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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Accuracy of subjective measurements made with or without previous scores: an important source of error in serial measurement of subjective states.

Pain severity was assessed on visual analogue scale in 4 groups of patients receiving long-term therapy. A comparison was made between pain measurements made with and without access to initial scores. The differences between these measurements increased with the duration of treatment. Patients tended to overestimate their pain severity when previous scores were not available. It is suggested that initial scores should be made available when serial measurements of pain are made in long-term experiments.

Humans

A comparison of subjective measurements of human sperm motility and viability with two live-dead staining techniques.

Two commonly used live-dead stains (eosin-nigrosin (EN) and eosin-opal blue (EOB)) were compared with the estimated active spermatozoa in semen samples from patients attending an infertility service. Twenty-eight semen samples were analyzed throughout the day of their collection by estimating the number of active spermatozoa and by staining a portion of the incubated sample (37 degrees C) with each stain. The samples were analyzed 30, 60, 120, 240, and 360 minutes after the initial collection. At 30 minutes there were no significant differences between the estimated values and those of either stain. The slope of the EN stain closely paralleled that of the estimated measurements throughout the remainder of the time periods, while the EOB slope was somewhat steeper. Repeatability of values for semen samples obtained on different days was generally good for each stain. A comparison of semen samples from 85 patients, 30 minutes after collection, showed no significant differences between the numbers of estimated active sperm and the percentage live using the EN stain. Studies of 132 semen samples using the EN stain showed a positive correlation with the over-all quality of sperm motility. The results indicate that there is a role for live-dead staining in assessing semen quality.

Cell Biology

Validation of a subjective helplessness measure.

Investigated the potential utility and validity of a measure of subjective helplessness, the H25. Helplessness is defined as the degree to which the individual perceives him/herself to be unable to influence or control the initiation and outcome of a variety of potentially reinforcing activities. Alcoholic subjects were classified into three levels of self-reported helplessness. An initial multivariate analysis of variance indicated that the groups differed with respect to severity level across a number of dimensions of depressive symptomatology, with the High Helplessness group appearing significantly more depressed on each of the measures than Low Helplessness subjects. Subsequent analyses supported the construct validity of the H25. Those measures found to be most descriminating between groups and most predictive of the level of helplessness reflected a dimension of behavioral retardation consistent with the motivational dificits noted in the learned helplessness model. Recommendations for the future validation of individual difference measures of helplessness are discussed.

Adult

Octadecadienoic acids in the skin surface lipids of acne patients and normal subjects.

Measurements were made of the proportions of octadeca-5,8-dienoic acid and octadeca-9,12-dienoic acid in the scalp surface lipids of 6 normal subjects, 5 subjects with slight acne, and 9 subjects with severe acne. The group averages for the delta5,8 isomer were: 0.74, 0.85, and 0.61% and for the delta9,12 isomer were 0.56, 0.27, and 0.19%, respectively. The differences in the levels of the delta9,12 isomer between the normal subjects and the groups with slight and with severe acne were statistically significant (p less than 0.02 and 0.001), respectively) but there was no significant difference in the content of the delta5,8 compound. The ratio of the delta5,8/delta9,12 isomers showed no correlation with the rate of sebum production in 12 subjects.

Acne Vulgaris

Size-specific information channels and selective attention: visual evoked potential and behavioral measures.

Subjects were shown a stimulus (diffuse light or a checkerboard pattern with checks subtending 12' or 35' of arc) and were instructed to remember and attend (give a reaction time response to or count) that stimulus during the course of an approximately 6-min trial. A trial consisted of the random presentation of 8 stimulus flashes (diffuse light and checkerboards with 9, 12, 18, 24, 35, 45, 94 and 95 min checks) at a rate of 1/555--930 msec. Visual evoked potentials and reaction times were averaged to each of the 8 stimuli. The purpose of the experiment was to assess how specifically the relevant stimulus could be attended, as indicated by VEPs and behavioral responses to the relevant and 7 irrelevant stimuli. Attention to one check size resulted in greater amplitude VEP components to that size than to other sizes: the greater the discrepancy between the flashed and attended check size, the smaller the VEP amplitude. Such size tuning was first evident in the VEP 160 msec after stimulation and most evident at 260 msec. The bandwidth of the VEP amplitude size-tuning functions became progressively narrower from 160 up to 260 msec, that point in time when the RT response was initiated. The width at 260 msec was similar to that indicated by the behavioral RT data (modal latency of 322 msec). The functional components of the VEP appeared to reflect the effects of attention on the activity of cortical size channels or detectors.

