scholarly journals The Effects of Dementia Knowledge on Dementia Worry, Attitudes, Social Comfort, and Affect

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 286-286
Author(s):  
Alexandria Ebert ◽  
Maya Huggins ◽  
Hannah Wagner ◽  
Zachary Lightcap ◽  
Tessla Muir ◽  
...  

Abstract Previous work has demonstrated that personhood-based knowledge of dementia is associated with less fear of dementia and greater social comfort with persons with dementia. Nonetheless, a causal link has not been tested. We examined the effects of types of dementia knowledge on dementia worry, fear, and social comfort, as well as affect more broadly and attitudes toward dementia, which have not previously been examined. Participants (N = 338) aged 19-78 (M = 44.82, SD = 16.66) were randomized into one of five experimental conditions: biomedical-knowledge (BK; read biological and medical facts about dementia); personhood-based knowledge (PBK; read accounts written by persons living with dementia); both BK and PBK; baseline control; and active control. Participants then completed outcome measures. Significant effects of knowledge on dementia worry (p < .05) as well as personal distress, empathic concern, and negative affect (ps < .001) emerged; groups did not significantly differ in attitudes, comfort, or dementia fear. Specifically, participants in the BK and PBK conditions exhibited significantly higher levels of personal distress than those in the control conditions. Similarly, participants in the PBK condition had significantly higher levels of negative affect than those in the control conditions and significantly higher levels of dementia worry than those in the baseline control condition. Participants in the PBK condition also had significantly higher levels of empathic concern than those in the biomedical knowledge and control conditions. Results suggest that although reading about dementia induces negative affect, it also induces empathic concern.

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S467-S468
Author(s):  
Alexandria R Ebert ◽  
Susan McFadden ◽  
Danica Kulibert

Abstract Perhaps because the public is not well-versed on the biological and medical facts of dementia (biomedical knowledge; BK), or the life experiences and capabilities of persons living with dementia (personhood-based knowledge; PBK), dementia is one the most feared and stigmatized terminal illnesses (Alzheimer’s Society, 2007), typically resulting in social isolation (George, 2010). Similar to personal dementia fear (fear of developing dementia; PDF), dementia worry has been associated with suicide ideation (Cui et al., under review), which is a predictor of accepting attitudes toward physician-assisted suicide (Wolfgag, 2017). Findings from the development and testing of a conceptual model of social comfort indicated that people with higher levels of PBK had higher levels of social comfort towards persons with dementia (Ebert, Kulibert, & McFadden, 2019). The present study is a secondary analysis of data obtained from Wisconsin residents through an online platform and community outreach efforts (Ebert, Kulibert, and McFadden, 2019; N = 645) to examine whether individuals with higher levels of PBK have lower levels of PDF. A hierarchical linear regression revealed that PBK and BK were significant predictors of PDF (β = -.13, p < .05; β = .108, p < .05, respectively). However, when controlling for age (β = .14, p < .01) and knowing a friend or family member with dementia (β = -.19, p < .001), only PBK remained a significant predictor (β = -.16, p < .01). Results suggest that enhancing PBK through interactions with people living as well as possible with dementia could reduce PDF.


Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (16) ◽  
pp. 2925 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arianna Ricci ◽  
Giuseppina Paola Parpinello ◽  
Nemanja Teslić ◽  
Paul Andrew Kilmartin ◽  
Andrea Versari

Twenty commercially available oenological tannins (including hydrolysable and condensed) were assessed for their antiradical/reducing activity, comparing two analytical approaches: The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) radical scavenging spectrophotometric assay and the cyclic voltammetry (CV) electrochemical method. Electrochemical measurements were performed over a −200 mV–500 mV scan range, and integrated anodic currents to 500 mV were used to build a calibration graph with (+)-catechin as a reference standard (linear range: From 0.0078 to 1 mM, R2 = 0.9887). The CV results were compared with the DPPH• assay (expressed as % of radical scavenged in time), showing high correlation due to the similarity of the chemical mechanisms underlying both methods involving polyphenolic compounds as reductants. Improved correlation was observed by increasing the incubation time with DPPH• to 24 h (R2 = 0.925), demonstrating that the spectrophotometric method requires a long-term incubation to complete the scavenging reaction when high-molecular weight tannins are involved; this constraint has been overcome by using instant CV measurements. We concluded that the CV represents a valid alternative to the DPPH• colorimetric assay, taking advantage of fast analysis and control on the experimental conditions and, because of these properties, it can assist the quality control along the supply chain.


