The seed of goal-related doubts : a longitudinal investigation of the roles of failure and expectation of success among police trainee applicants

Various theories on personal goal striving rely on the assumption that failure raises doubts about the goal. Yet, empirical evidence for an association between objective failure experiences and doubts about personal long-term goals is still missing. In a longitudinal field study, applicants for a job as a police trainee (n = 172, Mage = 25.15; 55 females and 117 males) were accompanied across three measurement times over a period of five months. We investigated the effects of failure and initial expectation of success (in the standardized selection process) on doubts regarding the superordinate goal of becoming a police officer. As hypothesized, both failure and low initial expectation of success as well as their interaction led to increased goal-related doubts over time. The findings provide first empirical evidence for the role of failure in the emergence of goal-related doubts in personal long-term goals and, therefore, the disengagement process as it is hypothesized in various theories on goal striving and life-span development

Data Collection for the Fourth Multicentre Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Equine Fatalities (CEPEF4) Study:New Technology and Preliminary Results

It is almost 20 years since the largest observational, multicentre study evaluating the risks of mortality associated with general anaesthesia in horses. We proposed an internet-based method to collect data (cleaned and analysed with R) in a multicentre, cohort, observational, analytical, longitudinal and prospective study to evaluate peri-operative equine mortality. The objective was to report the usefulness of the method, illustrated with the preliminary data, including outcomes for horses seven days after undergoing general anaesthesia and certain procedures using standing sedation. Within six months, data from 6701 procedures under general anaesthesia and 1955 standing sedations from 69 centres were collected. The results showed (i) the utility of the method; also, that (ii) the overall mortality rate for general anaesthesia within the seven-day outcome period was 1.0%. In horses undergoing procedures other than exploratory laparotomy for colic (“noncolics”), the rate was lower, 0.6%, and in “colics” it was higher, at 3.4%. For standing sedations, the overall mortality rate was 0.2%. Finally, (iii) we present some descriptive data that demonstrate new developments since the previous CEPEF2. In conclusion, horses clearly still die unexpectedly when undergoing procedures under general anaesthesia or standing sedation. Our method is suitable for case collection for future studies

Regional ventilation distribution and dead space in anaesthetized horses treated with and without continuous positive airway pressure: novel insights by electrical impedance tomography and volumetric capnography

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on regional distribution of ventilation and dead space in anaesthetized horses. Study design: Randomized, experimental, crossover study. Animals: A total of eight healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses were anaesthetized twice with isoflurane in 50% oxygen and medetomidine as continuous infusion in dorsal recumbency, and administered in random order either CPAP (8 cmH2O) or NO CPAP for 3 hours. Electrical impedance tomography (and volumetric capnography (VCap) measurements were performed every 30 minutes. Lung regions with little ventilation [dependent silent spaces (DSSs) and nondependent silent spaces (NSSs)], centre of ventilation (CoV) and dead space variables, as well as venous admixture were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate analysis of variance and Pearson correlation. Results: Data from six horses were statistically analysed. In CPAP, the CoV shifted to dependent parts of the lungs (p < 0.001) and DSSs were significantly smaller (p < 0.001), while no difference was seen in NSSs. Venous admixture was significantly correlated with DSS with the treatment time taken as covariate (p < 0.0001; r = 0.65). No differences were found for any VCap parameters. Conclusions and clinical relevance: In dorsally recumbent anaesthetized horses, CPAP of 8 cmH2O results in redistribution of ventilation towards the dependent lung regions, thereby improving ventilation-perfusion matching. This improvement was not associated with an increase in dead space indicative for a lack in distension of the airways or impairment of alveolar perfusion

Age-related development of self-regulation : evidence on stability and change in action orientation

Action (vs. state) orientation describes the ability to modulate affect and is at the core of goal-directed self-regulation. However, evidence on stability and change over time is scarce. In Study 1 (N = 368 couples), we investigated measurement invariance of action orientation (measured with the ACS-90) as well as rank-order stability and mean-level change over a period of four years. We report results from three samples with young adults (Study 2). Measurement invariance was obtained for an adjusted ACS-90 scale after removing 4 items. Rank-order stability was high. In both studies, one of two subscales – prospective action orientation – increased over time. Positive change was most consistent for middle-aged adults, implying that self-regulatory abilities improve during middle adulthood

Electrocardiographic changes during continuous intravenous application of bupivacaine in neonatal pigs

Background It is controversial as to whether T-wave elevation is caused by local anaesthetics, epinephrine, or their combination. It has been shown that T-elevation after intravascular injection of a small bupivacaine test dose is caused by epinephrine and not by bupivacaine. The aim of this study was to investigate ECG changes with higher doses of i.v. bupivacaine. Methods Thirty neonatal pigs were anaesthetized with sevoflurane and their tracheas intubated and artificially ventilated. Under steady-state conditions, bupivacaine was continuously infused (flow rate 3.2 ml kg−1 min−1) by a syringe infusion pump through a central venous catheter. Group 1 received bupivacaine 0.125%, Group 2 bupivacaine 0.5%. The ECG was continuously printed and subsequently analysed for alterations in heart rate, ventricular de- and repolarization, and arrhythmias at 1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg kg−1 bupivacaine infused. Results Sinus rhythm persisted in all pigs. Heart rate decreased progressively in both groups, but this was significantly more pronounced in Group 1. T-wave elevation occurred in 40% and 0% (Groups 1 and 2) at 1.25 mg kg−1, in 80% and 0% at 2.5 mg kg−1, and in 93% and 80% at 5 mg kg−1 bupivacaine infused. There were significant differences between the two groups at 1.25 and 2.5 mg kg−1 infused. Conclusions Higher doses of i.v. infused bupivacaine can cause T-elevation. With slower injection technique, T-elevation can already be detected at lower bupivacaine doses administere