Attention

The disruption of marijuana intoxication.

Ninety-six males Ss were divided into four drug conditions; coltsfoot, placebo, marijuana low dose, and marijuana high dose. Half of the Ss smoked marijuana while listening to music in a relaxing environment, and half smoked marijuana in the same environment but had two 10-min periods of aversive-noise superimposed over the music. A subjective measure of intoxication demonstrated significant drug and environmental group effects with suppression of self-report of intoxication being especially strong for the marijuana low dose noise group. The usual positive correlation between subjective measures and pulse rate measures of marijuana intoxication was interfered with by the noise effect. Although subjective ratings were suppressed, the noise group demonstrated significantly higher pulse rates than the music group. The results are discussed in terms of the effect of extraneous factors on marijuana intoxication, the significance of dosage in this type of research, and the nature of marijuana intoxication.

Adolescent

Impact of Event Scale: a measure of subjective stress.

Clinical, field, and experimental studies of response to potentially stressful life events give concordant findings: there is a general human tendency to undergo episodes of intrusive thinking and periods of avoidance. A scale of current subjective distress, related to a specific event, was based on a list of items composed of commonly reported experiences of intrusion and avoidance. Responses of 66 persons admitted to an outpatient clinic for the treatment of stress response syndromes indicated that the scale had a useful degree of significance and homogeneity. Empirical clusters supported the concept of subscores for intrusions and avoidance responses.

Adaptation, Psychological

The effect of triazolam on the sleep of insomniacs.

The effects of three oral doses of bedtime triazolam (0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1.0 mg) a new benzodiazepine, on the laboratory sleep of insomniacs were studied in a double blind design which used the following 14 consecutive night schedule: 1-4 placebo; 5-11 drug; 12-14 placebo. Effects on sleep were measured objectively by conventional EEG/EOG/EMG sleep recordings and subjectively by questionnaires administered each morning. Side or toxic effects were assessed by screening physicals and questionnaires administered each morning and each evening and by a comparison of the prestudy vs. end-study physical exams and clinical lab tests. At the 0.5 mg dose triazolam significantly reduced several objective and subjective measures of insomnia. It had lesser effects at the 0.25 mg dose and equal or greater effects at 1.0 mg dose. There were no remarkable side or toxic effects at any dose.

Adult

Wearable Sleep Monitoring in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Associations With Subjective Sleep Ratings and Neurocognitive Functioning.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbances are associated with increased fatigue, reduced quality of life, and neurocognitive dysfunction and have emerged as a common complication among pediatric cancer survivors. Sleep disturbances are particularly concerning given their potential to exacerbate existing neurocognitive impacts of cancer treatments. This pilot study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a home-wearable EEG-based sleep device (Sleep ProfilerTM) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors as well as associations between specific sleep parameters and neurocognitive functioning. PROCEDURE: Children (ages 8-12; M = 10 years, SD = 1.6; N = 23) >6 months post-treatment for ALL were enrolled at clinical visits and wore the Sleep ProfilerTM for two consecutive nights at home, followed by neurocognitive testing of attention, inhibitory control, working memory, and processing speed. Parents completed subjective measures of child sleep, anxiety, depression, and acceptability. Feasibility reflected the percentage of children wearing the device at least one night and the percentage of nights with good EEG quality data. RESULTS: All participants wore the device both nights, with 84% meeting the threshold for good quality measurement. Few children met recommended quantity and quality sleep thresholds based on objective measurement, including 5 patients with elevated snoring levels; 43.5% of subjective ratings fell above the threshold for sleep disturbance. Greater sleep latency was associated with worse inhibitory control (r = -0.42, p = 0.046), and total sleep time was positively associated with inhibitory control and attention. CONCLUSIONS: Findings confirm the feasibility and acceptability of home EEG sleep monitoring in school-age survivors, and associations of sleep latency and snoring with reduced neurocognitive functioning may offer modifiable risk factors for aspects of neuropsychological dysfunction common in pediatric survivorship. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: At the time this study was conducted, we were not required to register the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. It was a single-institution feasibility study without intervention, which was not considered a clinical trial.

