Facial expressions of emotions during pharmacological and exercise stress testing:The role of myocardial ischemia and cardiac symptoms

Background  Negative emotions have been linked to ischemic heart disease, but existing research typically involves self-report methods and little is known about non-verbal facial emotion expression. The role of ischemia and anginal symptoms in emotion expression was examined.  Methods  Patients undergoing cardiac stress testing (CST) using bicycle exercise or adenosine with myocardial perfusion imaging were included (N = 256, mean age 66.8 +/- 8.7 year., 43% women). Video images and emotion expression (sadness, anxiety, anger, and happiness) were analyzed at baseline, initial CST , maximal CST, recovery. Nuclear images were evaluated using SPECT.  Results  Ischemia (N = 89; 35%) was associated with higher levels of sadness (p = .017, d = 0.34) and lower happiness (p = .015, d = 0.30). During recovery, patients with both ischemia and anginal symptoms had the highest sadness expression (F (3,254) = 3.67, p = .013, eta(2) = 0.042) and the lowest happiness expression (F (3, 254) = 4.19, p = .006, eta(2) = .048).  Conclusion  Sadness and reduced happiness were more common in patients with ischemia. Also, anginal symptoms were associated with more negative emotions

Renewable Energy Cooperatives as a Stimulating Factor in Household Energy Savings

Little is known about how renewable energy cooperatives (REScoops) try to influence energy conservation among households and the resulting impact. In this article the main research question is: What is the predictive value of renewable energy cooperatives on intention to save energy, engagement in energy-saving actions, and self-reported energy conservation by households? A survey was conducted to answer this question. Data analysis involved multivariate and binary logistic regression on data from two cooperatives: Ecopower (Belgium; N = 1000) and Enercoop (France; N = 8290). Results show that in addition to psychological and socio-demographic variables, REScoop items modestly contribute to the explained variation in engagement in energy-saving actions and reported energy conservation. At Enercoop 18.2% of the respondents indicated that their cooperative contributed to household energy savings; for Ecopower this figure was 36.9%. Moreover, at Enercoop, 38.7% of the respondents reported consuming less energy since obtaining cooperative membership; at Ecopower this was 64.7%. The article concludes with suggestions for future research.Organisation and Governanc

Renewable Energy Cooperatives as a Stimulating Factor in Household Energy Savings

Little is known about how renewable energy cooperatives (REScoops) try to influence energy conservation among households and the resulting impact. In this article the main research question is: What is the predictive value of renewable energy cooperatives on intention to save energy, engagement in energy-saving actions, and self-reported energy conservation by households? A survey was conducted to answer this question. Data analysis involved multivariate and binary logistic regression on data from two cooperatives: Ecopower (Belgium; N = 1000) and Enercoop (France; N = 8290). Results show that in addition to psychological and socio-demographic variables, REScoop items modestly contribute to the explained variation in engagement in energy-saving actions and reported energy conservation. At Enercoop 18.2% of the respondents indicated that their cooperative contributed to household energy savings; for Ecopower this figure was 36.9%. Moreover, at Enercoop, 38.7% of the respondents reported consuming less energy since obtaining cooperative membership; at Ecopower this was 64.7%. The article concludes with suggestions for future research

Facial emotion expression and the inducibility of myocardial ischemia during Cardiac stress testing: The role of psychological background factors

Objective  Negative emotional states, such as anger and anxiety, are associated with the onset of myocardial infarction and other acute clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease. The likelihood of experiencing these short-term negative emotions has been associated with long-term psychological background factors such as depression, generalized anxiety, and personality factors. We examined the association of acute emotional states preceding cardiac stress testing (CST) with inducibility of myocardial ischemia and to what extent psychological background factors account for this association.  Methods  Emotional states were assessed in patients undergoing CST (n = 210; mean [standard deviation] age = 66.9 [8.2] years); 91 (43%) women) using self-report measures and video recordings of facial emotion expression. Video recordings were analyzed for expressed anxiety, anger, sadness, and happiness before CST. Psychological background factors were assessed with validated questionnaires. Single-photon emission computed tomography was used to evaluate inducibility of ischemia. Results Ischemia occurred in 72 patients (34%). Emotional states were not associated with subsequent inducibility of ischemia during CST (odds ratio between 0.93 and 1.04; p values > .50). Psychological background factors were also not associated with ischemia (odds ratio between 0.96 and 1.06 per scale unit; p values > .20) and did not account for the associations of emotional states with ischemia.  Conclusions  Emotional states immediately before CST and psychological background factors were not associated with the inducibility of ischemia. These findings indicate that the well-documented association between negative emotions with acute clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease requires a different explanation than a reduced threshold for inducible ischemia

