The Impact of Memory Change on Daily Life in Normal Aging and Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Parikh, Preeyam K; Troyer, Angela K; Maione, Andrea M; Murphy, Kelly J

2016-10-01

Older adults with age-normal memory changes and those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) report mild memory difficulties with everyday problems such as learning new names or remembering past events. Although the type and extent of memory changes in these populations have been well documented, little is known about how memory changes impact their everyday lives. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected from three focus groups of older adults with normal memory changes (n = 23) and two focus groups of older adults with aMCI (n = 14). A thematic analysis using the constant comparative method was used to identify the impacts of memory change on key life domains. Four major themes emerged from the two groups, including changes in feelings and views of the self, changes in relationships and social interactions, changes in work and leisure activities, and deliberate increases in compensatory behaviors. Participants described both positive and negative consequences of memory change, and these were more substantial and generally more adverse for individuals with aMCI than for those with age-normal memory changes. There are similarities and important differences in the impact of mild memory change on the everyday lives of older adults with age-normal memory changes and those with aMCI. Findings underscore the need for clinical interventions that aim to minimize the emotional impact of memory changes and that increase leisure and social activity in individuals with aMCI. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Core Body and Skin Temperature in Type 1 Narcolepsy in Daily Life; Effects of Sodium Oxybate and Prediction of Sleep Attacks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Heide, Astrid; Werth, Esther; Donjacour, Claire E H M; Reijntjes, Robert H A M; Lammers, Gert Jan; Van Someren, Eus J W; Baumann, Christian R; Fronczek, Rolf

2016-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Previous laboratory studies in narcolepsy patients showed altered core body and skin temperatures, which are hypothesised to be related to a disturbed sleep wake regulation. In this ambulatory study we assessed temperature profiles in normal daily life, and whether sleep attacks

Daily Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction across Adulthood

Science.gov (United States)

Maher, Jaclyn P.; Pincus, Aaron L.; Ram, Nilam; Conroy, David E.

2015-01-01

Physical activity is considered a valuable tool for enhancing life satisfaction. However, the processes linking these constructs likely differ across the adult lifespan. In older adults the association between physical activity and life satisfaction appears to involve usual levels of physical activity (i.e., a between-person association driven by differences between more and less active people). In younger adults the association has consistently been based on day-to-day physical activity (i.e., a within-person association driven by differences between more and less active days). To resolve this inconsistency, a daily diary study was conducted with a lifespan sample of community-dwelling adults (age 18– 89 years; N = 150) over three 21-day measurement bursts. Usual physical activity was positively associated with life satisfaction in middle and older adulthood; however, this association was not present in young adulthood. When present, this between-person association was mediated by physical and mental health. A within-person association between physical activity and life satisfaction was also present (and did not differ across age). Generally, on days when people were more physically active then was typical for them, they experienced greater life satisfaction. Age differences in life satisfaction followed a cubic trajectory: lower during emerging adulthood, higher during midlife, and lower during older adulthood. This study adds to accumulating evidence that daily fluctuations in physical activity have important implications for well-being regardless of age, and clarifies developmental differences in life satisfaction dynamics that can inform strategies for enhancing life satisfaction. PMID:26280838

For Whom the Mind Wanders, and When, Varies Across Laboratory and Daily-Life Settings.

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Kane, Michael J; Gross, Georgina M; Chun, Charlotte A; Smeekens, Bridget A; Meier, Matt E; Silvia, Paul J; Kwapil, Thomas R

2017-09-01

Undergraduates ( N = 274) participated in a weeklong daily-life experience-sampling study of mind wandering after being assessed in the lab for executive-control abilities (working memory capacity; attention-restraint ability; attention-constraint ability; and propensity for task-unrelated thoughts, or TUTs) and personality traits. Eight times a day, electronic devices prompted subjects to report on their current thoughts and context. Working memory capacity and attention abilities predicted subjects' TUT rates in the lab, but predicted the frequency of daily-life mind wandering only as a function of subjects' momentary attempts to concentrate. This pattern replicates prior daily-life findings but conflicts with laboratory findings. Results for personality factors also revealed different associations in the lab and daily life: Only neuroticism predicted TUT rate in the lab, but only openness predicted mind-wandering rate in daily life (both predicted the content of daily-life mind wandering). Cognitive and personality factors also predicted dimensions of everyday thought other than mind wandering, such as subjective judgments of controllability of thought. Mind wandering in people's daily environments and TUTs during controlled and artificial laboratory tasks have different correlates (and perhaps causes). Thus, mind-wandering theories based solely on lab phenomena may be incomplete.

Influence of socioeconomic factors on daily life activities and quality of life of Thai elderly

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Ratana Somrongthong

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background: The increasing number of older people is a significant issue in Thailand, resulted in growing demands of health and social welfare services. The study aim was to explore the influence of socioeconomic factors on activities of daily living and quality of life of Thai seniors. Design and methods: Using randomised cluster sampling, one province was sampled from each of the Central, North, Northeast and South regions, then one subdistrict sampled in each province, and a household survey used to identify the sample of 1678 seniors aged 60 years and over. The Mann-Whitney U-test and binary logistic regression were used to compare and determine the association of socioeconomic variables on quality of life and activities of daily living. Results: The findings showed that sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors were significantly related to functional capacity of daily living. Education levels were strongly associated with daily life activities, with 3.55 adjusted ORs for respondents with secondary school education. Gender was important, with females comprising 61% of dependent respondents but only 47% of independent respondents. Seniors with low incomes were more likely to be anxious in the past, present and future and less likely to accept death in the late stage, with 1.40 Adjusted ORs (95%CI: 1.02-1.92, and 0.72 (95%CI: 0.53-0.98, respectively. However, they were more likely to engage in social activities. Conclusions: While socioeconomic factors strongly indicated the functional capacity to live independently, a good quality of life also required other factors leading to happiness and life satisfaction.

Good daily habits during the early stages of life determine success throughout life

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Jun Kohyama

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This paper assesses hypothesis that sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during the early stages of life are indispensable to a successful life. Successful life was defined according to the famous cohort studies of Mischel's and Dunedin. To assess the hypothesis, neuronal elements presumably affecting early daily habits and successful life are reviewed. The effect of sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during early stages of life on the development of the prefrontal cortex has been found to be the key issue to verify the hypothesis. Socioeconomic status is found to be another issue to be studied.

Good daily habits during the early stages of life determine success throughout life.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohyama, Jun

2016-01-01

This paper assesses hypothesis that sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during the early stages of life are indispensable to a successful life. Successful life was defined according to the famous cohort studies of Mischel's and Dunedin. To assess the hypothesis, neuronal elements presumably affecting early daily habits and successful life are reviewed. The effect of sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during early stages of life on the development of the prefrontal cortex has been found to be the key issue to verify the hypothesis. Socioeconomic status is found to be another issue to be studied.

Women's experiences of daily life after anterior cervical decompression and fusion surgery: A qualitative interview study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermansen, Anna; Peolsson, Anneli; Kammerlind, Ann-Sofi; Hjelm, Katarina

2016-04-01

To explore and describe women's experiences of daily life after anterior cervical decompression and fusion surgery. Qualitative explorative design. Fourteen women aged 39-62 years (median 52 years) were included 1.5-3 years after anterior cervical decompression and fusion for cervical disc disease. Individual semi-structured interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. The women described their experiences of daily life in 5 different ways: being recovered to various extents; impact of remaining symptoms on thoughts and feelings; making daily life work; receiving support from social and occupational networks; and physical and behavioural changes due to interventions and encounters with healthcare professionals. This interview study provides insight into women's daily life after anterior cervical decompression and fusion. Whilst the subjects improved after surgery, they also experienced remaining symptoms and limitations in daily life. A variety of mostly active coping strategies were used to manage daily life. Social support from family, friends, occupational networks and healthcare professionals positively influenced daily life. These findings provide knowledge about aspects of daily life that should be considered in individualized postoperative care and rehabilitation in an attempt to provide better outcomes in women after anterior cervical decompression and fusion.

Modeling and forecasting foreign exchange daily closing prices with normal inverse Gaussian

Science.gov (United States)

Teneng, Dean

2013-09-01

We fit the normal inverse Gaussian(NIG) distribution to foreign exchange closing prices using the open software package R and select best models by Käärik and Umbleja (2011) proposed strategy. We observe that daily closing prices (12/04/2008 - 07/08/2012) of CHF/JPY, AUD/JPY, GBP/JPY, NZD/USD, QAR/CHF, QAR/EUR, SAR/CHF, SAR/EUR, TND/CHF and TND/EUR are excellent fits while EGP/EUR and EUR/GBP are good fits with a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test p-value of 0.062 and 0.08 respectively. It was impossible to estimate normal inverse Gaussian parameters (by maximum likelihood; computational problem) for JPY/CHF but CHF/JPY was an excellent fit. Thus, while the stochastic properties of an exchange rate can be completely modeled with a probability distribution in one direction, it may be impossible the other way around. We also demonstrate that foreign exchange closing prices can be forecasted with the normal inverse Gaussian (NIG) Lévy process, both in cases where the daily closing prices can and cannot be modeled by NIG distribution.

Interrelationship among the health-related and subjective quality of life, daily life activities, instrumental activities of daily living of community-dwelling elderly females in orthopedic outpatients.

Science.gov (United States)

Takemasa, Seiichi; Nakagoshi, Ryoma; Uesugi, Masayuki; Inoue, Yuri; Gotou, Makoto; Naruse, Susumu; Nanba, Yoshihumi

2017-05-01

[Purpose] This study aimed to examine the health-related and subjective quality of life of community-dwelling elderly females in orthopedic outpatients, and also examined how such quality of life correlate with their daily life activities and instrumental activities of daily living. [Subjects and Methods] Subjects were 27 community-dwelling elderly females in orthopedic outpatients (mean age: 76.3 ± 7.4 years). Their health-related quality of life and subjective quality of life, life-space assessment, frenchay activities index were researched. [Results] For the relationships between the total subjective quality of life scores and health-related quality of life scores, significant positive correlations were observed for body pain, general health, vitality, social functions and mental health. The correlations were not statistically significant between the subjective quality of life scores and the life-space assessment and frenchay activities index scores. The correlations were statistically significant between some health-related quality of life scores and the life-space assessment and frenchay activities index scores. [Conclusion] The results suggest that supporting community-dwelling elderly females in orthopedic outpatients to improve their sense of physical and mental well-being, and prevent and reduce their depression and physical pain, is required in order to improve their QOL.

Modification of the biologic dose to normal tissue by daily fraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wollin, M; Kagan, A R [Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Los Angeles Calif. (USA). Dep. of Radiation Therapy

1976-12-01

A method to predict normal tissue injury is proposed that includes high daily doses and unusual times successfully by calculating a new value called BIR (Biologic Index of Reaction). BIR and NSD were calculated for various normal tissue reactions. With the aid of statistical correlation techniques it is found that the BIR model is better than the NSD model in predicting radiation myelopathy and vocal edema and as good as NSD IN PREDICTING RIB FRACTURE/ Neither model predicts pericardial effusion. In no case were the results of BIR inferior to those of NSD.

Preservice Elementary Mathematics Teachers' Level of Relating Mathematical Concepts in Daily Life Contexts

Science.gov (United States)

Akkus, Oylum

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice elementary mathematics teachers' ability of relating mathematical concepts and daily life context. Two research questions were set; what is the preservice elementary mathematics teachers' level of relating mathematical concepts and daily life context regarding to their education year and…

Continuous Blood Pressure Monitoring in Daily Life

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Guillaume; Shuzo, Masaki; Ushida, Hiroyuki; Hidaka, Keita; Yanagimoto, Shintaro; Imai, Yasushi; Kosaka, Akio; Delaunay, Jean-Jacques; Yamada, Ichiro

Continuous monitoring of blood pressure in daily life could improve early detection of cardiovascular disorders, as well as promoting healthcare. Conventional ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) equipment can measure blood pressure at regular intervals for 24 hours, but is limited by long measuring time, low sampling rate, and constrained measuring posture. In this paper, we demonstrate a new method for continuous real-time measurement of blood pressure during daily activities. Our method is based on blood pressure estimation from pulse wave velocity (PWV) calculation, which formula we improved to take into account changes in the inner diameter of blood vessels. Blood pressure estimation results using our new method showed a greater precision of measured data during exercise, and a better accuracy than the conventional PWV method.

Physics in daily life

CERN Document Server

Hermans, Jo

2012-01-01

This book provides answers to everyday questions that any curious mind would ask, like : Why is water blue ? What makes ice so slippery ? How do we localize sound ? How do we keep our body temperature so nice and constant ? How do we survive the sauna at 90 C ? Why do large raindrops fall faster than small ones, and what exactly is their speed ? The answers are given in an accessible and playful way, and are illustrated with funny cartoons. In this book forty "Physics in Daily Life" columns, which appeared earlier in Europhysics News, are brought together in one inspiring volume. As well as being a source of enjoyment and satisfying insights for anyone with some physics background, it also serves as a very good teaching tool for science students. This booklet is a feast of erudition and humour.

Effectiveness of integrated science instructional material on pressure in daily life theme to improve digital age literacy of students

Science.gov (United States)

Asrizal; Amran, A.; Ananda, A.; Festiyed; Khairani, S.

2018-04-01

Integrated science learning and literacy skills are relevant issues in Indonesian’s education. However, the use of the integrated science learning and the integration of literacy in learning cannot be implemented well. An alternative solution of this problem is to develop integrated science instructional material on pressure in daily life theme by integrating digital age literacy. Purpose of research is to investigate the effectiveness of the use of integrated science instructional material on pressure in daily life theme to improve knowledge competence, attitudes competence and literacy skills of students. This research was a part of development research which has been conducted. In the product testing stage of this research and development was used before and after design of treatment for one sample group. Instruments to collect the data consist of learning outcomes test sheet, attitude observation sheet, and performance assessment sheet of students. Data analysis techniques include descriptive statistics analysis, normality test, homogeneity test, and paired comparison test. Therefore, the important result of research is the use of integrated science instructional material on pressure in daily life theme is effective in scientific approach to improve knowledge competence, attitudes competence, and digital age literacy skills of grade VIII students at 95% confidence level.

Daily Life Satisfaction in Older Adults as a Function of (In)Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Maher, Jaclyn P; Conroy, David E

2017-07-01

This 14-day daily diary study tested the between-person and within-person associations between sedentary behavior, physical activity, and life satisfaction in community-dwelling older adults. Older adults (n = 100) wore ActivPAL3 activity monitors for 14 days and, at the end of each day, answered questions regarding their health behaviors and life satisfaction. Separate multilevel models were tested for self-reported and objectively measured behavioral data. In the model using objectively measured behavioral data, life satisfaction was (a) negatively associated with sedentary behavior at the within-person level and unassociated with sedentary behavior at the between-person level and (b) unassociated with physical activity at either the between-person or within-person level. In the model using self-reported behavioral data, life satisfaction was (a) unassociated with sedentary behavior at either the between-person or within-person level and (2) positively associated with physical activity at the within-person, but not at the between-person, level. Results indicated that daily deviations in objectively measured sedentary behavior and self-reported physical activity have implications for older adults' well-being. Interventions designed to enhance well-being and quality of life in older adults should consider targeting daily changes in total sedentary behavior and daily changes in the volume or frequency of physical activity. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection: Child Development, Quality of Life and Impact on Daily Life.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Korndewal, Marjolein J; Oudesluys-Murphy, Anne Marie; Kroes, Aloys C M; Vossen, Ann C T M; de Melker, Hester E

2017-01-01

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is the most common congenital infection worldwide and can lead to long-term impairments such as developmental delay. It is currently unknown how this affects the daily life of children and their parents. Children For this study, children with cCMV were

Caregiver Quality of Life and Daily Functioning in Relation to Ventilating Tube Treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heidemann, Christian Hamilton; Lauridsen, Henrik Hein; Kjeldsen, Anette Drøhse

2014-01-01

and to investigate possible predictors for clinical success. STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal observational study. SETTING: Secondary care units. METHODS: Four hundred ninety-one families were enrolled in the study. The Caregiver Impact Questionnaire was applied in the assessment of caregiver quality of life. Caregivers......OBJECTIVE: Caregiver quality of life and daily functioning may improve after ventilating tube treatment in children with otitis media. The aims of this study are to assess possible changes in caregiver quality of life and daily functioning in relation to ventilating tube treatment...... completed questionnaires at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months' follow-up. Variables on caregiver daily functioning comprised 4 weeks' history of number of interrupted nights, absenteeism, cancelled social activities, and doctor visits as a result of otitis media in the child. RESULTS: Response...

Self-management in daily life with psoriasis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Gitte Susanne; Maindal, Helle Terkildsen; Lomborg, Kirsten

2012-01-01

The aim of this integrative review is to identify and discuss patient needs for education to support self-management in daily life with psoriasis. As psoriasis increasingly gains recognition as a serious chronic autoimmune skin disease with long-term impairment on the life course, and not mainly...... a cosmetic problem, nurses are highly challenged to develop efficient education to support patient self-management. The paper includes five stages: (1) problem identification, (2) literature search, (3) data evaluation, (4) data analysis and synthesis, and (5) presentation, based on theoretic scaffolding...... around the concept "need." Nineteen of 164 original papers within nursing, medicine and psychology, and reflecting patient perspective were included. To capture the patients' cultural understanding of the implications of the disease and care, we developed an interlevel model indicating that self...

Reduction of physical activity in daily life and its determinants in smokers without airflow obstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Furlanetto, Karina Couto; Mantoani, Leandro Cruz; Bisca, Gianna; Morita, Andrea Akemi; Zabatiero, Juliana; Proença, Mahara; Kovelis, Demétria; Pitta, Fabio

2014-04-01

In smokers without airflow obstruction, detailed, objective and controlled quantification of the level of physical inactivity in daily life has never been performed. This study aimed to objectively assess the level of physical activity in daily life in adult smokers without airflow obstruction in comparison with matched non-smokers, and to investigate the determinants for daily physical activity in smokers. Sixty smokers (aged 50 (39-54) years) and 50 non-smokers (aged 48 (40-53) years) matched for gender, age, anthropometric characteristics, educational level, employment status and seasons of the year assessment period were cross-sectionally assessed regarding their daily physical activity with a step counter, besides assessment of lung function, functional exercise capacity, quality of life, anxiety, depression, self-reported comorbidities carbon monoxide level, nicotine dependence and smoking habits. When compared with non-smokers, smokers walked less in daily life (7923 ± 3558 vs 9553 ± 3637 steps/day, respectively), presented worse lung function, functional exercise capacity, quality of life, anxiety and depression. Multiple regression analyses identified functional exercise capacity, Borg fatigue, self-reported motivation/physical activity behaviour and cardiac disease as significant determinants of number of steps/day in smokers (partial r(2)  = 0.10, 0.12, 0.16 and 0.05; b = 15, -997, 1207 and -2330 steps/day, respectively; overall fit of the model R(2)  = 0.38; P smokers without airflow obstruction presented reduced level of daily physical activity. Functional exercise capacity, extended fatigue sensation, aspects of motivation/physical activity behaviour and self-reported cardiac disease are significant determinants of physical activity in daily life in smokers. © 2014 The Authors. Respirology © 2014 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Compliance, clinical outcome, and quality of life of patients with stable angina pectoris receiving once-daily betaxolol versus twice daily metoprolol: a randomized controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Przemyslaw Kardas

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Przemyslaw KardasThe First Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of LodzBackground: A randomized, controlled trial was conducted in an outpatient setting to examine the effect of beta-blocker dosing frequency on patient compliance, clinical outcome, and health-related quality of life in patients with stable angina pectoris.Methods: One hundred and twelve beta-blockers-naive outpatients with stable angina pectoris were randomized to receive betaxolol, 20 mg once daily or metoprolol tartrate, 50 mg twice daily for 8 weeks. The principal outcome measure was overall compliance measured electronically, whereas secondary outcome measures were drug effectiveness and health-related quality of life.Results: The overall compliance was 86.5 ± 21.3% in the betaxolol group versus 76.1 ± 26.3% in the metoprolol group (p < 0.01, and the correct number of doses was taken on 84.4 ± 21.6% and 64.0 ± 31.7% of treatment days, respectively (p < 0.0001. The percentage of missed doses was 14.5 ± 21.5% in the once-daily group and 24.8 ± 26.4% in the twice-daily group (p < 0.01. The percentage of doses taken in the correct time window (58.6% vs 42.0%, p = 0.01, correct interdose intervals (77.4% v 53.1%, p < 0.0001, and therapeutic coverage (85.6% vs 73.7%, p < 0.001 were significantly higher in the once-daily group. Both studied drugs had similar antianginal effectiveness. Health-related quality of life improved in both groups, but this increase was more pronounced in the betaxolol arm in some dimensions.Conclusions: The study demonstrates that patient compliance with once-daily betaxolol is significantly better than with twice daily metoprolol. Similarly, this treatment provides better quality of life. These results demonstrate possible therapeutic advantages of once-daily over twice-daily beta-blockers in the treatment of stable angina pectoris.Keywords: patient compliance, quality of life, stable angina pectoris, randomized controlled trial

Recreating Daily life in Pompeii

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann

2010-05-01

Full Text Available We propose an integrated Mixed Reality methodology for recreating ancient daily life that features realistic simulations of animated virtual human actors (clothes, body, skin, face who augment real environments and re-enact staged storytelling dramas. We aim to go further from traditional concepts of static cultural artifacts or rigid geometrical and 2D textual augmentations and allow for 3D, interactive, augmented historical character-based event representations in a mobile and wearable setup. This is the main contribution of the described work as well as the proposed extensions to AR Enabling technologies: a VR/AR character simulation kernel framework with real-time, clothed virtual humans that are dynamically superimposed on live camera input, animated and acting based on a predefined, historically correct scenario. We demonstrate such a real-time case study on the actual site of ancient Pompeii.

The stress of food allergy issues in daily life.

Science.gov (United States)

Peniamina, Rana L; Mirosa, Miranda; Bremer, Philip; Conner, Tamlin S

2016-06-01

Food allergies are a growing health concern, but their implications for daily psychological functioning are unknown. This micro-longitudinal study investigated the daily frequency of food allergy issues and how this related to experiences of stress, mood and physical energy. One hundred and eight adults with physician-diagnosed food allergies completed an initial Internet survey followed by a 2-week Internet daily diary survey. The initial survey collected socio-demographic and food allergy information. The daily survey collected information about the participants' experiences of stress, mood, physical energy and food allergy issues during that day. Commonly experienced allergy issues included negative physical symptoms, higher food prices, anxiety about safety of food, trouble maintaining a healthy diet and anxiety/stress at social occasions. Furthermore, multilevel modelling analyses showed that stress and negative mood were significantly higher on days with more allergy issues. Older adults experienced lower positive mood and physical energy on days with more issues. This is the first study to incorporate near to real-time tracking to examine the frequency of food allergy issues and the implications for daily psychological functioning. Targeting the issues we identified could reduce stress in patients with food allergies and improve their overall quality of life.

Neural predictors of emotional inertia in daily life.

Science.gov (United States)

Waugh, Christian E; Shing, Elaine Z; Avery, Bradley M; Jung, Youngkyoo; Whitlow, Christopher T; Maldjian, Joseph A

2017-09-01

Assessing emotional dynamics in the brain offers insight into the fundamental neural and psychological mechanisms underlying emotion. One such dynamic is emotional inertia-the influence of one's emotional state at one time point on one's emotional state at a subsequent time point. Emotion inertia reflects emotional rigidity and poor emotion regulation as evidenced by its relationship to depression and neuroticism. In this study, we assessed changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) from before to after an emotional task and used these changes to predict stress, positive and negative emotional inertia in daily life events. Cerebral blood flow changes in the lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC) predicted decreased non-specific emotional inertia, suggesting that the lPFC may feature a general inhibitory mechanism responsible for limiting the impact that an emotional state from one event has on the emotional state of a subsequent event. CBF changes in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and lateral occipital cortex were associated with positive emotional inertia and negative/stress inertia, respectively. These data advance the blossoming literature on the temporal dynamics of emotion in the brain and on the use of neural indices to predict mental health-relevant behavior in daily life. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

Improvement in social function and health-related quality of life after shunt surgery for idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus.

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Jakob; Hellström, Per; Wikkelsø, Carsten; Lundgren-Nilsson, Asa

2014-10-01

To investigate the impact of shunt surgery on the activity, participation, autonomy, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) as well as the effect on caregiver burden. Thirty-seven patients (median age 70 years, range 50-89 years) with iNPH were evaluated before and 6 months after surgery. Symptoms and signs were assessed by the iNPH scale, activities of daily living (ADL) with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS), autonomy and participation with Impact on Participation and Autonomy (IPA), and caregiver burden with the Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS). HRQOL was evaluated with the EQ-5D (EuroQol Group-5 Dimension health survey). Twenty-four patients (65%) improved clinically (iNPH scale score) and 31 (86%) improved their HRQOL after surgery, almost to the same level as found in the normal population. The patients became more independent in physical and cognitive activities, and participation and autonomy improved. The caregiver burden was decreased among caregivers to male patients but remained unchanged on the overall group level. After shunt surgery, patients with iNPH showed improvement in most aspects of social life, they became more independent, and their quality of life returned to nearly normal.

Transition from hospital to daily life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Missel, Malene; Schønau, Mai Nanna; Pedersen, Jesper Holst

2014-01-01

, results showed that significantly more patients were offered physical rehabilitation, were aware of where to seek help after discharge, and experienced support to get back to daily life. CONCLUSIONS: A systematic rehabilitation counseling obliges some of the concerns lung cancer patients might have......PURPOSE: To assess the effect of nurse-led systematic rehabilitation counseling performed before discharge to prevent concerns in the hospital-to-home gap in rehabilitation of lung cancer patients after surgery. DESIGN AND METHOD: A quasi-experimental intervention study. One hundred twenty patients...... with operable non-small cell lung cancer admitted for surgery participated. Outcome was assessed by a validated self-rating questionnaire. The intervention was performed at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark. RESULTS: Following nurse-led rehabilitation counseling...

Situation-Based Contingencies Underlying Wisdom-Content Manifestations: Examining Intellectual Humility in Daily Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Zachry, Corinne E; Phan, Le Vy; Blackie, Laura E R; Jayawickreme, Eranda

2018-02-21

Existing assessments of intellectual humility (IH)-a key component of wisdom-do not examine its manifestation in daily life while sufficiently focusing on the core idea of the construct: owning up to one's intellectual shortcomings. The present research sought to examine situational contingencies underlying daily manifestations of IH-relevant characteristics. We developed a trait version of the State-Trait IH Scale in two studies and subsequently examined daily manifestations of IH-relevant characteristics utilizing a contextualized state version of the State-Trait IH Scale in a 21-day experience sampling study. Here we tested how specific situational contingencies (associated with the context and the personality of the individual with whom participants engaged) influenced the manifestation of IH-relevant qualities. We found strong evidence for the validity of both versions of the scale. Specifically, the state measure exhibited high within-person variability, and aggregated state assessments were strongly correlated with the trait measure. Additionally, morality positively predicted manifestation of IH, while disagreeableness negatively predicted manifestation of IH. These results offer new directions for research on the expression of wisdom-related characteristics in daily life.

Aerosol delivery from spacers in wheezy infants: a daily life study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H.M. Janssens (Hettie); E.M. Heijnen; V.M. de Jong; W.C.J. Hop (Wim); W.P. Holland (Wim); J.C. de Jongste (Johan); H.A.W.M. Tiddens (Harm)

2000-01-01

textabstractThe aims of this study were to assess and compare dose delivery and dose variability of pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDI)/spacers in wheezy infants in daily life and to investigate factors influencing aerosol delivery. In an open randomized

Daily-life gait quality as predictor of falls in older people: A 1-year prospect cohort study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schooten, van K.S.; Pijnappels, M.A.G.M.; Rispens, S.M.; Elders, P.J.M.; Lips, P.; Daffertshofer, A.; Beek, P.J.; Dieen, van J.H.

2016-01-01

Falls can have devastating consequences for older people. We determined the relationship between the likelihood of fall incidents and daily-life behavior. We used wearable sensors to assess habitual physical activity and daily-life gait quality (in terms of e.g. stability, variability, smoothness

Analysis of Daily Life Time in Women's Junior College Students

OpenAIRE

樫村, 修生

1992-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was understand the correlationship between the energy expenditure of living activity and body structure or physical fitness in the students of a women's junior college. The resulut were as follows; It was shown that the physical activites in the daily life was necessary for prevention of obesity in the students.

The reciprocity of prosocial behavior and positive affect in daily life

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Snippe, Evelien; Jeronimus, Bertus F; Aan Het Rot, Marije; Bos, Elisabeth H; de Jonge, Peter; Wichers, Marieke

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether prosocial behaviors help sustain a positive mood, we tested the dynamic reciprocal associations between prosocial behavior and positive affect (PA) in daily life. A second aim was to examine whether the personality traits neuroticism and extraversion moderate these

A daily analysis of physical activity and satisfaction with life in emerging adults.

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Maher, Jaclyn P; Doerksen, Shawna E; Elavsky, Steriani; Hyde, Amanda L; Pincus, Aaron L; Ram, Nilam; Conroy, David E

2013-06-01

Subjective well-being has well-established positive health consequences. During emerging adulthood, from ages 18 to 25 years, people's global evaluations of their well-being (i.e., satisfaction with life [SWL]) appear to worsen more than any other time in the adult life span, indicating that this population would benefit from strategies to enhance SWL. In these studies, we investigated top-down (i.e., time-invariant, trait-like) and bottom-up (i.e., time-varying, state-like) influences of physical activity (PA) on daily SWL. Two daily diary studies lasting 8 days (N = 190) and 14 days (N = 63) were conducted with samples of emerging adults enrolled in college to evaluate relations between daily PA and SWL while controlling for established and plausible top-down and bottom-up influences on SWL. In both studies, multilevel models indicated that people reported greater SWL on days when they were more active (a within-person, bottom-up effect). Top-down effects of PA were not significant in either study. These findings were robust when we controlled for competing top-down influences (e.g., sex, personality traits, self-esteem, body mass index, mental health symptoms, fatigue) and bottom-up influences (e.g., daily self-esteem, daily mental health symptoms, daily fatigue). We concluded that SWL was impacted by people's daily PA rather than their trait level of PA over time. These findings extend evidence that PA is a health behavior with important consequences for daily well-being and should be considered when developing national policies to enhance SWL. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Embedded spirituality: gardening in daily life and stressful life experiences.

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Unruh, Anita; Hutchinson, Susan

2011-09-01

There is a limited body of research examining the relationship between spirituality and leisure, or the impact of leisure in the context of daily life, and life with stressful events. To examine the meaning of gardens and gardening across different life experiences using hermeneutic phenomenology to focus on the lived experience of leisure gardening. Most participants were interviewed once in each season over a 1 year period usually in their home. There were 42 participants (27 women and 15 men) in this study. Fifteen individuals had been diagnosed with cancer and were in varying stages of diagnosis and treatment. Three people had a chronic and progressive disease. Four women were grieving the death of their spouse. Participants ranged in age from 32 to 80 years. In this paper, we focus on the spirituality-related themes in this study: spirituality as connectedness; spirituality as an expression of inner being; the garden as a spiritual place and gardening as spiritual activity; gardening as a spiritual journey; and, stewardship. Participants with religious views saw their garden as an extension of their spirituality and a confirmation of their beliefs. Participants with secular or sacred views of spirituality that was not related to any religious beliefs were more likely to embed their spirituality in their relationship with nature as manifested in their garden. This study extends current theory regarding leisure and its contribution to meaning focused coping, and spirituality as a significant component of leisure in living with stressful health and life events. © 2011 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2011 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Lower limb lymphedema in gynecological cancer survivors--effect on daily life functioning.

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Dunberger, Gail; Lindquist, Helene; Waldenström, Ann-Charlotte; Nyberg, Tommy; Steineck, Gunnar; Åvall-Lundqvist, Elisabeth

2013-11-01

Lower limb lymphedema (LLL) is a common condition after pelvic cancer treatment but few studies have evaluated its effect on the quality of life and its consequences on daily life activities among gynecological cancer survivors. We identified a cohort of 789 eligible women, treated with pelvic radiotherapy alone or as part of combined treatment of gynecological cancer, from 1991 to 2003 at two departments of gynecological oncology in Sweden. As a preparatory study, we conducted in-depth interviews with gynecological cancer survivors and constructed a study-specific questionnaire which we validated face-to-face. The questionnaire covered physical symptoms originating in the pelvis, demographic, psychological, and quality of life factors. In relation to the lymph system, 19 questions were asked. Six hundred sixteen (78 %) gynecological cancer survivors answered the questionnaire and participated in the study. Thirty-six percent (218/606) of the cancer survivors reported LLL. Overall quality of life was significantly lower among cancer survivors with LLL. They were also less satisfied with their sleep, more worried about recurrence of cancer, and more likely to interpret symptoms from the body as recurrence. Cancer survivors reported that LLL kept them from physical activity (45 %) and house work (29 %) and affected their ability to partake in social activities (27 %) or to meet friends (20 %). Lower limb lymphedema has a negative impact on quality of life among gynecological cancer survivors, affecting sleep and daily life activities, yet only a few seek professional help.

"La Familia" as "Locus Theologicus" and Religious Education in "Lo Cotidiano" [Daily Life

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Torres, Valerie

2010-01-01

Latinas/os are deeply religious, and their way of expressing and experiencing God and life is often different from that of the U.S. dominant culture. With the importance of family, community, and the belief that God is actively present in daily life in a Latino context, this article explores the interplay between "la familia" as "locus…

A Conceptual Model for Teaching the Relationship of Daily Life and Human Environmental Impact to Ecological Function

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Wyner, Yael

2013-01-01

In the general activity of daily life, it is easy to miss our dependency on the Earth's ecology. At the same time that people are living apparently separate from the environment, our impact on the Earth is increasing. This study seeks to understand how teachers can bridge this persistent disconnect of daily life from ecology and human impact.…

Daily life for eight urban gay men with HIV/AIDS.

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Bedell, G

2000-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to gain an understanding of the daily life experiences of eight gay men with HIV/AIDS living alone in New York City. The participants ranged in age from 25 to 50 years. Data were primarily collected using in-depth personal interviews in 1996 followed by telephone interviews 1 year later. Constant-comparison and thematic analyses were used to identify themes and subthemes. Two broad themes with related subthemes were generated from the data. "A Reasonably Stable Base" represented the emotional, physical, and environmental foundation that preexisted or was created as a consequence of living with HIV/AIDS. This theme played a particularly important role in the participants' lives, especially during periods of emotional and physical instability. "Finding and Maintaining Balance" was a second theme that illustrated strategies used for managing and readjusting daily routines, goals, and priorities, as well as how the participants experienced this readjustment process. All of the participants developed their own daily living strategies that were comparable to intervention methods provided in occupational therapy such as energy conservation and work simplification. The findings suggest that occupational therapy practitioners could potentially assist urban gay men with HIV/AIDS with finding and maintaining stability and balance in their daily lives.

Quality of life in children with cancer and their normal siblings

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Hilda Hilda

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background Cancer treatment in children influences the quality of life of patients and their families. The Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL inventory is a questionnaire to assess quality of life of the healthy and ill children. Objective To compare quality of life in children with cancer and their normal siblings, and to compare quality of life in those with hematologic malignancies to those with solid tumors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 5-to-18- year-olds at the Hematology-Oncology Division at Haji Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, North Sumatera, from May to July 2012. The case group (subjects with cancer filled the PedsQL 3.0 and 4.0 questionnaires, while the control group (normal siblings filled only the PedsQL 4.0 questionnaire. Independent T-test was used to compare the quality of life between children with cancer and their normal siblings. Results There were 46 children in each group. The PedsQL 4.0 results in children with cancer and their normal siblings, and PedsQL 3.0 between hematology malignant and solid cancer were as follows: physical function 36.9 vs. 80.7, respectively (95%CI of differences -52.639 to -34.990; P= 0.0001, emotional function 40.4 vs. 69.3, respectively (95%CI of differences -35.912 to -21.914; P=0.0001, social function 71.5 vs. 93.9, respectively (95%CI of differences - 29.238 to -15.587; P=0.0001, school function 20.7 vs. 74.2, respectively (95%CI of differences - 62.124 to -44.832; P=0.0001, and total score 42.1 vs. 79.3, respectively (95%CI of differences - 43.066 to -31.344; P=0.0001. School function was the most affected parameter in children with cancer compared to their normal siblings. Conclusion There is a significant difference in quality of life between children with cancer and their normal siblings, for all four parameters examined by the PedsQL inventory. However, there are no significant differences in quality of life between children with hematologic malignancy and those with

Associations between women's subjective perceptions of daily occupations and life satisfaction, and the role of perceived control.

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Håkansson, Carita; Björkelund, Cecilia; Eklund, Mona

2011-12-01

More knowledge is needed about the role of perceived control in the associations between different perceptions of daily occupations and positive health outcomes. The aim was to explore the associations between different subjective perceptions of daily occupations, in terms of occupational balance, occupational meaning, occupational value and satisfaction with occupations, and life satisfaction, and the role of perceived control in those associations. A questionnaire including questions about perceptions of daily occupations, perceived control and life satisfaction were answered by a random sample of 488 middle-aged Swedish women. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to test the associations between perceptions of daily occupations and life satisfaction, and the role of perceived control. After adjustments for perceived control women who perceived a high level of satisfaction with work and leisure, occupational balance, occupational meaning and occupational value perceived greater life satisfaction than the other women. Perceived control was not significant in the model. It seems that occupational balance and occupational meaning were pivotal for the women's life satisfaction, but satisfaction with work and leisure, as well as perceived occupational value, was also of importance. The assumption that perceived control would have a role in the association between perceptions of occupations and life satisfaction was not confirmed. The results indicate that occupational therapists need to focus on occupational balance, occupational meaning, occupational value and satisfaction with work and leisure to promote positive health outcomes, in terms of life satisfaction, when working with middle-aged female clients. © 2011 The Authors. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2011 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Difficulties in daily life reported by patients with homonymous visual field defects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heutink, Jochem; de Haan, Gera; Melis-Dankers, Bart; Brouwer, Wiebo; Tucha, Oliver

2015-01-01

Background: Homonymous visual field defects (HVFDs) are a common consequence of posterior brain injury and may have a substantial influence on ADL and participation in society. In this study we analysed self-reported visionrelated difficulties in daily life in a group of patients with HVFDs.

Daily life negative mood and exhaled nitric oxide in asthma.

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Ritz, Thomas; Kullowatz, Antje; Bill, Michelle N; Rosenfield, David

2016-07-01

Psychosocial stress and negative affect have been linked to asthma exacerbations, but longitudinal studies demonstrating a daily life association between negative affect and airway nitric oxide are missing. The longitudinal association between negative mood fluctuations, exhaled nitric oxide, and lung function in asthma was examined. Self-assessments of the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), spirometry (forced expiratory volume in the first second, FEV1), negative mood, and daily activities were obtained from 20 patients with asthma for 2 months, resulting in 1108 assessments for the analyses (approximately 55 per patient). Concurrent and prospective associations between FeNO, FEV1, and negative mood were analyzed using mixed effects regression models for longitudinal data. Negative mood was positively associated with changes in FeNO during the same day, and to a stronger extent when prior day negative mood was included in the prediction. FeNO and negative mood were positively associated with same-day FEV1, with the latter relation being partially mediated by changes in FeNO. Associations between FeNO and FEV1 were stronger in younger patients, with earlier onset of asthma, or with lower asthma control. Findings were not changed when controlling for physical activity, medication, cold symptoms, air pollution, and hours spent outside. Daily life changes of negative mood in asthma are positively associated with FeNO changes and FeNO increases are associated with a mild bronchodilation. These findings indicate that psychological influences need to be considered when using FeNO as indicator of airway inflammation and guide for treatment decisions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[The impact of Glivec related side effects on daily life in Chinese patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase].

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Yu, L; Wang, H B; Huang, X J; Jiang, Q

2016-07-01

To explore the impact of Glivec related side effects on daily life in Chinese patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase (CP). From May to November in 2014, anonymous questionnaires were distributed to adult CML patients who were receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) treatment in China. The impact of TKI related side effects on daily life were assessed by the score of 1 (no impact) to 5 (high impact) from patient self- report. Data from 548 respondents in the CP on Glivec were collected. 303(55%) cases were male with the median age of 40 years (range, 18 to 88 years). 437 (80% ) cases started Glivec treatment within one year after diagnosis with a median treatment duration of 3 years (range, effects were edema (n=278, 51% ), fatigue (n=218, 40% ), gastrointestinal disorders (n=190, 35%), muscle cramps (n=118, 22%), skin color changes (n=118, 22%), weight gain (n=71, 13%), rash (n=60, 11%), hepatic function abnormality (n=55, 10%), and cytopenia (n=38, 7%). Among the 548 respondents, the mean score of Glivec-related side effects on daily life was 2.4±1.2. There was no negative impact of Glivec related side effects on daily life in 161(29%) respondents. 295 (54% ) and 92 (17% ) respondents reported slightly or moderately (2- 3 score) and significantly decreased (4-5 score) daily life, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that Glivec treatment duration effects including fatigue (OR=2.9, 95% CI 2.1-4.1;Pnegative effect on daily life. Daily life was impaired seriously in a minority of Chinese CML patients who received Glivec, especially in the first 4 years of treatment. Fatigue, edema, gastrointestinal disorders, rash and hepatic function abnormality were side effects associated with negative impact on patients' daily life.

Restrictions in daily life after retinoblastoma from the perspective of the survivors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dijk, J.; Oostrom, K.J.; Huisman, J.; Moll, A.C.; Cohen-Kettenis, P.T.; Ringens, P.J.; Imhof, S.M.

2010-01-01

Background. Little is known about the impact of retinoblastoma (RB) on the health status of survivors in terms of disabilities and worries, both of which may restrict participation in activities of daily life. Methods. In this population-based cross-sectional study, content analysis was used to

Development of the Contentment with Life Assessment Scale (CLAS): Using Daily Life Experiences to Verify Levels of Self-Reported Life Satisfaction

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Lavallee, Loraine F.; Hatch, P. Maurine; Michalos, Alex C.; McKinley, Tara

2007-01-01

On average, Anglo-Americans report that they are satisfied with their lives, but their global evaluations tend to deviate from their daily experiences (e.g., Oishi [2002, "Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin" 28(10), 1398-1406]). We explored the hypothesis that the average life satisfaction of Anglo-Americans is better characterized as…

Assessment of Oral Conditions and Quality of Life in Morbid Obese and Normal Weight Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study.

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Joselene Martinelli Yamashita

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to identify the impact of oral disease on the quality of life of morbid obese and normal weight individuals. Cohort was composed of 100 morbid-obese and 50 normal-weight subjects. Dental caries, community periodontal index, gingival bleeding on probing (BOP, calculus, probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level, dental wear, stimulated salivary flow, and salivary pH were used to evaluate oral diseases. Socioeconomic and the oral impacts on daily performances (OIDP questionnaires showed the quality of life in both groups. Unpaired Student, Fisher's Exact, Chi-Square, Mann-Whitney, and Multiple Regression tests were used (p<0.05. Obese showed lower socio-economic level than control group, but no differences were found considering OIDP. No significant differences were observed between groups considering the number of absent teeth, bruxism, difficult mastication, calculus, initial caries lesion, and caries. However, saliva flow was low, and the salivary pH was changed in the obese group. Enamel wear was lower and dentine wear was higher in obese. More BOP, insertion loss, and periodontal pocket, especially the deeper ones, were found in obese subjects. The regression model showed gender, smoking, salivary pH, socio-economic level, periodontal pocket, and periodontal insertion loss significantly associated to obesity. However, both OIDP and BOP did not show significant contribution to the model. The quality of life of morbid obese was more negatively influenced by oral disease and socio-economic factors than in normal weight subjects.

The relationships among Muslim Uyghur and Kazakh disabled elders' life satisfaction, activity of daily living, and informal family caregiver's burden, depression, and life satisfaction in far western China: A structural equation model.

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Wang, Wen Ting; He, Bin; Wang, Yu Huan; Wang, Mei Yan; Chen, Xue Feng; Wu, Fu Chen; Yang, Xue

2017-04-01

1 Hypothesis Disabled elders' activities of daily living, caregiver burden, caregiver depression, and caregivers' life satisfaction are significantly related to the life satisfaction of elderly people with disability. 2 Hypothesis There are direct and indirect effects between the life satisfaction of elders, disabled elders' activities of daily living, and family caregivers' factors. This study explored the interrelationships of disabled elders' life satisfaction and activities of daily living, caregivers' factors (burden, depression, and life satisfaction) through a structural equation model. In total, 621 dyads of disabled elders and informal family caregivers completed questionnaires during face-to-face interviews in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region from September 2013 to January 2014. Activity of daily living exerted a direct effect on life satisfaction of disabled elders and 30.4% indirect effect through caregivers' factors. Caregiver burden had a 60.0% direct effect on life satisfaction of disabled elders and a 40.0% indirect effect through the caregiver depression. Caregiver depression showed 76% direct effect on life satisfaction of disabled elders and 24% indirect effect through caregivers' life satisfaction. Direct relationships between activity of daily living and caregiver burden, caregiver burden and caregiver depression, and caregiver depression and caregivers' life satisfaction were observed. Activity of daily living had a 91.3% indirect effect on caregiver depression mediated by caregiver burden; caregiver burden had a 40.0% indirect effect on caregivers' life satisfaction mediated by caregiver depression. Results provide useful information for nurses and policymakers and shed light on the need to consider caregivers' factors in improving care recipients' life satisfaction. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Daily Life elevations in the poetry of Maria Lúcia Dal Farra: three poems in perspective

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Kalina Naro Guimarães

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the lyrics of one of the great names of the contemporary Brazilian poetry, Maria Lúcia Dal Farra, based on the analysis of three poems - Manhã, Culinária and Sustância -, included in Livro de auras (1994, the first literary work published by the author. The objective was to investigate how, in these poems, the daily life is problematized, as a generalizing and repetitive space, characterized by the immediacy and lack of reflection, in favor of a poetry that places this daily life aspect in the female universe and, with an intense meditative tone, reconnects the lost human ties, weaving a mythical time. This encounter dramatizes a poetic attitude that, plunging into experiences considered trivial, makes current the space taken by the affective memory and filled with a sense of belonging and perpetuates it. After the attempt to theoretically comprehend the daily life (Kujawski, 1991; Heller, 1992; Maffesoli, 1998, followed by the poems’ literary analysis, the conclusion reached is that the path that starts at the present day and reaches the essential meaning revelation configures important formal and perspective traits in the figuration of this lyric’s universe.

Impact of continuous in-home rehabilitation on quality of life and activities of daily living in elderly clients over 1 year.

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Imanishi, Miyuki; Tomohisa, Hisao; Higaki, Kazuo

2017-11-01

To verify the effect of in-home rehabilitation on quality of life and activities of daily living in elderly clients. In this non-randomized controlled intervention trial, elderly participants were separated into a rehabilitation or a non-rehabilitation group (n = 100 each). The non-rehabilitation group received basic in-home nursing care, including assistance with cooking, cleaning, toileting, meals and medication. The rehabilitation group received a physical treatment program provided by a licensed professional once a week and basic nursing care in the home. For each group, quality of life and activities of daily living were assessed approximately every 3 months over a 1-year period. Quality of life was evaluated using the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale, and activities of daily living were evaluated based on the Functional Independence Measure. The rehabilitation group showed statistically significant improvements in both quality of life and activities of daily living. In contrast, the non-rehabilitation group, although showing slight improvement in quality of life at 9 months, showed almost no effects at the other time-points and no significant changes in activities of daily living over the course of the study. The results of the present study suggest that long-term continuous in-home rehabilitation might improve quality of life and activities of daily living in elderly clients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1866-1872. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Dealing with Daily Challenges in Dementia (Deal-id Study): An Experience Sampling Study to Assess Caregivers' Sense of Competence and Experienced Positive Affect in Daily Life.

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van Knippenberg, Rosalia J M; de Vugt, Marjolein E; Ponds, Rudolf W; Myin-Germeys, Inez; Verhey, Frans R J

2017-08-01

Positive emotions and feelings of competence seem to play an important role in the well-being of caregivers of people with dementia. Both are likely to fluctuate constantly throughout the caretaking process. Unlike standard retrospective methods, momentary assessments in daily life can provide insight into these moment-to-moment fluctuations. Therefore, in this study both retrospective and momentary assessments were used to examine the relationship between caregivers' sense of competence and their experienced positive affect (PA) in daily life. Thirty Dutch caregivers provided momentary data on PA and daily sense of competence ratings for 6 consecutive days using the experience sampling methodology. Additionally, they reported retrospectively on their sense of competence with a traditional questionnaire. A positive association was found between retrospective and daily measured sense of competence. Caregivers reported corresponding levels of sense of competence on both measures. Both daily and retrospective sense of competence were positively associated with the experienced levels of PA. However, daily sense of competence appeared to be the strongest predictor. Regarding the variability in PA, only daily sense of competence showed a significant association, with a higher daily sense of competence predicting a more stable PA pattern. This study provides support for redirecting caregiver support interventions toward enhancement of positive rather than negative experiences and focusing more on caregivers' momentary emotional experiences. Momentary assessments are a valuable addition to standard retrospective measures and provide a more comprehensive and dynamic view of caregiver functioning. Copyright © 2016 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Benefits of a working memory training program for inattention in daily life: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Megan Spencer-Smith

Full Text Available Many common disorders across the lifespan feature impaired working memory (WM. Reported benefits of a WM training program include improving inattention in daily life, but this has not been evaluated in a meta-analysis. This study aimed to evaluate whether one WM training method has benefits for inattention in daily life by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.We searched Medline and PsycINFO, relevant journals and contacted authors for studies with an intervention and control group reporting post-training estimates of inattention in daily life. To reduce the influence of different WM training methods on the findings, the review was restricted to trials evaluating the Cogmed method. A meta-analysis calculated the pooled standardised difference in means (SMD between intervention and control groups.A total of 622 studies were identified and 12 studies with 13 group comparisons met inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed a significant training effect on inattention in daily life, SMD=-0.47, 95% CI -0.65, -0.29, p<.00001. Subgroup analyses showed this significant effect was observed in groups of children and adults as well as users with and without ADHD, and in studies using control groups that were active and non-adaptive, wait-list and passive as well as studies using specific or general measures. Seven of the studies reported follow-up assessment and a meta-analysis showed persisting training benefits for inattention in daily life, SMD=-0.33, 95% CI -0.57 -0.09, p=.006. Additional meta-analyses confirmed improvements after training on visuospatial WM, SMD=0.66, 95% CI 0.43, 0.89, p<.00001, and verbal WM tasks, SMD=0.40, 95% CI 0.18, 0.62, p=.0004.Benefits of a WM training program generalise to improvements in everyday functioning. Initial evidence shows that the Cogmed method has significant benefits for inattention in daily life with a clinically relevant effect size.

Characteristics of the activity-affect association in inactive people: an ambulatory assessment study in daily life.

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Birte eVon Haaren

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Acute and regular exercise as well as physical activity is related to wellbeing and positive affect. Recent studies have shown that even daily, unstructured physical activities increase positive affect. However, the attempt to achieve adherence to physical activity or exercise in inactive people through public health interventions has often been unsuccessful. Most studies analyzing the activity-affect association in daily life, did not report participants´ habitual activity behavior. Thus, samples included active and inactive people, but they did not necessarily exhibit the same affective reactions to physical activity in daily life. Therefore the present study investigated whether the association between physical activity and subsequent affective state in daily life can also be observed in inactive individuals. We conducted a pilot study with 29 inactive university students (mean age 21.3 yrs ± 1.7 using the method of ambulatory assessment. Affect was assessed via electronic diary and physical activity was measured with accelerometers. Participants had to rate affect every two hours on a six item bipolar scale reflecting the three basic mood dimensions energetic arousal, valence and calmness. We calculated activity intensity level (mean Metabolic Equivalent (MET value and the amount of time spent in light activity over the last 15 minutes before every diary prompt and conducted within-subject correlations. We did not find significant associations between activity intensity and the three mood dimensions. Due to the high variability in within-subject correlations we conclude that not all inactive people show the same affective reactions to physical activity in daily life. Analyzing the physical activity-affect association of inactive people was difficult due to little variance and distribution of the assessed variables. Interactive assessment and randomized controlled trials might help solving these problems. Future studies should examine

Obesity in young Dutch adults: II, daily life-style and body mass index.

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Baecke, J A; Burema, J; Frijters, J E; Hautvast, J G; van der Wiel-Wetzels, W A

1983-01-01

The relationships between aspects of daily life-style and age, level of education, and body mass index (BMI; weight/height) were studied in young adult males (n = 1765) and females (n = 2092) in three age groups (19-21, 24-26 and 29-31 yr) in a Dutch population. By means of principal-components analysis five conceptually meaningful factors could be distinguished within the aspects of daily life-style which were considered. These factors were interpreted as constructs of: (1) slimming behaviour; (2) behaviour characterized by the consumption of coffee and alcohol, smoking habits and the number of hours sleep per night (CASS behaviour); (3) eating sweet and savoury snacks between meals; (4) health-conscious behaviour; and (5) physical activity. After adjustments were made for age and level of education, multiple regression analysis showed that slimming behaviour was positively related to BMI in both sexes, CASS behaviour was positively related to BMI in males, and health-conscious behaviour was inversely related to BMI in both sexes. An observed positive relationship between BMI and occupational physical activity in males could be explained by a confounding effect of socio-economic status. The observed weak positive relationship between number of hours active sport per month and BMI in males is possibly due to a difference in lean body mass. The consumption of sweet and savoury snacks was not related to BMI in either sex. These findings suggest that the daily life-style variables should be interpreted as indicators of more general types of behaviour, some of which may be important determinants of obesity.

Pathological Narcissism and Interpersonal Behavior in Daily Life

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Roche, Michael J.; Pincus, Aaron L.; Conroy, David E.; Hyde, Amanda L.; Ram, Nilam

2014-01-01

The Cognitive-Affective Processing System (CAPS) has been proposed as a useful meta-framework for integrating contextual differences in situations with individual differences in personality pathology. In this article, we evaluated the potential of combining the CAPS meta-framework and contemporary interpersonal theory to investigate how individual differences in pathological narcissism influenced interpersonal functioning in daily life. University students (N = 184) completed event-contingent reports about interpersonal interactions across a 7-day diary study. Using multilevel regression models, we found that combinations of narcissistic expression (grandiosity, vulnerability) were associated with different interpersonal behavior patterns reflective of interpersonal dysfunction. These results are among the first to empirically demonstrate the usefulness of the CAPS model to conceptualize personality pathology through the patterning of if-then interpersonal processes. PMID:23205698

Daily life support for older adults evaluated by commissioned welfare volunteers

OpenAIRE

Onishi, Joji

2016-01-01

Japan has a unique system of commissioned welfare volunteers who are familiar with neighborhoods and can identify the households requiring assistance and connect them to public support. In the present study, an anonymous self-rated questionnaire was delivered to commissioned welfare volunteers to clarify the daily life supports provided for elderly households requiring assistance, and 2270 data were collected. The questionnaires included information about elderly households requiring assistan...

Restrictions in daily life after retinoblastoma from the perspective of the survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

van Dijk, Jennifer; Oostrom, Kim J; Huisman, Jaap; Moll, Annette C; Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T; Ringens, Peter J; Imhof, Saskia M

2010-01-01

Little is known about the impact of retinoblastoma (RB) on the health status of survivors in terms of disabilities and worries, both of which may restrict participation in activities of daily life. In this population-based cross-sectional study, content analysis was used to extract data on perceived restrictions and worries, from semi-structured interviews held with 156 RB survivors aged 8-35 years. The International Classification of Functioning Disabilities and Health (ICF) was used as a framework. Of all survivors, 55% perceive RB-related restrictions in daily life activities (school, professional career, mobility, self-care, intimate relationships). Young/adolescent survivors (6%) and adult survivors (15%) frequently report anxiety about developing a second primary tumor (SPT). Compared with the general population, RB survivors did not differ in rates of employment or marital status. However, special educational services were more frequently offered, and the level of completed education was lower. RB has influenced the lives of most survivors and, even though their prognosis was good, illness-related restrictions are common. Especially fear of developing SPT and of further loss of vision are important life-long problems, and many survivors had special education needs. The ICF might serve as a bridge between families and professionals, because this classification may facilitate early detection of problems. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A comparative study on distressful events in affective disorder and normal control

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Sushma Rathee

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Life events’ stresses are concerned with situational encounters and the meaning that a person attaches to such encounters. It refers to our feeling; it is something of importance to us and is being jeopardised by events in our daily life, and the stressful life events are causally linked to a variety of undesirable effects which influence our performance and health. Aim: This study was planned for assessment and comparison of stressful life events between mood disorder and normal people. Materials and methods: In this study, total 90 participants (30 manic patients, 30 depressive patients, and 30 normal participants were recruited and severity of symptoms was assessed by Young Mania Rating Scale and Beck Depression Inventory. Normal participants were screened by General Health Questionnaire. Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scale was used for both groups for assessment of stressful life events. Findings and conclusion: The present study results revealed that clinical group had higher score on stressful life events as compared to normal participants. Patients with depression had more stressful life events as compared to the mania and normal population. Overall, life events precede the mood symptoms’ occurrence.