Humans

The effects of changing the phase and duration of sleep.

The relative effects of extended sleep, reduced sleep, and shifts of habitual sleep time on subsequent performance and mood were studied. Ten healthy male university students who regularly sleep 9.5-10.5 hr were the subjects. Measurements were obtained from a 45-min auditory vigilance task, a 5-min experimenter-paced addition task and a mood adjective check list 30 min after awakening, at midday, and in the evening following five electroencephalographically recorded nights of sleep. The experimental treatments compromised at 9.5-10.5 hr habitual sleep condition and four conditions in which the regular sleep period was lengthened, reduced, delayed, and advanced by 3hr. Following each 3-hr altered condition of sleep there was an equivalent decline in vigilance performance and in subjective arousal as measured by the mood scales. Together with other recent evidence, the present results support the hypothesis that acute disruption of the 24-hr sleep-wakefulness cycle produces degradations in human performance largely independent of total sleep time.

Arousal

Objective measurement of post-operative swelling.

Numerous investigators have investigated medicaments claimed to reduce post-operative edema. The majority of these investigators utilized subjective measurements which are of doubtful statistical significance. A number of objective methods of measuring oedema following surgical removal of impacted wisdom teeth are reported. The results obtained from these methods were compared and a definite correlation between them was found. A sample of 600 patients was investigated for this purpose.

Clinical Trials as Topic

The measurement of coenzyme A and a coenzyme A-dependent enzyme. In microdissected epidermal material using coupled enzyme and bioluminescent reactions.

A sensitive micromethod for the determination of Coenzyme A and its esters down to about 0.2 pmol in a volume of 10 microliters and of the activity of citrate synthase is outlined. Epidermal material from healthy and psoriatic skin was utilized in microgram quantity as tissue source. The assay utilizes the ketoglutarate dehydrogenase reaction to yield NADH on addition of free Coenzyme A and the subsequent measurement of NADH by a bioluminescent reaction with Acromobacter fischerii. The total Coenzyme A content in six healthy subjects measured in stratum Malpighii was 1.58 +/- 0.19 mmol per kg dry weight. In six psoriatic patients non-involved and involved epidermis contained 1.51 +/- 0.27 and 1.50 +/- 0.25 mmol/kg, respectively. Long-chain acyl-Coenzyme A comprised about 20% in lesion-free skin and 60% of total content in the involved psoriatic epidermis. The activity of citrate synthase in basal layers of healthy epidermis was 0.30 +/- 0.04 mkat/kg dry weight.

Animals

Time course effects of marijuana and ethanol on event-related potentials.

Twelve male college students received orally on different days NIMH marijuana extract calibrated to contain 0.7 mg/kg delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, 1.0 ml/kg 95% ethanol, and placebo in a double-blind balanced-order design. The contingent negative variation (CNV), auditory evoked potential (EP), heart rate (HR), and subjective measures of intoxication were recorded prior to drug ingestion and at regular intervals for 4.5 h postdrug. Both drugs produced significant subjective effects. Marijuana increased HR but did not have a significant effect on CNV amplitude or EP peak amplitudes and latencies. Ethanol increased HR, but not significantly, and reduced CNV amplitude and N1-P2 amplitude. Time-action curves for ethanol's effect on subjective high, HR, and N1-P2 amplitude were parallel, peaking between 0.5 and 1.5 h postdrug and returning to baseline by the end of testing. Time-action curve for ethanol's effect on the CNV showed continuing amplitude reduction throughout the test session.

