum ambiguum, as a model organism to study hydrodynamic sensing. This protist typically swims at moderate Reynolds numbers, Re 100 during impulsive contractions where its elongated body recoils within milliseconds. First, using high-speed PIV and an electrophysiology setup, we deliver controlled voltage pulses to induce these rapid contractions and visualise the vortex flows generated thereby. By comparing these measurements with CFD simulations the range of these hydrodynamic ``signals'' is characterized. Second, we probe the mechano-sensing of the organism with externally applied flows and find a critical shear rate necessary to trigger a contraction. The combination of high Re flow generation and rheosensing could facilitate intercellular communication over large distances. Please also see our other talk ``Collective hydrodynamic communication through ultra-fast contractions''.

  3. Impulsive behavior in solar soft X-radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hudson, H. S.; Strong, K. T.; Dennis, B. R.; Zarro, D.; Inda, M.; Kosugi, T.; Sakao, T.

    1994-01-01

    The Yohkoh soft X-ray telescope has observed impulsive, thermal, soft X-ray emission at the footpoints of magnetic loops during solar flares. The soft X-ray (thermal) time profiles at the footpoints closely match the hard X-ray (nonthermal) time profiles, directly demonstrating the heating of the lower solar atmosphere on short timescales during the interval of nonthermal energy release. This phenomenon is the rule, rather than the exception, occurring in the majority of flares that we have examined with the Yohkoh data. We illustrate the impulsive behavior with data from the major flare of 1992 January 26. For this flare, the soft X-ray peak times matched the hard X-ray peak times within the time resolution of the soft X-ray measurements (about 10 s), and the soft and hard X-ray locations match within the resolution of the hard X-ray imager. The impulsive soft X-ray emission clearly has a thermal spectral signature, but not at the high temperature of a 'superhot' source. We conclude that the impulsive soft X-ray emission comes from material heated by precipitating electrons at loop footpoints and evaporating from the deeper atmosphere into the flaring flux tube.

  4. The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism, impulsivity and suicide behavior in euthymic bipolar patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malloy-Diniz, Leandro Fernandes; Neves, Fernando Silva; de Moraes, Paulo Henrique Paiva; De Marco, Luiz Armando; Romano-Silva, Marco Aurélio; Krebs, Marie-Odile; Corrêa, Humberto

    2011-09-01

    Suicide behavior is very frequent in Bipolar Disorder (BD) and they are both closely associated with impulsivity. Furthermore they are, impulsivity, BD and suicide behavior, associated with serotonergic function, at least partially, under genetic determinism and somewhat associated with the serotonin transporter gene polymorphism, the 5-HTTLPR. We aimed to assess different impulsivity components in BD sub-grouped by suicidal attempt and healthy controls. We hypothesized that the non-planning/cognitive impulsivity, could be more closely associated with suicidal behavior. We further associated 5-HTTLPR genotypes with neuropsychological results to test the hypothesis that this polymorphism is associated with cognitive impulsivity. We assessed 95 euthymic bipolar patients sub-grouped by suicidal attempt history in comparison with 94 healthy controls. All subjects underwent a laboratory assessment of impulsivity (Continuous Performance Test and Iowa Gambling Test). Furthermore the genotyping of 5-HTTLPR was performed in all subjects. We found that bipolar patients are more impulsive than healthy controls in all impulsivity dimensions we studied. Furthermore bipolar patients with a suicide attempt history have a greater cognitive impulsivity when compared to both bipolar patients without such a history as well when compared to healthy controls. No association was found between 5-HTTLPR genotypes and neuropsychological measures of impulsive behavior. The sample studied can be considered small and a potentially confounding variable - medication status - was not controlled. A lifetime suicide attempt seems associated with cognitive impulsivity independently of the socio-demographic and clinical variables studied as well with 5-HTTLPR genotype. Further studies in larger samples are necessary. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Simulation analysis of impulse characteristics of space debris irradiated by multi-pulse laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Zhengguo; Jin, Xing; Chang, Hao; You, Xiangyu

    2018-02-01

    Cleaning space debris with laser is a hot topic in the field of space security research. Impulse characteristics are the basis of cleaning space debris with laser. In order to study the impulse characteristics of rotating irregular space debris irradiated by multi-pulse laser, the impulse calculation method of rotating space debris irradiated by multi-pulse laser is established based on the area matrix method. The calculation method of impulse and impulsive moment under multi-pulse irradiation is given. The calculation process of total impulse under multi-pulse irradiation is analyzed. With a typical non-planar space debris (cube) as example, the impulse characteristics of space debris irradiated by multi-pulse laser are simulated and analyzed. The effects of initial angular velocity, spot size and pulse frequency on impulse characteristics are investigated.

  6. Impulsivity and its relationship with anxiety, depression and stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moustafa, Ahmed A; Tindle, Richard; Frydecka, Dorota; Misiak, Błażej

    2017-04-01

    We aimed to assess the association between depression, anxiety, stress and impulsivity with respect to age. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42) and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) were administered to 145 individuals. Due to a negative correlation between age, BIS-11 and DASS-42 subscales, participants were divided into three groups: young-aged (18-30years), middle-aged (31-49years) and old-aged (≥50years). Subjects from old-aged group had significantly lower scores of depression, anxiety, stress and impulsivity compared to those from younger groups. Anxiety, followed by stress and depression, was the strongest predictor of BIS-11 total score in young-aged and middle-aged individuals. There were no significant differences in the correlations between BIS-11 total score, depression, anxiety and stress in old-aged individuals. Our results indicate that the levels of depression, anxiety, stress and impulsivity decrease with age. Additionally, age might moderate the effect of depression, anxiety and stress on impulsivity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Elastography for fibrosis evaluation in patients with chronic hepatitis C: An international multicenter study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sporea, Ioan, E-mail: isporea@umft.ro [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara (Romania); Bota, Simona, E-mail: bota_simona1982@yahoo.com [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara (Romania); Peck-Radosavljevic, Markus, E-mail: markus.peck@meduniwien.ac.at [Internal Medicine III, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Vienna (Austria); Sirli, Roxana, E-mail: roxanasirli@gmail.com [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara (Romania); Tanaka, Hironori, E-mail: hironori@hyo-med.ac.jp [Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya (Japan); Iijima, Hiroko, E-mail: hiroko.iijima@nifty.com [Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya (Japan); Badea, Radu, E-mail: rbadea2003@yahoo.com [3rd Medical Clinic, University of Medicine, Cluj Napoca (Romania); Lupsor, Monica, E-mail: monica.lupsor@umfcluj.ro [3rd Medical Clinic, University of Medicine, Cluj Napoca (Romania); Fierbinteanu-Braticevici, Carmen, E-mail: cfierbinteanu@yahoo.com [2nd Medical Clinic and Gastroenterology, University Hospital, Bucharest (Romania); Petrisor, Ana, E-mail: ana1petrisor@yahoo.com [2nd Medical Clinic and Gastroenterology, University Hospital, Bucharest (Romania); Saito, Hidetsugu, E-mail: hidetsugusaito@gmail.com [Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo (Japan); Ebinuma, Hirotoshi, E-mail: ebinuma@a5.keio.jp [Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo (Japan); Friedrich-Rust, Mireen, E-mail: Mireen.Friedrich-Rust@kgu.de [Department of Internal Medicine, J.W. Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main (Germany); Sarrazin, Christoph, E-mail: sarrazin@em.uni-frankfurt.de [Department of Internal Medicine, J.W. Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main (Germany); and others

    2012-12-15

    Aim: The aim of this international multicenter study was to evaluate the reliability of Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography for predicting fibrosis severity, in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Patients and methods: We compared ARFI to liver biopsy (LB) in 914 patients (10 centers, 5 countries) with chronic hepatitis C. In each patient LB (evaluated according to the METAVIR score) and ARFI measurements were performed (median of 5–10 valid measurements, expressed in meters/second – m/s). In 400 from the 914 patients, transient elastography (TE) was also performed (median of 6–10 valid measurements, expressed in kiloPascals – kPa). Results: Valid ARFI measurements were obtained in 911 (99.6%) of 914 cases. On LB 61 cases (6.7%) had F0, 241 (26.4%) had F1, 202 (22.1%) had F2, 187 (20.4%) had F3, and 223 (24.4%) had F4 fibrosis. A highly significant correlation (r = 0.654) was found between ARFI measurements and fibrosis (p < 0.0001). The predictive values of ARFI for various stages of fibrosis were: F ≥ 1 – cut-off > 1.19 m/s (AUROC = 0.779), F ≥ 2 – cut-off > 1.33 m/s (AUROC = 0.792), F ≥ 3 – cut-off > 1.43 m/s (AUROC = 0.829), F = 4 – cut-off > 1.55 m/s (AUROC = 0.842). The correlation with histological fibrosis was not significantly different for TE in comparison with ARFI elastography: r = 0.728 vs. 0.689, p = 0.28. TE was better than ARFI for predicting the presence of liver cirrhosis (p = 0.01) and fibrosis (F ≥ 1, METAVIR) (p = 0.01). Conclusion: ARFI elastography is a reliable method for predicting fibrosis severity in chronic hepatitis C patients.

  8. Lesions to the subthalamic nucleus decrease impulsive choice but impair autoshaping in rats: the importance of the basal ganglia in Pavlovian conditioning and impulse control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winstanley, Catharine A; Baunez, Christelle; Theobald, David E H; Robbins, Trevor W

    2005-06-01

    Although the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is involved in regulating motor function, and inactivation of this structure relieves the motor symptoms in Parkinsonian patients, recent data indicate that corticosubthalamic connections are involved in both the regulation of attention and the ability to withhold from responding. Considerable evidence suggests that the neural circuitry underlying such behavioural disinhibition or impulsive action can be at least partially dissociated from that implicated in impulsive decision-making and it has been suggested that the tendency to choose impulsively is related to the ability to form and use Pavlovian associations. To explore these hypotheses further, STN-lesioned rats were tested on the delay-discounting model of impulsive choice, where impulsivity is defined as the selection of a small immediate over a larger delayed reward, as well as in a rodent autoshaping paradigm. In contrast to previous reports of increased impulsive action, STN lesions decreased impulsive choice but dramatically impaired the acquisition of the autoshaping response. When the STN was lesioned after the establishment of autoshaping behaviour, lesioned subjects were more sensitive to the omission of reward, indicative of a reduction in the use of Pavlovian associations to control autoshaping performance. These results emphasize the importance of the STN in permitting conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus associations to regulate goal-seeking, a function which may relate to the alterations in impulsive choice observed in the delay-discounting task. These data bear a striking similarity to those observed after lesions of the orbitofrontal cortex and are suggestive of an important role for corticosubthalamic connections in complex cognitive behaviour.

  9. Linking Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat loci to human male impulsive aggression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chun; Ba, Huajie; Cao, Yin; Dong, Guoying; Zhang, Shuyou; Gao, Zhiqin; Zhao, Hanqing; Zhou, Xianju

    2017-11-01

    Men are more susceptible to impulsive behavior than women. Epidemiological studies revealed that the impulsive aggressive behavior is affected by genetic factors, and the male-specific Y chromosome plays an important role in this behavior. In this study, we investigated the association between the impulsive aggressive behavior and Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) loci. The collected biologic samples from 271 offenders with impulsive aggressive behavior and 492 healthy individuals without impulsive aggressive behavior were amplified by PowerPlex R Y23 PCR System and the resultant products were separated by electrophoresis and further genotyped. Then, comparisons in allele and haplotype frequencies of the selected 22 Y-STRs were made in the two groups. Our results showed that there were significant differences in allele frequencies at DYS448 and DYS456 between offenders and controls ( p  impulsive aggression. However, the DYS448-DYS456-22-15 is less related to impulsive aggression. Our results suggest a link between Y-chromosomal allele types and male impulsive aggression.

  10. Relationship between anhedonia and impulsivity in schizophrenia, major depression and schizoaffective disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amr, Mostafa; Volpe, Fernando Madalena

    2013-12-01

    Anhedonia and impulsivity are prominent symptoms of many psychiatric disorders and may indicate worse prognosis, notably in schizophrenia and major depression. Despite the convergence of negative outcomes from both dimensions, the relationship between anhedonia and impulsivity in psychiatric disorders has been seldom directly assessed. The objective of the present study is to examine the correlations between anhedonia and impulsivity in three diagnostic groups: major depression, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. 121 outpatients (Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt) with major depressive disorder (N=29), schizophrenia (N=59), and schizoaffective disorder (N=33), were assessed and responded to the Beck Depression Inventory, Barrat's Impulsivity Scale-11, and Chapman's Social and Physical Anhedonia Scales. Physical and social anhedonia scores were negatively correlated to impulsivity scores in major depression patients. Conversely, higher scores in physical and social anhedonia predicted higher impulsivity scores in schizophrenia. No correlations between impulsivity and anhedonia were evidenced among schizoaffectives. The relationship between self-reported physical and social anhedonia and impulsivity is diagnosis-specific. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Be quick about it. Endogenous estradiol level, menstrual cycle phase and trait impulsiveness predict impulsive choice in the context of reward acquisition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diekhof, Esther K

    2015-08-01

    This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and Cognition". Variations in the steroid hormone 17ß-estradiol (E2) may promote intra-individual differences in reward seeking behavior and temporal decision-making (Reimers et al., 2014; Front. Neurosci. 8: 401). Yet, in humans the exact role of E2 in impulsive choice still needs to be determined. The present study assessed the effect of a cycle-dependent rise in endogenous E2 on temporal response adaptation across the follicular phase (FP). For this purpose a reward acquisition paradigm was employed that is sensitive to hormone-induced changes in central dopamine (DA) level. The present data show that women acted more impulsively in the early as opposed to the late FP. Early follicular E2 further correlated with an increased capacity to speed up for reward maximization, while simultaneously the ability to wait for higher reward was compromised. This correlation was most pronounced in women with low trait impulsiveness. In contrast, E2 and optimized response speed failed to correlate in women with high trait impulsiveness and in the late FP, despite a generally higher E2 level. Collectively, these findings support the theory that E2 may act as an endogenous DA agonist. The fact that the hormone-behavior relationship was restricted to women with low trait impulsiveness and thus supposedly lower central DA level provides indirect support for this idea. Yet, choices became relatively less impulsive in the state of heightened E2 (i.e., in the late FP), suggesting that the relationship between E2 and impulsive choice may not be linear, but might resemble an inverted U-function. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Workspace Safe Operation of a Force- or Impedance-Controlled Robot

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdallah, Muhammad E. (Inventor); Hargrave, Brian (Inventor); Yamokoski, John D. (Inventor); Strawser, Philip A. (Inventor)

    2013-01-01

    A method of controlling a robotic manipulator of a force- or impedance-controlled robot within an unstructured workspace includes imposing a saturation limit on a static force applied by the manipulator to its surrounding environment, and may include determining a contact force between the manipulator and an object in the unstructured workspace, and executing a dynamic reflex when the contact force exceeds a threshold to thereby alleviate an inertial impulse not addressed by the saturation limited static force. The method may include calculating a required reflex torque to be imparted by a joint actuator to a robotic joint. A robotic system includes a robotic manipulator having an unstructured workspace and a controller that is electrically connected to the manipulator, and which controls the manipulator using force- or impedance-based commands. The controller, which is also disclosed herein, automatically imposes the saturation limit and may execute the dynamic reflex noted above.

  13. Diagnosis and treatment of impulse control disorders in patients with movement disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mestre, Tiago A; Strafella, Antonio P; Thomsen, Teri; Voon, Valerie; Miyasaki, Janis

    2013-05-01

    Impulse control disorders are a psychiatric condition characterized by the failure to resist an impulsive act or behavior that may be harmful to self or others. In movement disorders, impulse control disorders are associated with dopaminergic treatment, notably dopamine agonists (DAs). Impulse control disorders have been studied extensively in Parkinson's disease, but are also recognized in restless leg syndrome and atypical Parkinsonian syndromes. Epidemiological studies suggest younger age, male sex, greater novelty seeking, impulsivity, depression and premorbid impulse control disorders as the most consistent risk factors. Such patients may warrant special monitoring after starting treatment with a DA. Various individual screening tools are available for people without Parkinson's disease. The Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease has been developed specifically for Parkinson's disease. The best treatment for impulse control disorders is prevention. However, after the development of impulse control disorders, the mainstay intervention is to reduce or discontinue the offending anti-Parkinsonian medication. In refractory cases, other pharmacological interventions are available, including neuroleptics, antiepileptics, amantadine, antiandrogens, lithium and opioid antagonists. Unfortunately, their use is only supported by case reports, small case series or open-label clinical studies. Prospective, controlled studies are warranted. Ongoing investigations include naltrexone and nicotine.

  14. [The relationship of attachment features and multi-impulsive symptoms in eating disorders].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szalai, Tamás Dömötör

    2017-07-01

    Attachment dysfunctions determine borderline personality disorder, which is a frequent background factor of multi-impulsivity; however, the relationship between attachment and multi-impulsive eating disorders is almost unexplored. To compare attachment features of multi-impulsive and classical eating disorder patients with individuals without eating disorders, and to test attachment as a predictor of multi-impulsivity. A cross-sectional survey (148 females, mean age: 30.9 years) investigated maternal, paternal and adult attachment, depression, anxiety, eating disorder and multi-impulsive symptoms in these groups. Altogether 41.3% of the individuals without eating disorders, 17.6% of classical and 11.8% of multi-impulsive eating disorder patients had secure attachment. Multi-impulsive patients had the most severe eating disorder symptoms (F (2) = 17.733) and the lowest paternal care (F (2) = 3.443). Preoccupied and fearful attachment explained 14.5% of multi-impulsive symptoms; however, with adjustment for depression only latter one remained the predictor of multi-impulsivity (t = 5.166, peating disorder patients from the aspects of both symptoms and attachment. Handling their negative moods may hold therapeutic potentials. Longitudinal studies are required to investigate the therapeutic value of paternal care, attachment preoccupation and fearfulness. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(27): 1058-1066.

  15. Analysis on the resistive force in penetration of a rigid projectile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao-wei Chen

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available According to the dimensionless formulae of DOP (depth of penetration of a rigid projectile into different targets, the resistive force which a target exerts on the projectile during the penetration of rigid projectile is theoretically analyzed. In particular, the threshold Vc of impact velocity applicable for the assumption of constant resistive force is formulated through impulse analysis. The various values of Vc corresponding to different pairs of projectile-target are calculated, and the consistency of the relative test data and numerical results is observed.

  16. Linearization of Nonautonomous Impulsive System with Nonuniform Exponential Dichotomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongfei Gao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper gives a version of Hartman-Grobman theorem for the impulsive differential equations. We assume that the linear impulsive system has a nonuniform exponential dichotomy. Under some suitable conditions, we proved that the nonlinear impulsive system is topologically conjugated to its linear system. Indeed, we do construct the topologically equivalent function (the transformation. Moreover, the method to prove the topological conjugacy is quite different from those in previous works (e.g., see Barreira and Valls, 2006.

  17. Diet-induced obesity: dopamine transporter function, impulsivity and motivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayanaswami, V; Thompson, A C; Cassis, L A; Bardo, M T; Dwoskin, L P

    2013-08-01

    A rat model of diet-induced obesity (DIO) was used to determine dopamine transporter (DAT) function, impulsivity and motivation as neurobehavioral outcomes and predictors of obesity. To evaluate neurobehavioral alterations following the development of DIO induced by an 8-week high-fat diet (HF) exposure, striatal D2-receptor density, DAT function and expression, extracellular dopamine concentrations, impulsivity, and motivation for high- and low-fat reinforcers were determined. To determine predictors of DIO, neurobehavioral antecedents including impulsivity, motivation for high-fat reinforcers, DAT function and extracellular dopamine were evaluated before the 8-week HF exposure. Striatal D2-receptor density was determined by in vitro kinetic analysis of [(3)H]raclopride binding. DAT function was determined using in vitro kinetic analysis of [(3)H]dopamine uptake, methamphetamine-evoked [(3)H]dopamine overflow and no-net flux in vivo microdialysis. DAT cell-surface expression was determined using biotinylation and western blotting. Impulsivity and food-motivated behavior were determined using a delay discounting task and progressive ratio schedule, respectively. Relative to obesity-resistant (OR) rats, obesity-prone (OP) rats exhibited 18% greater body weight following an 8-week HF-diet exposure, 42% lower striatal D2-receptor density, 30% lower total DAT expression, 40% lower in vitro and in vivo DAT function, 45% greater extracellular dopamine and twofold greater methamphetamine-evoked [(3)H]dopamine overflow. OP rats exhibited higher motivation for food, and surprisingly, were less impulsive relative to OR rats. Impulsivity, in vivo DAT function and extracellular dopamine concentration did not predict DIO. Importantly, motivation for high-fat reinforcers predicted the development of DIO. Human studies are limited by their ability to determine if impulsivity, motivation and DAT function are causes or consequences of DIO. The current animal model shows that

  18. Impulsivity and overeating in children in the absence and presence of hunger.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nederkoorn, Chantal; Dassen, Fania C M; Franken, Loes; Resch, Christine; Houben, Katrijn

    2015-10-01

    Overweight children appear to be more responsive to environmental, hedonic cues and easily overeat in the current obesogenic environment. They are also found to overeat in the absence of hunger, and this overeating seems related to impulsivity: impulsive participants are more prone to external eating. However, some studies showed that impulsive adults are also more prone to hunger cues: impulsive participants overate especially when feeling hungry. This would mean impulsive people are more reactive to both external and internal cues. The overeating was limited to palatable high energy-dense foods: hunger made them fancy a snack. In the current study, we wanted to test the interaction between impulsivity, hunger and consumption of food type in children. Impulsivity was measured in 88 children between the ages of 7 and 9. Next, half of the participants performed a taste test before their own regular lunch and half of the participants immediately after their lunch. During the taste test, low, medium and high energy-dense food items were presented. Results showed that impulsive children ate more high energy-dense foods than low impulsive children, both before and after their lunch. No differences were found on low or medium energy-dense foods. Impulsive children therefore showed normal sensitivity for internal hunger and satiety cues, but abnormal response to high energy-dense foods. This might render them vulnerable to tasty temptation in the environment and to weight gain in their future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. [Validation of the French translation of the impulsive nonconformity scale].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foullu, S; Blanc-Foullu, S; Danet, F; Dumas, P; Brunelin, J; Travart, M; Elchardus, J-M; Saoud, M; d'Amato, T

    2008-12-01

    Impulsive traits are key characteristics in a lot of psychiatric disorders and are part of the "normal" behaviour spectrum. Although impulsivity is a controversial concept, some questionnaires have focused on its "dysfunctional" aspect. The Barratt Impulsive Scale (BIS-10) is the scale the most used to explore impulsiveness, but it does not explore antisocial or nonconform behaviour. The Chapman Impulsive and Nonconformity Scale (INCS) is a questionnaire of 51 items that measures the impulsivity and nonconformism. The INCS reflects "failure to internalize societal norms, lack of empathy for the pain of others, and an unrestrained yielding to impulse and self-gratification" and was originally designed to assess psychosis proneness. It has been validated in the USA, but has not yet been validated in France. Interestingly, although it was not predictive of psychosis, high scorers on INCS exceeded controls on depression, and on rates of substance abuse. Furthermore, participants scoring high on hypomanic personality scale and INCS were found to have an especially heightened risk for bipolar disorders. To translate and determine reliability and validity of the French version of the Chapman Impulsive and Nonconformity Scale in young adults by comparison with the BIS. Chapman Impulsive and Nonconformity Scale has been back-translated into French, and filled out by 237 students (males: 104; females: 133; mean age: 20.4 [range 19-25]). BIS-10 was used for convergent validity. Each participant completed the two scales. Reliability and validity of the French form of INCS were assessed with the internal consistency (coefficient alpha of Cronbach and the split half reliability) and the convergent validity. In the French version of the INCS, the 51 items have high internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.81 and split half reliability=0.80). Concerning the BIS, internal reliability is good (Cronbach's alpha=0.72 and split half reliability=0.66). Moreover, Pearson's r of the INCS

  20. Attention switching after dietary brain 5-HT challenge in high impulsive subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markus, C Rob; Jonkman, Lisa M

    2007-09-01

    High levels of impulsivity have adverse effects on performance in cognitive tasks, particularLy in those tasks that require high attention investment. Furthermore, both animal and human research has indicated that reduced brain serotonin (5-HT) function is associated with increases in impulsive behaviour or decreased inhibition ability, but the effects of 5-HT challenge have not yet been investigated in subjects vulnerable to impulsivity. The present study aimed to investigate whether subjects with high trait impulsivity perform worse than low impulsive subjects in a task switching paradigm in which they have to rapidly shift their attention between two response rules, and to investigate the influence of a 5-HT enhancing diet. Healthy subjects with high ( n = 19) and low (n = 18) trait impulsivity scores participated in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. All subjects performed the attention switch task in the morning following breakfast containing either tryptophan-rich alpha-lactalbumin (4.8 g/100 g TRP) or placebo protein (1.4 g/100 g TRP). Whereas there were no baseline differences between high and low impulsive subjects in task switching abilities, high impulsive subjects made significantly more switch errors and responded slower after dietary 5-HT stimulation, whereas no dietary effects were found on task switching performance in low-impulsive subjects. The deterioration in task switching performance induced by the 5-HT enhancing diet in high impulsive subjects was suggested to be established by general arousal/attention-reducing effects of 5-HT, which might have a larger impact in high impulsive subjects due to either different brain circuitry involved in task switching in this group or lower baseline arousal levels.