Quality of life in children with cancer and their normal siblings

OpenAIRE

Hilda; Bidasari Lubis; Hakimi; Olga Rasiyanti Siregar

2015-01-01

Background Cancer treatment in children influences the quality of life of patients and their families. The Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) inventory is a questionnaire to assess quality of life of the healthy and ill children. Objective To compare quality of life in children with cancer and their normal siblings, and to compare quality of life in those with hematologic malignancies to those with solid tumors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 5-to-18-year-olds at ...

Physical activity and negative affective reactivity in daily life.

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Puterman, Eli; Weiss, Jordan; Beauchamp, Mark R; Mogle, Jacqueline; Almeida, David M

2017-12-01

The results from experimental studies indicate that physically active individuals remain calmer and report less anxiety after the induction of a standardized stressor. The current study extends this research to real life, and examines whether daily physical activity attenuates negative affect that occurs in response to naturally occurring daily stressors. The current study used data from the second wave of the National Study of Daily Experiences, a sub-study of the second wave of the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS-II) of 2,022 individuals aged 33-84 questioned nightly for eight consecutive days about their general affect and affective responses to stressful events and their engagement in physical activity. Results indicated that while negative affect is significantly elevated on days with stressful events compared to days free of events in all individuals, these effects are attenuated in those who remain physically active when compared to those who were underactive. This was also true for any day participants were physically active. Importantly, negative affect in response to any specific stressor was reduced the closer in time that the stressor occurred to the bout of exercise in underactive participants, while, in active participants, negative affect in response to any stressor remained low throughout the entire day that participants reported that they were active. Given the significant mental and physical health implications of elevated affective reactivity observed in previous studies, the current study sheds further light on the importance of remaining physically active in times of stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Factors that influence physical activity in the daily life of male patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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Barriga, S; Rodrigues, F; Bárbara, C

2014-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease with great impact on the ability to carry out physical activity. To identify the main factors that affect physical activity in the daily life of patients with COPD. Physical activity in daily routine has been evaluated according to the London Chest Activity of Daily Living scale (LCADL) and the pedometer counting the number of steps per day, for a period of three days. Fifty-five male patients with a diagnosis of moderate to very severe COPD were included (aged 67±9.6 years; FEV1 50.8±14.7% predicted). Patients walked on average 4972 steps per day. Very severe COPD patients (n=12) walked much less than severe (n=21) and moderate (n=22) patients (respectively 3079.8 versus 4853.5 and 6118.1 steps per day, ppositive correlation with the distance covered in the six-minute walk test (6MWT), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), carbon monoxide diffusion capacity (DLCO), arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) and body mass index (BMI). The main factors that correlated with limited physical activity in daily life routine of this group of COPD patients were dyspnea and 6 min walking distance. These patients form a sedentary group, with a low rate of daily physical activity, which is more evident in patients with GOLD spirometry stage IV. Although pedometer is simpler and less accurate than other devices, it can be used to detect significant restraints daily life physical activity of COPD patients. Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Portuguesa de Pneumologia. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Instrumental motives in negative emotion regulation in daily life: Frequency, consistency, and predictors.

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Kalokerinos, Elise K; Tamir, Maya; Kuppens, Peter

2017-06-01

People regulate their emotions not only for hedonic reasons but also for instrumental reasons, to attain the potential benefits of emotions beyond pleasure and pain. However, such instrumental motives have rarely been examined outside the laboratory as they naturally unfold in daily life. To assess whether and how instrumental motives operate outside the laboratory, it is necessary to examine them in response to real and personally relevant stimuli in ecologically valid contexts. In this research, we assessed the frequency, consistency, and predictors of instrumental motives in negative emotion regulation in daily life. Participants (N = 114) recalled the most negative event of their day each evening for 7 days and reported their instrumental motives and negative emotion goals in that event. Participants endorsed performance motives in approximately 1 in 3 events and social, eudaimonic, and epistemic motives in approximately 1 in 10 events. Instrumental motives had substantially higher within- than between-person variance, indicating that they were context-dependent. Indeed, although we found few associations between instrumental motives and personality traits, relationships between instrumental motives and contextual variables were more extensive. Performance, social, and epistemic motives were each predicted by a unique pattern of contextual appraisals. Our data demonstrate that instrumental motives play a role in daily negative emotion regulation as people encounter situations that pose unique regulatory demands. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The daily life of informal caregivers of patients undergoing chemotherapy

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Mariana Ortelani de Toledo

2013-04-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to discuss the daily life of Informal Caregivers (ICG of cancer patients assisted in an outpatient chemotherapy unit of a university hospital in Campinas, São Paulo state. This study is part of a broader investigation. It was approved by a Research Ethics Committee under protocol n. 0288/10, and all ethical principles were adopted in accordance with the recommendations of Resolution 196/96. It is a descriptive, quantitative and qualitative study with literature and field research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 ICGs for data collection. The data were analyzed based on the goals of the study and the theory and practice pertaining to the Theory of Social Representation. The results showed that (92.8% of the ICGs are female (57.1%, married, between 41 and 60 years old (78.5%, living in the same household of the sickened family members at the following degrees of relatedness: (35.7% mother-daughter, followed by (21.4% husband-wife. In the Informal Caregivers’ perception, their role interfered with their daily activities, bringing restrictions to leisure activities, self-care and work. The study expanded the understanding of the impacts that the function of caring brings to their everyday activities, helping to foster discussions about the need to implement actions and interventions of occupational therapy strategies that facilitate the daily lives of ICGs.

The experience of daily life of acutely admitted frail elderly patients one week after discharge from the hospital

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Jane; Lund, Hans; Aadahl, Mette

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Frail elderly are at higher risk of negative outcomes such as disability, low quality of life, and hospital admissions. Furthermore, a peak in readmission of acutely admitted elderly patients is seen shortly after discharge. An investigation into the daily life experiences...... of the frail elderly shortly after discharge seems important to address these issues. The aim of this study was to explore how frail elderly patients experience daily life 1 week after discharge from an acute admission. METHODS: The qualitative methodological approach was interpretive description. Data were...... gathered using individual interviews. The participants were frail elderly patients over 65 years of age, who were interviewed at their home 1 week after discharge from an acute admission to a medical ward. RESULTS: Four main categories were identified: "The system," "Keeping a social life," "Being...

Bidirectional, Temporal Associations of Sleep with Positive Events, Affect, and Stressors in Daily Life Across a Week.

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Sin, Nancy L; Almeida, David M; Crain, Tori L; Kossek, Ellen Ernst; Berkman, Lisa F; Buxton, Orfeu M

2017-06-01

Sleep is intricately tied to emotional well-being, yet little is known about the reciprocal links between sleep and psychosocial experiences in the context of daily life. The aim of this study is to evaluate daily psychosocial experiences (positive and negative affect, positive events, and stressors) as predictors of same-night sleep quality and duration, in addition to the reversed associations of nightly sleep predicting next-day experiences. Daily experiences and self-reported sleep were assessed via telephone interviews for eight consecutive evenings in two replicate samples of US employees (131 higher-income professionals and 181 lower-income hourly workers). Multilevel models evaluated within-person associations of daily experiences with sleep quality and duration. Analyses controlled for demographics, insomnia symptoms, the previous day's experiences and sleep measures, and additional day-level covariates. Daily positive experiences were associated with improved as well as disrupted subsequent sleep. Specifically, positive events at home predicted better sleep quality in both samples, whereas greater positive affect was associated with shorter sleep duration among the higher-income professionals. Negative affect and stressors were unrelated to subsequent sleep. Results for the reversed direction revealed that better sleep quality (and, to a lesser degree, longer sleep duration) predicted emotional well-being and lower odds of encountering stressors on the following day. Given the reciprocal relationships between sleep and daily experiences, efforts to improve well-being in daily life should reflect the importance of sleep.

Physical activity patterns and estimated daily energy expenditures in normal and overweight tunisian schoolchildren.

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Zarrouk, Fayçal; Bouhlel, Ezdine; Feki, Youssef; Amri, Mohamed; Shephard, Roy J

2009-01-01

Our aim was to test the normality of physical activity patterns and energy expenditures in normal weight and overweight primary school students. Heart rate estimates of total daily energy expenditure (TEE), active energy expenditure (AEE), and activity patterns were made over 3 consecutive school days in healthy middle-class Tunisian children (46 boys, 44 girls, median age (25(th)-75(th)) percentile, 9.2 (8.8-9.9) years. Our cross-section included 52 students with a normal body mass index (BMI) and 38 who exceeded age-specific BMI limits. TEE, AEE and overall physical activity level (PAL) were not different between overweight children and those with a normal BMI [median values (25(th)-75(th)) 9.20 (8.20-9.84) vs. 8.88 (7.42-9.76) MJ/d; 3.56 (2.59-4.22) vs. 3.85 (2.77-4.78) MJ/d and 1.74 (1.54-2.04) vs. 1.89 (1.66-2.15) respectively]. Physical activity intensities (PAI) were expressed as percentages of the individual's heart rate reserve (%HRR). The median PAI for the entire day (PAI24) and for the waking part of day (PAIw) were lower in overweight than in normal weight individuals [16.3 (14.2-18.9) vs. 20.6 (17.9-22.3) %HRR, p spend more time in moderate activity and less time in sedentary pursuits than overweight children.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff: Food Allergy Sufferer Lives a Cautious but Normal Life

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... Current Issue Past Issues Home Current issue contents Food allergy sufferer lives a cautious but normal life Follow us Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff Food allergy sufferer lives a cautious but normal life Anthony ...

Determination of 210Po concentration in commercially available infant formulae and assessment of daily ingestion dose

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Ravi K. Prabhath

2015-07-01

Full Text Available A study has been conducted to estimate the concentration of natural radioactive polonium in commercially available packaged infant food formulae available in Mumbai, India and the corresponding daily dose normalized based on its shelf life. Eleven most popular international brands of infant formulae were sourced from market and three aliquots from each sample were analysed for concordant results. Autodeposition method onto a silver planchet from hot dilute acid solution followed by alpha spectrometry was performed for estimation of polonium. Radiochemical recovery was ascertained by the addition of 209Po tracer. Radiochemical recovery of 209Po tracer was ranged from 14.7 to 98.1 %. The 210Po concentration in the samples was in the range of 0.08–0.23 Bq kg−1 on measured date and the corresponding daily dose, calculated on normalized date which is at mid-point of the shelf life of the sample, was ranged from 0.04 to 0.89 μSv d−1 as per the recommended daily consumption. The annual committed effective dose estimated based on the average of daily dose was found to be 150 μSv.

Examination of the Transfer of Astronomy and Space Sciences Knowledge to Daily Life

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Emrahoglu, Nuri

2017-01-01

In this study, it was aimed to determine the levels of the ability of science teaching fourth grade students to transfer their knowledge of astronomy and space sciences to daily life within the scope of the Astronomy and Space Sciences lesson. For this purpose, the research method was designed as the mixed method including both the quantitative…

Rehabilitation of limb apraxia improves daily life activities in patients with stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Smania, N; Aglioti, S M; Girardi, F; Tinazzi, M; Fiaschi, A; Cosentino, A; Corato, E

2006-12-12

We randomly assigned 33 patients with left hemisphere stroke, limb apraxia, and aphasia to an apraxia or a control (aphasia) treatment group. Before and after each treatment, patients underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological testing battery and a caregiver evaluation of patient's activities of daily life (ADL) independence. Apraxia severity was related with ADL independence. Control (aphasia) treatment improved patients' language and intelligence performance. Apraxia treatment specifically improved praxic function and ADL.

Gaze-based assistive technology used in daily life by children with severe physical impairments - parents' experiences

OpenAIRE

Borgestig, Maria; Rytterstrom, Patrik; Hemmingsson, Helena

2017-01-01

Objective: To describe and explore parents' experiences when their children with severe physical impairments receive gaze-based assistive technology (gaze-based assistive technology (AT)) for use in daily life. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted twice, with one year in between, with parents of eight children with cerebral palsy that used gaze-based AT in their daily activities. To understand the parents' experiences, hermeneutical interpretations were used during data analysis...

[Assessment of daily quality of life in children surviving cancer].

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Lemétayer, F; Lanfranchi, J-B; Chastagner, P

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the daily problems experienced by school-age children in remission from cancer. It also sought to assess the predictive value of these problems on the mental health of these children 1 year after the first assessment. Against this background, 50 children in remission from cancer and in mainstream education, aged 8-12 years, completed two questionnaires: the Quality of Life Systemic Inventory for Children (QLSI-C) (Missotten et al., 2007) and the Child Depression Inventory (CDI). THE QLSI-C consists of 20 life areas: Sleep, Diet, Physical pain, Health, Clothing, Physical appearance, Bedroom, Grandparents, Mother, Father, Siblings, Friends, How my friends talk about me, School, School results, Sport, Non-sporting activities, Autonomy, Obedience to authority, and Tolerance of frustration. Each of these 20 life areas was evaluated by the child by reference on each occasion to an ideal situation, first in relation to their current situation and then in relation to their personal goals, in order to measure the gap between these two evaluations. This difference was then weighted by the importance given to each life area and the dynamic situation of approximation to or distance from the goals. All the children in this study were seen in person for two interviews 1 year apart (T1 and T2). The analyses conducted following the PLS-PM approach enabled eight of the 20 life areas evaluated to be identified as difficult to access by the children in this study. These analyses also showed that the difficulties perceived by children in remission from cancer have mainly proximal effects (i.e., short-term) on the discomfort experienced (direct effect of difficulties expressed in T1 on discomfort felt at T1; idem for T2). However, the areas perceived as difficult at T1 did not enable distal effects (i.e., effect over a year) on the discomfort expressed in T2 to be updated. Nonetheless, the conflicts at T1 fed the conflicts at T2�

Associations between daily musicking and health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ekholm, Ola; Juel, Knud; Bonde, Lars Ole

2016-01-01

musically, while this pattern was not found among men. CONCLUSIONS GENDER SEEMS TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MUSICKING AND HEALTH, BUT MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND THESE DIFFERENCES AND THE UNDERLYING MECHANISMS IN ADDITION, LONGITUDINAL STUDIES ARE WARRANTED TO EXAMINE......AIMS: To examine the associations between singing/playing musical instruments daily and various outcomes such as health-related quality of life and health behaviour. METHODS: Data originates from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 2013. The survey was based on a random sample of 25,000 adult...... Danes (response rate: 57%). Besides standard health-related questions the survey included eight specific music questions, based on a review of the sparse literature on music and health. On the same basis, 'daily musicking' was defined as normally singing/playing musical instruments at least 1 h...

Cancer Survivors’ Responses to Daily Stressors: Implications for Quality of Life

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Costanzo, Erin S.; Stawski, Robert S.; Ryff, Carol D.; Coe, Christopher L.; Almeida, David M.

2012-01-01

Objective This study examined cancer survivors’ experience of and responses to challenges and stressors associated with every-day living. The impact of daily stressors on quality of life concerns and cortisol patterns was also investigated. Design Participants were 111 cancer survivors who participated in a national telephone diary study of daily experiences (NSDE). Their responses were compared with those of 111 sociodemographically-matched participants with no cancer history using a multilevel modeling approach. Main Outcome Measures Over an 8-day period, participants completed a daily inventory of the occurrence and impact of stressful events, affect, and physical symptoms. Salivary cortisol was sampled 4 times per day, and indices of awakening response (CAR), diurnal slope, and overall output (AUC) were examined. Results Cancer survivors experienced similar numbers and types of stressful events as the comparison group. While appraisals were largely comparable, cancer survivors showed a modest tendency to perceive stressors as more severe and disruptive, particularly those involving interpersonal tensions. The occurrence of stressors was associated with increased negative affect, decreased positive affect, and increased physical symptoms, but little change in cortisol. Relative to the comparison group, cancer survivors showed less pronounced changes in positive affect and cortisol output when stressors occurred, but a greater increase in negative affect in response to interpersonal conflicts. Conclusions Findings indicate that cancer survivors show a resilient ability to respond to day-to-day stressors and challenges. However, daily stressors can have a significant impact on survivors’ mood and physical symptoms and therefore may be an important intervention target. PMID:22268712

Coping with side effects from cancer treatment in daily life from the perspective of cancer patients: A qualitative empirical study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Birgith; Koktved, Dorte Pallesen; Nielsen, Lene Lyngø

Aim The aim of this paper is to deepen our understanding of how patients cope with side effects from cancer treatment in daily life. Background Patients receiving cancer treatment experience acute side effects and need individualized information and guidance in order to manage treatment......-related adverse events in everyday life. However development in cancer treatment and the societal demands for efficiency may limit the possibility for individualized support. Methods Nine patients were interviewed from March to July 2009 to explore the patients’ experience of coping with side effects in daily...... their identity but the side effects can control the daily life. Patients do not always possess the knowledge of how to handle the side effects and adaptation to the institutional efficiency can lead to lack of confidence and feelings of responsibility and guilt concerning coping with these side effects...

The Daily Life of a Grantee in Paris. Attitudes, Perceptions, Practices

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IONUŢ BUTOI

2013-07-01

Full Text Available This research examines the importance of the 1932-1934 Paris scholarship of Ştefania Cristescu (one of the most important monographists of the Gustian School, viewed both as a personal strategic choice meant to consolidate her status as an academic researcher and as an occasion for us to learn about the daily life of the interwar Romanian students in Western Europe. I discuss in this paper why it is important to develop a social history of the academic formation of the intellectual elites of modern Romania through scholarships in foreign countries.

THE DAILY LIFE OF A GRANTEE IN PARIS. ATTITUDES, PERCEPTIONS, PRACTICES

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lecturer IONUŢ BUTOI

2013-05-01

Full Text Available This research examines the importance of the 1932–1934 Paris scholarship of Ştefania Cristescu (one of the most important monographists of the Gustian School, viewed both as a personal strategic choice meant to consolidate her status as an academic researcher and as an occasion for us to learn about the daily life of the interwar Romanian students in Western Europe. I discuss in this paper why it is important to develop a social history of the academic formation of the intellectual elites of modern Romania through scholarships in foreign countries

Daily physical activity and its contribution to the health-related quality of life of ambulatory individuals with chronic stroke

OpenAIRE

Rand, Debbie; Eng, Janice J; Tang, Pei-Fang; Hung, Chihya; Jeng, Jiann-Shing

2010-01-01

Abstract Background Participation in daily physical activity (PA) post-stroke has not previously been investigated as a possible explanatory variable of health-related quality of life (HRQL). The aims were 1) to determine the contribution of daily PA to the HRQL of individuals with chronic stroke and 2) to assess the relationship between the functional ability of these individuals to the amount of daily PA. Methods The amount of daily PA of forty adults with chronic stroke (mean age 66.5 ± 9....

Upper-limb sensory impairments after stroke: Self-reported experiences of daily life and rehabilitation

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Håkan Carlsson

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To describe stroke survivors’ experiences of sensory impairment in the upper limb, the influence of such impairment on daily life, coping strategies used, and sensory training for the affected hand. Design: A qualitative study with a content analysis approach. Subjects: Fifteen post-stroke patients interviewed individually. Results: Five categories emerged from the data: “Changed and varied perception of the sensation”; “Affected movement control”; “Problems using the hand in daily life”; “Various strategies to cope with upper limb disability”; and “Lack of sensory training”. Numbness and tingling, changes in temperature sensitivity, and increased sensitivity to touch and pain were reported. Many subjects had difficulty adjusting their grip force and performing movements with precision. It was problematic and mentally fatiguing managing personal care and carrying out household and leisure activities. Practical adaptations, compensation with vision, increased concentration, and use of the less affected hand were strategies used to overcome difficulties. Despite their problems very few subjects had received any specific sensory training for the hand. Conclusion: Stroke survivors perceive that sensory impairment of the upper limb has a highly negative impact on daily life, but specific rehabilitation for the upper limb is lacking. These findings imply that the clinical management of upper limb sensory impairment after stroke requires more attention.

Psychotic reactions to daily life stress and dopamine function in people with severe hearing impairment

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Gevonden, M. J.; Myin-Germeys, I.; van den Brink, W.; van Os, J.; Selten, J. P.; Booij, J.

2015-01-01

Minor stresses measured in daily life have repeatedly been associated with increased momentary psychotic experiences, both in individuals with psychotic disorders and in persons who are genetically at an increased risk for these disorders. Severe hearing impairment (SHI) is an environmental risk

The daily life in the context of illness and hospitalization: what say the accompanying mothers of children diagnosed with neoplasia?

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Camila Rebeca Vieira de Almeida

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Daily life is a complex, multidimensional and processual phenomenon, in which all people are included; it measures the succession of human life, and is the constituent basis of life, promoting the direction (s of the continuity of existence. Among the childhood diseases, cancer is noted for its high incidence and impact on the lives and daily life of the child and their parents or guardians, being common for children with cancer and their caregivers to experience hospitalization. Objective: Considering the importance and impact of daily living for health hand well-being, we aimed to uncover the meanings of the hospital routine experience for mothers of children diagnosed with cancer. Method: This is a qualitative research with phenomenological content analysis; from the application of semi-structure interviews with nine mothers, in a Public Hospital. Results: The results revealed that the hospital routine can be permeated by physical discomfort, anguish; fears, uncertainties, difficulties in adapting to the rules, environment and hospital procedures; by nostalgia, isolation from people, contexts and meaningful occupations; and tasks linked to the child care. However, people can (re think the daily life through occupational experiences and supportive relationships between caregivers, which may contribute to the perception of well-being and learning resulting from this experience. Conclusion: Therefore, this experience and the way it can interfere with the health and well-being of people should receive attention from occupational therapists in hospitals.

Effect of the long-term care prevention project on the motor functions and daily life activities of the elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Wada, Yoshihiro; Sakuraba, Keisyoku; Kubota, Atsushi

2015-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to verify the effects of the long-term care prevention project and develop an effective program. [Subjects] A total of 81 elderly people (age, 79 ± 5.1 years; height, 149.2 ± 9.2 cm; weight, 54.2 ± 11.4 kg). [Methods] Grip, knee extension muscular strength, 10 m walking speed, and Timed Up and Go time were measured for evaluation of motor functions, and the "Locomo 25", a 25-question risk assessment questionnaire, was used as the judgment criterion for evaluation of daily life activities, with measurements being taken at the beginning of the project and after three months. [Results] In the motor functions evaluation, significant differences were observed in 10 m walking speed, Timed Up and Go time, and knee extension strength. In the daily life activities evaluation, scores for pain, rising movement, standing movement, indoor walking, outdoor walking, and fear of falling were significantly reduced. In addition, a significant correlation was also observed between motor functions and daily life activities. [Conclusion] The result of this study indicated that the long-term care prevention project is effective in maintaining or improving muscular strength and mitigating pain in the elderly and that it is an effective program for maintaining daily life activities. We were also able to show that it would be effective to develop programs with a low exercise intensity that can be performed on a continuing by the elderly.

Daily life activities on smartphones and their effect on battery life for better personal information management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, I.; Khusro, S.; Ali, S.; Din, A.U.

2016-01-01

The ubiquity of smartphones is evident from the fact that it is present in the pocket of almost every individual. Because of the increasing computing power and the integration of other abundant resources like storage and sensors, smartphones are proving as the most common Personal Information Management (PIM) platform. Smartphones can capture a broad range of users experiences as compared to a traditional desktop computer which is evident from the numerous smartphone apps available in app markets for the purpose. These applications capture context of a user by utilizing full resources of the smartphone, especially the sensors. However, limited battery power of smart phones has proven to be the most significant bottleneck. Currently, app-based power consumption is estimated which provide only an indication of per app power usage and is of no use to researchers. This research identifies users common daily life activities on smartphones and critically analyses their effects on battery power. Our approach looks into the problem through the eyes of researchers working in the domain of intelligent and context -aware systems. An Android -based application called Smartphone Task-based Energy Monitoring System (STEMS) is developed for estimating power consumption rates of different daily life activities. The system collects activities and the power consumption data from the participants smartphones operating on cellular network with GSM/GPRS and Wi-Fi capabilities. It was found that activities requiring internet connectivity are more energy hungry than others. The results so obtained may prove useful to the stakeholders, like app designers and developers, PIM managers , and the end users. (author)

Characteristics of daily life gait in fall and non fall-prone stroke survivors and controls

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Mirjam Pijnappels; Sjoerd M. Bruijn; Kimberley M. Schooten; Jaap H. van Dieën; Dr. H.M. Wittink; Michiel Punt

2016-01-01

Background: Falls in stroke survivors can lead to serious injuries and medical costs. Fall risk in older adults can be predicted based on gait characteristics measured in daily life. Given the different gait patterns that stroke survivors exhibit it is unclear whether a similar fall-prediction model

Ambulatory fall-risk assessment: amount and quality of daily-life gait predict falls in older adults.

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van Schooten, Kimberley S; Pijnappels, Mirjam; Rispens, Sietse M; Elders, Petra J M; Lips, Paul; van Dieën, Jaap H

2015-05-01

Ambulatory measurements of trunk accelerations can provide valuable information on the amount and quality of daily-life activities and contribute to the identification of individuals at risk of falls. We compared associations between retrospective and prospective falls with potential risk factors as measured by daily-life accelerometry. In addition, we investigated predictive value of these parameters for 6-month prospective falls. One week of trunk accelerometry (DynaPort MoveMonitor) was obtained in 169 older adults (mean age 75). The amount of daily activity and quality of gait were determined and validated questionnaires on fall-risk factors, grip strength, and trail making test were obtained. Six-month fall incidence was obtained retrospectively by recall and prospectively by fall diaries and monthly telephone contact. Among all participants, 35.5% had a history of ≥1 falls and 34.9% experienced ≥1 falls during 6-month follow-up. Logistic regressions showed that questionnaires, grip strength, and trail making test, as well as the amount and quality of gait, were significantly associated with falls. Significant associations differed between retrospective and prospective analyses although odds ratios indicated similar patterns. Predictive ability based on questionnaires, grip strength, and trail making test (area under the curve .68) improved substantially by accelerometry-derived parameters of the amount of gait (number of strides), gait quality (complexity, intensity, and smoothness), and their interactions (area under the curve .82). Daily-life accelerometry contributes substantially to the identification of individuals at risk of falls, and can predict falls in 6 months with good accuracy. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Smoking status and its relationship with exercise capacity, physical activity in daily life and quality of life in physically independent, elderly individuals.

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Mesquita, R; Gonçalves, C G; Hayashi, D; Costa, V de S P; Teixeira, D de C; de Freitas, E R F S; Felcar, J M; Pitta, F; Molari, M; Probst, V S

2015-03-01

To investigate the relationship between smoking status and exercise capacity, physical activity in daily life and health-related quality of life in physically independent, elderly (≥60 years) individuals. Cross-sectional, observational study. Community-dwelling, elderly individuals. One hundred and fifty-four elderly individuals were categorised into four groups according to their smoking status: never smokers (n=57), passive smokers (n=30), ex-smokers (n=45) and current smokers (n=22). Exercise capacity [6-minute walk test (6MWT)], physical activity in daily life (step counting) and health-related quality of life [36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire] were assessed. Current and ex-smokers had lower mean exercise capacity compared with never smokers: 90 [standard deviation (SD) 10] % predicted, 91 (SD 12) % predicted and 100 (SD 13) % predicted distance on 6MWT, respectively [mean differences -9.8%, 95% confidence intervals (CI) -17.8 to -1.8 and -9.1%, 95% CI -15.4 to -2.7, respectively; Pexercise capacity than never smokers. Although the level of physical activity did not differ between the groups, an association was found with smoking. Tobacco exposure was associated with worse scores for the mental health dimension of SF-36 in physically independent, elderly individuals. Copyright © 2014 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE METHOD AND U.S. NORMALIZATION DATABASE FOR LIFE CYCLE IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY METRICS

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Normalization is an optional step within Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) that may be used to assist in the interpretation of life cycle inventory data as well as, life cycle impact assessment results. Normalization transforms the magnitude of LCI and LCIA results into relati...

Pleasing the masses: messages for daily life management in African American women's popular media sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Black, Angela Rose; Peacock, Nadine

2011-01-01

Using African American women's insights on their own health experiences, we explored how their daily life management was linked to the "strong Black woman" (SBW) script, and the health implications of that script. Using the search term "strong Black woman," we identified 20 articles from African American women's magazines and 10 blog sites linked to the SBW script and analyzed their content. We created thematic categories (role management, coping, and self-care) and extracted issues relevant to African American women's health. Adherence to the SBW script was linked to women's daily life management and health experiences. Themes such as self-sacrificial role management ("please the masses"), emotional suppression ("game face"), and postponement of self-care ("last on the list") incited internal distress and evinced negative health consequences. Scientists, activists, and health care professionals would be aided in forming initiatives aimed at reducing health disparities among African American women by heeding the insights on their health experiences that they express in popular media sources.

Chronic daily headache: stress and impact on the quality of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Galego, José Carlos Busto; Moraes, Avelina Maria; Cordeiro, José Antonio; Tognola, Waldir Antonio

2007-12-01

To evaluate the stress presence and its influence in the quality of life of patients with chronic daily headache (CDH). A hundred patients with at least 18 years old, with primary headache with duration greater than 4 hours a day, and frequency of 15 or more days monthly for at least three months were studied. Lipp's Inventory of Stress Symptoms and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36) were used. Stress was observed in 90% of the patients; nearly half of them was in the phase almost exhaustion. Patients with stress when compared with the ones with no stress presented significantly lower scores in all the domains of SF-36; except in physical functioning. The resistance phase presented scores significantly higher than almost exhaustion; except for bodily pain. The majority of the patients presented stress with significant reduction in their quality of life. Consequently, the stress could be related with both the development and the maintenance of CDH.

[Development of social activities-related daily life satisfaction scale for the elderly and evaluation of its reliability and validity].

Science.gov (United States)

Okamoto, Hideaki

2010-07-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a Social Activities-Related Daily Life Satisfaction Scale specifically applicable to elderly people in communities and to evaluate its reliability and validity. Sixteen items were extracted from an initial pool and assessed for inclusion in the scale by correlation and exploratory factor analyses. To confirm validity, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted and correlation coefficients were calculated. In addition, t-tests were performed in order to generate scores of the subscale related to activity. To prove reliability, Cronbach's coefficient alpha values were calculated. Data for 755 older adults aged 65 to 84 years were obtained from a mail survey in Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture. Exploratory factor analyses indicated that four factors, "satisfaction with learning" (four items), "satisfaction with usefulness to others and society" (four items), "satisfaction with health and physical strength" (three items), and "satisfaction with friends" (three items) should be extracted. Confirmatory factor analysis for assessing the 14-item four-factor model showed high goodness of fit indices (GFI = 0.943, AGFI = 0.915, RMSEA = 0.068). Concurrent validity was established by comparing the score of the scale with five external variables (Activity and Daily Life Satisfaction Scale for the Elderly, Life Satisfaction Index K, etc). Student's t-tests revealed that each score of the subscale was positively associated with activity variable. The overall Cronbach's coefficient alpha for the scale was 0.919 and for its four subscales values ranged from 0.814 to 0.887. A Social Activities-Related Daily Life Satisfaction Scale was derived consisting of four subscales, "satisfaction with learning", "satisfaction with usefulness to others and society", "satisfaction with health and physical strength", and "satisfaction with friends". The results of the present study suggested that the Social Activities-Related Daily Life Satisfaction Scale

Impact of gastroesophageal reflux disease on work absenteeism, presenteeism and productivity in daily life: a European observational study.

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Gisbert, Javier P; Cooper, Alun; Karagiannis, Dimitrios; Hatlebakk, Jan; Agréus, Lars; Jablonowski, Helmut; Nuevo, Javier

2009-10-16

The RANGE (Retrospective ANalysis of GastroEsophageal reflux disease [GERD]) study assessed differences among patients consulting a primary care physician due to GERD-related reasons in terms of: symptoms, diagnosis and management, response to treatment, and effects on productivity, costs and health-related quality of life. This subanalysis of RANGE determined the impact of GERD on productivity in work and daily life. RANGE was conducted at 134 primary care sites across six European countries (Germany, Greece, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK). All subjects (aged >or=18 years) who consulted with their primary care physician over a 4-month identification period were screened retrospectively, and those consulting at least once for GERD-related reasons were identified (index visit). From this population, a random sample was selected to enter the study and attended a follow-up appointment, during which the impact of GERD on productivity while working (absenteeism and presenteeism) and in daily life was evaluated using the self-reported Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire for patients with GERD (WPAI-GERD). Overall, 373,610 subjects consulted with their primary care physician over the 4-month identification period, 12,815 for GERD-related reasons (3.4%); 2678 randomly selected patients attended the follow-up appointment. Average absenteeism due to GERD was highest in Germany (3.2 hours/week) and lowest in the UK (0.4 hours/week), with an average of up to 6.7 additional hours/week lost due to presenteeism in Norway. The average monetary impact of GERD-related work absenteeism and presenteeism were substantial in all countries (from euro55/week per employed patient in the UK to euro273/patient in Sweden). Reductions in productivity in daily life of up to 26% were observed across the European countries. GERD places a significant burden on primary care patients, in terms of work absenteeism and presenteeism and in daily life. The resulting costs to the

Perceived consequences of ageing with late effects of polio and strategies for managing daily life: a qualitative study.

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Sjödahl Hammarlund, Catharina; Lexell, Jan; Brogårdh, Christina

2017-08-09

New or increased impairments may develop several decades after an acute poliomyelitis infection. These new symptoms, commonly referred to as late effects of polio (LEoP), are characterised by muscular weakness and fatigue, generalised fatigue, pain at rest or during activities and cold intolerance. Growing older with LEoP may lead to increased activity limitations and participation restrictions, but there is limited knowledge of how these persons perceive the practical and psychological consequences of ageing with LEoP and what strategies they use in daily life. The aim of this qualitative study was therefore to explore how ageing people with LEoP perceive the their situation and what strategies they use for managing daily life. Seven women and seven men (mean age 70 years) were interviewed. They all had a confirmed history of acute poliomyelitis and new impairments after a stable period of at least 15 years. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using systematic text condensation. The latent analysis resulted in three categories 'Various consequences of ageing with LEoP', 'Limitations in everyday activities and participation restrictions', and 'Strategies for managing daily life when ageing with LEoP' and 12 subcategories. The new impairments led to decreased physical and mental health. The participants perceived difficulties in performing everyday activities such as managing work, doing chores, partaking in recreational activities and participating in social events, thereby experiencing emotional and psychological distress. They managed to find strategies that mitigated their worries and upheld their self-confidence, for example finding practical solutions, making social comparisons, minimising, and avoidance. Ageing with LEoP affected daily life to a great extent. The participants experienced considerable impact of the new and increased impairments on their life situation. Consequently, their ability to participate in various social activities also

Daily-Life Gait Quality as Predictor of Falls in Older People: A 1-Year Prospective Cohort Study.

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Kimberley S van Schooten

Full Text Available Falls can have devastating consequences for older people. We determined the relationship between the likelihood of fall incidents and daily-life behavior. We used wearable sensors to assess habitual physical activity and daily-life gait quality (in terms of e.g. stability, variability, smoothness and symmetry, and determined their predictive ability for time-to-first-and-second-falls. 319 older people wore a trunk accelerometer (Dynaport MoveMonitor, McRoberts during one week. Participants further completed questionnaires and performed grip strength and trail making tests to identify risk factors for falls. Their prospective fall incidence was followed up for six to twelve months. We determined interrelations between commonly used gait characteristics to gain insight in their interpretation and determined their association with time-to-falls. For all data -including questionnaires and tests- we determined the corresponding principal components and studied their predictive ability for falls. We showed that gait characteristics of walking speed, stride length, stride frequency, intensity, variability, smoothness, symmetry and complexity were often moderately to highly correlated (r > 0.4. We further showed that these characteristics were predictive of falls. Principal components dominated by history of falls, alcohol consumption, gait quality and muscle strength proved predictive for time-to-fall. The cross-validated prediction models had adequate to high accuracy (time dependent AUC of 0.66-0.72 for time-to-first-fall and 0.69-0.76 for -second-fall. Daily-life gait quality obtained from a single accelerometer on the trunk is predictive for falls. These findings confirm that ambulant measurements of daily behavior contribute substantially to the identification of elderly at (high risk of falling.

Quality of Life Scale: A Measure of Function for People with Pain

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Quality Of Life Scale A Measure Of Function For People With Pain 0 Non-functioning 1 2 3 4 ... the week Active on weekends 9 10 Normal Quality of Life Work/volunteer/be active eight hours daily Take ...

Changes in metamorphopsia in daily life after successful epiretinal membrane surgery and correlation with M-CHARTS score

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Kinoshita T

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Takamasa Kinoshita,1,2 Hiroko Imaizumi,1 Hirotomo Miyamoto,1 Utako Okushiba,1 Yuki Hayashi,2 Takashi Katome,2 Yoshinori Mitamura2 1Department of Ophthalmology, Sapporo City General Hospital, Sapporo, Japan; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan Purpose: To determine the correlation between the changes in metamorphopsia in daily life environment and the M-CHARTS scores after epiretinal membrane (ERM removal, and to determine the criterion for determining whether clinically significant changes in the metamorphopsia score have occurred in M-CHARTS. Methods: We studied 65 eyes undergoing vitrectomy for unilateral ERM. Self-administered questionnaires were used to examine the metamorphopsia in their daily life. The degree of metamorphopsia was determined by M-CHARTS. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the best predictor of the changes in metamorphopsia in daily life. To determine the reproducibility of the M-CHARTS score, another set of 56 eyes with ERM was tested twice on two different days. Results: The postoperative changes in the logarithm of the M-CHARTS score was defined as M2-value. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the M2-value as a predictor of the changes in metamorphopsia in daily life was larger than area under the receiver operating characteristic curve obtained for any other parameter. The optimal cutoff value was -0.4. The 95% limits of agreement between test and retest measurements had a reproducibility of ±0.3 logarithm of the M-CHARTS score. Taking into account not only the reproducibility but also the consistency with the subjective changes, we determined the criterion for clinically significant changes in the M-CHARTS scores as a change of the M2-value by ≥0.4. Conclusion: Evaluating the changes in the M-CHARTS scores in logarithmic form is favorable not only theoretically but also

Predictors for half-year outcome of impairment in daily life for back pain patients referred for physiotherapy: a prospective observational study.

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Karstens, Sven; Hermann, Katja; Froböse, Ingo; Weiler, Stephan W

2013-01-01

From observational studies, there is only sparse information available on the predictors of development of impairment in daily life for patients receiving physiotherapy. Therefore, our aim was to identify factors which predict impairment in daily life for patients with back pain 6 months after receiving physiotherapy. We conducted a prospective cohort study with 6-month follow-up. Patients were enrolled for treatment in private physiotherapy practices. Patients with a first physiotherapy referral because of thoracic or low back pain, aged 18 to 65 years were included. Primary outcome impairment was measured utilising the 16-item version of the Musculoskeletal Function Assessment Questionnaire. Therapy was documented on a standardized form. Baseline scores for impairment in daily life, symptom characteristics, sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, physical activity, nicotine consumption, intake of analgesics, comorbidity and delivered primary therapy approach were investigated as possible predictors. Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. A total of 792 patients participated in the study (59% female, mean age 44.4 (SD 11.4), with 6-month follow-up results available from 391 patients. In univariate analysis 17 variables reached significance. In multiple linear regression identified predictors were: impairment in daily life before therapy, mental disorders, duration of the complaints, self-prognosis on work ability, rheumatoid arthritis, age, form of stress at work and physical activity. The variables explain 34% of variance (adjusted R(2), pphysiotherapy patients, this study adds new knowledge for forming appropriate referral guidelines. Impairment in daily life before therapy, mental disorder as comorbidity and the duration of the complaints can be named as outstanding factors. The results of this study can be used to facilitate comparison of patient therapy goals with the prognosis in everyday practice.

Predictors for half-year outcome of impairment in daily life for back pain patients referred for physiotherapy: a prospective observational study.

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Sven Karstens

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: From observational studies, there is only sparse information available on the predictors of development of impairment in daily life for patients receiving physiotherapy. Therefore, our aim was to identify factors which predict impairment in daily life for patients with back pain 6 months after receiving physiotherapy. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study with 6-month follow-up. Patients were enrolled for treatment in private physiotherapy practices. Patients with a first physiotherapy referral because of thoracic or low back pain, aged 18 to 65 years were included. Primary outcome impairment was measured utilising the 16-item version of the Musculoskeletal Function Assessment Questionnaire. Therapy was documented on a standardized form. Baseline scores for impairment in daily life, symptom characteristics, sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, physical activity, nicotine consumption, intake of analgesics, comorbidity and delivered primary therapy approach were investigated as possible predictors. Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 792 patients participated in the study (59% female, mean age 44.4 (SD 11.4, with 6-month follow-up results available from 391 patients. In univariate analysis 17 variables reached significance. In multiple linear regression identified predictors were: impairment in daily life before therapy, mental disorders, duration of the complaints, self-prognosis on work ability, rheumatoid arthritis, age, form of stress at work and physical activity. The variables explain 34% of variance (adjusted R(2, p<0.001. CONCLUSIONS: With minimal information available from observational studies on the predictors of development of back problems for physiotherapy patients, this study adds new knowledge for forming appropriate referral guidelines. Impairment in daily life before therapy, mental disorder as comorbidity and the duration of the

Coping with side effects from cancer treatment in daily life from the perspective of cancer patients: A qualitative empirical study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Birgith; Koktved, Dorte Pallesen; Nielsen, Lene Lyngø

Aim The aim of this paper is to deepen our understanding of how patients cope with side effects from cancer treatment in daily life. Background Patients receiving cancer treatment experience acute side effects and need individualized information and guidance in order to manage treatment......-related adverse events in everyday life. However development in cancer treatment and the societal demands for efficiency may limit the possibility for individualized support. Methods Nine patients were interviewed from March to July 2009 to explore the patients’ experience of coping with side effects in daily...

2017 | Hope and emotional well-being in daily life: an Experience Sampling approach (conference poster, 2017)

OpenAIRE

Lataster, Johan; Peeters, Sanne; Wijk, Bert van; Janssens, Mayke; Reijnders, Jennifer; Jacobs, Nele

2018-01-01

Background Hope is viewed as an important resilience factor in coping with life’s inevitable adversities, and achieving and maintaining a high quality of life. However, although retrospective reports have identified hope as an important predictor of well-being in a number of domains and samples, little is known about the dynamics of hope in daily life, and how they are connected to aspects of well-being. Methods Using the Experience Sampling Method (a structured se...

Psychosocial identity (representation in the daily life (Theatrum Mundi

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María de la Villa Moral Jiménez

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The search and subsequent redefinition of the personal and social identity constitutes one of the main objectives of everyone individual, as well as the differentiation and dialectical relationship between the self and the others. Similar dynamic and multidetermined process has been influenced by the symbolic and socialized action of the property groups and of others legitimize for the purpose agencies (family, peer-groups, mass-media, etc.. Likewise, we proceed to the presentation of identity in the daily life, goffmanian way, in the social stage where it shows manifold roles, way of characters in scene with several scripts to perform. Actor's personal identity derives from a socialized identity constructed from and by social relationships. In this article, by a psychosociological analysis perspective and with a dramatic art approach, we resort to the "theatrum mundi" analysis with the purpose of exemplify those self theatrical (representations in the social scene. 

The growing impact of satellite data in daily life

Science.gov (United States)

Stramondo, Salvatore

2015-04-01

Satellite images have a growing role in our daily life. Weather previsions, telecommunications, environmental planning, disaster mitigation and monitoring: these are only some of the fieldworks where space remote sensing data, and related processing techniques, provide extremely useful information to policy/decision makers, scientists, or to the "simple" citizen. The demonstration of the level of attention provided by the International Community to the impact of new technologies and satellite Earth Observation, in particular, onto everyday life is testified by the recent and forthcoming project calls. Horizon 2020, for instance, identified "Societal challenges" and "Science with and for Society" among the main pillars. In sub-themes we may read references to the "Environment", "Secure societies", "Climate changes", and many others, most of which soliciting the use of remote sensing technologies. In such scenario the scientists should be conscious about the capabilities and the implications in applying new technologies. Recent examples might be explanatory. Satellite data properly managed can be used to measure millimetric and/or centimetric movements of buildings and infrastructures. It has been demonstrated how long term monitoring of urban areas detecting pre-collapse deformations might provide useful hints to prevent such dramatic events. Or, in different frameworks, satellite data can be an advanced instrument for intelligence and military purposes. With such premises, ethic issues assume a key role to properly address the use of satellite technologies.

[Patient reported outcome of tyrosine kinase inhibitor related side effects and their impact on daily life in Chinese patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase].

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Yu, L; Wang, H B; Jiang, Q

2016-11-14

Objective: To explore the impact of patient reported outcome of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) related side effects on daily life in Chinese patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase (CP). Methods: From May to November in 2014, anonymous questionnaires were distributed to adult CML patients who were receiving TKI treatment in China. The impact of TKI-related side effects on daily life were assessed by the score of 1 (no impact) to 5 (high impact) from patient self-report. Results: Data from 731 respondents in the CP who reported the score of the impact of TKI-related side effects on daily life were collected. 407 (56%) were male. The median age was 41 years (range, 18 to 88 years). 560 (77%) started TKI treatment within 1 year after diagnosis. With a median treatment duration of 3 years (range, effects were edema ( n =323, 44% ), fatigue ( n =277, 38% ), gastrointestinal disorders ( n =235, 32% ), skin color changes ( n =142, 19% ), muscle cramps ( n =137, 19% ), rash ( n =105, 14% ), hepatic function abnormalities ( n =91, 12%), weight gain ( n =86, 12%), and cytopenia ( n =59, 8%). Multivariate analyses showed that TKI treatment duration effects on daily life in 218 (30%)respondents (1 score). 375 (51%)respondents reported their daily life were slightly or moderately decreased (2 or 3 score), while 138 (19%) significantly decreased (4 or 5 score). Multivariate analyses showed that female, ≥40 years old, use of generic TKI, TKI treatment duration negative effect on their daily life. When taking TKI related side-effects into considderation, secondary school and below, use of generic TKI, TKI treatment duration negative effect on their daily life. Conclusion: Edema, fatigue, gastrointestinal disorders, rash, skin color changes and hepatic function abnormalities were common TKI-related side effects and influenced CML patients' daily life in China. In addition, female, older age, lower education level, use of generic TKI and shorter TKI

Zooming into daily life: within-person associations between physical activity and affect in young adults.

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Haas, Petra; Schmid, Johanna; Stadler, Gertraud; Reuter, Merle; Gawrilow, Caterina

2017-05-01

Negative affect in daily life is linked to poorer mental and physical health. Activity could serve as an effective, low-cost intervention to improve affect. However, few prior studies have assessed physical activity and affect in everyday life, limiting the ecological validity of prior findings. This study investigates whether daily activity is associated with negative and positive evening affect in young adults. Young adults (N = 189, Mdn = 23.00) participated in an intensive longitudinal study over 10 consecutive days. Participants wore accelerometers to objectively assess moderate-to-vigorous physical activity continuously throughout the day and reported their affect in time-stamped online evening diaries before going to sleep. On days when participants engaged in more activity than usual, they reported not only less depressed and angry evening affect but also more vigour and serenity in the evening. Young adults showed both less negative and more positive affect on days with more activity. Physical activity is a promising health promotion strategy for physical and mental well-being.

Impact of Hearing Aid Technology on Outcomes in Daily Life II: Speech Understanding and Listening Effort.

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Johnson, Jani A; Xu, Jingjing; Cox, Robyn M

2016-01-01

Modern hearing aid (HA) devices include a collection of acoustic signal-processing features designed to improve listening outcomes in a variety of daily auditory environments. Manufacturers market these features at successive levels of technological sophistication. The features included in costlier premium hearing devices are designed to result in further improvements to daily listening outcomes compared with the features included in basic hearing devices. However, independent research has not substantiated such improvements. This research was designed to explore differences in speech-understanding and listening-effort outcomes for older adults using premium-feature and basic-feature HAs in their daily lives. For this participant-blinded, repeated, crossover trial 45 older adults (mean age 70.3 years) with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss wore each of four pairs of bilaterally fitted HAs for 1 month. HAs were premium- and basic-feature devices from two major brands. After each 1-month trial, participants' speech-understanding and listening-effort outcomes were evaluated in the laboratory and in daily life. Three types of speech-understanding and listening-effort data were collected: measures of laboratory performance, responses to standardized self-report questionnaires, and participant diary entries about daily communication. The only statistically significant superiority for the premium-feature HAs occurred for listening effort in the loud laboratory condition and was demonstrated for only one of the tested brands. The predominant complaint of older adults with mild-to-moderate hearing impairment is difficulty understanding speech in various settings. The combined results of all the outcome measures used in this research suggest that, when fitted using scientifically based practices, both premium- and basic-feature HAs are capable of providing considerable, but essentially equivalent, improvements to speech understanding and listening effort in daily

Daily Thermal Predictions of the AGR-1 Experiment with Gas Gaps Varying with Time

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grant Hawkes; James Sterbentz; John Maki; Binh Pham

2012-06-01

A new daily as-run thermal analysis was performed at the Idaho National Laboratory on the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) test experiment number one at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). This thermal analysis incorporates gas gaps changing with time during the irradiation experiment. The purpose of this analysis was to calculate the daily average temperatures of each compact to compare with experimental results. Post irradiation examination (PIE) measurements of the graphite holder and fuel compacts showed the gas gaps varying from the beginning of life. The control temperature gas gap and the fuel compact – graphite holder gas gaps were linearly changed from the original fabrication dimensions, to the end of irradiation measurements. A steady-state thermal analysis was performed for each daily calculation. These new thermal predictions more closely match the experimental data taken during the experiment than previous analyses. Results are presented comparing normalized compact average temperatures to normalized log(R/B) Kr-85m. The R/B term is the measured release rate divided by the predicted birth rate for the isotope Kr-85m. Correlations between these two normalized values are presented.

Gaze-based assistive technology used in daily life by children with severe physical impairments - parents' experiences.

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Borgestig, Maria; Rytterström, Patrik; Hemmingsson, Helena

2017-07-01

To describe and explore parents' experiences when their children with severe physical impairments receive gaze-based assistive technology (gaze-based assistive technology (AT)) for use in daily life. Semi-structured interviews were conducted twice, with one year in between, with parents of eight children with cerebral palsy that used gaze-based AT in their daily activities. To understand the parents' experiences, hermeneutical interpretations were used during data analysis. The findings demonstrate that for parents, children's gaze-based AT usage meant that children demonstrated agency, provided them with opportunities to show personality and competencies, and gave children possibilities to develop. Overall, children's gaze-based AT provides hope for a better future for their children with severe physical impairments; a future in which the children can develop and gain influence in life. Gaze-based AT provides children with new opportunities to perform activities and take initiatives to communicate, giving parents hope about the children's future.

Age Differences in the Experience of Daily Life Events: A Study Based on the Social Goals Perspective.

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Ji, Lingling; Peng, Huamao; Xue, Xiaotong

2017-01-01

This study examined age differences in daily life events related to different types of social goals based on the socioemotional selectivity theory (SST), and determined whether the positivity effect existed in the context of social goals in older adults' daily lives. Over a course of 14 days, 49 older adults and 36 younger adults wrote about up to three life events daily and rated the valence of each event. The findings indicated that (1) although both older and younger adults recorded events related to both emotional and knowledge-acquisition goals, the odds ratio for reporting a higher number of events related to emotional goals compared to the number of events related to knowledge-acquisition goals was 2.12 times higher in older adults than that observed in younger adults. (2) Considering the number of events, there was an age-related positivity effect only for knowledge-related goals, and (3) older adults' ratings for events related to emotional and knowledge-acquisition goals were significantly more positive compared to those observed in younger adults. These findings supported the SST, and to some extent, the positivity effect was demonstrated in the context of social goals.

Age Differences in the Experience of Daily Life Events: A Study Based on the Social Goals Perspective

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Lingling Ji

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study examined age differences in daily life events related to different types of social goals based on the socioemotional selectivity theory (SST, and determined whether the positivity effect existed in the context of social goals in older adults’ daily lives. Over a course of 14 days, 49 older adults and 36 younger adults wrote about up to three life events daily and rated the valence of each event. The findings indicated that (1 although both older and younger adults recorded events related to both emotional and knowledge-acquisition goals, the odds ratio for reporting a higher number of events related to emotional goals compared to the number of events related to knowledge-acquisition goals was 2.12 times higher in older adults than that observed in younger adults. (2 Considering the number of events, there was an age-related positivity effect only for knowledge-related goals, and (3 older adults’ ratings for events related to emotional and knowledge-acquisition goals were significantly more positive compared to those observed in younger adults. These findings supported the SST, and to some extent, the positivity effect was demonstrated in the context of social goals.

Societal Norms and Conditions and Their Influence on Daily Life in Children With Type 1 Diabetes in the West Bank in Palestine.

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Elissa, Kawther; Bratt, Ewa-Lena; Axelsson, Åsa B; Khatib, Salam; Sparud-Lundin, Carina

To explore the experiences of daily life in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their parents living in the West Bank in Palestine. A qualitative study using thematic interviews was performed with 10 children with T1D and their parents (n=10). Content analysis was performed with the assistance of NVIVO 10. The overall theme was facing the social reality of diabetes. This was underpinned by two themes: stigmatization and social constraints. Facing the social reality of diabetes described children and their parents' everyday life attempts to place themselves within the context of the disease and social context. Children and their parents described how stigmatization and social constraints impacted their daily life as a result of fear of disclosing the disease, which could affect their social status. These findings highlighted how daily life in children with T1D and their parents was highly affected by cultural impacts, especially as stigma related to the illness affected social interactions of female and male children/adolescents. Lack of knowledge and misunderstandings about T1D in society lead to negative consequences like poorer management of diabetes, and this becomes mediated by gender. The findings suggest health care providers need to be aware of the cultural and social impact of T1D on children's and parents' daily life in order to meet their needs and challenges by providing appropriate interventions, strategies and support. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The importance of a daily rhythm in a supportive environment--promoting ability in activities in everyday life among older women living alone with chronic pain.

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Cederbom, Sara; Wågert, Petra von Heideken; Söderlund, Anne; Söderbäck, Maja

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore how older women living alone with chronic musculoskeletal pain, describe their ability in performing activities in everyday life and what could promote their ability in activities in everyday life as well as their perceived meaning of a changed ability to perform activities in everyday life. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 women, and an inductive content analysis was used. The results showed the importance of a daily rhythm of activities. Activities included in the daily rhythm were socializing with family and friends, physical activities, doing own activities as well as activities supported by relatives and the community. The activities described by the women also promoted their ability in activities in everyday life. Other findings were the women's perceived meaning of being independent and maintaining that independency, along with the meaning of accepting and adapting to a changed life situation. This paper concludes that it is important to be sensitive of individual needs regarding the daily rhythm of activities when health-care professionals intervene in the activities in everyday life of older women living alone, promote the women's independency, and enable them to participate in the community. Implications for Rehabilitation A daily rhythm of activities is important for older women who live alone with chronic musculoskeletal pain. The importance of health-care professionals being sensitive to individual needs to promote ability in activities in everyday life and to encourage the everyday activities into a daily rhythm. Facilitate the women's desire and will of independency, despite their needs of help from their environment to manage their everyday life.

Radiation in daily life

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora Rodriguez, P.