Facial expressions of emotions during pharmacological and exercise stress testing: The role of myocardial ischemia and cardiac symptoms

Background  Negative emotions have been linked to ischemic heart disease, but existing research typically involves self-report methods and little is known about non-verbal facial emotion expression. The role of ischemia and anginal symptoms in emotion expression was examined.  Methods  Patients undergoing cardiac stress testing (CST) using bicycle exercise or adenosine with myocardial perfusion imaging were included (N = 256, mean age 66.8 +/- 8.7 year., 43% women). Video images and emotion expression (sadness, anxiety, anger, and happiness) were analyzed at baseline, initial CST , maximal CST, recovery. Nuclear images were evaluated using SPECT.  Results  Ischemia (N = 89; 35%) was associated with higher levels of sadness (p = .017, d = 0.34) and lower happiness (p = .015, d = 0.30). During recovery, patients with both ischemia and anginal symptoms had the highest sadness expression (F (3,254) = 3.67, p = .013, eta(2) = 0.042) and the lowest happiness expression (F (3, 254) = 4.19, p = .006, eta(2) = .048).  Conclusion  Sadness and reduced happiness were more common in patients with ischemia. Also, anginal symptoms were associated with more negative emotions

Facial emotion expression and psychological background factors as related to the inducibility of myocardial ischemia during cardiac stress testing

Objective:  Negative emotional states, such as anger and anxiety, are associated with the onset of myocardial infarction and other acute clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease. The likelihood of experiencing these short-term negative emotions has been associated with long-term psychological background factors such as depression, generalized anxiety, and personality factors. We examined the association of acute emotional states preceding cardiac stress testing (CST) with inducibility of myocardial ischemia and to what extent psychological background factors account for this association. Methods:  Emotional states were assessed in patients undergoing CST (N=210; mean age 66.9 years (standard deviation (±) =8.2 years); 43% women) using self-report measures and video recordings of facial emotion expression. Video recordings were analyzed for expressed anxiety, anger, sadness, and happiness prior to CST. Psychological background factors were assessed with validated questionnaires. Inducibility of ischemia was determined by singlephoton emission computed tomography (spect). Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses and the strength of associations expressed as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. Results: Ischemia occurred in 72 (34%) patients. Emotional states were not associated with subsequent inducibility of ischemia during CST (OR between 0.93 and 1.04; p-values >0.50). Psychological background factors were also not associated with ischemia (OR between 0.96 and 1.06 per scale unit; p values >0.20), and did not account for the associations of emotional states with ischemia. Conclusions:  Emotional states immediately before CST and psychological background factors were not associated with the inducibility of ischemia. These findings indicate that the well documented association between negative emotions with acute clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease requires a different explanation than a reduced threshold for inducible ischemia

Facial emotion expression and the inducibility of myocardial ischemia during Cardiac stress testing:The role of psychological background factors

