Association of the rs2242446 polymorphism in the norepinephrine transporter gene SLC6A2 and anxious arousal symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder

To the Editor: Recently, we found that greater norepinephrine transporter (NET) availability in the locus ceruleus of trauma survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was associated with increased severity of anxious arousal (ie, hypervigilance and exaggerated startle) symptoms, but not any of the other empirically derived symptom clusters that characterize this disorder.1 This finding suggests that greater NET availability in the locus ceruleus may serve a compensatory function of clearing elevated synaptic norepinephrine and maintaining anxious arousal symptoms in persons with PTSD

Association of the rs2242446 polymorphism in the norepinephrine transporter gene SLC6A2 and anxious arousal symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder

To the Editor: Recently, we found that greater norepinephrine transporter (NET) availability in the locus ceruleus of trauma survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was associated with increased severity of anxious arousal (ie, hypervigilance and exaggerated startle) symptoms, but not any of the other empirically derived symptom clusters that characterize this disorder.1 This finding suggests that greater NET availability in the locus ceruleus may serve a compensatory function of clearing elevated synaptic norepinephrine and maintaining anxious arousal symptoms in persons with PTSD

Regulación emocional y satisfacción con la vida: el rol predictor de las actitudes al Covid-19

La pandemia generó diversas consecuencias entre la población, el presente estudio buscó conocer si los factores actitudinales frente al Covid-19 son predictores de la regulación emocional y la satisfacción con la vida. El diseño empleado corresponde al predictivo transversal, debido a que se planteó un análisis de regresión multivariante, planteándose la predicción sobre las variables dependientes. La muestra evaluada fue de 387 pobladores de Trujillo mayores de 18 años, quienes fueron seleccionados en base a un muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia, quienes respondieron a la escala de actitudes hacia la Covid-19 y a los cuestionarios de regulación emocional y satisfacción con la vida. Los resultados reflejan que el factor emotivo-afectivo predice la regulación emocional y el cognitivo creencias la satisfacción con la vida.The pandemic generated diverse consequences among the population, the present study sought to determine whether attitudinal factors in relation to Covid-19 are predictors of emotional regulation and life satisfaction. The design used corresponds to the cross-sectional predictive design, because a multivariate regression analysis was proposed, with prediction of the dependent variables. The sample evaluated was 387 inhabitants of Trujillo over 18 years of age, who were selected on the basis of a non-probabilistic sampling by convenience, who responded to the scale of attitudes towards Covid-19 and to the emotional regulation and life satisfaction questionnaires. The results show that the emotional-affective factor predicts emotional regulation and the cognitive factor predicts life satisfaction

Factores de riesgo asociados al embarazo en adolescentes

Objective: To assess the risk factors for pregnancy in adolescents.Method: Retrospective case-control study with a non-probability sample for convenience of 180 adolescents: 60 pregnant women (cases) and 120 non pregnant women (controls) Data collection was carried out between September and October, 2019 in a public health center in Trujillo, using FACES-III and a card identifying sociodemographic and family data. For the data analysis the Odds ratio was determined, the confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and the magnitude of effect was estimated.Results: Exposure to violence (OR: 5.82), family functionality (OR: 3.87), age of mother's first pregnancy (OR: 4.07), and parents’ emotional situation (OR: 4.24) were risk factors with a moderate magnitude of effect, whereas mother's education (OR: 2.03) was a risk factor with a small magnitude of effect and father's education (OR: 1.37) was insignificant.Conclusions: Exposure to violence, family functionality, age of mother's first pregnancy, emotional situation and parents’ level of education all acted as risk factors for adolescent pregnancy.Objetivo: Evaluar los factores de riesgo para el embarazo en adolescentes.Método: Estudio retrospectivo de casos y controles con una muestra no probabilística por conveniencia de 180 adolescentes: 60 gestantes (casos) y 120 no gestantes (controles). La recolección de datos se realizó entre los meses de setiembre y octubre del 2019 en un centro de salud público de Trujillo, mediante el FACES-III y una ficha de identificación de datos sociodemográficos y familiares. Para el análisis de datos se determinó el Odds ratio, se calcularon los intervalos de confianza (IC) y se procedió a estimar la magnitud de efecto.Resultados: Tanto la exposición a la violencia (OR: 5.82), la funcionalidad familiar (OR: 3.87), la edad del primer embarazo de la madre (OR: 4.07) y la situación sentimental de los padres (OR: 4.24), actuaron como factores de riesgo con una magnitud de efecto moderada; en tanto que el grado de instrucción de la madre (OR: 2.03) se mostró como un factor de riesgo con magnitud de efecto pequeña y el grado de instrucción del padre (OR: 1.37) insignificante. Conclusiones: La exposición a la violencia, la funcionalidad familiar, la edad del primer embarazo de la madre, la situación sentimental y el grado de instrucción de los padres actuaron como factores de riesgo para el embarazo en adolescentes

Trends and correlates of marijuana use among late middle-aged and older adults in the United States, 2002–2014