1999-01-01

The medical community benefits on a daily basis from the ionizing radiations used in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The doses received in the medical field are only a small fraction of the total radiation received in a year. This bibliographic review has several objectives. The first one is to present the different components of natural radiation (background radiation). Secondly, it will introduce many consumer products that contain radioactive sources and expose our bodies. Third, arguments to diminish the radiation phobia will be presented and finally an easy to understand dosimetric magnitude will be introduced for the physician, the technologist and the patient. (author) [es

“MODERNLİĞİN ARKA YÜZÜ” OLARAK GÜNDELİK HAYAT: AŞKI MEMNU (DAILY LIFE AS "THE REVERSE SIDE OF MODERNITY": ASK-I MEMNU

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Zehra YİĞİT

2012-04-01

Full Text Available It is stated that the word "daily" includes the strategies of capitalist system in the post- modern capitalist societies. Mass media has an important role in spreading of the mindset. This study aims to provide a critique of daily life as an ideological instrument through an analysis of the series. The sample of the study is Aşk-ı Memnu (Hilal Saral-2008/2010. It is aimed to reveal the daily life practices in the series narration through sociological criticism. The arguments of Neo-Marxist theorists Henri Léfebvre, Michel de Certeau ve Michel Foucault about daily life constitutes the theoretical basis. Aşk-ı Memnu reflects the daily life practice of lower and upper classes as a meta; on the other hand, it contributes to capitalism by converting even itself into an object for consumption.

Music Listening and Stress in Daily Life-a Matter of Timing.

Science.gov (United States)

Linnemann, Alexandra; Wenzel, Mario; Grammes, Jennifer; Kubiak, Thomas; Nater, Urs M

2018-04-01

Despite increasing evidence suggesting that music listening in daily life has stress-reducing effects, studies mostly rely on subjective, retrospective data on music listening. Thus, the temporal dynamics underlying the stress-reducing effect of music listening remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to examine the temporal dynamics of the associations between stress and music listening by assessing subjective and objective data on music in daily life. An exploratory Ambulatory Assessment study examining a total of 60 participants (37 women), aged 18 to 34 years (M = 22.4 years, SD = 3.5) was conducted. For 1 week, participants answered questions on music listening and stress six times per day via an electronic diary device, which additionally objectively sampled the exact time point of music listening and its duration. Self-reports on mere music listening were associated with lower stress reports, whereas objectively assessed data was not. However, concerning duration of music listening, both subjective and objective data on music listening showed associations between a minimum of 20 min of music listening and lower stress reports. Concerning the latency, objective data on music listening revealed that the association between stress reports and music listening occurs in a time-delayed manner. Although the study design does not allow for causal inferences, substantial associations among subjectively and objectively assessed data on music listening were found to differentially affect the experience of stress after music listening. In particular, when focusing on the temporal dynamics, objectively assessed data allowed for a more fine-grained analysis. In consequence, subjectively and objectively reported data on music listening should be assessed jointly when investigating effects of music listening on health. Experimental research with rigorous methodological control is required in order to corroborate our findings in a laboratory setting.

Impact of gastroesophageal reflux disease on work absenteeism, presenteeism and productivity in daily life: a European observational study

Science.gov (United States)

Gisbert, Javier P; Cooper, Alun; Karagiannis, Dimitrios; Hatlebakk, Jan; Agréus, Lars; Jablonowski, Helmut; Nuevo, Javier

2009-01-01

Background The RANGE (Retrospective ANalysis of GastroEsophageal reflux disease [GERD]) study assessed differences among patients consulting a primary care physician due to GERD-related reasons in terms of: symptoms, diagnosis and management, response to treatment, and effects on productivity, costs and health-related quality of life. This subanalysis of RANGE determined the impact of GERD on productivity in work and daily life. Methods RANGE was conducted at 134 primary care sites across six European countries (Germany, Greece, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK). All subjects (aged ≥18 years) who consulted with their primary care physician over a 4-month identification period were screened retrospectively, and those consulting at least once for GERD-related reasons were identified (index visit). From this population, a random sample was selected to enter the study and attended a follow-up appointment, during which the impact of GERD on productivity while working (absenteeism and presenteeism) and in daily life was evaluated using the self-reported Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire for patients with GERD (WPAI-GERD). Results Overall, 373,610 subjects consulted with their primary care physician over the 4-month identification period, 12,815 for GERD-related reasons (3.4%); 2678 randomly selected patients attended the follow-up appointment. Average absenteeism due to GERD was highest in Germany (3.2 hours/week) and lowest in the UK (0.4 hours/week), with an average of up to 6.7 additional hours/week lost due to presenteeism in Norway. The average monetary impact of GERD-related work absenteeism and presenteeism were substantial in all countries (from €55/week per employed patient in the UK to €273/patient in Sweden). Reductions in productivity in daily life of up to 26% were observed across the European countries. Conclusion GERD places a significant burden on primary care patients, in terms of work absenteeism and presenteeism and in daily

Impact of gastroesophageal reflux disease on work absenteeism, presenteeism and productivity in daily life: a European observational study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatlebakk Jan

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The RANGE (Retrospective ANalysis of GastroEsophageal reflux disease [GERD] study assessed differences among patients consulting a primary care physician due to GERD-related reasons in terms of: symptoms, diagnosis and management, response to treatment, and effects on productivity, costs and health-related quality of life. This subanalysis of RANGE determined the impact of GERD on productivity in work and daily life. Methods RANGE was conducted at 134 primary care sites across six European countries (Germany, Greece, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK. All subjects (aged ≥18 years who consulted with their primary care physician over a 4-month identification period were screened retrospectively, and those consulting at least once for GERD-related reasons were identified (index visit. From this population, a random sample was selected to enter the study and attended a follow-up appointment, during which the impact of GERD on productivity while working (absenteeism and presenteeism and in daily life was evaluated using the self-reported Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire for patients with GERD (WPAI-GERD. Results Overall, 373,610 subjects consulted with their primary care physician over the 4-month identification period, 12,815 for GERD-related reasons (3.4%; 2678 randomly selected patients attended the follow-up appointment. Average absenteeism due to GERD was highest in Germany (3.2 hours/week and lowest in the UK (0.4 hours/week, with an average of up to 6.7 additional hours/week lost due to presenteeism in Norway. The average monetary impact of GERD-related work absenteeism and presenteeism were substantial in all countries (from €55/week per employed patient in the UK to €273/patient in Sweden. Reductions in productivity in daily life of up to 26% were observed across the European countries. Conclusion GERD places a significant burden on primary care patients, in terms of work absenteeism and

Effect of Gait Retraining on Balance, Activities of Daily Living, Quality of Life and Depression in Stroke Patients

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Majid Farhadian

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Stroke is one of the most common neurological disease and it is the main cause of physical and mental disability and staying in house. Gait difficulties have high incidence in patients with stroke. So the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gait retraining on balance, activities of daily living, quality of life and depressionin stroke patients. Methods: This study was a clinical trial without control group. Sampling was performed by convenience sampling method and 18 patients participated. After recording demographic data, Berg Balance Scale, Barthel Index, SF36 questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory-II used in pre-test and post-test to assess balance, activities of daily living, quality of life and depression, respectively .Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and paired T-test. Results: The results showed statistically significant correlation in pre-test and difference between mean score of the all instruments before and after the intervention. Discussion: According to high prevalence of gait difficulties in stroke patients, it seems interventions in this area is necessary. Statistical results showed that the gait retraining intervention may have a positive effect on improving balance, activities of daily living, quality of life and depression of these patients. According to lack of information in this area, further research is needed.

COMT ValMet moderation of cannabis-induced psychosis: a momentary assessment study of 'switching on' hallucinations in the flow of daily life.

Science.gov (United States)

Henquet, C; Rosa, A; Delespaul, P; Papiol, S; Fananás, L; van Os, J; Myin-Germeys, I

2009-02-01

A functional polymorphism in the catechol-o-methyltransferase gene (COMT Val(158)Met) may moderate the psychosis-inducing effects of cannabis. In order to extend this finding to dynamic effects in the flow of daily life, a momentary assessment study of psychotic symptoms in response to cannabis use was conducted. The experience sampling technique was used to collect data on cannabis use and occurrence of symptoms in daily life in patients with a psychotic disorder (n = 31) and healthy controls (n = 25). Carriers of the COMT Val(158)Met Val allele, but not subjects with the Met/Met genotype, showed an increase in hallucinations after cannabis exposure, conditional on prior evidence of psychometric psychosis liability. The findings confirm that in people with psychometric evidence of psychosis liability, COMT Val(158)Met genotype moderates the association between cannabis and psychotic phenomena in the flow of daily life.

Does oral health matter in people's daily life? Oral health-related quality of life in adults 35-47 years of age in Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahl, K E; Wang, N J; Ohrn, K

2012-02-01

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of oral health on aspects of daily life measured by the Dental Impact Profile (DIP) in 35- to 47-year-old individuals in Norway, and to study associations between reported effects and demographic variables, subjectively assessed oral health, general health, oral health behaviour and clinical oral health. A stratified randomized sample of 249 individuals received a questionnaire regarding demographic questions, dental visits, oral hygiene behaviour, self-rated oral health and general health and satisfaction with oral health. The DIP measured the effects of oral health on daily life. Teeth present and caries experience were registered by clinical examination. Bi- and multivariate analyses and factor analysis were used. Items most frequently reported to be positively or negatively influenced by oral health were chewing and biting, eating, smiling and laughing, feeling comfortable and appearance. Only 1% reported no effects of oral health. Individuals with fewer than two decayed teeth, individuals who rated their oral health as good or practised good oral health habits reported more positive effects than others on oral quality of life (P ≤ 0.05). When the variables were included in multivariate analysis, none was statistically significant. The subscales of the DIP were somewhat different from the originally suggested subscales. This study showed that most adults reported oral health to be important for masticatory functions and confirmed that oral health also had impacts on other aspects of life. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

A Contingency in Architecture: Is ‘House’ a spent notion in Postmodern Daily Life?

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Lerzan ARAS

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Housing has always been of special interest to architecture and interior architecture, which is understandable, given its primary role in individuals’ lives. In particular, the beginning of the 20th century and the impact of modernism on social life created diversification in viewpoints on housing and housing interiors. Housing has had an active, varied, and disputatious history, starting from the avant garde, flexible, and chic spaces of modernism alienated from tradition, to the colourful, cheap, and inarticulate signs of postmodernism. Of course, these changes were not easy to achieve. The change of social organism, innovations in technology, differentiations in individuals’ needs and demands, and their social status created the most essential components of this process. As we leave the twentieth century behind and move through the the first quarter of the twenty-first, it seems that even as housing remains as important as ever in individuals’ lives, some differentiations in what it represents are attracting attention. Today, as an object of consumption, the house stands somewhere beyond being a statement of daily dynamics, taste and an expression of the identity the consumer defines as representing the social groups to which he belongs. The aim of this study is to analyse the conversion of the house since the beginning of the 20th century in respect of the space identifying and identity creating factors of the individual, who sees house as an consumption object in daily life, and transformes “home” as part of his life; and to reveal the possible existential results.

Impact of cough and common cold on productivity, absenteeism, and daily life in the United States: ACHOO Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Dicpinigaitis, Peter V; Eccles, Ron; Blaiss, Michael S; Wingertzahn, Mark A

2015-08-01

Although the common cold is among the most frequent ailments encountered in clinical practice, little is known about its impact on productivity, absenteeism, and daily life. The United States Attitudes of Consumers Toward Health, Cough, and Cold (ACHOO) survey was developed to inform healthcare providers on patients' experience of cough/cold. This analysis focuses on the impact of cough/cold on daily activity, productivity, and absenteeism; other results are reported elsewhere. ACHOO was a 36-question online survey. US adult Internet/mobile device users (N = 3333) were recruited in October 2012. Response quotas modeled on 2010 US Census data ensured a demographically representative sample; 75% of completed surveys were randomized as the primary analysis pool. Demographics and impact of cough/cold were reported using means, frequencies, and percentages. Weighted least squares regression or weighted paired t-test were used to identify factors associated with greater impact. The analysis pool (N = 2505) included 1342 (53.6%) women and 1163 (46.4%) men (mean ages, 46.7 and 45.9 years). A majority (84.7%) had ≥1 cold in the past year. Fifty-two percent said cough/cold impacted daily life a fair amount to a lot. Productivity decreased by a mean 26.4%, and 44.5% of respondents reported work/school absenteeism (usually 1-2 days) during a cold. Overall, 93% of survey participants reported sleep difficulty (slight to extreme) during a cough/cold. Among all respondents, 57% reported cough or nasal congestion as the symptoms making sleep difficult. Higher frequency of colds, more cold symptoms, difficulty sleeping, and worse overall health status correlated with greater impact on productivity, absenteeism, and daily life. Study limitations include the potential for recall bias given the retrospective nature of the self-reports. Furthermore, no attempt was made to distinguish treatment effects, if any, from those of the underlying cough/cold. To our knowledge, this is

Discrepancies between parent and adolescent beliefs about daily life topics and performance on an emotion recognition task.

Science.gov (United States)

De Los Reyes, Andres; Lerner, Matthew D; Thomas, Sarah A; Daruwala, Samantha; Goepel, Katherine

2013-08-01

Parents and children and adolescents commonly disagree in their perceptions of a variety of behaviors, including the family relationship and environment, and child and adolescent psychopathology. To this end, numerous studies have examined to what extent increased discrepant perceptions-particularly with regard to perceptions of the family relationship and environment-predict increased child and adolescent psychopathology. Parents' and children and adolescents' abilities to decode and identify others' emotions (i.e., emotion recognition) may play a role in the link between discrepant perceptions and child and adolescent psychopathology. We examined parents' and adolescents' emotion recognition abilities in relation to discrepancies between parent and adolescent perceptions of daily life topics. In a sample of 50 parents and adolescents ages 14-to-17 years (M = 15.4 years, 20 males, 54 % African-American), parents and adolescents were each administered a widely used performance-based measure of emotion recognition. Parents and adolescents were also administered a structured interview designed to directly assess each of their perceptions of the extent to which discrepancies existed in their beliefs about daily life topics (e.g., whether adolescents should complete their homework and carry out household chores). Interestingly, lower parent and adolescent emotion recognition performance significantly related to greater parent and adolescent perceived discrepant beliefs about daily life topics. We observed this relation whilst accounting for adolescent age and gender and levels of parent-adolescent conflict. These findings have important implications for understanding and using informant discrepancies in both basic developmental psychopathology research and applied research in clinic settings (e.g., discrepant views on therapeutic goals).

Perceived motor problems in daily life: Focus group interviews with people with Noonan syndrome and their relatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Croonen, Ellen A; Harmsen, Mirjam; Van der Burgt, Ineke; Draaisma, Jos M; Noordam, Kees; Essink, Marlou; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G

2016-09-01

Studies from a patient perspective on motor performance problems in Noonan syndrome in daily life are lacking. The aims of this study were to provide insight into the motor performance problems that people with Noonan syndrome and/or their relatives experienced, the major consequences they suffered, the benefits of interventions they experienced, and the experiences with healthcare professionals they mentioned. We interviewed 10 adults with Noonan syndrome (two were joined by their parent), and 23 mothers (five of whom had Noonan syndrome), nine fathers (one of whom had Noonan syndrome) and one cousin who reported on 28 children with Noonan syndrome. People with Noonan syndrome reported particular problems related to pain, decreased muscle strength, fatigue, and clumsiness, which had an evident impact on functioning in daily life. Most participants believed that problems with motor performance improved with exercise, appropriate physiotherapy guidance, and other supportive interventions. Nevertheless, people with Noonan syndrome and/or their relatives did not feel heard and supported and experienced no understanding of their problems by healthcare professionals. This was the first study from a patient perspective that described the motor performance problems in people with Noonan syndrome, the major consequences in daily life, the positive experiences of interventions and the miscommunication with healthcare professionals. To achieve optimal support, healthcare professionals, as well as people with Noonan syndrome and/or their relatives themselves, should be aware of these frequently presented problems with motor performance. Research on these different aspects is needed to better understand and support people with Noonan syndrome.© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enriching psychological assessment using a person-specific analysis of interpersonal processes in daily life.

Science.gov (United States)

Roche, Michael J; Pincus, Aaron L; Rebar, Amanda L; Conroy, David E; Ram, Nilam

2014-10-01

We present a series of methods and approaches for clinicians interested in tracking their individual patients over time and in the natural settings of their daily lives. The application of person-specific analyses to intensive repeated measurement data can assess some aspects of persons that are distinct from the valuable results obtained from single-occasion assessments. Guided by interpersonal theory, we assess a psychotherapy patient's interpersonal processes as they unfold in his daily life. We highlight specific contexts that change these processes, use an informant report to examine discrepancies in his reported interpersonal processes, and examine how his interpersonal processes differ as a function of varying levels of self-esteem and anger. We advocate for this approach to complement existing psychological assessments and provide a scoring program to facilitate initial implementation. © The Author(s) 2014.

Motivation and intention to integrate physical activity into daily school life: the JAM World Record event.

Science.gov (United States)

Vazou, Spyridoula; Vlachopoulos, Symeon P

2014-11-01

Research on the motivation of stakeholders to integrate physical activity into daily school life is limited. The purpose was to examine the motivation of stakeholders to participate in a world record physical activity event and whether motivation was associated with future intention to use activity breaks during the daily school life and future participation in a similar event. After the 2012 JAM (Just-a-Minute) World Record event, 686 adults (591 women; 76.1% participated for children amotivation for participation in the next event were reported. Hierarchical regression analysis, controlling for age, gender, and occupation, showed that intrinsic forms of motivation positively predicted, whereas amotivation negatively predicted, future intention to participate in the event and use the activity breaks. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed that school-related participants were more intrinsically motivated and intended to use the activity breaks and repeat the event more than those who were not affiliated with a school. Nonschool participants reported higher extrinsic motivation and amotivation than school-related participants. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

Fitness, daily activity and body composition in children with newly diagnosed, untreated asthma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vahlkvist, S; Pedersen, S

2009-01-01

Background: Information about how the asthma disease affects the life style and health in children is sparse. Aim: To measure fitness, daily physical activity and body composition in children with newly diagnosed, untreated asthma and healthy controls, and to assess the association between...... the level of asthma control and these parameters. Methods: Daily physical activity measured using accelerometry, cardiovascular fitness and body composition (per cent fat, per cent lean tissue and bone mineral density) were measured in 57 children with newly diagnosed, untreated asthma and in 157 healthy...... fitness and daytime spent in intensive activity. Overweight children are physically less active than normal weight children....

Perceived motor problems in daily life: Focus group interviews with people with Noonan syndrome and their relatives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Croonen, E.A.; Harmsen, M.; Burgt, I. van der; Draaisma, J.M.T.; Noordam, C.; Essink, M.; Nijhuis-Van der Sanden, M.W.G.

2016-01-01

Studies from a patient perspective on motor performance problems in Noonan syndrome in daily life are lacking. The aims of this study were to provide insight into the motor performance problems that people with Noonan syndrome and/or their relatives experienced, the major consequences they suffered,

Consumption of 125I labelled fibrinogen in normal subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langer, B.; Camargo, E.E.; Reis, J.M.M. dos; Carvalho, N.; Leao, L.E.P.

1978-01-01

The metabolism of iodine- 125 labeled human fibrinogen is studied by using three different sets of the radiopharmaceutical (0.9, 1.3 and 1.84 iodine atoms/fibrinogen molecule ratios) in 19 normal subjects. An aliquot of 40 μCi of fibrinogem- 125 I is injected in each subject, on normal dietary conditions and blood samples are withdrawn at 30, 60, 180, 36 and 720 minutes after the injection and, thereafter, one daily sample during 10 days. The compartmental distribution of the tracer is defined by plotting plasma and serum sample counts on a semilogarithmic graph paper. A rapid phase and 3 compartments are obtained. A 'rapid' consumption half-life and a 'real' consumption half-life are defined. The fibrinogen clottability is followed up to the last blood sample by checking the ratios of serum and plasma radioactivities [pt

Comparing omeprazole with fluoxetine for treatment of patients with heartburn and normal endoscopy who failed once daily proton pump inhibitors: double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Ostovaneh, M R; Saeidi, B; Hajifathalian, K; Farrokhi-Khajeh-Pasha, Y; Fotouhi, A; Mirbagheri, S S; Emami, H; Barzin, G; Mirbagheri, S A

2014-05-01

Patients with heartburn but without esophageal erosion respond less well to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). There is a growing body of evidence implicating the role of psychological comorbidities in producing reflux symptoms. Pain modulators improve symptoms in patients with other functional gastrointestinal disorders. We aimed to compare the efficacy of fluoxetine with omeprazole and placebo to achieve symptomatic relief in patients with heartburn and normal endoscopy who failed once daily PPIs. Endoscopy-negative patients with heartburn who failed once daily PPIs were randomly allocated to receive 6 weeks treatment of fluoxetine, omeprazole, or placebo. Random allocation was stratified according to ambulatory pH monitoring study. Percentage of heartburn-free days and symptom severity was assessed. Sixty patients with abnormal and 84 patients with normal pH test were randomized. Subjects receiving fluoxetine experienced more improvement in percentage of heartburn-free days (median 35.7, IQR 21.4-57.1) than those on omeprazole (median 7.14, IQR 0-50, p heartburn-free days (median improvement, 57.1, IQR 35.7-57.1 vs 13.9, IQR, 0-45.6 and 7.14, 0-23.8, respectively, p heartburn and normal endoscopy who failed once daily PPIs. The superiority of fluoxetine was mostly attributed to those with normal esophageal pH rather than those with abnormal pH (ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01269788). © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mobile Phone Sensor Correlates of Depressive Symptom Severity in Daily-Life Behavior: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Saeb, Sohrab; Zhang, Mi; Karr, Christopher J; Schueller, Stephen M; Corden, Marya E; Kording, Konrad P

2015-01-01

Background Depression is a common, burdensome, often recurring mental health disorder that frequently goes undetected and untreated. Mobile phones are ubiquitous and have an increasingly large complement of sensors that can potentially be useful in monitoring behavioral patterns that might be indicative of depressive symptoms. Objective The objective of this study was to explore the detection of daily-life behavioral markers using mobile phone global positioning systems (GPS) and usage sensors, and their use in identifying depressive symptom severity. Methods A total of 40 adult participants were recruited from the general community to carry a mobile phone with a sensor data acquisition app (Purple Robot) for 2 weeks. Of these participants, 28 had sufficient sensor data received to conduct analysis. At the beginning of the 2-week period, participants completed a self-reported depression survey (PHQ-9). Behavioral features were developed and extracted from GPS location and phone usage data. Results A number of features from GPS data were related to depressive symptom severity, including circadian movement (regularity in 24-hour rhythm; r=-.63, P=.005), normalized entropy (mobility between favorite locations; r=-.58, P=.012), and location variance (GPS mobility independent of location; r=-.58, P=.012). Phone usage features, usage duration, and usage frequency were also correlated (r=.54, P=.011, and r=.52, P=.015, respectively). Using the normalized entropy feature and a classifier that distinguished participants with depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score ≥5) from those without (PHQ-9 score mobile phone sensor data, including GPS and phone usage, provided behavioral markers that were strongly related to depressive symptom severity. While these findings must be replicated in a larger study among participants with confirmed clinical symptoms, they suggest that phone sensors offer numerous clinical opportunities, including continuous monitoring of at-risk populations with

Nurses' daily life: gender relations from the time spent in hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Audrey Vidal Pereira

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: to analyze the everyday life of nurses through the sexual work division as well as through interdependence relations and the time in hospital.Method: quanti-qualitative study, based on the Time Use Survey and in Norbert Elias's Configuration Theory of Interdependencies. Daily shifts distribution record, directed by 42 participants - with self-confrontation - by interviews which drew dialogues on subjective aspects of the everyday experiences related to use of time, based on a job at a university hospital. The theoretical intake that founded data analysis was based on concepts of conflicts of interest, power struggles, sexual work division and polychronic-monochronic concepts - whether the work environment demands multitasking nurses or not.Results: time records allowed to observe differences between the groups studied, useful to identify conflicts, tensions, power struggles and gender inequalities in interviewees' everyday affairs that do not only affect physical and mental health, but also their way of life.Conclusion: the analytical path pointed out the need for public policies that promote equity in gender relations, keeping at sight the exercise of plural discourses and tolerant stances capable to respect differences between individual and collective time.

Nurses' daily life: gender relations from the time spent in hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Audrey Vidal

2015-01-01

to analyze the everyday life of nurses through the sexual work division as well as through interdependence relations and the time in hospital. quanti-qualitative study, based on the Time Use Survey and in Norbert Elias's Configuration Theory of Interdependencies. Daily shifts distribution record, directed by 42 participants--with self-confrontation--by interviews which drew dialogues on subjective aspects of the everyday experiences related to use of time, based on a job at a university hospital. The theoretical intake that founded data analysis was based on concepts of conflicts of interest, power struggles, sexual work division and polychronic-monochronic concepts--whether the work environment demands multitasking nurses or not. time records allowed to observe differences between the groups studied, useful to identify conflicts, tensions, power struggles and gender inequalities in interviewees' everyday affairs that do not only affect physical and mental health, but also their way of life. the analytical path pointed out the need for public policies that promote equity in gender relations, keeping at sight the exercise of plural discourses and tolerant stances capable to respect differences between individual and collective time.

Differences in impact of long term caregiving for mentally ill older adults on the daily life of informal caregivers: a qualitative study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zegwaard, M.I.; Aartsen, M.J.; Grypdonck, M.H.F.; Cuijpers, P.

2013-01-01

Background: Owing to the policy of extramuralization of care in most Western countries older people with severe mental illness have to rely more and more on informal caregivers for daily care. Caregivers themselves are often aged, and although caregiving implies an impact on daily life that exceeds

Visual impairment, coping strategies and impact on daily life: a qualitative study among working-age UK ex-service personnel.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevelink, Sharon A M; Malcolm, Estelle M; Fear, Nicola T

2015-11-12

Sustaining a visual impairment may have a substantial impact on various life domains such as work, interpersonal relations, mobility and social and mental well-being. How to adjust to the loss of vision and its consequences might be a challenge for the visually impaired person. The purpose of the current study was to explore how younger male ex-Service personnel cope with becoming visually impaired and how this affects their daily life. Semi-structured interviews with 30 visually impaired male ex-Service personnel, all under the age of 55, were conducted. All participants are members of the charity organisation Blind Veterans UK. Interviews were analysed thematically. Younger ex-Service personnel applied a number of different strategies to overcome their loss of vision and its associated consequences. Coping strategies varied from learning new skills, goal setting, integrating the use of low vision aids in their daily routine, to social withdrawal and substance misuse. Vision loss affected on all aspects of daily life and ex-Service personnel experienced an on-going struggle to accept and adjust to becoming visually impaired. Health care professionals, family and friends of the person with the visual impairment need to be aware that coping with a visual impairment is a continuous struggle; even after a considerable amount of time has passed, needs for emotional, social, practical and physical support may still be present.

Translation, Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life Scale for European Portuguese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Roque dos Reis

2017-02-01

Conclusion: This adaptation of the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life questionnaire for European Portuguese speakers should be considered a good tool for evaluation of the level of satisfaction of hearing aid users, and until now, is the only available scale for speakers of European Portuguese.

Psoriasis nurse of the year helped me lead a normal life.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-09

I have had psoriasis for about 20 years. I can safely say that the care I have received from advanced nurse practitioner Zahira Koreja over the past two years is the best I have ever had. Her care has been instrumental in helping me finally live a normal life by keeping my psoriasis under control.

Self-perceived gait stability modulates the effect of daily life gait quality on prospective falls in older adults

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weijer, R H A; Hoozemans, M J M; van Dieën, J H; Pijnappels, M

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Quality of gait during daily life activities and perceived gait stability are both independent risk factors for future falls in older adults. RESEARCH QUESTION: We investigated whether perceived gait stability modulates the association between gait quality and falling in older adults.

Justification for the Subject of Congruence and Similarity in the Context of Daily Life and Conceptual Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Dündar, Sefa; Gündüz, Nazan

2017-01-01

This study aims to examine prospective elementary mathematics teachers' conceptual knowledge level for congruence and similarity in triangles subject and to examine their ability to represent the knowledge, to associate the knowledge with daily life, and to justify and solve the geometry problems about this subject. The study is designed in a…

Examining daily activity routines of older adults using workflow.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Jane; Ozkaynak, Mustafa; Demiris, George

2017-07-01

We evaluated the value of workflow analysis supported by a novel visualization technique to better understand the daily routines of older adults and highlight their patterns of daily activities and normal variability in physical functions. We used a self-reported activity diary to obtain data from six community-dwelling older adults for 14 consecutive days. Workflow for daily routine was analyzed using the EventFlow tool, which aggregates workflow information to highlight patterns and variabilities. A total of 1453 events were included in the data analysis. To demonstrate the patterns and variability of each individual's daily activities, participant activity workflows were visualized and compared. The workflow analysis revealed great variability in activity types, regularity, frequency, duration, and timing of performing certain activities across individuals. Also, when workflow approach was applied to spatial information of activities, the analysis revealed the ability to provide meaningful data on individuals' mobility in different levels of life spaces from home to community. Results suggest that using workflows to characterize the daily activities of older adults will be helpful for clinicians and researchers in understanding their daily routines and preparing education and prevention strategies tailored to each individual's activity level. This tool also has the potential to be integrated into consumer informatics technologies, such as patient portals or personal health records, so that consumers may be encouraged to become actively involved in monitoring and managing their health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Explorative Evaluation of the Impact of Premenstrual Disorder on Daily Functioning and Quality of Life

OpenAIRE

Lothar A.J. Heinemann; Thai Do Minh; Anna Filonenko; Kerstin Uhl-Hochgrber

2010-01-01

Objectives: To assess the effects of premenstrual disorders on health-related quality of life (HR-QOL), hobbies and social activities, and relationships with others in the multinational IMPACT study. Methods: Women aged 15-45 years were screened for suspected premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and invited to participate in this web-based study. Based on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP), prospectively assessed over two observational cycles, pa...

The Hour of Television: The Incursion of Television and Telenovelas into Mexico City Daily Life (1958-1966

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Camila Ramírez Bonilla

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Television and television genres have a life of their own. In the Mexican case, telenovelas can be seen as the first genre authentically conceived and created for television. Since their appearance in Mexico in June 1958 on Telesistema-Canal 4, they not only recapitulated the stereotypes, myths and moral concerns of society at that time, but also became part of the daily life of their spectators, still expectant neophytes. The first melodramas were an urban phenomenon and characterized the growth of the middle class. The genre’s audience was created by its appearance and viewers actively integrated what they saw on screen into their family life. Watching telenovelas was a primordially domestic act while simultaneously being a collective one, shared among many people. Understanding this genre as a product made to provide meaning and using an analysis that demands both the study of narrative content as well an analysis of the medium itself and its spectators, this article identifies the way in which the arrival of television (and telenovelas in particular made an impact on the daily life of television viewers in Mexico City. Did the arrival of television melodramas, between 1958 and 1966, introduce a new sense of the everyday in the viewing public? How did this new sense of everyday life express itself in space, time, routines, tastes and the collective imagination of viewers? This article is supported by the audiovisual content of the first television melodramas transmitted in Mexico, their reception in television magazines and the press in general, their accompanying advertising and the experiences of middle class individuals and families who were interviewed and surveyed on the subject.

Smart adaptable system for older adults' Daily Life Activities Management - The ABLE platform.

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Giokas, Kostas; Anastasiou, Athanasios; Tsirmpas, Charalampos; Koutsouri, Georgia; Koutsouris, Dimitris; Iliopoulou, Dimitra

2014-01-01

In this paper we propose a system (ABLE) that will act as the main platform for a number of low-cost, mature technologies that will be integrated in order to create a dynamically adaptive Daily Life Activities Management environment in order to facilitate the everyday life of senior (but not exclusively) citizens at home. While the main target group of ABLE's users is the ageing population its use can be extended to all people that are vulnerable or atypical in body, intellect or emotions and are categorized by society as disabled. The classes of assistive products that are well defined in the international standard, ISO9999 such as assistive products for personal medical treatment, personal care and protection, communication, information and reaction and for personal mobility, will be easily incorporated in our proposed platform. Furthermore, our platform could integrate and implement the above classes under several service models that will be analyzed further.

Ecological Interventionist Causal Models in Psychosis: Targeting Psychological Mechanisms in Daily Life

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Reininghaus, Ulrich; Depp, Colin A.; Myin-Germeys, Inez

2016-01-01

Integrated models of psychotic disorders have posited a number of putative psychological mechanisms that may contribute to the development of psychotic symptoms, but it is only recently that a modest amount of experience sampling research has provided evidence on their role in daily life, outside the research laboratory. A number of methodological challenges remain in evaluating specificity of potential causal links between a given psychological mechanism and psychosis outcomes in a systematic fashion, capitalizing on longitudinal data to investigate temporal ordering. In this article, we argue for testing ecological interventionist causal models that draw on real world and real-time delivered, ecological momentary interventions for generating evidence on several causal criteria (association, time order, and direction/sole plausibility) under real-world conditions, while maximizing generalizability to social contexts and experiences in heterogeneous populations. Specifically, this approach tests whether ecological momentary interventions can (1) modify a putative mechanism and (2) produce changes in the mechanism that lead to sustainable changes in intended psychosis outcomes in individuals’ daily lives. Future research using this approach will provide translational evidence on the active ingredients of mobile health and in-person interventions that promote sustained effectiveness of ecological momentary interventions and, thereby, contribute to ongoing efforts that seek to enhance effectiveness of psychological interventions under real-world conditions. PMID:26707864

Daily life historyasmodern direction of urban history of Englandof High Middle Ages

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O. S. Okhrimenko

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Historiographical review of recent research is an important aspect of the scientific study of the problems of medieval urban history of England. In 2000s there was marked the beginning of years of studying the history of everyday of medieval towns. The most important works in this field are the studies of Professor C. Dyer. Studying the history of everyday life of the city the researcher has identified as «standards of living». One of the modern directions of the history of everyday life is a history of food. There is the significant research of Professor M. Carlin on the history of English feasting of urban residents of the Middle Ages. In the article Fast food and urban living standards in medieval England, she looked anew at the narrative sources XII-XIV centuries. Another area of daily life history is a history of clothes (fashion. L. A. Wilson in his work De novo modo: The birth of fashion in the Middle Ages analyzes comprehensively the written, visual, and archaeological evidence. Modern interpretations of medieval hygiene (including sanitation of medieval towns related to research in the area of a history body. Its appointed destination for British urban sources dealing D. Jorgensen, D. Keene, U. Ewert, G. Geltner, J. Lee etc. They revised the traditional view medievalists of the nineteenth century. At the present period the historiography of medieval towns of England are mostly social history. Towards the history of everyday life there is a tendency to positive characteristics of urban life in the English Middle Ages. Contemporary scholars refer to the current trends in the world. Active urbanization processes forced researchers to seek appeal of such a way of life in previous centuries, particularly in the Middle Ages. The key features of everyday modern city (commercialization, fast food, fashion, high standards of hygiene etc. historians find their roots in the past.

Relationships between widespread pain and thresholds pain tolerance on tender points in Portuguese women with fibromyalgia: impact on daily life.

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Pablo Tomas-Carus

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Objectives: to establish a relationship between widespread pain subjectively perceived and threshold pain tolerance on tender points, and to determine whether there are differences in threshold pain tolerance on tender points between the upper and lower body, as well as between the dominant and non-dominant side, and whether these differences have an impact on the daily life of Portuguese women with fibromyalgia (FM. Material e Methods: thirty-one women with FM aged between 34 and 67 years volunteered for the study. Threshold pain tolerance was assessed at critical points using a digital algometer pressure; the widespread pain index (WPI was constructed by the addition of 19 painful body regions; and the impact on the daily life assessed by the Portuguese version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ, with individual interviews. Results: significant differences between the percentage of threshold pain tolerance of the whole body and the scales of widespread pain subjectively perceived were observed, showing that the widespread pain subjectively perceived by patients was between +25.9% and +27.5%. Also, significant differences between threshold pain tolerance of tender points located on the upper and lower body (1.9 ± 0.5 kg/cm2 vs. 2.6 ± 0.7 kg/cm2; respectively were observed. However, no significant differences were found between threshold pain tolerance of tender points located on dominant and non-dominant sides (2.1 ± 0.5 kg/cm2 e 2.1 ± 0.6 kg/cm2; respectively. Additionally, the analysis showed significant correlations between pain and patient`s daily life in: FIQ total score, physical function, feel good, job ability and fatigue. Conclusions: the women with FM show higher widespread pain subjectively perceived than threshold pain tolerance on tender points. Furthermore, the pain suffered by the patients with FM, especially that located on the upper body, either on the dominant or on the non-dominant side, has a negative

Coping with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Engaging with Information to Inform Health-Related Decision Making in Daily Life.

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Restall, Gayle J; Simms, Alexandria M; Walker, John R; Haviva, Clove; Graff, Lesley A; Sexton, Kathryn A; Miller, Norine; Targownik, Laura E; Bernstein, Charles N

2017-08-01

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) require disease and lifestyle information to make health-related decisions in their daily lives. Derived from a larger qualitative study of the lived experiences of people with IBD, we report on findings that explored how people with IBD engage with health-related information in their daily lives. Participants were recruited primarily from the Manitoba IBD Cohort Study. We used purposive sampling to select people with a breadth of characteristics and experiences. Individual interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using inductive qualitative methods consistent with a phenomenological approach. Forty-five people with IBD participated; 51% were women. Findings highlighted the temporal and contextual influences on engagement with health-related information. Temporal influences were described as the changing need for health-related information over time. Participants identified 6 contextual factors influencing engagement with information to make health decisions: (1) emotional and attitudinal responses, (2) perceived benefits and risks, (3) trust in the source of the information, (4) knowledge and skills to access and use information, (5) availability of evidence to support decisions, and (6) social and economic environments. Findings illustrate the changing needs for health-related information over the course of IBD, and with evolving health and life circumstances. Practitioners can be responsive to information needs of people with IBD by having high-quality information available at the right time in a variety of formats and by supporting the incorporation of information in daily life.

Negative psychosocial and heavy physical workloads associated with musculoskeletal pain interfering with normal life in older adults: cross-sectional analysis.

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Lilje, Stina C; Skillgate, Eva; Anderberg, Peter; Berglund, Johan

2015-07-01

Pain is one of the most frequent reasons for seeking health care, and is thus a public health problem. Although there is a progressive increase in pain and impaired physical function with age, few studies are performed on older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate if there are associations between musculoskeletal pain interfering with normal life in older adults and physical and psychosocial workloads through life. The association of heavy physical workload and negative psychosocial workload and musculoskeletal pain interfering with normal life (SF 12) was analyzed by multiple logistic regression. The model was adjusted for eight background covariates: age, gender, growing-up environment, educational level, if living alone or not, obesity, smoking, and leisure physical activity. Negative psychosocial and heavy physical workloads were independently associated with musculoskeletal pain interfering with normal life (adjusted OR: 4.44, 95% CI: 2.84-6.92), and (adjusted OR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.20-2.93), respectively. The background covariates female gender and higher education were also associated with musculoskeletal pain interfering with normal life, and physical leisure activity was inversely associated. The findings suggest that negative psychosocial and heavy physical workloads are strongly associated with musculoskeletal pain interfering with normal life in older adults. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Assessment of daily-life dynamic interactions between human body and environment using movement and force sensing on the interface

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kortier, H.G.; Veltink, Petrus H.

2011-01-01

This study describes a method to estimate load dynamics during the execution of daily life tasks. In many motor tasks, the central nervous system (CNS) applies feed-forward control, using learned patterns. The contribution of state feedback (visual/proprioceptive/reflexive) is significantly less

Relief of depression and pain improves daily functioning and quality of life in patients with major depressive disorder.

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Lin, Ching-Hua; Yen, Yung-Chieh; Chen, Ming-Chao; Chen, Cheng-Chung

2013-12-02

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of depression relief and pain relief on the improvement in daily functioning and quality of life (QOL) for depressed patients receiving a 6-week treatment of fluoxetine. A total of 131 acutely ill inpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD) were enrolled to receive 20mg of fluoxetine daily for 6 weeks. Depression severity, pain severity, daily functioning, and health-related QOL were assessed at baseline and again at week 6. Depression severity, pain severity, and daily functioning were assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Body Pain Index, and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale. Health-related QOL was assessed by three primary domains of the SF-36, including social functioning, vitality, and general health perceptions. Pearson's correlation and structural equation modeling were used to examine relationships among the study variables. Five models were proposed. In model 1, depression relief alone improved daily functioning and QOL. In model 2, pain relief alone improved daily functioning and QOL. In model 3, depression relief, mediated by pain relief, improved daily functioning and QOL. In model 4, pain relief, mediated by depression relief, improved daily functioning and QOL. In model 5, both depression relief and pain relief improved daily functioning and QOL. One hundred and six patients completed all the measures at baseline and at week 6. Model 5 was the most fitted structural equation model (χ(2) = 8.62, df = 8, p = 0.376, GFI = 0.975, AGFI = 0.935, TLI = 0.992, CFI = 0.996, RMSEA = 0.027). Interventions which relieve depression and pain improve daily functioning and QOL among patients with MDD. The proposed model can provide quantitative estimates of improvement in treating patients with MDD. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differentials in health-related quality of life of employed and unemployed women with normal vaginal delivery.

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Chinweuba, Anthonia U; Okoronkwo, Ijeoma L; Anarado, Agnes N; Agbapuonwu, Noreen E; Ogbonnaya, Ngozi P; Ihudiebube-Splendor, Chikaodili N

2018-01-10

The combination of child care and domestic work demands on both housewives and the employed (hired) women may impact their health-related quality-of-life. There is paucity of studies to ascertain this. This study investigated the differences in health-related quality of life of employed and unemployed women with normal vaginal delivery and associated socio-demographic variables. This longitudinal study was done from March, 2012 to June, 2013. Modified SF-36v2™ health-related quality of life questionnaire was administered to 234 newly delivered women drawn from six selected hospitals in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria at 6, 12 and 18 weeks postpartum. Respondents were reached for data collection through personal contacts initially at the hospitals of delivery, and subsequently by visits to their homes/workplaces or cell-phone calls. Women were asked to indicate how each of 36 items applied to them at each of the three times. Data collection lasted for six calendar months and 17 days (from September 3rd 2012 to 20th March, 2013). All the women had their best HrQoL at 12 weeks postpartum. Employed women reported lower health-related quality-of-life than the unemployed at the three time-points, the lowest mean score being at 18 weeks postpartum (Mean = 73.9). Multiple comparison of scores of the two groups using Tukey HSD Repeated Mean showed significant variation on the eight subscales of the health-related quality-of-life. Physical functioning (p = 0.045), Physical role limitation (p = 0.000), bodily pain (p = 0.000), social functioning (p = 0.000) and general health (p = 0.000) were unequal guaranteeing type 1 error. Women with higher education and personal income reported higher health-related quality-of-life (p women have more problems with physical health components and are more negatively affected by increasing age except those with higher education and personal income. Increased responsibilities combined with increasing age and low socio

Adolescent Executive Dysfunction in Daily Life: Relationships to Risks, Brain Structure and Substance Use

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Duncan B. Clark

2017-11-01

Full Text Available During adolescence, problems reflecting cognitive, behavioral and affective dysregulation, such as inattention and emotional dyscontrol, have been observed to be associated with substance use disorder (SUD risks and outcomes. Prior studies have typically been with small samples, and have typically not included comprehensive measurement of executive dysfunction domains. The relationships of executive dysfunction in daily life with performance based testing of cognitive skills and structural brain characteristics, thought to be the basis for executive functioning, have not been definitively determined. The aims of this study were to determine the relationships between executive dysfunction in daily life, measured by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF, cognitive skills and structural brain characteristics, and SUD risks, including a global SUD risk indicator, sleep quality, and risky alcohol and cannabis use. In addition to bivariate relationships, multivariate models were tested. The subjects (n = 817; ages 12 through 21 were participants in the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA study. The results indicated that executive dysfunction was significantly related to SUD risks, poor sleep quality, risky alcohol use and cannabis use, and was not significantly related to cognitive skills or structural brain characteristics. In multivariate models, the relationship between poor sleep quality and risky substance use was mediated by executive dysfunction. While these cross-sectional relationships need to be further examined in longitudinal analyses, the results suggest that poor sleep quality and executive dysfunction may be viable preventive intervention targets to reduce adolescent substance use.

Biomechanical Analysis of Normal Brain Development during the First Year of Life Using Finite Strain Theory.

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Kim, Jeong Chul; Wang, Li; Shen, Dinggang; Lin, Weili

2016-12-02

The first year of life is the most critical time period for structural and functional development of the human brain. Combining longitudinal MR imaging and finite strain theory, this study aimed to provide new insights into normal brain development through a biomechanical framework. Thirty-three normal infants were longitudinally imaged using MRI from 2 weeks to 1 year of age. Voxel-wise Jacobian determinant was estimated to elucidate volumetric changes while Lagrange strains (both normal and shear strains) were measured to reveal directional growth information every 3 months during the first year of life. Directional normal strain maps revealed that, during the first 6 months, the growth pattern of gray matter is anisotropic and spatially inhomogeneous with higher left-right stretch around the temporal lobe and interhemispheric fissure, anterior-posterior stretch in the frontal and occipital lobes, and superior-inferior stretch in right inferior occipital and right inferior temporal gyri. In contrast, anterior lateral ventricles and insula showed an isotropic stretch pattern. Volumetric and directional growth rates were linearly decreased with age for most of the cortical regions. Our results revealed anisotropic and inhomogeneous brain growth patterns of the human brain during the first year of life using longitudinal MRI and a biomechanical framework.

Participation after acquired brain injury: Associations with everyday technology and activities in daily life.

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Fallahpour, Mandana; Kottorp, Anders; Nygård, Louise; Lund, Maria Larsson

2015-01-01

The development of the information society has led to increased use of everyday technology and changed the conditions for participation. Enabling participation in everyday life situations is an important rehabilitation goal after acquired brain injury (ABI). Identifying factors associated with individuals' experienced participation and problems therein is therefore essential. This study aimed at exploring the relationship between perceived difficulty in everyday technology use, perceived ability in the activities of daily living (ADL), and perceived participation, and participation problems in persons with ABI. Eighty-one persons with ABI participated in the study and were assessed by the Impact on Participation and Autonomy questionnaire, the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire, and the ADL taxonomy. Findings showed that the combined model of difficulty in everyday technology (ET) use, ADL ability, and the interaction between them explained both participation in various domains of everyday life, and also overall level of perceived participation and the perceived problems. The findings underscore the importance of evaluating individuals' ability in both ET use and ADL after ABI to increase the probability of explaining these persons' participation in desired everyday life situations and, also, for rehabilitation design.

Impact of inflammatory bowel disease on daily life: an online survey by the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases

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Young Sun Kim

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD is a chronic disabling gastrointestinal disorder that diminishes the quality of life of the affected individuals. Limited data are available regarding the impact of IBD on the daily life of Koreans.Methods: Self-administered, computer-aided, internet-based questionnaires were distributed to members of a Korean patient organization for IBD from March to April 2013, by the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases.Results: A total of 599 patients with IBD (387 with Crohn's disease [CD] and 212 with ulcerative colitis [UC] were enrolled. The majority of patients (81% expressed feelings of fatigue, weakness, and being worn out in their daily lives during times of flare; this percentage was reduced to 61% during remission. Respondents were absent from work or school for an average period of 18 days because of illness, within the first 6 months; the majority of respondents (64% felt stressed about their absence. Forty-six percent of the respondents reported having received unfair comments at work, or having suffered discrimination. Forty-seven percent of the respondents felt that IBD had negatively affected their income and earnings. Compared with patients with UC, those with CD reported a more frequent negative impact of IBD on work, or more economic burden. More than half of the respondents (61% reported that IBD had prevented them from making or keeping friends.Conclusions: IBD significantly impacts daily life, including work, education, and social relationships. Treatment that addresses the full spectrum of life of a patient would be more effective.

Impact of inflammatory bowel disease on daily life: an online survey by the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases.

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Kim, Young Sun; Jung, Sung-Ae; Lee, Kang-Moon; Park, Soo Jung; Kim, Tae Oh; Choi, Chang Hwan; Kim, Hyun Gun; Moon, Won; Moon, Chang Mo; Song, Hye Kyoung; Na, Soo-Young; Yang, Suk-Kyun

2017-07-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disabling gastrointestinal disorder that diminishes the quality of life of the affected individuals. Limited data are available regarding the impact of IBD on the daily life of Koreans. Self-administered, computer-aided, internet-based questionnaires were distributed to members of a Korean patient organization for IBD from March to April 2013, by the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases. A total of 599 patients with IBD (387 with Crohn's disease [CD] and 212 with ulcerative colitis [UC]) were enrolled. The majority of patients (81%) expressed feelings of fatigue, weakness, and being worn out in their daily lives during times of flare; this percentage was reduced to 61% during remission. Respondents were absent from work or school for an average period of 18 days because of illness, within the first 6 months; the majority of respondents (64%) felt stressed about their absence. Forty-six percent of the respondents reported having received unfair comments at work, or having suffered discrimination. Forty-seven percent of the respondents felt that IBD had negatively affected their income and earnings. Compared with patients with UC, those with CD reported a more frequent negative impact of IBD on work, or more economic burden. More than half of the respondents (61%) reported that IBD had prevented them from making or keeping friends. IBD significantly impacts daily life, including work, education, and social relationships. Treatment that addresses the full spectrum of life of a patient would be more effective.

Relation of Depression with the Outonomy Elderly Into Activity Life of Daily Living at Timbangan Indralaya

OpenAIRE

Muharyani, Putri Widita

2010-01-01

Background : Depression is considered as dangeousr for a psychological and physical health, because it was causing for a function discharge of kognitif, emosional and productivities, especially unautonomy of elderly into fill activities life in everytime. This research is done to know the relation of depression with the autonomy into activity of daily Lliving at Kelurahan Timbangan Indralaya. Method : The method was using into this research it was from the analytic of desain Cross Sectional a...

How older people with incurable cancer experience daily living: A qualitative study from Norway.

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Haug, Sigrid Helene Kjørven; Danbolt, Lars J; Kvigne, Kari; Demarinis, Valerie

2015-08-01

An increasing number of older people are living with incurable cancer as a chronic disease, requiring palliative care from specialized healthcare for shorter or longer periods of time. The aim of our study was to describe how they experience daily living while receiving palliative care in specialized healthcare contexts. We conducted a qualitative research study with a phenomenological approach called "systematic text condensation." A total of 21 participants, 12 men and 9 women, aged 70-88, took part in semistructured interviews. They were recruited from two somatic hospitals in southeastern Norway. The participants experienced a strong link to life in terms of four subthemes: to acknowledge the need for close relationships; to maintain activities of normal daily life; to provide space for existential meaning-making and to name and handle decline and loss. In addition, they reported that specialized healthcare contexts strengthened the link to life by prioritizing and providing person-centered palliative care. Older people with incurable cancer are still strongly connected to life in their daily living. The knowledge that the potential for resilience remains despite aging and serious decline in health is considered a source of comfort for older people living with this disease. Insights into the processes of existential meaning-making and resilience are seen as useful in order to increase our understanding of how older people adapt to adversity, and how their responses may help to protect them from some of the difficulties inherent to aging. Healthcare professionals can make use of this information in treatment planning and for identification of psychosocial and sociocultural resources to support older people and to strengthen patients' life resources.

Appliances facilitating everyday life - electricity use derived from daily activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ellegaard, Kajsa (Dept of Thematic Studies, Linkoeping Univ. (Sweden)), e-mail: kajsa.ellegard@liu.se; Widen, Joakim (Dept of Engineering Sciences, Uppsala Univ. (Sweden)); Vrotsou, Katerina (Dept of Science and Technology, Linkoeping Univ. (Sweden))

2011-06-15

The purpose of this paper is to present how, using a visualization method, electricity use can be derived from the everyday activity patterns of household members. Target groups are, on the one hand, professionals in the energy sector and energy advisors who need more knowledge about household energy use, and, on the other hand, household members wanting to reduce the energy use by revealing their own habits and thereby finding out how changed activity performance may influence electricity use. The focus is on the relation between utilizing electric appliances to perform everyday life activities and the use of electricity. The visualization method is based on the time-geographic approach developed by Haegerstrand and includes a model that estimates appliance electricity use from household members' activities. Focus, in this paper, is put on some basic activities performed to satisfy daily life needs: cooking and use of information, communication and entertainment devices. These activities appear frequently in the everyday life of households, even though not all household members perform them all. The method is applied on a data material comprising time-diaries written by 463 individuals (aged 10 to 85+) in 179 households in different parts of Sweden. The visualization method reveals when and for how long activities that claim electric appliances are performed by which individual(s). It also shows electricity load curves generated from the use of appliances at different levels, such as individual, household and group or population levels. At household level the method can reveal which household members are the main users of electricity, i.e. the division of labour between household members. Thereby it also informs about whom could be approached by energy companies and energy advisors in information campaigns. The main result of the study is that systematic differences in activity patterns in subgroups of a population can be identified (e.g. men and women) but

Self-perceived gait stability modulates the effect of daily life gait quality on prospective falls in older adults.

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Weijer, R H A; Hoozemans, M J M; van Dieën, J H; Pijnappels, M

2018-05-01

Quality of gait during daily life activities and perceived gait stability are both independent risk factors for future falls in older adults. We investigated whether perceived gait stability modulates the association between gait quality and falling in older adults. In this prospective cohort study, we used one-week daily-life trunk acceleration data of 272 adults over 65 years of age. Sample entropy (SE) of the 3D acceleration signals was calculated to quantify daily life gait quality. To quantify perceived gait stability, the level of concern about falling was assessed using the Falls Efficacy Scale international (FES-I) questionnaire and step length, estimated from the accelerometer data. A fall calendar was used to record fall incidence during a six-month follow up period. Logistic regression analyses were performed to study the association between falling and SE, step length or FES-I score, and their interactions. High (i.e., poor) SE in vertical direction was significantly associated with falling. FES-I scores significantly modulated this association, whereas step length did not. Subgroup analyses based on FES-I scores showed that high SE in the vertical direction was a risk factor for falls only in older adults who had a high (i.e. poor) FES-I score. In conclusion, perceived gait stability modulates the association between gait quality and falls in older adults such that an association between gait quality and falling is only present when perceived gait stability is poor. The results of the present study indicate that the effectiveness of interventions for fall prevention, aimed at improving gait quality, may be affected by a modulating effect of perceived gait stability. Results indicate that interventions to reduce falls in older adults might sort most effectiveness in populations with both a poor physiological and psychological status. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Most Essential Wheeled Mobility Skills for Daily Life : An International Survey Among Paralympic Wheelchair Athletes With Spinal Cord Injury

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fliess-Douer, Osnat; Vanlandewijck, Yves C.; Van der Woude, Lucas H. V.

Fliess-Douer O, Vanlandewijck YC, Van Der Woude LHV. Most essential wheeled mobility skills for daily life: an international survey among paralympic wheelchair athletes with spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2012;93:629-35. Objectives: To create a hierarchical list of the most essential

Causes of decreased activity of daily life in elderly patients who need daily living care.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshino, Hiroshi; Sakurai, Takashi; Hasegawa, Kazuo; Yokono, Koichi

2011-07-01

The causes of decreased activity of daily life (ADL) in elderly patients include cerebrovascular diseases, bone fracture by falls, and dementia. The present study was conducted among elderly patients with decreased ADL who were hospitalized in nursing wards in order to investigate the causes of becoming early bedridden and to determine precautionary measures against decreased ADL. The study subjects were 224 elderly patients with decreased ADL (mean age: 83.3 ± 8.0 years) and 49 outpatients without decreased ADL (mean age: 76.8 ± 5.3 years). Current age, age at the start of ADL decrease, medical history and history of smoking were investigated. In the groups with decreased ADL, current age and the age of becoming bedridden in non-diabetic versus diabetic groups were 84.7 ± 7.9 versus 80.3 ± 7.5 and 82.7 ± 8.3 versus 77.6 ± 8.0 years, respectively, both showing significantly lower values in the diabetic group (P bedridden. Diabetic patients with smoking habit were significantly younger than diabetic and non-diabetic patients without smoking habit. Sex difference, smoking habit and presence of diabetes mellitus are independent risk factors of becoming early bedridden. Therefore, the major targets of medical care among elderly should be diabetic men with a smoking habit to lower the risks of decreased ADL. © 2011 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Wrist activity in a woman: daily, weekly, menstrual, lunar, annual cycles?