1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 482-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Bittanti ◽  
Fabrizio Lorito ◽  
Silvia Strada

In this paper, Linear Quadratic (LQ) optimal control concepts are applied for the active control of vibrations in helicopters. The study is based on an identified dynamic model of the rotor. The vibration effect is captured by suitably augmenting the state vector of the rotor model. Then, Kalman filtering concepts can be used to obtain a real-time estimate of the vibration, which is then fed back to form a suitable compensation signal. This design rationale is derived here starting from a rigorous problem position in an optimal control context. Among other things, this calls for a suitable definition of the performance index, of nonstandard type. The application of these ideas to a test helicopter, by means of computer simulations, shows good performances both in terms of disturbance rejection effectiveness and control effort limitation. The performance of the obtained controller is compared with the one achievable by the so called Higher Harmonic Control (HHC) approach, well known within the helicopter community.


Author(s):  
Kinga Kaleta ◽  
Justyna Mróz

AbstractAlthough women are believed to be more forgiving than men, the results of many studies comparing women with men vary. Moreover, little is known about unique correlates or differential patterns of experiencing forgiveness by gender. In the present study, we compared men and women in terms of their level of dispositional forgiveness and its emotional correlates, namely positive and negative affect, anxiety, and emotional control. The sample consisted of 625 individuals aged 19–69, of whom 478 (76.5%) were women and 147 (23.5%) were men. Polish versions of the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used. Men showed a higher level of general forgiveness and greater willingness to overcome unforgiveness than women, but there was no significant difference in positive facets of the disposition to forgive. In both genders negative affect, anxiety, and control of anger and of depression were negatively related to dimensions of dispositional forgiveness, and positive affect was positively associated with forgiveness. In females control of anxiety was negatively and in males it was positively related to facets of forgiveness. Gender moderated a number of links between affective traits and forgiveness of self and of situations beyond control, but not forgiveness of others.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Naira Delgado ◽  
Helena Bonache ◽  
Moisés Betancort ◽  
Yurena Morera ◽  
Lasana T. Harris

It is generally accepted that empathy should be the basis of patient care. However, this ideal may be unrealistic if healthcare professionals suffer adverse effects when engaging in empathy. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of inferring mental states and different components of empathy (perspective-taking; empathic concern; personal distress) in burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion; depersonalization; personal accomplishment). A total of 184 healthcare professionals participated in the study (23% male, Mage = 44.60; SD = 10.46). We measured participants’ empathy, the inference of mental states of patients, and burnout. Correlation analyses showed that inferring mental states was positively associated with perspective-taking and with empathic concern, but uncorrelated with personal distress. Furthermore, emotional exhaustion was related to greater levels of personal distress and greater levels of inferences of mental states. Depersonalization was associated with greater levels of personal distress and lower levels of empathic concern. Personal accomplishment was associated with the inference of mental states in patients, lower levels of personal distress, and perspective-taking. These results provide a better understanding of how different components of empathy and mental state inferences may preserve or promote healthcare professionals’ burnout.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
Phillip Ozimek ◽  
Hans-Werner Bierhoff ◽  
Elke Rohmann

Past research showed that social networking sites represent perfect platforms to satisfy narcissistic needs. The present study aimed to investigate how grandiose (GN) and vulnerable narcissism (VN) as well as social comparisons are associated with Facebook activity, which was measured with a self-report on three activity dimensions: Acting, Impressing, and Watching. In addition, the state self-esteem (SSE) was measured with respect to performance, social behavior, and appearance. One hundred and ten participants completed an online survey containing measures of SSE and Facebook activity and a priming procedure with three experimental conditions embedded in a social media context (upward comparison, downward comparison, and control group). Results indicated, as expected, that high VN was negatively associated with SSE on each subscale and the overall score. In addition, it was found that VN, but not GN, displayed positive associations with frequency of Facebook activities. Finally, it was proposed and confirmed that VN in interaction with the priming of downward comparisons negatively affected SSE. The conclusion drawn is that VN represents a key variable for the prediction of self-esteem as well as for the frequency of Facebook activity.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 140271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Gu ◽  
Ruslan Burtovyy ◽  
John Custer ◽  
Igor Luzinov ◽  
Konstantin G. Kornev