  1. Impulsive synchronization of Roessler systems with parameter driven by an external signal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Rong; Hu Manfeng; Xu Zhenyuan

    2007-01-01

    In this Letter, an impulsive control scheme is presented to control two uncoupled identical Roessler systems. By driving the parameter of Roessler systems using external chaotic signal or periodic signal, chaotic synchronization and periodic synchronization can be implemented. This is a special impulsive control, but by using the existing results of impulsive control theory, a less conservative estimation of the upper bound of the impulse interval is given, which can guarantee the global asymptotical stability for the impulsive synchronization of Roessler systems. Numerical results are in accord with our estimation

  2. Age-related changes in liver, kidney, and spleen stiffness in healthy children measured with acoustic radiation force impulse imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Mi-Jung, E-mail: mjl1213@yuhs.ac [Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Children' s Hospital, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Myung-Joon, E-mail: mjkim@yuhs.ac [Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Children' s Hospital, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752 (Korea, Republic of); Han, Kyung Hwa, E-mail: khhan@yuhs.ac [Biostatistics Collaboration Unit, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752 (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Choon Sik, E-mail: yooncs58@yuhs.ac [Department of Radiology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, 211 Unjoo-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-06-15

    Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and age-related changes of shear wave velocity (SWV) in normal livers, kidneys, and spleens of children using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging. Materials and methods: Healthy pediatric volunteers prospectively underwent abdominal ultrasonography and ARFI. The subjects were divided into three groups according to age: group 1: <5 years old; group 2: 5–10 years old; and group 3: >10 years old. The SWV was measured using a 4–9 MHz linear probe for group 1 and a 1–4 MHz convex probe for groups 2 and 3. Three valid SWV measurements were acquired for each organ. Results: Two hundred and two children (92 male, 110 female) with an average age of 8.1 years (±4.7) were included in this study and had a successful measurement rate of 97% (196/202). The mean SWVs were 1.12 m/s for the liver, 2.19 m/s for the right kidney, 2.33 m/s for the left kidney, and 2.25 m/s for the spleen. The SWVs for the right and left kidneys, and the spleen showed age-related changes in all children (p < 0.001). And the SWVs for the kidneys increased with age in group 1, and those for the liver changed with age in group 3. Conclusions: ARFI measurements are feasible for solid abdominal organs in children using high or low frequency probes. The mean ARFI SWV for the kidneys increased according to age in children less than 5 years of age and in the liver, it changed with age in children over 10.

  3. Acoustic radiation force impulse-imaging and transient elastography for non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis and steatosis in NAFLD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Friedrich-Rust, Mireen; Romen, Daniela; Vermehren, Johannes; Kriener, Susanne; Sadet, Dilek; Herrmann, Eva; Zeuzem, Stefan; Bojunga, Joerg

    2012-01-01

    Background: Transient elastography (TE) and acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI)-imaging have shown promising results for the staging of liver fibrosis. Aim: The aim of the present study was to compare ARFI of the left and right liver lobe with TE using the standard and obese probes for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in NAFL/NASH. In addition, liver steatosis is evaluated using the novel controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). Methods: Sixty-one patients with NAFLD/NASH were included in the study. All patients received TE with both probes, ARFI of both liver lobes and CAP. The results were compared with liver histology. Results: 57 patients were included in the final analysis. The diagnostic accuracy for TE measurements with the M-and XL-probe and for ARFI of the right and left liver lobe was 0.73, 0.84, 0.71 and 0.60 for the diagnosis of severe fibrosis, and 0.93, 0.93, 0.74 and 0.90 for the diagnosis of cirrhosis, respectively. No significant difference of results was observed between TE and ARFI in the subgroup of patients with reliable TE-measurement when taking into account the best results of both methods. However, while a significant correlation could be found for TE with histological liver fibrosis, the correlation of ARFI with liver fibrosis was not statistically significant. A significant correlation was found for CAP with histological steatosis (r = 0.49, p < 0.001). Conclusions: No significant difference in diagnostic accuracy for the non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis was found for transient elastography and ARFI. Nevertheless TE significantly correlated with liver fibrosis while ARFI did not. CAP enables the non-invasive assessment of steatosis.

  4. Near-Capacity Coding for Discrete Multitone Systems with Impulse Noise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kschischang Frank R

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available We consider the design of near-capacity-achieving error-correcting codes for a discrete multitone (DMT system in the presence of both additive white Gaussian noise and impulse noise. Impulse noise is one of the main channel impairments for digital subscriber lines (DSL. One way to combat impulse noise is to detect the presence of the impulses and to declare an erasure when an impulse occurs. In this paper, we propose a coding system based on low-density parity-check (LDPC codes and bit-interleaved coded modulation that is capable of taking advantage of the knowledge of erasures. We show that by carefully choosing the degree distribution of an irregular LDPC code, both the additive noise and the erasures can be handled by a single code, thus eliminating the need for an outer code. Such a system can perform close to the capacity of the channel and for the same redundancy is significantly more immune to the impulse noise than existing methods based on an outer Reed-Solomon (RS code. The proposed method has a lower implementation complexity than the concatenated coding approach.

  5. Heavy drinking, impulsivity and attentional narrowing following alcohol cue exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hicks, Joshua A; Fields, Sherecce; Davis, William E; Gable, Philip A

    2015-08-01

    Research shows that alcohol-related stimuli have the propensity to capture attention among individuals motivated to consume alcohol. Research has further demonstrated that impulsive individuals are especially prone to this type of attentional bias. Recently, it is suggested that alcohol cue exposure can also produce a general narrowing of attention consistent with the activation of approach motivational states. Based on previous models of addiction and recent research on the activation of approach motivational states, we predicted that impulsive individuals would demonstrate a constriction of attentional focus in response to alcohol cue exposure. Participants (n = 392) completed a task assessing attentional breadth in response to alcohol and non-alcohol cues, followed by measures of alcohol use and impulsivity. The findings revealed that impulsivity scores predicted narrowing of attentional scope following the presentation of alcohol cues for heavier drinkers but not for light drinkers. These results suggest that impulsive individuals who drink more heavily demonstrate a narrowing of attention in the presence of alcohol-related incentive cues. Implications for how these findings might account for the link between impulsivity and alcohol use and misuse are discussed.

  6. Efficiency of the generation of impulsion by cyclotron waves currents of the electrons in an Axisymmetric Tokamak; Eficiencia de la generacion de corrientes de impulsion por ondas ciclotronicas de los electrones en un Tokamak axisimetrico

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gutierrez T, C.; Beltran P, M. [ININ, 52045 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

    2004-07-01

    The neoclassical theory of transport is used to calculate the current efficiency of electronic cyclotron impulsion (ECCD) in an axisymmetric tokamak in the few collisions regime. The standard parameter of the tokamak is used to obtain a system of equations that describe the hydrodynamic of the plasma, where the ponderomotive force (PM) due to high power radio frequency waves is taken in account. The PM force is produced in the proximity of electron cyclotron resonance surface in a specific poloidal localization. The efficiency ECCD is analyzed in the cases of first and second harmonic (for different angles of injection of radio frequency waves) and it is validated using the experimental values of the TCV and T-10 tokamaks. The results are according to those obtained by means of the techniques of the Green functions. (Author)

  7. Second-to-fourth digit ratio and impulsivity: a comparison between offenders and nonoffenders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanoch, Yaniv; Gummerum, Michaela; Rolison, Jonathan

    2012-01-01

    Personality characteristics, particularly impulsive tendencies, have long been conceived as the primary culprit in delinquent behavior. One crucial question to emerge from this line of work is whether impulsivity has a biological basis. To test this possibility, 44 male offenders and 46 nonoffenders completed the Eysenck Impulsivity Questionnaire, and had their 2D∶4D ratio measured. Offenders exhibited smaller right hand digit ratio measurements compared to non-offenders, but higher impulsivity scores. Both impulsivity and 2D∶4D ratio measurements significantly predicted criminality (offenders vs. nonoffenders). Controlling for education level, the 2D∶4D ratio measurements had remained a significant predictor of criminality, while impulsivity scores no longer predicted criminality significantly. Our data, thus, indicates that impulsivity but not 2D∶4D ratio measurements relate to educational attainment. As offenders varied in their number of previous convictions and the nature of their individual crimes, we also tested for differences in 2D∶4D ratio and impulsivity among offenders. Number of previous convictions did not correlate significantly with the 2D∶4D ratio measurements or impulsivity scores. Our study established a link between a biological marker and impulsivity among offenders (and lack thereof among non-offenders), which emphasise the importance of studying the relationship between biological markers, impulsivity and criminal behavior.

  8. Eyes Wide Shopped: Shopping Situations Trigger Arousal in Impulsive Buyers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serfas, Benjamin G.; Büttner, Oliver B.; Florack, Arnd

    2014-01-01

    The present study proposes arousal as an important mechanism driving buying impulsiveness. We examined the effect of buying impulsiveness on arousal in non-shopping and shopping contexts. In an eye-tracking experiment, we measured pupil dilation while participants viewed and rated pictures of shopping scenes and non-shopping scenes. The results demonstrated that buying impulsiveness is closely associated with arousal as response to viewing pictures of shopping scenes. This pertained for hedonic shopping situations as well as for utilitarian shopping situations. Importantly, the effect did not emerge for non-shopping scenes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that arousal of impulsive buyers is independent from cognitive evaluation of scenes in the pictures. PMID:25489955

  9. Fixed-time stabilization of impulsive Cohen-Grossberg BAM neural networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hongfei; Li, Chuandong; Huang, Tingwen; Zhang, Wanli

    2018-02-01

    This article is concerned with the fixed-time stabilization for impulsive Cohen-Grossberg BAM neural networks via two different controllers. By using a novel constructive approach based on some comparison techniques for differential inequalities, an improvement theorem of fixed-time stability for impulsive dynamical systems is established. In addition, based on the fixed-time stability theorem of impulsive dynamical systems, two different control protocols are designed to ensure the fixed-time stabilization of impulsive Cohen-Grossberg BAM neural networks, which include and extend the earlier works. Finally, two simulations examples are provided to illustrate the validity of the proposed theoretical results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Eyes wide shopped: shopping situations trigger arousal in impulsive buyers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serfas, Benjamin G; Büttner, Oliver B; Florack, Arnd

    2014-01-01

    The present study proposes arousal as an important mechanism driving buying impulsiveness. We examined the effect of buying impulsiveness on arousal in non-shopping and shopping contexts. In an eye-tracking experiment, we measured pupil dilation while participants viewed and rated pictures of shopping scenes and non-shopping scenes. The results demonstrated that buying impulsiveness is closely associated with arousal as response to viewing pictures of shopping scenes. This pertained for hedonic shopping situations as well as for utilitarian shopping situations. Importantly, the effect did not emerge for non-shopping scenes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that arousal of impulsive buyers is independent from cognitive evaluation of scenes in the pictures.

  11. Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging with Virtual Touch™ tissue quantification: mean shear wave velocity of malignant and benign breast masses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wojcinski, Sebastian; Brandhorst, Kathrin; Sadigh, Gelareh; Hillemanns, Peter; Degenhardt, Friedrich

    2013-01-01

    Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI) with Virtual Touch™ tissue quantification (VTTQ) enables the determination of shear wave velocity (SWV) in meters per second (m/s). The aim of our study was to describe the mean SWV in normal breast tissue and various breast masses. We performed measurements of SWV with ARFI VTTQ in 145 breast masses (57 malignant, 88 benign) and in the adjacent breast parenchyma and adipose tissue. The mean SWV as well as the rate of successful measurements were analyzed. The difference between adipose tissue and parenchyma was statistically significant (3.05 versus 3.65 m/s) (P breast masses, numerous measurements exceeded the upper limit of possible measurement (≥9.10 m/s, indicated as "X.XX m/s"). Nevertheless, the difference between the malignant and benign masses was statistically significant (8.38 ± 1.99 m/s versus 5.39 ± 2.95 m/s) (P < 0.001). The best diagnostic accuracy (75.9%) was achieved when the cutoff point for malignancy was set to 9.10 m/s in ARFI VTTQ. This implies that the SWV was regarded as suspicious when the upper limit of possible measurement was exceeded and the machine returned the value X.XX m/s. In conclusion, ARFI VTTQ is a feasible method for measurement of SWV in a region of interest. Furthermore, we propose the event of a highly elevated SWV as a significant criterion for malignancy. However, the method is technically not yet fully developed, and the problem of unsuccessful measurements must still be solved.

  12. Trait and state impulsivity in males with tendency towards Internet-pornography-use disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antons, Stephanie; Brand, Matthias

    2018-04-01

    Impulsivity has been identified to be involved in the development and maintenance of specific Internet-use disorders (IUD). It can be differentiated between relatively stable trait impulsivity and state impulsivity which is dependent on environmental and affective factors such as craving. Following the I-PACE (Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution) model, both trait and state impulsivity may play an interactive role in IUD. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between trait and state impulsivity and symptom severity of Internet-pornography-use disorder (IPD) as one form of IUD. Fifty heterosexual males participated in this study. State impulsivity was measured with reaction times in a modified stop-signal task. Each participant conducted two blocks of this task which included neutral and pornographic pictures. Moreover, current subjective craving, trait impulsivity, and symptom severity of IPD were assessed using several questionnaires. Results indicate that trait impulsivity was associated with higher symptom severity of IPD. Especially those males with higher trait impulsivity and state impulsivity in the pornographic condition of the stop-signal task as well as those with high craving reactions showed severe symptoms of IPD. The results indicate that both trait and state impulsivity play a crucial role in the development of IPD. In accordance with dual-process models of addiction, the results may be indicative of an imbalance between the impulsive and reflective systems which might be triggered by pornographic material. This may result in loss of control over the Internet-pornography use albeit experiencing negative consequences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Tensile test and interface retention forces between wires and composites in lingual fixed retainers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paolone, Maria Giacinta; Kaitsas, Roberto; Obach, Patricia; Kaitsas, Vasilios; Benedicenti, Stefano; Sorrenti, Eugenio; Barberi, Fabrizio

    2015-06-01

    In daily orthodontic clinical practice retention is very important, and lingual retainers are part of this challenge. The failure of lingual retainers may be due to many factors. The aim of this study was to assess the retention forces and mechanical behavior of different types of wires matched with different kinds of composites in lingual retainers. A tensile test was performed on cylindrical composite test specimens bonded to orthodontic wires. The specimens were constructed using four different wires: a straight wire (Remanium .016×.022″ Dentaurum), two round twisted wires (Penta One .0215″ Masel, Gold Penta Twisted .0215″ Gold N'braces) and a rectangular braided wire (D-Rect .016×.022″ Ormco); and three composites: two micro-hybrids (Micro-Hybrid Enamel Plus HFO Micerium, and Micro-Hybrid SDR U Dentsply) and a micro-nano-filled composite (Micro-Nano-Filled Transbond LR 3M). The test was performed at a speed of 10mm/min on an Inström device. The wire was fixed with a clamp. The results showed that the bonding between wires and composites in lingual fixed retainers seemed to be lowest for rectangular smooth wires and increased in round twisted and rectangular twisted wires where the bonding was so strong that the maximum tension/bond strength was greater than the ultimate tensile strength of the wire. The highest values were in rectangular twisted wires. Concerning the composites, hybrid composites had the lowest interface bonding values and broke very quickly, while the nano- and micro-composites tolerated stronger forces and displayed higher bonding values. The best results were observed with the golden twisted wire and reached 21.46 MPa with the Transbond composite. With the rectangular braided wire the retention forces were so high that the Enamel Plus composite fractured when the load exceeded 154.6 N/MPa. When the same wire was combined with the Transbond LR either the wire or the composite broke when the force exceeded 240 N. The results of this

  14. Tradeoffs between impact loading rate, vertical impulse and effective mass for walkers and heel strike runners wearing footwear of varying stiffness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Addison, Brian J; Lieberman, Daniel E

    2015-05-01

    Humans experience repetitive impact forces beneath the heel during walking and heel strike running that cause impact peaks characterized by high rates and magnitudes of loading. Impact peaks are caused by the exchange of momentum between the ground and a portion of the body that comes to a full stop (the effective mass) during the period of the impact peak. A number of factors can influence this exchange of momentum, including footwear stiffness. This study presents and tests an impulse-momentum model of impact mechanics which predicts that effective mass and vertical impulse is greater in walkers and heel strike runners wearing less stiff footwear. The model also predicts a tradeoff between impact loading rate and effective mass, and between impact loading rate and vertical impulse among individuals wearing footwear of varying stiffness. We tested this model using 19 human subjects walking and running in minimal footwear and in two experimental footpads. Subjects walked and ran on an instrumented treadmill and 3D kinematic data were collected. As predicted, both vertical impulse (walking: F(2,54)=52.0, p=2.6E-13; running: F(2,54)=25.2, p=1.8E-8) and effective mass (walking: F(2,54)=12.1, p=4.6E-5; running: F(2,54)=15.5, p=4.7E-6) increase in less stiff footwear. In addition, there is a significant inverse relationship between impact loading rate and vertical impulse (walking: r=-0.88, pfootwear heels influence injury risk during human walking and running. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Does standoff material affect acoustic radiation force impulse elastography? A preclinical study of a modified elastography phantom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katharina Hollerieth

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Purpose This study was conducted to determine the influence of standoff material on acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI measurements in an elasticity phantom by using two different probes. Methods Using ARFI elastography, 10 observers measured the shear wave velocity (SWV, m/sec in different lesions of an elasticity phantom with a convex 4C1 probe and a linear 9L4 probe. The experimental setup was expanded by the use of an interposed piece of porcine muscle as standoff material. The probe pressure on the phantom was registered. Results Faulty ARFI measurements occurred more often when quantifying the hardest lesion (74.0 kPa 4.97 m/sec by the 9L4 probe with the porcine muscle as a standoff material interposed between the probe and the phantom. The success rate for ARFI measurements in these series was 52.4%, compared with 99.5% in the other series. The SWV values measured with the 9L4 probe were significantly higher (3.33±1.39 m/sec vs. 2.60±0.74 m/sec, P<0.001 in the group without muscle and were closer to the reference value than those measured with the 4C1 probe (0.25±0.23 m/sec vs. 0.85±1.21 m/sec, P<0.001 in the same group. The SWV values measured when using the muscle as a standoff material were lower than those without the muscle (significant for 9L4, P=0.040. The deviation from the reference value and the variance increased significantly with the 9L4 probe if the muscle was in situ (B=0.27, P=0.004 and B=0.32, P<0.001. In our study, the pressure exerted by the operator had no effect on the SWV values. Conclusion The presence of porcine muscle acting as a standoff material influenced the occurrence of failed measurements as well as the variance and the accuracy of the measured values. The linear high-frequency probe was particularly affected.

  16. Effects of Acute Tryptophan Depletion on Three Different Types of Behavioral Impulsivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald M. Dougherty

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction While central nervous system serotonin has been implicated in a variety of problematic impulsive behaviors, biological manipulation of brain serotonin using acute tryptophan depletion for studying changes in impulsive behavior has received little attention. Methods Using identical treatment conditions, we examined the effects of reduced serotonin synthesis for each of three matched groups using acute tryptophan depletion. Thirty healthy men and women (ages 18–45 were assigned to perform one of three tasks assessing different types of behavioral impulsivity: response initiation, response inhibition, and consequence sensitivity ( N = 90. Participants completed two experimental days during which each consumed either a tryptophan-depletion or balanced-placebo amino-acid formulation and completed 5 sessions of their respective tasks at 0.25 h before and 1.5, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 h after beverage consumption. Results During peak effectiveness (5.0 h to 6.0 h following amino-acid consumption, depletion produced selective differences dependent on the type of impulsivity being tested. Specifically, relative to baseline testing (pre-depletion, response initiation impulsivity was significantly increased during the peak effects of depletion. And, when compared to placebo control, both response initiation and consequence sensitivity impulsivity were increased during the peak effects of depletion. Conclusion Though response initiation and consequence sensitivity impulsivity were affected by tryptophan depletion, response inhibition impulsivity was not, suggesting that other biological processes may underlie this specific component of impulsivity. Future research in other populations or using different pharmacological agents is warranted to further examine the biological processes underlying these components of impulsivity.

  17. Effects of Acute Tryptophan Depletion on Three Different Types of Behavioral Impulsivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald M. Dougherty

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: While central nervous system serotonin has been implicated in a variety of problematic impulsive behaviors, biological manipulation of brain serotonin using acute tryptophan depletion for studying changes in impulsive behavior has received little attention. Methods: Using identical treatment conditions, we examined the effects of reduced serotonin synthesis for each of three matched groups using acute tryptophan depletion. Thirty healthy men and women (ages 18–45 were assigned to perform one of three tasks assessing different types of behavioral impulsivity: response initiation, response inhibition, and consequence sensitivity (N = 90. Participants completed two experimental days during which each consumed either a tryptophan-depletion or balanced-placebo amino-acid formulation and completed 5 sessions of their respective tasks at 0.25 h before and 1.5, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 h after beverage consumption. Results: During peak effectiveness (5.0 h to 6.0 h following amino-acid consumption, depletion produced selective differences dependent on the type of impulsivity being tested. Specifically, relative to baseline testing (pre-depletion, response initiation impulsivity was significantly increased during the peak effects of depletion. And, when compared to placebo control, both response initiation and consequence sensitivity impulsivity were increased during the peak effects of depletion. Conclusion: Though response initiation and consequence sensitivity impulsivity were affected by tryptophan depletion, response inhibition impulsivity was not, suggesting that other biological processes may underlie this specific component of impulsivity. Future research in other populations or using different pharmacological agents is warranted to further examine the biological processes underlying these components of impulsivity.

  18. Impulses and pressure waves cause excitement and conduction in the nervous system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barz, Helmut; Schreiber, Almut; Barz, Ulrich

    2013-11-01

    It is general accepted, that nerval excitement and conduction is caused by voltage changes. However, the influx of fluid into an elastical tube releases impulses or pressure waves. Therefore an influx of ion currents, respectively fluid motions into the elastic neuronal cells and fibres also induce impulses. This motion of charge carriers are measured by voltage devices as oscillations or action potentials, but the voltage changes may be an epiphenomenon of the (mechanical) impulses. Impulse waves can have a high speed. As stiffer or inelastic a tube wall, the greater is the speed of the impulse. Myelin sheaths cause a significant stiffening of the nerve fibre wall and myelinated fibres have a conduction velocity up to 120 m/s. The influx of fluid at the nodes of Ranvier intensifies periodically the impulse wave in the nerve fibres. The authors suggest that also the muscle end-plate acts as a conductor of axonal impulses to the inner of the muscle fibres and that the exocytosis of acetylcholine into the synaptic cleft may be an amplifier of the axonal impulse. It is discussed that intracellular actin filaments may also influence motions at the neuronal membrane. Many sensory nerve cells are excited due to exogenous or endogenous mechanical impulses. It may plausible that such impulses are conducted directly to the sensory nerve cell bodies in the dorsal root ganglia without the transformation in electric energy. Excitation conduction happens without noteworthy energy consumption because the flow of ion currents through the membranes takes place equivalent to the concentration gradient. Impulse waves cause short extensions of the lipid membranes of the cell- and fibres walls and therefore they can induce opening and closing of the included ion channels. This mechanism acts to "voltage gated" and "ligand-gated" channels likewise. The concept of neuronal impulses can be helpful to the understanding of other points of neurophysiology or neuronal diseases. This includes

  19. Dopaminergic influences on executive function and impulsive behaviour in impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leroi, Iracema; Barraclough, Michelle; McKie, Shane; Hinvest, Neal; Evans, Jonathan; Elliott, Rebecca; McDonald, Kathryn

    2013-09-01

    The development of impulse control disorders (ICDs) in Parkinson's disease (PD) may arise from an interaction among cognitive impairment, impulsive responding and dopaminergic state. Dopaminergic state may be influenced by pharmacologic or genotypic (catechol-O-methyltransferase; COMT) factors. We sought to investigate this interaction further by comparing those with (n = 35) and without (n = 55) ICDs on delay-discounting in different pharmacologic conditions (ON or OFF dopaminergic medication) and on response inhibition as well as aspects of executive functioning in the ON state. We then undertook an exploratory sub-group analysis of these same tasks when the overall PD group was divided into different allelic variants of COMT (val/val vs. met/met). A healthy control group (HC; n = 20) was also included. We found that in those with PD and ICDs, 'cognitive flexibility' (set shifting, verbal fluency, and attention) in the ON medication state was not impaired compared with those without ICDs. In contrast, our working memory, or 'cognitive focus', task was impaired in both PD groups compared with the HC group when ON. During the delay-discounting task, the PD with ICDs group expressed greater impulsive choice compared with the PD group without ICDs, when in the ON, but not the OFF, medication state. However, no group difference on the response inhibition task was seen when ON. Finally, the met homozygous group performed differently on tests of executive function compared with the val homozygous group. We concluded that the disparity in levels of impairment among different domains of executive function and impulsive decision-making distinguishes those with ICD in PD from those without ICD, and may in part be affected by dopaminergic status. Both pharmacologic and genotypic influences on dopaminergic state may be important in ICD. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

  20. Dopa therapy and action impulsivity: subthreshold error activation and suppression in Parkinson's disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fluchère, F.; Deveaux, M.; Burle, B.; Vidal, F.; van den Wildenberg, W.P.M.; Witjas, T.; Eusebio, A.; Azulay, J.-P.; Hasbroucq, T.