Science.gov (United States)

Binkley, S

1992-09-01

Wrist activity was monitored continuously for one year in a woman who went about her normal life. The year of data were analyzed for changes and rhythms--daily, weekly, menstrual, lunar, annual. For each day, average motions/5 minutes, activity onset, activity offset, alpha (duration of activity), and acrophase were measured. Periodograms and average daily wave forms were calculated. Well-defined, entrained, daily rest-activity cycles were observed throughout the year with periods close to 24 hours. There was weekend delay (0.7 hours) in onset, weekend decrease in alpha (1.0 hours), and weekend advance of acrophase (0.4 hours). Motions/5 minutes decreased 9%, onsets were 0.3 hours later, and alphas were 0.4 hours shorter on menstrual cycle days 8 through 18 which should have encompassed the time of ovulation. Lunar phase had no effect. Annual changes in onset (1.1 hours), offset (1.2 hours), and acrophase (1.1 hours) were attributed to the 1-hour change between standard and daylight savings time.

The daily life of urban ethnic minorities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andries van den Broek; Saskia Keuzenkamp

2008-01-01

Original title: Het dagelijks leven van allochtone stedelingen. The integration of ethnic minorities in Dutch society is not an easy process. The present emphasis on the problems means there is little room for attention for the daily lives of people within the various ethnic groups. This

Ways of sampling voluntary and involuntary autobiographical memories in daily life.

Science.gov (United States)

Rasmussen, Anne S; Johannessen, Kim B; Berntsen, Dorthe

2014-11-01

Cognitive psychologists have often equaled retrieval of personal events with voluntary recall from autobiographical memory, but more recent research shows that autobiographical memories often come to mind involuntarily-that is, with no retrieval effort. Voluntary memories have been studied in numerous laboratory experiments in response to word-prompts, whereas involuntary memories primarily have been examined in an everyday living context, using a structured diary procedure. However, it remains unclear how voluntary memories sampled in the laboratory map onto self-prompted voluntary memories in daily life. Here, we used a structured diary procedure to compare different types of voluntary autobiographical memories to their involuntary counterparts. The results replicated previous findings with regard to differences between word-prompted voluntary and involuntary memories, whereas there were fewer differences between self-prompted voluntary and involuntary memories. The findings raise the question as to what is the best way of sampling voluntary memories and the best comparison for involuntary memories. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attachment Style Predicts Affect, Cognitive Appraisals, and Social Functioning in Daily Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tamara eSheinbaum

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The way in which attachment styles are expressed in the moment as individuals navigate their real-life settings has remained an area largely untapped by attachment research. The present study examined how adult attachment styles are expressed in daily life using Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM in a sample of 206 Spanish young adults. Participants were administered the Attachment Style Interview and received personal digital assistants that signaled them randomly eight times per day for one week to complete questionnaires about their current experiences and social context. As hypothesized, participants’ momentary affective states, cognitive appraisals, and social functioning varied in meaningful ways as a function of their attachment style. Individuals with an anxious attachment, as compared with securely attached individuals, endorsed experiences that were congruent with hyperactivating tendencies, such as higher negative affect, stress, and perceived social rejection. By contrast, individuals with an avoidant attachment, relative to individuals with a secure attachment, endorsed experiences that were consistent with deactivating tendencies, such as decreased positive states and a decreased desire to be with others when alone. Furthermore, the expression of attachment styles in social contexts was shown to be dependent upon the subjective appraisal of the closeness of social contacts, and not merely upon the presence of social interactions. The findings support the ecological validity of the Attachment Style Interview and the person-by-situation character of attachment theory. Moreover, they highlight the utility of ESM for investigating how the predictions derived from attachment theory play out in the natural flow of real life.

A Fragment of Daily Life in the Collectivized Romanian Village between 1971-1985

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GHEORGHE ŞIŞEŞTEAN

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Based on a personal diary, I will reconstitute certain fragments of daily reality in one collectivized village of the communist period. The research approach is based on a contextual, localist-type methodological perspective, important for minimizing the potential negative effects of the epistemological precarity of post facta analysis, so characteristic to the social and humanistic fields of study. Without doubt, it does not eliminate subjectivity, but it reduces it significantly. The analysis proposed below captures the characteristics of the rural daily life in the last period of the Romanian communist society based on the following criteria: the dissolution of the traditional, peasant village and the end of the peasantry; the emergence of new social value systems; the dismantling of peasant collectivism; the widening rural-urban gap and the effects of economic crisisies in the eighties, which affected both the rural and the urban localities.The premise I start from is that the communist period cannot be judged by applying a reductionist and nominalist label; it must be approached from inside of its own specificity, by attempting to reconstitute the mechanisms of social articulation, which generate new phenomena, having their own historicity, some of which have found an extension in the post-communist period as well.

The Effect of Voice Ambulatory Biofeedback on the Daily Performance and Retention of a Modified Vocal Motor Behavior in Participants with Normal Voices

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Van Stan, Jarrad H.; Mehta, Daryush D.; Hillman, Robert E.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Ambulatory biofeedback has potential to improve carryover of newly established vocal motor behaviors into daily life outside of the clinic and warrants systematic research that is lacking in the literature. This proof-of-concept study was designed to establish an empirical basis for future work in this area by formally assessing whether…

Worldview conflict in daily life

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brandt, M.J.; Crawford, Jarret; van Tongeren, D.R.

2018-01-01

Building on laboratory- and survey-based research probing the psychology of ideology and the experience of worldview conflict, we examined the association between worldview conflict and emotional reactions, psychological well-being, humanity esteem, and political ideology in everyday life using

Depression and pain impair daily functioning and quality of life in patients with major depressive disorder.

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Lin, Ching-Hua; Yen, Yung-Chieh; Chen, Ming-Chao; Chen, Cheng-Chung

2014-09-01

Depression and pain frequently occur together. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of depression and pain on the impairment of daily functioning and quality of life (QOL) of depressed patients. We enrolled 131 acutely ill inpatients with major depressive disorder. Depression, pain, and daily functioning were assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Body Pain Index, and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale. Health-related QOL was assessed using three primary domains of the SF-36: social functioning, vitality, and general health perceptions. Pearson׳s correlation and structural equation modeling were used to examine relationships among the study variables. Five models were proposed. In all, 129 patients completed all the measures. Model 5, both depression and pain impaired daily functioning and QOL, was the most fitted structural equation model (χ(2)=9.2, df=8, p=0.33, GFI=0.98, AGFI=0.94, TLI=0.99, CFI=0.99, RMSEA=0.03). The correlation between pain and depression was weak (r=-0.27, z=-2.95, p=0.003). This was a cross-sectional study with a small sample size. Depression and pain exert a direct influence on the impairment of daily functioning and QOL of depressed patients; this impairment could be expected regardless of increased pain, depression, or both pain and depression. Pain had a somewhat separate entity from depression. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Health Related Quality of Life and Weight Self-Efficacy of Life Style among Normal-Weight, Overweight and Obese Iranian Adolescents: A Case Control Study

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Seyedeh Fatemeh Miri

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Identifying and investigating the factors influencing self-efficacy and eventually health related quality of life (HRQoL can be an important step toward the prevention and treatment of the obesity. The aim of the study was to compare weight self-efficacy and HRQoL among normal-weight, overweight and obese Iranian adolescents. Materials and Methods In this case-control study, 118 obese and overweight adolescents (case group and 118 adolescents with normal weight (control group were recruited. Adolescent's anthropometric characteristics were measured. The Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire (WEL, pediatric quality of life inventory (PedsQLTM 4.0 and self-reported physical activity were completed by the adolescents. Results: Multivariate logistic regression adjusting for various confounders indicated that overweight and obese adolescents were less likely to be physically active (adjusted odds ratio, AOR= 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48 to 0.911, had lower ability to cope with social pressure (AOR= 0.54; 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.93, involved in less positive activities (AOR= 0.53; 95% CI, 0.37 to 0.75, and felt more negative emotions (AOR= 0.23; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.36 than their normal-weight counterparts. Moreover, obese and overweight adolescents were more likely to report deteriorated quality of life in all PedsQL subscales than those with normal weight P

Psychometric Properties of Newly Translated Spanish Life Events Inventory and Daily Hassles Scale.

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Hannan, Jean; Youngblut, JoAnne M; Brooten, Dorothy; Bazzani, Dianne; Romero, Norma R; Chavez, Blanca; Picanes, Joann

2015-01-01

Measuring stress in Hispanic Americans, the fastest growing U.S. minority, is problematic. The Life Events Inventory (LEI) and the Daily Hassles Scale (DHS), widely used stress instruments, are not available in Spanish. To test the psychometric properties of the translated Spanish versions of the LEI and DHS. A convenience sample of 63 Hispanic women completed both instruments in Spanish and English 2 weeks apart. Internal consistency reliability and stability were strong for both instruments (.85-.97). Reliability and validity evidence for the translated Spanish versions were strong and similar to the English version. Psychometric findings suggest that the newly translated Spanish versions are good representations of the English versions and that these newly translated instruments are ready for use.

Ecological Interventionist Causal Models in Psychosis: Targeting Psychological Mechanisms in Daily Life.

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Reininghaus, Ulrich; Depp, Colin A; Myin-Germeys, Inez

2016-03-01

Integrated models of psychotic disorders have posited a number of putative psychological mechanisms that may contribute to the development of psychotic symptoms, but it is only recently that a modest amount of experience sampling research has provided evidence on their role in daily life, outside the research laboratory. A number of methodological challenges remain in evaluating specificity of potential causal links between a given psychological mechanism and psychosis outcomes in a systematic fashion, capitalizing on longitudinal data to investigate temporal ordering. In this article, we argue for testing ecological interventionist causal models that draw on real world and real-time delivered, ecological momentary interventions for generating evidence on several causal criteria (association, time order, and direction/sole plausibility) under real-world conditions, while maximizing generalizability to social contexts and experiences in heterogeneous populations. Specifically, this approach tests whether ecological momentary interventions can (1) modify a putative mechanism and (2) produce changes in the mechanism that lead to sustainable changes in intended psychosis outcomes in individuals' daily lives. Future research using this approach will provide translational evidence on the active ingredients of mobile health and in-person interventions that promote sustained effectiveness of ecological momentary interventions and, thereby, contribute to ongoing efforts that seek to enhance effectiveness of psychological interventions under real-world conditions. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Biomechanical Analysis of Normal Brain Development during the First Year of Life Using Finite Strain Theory

OpenAIRE

Kim, Jeong Chul; Wang, Li; Shen, Dinggang; Lin, Weili

2016-01-01

The first year of life is the most critical time period for structural and functional development of the human brain. Combining longitudinal MR imaging and finite strain theory, this study aimed to provide new insights into normal brain development through a biomechanical framework. Thirty-three normal infants were longitudinally imaged using MRI from 2 weeks to 1 year of age. Voxel-wise Jacobian determinant was estimated to elucidate volumetric changes while Lagrange strains (both normal and...

Determination of 210Po concentration in commercially available infant formulae and assessment of daily ingestion dose

OpenAIRE

Prabhath, Ravi K.; Sreejith, Sathyapriya R.; Nair, Madhu G.; Rao, D.D.; Pradeepkumar, K.S.

2015-01-01

A study has been conducted to estimate the concentration of natural radioactive polonium in commercially available packaged infant food formulae available in Mumbai, India and the corresponding daily dose normalized based on its shelf life. Eleven most popular international brands of infant formulae were sourced from market and three aliquots from each sample were analysed for concordant results. Autodeposition method onto a silver planchet from hot dilute acid solution followed by alpha spec...

DISTURBANCE OF NORMAL MOTOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE

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Lidija Dimitrijević

2005-07-01

Full Text Available The adoption of the basic motor skills in the first year of life (postural head control, lateral transfers into a lying position, sitting, standing, walking, crawling, grasping... goes on quite spontaneously. A child learns all the motor actions by itself and that is why it is not necessary to “teach” a child to seat, grasp, stand, walk... Teaching a child the basic motor skills stands for a rough, unnecessary and undesirable involvement into spontaneous motor development, and, due to this, the normal adoption of motor skills is slowed down. For the normal motor development, children do not need helping devices (baby buggy, baby jump.... Helping devices suppress in children their natural urge to walk, complicate its development and may have harmful effects like equinus feet, deformed feet and spine and so on.

Impact of relaxation training according to Yoga In Daily Life® system on self-esteem after breast cancer surgery.

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Kovačič, Tine; Kovačič, Miha

2011-12-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to gather information on the immediate and short-term effects of relaxation training according to the Yoga In Daily Life(®) system on the self-esteem of patients with breast cancer. This is a parallel-groups design. Baseline interventions took place at the Institute for Oncology of Ljubljana (Slovenia). At discharge, the experimental group was issued with audiocassette recordings containing the instructions for relaxation training to be practiced individually at home for an additional 3 weeks. The convenience sample of 32 patients with breast cancer was recruited from an accessible population of hospitalized women. Patients were randomized to the experimental (n=16) and to the control group (n=16). Both groups received the same standard physiotherapy for 1 week, while the experimental group additionally received a group relaxation training sessions according to the Yoga in Daily Life(®) system. At discharge, the experimental group was issued with audiocassette recordings containing similar instructions for relaxation training to be practiced individually at home for an additional 3 weeks. Outcome measures were obtained by blinded investigators (physiotherapists) using standardized questionnaires (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) at baseline (after the surgery); at 1 week (1 week postattendance; at discharge); and at 4 weeks (4 weeks postattendance); prior the commencement of radiation. Analysis of variance showed that there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control group in all measuring self-esteem scores over the study period (pp>0.05). The results indicate that relaxation training according to the Yoga in Daily Life system could be a useful clinical physiotherapy intervention for patients who have breast cancer and who are experiencing low self-esteem. Although this kind of relaxation training can be applied to clinical oncology in Slovenia, more studies need to be done.

Stressful Life Events and Daily Stressors Affect Awakening Cortisol Level in Midlife Mothers of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Wong, Jen D.; Seltzer, Marsha Mailick; Greenberg, Jan S.; Hong, Jinkuk; Almeida, David M.; Coe, Christopher L.

2012-01-01

Objectives The current study examines the awakening cortisol level in midlife mothers (M=51.4 years old, SD=8.4) of individuals (M=22.1 years old, SD=7.1) with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) under stressful conditions that are not specific to the son or daughter's ASD symptoms. Methods In addition to completing a set of questionnaires and in-home interviews, 82 mothers from the Adolescents and Adults with Autism Study (AAA) participated in a Daily Diary Study. Results Findings from the multilevel models indicated that mothers who previously were exposed to no negative life events in the previous period had an increased awakening cortisol level on days following a greater number and more severe stressors, a normative stress response. In contrast, we observed a flatter cortisol level of daily stressors in mothers who experienced a greater number of negative life events in the previous period. Conclusion These findings highlight the sustained toll that global and everyday stressors have on awakening cortisol level of midlife and aging mothers of individuals with ASD. PMID:22640177

Differences in impact of long term caregiving for mentally ill older adults on the daily life of informal caregivers: a qualitative study

OpenAIRE

Zegwaard, Marian I; Aartsen, Marja J; Grypdonck, Mieke HF; Cuijpers, Pim

2013-01-01

Background: Owing to the policy of extramuralization of care in most Western countries older people with severe mental illness have to rely more and more on informal caregivers for daily care. Caregivers themselves are often aged, and although caregiving implies an impact on daily life that exceeds the boundaries of usual informal care, the impact differs across caregivers. Some caregivers seem to suffer more than others, and the differences cannot be fully understood by factors currently kno...

Frail Institutionalized Older Persons A Comprehensive Review on Physical Exercise, Physical Fitness, Activities of Daily Living, and Quality-of-Life

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weening-Dijksterhuis, Elizabeth; de Greef, Mathieu H. G.; Scherder, Erik J. A.; Slaets, Joris P. J.; van der Schans, Cees P.

Weening-Dijksterhuis E, de Greef MHG, Scherder EJA, Slaets JPJ, van der Schans CP: Frail institutionalized older persons: A comprehensive review on physical exercise, physical fitness, activities of daily living, and quality-of-life. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2011;90:156Y168. The objective of this study

Normal tissue sparing in a phase II trial on daily adaptive plan selection in radiotherapy for urinary bladder cancer.

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Vestergaard, Anne; Muren, Ludvig P; Lindberg, Henriette; Jakobsen, Kirsten L; Petersen, Jørgen B B; Elstrøm, Ulrik V; Agerbæk, Mads; Høyer, Morten

2014-08-01

Background: Patients with urinary bladder cancer often display large changes in the shape and size of their bladder target during a course of radiotherapy (RT), making adaptive RT (ART) appealing for this tumour site. We are conducting a clinical phase II trial of daily plan selection-based ART for bladder cancer and here report dose-volume data from the first 20 patients treated in the trial. All patients received 60 Gy in 30 fractions to the bladder; in 13 of the patients the pelvic lymph nodes were simultaneously treated to 48 Gy. Daily patient set-up was by use of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) guidance. The first 5 fractions were delivered with large, population-based (non-adaptive) margins. The bladder contours from the CBCTs acquired in the first 4 fractions were used to create a patient-specific library of three plans, corresponding to a small, medium and large size bladder. From fraction 6, daily online plan selection was performed, where the smallest plan covering the bladder was selected prior to each treatment delivery. A total of 600 treatment fractions in the 20 patients were evaluated. Small, medium and large size plans were used almost equally often, with an average of 10, 9 and 11 fractions, respectively. The median volume ratio of the course-averaged PTV (PTV-ART) relative to the non-adaptive PTV was 0.70 (range: 0.46-0.89). A linear regression analysis showed a 183 cm(3) (CI 143-223 cm(3)) reduction in PTV-ART compared to the non-adaptive PTV (R(2) = 0.94). Daily adaptive plan selection in RT of bladder cancer results in a considerable normal tissue sparing, of a magnitude that we expect will translate into a clinically significant reduction of the treatment-related morbidity.

Higher-Level Hand Motor Function in Aging and (Preclinical) Dementia : Its Relationship with (Instrumental) Activities of Daily Life - A Mini-Review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scherder, Erik; Dekker, Welmoed; Eggermont, Laura

2008-01-01

A causal relationship between physical activity such as walking and cognitive functions - particularly executive functions and memory - has been observed in elderly people with and without dementia. Executive functions play an important role in the (instrumental) activities of daily life [(I)ADL].

Making Daily Mobility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Ole B.; Wind, Simon

elucidate aspects of urban everyday mobility that can be utilized in policy and planning perspectives. This knowledge can aid construction of generalized qualitative scenarios that together with quantitative transport models can serve as wider knowledge foundation in decision making process.......In 2012 the average daily transportation distance for every Dane were 40 km (TU Data). Realising how much of life is spend thinking about, planning and performing mobility practices it becomes evident that it is much more than an instrumental physical phenomenon – it has great repercussions on life......, social networks, understanding of places and ultimately ourselves and others. To successfully accomplish everyday life, households have to cope with large number of different activities and mobility in relation to their children, work, social life, obligations, expectations, needs and wishes. Drawing...

The Effects of Employment Status and Daily Stressors on Time Spent on Daily Household Chores in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

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Wong, Jen D.; Almeida, David M.

2013-01-01

Purpose of the study: This study examines how employment status (worker vs. retiree) and life course influences (age, gender, and marital status) are associated with time spent on daily household chores. Second, this study assesses whether the associations between daily stressors and time spent on daily household chores differ as a function of…

Normalization as a Strategy for Maintaining Quality of Life While Coping with Infertility in a Pronatalist Culture.

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Benyamini, Yael; Gozlan, Miri; Weissman, Ariel

2017-12-01

Infertility could be highly stressful, particularly in a pronatalist culture. We aimed to develop the concept and a measure of normalization (maintaining normal life routines and feeling "normal") as a strategy that could enable women with infertility maintain their quality of life (QoL) while coping with this condition. We tested its associations with women's well-being, distress and QoL in Israel, where being childless is socially unacceptable and highly stigmatized. One-hundred and eighty Israeli women undergoing infertility treatment at a fertility community clinic filled in questionnaires assessing normalization-related coping strategies, QoL, and psychological adjustment (distress, wellbeing). Eight months later, 55 women conceived; 55 women who had not conceived completed a second questionnaire. At baseline, normalization was related to higher QoL and better adjustment. Structural equation modeling showed that QoL was impaired mainly among women who felt different than others, compared, and blamed themselves. Over time, normalization was overall unrelated to conception or to changes in adjustment yet was protective against decrease in well-being among women who already had a child. Infertility is highly stressful in a pronatalist culture like Israel. It requires treatment yet is not disabling. Patients who manage to maintain normal routines and not feel different than other people their age may experience better QoL and psychological adjustment.

Testing an mHealth momentary assessment Routine Outcome Monitoring application: a focus on restoration of daily life positive mood states.

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Jim van Os

Full Text Available Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM is used as a means to enrich the process of treatment with feedback on patient outcomes, facilitating patient involvement and shared decision making. While traditional ROM measures focus on retrospective accounts of symptoms, novel mHealth technology makes it possible to collect real life, in-the-moment ambulatory data that allow for an ecologically valid assessment of personalized and contextualized emotional and behavioural adjustment in the flow daily life (mROM.In a sample of 34 patients with major depressive disorder, treated with antidepressants, the combined effect of treatment and natural course was examined over a period of 18 weeks with Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA. EMA consisted of repeated, within-subject, mini-measurements of experience (eg positive affect, negative affect, medication side effects and context (eg stressors, situations, activities at 10 unselected semi-random moments per day, for a period of six days, repeated three times over the 18-week period (baseline, week 6 and week 18.EMA measures of emotional and behavioural adjustment were sensitive to the effects of treatment and natural course over the 18-week period, particularly EMA measures focussing on positive mood states and the ability to use natural rewards (impact of positive events on positive mood states, with standardized effect sizes of 0.4-0.5. EMA measures of activities, social interaction, stress-sensitivity and negative mood states were also sensitive to change over time.This study supports the use of mROM as a means to involve the patient in the process of needs assessment and treatment. EMA data are meaningful to the patient, as they reflect daily life circumstances. Assessment of treatment response with mROM data allows for an interpretation of the effect of treatment at the level of daily life emotional and social adjustment--as an index of health, obviating the need for an exclusive focus on traditional measures

FUNGSI KOGNITIF MEMILIKI HUBUNGAN DENGAN KEMANDIRIAN ACTIVITY DAILY LIVING LANSIA

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Dian Suspiyanti

2014-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACTBackground:The increasing number of the elderly will becomeproblems due to theaging process. Theagingprocess in elderly has many aspects of life especially in health problem, one of them is the cognitivefunction. The cognitiveproblemwill be a serious problem because it attacks the elderly’s thought. Thecognitive destructionon the elderly known as demensia. Sliding scale of demensia will influence the socialactivities, normal occupation and daily activities whereas the daily activities are important to the viability,health and prosperity of the elderly.Objective:The study aimed to know between cognitive function with the independency of the elderly infullfiling activity daily living in Jodog Village, Gilangharjo District, Pandak, Bantul.Methods:The study used a cross sectional design. The data collection used proportional random samplingmethode, with the number of 62 elderly. The data are collected using MMSE andKatz Indexquestionaire.The data analysis method used the univariat and bivariat analysis of Kendall’s tau with p<0,05.Results:The result of cognitive function showed that 11,3% of the elderly have average level of cognitivefunction, 56,5% have light interruption level of cognitive function, and 3,2 % have heavy destruction level ofcognitive function. The assesment of independency of the elderly in doing activity daily living shows that theindepency of the elderly in category A (35,5%, B (19,4%, C (17,7%, D(14,5%, E (4,8%, F (1,6% and G(6,5%. The result of Kendall’s tau correlation between cognitive function with the indepency of the elderly indoing daily activities has 0,003 significance level (0<0,05 with the lowest correlation strength (coefficientcorrelation 0,321.Conclusion:There was a correlation between cognitive function and independency elderly in the doingactivity daily living.Suggestion :The result of study can give more information for cadre at Jodog Village about the value ofelderly cognitive impairment and

Knockout of Murine Mamld1 Impairs Testicular Growth and Daily Sperm Production but Permits Normal Postnatal Androgen Production and Fertility.

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Miyado, Mami; Yoshida, Kaoru; Miyado, Kenji; Katsumi, Momori; Saito, Kazuki; Nakamura, Shigeru; Ogata, Tsutomu; Fukami, Maki

2017-06-19

MAMLD1 has been implicated in testicular function in both human and mouse fetuses. Although three patients with MAMLD1 mutations were reported to have hypergonadotropic hypogonadism in their teens, the functional significance of MAMLD1 in the postnatal testis remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the phenotype of Mamld1 knockout (KO) male mice at reproductive ages. The reproductive organs of KO male mice were morphologically unremarkable, except for relatively small testes. Seminiferous tubule size and number of proliferating spermatogonia/spermatocytes were reduced in the KO testis. Daily sperm production of KO mice was mildly attenuated, whereas total sperm counts in epididymal semen remained normal. Sperm motility and morphology, as well as androgen levels in serum and testicular tissues and the number of pups born from cross-mated wildtype (WT) female mice, were comparable between WT and KO male mice. These results indicate that MAMLD1 contributes to the maintenance of postnatal testicular growth and daily sperm production but is dispensable for androgen biosynthesis and fertility. MAMLD1 likely plays supporting roles in multiple and continuous steps of male reproduction.

Knockout of Murine Mamld1 Impairs Testicular Growth and Daily Sperm Production but Permits Normal Postnatal Androgen Production and Fertility

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Mami Miyado

2017-06-01

Full Text Available MAMLD1 has been implicated in testicular function in both human and mouse fetuses. Although three patients with MAMLD1 mutations were reported to have hypergonadotropic hypogonadism in their teens, the functional significance of MAMLD1 in the postnatal testis remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the phenotype of Mamld1 knockout (KO male mice at reproductive ages. The reproductive organs of KO male mice were morphologically unremarkable, except for relatively small testes. Seminiferous tubule size and number of proliferating spermatogonia/spermatocytes were reduced in the KO testis. Daily sperm production of KO mice was mildly attenuated, whereas total sperm counts in epididymal semen remained normal. Sperm motility and morphology, as well as androgen levels in serum and testicular tissues and the number of pups born from cross-mated wildtype (WT female mice, were comparable between WT and KO male mice. These results indicate that MAMLD1 contributes to the maintenance of postnatal testicular growth and daily sperm production but is dispensable for androgen biosynthesis and fertility. MAMLD1 likely plays supporting roles in multiple and continuous steps of male reproduction.

Daily physical activity and its contribution to the health-related quality of life of ambulatory individuals with chronic stroke.

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Rand, Debbie; Eng, Janice J; Tang, Pei-Fang; Hung, Chihya; Jeng, Jiann-Shing

2010-08-03

Participation in daily physical activity (PA) post-stroke has not previously been investigated as a possible explanatory variable of health-related quality of life (HRQL). The aims were 1) to determine the contribution of daily PA to the HRQL of individuals with chronic stroke and 2) to assess the relationship between the functional ability of these individuals to the amount of daily PA. The amount of daily PA of forty adults with chronic stroke (mean age 66.5 +/- 9.6 years) was monitored using two measures. Accelerometers (Actical) were worn on the hip for three consecutive days in conjunction with a self-report questionnaire [the PA Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities (PASIPD)]. The daily physical activity was measured as the mean total accelerometer activity counts/day and the PASIPD scores as the metabolic equivalent (MET) hr/day. HRQL was assessed by the Physical and Mental composite scores of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36) in addition to the functional ability of the participants. Correlation and regression analyses were performed. After controlling for the severity of the motor impairment, the amount of daily PA, as assessed by the PASIPD and accelerometers, was found to independently contribute to 10-12% of the variance of the Physical Composite Score of the SF-36. No significant relationship was found between PA and the Mental Composite Score of the SF-36.The functional ability of the participants was found to be correlated to the amount of daily PA (r = 0.33 - 0.67, p < 0.01). The results suggest that daily PA is associated with better HRQL (as assessed by the Physical composite score of the SF-36) for people living with stroke. Daily PA should be encouraged to potentially increase HRQL. Accelerometers in conjunction with a self-report questionnaire may provide important measures of PA which can be monitored and modified, and potentially influence HRQL.

Daily physical activity and its contribution to the health-related quality of life of ambulatory individuals with chronic stroke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rand Debbie

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Participation in daily physical activity (PA post-stroke has not previously been investigated as a possible explanatory variable of health-related quality of life (HRQL. The aims were 1 to determine the contribution of daily PA to the HRQL of individuals with chronic stroke and 2 to assess the relationship between the functional ability of these individuals to the amount of daily PA. Methods The amount of daily PA of forty adults with chronic stroke (mean age 66.5 ± 9.6 years was monitored using two measures. Accelerometers (Actical were worn on the hip for three consecutive days in conjunction with a self-report questionnaire [the PA Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities (PASIPD]. The daily physical activity was measured as the mean total accelerometer activity counts/day and the PASIPD scores as the metabolic equivalent (MET hr/day. HRQL was assessed by the Physical and Mental composite scores of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36 in addition to the functional ability of the participants. Correlation and regression analyses were performed. Results After controlling for the severity of the motor impairment, the amount of daily PA, as assessed by the PASIPD and accelerometers, was found to independently contribute to 10-12% of the variance of the Physical Composite Score of the SF-36. No significant relationship was found between PA and the Mental Composite Score of the SF-36.The functional ability of the participants was found to be correlated to the amount of daily PA (r = 0.33 - 0.67, p Conclusion The results suggest that daily PA is associated with better HRQL (as assessed by the Physical composite score of the SF-36 for people living with stroke. Daily PA should be encouraged to potentially increase HRQL. Accelerometers in conjunction with a self-report questionnaire may provide important measures of PA which can be monitored and modified, and potentially influence HRQL.

Unveiling the secrets of geology, from the Earth to your daily life

Science.gov (United States)

Delfini, Claudia

2015-04-01

How should we share geological information? How can we start involving the public at large in topics that apparently are so far away from them? What kind of information would be interesting to disseminate to attract the attention of the people? "Geology at the table - cooking without borders" and "Minerals in your life", edited by EuroGeoSurveys, the Geological Surveys of Europe, are two publications that have showed how it is possible to reach thousands of people around Europe only following a few simple rules. A good scientific communicator must first understand its audience, their knowledge and beliefs, in order to adopt an attractive approach to their communication strategy. A good communicator has to adopt a simplified blend of the crucial information without depleting the content of the main message. One must avoid the danger of losing the audience's interest by keeping with simple language and information that is easy to understand and accessible to all. When it comes to the field of geology, communication efforts would ideally engage the audience and develop their interest, showing how their daily life is linked and conditioned to the geological phenomena. "Geology at the table - cooking without borders" and "Minerals in your life" are two examples of how geology, a topic unknown to many people, is part of our life. Leafing through the pages of these books it is possible to understand how important geology is for the existence of our society and its crucial role in the complex world we live in. In "Geology at the table - cooking without borders" twenty-eight European Geological Surveys have shown how their own national dishes contain references to our past, to the present, and to the future, which can easily be analysed and explained through geology. This cookbook offers a little taste of geology through wonderful recipes from all around Europe. While "Minerals in your life" is an educational book that combines a hilarious comic strip storyline with an

Ideal affect in daily life: implications for affective experience, health, and social behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Jeanne L

2017-10-01

Over the last decade, researchers have increasingly demonstrated that ideal affect-the affective states that people value and ideally want to feel-shapes different aspects of daily life. Here I briefly review Affect Valuation Theory (AVT), which integrates ideal affect into existing models of affect and emotion by identifying the causes and consequences of variation in ideal affect. I then describe recent research that applies AVT to the valuation of negative states as well as more complex states, examines how ideal affect shapes momentary affective experience, suggests that ideal affect has both direct and indirect effects on health, and illustrates that people's ideal affect shapes how they judge and respond to others. Finally, I discuss the implications of cultural and individual differences in ideal affect for clinical, educational, work, and leisure settings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coronary heart disease patients transitioning to a normal life: perspectives and stages identified through a grounded theory approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Najafi Ghezeljeh, Tahereh; Yadavar Nikravesh, Mansoureh; Emami, Azita

2014-02-01

To explore how Iranian patients with coronary heart disease experience their lives. Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death in Iran and worldwide. Understanding qualitatively how patients experience the acute and postacute stages of this chronic condition is essential knowledge for minimising the negative consequences of coronary heart disease. Qualitative study using grounded theory for the data analysis. Data for this study were collected through individual qualitative interviews with 24 patients with coronary heart disease, conducted between January 2009 and January 2011. Patients with angina pectoris were selected for participation through purposive sampling, and sample size was determined by data saturation. Data analysis began with initial coding and continued with focused coding. Categories were determined, and the core category was subsequently developed and finalised. The main categories of the transition from acute phase to a modified or 'new normal' life were: (1) Loss of normal life. Experiencing emotions and consequences of illness; (2) Coming to terms. Using coping strategies; (3) Recreating normal life. Healthcare providers must correctly recognise the stages of transition patients navigate while coping with coronary heart disease to support and educate them appropriately throughout these stages. Patients with coronary heart disease lose their normal lives and must work towards recreating a revised life using coping strategies that enable them to come to terms with their situations. By understanding Iranian patients' experiences, healthcare providers and especially nurses can use the information to support and educate patients with coronary heart disease on how to more effectively deal with their illness and its consequences. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Daily Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction across Adulthood

Science.gov (United States)

Maher, Jaclyn P.; Pincus, Aaron L.; Ram, Nilam; Conroy, David E.

2015-01-01

Physical activity is considered a valuable tool for enhancing life satisfaction. However, the processes linking these constructs likely differ across the adult life span. In older adults the association between physical activity and life satisfaction appears to involve usual levels of physical activity (i.e., a between-person association driven by…

Assessment of parental discipline in daily life.

OpenAIRE

Passini Christina Moses; Pihet Sandrine; Favez Nicolas; Schoebi Dominik

2013-01-01

The use of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) for studying parenting has been rare. We examined the psychometric properties and structural validity of an EMA Parenting Scale based on 32 mothers' reports of their parenting over a period of 10 consecutive days and explored the acceptance of the scale and compliance with the procedure. The results suggested that the EMA Parenting Scale was well accepted for the assessment of daily parenting and that it consistently captured the overreactive a...

Daily stress, presleep arousal, and sleep in healthy young women: a daily life computerized sleep diary and actigraphy study.

Science.gov (United States)

Winzeler, Katja; Voellmin, Annette; Schäfer, Valérie; Meyer, Andrea H; Cajochen, Christian; Wilhelm, Frank H; Bader, Klaus

2014-03-01

Our study aimed to further elucidate the mediating role of presleep arousal in the relationship between daily stress and sleep by investigating subjective sleep quality and actigraphy-assessed sleep efficiency (SE) on both within- and between-participant levels in a sample of healthy young women. Multilevel modeling was applied on electronically assessed data comprising 14 consecutive nights in 145 healthy young women to assess the relationship between daily stress, presleep (somatic and cognitive) arousal, and sleep on both levels between participants and within participants across days. Higher levels of daily stress were consistently and significantly associated with higher levels of somatic and cognitive arousal. Somatic arousal mediated the relationship between daily stress and worsened subjective sleep quality on the between-participant level, while cognitive arousal mediated the relationship between daily stress and worsened subjective sleep quality on the within-participants level. Unexpectedly, healthy young women showed higher SE following days with above-average stress with somatic arousal mediating this relationship. Our data corroborate the role of presleep arousal mediating the relationship between daily stress and subjective sleep quality. Interestingly this effect was restricted to somatic arousal being relevant on interindividual levels and cognitive arousal on intraindividual levels. For young and healthy individuals who experience high stress and arousal, well-established cognitive-behavioral techniques could be useful to regulate arousal and prevent worse subjective sleep quality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Daily life activity routine discovery in hemiparetic rehabilitation patients using topic models.

Science.gov (United States)

Seiter, J; Derungs, A; Schuster-Amft, C; Amft, O; Tröster, G

2015-01-01

Monitoring natural behavior and activity routines of hemiparetic rehabilitation patients across the day can provide valuable progress information for therapists and patients and contribute to an optimized rehabilitation process. In particular, continuous patient monitoring could add type, frequency and duration of daily life activity routines and hence complement standard clinical scores that are assessed for particular tasks only. Machine learning methods have been applied to infer activity routines from sensor data. However, supervised methods require activity annotations to build recognition models and thus require extensive patient supervision. Discovery methods, including topic models could provide patient routine information and deal with variability in activity and movement performance across patients. Topic models have been used to discover characteristic activity routine patterns of healthy individuals using activity primitives recognized from supervised sensor data. Yet, the applicability of topic models for hemiparetic rehabilitation patients and techniques to derive activity primitives without supervision needs to be addressed. We investigate, 1) whether a topic model-based activity routine discovery framework can infer activity routines of rehabilitation patients from wearable motion sensor data. 2) We compare the performance of our topic model-based activity routine discovery using rule-based and clustering-based activity vocabulary. We analyze the activity routine discovery in a dataset recorded with 11 hemiparetic rehabilitation patients during up to ten full recording days per individual in an ambulatory daycare rehabilitation center using wearable motion sensors attached to both wrists and the non-affected thigh. We introduce and compare rule-based and clustering-based activity vocabulary to process statistical and frequency acceleration features to activity words. Activity words were used for activity routine pattern discovery using topic models

The dynamic interplay between appraisal and core affect in daily life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter eKuppens

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Appraisals and core affect are both considered central to the experience of emotion. In this study we examine the bidirectional relationships between these two components of emotional experience by examining how core affect changes following how people appraise events and how appraisals in turn change following how they feel in daily life. In an experience sampling study, participants recorded their core affect and appraisals of ongoing events; data were analyzed using cross-lagged multilevel modeling. Valence-appraisal relationships were found to be characterized by congruency: The same appraisals that were associated with a change in pleasure-displeasure (motivational congruency, other-agency, coping potential, and future expectancy, changed themselves as a function of pleasure-displeasure. In turn, mainly secondary appraisals of who is responsible and how one is able to cope with events were associated with changes in arousal, which itself is followed by changes in the future appraised relevance of events. These results integrate core affect and appraisal approaches to emotion by demonstrating the dynamic interplay of how appraisals are followed by changes in core affect which in turn change our basis for judging future events.

Living with psoriasis: prevalence of shame, anger, worry, and problems in daily activities and social life.

Science.gov (United States)

Sampogna, Francesca; Tabolli, Stefano; Abeni, Damiano

2012-05-01

Psychosocial problems are frequent among patients with psoriasis. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of some specific psychosocial issues. These were evaluated in 936 patients using the emotions and functioning scales of the Skindex-29 questionnaire. The problems most frequently experienced were: shame, anger, worry, difficulties in daily activities and social life. All problems were associated with the severity of psoriasis and with depression or anxiety. Shame, worry and annoyance were more frequent in women than in men, and shame and anger were associated with a low level of education. Impairment in work/hobbies was significantly higher in patients with palmoplantar psoriasis and those with arthro-pathic psoriasis. In conclusion, clinicians could gain important insights about their patients by looking at the single items of a quality of life instrument, to identify patients with high levels of emotional and social problems, in order to improve quality of care.

Life's pregnant pause of pain: pregnant women's experiences of pelvic girdle pain related to daily life: a Swedish interview study.

Science.gov (United States)

Elden, Helen; Lundgren, Ingela; Robertson, Eva

2013-03-01

Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is a universally disabling condition affecting three of 10 pregnant women. Qualitative studies on the subject are lacking. To describe pregnant women's experiences of PGP as related to daily life. In all, 27 women with PGP participating in a randomised controlled study were interviewed during 2010-2011. Qualitative content analysis was used. Five main categories emerged: PGP affects the ability to cope with everyday life; Coping with motherhood; Relationships between partners often reached the breaking point; Questioning one's identity as defined by profession and work, and Lessons learned from living with PGP. The categories illustrate how women's everyday lives were interrupted. Their inability to meet their own and others' expectations put a strain on their lives causing disappointment, sadness and frustration. It made them question and doubt their roles and identities as mothers, partners and professionals, and kept them from looking forward to future pregnancies, in the absence of effective treatment for PGP. Knowledge gained was that women with PGP should seek help immediately, listen to their bodies, and acknowledge their limitations. PGP severely affects pregnant women's everyday lives. There appears to be a lack of knowledge and awareness in general, as well as among caregivers and employers of PGP that needs to be highlighted and rectified. There is also a great need to learn how to support those suffering from it. Appropriate support during this important and rare phase in a woman's life is highly warranted. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differentials in health-related quality of life of employed and unemployed women with normal vaginal delivery

OpenAIRE

Chinweuba, Anthonia U.; Okoronkwo, Ijeoma L.; Anarado, Agnes N.; Agbapuonwu, Noreen E.; Ogbonnaya, Ngozi P.; Ihudiebube-Splendor, Chikaodili N.

2018-01-01

Background The combination of child care and domestic work demands on both housewives and the employed (hired) women may impact their health-related quality-of-life. There is paucity of studies to ascertain this. This study investigated the differences in health-related quality of life of employed and unemployed women with normal vaginal delivery and associated socio-demographic variables. Methods This longitudinal study was done from March, 2012 to June, 2013. Modified SF-36v2™ health-relate...

Speech Recognition in Real-Life Background Noise by Young and Middle-Aged Adults with Normal Hearing

OpenAIRE

Lee, Ji Young; Lee, Jin Tae; Heo, Hye Jeong; Choi, Chul-Hee; Choi, Seong Hee; Lee, Kyungjae

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives People usually converse in real-life background noise. They experience more difficulty understanding speech in noise than in a quiet environment. The present study investigated how speech recognition in real-life background noise is affected by the type of noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and age. Subjects and Methods Eighteen young adults and fifteen middle-aged adults with normal hearing participated in the present study. Three types of noise [subway noise, vacu...

Comparison of Quality of Life and Social Skills between Students with Visual Problems (Blind and Partially Blind) and Normal Students

OpenAIRE

Fereshteh Kordestani; Azam Daneshfar; Davood Roustaee

2014-01-01

This study aimed to compare the quality of life and social skills between students who are visually impaired (blind and partially blind) and normal students. The population consisted of all students with visual problems (blind and partially blind) and normal students in secondary schools in Tehran in the academic year 2013-2014. Using a multi-stage random sampling method, 40 students were selected from each group. The SF-36s quality of life questionnaire and Foster and Inderbitzen social skil...

Effects of a chair-yoga exercises on stress hormone levels, daily life activities, falls and physical fitness in institutionalized older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Furtado, G E; Uba-Chupel, M; Carvalho, H M; Souza, N R; Ferreira, J P; Teixeira, A M

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to assess the changes mediated by exercise on activities of daily life and falls, physical fitness, salivary cortisol and alpha amylase in older adults living in social and health care givers centers. Sample consisted in 35 women (83.81 ± 6.6 years old) were divided into two groups: chair-yoga exercises group (CY, n = 20) and control group (CG, n = 15). All subjects were evaluated before and after 14-weeks. CY was involved in exercise classes two times per week, while the GC did not participate in any exercise. Fear of falling decreased in both groups, cortisol increased and alpha-amylase decreased in the CG. No significant changes occurred in physical fitness outcomes. CY practice was able to maintain the physical fitness scores and stress hormone levels, but was not able to improve the subject's perception on the ability to perform the instrumental activities of daily life. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oxygen therapy devices and portable ventilators for improved physical activity in daily life in patients with chronic respiratory disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Furlanetto, Karina Couto; Pitta, Fabio

2017-02-01

Patients with hypoxemia and chronic respiratory failure may need to use oxygen therapy to correct hypoxemia and to use ventilatory support to augment alveolar ventilation, reverse abnormalities in blood gases (in particular hypercapnia) and reduce the work of breathing. Areas covered: This narrative review provides an overview on the use of oxygen therapy devices or portable ventilators for improved physical activity in daily life (PADL) as well as discusses the issue of lower mobility in daily life among stable patients with chronic respiratory disease who present indication for long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) or home-based noninvasive ventilation (NIV). A literature review of these concepts was performed by using all related search terms. Expert commentary: Technological advances led to the development of light and small oxygen therapy devices and portable ventilators which aim to facilitate patients' mobility and ambulation. However, the day-by-day dependence of a device may reduce mobility and partially impair patients' PADL. Nocturnal NIV implementation in hypercapnic patients seems promising to improve PADL. The magnitude of their equipment-related physical inactivity is underexplored up to this moment and more long-term randomized clinical trials and meta-analysis examining the effects of ambulatory oxygen and NIV on PADL are required.

Associations among daily stressors and salivary cortisol: findings from the National Study of Daily Experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Stawski, Robert S; Cichy, Kelly E; Piazza, Jennifer R; Almeida, David M

2013-11-01

While much research has focused on linking stressful experiences to emotional and biological reactions in laboratory settings, there is an emerging interest in extending these examinations to field studies of daily life. The current study examined day-to-day associations among naturally occurring daily stressors and salivary cortisol in a national sample of adults from the second wave of the National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE). A sample of 1694 adults (age=57, range=33-84; 44% male) completed telephone interviews detailing their stressors and emotions on eight consecutive evenings. Participants also provided saliva samples upon waking, 30min post-waking, before lunch and before bed, on four consecutive interview days resulting in 5995 days of interview/cortisol data. Analyses revealed three main findings. First, cortisol AUC was significantly higher on stressor days compared to stressor-free days, particularly for arguments and overloads at home, suggesting that daily stressors are associated with increased cortisol output, but that not all daily stressors have such an influence. Second, individuals reporting a greater frequency of stressor days also exhibited a steeper diurnal cortisol slope. Finally, daily stressor-cortisol associations were unaltered after adjustment for daily negative affect and physical symptoms. Our discussion focuses on the influence of naturally occurring daily stressors on daily cortisol and the role of daily diary approaches for studying healthy cortisol responses to psychosocial stressors outside of traditional laboratory settings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Associations among Daily Stressors and Salivary Cortisol: Findings from the National Study of Daily Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Stawski, Robert S.; Cichy, Kelly E.; Piazza, Jennifer R.; Almeida, David M.

2013-01-01

While much research has focused on linking stressful experiences to emotional and biological reactions in laboratory settings, there is an emerging interest in extending these examinations to field studies of daily life. The current study examined day-to-day associations among naturally-occurring daily stressors and salivary cortisol in a national sample of adults from the second wave of the National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE). A sample of 1,694 adults (Age=57, Range=33–84; 44% male) completed telephone interviews detailing their stressors and emotions on eight consecutive evenings. Participants also provided saliva samples upon waking, 30 minutes post-waking, before lunch and before bed, on four consecutive interview days resulting in 5,995 days of interview/cortisol data. Analyses revealed three main findings. First, cortisol AUC was significantly higher on stressor days compared to stressor-free days, particularly for arguments and overloads at home, suggesting that daily stressors are associated with increased cortisol output, but that not all daily stressors have such an influence. Second, individuals reporting a greater frequency of stressor days also exhibited a steeper diurnal cortisol slope. Finally, daily stressor-cortisol associations were unaltered after adjustment for daily negative affect and physical symptoms. Our discussion focuses on the influence of naturally-occurring daily stressors on daily cortisol and the role of daily diary approaches for studying healthy cortisol responses to psychosocial stressors outside of traditional laboratory settings. PMID:23856186

Daily activities and living at a Therapeutic Residential Care Center

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciane Prado Kantorki

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This study describes and analyzes day-to-day issues in a Therapeutic Residential Care Center and the daily life characteristics of its residents. This case study was conducted in Caxias do Sul, based on an evaluation of the fourth generation together with a Methodology for Analyzing Everyday Life Networks. The following categories emerged: possibilities in the territory, participation and flexibility in household tasks, situations that mark living, employees who are mediators in conflict resolution, staff committed to the resident, freedom as a therapeutic tool, difficulties in daily life, and building of alliances. This study helped to get to know the structure of everyday life experienced by the residents, identifying some difficulties they face and the mechanisms used to overcome them, in addition to noticing that the professionals can be instrumental in strengthening a daily living that can be pluralized, busy, and enriched, while still respecting the uniqueness of each resident. doi: 10.5216/ree.v16i4.22923.

Respiratory constraints during activities in daily life and the impact on health status in patients with early-stage COPD: a cross-sectional study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Helvoort, H.A.C. van; Willems, L.M.; Dekhuijzen, P.N.R.; Hees, H.W.H. van; Heijdra, Y.F.

2016-01-01

In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), exercise capacity is reduced, resulting over time in physical inactivity and worsened health status. It is unknown whether ventilatory constraints occur during activities of daily life (ADL) in early stages of COPD. The aim of this study

Needs and challenges of daily life for people with Down syndrome residing in the city of Rome, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertoli, M; Biasini, G; Calignano, M T; Celani, G; De Grossi, G; Digilio, M C; Fermariello, C C; Loffredo, G; Luchino, F; Marchese, A; Mazotti, S; Menghi, B; Razzano, C; Tiano, C; Zambon Hobart, A; Zampino, G; Zuccalà, G

2011-08-01

Population-based surveys on the quality of life of people with Down syndrome (DS) are difficult to perform because of ethical and legal policies regarding privacy and confidential information, but they are essential for service planning. Little is known about the sample size and variability of quality of life of people with DS living in the city of Rome, which has a population of 2.7 million inhabitants. The aim of the present study is to explore the needs and challenges in health, social integration and daily life, of people with DS living in Rome. A cross-sectional, census-based survey was conducted in 2006. All family doctors (3016 in total) of the National Health Service were involved by the Statistical Bureau of the Municipality of Rome. As per the census, every resident citizen is registered with a family doctor and every person with disabilities is coded. Associations for Down Syndrome encouraged their members to participate in the research. Questionnaires were completed by families of people with DS, in accordance with privacy laws. An initial survey, conducted via a letter and a telephone contact with family doctors, identified 884 people with DS residing in the city of Rome. Data on the medical and social conditions of 518 people with DS, ranging in age from 0 to 64 years, were collected. Some 88% of these were living with their original family; 82.1% had one or more siblings, and 19.5% had lost one or both parents. A full 100% of children with DS were enrolled in the public school system. This ensures that they are fully occupied and entirely integrated in society. After secondary school there is a lack of opportunities. Thus, only 10% of adults were working with a regular contract. A mere 42.2% of people with DS aged 25-30 were involved in some form of regular activity (although not always on a daily basis). After the age of 30, the percentage of people demonstrating decline in function increased sharply, while disability-related support decreased. In

Prevalence of swallowing and speech problems in daily life after chemoradiation for head and neck cancer based on cut-off scores of the patient-reported outcome measures SWAL-QOL and SHI.

Science.gov (United States)

Rinkel, Rico N; Verdonck-de Leeuw, Irma M; Doornaert, Patricia; Buter, Jan; de Bree, Remco; Langendijk, Johannes A; Aaronson, Neil K; Leemans, C René

2016-07-01

The objective of this study is to assess swallowing and speech outcome after chemoradiation therapy for head and neck cancer, based on the patient-reported outcome measures Swallowing Quality of Life Questionnaire (SWAL-QOL) and Speech Handicap Index (SHI), both provided with cut-off scores. This is a cross-sectional study. Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery of a University Medical Center. Sixty patients, 6 months to 5 years after chemoradiation for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Swallowing Quality of Life Questionnaire (SWAL-QOL) and SHI, both validated in Dutch and provided with cut-off scores. Associations were tested between the outcome measures and independent variables (age, gender, tumor stage and site, and radiotherapy technique, time since treatment, comorbidity and food intake). Fifty-two patients returned the SWAL-QOL and 47 the SHI (response rate 87 and 78 %, respectively). Swallowing and speech problems were present in 79 and 55 %, respectively. Normal food intake was noticed in 45, 35 % had a soft diet and 20 % tube feeding. Patients with soft diet and tube feeding reported more swallowing problems compared to patients with normal oral intake. Tumor subsite was significantly associated with swallowing outcome (less problems in larynx/hypopharynx compared to oral/oropharynx). Radiation technique was significantly associated with psychosocial speech problems (less problems in patients treated with IMRT). Swallowing and (to a lesser extent) speech problems in daily life are frequently present after chemoradiation therapy for head and neck cancer. Future prospective studies will give more insight into the course of speech and swallowing problems after chemoradiation and into efficacy of new radiation techniques and swallowing and speech rehabilitation programs.

Reciprocal feedback between self-concept and goal pursuit in daily life.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Alexander E; Vallacher, Robin R

2018-06-01

We hypothesized that self-knowledge and goal perseverance are mutually reinforcing because of the roles of self-knowledge in directing goal pursuit, and of goal pursuit in structuring the self-concept. To test this hypothesis, we used a daily diary design with 97 college-aged participants for 40 days to assess whether daily self-concept clarity and grit predict one another's next-day levels. Data were analyzed using multilevel cross-lagged panel modeling. Results indicated that daily self-concept clarity and grit had positive and symmetric associations with each other across time, while controlling for their respective previous values. Similar crossed results were also found when testing the model using individual daily self-concept clarity and grit items. The results are the first to indicate the existence of reinforcing feedback loops between self-concept clarity and grit, such that fluctuations in the clarity of self-knowledge are associated with fluctuations in goal resolve, and vice versa. Discussion centers on the implications of these results for the functional link between mind and action and on the study's heuristic value for subsequent research. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

High prevalence of daily and multi-site pain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rathleff, Michael Skovdal; Roos, Ewa M.; Olesen, Jens Lykkegaard

2013-01-01

Daily pain and multi-site pain are both associated with reduction in work ability and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among adults. However, no population-based studies have yet investigated the prevalence of daily and multi-site pain among adolescents and how these are associated...... with respondent characteristics. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of self-reported daily and multi-site pain among adolescents aged 12--19 years and associations of almost daily pain and multi-site pain with respondent characteristics (sex, age, body mass index (BMI), HRQoL and sports...

I can never be normal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreassen, Rikke; Ahmed Andresen, Uzma

2014-01-01

and daycare institutions, shape their racial and gendered experiences. Drawing upon black feminist theory, postcolonial theory, critical race and whiteness studies, the two women illustrate inclusions and exclusions in their society based on gender, race, class and sexuality – and especially pinpoint to how......This article focuses on the doing and undoing of race in daily life practices in Denmark. It takes the form of a dialogue between two women, a heterosexual Muslim woman of color and a lesbian white woman, who discuss and analyze how their daily life, e.g. interactions with their children’s schools...... left behind – prevents contemporary people from addressing existing patterns of racial discrimination, inclusion and exclusion in their daily lives, as well as from connecting their contemporary struggles to historical struggles and inequalities. Furthermore, they illustrate how food, class and race...

Obtaining the Views of Children and Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorders about Their Experience of Daily Life and Social Care Support

Science.gov (United States)

Preece, David; Jordan, Rita

2010-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorders (10 boys and 4 girls aged 7 to 18 years) from a shire county in England were interviewed as part of a study examining the experience and attitudes of families towards daily life and short breaks support. Techniques for obtaining consent and eliciting the children's views are detailed, including triangulation…

Awareness of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Alzheimer's Disease Dementia Diagnoses Associated With Lower Self-Ratings of Quality of Life in Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Stites, Shana D; Karlawish, Jason; Harkins, Kristin; Rubright, Jonathan D; Wolk, David

2017-10-01

This study examined how awareness of diagnostic label impacted self-reported quality of life (QOL) in persons with varying degrees of cognitive impairment. Older adults (n = 259) with normal cognition, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), or mild Alzheimer's disease dementia (AD) completed tests of cognition and self-report questionnaires that assessed diagnosis awareness and multiple domains of QOL: cognitive problems, activities of daily living, physical functioning, mental wellbeing, and perceptions of one's daily life. We compared measures of QOL by cognitive performance, diagnosis awareness, and diagnostic group. Persons with MCI or AD who were aware of their diagnosis reported lower average satisfaction with daily life (QOL-AD), basic functioning (BADL Scale), and physical wellbeing (SF-12 PCS), and more difficulties in daily life (DEM-QOL) than those who were unaware (all p ≤ .007). Controlling for gender, those expecting their condition to worsen over time reported greater depression (GDS), higher stress (PSS), lower quality of daily life (QOL-AD, DEM-QOL), and more cognitive difficulties (CDS) compared to others (all p cognitive impairment. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Telework and daily life: Its pros and cons for work-life balance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Pérez Sánchez

2009-05-01

Full Text Available In this article we discuss whether telework constitutes a useful work-life balance strategy for women teleworkers with dependants. From our analysis we show that the discourse of the women interviewed about telework is not homogeneous, compact or linear, but includes plenty of contradictions, paradoxes and tensions. This fact reinforces telework’s enormous polysemy: it liberates and enslaves, it is a trap and an opportunity, it fulfills and can mean self-sacrifice. But, despite this rich complexity, our women informants agree on one particular matter: telework’s risks and possibly pernicious effects cannot hide either its advantages for work-life balance or the benefits it brings, at least in some cases, to one's personal life.

