ACQUISITION,DISCRIMINATIVE STIMULUS CONTROL,AND RETENTION OF INCREASES/DECREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE OF NORMOTENSIVE HUMAN SUBJECTS1

The aims of this study of 24 normotensive subjects were: to compare a free-operant with a discrete-trials training format; to determine the most effective training procedure by comparing instrumental conditioning with instructional set and a control; to see if both increases and decreases in blood pressure could be brought under discriminative control, and to examine the maintenance of acquired self-control of blood pressure. A 2 × 3 design was employed in which two trial formats (free operant and discrete trials) were factorially compared with three training conditions (instrumental conditioning, instructional set, and control). Instrumental conditioning was found superior to both the instructional set and control conditions in producing increases and decreases in mean diastolic blood pressure. The free-operant format led to a greater degree of learned BP control in that subjects were able to increase and decrease their blood pressure by 10% to 15% of basal value and to maintain the blood-pressure operant after contingent auditory feedback/reinforcement was removed. Training was discontinued when subjects in the other five groups failed to reach criterion after 10 consecutive acquisition sessions.     

Sports specific metacognitions and competitive state anxiety in athletes: A comparison between different sporting types

This study investigated the relationship between sport related metacognitions with state anxiety dimensions, and compared how sporting categories affected these variables, among an online sample of athletes (N = 187). A MANOVA revealed there were significant differences between sporting types in metacognitive beliefs relating to the utility of rumination and arousal, the need to control thoughts, and levels of somatic anxiety. Correlations and multiple regressions showed that that in contrast to the relationships with self-confidence, cognitive and somatic state anxiety were positively associated with specific dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs, but negatively related to metacognitive processes. Overall, these findings highlight that: (a) athletes might adopt metacognitions to meet the different cognitive demands of sport types; and (b) metacognitions are in part responsible for the occurrence of state anxiety and self-confidence during competitions. The findings of this study have implications toward how researchers and sports practitioners approach the comprehensive nature of competitive anxiety.     

Temporal perception in closed-skill sports: An experimental study on expert swimmers and runners

The cognitive benefits of closed-skill sports practice have so far been scantily investigated. Here, we thus focused on the potential impact of swimming and running - two sports that highly rely on a precise control of timing - on time processing. To investigate the impact of these closed-skill sports on time perception and estimation, three groups of participants (for a total of eighty-four young adults) took part in the present study: expert swimmers, expert runners, and non-athletes. The ability to process temporal information in the milliseconds and seconds range was assessed through a time reproduction and a finger-tapping tasks, while a motor imagery paradigm was adopted to assess temporal estimation of sport performance in a wider interval range. We also employed the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire to assess the individual's ability of motor imagery. Results showed that closed-skill sports, specifically time-related disciplines, enhance motor imagery and time perception abilities. Swimmers were more accurate and consistent in perceiving time when compared to runners, probably thanks to the sensory muffled environment that leads these athletes to be more focused on the perception of their internal rhythm.     

The significance of blushing for fair- and dark-skinned people

Since blushing is difficult to detect in people with dark skin, their experience of blushing may differ fundamentally from people with fair skin. To investigate this issue, cheek temperature and forehead blood flow were measured in 16 Caucasians and 16 Indians during mental arithmetic and singing. Caucasians (particularly females) thought that they blushed more intensely than Indians, and also reported greater self-consciousness when singing. Vascular responses did not differ between groups. However, skin tone moderated the association between vascular responses and ratings of self-consciousness, blushing intensity, blushing propensity and fear of negative evaluation. These findings support the notion that the visibility of blushing influences the nature of emotions experienced in embarrassing social encounters.     

