Coping with the threat of severe acute respiratory syndrome: Role of threat appraisals and coping responses in health behaviors

The present study examines the psychological impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) by exploring the coping strategies and health behaviors enacted in response to the SARS epidemic. Hierarchical linear regression indicated that the use of wishful thinking in response to the threat of SARS was related to both avoiding public places and avoiding people perceived to be possible carriers of the SARS virus, but was not associated with the use of more adaptive health behaviors, such as using disinfectants and hand washing. Conversely, those who reported engaging in empathic responding in response to the threat of SARS were both less likely to report avoiding people perceived as being at a high risk for SARS and more likely to report engaging in effective health behaviors. Support seeking was not a significant predictor of the health behaviors examined in the present study. Results are discussed in terms of coping with health threats and health promotion.     

从SARS看突发公共卫生事件的政策管理

在调研国外应对突发公共卫生事件政策管理经验的基础上,结合我国应对传染性非典型肺炎的措施,初步探讨了我们在应对突发公共卫生事件政策管理方面的不足,并就改进对策也进行了初步研究。     

Changes in physical activity among coronary and hypertensive patients: A longitudinal study using the Health Action Process Approach

Objectives: Physical activity (PA) is a key factor in cardiovascular disease prevention. Through the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), the present study investigated the process of change in PA in coronary patients (CPs) and hypertensive patients (HPs).

Design: Longitudinal survey study with two follow-up assessments at 6 and 12 months on 188 CPs and 169 HPs.

Main outcome measures: Intensity and frequency of PA.

Results: A multi-sample analysis indicated the equivalence of almost all the HAPA social cognitive patterns for both patient populations. A latent growth curve model showed strong interrelations among intercepts and slopes of PA, planning and maintenance self-efficacy, but change in planning was not associated with change in PA. Moreover, increase in PA was associated with the value of planning and maintenance self-efficacy reached at the last follow-up

Conclusions: These findings shed light on mechanisms often neglected by the HAPA literature, suggesting reciprocal relationships between PA and its predictors that could define a plausible virtuous circle within the HAPA volitional phase. Moreover, the HAPA social cognitive patterns are essentially identical for patients who had a coronary event (i.e. CPs) and individuals who are at high risk for a coronary event (i.e. HPs).     

2010年我国急性ST段抬高型心肌梗死诊断与治疗指南解读评析

近年来我国急性心肌梗死的发病率一直呈明显上升趋势,已接近国际平均水平。对于STEMI版早期诊断并及时开通梗死相关动脉、增加心肌再灌注、防止心肌进一步坏死,可显著降低心血管事件的发生。本文从STEMI的诊断、早期医疗、再灌注治疗、辅助治疗及二级预防等几个方面对2010年我国急性ST段抬高型心肌梗死的诊断与治疗指南进行了详细解读分析。     

医学对急性呼吸窘迫综合征（ARDS）的认识

ARDS是一个临床综合征,其特征是炎症性肺水肿,严重的低氧血症,僵硬肺和弥漫性内皮和上皮损伤。既往50年中,特别是SARS在全球暴发以来,对ARDS病因、生理学、组织学和管理上有了重大的进展。然而,尽管围绕ARDS的研究显著增加,依然有许多重要问题亟待解决。     

系统论视角下重型急性胰腺炎的治疗

重症急性胰腺炎(severe acute pancreatitis,SAP)是临床上常见的急腹症之一,本文试从系统生物学角度出发,探讨其在SAP营养支持治疗、抗生素的选用以及外科手术治疗中的应用。强调应用整体的、综合的、发展的观点去研究SAP的治疗,从而找到最佳治疗方案。     

Neuropsychological Functioning Associated with High-Altitude Exposure

This article focuses on neuropsychological functioning at moderate, high, and extreme altitude. This article summarizes the available literature on respiratory, circulatory, and brain determinants on adaptation to hypoxia that are hypothesized to be responsible for neuropsychological impairment due to altitude. Effects on sleep are also described. At central level, periventricular focal damages (leuko-araiosis) and cortical atrophy have been observed. Frontal lobe and middle temporal lobe alterations are also presumed. A review is provided regarding the effects on psychomotor performance, perception, learning, memory, language, cognitive flexibility, and metamemory. Increase of reaction time and latency of P300 are observed. Reduced thresholds of tact, smell, pain, and taste, together with somesthetic illusions and visual hallucinations have been reported. Impairment in codification and short-term memory are especially noticeable above 6,000 m. Alterations in accuracy and motor speed are identified at lower altitudes. Deficits in verbal fluency, language production, cognitive fluency, and metamemory are also detected. The moderating effects of personality variables over the above-mentioned processes are discussed. Finally, methodological flaws found in the literature are detailed and some applied proposals are suggested.     

重复性急性应激对攻击行为的影响及调控机制

关于急性应激对攻击行为的影响, 现有研究多集中于单次急性应激情境下。然而, 相比单次急性应激, 对重复暴露于同一应激源的研究更能反映人们在现实生活中经历的应激事件。与单次应激不同, 重复性急性应激与应激适应有关, 能够节省资源, 具有很强的进化和适应意义, 但目前关于重复性急性应激对攻击行为的影响却知之甚少。鉴于此, 研究运用事件电位相关技术、鼻喷催产素和催产素受体基因型分析方法, 探讨重复性急性应激对攻击行为的影响及内部机制, 并进一步探讨通过内部和外部调控重复性急性应激反应后攻击行为的变化。     

Post-stroke depression as a predictor of caregivers burden of acute ischemic stroke patients in China

Our aim was to explore the independent attribution of Post-stroke depression (PSD) to caregiver burden of acute ischemic stroke patients. A cross-sectional survey was performed with 271 acute ischemic stroke patients in the Huai-He Hospital and First People’s Hospital of Kaifeng City in China. PSD was assessed by Self-rating Depressive Scale, and caregiver burden was assessed by Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview. Clustered logistic regression was applied to identify the impact of PSD on caregiver burden. As results, female patients, normal muscle strength and PSD were associated with caregiver burden. PSD correlated with an independent influence of 17.2% on the risk of caregiver burden, The independent influence of PSD on caregiver burden was smaller than that of social-demographics of caregivers and clinical factors of stroke patients This study suggests that PSD may have a modest influence on caregiver burden.     

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66met polymorphism and plasma levels in road traffic accident survivors

Background: Alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and release may play a role in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Design: This study evaluated road traffic accident (RTA) survivors to determine whether PTSD and trauma-related factors were associated with plasma BDNF levels and BDNF Val66Met carrier status following RTA exposure. Methods: One hundred and twenty-three RTA survivors (mean age 33.2 years, SD?=?10.6 years; 56.9% male) were assessed 10 (SD?=?4.9) days after RTA exposure. Acute stress disorder (ASD), as assessed with the Acute Stress Disorder Scale, was present in 50 (42.0%) of the participants. Plasma BDNF levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and BDNF Val66Met genotyping was performed. PTSD, as assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, was present in 10 (10.8%) participants at 6 months follow-up. Results: Neither BDNF Val66Met genotype nor plasma BDNF was significantly associated with the presence or severity of ASD or PTSD. Plasma BDNF levels were, however, significantly correlated with the lifetime number of trauma exposures. Conclusions: In RTA survivors, plasma BDNF levels increased with increasing number of prior trauma exposures. Plasma BDNF may, therefore, be a marker of trauma load.