Impact of intestinal stoma of daily activities

OpenAIRE

Kougl, Jiří

2016-01-01

In the theoretical part I am devoted to the history, anatomy, types of stoma, concept of stoma, indications for an establishment of stoma, pre and postoperative care, treatment of stoma, instruments and the influence on daily activities of a client while having a stoma. In the practical part I am following my own research of the impact of stoma on daily life's activities of klients with a stoma.

29 CFR 778.202 - Premium pay for hours in excess of a daily or weekly standard.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... normal or regular working hours. Similarly, where the employee's normal or regular daily or weekly working hours are greater or less than 8 hours and 40 hours respectively and his contract provides for the... excess of his normal or regular daily working hours), his employer may exclude the premium portion of the...

Quality of life and wellbeing of the elderly in Lebanese nursing homes.

Science.gov (United States)

Doumit, Jacqueline; Nasser, Ramzi

2010-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to assess quality of life in relation to wellbeing among Lebanese nursing home elderly residents. The study attempts to understand the impact of structures, processes and skills on elderly health status. In this paper, 220 normally functioning elderly respondents from 33 nursing homes were studied. A quasi-experimental approach measured psychological and health-related factors using the Geriatric Depression Scale, Activity of Daily Living, EuroQol EQ-5D and the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) instruments. A relatively high level of mild depression among elderly residents and a lack of mobility were found. Generally, normally functioning elderly residents were well nourished and had moderate daily activity levels. The study is original in the sense that it assesses elderly residents' psychological and physical health status in relation to institutional structures, processes, and skills.

TIBETAN WOMEN'S DAILY LIFE: FIRE, FUEL, WATER COLLECTION, COOKING, AND CHILDCARE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rdo rje don 'grub རྡོ་རྗེ་དོན་འགྲུབ། Duojieduanzhi 多杰端智

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The daily lives of Lha mtsho skyid, Klu mo, and Tshe thar skyid, Tibetan women living in impoverished A bo rgyud (Awubuju Tibetan Village, Gser gzhung (Jinyuan Township, Dpal lung (Hualong Hui Autonomous County, Mtsho shar (Haidong City, Mtsho sngon (Qinghai Province in May 2011 are described. Aspects of fuel collection, family relationships, food preparation, child care, schooling, water collection, and day-to-day anxieties are described, illustrating the reality of their daily existence.

Exploring the experiences of older Chinese adults with comorbidities including diabetes: surmounting these challenges in order to live a normal life

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Hsiu-Yu; Chen, Mei-Hui

2018-01-01

Background Many people with diabetes have comorbidities, even multimorbidities, which have a far-reaching impact on the older adults, their family, and society. However, little is known of the experience of older adults living with comorbidities that include diabetes. Aim The aim of this study was to explore the experience of older adults living with comorbidities including diabetes. Methods A qualitative approach was employed. Data were collected from a selected field of 12 patients with diabetes mellitus in a medical center in northern Taiwan. The data were analyzed by Colaizzi’s phenomenological methodology, and four criteria of Lincoln and Guba were used to evaluate the rigor of the study. Results The following 5 themes and 14 subthemes were derived: 1) expecting to heal or reduce the symptoms of the disease (trying to alleviate the distress of symptoms and trusting in health practitioners combining the use of Chinese and Western medicines); 2) comparing complex medical treatments (differences in physician practices and presentation, conditionally adhering to medical treatment, and partnering with medical professionals); 3) inconsistent information (inconsistent health information and inconsistent medical advice); 4) impacting on daily life (activities are limited and hobbies cannot be maintained and psychological distress); and 5) weighing the pros and cons (taking the initiative to deal with issues, limiting activity, adjusting mental outlook and pace of life, developing strategies for individual health regimens, and seeking support). Surmounting these challenges in order to live a normal life was explored. Conclusion This study found that the experience of older adults living with comorbidities including diabetes was similar to that of a single disease, but the extent was greater than a single disease. The biggest difference is that the elderly think that their most serious problem is not diabetes, but rather, the comorbidities causing life limitations

Do sleep, stress, and illness explain daily variations in fatigue? A prospective study.

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Akerstedt, Torbjörn; Axelsson, John; Lekander, Mats; Orsini, Nicola; Kecklund, Göran

2014-04-01

Fatigue is related to a number of serious diseases, as well as to general well-being. It is also a major cause of sickness absence and use of health facilities. Still, the determinants of variations in fatigue are little investigated. The purpose of present study was to investigate the relationships between the daily variations of fatigue with sleep during the previous night, stress or disease symptoms during the same day - across 42 consecutive days of normal life. 50 individuals participated and gave diary reports and used an actigraph across the 42days. The data was analyzed using a multilevel approach with mixed model regression. The analyses showed that the day-to-day variation in fatigue was related to (poor) sleep quality (pstress (pfatigue rating. Fatigue was also strongly related to poorer subjective health (pstress and illness are consistently connected to how fatigue is experienced during normal living conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors that influence physical activity in the daily life of male patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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S. Barriga

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD is a disease with great impact on the ability to carry out physical activity. Objective: To identify the main factors that affect physical activity in the daily life of patients with COPD. Methods: Physical activity in daily routine has been evaluated according to the London Chest Activity of Daily Living scale (LCADL and the pedometer counting the number of steps per day, for a period of three days. Fifty-five male patients with a diagnosis of moderate to very severe COPD were included (aged 67 ± 9.6 years; FEV1 50.8 ± 14.7% predicted. Results: Patients walked on average 4972 steps per day. Very severe COPD patients (n = 12 walked much less than severe (n = 21 and moderate (n = 22 patients (respectively 3079.8 versus 4853.5 and 6118.1 steps per day, p < 0.001. The number of steps per day had a negative correlation with age, dyspnea (mMRC, depression, BODE index and pulmonary hyperinflation; and a positive correlation with the distance covered in the six-minute walk test (6MWT, forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1, carbon monoxide diffusion capacity (DLCO, arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2 and body mass index (BMI. Conclusions: The main factors that correlated with limited physical activity in daily life routine of this group of COPD patients were dyspnea and 6 min walking distance. These patients form a sedentary group, with a low rate of daily physical activity, which is more evident in patients with GOLD spirometry stage IV. Although pedometer is simpler and less accurate than other devices, it can be used to detect significant restraints daily life physical activity of COPD patients. Resumo: Introdução: A Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crónica (DPOC é uma doença com grande impacto na capacidade de realizar atividade física. Objetivo: Identificar os principais fatores que influenciam a atividade física na

Personality Traits and Mental Symptoms are Associated with Impact of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on Patients' Daily Life.

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Topp, Marie; Vestbo, Jørgen; Mortensen, Erik Lykke

2016-12-01

Previous research has shown that personality traits are associated with self-reported health status in the general population. COPD Assessment Test (CAT) is increasingly used to assess health status such as the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on patients' daily life, but knowledge about the influence of personality traits on CAT score is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of Big Five personality traits on CAT score and the relation between personality traits and mental symptoms with respect to their influence on CAT score. A sample of 168 patients diagnosed with COPD was consecutively recruited in a secondary care outpatient clinic. All participants completed CAT, NEO Five-Factor Inventory, and Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the association between personality traits and CAT scores and how this association was influenced by mental symptoms. The personality traits neuroticism, agreeableness and conscientiousness; and the mental symptoms depression and anxiety showed significant influence on CAT score when analysed in separate regression models. Identical R-square (R = 0.24) was found for personality traits and mental symptoms, but combining personality traits and mental symptoms in one regression model showed substantially reduced effect estimates of neuroticism, conscientiousness and anxiety, reflecting the strong correlations between personality traits and mental symptoms. We found that the impact of COPD on daily life measured by CAT was related to personality and mental symptoms, which illustrates the necessity of taking individual differences in personality and mental status into account in the management of COPD.

A study of the daily life of modern teenagers: the presence in social networks as an integral component of communication

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Koroleva D.O.

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The article introduces the methodologies of the study of the everyday life of modern teenagers whiсh can simultaneously be used to traceevents occurring in real and virtual space: “Online and offline diary" and "15 minutes". The data of pilot studies showed that the teenager’s online performance is mainly presented in a form of communication in social networks. We have discovered that the on- and offline convergence of space for growth is inseparable from respondents themselves. Through the active use of social networks, a modern teenager is able to be present in different socialenvironments simultaneously. Constant checking news and posts in social networks is a new, peculiar to teenage daily ritual. The so-called "red zones", where a teenager consciously waives the possibility of "escape" into a parallel reality, are linked to significant events in everyday life, while a feeling of boredom brings to life the compensation through "getting about" in virtual space.

The Meaning of Social Participation for Daily Mobility in Later Life: an Ethnographic Case Study of a Senior Project in a Swedish Urban Neighbourhood.

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Stjernborg, Vanessa

2017-01-01

This paper presents an ethnographic case study that aims to understand the meaning of social participation in a neighbourhood for daily mobility in later life. In the study, the mobility of the participants of a senior-citizen project was monitored over 18 months. The project was founded as a result of a municipal district's targeting of social sustainability. The results show that social participation had positive effects on the daily mobility of the participants. The implementation of broad-minded thinking from the municipality and the cooperation of various municipal actors were shown to be essential for the positive outcome of this project.

Whether, when, and how is spirituality related to well-being? Moving beyond single occasion questionnaires to understanding daily process.

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Kashdan, Todd B; Nezlek, John B

2012-11-01

Prior research suggests that spirituality is positively related to well-being. Nevertheless, within-person variability in spirituality has yet to be addressed. Do people experience greater spirituality on some days versus others? Does daily spirituality predict daily well-being? Do within-person relationships between spirituality and well-being vary as a function of trait spirituality? The authors examined such questions using a daily diary study with 87 participants who provided reports of their daily spirituality and well-being for a total of 1,239 days. They found that daily spirituality was positively related to meaning in life, self-esteem, and positive affect, and the link from daily spirituality to both self-esteem and positive affect was fully mediated by meaning in life. Moreover, within-person relationships between daily spirituality and self-esteem and meaning in life were stronger for people higher in trait spirituality. Lagged analyses found positive relationships between present day spirituality and next day's meaning in life; there was no evidence for meaning in life as a predictor of the next day's spirituality. When focusing on affect, for people higher in trait spirituality, greater negative affect (and lower positive affect) predicted greater spirituality the next day. These results provide new insights into how spirituality operates as a fluctuating experience in daily life.

The dynamics of daily events and well-being across cultures: when less is more.

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Oishi, Shigehiro; Diener, Ed; Choi, Dong-Won; Kim-Prieto, Chu; Choi, Incheol

2007-10-01

The authors examined cultural and individual differences in the relation between daily events and daily satisfaction. In a preliminary study, they established cross-cultural equivalence of 50 daily events. In the main study, participants in the United States, Korea, and Japan completed daily surveys on the 50 events and daily satisfaction for 21 days. The multilevel random coefficient model analyses showed that (a) the within-person association between positive events and daily satisfaction was significantly stronger among Asian American, Korean, and Japanese participants than among European American participants and (b) the within-person association between positive events and daily satisfaction was significantly weaker among individuals high in global life satisfaction than among those low in global life satisfaction. The findings demonstrate a weaker effect of positive events on daily well-being among individuals and cultures high in global well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).

Daily Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction across Adulthood

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Maher, Jaclyn P.; Pincus, Aaron L.; Ram, Nilam; Conroy, David E.

2015-01-01

Physical activity is considered a valuable tool for enhancing life satisfaction. However, the processes linking these constructs likely differ across the adult lifespan. In older adults the association between physical activity and life satisfaction appears to involve usual levels of physical activity (i.e., a between-person association driven by differences between more and less active people). In younger adults the association has consistently been based on day-to-day physical activity (i.e...

Quality of life in glaucoma patients and normal subjects related to the severity of damage in each eye.

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Pujol Carreras, O; Anton, A; Mora, C; Pastor, L; Gudiña, S; Maull, R; Vega, Z; Castilla, M

2017-11-01

To assess the quality of life in glaucoma patients and normal subjects, and to assess its relationship with the severity of damage in each eye. A cross-sectional study was conducted with prospective selection of cases. The study included 464 subjects and were distributed into 4categories. Subjects included in group 1 had both eyes normal, that is with a normal intraocular pressure (IOP), optic disk and visual fields (VF), or mild glaucoma, defined as untreated IOP>21mmHg and abnormal VF with mean defect (MD) over -6dB. Group 2 consisted of patients with both eyes with mild or moderate glaucoma, defined as untreated IOP>21mmHg and abnormal VF with MD between -6 and -12dB. Group 3 included patients with moderate to severe glaucoma, that is, untreated IOP>21mmHg and abnormal VF with MD of less than -12dB in both eyes. Group 4 consisted of patients with asymmetric glaucoma damage, that is, they had one eye with severe glaucoma and the other eye normal or with mild glaucoma. All subjects completed 3 different questionnaires. Global quality of life was evaluated with EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D). Vision related quality of life was assessed with Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25). Quality of life related to ocular surface disease was measured with Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI). VFQ-25 showed that group 3 had significantly lower scores than group 1 in mental health (P=.006), dependence (P=.006), colour vision (P=.002), and peripheral vision (P=.002). EQ-5D showed no significant differences between any group, but a trend was found to greater difficulty in group 3 than in groups 1 and 2, and in all dimensions. OSDI showed a higher score, or which was the same as a major disability, in groups 2 and 3 than group 1 (P=.021 and P=.014, respectively). VFQ-25 only found significant differences between group 1 and group 4. Dimensions with significant differences were found between group 1 and 3 (both eyes with advanced or moderate glaucoma). These were not found between group 1 and

Functional Independence in Late-Life: Maintaining Physical Functioning in Older Adulthood Predicts Daily Life Function after Age 80.

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Vaughan, Leslie; Leng, Xiaoyan; La Monte, Michael J; Tindle, Hilary A; Cochrane, Barbara B; Shumaker, Sally A

2016-03-01

We examined physical functioning (PF) trajectories (maintaining, slowly declining, and rapidly declining) spanning 15 years in older women aged 65-80 and protective factors that predicted better current levels and less decline in functional independence outcomes after age 80. Women's Health Initiative extension participants who met criteria (enrolled in either the clinical trial or observational study cohort, >80 years at the data release cutoff, PF survey data from initial enrollment to age 80, and functional independence survey data after age 80) were included in these analyses (mean [SD] age = 84.0 [1.4] years; N = 10,478). PF was measured with the SF-36 (mean = 4.9 occasions). Functional independence was measured by self-reported level of dependence in basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs and IADLs) (mean = 3.4 and 3.3 occasions). Maintaining consistent PF in older adulthood extends functional independence in ADL and IADL in late-life. Protective factors shared by ADL and IADL include maintaining PF over time, self-reported excellent or very good health, no history of hip fracture after age 55, and no history of cardiovascular disease. Better IADL function is uniquely predicted by a body mass index less than 25 and no depression. Less ADL and IADL decline is predicted by better self-reported health, and less IADL decline is uniquely predicted by having no history of hip fracture after age 55. Maintaining or improving PF and preventing injury and disease in older adulthood (ages 65-80) has far-reaching implications for improving late-life (after age 80) functional independence. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Practical Life: The Keystone of Life, Culture, and Community

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Ramani, Uma

2013-01-01

Uma Ramani's characterization of practical life is philosophical and anthropological, suggesting that "human history is the story of the evolution of our practical life activities." Practical life is a collaborative activity that creates community and culture. One's adaptation to life through the daily work of ordering our environment…

Comparison of Participation in Life Habits in 5–11-Year-Old Blind and Typical Children

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Sahar Ghanbari

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Participation is defined as involvement in life situations leading to skill development, experimentation, and socialization. Children with visual impairment seem to be at risk because of their limitations when it comes to taking part in daily activities. This study aimed to compare the participation in life habits of children with blindness with their normal peers. Methods: This study is quantitative, cross-sectional, and comparative, and used convenience sampling for a pilot study. Eleven children with blindness and nine normal children were evaluated with a life-habit questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS-21 software with the Mann-Whitney statistical test. Results: There are meaningful differences between these two groups in overall participation, nutrition, communication, participation at home, mobility, responsibility, interpersonal relationships, education, and recreation. No statistical differences in health, personal care, social life, and work were obtained. Conclusion: Blind children had lower participation in most areas of life habits compared to their normal peers. The differences can be attributed to differences in the necessary education and training, differences in the social contexts of both groups, and also hearing loss in some children, and improper items for activity according to the age of these children.

Applicability of a Serbian version of the “Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP” index - assessment of oral health-related quality of life

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Stančić Ivica

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. The Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP is a well-known psychometric test used internationally to assess the oral health-related quality of life. The interview and self-administrated questionnaire both assess the degree to which oral health problems have affected the life of the participants over the previous 6 months. The aim of this study was to translate the OIDP index into Serbian and to assess its reliability in practice as its initial verification in the Serbian speaking area. Methods. Following an internationally established methods, the OIDP scale was translated using standardized methodology that consisted of forward translation, pilot study and backward translation. Results. A pilot study was carried out with 44 respondents (24 males i 20 females using a preliminar Serbian version of the OIDP index. All patients were aged over 65 years. A total of 68.2% of the participants replied that they had at least one OIDP impact on daily life in the past 6 months. These troubles were most prominent during eating (47.7% and speaking (36.4%, but there is a little impact of troubles in the domain of psychosocial sphere. The corrected item-total correlation coefficients for all items were above the minimum recommended level of 0.20 for including an item in a scale. The standardized Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.75. Conclusion. Based on these results, we can conclude that this index is suitable for use in everyday practice in Serbian speaking area providing useful information required to assess oral health-related quality of life.

Physical activity and affect in elementary school children's daily lives

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Kühnhausen, Jan; Leonhardt, Anja; Dirk, Judith; Schmiedek, Florian

2013-01-01

A positive influence of physical activity (PA) on affect has been shown in numerous studies. However, this relationship has not yet been studied in the daily life of children. We present a part of the FLUX study that attempts to contribute to filling that gap. To this end, a proper way to measure PA and affect in the daily life of children is needed. In pre-studies of the FLUX study, we were able to show that affect can be measured in children with self-report items that are answered using sm...

Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Psychotic-Like Symptoms and Stress Reactivity in Daily Life in Nonclinical Young Adults.

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Paula Cristóbal-Narváez

Full Text Available There is increasing interest in elucidating the association of different childhood adversities with psychosis-spectrum symptoms as well as the mechanistic processes involved. This study used experience sampling methodology to examine (i associations of a range of childhood adversities with psychosis symptom domains in daily life; (ii whether associations of abuse and neglect with symptoms are consistent across self-report and interview methods of trauma assessment; and (iii the role of different adversities in moderating affective, psychotic-like, and paranoid reactivity to situational and social stressors.A total of 206 nonclinical young adults were administered self-report and interview measures to assess childhood abuse, neglect, bullying, losses, and general traumatic events. Participants received personal digital assistants that signaled them randomly eight times daily for one week to complete questionnaires about current experiences, including symptoms, affect, and stress.Self-reported and interview-based abuse and neglect were associated with psychotic-like and paranoid symptoms, whereas only self-reported neglect was associated with negative-like symptoms. Bullying was associated with psychotic-like symptoms. Losses and general traumatic events were not directly associated with any of the symptom domains. All the childhood adversities were associated with stress reactivity in daily life. Interpersonal adversities (abuse, neglect, bullying, and losses moderated psychotic-like and/or paranoid reactivity to situational and social stressors, whereas general traumatic events moderated psychotic-like reactivity to situational stress. Also, different interpersonal adversities exacerbated psychotic-like and/or paranoid symptoms in response to distinct social stressors.The present study provides a unique examination of how childhood adversities impact the expression of spectrum symptoms in the real world and lends support to the notion that

Psychosocial identity (representation in the daily life (Theatrum Mundi La (representación de las identidades psicosociales en el teatro de la vida cotidiana (Theatrum Mundi

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María de la Villa Moral Jiménez

2010-03-01

="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">desde y normal;">por las relaciones sociales. En este artículo, desde una perspectiva de análisis psicosociológica y con un enfoque dramatúrgico, se recurre al concepto de normal;">theatrum mundi con objeto de ejemplificar semejantes (representaciones teatrales del yo en la escena social.

Abstract

The search and subsequent redefinition of the personal and social identity constitutes one of the main objectives of everyone individual, as well as the differentiation and dialectical relationship between the self and the others. Similar dynamic and  multidetermined  process has been influenced by the symbolic and socialized action of the property groups and of others legitimize for the purpose agencies (family, mass-media, peer-groups, etc.. Likewise, we proceed to the presentation of identity in the daily life, goffmanian way, in the social stage where it shows manifold roles, way of characters in scene with several scripts to perform. Actor’s personal identity derives from a socialized identity constructed normal;">from and normal;">by social relationships. In this article, by a psychosociological analysis perspective and with a dramatic art approach, we resort to the normal;">theatrum mundi analysis with the purpose of exemplify those self theatrical (representations in the social scene.

Activities of daily living, depression, and quality of life in Parkinson's disease.

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Blake J Lawrence

Full Text Available This study examined whether activities of daily living (ADL mediate the relationship between depression and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL in people with Parkinson's disease (PD. A cross-sectional, correlational research design examined data from 174 participants who completed the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39, and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-section 2 (UPDRS-section 2 [ADL]. Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA was used to examine the mediator model. Depression and ADL significantly (p<.001 predicted HR-QOL, and depression significantly (p<.001 predicted ADL. Whilst ADL did not impact on the relationship between depression and HR-QOL, there was a significant (p<.001 indirect effect of depression on HR-QOL via ADL, suggesting both direct and indirect (via ADL effects of depression on HR-QOL. The magnitude of this effect was moderate (R2 = .13. People with PD who report depression also experience greater difficulty completing ADL, which impacts upon their HR-QOL. It is recommended that clinicians adopt a multidisciplinary approach to care by combining pharmacological treatments with psycho/occupational therapy, thereby alleviating the heterogeneous impact of motor and non-motor symptoms on HR-QOL in people with PD.

Wearable textile platform for assessing stroke patient treatment in daily life conditions

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Federico eLorussi

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Monitoring physical activities during post-stroke rehabilitation in daily life may help physicians to optimize and tailor the training program for patients. The European research project INTERACTION (FP7-ICT-2011-7-287351 evaluated motor capabilities in stroke patients during the recovery treatment period. We developed wearable sensing platform based on the sensor fusion among inertial, knitted piezoresistive sensors and textile EMG electrodes . The device was conceived in modular form and consists of a separate shirt, trousers, glove and shoe. Thanks to the novel fusion approach it has been possible to develop a model for the shoulder taking into account the scapulo-thoracic joint of the scapular girdle, considerably improving the estimation of the hand position in reaching activities. In order to minimize the sensor set used to monitor gait, a single inertial sensor fused with a textile goniometer proved to reconstruct the orientation of all the body segments of the leg. Finally, the sensing glove, endowed with three textile goniometers and three force sensors showed good capabilities in the reconstruction of grasping activities and evaluating the interaction of the hand with the environment, according to the project specifications. This paper reports on the design and the technical evaluation of the performance of the sensing platform, tested on healthy subjects.

The Patient Perspective on the Impact of Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors on Daily Living: Crowdsourcing Study on Physical Function and Quality of Life.

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Mastboom, Monique Josephine; Planje, Rosa; van de Sande, Michiel Adreanus

2018-02-23

Tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) is a rare, benign lesion affecting the synovial lining of joints, bursae, and tendon sheaths. It is generally characterized as a locally aggressive and often recurring tumor. A distinction is made between localized- and diffuse-type. The impact of TGCT on daily living is currently ill-described. The aim of this crowdsourcing study was to evaluate the impact of TGCT on physical function, daily activities, societal participation (work, sports, and hobbies), and overall quality of life from a patient perspective. The secondary aim was to define risk factors for deteriorated outcome in TGCT. Members of the largest known TGCT Facebook community, PVNS is Pants!!, were invited to an e-survey, partially consisting of validated questionnaires, for 6 months. To confirm disease presence and TGCT-type, patients were requested to share histological or radiological proof of TGCT. Unpaired t tests and chi-square tests were used to compare groups with and without proof and to define risk factors for deteriorated outcome. Three hundred thirty-seven questionnaires, originating from 30 countries, were completed. Median age at diagnosis was 33 (interquartile range [IQR]=25-42) years, majority was female (79.8% [269/337]), diffuse TGCT (70.3% [237/337]), and affected lower extremities (knee 70.9% [239/337] and hip 9.5% [32/337]). In 299 lower-extremity TGCT patients (32.4% [97/299]) with disease confirmation, recurrence rate was 36% and 69.5% in localized and diffuse type, respectively. For both types, pain and swelling decreased after treatment; in contrast, stiffness and range of motion worsened. Patients were limited in their employment (localized 13% [8/61]; diffuse 11.0% [21/191]) and sport-activities (localized 58% [40/69]; diffuse 63.9% [147/230]). Compared with general US population, all patients showed lower Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurements Information System-Physical Function (PROMIS-PF), Short Form-12 (SF-12), and EuroQoL 5

Everyday politics, social practices and movement networks: daily life in Barcelona's social centres.

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Yates, Luke

2015-06-01

The relations between everyday life and political participation are of interest for much contemporary social science. Yet studies of social movement protest still pay disproportionate attention to moments of mobilization, and to movements with clear organizational boundaries, tactics and goals. Exceptions have explored collective identity, 'free spaces' and prefigurative politics, but such processes are framed as important only in accounting for movements in abeyance, or in explaining movement persistence. This article focuses on the social practices taking place in and around social movement spaces, showing that political meanings, knowledge and alternative forms of social organization are continually being developed and cultivated. Social centres in Barcelona, Spain, autonomous political spaces hosting cultural and educational events, protest campaigns and alternative living arrangements, are used as empirical case studies. Daily practices of food provisioning, distributing space and dividing labour are politicized and politicizing as they unfold and develop over time and through diverse networks around social centres. Following Melucci, such latent processes set the conditions for social movements and mobilization to occur. However, they not only underpin mobilization, but are themselves politically expressive and prefigurative, with multiple layers of latency and visibility identifiable in performances of practices. The variety of political forms - adversarial, expressive, theoretical, and routinized everyday practices, allow diverse identities, materialities and meanings to overlap in movement spaces, and help explain networks of mutual support between loosely knit networks of activists and non-activists. An approach which focuses on practices and networks rather than mobilization and collective actors, it is argued, helps show how everyday life and political protest are mutually constitutive. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2014.

The Impact of Social Support on the Relation between Stress from Daily Life Issues and Depression among East Asian International Students in the United States

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Fang, Hong-Ning

2013-01-01

Moderation effects of social support on the relation between stress resulting from five daily life issues (i.e., acculturation, second language, academic performance, interpersonal relationships, and financial concerns) and psychological distress (i.e., the level of depression) among China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan international students…

Balancing health, work, and daily life: design and evaluation of a pilot intervention for persons with HIV/AIDS.

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Bedell, Gary

2008-01-01

To design and evaluate a pilot intervention to promote self-management skills and work transition for persons with HIV/AIDS. The seven-week group intervention consisted of 1.5-hour bi-weekly sessions focused on goal setting and developing strategies to manage health, work and daily life routines while participating in a job skills training program in New York City. Six successive groups received the intervention over the course of two years (n = 53). Existing and newly-developed measures were used to examine key outcomes. Differences between pre-intervention and post-intervention scores on outcome measures were examined using paired-tests and effect sizes. Employment outcomes and participant satisfaction were examined post-intervention. The intervention was feasible to implement and sessions were viewed favorably by the majority of participants. Moderate to large effect sizes were found immediately post-intervention in participants' perceived ability to work and balance health, work and daily life. Fifty two percent of the participants were working part or full time and 41% were actively searching for employment at three to five months follow-up. Small effect sizes demonstrating improved outcomes at follow-up were found in symptom severity, self-advocacy and medication adherence self-efficacy. Small effect sizes demonstrating a potential decrement in outcomes at follow-up were found in participants' need satisfaction and perceived symptom impact on work performance. The results are promising, but further research is needed due to design limitations and the preliminary nature of the intervention and measures used. The potential decrement in outcomes might reflect a shift in participants' needs or view of how their health affected work performance and suggests that ongoing supports were needed post-intervention.

Systems Health Care: daily measurement and lifestyle change

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Nakajima, Hiroshi; Tsuchiya, Naoki; Shiga, Toshikazu; Hata, Yutaka

2012-06-01

Health is quite important to be realized in our daily life. However, its idea covers wide area and has individual dependency. Activities in health care have been widely developed by medical, drag, insurance, food, and other types of industries mainly centering diseases. In this article, systems approach named Systems Health Care is introduced and discussed to generate new and precious values based on measurements in daily life to change lifestyle habits for realizing each health. Firstly, issues related to health such as its definitions are introduced and discussed by centering health rather than disease. In response to the discussions on health, Home and Medical Care is continuously introduced to point out the important role causality between life style and vital signal such as exercise and blood pressure based on detailed sampling time. Systems approaches of Systems Health Care are discussed from various points of views. Real applications of devices and services are used to make the studies and discussions deeper on the subjects of the article.

Assessing Energy Intake in Daily Life: Signal-Contingent Smartphone Application Versus Event-Contingent Paper and Pencil Estimated Diet Diary

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Saskia Wouters

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Investigating between-meal snack intake and its associated determinants such as emotions and stress presents challenges because both vary from moment to moment throughout the day. A smartphone application (app, was developed to map momentary between-meal snack intake and its associated determinants in the context of daily life. The aim of this study was to compare energy intake reported with the signal-contingent app and reported with an event-contingent paper and pencil diet diary. Methods: In a counterbalanced, cross-sectional design, adults (N = 46 from the general population reported between-meal snack intake during four consecutive days with the app and four consecutive days with a paper and pencil diet diary. A 10-day interval was applied between the two reporting periods. Multilevel regression analyses were conducted to compare both instruments on reported momentary and daily energy intake from snacks.  Results: Results showed no significant difference (B = 11.84, p = .14 in momentary energy intake from snacks between the two instruments. However, a significant difference (B = –105.89, p < .01 was found on energy intake from total daily snack consumption. Conclusions: As at momentary level both instruments were comparable in assessing energy intake, research purposes will largely determine the sampling procedure of choice. When momentary associations across time are the interest of study, a signal-contingent sampling procedure may be a suitable method. Since the compared instruments differed on two main features (i.e. the sampling procedure and the device used it is difficult to disentangle which instrument was the most accurate in assessing daily energy intake.

On carrots and curiosity: eating fruit and vegetables is associated with greater flourishing in daily life.

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Conner, Tamlin S; Brookie, Kate L; Richardson, Aimee C; Polak, Maria A

2015-05-01

Our aim was to determine whether eating fruit and vegetables (FV) is associated with other markers of well-being beyond happiness and life satisfaction. Towards this aim, we tested whether FV consumption is associated with greater eudaemonic well-being - a state of flourishing characterized by feelings of engagement, meaning, and purpose in life. We also tested associations with two eudaemonic behaviours - curiosity and creativity. Daily diary study across 13 days (micro-longitudinal, correlational design). A sample of 405 young adults (67% women; mean age 19.9 [SD 1.6] years) completed an Internet daily diary for 13 consecutive days. Each day, participants reported on their consumption of fruit, vegetables, sweets, and chips, as well as their eudaemonic well-being, curiosity, creativity, positive affect (PA), and negative affect. Between-person associations were analysed on aggregated data. Within-person associations were analysed using multilevel models controlling for weekday and weekend patterns. Fruit and vegetables consumption predicted greater eudaemonic well-being, curiosity, and creativity at the between- and within-person levels. Young adults who ate more FV reported higher average eudaemonic well-being, more intense feelings of curiosity, and greater creativity compared with young adults who ate less FV. On days when young adults ate more FV, they reported greater eudaemonic well-being, curiosity, and creativity compared with days when they ate less FV. FV consumption also predicted higher PA, which mostly did not account for the associations between FV and the other well-being variables. Few unhealthy foods (sweets, chips) were related to well-being except that consumption of sweets was associated with greater curiosity and PA at the within-person level. Lagged data analyses showed no carry-over effects of FV consumption onto next-day well-being (or vice versa). Although these patterns are strictly correlational, this study provides the first evidence

Cultural and Domestic Arrangement of Migrant Kolkhozes and the Daily Life of Settlers in the North Caucasus Region in the Period of Collectivization

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Istyagin Vadim R.

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In the present article based on rare archival materials for the first time used in scientific circulation the author examines the issues of cultural and domestic arrangement of migrant kolkhozes (collective farms in the North Caucasus region in the period of agriculture collectivization. The author highlights the key activities of regional authorities in the sphere of cultural development within these collective farms. It is stated that cultural arrangement of resettlement of collective farms in the 1930s was far from ideal. But taking into account state importance of the resettlement campaign, the authorities managed to achieve certain positive changes. An integral part of the cultural life of the people of the red army was its political and ideological component, due to the high level of politicization of public life in the USSR in 1930s. The red army collective farms were equipped with schools, nurseries and kindergartens, clubs and cinemas but these institutions were poorly organized. The article points out that labour of the red army settlers had little common features with farms of the local people. Community production activities and everyday leisure are, on the contrary, marked by the similarity of lifestyle. The mass spread of literacy stimulated the reader’s interest – immigrants in their leisure hours read the newspapers, magazines and books, mainly fiction. The author examines the everyday life of immigrants, and it is largely substantiated by their social moods which contributed to the formation of the red army collective farms. The author came to the conclusion that the daily life of settlers was largely due to their social disadvantage. Food and accommodation, working conditions were at a very low level. For most of them, life and work in the Kuban Cossack villages was a daily test of their physical and moral forces and was not much different from the life of the Kuban collective farmers.

Identification of fall risk predictors in daily life measurements: gait characteristics' reliability and association with self-reported fall history.

Science.gov (United States)

Rispens, Sietse M; van Schooten, Kimberley S; Pijnappels, Mirjam; Daffertshofer, Andreas; Beek, Peter J; van Dieën, Jaap H

2015-01-01

Background. Gait characteristics extracted from trunk accelerations during daily life locomotion are complementary to questionnaire- or laboratory-based gait and balance assessments and may help to improve fall risk prediction. Objective. The aim of this study was to identify gait characteristics that are associated with self-reported fall history and that can be reliably assessed based on ambulatory data collected during a single week. Methods. We analyzed 2 weeks of trunk acceleration data (DynaPort MoveMonitor, McRoberts) collected among 113 older adults (age range, 65-97 years). During episodes of locomotion, various gait characteristics were determined, including local dynamic stability, interstride variability, and several spectral features. For each characteristic, we performed a negative binomial regression analysis with the participants' self-reported number of falls in the preceding year as outcome. Reliability of gait characteristics was assessed in terms of intraclass correlations between both measurement weeks. Results. The percentages of spectral power below 0.7 Hz along the vertical and anteroposterior axes and below 10 Hz along the mediolateral axis, as well as local dynamic stability, local dynamic stability per stride, gait smoothness, and the amplitude and slope of the dominant frequency along the vertical axis, were associated with the number of falls in the preceding year and could be reliably assessed (all P 0.75). Conclusions. Daily life gait characteristics are associated with fall history in older adults and can be reliably estimated from a week of ambulatory trunk acceleration measurements. © The Author(s) 2014.

Aging Parents' Daily Support Exchanges With Adult Children Suffering Problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Huo, Meng; Graham, Jamie L; Kim, Kyungmin; Birditt, Kira S; Fingerman, Karen L

2017-06-17

When adult children incur life problems (e.g., divorce, job loss, health problems), aging parents generally report providing more frequent support and experiencing poorer well-being. Yet, it is unclear how adult children's problems may influence aging parents' daily support exchanges with these children or the parents' daily mood. Aging parents from the Family Exchanges Study Wave 2 (N = 207, Mage = 79.86) reported providing and receiving emotional support, practical support, and advice from each adult child each day for 7 days. Parents also rated daily positive and negative mood. Multilevel models showed that aging parents were more likely to provide emotional and practical support to adult children incurring life problems than children not suffering problems. Parents were also more likely to receive emotional support and advice from these children with problems. Further, parents reported less negative mood on days when providing practical support to children with problems. Examining daily support exchanges adds to our understanding of how children's problems influence parent-child ties in late life. Prior research suggests that children's problems upset parents. In this study, however, it appears that supporting adult children who suffer problems may alleviate aging parents' distress regarding such children. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Emotion regulation strategy selection in daily life: The role of social context and goals

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ihno A.; John, Oliver P.; Gross, James J.

2016-01-01

Recent studies have begun to document the diversity of ways people regulate their emotions. However, one unanswered question is why people regulate their emotions as they do in everyday life. In the present research, we examined how social context and goals influence strategy selection in daily high points and low points. As expected, suppression was particularly tied to social features of context: it was used more when others were present, especially non-close partners, and when people had instrumental goals, especially more interpersonal ones (e.g., avoid conflict). Distraction and reappraisal were used more when regulating for hedonic reasons (e.g., to feel better), but these strategies were also linked to certain instrumental goals (e.g., getting work done). When contra-hedonic regulation occurred, it primarily took the form of dampening positive emotion during high points. Suppression was more likely to be used for contra-hedonic regulation, whereas reappraisal and distraction were used more for pro-hedonic regulation. Overall, these findings highlight the social nature of emotion regulation and underscore the importance of examining regulation in both positive and negative contexts. PMID:28652647

Emotion regulation strategy selection in daily life: The role of social context and goals.

Science.gov (United States)

English, Tammy; Lee, Ihno A; John, Oliver P; Gross, James J

2017-04-01

Recent studies have begun to document the diversity of ways people regulate their emotions. However, one unanswered question is why people regulate their emotions as they do in everyday life. In the present research, we examined how social context and goals influence strategy selection in daily high points and low points. As expected, suppression was particularly tied to social features of context: it was used more when others were present, especially non-close partners, and when people had instrumental goals, especially more interpersonal ones (e.g., avoid conflict). Distraction and reappraisal were used more when regulating for hedonic reasons (e.g., to feel better), but these strategies were also linked to certain instrumental goals (e.g., getting work done). When contra-hedonic regulation occurred, it primarily took the form of dampening positive emotion during high points. Suppression was more likely to be used for contra-hedonic regulation, whereas reappraisal and distraction were used more for pro-hedonic regulation. Overall, these findings highlight the social nature of emotion regulation and underscore the importance of examining regulation in both positive and negative contexts.

"Una vida que no es normal": el contexto de los cuidados familiares en la demencia "A life that is not normal": the context of family care in dementia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen de la Cuesta-Benjumea

2011-06-01

Full Text Available El grupo mayoritario de los cuidadores lo conforman mujeres que viven en situación de vulnerabilidad y cuentan con poco apoyo formal. Mientras que la bibliografía destaca los estudios sobre la carga del cuidado y cómo aliviarla, hay pocas investigaciones que describan las circunstancias donde se desarrollan estos cuidados. El propósito de este estudio cualitativo es describir el contexto en el que se desenvuelven los cuidados de familiares con demencia avanzada. Para las cuidadoras, su vida no es normal. Llevar una vida restringida y sin vida propia son categorías que describen el contexto de la vida de las cuidadoras. A esta clase de vida, las cuidadoras se han acostumbrado. Las enfermeras pueden mejorar esta situación, pueden aconsejar a los cuidadores para que reserven parcelas de vida propia, son además una voz autorizada para sensibilizar y fomentar prácticas equitativas en el cuidado familiar.The largest group of caregivers are women who live in situation of vulnerability and have little formal support. While research literature emphasises the burden of care and the relief of that burden, there are few studies that describe the context where this care takes place. The purpose of this qualitative study is to describe the context of dementia family care giving. For participants their life is not normal. Having a restricted life and without a proper life are the categories that describe care givers context. To this kind of life they are accustomed.Nurses can improve this situation. They can advice caregivers to reserve parcels of their persona life. Nurses are also authorized voices to promote and sensitize equitable family care practices.

Reproducibility and reliability of hypoglycaemic episodes recorded with Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGMS) in daily life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høi-Hansen, T; Pedersen-Bjergaard, U; Thorsteinsson, B

2005-01-01

AIM: Continuous glucose monitoring may reveal episodes of unrecognized hypoglycaemia. We evaluated reproducibility and reliability of hypoglycaemic episodes recorded in daily life by the Medtronic MiniMed Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGMS). METHODS: Twenty-nine adult patients with Type 1...... data were recalibrated generating four different CGMS data sets [left-A (left side of abdomen, calibration set A), left-B, right-A and right-B]. Agreement between CGMS data sets was evaluated during hypoglycaemic events, comparing CGMS readings = 2.2 mmol/l with nadir values from corresponding CGMS...... data sets. CGMS readings were also compared with independent self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG) values. RESULTS: With hypoglycaemia (CGMS readings = 2.2 mmol/l) in calibration set left-A, values below 3.5 mmol/l were present in 99% (95% CI: 95-100%) of samples in left-B, 91% (95% CI: 84...

Daily portraits of five and six-year old boys: the play activity

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Flavia Bignardi da Silva Nunes

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Daily life experiences provide maturity along human development, and the environments in which they occur are essential for this process. These experiences help to build children’s personalities and the way they deal with the world around them. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to understand the occupational behavior of four children aged five to six years old through their mothers’ reports. Methodology: The average time spent with daily activities is described, and playing was a central theme of analysis. We analyzed the preferences, companies and emotional characteristics of the play activity. We used an Activity Clock and semi-structured interviews with the children’s mothers as data collection instruments. Results: The main results show that most of their daily life time is spent with sleep, school and play activities. They indicate that children prefer games that challenge acquisitions that are under construction. Regarding company, these children still have their mothers as a reference to the play activity, but also peers their age or a little older. Conclusion: Play has an important representation in the daily occupational lives of these children and it stands as a key life experience to acquire skills and face challenges.

Validation of daily increments periodicity in otoliths of spotted gar

Science.gov (United States)

Snow, Richard A.; Long, James M.; Frenette, Bryan D.

2017-01-01

Accurate age and growth information is essential in successful management of fish populations and for understanding early life history. We validated daily increment deposition, including the timing of first ring formation, for spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) through 127 days post hatch. Fry were produced from hatchery-spawned specimens, and up to 10 individuals per week were sacrificed and their otoliths (sagitta, lapillus, and asteriscus) removed for daily age estimation. Daily age estimates for all three otolith pairs were significantly related to known age. The strongest relationships existed for measurements from the sagitta (r2 = 0.98) and the lapillus (r2 = 0.99) with asteriscus (r2 = 0.95) the lowest. All age prediction models resulted in a slope near unity, indicating that ring deposition occurred approximately daily. Initiation of ring formation varied among otolith types, with deposition beginning 3, 7, and 9 days for the sagitta, lapillus, and asteriscus, respectively. Results of this study suggested that otoliths are useful to estimate daily age of spotted gar juveniles; these data may be used to back calculate hatch dates, estimate early growth rates, and correlate with environmental factor that influence spawning in wild populations. is early life history information will be valuable in better understanding the ecology of this species. 

Measuring the Impact of Cognitive Prosthetics on the Daily Life of People with Dementia and Their Carers

Science.gov (United States)

Meiland, Franka; Dröes, Rose-Marie; Sävenstedt, Stefan

Assistive technologies to support persons with dementia and their carers are used increasingly often. However, little is known about the effectiveness of most assistive devices. Much technology is put on the market without having been properly tested with potential end-users. To increase the chance that an assistive device is well accepted and useful for the target group, it is important, especially in the case of disabled persons, to involve potential users in the development process and to evaluate the impact of using the device on them before implementing it in the daily care and support. When evaluating the impact, decisions have to be made regarding the selection of measuring instruments. Important considerations in the selection process are the underlying domains to be addressed by the assistive technology, the target group and the availability of standardized instruments with good psychometric properties. In this chapter the COGKNOW project is used as a case example to explain how the impact of cognitive prosthetics on the daily lives of people with dementia and their carers can be measured. In COGKNOW a cognitive prosthetic device is being developed to improve the quality of life and autonomy of persons with dementia and to help them to remember and remind, to have social contact, to perform daily activities and to enhance feelings of safety. For all these areas, potential measuring instruments are described. Besides (standardized) measuring instruments, other data collection methods are used as well, such as semi-structured interviews and observations, diaries and in situ measurement. Within the COGKNOW project a first uncontrolled small-scale impact measurement takes place during the development process of the assistive device. However, it is recommended to perform a larger randomized controlled study as soon as the final product is ready to evaluate the impact of the device on persons with dementia and carers before it is released on the market.

MR imaging of the various stages of normal myelination during the first year of life

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knaap, M.S. van der; Valk, J.

1990-01-01

The normal process of myelination of the brain mainly occurs during the first year of life. This process as known from histology can be visualized by MRI. Because of the very long T1 and T2 of immature brain tissue it is necessary to use adjusted pulse sequences with a long TR in order to obtain sufficient tissue contrast. With long TR SE images five stages can be recognized in the process of normal myelination and brain maturation. During the first month of life long TR short TE SE images show what are believed to be myelinated structures by correlation with published histological studies with a high signal intensity, unmyelinated white matter with a low signal intensity and gray matter with an intermediate signal intensity. The signal intensity of unmyelinated and myelinated white matter is reversed on long TR long TE SE images. In the course of a few weeks the signal intensity of unmyelinated white matter becomes high and the signal intensity of myelinated white matter becomes low also on long TR short TE SE images. These changes are believed to be caused by a loss of water and a change in chemical composition of brain tissue just prior to the onset of a wave of myelination. With progression of myelination the signal intensity of white matter changes from high to intermediate to low. These changes result in stages of isointensity, first in the central parts of the brain, later in the lobar parts. At the end of the first year the adult contrast pattern is reached in all parts of the brain. IR images are also able to depict the progress of myelination, but appear to be less sensitive to subtle changes in the degree of myelination. The precise normal values for the five stages depend on the magnetic field strength and the pulse sequences used. (orig.)

Exploring the experiences of older Chinese adults with comorbidities including diabetes: surmounting these challenges in order to live a normal life

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Ho HY

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Hsiu-Yu Ho,1,2 Mei-Hui Chen,2,3 Meei-Fang Lou1 1School of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, 2Department of Nursing, Yuanpei University of Medical Technology, 3National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China Background: Many people with diabetes have comorbidities, even multimorbidities, which have a far-reaching impact on the older adults, their family, and society. However, little is known of the experience of older adults living with comorbidities that include diabetes. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the experience of older adults living with comorbidities including diabetes. Methods: A qualitative approach was employed. Data were collected from a selected field of 12 patients with diabetes mellitus in a medical center in northern Taiwan. The data were analyzed by Colaizzi’s phenomenological methodology, and four criteria of Lincoln and Guba were used to evaluate the rigor of the study. Results: The following 5 themes and 14 subthemes were derived: 1 expecting to heal or reduce the symptoms of the disease (trying to alleviate the distress of symptoms and trusting in health practitioners combining the use of Chinese and Western medicines; 2 comparing complex medical treatments (differences in physician practices and presentation, conditionally adhering to medical treatment, and partnering with medical professionals; 3 inconsistent information (inconsistent health information and inconsistent medical advice; 4 impacting on daily life (activities are limited and hobbies cannot be maintained and psychological distress; and 5 weighing the pros and cons (taking the initiative to deal with issues, limiting activity, adjusting mental outlook and pace of life, developing strategies for individual health regimens, and seeking support. Surmounting these challenges in order to live a normal life was explored. Conclusion: This study found that the experience of older adults

Reiki efficacy of therpy in improving pain, fatigue, quiality of life and its impact on activities´s of women daily living suffering from fibromyalgia

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Lourdes Casillas Santamaría

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The evaluation the Reiki therapy effectiveness to relieve pain, fatigue and its impact on activities´s of women daily living suffering from fibromyalgia.Methods: A controlled clinical trial, randomized to three groups (Reiki therapy, placebo and control and hiding of random distribution. Subjects: 150 women, over 18 years, diagnosed with fibromyalgia, according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR, diagnosed for more than a year and signing the informed consent. It will exclude those with mental or cognitive impairment that could impede their participation. Scope: Fibromyalgia Association of Madrid, with a record 2,500 members, with headquarters in downtown Madrid. Intervention: Standardization of Reiki therapy’s interventions, and placebo control. Reiki therapy will be applied by a solo Reiki Master, the placebo group will be attended by one solo nurse with no experience of touch therapy, simulating touches points of energy in the body; the control group receive no intervention. It will be 4 weekly sessions of 60 minutes in the case of Reiki and placebo groups. Participants in the control group will have to go to school to complete the questionnaires in the same periods of time. Variables (measuring instruments: main outcome variable: pain. It will be collected data on pain throughout the study (VAS, fatigue (VAS, quality of life (SF-36 and disease impact on activities of daily living (FIQ at various times: at the studio’s beginning (baseline, after a month and 3 months later. Sociodemographic and clinical variables will be collected also. Analysis: It will be made by allocated treatment (intention to treat. Comparisons shall be made of pain, fatigue, quality of life and disease’s impact on daily life activities among the three groups. Statistical analysis was done by analysis of variance.

WOMEN’S EVERYDAY LIFE EXPERIENCE OF HOUSEWORK AND CARE. BETWEEN PARTENERSHIP NORMS AND PATRIARCHAL NORMALITY

OpenAIRE

DIANA ELENA NEAGA

2012-01-01

My aim in this paper is to explore the process by which women from a Transylvanian county understand family relations in their everyday life with respect to the sharing of the household and care responsibilities among members, mostly men and women. In doing so I will use the distinction made by Martin Hollis between a normal behavior - which can arise after some roles have been performed (the patriarchal gender roles inside the family), and the normative behavior - the one with a moral value ...

[Translation, Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life Scale for European Portuguese].

Science.gov (United States)

Roque Dos Reis, Luis; Donato, Mariana; Sousa, Rita; Escada, Pedro

2017-02-27

The scale Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life uses a simple and easily administered questionnaire to evaluate the adaptation of individuals to their hearing aids. The objective of this study is to validate the scale for European Portuguese speakers, by means of translation and cultural adaptation of the questionnaire. The study includes an evaluation of reproducibility and a description of the results of the administration of the questionnaire to patients fitted with hearing aids. We invited 147 individuals fitted with hearing aids (uni- or bilateral) to participate in the study. Participants had used a hearing aid for at least six weeks and were patients of the Department of Otolaryngology at the Egas Moniz Hospital (Lisbon). The consent as well the guidelines for translation from and into the English language were obtained from the author of the scale, and the translation from and into, and cultural adaptation were carried out, along with an evaluation of reproducibility and internal consistency. The participants were 54% male and 46% female, aged between 16 and 93 (66.09 ± 17.41 years). The results of the study showed an overall level of satisfaction of 5.4 among hearing aids users. The sub-scale satisfaction levels were: positive effects 5.88, service and cost 5.25, negative effects 4.24, and self-image 5.57. The Cronbach α score was 0.75 which indicates good internal consistency. Furthermore, the questionnaire's overall and sub-scale average scores did not differ significantly from the results obtained under the American scale. The inter-examiner reproducibility was also good. This study provides reliable results of the scale for the Portuguese of Portugal and adequate internal consistency, with significant age variability in the sample. This adaptation of the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life questionnaire for European Portuguese speakers should be considered a good tool for evaluation of the level of satisfaction of hearing aid users

The Harvard Automated Phone Task: new performance-based activities of daily living tests for early Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Gad A; Dekhtyar, Maria; Bruno, Jonathan M; Jethwani, Kamal; Amariglio, Rebecca E; Johnson, Keith A; Sperling, Reisa A; Rentz, Dorene M

2015-12-01

Impairment in activities of daily living is a major burden for Alzheimer's disease dementia patients and caregivers. Multiple subjective scales and a few performance-based instruments have been validated and proven to be reliable in measuring instrumental activities of daily living in Alzheimer's disease dementia but less so in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and preclinical Alzheimer's disease. To validate the Harvard Automated Phone Task, a new performance-based activities of daily living test for early Alzheimer's disease, which assesses high level tasks that challenge seniors in daily life. In a cross-sectional study, the Harvard Automated Phone Task was associated with demographics and cognitive measures through univariate and multivariate analyses; ability to discriminate across diagnostic groups was assessed; test-retest reliability with the same and alternate versions was assessed in a subset of participants; and the relationship with regional cortical thickness was assessed in a subset of participants. Academic clinical research center. One hundred and eighty two participants were recruited from the community (127 clinically normal elderly and 45 young normal participants) and memory disorders clinics at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital (10 participants with mild cognitive impairment). As part of the Harvard Automated Phone Task, participants navigated an interactive voice response system to refill a prescription (APT-Script), select a new primary care physician (APT-PCP), and make a bank account transfer and payment (APT-Bank). The 3 tasks were scored based on time, errors, and repetitions from which composite z-scores were derived, as well as a separate report of correct completion of the task. We found that the Harvard Automated Phone Task discriminated well between diagnostic groups (APT-Script: p=0.002; APT-PCP: pHarvard Automated Phone Task and executive function (APT-PCP: pHarvard Automated Phone Task, which

Sensory retraining: burden in daily life related to altered sensation after orthognathic surgery, a randomized clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, C; Kim, S H; Tucker, M; Turvey, T A

2010-08-01

Assess the long-term effect of sensory retraining exercises, age, gender, type of surgery, and pre-surgical psychological distress on patients' perception of the interference related to altered sensation 2 years after orthognathic surgery. A total of 186 subjects with a developmental dentofacial disharmony were enrolled in a multicenter randomized clinical trial: one center was a community-based practice and the other a university-based center. Subjects were randomly allocated to two groups: standard of care mouth opening exercises after BSSO or a progressive series of sensory retraining facial exercises in addition to the opening exercises. At 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery, subjects scored unusual feelings on the face, numbness, and loss of lip sensitivity from 'no problem (1)' to 'serious problem (7)'. A marginal proportional odds model was fit for each of the ordinal outcomes. Up to 2 years after surgery, the opening exercise only group had a higher likelihood of reporting interference in daily activities related to numbness and loss of lip sensitivity than the sensory retraining exercise group. The difference between the two groups was relatively constant. Older subjects and those with elevated psychological distress before surgery reported higher burdens related to unusual facial feelings, numbness, and loss of lip sensitivity (p pre-surgical counseling regarding the impact on daily life of persistent altered sensation following a mandibular osteotomy.

Social stress in early adolescents' daily lives : Associations with affect and loneliness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Roekel, Eeske; Ha, Thao; Verhagen, Maaike; Kuntsche, Emmanuel; Scholte, Ron H. J.; Engels, Rutger C. M. E.

2015-01-01

Adolescence is characterized by increased social stress due to changes in interpersonal relationships, but little is known about daily experiences of social stress. The aim of the present study was to examine daily life predictors of increases in social stress, how these increases affected

Daily physical-rest activities in relation to nutritional state, metabolism, and quality of life in cancer patients with progressive cachexia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fouladiun, Marita; Körner, Ulla; Gunnebo, Lena; Sixt-Ammilon, Petra; Bosaeus, Ingvar; Lundholm, Kent

2007-11-01

To evaluate daily physical-rest activities in cancer patients losing weight in relation to disease progression. Physical activity-rest rhythms were measured (ActiGraph, armband sensor from BodyMedia) in relation to body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), energy metabolism, exercise capacity (walking test), and self-scored quality of life (SF-36, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) in weight-losing outpatients with systemic cancer (71 +/- 2 years, n = 53). Well-nourished, age-matched, and previously hospitalized non-cancer patients served as controls (74 +/- 4 years, n = 8). Middle-aged healthy individuals were used as reference subjects (49 +/- 5 years, n = 23). Quality of life was globally reduced in patients with cancer (P sleep and bed-rest activities did not differ between patients with cancer and age-matched non-cancer patients. Spontaneous physical activity correlated weakly with maximum exercise capacity in univariate analysis (r = 0.41, P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that spontaneous physical activity was related to weight loss, blood hemoglobin concentration, C-reactive protein, and to subjectively scored items of physical functioning and bodily pain (SF-36; P < 0.05-0.004). Anxiety and depression were not related to spontaneous physical activity. Patient survival was predicted only by weight loss and serum albumin levels (P < 0.01), although there was no such prediction for spontaneous physical activity. Daily physical-rest activities represent variables which probably reflect complex mental physiologic and metabolic interactions. Thus, activity-rest monitoring provides a new dimension in the evaluation of medical and drug interventions during palliative treatment of patients with cancer.