Objective  Negative emotional states, such as anger and anxiety, are associated with the onset of myocardial infarction and other acute clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease. The likelihood of experiencing these short-term negative emotions has been associated with long-term psychological background factors such as depression, generalized anxiety, and personality factors. We examined the association of acute emotional states preceding cardiac stress testing (CST) with inducibility of myocardial ischemia and to what extent psychological background factors account for this association.  Methods  Emotional states were assessed in patients undergoing CST (n = 210; mean [standard deviation] age = 66.9 [8.2] years); 91 (43%) women) using self-report measures and video recordings of facial emotion expression. Video recordings were analyzed for expressed anxiety, anger, sadness, and happiness before CST. Psychological background factors were assessed with validated questionnaires. Single-photon emission computed tomography was used to evaluate inducibility of ischemia. Results Ischemia occurred in 72 patients (34%). Emotional states were not associated with subsequent inducibility of ischemia during CST (odds ratio between 0.93 and 1.04; p values > .50). Psychological background factors were also not associated with ischemia (odds ratio between 0.96 and 1.06 per scale unit; p values > .20) and did not account for the associations of emotional states with ischemia.  Conclusions  Emotional states immediately before CST and psychological background factors were not associated with the inducibility of ischemia. These findings indicate that the well-documented association between negative emotions with acute clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease requires a different explanation than a reduced threshold for inducible ischemia

Facial emotion expression and psychological background factors as related to the inducibility of myocardial ischemia during cardiac stress testing

Objective:  Negative emotional states, such as anger and anxiety, are associated with the onset of myocardial infarction and other acute clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease. The likelihood of experiencing these short-term negative emotions has been associated with long-term psychological background factors such as depression, generalized anxiety, and personality factors. We examined the association of acute emotional states preceding cardiac stress testing (CST) with inducibility of myocardial ischemia and to what extent psychological background factors account for this association. Methods:  Emotional states were assessed in patients undergoing CST (N=210; mean age 66.9 years (standard deviation (±) =8.2 years); 43% women) using self-report measures and video recordings of facial emotion expression. Video recordings were analyzed for expressed anxiety, anger, sadness, and happiness prior to CST. Psychological background factors were assessed with validated questionnaires. Inducibility of ischemia was determined by singlephoton emission computed tomography (spect). Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses and the strength of associations expressed as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. Results: Ischemia occurred in 72 (34%) patients. Emotional states were not associated with subsequent inducibility of ischemia during CST (OR between 0.93 and 1.04; p-values >0.50). Psychological background factors were also not associated with ischemia (OR between 0.96 and 1.06 per scale unit; p values >0.20), and did not account for the associations of emotional states with ischemia. Conclusions:  Emotional states immediately before CST and psychological background factors were not associated with the inducibility of ischemia. These findings indicate that the well documented association between negative emotions with acute clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease requires a different explanation than a reduced threshold for inducible ischemia

Pruebas de vigor y calidad fisiológica de semillas de soja Vigor tests and physiological quality of soybean seeds

El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar las alteraciones producidas por el deterioro en semillas de soja (Glycine max L. Merrill) utilizando diferentes pruebas de vigor. Se utilizaron semillas de soja de diferentes cultivares en 1997 y 1998, las cuales fueron sometidas a la prueba de germinación y diferentes pruebas de vigor: envejecimiento acelerado; conductividad eléctrica; deterioro controlado y tetrazolio. El deterioro controlado en semillas con 22% de humedad mostró ser un mejor indicador de la disminución del vigor de la semilla de soja que el envejecimiento acelerado. La conductividad eléctrica en semillas individuales podría ser considerada una buena prueba de vigor para detectar alteraciones producidas en las membranas citoplasmáticas en un estadio temprano del deterioro de las semillas. La clasificación de la viabilidad y el vigor a través de la prueba de tetrazolio está dada por el lugar donde se produce el daño y no por el tipo de daño que sufre la semilla.<br>The objective of this work was to study soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) seed alterations produced by deterioration using different vigor tests. Soybean seeds of different cultivars were used in 1997 and 1998, which were submitted to standard germination test and the vigor tests: accelerated aging; electric conductivity; controlled deterioration and tetrazolium. The controlled deterioration with an elevation of the seed humidity to 22%, showed to be a better indicator of the diminishing of soybean seed vigor than the accelerated aging. The electric conductivity in individual seeds would be considered a good vigor test to detect the alterations produced in the cytoplasmic membranes in an early stage of the seed deterioration. The tetrazolium test by the evaluation of the different kinds of injuries suffered by the seeds, depends on the place where the seed is damaged not on the kind of injury suffered by the seed