When controlling the assembly of magnetic nanorods and chains of magnetic nanoparticles, it is extremely challenging to bring them together side by side while keeping a desired spacing between their axes. We show that this challenge can be successfully resolved by using a non-uniform magnetic field that defeats an inherent repulsion between nanorods. Nickel nanorods were suspended in a viscous film and a non-uniform field was used to control their placement. The in-plane movement of nanorods was tracked with a high-speed camera and a detailed image analysis was conducted to quantitatively characterize the behaviour of the nanorods. The analysis focused on the behaviour of a pair of neighbour nanorods, and a corresponding dynamic model was formulated and investigated. The complex two-dimensional dynamics of a nanorod pair was analysed analytically and numerically, and a phase portrait was constructed. Using this phase portrait, we classified the nanorod behaviour and revealed the experimental conditions in which nanorods could be placed side by side. Dependence of the distance between a pair of neighbour nanorods on physical parameters was analysed. With the aid of the proposed theory, one can build different lattices and control their spacing by applying different field gradients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarker Masud Parvez ◽  
Musarrat Jabeen Rahman ◽  
Rashidul Azad ◽  
Mahbubur Rahman ◽  
Leanne Unicomb ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Supply driven programs that are not closely connected to community demand and demand-driven programs that fail to ensure supply both risk worsening inequity. Understanding patterns of uptake of behaviors among the poorest under ideal experimental conditions, such as those of an efficacy trial, can help identify strategies that could be strengthened in routine programmatic conditions for more equitable uptake. WASH Benefits Bangladesh was a randomized controlled efficacy trial that provided free-of cost WASH hardware along with behavior change promotion. The current paper aimed to determine the impact of the removal of supply and demand constraints on the uptake of handwashing and sanitation behaviors across wealth and education levels. Methods The current analysis selected 4 indicators from the WASH Benefits trial— presence of water and soap in household handwashing stations, observed mother’s hand cleanliness, observed visible feces on latrine slab or floor and reported last child defecation in potty or toilet. A baseline assessment was conducted immediately after enrolment and endline assessment was conducted approximately 2 years later. We compared change in uptake of these indicators including wealth quintiles (Q) between intervention and control groups from baseline to endline. Results For hand cleanliness, the poorest mothers improved more [Q1 difference in difference, DID: 16% (7, 25%)] than the wealthiest mothers [Q5 DID: 7% (− 4, 17%)]. The poorest households had largest improvements for observed presence of water and soap in handwashing station [Q1 DID: 82% (75, 90%)] compared to the wealthiest households [Q5 DID: 39% (30, 50%)]. Similarly, poorer household demonstrated greater reductions in visible feces on latrine slab or floor [Q1DID, − 25% (− 35, − 15) Q2: − 34% (− 44, − 23%)] than the wealthiest household [Q5 DID: − 1% (− 11, 8%). For reported last child defecation in potty or toilet, the poorest mothers showed greater improvement [Q1–4 DID: 50–54% (44, 60%)] than the wealthier mothers [Q5 DID: 39% (31, 46%). Conclusion By simultaneously addressing supply and demand-constraints among the poorest, we observed substantial overall improvements in equity. Within scaled-up programs, a separate targeted strategy that relaxes constraints for the poorest can improve the equity of a program. Trial registration WASH Benefits Bangladesh: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT01590095. Date of registration: April 30, 2012 ‘Retrospectively registered’.


2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Carolina Aguiar Cassanho ◽  
Aletéia Massula Fernandes ◽  
Luciane Dias de Oliveira ◽  
Claudio Antonio Talge Carvalho ◽  
Antonio Olavo Cardoso Jorge ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro the antimicrobial activity of glass ionomer (GIC) and zinc oxide-eugenol (ZOE) cements against Candida albicans. Standardized GIC and ZOE specimens were maintained in contact with C. albicans suspension (1 <FONT FACE=Symbol>´</FONT> 10(6) cells/ml) at 37°C for 24 h, 48 h or 7 days. A control group without any testing cement was included. After the incubation period, aliquots of 0.1 ml were plated on Sabouraud's agar, and then the number of colonies was counted. The results were expressed as values of logarithms of colony-forming units per milliliter (log CFU/mL) and were analyzed statistically by Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA. After 48 h of incubation, the ZOE group presented no growth of C. albicans. GIC and control groups presented similar mean values at all tested periods. According to the results obtained, it could be concluded that, under the experimental conditions, ZOE cement was more effective in vitro against C. albicans than GIC.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document