    2015-01-01

    Rationale: Impulsive actions entail (1) capture of the motor system by an action impulse, which is an urge to act and (2) failed suppression of that impulse in order to prevent a response error. Several studies indicate that dopaminergic treatment can induce action impulsivity in patients diagnosed

  1. Prediction of BMI by impulsivity, eating behavior and activity level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiang Xiaxia

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Discuss the relationship between the impulsivity, eating behavior and activity level and the body mass index (BMI. Method: Test 147 female college students with the impulsivity questionnaire (BIS-11 and BIS/BAS, Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DBEQ, Sitting Time Scale (STS and Exercising Time Scale (ETS. Results: (1 The correlation analysis indicates that BMI and impulsivity (r = 0.43 and 0.52 have a significant positive correlation with the sitting time (r = 0.61 and a significant negative correlation with the activity level (r= −0.49. (2 The path analysis indicates that the reward sensitivity directly affects BMI and indirectly affects BMI through the activity level as well; the eating behavior has an insignificantly direct impact on BMI, because its impact is generated by the intermediary role of induced diet. Conclusion: (1 The impulsivity, eating behavior and activity level are closely related to BMI; (2 the activity level, sitting time and induced diet play an intermediary role between the impulsivity and BMI.

  2. Delay discounting, impulsiveness, and addiction severity in opioid-dependent patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robles, Elias; Huang, B Emma; Simpson, Pippa M; McMillan, Donald E

    2011-12-01

    Individuals who abuse drugs show higher delay discounting (DD) rate and impulsiveness scores compared with controls; however, it is unclear if DD rate covaries with severity of the addiction or if an individual's discounting rate can be changed by effective substance abuse treatment. This study compared methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients (n = 30) who had not used illegal drugs for 2 years with drug-using MMT patients (n = 30) and controls (n = 25) in terms of addiction severity, DD rate, and impulsiveness. Methadone patients abstinent from illegal drugs scored significantly lower on a number of addiction severity measures than the drug-using methadone patients. In addition, both groups of MMT patients showed significantly higher rates of DD and impulsiveness than the control group; however, no differences in DD rate or impulsiveness were found between the groups of patients. Results suggest that DD rate and impulsiveness may not covary with indicators of addiction severity in MMT patients. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. Impulsivity-like traits and risky driving behaviors among college students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearson, Matthew R; Murphy, Elaine M; Doane, Ashley N

    2013-04-01

    The present study examined the predictive effects of five impulsivity-like traits (Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, Negative Urgency, and Positive Urgency) on driving outcomes (driving errors, driving lapses, driving violations, cell phone driving, traffic citations, and traffic collisions). With a convenience sample of 266 college student drivers, we found that each of the impulsivity-like traits was related to multiple risky driving outcomes. Positive Urgency (tendency to act impulsively when experiencing negative affect) was the most robust predictor of risky driving outcomes. Positive Urgency is a relatively newly conceptualized impulsivity-like trait that was not examined in the driving literature previously, suggesting a strong need to further examine its role as a personality trait related to risky driving. These findings generally support the multidimensional assessment of impulsivity-like traits, and they specifically support the addition of Positive Urgency to a list of risk factors for risky driving behaviors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Adolescent impulsivity and soft drink consumption: The role of parental regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melbye, Elisabeth L; Bergh, Ingunn H; Hausken, Solveig E S; Sleddens, Ester F C; Glavin, Kari; Lien, Nanna; Bjelland, Mona

    2016-01-01

    The present study aimed to explore the process in which impulsivity might influence soft drink consumption in adolescents, addressing potential mediating effects of perceived parental regulation regarding unhealthy eating. A cross-sectional survey was performed among 440 13-15-year-olds in Eastern Norway. The survey questionnaire included measures of impulsivity, six types of maternal and paternal regulation (as perceived by the adolescents), and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB). Parallel multiple-mediator analyses were performed to reveal potential mediating effects of perceived parental regulatory behaviors on the association between adolescent impulsivity and SSB consumption. Separate models were run for maternal and paternal regulation. Results from our model analyses (both maternal and paternal models) indicated that all the six measured parental regulatory behaviors jointly acted as mediators on the association between adolescent impulsivity and SSB consumption. However, only perceived maternal and paternal legitimacy of regulation showed a unique contribution to the mediated effect. This finding suggests that adolescents' perception of parental legitimate authority is of particular importance in explaining the relationship between impulsivity and unhealthy eating behaviors in adolescents. Future nutrition interventions targeting adolescents and their parents should take personal factors such as adolescents' level of impulsivity into account. Ultimately; what may be an appropriate approach to impulsive individuals and their parents may diverge from what may be an appropriate approach to less impulsive individuals and their parents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. The impulsive control synchronization of the drive-response complex system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Yanhong; Yang Yongqing

    2008-01-01

    This Letter investigates projective synchronization between the drive system and response complex dynamical system. An impulsive control scheme is adapted to synchronize the drive-response dynamical system to a desired scalar factor. By using the stability theory of the impulsive differential equation, the criteria for the projective synchronization are derived. The feasibility of the impulsive control of the projective synchronization is demonstrated in the drive-response dynamical system

  6. The persistence in a Lotka-Volterra competition systems with impulsive

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhen Jin; Han Maoan; Li Guihua

    2005-01-01

    In this paper, a nonautonomous two-dimensional competitive Lotka-Volterra system with impulsive is considered. we study the persistence and extinction, giving two inequalities involving averages of the growth rates and impulsive value, which guarantees persistence of the system. An extension of the principle of competition exclusion is obtained in this paper. Moreover, several examples are also worked out, they show that the impulsive can change the persistence of the system

  7. Does impulsivity predict outcome in treatment for binge eating disorder? A multimodal investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manasse, Stephanie M; Espel, Hallie M; Schumacher, Leah M; Kerrigan, Stephanie G; Zhang, Fengqing; Forman, Evan M; Juarascio, Adrienne S

    2016-10-01

    Multiple dimensions of impulsivity (e.g., affect-driven impulsivity, impulsive inhibition - both general and food-specific, and impulsive decision-making) are associated with binge eating pathology cross-sectionally, yet the literature on whether impulsivity predicts treatment outcome is limited. The present pilot study explored impulsivity-related predictors of 20-week outcome in a small open trial (n = 17) of a novel treatment for binge eating disorder. Overall, dimensions of impulsivity related to emotions (i.e., negative urgency) and food cues emerged as predictors of treatment outcomes (i.e., binge eating frequency and global eating pathology as measured by the Eating Disorders Examination), while more general measures of impulsivity were statistically unrelated to global eating pathology or binge frequency. Specifically, those with higher levels of negative urgency at baseline experienced slower and less pronounced benefit from treatment, and those with higher food-specific impulsivity had more severe global eating pathology at baseline that was consistent at post-treatment and follow-up. These preliminary findings suggest that patients high in negative urgency and with poor response inhibition to food cues may benefit from augmentation of existing treatments to achieve optimal outcomes. Future research will benefit from replication with a larger sample, parsing out the role of different dimensions of impulsivity in treatment outcome for eating disorders, and identifying how treatment can be improved to accommodate higher levels of baseline impulsivity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Outer Synchronization of Complex Networks by Impulse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Wen; Yan Zizong; Chen Shihua; Lü Jinhu

    2011-01-01

    This paper investigates outer synchronization of complex networks, especially, outer complete synchronization and outer anti-synchronization between the driving network and the response network. Employing the impulsive control method which is uncontinuous, simple, efficient, low-cost and easy to implement in practical applications, we obtain some sufficient conditions of outer complete synchronization and outer anti-synchronization between two complex networks. Numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed impulsive control scheme. (general)

  9. Eyes wide shopped: shopping situations trigger arousal in impulsive buyers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benjamin G Serfas

    Full Text Available The present study proposes arousal as an important mechanism driving buying impulsiveness. We examined the effect of buying impulsiveness on arousal in non-shopping and shopping contexts. In an eye-tracking experiment, we measured pupil dilation while participants viewed and rated pictures of shopping scenes and non-shopping scenes. The results demonstrated that buying impulsiveness is closely associated with arousal as response to viewing pictures of shopping scenes. This pertained for hedonic shopping situations as well as for utilitarian shopping situations. Importantly, the effect did not emerge for non-shopping scenes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that arousal of impulsive buyers is independent from cognitive evaluation of scenes in the pictures.

  10. Impulsive Noise Characterization in Narrowband Power Line Communication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Bai

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Currently, narrowband Power line communication (PLC is considered an attractive communication system in smart grid environments for applications such as advanced metering infrastructure (AMI. In this paper, we will present a comprehensive comparison and analysis in time and frequency domain of noise measured in China and Italy. In addition, impulsive noise in these two countries are mainly analyzed and modeled using two probability based models, Middleton Class A (MCA model and α stable distribution model. The results prove that noise measured in China is rich in impulsive noise, and can be modeled well by α stable distribution model, while noise measured in Italy has less impulsive noise, and can be better modeled by the MCA model.

  11. Development of the relativistic impulse approximation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wallace, S.J.

    1985-01-01

    This talk contains three parts. Part I reviews the developments which led to the relativistic impulse approximation for proton-nucleus scattering. In Part II, problems with the impulse approximation in its original form - principally the low energy problem - are discussed and traced to pionic contributions. Use of pseudovector covariants in place of pseudoscalar ones in the NN amplitude provides more satisfactory low energy results, however, the difference between pseudovector and pseudoscalar results is ambiguous in the sense that it is not controlled by NN data. Only with further theoretical input can the ambiguity be removed. Part III of the talk presents a new development of the relativistic impulse approximation which is the result of work done in the past year and a half in collaboration with J.A. Tjon. A complete NN amplitude representation is developed and a complete set of Lorentz invariant amplitudes are calculated based on a one-meson exchange model and appropriate integral equations. A meson theoretical basis for the important pair contributions to proton-nucleus scattering is established by the new developments. 28 references

  12. Being impulsive and obese increases susceptibility to speeded detection of high-calorie foods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bongers, Peggy; van de Giessen, Elsmarieke; Roefs, Anne; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Booij, Jan; van den Brink, Wim; Jansen, Anita

    2015-06-01

    Overeating and obesity are associated with impulsivity. In studies among patients with a substance use disorder, impulsivity was found to be associated with substance-related attentional bias. This study examined whether obesity, impulsivity and food craving are associated with an attentional bias for high-calorie food. Obese (n = 185, mean BMI = 38.18 ± 6.17) and matched healthy-weight (n = 134, mean BMI = 22.35 ± 1.63) men (27.9%) and women (72.1%), aged 18-45 years, took part in the study. Participants were tested on several self-report and behavioral measures of impulsivity (i.e., response inhibition and reward sensitivity) and self-reported trait craving. In addition, they performed a visual search task to measure attentional bias for high- and low-caloric foods. Self-reported impulsivity influenced the relationship between weight status and detection speed of high- and low-caloric food items: High-impulsive participants with obesity were significantly faster than high-impulsive healthy-weight participants in detecting a high-caloric food item among neutral items, whereas no such difference was observed among low-impulsive participants. No significant effects were found on low-caloric food items, for trait craving or any of the behavioral measures of impulsivity. Self-reported impulsivity, but not trait craving or behavioral measures of impulsivity, is associated with an attentional bias for high-caloric foods, but only in people with obesity. It is in particular the speedy detection of high-caloric foods in the environment that characterizes the impulsive person with obesity, which in turn may cause risky eating patterns in a society were high-caloric food is overly present. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  13. Linking Y‐chromosomal short tandem repeat loci to human male impulsive aggression

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, Chun; Ba, Huajie; Cao, Yin; Dong, Guoying; Zhang, Shuyou; Gao, Zhiqin; Zhao, Hanqing; Zhou, Xianju

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Introduction Men are more susceptible to impulsive behavior than women. Epidemiological studies revealed that the impulsive aggressive behavior is affected by genetic factors, and the male‐specific Y chromosome plays an important role in this behavior. In this study, we investigated the association between the impulsive aggressive behavior and Y‐chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y‐STRs) loci. Methods The collected biologic samples from 271 offenders with impulsive aggressive behavior...

  14. Impulsivity and negative priming: evidence for diminished cognitive inhibition in impulsive children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Visser, M. R. M.; Das-Smaal, E.; Kwakman, H.

    1996-01-01

    This study addresses the relationship between impulsivity and lack of inhibition. Inhibition was measured both by the interference score and by the negative priming effect in a Stroop colour-word paradigm. The negative priming effect in this paradigm is defined by slower naming of a target colour if

  15. Motor impulsivity differentiates between psychiatric inpatients with multiple versus single lifetime suicide attempts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colborn, Victoria A; LaCroix, Jessica M; Neely, Laura L; Tucker, Jennifer; Perera, Kanchana; Daruwala, Samantha E; Grammer, Geoffrey; Weaver, Jennifer; Ghahramanlou-Holloway, Marjan

    2017-07-01

    A history of multiple suicide attempts conveys greater risk for suicide than a single attempt. Impulsivity may partially explain the association between multiple attempts and increased risk. We examined trait impulsivity, ability to engage in goal-directed behaviors, and impulse control among psychiatrically hospitalized United States military personnel and their dependents. Individuals with a history of multiple versus single attempts had significantly higher motor impulsivity, indicating spur of the moment action. Providers are encouraged to directly assess and treat motor impulsivity among suicidal individuals. Further research should explore whether motor impulsivity is a mechanism of change in psychosocial suicide prevention interventions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  16. Intrinsic brain connectivity predicts impulse control disorders in patients with Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tessitore, Alessandro; De Micco, Rosa; Giordano, Alfonso; di Nardo, Federica; Caiazzo, Giuseppina; Siciliano, Mattia; De Stefano, Manuela; Russo, Antonio; Esposito, Fabrizio; Tedeschi, Gioacchino

    2017-12-01

    Impulse control disorders can be triggered by dopamine replacement therapies in patients with PD. Using resting-state functional MRI, we investigated the intrinsic brain network connectivity at baseline in a cohort of drug-naive PD patients who successively developed impulse control disorders over a 36-month follow-up period compared with patients who did not. Baseline 3-Tesla MRI images of 30 drug-naive PD patients and 20 matched healthy controls were analyzed. The impulse control disorders' presence and severity at follow-up were assessed by the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Single-subject and group-level independent component analysis was used to investigate functional connectivity differences within the major resting-state networks. We also compared internetwork connectivity between patients. Finally, a multivariate Cox regression model was used to investigate baseline predictors of impulse control disorder development. At baseline, decreased connectivity in the default-mode and right central executive networks and increased connectivity in the salience network were detected in PD patients with impulse control disorders at follow-up compared with those without. Increased default-mode/central executive internetwork connectivity was significantly associated with impulse control disorders development (P impulse control disorders while on dopaminergic treatment. We hypothesize that these divergent cognitive and limbic network connectivity changes could represent a potential biomarker and an additional risk factor for the emergence of impulse control disorders. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

  17. Impulsivity and hopelessness as predictors of suicide-related ideation among older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neufeld, Eva; O'Rourke, Norm

    2009-10-01

    Research has demonstrated that impulsivity is strongly associated with suicide-related ideation and behaviour among young adults. However, to date, the potential importance of impulsivity as a predictor of suicide-related ideation in later life has yet to be determined. Our study examined impulsivity, hopelessness, depressive symptomatology, and sociodemographic factors vis-à-vis suicide-related ideation among older adults at risk of self-harm. A sample (n = 117) of older adults was recruited from multiple sources for this study over a 1-year period. Suicide-related ideation was measured with the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale, a multidimensional measure of suicide-related ideation developed for use with older adults. Canonical correlation identified 2 pairings of linear composites in which impulsivity emerged along both as significantly associated with facets of suicide-related ideation. Of note, the greater proportion of variance in impulsivity was subsumed along the second set of vectors with somatic depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that the impulse to self-harm may be even more pronounced among older adults less likely to present as typically depressed. It is further suggested that impulsivity is more broadly associated with suicide-related ideation than hopelessness, and that screening for impulsivity as well as hopelessness may increase clinicians' ability to identify older adults at greatest risk of self-harm.

  18. The state of online impulse-buying research : a literature analysis.

    OpenAIRE

    Chan, T. K. H.; Cheung, C. M. K.; Lee, Z. W. Y.

    2017-01-01

    Online impulse buying has drawn increasing scholarly attention across disciplines. However, little effort has been made to evaluate the status of research and consolidate the findings in the literature. To address this research gap, we conducted a systematic review of studies of online impulse buying, and used the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework to identify and classify the factors that affect online impulse buying. We then built a conceptual framework to explain the interrelations...

  19. Effects of cannabis on impulsivity: a systematic review of neuroimaging findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wrege, Johannes; Schmidt, Andre; Walter, Anna; Smieskova, Renata; Bendfeldt, Kerstin; Radue, Ernst-Wilhelm; Lang, Undine E; Borgwardt, Stefan

    2014-01-01

    We conducted a systematic review to assess the evidence for specific effects of cannabis on impulsivity, disinhibition and motor control. The review had a specific focus on neuroimaging findings associated with acute and chronic use of the drug and covers literature published up until May 2012. Seventeen studies were identified, of which 13 met the inclusion criteria; three studies investigated acute effects of cannabis (1 fMRI, 2 PET), while six studies investigated non-acute functional effects (4 fMRI, 2 PET), and four studies investigated structural alterations. Functional imaging studies of impulsivity studies suggest that prefrontal blood flow is lower in chronic cannabis users than in controls. Studies of acute administration of THC or marijuana report increased brain metabolism in several brain regions during impulsivity tasks. Structural imaging studies of cannabis users found differences in reduced prefrontal volumes and white matter integrity that might mediate the abnormal impulsivity and mood observed in marijuana users. To address the question whether impulsivity as a trait precedes cannabis consumption or whether cannabis aggravates impulsivity and discontinuation of usage more longitudinal study designs are warranted.

  20. Impulsivity and test meal intake among women with bulimia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sysko, Robyn; Ojserkis, Rachel; Schebendach, Janet; Evans, Suzette M; Hildebrandt, Tom; Walsh, B Timothy

    2017-05-01

    Many patients with bulimia nervosa (BN) also meet criteria for a lifetime alcohol use disorder (AUD). In order to understand possible mechanisms contributing to the co-occurrence and perpetuation of these disorders, this study investigated the importance of impulsivity and test meal intake among patients with BN by comparing women with BN only (n = 18), BN and current/past AUDs (n = 13), and healthy controls (n = 12). All participants completed assessments of eating disorder symptoms, frequency of alcohol use, binge eating, and purging via questionnaires and semi-structured interviews over two sessions. Measures of impulsivity consisted of computerized and self-report measures, and laboratory test meals. Significant differences between individuals with BN with/without comorbid AUDs were not found for test meal intake, impulsivity measures, or self-reported psychological symptoms. As hypothesized, compared to healthy controls, individuals with BN had significantly higher scores on two subscales and the total score of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, a trait measure of impulsivity, and consumed significantly more calories in the binge instruction meal. Total Barratt Impulsiveness Scale scores were also significantly related to kcal consumed during the laboratory test meal when individuals were instructed to binge eat (BN groups). Data from this study add to the existing literature implicating impulsivity in the psychopathology of disorders of binge eating, including BN, and also support the use of laboratory meals as a symptom-specific measure of this trait in eating disorder populations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Measurement of dynamic bite force during mastication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimada, A; Yamabe, Y; Torisu, T; Baad-Hansen, L; Murata, H; Svensson, P

    2012-05-01

    Efficient mastication of different types and size of food depends on fast integration of sensory information from mechanoreceptors and central control mechanisms of jaw movements and applied bite force. The neural basis underlying mastication has been studied for decades but little progress in understanding the dynamics of bite force has been made mainly due to technical limitations of bite force recorders. The aims of this study were to develop a new intraoral bite force recorder which would allow the study of natural mastication without an increase in the occlusal vertical dimension and subsequently to analyze the relation between electromyographic (EMG) activity of jaw-closing muscles, jaw movements and bite force during mastication of five different types of food. Customized force recorders based on strain gauge sensors were fitted to the upper and lower molar teeth on the preferred chewing side in fourteen healthy and dentate subjects (21-39 years), and recordings were carried out during voluntary mastication of five different kinds of food. Intraoral force recordings were successively obtained from all subjects. anova showed that impulse of bite force as well as integrated EMG was significantly influenced by food (Pmastication with direct implications for oral rehabilitation. We also propose that the control of bite force during mastication is achieved by anticipatory adjustment and encoding of bolus characteristics. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  2. The influence of serotonin- and other genes on impulsive behavioral aggression and cognitive impulsivity in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD: Findings from a family-based association test (FBAT analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gill Michael

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Low serotonergic (5-HT activity correlates with increased impulsive-aggressive behavior, while the opposite association may apply to cognitive impulsiveness. Both types of impulsivity are associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, and genes of functional significance for the 5-HT system are implicated in this disorder. Here we demonstrate the separation of aggressive and cognitive components of impulsivity from symptom ratings and test their association with 5-HT and functionally related genes using a family-based association test (FBAT-PC. Methods Our sample consisted of 1180 offspring from 607 families from the International Multicenter ADHD Genetics (IMAGE study. Impulsive symptoms were assessed using the long forms of the Conners and the Strengths and Difficulties parent and teacher questionnaires. Factor analysis showed that the symptoms aggregated into parent- and teacher-rated behavioral and cognitive impulsivity. We then selected 582 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs from 14 genes directly or indirectly related to 5-HT function. Associations between these SNPs and the behavioral/cognitive groupings of impulsive symptoms were evaluated using the FBAT-PC approach. Results In the FBAT-PC analysis for cognitive impulsivity 2 SNPs from the gene encoding phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT, the rate-limiting enzyme for adrenalin synthesis attained corrected gene-wide significance. Nominal significance was shown for 12 SNPs from BDNF, DRD1, HTR1E, HTR2A, HTR3B, DAT1/SLC6A3, and TPH2 genes replicating reported associations with ADHD. For overt aggressive impulsivity nominal significance was shown for 6 SNPs from BDNF, DRD4, HTR1E, PNMT, and TPH2 genes that have also been reported to be associated with ADHD. Associations for cognitive impulsivity with a SERT/SLC6A4 variant (STin2: 12 repeats and aggressive behavioral impulsivity with a DRD4 variant (exon 3: 3 repeats are also described

  3. Impulse holograms in amorphous semiconductor films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozols, A.; Ivanovs, G.; Lazarevs, S.

    2002-01-01

    Impulse hologram recording in amorphous chalcogenide semiconductor films with pulse duration from minutes to picoseconds is considered. Nanosecond pulses are shown to be optimal due to the nonlinearity to films. Millisecond impulse hologram recording is experimentally studied. It is found that about 500 times lower exposure is needed to reach the same diffraction efficiency when compared to CW case. The millisecond recording is non-permanent. A nonlinear photoinduced recharging of localized states in the band gap is found to be responsible for the millisecond recording. It can be applied for non-permanent optical storage and optical information processing. (authors)

  4. Spray deposition using impulse atomization technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ellendt, N.; Schmidt, R.; Knabe, J.; Henein, H.; Uhlenwinkel, V.