脐血内皮祖细胞的研究与应用

近年来,脐带血内皮祖细胞以其取材方便,数量丰富等独特优势受到越来越多科学家的青睐,其不仅能在体外扩增并移植到缺血组织、损伤血管中,并能参与组织修复和血管新生过程。本文归纳总结了脐带血来源内皮祖细胞的最新研究与应用现状及其在缺血性疾病治疗、血管修复及组织工程学中的临床运用中的重要意义。     

老年原发性高血压晨峰现象与靶器官损害临床研究

应用24h动态血压监测(ABPM)了解老年原发性高血压晨峰现象对主要靶器官结构及功能的潜在损害。114例老年原发性高血压患者根据24h动态血压监测分为晨峰组和非晨峰组,均常规检查血脂谱,空腹血糖,放免法测定尿微量白蛋白,计算体重指数(BMI)、左室质量指数(LVMI)、颈总动脉(CCA-IMT)和颈内动脉内膜中层厚度(ICA-IMT)、心电图测量计算QT离散度(QTcd)。晨峰组的24h、白昼、夜间平均收缩压均显著高于非晨峰组动态血压监测水平(P<0.05),而且晨峰组的睡-谷晨峰变异幅度增高有统计学意义(P<0.05)。晨峰组的LVMI、CCA-IMT、ICA-IMT、QTcd和尿微量白蛋白指标均高于非晨峰组(P<0.01)。两组在BMI、血脂谱、血糖差异无统计学意义。清晨高血压是老年原发性高血压病的一个不可忽视的潜在危险因素。长期晨间血压负荷升高使得机体全天处于血压高负荷状态,更易使心肌重构肥厚和心电生理特征改变,增加心律失常发生率;加速动脉粥样硬化斑块形成。因此遏制老年原发性高血压患者的晨峰高反应是降压达标和减缓靶器官损害的关键环节。     

降压达标治疗中的个体化原则与优化治疗

为了提高高血压患者的降压达标率、最大程度地降低靶器官损伤,一方面应强化生活方式的改变,包括戒烟限酒、低盐饮食、减轻体重和适量运动,另一方面,由于原发性高血压的发病是由多种复杂因素的不同组合引起,应根据不同个体的高血压发病机制及病因的差异,在指南的指导下,应用不同种类抗高血压药物(单用或联合用药),采用针对个体的优化治疗,才能更有效地使降压治疗达标。     

有偿献血HIV感染者的情绪障碍

考察有偿献血HIV感染者的情绪状况,探讨他们面临的艾滋病压力和对感染HIV的认知评价对其情绪的影响。方法：采用Beck抑郁量表、焦虑自评量表、艾滋病压力量表、认知评价量表作为测查工具,测查了185名有偿献血HIV感染者,并收集了人口学资料、症状资料和其它信息。结果：（1）92%的有偿献血HIV感染者有中、重度抑郁障碍,他们的焦虑程度高于神经衰弱者和焦虑症者;（2）艾滋病压力不仅通过认知评价而且会直接对情绪障碍产生影响;（3）认知评价在艾滋病压力和情绪障碍之间起部分中介作用。结论：有偿献血HIV感染者抑郁、焦虑情绪障碍严重,艾滋病压力和认知评价对情绪障碍的产生都有直接或间接的影响     

THE SOCIOLOGY AND THEOLOGY OF CREATIONIST OBJECTIONS TO EVOLUTION: HOW BLOOD MARKS THE BOUNDS OF THE CHRISTIAN BODY

The staying power of creationist objections to evolution needs explanation. It depends on the use of “blood” language. Both William Jennings Bryan and, a century later, Ken Ham connect evolution with the blood of predation and the blood of apes, and both also connect evolution with the blood of atonement. Drawing on Mary Douglas and Bettina Bildhauer, I suggest that blood becomes important to societies that image the social body on the human body. Blood reveals the body as porous and vulnerable and therefore needing social work to be constructed as whole and bounded. Blood is the place where society conducts this work. I conclude that blood language is ineliminable from Christian discourse and indeed from discourses that model the social on the individual body. The solution, I suggest, is not to avoid the language of blood, but to continue to use it in ways that broaden its focus from human sin to human and animal suffering.