Adult

Subjective cognition trajectories, Alzheimer biomarkers, and incident mild cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: Subjective cognitive decline is common in older adults and may represent an early clinical signal along the Alzheimer's disease continuum. The clinical relevance of longitudinal changes in subjective cognitive decline remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether trajectories of self- or study partner-reported cognitive decline predict progression to mild cognitive impairment and reflect Alzheimer's disease-specific biological patterns. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: Data were pooled from two observational cohorts. Cognitively unimpaired participants with baseline amyloid status, repeated assessments of subjective cognitive decline, and clinical follow-up were included. The study included 770 participants with a median follow-up of 5.0 years (interquartile range 4.0-7.0). MEASUREMENTS: Subjective cognitive decline was assessed using the Everyday Cognition questionnaire completed by participants and study partners. Linear mixed-effects models examined associations with amyloid status and progression to mild cognitive impairment. Cox proportional hazards models tested whether one-year changes predicted progression. RESULTS: Amyloid-positive participants and those who progressed to mild cognitive impairment showed steeper increases in self- and study partner-reported cognitive difficulties over time. Among amyloid-positive participants, only increases in study partner-report differentiated progressors from non-progressors. One-year increases in study partner-report predicted a higher risk of mild cognitive impairment compared with unchanged scores (hazard ratio 3.24; 95% confidence interval 1.73-6.07]), with effects confined to amyloid-positive participants. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term increases in study partner-reported cognitive difficulties identify amyloid-positive cognitively unimpaired older adults at increased risk of near-term progression to mild cognitive impairment. Longitudinal monitoring using study partner reports may provide a low-burden and clinically relevant approach for early risk stratification and surveillance in aging populations.

Humans

Fracture-suspending effect of the patellar-tendon-bearing cast.

In order to evaluate the fracture-suspending effect of the patellar-tendon-bearing cast, experiments using a load cell under the heel were carried out on four subjects. Measurements were made using a conventional below-knee cast, the PTB cast, and an above-knee cast. There were no differences between the forces transmitted by the same subject wearing the three types of casts in turn and consequently the choice of cast must be based on other factors.

Biomechanical Phenomena

Effect of fatigue and alcohol on observer perception.

A test series of chest radiographs containing pseudonodules was used to establish baseline sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy rates for individual observers. This experiment studies the effect of fatigue (as subjectively measured) and alcohol (as measured by blood alcohol levels) on observer perception and performance. The results indicate that the fatigue encountered in the course of ordinary professional activities has no significant effect on diagnostic accuracy. Modest quantities of alcohol may adversely influence diagnostic sensitivity, but the effect is unpredictable. Subjective estimates of the influence of fatigue or alcohol on performance by individual observers are frequently erroneous.

Ethanol

Health and Physical Activity Outcomes in Age-Friendly Cities and Communities: A Systematic Review of Emerging Evidence and a Future Research Agenda.

OBJECTIVES: The World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCCs) promotes the development of urban environments, policies and services that support the health and participation of older adults. This systematic review examined contemporary evidence concerning associations between WHO AFCC conditions and directly measured health and physical activity outcomes among older residents. METHODS: The registered review adhered to the PRISMA protocol for systematic reviews and meta-analyses and applied the Downs and Black quality criteria for randomised and non-randomised research. RESULTS: Structured Boolean searches of five research repositories identified 17 peer-reviewed studies published between 2017 and 2025 based upon original research conducted in WHO AFCC signatory cities. Although most studies reported positive associations between age-friendly features and domains, such as accessible transport, walkable environments, outdoor infrastructure and self-rated health or physical activity, the strength of evidence was limited by methodological inconsistency, variable study quality and reliance on self-reports. Barriers to evaluation included limited use of longitudinal or quasi-experimental designs, heterogeneous outcome measures, subjective response data and the challenge of establishing appropriate comparison conditions in complex municipal settings. CONCLUSIONS: Strengthening evaluation frameworks for AFCC initiatives is essential for evidence-based urban health policy and governance in rapidly ageing societies. A research agenda is proposed to strengthen AFCC evaluation through standardised measurement, community-based and mixed-methods research, and a greater commitment to co-designed assessment frameworks.

Humans