    2004-01-01

    A novel technique, impulse atomization, has been used for spray deposition. This single fluid atomization technique leads to different spray characteristics and impact conditions of the droplets compared to gas atomization technique which is the common technique used for spray deposition. Deposition experiments with a Cu-6Sn alloy were conducted to evaluate the appropriateness of impulse atomization to produce dense material. Based on these experiments, a model has been developed to simulate the thermal history and the local solidification rates of the deposited material. A numerical study shows how different cooling conditions affect the solidification rate of the material

  5. Impulsivity and suicidality: the mediating role of painful and provocative experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bender, Theodore W; Gordon, Kathryn H; Bresin, Konrad; Joiner, Thomas E

    2011-03-01

    Multiple studies have reported a link between high levels of impulsivity and suicidal behavior. Joiner's (2005) explanation for this link is that impulsive individuals have a greater tendency to experience painful and provocative events that habituate them to fear and pain, which leads to an acquired capability for engaging in suicidal behavior. Study 1 tested Joiner's (2005) hypothesis in a sample of 182 undergraduate students who completed self-report questionnaires on impulsivity, frequency of painful and provocative events, and acquired capability for suicide. In addition to self-report, pain tolerance (an aspect of acquired capability for suicide) was measured with a pressure algometer. Study 2 sought to replicate our findings from Study 1 in a sample of 516 clinical outpatients using a multi-faceted measure of impulsivity. Consistent with prediction, product of coefficients tests for mediation (MacKinnon et al., 2002) revealed that impulsivity has an indirect relationship with acquired capability for suicidal behavior, and that this relationship is mediated by painful and provocative events. Data from our studies are cross-sectional in nature, which does not allow for conclusions about the temporal ordering of our variables. In addition, self-report was used to measure most variables. Future research may benefit from a longitudinal design and the inclusion of other modes of assessment (e.g., behavioral measures of impulsivity). Our findings suggest that the link between impulsivity and suicidal behavior occurs because impulsive people tend to have a greater capability for suicidal behavior, which they have acquired through experiencing painful and provocative events. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease: decreased striatal dopamine transporter levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voon, Valerie; Rizos, Alexandra; Chakravartty, Riddhika; Mulholland, Nicola; Robinson, Stephanie; Howell, Nicholas A; Harrison, Neil; Vivian, Gill; Ray Chaudhuri, K

    2014-02-01

    Impulse control disorders are commonly associated with dopaminergic therapy in Parkinson's disease (PD). PD patients with impulse control disorders demonstrate enhanced dopamine release to conditioned cues and a gambling task on [(11)C]raclopride positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and enhanced ventral striatal activity to reward on functional MRI. We compared PD patients with impulse control disorders and age-matched and gender-matched controls without impulse control disorders using [(123)I]FP-CIT (2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)tropane) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), to assess striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) density. The [(123)I]FP-CIT binding data in the striatum were compared between 15 PD patients with and 15 without impulse control disorders using independent t tests. Those with impulse control disorders showed significantly lower DAT binding in the right striatum with a trend in the left (right: F(1,24)=5.93, p=0.02; left: F(1,24)=3.75, p=0.07) compared to controls. Our findings suggest that greater dopaminergic striatal activity in PD patients with impulse control disorders may be partly related to decreased uptake and clearance of dopamine from the synaptic cleft. Whether these findings are related to state or trait effects is not known. These findings dovetail with reports of lower DAT levels secondary to the effects of methamphetamine and alcohol. Although any regulation of DAT by antiparkinsonian medication appears to be modest, PD patients with impulse control disorders may be differentially sensitive to regulatory mechanisms of DAT expression by dopaminergic medications.

  7. Impulse control disorders and depression in Finnish patients with Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joutsa, Juho; Martikainen, Kirsti; Vahlberg, Tero; Voon, Valerie; Kaasinen, Valtteri

    2012-02-01

    Impulse control disorders occur frequently in patients with Parkinson's disease. However, the frequencies have been investigated mainly in patients from secondary or tertiary care centers, and thus, the prevalence rates in general community are not known. Our objective was to study the prevalence rates of impulse control disorders and related factors in a large, non-selected sample of Parkinson's disease patients. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among Parkinson's disease patients from Finnish Parkinson Association [n = 575; 365 men, 240 women, median age 64 (range 43-90) years]. Problem and pathological gambling were estimated with the South Oaks Gambling Screen, risk for impulse control disorders with the validated Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease, and depression with the Beck Depression Inventory. The frequency of pathological gambling was 7.0%. The overall frequency of a positive screen for an impulse control disorder was 34.8%, and 12.5% of the patients screened positive for multiple disorders. Depressive symptoms were statistically the most important factor in explaining variance in impulse control disorder risk, even more than sex, age, age of disease onset, alcohol use, or medication. The high proportion of patients screened positive for impulse control disorders in a non-selected sample emphasize the importance of routine screening of these disorders in Parkinson's disease. Pathological gambling prevalence in Parkinson's disease is seven times higher than in the general population in Finland. The results underline the importance of depression in impulse control disorders associated with Parkinson's disease. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Forensic Psychiatric Aspects of Impulse Control Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huseyin Soysal

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Impulse control disorders is an important psychiatric disorder group which draws attention in recent years. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other classical disorders like pyromania, kleptomania, intermittent explosive disorder and compulsive buying could be evasuated under this topic. The aim of this article is to review forensic psychiatric aspects of impulse control disorders and evaluate the disorders in terms of their legal status. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2015; 7(1: 16-29

  9. Impulsive relaxation process in MHD driven reconnection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitabata, H.; Hayashi, T.; Sato, T.

    1997-01-01

    Compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation is carried out in order to investigate energy relaxation process of the driven magnetic reconnection in an open finite system through a long time calculation. It is found that a very impulsive energy release occurs in an intermittent fashion through magnetic reconnection for a continuous magnetic flux injection on the boundary. We focus our attention on the detailed process in the impulsive phase, which is the reconnection rate is remarkably enhanced up. (author)

  10. Lone-actor Terrorism and Impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meloy, J Reid; Pollard, Jeffrey W

    2017-11-01

    In some recent cases of lone-actor terrorism, there is evidence the subject acted impulsively, often in response to a triggering event which contained a loss and humiliation. Evidence suggests the subjects acted precipitously, despite planning and preparation carried out in the preceding weeks or months, and their attacks failed to include the often considerable preparation that had been done. The pathway became a runway. The authors recommend the traditional assessment of impulsivity in persons of concern for lone acts of terrorism, as well as other proximal warning behaviors for targeted violence. Both indirect and direct assessment guidelines are proposed, with an emphasis upon self-report, psychological testing, collateral data gathering, and historical records. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  11. Aggression, impulsivity, and suicide behavior: a review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gvion, Yari; Apter, Alan

    2011-01-01

    This article reviews the literature on the association between impulsivity aggression and suicide. The key words impulsivity, aggression, and suicide were entered into the pubmed, psychlit, and proqest databases. Significant articles were scrutinized for relevant information. Impulsivity and aggression are highly correlated with suicidal behavior across psychiatric samples, nosological borders, and non-psychiatric populations. Impulsivity and aggression are related but the nature of this relationship remains unclear. The literature is confusing and contradictory. This is probably due to the difficulty in defining and separating out these concepts and the fact that there is much overlap between them. Future research should aim at clarifying and refining these concepts as well as their link to all the different forms of suicidal behavior.

  12. Impulsive synchronization and parameter mismatch of the three-variable autocatalator model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Yang; Liao, Xiaofeng; Li, Chuandong; Huang, Tingwen; Yang, Degang

    2007-01-01

    The synchronization problems of the three-variable autocatalator model via impulsive control approach are investigated; several theorems on the stability of impulsive control systems are also investigated. These theorems are then used to find the conditions under which the three-variable autocatalator model can be asymptotically controlled to the equilibrium point. This Letter derives some sufficient conditions for the stabilization and synchronization of a three-variable autocatalator model via impulsive control with varying impulsive intervals. Furthermore, we address the chaos quasi-synchronization in the presence of single-parameter mismatch. To illustrate the effectiveness of the new scheme, several numerical examples are given

  13. Impulsive Cluster Synchronization in Community Network with Nonidentical Nodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng Liping; Wu Zhaoyan

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, cluster synchronization in community network with nonidentical nodes and impulsive effects is investigated. Community networks with two kinds of topological structure are investigated. Positive weighted network is considered first and external pinning controllers are designed for achieving cluster synchronization. Cooperative and competitive network under some assumptions is investigated as well and can achieve cluster synchronization with only impulsive controllers. Based on the stability analysis of impulsive differential equation and the Lyapunov stability theory, several simple and useful synchronization criteria are derived. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to verify the effectiveness of the derived results.

  14. Dynamics of cholera epidemics with impulsive vaccination and disinfection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sisodiya, Omprakash Singh; Misra, O P; Dhar, Joydip

    2018-04-01

    Waterborne diseases have a tremendous influence on human life. The contaminated drinking water causes water-borne disease like cholera. Pulse vaccination is an important and effective strategy for the elimination of infectious diseases. A waterborne disease like cholera can also be controlled by using impulse technique. In this paper, we have proposed a delayed SEIRB epidemic model with impulsive vaccination and disinfection. We have studied the pulse vaccination strategy and sanitation to control the cholera disease. The existence and stability of the disease-free and endemic periodic solution are investigated both analytically and numerically. It is shown that there exists an infection-free periodic solution, using the impulsive dynamical system defined by the stroboscopic map. It is observed that the infection-free periodic solution is globally attractive when the impulse period is less than some critical value. From the analysis of the model, we have obtained a sufficient condition for the permanence of the epidemic with pulse vaccination. The main highlight of this paper is to introduce impulse technique along with latent period into the SEIRB epidemic model to investigate the role of pulse vaccination and disinfection on the dynamics of the cholera epidemics. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Sensation-seeking and impulsivity as predictors of reactive and proactive aggression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Del Carmen Pérez Fuentes

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In adolescence, such matters as substance use and impulsiveness may give rise to problematic behavior repertoires. This study was therefore done to analyze the predictive value of sensation-seeking and impulsiveness dimensions related to the functions of aggression (reactive/proactive and types of expression (physical/relational. A total of 822 high school students in Almeria (Spain aged 13 to 18, were administered the Sensation-Seeking Scale, the State Impulsiveness Scale and Peer Conflict Scale. The results show the existence of a positive correlation of the majority of factors analyzed, both in impulsiveness and sensation-seeking, with respect to the different types of aggression. Furthermore, aggressive behavior is explained by the combination of a sensation-seeking factor (Disinhibition and two impulsiveness factors (Gratification and Automatism. This study shows the need to analyze aggression as a multidimensional construct.

  16. Impulsive buying tendency: Measuring important relationships with a new perspective and an indigenous scale

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anant Jyoti Badgaiyan

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available With the opening up of the economy and the proliferation of mall culture, the economic relevance of impulsive buying behaviour has assumed significance. Impulsive buying behaviour is better understood by examining the impulsive buying tendency that shapes such behaviour, and since consumer behaviour differs across cultures, by incorporating an indigenous perspective in understanding and measuring the tendency. Studies were conducted to develop an Indian scale for measuring impulsive buying tendency and to validate it by examining its association with other relevant variables. A two factor, 8-item scale was developed; a significant positive relationship was seen between impulsive buying tendency and impulsive buying behaviour, and the relationship between impulsive buying tendency and self-control was found to be inversely significant. Results also showed significant relationship between impulsive buying tendency and the two personality constructs of Conscientiousness and Extraversion.

  17. Impulse response identification with deterministic inputs using non-parametric methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhargava, U.K.; Kashyap, R.L.; Goodman, D.M.

    1985-01-01

    This paper addresses the problem of impulse response identification using non-parametric methods. Although the techniques developed herein apply to the truncated, untruncated, and the circulant models, we focus on the truncated model which is useful in certain applications. Two methods of impulse response identification will be presented. The first is based on the minimization of the C/sub L/ Statistic, which is an estimate of the mean-square prediction error; the second is a Bayesian approach. For both of these methods, we consider the effects of using both the identity matrix and the Laplacian matrix as weights on the energy in the impulse response. In addition, we present a method for estimating the effective length of the impulse response. Estimating the length is particularly important in the truncated case. Finally, we develop a method for estimating the noise variance at the output. Often, prior information on the noise variance is not available, and a good estimate is crucial to the success of estimating the impulse response with a nonparametric technique

  18. Dopamine Gene Profiling to Predict Impulse Control and Effects of Dopamine Agonist Ropinirole.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacDonald, Hayley J; Stinear, Cathy M; Ren, April; Coxon, James P; Kao, Justin; Macdonald, Lorraine; Snow, Barry; Cramer, Steven C; Byblow, Winston D

    2016-07-01

    Dopamine agonists can impair inhibitory control and cause impulse control disorders for those with Parkinson disease (PD), although mechanistically this is not well understood. In this study, we hypothesized that the extent of such drug effects on impulse control is related to specific dopamine gene polymorphisms. This double-blind, placebo-controlled study aimed to examine the effect of single doses of 0.5 and 1.0 mg of the dopamine agonist ropinirole on impulse control in healthy adults of typical age for PD onset. Impulse control was measured by stop signal RT on a response inhibition task and by an index of impulsive decision-making on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task. A dopamine genetic risk score quantified basal dopamine neurotransmission from the influence of five genes: catechol-O-methyltransferase, dopamine transporter, and those encoding receptors D1, D2, and D3. With placebo, impulse control was better for the high versus low genetic risk score groups. Ropinirole modulated impulse control in a manner dependent on genetic risk score. For the lower score group, both doses improved response inhibition (decreased stop signal RT) whereas the lower dose reduced impulsiveness in decision-making. Conversely, the higher score group showed a trend for worsened response inhibition on the lower dose whereas both doses increased impulsiveness in decision-making. The implications of the present findings are that genotyping can be used to predict impulse control and whether it will improve or worsen with the administration of dopamine agonists.

  19. Recreational drug use and impulsivity in a population of Canadian undergraduate drinkers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iris M Balodis

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available The consumption of drugs during young adulthood may be particularly detrimental given important neurodevelopmental changes occurring during this period. As impulsivity may lead to substance use and substance use to the commission of seemingly impulsive acts, an improved understanding of the relationship between alcohol use, other substance use and impulsivity in young adults is important. We gathered information on self-reported impulsivity, recreational drug use, and drinking habits of 205 (105 female undergraduate students. Results showed that 64% of the students reported using marijuana at least once and these individuals were more likely to report binge drinking. Polydrug use, defined as using marijuana and at least one other illicit substance, was reported by 20% of students. These individuals reported more drinking occasions per month and had higher levels of trait impulsivity. Rates of recreational drug use were similar to those reported in recent national surveys, suggesting an increase in experimentation with specific illicit drugs. Given that a majority of undergraduate drinkers reported marijuana use and its association with binge drinking, future research should clarify the relationship between marijuana use and binge consumption of alcohol and prevention efforts should consider the conjoint targeting of marijuana and binge drinking. The associations between polydrug use, binge-level alcohol consumption and elevated self-reported impulsivity suggests that perceived trait impulsivity across multiple domains may predispose to excessive use of multiple substances. Longitudinal studies should examine the contribution of impulsivity to the initiation and experimentation with illicit drugs and the influence of specific substances on impulsivity.

  20. Cryogenic liquid resettlement activated by impulsive thrust in space-based propulsion system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, R. J.; Shyu, K. L.

    1991-01-01

    The purpose of present study is to investigate the most efficient technique for propellant resettling through the minimization of propellant usage and weight penalties. Comparison between the constant reverse gravity acceleration and impulsive reverse gravity acceleration to be used for the activation of propellant resettlement shows that impulsive reverse gravity thrust is superior to constant reverse gravity thrust for liquid reorientation in a reduced gravity environment. Comparison among impulsive reverse gravity thrust with 0.1, 1.0, and 10 Hz frequencies for liquid-filled level in the range between 30 to 80 percent shows that the selection of a medium frequency of 1.0 Hz impulsive thrust over the other frequency ranges of impulsive thrust is the most proper.

  1. Imaging impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease and their relationship to addiction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Nicola J; Strafella, Antonio P

    2013-04-01

    Established substance addictions and impulse control disorders (ICDs) such as pathological gambling share similar underlying neurobiology, and recent data extends these commonalities to the risk factors that increase an individuals' susceptibility to develop such behaviours. In Parkinson's disease (PD), impulse control disorders (ICDs) are increasingly recognised to develop after patients begin dopamine (DA) restoration therapy, in particular DA agonists. In both the PD and non-PD population, more impulsive individuals are at increased risk for impulse control disorders. Here, we review the neuroimaging data confirming the connection between addiction and ICDs, and revealing how DA agonists might cause specific alterations of basal ganglia and cortical function that vary as a function of an individuals' propensity for impulsivity.

  2. A New Comparison Principle for Impulsive Functional Differential Equations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gang Li

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We establish a new comparison principle for impulsive differential systems with time delay. Then, using this comparison principle, we obtain some sufficient conditions for several stabilities of impulsive delay differential equations. Finally, we present an example to show the effectiveness of our results.

  3. Impulse response measurements with an off-line cross correlator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corran, E.R.; Cummins, J.D.

    1963-11-01

    The impulse responses of simulated systems have been computed by off-line cross-correlation of the system input and output signals. The input test signal consisted of a discrete interval binary code whose autocorrelation was a triangular pulse at zero lag. The main object of the experiments was to study the inaccuracies introduced in ideal, noise free systems by determining the impulse response digitally from sampled versions of the system input and output signals. A second object was to determine the error introduced by adding controlled amounts of uncorrelated noise at the system outputs. The experimental results showed that for signal to noise ratios greater than 10:1 in the mean square sense, the impulse responses may be determined with reasonable accuracy using only one cycle of the binary code. The method lends itself to on-line computation of system impulse responses. The latter could be used to monitor the stability of the system or to determine control parameters in an adaptive control system. (author)

  4. Impulse response measurements with an off-line cross correlator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Corran, E R; Cummins, J D [Dynamics Group, Control and Instrumentation Division, Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

    1963-11-15

    The impulse responses of simulated systems have been computed by off-line cross-correlation of the system input and output signals. The input test signal consisted of a discrete interval binary code whose autocorrelation was a triangular pulse at zero lag. The main object of the experiments was to study the inaccuracies introduced in ideal, noise free systems by determining the impulse response digitally from sampled versions of the system input and output signals. A second object was to determine the error introduced by adding controlled amounts of uncorrelated noise at the system outputs. The experimental results showed that for signal to noise ratios greater than 10:1 in the mean square sense, the impulse responses may be determined with reasonable accuracy using only one cycle of the binary code. The method lends itself to on-line computation of system impulse responses. The latter could be used to monitor the stability of the system or to determine control parameters in an adaptive control system. (author)

  5. IMPULSE---an advanced, high performance nuclear thermal propulsion system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petrosky, L.J.; Disney, R.K.; Mangus, J.D.; Gunn, S.A.; Zweig, H.R.

    1993-01-01

    IMPULSE is an advanced nuclear propulsion engine for future space missions based on a novel conical fuel. Fuel assemblies are formed by stacking a series of truncated (U, Zr)C cones with non-fueled lips. Hydrogen flows radially inward between the cones to a central plenum connected to a high performance bell nozzle. The reference IMPULSE engine rated at 75,000 lb thrust and 1800 MWt weighs 1360 kg and is 3.65 meters in height and 81 cm in diameter. Specific impulse is estimated to be 1000 for a 15 minute life at full power. If longer life times are required, the operating temperature can be reduced with a concomitant decrease in specific impulse. Advantages of this concept include: well defined coolant paths without outlet flow restrictions; redundant orificing; very low thermal gradients and hence, thermal stresses, across the fuel elements; and reduced thermal stresses because of the truncated conical shape of the fuel elements

  6. Impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease: recent advances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voon, Valerie; Mehta, Arpan R; Hallett, Mark

    2011-08-01

    The aim is to review the recent advances in the epidemiology and pathophysiology of impulse control disorders (ICDs) in Parkinson's disease. Large cross-sectional and case-control multicentre studies show that ICDs in Parkinson's disease are common, with a frequency of 13.6%. These behaviours are associated with impaired functioning and with depressive, anxiety and obsessive symptoms, novelty seeking and impulsivity. Behavioural subtypes demonstrate differences in novelty seeking and impulsivity, suggesting pathophysiological differences. Observational and neurophysiological studies point towards a potential mechanistic overlap between behavioural (ICDs) and motor (dyskinesias) dopaminergic sequelae. Converging data suggest dopamine agonists in ICDs appear to enhance learning from rewarding outcomes and impulsive choice. ICD patients also have enhanced risk preference and impaired working memory. Neuroimaging data point towards enhanced bottom-up ventral striatal dopamine release to incentive cues, gambling tasks and reward prediction, and possible inhibition of top-down orbitofrontal influences. Dopamine agonist-related ventral striatal hypoactivity to risk is consistent with impaired risk evaluation. Recent large-scale studies and converging findings are beginning to provide an understanding of mechanisms underlying ICDs in Parkinson's disease, which can guide prevention of these behaviours and optimize therapeutic approaches.

  7. Tumour chemotherapy strategy based on impulse control theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Hai-Peng; Yang, Yan; Baptista, Murilo S; Grebogi, Celso

    2017-03-06

    Chemotherapy is a widely accepted method for tumour treatment. A medical doctor usually treats patients periodically with an amount of drug according to empirical medicine guides. From the point of view of cybernetics, this procedure is an impulse control system, where the amount and frequency of drug used can be determined analytically using the impulse control theory. In this paper, the stability of a chemotherapy treatment of a tumour is analysed applying the impulse control theory. The globally stable condition for prescription of a periodic oscillatory chemotherapeutic agent is derived. The permanence of the solution of the treatment process is verified using the Lyapunov function and the comparison theorem. Finally, we provide the values for the strength and the time interval that the chemotherapeutic agent needs to be applied such that the proposed impulse chemotherapy can eliminate the tumour cells and preserve the immune cells. The results given in the paper provide an analytical formula to guide medical doctors to choose the theoretical minimum amount of drug to treat the cancer and prevent harming the patients because of over-treating.This article is part of the themed issue 'Horizons of cybernetical physics'. © 2017 The Author(s).

  8. Impulsive choice and psychological pain in acutely suicidal depressed patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cáceda, Ricardo; Durand, Dante; Cortes, Edmi; Prendes-Alvarez, Stefania; Moskovciak, Tori; Harvey, Philip D; Nemeroff, Charles B

    2014-01-01

    Despite identification of several risk factors, suicide prediction and prevention is still a clinical challenge. Suicide can be seen as a consequence of poor decision making triggered by overwhelming psychological pain. We examined the relationship of choice impulsivity and psychological pain in depressed patients with acute suicidality. Impulsive choice (delay discounting), psychological pain, and clinical characteristics were assessed in four groups of adults (N = 20-22): a) depressed patients within 72 hours after a suicide attempt, b) depressed patients with active suicidal ideation, c) nonsuicidal depressed patients, and d) healthy controls. Impulsive choice was higher in the suicide attempt (0.114 [0.027]) and ideation (0.099 [0.020]) groups compared with nonsuicidal depressed (0.079 [0.020]) and healthy (0.066 [0.019]) individuals (F(3,79) = 3.06, p = .042). Psychological pain data showed a similar profile (F(3,78) = 43.48, p suicide attempt, 54.3 (2.2) for suicide ideation, 37.0 (3.2) for nonsuicidal depressed, and 13.7 (0.5) for healthy groups. Within the suicide attempt group, persisting suicidal ideation was associated with more severe depression (36.6 [2.9] versus 21.5 [3.1], p = .007) and choice impulsivity (0.134 [0.03] versus 0.078 [0.04], p = .015). Both measures normalized within a week: depression (29.9 [2.6] versus 14.4 [3.0], p = .006) and choice impulsivity (0.114 [0.026] versus 0.066 [0.032], p = .019). Transient impulsive choice abnormalities are found in a subset of those who attempt suicide. Both, suicidal ideation and behavior were associated with choice impulsivity and intense psychological pain.

  9. Dopamine agonists and risk: impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voon, Valerie; Gao, Jennifer; Brezing, Christina; Symmonds, Mkael; Ekanayake, Vindhya; Fernandez, Hubert; Dolan, Raymond J; Hallett, Mark

    2011-05-01

    Impulse control disorders are common in Parkinson's disease, occurring in 13.6% of patients. Using a pharmacological manipulation and a novel risk taking task while performing functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated the relationship between dopamine agonists and risk taking in patients with Parkinson's disease with and without impulse control disorders. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, subjects chose between two choices of equal expected value: a 'Sure' choice and a 'Gamble' choice of moderate risk. To commence each trial, in the 'Gain' condition, individuals started at $0 and in the 'Loss' condition individuals started at -$50 below the 'Sure' amount. The difference between the maximum and minimum outcomes from each gamble (i.e. range) was used as an index of risk ('Gamble Risk'). Sixteen healthy volunteers were behaviourally tested. Fourteen impulse control disorder (problem gambling or compulsive shopping) and 14 matched Parkinson's disease controls were tested ON and OFF dopamine agonists. Patients with impulse control disorder made more risky choices in the 'Gain' relative to the 'Loss' condition along with decreased orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate activity, with the opposite observed in Parkinson's disease controls. In patients with impulse control disorder, dopamine agonists were associated with enhanced sensitivity to risk along with decreased ventral striatal activity again with the opposite in Parkinson's disease controls. Patients with impulse control disorder appear to have a bias towards risky choices independent of the effect of loss aversion. Dopamine agonists enhance sensitivity to risk in patients with impulse control disorder possibly by impairing risk evaluation in the striatum. Our results provide a potential explanation of why dopamine agonists may lead to an unconscious bias towards risk in susceptible individuals.