BACKGROUND: Recent trend studies suggest that marijuana use is on the rise among the general population of adults ages 18 and older in the United States. However, little is known about the trends in marijuana use and marijuana-specific risk/protective factors among American adults during the latter part of adulthood. METHOD: Findings are based on repeated, cross-sectional data collected from late middle-aged (ages 50–64) and older adults (ages 65 and older) surveyed as part of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health between 2002 and 2014. RESULTS: The prevalence of past-year marijuana use among late middle-aged adults increased significantly from a low of 2.95% in 2003 to a high of 9.08% in 2014. Similarly, the prevalence of marijuana use increased significantly among older adults from a low of 0.15% in 2003 to a high of 2.04% in 2014. Notably, the upward trends in marijuana use remained significant even when accounting for sociodemographic, substance use, behavioral, and health-related factors. We also found that decreases in marijuana-specific protective factors were associated with the observed trend changes in marijuana use among late middle-aged and older adults, and observed a weakening of the association between late-middle aged marijuana use and risk propensity, other illicit drug use, and criminal justice system involvement over the course of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from the present study provide robust evidence indicating that marijuana use among older Americans has increased markedly in recent years, with the most evident changes observed between 2008 and 2014

Importance of frequency and intensity of strength training for work ability among physical therapists

The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between frequency and intensity of strength training participation and work ability among physical therapists (PTs). The Work Ability Index questionnaire (WAI) and a questionnaire about participation in strength training during leisure time were administered to a sample of Spanish PTs. In addition, participants provided information on gender, age, body mass index, education, substance use, working experience and working hours per week. The odds for having excellent WAI (score 44–49) as a function of intensity or frequency of strength training participation were determined using binary logistic regression controlled for various confounders. Data from 981 PTs were analysed. High-intensity strength training (> 80% 1 RM) showed strong associations with excellent WAI (odds ratio = 9.7; 95% confidence interval, 2.9–31.6). In addition, performing strength training more than 3 times per week was associated with excellent WAI (odds ratio = 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.24–2.59), however, no significant associations were found with lower levels of frequency and intensities. High-intensity strength training 3 times per week is associated with excellent WAI among PTs. Training programs meeting these features may importantly contribute to maintain or improve WAI

Social functioning in schizotypy: How affect influences social behavior in daily life.

OBJECTIVE: Social deficits are already exhibited by people at risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Technological advances have made passive detection of social deficits possible at granular levels. METHOD: In this real-world study, we tested if schizotypy status (high/low) predicted two types of social behavior: (1) being around other people; and (2) actively socializing with others. We also examined if schizotypy influences relationships between social behavior and affect using subjective and objective instruments. RESULTS: Our findings revealed that socializing with others was significantly decreased in the high schizotypy group. Positive affect increased in social situations and predicted later social behavior in those low, but not high, in schizotypy. CONCLUSION: Decreased social behavior in schizotypy may be explained, in part, by these individuals being less incentivized than their peers to pursue social situations. Future studies should test this explanation in larger samples exhibiting elevated positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy traits

Efektivitas Pembelajaran Berbasis Masalah dengan Bermain Peran terhadap Peningkatan Hasil Belajar Mahasiswa

Dua tantangan utama yang dihadapi oleh mahasiswa calon guru matematika adalah mampu berpikir dan bekerja seperti matematikawan dan memiliki keterampilan komunikasi, interaksi, dan kerjasama yang baik. Implikasi dari tantangan-tantangan ini adalah pentingnya untuk memiliki pendekatan pembelajaran yang dapat mendukung keduanya. Sehingga penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengukur efektivitas pembelajaran berbasis masalah dengan bermain peran terhadap hasil belajar mahasiswa. Penelitian ini adalah suatu quasi- experimental research dengan non-equivalent control group posttest only design. Populasi sebanyak 42 mahasiswa dibagi ke dalam kelompok eksperimen dan kontrol. Kelompok eksperimen diperlakukan dengan pembelajaran berbasis masalah dengan bermain peran sedangkan kelompok kontrol hanya diperlakukan dengan pembelajaran berbasis masalah saja. Analisa data penelitian ini antara lain; (1) pengujian validitas tes menurut ahli, (2) pengujian reliabilitas tes dengan pearson correlation coefficient, (3) pengujian normalitas data melalui interpretasi skewness dan kurtosis, (4) pengujian homogenitas data dengan F-test, dan (5) pengujian hipotesis dengan t-test. Semua pengujian data dilakukan menggunakan analysis toolpak pada Microsoft Excel. Hasil pengujian hipotesis dengan t-test  menunjukkan bahwa thitung = 7.64 > ttabel = 1.68 yang artinya Ho ditolak pada α = 0.05. Jadi dapat disimpulkan bahwa pembelajaran berbasis masalah dengan bermain peran efektif untuk meningkatkan hasil belajar mahasiswa. Kata kunci: Pembelajaran Berbasis Masalah; Bermain Peran; Hasil Belaja