Gender differences in the association between life history of body silhouettes and asthma incidence : results from the SAPALDIA cohort study

Background: The association of obesity and asthma has been described in children and adults. However, whether a different life course of weight in men and women may explain gender differences in asthma incidence, has not been addressed. Objectives: Using data from the Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Diseases in Adults, we investigated the role of overweight/obesity as measured by body silhouettes at different life stages in men and women for asthma incidence. Methods: Our analysis included 5417 subjects who were asthma free at age 8, followed up to 2011, and had complete covariate information. The main predictor of interest was self-reported body silhouettes at age 8, menarche, 30, 45, menopause, and 60, and additionally changes in body silhouette number across these different time points. Asthma incidence was defined as newly reported doctor-diagnosed asthma after the body silhouette time point. Asthma incidence and its association with body silhouettes was analysed using sex stratified logistic regression, adjusting for age, atopy, urbanity, smoking, parental asthma, education and study area. Results: Men at age 60 had an increased risk of asthma incidence per unit increase in body silhouette number (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.13–3.30). This association was stronger in women at age 60 (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.49–5.18) and observed also at menopause (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.03–1.78), as well as per unit change in body silhouette number between age 45 – menopause (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.15–2.63). Conclusion: In this longitudinal study, the risk of incident asthma increased in men and women with a larger body silhouette in late adulthood. In women, this risk appeared present between age 45 and menopause. At age 60, both men and women were at higher risk of asthma incidence per unit increase in body silhouette, the risk being more pronounced in women. The age-related increase of obesity may underlie gender differences in asthma incidence at higher ages

Case Report Balanced Anaesthetic Approach in a Late-Term Gravid Cow Undergoing Metacarpal Fracture Repair

An 800 kg Swiss cow, eighth months gravid, was presented for anaesthesia to repair metacarpal fracture. The cow was premedicated with intravenous isoxsuprine, butorphanol, ketoprofen, and xylazine IM and induced with ketamine and diazepam IV. In lateral recumbency, the trachea was intubated, and isoflurane in oxygen and air was administered. Despite a ring block with lidocaine, purposeful movement happened, and xylazine 0.02 mg kg −1 h −1 and ketamine 0.6 mg kg −1 h −1 constant rate infusion was started. During anaesthesia, slight hypercapnia and hypoxaemia developed. Total time of xylazine and ketamine infusion was 3.5 hours. Total anaesthesia time was 4.5 hours. For recovery of anaesthesia, isoflurane was discontinued, and in sternal recumbency, the trachea was extubated when the cow swallowed. Paralysis of the left radial nerve occurred, and the cow was supported to stand up after 2 hours. The radial nerve paralysis resolved within three days. A healthy calf was born at term. This is the first paper that describes the successful use of adjunctive xylazine and ketamine infusion to isoflurane anaesthesia in a late-term gravid cow undergoing fracture repair during 4.5 hours

Causal effects of body mass index on airflow obstruction and forced mid-expiratory flow: a mendelian randomization study taking interactions and age-specific instruments into consideration toward a life course perspective

Obesity has complex links to respiratory health. Mendelian randomization (MR) enables assessment of causality of body mass index (BMI) effects on airflow obstruction and mid-expiratory flow. In the adult SAPALDIA cohort, recruiting 9,651 population-representative samples aged 18–60 years at baseline (female 51%), BMI and the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) as well as forced mid-expiratory flow (FEF25–75%) were measured three times over 20 follow-up years. The causal effects of BMI in childhood and adulthood on FEV1/FVC and FEF25–75% were assessed in predictive (BMI averaged over 1st and 2nd, lung function (LF) averaged over 2nd and 3rd follow-up; N = 2,850) and long-term cross-sectional models (BMI and LF averaged over all follow-ups; N = 2,728) by Mendelian Randomization analyses with the use of weighted BMI allele score as an instrument variable and two-stage least squares (2SLS) method. Three different BMI allele scores were applied to specifically capture the part of BMI in adulthood that likely reflects tracking of genetically determined BMI in childhood. The main causal effects were derived from models containing BMI (instrumented by BMI genetic score), age, sex, height, and packyears smoked as covariates. BMI interactions were instrumented by the product of the instrument (BMI genetic score) and the relevant concomitant variable. Causal effects of BMI on FEV1/FVC and FEF25–75% were observed in both the predictive and long-term cross-sectional models. The causal BMI- LF effects were negative and attenuated with increasing age, and stronger if instrumented by gene scores associated with childhood BMI. This non-standard MR approach interrogating causal effects of multiplicative interaction suggests that the genetically rooted part of BMI patterns in childhood may be of particular relevance for the level of small airway function and airflow obstruction later in life. The methodological relevance of the results is first to point to the importance of a life course perspective in studies on the etiological role of BMI in respiratory health, and second to point out novel methodological aspects to be considered in future MR studies on the causal effects of obesity related phenotypes

Clarity of task difficulty moderates the impact of the explicit achievement motive on physical effort in hand grip tasks

Stable personality dispositions, like motives, are often assumed to exert a direct, stable impact on behavior. This also applies to the explicit achievement motive, which is supposed to influence the behavior that individuals select and how strongly they engage in it. Drawing on motivational intensity theory, we demonstrated in two studies that explicit achievement motive strength only predicted exerted force in a hand grip task if task difficulty was unclear. If task difficulty was clear, explicit achievement motive strength did not influence exerted force. Our findings suggest that the availability of information about the difficulty of motive satisfaction moderates the impact of the explicit achievement motive on behavior