Olfactory function and quality of life after olfaction rehabilitation in total laryngectomees.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Christiane Gouvêa Dos; Bergmann, Anke; Coça, Kaliani Lima; Garcia, Angela Albuquerque; Valente, Tânia Cristina de Oliveira

2016-01-01

To evaluate the effects of olfaction rehabilitation in the olfactory function and quality of life of total laryngectomized patients. Pre-post intervention clinical study conducted with total laryngectomees submitted to olfaction rehabilitation by means of the Nasal Airflow-Inducing Maneuver (NAIM) using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), Olfactory Acuity Questionnaires, a Monitoring Questionnaire, and the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QOL). Participants were 45 total laryngectomees. Before olfaction rehabilitation, 48.9% of the participants had their olfactic abilities classified as anosmia, 46.8% as microsmia, and 4.4% were considered within the normal range. After olfaction rehabilitation, 4.4% of the participants were classified as anosmia and 31.1% were within the normal range. In the Smell Identification Test, the mean score after rehabilitation showed statistically significant improvement. Reponses to the Olfactory Acuity Questionnaires after rehabilitation showed improvement in the frequency of perception regarding smell, taste, and the ability to smell perfume, food, leaking gas, and smoke, after learning the maneuver. Although the scores in the Quality of Life Questionnaire already indicated good quality of life before the surgery, post-intervention values were statistically significant. Olfaction rehabilitation improves olfactory function and has a positive impact on the activities of daily living and quality of life of total laryngectomized patients.

Technology makes life better

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

李红

2015-01-01

There are many theories about the relationship between technology and society.With the development of world economy,technology has made great progress.However,many changes were taken place in our daily life,especially the appearance of computer.Sending emails,chatting with others online,search for information which is what we need to learn and many other demands in people’s daily life,computers make all of it into possibility.

The Association between Stress Level in Daily Life and Age at Natural Menopause in Korean Women: Outcomes of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2010-2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Byoung-O; Lee, Yeon-Ji; Choi, Ji-Ho; Cho, Se-Wook; Im, Hyun-Jung; An, Jee-Eun

2015-11-01

Although several risk factors associated with reduced age at natural menopause (ANM) have been investigated, the results are inconsistent. Excessive stress, which leads to elevation of stress hormones, can also negatively affect reproductive ability, including by accelerating menopause. However, a direct association between stress level and ANM has not yet been demonstrated. Therefore, the object of this study was to investigate the association between stress level and ANM in Korean women. Study participants were Korean women between 40 and 70 years old who were in natural menopause during the 5th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n=3,176). The level of stress in daily life was estimated based on data from the mental health topics of the survey. We used the t-test and one-way analysis of variance to analyze the correlation between stress level and ANM. Regression (β) coefficients calculated by multiple regression analysis were used to estimate various factors affecting ANM. Women who experienced a high level of stress in daily life had a lower mean ANM than women with a low stress level (50.17±3.7 and 50.58±3.5 years, respectively), with a statistically significant correlation (Page, body mass index, menstrual regularity, and personal income (Page who are in natural menopause, there is a statistically significant correlation between stress level and ANM. In particular, women who experience a high level of stress in daily life have reduced ANM.

Daily extreme temperature multifractals in Catalonia (NE Spain)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burgueño, A.; Lana, X.; Serra, C.; Martínez, M.D.

2014-01-01

The multifractal character of the daily extreme temperatures in Catalonia (NE Spain) is analyzed by means of the multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) applied to 65 thermometric records covering years 1950–2004. Although no clear spatial patterns of the multifractal spectrum parameters appear, factor scores deduced from Principal Component analysis indicate some signs of spatial gradients. Additionally, the daily extreme temperature series are classified depending on their complex time behavior, through four multifractal parameters (Hurst exponent, Hölder exponent with maximum spectrum, spectrum asymmetry and spectrum width). As a synthesis of the three last parameters, a basic measure of complexity is proposed through a normalized Complexity Index. Its regional behavior is found to be free of geographical dependences. This index represents a new step towards the description of the daily extreme temperatures complexity.

Daily extreme temperature multifractals in Catalonia (NE Spain)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burgueño, A. [Departament d' Astronomia i Meteorologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain); Lana, X., E-mail: francisco.javier.lana@upc.edu [Departament de Física i Enginyeria Nuclear, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona (Spain); Serra, C. [Departament de Física i Enginyeria Nuclear, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona (Spain); Martínez, M.D. [Departament de Física Aplicada, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona (Spain)

2014-02-01

The multifractal character of the daily extreme temperatures in Catalonia (NE Spain) is analyzed by means of the multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) applied to 65 thermometric records covering years 1950–2004. Although no clear spatial patterns of the multifractal spectrum parameters appear, factor scores deduced from Principal Component analysis indicate some signs of spatial gradients. Additionally, the daily extreme temperature series are classified depending on their complex time behavior, through four multifractal parameters (Hurst exponent, Hölder exponent with maximum spectrum, spectrum asymmetry and spectrum width). As a synthesis of the three last parameters, a basic measure of complexity is proposed through a normalized Complexity Index. Its regional behavior is found to be free of geographical dependences. This index represents a new step towards the description of the daily extreme temperatures complexity.

The Harvard Automated Phone Task: new performance-based activities of daily living tests for early Alzheimer’s disease

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Gad A.; Dekhtyar, Maria; Bruno, Jonathan M.; Jethwani, Kamal; Amariglio, Rebecca E.; Johnson, Keith A.; Sperling, Reisa A.; Rentz, Dorene M.

2015-01-01

Background Impairment in activities of daily living is a major burden for Alzheimer’s disease dementia patients and caregivers. Multiple subjective scales and a few performance-based instruments have been validated and proven to be reliable in measuring instrumental activities of daily living in Alzheimer’s disease dementia but less so in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Objective To validate the Harvard Automated Phone Task, a new performance-based activities of daily living test for early Alzheimer’s disease, which assesses high level tasks that challenge seniors in daily life. Design In a cross-sectional study, the Harvard Automated Phone Task was associated with demographics and cognitive measures through univariate and multivariate analyses; ability to discriminate across diagnostic groups was assessed; test-retest reliability with the same and alternate versions was assessed in a subset of participants; and the relationship with regional cortical thickness was assessed in a subset of participants. Setting Academic clinical research center. Participants One hundred and eighty two participants were recruited from the community (127 clinically normal elderly and 45 young normal participants) and memory disorders clinics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital (10 participants with mild cognitive impairment). Measurements As part of the Harvard Automated Phone Task, participants navigated an interactive voice response system to refill a prescription (APT-Script), select a new primary care physician (APT-PCP), and make a bank account transfer and payment (APT-Bank). The 3 tasks were scored based on time, errors, and repetitions from which composite z-scores were derived, as well as a separate report of correct completion of the task. Results We found that the Harvard Automated Phone Task discriminated well between diagnostic groups (APT-Script: p=0.002; APT-PCP: pHarvard Automated Phone

Maintenance of heartburn relief after step-down from twice-daily proton pump inhibitor to once-daily dexlansoprazole modified release.

Science.gov (United States)

Fass, Ronnie; Inadomi, John; Han, Cong; Mody, Reema; O'Neil, Janet; Perez, M Claudia

2012-03-01

Many patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) take a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) twice daily to control symptoms. Once-daily dexlansoprazole modified release (MR) has a dual-delayed release formulation, making it attractive for step-down management of patients whose symptoms are well controlled on twice-daily PPIs. We investigated whether step-down to once-daily dexlansoprazole controls heartburn in patients with GERD who were receiving twice-daily PPI therapy. Patients 18 years and older taking a twice-daily PPI for symptom control were enrolled (n = 178) in a single-blind, multicenter study; 163 patients completed the study and 142 patients met criteria for the efficacy analysis. During the 6-week screening and treatment periods, patients recorded the presence of heartburn symptoms twice daily in electronic diaries. Patients' heartburn was considered well controlled if they had an average of 1 symptom or fewer per week during the last 4 weeks of screening and treatment. After screening, qualified patients were switched to masked dexlansoprazole MR 30 mg and placebo for 6 weeks. The primary efficacy end point was the proportion of patients whose heartburn remained well controlled after step-down. GERD-related symptoms and quality of life (QOL) also were evaluated using the Patient Assessment of Upper Gastrointestinal Disorders Symptom Severity Index (PAGI-SYM) and the PAGI-QOL questionnaires, respectively. After step-down to once-daily dexlansoprazole MR 30 mg, heartburn remained well controlled in 88% of patients (125 of 142). These patients were able to maintain their GERD-related symptom severity and QOL, indicated by marginal changes in the PAGI-SYM and PAGI-QOL total and subscale scores, respectively. Most patients with GERD who take twice-daily PPI to control heartburn are able to successfully step down to once-daily dexlansoprazole 30 mg. Copyright © 2012 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contribution of daily and seasonal biorhythms to obesity in humans

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Kanikowska, Dominika; Sato, Maki; Witowski, Janusz

2015-04-01

While the significance of obesity as a serious health problem is well recognized, little is known about whether and how biometerological factors and biorhythms causally contribute to obesity. Obesity is often associated with altered seasonal and daily rhythmicity in food intake, metabolism and adipose tissue function. Environmental stimuli affect both seasonal and daily rhythms, and the latter are under additional control of internal molecular oscillators, or body clocks. Modifications of clock genes in animals and changes to normal daily rhythms in humans (as in shift work and sleep deprivation) result in metabolic dysregulation that favours weight gain. Here, we briefly review the potential links between biorhythms and obesity in humans.

Self-critical perfectionism and its relationship to fatigue and pain in the daily flow of life in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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Kempke, S; Luyten, P; Claes, S; Goossens, L; Bekaert, P; Van Wambeke, P; Van Houdenhove, B

2013-05-01

Research suggests that the personality factor of self-critical or maladaptive perfectionism may be implicated in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). However, it is not clear whether self-critical perfectionism (SCP) also predicts daily symptoms in CFS. Method In the present study we investigated whether SCP predicted fatigue and pain over a 14-day period in a sample of 90 CFS patients using a diary method approach. After completing the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ) as a measure of SCP, patients were asked each day for 14 days to complete Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) of fatigue, pain and severity of depression. Data were analysed using multilevel analysis. The results from unconditional models revealed considerable fluctuations in fatigue over the 14 days, suggesting strong temporal variability in fatigue. By contrast, pain was relatively stable over time but showed significant inter-individual differences. Congruent with expectations, fixed-effect models showed that SCP was prospectively associated with higher daily fatigue and pain levels over the 14-day period, even after controlling for levels of depression. This is the first study to show that SCP predicts both fatigue and pain symptoms in CFS in the daily course of life. Hence, therapeutic interventions aimed at targeting SCP should be considered in the treatment of CFS patients with such features.

Relationship between oral clinical conditions and daily performances

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Andréa Silveira Gomes

2009-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to assess the impact of oral status on the daily performances of civil servants from the Public Works and Waste Management Department of the city of Porto Alegre, located in Southern Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a representative sample composed of 276 civil servants with ages ranging from 35 to 44 years. The Oral Impacts on Daily Performances index developed was employed to measure impacts caused by oral clinical conditions. Oral examinations were performed after the interviews. Multinomial Logistic Regression Analysis was used. After adjusting for sex and educational level, the results showed that the subjects with high DMFT scores were 5.8 times (95% CI = 2.1-16.1 more likely to have high impacts on their everyday life than those with low DMFT scores. Subjects that presented some coronal caries were 4.3 times (95% CI = 1.9-9.8 more likely to have high impacts on their everyday life than those with no coronal caries. Dental status assessed through the DMFT index and coronal caries are important indicators of impacts on the everyday life of the studied population.

Architecture is Life... ...Life is Architecture

OpenAIRE

Snider, David E

2001-01-01

When thinking about architecture, I cannot help but think about my life and the things that have affected my life. How does the environment around us effect the daily decisions we make? How do the experiences throughout our life impact who we are and who we become? The people and surroundings we choose will ultimately decide the type of people we become. When we select our surroundings we are in turn selecting our ideal community. Everyone is trying to achieve community in some sense, from in...

Visual disability and quality of life in glaucoma patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Cesareo, Massimo; Ciuffoletti, Elena; Ricci, Federico; Missiroli, Filippo; Giuliano, Mario Alberto; Mancino, Raffaele; Nucci, Carlo

2015-01-01

Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy that can result in progressive and irreversible vision loss, thereby affecting quality of life (QoL) of patients. Several studies have shown a strong correlation between visual field damage and visual disability in patients with glaucoma, even in the early stages of the disease. Visual impairment due to glaucoma affects normal daily activities required for independent living, such as driving, walking, and reading. There is no generally accepted instrument for assessing quality of life in glaucoma patients; different factors involved in visual disability from the disease are difficult to quantify and not easily standardized. This chapter summarizes recent works from clinical and epidemiological studies, which describe how glaucoma affects the performance of important vision-related activities and QoL. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Shelf-Life of Boiled Salted Duck Meat Stored Under Normal and Modified Atmosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhai, Yang; Huang, Jichao; Khan, Iftikhar Ali; Guo, Yuchen; Huang, Ming; Zhou, Guanghong

2018-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the physicochemical properties and changes in the microbial counts of boiled salted duck (BSD) meat packed under various conditions. BSD meat was stored under normal atmosphere (C) and two modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) conditions: M1 (N 2 , 100%) and M2 (CO 2 /N 2 , 30%/70%) at 4 °C. Microbiological quality, pH, redness, lipid oxidation, headspace gas composition, and water activity of BSD meat were measured. The results showed that the time to reach the maximum acceptable total viable counts (TVC, 4.9 log CFU/g) was 12, 18, and 21 d in C, M1, and M2 samples, respectively. Significant difference in the redness values was observed in all treatments during storage. The redness value of C group was significantly lower than that in M1 and M2 groups at the end of storage. The thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) values under MAP were 0.24 to 0.26 mg MDA/kg meat at the end of storage, lower (P shelf-life of BSD meat to 21 d during storage at 4 °C, suggesting that MAP can be a practical approach to extend the shelf-life and maintain the quality of BSD products. This study evaluated the application of MAP for a cooked duck product. Our results showed that MAP can be utilized to extend the shelf-life. This technology may be used for preservation of other cooked meat products. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Smartphones and hyper everyday life

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Bernardo Amigo

2016-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper we present some results from our research on technological media convergence and everyday life. The results suggest that new changes would be happening on the space-temporal dimension of daily experience on people and in the way in which those give stability, structure and meaning to the intersubjective world, as a consequence of uses, appropriations and meanings about smartphones. We propose the concept of enriched everyday life or hyper everyday life in order to explain what we consider one of the principal transformations in daily life to people in the contemporary world related to the incorporation of smartphones.

Inner power, physical strength and existential well-being in daily life: relatives' experiences of receiving soft tissue massage in palliative home care.

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Cronfalk, Berit Seiger; Strang, Peter; Ternestedt, Britt-Marie

2009-08-01

This article explores relatives' experiences of receiving soft tissue massage as a support supplement while caring for a dying family member at home. In palliative home care, relatives play an important role as carers to seriously ill and dying family members. To improve their quality of life, different support strategies are of importance. Complementary methods, such as soft tissue massage have become an appreciated supplement for these patients. However, only few studies focus on relatives experiences of receiving soft tissue massage as a supplemental support. Qualitative design Nineteen relatives received soft tissue massage (hand or foot) nine times (25 minutes) in their homes. Open-ended semi-structured tape-recorded interviews were conducted once per relative after the nine times of massage, using qualitative content analysis. Soft tissue massage gave the relatives' feelings of 'being cared for', 'body vitality' and 'peace of mind'. For a while, they put worries of daily life aside as they just experienced 'being'. During massage, it became apparent that body and mind is constituted of an indestructible completeness. The overarching theme was 'inner power, physical strength and existential well-being in their daily lives'. All relatives experienced soft tissue massage positively, although they were under considerable stress. Soft tissue massage could be an option to comfort and support relatives in palliative home care. In palliative nursing care, soft tissue massage could present a worthy supplement in supporting caring relatives.

Aging in Saudi Arabia: An Exploratory Study of Contemporary Older Persons' Views About Daily Life, Health, and the Experience of Aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Karlin, Nancy J; Weil, Joyce; Felmban, Wejdan

2016-01-01

Objective: This exploratory study sought to measure current self-reported experiences of older Saudi adults. Method: Self-reported aging perceptions and demographic data from semistructured questions were obtained from 52 community-dwelling older Saudi adults aged 50 or older. A thematic content analysis was completed around issues of family life/social support, daily/weekly activities, health and health programs, and older adults' own thoughts about aging and the experience and future of personal aging. Results: Several key themes emerged from the interviews. The majority of respondents in this preliminary study acknowledge a preference for family care. Formal programs in Saudi Arabia are attended with relative infrequency while older adults recognize family support as the preferred method of support. Older Saudi interviewees hold a positive view of aging, but physical functioning, varying financial resources, and other daily obligations are a concern for those in this study. Discussion: Data suggest as the Saudi population ages, more research is needed on the aging experience with particiular emphasis on issues relevant to older adults . Future research must work to clarify the aging experience as cultural context changes.

Daily life impact of malocclusion in Swedish adolescents: a grounded theory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Taghavi Bayat, Jari; Hallberg, Ulrika; Lindblad, Frank; Huggare, Jan; Mohlin, Bengt

2013-01-01

To explore how malocclusions affect daily life in adolescents and how adolescents cope with malocclusion-related distress. Twelve strategically selected teenagers, seven girls and five boys aged 13-14 years, participated in this study. Open, tape-recorded in-depth interviews based on Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were performed using a theme guide and analyzed according to the qualitative method of classic grounded theory (GT). A core category was identified and named 'Repeatedly reminded of the malocclusion'. Associated to the core category, five categories were generated and labeled 'Being directed by the media's ideal image', 'Monitoring others' teeth', 'Struggling with low self-esteem', 'Hiding one's teeth' and 'Striving for cure'. Low self-esteem appeared to be frequently reinforced through the concerns for the malocclusion and handled via different coping strategies, such as hiding the teeth and striving to receive orthodontic treatment. Such processes were further enforced through the influence of media. Low self-esteem could be associated to a visible malposition of teeth, according to the informants. Having to wait for orthodontic treatment was frustrating the adolescents. Adolescents with malocclusion are often reminded of their condition, which can lead to avoiding strategies to minimize the negative feelings associated with the teeth and low self-esteem. Clinicians may therefore need to be aware of potential irrational behaviors when interacting with adolescents with malocclusions. The findings also suggest that there might be a discrepancy of attitudes between professionals focusing on oral health aspects of malocclusions and the adolescents focusing on esthetic aspects.

Physical activity and affect in elementary school children’s daily lives

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Jan eKühnhausen

2013-07-01

Full Text Available A positive influence of physical activity (PA on affect has been shown in numerous studies. However, this relationship has not yet been studied in the daily life of children. We present a part of the FLUX study that attempts to contribute to filling that gap. To this end, a proper way to measure PA and affect in the daily life of children is needed. In pre-studies of the FLUX study, we were able to show that affect can be measured in children with self-report items that are answered using smartphones. In the current article, we show that it is feasible to objectively measure children’s PA with accelerometers for a period of several weeks and report descriptive information on the amount of activity of 51 children from 3rd and 4th grade. Additionally, we investigate the influence of daily PA on daily affect in children. Mixed effects models show no effect of PA on any of the four measured dimensions of affect. We discuss that this might be due to effects taking place at shorter time intervals, which can be investigated in future analyses.

Integration of balance and strength training into daily life activity to reduce rate of falls in older people (the LiFE study): randomised parallel trial.

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Clemson, Lindy; Fiatarone Singh, Maria A; Bundy, Anita; Cumming, Robert G; Manollaras, Kate; O'Loughlin, Patricia; Black, Deborah

2012-08-07

To determine whether a lifestyle integrated approach to balance and strength training is effective in reducing the rate of falls in older, high risk people living at home. Three arm, randomised parallel trial; assessments at baseline and after six and 12 months. Randomisation done by computer generated random blocks, stratified by sex and fall history and concealed by an independent secure website. Residents in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. Participants aged 70 years or older who had two or more falls or one injurious fall in past 12 months, recruited from Veteran's Affairs databases and general practice databases. Exclusion criteria were moderate to severe cognitive problems, inability to ambulate independently, neurological conditions that severely influenced gait and mobility, resident in a nursing home or hostel, or any unstable or terminal illness that would affect ability to do exercises. Three home based interventions: Lifestyle integrated Functional Exercise (LiFE) approach (n=107; taught principles of balance and strength training and integrated selected activities into everyday routines), structured programme (n=105; exercises for balance and lower limb strength, done three times a week), sham control programme (n=105; gentle exercise). LiFE and structured groups received five sessions with two booster visits and two phone calls; controls received three home visits and six phone calls. Assessments made at baseline and after six and 12 months. Primary measure: rate of falls over 12 months, collected by self report. Secondary measures: static and dynamic balance; ankle, knee and hip strength; balance self efficacy; daily living activities; participation; habitual physical activity; quality of life; energy expenditure; body mass index; and fat free mass. After 12 months' follow-up, we recorded 172, 193, and 224 falls in the LiFE, structured exercise, and control groups, respectively. The overall incidence of falls in the LiFE programme was 1.66 per person

Daily dialysis reduces pulse wave velocity in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Micco, Lucia; Torraca, Serena; Sirico, Maria Luisa; Tartaglia, Domenico; Di Iorio, Biagio

2012-05-01

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Dialysis patients show cyclic changes in PWV related to their hydration status and blood pressure. Our aim is to assess the impact of daily dialysis on PWV. We performed a randomized crossover study of 60 patients who underwent standard hemodialysis (HD) three times per week for at least 6 months. Patients were classified into three groups according to their PWV values before (pre-) and after (post-) HD, with a cutoff value of 12 m s(-1), as follows: the low-low (LL) group had normal pre-HD and post-HD PWV; the high-low (HL) group had high pre-HD PWV and normal post-HD PWV; and the high-high (HH) group had high pre- and post-HD PWV. All patients continued standard HD for 2 weeks. A total of 10 patients from each group were randomly assigned to continue standard HD for 1 week and then underwent daily dialysis for 1 week. The remaining 10 patients underwent daily dialysis for 1 week and then underwent standard HD for 1 week. PWV values were measured before and 1 h after each dialysis session. With daily dialysis treatment, 2 of 20 patients (10%) moved from the PWV-HH group to the PWV-HL group, whereas 18 of 20 patients (90%) moved from the PWV-HL group to the PWV-LL group (P = 0.030). Daily dialysis reduces PWV in the ESRD patients. As PWV is a strong predictor of mortality in ESRD and has cyclic variations in patients who are on standard HD, we believe that daily dialysis may be used in patients with high PWV levels to reduce their mortality risk.

Daily stressors, trauma exposure, and mental health among stateless Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Andrew; Varner, Andrea; Ventevogel, Peter; Taimur Hasan, M M; Welton-Mitchell, Courtney

2017-06-01

The Rohingya of Myanmar are a severely persecuted minority who form one of the largest groups of stateless people; thousands of them reside in refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh. There has been little research into the mental health consequences of persecution, war, and other historical trauma endured by the Rohingya; nor has the role of daily environmental stressors associated with continued displacement, statelessness, and life in the refugee camps, been thoroughly researched. This cross-sectional study examined: trauma history, daily environmental stressors, and mental health outcomes for 148 Rohingya adults residing in Kutupalong and Nayapara refugee camps in Bangladesh. Results indicated high levels of mental health concerns: posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, somatic complaints, and associated functional impairment. Participants also endorsed local idioms of distress, including somatic complaints and concerns associated with spirit possession. The study also found very high levels of daily environmental stressors associated with life in the camps, including problems with food, lack of freedom of movement, and concerns regarding safety. Regression and associated mediation analyses indicated that, while there was a direct effect of trauma exposure on mental health outcomes (PTSD symptoms), daily environmental stressors partially mediated this relationship. Depression symptoms were associated with daily stressors, but not prior trauma exposure. These findings indicate that daily stressors play a pivotal role in mental health outcomes of populations affected by collective violence and statelessness. It is, therefore, important to consider the role and effects of environmental stressors associated with life in refugee camps on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of stateless populations such as the Rohingya, living in protracted humanitarian environments.

ASSESSMENT OF RILMENIDINE EFFICIENCY IN PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION WITH DETERIORATION OF DAILY PROFILE OF BLOOD PRESSURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. P. Tikhonov

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. To estimate an efficiency and tolerability of rilmenidine in hypertensive patients with different types of blood pressure (BP daily profile – dipper and non-dipper.Methods. 23 patients with essential hypertension (EH, I-II stages, were included into the study. They were treated with rilmeneidine 1 mg daily during one month. Ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM and office BP measurements were made before and after the treatment. Based on ABPM results all patients were divided into two groups: with adequate decrease of BP at nighttime (dipper, D, and with insufficient decrease of BP at nighttime (non-dipper, ND.Results. One month rilmenidine monotherapy resulted in BP normalization in 52% of patients. Decrease in 24-hour BP, daytime and nighttime BP, burden with BP and BP variability during daytime was observed in both groups. A distinction in rilmenidine influence on BP daily index was revealed: initially normal BP daily index didn’t change in D group, while initially decreased BP daily index increased in ND group. Rilmenidine reduced the speed of morning BP rise in patients of ND group.Conclusion. Results of the study testify efficiency and satisfactory tolerability of monotherapy with rilmenidine 1 mg daily in patients with EH of I-II stages. For patients with insufficient decrease in BP during nighttime rilmenidine provides normalization of BP daily profile intensifying BP night decrease and reducing the speed of morning BP rise.

The effects of Nintendo Wii(TM)-based balance and upper extremity training on activities of daily living and quality of life in patients with sub-acute stroke: a randomized controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Şimşek, Tülay Tarsuslu; Çekok, Kübra

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Nintendo Wii(TM)-based balance and upper extremity training on activities of daily living and quality of life in patients with subacute stroke. 42 adults with stroke (mean age (SD) = 58.04 (16.56) years and mean time since stroke (SD) = (55.2 ± 22.02 days (∼8 weeks)) were included in the study. Participants were enrolled from the rehabilitation department of a medical center (a single inpatient rehabilitation facility). Participants were randomly assigned to Nintendo Wii group (n = 20) or Bobath neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) (n = 22). The treatments were applied for 10 weeks (45-60 minutes/day, 3 days/week) for both of two groups. Nintendo Wii group used five games selected from the Wii sports and Wii Fit packages for upper limb and balance training, respectively. The patients in Bobath NDT group were applied a therapy program included upper extremity activites, strength, balance gait and functional training. The functional independence in daily life activities and health-related quality of life was assessed with Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), respectively. Participant's treatment satisfaction was recorded by using Visual Analogue Scale. A second evaluation (FIM and NHP) occurred after 10 weeks at the end of rehabilitative treatment (post-training). Treatment satisfaction was measured after 10 sessions. There were significant difference between FIM and NHP values in NDT and Nintendo Wii group (p 0.05). The patients in Nintendo Wii group were detected to be better satisfied from the therapy (p Bobath NDT on daily living functions and quality of life in subacute stroke patients.

Comparative study of active and inactive elderly persons through the assessment of activities of daily living and quality of life

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Sarah Caporicci

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at evaluating the activities of daily living and quality of active and inactive seniors’ life. This is a descriptive research of a quantitative nature. Participants were 24 seniors, 12 physical activity practitioners (PPA and 12 non-practitioners (NPPA. The instrument was a demographic questionnaire and SF-36 for measuring the quality of life and tests proposed by GDLAM. SPSS 15.0 was used for data analysis. The results obtained by the sociodemographic questionnaire for PPA and NPPA groups were, respectively: age − 69.5 and 70.0 years, marital status − 50.0% widower and 41.7% were married; education − 50.0% with complete elementary school and 58.3% with incomplete elementary school; health problems − 25.0% and 58.33% hypertension. In functional autonomy tests, the PPA group had shorter execution time when compared with the NPPA group; however, both groups found themselves in the rating of "weak" according to the protocol GDLAM. We concluded that there was no statistical difference between groups.

Comparative study of active and inactive elderly persons through the assessment of activities of daily living and quality of life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Caporicci

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at evaluating the activities of daily living and quality of active and inactive seniors’ life. This is a descriptive research of a quantitative nature. Participants were 24 seniors, 12 physical activity practitioners (PPA and 12 non-practitioners (NPPA. The instrument was a demographic questionnaire and SF-36 for measuring the quality of life and tests proposed by GDLAM. SPSS 15.0 was used for data analysis. The results obtained by the sociodemographic questionnaire for PPA and NPPA groups were, respectively: age − 69.5 and 70.0 years, marital status − 50.0% widower and 41.7% were married; education − 50.0% with complete elementary school and 58.3% with incomplete elementary school; health problems − 25.0% and 58.33% hypertension. In functional autonomy tests, the PPA group had shorter execution time when compared with the NPPA group; however, both groups found themselves in the rating of "weak" according to the protocol GDLAM. We concluded that there was no statistical difference between groups.

Destination Syria : An Exploratory Study into the Daily Lives of Dutch 'Syria Travellers'

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weggemans, D.; Peters, R.; Bakker, E.; Bont, de R.

2016-01-01

Destination Syria is an exploratory study providing insights on the daily lives of western citizens that have travelled to the area, torn by conflict to join jihadist groups like ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra. Specific attention has been paid to daily life in ISIS territories and in areas controlled by

Differences in impact of long term caregiving for mentally ill older adults on the daily life of informal caregivers: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zegwaard, Marian I; Aartsen, Marja J; Grypdonck, Mieke Hf; Cuijpers, Pim

2013-03-27

Owing to the policy of extramuralization of care in most Western countries older people with severe mental illness have to rely more and more on informal caregivers for daily care. Caregivers themselves are often aged, and although caregiving implies an impact on daily life that exceeds the boundaries of usual informal care, the impact differs across caregivers. Some caregivers seem to suffer more than others, and the differences cannot be fully understood by factors currently known to exacerbate the burden of caregiving. In order to help caregivers reduce the impact of caregiving it is important to gain a deeper understanding of factors influencing the burden and its impact on the caregiver's life. With this in mind, the aim of the study is to explore and understand differences in the impact of long-term caregiving on the quality of life of caregivers who look after older adults with severe mental illness. A qualitative, associative, inductive strategy and continuous simultaneous coding were used to interpret the data of 19 semi-structured interviews. We identified an underlying psychological factor "perceived freedom of choice" which explains the gross differences in impact, leading to a definition of two main types of caregivers. Depending on how people perceive freedom of choice to provide care, the consequences of caregiving can be characterized as a process of gain (type 1) or loss (type 2). Four influential factors deepen the impact of caregiving for the type 2 caregivers, and two subtypes are identified for this category. Consequences of caregiving are most readily seen in a deteriorating quality of the relationship with the care recipient and in the psychosocial well-being of the caregiver. The concept of freedom of choice adds to our understanding of the differences and explains the variation in impact on the caregivers' life. The type 1 caregiver generally experiences gain whereas type 2 generally experiences loss, which puts the latter group typically

Normal Functioning Family

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... Spread the Word Shop AAP Find a Pediatrician Family Life Medical Home Family Dynamics Adoption & Foster Care ... Español Text Size Email Print Share Normal Functioning Family Page Content Article Body Is there any way ...

Randomized Comparison of Whole Brain Radiotherapy, 20 Gy in Four Daily Fractions Versus 40 Gy in 20 Twice-Daily Fractions, for Brain Metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graham, P.H.; Bucci, J.; Browne, L.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The present study compared the intracranial control rate and quality of life for two radiation fractionation schemes for cerebral metastases. Methods and Materials: A total of 113 patients with a Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 2 months), absent, or concurrent presentation of extracranial disease were randomized to 40 Gy in 20 twice-daily fractions (Arm A) or 20 Gy in four daily fractions (Arm B), stratified by resection status. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life 30-item questionnaire was administered monthly during Year 1, bimonthly during Year 2, and then every 6 months to Year 5. Results: The patient age range was 28-83 years (mean 62). Of the 113 patients, 41 had undergone surgical resection, and 74 patients had extracranial disease (31 concurrent and 43 stable). The median survival time was 6.1 months in Arm A and 6.6 months in Arm B, and the overall 5-year survival rate was 3.5%. Intracranial progression occurred in 44% of Arm A and 64% of Arm B patients (p = .03). Salvage surgery or radiotherapy was used in 4% of Arm A patients and 21% of Arm B patients (p = .004). Death was attributed to central nervous system progression in 32% of patients in Arm A and 52% of patients in Arm B (p = .03). The toxicity was minimal, with a minor increase in short-term cutaneous reactions in Arm A. The patients' quality of life was not impaired by the more intense treatment in Arm A. Conclusion: Intracranial disease control was improved and the quality of life was maintained with 40 Gy in 20 twice-daily fractions. This schema should be considered for better prognosis subgroups of patients with cerebral metastases.

Quality of life in Danish children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion or multiple daily injections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birkebæk, Niels; Kristensen, Lene Juel; Mose, Anne

2014-01-01

), and to investigate whether HRQoL assessments were influenced by treatment duration. METHODS: Participants were recruited through the Danish Registry for Diabetes in Childhood and Adolescence. A total of 700 children and adolescents (360 girls), 8-17 years, were included. Of these, 295 were treated with CSII (160......AIMS: The aims of the study were to compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a National Danish population of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) treated with either continuous subcutaneous insulin injection (CSII) or multiple daily insulin injections (MDI...... for more than one year) and 405 with MDI (238 for more than one year). Participants and their parents completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Diabetes and Generic Module. HbA1c was analyzed centrally. RESULTS: Parents reported children and adolescents on CSII for more than one year to have less...

Personality Traits and Mental Symptoms are Associated with Impact of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on Patients' Daily Life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Topp, Marie; Vestbo, Jørgen; Mortensen, Erik Lykke

2016-01-01

Previous research has shown that personality traits are associated with self-reported health status in the general population. COPD Assessment Test (CAT) is increasingly used to assess health status such as the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on patients' daily life......, but knowledge about the influence of personality traits on CAT score is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of Big Five personality traits on CAT score and the relation between personality traits and mental symptoms with respect to their influence on CAT score. A sample of 168 patients...... diagnosed with COPD was consecutively recruited in a secondary care outpatient clinic. All participants completed CAT, NEO Five-Factor Inventory, and Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the association between personality traits and CAT scores...

Personal Risk and Resilience Factors in the Context of Daily Stress

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Diehl, Manfred; Hay, Elizabeth L.; Chui, Helena

2012-01-01

This chapter focuses on the role that personal risk and resilience factors play as adults of all ages cope with the stressors encountered in everyday life. Theorists have suggested that researchers should focus on the effects of daily stress and coping rather than focusing exclusively on major life events and chronic stress and have proposed that understanding how adults cope with daily stress is a key aspect of understanding long-term well-being and adaptation in adulthood. After presenting a conceptual model outlining the major components of the daily stress process, the chapter reviews the existing empirical literature on personal risk and resilience factors in the context of daily stress. This research clearly suggests that there is no universal generalization that can be made regarding whether chronological age, in and of itself, confers greater vulnerability or resilience onto adults. Instead, we argue that researchers should ask when and under what conditions is age associated with greater vulnerability to daily stress and when and under what conditions is age associated with greater resilience to daily stress. Age differences in reactivity to daily stress are clearly embedded within a complex system of factors—structural, individual, and situational—that influence stress reactivity and stress recovery in several ways. This complexity should not be taken to mean that stress reactivity and recovery cannot be charted or understood. Researchers, however, will need to approach this complexity with a great deal of theoretical, methodological, and statistical rigor to move our understanding of the importance of age in shaping risk and resilience to daily stress forward. The final section of the chapter outlines several directions for future research in the area of aging and resilience. In particular, we argue that a focus on personal risk and resilience factors in the context of daily stress, in combination with the application of sophisticated statistical

A time-lagged momentary assessment study on daily life physical activity and affect.

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Wichers, Marieke; Peeters, Frenk; Rutten, Bart P F; Jacobs, Nele; Derom, Catherine; Thiery, Evert; Delespaul, Philippe; van Os, Jim

2012-03-01

Novel study designs using within-subject methodology and frequent and prospective measurements are required to unravel direction of causality and dynamic processes of behavior over time. The current study examined the effects of physical activity on affective state. A primary and within-study replication sample was derived from twin pairs. Female twins (n = 504) participated in an experience sampling method study at baseline. Positive and negative affective changes were examined before and following daily life increases in physical activity. Neuroticism was measured at baseline and depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and at each of four follow-up assessments. Diagnoses, derived by Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Health-IV axis I disorders, (A. P. A., 1994) were obtained at baseline. A significant increase in positive affect (PA) following the moment of increase in physical activity was replicated across both samples up to 180 min after physical activity. There was no effect of physical activity on negative affect (NA). Across the two samples, a history of fulfilling diagnostic criteria for depression at least once moderated the effect of physical activity on PA, in that the effect was lost more rapidly. The study supports a causal effect of physical activity on PA. However, people with past experience of clinical depression may benefit less from the PA-inducing effect of physical activity. These findings have implications for the use of physical exercise in clinical practice.

Primary hyperhidrosis: Implications on symptoms, daily life, health and alcohol consumption when treated with botulinum toxin.

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Shayesteh, Alexander; Boman, Jens; Janlert, Urban; Brulin, Christine; Nylander, Elisabet

2016-08-01

Primary hyperhidrosis affects approximately 3% of the population and reduces quality of life in affected persons. Few studies have investigated the symptoms of anxiety, depression and hazardous alcohol consumption among those with hyperhidrosis and the effect of treatment with botulinum toxin. The first aim of this study was to investigate the effect of primary hyperhidrosis on mental and physical health, and alcohol consumption. Our second aim was to study whether and how treatment with botulinum toxin changed these effects. One hundred and fourteen patients answered questionnaires regarding hyperhidrosis and symptoms, including hyperhidrosis disease severity scale (HDSS), visual analog scale (VAS) 10-point scale for hyperhidrosis symptoms, hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), alcohol use disorder identification test (AUDIT) and short-form health survey (SF-36) before treatment with botulinum toxin and 2 weeks after. The age of onset of hyperhidrosis was on average 13.4 years and 48% described heredity for hyperhidrosis. Significant improvements were noted in patients with axillary and palmar hyperhidrosis regarding mean HDSS, VAS 10-point scale, HADS, SF-36 and sweat-related health problems 2 weeks after treatment with botulinum toxin. Changes in mean AUDIT for all participants were not significant. Primary hyperhidrosis mainly impairs mental rather than physical aspects of life and also interferes with specific daily activities of the affected individuals. Despite this, our patients did not show signs of anxiety, depression or hazardous alcohol consumption. Treatment with botulinum toxin reduced sweat-related problems and led to significant improvements in HDSS, VAS, HADS and SF-36 in our patients. © 2016 Japanese Dermatological Association.

The reciprocal relationship between daily fatigue and catastrophizing following cancer treatment: Affect and physical activity as potential mediators.

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Müller, Fabiola; Stephenson, Ellen; DeLongis, Anita; Smink, Ans; Van Ginkel, Robert J; Tuinman, Marrit A; Hagedoorn, Mariët

2018-03-01

Fatigue is a distressing symptom many cancer patients experience even after completion of treatment. Although theory and empirical evidence indicate that negative cognitions perpetuate fatigue after completion of treatment, insight into how this process unfolds in daily life is limited. This study used an intensive longitudinal design to investigate the reciprocal relationship between catastrophizing and fatigue in daily life and whether affective and behavioral processes mediate these relationships. Post-treatment colorectal cancer patients (n = 101) completed daily diaries (14 days, 3 times daily) regarding their fatigue, catastrophizing, positive and negative affect, and physical activity. Multilevel modeling was applied to investigate within-person associations within days. Analyses revealed a positive reciprocal relationship between fatigue and catastrophizing throughout the day. That is, high levels of catastrophizing were associated with increases in fatigue within patients. In turn, but to a lesser extent, high levels of fatigue predicted increases in catastrophizing at the next assessment. Low positive affect and high negative affect mediated the effect of catastrophizing on increases in fatigue. Only negative affect mediated the reverse relationship. Physical activity did not mediate either relationship. This study provides evidence for a mutually reinforcing relationship between catastrophizing and fatigue in daily life, which might explain the perpetuation of fatigue after completion of cancer treatment. Fatigue-specific cognitive behavior therapy could be improved by educating patients about this daily reciprocal relationship, train them to quickly replace catastrophizing thoughts in daily life, and help them to cope with affective changes induced by fatigue. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reduction in life span on normal human fibroblasts exposed to low-dose radiation in heavy-ion radiation field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Masao; Yamaguchi, Chizuru; Yasuda, Hiroshi; Uchihori, Yukio; Fujitaka, Kazunobu

2003-01-01

We studied the effect of in vitro life span in normal human fibroblasts exposed to chronically low-dose radiation in heavy-ion radiation field. Cells were cultured in a CO 2 incubator, which was set in the irradiation room for biological study of heavy ions in the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) at National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), and exposed to scattered radiations produced with heavy-ion beams throughout the life span of the cell population. Absorbed dose, which was measured using a thermoluminescence dosimeter(TLD) and a Si-semiconductor detector, was to be 1.4 mGy per day when operating the HIMAC machine for biological experiments. The total population doubling number of the exposed cells reduced to 79-93% of non-exposed control cells in the three independent experiments. There is evidence that the exposure of chronically low-dose radiation in heavy-ion radiation field promotes the life-span reduction in cellular level. (author)

The weeping cow: impact of countermeasures on daily life in Chernobyl contaminated regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mays, C.; Avetova, E.; Murphy, M.; Allen, P.

1998-01-01

Twelve years after the Chernobyl catastrophe, what is the daily life of rural dwellers in contaminated regions of Belarus and the Ukraine? Over the years, protective countermeasures have been applied or withdrawn, and radiation protection advice is still in effect concerning e.g. the consumption of milk or of forest food products. How is that advice regarded by villagers? To what extent do they comply or not comply, and what is their reasoning? How are countermeasures woven into the fabric of social life? In the goal of optimisation, radiation protection countermeasures may be evaluated as the sum of individual dose averted, cost, and distress. A detailed formula exists for calculating dose, but social and economic costs, and individual distress, are in need of modelling.. Twelve focus groups (10 in Belarus, 2 in Ukraine; six groups each of men or of women) were consulted in an effort to develop a convincing and workable definition of distress experienced by members of the rural communities affected by Chernobyl. Stresses introduced by countermeasures, or linked to other aspects of the post-accidental situation, were identified. A systematic content analysis was carried out, bearing on the benefits or satisfactions linked to focus behaviours (e.g, milk consumption, forest visits...), distress experienced, attitudes towards countermeasures, impacts and management of information, etc. The focus group transcripts contain telling, humorous or poignant representations of how people carry on living in the face of threat, uncertainty, and absurdity. This presentation explores social representations of milk, and some of the reported impacts in the Belarus settlements of the post-accident restrictions on milk production and consumption. SPARPA or Social psychological aspects of radiation protection after accidents, is a European Commission part-funded project (F14C-CT96-0010) involving U. Surrey European Institute of Health an Medical Science, Symlog, and UK National

Impact of Balance Confidence on Daily Living Activities of Older People with Knee Osteoarthritis with Regard to Balance, Physical Function, Pain, and Quality of Life - A Preliminary Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Bobić Lucić, Lana; Grazio, Simeon

2018-01-01

The objective of this study was to explore the impact of balance confidence on different activities of daily living (ADL) in older people with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Forty-seven consecutive participants with knee OA were included in this cross-sectional study. They were divided according to the results of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale into a group with a low level of confidence in physical functioning (ABC balance measurements. Older people with knee OA who were less confident in their daily physical activities had more physical difficulties and a greater effect of pain on ADL, lower quality of life, and a higher physician's global assessment, but no differences were obtained in balance tests. In people with knee OA, decreased balance confidence is associated with more physical difficulties, an increased effect of pain on ADL, and lower quality of life. An improved awareness of decreased balance confidence may lead to more effective management of older people with knee OA by improving their mobility and QOL through rehabilitation. Furthermore, future research in that direction is warranted.

Daily Living Functioning, Social Engagement and Wellness of Older Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noor Zainab

2017-08-01

Full Text Available AimThe present study aim to investigate the contributing role of daily living functioning and social engagement in enhancing wellness and various dimensions of wellness in older adults.MethodA correlational research was designed. Socio-demographic data was collected. Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Lubben Social Network Scale, and Perceived Wellness Survey were administered on a sample of 112 participants, including 56 men and 56 women.ResultsA correlation analysis found positive correlations between daily living functioning, social engagement and wellness of older adults. The results of regression analysis concluded that both the daily living functioning and social engagement predicted wellness and domains of wellness as well.ConclusionThe obtained results indicate that older adults who are self-reliant lead a more satisfied life in old age and demonstrate to be more adjusted to the effects of aging.

Relationship of Having Hobbies and a Purpose in Life With Mortality, Activities of Daily Living, and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Among Community-Dwelling Elderly Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomioka, Kimiko; Kurumatani, Norio; Hosoi, Hiroshi

2016-07-05

This study's aim was to clarify the relationship of having hobbies and a purpose in life (PIL; in Japanese, ikigai) with mortality and a decline in the activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) among the community-dwelling elderly. Prospective observational data from residents aged ≥65 years who were at increased risk for death (n = 1853) and developing a decline in ADL (n = 1254) and IADL (n = 1162) were analyzed. Cox proportional hazard models were used for mortality analysis of data from February 2011 to November 2014. ADL and IADL were evaluated using the Barthel Index and the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence, respectively. ADL and IADL were assessed at baseline and follow-up and were evaluated using logistic regression models. Fully adjusted models included terms for age, gender, BMI, income, alcohol intake, smoking history, number of chronic diseases, cognitive function, and depression. During the follow-up of eligible participants, 248 had died, 119 saw a decline in ADL, and 178 saw a decline in IADL. In fully adjusted models, having neither hobbies nor PIL was significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.47-2.94), decline in ADL (odds ratio 2.74; 95% CI, 1.44-5.21), and decline in IADL (odds ratio 1.89; 95% CI, 1.01-3.55) compared to having both hobbies and PIL. Although effect modifications by cognitive functioning and depression cannot be ruled out, our findings suggest that having hobbies and PIL may extend not only longevity, but also healthy life expectancy among community-dwelling older adults.

Relations Between Self-Reported Daily-Life Fatigue, Hearing Status, and Pupil Dilation During a Speech Perception in Noise Task

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Yang; Naylor, Graham; Kramer, Sophia E

2017-01-01

during the speech processing, and we used peak pupil dilation (PPD) as the main outcome measure of the pupillometry. No correlation was found between subjectively measured fatigue and hearing acuity, nor was a group difference found between the normally hearing and the hearing-impaired participants...... on the fatigue scores. A significant negative correlation was found between self-reported fatigue and PPD. A similar correlation was also found between Speech Intelligibility Index required for 50% correct and PPD. Multiple regression analysis showed that factors representing "hearing acuity" and "self......-reported fatigue" had equal and independent associations with the PPD during the speech in noise test. Less fatigue and better hearing acuity were associated with a larger pupil dilation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the relationship between a subjective measure of daily...

Daily Stressors in School-Age Children: A Multilevel Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Escobar, Milagros; Alarcón, Rafael; Blanca, María J.; Fernández-Baena, F. Javier; Rosel, Jesús F.; Trianes, María Victoria

2013-01-01

This study uses hierarchical or multilevel modeling to identify variables that contribute to daily stressors in a population of schoolchildren. Four hierarchical levels with several predictive variables were considered: student (age, sex, social adaptation of the student, number of life events and chronic stressors experienced, and educational…

Understanding metropolitan patterns of daily encounters.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Lijun; Axhausen, Kay W; Lee, Der-Horng; Huang, Xianfeng

2013-08-20

Understanding of the mechanisms driving our daily face-to-face encounters is still limited; the field lacks large-scale datasets describing both individual behaviors and their collective interactions. However, here, with the help of travel smart card data, we uncover such encounter mechanisms and structures by constructing a time-resolved in-vehicle social encounter network on public buses in a city (about 5 million residents). Using a population scale dataset, we find physical encounters display reproducible temporal patterns, indicating that repeated encounters are regular and identical. On an individual scale, we find that collective regularities dominate distinct encounters' bounded nature. An individual's encounter capability is rooted in his/her daily behavioral regularity, explaining the emergence of "familiar strangers" in daily life. Strikingly, we find individuals with repeated encounters are not grouped into small communities, but become strongly connected over time, resulting in a large, but imperceptible, small-world contact network or "structure of co-presence" across the whole metropolitan area. Revealing the encounter pattern and identifying this large-scale contact network are crucial to understanding the dynamics in patterns of social acquaintances, collective human behaviors, and--particularly--disclosing the impact of human behavior on various diffusion/spreading processes.

Association between elevated coffee consumption and daily chocolate intake with normal liver enzymes in HIV-HCV infected individuals: results from the ANRS CO13 HEPAVIH cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrieri, M Patrizia; Lions, Caroline; Sogni, Philippe; Winnock, Maria; Roux, Perrine; Mora, Marion; Bonnard, Philippe; Salmon, Dominique; Dabis, François; Spire, Bruno

2014-01-01

We used longitudinal data from the ANRS CO13 HEPAVIH cohort study of HIV-HCV co-infected individuals to investigate whether polyphenol rich food intake through coffee and/or daily chocolate consumption could play a role in reducing liver enzymes levels. Longitudinal data collection included self-administered questionnaires and medical data (aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) liver enzymes). Two analyses were performed to assess the association between coffee (≥3 cups a day) and daily chocolate intake and abnormal values of AST and ALT (AST or ALT >2.5 × upper normal limit (UNL)) (N=990) over time, after adjustment for known correlates. Logistic regression models based on generalized estimating equations were used to take into account the correlations between repeated measures and estimate adjusted odds ratio. After adjustment, patients reporting elevated coffee consumption and daily chocolate intake were less likely to present abnormal ALT (OR=0.65; p=0.04 and OR=0.57; p=0.04, for coffee and chocolate respectively), while only patients reporting elevated coffee consumption were less likely to have abnormal AST values (p=0.05). Nevertheless, the combined indicator of coffee and chocolate intake was most significantly associated with approximately 40% reduced risk of abnormal liver enzymes (p=0.003 for AST; p=0.002 for ALT). Elevated coffee consumption and daily chocolate intake appear to be associated with reduced levels of liver enzymes in HIV-HCV co-infected patients. Further experimental and observational research is needed to better understand the role that polyphenol intake or supplementation can play on liver disease and liver injury. Copyright © 2013 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Psychometric properties of the Activities Daily Life Scale (ADL)].

Science.gov (United States)

Boyer, L; Murcia, A; Belzeaux, R; Loundou, A; Azorin, J-M; Chabannes, J-M; Dassa, D; Naudin, J; Samuelian, J-C; Lancon, C

2010-10-01

Deficits in social functioning are an important core feature of mental health. Recently in France, the Activities Daily Life (ADL) scale has been proposed by the French authorities to assess social functioning for all hospitalized patients in a psychiatric ward. The perspective is to use this scale in the financing and organization of mental health services in France. The ADL scale is a 6-item (dressing/undressing, walking/mobility, eating/drinking, using toilets, behaviour, relationships/communication) heteroquestionnaire completed by a health care professional at the beginning of each hospitalization, assessing functioning of patients suffering from mental health diseases. However, limited consensus exists on this scale. The psychometric properties of the ADL scale have not been assessed. There is a pressing need for detailed examination of its performance. The aim of this study was to explore ADL psychometric properties in a sample of hospitalized patients in a psychiatric ward. We retrospectively analyzed data for all episodes of care delivered to hospitalized patients in a psychiatric ward in our French Public Hospital from January 1, 2008 to June 30, 2008. The study involved retrospective review of administrative and medical databases. The following data were collected: age, gender, diagnoses based on the International Classification of Diseases - 10th version, ADL scale and Assessment of Social Self-Sufficiency scale (ASSS). The psychometric properties were examined using construct validity, reliability, external validity, reproducibility and sensitivity to change. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 15.0 and WINSTEP software. A total of 1066 patients completed the ADL scale. Among them, 49.7% were male, mean age was 36.5 ± 10.8, and 83.5% were single. Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders (40.0%), mood disorders (27.9%) and mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use (12%) were the most common diagnoses. Factor

High "normal" blood glucose is associated with decreased brain volume and cognitive performance in the 60s: the PATH through life study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moyra E Mortby

Full Text Available Type 2 diabetes is associated with cerebral atrophy, cognitive impairment and dementia. We recently showed higher glucose levels in the normal range not to be free of adverse effects and to be associated with greater hippocampal and amygdalar atrophy in older community-dwelling individuals free of diabetes.This study aimed to determine whether blood glucose levels in the normal range (<6.1 mmol/L were associated with cerebral volumes in structures other than the hippocampus and amygdale, and whether these glucose-related regional volumes were associated with cognitive performance.210 cognitively healthy individuals (68-73 years without diabetes, glucose intolerance or metabolic syndrome were assessed in the large, community-based Personality and Total Health Through Life (PATH study.Baseline blood glucose levels in the normal range (3.2-6.1 mmol/l were used to determine regional brain volumes and associated cognitive function at wave 3.Higher blood glucose levels in the normal range were associated with lower grey/white matter regional volumes in the frontal cortices (middle frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus precentral gyrus. Moreover, identified cerebral regions were associated with poorer cognitive performance and the structure-function associations were gender specific to men.These findings stress the need to re-evaluate what is considered as healthy blood glucose levels, and consider the role of higher normal blood glucose as a risk factor for cerebral health, cognitive function and dementia. A better lifetime management of blood glucose levels may contribute to improved cerebral and cognitive health in later life and possibly protect against dementia.

Living an unstable everyday life while attempting to perform normality - the meaning of living as an alcohol-dependent woman.

Science.gov (United States)

Thurang, Anna; Bengtsson Tops, Anita

2013-02-01

To illuminate the meaning of living with alcohol dependency as a woman. The number of women suffering from alcohol dependency is increasing. Today there are shortcomings in knowledge about the lived experiences of being a woman with alcohol dependency; knowledge which might be of importance for meeting these women's specific needs of care. The study has a qualitative design. Fourteen women with alcohol dependency participated in open in-depth interviews. Data were analysed according to a phenomenological-hermeneutic method, and interpreted by help from gender and caring perspectives as well as results from previous research of alcohol dependency. In relation to the women's senses of well-being, four main gender formations were found; An unstable self involving continual and rapid swings between emotional and bodily reactions. Ambivalence - meaning ambiguous feelings towards themselves as human beings and how they lead their lives. Introspectiveness - involving reflections, pondering and being introverted. Attempts to perform normality - covering - dealing with life through various strategies and facades to live up to the expectations of how to behave as a woman. Living with alcohol dependency as a woman constitutes of a rapid shifting everyday life resulting in senses of alienation as well as private introspection leading to self-degradation, and to a lesser extent meaningfulness and hope. It also constitutes of managing to perform normality. When supporting women with alcohol dependency towards wellbeing, professionals need to work towards approaching the woman's inner thoughts, share them and reflect over them together. To support these women to find balance in life, caregivers need to cooperate with the women to find out how best to live a life adjusted to the woman's abilities and wishes. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Telework and daily life: Its pros and cons for work-life balance

OpenAIRE

Carmen Pérez Sánchez; Ana María Gálvez Mozo

2009-01-01

In this article we discuss whether telework constitutes a useful work-life balance strategy for women teleworkers with dependants. From our analysis we show that the discourse of the women interviewed about telework is not homogeneous, compact or linear, but includes plenty of contradictions, paradoxes and tensions. This fact reinforces telework’s enormous polysemy: it liberates and enslaves, it is a trap and an opportunity, it fulfills and can mean self-sacrifice. But, despite this ric...

Mortality in Japanese with life-styles similar to Seventh-Day Adventists: strategy for risk reduction by life-style modification.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirayama, T

1985-12-01

Using 16 years of follow-up results of a prospective cohort study for 122,261 men, 95% of the census population, aged 40 years and older in 29 Health Center Districts in Japan as subjects, we compared the age-standardized mortality rates for cancer of each site and other causes of death in Japanese with life-styles similar to those of Seventh-Day Adventists (SDA), i.e., no smoking, no drinking, no meat consumption daily and eating green and yellow vegetables daily, with those of Japanese with opposite life-styles. Compared with the latter Japanese, the risks were one-fifth or less in Japanese with SDA-like life-styles for cancers of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, and lung, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Risks were less than one-half for cancers of all sites, stomach, and liver, and for peptic ulcer and heart disease. As a single factor, the addition of daily smoking was observed to elevate the risk most strikingly in Japanese who followed SDA life patterns. Influences of further addition of habits of daily drinking of alcohol and dietary changes were significant for cancers of the esophagus, liver, and bladder and other selected diseases. Strategies for cancer prevention by means of life-style modification, e.g., increased consumption of green and yellow vegetables, were discussed.

Gemfibrozil-induced myositis in a patient with normal renal function.