  10. Impulsive responses to emotion as a transdiagnostic vulnerability to internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Sheri L; Carver, Charles S; Joormann, Jutta

    2013-09-25

    This study explored the hypothesis that impulsive reactions to heightened emotion may reflect a transdiagnostic vulnerability to both externalizing and internalizing symptoms. A sample of undergraduates completed self-report measures of aggression, borderline personality disorder symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and alcohol problems, and a subset completed interviews that assessed suicidality. All participants also completed self-report measures relating to impulsivity. We predicted that emotion-reactive impulsivity, but not other aspects of impulsivity, would be related to the set of psychopathology symptoms. Multiple regression analyses found that emotion-reactive impulsivity was uniquely related to each of the psychopathology scales, whereas non-emotion-relevant impulsivity was uniquely related only to alcohol problems. Discussion focuses on limitations and clinical implications. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Effects of Cannabis on Impulsivity: A Systematic Review of Neuroimaging Findings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wrege, Johannes; Schmidt, André; Walter, Anna; Smieskova, Renata; Bendfeldt, Kerstin; Radue, Ernst-Wilhelm; Lang, Undine E.; Borgwardt, Stefan

    2014-01-01

    We conducted a systematic review to assess the evidence for specific effects of cannabis on impulsivity, disinhibition and motor control. The review had a specific focus on neuroimaging findings associated with acute and chronic use of the drug and covers literature published up until May 2012. Seventeen studies were identified, of which 13 met the inclusion criteria; three studies investigated acute effects of cannabis (1 fMRI, 2 PET), while six studies investigated non-acute functional effects (4 fMRI, 2 PET), and four studies investigated structural alterations. Functional imaging studies of impulsivity studies suggest that prefrontal blood flow is lower in chronic cannabis users than in controls. Studies of acute administration of THC or marijuana report increased brain metabolism in several brain regions during impulsivity tasks. Structural imaging studies of cannabis users found differences in reduced prefrontal volumes and white matter integrity that might mediate the abnormal impulsivity and mood observed in marijuana users. To address the question whether impulsivity as a trait precedes cannabis consumption or whether cannabis aggravates impulsivity and discontinuation of usage more longitudinal study designs are warranted. PMID:23829358

  12. Development of Selective Attention in Reflective and Impulsive Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiner, Alan S.; Berzonsky, Michael D.

    Selective attention was assessed in second, fourth, and sixth grade reflective and impulsive children with an incidental learning task using pictures (animal-household object pairs) or shapes (colored forms) as stimuli. By the sixth grade, reflective children displayed less incidental learning and greater central learning than impulsive children…

  13. Individual Differences in Impulsive Choice and Timing in Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galtress, Tiffany; Garcia, Ana; Kirkpatrick, Kimberly

    2012-01-01

    Individual differences in impulsive choice behavior have been linked to a variety of behavioral problems including substance abuse, smoking, gambling, and poor financial decision-making. Given the potential importance of individual differences in impulsive choice as a predictor of behavioral problems, the present study sought to measure the extent…

  14. Impulse control disorder comorbidity among patients with bipolar I disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karakus, Gonca; Tamam, Lut

    2011-01-01

    Impulsivity is associated with mood instability, behavioral problems, and action without planning in patients with bipolar disorder. Increased impulsivity levels are reported at all types of mood episodes. This association suggests a high comorbidity between impulse control disorders (ICDs) and bipolar disorder. The aim of this study is to compare the prevalence of ICDs and associated clinical and sociodemographic variables in euthymic bipolar I patients. A total of 124 consecutive bipolar I patients who were recruited from regular attendees from the outpatient clinic of our Bipolar Disorder Unit were included in the study. All patients were symptomatically in remission. Diagnosis of bipolar disorder was confirmed using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Impulse control disorders were investigated using the modified version of the Minnesota Impulsive Disorders Interview. Impulsivity was measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11. Furthermore, all patients completed the Zuckerman Sensation-Seeking Scale Form V. The prevalence rate of all comorbid ICDs in our sample was 27.4% (n = 34). The most common ICD subtype was pathologic skin picking, followed by compulsive buying, intermittent explosive disorder, and trichotillomania. There were no instances of pyromania or compulsive sexual behavior. There was no statistically significant difference between the sociodemographic characteristics of bipolar patients with and without ICDs with regard to age, sex, education level, or marital status. Comorbidity of alcohol/substance abuse and number of suicide attempts were higher in the ICD(+) group than the ICD(-) group. Length of time between mood episodes was higher in the ICD(-) group than the ICD(+) group. There was a statistically significant difference between the total number of mood episodes between the 2 groups, but the number of depressive episodes was higher in the ICD(+) patients

  15. Tangent-Impulse Interception for a Hyperbolic Target

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongzhe Wang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The two-body interception problem with an upper-bounded tangent impulse for the interceptor on an elliptic parking orbit to collide with a nonmaneuvering target on a hyperbolic orbit is studied. Firstly, four special initial true anomalies whose velocity vectors are parallel to either of the lines of asymptotes for the target hyperbolic orbit are obtained by using Newton-Raphson method. For different impulse points, the solution-existence ranges of the target true anomaly for any conic transfer are discussed in detail. Then, the time-of-flight equation is solved by the secant method for a single-variable piecewise function about the target true anomaly. Considering the sphere of influence of the Earth and the upper bound on the fuel, all feasible solutions are obtained for different impulse points. Finally, a numerical example is provided to apply the proposed technique for all feasible solutions and the global minimum-time solution with initial coasting time.

  16. Cigarette cravings, impulsivity and the brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stéphane ePotvin

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Craving is a core feature of tobacco use disorder as well as a significant predictor of smoking relapse. Studies have shown that appetitive smoking-related stimuli (e.g. someone smoking trigger significant cravings in smokers which impedes their self-control capacities and promotes drug seeking behavior. In this review, we begin by an overview of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI studies investigating the neural correlates of smokers to appetitive smoking cues. The literature reveals a complex and vastly distributed neuronal network underlying smokers’ craving response that recruits regions involved in self-referential processing, panning/regulatory processes, emotional responding, attentional biases, and automatic conducts. We then selectively review important factors contributing to the heterogeneity of results that significantly limit the implications of these findings, namely between- (abstinence, smoking expectancies and self-regulation and within-studies factors (severity of smoking dependence, sex-differences, motivation to quit and genetic factors. Remarkably, we found that little to no attention has been devoted to examine the influence of personality traits on the neural correlates of cigarette cravings in fMRI studies. Impulsivity has been linked with craving and relapse in substance and tobacco use, which prompted our research team to examine the influence of impulsivity on cigarette cravings in an fMRI study. We found that the influence of impulsivity on cigarette cravings was mediated by fronto-cingular mechanisms. Given the high prevalence of cigarette smoking in several psychiatric disorders that are characterized by significant levels of impulsivity, we conclude by identifying psychiatric patients as a target population whose tobacco smoking habits deserve further behavioral and neuro-imaging investigation.

  17. Religiosity is a moderator of the relationship between impulsivity and internalizing symptoms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JONAS JARDIM DE PAULA

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is growing interest in the role of religion in psychiatric disorders. Impulsivity is a psychological trait associated with acting without thinking, with a decision process favoring short-term outcomes without further consideration of its consequences, and is a risk factor for the development of mental disorders. Objective In this study, the objective was to analyze the role of religiosity as a possible moderator between the association of impulsivity and internalizing psychiatric symptoms. Methods The hypothesis was assessed in a cross-sectional study enrolling 366 adults evaluated using the abbreviated version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11, the Self Reporting Questionnaire-20, and the Duke Religion Index. Results Internalizing symptoms were significantly influenced by an interaction between religiosity and impulsivity. Religiosity acted as a protective factor against internalizing symptoms only for participants with high impulsivity. Discussion The results suggest a moderation role of religiosity in the association of impulsivity with internalizing symptoms.

  18. Impulsivity moderates the relationship between previous quit failure and cue-induced craving.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erblich, Joel; Michalowski, Alexandra

    2015-12-01

    Poor inhibitory control has been shown to be an important predictor of relapse to a number of drugs, including nicotine. Indeed, smokers who exhibit higher levels of impulsivity are thought to have impaired regulation of urges to smoke, and previous research has suggested that impulsivity may moderate cue-induced cigarette cravings. To that end, we conducted a study to evaluate the interplay between failed smoking cessation, cue-induced craving, and impulsivity. Current smokers (n=151) rated their cigarette cravings before and after laboratory to exposure to smoking cues, and completed questionnaires assessing impulsivity and previous failed quit attempts. Findings indicated that shorter duration of previous failed quit attempts was related to higher cue-induced cigarette craving, especially among smokers with higher levels of impulsivity. Results underscore the importance of considering trait impulsivity as a factor in better understanding the management of cue-induced cravings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging for the Differentiation of Benign and Malignant Lymph Nodes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Peige; Zhang, Li; Zheng, Shaoping; Yu, Cheng; Xie, Mingxing; Lv, Qing

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate the overall performance of acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI) in differentiating between benign and malignant lymph nodes (LNs) by conducting a meta-analysis. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure were comprehensively searched for potential studies through August 13th, 2016. Studies that investigated the diagnostic power of ARFI for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant LNs by using virtual touch tissue quantification (VTQ) or virtual touch tissue imaging quantification (VTIQ) were collected. The included articles were published in English or Chinese. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) was used to evaluate the methodological quality. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve (AUC) were calculated by means of a bivariate mixed-effects regression model. Meta-regression analysis was performed to identify the potential sources of between study heterogeneity. Fagan plot analysis was used to explore the clinical utilities. Publication bias was assessed using Deek's funnel plot. Nine studies involving 1084 LNs from 929 patients were identified to analyze in the meta-analysis. The summary sensitivity and specificity of ARFI in detecting malignant LNs were 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83-0.91) and 0.88 (95% CI, 0.82-0.92), respectively. The AUC was 0.93 (95% CI, 0.90-0.95). The pooled DOR was 49.59 (95% CI, 26.11-94.15). Deek's funnel plot revealed no significant publication bias. ARFI is a promising tool for the differentiation of benign and malignant LNs with high sensitivity and specificity.

  20. Effects of Acoustic Impulses on the Middle Ear

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-10-01

    reflexive MEMC measurements, and verification of the integrity of the cranial nerves supplying the stapedius and tensor tympani muscles (CNVII and CNV...of new (or revising existing) damage risk criteria and health hazard assessment methods for exposure to high-level acoustic impulses such as...exposures to acoustic impulses. This information is necessary for the development of new (or revision of existing) damage risk criteria and health hazard

  1. Gender differences in the relationship between impulsivity and disordered eating behaviors and attitudes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lundahl, Alyssa; Wahlstrom, Laura C; Christ, Christa C; Stoltenberg, Scott F

    2015-08-01

    We investigated relationships among gender, impulsivity and disordered eating in healthy college students. Participants (N=1223) were healthy, undergraduate men (28.5%) and women (71.5%), who completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale - Version 11 (BIS-11) and a four-factor version of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-16). As predicted, mean scores on all four EAT-16 factors were significantly higher for women than for men. Attentional impulsivity was related to poorer self-perception of body shape, more dieting, and a greater preoccupation with food for the sample as a whole. Moreover, motor impulsivity was related to poorer self-perceptions of body shape and a greater preoccupation with food. However, no gender differences emerged in the relationship between impulsivity and disordered eating attitudes. This study elucidates the role of impulsivity in disordered eating behaviors among non-clinical college students. For both women and men, attentional and motor impulsivity were related to disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Overall, these findings suggest that different facets of impulsivity are related to disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in a non-clinical college population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Impulsive approach tendencies towards physical activity and sedentary behaviors, but not reflective intentions, prospectively predict non-exercise activity thermogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheval, Boris; Sarrazin, Philippe; Pelletier, Luc

    2014-01-01

    Understanding the determinants of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is crucial, given its extensive health benefits. Some scholars have assumed that a proneness to react differently to environmental cues promoting sedentary versus active behaviors could be responsible for inter-individual differences in NEAT. In line with this reflection and grounded on the Reflective-Impulsive Model, we test the assumption that impulsive processes related to sedentary and physical activity behaviors can prospectively predict NEAT, operationalized as spontaneous effort exerted to maintain low intensity muscle contractions within the release phases of an intermittent maximal isometric contraction task. Participants (n = 91) completed a questionnaire assessing their intentions to adopt physical activity behaviors and a manikin task to assess impulsive approach tendencies towards physical activity behaviors (IAPA) and sedentary behaviors (IASB). Participants were then instructed to perform a maximal handgrip strength task and an intermittent maximal isometric contraction task. As hypothesized, multilevel regression analyses revealed that spontaneous effort was (a) positively predicted by IAPA, (b) negatively predicted by IASB, and (c) was not predicted by physical activity intentions, after controlling for some confounding variables such as age, sex, usual PA level and average force provided during the maximal-contraction phases of the task. These effects remained constant throughout all the phases of the task. This study demonstrated that impulsive processes may play a unique role in predicting spontaneous physical activity behaviors. Theoretically, this finding reinforces the utility of a motivational approach based on dual-process models to explain inter-individual differences in NEAT. Implications for health behavior theories and behavior change interventions are outlined.

  3. Outcome analysis of liver stiffness by ARFI (acoustic radiation force impulse) elastometry in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B and C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goertz, R.S.; Sturm, J.; Zopf, S.; Wildner, D.; Neurath, M.F.; Strobel, D.

    2014-01-01

    Aim: To evaluate the association between liver stiffness measured by acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastometry and the outcome of antiviral treatment in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B and C. Materials and methods: Thirty-eight patients with chronic viral hepatitis B (n = 16) or hepatitis C (n = 22) underwent liver biopsy and ARFI elastometry of the right hepatic lobe. A follow-up assessment using ARFI was performed a mean of 2.3 years after the baseline evaluation. The patients with favourable outcome were classified in group S and those receiving no treatment, showing no response to treatment, or experiencing a relapse were classified in group N. Results: The 38 patients had an initial mean ARFI value of 1.56 ± 0.62 m/s as compared with 1.54 ± 0.64 m/s in the follow-up evaluation. Group S showed a significant decline in ARFI values (1.55 ± 0.60 m/s versus 1.34 ± 0.47 m/s; p < 0.05) and included 16 (64%) patients with lower shear wave velocities at follow-up. In group N, liver stiffness values showed a slight but not significant increase (1.57 ± 0.70 m/s versus 1.93 ± 0.77 m/s). Conclusion: Changes in liver stiffness during antiviral therapy can be assessed by ARFI reflecting response or no response. ARFI elastometry is an additional, useful tool for the follow-up assessment of treatment outcome in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B or C infection

  4. Impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HAN Xun

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Impulse control disorders (ICDs in Parkinson's disease (PD are common with a frequency of 13.61% , which are associated with impaired functioning and with depressive, anxiety and obsessive symptoms, novelty seeking and impulsivity. These behaviors have a bad influence on PD patients in the quality of life. Different behavioral subtypes suggest pathophysiological differences. Recent large scale studies and converging findings are beginning to provide an understanding of mechanisms underlying ICDs in PD which can guide the prevention of these behaviors and optimize therapeutic approaches. This paper will take a review on the recent advances in the epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapy of ICDs in PD.

  5. Brain functional connectivity changes in children that differ in impulsivity temperamental trait

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto eInuggi

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Impulsivity is a core personality trait forming part of normal behavior and contributing to adaptive functioning. However, in typically developing children, altered patterns of impulsivity constitute a risk factor for the development of behavioral problems. Since both pathological and non-pathological states are commonly characterized by continuous transitions, we used a correlative approach to investigate the potential link between personality and brain dynamics. We related brain functional connectivity of typically developing children, measured with magnetic resonance imaging at rest, with their impulsivity scores obtained from a questionnaire completed by their parents. We first looked for areas within the default mode network (DMN whose functional connectivity might be modulated by trait impulsivity. Then, we calculated the functional connectivity among these regions and the rest of the brain in order to assess if impulsivity trait altered their relationships. We found two DMN clusters located at the posterior cingulate cortex and the right angular gyrus which were negatively correlated with impulsivity scores. The whole-brain correlation analysis revealed the classic network of correlating and anti-correlating areas with respect to the DMN. The impulsivity trait modulated such pattern showing that the canonical anti-phasic relation between DMN and action-related network was reduced in high impulsive children. These results represent the first evidence that the impulsivity, measured as personality trait assessed through parents’ report, exerts a modulatory influence over the functional connectivity of resting state brain networks in typically developing children. The present study goes further to connect developmental approaches, mainly based on data collected through the use of questionnaires, and behavioral neuroscience, interested in how differences in brain structure and functions reflect in differences in behavior.

  6. Brain functional connectivity changes in children that differ in impulsivity temperamental trait.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inuggi, Alberto; Sanz-Arigita, Ernesto; González-Salinas, Carmen; Valero-García, Ana V; García-Santos, Jose M; Fuentes, Luis J

    2014-01-01

    Impulsivity is a core personality trait forming part of normal behavior and contributing to adaptive functioning. However, in typically developing children, altered patterns of impulsivity constitute a risk factor for the development of behavioral problems. Since both pathological and non-pathological states are commonly characterized by continuous transitions, we used a correlative approach to investigate the potential link between personality and brain dynamics. We related brain functional connectivity of typically developing children, measured with magnetic resonance imaging at rest, with their impulsivity scores obtained from a questionnaire completed by their parents. We first looked for areas within the default mode network (DMN) whose functional connectivity might be modulated by trait impulsivity. Then, we calculated the functional connectivity among these regions and the rest of the brain in order to assess if impulsivity trait altered their relationships. We found two DMN clusters located at the posterior cingulate cortex and the right angular gyrus which were negatively correlated with impulsivity scores. The whole-brain correlation analysis revealed the classic network of correlating and anti-correlating areas with respect to the DMN. The impulsivity trait modulated such pattern showing that the canonical anti-phasic relation between DMN and action-related network was reduced in high impulsive children. These results represent the first evidence that the impulsivity, measured as personality trait assessed through parents' report, exerts a modulatory influence over the functional connectivity of resting state brain networks in typically developing children. The present study goes further to connect developmental approaches, mainly based on data collected through the use of questionnaires, and behavioral neuroscience, interested in how differences in brain structure and functions reflect in differences in behavior.

  7. Is impulsivity a link between childhood abuse and suicide?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braquehais, M Dolores; Oquendo, Maria A; Baca-García, Enrique; Sher, Leo

    2010-01-01

    Childhood abuse and neglect are known to affect psychological states through behavioral, emotional, and cognitive pathways. They increase the risk of having psychiatric diseases in adulthood and have been considered risk factors for suicidal behavior in all diagnostic categories. Early, prolonged, and severe trauma is also known to increase impulsivity, diminishing the capacity of the brain to inhibit negative actions and to control and modulate emotions. Many neurobiological studies hold that childhood maltreatment may lead to a persistent failure of the inhibitory processes ruled mainly by the frontal cortex over a fear-motivated hyperresponsive limbic system. Multiple neurotransmitters and hormones are involved in the stress response, but, to our knowledge, the two major biological consequences of the chronic exposure to trauma are the hypofunction of the serotonergic system and changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function. Some of these findings overlap with the neurobiological features of impulsivity and of suicidal behavior. Impulsivity has also been said to be both a consequence of trauma and a risk factor for the development of a pathological response to trauma. Thus, we suggest that impulsivity could be one of the links between childhood trauma and suicidal behavior. Prevention of childhood abuse could significantly reduce suicidal behavior in adolescents and adults, in part, through a decrease in the frequency of impulsive behaviors in the future. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Caffeine's influence on gambling behavior and other types of impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Jon E; Chamberlain, Samuel R

    2018-01-01

    Young adulthood is a developmental period frequently associated with occurrence of impulsive behaviors including gambling. It is estimated that 73% of children and 87% of adults in the United States regularly use caffeine. Questions remain, however, concerning the role of caffeine in the development and maintenance of impulsive behaviors such as gambling. Sixty-one young adults with at least some degree of disordered gambling were recruited from two Mid-Western university communities in the United States using media advertisements. Caffeine intake over the preceding month was quantified using the Caffeine Use Questionnaire. Clinician rating scales, questionnaires, and cognitive tests germane to impulsivity were completed. Relationships between caffeine intake and demographic, gambling symptom, and neurocognitive measures were evaluated using the statistical technique of partial least squares (PLS). Average weekly caffeine intake in the gamblers was 1218.5mg (a figure higher than previously reported in the general population). PLS yielded an optimal model with one latent factor, which explained 14.8% of variation in demographic/clinical/cognitive measures and 32.3% of variation in caffeine intake. In this model, higher caffeine intake was significantly associated with earlier age at first gambling, higher personality-related impulsiveness, more nicotine consumption, older age, and more impulsive decision-making. These data suggest a particularly strong relationship between caffeine intake, earlier age of first gambling, and certain types of impulsivity in gamblers. Providing education about healthy caffeine use may be especially valuable in gamblers. Future work should explore whether the relationship between caffeine use and gambling is due to a common predisposing factor (impulsive tendencies) or, rather, constitutes a form of self-medication in gamblers (or a means of sustaining gambling habits for longer). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Mixed Gaussian-Impulse Noise Image Restoration Via Total Variation

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-01

    deblurring under impulse noise ,” J. Math. Imaging Vis., vol. 36, pp. 46–53, January 2010. [5] B. Li, Q. Liu, J. Xu, and X. Luo, “A new method for removing......Several Total Variation (TV) regularization methods have recently been proposed to address denoising under mixed Gaussian and impulse noise . While

  10. Classifying eating disorders based on "healthy" and "unhealthy" perfectionism and impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slof-Op't Landt, Margarita C T; Claes, Laurence; van Furth, Eric F

    2016-07-01

    Perfectionism and impulsivity are associated with eating disorders (EDs). The current study examines whether clinically relevant subgroups of women with EDs can be identified based on "healthy" and "unhealthy" perfectionism and impulsivity. Latent profile analyses (LPA) were performed on data of 844 patients (DSM-IV diagnosis: 381 anorexia nervosa, 146 bulimia nervosa, 56 binge-eating disorder, 261 ED not otherwise specified). "Healthy" and "unhealthy" forms of perfectionism and impulsivity were assessed by the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale and the Dickman Impulsivity Inventory, respectively. The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire was completed to assess ED psychopathology. Furthermore, in 229 patients additional ED symptoms, depression, self-esteem, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and personality features were assessed. The LPA revealed four profiles; 1. "Healthy Impulsivity" (HI; n = 191), 2. "Unhealthy Impulsivity" (UI; n = 238), 3. "Healthy and Unhealthy Perfectionism" (HP + UP; n = 153), 4. "Healthy Perfectionism" (HP; n = 262). Patients belonging to the "HP + UP" and the "UI" classes reported higher levels of ED psychopathology. More severe comorbid symptoms (depressive, obsessive-compulsive and self-esteem) were found in the patients belonging to the "HP + UP" class. Patients from the "HP + UP" and "HP" classes had higher scores for the personality features Harm Avoidance, Persistence and Cooperativeness. Women with EDs could be meaningfully grouped according to perfectionism and impulsivity. These findings can be used to improve treatment matching and intervention strategies. The use of dimensional features, like perfectionism and impulsivity, in ED research, may enable the identification of fundamental underlying mechanisms and provide more insight into potential mechanisms that may drive or maintain disordered eating. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:673-680). © 2016 Wiley

  11. Spectrogram Image Analysis of Error Signals for Minimizing Impulse Noise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeakwan Kim

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the theoretical and experimental study on the spectrogram image analysis of error signals for minimizing the impulse input noises in the active suppression of noise. Impulse inputs of some specific wave patterns as primary noises to a one-dimensional duct with the length of 1800 mm are shown. The convergence speed of the adaptive feedforward algorithm based on the least mean square approach was controlled by a normalized step size which was incorporated into the algorithm. The variations of the step size govern the stability as well as the convergence speed. Because of this reason, a normalized step size is introduced as a new method for the control of impulse noise. The spectrogram images which indicate the degree of the attenuation of the impulse input noises are considered to represent the attenuation with the new method. The algorithm is extensively investigated in both simulation and real-time control experiment. It is demonstrated that the suggested algorithm worked with a nice stability and performance against impulse noises. The results in this study can be used for practical active noise control systems.

