Differences in the abilities of individual fingers during the performance of fast,repetitive tapping movements

Using 12 healthy male subjects, the dynamic motor ability of individual fingers was investigated under four different finger tapping conditions. These were: maximum speed tapping with one finger (single-finger tapping), alternate movement of two fingers (double-finger tapping), double-finger tapping in an unsupported condition, and submaximum constant speed tapping with one finger in a passive manner. Key-contact forces for all fingers and the movement velocity of the tapping finger were monitored. With the exception of the unsupported condition, non-tapping fingers were maintained in contact with designated keys during the tapping tasks. It was found that the index finger attained the fastest cadence and greatest movement velocity, followed by the middle, little and ring fingers, respectively. Subjective assessment of rank order of "difficulty" of tapping by the subjects was highly correlated with tapping cadence. Thus dynamic motor function, as indicated by rapid, repetitive movement, differs among the individual fingers. Parallel changes were observed in the key-contact force of the neighboring non-tapping fingers during tapping. The range of the non-tapping finger forces was largest during tapping by the ring finger. A similar trend was found for passive tapping, during which the magnitude of key-contact force was less than one-third of that observed during active tapping. The lower cadence achieved by the ring finger may be attributed more to a lack of independence at the level of voluntary neuromuscular control, than to innate mechanical interaction with the other fingers. Tapping cadence of each finger was lower for the double-finger mode than for the single-finger mode. The magnitude of the observed decrease in cadence during double-finger tapping was, on the other hand, strongly dependent on finger-combination. The decrease was smallest for the index-middle finger-combination, and greatest for the ring-little finger-combination. Compatibilities with other fingers can play an essential role in the dynamic motor function of individual fingers. During the unsupported task, in which interactions were diminished by allowing all fingers to move freely, tapping cadence increased markedly. Therefore, the lower cadences observed in specific finger-combinations may be partly attributed to anatomical and neural interdigit interactions.     

Coping and adjustment to genital herpes

The current study examined how individuals deal with genital herpes, a recurrent, incurable disease with a great psychological impact. An assessment battery composed of cognitive and problem-focused coping, attribution, and social support mechanisms was employed. These coping mechanisms were correlated with measures of psychological adjustment: self-esteem, depression, sexual adjustment, and amount upset by herpes. Subjects were 152 people with herpes recruited from self-help groups and people from the community who volunteered to participate in the study. Results supported several hypotheses derived from previous research on coping with life stressors. Cognitive coping mechanisms, especially negative thoughts, along with wishful thinking and characterological self-blame, were significant predictors of poor psychological adjustment. Social support was correlated with better psychological adjustment. In addition, the repeated use of disease management strategies was found to correlate with poor psychological adjustment. Further research in the area of coping with chronic illness is suggested.     

脑肿瘤患者认知功能障碍的初步研究

目的 :探索脑肿瘤患者认知功能障碍的特点。方法 :采用CLB测验对 31例左侧大脑肿瘤患者、34例右侧大脑肿瘤患者及正常对照组进行测验。结果 :(1)左侧大脑脑肿瘤组四项语言—序贯能力测验成绩明显低于对照组 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,四项空间认知能力成绩无明显差别 (P >0 .0 5 ) ,病例组CLQ为正值 ,表明右半球信息加工能力无明显损害 ;(2 )右侧大脑脑肿瘤组四项空间认知能力测验成绩明显低于对照组 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,四项语言—序贯能力测验成绩中系列数字、偏旁组字、类别组词与对照组间无明显差异 (P >0 .0 5 ) ,系列声音测验成绩有明显差异 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,病例组CLQ为负值 ,表明左半球信息加工能力基本正常。结论 :CLB可以对脑肿瘤患者认知功能障碍进行量化 ,是一种评估左右侧大脑肿瘤患者认知功能障碍的有效方法。     

Heart Rate Reactivity and Type A Behavior as Modifiers of Physiological Response to Active and Passive Coping

We examined the long term predictivity of heart rate reactivity (HRR) and its relation to cardiovascular and biochemical activity during rest and during tasks requiring active and passive coping. HRR was determined in 28 young men by measuring peak heart rate change to cold pressor one year after performing tasks eliciting active and passive coping. Heart rate change to cold pressor was significantly correlated with change to active coping (r= .65, p<.01) and to passive coping (r= .53, p<.01). Responses to the tasks were equivalent for Type A and B subjects. On the other hand, high HRRs were significantly more reactive than low HRRs with the effect being most apparent during active coping. HRR appeared to be a trait stable over one year which predicted enhanced cardiac, neuroendocrine, and neuromuscular response.     

Early coping experience and later aversive conditioning in cats

Kittens were given differential early experience in order to compare an objective coping behavior with the result of an inescapable aversive experience. Separate groups of kittens were treated in a shock motivated runway task at either 4 or 12 weeks of age, by allowing one member of a weight matched sibling pair to acquire an escape behavior, while the other member was confined; a third subject served as a handled control. Escape behavior was significantly different for 4 and 12 week old subjects, since the older kittens reached a running asymptote within the first few shock trials. At 6 months of age, the subjects were tested for effects of differential early treatment; heart rate, respiration rate and amplitude, and somatic activity were measured during classical conditioning. While all groups gave evidence of acquisition in one or more response measures, only a potentiated heart rate response in 4 week kittens could be related to early experience. Heart rate did not differentiate escaping kittens from confined ones. Rather, heart rate was related to early treatment with shock, perhaps reflecting an increased tendency to react with a passive defensive response.     