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, Martin; Sriharan, Kalavally; McFarland, M Shawn

2010-01-01

To describe a case of gemfibrozil monotherapy-induced myositis in a patient with normal renal function A 68-year-old white man presented to his primary care clinic complaining of a 6-month history of total body pain. His past medical history was significant for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, benign prostatic hypertrophy, arthritis, impotence, and pancreatic cancer that required excision of part of his pancreas. His home drug regimen included bupropion 75 mg twice daily, gemfibrozil 600 mg twice daily for the past 8 months, glimiperide 1 mg daily, insulin glargine 5 units at bedtime, insulin aspart 5 units in the evening, lisinopril 10 mg daily, omeprazole 40 mg daily, pregabalin 100 mg daily, and sildenafil 100 mg as needed. Laboratory test results were significant for elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 78 U/L (reference range 15-46 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 83 U/L (13-69 U/L), and creatine kinase (CK) 3495 U/L (55-170 U/L). Serum creatinine was normal at 1.19 mg/dL. The physician determined that the elevated CK indicated myositis secondary to gemfibrozil use, and gemfibrozil was subsequently discontinued. The patient returned 1 week later to repeat the laboratory tests. Results were CK 220 U/L, AST 26 U/L, ALT 43 U/L, and serum creatinine 1.28 mg/dL. The patient was asked to return in 3 weeks to repeat the laboratory tests. At that time, CK had continued to decrease to 142 U/L, and the AST and ALT had returned to normal, at 22 and 29 U/L, respectively. The patient reported complete resolution of total body pain 3 weeks after discontinuation of gemfibrozil. Follow-up 5 weeks after discontinuation revealed no change compared to the 3-week follow-up. Myositis most often produces weakness and elevated CK levels more than 10 times the upper limit of normal. The risk of developing myositis, myopathy, or rhabdomyolysis is low (1%) when fibrates such as gemfibrozil are used as monotherapy. Evaluation of

VOLATILITY AND KURTOSIS OF DAILY STOCK RETURNS AT MSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zoran Ivanovski

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Prominent financial stock pricing models are built on assumption that asset returns follow a normal (Gaussian distribution. However, many authors argue that in the practice stock returns are often characterized by skewness and kurtosis, so we test the existence of the Gaussian distribution of stock returns and calculate the kurtosis of several stocks at the Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE. Obtaining information about the shape of distribution is an important step for models of pricing risky assets. The daily stock returns at Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE are characterized by high volatility and non-Gaussian behaviors as well as they are extremely leptokurtic. The analysis of MSE time series stock returns determine volatility clustering and high kurtosis. The fact that daily stock returns at MSE are not normally distributed put into doubt results that rely heavily on this assumption and have significant implications for portfolio management. We consider this stock market as good representatives of emerging markets. Therefore, we argue that our results are valid for other similar emerging stock markets.

Daily Family Routines of Italian and Ecuadorian Immigrant Mothers in Everyday Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadia Rania

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This study compares Italian mothers’ and Ecuadorian immigrant mothers’ daily family routines. Thirty mothers took part in this investigation: 15 Italians (M = 37.5 years, with ages ranging from 30 to 42 years and 15 Ecuadorians (M = 36.1 years, with ages ranging from 18 to 46 years and having lived in Italy for an average of 15 years, with children ranging in age from 4 to 8 years. The objective is to highlight the differences and similarities between the daily routines and family relations that characterize the lives of each of the two groups of participants. The instruments employed in service of these aims were in-depth interviews and diaries. The results showed similarities regarding the routines of Italian and Ecuadorian families. However, a relevant difference emerged regarding their perceptions of social support. Specifically, Italians receive more social support from their parents than do Ecuadorians, who are supported more by other relatives or by friends.

The impact of subjective memory complaints on quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Maki, Yohko; Yamaguchi, Tomoharu; Yamagami, Tetsuya; Murai, Tatsuhiko; Hachisuka, Kenji; Miyamae, Fumiko; Ito, Kae; Awata, Shuichi; Ura, Chiaki; Takahashi, Ryutaro; Yamaguchi, Haruyasu

2014-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of memory complaints on quality of life (QOL) in elderly community dwellers with or without mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Participants included 120 normal controls (NC) and 37 with MCI aged 65 and over. QOL was measured using the Japanese version of Satisfaction in Daily Life, and memory complaints were measured using a questionnaire consisting of four items. The relevance of QOL was evaluated with psychological factors of personality traits, sense of self-efficacy, depressive mood, self-evaluation of daily functioning, range of social activities (Life-Space Assessment), social network size, and cognitive functions including memory. The predictors of QOL were analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis. QOL was not significantly different between the NC and MCI groups. In both groups, QOL was positively correlated with self-efficacy, daily functioning, social network size, Life-Space Assessment, and the personality traits of extraversion and agreeableness; QOL was negatively correlated with memory complaints, depressive mood, and the personality trait of neuroticism. In regression analysis, memory complaints were a negative predictor of QOL in the MCI group, but not in the NC group. The partial correlation coefficient between QOL and memory complaints was -0.623 (P negative predictor in both groups. Positive predictors were Life-Space Assessment in the NC group and sense of self-efficacy in the MCI group. Memory complaints exerted a negative impact on self-rated QOL in the MCI group, whereas a negative correlation was weak in the NC group. Memory training has been widely practised in individuals with MCI to prevent the development of dementia. However, such approaches inevitably identify their memory deficits and could aggravate their awareness of memory decline. Thus, it is critical to give sufficient consideration not to reduce QOL in the intervention for those with MCI. © 2014 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics

Understanding Latina/o Students' Meaning in Life, Spirituality, and Subjective Happiness

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Cavazos Vela, Javier; Castro, Veronica; Cavazos, Leticia; Cavazos, Michelle; Gonzalez, Stacey Lee

2015-01-01

One-hundred nineteen Latina/o college students provided perceptions of presence of meaning in life, search for meaning in life, daily spiritual experiences, and subjective happiness. Perceptions of meaning in life and daily spiritual experiences were significant predictors of subjective happiness. A discussion regarding the importance of these…

Positive emotions from social company in women with persisting subclinical psychosis: lessons from daily life.

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Collip, D; Wigman, J T W; van Os, J; Oorschot, M; Jacobs, N; Derom, C; Thiery, E; Peeters, F; Wichers, M; Myin-Germeys, I

2014-03-01

Altered social reward functioning is associated with psychosis irrespective of stage and severity. Examining the role of social reward functioning prospectively in relation to psychotic experiences before these become persistent and potentially disabling can aid in elucidating social mechanisms that induce shifts toward more severe psychotic states, without the confounding effects of clinical disorder. In a longitudinal general population sample (N = 566), the experience sampling method (repetitive random sampling of momentary emotions and social context) was used to assess daily life social functioning at baseline. Persistence of subclinical psychotic experiences was based on the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences assessed three times over 14 months. Analyses examined to what degree i) social context and ii) appreciation thereof differentiated between those who did and did not develop persistent psychotic experiences. Although individuals with persistent psychotic experiences did not differ in overall level of positive effect, the amount of time spent alone or the level of social satisfaction compared to individuals without persistent psychotic experiences, they were more sensitive to the rewarding effects of social company. Alterations in social reward experience may form one of the mechanisms that precede the development of the extended psychosis phenotype over time. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Daily Emotional and Physical Reactivity to Stressors Among Widowed and Married Older Adults

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Objectives. Widowhood may result in declines in health and potentially stressful changes to daily routines. However, little research has examined how daily stressors contribute to physical and emotional well-being in widowhood. The objectives of the current study were to examine daily stressor exposure and reactivity in widowed versus married older adults. Method. Participants included all 100 widowed and 342 married adults aged 65 and older from the National Study of Daily Experiences, a daily diary study from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States. Daily stressors were measured using the Daily Inventory of Stressful Events; multilevel modeling assessed daily reactivity to stressors using daily negative affect (emotional reactivity) and daily physical symptoms (physical reactivity) as outcomes. Results. Married participants reported more stressors in general, and specifically more interpersonal stressors (e.g., arguments). Both married and widowed participants were reactive to daily stressors. Married participants were physically and emotionally reactive to interpersonal stressors. Widowed participants were more physically reactive to home-related stressors. Discussion. Attention to the types of daily stressors that widowed older adults experience in daily life and the potential physical effects of daily stressors during widowhood may help to alleviate some of the physical distress that widowed older adults may experience. PMID:23685921

Daily emotional and physical reactivity to stressors among widowed and married older adults.

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Hahn, Elizabeth A; Cichy, Kelly E; Small, Brent J; Almeida, David M

2014-01-01

Widowhood may result in declines in health and potentially stressful changes to daily routines. However, little research has examined how daily stressors contribute to physical and emotional well-being in widowhood. The objectives of the current study were to examine daily stressor exposure and reactivity in widowed versus married older adults. Participants included all 100 widowed and 342 married adults aged 65 and older from the National Study of Daily Experiences, a daily diary study from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States. Daily stressors were measured using the Daily Inventory of Stressful Events; multilevel modeling assessed daily reactivity to stressors using daily negative affect (emotional reactivity) and daily physical symptoms (physical reactivity) as outcomes. Married participants reported more stressors in general, and specifically more interpersonal stressors (e.g., arguments). Both married and widowed participants were reactive to daily stressors. Married participants were physically and emotionally reactive to interpersonal stressors. Widowed participants were more physically reactive to home-related stressors. Attention to the types of daily stressors that widowed older adults experience in daily life and the potential physical effects of daily stressors during widowhood may help to alleviate some of the physical distress that widowed older adults may experience.

Bursts of Self-Conscious Emotions in the Daily Lives of Emerging Adults.

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Conroy, David E; Ram, Nilam; Pincus, Aaron L; Rebar, Amanda L

Self-conscious emotions play a role in regulating daily achievement strivings, social behavior, and health, but little is known about the processes underlying their daily manifestation. Emerging adults (n = 182) completed daily diaries for eight days and multilevel models were estimated to evaluate whether, how much, and why their emotions varied from day-to-day. Within-person variation in authentic pride was normally-distributed across people and days whereas the other emotions were burst-like and characterized by zero-inflated, negative binomial distributions. Perceiving social interactions as generally communal increased the odds of hubristic pride activation and reduced the odds of guilt activation; daily communal behavior reduced guilt intensity. Results illuminated processes through which meaning about the self-in-relation-to-others is constructed during a critical period of development.

Quality of life technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wac, Katarzyna; Fiordelli, M.; Gustarini, M.

2015-01-01

Inevitably, as basic human needs are assured in any developed society, differentiating factors for quality of life (QoL) relate to a greater capacity to make informed decisions across daily life activities, especially those related to health. The availability of powerful, personalized, and wearable...

Are normal narcissists psychologically healthy?: self-esteem matters.

Science.gov (United States)

Sedikides, Constantine; Rudich, Eric A; Gregg, Aiden P; Kumashiro, Madoka; Rusbult, Caryl

2004-09-01

Five studies established that normal narcissism is correlated with good psychological health. Specifically, narcissism is (a) inversely related to daily sadness and dispositional depression, (b) inversely related to daily and dispositional loneliness, (c) positively related to daily and dispositional subjective well-being as well as couple well-being, (d) inversely related to daily anxiety, and (e) inversely related to dispositional neuroticism. More important, self-esteem fully accounted for the relation between narcissism and psychological health. Thus, narcissism is beneficial for psychological health only insofar as it is associated with high self-esteem. Explanations of the main and mediational findings in terms of response or social desirability biases (e.g., defensiveness, repression, impression management) were ruled out. Supplementary analysis showed that the links among narcissism, self-esteem, and psychological health were preponderantly linear. ((c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)

Global Historical Climatology Network - Daily (GHCN-Daily), Version 3

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Global Historical Climatology Network - Daily (GHCN-Daily) dataset integrates daily climate observations from approximately 30 different data sources. Version 3...

Relationship of Having Hobbies and a Purpose in Life With Mortality, Activities of Daily Living, and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Among Community-Dwelling Elderly Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimiko Tomioka

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: This study’s aim was to clarify the relationship of having hobbies and a purpose in life (PIL; in Japanese, ikigai with mortality and a decline in the activities of daily living (ADL and instrumental ADL (IADL among the community-dwelling elderly. Methods: Prospective observational data from residents aged ≥65 years who were at increased risk for death (n = 1853 and developing a decline in ADL (n = 1254 and IADL (n = 1162 were analyzed. Cox proportional hazard models were used for mortality analysis of data from February 2011 to November 2014. ADL and IADL were evaluated using the Barthel Index and the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence, respectively. ADL and IADL were assessed at baseline and follow-up and were evaluated using logistic regression models. Fully adjusted models included terms for age, gender, BMI, income, alcohol intake, smoking history, number of chronic diseases, cognitive function, and depression. Results: During the follow-up of eligible participants, 248 had died, 119 saw a decline in ADL, and 178 saw a decline in IADL. In fully adjusted models, having neither hobbies nor PIL was significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.47–2.94, decline in ADL (odds ratio 2.74; 95% CI, 1.44–5.21, and decline in IADL (odds ratio 1.89; 95% CI, 1.01–3.55 compared to having both hobbies and PIL. Conclusions: Although effect modifications by cognitive functioning and depression cannot be ruled out, our findings suggest that having hobbies and PIL may extend not only longevity, but also healthy life expectancy among community-dwelling older adults.

Rear Daily Tsaritsyn County in the First Months of the Great War

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Elena Y. Leontyeva

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Rethinking the events of the First World War, the authors focus their attention on the study, description and analysis of everyday life and public sentiment Tsaritsyn County this period. Principles and methods used by the "local history" involves understanding the attitude of people of a single small community and play its collective biography as part of the history of the country as a whole. This approach is integrated with the ideas of the philosophy of everyday life. For the first time used the original materials of the newspaper "Tsaritsyno Bulletin" July-October 1914. Rear everyday first months of the war had a significant patriotic coloring, which was reflected in numerous projects supporting the front and wounded. At the same time the daily life of the rear retains its familiar features and problems, people were busy on vacation, children's education, entertainment, etc. Breaking strength of the Great War had not yet declared itself and daily county-level cities have not yet acquired traits harsh wartime.

Once-daily dose regimen of ribavirin is interchangeable with a twice-daily dose regimen: randomized open clinical trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balk JM

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Jiska M Balk,1 Guido RMM Haenen,1 Özgür M Koc,2 Ron Peters,3 Aalt Bast,1 Wim JF van der Vijgh,1 Ger H Koek,4 1Department of Toxicology, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 2Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 3DSM Resolve, Geleen, 4Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands Background: The combination of ribavirin (RBV and pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN is effective in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection. Reducing the frequency of RBV intake from twice to once a day will improve compliance and opens up the opportunity to combine RBV with new and more specific direct-acting agents in one pill. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of RBV in a once-daily to twice-daily regimen. The secondary aim was to determine tolerability as well as the severity and differences in side effects of both treatment regimens. Methods: In this randomized open-label crossover study, twelve patients with chronic type 1 hepatitis C infection and weighing more than 75 kg were treated with 180 µg of PEG-IFN weekly and 1,200 mg RBV daily for 24 weeks. The patients received RBV dosed as 1,200 mg once-daily for 12 weeks followed by RBV dosed as 600 mg twice-daily for 12 weeks, or vice versa. In addition to the pharmacokinetic profile, the hematological profile and side effects were recorded. The RBV concentrations in plasma were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Eight of twelve patients completed the study. Neither the time taken for RBV to reach peak plasma concentration nor the AUC0-last (adjusted for difference in dose was significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05. Furthermore, the once-daily regimen did not give more side effects than the twice-daily regimen (P>0

Quality of life in late-life disability: "I don't feel bitter because I am in a wheelchair".

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King, Jennifer; Yourman, Lindsey; Ahalt, Cyrus; Eng, Catherine; Knight, Sara J; Pérez-Stable, Eliseo J; Smith, Alexander K

2012-03-01

To determine perceived quality of life in a diverse population of elderly adults with late-life disability. Qualitative cross-sectional study. Community-dwelling participants were recruited from San Francisco's On Lok Lifeways program, the first Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. On Lok enrollees meet Medicaid criteria for nursing home placement. Sixty-two elderly adults with a mean age of 78 and a mean 2.4 activity of daily living dependencies and 6.6 instrumental activity of daily living dependencies were interviewed. Respondents were 63% female, 24% white, 19% black, 18% Latino, 32% Chinese American, and 6% other race. Elderly adults who scored higher than 17 points on the Mini-Mental State Examination were interviewed. Interviews were conducted in English, Spanish, and Cantonese. Respondents were asked to rate their overall quality of life on a 5-point scale. Open-ended questions explored positive and negative aspects of participants' daily experiences. Interviews were analyzed using modified grounded theory and digital coding software. Eighty-seven percent of respondents rated their quality of life in the middle range of the quality-of-life spectrum (fair to very good). Themes were similar across ethnic groups. Most themes could be grouped into four domains that dependent elderly adults considered important to their quality of life: physical (e.g., pain), psychological (e.g., depression), spiritual or religious (e.g., religious coping), and social (e.g., life-space). Dignity and a sense of control were identified as themes that are the most closely tied to overall quality of life. Factors that influence quality of life in late-life disability were similar across ethnic groups. As the number of elderly adults from diverse backgrounds with late life disability increases in the United States, interventions should be targeted to maximize daily sense of control and dignity. © 2012, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2012, The American

Capitalizing on Everyday Positive Events Uniquely Predicts Daily Intimacy and Well-Being in Couples Coping with Breast Cancer

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Otto, Amy K.; Laurenceau, Jean-Philippe; Siegel, Scott D.; Belcher, Amber J.

2017-01-01

Capitalization is the relational process of savoring positive life events by sharing them with responsive relationship partners. The purpose of the present study was to use dyadic intensive longitudinal methods to examine novel hypotheses regarding links between capitalization processes and daily intimacy and well-being in women with breast cancer and their intimate partners. While couples coping with cancer often experience an increase in negative daily life events, we hypothesized that it would be important for them also to share and capitalize on positive events in addition to sharing negative events. Female patients with early-stage breast cancer and their intimate partners (99 couples) completed electronic daily diaries for 7 to 10 consecutive days tapping everyday processes of sharing negative and positive events with each other. Dyadic multilevel process modeling revealed that on days when capitalization attempts (i.e., sharing the best event of the day) occurred, daily feelings of intimacy in the sharer were higher for both patients and partners. Moreover, greater perceived partner responsiveness (PPR) to capitalization attempts was associated with increases in the sharer’s daily feelings of intimacy and decreases in the sharer’s daily negative affect. When the patient’s partner was the sharer, PPR was also associated with increased daily positive affect. Importantly, all effects of capitalization were observed above and beyond the effects of event positivity and sharing negative events (i.e., social support attempts). Findings suggest that, even in the midst of significant life adversity, sharing daily good news with intimate partners enhances relationship well-being independently of sharing bad news. PMID:25528074

Manual wheelchairs: Research and innovation in rehabilitation, sports, daily life and health

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Woude, L.H.V.; de Groot, S.; Janssen, T.W.J.

2006-01-01

Those with lower limb disabilities are often dependent on manually propelled wheelchairs for their mobility, in Europe today some 3.3 million people. This implies a transfer from leg to arm work for ambulation and all other activities of daily living (ADL). Compared to the legs, arm work is less

Fitting the Statistical Distribution for Daily Rainfall in Ibadan, Based ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PROF. O. E. OSUAGWU

2013-06-01

Jun 1, 2013 ... Abstract. This paper presents several types of statistical distributions to describe rainfall distribution in Ibadan metropolis over a period of 30 years. The exponential, gamma, normal and poison distributions are compared to identify the optimal model for daily rainfall amount based on data recorded at rain ...

Impact of Maternal Glucose and Gestational Weight Gain on Child Obesity over the First Decade of Life in Normal Birth Weight Infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Hillier, Teresa A; Pedula, Kathryn L; Vesco, Kimberly K; Oshiro, Caryn E S; Ogasawara, Keith K

2016-08-01

Objective To determine, among children with normal birth weight, if maternal hyperglycemia and weight gain independently increase childhood obesity risk in a very large diverse population. Methods Study population was 24,141 individuals (mothers and their normal birth weight offspring, born 1995-2003) among a diverse population with universal GDM screening [50-g glucose-challenge test (GCT); 3 h. 100 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) if GCT+]. Among the 13,037 full-term offspring with normal birth weight (2500-4000 g), annual measured height/weight was ascertained between ages 2 and 10 years to calculate gender-specific BMI-for-age percentiles using USA norms (1960-1995 standard). Results Among children who began life with normal birth weight, we found a significant trend for developing both childhood overweight (>85 %ile) and obesity (>95 %ile) during the first decade of life with both maternal hyperglycemia (normal GCT, GCT+ but no GDM, GDM) and excessive gestational weight gain [>40 pounds (18.1 kg)]; p maternal glucose and/or weight gain effects to imprint for childhood obesity in the first decade remained after adjustment for potential confounders including maternal age, parity, as well as pre-pregnancy BMI. The attributable risk (%) for childhood obesity was 28.5 % (95 % CI 15.9-41.1) for GDM and 16.4 % (95 % CI 9.4-23.2) for excessive gestational weight gain. Conclusions for Practice Both maternal hyperglycemia and excessive weight gain have independent effects to increase childhood obesity risk. Future research should focus on prevention efforts during pregnancy as a potential window of opportunity to reduce childhood obesity.

[Life style, dietary habits and nutritional evaluation of Hospital de Mérida health professionals].

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Márquez Moreno, Raúl; Beato Víbora, Pilar Isabel; Tormo García, M Ángeles

2015-04-01

Living habits, several nutritional aspects and relationship between them were studied of Hospital de Mérida health professional of the Extremadura Health Service (SES). Forty-three employed workers participates voluntary in this project by submitting a questionary about personal details and life style, and a seven-days-food-intake-dietary. Finally, their anthropometric data were also measured. Men tend to play more physical activities than women. They also were more sedentary. They use to smoke less than women, but they do drink more. Normal-weight subjects tried to practice sport during more time than overweight and obese ones. However, they also remained sitting for longer periods on a weekly basis. The average daily intakes of kilocalories were higher in men, but protein intakes were higher in women. Fat intake was increased in both sexes. The average daily intake of kilocalories was lower in obese subjects than over and normal-weights ones. An increase in the body mass index was accompanied by a bigger waist perimeter, waist to hip ratio, fat mass and body fat percentage. The majority of people interviewed in the survey have healthy living and dietary habits. Protein and fat daily intake is slightly higher than the values recommended by the WHO. Carbohydrates intake, by contrast, is lower. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Daily Physical Activity and Cognitive Function Variability in Older Adults.

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Phillips, Christine B; Edwards, Jerri D; Andel, Ross; Kilpatrick, Marcus

2016-04-01

Physical activity (PA) is believed to preserve cognitive function in older adulthood, though little is known about these relationships within the context of daily life. The present microlongitudinal pilot study explored within- and between-person relationships between daily PA and cognitive function and also examined within-person effect sizes in a sample of community-dwelling older adults. Fifty-one healthy participants (mean age = 70.1 years) wore an accelerometer and completed a cognitive assessment battery for five days. There were no significant associations between cognitive task performance and participants' daily or average PA over the study period. Effect size estimates indicated that PA explained 0-24% of within-person variability in cognitive function, depending on cognitive task and PA dose. Results indicate that PA may have near-term cognitive effects and should be explored as a possible strategy to enhance older adults' ability to perform cognitively complex activities within the context of daily living.

Effects of socioeconomic status on maternal and child positive behaviors in daily life among youth with asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Imami, Ledina; Tobin, Erin T; Kane, Heidi S; Saleh, Daniel J; Lupro, Toni H; Slatcher, Richard B

2015-01-01

Socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with poorer behavioral and emotional outcomes in children with asthma. This study investigated the associations between maternal income and education and naturalistically observed behaviors and affect during everyday parent-child interactions. 53 predominantly low-income youth with asthma, aged 10-17 years, wore a naturalistic event-sampling device, the Electronically Activated Recorder, for 4 days to assess mother and child positive behaviors and affect in daily life. Maternal education, but not income, was positively associated with child positive behaviors, displays of mother and child positive affect, and increased maternal responsiveness. Maternal positive affect and maternal responsiveness mediated the effect of maternal education on child positive affect. Our findings suggest that maternal education has an important influence on the socioemotional adjustment of youth with asthma and point to the importance of investigating the independent influence of socioeconomic status components on everyday parent-child interactions. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Probing Resilience: Daily Environmental Mastery, Self-Esteem, and Stress Appraisal.

Science.gov (United States)

Montpetit, Mignon A; Tiberio, Stacey S

2016-10-01

The current study explores one way the process of resilience arises by investigating the underlying process of stress appraisal. In particular, the analyses examine how resilience resources function each day to attenuate the extent to which life experiences are perceived as threatening, and how trait-like resilience resources shape the appraisal process. Daily diary and questionnaire data from 96 participants of Successful Aging in Context: The Macroenvironment and Daily Lived Experience (SAIC; MAge = 67 years, SDAge = 4.9 years; range: 58-86 years) were analyzed using multilevel random coefficient modeling to investigate how individuals' daily perceptions of control and self-esteem impacted perceived stress on a given day. Results suggested that both self-esteem and environmental mastery help mitigate the experience of stress; furthermore, dispositional resilience and self-esteem stability predict differences between individuals in the extent to which self-esteem tempers the perception of stress each day. The results inform theoretical and empirical work on the nature of resilience, especially regarding how the process arises in ordinary life. From an application perspective, results imply that augmenting environmental mastery and self-esteem, both of which are malleable, can facilitate resilience by helping elders challenge their perceptions of stress each day. © The Author(s) 2016.

A week in the life of lung cancer survivors: Daily reports of stress, worry, mood, and symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Aronson, Keith R; Wagstaff, David A; Farace, Elana; Muscat, Joshua; Belani, Chandra; Almokadem, Salah; Fossum, Thyra

2016-10-01

This study examined the day-to-day lives of early stage lung cancer survivors who were discharged from treatment between 2 and 24 months prior to the study. Lung cancer survivors were called on eight consecutive nights and completed an interview about their daily experiences. Repeated measures, multilevel analysis of the phone interview data was conducted. Survivors reported few daily stressor exposures or somatic symptoms. Daily moods were generally positive, and survivors reported living quite independently. Lung cancer survivors did not report experiencing health-related worry on a daily basis. The findings from this study create a much more positive picture of lung cancer survivorship relative to prior studies. © The Author(s) 2015.

Interpersonal stressors and negative affect in individuals with borderline personality disorder and community adults in daily life: A replication and extension.

Science.gov (United States)

Hepp, Johanna; Lane, Sean P; Wycoff, Andrea M; Carpenter, Ryan W; Trull, Timothy J

2018-02-01

Affective instability and interpersonal stress are key features of borderline personality disorder (BPD). They were shown to covary in the daily lives of patients in a recent ambulatory assessment study (Hepp et al., 2017) that observed comparatively larger positive associations between interpersonal stressors and negative affect in individuals with BPD than those with depressive disorders. The present study sought to replicate these findings, collecting data on hostility, sadness, fear, and rejection or disagreement events from 56 BPD and 60 community control participants for 21 days, 6 times a day. Using identical statistical procedures, the positive associations between momentary rejection/disagreement and hostility, sadness, and fear were replicated. Again replicating the original study, the rejection-hostility, rejection-sadness, and disagreement-hostility associations were significantly stronger in the BPD group. Time-lagged analyses extended the original study, revealing that rejection was associated with subsequent hostility and sadness more strongly in the BPD group, as was disagreement with subsequent hostility and fear. Though small, we argue that the observed group differences reflect meaningful pervasive responses in a daily life context. Future research should consider these when implementing affect regulation strategies that are applicable in interpersonal contexts for all individuals, but particularly those with BPD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Early Assessment of Treatment Responses During Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer Using Quantitative Analysis of Daily Computed Tomography

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Paul, Jijo; Yang, Cungeng [Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (United States); Wu, Hui [Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (United States); The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou (China); Tai, An [Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (United States); Dalah, Entesar [Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (United States); Department of Medical Diagnostic Imaging, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah (United Arab Emirates); Zheng, Cheng [Biostatistics, Joseph. J. Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (United States); Johnstone, Candice [Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (United States); Kong, Feng-Ming [Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Gore, Elizabeth [Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (United States); Li, X. Allen, E-mail: ali@mcw.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (United States)

2017-06-01

Purpose: To investigate early tumor and normal tissue responses during the course of radiation therapy (RT) for lung cancer using quantitative analysis of daily computed tomography (CT) scans. Methods and Materials: Daily diagnostic-quality CT scans acquired using CT-on-rails during CT-guided RT for 20 lung cancer patients were quantitatively analyzed. On each daily CT set, the contours of the gross tumor volume (GTV) and lungs were generated and the radiation dose delivered was reconstructed. The changes in CT image intensity (Hounsfield unit [HU]) features in the GTV and the multiple normal lung tissue shells around the GTV were extracted from the daily CT scans. The associations between the changes in the mean HUs, GTV, accumulated dose during RT delivery, and patient survival rate were analyzed. Results: During the RT course, radiation can induce substantial changes in the HU histogram features on the daily CT scans, with reductions in the GTV mean HUs (dH) observed in the range of 11 to 48 HU (median 30). The dH is statistically related to the accumulated GTV dose (R{sup 2} > 0.99) and correlates weakly with the change in GTV (R{sup 2} = 0.3481). Statistically significant increases in patient survival rates (P=.038) were observed for patients with a higher dH in the GTV. In the normal lung, the 4 regions proximal to the GTV showed statistically significant (P<.001) HU reductions from the first to last fraction. Conclusion: Quantitative analysis of the daily CT scans indicated that the mean HUs in lung tumor and surrounding normal tissue were reduced during RT delivery. This reduction was observed in the early phase of the treatment, is patient specific, and correlated with the delivered dose. A larger HU reduction in the GTV correlated significantly with greater patient survival. The changes in daily CT features, such as the mean HU, can be used for early assessment of the radiation response during RT delivery for lung cancer.

Effects of daily living occupational therapy and resistance exercise on the activities of daily living and muscular fitness in Guillain-Barré syndrome: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Kwang-Jun; Ha, Gi-Chul; Kang, Seol-Jung

2017-05-01

[Purpose] The study aimed to investigate the effects of daily living occupational therapy and resistance exercise on the performance of activities of daily living and muscular fitness in a patient with Guillain-Barré syndrome. [Subject and Methods] A 35-year-old man was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. He was hospitalized at A Hospital for 3 years, and was discharged from the hospital after he became able to execute daily life activities. After discharge, he performed daily occupational therapy and resistance exercise twice a week for 70 minutes per session for 12 weeks. Performance in the activities of daily living was assessed using the modified Barthel index, and muscular fitness was measured in terms of isokinetic muscular function using the Biodes system. [Results] The subject's Barthel index score improved from 54 points before the intervention to 62 points after 4 weeks, 69 points after 8 weeks, and 79 points after 12 weeks. In addition, his shoulder flexion and extension, knee flexion and extension, and lumbar flexion and extension were improved. [Conclusion] The present study suggests that daily living occupational therapy and resistance exercise are effective in improving the activities of daily living and muscular fitness in a patient recovering from Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Comparison between particulate matter and ultrafine particle emission by electronic and normal cigarettes in real-life conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruprecht, Ario Alberto; De Marco, Cinzia; Pozzi, Paolo; Munarini, Elena; Mazza, Roberto; Angellotti, Giorgia; Turla, Francesca; Boffi, Roberto

2014-01-01

Electronic cigarettes may be safer than conventional cigarettes as they generate less indoor pollution in terms of particulate matter (PM); however, recent findings in experimental conditions demonstrated that secondhand exposure to PM may be expected from e-cigarette smoking. The aim of the present study was to investigate the emission of PM generated by e-cigarettes and normal cigarettes under real-life conditions. Real-time measurement and comparison of PM and ultrafine particles (UFP) generated by electronic cigarettes with and without nicotine and by normal cigarettes in a 50 m3 office of an Italian comprehensive cancer center was performed. PM mass as PM1, PM2.5, PM7, PM10, total suspended particles (TSP) in μg/m³ and UFP in number of particles per cubic centimeter from 10 to 1,000 nanometers were measured. Outdoor concentrations were measured contemporaneously to compensate for urban background changes. Regardless of their nicotine content, e-cigarettes generated lower PM levels than conventional cigarettes. Notably, nicotine-enriched e-cigarettes produced lower PM levels than their nicotine-free counterparts. E-cigarettes appear to generate less indoor pollution than normal cigarettes and may therefore be safer. Further studies are required to investigate the long-term health-related effects of secondhand e-cigarette exposure.

Deep Learning to Predict Falls in Older Adults Based on Daily-Life Trunk Accelerometry

Science.gov (United States)

Englebienne, Gwenn; Pijnappels, Mirjam

2018-01-01

Early detection of high fall risk is an essential component of fall prevention in older adults. Wearable sensors can provide valuable insight into daily-life activities; biomechanical features extracted from such inertial data have been shown to be of added value for the assessment of fall risk. Body-worn sensors such as accelerometers can provide valuable insight into fall risk. Currently, biomechanical features derived from accelerometer data are used for the assessment of fall risk. Here, we studied whether deep learning methods from machine learning are suited to automatically derive features from raw accelerometer data that assess fall risk. We used an existing dataset of 296 older adults. We compared the performance of three deep learning model architectures (convolutional neural network (CNN), long short-term memory (LSTM) and a combination of these two (ConvLSTM)) to each other and to a baseline model with biomechanical features on the same dataset. The results show that the deep learning models in a single-task learning mode are strong in recognition of identity of the subject, but that these models only slightly outperform the baseline method on fall risk assessment. When using multi-task learning, with gender and age as auxiliary tasks, deep learning models perform better. We also found that preprocessing of the data resulted in the best performance (AUC = 0.75). We conclude that deep learning models, and in particular multi-task learning, effectively assess fall risk on the basis of wearable sensor data. PMID:29786659

Deep Learning to Predict Falls in Older Adults Based on Daily-Life Trunk Accelerometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Nait Aicha, Ahmed; Englebienne, Gwenn; van Schooten, Kimberley S; Pijnappels, Mirjam; Kröse, Ben

2018-05-22

Early detection of high fall risk is an essential component of fall prevention in older adults. Wearable sensors can provide valuable insight into daily-life activities; biomechanical features extracted from such inertial data have been shown to be of added value for the assessment of fall risk. Body-worn sensors such as accelerometers can provide valuable insight into fall risk. Currently, biomechanical features derived from accelerometer data are used for the assessment of fall risk. Here, we studied whether deep learning methods from machine learning are suited to automatically derive features from raw accelerometer data that assess fall risk. We used an existing dataset of 296 older adults. We compared the performance of three deep learning model architectures (convolutional neural network (CNN), long short-term memory (LSTM) and a combination of these two (ConvLSTM)) to each other and to a baseline model with biomechanical features on the same dataset. The results show that the deep learning models in a single-task learning mode are strong in recognition of identity of the subject, but that these models only slightly outperform the baseline method on fall risk assessment. When using multi-task learning, with gender and age as auxiliary tasks, deep learning models perform better. We also found that preprocessing of the data resulted in the best performance (AUC = 0.75). We conclude that deep learning models, and in particular multi-task learning, effectively assess fall risk on the basis of wearable sensor data.

[Restrictions for ICD patients in daily life].

Science.gov (United States)

Köbe, Julia; Gradaus, Rainer; Zumhagen, Sven; Böcker, Dirk

2005-11-01

Patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) may experience loss of consciousness. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) may trigger undesired or inhibit necessary therapy in patients with an ICD. Therefore, questions about personal or professional activities for ICD patients arise. Restricting driving or other personal activities has adverse effects on the patient's quality of life. The national Societies of Cardiology provide recommendations for ICD patients concerning driving of motor vehicles. Patients with an ICD that is implanted prophylactically do not have to refrain from driving after recovery from the implantation procedure. Patients with arrhythmias are classified into different groups depending on the risk of recurrence of tachycardias and symptoms. Commercial driving is not allowed for patients with an ICD in Germany except for those with a prophylactic indication without a history of arrhythmias. Those patients may drive small cars but no trucks or busses. Guidelines for medical fitness in commercial or military flying are regulated by the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) and ventricular tachycardias are a contraindication for both. Fortunately, loss of consciousness is not dangerous in most jobs. Strong sources of EMI can occur at special workplaces. Patients have to be advised and tested individually concerning their risk for EMI at their employment site before returning safely. Modern life exposes to an increasing amount of EMI. Intact household devices usually do not interfere with ICDs. Mobile phones may interfere with implanted devices. Interaction can be minimized by special precautions like maintaining a distance of minimum 10 cm between mobile phone and ICD. Electronic surveillance systems work differently and have the potential to interact with devices. Patients should be advised to pass those systems with avoiding longer exposure. The presence of an ICD is presently a contraindication for undergoing magnetic resonance imaging

Fewer ups and downs: daily stressors mediate age differences in negative affect.

Science.gov (United States)

Charles, Susan Turk; Luong, Gloria; Almeida, David M; Ryff, Carol; Sturm, Maggie; Love, Gayle

2010-05-01

The current study examined age differences in daily stressors, positive events (uplifts), and their associations with emotional experience among healthy older women. Women (N = 101, 63-93 years old) reported their daily experiences across 1 week. Older age was related to fewer stressors and less frequent negative affect. However, the association between negative affect and age was no longer significant after accounting for the occurrence of daily stressors. Older age was not significantly related to positive affect, although positive uplifts were reported less frequently with age. Findings provide a contextual explanation for emotional experience in very late life, where reduced exposure to stressors partially explains age-related reductions in negative affect.

Guidelines for enhancing learning curiosity of non-formal student using daily life context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mongkondaw Ornwipa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purposes of this study were: to study learning curiosity within student, teacher and administrators, and to suggest the student of non-formal education learning curiosity by using daily life context. A sample was selected from a group of student of non-formal education for 400 students, categorized to 184 students of secondary education, students of high school education 216, 40 teachers of non-formal education and 20 administrators with district level of the office of the Non - Formal and Informal Education by Multi - Stage Sampling. The research tools were surveyed by using questionnaire of students. The results of the study were as follows and the questionnaire as learning curiosity of the teacher and administrator from the Non - Formal and Informal Education awareness, and transcribing from focus group discussion. The quantitative analysis by the computer program (SPSS for statistical analysis and analyzing qualitative data by content analysis were included. The results of the study were as follows a student learning curiosity was in high level, a student supporting for learning curiosity in occupation was in high level, the teacher opinion for learning curiosity of student was in middle level. The supporting should be academic, Work and family consecutive. The administrator of the Non - Formal and Informal Education thought, learning curiosity of student was in middle level. The student should be gained occupation knowledge for the first, because of their lifestyle in the north eastern of Thailand; they needed to support their family. Almost citizens were agriculturist, gardener, farmer or merchandiser, and then to permit academic education, family and socialization, the occupation developing was given precedence.

Relationship between vascular dysfunction in peripheral arteries and ischemic episodes during daily life in patients with ischemic heart disease and hypercholesterolemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søndergaard, Eva; Møller, Jacob E; Egstrup, Kenneth

2002-01-01

cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate a significant relationship between ischemic episodes and vascular dysfunction in patients with ischemic heart disease and hypercholesterolemia and may justify an aggressive preventive therapy targeted directly at the endothelium.......BACKGROUND: It is well established that endothelial dysfunction is present in patients with ischemic heart disease and hypercholesterolemia. Some of these patients will have signs of transient myocardial ischemia during Holter monitoring. We sought to describe the correlation between daily life...... ischemia and signs of endothelial dysfunction as assessed by means of brachial vasoreactivity. METHODS: We included in the study 131 patients with documented ischemic heart disease and a serum cholesterol level of > or =5 mmol/L before the institution of lipid-lowering treatment and dietary intervention...

Hematopoietic properties of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor/immunoglobulin (G-CSF/IgG-Fc fusion proteins in normal and neutropenic rodents.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George N Cox

Full Text Available Previously we showed that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF in vitro bioactivity is preserved when the protein is joined via a flexible 7 amino acid linker to an immunoglobulin-1 (IgG1-Fc domain and that the G-CSF/IgG1-Fc fusion protein possessed a longer circulating half-life and improved hematopoietic properties compared to G-CSF in normal rats. We have extended this analysis by comparing the relative hematopoietic potencies of G-CSF/IgG1-Fc to G-CSF in normal mice and to G-CSF and polyethylene glycol (PEG -modified G-CSF in neutropenic rats. Mice were treated for 5 days using different doses and dosing regimens of G-CSF/IgG1-Fc or G-CSF and circulating neutrophil levels in the animals measured on Day 6. G-CSF/IgG1-Fc stimulated greater increases in blood neutrophils than comparable doses of G-CSF when administered using daily, every other day or every third day dosing regimens. In rats made neutropenic with cyclophosphamide, G-CSF/IgG1-Fc accelerated recovery of blood neutrophils to normal levels (from Day 9 to Day 5 when administered as 5 daily injections or as a single injection on Day 1. By contrast, G-CSF accelerated neutrophil recovery when administered as 5 daily injections, but not when administered as a single injection. G-CSF/IgG1-Fc was as effective as PEG-G-CSF at accelerating neutrophil recovery following a single injection in neutropenic rats. G-CSF/IgG1-Fc and G-CSF/IgG4-Fc fusion proteins in which the 7 amino acid linker was deleted also were effective at accelerating neutrophil recovery following a single injection in neutropenic rats. These studies confirm the enhanced in vivo hematopoietic properties of G-CSF/IgG-Fc fusion proteins.

[Impact of an Aspherical Aberration Correcting Monofocal Intraocular Lens on Patient Satisfaction for Daily Life Activities: The Heidelberg Daily Task Evaluation (DATE) Questionnaire].

Science.gov (United States)

Kretz, F T A; Son, H; Liebing, S; Tandogan, T; Auffarth, G U

2015-08-01

A clinical evaluation of the functional results and its impact on daily activities of an aspherical, aberration correcting intraocular lens (IOL) was undertaken. Twenty-one patients aged from 50 to 83 years underwent cataract surgery with implantation of the aspheric IOL (Tecnis ZCB00, Abbott Medical Optics). They were evaluated 2 to 4 months after surgery for their subjective satisfaction of vision quality and its impact on performance of daily activities as well as functional results and refractive outcome. Patients were asked to fill out a questionnaire - the Heidelberg DATE (DAily Tasks Evaluation) questionnaire. Significant changes from pre- to postoperative results were found in refraction (p ≤ 0.03), with a mean prediction error of + 0.21 ± 0.43 D. UDVA and CDVA improved significantly (p < 0.01), with a postoperative CDVA of 0.0 logMAR or better in 97.1 % of eyes. All patients would recommend the procedure to a relative or a friend and 93.8 % of patients reported to be satisfied with the outcome. The implantation of the aspheric IOL Tecnis ZCB00 after cataract surgery allows the restoration of visual function, providing an optimised optical quality and a high level of patient satisfaction. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Capitalizing on everyday positive events uniquely predicts daily intimacy and well-being in couples coping with breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Otto, Amy K; Laurenceau, Jean-Philippe; Siegel, Scott D; Belcher, Amber J

2015-02-01

Capitalization is the relational process of savoring positive life events by sharing them with responsive relationship partners. The purpose of the present study was to use dyadic intensive longitudinal methods to examine novel hypotheses regarding links between capitalization processes and daily intimacy and well-being in women with breast cancer and their intimate partners. Although couples coping with cancer often experience an increase in negative daily life events, we hypothesized that it would be important for them to share and capitalize on positive events in addition to sharing negative events. Female patients with early stage breast cancer and their intimate partners (99 couples) completed electronic daily diaries for 7 to 10 consecutive days tapping everyday processes of sharing negative and positive events with each other. Dyadic multilevel process modeling revealed that on days when capitalization attempts (i.e., sharing the best event of the day) occurred, daily feelings of intimacy in the sharer were higher for both patients and partners. Moreover, greater perceived partner responsiveness to capitalization attempts was associated with increases in the sharer's daily feelings of intimacy and decreases in the sharer's daily negative affect. When the patient's partner was the sharer, perceived partner responsiveness also was associated with increased daily positive affect. More important, all effects of capitalization were observed above and beyond the effects of event positivity and sharing negative events (i.e., social support attempts). Findings suggest that, even in the midst of significant life adversity, sharing daily good news with intimate partners enhances relationship well-being independently of sharing bad news. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

A comparison between patients with epiphora and cataract of the activity limitations they experience in daily life due to their visual disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohman, Elin; Wyon, Maria; Lundström, Mats; Dafgård Kopp, Eva

2018-02-01

The objective of this study was to compare patients with epiphora and cataract in terms of the activity limitations they experience in daily life due to their visual disability and to validate the use of the Catquest-9SF questionnaire for epiphora patients. Seventy-two consecutively encountered adult patients with confirmed lacrimal obstruction and listed for dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) or lacrimal intubation at the St. Erik Eye Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, completed the Catquest-9SF questionnaire, which measures activity limitations in daily life due to visual disability. The psychometric qualities of the Catquest-9SF results obtained from this group of patients were evaluated by Rasch analysis. Rasch analysis was further employed to convert the ordinal raw data to a Rasch score for comparison with the preoperative scores of patients registered in the Swedish National Cataract Register (NCR) during March 2013. The Catquest-9SF exhibited good psychometric qualities when investigating epiphora patients, with the exception of a misfit for Item 4, the item regarding facial recognition. On the Rasch scale (-5.43 = no activity limitations to +5.01 = severe activity limitations), the mean score for epiphora patients was -0.82 while for patients listed for 1st eye and 2nd eye cataract surgery it was -0.17 and -0.76, respectively. An equivalence test confirmed that the reported visual disability of epiphora patients was not significantly different from visual disability reported by patients waiting for 2nd eye cataract surgery. The Catquest-9SF is a valid measure of visual disability in patients with epiphora. Epiphora patients experience visual disability to the same degree as patients awaiting 2nd eye cataract surgery. © 2017 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Intent to Quit among Daily and Non-Daily College Student Smokers

Science.gov (United States)

Pinsker, E. A.; Berg, C. J.; Nehl, E. J.; Prokhorov, A. V.; Buchanan, T. S.; Ahluwalia, J. S.

2013-01-01

Given the high prevalence of young adult smoking, we examined (i) psychosocial factors and substance use among college students representing five smoking patterns and histories [non-smokers, quitters, native non-daily smokers (i.e. never daily smokers), converted non-daily smokers (i.e. former daily smokers) and daily smokers] and (ii) smoking…

Positive affective functioning in anhedonic individuals' daily life : Anything but Flat and Blunted

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heininga, V E; Van Roekel, E; Ahles, J J; Oldehinkel, A J; Mezulis, A H

2017-01-01

Background Anhedonia, the decreased interest and pleasure, is often described as 'flat' or 'blunted' positive affect (PA). Yet, little is known about PA functioning in anhedonic individuals' daily lives. The current study investigates PA reactivity to pleasurable experiences in anhedonia together

Microbial profiles of commercial, vacuum-packaged, fresh pork of normal or short storage life.

Science.gov (United States)

Holley, Richard A; Peirson, Michael D; Lam, Jocelyn; Tan, Kit Bee

2004-12-01

The microbial ecology of fresh vacuum-packed pork cuts during storage at -1.5 degrees C for up to 45 days was examined to characterize rates of microbial growth and pH changes in commercially prepared products of normal storage quality. Pork loins in commercial distribution with odour defects were also studied to determine a possible cause of the defects and avoid future problems. In addition, microbial profiles of pork cuts from two plants were compared, after storage for 25 days at -1.5 degrees C, to identify possible reasons for differences in the storage life of product from the plants. The effects of a change in sanitation procedures on the microbial populations of products stored for 25 days were also studied. With normal product, microbial growth in different packages progressed at different rates, reflecting differences in initial levels of bacterial contamination. All samples in the study reached 8 weeks without apparent organoleptic change and samples carried 5.8+/-1.2 log bacteria cm(-2) (mean+/-S.D.). The flora of loins with the odour defect were predominately lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and carnobacteria, but they contained large fractions of Enterobacteriaceae spoiled products, but species of Enterobacteriaceae and lactic acid bacteria could have contributed to spoilage. Comparison of microbial groups present in 16 other cuts, half from each of two commercial plants, which were stored for 25 days at -1.5 degrees C, showed that larger fractions of Enterobacteriaceae were present in samples from the plant having difficulty achieving the desired storage life. Additional bacterial samples from 12 cuts supplied by the latter plant obtained after adoption of an acid sanitizer step in the plant cleaning regimen, and also stored for 25 days at -1.5 degrees C, yielded few Enterobacteriaceae, Aeromonas or Shewanella. Use of an acid sanitizer in plant cleaning may be a means of controlling alkali-tolerant bacteria such as Aeromonas or Shewanella which can

The impact on society and daily life, part 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1981-01-01

Atomic bombs release enormous energy in the multiple forms of heat, blast and radiation, and have the capability of massive devastation and death. The massive destruction occurs instantly and sweepingly without discrimination. The atomic bombing damages far exceeded all levels of preparedness in both cities destroyed totally. Most crucial of all was the enormous radioactivity released by the atomic bombings. People who escaped death lost family members and friends and were deprived of the places to live and work. The bombings brought about the collapse of society itself and the total disintegration of human life. The after effects of both heat and radiation injuries seriously handicapped the efforts of A-bomb victims to restore their health and livelihood. The black rain containing radioactive substances spread out over wide areas. The number of people killed and the wealth lost by the atomic bombings in both cities were estimated, but the precise calculations are virtually impossible. The horrors of the atomic bombings did not end with the massive destruction, but continued to haunt and handicap people and communities for succeeding generations. The life and livelihood of the A-bomb victims are reported. (Kako, I.)

Exercise and sleep predict personal resources in employees' daily lives.

Science.gov (United States)

Nägel, Inga J; Sonnentag, Sabine

2013-11-01

The present study investigates the interaction of exercise and sleep on state-like personal resources in employees' daily lives. Further, the study examines the association between state-like personal resources and emotional exhaustion. We conducted a diary study over five consecutive working days (total of 443 days) with 144 employees who answered daily online surveys after work and before bedtime. Multilevel modeling showed that exercise after work was positively related to the next day's personal resources when sleep duration during the night time was longer compared to other nights. Furthermore, personal resources positively related to lower emotional exhaustion after work on the next day. This study demonstrates that exercise and sleep may help to renew personal resources. Results stress the importance of balancing exercise and sleep in daily life. © 2013 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

Connected up to Sound. Approach to the Musical Consumption of Young People´s Daily Life in Santiago de Cuba

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MSc. Ligia Lavielle-Pullés

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Among the different cultural consumptions of young people, the musical consumption is one of the most trascendent. This is the topic of the following paper, which main proposal lies on the constant presence of musical sounds in youth daily life. Leisure, relaxation, sensation of company and moods are  transmitted by music. Besides, other cultural productions, artistic or not, such as, audiovisual materials are blended with musical products and take high places on people’s preferences. This research i based on the theoretical frameworks of consumption and youth. The narrow communion of quantitative and qualitative methodologies has allowed to articulate it and get an interpretative criteria about the musical consumption process, in which it has been important the consideration of the sound singularity and its influence in the media. Keywords: musical consumption, youth, musical preferences.

Update of Inpatient Treatment for Refractory Chronic Daily Headache.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Tzu-Hsien; Wang, Shuu-Jiun

2016-01-01

Chronic daily headache (CDH) is a group of headache disorders, in which headaches occur daily or near-daily (>15 days per month) and last for more than 3 months. Important CDH subtypes include chronic migraine, chronic tension-type headache, hemicrania continua, and new daily persistent headache. Other headaches with shorter durations (headache and various psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Indications of inpatient treatment for CDH patients include poor responses to outpatient management, need for detoxification for overuse of specific medications (particularly opioids and barbiturates), and severe psychiatric comorbidities. Inpatient treatment usually involves stopping acute pain, preventing future attacks, and detoxifying medication overuse if present. Multidisciplinary integrated care that includes medical staff from different disciplines (e.g., psychiatry, clinical psychology, and physical therapy) has been recommended. The outcomes of inpatient treatment are satisfactory in terms of decreasing headache intensity or frequency, withdrawal from medication overuse, reducing disability, and improving life quality, although long-term relapse is not uncommon. In conclusion, inpatient treatment may be useful for select patients with refractory CDH and should be incorporated in a holistic headache care program.

Electronic aids to daily living: be able to do what you want.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Verdonck, Michèle Claire

2011-01-01

This study explores the experiences of Irish people with high cervical spinal cord injuries living with electronic aids to daily living (EADL) and the meaning attributed to such systems in the context of participation in everyday life.

Wise reasoning in the face of everyday life challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grossmann, Igor; Gerlach, Tanja M.; Denissen, J.J.A.

2016-01-01

How stable vs. dynamic is wisdom in daily life? We conducted a daily diary study of wise reasoning (WR) by recording people's reflections on daily challenges in terms of three facets: intellectual humility, self-transcendence, and consideration of others' perspectives/compromise. We observed

Chronic and Daily Stressors Along With Negative Affect Interact to Predict Daily Tiredness.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartsell, Elizabeth N; Neupert, Shevaun D

2017-11-01

The present study examines the within-person relationship of daily stressors and tiredness and whether this depends on daily negative affect and individual differences in chronic stress. One hundred sixteen older adult participants were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk for a 9-day daily diary study. Daily tiredness, daily stressors, and negative affect were measured each day, and chronic stress was measured at baseline. Daily stressors, daily negative affect, and chronic stress interacted to predict daily tiredness. People with high chronic stress who experienced an increase in daily negative affect were the most reactive to daily stressors in terms of experiencing an increase in daily tiredness. We also found that people with low levels of chronic stress were the most reactive to daily stressors when they experienced low levels of daily negative affect. Our results highlight the need for individualized and contextualized approaches to combating daily tiredness in older adults.

Why embedding Health ICT in daily practice is not that easy.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Swinkels, I.

2017-01-01

Background: The prospects of information and communication technologies (ICT) seem endless. In daily life ICT is fully embedded, but in healthcare its uptake and use does not reach its potential yet despite high expectations. Policymakers promote Health ICT widely, e.g. by policy letters, investing

Potential of Exoskeleton Technology to Assist Older Adults with Daily Living

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jung, Merel Madeleine; Ludden, Geke D.S.

Mobility impairments can prevent older adults from performing their daily activities which highly impacts a person's quality of life. Exoskeleton technology can assist older adults by providing additional support to compensate for age-related decline in muscle strength. To date little is known about

Development of evaluation method of collective dose of general public considering the daily life activity and time use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagaoka, Toshi; Saito, Kimiaki; Sakamoto, Ryuichi; Tsutsumi, Masahiro; Moriuchi, Shigeru

1994-11-01

A code for evaluation of collective dose of general public to natural radiation has been developed, in which the variation of dose rate due to place of stay is taken into consideration. Only external exposure to natural radiation is subject to discussion in this report. Strict manner of dose evaluation requires the dose rate and the time period of stay for each place and for each person. It is possible to know (measure) them all, but not practicable. In this code, dose rate information was obtained from actually measured data by the authors and estimation based on the environmental conditions. Information on the time period of stay was obtained from a Survey Data on Time Use and Leisure Activities by Management and Coordination Agency, and from Statistical Yearbook of Tokyo with some realistic assumptions. By using them, collective dose was evaluated taking both the daily life style and dose rate varying place by place into consideration. In this report, the dose evaluation code and the results about doses for Tokyo citizens are mentioned. (author)

Intent to quit among daily and non-daily college student smokers

OpenAIRE

Pinsker, E. A.; Berg, C. J.; Nehl, E. J.; Prokhorov, A. V.; Buchanan, T. S.; Ahluwalia, J. S.

2012-01-01

Given the high prevalence of young adult smoking, we examined (i) psychosocial factors and substance use among college students representing five smoking patterns and histories [non-smokers, quitters, native non-daily smokers (i.e. never daily smokers), converted non-daily smokers (i.e. former daily smokers) and daily smokers] and (ii) smoking category as it relates to readiness to quit among current smokers. Of the 4438 students at six Southeast colleges who completed an online survey, 69.7%...

CT of Normal Developmental and Variant Anatomy of the Pediatric Skull: Distinguishing Trauma from Normality.