  12. Impulsive Behaviors in Patients With Pathological Buying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zander, Heike; Claes, Laurence; Voth, Eva M; de Zwaan, Martina; Müller, Astrid

    2016-09-01

    Aim To investigate impulsive behaviors in pathological buying (PB). Methods The study included three groups matched for age and gender: treatment seeking outpatients with PB (PB+), treatment seeking psychiatric inpatients without PB (PB-), and a healthy control group (HC). PB was assessed by means of the Compulsive Buying Scale and by the impulse control disorder (ICD) module of the research version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-ICD). All participants answered questionnaires concerning symptoms of borderline personality disorder, self-harming behaviors, binge eating and symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, comorbid ICDs were assessed using the SCID-ICD. Results The PB+ and PB- groups did not differ with regard to borderline personality disorder or ADHD symptoms, but both groups reported significantly more symptoms than the HC group. Frequencies of self-harming behaviors did not differ between the three groups. Patients with PB were more often diagnosed with any current ICD (excluding PB) compared to those without PB and the HC group (38.7% vs. 12.9% vs. 12.9%, respectively, p=.017). Discussion Our findings confirm prior research suggesting more impulsive behaviors in patients with and without PB compared to healthy controls. The results of the questionnaire-based assessment indicate that outpatients with PB perceive themselves equally impulsive and self-harm as frequently as inpatients without PB; but they seem to suffer more often from an ICD as assessed by means of an interview.

  13. Impulse Plasma In Surface Engineering - a review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zdunek, K.; Nowakowska-Langier, K.; Chodun, R.; Okrasa, S.; Rabinski, M.; Dora, J.; Domanowski, P.; Halarowicz, J.

    2014-11-01

    The article describes the view of the plasma surface engineering, assuming the role of non-thermal energy effects in the synthesis of materials and coatings deposition. In the following study it was underlined that the vapor excitation through the application of an electric field during coatings deposition gives new possibilities for coatings formation. As an example the IPD method was chosen. During the IPD (Impulse Plasma Deposition) the impulse plasma is generated in the coaxial accelerator by strong periodic electrical pulses. The impulse plasma is distributed in the form of energetic plasma pockets. Due to the almost completely ionization of gas, the nucleation of new phases takes place on ions directly in the plasma itself. As a result the coatings of metastable materials with nano-amorphous structure and excellent adhesion to the non-heated intentionally substrates could be deposited. Recently the novel way of impulse plasma generation during the coatings deposition was proposed and developed by our group. An efficient tool for plasma process control, the plasma forming gas injection to the interelectrode space was used. Periodic changing the gas pressure results in increasing both the degree of dispersion and the dynamics of the plasma pulses. The advantage of the new technique in deposition of coatings with exceptionally good properties has been demonstrated in the industrial scale not only in the case of the IPD method but also in the case of very well known magnetron sputtering method.

  14. Efficiency of the generation of impulsion by cyclotron waves currents of the electrons in an Axisymmetric Tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gutierrez T, C.; Beltran P, M.

    2004-01-01

    The neoclassical theory of transport is used to calculate the current efficiency of electronic cyclotron impulsion (ECCD) in an axisymmetric tokamak in the few collisions regime. The standard parameter of the tokamak is used to obtain a system of equations that describe the hydrodynamic of the plasma, where the ponderomotive force (PM) due to high power radio frequency waves is taken in account. The PM force is produced in the proximity of electron cyclotron resonance surface in a specific poloidal localization. The efficiency ECCD is analyzed in the cases of first and second harmonic (for different angles of injection of radio frequency waves) and it is validated using the experimental values of the TCV and T-10 tokamaks. The results are according to those obtained by means of the techniques of the Green functions. (Author)

  15. Increased severity of suicidal behavior in impulsive aggressive patients exposed to familial adversities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez-Castroman, J; Jaussent, I; Beziat, S; Guillaume, S; Baca-Garcia, E; Genty, C; Olié, E; Courtet, P

    2014-10-01

    The mechanisms by which childhood abuse and family history of suicidal behavior (FHS) lead to an increased risk of suicidal behavior are still unknown. Impulsive aggression may play an intermediate role. We investigated whether greater scores for aggression and impulsivity might be associated with the effects of FHS and/or childhood abuse on the severity of suicidal behavior. We examined the scores of three scales measuring impulsive aggression in a sample of 696 suicide attempters. We compared the highest and lowest scores with regard to reports of childhood abuse and FHS using adjusted multinomial regression models. Genetic polymorphisms of the serotonergic system known to be associated with impulsive aggression were also analyzed. Patients with high impulsive aggressive scores showed significant differences in sociodemographic, clinical and suicidal features compared with patients with low impulsive aggressive scores. Adjusted results showed that combinations of some types of childhood abuse and FHS, particularly emotional abuse and emotional neglect, are associated with high impulsivity and hostility scores. The SS genotype of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) was associated with high levels of impulsivity when the subjects reported emotional abuse [odds ratio (OR) 5.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.75-17.5] or physical abuse (OR 5.03, 95% CI 1.50-16.9) in their childhood. Our results support the role of impulsive aggression as one of the links that may connect childhood abuse and FHS with severity of suicidal behavior.

  16. [Association of loneliness, impulsivity and alcohol use with suicidal behavior in adolescents].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salvo G, Lilian; Castro S, Andrea

    2013-04-01

    Suicide and suicide attempts are public health problems. Their prevention requives the detection of predictor factors. To determine the predictive valué of loneliness, impulsivity and alcohol use on suicidal behavior in adolescents. Suicidal behavior, Loneliness (UCLA), Impulsivity (Barratt) scales and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), were applied to 763 high school students aged 14 to 19 years (49% males), living in Chillan, Chile. Nineteen percent of participants had attempted suicide and 34.3% had suicidal ideation. Loneliness, impulsivity and alcohol use were directly related to suicidal behavior. These predictors explained 31 % of the suicidal behavior. The most important risk factor was loneliness, followed by femóle gender, impulsivity and alcohol use. Loneliness, impulsivity and alcohol use are risk factors for suicide among adolescents. Women are at higher risk than men.

  17. The role of attention problems and impulsiveness in media violence effects on aggression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swing, Edward L; Anderson, Craig A

    2014-01-01

    Previous research has established media violence as a causal risk factor for aggressive behavior. Several theoretical mechanisms have been identified to explain this effect. The present study assessed 422 undergraduate students to test the possibility that individual differences in attention problems and impulsiveness can help explain the link between violent media and aggression. Attention problems and impulsiveness proved to be a distinct construct from other processes believed to mediate aggression (aggressive beliefs, aggression related schemata, trait anger, and trait hostility). Attention problems and impulsiveness were uniquely related to both media exposure (total weekly hours and violent content) and aggression. Attention problems and impulsiveness were particularly related to impulsive (as opposed to premeditated) aggression. These results suggest that attention problems and impulsiveness may play an important role in violent media effects on aggression. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. The interactive effect of hunger and impulsivity on food intake and purchase in a virtual supermarket.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nederkoorn, C; Guerrieri, R; Havermans, R C; Roefs, A; Jansen, A

    2009-08-01

    It has been shown repeatedly that impulsivity, obesity and food intake are related; obese people are more impulsive than lean people and impulsive people eat more than less impulsive people. The relation between impulsivity and food intake might be state dependent; hunger motivates food seeking behaviour and food consumption, especially of high caloric food. Difficulties to overrule automatic behavioural tendencies might make impulsive people more susceptible to the effects of hunger on food selection. Therefore, they are expected to increase their intake more than low impulsive people when feeling hungry. STUDY 1: Fifty-seven female participants were randomly assigned to a hunger or sated condition. Response inhibition (a measure of impulsivity) and food intake were measured. Results show that impulsive participants ate significantly more, but only when feeling hungry. STUDY 2: Ninety-four undergraduate students participated. Hunger, response inhibition and the purchase of food in a virtual supermarket were measured. The same interaction was found: impulsive participants bought most calories, especially from snack food, but only when feeling hungry. Hunger and impulsivity interact in their influence on consumption. These data suggest that reducing hunger during calorie restricting diets is important for successful weight loss, particularly for the impulsive dieters.

  19. Amygdala reactivity to fearful faces correlates positively with impulsive aggression

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    da Cunha-Bang, Sofi; Fisher, Patrick M; Hjordt, Liv V

    2018-01-01

    Facial expressions robustly activate the amygdala, a brain structure playing a critical role in aggression. Whereas previous studies suggest that amygdala reactivity is related to various measures of impulsive aggression, we here estimate a composite measure of impulsive aggression and evaluate...

  20. Frontal-striatal abnormalities underlying behaviours in the compulsive-impulsive spectrum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Heuvel, Odile A.; der Werf, Ysbrand D. van; Verhoef, Kim M. W.; de Wit, Stella; Berendse, Henk W.; Wolters, Erik Ch; Veltman, Dick J.; Groenewegen, Henk J.

    2010-01-01

    In this paper, we tentatively bring together the psychiatric, neurological and addiction perspectives on the impulsive-compulsive spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders, in order to understand the pathophysiology of impulse control disorders (ICDs) in Parkinson's disease. In an attempt to try to

  1. [ADH/D and impulsiveness: Prevalence of impulse control disorders and other comorbidities, in 81 adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADH/D)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porteret, R; Bouchez, J; Baylé, F J; Varescon, I

    2016-04-01

    Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADH/D) is a neuropsychological developmental disorder characterized by pervasive and impairing symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Whereas it is well known in children, there is still little information about ADH/D in adults, including prevalence. Indeed, there are actually no epidemiological studies in France, despite the considerable impact of this disorder in a patient's professional and affective life. Moreover, ADH/D rarely stays isolated, and many comorbidities often complicate the diagnostic investigation. It is well known that the so-called ADH/D is composed of two main categories of symptoms (Attentional Disorder/Hyperactiviy Disorder), but Impulsiveness also remains a major symptom. The aim of this study was to evaluate not only the prevalence of Impulse Control Disorders (ICD) but also psychological and addictive comorbidities among adult patients with ADH/D. A total of 100 patients from specialized consultations of adult ADH/D were evaluated in this study, but only 81 were included after presenting all the clinical criteria of ADH/D. We used the DSM IV-T-R for ADH/D, the Minnesota Impulsive Disorders Interview a semi-structured clinical interview assessing impulse control disorders (ICD) (compulsive buying, trichotillomania, compulsive sexual behaviour, kleptomania, pyromania and intermittent explosive disorder), and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview in order to evaluate psychiatric and addictive comorbidities. More than 90 % of the patients met the early apparition criteria of ADH/D (before 7years). More than half of the patients presented a mixed type of ADH/D (both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive forms): 55.6 % vs 44.4 % for the inattentive type. The vast majority of patients showed a complete form (with a total of 6 or more symptoms out of 9, of inattentive and/or impulsive-hyperactivity category): 93.8 % and only 6.2 % presented a sub-syndromic form of ADH/D (with

  2. Functional and dysfunctional impulsivity and attempted suicide in rural China: A paired case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yang-Yang; Wang, Xin-Ting; Qiu, Hui-Min; Xu, Ai-Qiang; Jia, Cun-Xian

    2017-07-01

    This study aimed to clarify the relationship between functional and dysfunctional impulsivity and attempted suicide in rural China. Data of this study came from the investigation of 407 suicide attempters and their paired non-suicide attempters matched with the same gender, age (±3 years) and residence area in six counties in rural Shandong, China. Suicide attempters accounted for a lower proportion on high functional impulsivity, but a higher proportion on high dysfunctional impulsivity than non-suicide attempters. Dysfunctional impulsivity in the male denoted a significant risk factor for attempted suicide, even after adjustment for psychiatric disorder and demographic factors. Suicide attempters with high dysfunctional impulsivity had a higher percent of family suicide history than those with low dysfunctional impulsivity. High functional impulsivity was a significant protective factor for attempted suicide in the group aged 35-59 years, but a significant risk factor in the group aged 15-34 years. Suicide attempters with low functional impulsivity had poorer economic status and older age than those with high functional impulsivity. Our findings support the key roles of functional and dysfunctional impulsivity in attempted suicide among rural residents of China. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Astrocytes promote myelination in response to electrical impulses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishibashi, Tomoko; Dakin, Kelly A; Stevens, Beth; Lee, Philip R; Kozlov, Serguei V; Stewart, Colin L; Fields, R Douglas

    2006-03-16

    Myelin, the insulating layers of membrane wrapped around axons by oligodendrocytes, is essential for normal impulse conduction. It forms during late stages of fetal development but continues into early adult life. Myelination correlates with cognitive development and can be regulated by impulse activity through unknown molecular mechanisms. Astrocytes do not form myelin, but these nonneuronal cells can promote myelination in ways that are not understood. Here, we identify a link between myelination, astrocytes, and electrical impulse activity in axons that is mediated by the cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). These findings show that LIF is released by astrocytes in response to ATP liberated from axons firing action potentials, and LIF promotes myelination by mature oligodendrocytes. This activity-dependent mechanism promoting myelination could regulate myelination according to functional activity or environmental experience and may offer new approaches to treating demyelinating diseases.

  4. The Neurobiology and Genetics of Impulse Control Disorders: Relationships to Drug Addictions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brewer, Judson A.; Potenza, Marc N.

    2008-01-01

    Impulse control disorders (ICDs), including pathological gambling, trichotillomania, kleptomania and others, have been conceptualized to lie along an impulsive-compulsive spectrum. Recent data have suggested that these disorders may be considered addictions. Here we review the genetic and neuropathological bases of the impulse control disorders and consider the disorders within these non-mutually exclusive frameworks. PMID:17719013

  5. Impulsivity and Gambling Type Among Treatment-Seeking Disordered Gamblers: An Explorative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutri, Vittorio; Soldini, Emiliano; Ronzitti, Silvia; Smith, Neil; Clerici, Massimo; Blaszczynski, Alex; Bowden-Jones, Henrietta

    2018-03-03

    Several studies have found that certain traits of impulsivity are associated with gambling disorder, and influence its severity. Furthermore, it has been suggested that some forms of gambling, particularly electronic gambling machines, are particularly widespread among pathological gamblers. In the present, exploratory study, we aim to clarify the role played by impulsivity in influencing the choice of specific gambling activities, by examining the relation between individual dimensions of impulsivity, and the choice of specific gambling activities in a clinical population. 100 consecutively admitted pathological gamblers at the National Problem Gambling Clinic in London (UK) in 2014 were administered the UPPS-P and BIS-11 impulsivity questionnaires, the Problem Gambling Severity Index, and underwent a structured interview concerning their gambling activities in the month and year prior to assessment. The correlation between individual gambling activities and impulsivity dimensions was analyzed both at a bivariate level, and using logistic regression. We found a significant correlation between Negative Urgency, Motor impulsivity and low-stakes machine gambling on multivariate analysis. Negative urgency (i.e. the tendency to act impulsively in response to negative affect), and Motor impulsivity (a tendency to rash action and restlessness) might be mediating factors in the choice of electronic gambling machines, particularly among patients whose gambling is escape-oriented. Structural and situational characteristics of gambling machines, particularly the widespread availability of low-stakes-rather than high-stakes-gaming machines, might concur to the choice of this form of gambling among individuals who present higher negative urgency and restlessness.

  6. Impulse control disorders and levodopa-induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease: an update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voon, Valerie; Napier, T Celeste; Frank, Michael J; Sgambato-Faure, Veronique; Grace, Anthony A; Rodriguez-Oroz, Maria; Obeso, Jose; Bezard, Erwan; Fernagut, Pierre-Olivier

    2017-03-01

    Dopaminergic medications used in the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease are associated with motor and non-motor behavioural side-effects, such as dyskinesias and impulse control disorders also known as behavioural addictions. Levodopa-induced dyskinesias occur in up to 80% of patients with Parkinson's after a few years of chronic treatment. Impulse control disorders, including gambling disorder, binge eating disorder, compulsive sexual behaviour, and compulsive shopping occur in about 17% of patients with Parkinson's disease on dopamine agonists. These behaviours reflect the interactions of the dopaminergic medications with the individual's susceptibility, and the underlying neurobiology of Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonian rodent models show enhanced reinforcing effects of chronic dopaminergic medication, and a potential role for individual susceptibility. In patients with Parkinson's disease and impulse control disorders, impairments are observed across subtypes of decisional impulsivity, possibly reflecting uncertainty and the relative balance of rewards and losses. Impairments appear to be more specific to decisional than motor impulsivity, which might reflect differences in ventral and dorsal striatal engagement. Emerging evidence suggests impulse control disorder subtypes have dissociable correlates, which indicate that individual susceptibility predisposes towards the expression of different behavioural subtypes and neurobiological substrates. Therapeutic interventions to treat patients with Parkinson's disease and impulse control disorders have shown efficacy in randomised controlled trials. Large-scale studies are warranted to identify individual risk factors and novel therapeutic targets for these diseases. Mechanisms underlying impulse control disorders and dyskinesias could provide crucial insights into other behavioural symptoms in Parkinson's disease and addictions in the general population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  7. Neural Correlates of Impulsivity in Healthy Males and Females with Family Histories of Alcoholism

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeVito, Elise E; Meda, Shashwath A; Jiantonio, Rachel; Potenza, Marc N; Krystal, John H; Pearlson, Godfrey D

    2013-01-01

    Individuals family-history positive (FHP) for alcoholism have increased risk for the disorder, which may be mediated by intermediate behavioral traits such as impulsivity. Given the sex differences in the risk for and clinical presentation of addictive disorders, risk for addiction may be differentially mediated by impulsivity within FHP males and females. FHP (N=28) and family-history negative (FHN, N=31) healthy, non-substance-abusing adults completed an fMRI Go/No-Go task and were assessed on impulsivity and alcohol use. Effects of family history and sex were investigated as were associations between neural correlates of impulse control and out-of-scanner measures of impulsivity and alcohol use. FHP individuals showed greater activation in the left anterior insula and inferior frontal gyrus during successful inhibitions, an effect that was driven primarily by FHP males. Higher self-reported impulsivity and behavioral discounting impulsivity, but not alcohol use measures, were associated with greater BOLD signal in the region that differentiated the FHP and FHN groups. Impulsivity factors were associated with alcohol use measures across the FHP and FHN groups. These findings are consistent with increased risk for addiction among FHP individuals being conferred through disrupted function within neural systems important for impulse control. PMID:23584260

  8. Impulsive consumer behavior

    OpenAIRE

    Kovač Žnideršić, Ružica; Grubor, Aleksandar; Marić, Dražen

    2014-01-01

    Research into consumer behaviour features as the foundation of all the planned and implemented marketing activities of a company. Consumer behaviour is determined by numerous factors, and is therefore characterised as highly complex and difficult to predict. A particular challenge for marketing science and practice is to research impulse consumer behaviour in shopping – a behaviour that occurs when consumers experience a sudden, powerful and persistent urge to buy something immediately. This ...

  9. X-radiation /E greater than 10 keV/, H-alpha and microwave emission during the impulsive phase of solar flares.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vorpahl, J. A.

    1972-01-01

    A study has been made of the variation in hard (E greater than 10 keV) X-radiation, H-alpha and microwave emission during the impulsive phase of solar flares. Analysis shows that the rise-time in the 20-30-keV X-ray spike depends on the electron hardness. The impulsive phase is also marked by an abrupt, very intense increase in H-alpha emission in one or more knots of the flare. Properties of these H-alpha kernels include: (1) a luminosity several times greater than the surrounding flare, (2) an intensity rise starting about 20-30 sec before, peaking about 20-25 sec after, and lasting about twice as long as the hard spike, (3) a location lower in the chromosphere than the remaining flare, (4) essentially no expansion prior to the hard spike, and (5) a position within 6000 km of the boundary separating polarities, usually forming on both sides of the neutral line near both feet of the same tube of force. Correspondingly, impulsive microwave events are characterized by: (1) great similarity in burst structure with 20-32 keV X-rays but only above 5000 MHz, (2) typical low frequency burst cutoff between 1400-3800 MHz, and (3) maximum emission above 7500 MHz.

  10. Removal of impulse noise clusters from color images with local order statistics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruchay, Alexey; Kober, Vitaly

    2017-09-01

    This paper proposes a novel algorithm for restoring images corrupted with clusters of impulse noise. The noise clusters often occur when the probability of impulse noise is very high. The proposed noise removal algorithm consists of detection of bulky impulse noise in three color channels with local order statistics followed by removal of the detected clusters by means of vector median filtering. With the help of computer simulation we show that the proposed algorithm is able to effectively remove clustered impulse noise. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared in terms of image restoration metrics with that of common successful algorithms.

  11. Being impulsive and obese increases susceptibility to speeded detection of high-calorie foods

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bongers, Peggy; van de Giessen, Elsmarieke; Roefs, Anne; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Booij, Jan; van den Brink, Wim; Jansen, Anita

    2015-01-01

    Overeating and obesity are associated with impulsivity. In studies among patients with a substance use disorder, impulsivity was found to be associated with substance-related attentional bias. This study examined whether obesity, impulsivity and food craving are associated with an attentional bias

  12. Evaluation of factors that affect hip moment impulse during gait: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inai, Takuma; Takabayashi, Tomoya; Edama, Mutsuaki; Kubo, Masayoshi

    2018-03-01

    Decreasing the daily cumulative hip moments in the frontal and sagittal planes may lower the risk of hip osteoarthritis. Therefore, it may be important to evaluate factors that affect hip moment impulse during gait. It is unclear what factors affect hip moment impulse during gait. This systematic review aimed to evaluate different factors that affect hip moment impulse during gait in healthy adults and patients with hip osteoarthritis. Four databases (Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and PEDro) were searched up to August 2017 to identify studies that examined hip moment impulse during gait. Data extracted for analysis included the sample size, age, height, body mass, type of intervention, and main findings. After screening, 10 of the 975 studies identified were included in our analysis. Several factors, including a rocker bottom shoe, FitFlop™ sandals, ankle push-off, posture, stride length, body-weight unloading, a rollator, walking poles, and a knee brace, were reviewed. The main findings were as follows: increasing ankle push-off decreased both the hip flexion and extension moment impulses; body-weight unloading decreased both the hip extension and adduction moment impulses; the FitFlop™ sandal increased the sum of the hip flexion and extension moment impulses; long strides increased the hip extension moment impulse; and the use of a knee brace increased hip flexion moment impulse. Of note, none of the eligible studies included patients with hip osteoarthritis. The hip moment impulses can be modified by person-specific factors (ankle push-off and long strides) and external factors (body-weight unloading and use of the FitFlop™ sandals and a knee brace). Effects on the progression of hip osteoarthritis remain to be evaluated. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. A generalized Halanay inequality on impulsive delayed dynamical systems and its applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Quanjun; Zhang Hua; Xiang Lan; Zhou Jin

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► A generalized Halanay differential inequality is derived. ► By using the inequality, we can stabilize an unstable dynamical system via impulses. ► The results are applied to chaos-based secure communication systems. ► The results may develop an effective impulsive control strategy. - Abstract: The main objective of this paper is to extend previous results on Halanay inequality for impulsive delayed dynamical systems. Based on the Razumikhin technique, a generalized Halanay differential inequality on impulsive delayed dynamical systems is analytically established. Compared with some existing works, the distinctive feature of this work is that it can be used to stabilize an unstable delayed dynamical system via impulses. The generalized Halanay inequality may be applied to secure communication systems, and a numerical example is given for illustrating and interpreting the theoretical results.