山东省社区空巢老人社会支持与自理能力现状及关联研究

目的 探讨城市社区空巢老人社会支持与自理能力现状,并分析社会支持对空巢老人自理能力的影响。方法 采取多阶段分层随机抽样方法,抽取山东省城市社区卫生服务机构的2597名空巢老人作为研究对象,采用自编一般资料调查表、社会支持评定量表（SSRS）、日常生活活动能力量表（ADL）进行调查。结果 山东省社区空巢老人社会支持评分为低、中水平占97.2%,ADL受损者占74.1%;社会支持总评分（r=-0.137,P＜0.01）及其主观支持（r=-0.150,P＜0.01）、客观支持（r=-0.086,P＜0.01）维度与日常生活活动能力呈负相关;回归结果显示,不同性别、年龄、婚姻状况、文化程度、患慢性病情况、两周患病情况、社会支持是ADL的影响因素,差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论 社区空巢老人自理能力较差,社会支持水平较低,社会支持与空巢老人自理能力呈负相关。通过“政府-社区-家庭”支持系统加强对空巢老人的社会支持,提升老年人自我照顾能力,提高其生活质量。     

Specifics of chronic fatigue syndrome coping strategies identified in a French flash survey during the COVID-19 containment

The COVID-19 pandemic has focused health systems on supporting patients affected by this virus. Meanwhile in the community, many other contained patients could only use self-care strategies, especially in countries that have set up a long and strict containment such as France. The study aimed to compare coping strategies deployed by patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS; a poorly recognised syndrome) to those with better known and referenced chronic conditions. An online flash survey was conducted during the containment period in partnership with French Patients Organizations including ME/CFS national association. Therefore, ‘Brief COPE’ version of Lazarus and Folkman's Ways of Coping Check List has been adapted to the specificity of the containment. The survey was e-distributed in France from 15 April to 11 May 2020. Differences of coping strategies were analyzed using Wilcoxon–Mann–Withney test. Amongst 637 responses, 192 were complete, presenting a wide variety of diseases, including 93 ME/CFS. The latter have significantly different coping strategies than recognised diagnosed diseases patients: similar uses of emotion focused coping but less uses of seek social support and problem-focused copings. In conclusion, coping strategies are different for those who deal with the daily experience of ME/CFS, highly disabling chronic condition with diagnostic ambiguity, low degree of medical and social recognition and without treatment. Better understanding of those strategies is needed to provide the means for health promotion researchers, managers and clinicians, to accompany those patients.     

Nursing Home Residents’ Functional Trajectories and Mortality After a Transfer to the Emergency Department

ObjectiveTo describe nursing home residents’ (NHRs) functional trajectories and mortality after a transfer to the emergency department (ED).DesignCase-control observational multicenter study.Setting and ParticipantsIn total, 1037 NHRs presenting to 17 EDs in France over 4 nonconsecutive weeks in 2016.MethodsFinite mixture models were fitted to longitudinal data on activities of daily living (ADL) scores before transfer (time 1), during hospitalization (time 2), and within 1 week after discharge (time 3) to identify groups of NHRs following similar functional evolution. Factors associated with mortality were investigated by Cox regressions.ResultsTrajectory modeling identified 4 distinct trajectories of ADL. The first showed a high and stable (across time 1, time 2, and time 3) functional capacity around 5.2/6 ADL points, with breathlessness as the main condition leading to transfer. The second displayed an initial 37.8% decrease in baseline ADL performance (between time 1 and time 2), followed by a 12.5% recovery of baseline ADL performance (time 2?time 3), with fractures as the main condition. The third displayed a similar initial decrease, followed by a 6.7% recovery. The fourth displayed an initial 70.1% decrease, followed by an 8.5% recover, with more complex geriatric polypathology situations. Functional decline was more likely after being transferred for a cerebrovascular condition or for a fracture, after being discharged from ED to a surgery department, and with a heavier burden of distressing symptoms during transfer. Mortality after ED transfer was more likely in older NHRs, those in a more severe condition, those who were hospitalized more frequently in the past month, and those transferred for cerebrovascular conditions or breathlessness.Conclusions and ImplicationsIdentified trajectories and factors associated with functional decline and mortality should help clinicians decide whether to transfer NHRs to ED. NHRs with high functional ability seem to benefit from ED transfers whereas on-site alternatives should be sought for those with poor functional ability.     

早期认知-行为干预对冠心病介入治疗患者心功能及自我管理能力的影响

目的 观察早期认知-行为干预对冠心病介入治疗患者心功能及自我管理能力的影响。方法 将2019年2月至2021年2月于我院接受介入治疗的100例冠心病患者随机分为观察组与对照组各50例。对照组予以常规护理,观察组在对照组基础上实施早期认知-行为干预。对比两组的心功能[左心室射血分数(LVEF)、左心室舒张末期内径(LVEDD)及左室后壁厚度(LVPWd)]、自我管理能力。结果 护理后,观察组的LVEF高于对照组, LVEDD、 LVPWd低于对照组(P<0.05)。护理后,观察组症状管理、角色功能、情绪控制、沟通能力评分均高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论 早期认知-行为干预可显著改善冠心病介入治疗患者心功能状态与自我管理能力,促进其病情恢复,值得临床推广应用。     

焦虑水平与应付方式关系的初步研究

目的 探求学生焦虑水平与应付方式的关系。方法 用一般焦虑问卷（GAT）和应对方式问卷测查某中学初二学生共116名。结果 解决问题的应付方式和焦虑总水平及对人不安、身体征候、恐惧倾向三个焦虑分量表呈显著负相关;自责、幻想、退避和合理化的应付方式与焦虑水平之间存在显著正相关;而求助和焦虑总水平及各个焦虑分量表之间不相关或相关很小。结论 焦虑水平与应付方式之间关系密切,应付方式不同,焦虑水平就可能不同,为了降低焦虑水平,应掌握有效的应付方式。