Science.gov (United States)

Idriz, Sanjin; Patel, Jaymin H; Ameli Renani, Seyed; Allan, Rosemary; Vlahos, Ioannis

2015-01-01

The use of computed tomography (CT) in clinical practice has been increasing rapidly, with the number of CT examinations performed in adults and children rising by 10% per year in England. Because the radiology community strives to reduce the radiation dose associated with pediatric examinations, external factors, including guidelines for pediatric head injury, are raising expectations for use of cranial CT in the pediatric population. Thus, radiologists are increasingly likely to encounter pediatric head CT examinations in daily practice. The variable appearance of cranial sutures at different ages can be confusing for inexperienced readers of radiologic images. The evolution of multidetector CT with thin-section acquisition increases the clarity of some of these sutures, which may be misinterpreted as fractures. Familiarity with the normal anatomy of the pediatric skull, how it changes with age, and normal variants can assist in translating the increased resolution of multidetector CT into more accurate detection of fractures and confident determination of normality, thereby reducing prolonged hospitalization of children with normal developmental structures that have been misinterpreted as fractures. More important, the potential morbidity and mortality related to false-negative interpretation of fractures as normal sutures may be avoided. The authors describe the normal anatomy of all standard pediatric sutures, common variants, and sutural mimics, thereby providing an accurate and safe framework for CT evaluation of skull trauma in pediatric patients. (©)RSNA, 2015.

Smoking status and abdominal obesity among normal- and overweight/obese adults: Population-based FINRISK study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eeva-Liisa Tuovinen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Several studies have reported direct associations of smoking with body mass index (BMI and abdominal obesity. However, the interplay between them is poorly understood. Our first aim was to investigate the interaction between smoking status and BMI on abdominal obesity (waist circumference, WC. Our second aim was to examine how the association of smoking status with WC varies among normal and overweight/obese men and women. We examined 5833 participants from the National FINRISK 2007 Study. The interactions between smoking and BMI on WC were analyzed. Participants were categorized into eight groups according to BMI (normal weight vs. overweight/obese and smoking status (never smoker, ex-smoker, occasional/light/moderate daily smoker, heavy daily smoker. The associations between each BMI/smoking status -group and WC were analyzed by multiple regressions, the normal-weight never smokers as the reference group. The smoking status by BMI-interaction on WC was significant for women, but not for men. Among the overweight/obese women, ex-smokers (β = 2.73; 1.99, 3.46 and heavy daily smokers (β = 4.90; 3.35, 6.44 had the highest estimates for WC when adjusted for age, BMI, alcohol consumption and physical activity. In comparison to never smoking overweight/obese women, the β-coefficients of ex-smokers and heavy daily smokers were significantly higher. Among men and normal weight women the β -coefficients did not significantly differ by smoking status. An interaction between smoking status and BMI on abdominal obesity was observed in women: overweight/obese heavy daily smokers were particularly vulnerable for abdominal obesity. This risk group should be targeted for cardiovascular disease prevention.

The effects of conscientiousness on the appraisals of daily stressors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gartland, Nicola; O'Connor, Daryl B; Lawton, Rebecca

2012-02-01

Conscientiousness (C) is positively associated with health and longevity although the mechanisms underlying this relationship are not fully understood. Stress may play a role in explaining the C-longevity relationship. This study investigated whether C predicted the cognitive appraisals of daily stressors/hassles. Participants (N=102) completed measures of C and cognitive appraisal in relation to the most stressful hassle they had experienced in the last 7 days. Correlational analysis revealed that Total C, Order and Industriousness were positively correlated with primary appraisals, and Responsibility was positively correlated with secondary appraisals. The facets of C were then entered into hierarchical regression models, controlling for age and gender. This demonstrated that Order (β=0.27, paccounting for 15.8% of the variance. Responsibility significantly predicted secondary appraisals (β=0.44, paccounting for 16.3% of the variance. These findings indicate that higher Order and Industriousness are related to having a greater stake in daily stressors, whereas higher Responsibility is related to greater confidence in one's ability to deal with daily stressors. These results are the first demonstration that C is related to the appraisals of daily hassles and suggest that C may moderate the experience of stress in daily life. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Loneliness, Daily Pain, and Perceptions of Interpersonal Events in Adults with Fibromyalgia

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Laurie Dempsey; Davis, Mary C.

2014-01-01

Objective This study examined whether individual differences in loneliness and/or daily exacerbations in loneliness relate to daily pain and frequency and perception of interpersonal events among individuals with fibromyalgia (FM). Methods 118 participants with FM completed electronic diaries each evening for 21 days to assess the occurrence of positive and negative interpersonal events, event appraisals, and pain. Multilevel modeling was used to examine relations of chronic and transitory loneliness to daily life outcomes, controlling for daily depressive symptoms. Results Chronic and transitory loneliness were associated with more frequent reports of negative and less frequent reports of positive interpersonal daily events, higher daily stress ratings and lower daily enjoyment ratings, and higher daily pain levels. Neither chronic nor transitory loneliness moderated the relations between daily negative events and either stress appraisals or pain. However, both chronic and transitory loneliness moderated the relation between daily positive events and enjoyment appraisals. Specifically, on days of greater numbers of positive events than usual, lonely people had larger boosts in enjoyment than did nonlonely people. Similarly, days with greater than usual numbers of positive events were related to larger boosts in enjoyment if an individual was also experiencing higher than usual loneliness levels. Conclusions Chronic and transient episodes of loneliness are associated with more negative daily social relations and pain. However, boosts in positive events yield greater boosts in day-to-day enjoyment of social relations for lonely versus nonlonely individuals, and during loneliness episodes, a finding that can inform future interventions for individuals with chronic pain. PMID:25180546

Spillover of interpersonal conflicts from work to family life : a daily diary study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martinez Corts, I.; Demerouti, E.; Bakker, A.B.; Boz, M.

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 20(3) of Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (see record 2015-15847-001). There was a misspelling in the figures. The legends for Figure 1 and Figure 2 should read “High Daily Resilience”.] This study among a heterogeneous

A critical commentary on Derek Morgan's unpublished manuscript: 'coming Back to Life: The Normal Chaos of Medical Law' and how to deal with property in human cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Capps, Benjamin J

2014-01-01

This article is an analysis of Derek Morgan's manuscript-'Coming Back to Life: The Normal Chaos of Medical Law', which remained unpublished at his death in 2011. Morgan made two claims in the manuscript: (1) medical practitioners and patients approach health from the different perspectives of 'reason' and 'emotion' respectively, while medical law treads the line between these ultimately resulting in 'normal chaos'. (2) In this respect, medical law ought to be coaxed 'back to life' so that it can address broader principles and values in respect to practical resolution; however, it has, in the face of this chaos, become dull in its ambitions. In this article, I first analyse these two claims in detail, before, second, illustrating the 'normal chaos' of medical law using the debate over ownership of human cells and tissues. I draw my own conclusions as to whether Morgan's final thesis was successful. © The Author [2014]. Published by Oxford University Press; all rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Retrieval cue and delay interval influence the relationship between prospective memory and activities of daily living in older adults.

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Tierney, Savanna M; Bucks, Romola S; Weinborn, Michael; Hodgson, Erica; Woods, Steven Paul

2016-01-01

Older adults commonly experience mild declines in everyday functioning and the strategic aspects of prospective memory (PM). This study used multiprocess theory to examine whether the strategic demands of retrieval cue type (event vs. time based) and delay interval length (2 vs. 15 min) influence the relationship between PM and activities of daily living (ADLs) in older adults. Participants included 97 community-dwelling older adults recruited from the Western Australia Participant Pool. Participants were administered the Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST) and Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ) as part of a larger neurocognitive assessment. A knowledgeable informant completed the Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire (ADLQ), from which a cutpoint of ≥ 1 was used to classify participants into "ADL normal" (n = 37) or "mild ADL problems" (n = 60) groups. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) controlling for age was conducted with ADL group as the between-subjects factor and either MIST or PRMQ cue and delay scores as the within-subjects factors. We observed a significant ADL group by PM interaction on the MIST, with pair-wise analyses showing that the mild ADL problems group performed worse than ADL normal participants on the 15-min time-based scale (p cue-delay variable differed between the two ADL groups (ps > .10). Findings indicate that decrements in strategically demanding cue monitoring and detection over longer PM delays may partly explain older adults' mild problems in everyday functioning. Findings may inform neuropsychological interventions aimed at maintaining ADL independence and enhancing quality of life in older adults.

Explorative evaluation of the impact of premenstrual disorder on daily functioning and quality of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Heinemann, Lothar A J; Do Minh, Thai; Filonenko, Anna; Uhl-Hochgräber, Kerstin

2010-06-01

: To assess the effects of premenstrual disorders on health-related quality of life (HR-QOL), hobbies and social activities, and relationships with others in the multinational IMPACT study. : Women aged 15-45 years were screened for suspected premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and invited to participate in this web-based study. Based on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP), prospectively assessed over two observational cycles, participants were grouped into two categories: no perceived symptoms/mild PMS or moderate-to-severe PMS/PMDD. HR-QOL was assessed retrospectively at baseline using the SF-12. : Overall, 1477 women started the study. Of these, 822 (56%) completed the DRSP and SF-12 questionnaires as planned. Moderate-to-severe PMS/PMDD was associated with a reduction in HR-QOL compared with no perceived symptoms/mild PMS for both mental component scores (34.5 ± 8.7 vs 39.0 ± 9.5) and physical component scores (48.9 ± 7.9 vs 51.1 ± 7.2). Women with moderate-to-severe PMS/PMDD experienced a significantly greater mean number of days with at least moderate interference with hobbies or social activities (5.6 vs 1.1 day; p PMS. : Moderate-to-severe PMS/PMDD has a negative impact on HR-QOL, hobbies and social activities, and relationships with others. Studies with a confirmatory design are needed to confirm these results.

Mobile Health Applications in Digital Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deniz Sezgin

2014-12-01

Full Text Available With the effect of recent rapid developments in communication technologies, every day, various new experiences are introduced into daily life practices. The spread of smart devices and the increase in their accessibility causes a reorganization of the information concerning the daily life via smart phones, tablets, all peripheral devices which can communicate with them, and applications which are installed in these devices. There is also a rapid development in the field of health which has an important position among the fastest growing fields in digital life; and the information and possibilities which are provided by mobile health applications to people who are not health care professionals are also developing rapidly. In this study, health applications which are developed for IOS operating system and presented to the consumers through Apple App-Store on Apple I-Phone and I-Pad mobile devices are examined in order to reveal what mobile health applications as new practices of daily life offer in terms of health and how they direct the individuals towards healthy behaviour; and some of the most frequently used free applications are included as sample applications. Mobile health applications offer many conveniences to the patients or the caretakers of patients such as reminding about medicines or treatments, and administering and monitoring simple treatments.

Transitions in the wrong direction? Digital technologies and daily life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Røpke, Inge; Christensen, Toke Haunstrup

2013-01-01

The environmental implications of information and communication technology (ICT) have been the subject of study since the early 1990s. Although previous research covers energy issues quite extensively, the treatment of the energy impacts of ICT integration in everyday life is still inadequate. Th...

The influence of exercise intervention upon quality of life and activity of daily living in elderly people who use nursing care insurance services

OpenAIRE

竹内, 亮

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to confirm the importance of enhancing quality of life (QOL) and activity of daily living (ADL) in elderly people, and to examine methods of exercise intervention for QOL and ADL outcomes in elderly people who use nursing care insurance services. Chapter 2 clarifies the relationship between QOL, ADL, and changes in the level of independence in elderly residents. Higher QOL outcomes (sense of well-being, satisfaction with social support, independence, and beh...

Exploratory Study of Depressed Adolescents’ Life Narratives

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Aurore Boulard

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the life stories of depressive adolescents and compare them with non-clinical adolescents’ life stories. Methods: For this purpose, we compared 20 life stories of hospitalized adolescents suffering from major depressive episode with 40 life stories of adolescents attending school divided into two groups: 20 non-depressed and 20 depressed adolescents. Results: Results showed that life stories differed as a function of psychopathology. Depressed hospitalized adolescents spoke about their disease and defined themselves by their depression. The depressed adolescents in school concentrated on schooling and school achievements, while the non-depressed group defined themselves by their family, friends and inclusion in a peer group. Conclusion: These analyses allowed us to highlight specific themes mentioned by each of the three groups of adolescents. Although life stories are personal and unique, analysis of such stories allows us to better understand the daily reality of depressive adolescents and the relationships between the life events they experience, daily stressors, depression and how they construct their personal history.

Negative consequences associated with dependence in daily cannabis users

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Earleywine Mitch

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cannabis is the most widely consumed illicit substance in America, with increasing rates of use. Some theorists tend to link frequency of use with cannabis dependence. Nevertheless, fewer than half of daily cannabis users meet DSM-IV-TR criteria for cannabis dependence. This study seeks to determine whether the negative aspects associated with cannabis use can be explained by a proxy measure of dependence instead of by frequency of use. Results Over 2500 adult daily cannabis users completed an Internet survey consisting of measures of cannabis and other drug use, in addition to measures of commonly reported negative problems resulting from cannabis use. We compared those who met a proxy measure of DSM-IV-TR criteria for cannabis dependence (N = 1111 to those who did not meet the criteria (N = 1770. Cannabis dependent subjects consumed greater amounts of cannabis, alcohol, and a variety of other drugs. They also had lower levels of motivation, happiness, and satisfaction with life, with higher levels of depression and respiratory symptoms. Conclusion Although all of our subjects reported daily use, only those meeting proxy criteria for cannabis dependence reported significant associated problems. Our data suggest that dependence need not arise from daily use, but consuming larger amounts of cannabis and other drugs undoubtedly increases problems.

DIMENSIONS OF BEAUTIFUL: DAILY LIFE AND VOCAL ART OF MBYA-GUARANI

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Elizabeth Pissolato

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Based on Joanna Overing´s concept of “aesthetics of production” (1991, which is the framework for a set of researches whose central analysis of the social indian Amazon brings to the fore the notions of “conviviality and daily life” (OVERING & PASSES, 2000, this paper intends to discuss the dimensions of “beauty” in the Mbya (Guarani experience. It aims, on one hand, at approaching the multiple aspects of “doing beautifully” vesus “doing well” (-japo porã, which guides human behavior, and, on the other hand, thinking about the making and experience of “good/beautiful” in the context of music and ritual dancing.

The effects of video observation of chewing during lunch on masticatory ability, food intake, cognition, activities of daily living, depression, and quality of life in older adults with dementia: a study protocol of an adjusted randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Douma, Johanna G; Volkers, Karin M; Vuijk, Pieter Jelle; Scherder, Erik J A

2016-02-04

Masticatory functioning alters with age. However, mastication has been found to be related to, for example, cognitive functioning, food intake, and some aspects of activities of daily living. Since cognitive functioning and activities of daily living show a decline in older adults with dementia, improving masticatory functioning may be of relevance to them. A possible way to improve mastication may be showing videos of people who are chewing. Observing chewing movements may activate the mirror neuron system, which becomes also activated during the execution of that same movement. The primary hypothesis is that the observation of chewing has a beneficial effect on masticatory functioning, or, more specifically, masticatory ability of older adults with dementia. Secondary, the intervention is hypothesized to have beneficial effects on food intake, cognition, activities of daily living, depression, and quality of life. An adjusted parallel randomized controlled trial is being performed in dining rooms of residential care settings. Older adults with dementia, for whom also additional eligibility criteria apply, are randomly assigned to the experimental (videos of chewing people) or control condition (videos of nature and buildings), by drawing folded pieces of paper. Participants who are able to watch each other's videos are assigned to the same study condition. The intervention takes place during lunchtime, from Monday to Friday, for 3 months. During four moments of measurement, masticatory ability, food intake, cognitive functioning, activities of daily living, depression, and quality of life are assessed. Tests administrators blind to the group allocation administer the tests to participants. The goal of this study is to examine the effects of video observation of chewing on masticatory ability and several secondary outcome measures. In this study, the observation of chewing is added to the execution of the same action (i.e., during eating). Beneficial effects on

Impact of long-term HPN on daily life in adults.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Persoon, A.; Huisman-de Waal, G.J.; Naber, A.H.J.; Schoonhoven, L.; Tas, T.; Sauerwein, H.P.; Achterberg, T. van

2005-01-01

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is a therapy that changes life radically and often means lifelong dependence on parenteral feeding. The aim of this study was to gain insight into problems experienced by adult patients who were dependent on long-term HPN. METHODS: A survey was

The sonority of the daily life of the Castilian cities in times of the Catholic Monarchs

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Gisela Beatriz Coronado Schwindt

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Throughout history, societies have experienced their everyday lives through sensory models built by them, determining a field of possibilities of the visible and the invisible, the tactile and non-tactile, olfactory and odorless, the taste and the insipid thing. The senses, in addition to be a means of perception of physical experiences, can be conceptualised as social phenomena and historical formations since their meanings are modified over time. Actively involved in the social construction of a culture due to sensory perceptions include, while at the same time define, the areas in which the economic and political activities, and social practices are developed. Different sounds of human beings, issued by themselves or caused by words, deeds, gestures, etc., tell us about their attitudes, practices and conflicts within the framework of their social reality. Gathered in a time and space they form a specific soundscape plausible to analyze in their social and historical significance. Through these pages, we propose to understand the intervention that exercises various sounds in the social configuration of the Castilian cities during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs. This analysis is carried out through the narration of daily life in late medieval and early modern times, based on different written sources of the period. The exercise we set ourselves is to reread the documentation available to the historian from a cultural and sensory perspective.

Impact of long-term HPN on daily life in adults

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Persoon, Anke; Huisman-de Waal, Getty; Naber, Ton A.; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Tas, Tirzah; Sauerwein, Hans; van Achterberg, Theo

2005-01-01

Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is a therapy that changes life radically and often means lifelong dependence on parenteral feeding. The aim of this study was to gain insight into problems experienced by adult patients who were dependent on long-term HPN. A survey was performed on all patients at the

Application of Markov chain model to daily maximum temperature for thermal comfort in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nordin, Muhamad Asyraf bin Che; Hassan, Husna

2015-01-01

The Markov chain’s first order principle has been widely used to model various meteorological fields, for prediction purposes. In this study, a 14-year (2000-2013) data of daily maximum temperatures in Bayan Lepas were used. Earlier studies showed that the outdoor thermal comfort range based on physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) index in Malaysia is less than 34°C, thus the data obtained were classified into two state: normal state (within thermal comfort range) and hot state (above thermal comfort range). The long-run results show the probability of daily temperature exceed TCR will be only 2.2%. On the other hand, the probability daily temperature within TCR will be 97.8%

An introduction to the Micrel Micropump MP Daily portable syringe driver.

Science.gov (United States)

Groves, Karen E

2003-11-01

In this article the author describes the Micrel Micropump MP Daily (MP Daily) portable syringe driver. This follows the author's experience of a 4-month pilot of the device by an inpatient palliative care unit. Portable syringe drivers are commonly used to deliver continuous subcutaneous infusions in palliative care situations. Those in current use are not without problems and serious adverse events have occasionally been reported, mainly resulting from confusion between models. The MP Daily syringe driver addresses some of these issues while remaining small, lightweight and inexpensive, with a long battery life and fitting into the pocket of a shirt of pyjama jacket. Improvements over current models include an on/off button, the absence of facilities to set a zero rate or change the rate once the syringe driver is running, and the absence of a boost button. In addition, there are improved alarms, a message display system and a configuration menu. Although confusion remains a problem, and the ideal has not yet been reached, the MP Daily goes some considerable way towards reducing risks and opportunities for human error.

Bioequivalence and Safety of Twice-Daily Sustained-Release Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) Compared With 3- and 4-Times-Daily Paracetamol: A Repeat-Dose, Crossover Pharmacokinetic Study in Healthy Volunteers.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dongzhou J; Collaku, Agron

2018-01-01

Twice-daily sustained-release (SR) paracetamol (acetaminophen) offers convenient administration to chronic users. This study investigated at steady state (during the last 24 hours of a 3-day dosing period) the pharmacokinetics, bioequivalence, and safety of twice-daily SR paracetamol compared with extended-release (ER) and immediate-release (IR) paracetamol. In this open-label, randomized, multidose, 3-way crossover study, 28 healthy subjects received paracetamol SR (2 × 1000 mg twice daily), ER (2 × 665 mg 3 times daily), and IR (2 × 500 mg 4 times daily). At steady state, twice-daily SR paracetamol was bioequivalent to ER and IR paracetamol. The 90% confidence intervals for the ratios of geometric means were within the acceptance interval for SR/ER paracetamol (AUC 0-t , 0.973-1.033; AUC 0-24 , 0.974-1.034; AUC 0-∞ , 0.948-1.011; C max , 1.082-1.212; C av , 1.011-1.106) and SR/IR paracetamol (AUC 0-t , 0.969-1.029; AUC 0-24 , 0.968-1.027; AUC 0-∞ , 0.963-1.026; C max , 0.902-1.010; C av , 1.004-1.098). Given twice daily, the SR formulation demonstrated SR properties as expected. Mean time at or above a 4 μg/mL plasma concentration of paracetamol from 2 daily doses of the SR formulation was significantly longer than that from 4 daily doses of IR paracetamol. SR formulation also had a greater T max , a longer half-life, and lower C min compared with ER and IR paracetamol. All formulations were well tolerated. © 2017, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Daily Patterns of Stress and Conflict in Couples: Associations with Marital Aggression and Family-of-Origin Aggression

Science.gov (United States)

Timmons, Adela C.; Arbel, Reout; Margolin, Gayla

2016-01-01

For many married individuals, the ups and downs of daily life are connected such that stressors impacting one person also impact the other person. For example, stress experienced by one individual may “spill over” to negatively impact marital functioning. This study used both partners’ daily diary data to examine same-day and cross-day links between stress and marital conflict and tested several factors that make couples vulnerable to spillover. Assessment of 25 wide-ranging sources of daily stress included both paid and unpaid work, health issues, financial concerns, and having to make difficult decisions. Results showed that both husbands and wives’ experience of total daily stress were associated with greater same-day marital conflict and that conflict was greater on days both spouses experienced high levels of stress. Evidence of cross-day spillover was found only in those couples with high concurrent marital aggression and in couples where wives reported high family-of-origin aggression. These results highlight both the common, anticipated nature of same-day spillover and the potentially problematic aspects of more prolonged patterns representing failure to recover from stressors that occurred the previous day. The discussion focuses on how reactivity in one life domain puts that individual at risk for generating stress in another life domain and how current marital aggression and family-of-origin aggression are associated with difficulty recovering from stressful events. PMID:27504754

‘Normal Parliament’: Exploring the Organisation of Everyday Political Life in an MEP’s Office

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amy Busby

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The Lisbon Treaty has again enhanced the role and powers of the European Parliament [EP] and therefore increased the workload of individual MEPs. However many citizens remain unaware of what MEPs do and how they represent them. This paper reviews the academic literature and argues that we need to know more about how individual MEPs practise European politics inside this institution. Throughout, it argues that ethnography can play a key role in opening up this institutional black-box and enhancing our understanding of this profession by focusing on daily activities and backstage processes. It begins by exploring the working environment of MEPs, which is characterised by shortage of time, constant travelling, information overload, and highly technical issues. Secondly, it describes strategies MEPs employ to pursue their aims here, namely: specialisation, filtering, employing assistants, and information management. Thirdly, it draws comparisons with other professional fields to remind us the EP is a normal professional work environment. The contributions are twofold: the article provides a deeper, more nuanced, and more holistic understanding of (individual MEP behaviour; and also helps to demystify the profession and thus help alleviate the democratic deficit by beginning to close the gap between politicians and citizens.

Physical activity patterns in morbidly obese and normal-weight women.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Soyang; Mohammad, Jamal; Samuel, Isaac

2011-01-01

To compare physical activity patterns between morbidly obese and normal-weight women. Daily physical activity of 18 morbidly obese and 7 normal-weight women aged 30-58 years was measured for 2 days using the Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and Activity (IDEEA) device. The obese group spent about 2 hr/day less standing and 30 min/day less walking than did the normal-weight group. Time spent standing (standing time) was positively associated with time spent walking (walking time). Age- and walking time-adjusted standing time did not differ according to weight status. Promoting standing may be a strategy to increase walking.

Normality in Analytical Psychology

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Steve

2013-01-01

Although C.G. Jung’s interest in normality wavered throughout his career, it was one of the areas he identified in later life as worthy of further research. He began his career using a definition of normality which would have been the target of Foucault’s criticism, had Foucault chosen to review Jung’s work. However, Jung then evolved his thinking to a standpoint that was more aligned to Foucault’s own. Thereafter, the post Jungian concept of normality has remained relatively undeveloped by comparison with psychoanalysis and mainstream psychology. Jung’s disjecta membra on the subject suggest that, in contemporary analytical psychology, too much focus is placed on the process of individuation to the neglect of applications that consider collective processes. Also, there is potential for useful research and development into the nature of conflict between individuals and societies, and how normal people typically develop in relation to the spectrum between individuation and collectivity. PMID:25379262

Normality in Analytical Psychology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steve Myers

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Although C.G. Jung’s interest in normality wavered throughout his career, it was one of the areas he identified in later life as worthy of further research. He began his career using a definition of normality which would have been the target of Foucault’s criticism, had Foucault chosen to review Jung’s work. However, Jung then evolved his thinking to a standpoint that was more aligned to Foucault’s own. Thereafter, the post Jungian concept of normality has remained relatively undeveloped by comparison with psychoanalysis and mainstream psychology. Jung’s disjecta membra on the subject suggest that, in contemporary analytical psychology, too much focus is placed on the process of individuation to the neglect of applications that consider collective processes. Also, there is potential for useful research and development into the nature of conflict between individuals and societies, and how normal people typically develop in relation to the spectrum between individuation and collectivity.

VISUAL ABILITY IN AMBLYOPIC CHILDREN COMPARED TO CHILDREN WITH NORMAL VISUAL ACUITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zorica Tončić

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Vision rehabilitation in adults with low vision, even in children, is achieved with special devices, called low vision aids, LVA. The aim of the study is to determine the degree of visual function in amblyopic children and daily activities that are best related to those of normally sighted peers with normal visual acuity. The subjects were divided into two groups, matched 1:1 by age and gender: the first group consisted of 19 amblyopic children, and the second one consisted of 19 children with normal visual acuity. The questionnaire used to assess visual ability was Cardiff Visual Ability Questionnaire for Children (CVAQC, a reliable instrument for measuring visual ability in children with low vision. The study was conducted in the only rehabilitation center for amblyopic children in this region, so this is also a pioneer study. The overall result of CVAQC in amblyopic children was 1.287 log vs.-2.956, representing statistically significantly poorer visual ability in comparison to peers without vision deficit (p˂0.005. Amblyopic children function best in entertainment activities, especially in listening music (-2.31 log; as for sport, these children report swimming to be their favourite activity (-0.99 log. In the field of education they show best results in language acquisition (-0.79 log and the worst in mathematics (3.13 log. The greatest problem is reading small print texts books (2.61 log. Low vision children have poorer result of visual function in comparison to their peers with normal visual acuity. A precise deficit assessment in the most important spheres of life can be determined by using the questionnaires, so the rehabilitation can be rightly chosen.

Spillover of interpersonal conflicts from work into nonwork: A daily diary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Corts, Inés; Demerouti, Evangelia; Bakker, Arnold B; Boz, Marina

2015-07-01

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 20(3) of Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (see record 2015-15847-001). There was a misspelling in the figures. The legends for Figure 1 and Figure 2 should read "High Daily Resilience".] This study among a heterogeneous sample of employees expands the Job-Demands (JD-R) theory by examining how interpersonal conflicts at work-task and relationship conflict-spillover into the nonwork domain on a daily basis. We hypothesized that daily personal resources can buffer the daily negative spillover of interpersonal conflicts from work into the nonwork domain. A total of 113 employees (n = 565 occasions) filled in a daily diary questionnaire in the evening before bedtime over 5 consecutive working days. Results of multilevel analysis showed that the presence of daily personal resources is essential to buffer the spillover of interpersonal conflict at work to the nonwork domain. Specifically, on days that employees were not very optimistic or resilient, interpersonal conflicts resulted in higher strain-based work-life conflict experiences. These findings contribute to the JD-R theory and show how the unfavorable effects of daily interpersonal conflicts in the work domain may be avoided in the nonwork domain through enhancing personal resources. We discuss the implications for theory and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Workplace Flexibility and Daily Stress Processes in Hotel Employees and their Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, David M; Davis, Kelly D

2011-11-01

Our research aims to understand the consequences of inadequate workplace flexibility through the lens of daily stress processes. Using a sample of hourly hotel employees with children aged 10 to 18 who participated in a daily diary study, we compared workers with low and high flexibility on stressor exposure, reactivity, and transmission. Our findings showed a consistent pattern of hourly workers with low flexibility having greater exposure to work stressors in general and to work place arguments in particular. Workers with low flexibility were also more emotional and physically reactive to work stressors. There was some evidence of stressor transmission to children when parents had low flexibility. Increasing workplace flexibility could serve as a protective factor in exposure and reactivity to stressors that are experienced in daily life.

An Alternative Myoelectric Pattern Recognition Approach for the Control of Hand Prostheses: A Case Study of Use in Daily Life by a Dysmelia Subject

Science.gov (United States)

Ahlberg, Johan; Lendaro, Eva; Hermansson, Liselotte; Håkansson, Bo; Ortiz-Catalan, Max

2018-01-01

The functionality of upper limb prostheses can be improved by intuitive control strategies that use bioelectric signals measured at the stump level. One such strategy is the decoding of motor volition via myoelectric pattern recognition (MPR), which has shown promising results in controlled environments and more recently in clinical practice. Moreover, not much has been reported about daily life implementation and real-time accuracy of these decoding algorithms. This paper introduces an alternative approach in which MPR allows intuitive control of four different grips and open/close in a multifunctional prosthetic hand. We conducted a clinical proof-of-concept in activities of daily life by constructing a self-contained, MPR-controlled, transradial prosthetic system provided with a novel user interface meant to log errors during real-time operation. The system was used for five days by a unilateral dysmelia subject whose hand had never developed, and who nevertheless learned to generate patterns of myoelectric activity, reported as intuitive, for multi-functional prosthetic control. The subject was instructed to manually log errors when they occurred via the user interface mounted on the prosthesis. This allowed the collection of information about prosthesis usage and real-time classification accuracy. The assessment of capacity for myoelectric control test was used to compare the proposed approach to the conventional prosthetic control approach, direct control. Regarding the MPR approach, the subject reported a more intuitive control when selecting the different grips, but also a higher uncertainty during proportional continuous movements. This paper represents an alternative to the conventional use of MPR, and this alternative may be particularly suitable for a certain type of amputee patients. Moreover, it represents a further validation of MPR with dysmelia cases. PMID:29637030

A combined stochastic analysis of mean daily temperature and diurnal temperature range

Science.gov (United States)

Sirangelo, B.; Caloiero, T.; Coscarelli, R.; Ferrari, E.

2018-03-01

In this paper, a stochastic model, previously proposed for the maximum daily temperature, has been improved for the combined analysis of mean daily temperature and diurnal temperature range. In particular, the procedure applied to each variable sequentially performs the deseasonalization, by means of truncated Fourier series expansions, and the normalization of the temperature data, with the use of proper transformation functions. Then, a joint stochastic analysis of both the climatic variables has been performed by means of a FARIMA model, taking into account the stochastic dependency between the variables, namely introducing a cross-correlation between the standardized noises. The model has been applied to five daily temperature series of southern Italy. After the application of a Monte Carlo simulation procedure, the return periods of the joint behavior of the mean daily temperature and the diurnal temperature range have been evaluated. Moreover, the annual maxima of the temperature excursions in consecutive days have been analyzed for the synthetic series. The results obtained showed different behaviors probably linked to the distance from the sea and to the latitude of the station.

Shoulder pain and disability in daily life, following supraomohyoid neck dissection : a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Wilgen, CP; Dijkstra, PU; Nauta, JM; Vermey, A; Roodenburg, JLN

Introduction: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess shoulder morbidity; i.e. pain and disability in daily activities, at least I year after unilateral or bilateral supraomohyoid neck dissection. Patients and methods: 52 patients having been subjected to a supraomohyoid neck dissection

Gender and Age Differences in How Children Cope with Daily Stress

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Morales Rodriguez, Francisco Manuel; Trianes Torres, Maria Victoria; Miranda Paez, Jesus

2012-01-01

Introduction: The study of coping among students accounts for an interesting subject, as having coping skills guarantees a healthy lifestyle and quality of life. The present study aims to analyze the role played by age and gender on the coping strategies used by Andalusian school students to cope with situations of daily stress. These situations…

Greater Independence in Activities of Daily Living is Associated with Higher Health-Related Quality of Life Scores in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia

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Charice S. Chan

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Health-related quality of life (HRQL for nursing home residents is important, however, the concept of quality of life is broad, encompasses many domains and is difficult to assess in people with dementia. Basic activities of daily living (ADL are measured routinely in nursing homes using the Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set Version 2.0 (RAI-MDS and Functional Independence Measure (FIM instrument. We examined the relationship between HRQL and ADL to assess the future possibility of ADL dependency level serving as a surrogate measure of HRQL in residents with dementia. To assess ADL, measures derived from the RAI-MDS and FIM data were gathered for 111 residents at the beginning of our study and at 6-month follow-up. Higher scores for independence in ADL were correlated with higher scores for a disease-specific HRQL measure, the Quality of Life—Alzheimer’s Disease Scale. Preliminary evidence suggests that FIM-assessed ADL is associated with HRQL for these residents. The associations of the dressing and toileting items with HRQL were particularly strong. This finding suggests the importance of ADL function in HRQL. The RAI-MDS ADL scales should be used with caution to evaluate HRQL.

Quality of Life in People with Leg Ulcer, Integrative Review

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Daniela Alves

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: To identify the main changes in the daily life of people with leg ulcer and how that affects the person’s quality of life. Methodology: We used the methodology PI [C] OD and selected four research articles, taken from EBSCO, PubMed, and EWMA. Results: The main changes identified in the people’s daily live with leg ulcers are physical (pain, decreased mobility, presence of exudate, bad smell from the wound and change in the style of clothing, psychological (sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, feelings of rejection and low self-steem, social (isolation, restriction in leisure activities, inability to perform household chores. Conclusions: The literature about the person’s quality of life with leg ulcer reported a significant impact in the daily life. The care provided by nurses should be centered on the person, integrating all the kind of needs and the leg ulcer must not be the sole focus of care

Bright Light Delights: Effects of Daily Light Exposure on Emotions, Restactivity Cycles, Sleep and Melatonin Secretion in Severely Demented Patients.

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Münch, Mirjam; Schmieder, Michael; Bieler, Katharina; Goldbach, Rolf; Fuhrmann, Timo; Zumstein, Naomi; Vonmoos, Petra; Scartezzini, Jean-Louis; Wirz-Justice, Anna; Cajochen, Christian

2017-01-01

We tested whether the effects of a dynamic lighting system are superior to conventional lighting on emotions, agitation behaviour, quality of life, melatonin secretion and circadian restactivity cycles in severely demented patients. As a comparison, an age matched control patient group was exposed to conventional lighting. For none of the output measures were significant differences between the two lighting conditions found during the 8 study weeks in fall/winter. Thus, we divided the patient cohort (n = 89) into two groups, solely based on the median of their daily individual light exposure. Patients with higher average daily light exposure (>417 lx) showed significantly longer emotional expressions of pleasure and alertness per daily observations than patients with lower daily light exposure. Moreover, they had a higher quality of life, spent less time in bed, went to bed later and initiated their sleep episodes later, even though the two groups did not differ with respect to age, severity of cognitive impairment and mobility. In general, men were more agitated, had shorter sleep with more wake episodes, had a lower circadian amplitude of relative rest-wake activity and interdaily circadian stability than women. In particular, lower daily light exposures significantly predicted lower circadian amplitudes of rest-activity cycles in men but not in women. This may indicate sex specific susceptibility to daily light exposures for rest-activity regulation in older demented patients. Our results provide evidence that a higher daily light exposure has beneficial effects on emotions and thus improved quality of life in a severely demented patient group. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Short-term Recovery after Orthognathic Surgery: A Medical Daily Diary Approach

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Blakey, George

2008-01-01

This study assessed the utility of a quality-of-life diary for the assessment of postoperative recovery following orthognathic surgery. A 20-item daily recovery diary was designed to assess the patients’ perception of recovery in 4 domains (postoperative sequelae; pain/discomfort; oral function; daily activities) during each of the first 90 days after surgery. Fifteen of 185 patients who had agreed to participate did not return any portion of the diary. Of the remaining patients, 87% returned the full 90 days requested. Younger patients were more likely to complete the entire protocol (P = 0.01). At 30 days, a lower percentage, in general, of patients who completed all 90 days reported recovery in oral function and general activity compared with those who did not complete all diary days. This study confirms that patients will cooperate with the completion of structured medical / health-related quality-of-life diaries during the first few months after orthognathic surgery. Information from such diaries would be valuable to patients deciding on treatment options and to the clinicians counseling them. PMID:18768296

Looking at Your Newborn: What's Normal

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... features that may make a normal newborn look strange are temporary. After all, babies develop while immersed ... sleepy during the first day or two of life. Many new parents become concerned about their newborn's ...

Daily transactional and transformational leadership and daily employee engament

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Breevaart, K.; Bakker, A.B.; Hetland, Jorn; Demerouti, E.; Olsen, O.K.; Espevik, R.

2014-01-01

This diary study adds to the leadership literature by examining the daily influence of transformational leadership, contingent reward, and active management-by-exception (MBE active) on followers' daily work engagement. We compare the unique contribution of these leadership behaviours and focus on

Influence of parental education, childhood adversities, and current living conditions on daily smoking in early adulthood.

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Kestilä, Laura; Koskinen, Seppo; Martelin, Tuija; Rahkonen, Ossi; Pensola, Tiina; Pirkola, Sami; Patja, Kristiina; Aromaa, Arpo

2006-12-01

To assess the association of parental education, childhood living conditions and adversities with daily smoking in early adulthood and to analyse the effect of the respondent's own education, main economic activity, and current family structure on these associations. The study is based on a representative two-stage cluster sample (N = 1894, participation rate 79%) of young adults aged 18-29, in 2000, in Finland. The outcome measure is daily smoking. Parental smoking and the respondent's own education had the strongest effects on daily smoking. If both parents of the respondent were smokers, then the respondent was most likely to be a smoker too (for men OR (odds ratio) = 3.01, for women OR = 2.41 after all adjustments). Young adults in the lowest educational category had a much higher risk of daily smoking than those in the highest category (OR = 5.88 for women, 4.48 for men). For women parental divorce (OR = 2.31) and current family structure also determined daily smoking. Parental education had a strong gradient in daily smoking and the effect appeared to be mediated largely by the respondent's own educational level. Childhood living conditions are strong determinants of daily smoking. Much of their influence seems to be mediated through current living conditions, which are also determined by childhood conditions. Determinants of smoking behaviour are developed throughout the life course. The findings stress the importance of the respondent's education and parental smoking as determinants of smoking behaviour. Our results support the notion that intervention on smoking initiation and cessation should be considered throughout the life course. Parental involvement in fostering non-smoking would be important.

Activities of daily living measured by the Harvard Automated Phone Task track with cognitive decline over time in non-demented elderly

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Marshall, Gad A.; Aghjayan, Sarah L.; Dekhtyar, Maria; Locascio, Joseph J.; Jethwani, Kamal; Amariglio, Rebecca E.; Johnson, Keith A.; Sperling, Reisa A.; Rentz, Dorene M.

2017-01-01

Background Impairment in activities of daily living is a major burden to both patients and caregivers. Mild impairment in instrumental activities of daily living is often seen at the stage of mild cognitive impairment. The field of Alzheimer’s disease is moving toward earlier diagnosis and intervention and more sensitive and ecologically valid assessments of instrumental or complex activities of daily living are needed. The Harvard Automated Phone Task, a novel performance-based activities of daily living instrument, has the potential to fill this gap. Objective To further validate the Harvard Automated Phone Task by assessing its longitudinal relationship to global cognition and specific cognitive domains in clinically normal elderly and individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Design In a longitudinal study, the Harvard Automated Phone Task was associated with cognitive measures using mixed effects models. The Harvard Automated Phone Task’s ability to discriminate across diagnostic groups at baseline was also assessed. Setting Academic clinical research center. Participants Two hundred and seven participants (45 young normal, 141 clinically normal elderly, and 21 mild cognitive impairment) were recruited from the community and the memory disorders clinics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. Measurements Participants performed the three tasks of the Harvard Automated Phone Task, which consist of navigating an interactive voice response system to refill a prescription (APT-Script), select a new primary care physician (APT-PCP), and make a bank account transfer and payment (APT-Bank). The 3 tasks were scored based on time, errors, repetitions, and correct completion of the task. The primary outcome measure used for each of the tasks was total time adjusted for correct completion. Results The Harvard Automated Phone Task discriminated well between young normal, clinically normal elderly, and mild cognitive impairment

Normal values of urine total protein- and albumin-to-creatinine ratios in term newborns.

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El Hamel, Chahrazed; Chianea, Thierry; Thon, Séverine; Lepichoux, Anne; Yardin, Catherine; Guigonis, Vincent

2017-01-01

It is important to have an accurate assessment of urinary protein when glomerulopathy or kidney injury is suspected. Currently available normal values for the neonate population have limited value, in part because they are based on small populations and obsolete creatinine assays. We have performed a prospective study with the aim to update the normal upper values of the urinary total protein-to-creatinine and albumin-to-creatinine ratios in term newborns. Urine samples were collected from 277 healthy, full-term newborns within the first 48 hours (D0-1) and between 72 and 120 h of life (D3-4). Total protein, albumin, creatinine and osmolality were measured and the upper limit of normal (upper-limit) values determined. At D0-1 and D3-4, the upper-limit values for the total protein-to-creatinine ratio were 1431 and 1205 mg/g (162 and 136 g/mol) and those for the albumin-to-creatinine ratio were 746 and 301 mg/g (84 and 34 g/mol), respectively. The upper-limit values were significantly higher at D0-1 than at D3-4 only for the albumin-to-creatinine ratio. This study determined the upper limit of normal values for urinary total protein-to-creatinine and albumin-to-creatinine ratios in the largest population of newborns studied to date. These values can therefore be considered as the most clinically relevant data currently available for the detection and diagnosis of glomerular injury in daily clinical practice in this population.

Daily stress interacts with trait dissociation to predict sleep-related experiences in young adults.

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Soffer-Dudek, Nirit; Shahar, Golan

2011-08-01

Building on the previously documented effects of stress and dissociation on sleep and dreaming, we examined their interactive role in general sleep-related experiences (GSEs; e.g., nightmares, falling dreams, hypnagogic hallucinations; see Watson, 2001). Stress, sleep quality, and GSEs were assessed daily for 14 days among young adults. Baseline assessment included life stress, sleep quality, psychopathology, dissociation, and related dimensions. Multilevel analyses indicated that daily stress brings about GSEs among highly dissociative young adults. Additionally, baseline trait dissociation predicted within-subject elevation in GSEs when daily stress was high. Flawed sleep-wake transitions, previously linked to dissociation and sleep-related experiences, might account for this effect. © 2011 American Psychological Association

Daily stressors and emotional reactivity in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controls.

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Rickenbach, Elizabeth Hahn; Condeelis, Kristen L; Haley, William E

2015-06-01

Daily experiences of stress are common and have been associated with worse affect among older adults. People with mild cognitive impairment (PWMCI) have measurable memory deficits in between normal cognition and dementia and have been identified as having greater psychological distress than cognitively healthy older adults (CHOAs). Little is known about whether daily stressors contribute to distress among PWMCI. We hypothesized that compared with CHOAs, PWMCI would have higher daily negative affect and lower daily positive affect, report greater numbers and severity of daily stressors, and experience greater emotional reactivity to daily stressors. Fifteen clinically diagnosed PWMCI and 25 CHOAs completed daily reports of stressors, stressor severity, and positive and negative affect over an 8-day period. PWMCI reported higher daily negative affect, lower daily positive affect, and higher numbers and greater severity of memory stressors but did not differ from CHOAs in numbers or severity of general stressors. Cognitive status was a moderator of the daily stress-affect relationship. Days with greater numbers and severity of general daily stressors were associated with higher negative affect only for PWMCI. The numbers and severity of memory stressors were not associated with negative affect. In addition, more severe general daily stressors and memory stressors were associated with lower positive affect for all participants. Results suggest that PWMCI are less resilient in the face of daily stress than are CHOAs in terms of negative affect, perhaps because of declines in reserve capacity. The study presents a promising approach to understanding stress and coping in predementia states of cognition. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Daily patterns of stress and conflict in couples: Associations with marital aggression and family-of-origin aggression.

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Timmons, Adela C; Arbel, Reout; Margolin, Gayla

2017-02-01

For many married individuals, the ups and downs of daily life are connected such that stressors impacting one person also impact the other person. For example, stress experienced by one individual may "spill over" to negatively impact marital functioning. This study used both partners' daily diary data to examine same-day and cross-day links between stress and marital conflict and tested several factors that make couples vulnerable to spillover. Assessment of 25 wide-ranging sources of daily stress included both paid and unpaid work, health issues, financial concerns, and having to make difficult decisions. Results showed that both husbands' and wives' experiences of total daily stress were associated with greater same-day marital conflict and that conflict was greater on days both spouses experienced high levels of stress. Evidence of cross-day spillover was found only in those couples with high concurrent marital aggression and in couples where wives reported high family-of-origin aggression. These results highlight both the common, anticipated nature of same-day spillover and the potentially problematic aspects of more prolonged patterns representing failure to recover from stressors that occurred the previous day. The discussion focuses on how reactivity in one life domain puts that individual at risk for generating stress in another life domain and how current marital aggression and family-of-origin aggression are associated with difficulty recovering from stressful events. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Promoting Daily Physical Activity by Means of Mobile Gaming: A Review of the State of the Art.

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Tabak, Monique; Dekker-van Weering, Marit; van Dijk, Hylke; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam

2015-12-01

To review mobile games and gaming applications that claim to improve physical activity behavior in daily life. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and the ACM Digital Library and performed a manual search of relevant journals and reference lists. Studies that reported on a mobile game that requires players to perform physical activity in daily life and where the game has specific goals, rules, and feedback mechanisms were included. This excludes non-mobile exergames. Theoretical foundations, game characteristics, and evaluation methodologies were assessed. In total, 797 articles were identified through the search, of which 11 articles were included. The reviewed studies show that there is limited theoretical foundation for the game development, and most studies used goal setting as a motivation strategy to engage people in playing the game. There was a large variety in game characteristics found, although the majority of the studies used metaphors or avatars to visualize activity, whereas feedback was mostly provided in relation to the goal. Rewards and competition were the most commonly incorporated game elements. The evaluations were focused on feasibility, and clinical evidence is lacking with only two randomized controlled studies found. This review provides a first overview of mobile gaming applications to promote daily life physical activity and shows this as a new research area with demonstration of its acceptability and feasibility among the users. Clinical effectiveness and the added value of gaming in changing daily activity behavior have by far not yet been established.

Timing matters: length of leave and working mothers' daily reentry regrets.

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Wiese, Bettina S; Ritter, Johannes O

2012-11-01

Dealing with developmental tasks in work and family domains is an important challenge for young and middle-aged adults. We investigated a transition that has evolved into a normative task for women, namely, the retransition back to paid work following maternity leave. In a diary study with 149 mothers who had just returned to work, we examined the daily experienced regrets concerning this return. In addition to personal resources (i.e., emotional stability, feeling prepared for the transition) and financial requirements needed to return to work, daily experienced family stress predicted decisional regrets. Moreover, our results suggest that leave length is related to psychological resilience in the face of day-to-day stress experiences: Late returners reported fewer regrets in general and were unaffected by daily family stress. Return-to-work regrets, in turn, were predictive of withdrawal intentions. This underlines the relevancy of the timing of the transition back to work in terms of successful development during this life phase.

PET imaging and quantitation of Internet-addicted patients and normal controls

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Jeong, Ha-Kyu; Kim, Hee-Joung; Jung, Haijo; Son, Hye-Kyung; Kim, Dong-Hyeon; Yun, Mijin; Shin, Yee-Jin; Lee, Jong-Doo

2002-04-01

Internet addicted patients (IAPs) have widely been increased, as Internet games are becoming very popular in daily life. The purpose of this study was to investigate regional brain activation patterns associated with excessive use of Internet games in adolescents. Six normal controls (NCs) and eight IAPs who were classified as addiction group by adapted version of DSM-IV for pathologic gambling were participated. 18F-FDG PET studies were performed for all adolescents at their rest and activated condition after 20 minutes of each subject's favorite Internet game. To investigate quantitative metabolic differences in both groups, all possible combinations of group comparison were carried out using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM 99). Regional brain activation foci were identified on Talairach coordinate. SPM results showed increased metabolic activation in occipital lobes for both groups. Higher metabolisms were seen at resting condition in IAPs than that of in NCs. In comparison to both groups, IAPs showed different patterns of regional brain metabolic activation compared with that of NCs. It suggests that addictive use of Internet games may result in functional alteration of developing brain in adolescents.

Interpersonal Similarity between Body Movements in Face-To-Face Communication in Daily Life

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Higo, Naoki; Ogawa, Ken-ichiro; Minemura, Juichi; Xu, Bujie; Nozawa, Takayuki; Ogata, Taiki; Ara, Koji; Yano, Kazuo; Miyake, Yoshihiro

2014-01-01

Individuals are embedded in social networks in which they communicate with others in their daily lives. Because smooth face-to-face communication is the key to maintaining these networks, measuring the smoothness of such communication is an important issue. One indicator of smoothness is the similarity of the body movements of the two individuals concerned. A typical example noted in experimental environments is the interpersonal synchronization of body movements such as nods and gestures dur...

Occipital GABA correlates with cognitive failures in daily life.

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Sandberg, Kristian; Blicher, Jakob Udby; Dong, Mia Yuan; Rees, Geraint; Near, Jamie; Kanai, Ryota

2014-02-15

The brain has limited capacity, and so selective attention enhances relevant incoming information while suppressing irrelevant information. This process is not always successful, and the frequency of such cognitive failures varies to a large extent between individuals. Here we hypothesised that individual differences in cognitive failures might be reflected in inhibitory processing in the sensory cortex. To test this hypothesis, we measured GABA in human visual cortex using MR spectroscopy and found a negative correlation between occipital GABA (GABA+/Cr ratio) and cognitive failures as measured by an established cognitive failures questionnaire (CFQ). For a second site in parietal cortex, no correlation between CFQ score and GABA+/Cr ratio was found, thus establishing the regional specificity of the link between occipital GABA and cognitive failures. We further found that grey matter volume in the left superior parietal lobule (SPL) correlated with cognitive failures independently from the impact of occipital GABA and together, occipital GABA and SPL grey matter volume statistically explained around 50% of the individual variability in daily cognitive failures. We speculate that the amount of GABA in sensory areas may reflect the potential capacity to selectively suppress irrelevant information already at the sensory level, or alternatively that GABA influences the specificity of neural representations in visual cortex thus improving the effectiveness of successful attentional modulation. © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chronic daily headaches

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Fayyaz Ahmed

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Chronic Daily Headache is a descriptive term that includes disorders with headaches on more days than not and affects 4% of the general population. The condition has a debilitating effect on individuals and society through direct cost to healthcare and indirectly to the economy in general. To successfully manage chronic daily headache syndromes it is important to exclude secondary causes with comprehensive history and relevant investigations; identify risk factors that predict its development and recognise its sub-types to appropriately manage the condition. Chronic migraine, chronic tension-type headache, new daily persistent headache and medication overuse headache accounts for the vast majority of chronic daily headaches. The scope of this article is to review the primary headache disorders. Secondary headaches are not discussed except medication overuse headache that often accompanies primary headache disorders. The article critically reviews the literature on the current understanding of daily headache disorders focusing in particular on recent developments in the treatment of frequent headaches.

The central masturbation fantasy in heterosexual males across the life cycle: masturbation fantasies across the normality-pathology spectrum.

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Colarusso, Calvin A

2012-10-01

Moses Laufer described the central masturbation fantasy as an essentially adolescent phenomenon that leads to the final sexual organization. In this paper the central masturbation fantasy, formulated during the preoedipal and oedipal years, consolidated in adolescence, and in a process of continuous evolution across the life cycle, is considered an essential concept for understanding sexuality in heterosexual males. Sex and aggression, as posited in Freud's dual theory of the drives, are core components of all masturbation fantasies, across the diagnostic spectrum, from the most normal/neurotic to the most criminally bizarre. Clinical examples illustrate both points. The tendency among clinicians, particularly clinical associates, to avoid analyzing all aspects of masturbation is discussed.

Development of a patient-centred conceptual framework of health-related quality of life in neuromyelitis optica: a qualitative study.

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Methley, Abigail M; Mutch, Kerry; Moore, Perry; Jacob, Anu

2017-02-01

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an auto-immune disease that can cause severe visual and mobility impairments. Research on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in NMO is scarce, limiting knowledge on factors influencing HRQoL and support needs. This study provides the first qualitative exploration of HRQoL in NMO, conducted to provide a conceptual framework for the development of an NMO patient-reported outcome measure. Fifteen people with NMO (aged 18-74; 11 women, 4 men) participated in semi-structured interviews; data were analysed using constant comparative analysis. HRQoL in NMO is a multifaceted concept incorporating highly subjective perceptions of normality and meaning. Four major themes were identified: impact of physical symptoms on daily living, utilizing support to achieve independence, expectations for life and meaningful roles in life and purpose. Themes highlighted the importance of perceived normality, and its relationship to attaining life goals comparable to peers, as underpinning evaluations of HRQoL. Many people with severe disability reported a high HRQoL, suggesting the inappropriateness of assuming a negative HRQoL on the basis of an individual's neurological impairment. These findings further the conceptual understanding of HRQoL in NMO, informing patient-care approaches and the development of an NMO-specific patient-reported outcome measure. © 2015 The Authors. Health Expectation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cannabis and alcohol use, affect and impulsivity in psychiatric out-patients' daily lives.

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Trull, Timothy J; Wycoff, Andrea M; Lane, Sean P; Carpenter, Ryan W; Brown, Whitney C

2016-11-01

Cannabis and alcohol are the most commonly used (il)licit drugs world-wide. We compared the effects of cannabis and alcohol use on within-person changes in impulsivity, hostility and positive affect at the momentary and daily levels, as they occurred in daily life. Observational study involving ecological momentary assessments collected via electronic diaries six random times a day for 28 consecutive days. Out-patients' everyday life contexts in Columbia, MO, USA. Ninety-three adult psychiatric out-patients (85% female; mean = 30.9 years old) with borderline personality or depressive disorders, who reported using only cannabis (n = 3), only alcohol (n = 58) or both (n = 32) at least once during the study period. Real-time, standard self-report measures of impulsivity, hostility and positive affect, as impacted by momentary reports of cannabis and alcohol use. Cannabis use was associated with elevated feelings of impulsivity at the day level [b = 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.17-1.49] and increased hostility at the momentary (b = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.01-0.12) and person (b = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.15-1.47) level. Alcohol use was associated with elevated feelings of impulsivity at the momentary (b = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.13-0.71) and day levels (b = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.22-1.41) and increased positive affect at the momentary (b = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.06-0.18) and day (b = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.16-0.49) levels. Cannabis and alcohol use are associated with increases in impulsivity (both), hostility (cannabis) and positive affect (alcohol) in daily life, and these effects are part of separate processes that operate on different time-scales (i.e. momentary versus daily). © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Recovery from Unrecognized Sleep Loss Accumulated in Daily Life Improved Mood Regulation via Prefrontal Suppression of Amygdala Activity

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Yuki Motomura

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Many modern people suffer from sleep debt that has accumulated in everyday life but is not subjectively noticed [potential sleep debt (PSD]. Our hypothesis for this study was that resolution of PSD through sleep extension optimizes mood regulation by altering the functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. Fifteen healthy male participants underwent an experiment consisting of a baseline (BL evaluation followed by two successive interventions, namely, a 9-day sleep extension followed by one night of total sleep deprivation (TSD. Tests performed before and after the interventions included a questionnaire on negative mood and neuroimaging with arterial spin labeling MRI for evaluating regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF and functional connectivity. Negative mood and amygdala rCBF were significantly reduced after sleep extension compared with BL. The amygdala had a significant negative functional connectivity with the medial prefrontal cortex (FCamg–MPFC, and this negative connectivity was greater after sleep extension than at BL. After TSD, these indices reverted to the same level as at BL. An additional path analysis with structural equation modeling showed that the FCamg–MPFC significantly explained the amygdala rCBF and that the amygdala rCBF significantly explained the negative mood. These findings suggest that the use of our sleep extension protocol normalized amygdala activity via negative amygdala–MPFC functional connectivity. The resolution of unnoticed PSD may improve mood by enhancing frontal suppression of hyperactivity in the amygdala caused by PSD accumulating in everyday life.