  14. Neuronal codes for the inhibitory control of impulsive actions in the rat infralimbic cortex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsutsui-Kimura, Iku; Ohmura, Yu; Izumi, Takeshi; Matsushima, Toshiya; Amita, Hidetoshi; Yamaguchi, Taku; Yoshida, Takayuki; Yoshioka, Mitsuhiro

    2016-01-01

    Poor impulse control is a debilitating condition observed in various psychiatric disorders and could be a risk factor for drug addiction, criminal involvement, and suicide. The rat infralimbic cortex (IL), located in the ventral portion of the medial prefrontal cortex, has been implicated in impulse control. To elucidate the neurophysiological basis of impulse control, we recorded single unit activity in the IL of a rat performing a 3-choiceserial reaction time task (3-CSRTT) and 2-choice task (2-CT), which are animal models for impulsivity. The inactivation of IL neuronal activity with an injection of muscimol (0.1 μg /side) disrupted impulse control in the 3-CSRTT. More than 60% (38/56) of isolated IL units were linked to impulse control, while approximately 30% of all units were linked to attentional function in the 3-CSRTT. To avoid confounding motor-related units with the impulse control-related units, we further conducted the 2-CT in which the animals' motor activities were restricted during recording window. More than 30% (14/44) of recorded IL units were linked to impulse control in the 2-CT. Several types of impulse control-related units were identified. Only 16% of all units were compatible with the results of the muscimol experiment, which showed a transient decline in the firing rate immediately before the release of behavioral inhibition. This is the first study to elucidate the neurophysiological basis of impulse control in the IL and to propose that IL neurons control impulsive actions in a more complex manner than previously considered. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Adolescent Exposure to Methylphenidate Increases Impulsive Choice Later in Life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zarish Abbas

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: The psychostimulant methylphenidate (MPH is known to temporarily reduce impulsive choice and promote self-control. What is not sufficiently understood is how repeated treatment with MPH affects impulsive choice in the long run, and whether any such effect is contingent on exposure at certain developmental stages.Methods: Using an animal model for impulsive choice, we examined first whether giving MPH through early adolescence alters delay discounting, an operational measure of impulsive choice, later in adulthood. We then tested whether equivalent long-term effects are observed if exposure to the drug occurred during adulthood. Starting on postnatal day 25 or postnatal day 60, male rats received one of a range of doses of MPH for 10 consecutive days. Twenty-six days later, all rats were trained to choose between a lever that produced a small immediate reward and a lever that produced a large reward after a range of delays.Results: Rats showed a long-term decrease in the selection of the delayed larger reward when treated with moderate doses of MPH during early adolescence, but not when treated with the lower or higher doses. In contrast, no differences were observed in the selection of the delayed larger reward in animals that were treated with various doses of MPH during adulthood.Conclusions: Our findings suggest effects of MPH on impulsive choice that are contingent on dosage and on the developmental period of exposure. When administered during adolescence, moderate doses of MPH increase impulsive choice long after the end of treatment, whereas these same doses administered during adulthood were without effect

  16. The relationship of impulsivity and cortical thickness in depressed and non-depressed adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fradkin, Yuli; Khadka, Sabin; Bessette, Katie L; Stevens, Michael C

    2017-10-01

    Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is recognized to be heterogeneous in terms of brain structure abnormality findings across studies, which might reflect previously unstudied traits that confer variability to neuroimaging measurements. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between different types of trait impulsivity and MDD diagnosis on adolescent brain structure. We predicted that adolescents with depression who were high on trait impulsivity would have more abnormal cortical structure than depressed patients or non-MDD who were low on impulsivity. We recruited 58 subjects, including 29 adolescents (ages 12-19) with a primary DSM-IV diagnosis of MDD and a history of suicide attempt and 29 demographically-matched healthy control participants. Our GLM-based analyses sought to describe differences in the linear relationships between cortical thickness and impulsivity trait levels. As hypothesized, we found significant moderation effects in rostral middle frontal gyrus and right paracentral lobule cortical thickness for different subscales of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. However, although these brain-behavior relationships differed between diagnostic study groups, they were not simple additive effects as we had predicted. For the middle frontal gyrus, non-MDD participants showed a strong positive association between cortical thickness and BIS-11 Motor scores, while MDD-diagnosed participants showed a negative association. For Non-Planning Impulsiveness, paracentral lobule cortical thickness was observed with greater impulsivity in MDD, but no association was found for controls. In conclusion, the findings confirm that dimensions of impulsivity have discrete neural correlates, and show that relationships between impulsivity and brain structure are expressed differently in adolescents with MDD compared to non-MDD.

  17. A path model of different forms of impulsivity with externalizing and internalizing psychopathology: Towards greater specificity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Sheri L; Tharp, Jordan A; Peckham, Andrew D; Carver, Charles S; Haase, Claudia M

    2017-09-01

    A growing empirical literature indicates that emotion-related impulsivity (compared to impulsivity that is unrelated to emotion) is particularly relevant for understanding a broad range of psychopathologies. Recent work, however, has differentiated two forms of emotion-related impulsivity: A factor termed Pervasive Influence of Feelings captures tendencies for emotions (mostly negative emotions) to quickly shape thoughts, and a factor termed Feelings Trigger Action captures tendencies for positive and negative emotions to quickly and reflexively shape behaviour and speech. This study used path modelling to consider links from emotion-related and non-emotion-related impulsivity to a broad range of psychopathologies. Undergraduates completed self-report measures of impulsivity, depression, anxiety, aggression, and substance use symptoms. A path model (N = 261) indicated specificity of these forms of impulsivity. Pervasive Influence of Feelings was related to anxiety and depression, whereas Feelings Trigger Action and non-emotion-related impulsivity were related to aggression and substance use. The findings of this study suggest that emotion-relevant impulsivity could be a potentially important treatment target for a set of psychopathologies. Recent work has differentiated two forms of emotion-related impulsivity. This study tests a multivariate path model linking emotion-related and non-emotion-related impulsivity with multiple forms of psychopathology. Impulsive thoughts in response to negative emotions were related to anxiety and depression. Impulsive actions in response to emotions were related to aggression and substance use, as did non-emotion-related impulsivity. The study was limited by the reliance on self-report measures of impulsivity and psychopathology. There is a need for longitudinal work on how these forms of impulsivity predict the onset and course of psychopathology. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

  18. Time-series observation of the spreading out of microvessel endothelial cells with atomic force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han Dong; Ma Wanyun; Liao Fulong; Yeh Meiling; Ouyang Zhigang; Sun Yunxu

    2003-01-01

    The spreading out of microvessel endothelial cells plays a key role in angiogenesis and the post-injury healing of endothelial cells. In our study, a physical force applied with an atomic force microscopic (AFM) cantilever tip in contact mode partly broke the peripheral adhesion that just-confluent cultured rat cerebral microvessel endothelial cells had formed with basal structures and resulted in the cells actively withdrawing from the stimulated area. Time-series changes in cell extension were imaged using tapping mode AFM, in conjunction with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, intensified charge-coupled device and field emission scanning electron microscopy. We also interpreted phase images of living endothelial cells. The results showed that formation of a fibronectin molecule monolayer is key to the spreading out of the cells. Lamellipods as well as filopods would spread out in temporal and spatial distribution following the formation of fibronectin layer. In addition, a lattice-like meshwork of filopods formed in the regions leading lamellipods, which would possibly provide a fulcrum for the filaments of the cytoskeleton within the leading cell body periphery

  19. Impulsivity in adult ADHD patients with and without cocaine dependence

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Crunelle, C.L.; Veltman, D.J.; van Emmerik-van Oortmerssen, K.; Booij, J.; van den Brink, W.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is present in about a quarter of patients with a substance use disorder (SUD) and impulsivity is a key feature of both disorders. However, very little is known about differences in impulse control and other cognitive functions between ADHD

  20. The moderating role of social support on the relationship between impulsivity and suicide risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleiman, Evan M; Riskind, John H; Schaefer, Karen E; Weingarden, Hilary

    2012-01-01

    Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. There has been considerable research into risk factors for suicide, such as impulsivity, but considerably less research on protective factors. The present study examines the role that social support plays in the relationship between impulsivity and suicide risk. Participants were 169 undergraduates who completed self-report measures of impulsivity and social support. Suicide risk was assessed using an interview measure. Social support moderates the relationship between impulsivity and suicide risk, such that those who are highly impulsive are less likely to be at risk for suicide if they also have high levels of social support. Social support can be a useful buffer to suicide risk for at-risk individuals who are highly impulsive.

  1. Impulsivity across the psychosis spectrum: Correlates of cortical volume, suicidal history, and social and global function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nanda, Pranav; Tandon, Neeraj; Mathew, Ian T; Padmanabhan, Jaya L; Clementz, Brett A; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Sweeney, John A; Tamminga, Carol A; Keshavan, Matcheri S

    2016-01-01

    Patients with psychotic disorders appear to exhibit greater impulsivity-related behaviors relative to healthy controls. However, the neural underpinning of this impulsivity remains uncertain. Furthermore, it remains unclear how impulsivity might differ or be conserved between psychotic disorder diagnoses in mechanism and manifestation. In this study, self-reported impulsivity, measured by Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), was compared between 305 controls (HC), 139 patients with schizophrenia (SZ), 100 with schizoaffective disorder (SZA), and 125 with psychotic bipolar disorder (PBP). In each proband group, impulsivity was associated with regional cortical volumes (using FreeSurfer analysis of T1 MRI scans), suicide attempt history, Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and Social Functioning Scale (SFS). BIS scores were found to differ significantly between participant groups, with SZA and PBP exhibiting significantly higher impulsivity than SZ, which exhibited significantly higher impulsivity than HC. BIS scores were significantly related to suicide attempt history, and they were inversely associated with GAF, SFS, and bilateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) volume in both SZA and PBP, but not SZ. These findings indicate that psychotic disorders, particularly those with prominent affective symptoms, are characterized by elevated self-reported impulsivity measures. Impulsivity's correlations with suicide attempt history, GAF, and SFS suggest that impulsivity may be a mediator of clinical outcome. The observed impulsivity-OFC correlations corroborate the importance of OFC deficits in impulsivity. These correlations' presence in SZA and PBP but not in SZ suggests that impulsivity may have different underlying mechanisms in affective and non-affective psychotic disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Fatty acid amide supplementation decreases impulsivity in young adult heavy drinkers

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Kooten, Maria J.; Veldhuizen, Maria G.; de Araujo, Ivan E.; O’Malley, Stephanie; Small, Dana M.

    2016-01-01

    Compromised dopamine signaling in the striatum has been associated with the expression of impulsive behaviors in addiction, obesity and alcoholism. In rodents, Intragastric infusion of the fatty acid amide oleoylethanolamide increases striatal extracellular dopamine levels via vagal afferent signaling. Here we tested whether supplementation with PhosphoLean™, a dietary supplement that contains the precursor of the fatty acid amide oleoylethanolamide (N-oleyl-phosphatidylethanolamine), would reduce impulsive responding and alcohol use in heavy drinking young adults. Twenty-two individuals were assigned to a three-week supplementation regimen with PhosphoLean™ or placebo. Impulsivity was assessed with self-report questionnaires and behavioral tasks pre- and post-supplementation. Although self-report measures of impulsivity did not change, supplementation with PhosphoLean™, but not placebo, significantly reduced false alarm rate on a Go/No-Go task. In addition, an association was found between improved sensitivity on the Go/No-Go task and reduced alcohol intake. These findings provide preliminary evidence that promoting fatty acid derived gut-brain dopamine communication may have therapeutic potential for reducing impulsivity in heavy drinkers. PMID:26656766

  3. Characteristic Risk Factors Associated with Planned versus Impulsive Suicide Attempters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jaeha; Lee, Kang-Sook; Kim, Dai Jin; Hong, Seung-Chul; Choi, Kyoung Ho; Oh, Youngmin; Wang, Sheng-Min; Lee, Hae-Kook; Kweon, Yong-Sil; Lee, Chung Tai; Lee, Kyoung-Uk

    2015-12-31

    The present study aimed to investigate predictors for planned suicide attempters. This study included 1,003 patients who attempted suicide and visited emergency department. They were divided into two groups, planned suicide attempters (SAs; n=133 [13.3%]) and impulsive SAs (n=870, [86.7%]), and the demographic variables, clinical characteristics, factors related to suicide, and psychiatric resources of the groups were compared. Major depressive disorder and substance use disorders were more common among planned SAs than among impulsive SAs. Additionally, the planned SAs were older, more likely to be divorced, separated or widowed, and more likely to have comorbid medical illnesses, severe depression, higher suicidality, and self-blaming tendencies than the impulsive SAs. Financial problems and physical illnesses were more common in planned SAs but interpersonal conflicts were more frequent in impulsive SAs. Planned SAs had fewer previous suicide attempts but these were more serious suicide attempts. The presence of the hope to die, a written will, and suicidal ideation of a repetitive, intense, and continuous nature were predictive of planned SAs. The present findings demonstrated that planned SAs had more severe psychopathology and medical illnesses than impulsive SAs. Therefore, screening for depression, substance use disorders, and suicidal plans among old and medically ill patients may be important for preventing suicide attempts.

  4. Anti-impulse-noise Edge Detection via Anisotropic Morphological Directional Derivatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shui, Peng-Lang; Wang, Fu-Ping

    2017-07-13

    Traditional differential-based edge detection suffers from abrupt degradation in performance when images are corrupted by impulse noises. The morphological operators such as the median filters and weighted median filters possess the intrinsic ability to counteract impulse noise. In this paper, by combining the biwindow configuration with weighted median filters, anisotropic morphological directional derivatives (AMDD) robust to impulse noise are proposed to measure the local grayscale variation around a pixel. For ideal step edges, the AMDD spatial response and directional representation are derived. The characteristics and edge resolution of two kinds of typical biwindows are analyzed thoroughly. In terms of the AMDD spatial response and directional representation of ideal step edges, the spatial matched filter is used to extract the edge strength map (ESM) from the AMDDs of an image. The spatial and directional matched filters are used to extract the edge direction map (EDM). Embedding the extracted ESM and EDM into the standard route of the differential-based edge detection, an anti-impulse-noise AMDD-based edge detector is constructed. It is compared with the existing state-of-the-art detectors on a recognized image dataset for edge detection evaluation. The results show that it attains competitive performance in noise-free and Gaussian noise cases and the best performance in impulse noise cases.

  5. 'Speedy action over goal orientation': cognitive impulsivity in male forensic patients with dyslexia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dåderman, Anna M; Meurling, Ann Wirsén; Levander, Sten

    2012-11-01

    Previous neuropsychiatric studies suggest a relationship between reading disability and cognitive impulsivity. This relationship is not entirely explained by the high comorbidity between reading disability and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as children with a co-occurrence of these disorders tend to be more impulsive than those with ADHD only. Other research has demonstrated that poor verbal skill (irrespective of the presence of dyslexia) deficits in executive functions and impulsivity are important risk factors for criminal behaviour. The present study bridges these two research traditions by examining whether patients undergoing forensic psychiatric investigation who also have dyslexia, have a cognitive style characterized by impulsivity. Male forensic patients (mean age 27 years, range 16-35) with (n = 9) and without (n = 13) dyslexia were evaluated on the computerized EuroCog test battery. The findings suggest that patients with dyslexia tend to use a cognitive impulsive style and suggest a more direct link between dyslexia and cognitive impulsivity that is not mediated by the presence of ADHD. In order to identify treatment needs and tailor treatment accordingly, forensic patients should be assessed with respect to poor verbal skill, dyslexia and impulsivity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Impulsivity in Parkinson’s Disease Is Associated With Alterations in Affective and Sensorimotor Striatal Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marit F. L. Ruitenberg

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available A subset of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD experiences problems with impulse control, characterized by a loss of voluntary control over impulses, drives, or temptations regarding excessive hedonic behavior. The present study aimed to better understand the neural basis of such impulse control disorders (ICDs in PD. We collected resting-state functional connectivity and structural MRI data from 21 PD patients with ICDs and 30 patients without such disorders. To assess impulsivity, all patients completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and performed an information-gathering task. MRI results demonstrated substantial differences in neural characteristics between PD patients with and without ICDs. Results showed that impulsivity was linked to alterations in affective basal ganglia circuitries. Specifically, reduced frontal–striatal connectivity and GPe volume were associated with more impulsivity. We suggest that these changes affect decision making and result in a preference for risky or inappropriate actions. Results further showed that impulsivity was linked to alterations in sensorimotor striatal networks. Enhanced connectivity within this network and larger putamen volume were associated with more impulsivity. We propose that these changes affect sensorimotor processing such that patients have a greater propensity to act. Our findings suggest that the two mechanisms jointly contribute to impulsive behaviors in PD.

  7. Impulsivity components measured by the Brazilian version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alina Gomide Vasconcelos

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11. Content item analysis was conducted by seven doctoral students. A convenience sample of 897 students was submitted to BIS-11 and they also filled self-reports about Minor Mental Disorder and ADHD symptoms, alcohol use and cigarette smoking. Mean age was 27.32 (SD=8.69 years, 56% were female and 52% had incomplete college degree. Content and factorial analyses revealed that impulsivity was best represented by two latent factors labeled non-planning and inhibition behaviors. Test retest agreement tended to produce similar score patterns seven months after the first evaluation. Additionally, BIS-11 scores discriminated subjects in terms of cigarette smoking and psychopathological symptoms, which indicated evidences regarding criterion-related validity. The theoretical discussion was present based on the neuropsychological model of hot and cool aspects of executive function.

  8. I can't wait: Methods for measuring and moderating individual differences in impulsive choice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Jennifer R; Hill, Catherine C; Marshall, Andrew T; Stuebing, Sarah L; Kirkpatrick, Kimberly

    2015-01-01

    Impulsive choice behavior occurs when individuals make choices without regard for future consequences. This behavior is often maladaptive and is a common symptom in many disorders, including drug abuse, compulsive gambling, and obesity. Several proposed mechanisms may influence impulsive choice behavior. These mechanisms provide a variety of pathways that may provide the basis for individual differences that are often evident when measuring choice behavior. This review provides an overview of these different pathways to impulsive choice, and the behavioral intervention strategies being developed to moderate impulsive choice. Because of the compelling link between impulsive choice behavior and the near-epidemic pervasiveness of obesity in the United States, we focus on the relationship between impulsive choice behavior and obesity as a test case for application of the multiple pathways approach. Choosing immediate gratification over healthier long term food choices is a contributing factor to the obesity crisis. Behavioral interventions can lead to more self controlled choices in a rat pre-clinical model, suggesting a possible gateway for translation to human populations. Designing and implementing effective impulsive choice interventions is crucial to improving the overall health and well-being of impulsive individuals.

  9. Impulse-Excited Energy Harvester based on Potassium-Ion- Electret

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashizawa, H.; Mitsuya, H.; Ishibashi, K.; Ishikawa, T.; Fujita, H.; Hashiguchi, G.; Toshiyoshi, H.

    2015-12-01

    We have developed an energy harvester that is specifically desired for impulse acceleration of infrastructure vibrations such as sudden motion at railway bridges. The energy harvester based on potassium-ion-electret on the sidewalls of 1.8- μm-gap comb electrodes generated a 64 μAp-p current during low impulse acceleration, which was large enough to light a green LED.

  10. An Analysis of the Associations among Cognitive Impulsiveness, Reasoning Process, and Rational Decision Making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jelihovschi, Ana P G; Cardoso, Ricardo L; Linhares, Alexandre

    2017-01-01

    Impulsivity may lead to several unfortunate consequences and maladaptive behaviors for both clinical and nonclinical people. It has a key role in many forms of psychopathology. Although literature has discussed the negative impact of impulsivity, few have emphasized the relationship between cognitive impulsiveness and decision making. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of cognitive impulsiveness on decision making and explore the strategies used by participants to solve problems. For this purpose, we apply two measures of impulsivity: the self-report Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the performance based Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT). Moreover, we evaluate participants' reasoning processes employed to answer CRT questions based on the calculation expressions, data organization, and erasures they made while answering the CRT (note that we utilized the instruments using pen and paper). These reasoning processes are related to the role of executive functions in decision making, and its relationship with impulsiveness. The sample consists of 191 adults, who were either professionals or undergraduate students from the fields of business, management, or accounting. The results show that cognitive impulsiveness may negatively affect decision making, and that those who presented the calculation to answer the CRT questions made better decisions. Moreover, there was no difference in the strategies used by impulsive vs. nonimpulsive participants during decision making. Finally, people who inhibited their immediate answers to CRT questions performed better during decision making.

  11. Simulation Analysis of DC and Switching Impulse Superposition Circuit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chenmeng; Xie, Shijun; Zhang, Yu; Mao, Yuxiang

    2018-03-01

    Surge capacitors running between the natural bus and the ground are affected by DC and impulse superposition voltage during operation in the converter station. This paper analyses the simulation aging circuit of surge capacitors by PSCAD electromagnetic transient simulation software. This paper also analyses the effect of the DC voltage to the waveform of the impulse voltage generation. The effect of coupling capacitor to the test voltage waveform is also studied. Testing results prove that the DC voltage has little effect on the waveform of the output of the surge voltage generator, and the value of the coupling capacitor has little effect on the voltage waveform of the sample. Simulation results show that surge capacitor DC and impulse superimposed aging test is feasible.

  12. Associations among types of impulsivity, substance use problems and neurexin-3 polymorphisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoltenberg, Scott F; Lehmann, Melissa K; Christ, Christa C; Hersrud, Samantha L; Davies, Gareth E

    2011-12-15

    Some of the genetic vulnerability for addiction may be mediated by impulsivity. This study investigated relationships among impulsivity, substance use problems and six neurexin-3 (NRXN3) polymorphisms. Neurexins (NRXNs) are presynaptic transmembrane proteins that play a role in the development and function of synapses. Impulsivity was assessed with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS-11), the Boredom Proneness Scale (BPS) and the TIME paradigm; alcohol problems with the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST); drug problems with the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-20); and regular tobacco use with a single question. Participants (n=439 Caucasians, 64.7% female) donated buccal cells for genotyping. Six NRXN3 polymorphisms were genotyped: rs983795, rs11624704, rs917906, rs1004212, rs10146997 and rs8019381. A dual luciferase assay was conducted to determine whether allelic variation at rs917906 regulated gene expression. In general, impulsivity was significantly higher in those who regularly used tobacco and/or had alcohol or drug problems. In men, there were modest associations between rs11624704 and attentional impulsivity (p=0.005) and between rs1004212 and alcohol problems (p=0.009). In women, there were weak associations between rs10146997 and TIME estimation (p=0.03); and between rs1004212 and drug problems (p=0.03). The dual luciferase assay indicated that C and T alleles of rs917906 did not differentially regulate gene expression in vitro. Associations between impulsivity, substance use problems and polymorphisms in NRXN3 may be gender specific. Impulsivity is associated with substance use problems and may provide a useful intermediate phenotype for addiction. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Impulsive approach tendencies towards physical activity and sedentary behaviors, but not reflective intentions, prospectively predict non-exercise activity thermogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boris Cheval

    Full Text Available Understanding the determinants of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT is crucial, given its extensive health benefits. Some scholars have assumed that a proneness to react differently to environmental cues promoting sedentary versus active behaviors could be responsible for inter-individual differences in NEAT. In line with this reflection and grounded on the Reflective-Impulsive Model, we test the assumption that impulsive processes related to sedentary and physical activity behaviors can prospectively predict NEAT, operationalized as spontaneous effort exerted to maintain low intensity muscle contractions within the release phases of an intermittent maximal isometric contraction task. Participants (n = 91 completed a questionnaire assessing their intentions to adopt physical activity behaviors and a manikin task to assess impulsive approach tendencies towards physical activity behaviors (IAPA and sedentary behaviors (IASB. Participants were then instructed to perform a maximal handgrip strength task and an intermittent maximal isometric contraction task. As hypothesized, multilevel regression analyses revealed that spontaneous effort was (a positively predicted by IAPA, (b negatively predicted by IASB, and (c was not predicted by physical activity intentions, after controlling for some confounding variables such as age, sex, usual PA level and average force provided during the maximal-contraction phases of the task. These effects remained constant throughout all the phases of the task. This study demonstrated that impulsive processes may play a unique role in predicting spontaneous physical activity behaviors. Theoretically, this finding reinforces the utility of a motivational approach based on dual-process models to explain inter-individual differences in NEAT. Implications for health behavior theories and behavior change interventions are outlined.

  14. Impulsive behaviors in female patients with eating disorders in a university hospital in northern Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuei-Yu Liang

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Eating disorders (EDs are often associated with various impulsive behaviors. This study investigated the prevalence of impulsive behaviors in ED patients in Taiwan. Three hundred sixteen female outpatients with ED and 142 psychiatric controls were recruited. All participants completed self-administered questionnaires assessing lifetime presence of impulsive behaviors, including suicide, self-injury, stealing, alcohol use, illicit drug use, excessive spending, sexual promiscuity, and general psychopathology. More than 60% of the ED patients had at least one impulsive behavior. The most common impulsive behaviors among ED patients were excessive spending (34.9%, deliberate self-harm (32.7%, and stealing (26.3%. However, there were no significant differences in prevalences of any impulsive behaviors between ED patients and psychiatric controls. Clinicians should routinely assess and treat impulsive behaviors in female psychiatric patients with negative affectivity, regardless of the presence of ED, to help prevent potential adverse outcomes related to impulsive behaviors.

  15. Attentional bias toward high-calorie food-cues and trait motor impulsivity interactively predict weight gain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrian Meule

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Strong bottom-up impulses and weak top-down control may interactively lead to overeating and, consequently, weight gain. In the present study, female university freshmen were tested at the start of the first semester and again at the start of the second semester. Attentional bias toward high- or low-calorie food-cues was assessed using a dot-probe paradigm and participants completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale . Attentional bias and motor impulsivity interactively predicted change in body mass index: motor impulsivity positively predicted weight gain only when participants showed an attentional bias toward high-calorie food-cues. Attentional and non-planning impulsivity were unrelated to weight change. Results support findings showing that weight gain is prospectively predicted by a combination of weak top-down control (i.e. high impulsivity and strong bottom-up impulses (i.e. high automatic motivational drive toward high-calorie food stimuli. They also highlight the fact that only specific aspects of impulsivity are relevant in eating and weight regulation.

  16. Impulse Magnetic Fields Generated by Electrostatic Discharges in Protoplanetary Nebulae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tunyi, I.; Guba, P.; Roth, L. E.; Timko, M.

