Sensation Seeking and Adaptation in Parabonauts

International audienceEvidence from extreme environments suggests that there are relationships between difficulties of adaptation and psychological factors such as personality. In the framework of microgravity research on humans, the aim of this exploratory study was to investigate inter-individual differences of parabonauts on the basis of quality of adaptation to the physical demands of parabolic flights. The personality characteristics of two groups of parabonauts with a different quality of adaptation (an Adaptive group, N = 7, and a Maladaptive group, N = 15) were assessed using the Sensation Seeking Scale, Brief COPE, and MSSQ-Short. Compared to the Maladaptive group, the individuals of the Adaptive group scored higher on Boredom Susceptibility (i.e., a subscale of the Sensation Seeking Scale), lower on scales of susceptibility to motion sickness (MSSQShort) and tended to score lower on Instrumental Support Seeking (i.e., a subscale of the Brief COPE). These results suggest that individuals of the Adaptive group are more intolerant to monotony, present an aversion to repetitive and routine activities, are less susceptible to motion sickness and less dependent on problem-focused strategies. These characteristics may have contributed to developing a certain degree of flexibility in these subjects when faced with the parabolic flight situation and thus, may have favored them. The identification of differences of personality characteristics between individuals who have expressed difficulties of adaptation from those who have adapted successfully could help to prevent the risk of maladaptation and improve the well-being of (future) commercial or occupational aerospace passengers. More generally, these results could be extended to extreme environments and professional and/or sports domains likely to involve risk taking and unusual situations

Personality Traits of People Attracted by Parabolic Flight

International audienceBackground: Studies have shown that members of expeditions in extreme environments differed on the basis of personality factors (e.g., they were highly competitive, higher on Extraversion and Conscientiousness) compared to the control population. In order to identify individuals who are likely to participate in extreme environments, the aim of the present study using parabolic flights was to compare the personality traits of voluntary participants (VP) in a weightlessness experiment with those of the general population (GP) (French norms). Methods: The personalities of 57 voluntary participants in a parabolic flights experiment were assessed using NEO-PI-R and Trait-Anxiety. Results: Our results show significant differences with the general population: 1) in Trait-Anxiety (GP = 42.25 +/- 11.44 vs. VP = 34.56 +/- 6.24) and in 3 out of 5 personality domains (Neuroticism GP = 90.04 +/- 22.68 vs. VP = 78.70 +/- 17.44, Extraversion GP = 112.13 +/- 18.87 vs. VP = 123.81 +/- 15.41, and Conscientiousness GP = 109.23 +/- 22.30 vs. VP = 124.47 +/- 19.03); and 2) in 14 out of 30 NEO-PI-R facets. Discussion: These findings indicate a specific personality profile for voluntary participants in parabolic flights and confirm that participants attracted to extreme environments differ compared to the normative population

Invited Editorial “The challenges imposed by low interest rates”

SCOPUS: ed.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Affective states and adaptation to parabolic flights

International audienceThis exploratory study investigates (i) inter-individual variations of affective states before a parabolic flight (i.e., PF) on the basis of quality of adaptation to physical demands, and (ii) intra-individual variations of affective states during a PF. Mood-states, state-anxiety and salivary cortisol were assessed in two groups with a different quality of adaptation (an Adaptive Group, i.e., AG, and a Maladaptive Group, i.e., MG) before and during a PF. Before PF, MG scored higher on mood states (Anger-Hostility, Fatigue-Inertia) than AG. During the flight, while AG seemed to present “normal” affective responses to the demanding environment (e.g., increase in salivary cortisol), MG presented increases in mood states such as Confusion-Bewilderment or Tension-Anxiety. The findings suggest that the psychological states of MG could have disturbed their ability to integrate sensory information from an unusual environment, which led to difficulties in coping with the physical demands of PF

<p>Individual Burden of Psoriasis (I-BOP): Building and Validation of a New Scoring Tool for Patients with Psoriasis</p>

International audienceBackground: Psoriasis impacts independently of its severity on patients' lifestyle and quality of life (QoL).Aim: To build a tool for assessing the patient-reported psoriasis burden.Methods: An expert group created a questionnaire using a standardized methodology building questionnaires assessing quality of life issues. The questionnaire was translated from French into a cultural and linguistically validated US English version.Results: A conceptual questionnaire of 54 questions was created. The confirmatory analyses resulted in a 10-feature questionnaire divided into 4 internally consistent domains with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.9. It was reproducible and highly reliable. It correlated well with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and SF-12 mental and SF12 physical scores.Conclusion: This tool allows for the first time to assess the burden of psoriasis patients. Its use may allow improving medical and nonmedical patient care, thus improving their daily life

Treatment of calcinosis cutis in systemic sclerosis and dermatomyositis: A review of the literature

International audienceBackground: We have limited data on the treatment of calcinosis cutis associated with systemic sclerosis and dermatomyositis.Objective: To assess the efficacy and tolerance of available treatments for calcinosis cutis based on previously published studies.Methods: We performed a systematic review of studies published in Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane library during 1980-July 2018. The strength of clinical data was graded according to the modified Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine levels of evidence.Results: In all, 30 studies (288 patients) were included. Eleven therapeutic classes, surgery, and physical treatments were identified as potential treatment options for calcinosis cutis. On the basis of results of a small randomized controlled trial and 4 retrospective studies, low-dose warfarin should not be used for calcinosis cutis (level IB evidence). The results of several studies suggest diltiazem and bisphosphonates might be useful treatment options (level IV). Considering biologic therapies, rituximab has shown promising results in treating both dermatomyositis and systemic sclerosis, whereas tumor necrosis factor inhibitors might be useful for treating juvenile dermatomyositis (level IV). Intralesional sodium thiosulfate might be a promising alternative (level IV).Limitations: Few included studies had a high level of evidence.Conclusion: This study highlights the efficacy and tolerance profiles of available treatments for calcinosis cutis, with a focus on level of evidence

Treatment of calcinosis cutis in systemic sclerosis and dermatomyositis: A review of the literature

International audienceBackground: We have limited data on the treatment of calcinosis cutis associated with systemic sclerosis and dermatomyositis.Objective: To assess the efficacy and tolerance of available treatments for calcinosis cutis based on previously published studies.Methods: We performed a systematic review of studies published in Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane library during 1980-July 2018. The strength of clinical data was graded according to the modified Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine levels of evidence.Results: In all, 30 studies (288 patients) were included. Eleven therapeutic classes, surgery, and physical treatments were identified as potential treatment options for calcinosis cutis. On the basis of results of a small randomized controlled trial and 4 retrospective studies, low-dose warfarin should not be used for calcinosis cutis (level IB evidence). The results of several studies suggest diltiazem and bisphosphonates might be useful treatment options (level IV). Considering biologic therapies, rituximab has shown promising results in treating both dermatomyositis and systemic sclerosis, whereas tumor necrosis factor inhibitors might be useful for treating juvenile dermatomyositis (level IV). Intralesional sodium thiosulfate might be a promising alternative (level IV).Limitations: Few included studies had a high level of evidence.Conclusion: This study highlights the efficacy and tolerance profiles of available treatments for calcinosis cutis, with a focus on level of evidence

Treatment of calcinosis cutis in systemic sclerosis and dermatomyositis: a review of the literature

We have limited data on the treatment of calcinosis cutis associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and dermatomyositis (DM)