    2002-01-01

    We examine quantitative aspects associated with the hypothesis of nebular lightnings as a source of impulse magnetic fields. Our findings support our previous accretion model in which a presence of impulse magnetic fields was of a key necessity. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

  17. Increased impulsivity associated with severity of suicide attempt history in patients with bipolar disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swann, Alan C; Dougherty, Donald M; Pazzaglia, Peggy J; Pham, Mary; Steinberg, Joel L; Moeller, F Gerard

    2005-09-01

    Impulsivity is a prominent and measurable characteristic of bipolar disorder that can contribute to risk for suicidal behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between impulsivity and severity of past suicidal behavior, a potential predictor of eventual suicide, in patients with bipolar disorder. In bipolar disorder subjects with either a definite history of attempted suicide or no such history, impulsivity was assessed with both a questionnaire (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) and behavioral laboratory performance measures (immediate memory/delayed memory tasks). Diagnosis was determined with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Interviews of patients and review of records were used to determine the number of past suicide attempts and the medical severity of the most severe attempt. Subjects with a history of suicide attempts had more impulsive errors on the immediate memory task and had shorter response latencies, especially for impulsive responses. Impulsivity was highest in subjects with the most medically severe suicide attempts. Effects were not accounted for by presence of depression or mania at the time of testing. Barratt Impulsiveness Scale scores were numerically, but not significantly, higher in subjects with suicide attempts. A history of alcohol abuse was associated with greater probability of a suicide attempt. Multivariate analysis showed that ethanol abuse history and clinical state at the time of testing did not have a significant effect after impulsivity was taken into account. These results suggest that a history of severe suicidal behavior in patients with bipolar disorder is associated with impulsivity, manifested as a tendency toward rapid, unplanned responses.

  18. Optimization of valve opening process for the suppression of impulse exhaust noise

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jingxiang; Zhao, Shengdun

    2017-02-01

    Impulse exhaust noise generated by the sudden impact of discharging flow of pneumatic systems has significant temporal characteristics including high sound pressure and rapid sound transient. The impulse noise exposures are more hazardous to hearing than the energy equivalent uniform noise exposures. This paper presents a novel approach to suppress the peak sound pressure as a major indicator of impulsiveness of the impulse exhaust noise by an optimization of the opening process of valve. Relationships between exhaust flow and impulse noise are described by thermodynamics and noise generating mechanism. Then an optimized approach by controlling the valve opening process is derived under a constraint of pre-setting exhaust time. A modified servo-direct-driven valve was designed and assembled in a typical pneumatic system for the verification experiments comparing with an original solenoid valve. Experimental results with groups of initial cylinder pressures and pre-setting exhaust times are shown to verify the effects of the proposed optimization. Some indicators of energy-equivalent and impulsiveness are introduced to discuss the effects of the noise suppressions. Relationship between noise reduction and exhaust time delay is also discussed.

  19. Comparison of acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI) to liver biopsy histologic scores in the evaluation of chronic liver disease: A pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haque, Mazhar; Robinson, Charlotte; Owen, David; Yoshida, Eric M; Harris, Alison

    2010-01-01

    Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging (ARFI) is a novel non invasive technique studying the localized mechanical properties of tissue by utilising short, high intensity acoustic pulses (shear wave pulses) to assess the mechanical response (tissue displacement), providing a measure of tissue elasticity. The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of ARFI imaging as a non-invasive method for the assessment of liver fibrosis compared to liver biopsy scores. A prospective blind comparison study of ARFI elastography (Virtual Touch Imaging., ACUSON S2000 Ultrasound Unit, Siemens, Mountain View CA) in a consecutive series of patients who underwent liver biopsy for assessment of fibrosis in chronic liver disease. ARFI shear-wave propagation velocity was measured in meters per second. Mean ARFI velocities were compared with both Batts-Ludwig (F0 to F4) and Modified Ishak scores (F0 to F4) for fibrosis in liver biopsy findings. Twenty-one patients with chronic liver disease (Hepatitis C (HCV) =16, Hepatitis B (HBV) = 1, both HCV and HBV = 1 Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) = 1, others = 2) underwent ARFI and liver biopsy on the same day. The Spearman correlation coefficients between the median values of the ARFI measurements and the histological fibrosis stage of the Modified Ishak score and Batts-Lud- (3) wig score were both highly significant (p shak score in chronic liver disease. It.s accuracy in prediction of severe fibrosis and cirrhosis is maximal in comparison with earlier stages.

  20. Numerical Analysis of Impulse Turbine for Isolated Pilot OWC System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhen Liu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Oscillating water column (OWC is the most widely used wave energy converting technology in the world. The impulse turbine is recently been employed as the radial turbine in OWC facilities to convert bidirectional mechanical air power into electricity power. 3D numerical model for the impulse turbine is established in this paper to investigate its operating performance of the designed impulse turbine for the pilot OWC system which is under the construction on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. The proper mesh style, turbulence model, and numerical solutions are employed to study the velocity and air pressure distribution especially around the rotor blade. The operating coefficients obtained from the numerical simulation are compared with corresponding experimental data, which demonstrates that the 3D numerical model proposed here can be applied to the research of impulse turbines for OWC system. Effects of tip clearances on flow field distribution characteristics and operating performances are also studied.

  1. Fusion impulse containment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bohachevsky, I.O.

    1979-01-01

    The characteristics of impact fusion energy releases are not known sufficiently well to examine in detail specific containment vessel concepts or designs. Therefore it appears appropriate to formulate the impulse containment problem in general and to derive results in the form of explicit expressions from which magnitude estimates and parametric dependencies (trends) can be inferred conveniently and rapidly. In the following presentation we carry out this task using assumptions and approximations that are required to perform the analysis

  2. Global exponential stability of BAM neural networks with transmission delays and nonlinear impulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Zhenkun; Xia Yonghui

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, a class of bidirectional associative memory (BAM) networks with transmission delays and nonlinear impulses are studied. Some new sufficient conditions are established for the existence and global exponential stability of a unique equilibrium, which generalize and improve the previously known results. The sufficient conditions are easy to verify and when the impulsive jumps are linear or absent the results reduce to those of common impulsive or non-impulsive systems. Finally, an example is given to show the feasibility and effectiveness of our results

  3. Ventral striatal regulation of CREM mediates impulsive action and drug addiction vulnerability

    OpenAIRE

    Miller, Michael L.; Ren, Yanhua; Szutorisz, Henrietta; Warren, Noël A.; Tessereau, Chloé; Egervári, Gábor; Mlodnicka, Agnieszka; Kapoor, Manav; Chaarani, Bader; Morris, Claudia V.; Schumann, Gunter; Garavan, Hugh; Goate, Alison M.; Bannon, Michael J.; Halperin, Jeffrey M.

    2017-01-01

    Impulsivity, a multifaceted behavioral hallmark of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), strongly influences addiction vulnerability and other psychiatric disorders that incur enormous medical and societal burdens yet the neurobiological underpinnings linking impulsivity to disease remain poorly understood. Here we report the critical role of ventral striatal cAMP-response element modulator (CREM) in mediating impulsivity relevant to drug abuse vulnerability. Using an ADHD rat mode...

  4. Impulsive buying tendency: Measuring important relationships with a new perspective and an indigenous scale

    OpenAIRE

    Anant Jyoti Badgaiyan; Anshul Verma; Saumya Dixit

    2016-01-01

    With the opening up of the economy and the proliferation of mall culture, the economic relevance of impulsive buying behaviour has assumed significance. Impulsive buying behaviour is better understood by examining the impulsive buying tendency that shapes such behaviour, and since consumer behaviour differs across cultures, by incorporating an indigenous perspective in understanding and measuring the tendency. Studies were conducted to develop an Indian scale for measuring impulsive buying te...

  5. Reduced Rank Adaptive Filtering in Impulsive Noise Environments

    KAUST Repository

    Soury, Hamza

    2014-01-06

    An impulsive noise environment is used in this paper. A new aspect of signal truncation is deployed to reduce the harmful effect of the impulsive noise to the signal. A full rank direct solution is derived followed by an iterative solution. The reduced rank adaptive filter is presented in this environment by using two methods for rank reduction. The minimized objective function is defined using the Lp norm. The results are presented and the efficiency of each algorithm is discussed.

  6. Reduced Rank Adaptive Filtering in Impulsive Noise Environments

    KAUST Repository

    Soury, Hamza; Abed-Meraim, Karim; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

    2014-01-01

    An impulsive noise environment is used in this paper. A new aspect of signal truncation is deployed to reduce the harmful effect of the impulsive noise to the signal. A full rank direct solution is derived followed by an iterative solution. The reduced rank adaptive filter is presented in this environment by using two methods for rank reduction. The minimized objective function is defined using the Lp norm. The results are presented and the efficiency of each algorithm is discussed.

  7. Integration of a force feedback joystick with a VR system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Castro, A C [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, S. Maria di Galeria, RM (Italy). Dipt. Innovazione

    1999-07-01

    The report shows the result carried out at the Robotics and Information Systems Division of ENEA (National Agency for New Technology, Energy and the Environment) in the Casaccia Centre (Rome). The study presents an approach to the problem of integrating force feedback with a complete real-time virtual environment system: in particular bulky computations for graphics or simulation require a decoupling of the haptic servo loop from the main application loop if high-quality forces are to be obtained. The control system has been developed for the force-feedback joystick Impulse 2000, from Immersion Co., and the integration of it to a virtual environment is presented here. Technical issues related to the development of control architectures for Internet-based exchange of haptic information, in a stable way are discussed. [Italian] Il presente rapporto descrive il lavoro eseguito nella divisione robotica e informatica del dipartimento innovazione dell'ENEA del centro ricerche della Casaccia (Roma): il sistema di controllo del dispositivo con ritorno di forza in un sistema RV (real-time virtual environment system) ed illustra l'approccio a questa problematica ed in particolare la lentezza di esecuzione del ciclo di calcoli per la resa delle immagini da parte del sistema grafico e del ciclio per la simulazione della dinamica di sistema. Viene descritto il sistema di controllo per il joystick con ritorno di forza Impulse 2000 (Immersion Co.) e la sua integrazione ad un ambiente virtuale. Sono inoltre discusse le problematiche connesse allo sviluppo di sistemi che consentano lo scambio dell'informazione tattile attraverso Internet.

  8. Integration of a force feedback joystick with a VR system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Castro, A.C. [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, S. Maria di Galeria, RM (Italy). Dipt. Innovazione

    1999-07-01

    The report shows the result carried out at the Robotics and Information Systems Division of ENEA (National Agency for New Technology, Energy and the Environment) in the Casaccia Centre (Rome). The study presents an approach to the problem of integrating force feedback with a complete real-time virtual environment system: in particular bulky computations for graphics or simulation require a decoupling of the haptic servo loop from the main application loop if high-quality forces are to be obtained. The control system has been developed for the force-feedback joystick Impulse 2000, from Immersion Co., and the integration of it to a virtual environment is presented here. Technical issues related to the development of control architectures for Internet-based exchange of haptic information, in a stable way are discussed. [Italian] Il presente rapporto descrive il lavoro eseguito nella divisione robotica e informatica del dipartimento innovazione dell'ENEA del centro ricerche della Casaccia (Roma): il sistema di controllo del dispositivo con ritorno di forza in un sistema RV (real-time virtual environment system) ed illustra l'approccio a questa problematica ed in particolare la lentezza di esecuzione del ciclo di calcoli per la resa delle immagini da parte del sistema grafico e del ciclio per la simulazione della dinamica di sistema. Viene descritto il sistema di controllo per il joystick con ritorno di forza Impulse 2000 (Immersion Co.) e la sua integrazione ad un ambiente virtuale. Sono inoltre discusse le problematiche connesse allo sviluppo di sistemi che consentano lo scambio dell'informazione tattile attraverso Internet.

  9. Fundamentals of force feedback and application to a surgery simulator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maass, Heiko; Chantier, Benjamin B A; Cakmak, Hueseyin K; Trantakis, Christos; Kuehnapfel, Uwe G

    2003-01-01

    Force feedback increases the effectiveness of virtual-reality surgery training systems. An overview of the fundamentals of applying force feedback is presented. An impedance control technique and data processing methods for stability preservation are illustrated. A flexible interface for general force-feedback applications has been developed. This interface is capable of controlling several different force-feedback hardware systems, including the SensAble PHANTOM, the Laparoscopic Impulse Engines from Immersion, and the VS-One virtual endoscopic surgery trainer. The findings are evaluated using the main simulation system, KISMET, and the modeling tools KISMO and VESUV. Within the scope of a cooperative project called HapticIO (funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research [BMBF]), new haptic devices have been designed for virtual neuroendoscopy and laparoscopy. The concept and implementations presented in this paper have been found to be flexible, stable and suitable for universal use. The impedance method, combined with the open-loop feed-forward control technique, is well suited and appropriate for the task.

  10. Quantization and instability of the damped harmonic oscillator subject to a time-dependent force

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Majima, H.; Suzuki, A.

    2011-01-01

    We consider the one-dimensional motion of a particle immersed in a potential field U(x) under the influence of a frictional (dissipative) force linear in velocity (-γx) and a time-dependent external force (K(t)). The dissipative system subject to these forces is discussed by introducing the extended Bateman's system, which is described by the Lagrangian: L=mxy-U(x+1/2 y)+U(x-1/2 y)+(γ)/2 (xy-yx)-xK(t)+yK(t), which leads to the familiar classical equations of motion for the dissipative (open) system. The equation for a variable y is the time-reversed of the x motion. We discuss the extended Bateman dual Lagrangian and Hamiltonian by setting U(x±y/2)=1/2 k(x±y/2) 2 specifically for a dual extended damped-amplified harmonic oscillator subject to the time-dependent external force. We show the method of quantizing such dissipative systems, namely the canonical quantization of the extended Bateman's Hamiltonian H. The Heisenberg equations of motion utilizing the quantized Hamiltonian H surely lead to the equations of motion for the dissipative dynamical quantum systems, which are the quantum analog of the corresponding classical systems. To discuss the stability of the quantum dissipative system due to the influence of an external force K(t) and the dissipative force, we derived a formula for transition amplitudes of the dissipative system with the help of the perturbation analysis. The formula is specifically applied for a damped-amplified harmonic oscillator subject to the impulsive force. This formula is used to study the influence of dissipation such as the instability due to the dissipative force and/or the applied impulsive force. - Highlights: → A method of quantizing dissipative systems is presented. → In order to obtain the method, we apply Bateman's dual system approach. → A formula for a transition amplitude is derived. → We use the formula to study the instability of the dissipative systems.

  11. The Effect of Implicit Preferences on Food Consumption: Moderating Role of Ego Depletion and Impulsivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yan; Zhu, Jinglei; Hu, Yi; Fang, Yuan; Wang, Guosen; Cui, Xianghua; Wang, Lei

    2016-01-01

    Ego depletion has been found to moderate the effect of implicit preferences on food consumption, such that implicit preferences predict consumption only under a depleted state. The present study tested how trait impulsivity impacts the effect of implicit preferences on food consumption in a depleted condition. Trait impulsivity was measured by means of self-report and a stop signal task. Results showed that both self-reported impulsivity and behavioral impulsivity moderated the ‘depletion and then eating according to implicit preferences’ effect, albeit in different ways. Participants high in self-reported impulsivity and low in behavioral impulsivity were more vulnerable to the effect of depletion on eating. The implications of these results for extant theories are discussed. Future research is needed to verify whether or not trait impulsivity is associated with vulnerability to depletion across different self-control domains. PMID:27881966

  12. Dark personality traits and impulsivity among adolescents: Differential links to problem behaviors and family relations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubas, Judith Semon; Baams, Laura; Doornwaard, Suzan M; van Aken, Marcel A G

    2017-10-01

    Research on how dark personality traits develop and relate to risky behaviors and family relations during adolescence is scarce. This study used a person-oriented approach to examine (a) whether distinct groups of adolescents could be identified based on their developmental profiles of callous-unemotional (CU), grandiose manipulative (GM), and dysfunctional impulsivity (DI) traits and (b) whether these groups differ in their problem behaviors and parent-adolescent relationship quality. Latent class growth analyses on 4-wave data of 1,131 Dutch adolescents revealed 3 personality profiles: (1) a dark impulsive group (13.9%), with high scores on all 3 traits (CU, GM, and DI) that were stable over time; (2) an impulsive group (26.1%), with high and increasing levels of impulsivity and relatively low scores on CU and GM; and (3) and a low risk group (60.0%), with relatively low levels on all 3 personality characteristics, with impulsivity decreasing over time. Compared with adolescents in the low risk group, adolescents in the dark impulsive and impulsive groups reported higher initial levels of substance use, sexual risk behaviors, permissive sexual attitudes, parent-adolescent conflict, and lower parent-adolescent satisfaction, as well as greater increases in sexual risk behavior over time. Compared with adolescents in the impulsive group, those in the dark impulsive group showed the highest levels of risk behaviors. Hence, dark personality traits coupled with impulsivity may be indicative of an earlier and more severe trajectory of problem behaviors that may differ from the trajectory of youth who are only impulsive. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  13. Latent class analysis of eating and impulsive behavioral symptoms in Taiwanese women with bulimia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tseng, Mei-Chih Meg; Hu, Fu-Chang

    2012-01-01

    The implications of impulsivity in its relationship with binge-eating or purging behaviors remain unclear. This study examined the patterns of eating behaviors and co-morbid impulsive behaviors in individuals with bulimia nervosa n optimally homogeneous classes using latent class analysis (LCA). All participants (n=180) were asked to complete a series of self-reported inventories of impulsive behaviors and other psychological measures. Information regarding the lifetime presence of symptoms of eating disorder was assessed by clinical interviews. LCA was conducted using eating disorder symptoms, impulsive behaviors, and the number of purging methods. Three latent classes of bulimic women were identified. These were women who exhibited relatively higher rates of purging, symptoms of impulsive behavior, and multiple purging methods (17.8%), women who used no more than one purging method with a low occurrence of impulsive behavior (41.7%), and women who showed higher rates of purging behaviors and the use of multiple purging methods with a low rate of impulsive behavior (41.7%). The impulsive sub-group had comparable severity of eating-related measures, frequency of binge-eating, and higher levels of general psychopathology than that of the other two sub-groups. This study provides empirical support for the existence of an impulsive subgroup with distinctive features among a non-Western group of BN patients. This study also suggests that mechanisms other than impulse dysregulation may exist for the development of binge-eating and purging behaviors in bulimia nervosa patients, or the mechanisms contributing to binge-eating and impulsive behaviors may be different. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Subscales of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale differentially relate to the Big Five factors of personality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lange, Florian; Wagner, Adina; Müller, Astrid; Eggert, Frank

    2017-06-01

    The place of impulsiveness in multidimensional personality frameworks is still unclear. In particular, no consensus has yet been reached with regard to the relation of impulsiveness to Neuroticism and Extraversion. We aim to contribute to a clearer understanding of these relationships by accounting for the multidimensional structure of impulsiveness. In three independent studies, we related the subscales of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) to the Big Five factors of personality. Study 1 investigated the associations between the BIS subscales and the Big Five factors as measured by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) in a student sample (N = 113). Selective positive correlations emerged between motor impulsiveness and Extraversion and between attentional impulsiveness and Neuroticism. This pattern of results was replicated in Study 2 (N = 132) using a 10-item short version of the Big Five Inventory. In Study 3, we analyzed BIS and NEO-FFI data obtained from a sample of patients with pathological buying (N = 68). In these patients, the relationship between motor impulsiveness and Extraversion was significantly weakened when compared to the non-clinical samples. At the same time, the relationship between attentional impulsiveness and Neuroticism was substantially stronger in the clinical sample. Our studies highlight the utility of the BIS subscales for clarifying the relationship between impulsiveness and the Big Five personality factors. We conclude that impulsiveness might occupy multiple places in multidimensional personality frameworks, which need to be specified to improve the interpretability of impulsiveness scales. © 2017 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Extinction and Permanence of a General Predator-Prey System with Impulsive Perturbations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xianning Liu

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A general predator-prey system is studied in a scheme where there is periodic impulsive perturbations. This scheme has the potential to protect the predator from extinction but under some conditions may also serve to lead to extinction of the prey. Conditions for extinction and permanence are obtained via the comparison methods involving monotone theory of impulsive systems and multiple Liapunov functions, which establish explicit bounds on solutions. The existence of a positive periodic solution is also studied by the bifurcation theory. Application is given to a Lotka-Volterra predator-prey system with periodic impulsive immigration of the predator. It is shown that the results are quite different from the corresponding system without impulsive immigration, where extinction of the prey can never be achieved. The prey will be extinct or permanent independent of whether the system without impulsive effect immigration is permanent or not. The model and its results suggest an approach of pest control which proves more effective than the classical one.

  16. Improving Inhibitory Control Abilities (ImpulsE)-A Promising Approach to Treat Impulsive Eating?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Preuss, Hanna; Pinnow, Marlies; Schnicker, Katja; Legenbauer, Tanja

    2017-11-01

    Although there is preliminary evidence that inhibitory control training improves impulsive eating, less is known about the effects on eating behaviour and weight loss in clinical samples. Sixty-nine treatment-seeking adults with obesity (binge-eating disorder 33.3%; other specific feeding and eating disorders 40.6%) were randomly blockwise allocated to ImpulsE, an intervention to improve inhibitory control and emotion regulation abilities or a guideline-appropriate cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based treatment as usual. Self-reported and performance-based impulsivity, eating disorder pathology and BMI were compared at baseline (T1), post-treatment (T2) and 1- or 3-month follow-up. ImpulsE led to better food-specific inhibition performance (p = .004), but groups did not differ regarding improvements in global Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) score at T2. At 3-month follow-up, binge eaters benefited most from ImpulsE (p = .028) and completers of ImpulsE demonstrated a significantly greater weight reduction (p = .030). The current findings propose ImpulsE as a promising approach to treat obesity, illustrating acceptability and additional benefits for course of weight. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

  17. Stability of Delayed Hopfield Neural Networks with Variable-Time Impulses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yangjun Pei

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper the globally exponential stability criteria of delayed Hopfield neural networks with variable-time impulses are established. The proposed criteria can also be applied in Hopfield neural networks with fixed-time impulses. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of our theoretical results.

  18. An Analysis of the Associations among Cognitive Impulsiveness, Reasoning Process, and Rational Decision Making

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana P. G. Jelihovschi

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Impulsivity may lead to several unfortunate consequences and maladaptive behaviors for both clinical and nonclinical people. It has a key role in many forms of psychopathology. Although literature has discussed the negative impact of impulsivity, few have emphasized the relationship between cognitive impulsiveness and decision making. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of cognitive impulsiveness on decision making and explore the strategies used by participants to solve problems. For this purpose, we apply two measures of impulsivity: the self-report Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11 and the performance based Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT. Moreover, we evaluate participants' reasoning processes employed to answer CRT questions based on the calculation expressions, data organization, and erasures they made while answering the CRT (note that we utilized the instruments using pen and paper. These reasoning processes are related to the role of executive functions in decision making, and its relationship with impulsiveness. The sample consists of 191 adults, who were either professionals or undergraduate students from the fields of business, management, or accounting. The results show that cognitive impulsiveness may negatively affect decision making, and that those who presented the calculation to answer the CRT questions made better decisions. Moreover, there was no difference in the strategies used by impulsive vs. nonimpulsive participants during decision making. Finally, people who inhibited their immediate answers to CRT questions performed better during decision making.

  19. An Analysis of the Associations among Cognitive Impulsiveness, Reasoning Process, and Rational Decision Making

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jelihovschi, Ana P. G.; Cardoso, Ricardo L.; Linhares, Alexandre

    2018-01-01

    Impulsivity may lead to several unfortunate consequences and maladaptive behaviors for both clinical and nonclinical people. It has a key role in many forms of psychopathology. Although literature has discussed the negative impact of impulsivity, few have emphasized the relationship between cognitive impulsiveness and decision making. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of cognitive impulsiveness on decision making and explore the strategies used by participants to solve problems. For this purpose, we apply two measures of impulsivity: the self-report Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the performance based Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT). Moreover, we evaluate participants' reasoning processes employed to answer CRT questions based on the calculation expressions, data organization, and erasures they made while answering the CRT (note that we utilized the instruments using pen and paper). These reasoning processes are related to the role of executive functions in decision making, and its relationship with impulsiveness. The sample consists of 191 adults, who were either professionals or undergraduate students from the fields of business, management, or accounting. The results show that cognitive impulsiveness may negatively affect decision making, and that those who presented the calculation to answer the CRT questions made better decisions. Moreover, there was no difference in the strategies used by impulsive vs. nonimpulsive participants during decision making. Finally, people who inhibited their immediate answers to CRT questions performed better during decision making. PMID:29375440

  20. On the limits of Kagan's impulsive reflective distinction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, B; McIntyre, L

    1976-05-01

    A logical analysis is made of the Matching Familiar Figures (MFF) Test on the basis of which children have been classified as "impulsive" or "reflective." The reflective strategy is implicitly preferred to the impulsive because the reflective child makes fewer errors though generally taking longer to make his first response. We show that the test allows the choice of a number of "game plans" and speed-accuracy tradeoffs which in practice may not be very different. Error rates may not indicate perceptual sensitivity, in any case, since sensitivity and response factors may be confounded in the error rate. Using a visual running-memory-span task to avoid the inherent difficulties of the MFF test, we found that children previously classified on the basis of that test as impulsive or reflective did not differ in recognition accuracy but did differ in response bias and response latency. Accuracy and bias are estimated by way of Luce's choice theory (Luce, 1963), and the results are discussed in those terms.