Feasibility of transabdominal electrohysterography for analysis of uterine activity in nonpregnant women

Purpose: Uterine activity plays a key role in reproduction, and altered patterns of uterine contractility have been associated with important physiopathological conditions, such as subfertility, dysmenorrhea, and endometriosis. However, there is currently no method to objectively quantify uterine contractility outside pregnancy without interfering with the spontaneous contraction pattern. Transabdominal electrohysterography has great potential as a clinical tool to characterize noninvasively uterine activity, but results of this technique in nonpregnant women are poorly documented. The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of transabdominal electrohysterography in nonpregnant women. Methods: Longitudinal measurements were performed on 22 healthy women in 4 representative phases of the menstrual cycle. Twelve electrohysterogram-based indicators previously validated in pregnancy have been estimated and compared in the 4 phases of the cycle. Using the Tukey honest significance test, significant differences were defined for P values below .05. Results: Half of the selected electrohysterogram-based indicators showed significant differences between menses and at least 1 of the other 3 phases, that is the luteal phase. Conclusion: Our results suggest transabdominal electrohysterography to be feasible for analysis of uterine activity in nonpregnant women. Due to the lack of a golden standard, this feasibility study is indirectly validated based on physiological observations. However, these promising results motivate further research aiming at evaluating electrohysterography as a method to improve understanding and management of dysfunctions (possibly) related to altered uterine contractility, such as infertility, endometriosis, and dysmenorrhea

Why Dieters Succeed or Fail:The Relationship Between Reward and Punishment Sensitivity and Restrained Eating and Dieting Success

Background: The current study set out to improve our understanding of the characteristics of individuals who are motivated to restrict their food intake yet who nevertheless fail to do so. We examined whether punishment sensitivity (PS) was related to restrained eating, and reward sensitivity (RS) to perceived dieting success. Additionally, it was examined whether executive control (EC) moderates the association between RS and perceived dieting success. Methods: Female student participants (N = 290, aged 17-29, BMI between 18.5 and 38.0) completed questionnaires on restrained eating, perceived dieting success, RS and PS, and carried out a behavioral task to index EC. Results: PS was indeed positively related to restrained eating. RS was positively related to perceived dieting success, yet, EC did not moderate this association. Conclusion: The current study adds to the evidence that PS is related to individuals' motivation to restrict their food intake. Furthermore, it shows support for the suggestion that RS may facilitate food restriction

Reinforcement sensitivity and restrained eating:the moderating role of executive control

Purpose As the prevalence of overweight and obesity are still increasing, it is important to help individuals who encounter difficulty with losing weight. The current study was set out to further investigate characteristics of individuals who are highly motivated to restrict their food intake to lose weight, but fail to do so (i.e., restrained eaters). The motivation to lose weight might stem from high punishment sensitivity, whereas the failure to succeed in restricting food intake might be the result of high reward sensitivity. Thus, it was examined whether restrained eaters are characterized by both high reward sensitivity and high punishment sensitivity. Additionally, this is the first study to examine executive control as a potential moderator of this relationship. Methods Female undergraduates (N = 60) performed a behavioral measure of executive control, and completed the Restraint Scale to index level of restrained eating as well as two questionnaires on reinforcement sensitivity; the Behavioral Inhibition Scale/Behavioral Activation Scale, and the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire. Results There was a positive relationship between restrained eating and punishment sensitivity as indexed by both questionnaires. Reward sensitivity as measured by both indices was not directly related to restrained eating. Executive control moderated the relation between reward responsivity (but not reward-drive) and restrained eating; specifically in women with relatively weak executive control there was a positive relationship between reward responsivity and restrained eating behavior. Conclusion In women with low executive control, restrained eating is associated with both heightened sensitivity to punishment and heightened responsivity to reward

Outflow forces of low mass embedded objects in Ophiuchus: a quantitative comparison of analysis methods

The outflow force of molecular bipolar outflows is a key parameter in theories of young stellar feedback on their surroundings. The focus of many outflow studies is the correlation between the outflow force, bolometric luminosity and envelope mass. However, it is difficult to combine the results of different studies in large evolutionary plots over many orders of magnitude due to the range of data quality, analysis methods and corrections for observational effects such as opacity and inclination. We aim to determine the outflow force for a sample of low luminosity embedded sources. We will quantify the influence of the analysis method and the assumptions entering the calculation of the outflow force. We use the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope to map 12CO J=3-2 over 2'x2' regions around 16 Class I sources of a well-defined sample in Ophiuchus at 15" resolution. The outflow force is then calculated using seven different methods differing e.g. in the use of intensity-weighted emission and correction factors for inclination. The results from the analysis methods differ from each other by up to a factor of 6, whereas observational properties and choices in the analysis procedure affect the outflow force by up to a factor of 4. For the sample of Class I objects, bipolar outflows are detected around 13 sources including 5 new detections, where the three non-detections are confused by nearby outflows from other sources. When combining outflow forces from different studies, a scatter by up to a factor of 5 can be expected. Although the true outflow force remains unknown, the separation method (separate calculation of dynamical time and momentum) is least affected by the uncertain observational parameters. The correlations between outflow force, bolometric luminosity and envelope mass are further confirmed down to low luminosity sources.Comment: 24 pages, 13 figures, Accepted by A&

A Promising Candidate to Reliably Index Attentional Bias Toward Alcohol Cues-An Adapted Odd-One-Out Visual Search Task

Attentional bias (AB) has been suggested to contribute to the persistence of substance use behavior. However, the empirical evidence for its proposed role in addiction is inconsistent. This might be due to the inability of commonly used measures to differentiate between attentional engagement and attentional disengagement. Attesting to the importance of differentiating between both components of AB, a recent study using the odd-one-out task (OOOT) showed that substance use was differentially related to engagement and disengagement bias. However, the AB measures derived from the OOOT showed insufficient reliability to be used as a solid measure of individual differences. Therefore, the current study aimed to improve the reliability of the AB measures derived from the OOOT by using more distinct contrast stimuli, adding practice trials, increasing the number of trials, and by having participants perform the task in an alcohol-relevant context. We contrasted the original OOOT with the adapted OOOT (i.e., OOOT-adapt) and assessed AB in low- and high-drinking individuals. Participants were 245 undergraduate students who typically tend to drink either low or high amounts of alcohol. In one condition, AB was measured with the original OOOT in a typical laboratory context, whereas in the other condition, AB was measured with the OOOT-adapt in a bar (i.e., alcohol-relevant) context. The OOOT-adapt showed superior internal consistency, especially for the high-drinking group. Further, specifically the OOOT-adapt differentiated between low- and high-drinking participants showing that high drinkers engaged faster with alcohol cues than did low drinkers. Thus, the OOOT-adapt was found to be a promising candidate to reliably index AB in the context of alcohol use. The OOOT-adapt further showed superior criterion validity as it could differentiate between low- and high-drinking individuals, thereby adding to the evidence that AB might be involved in substance use behavior

Punishment sensitivity and the persistence of anorexia nervosa:High punishment sensitivity is related to a less favorable course of anorexia nervosa

OBJECTIVE: Cross-sectional research provides robust evidence that individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) report higher punishment sensitivity (PS) than individuals without an eating disorder (ED). High PS might interfere with treatment motivation and the ability to learn from experience. The current study took a longitudinal approach to test predictions that follow from the proposed relevance of PS as a factor in the persistence of AN symptoms. More specifically we tested (1) if higher PS at the start of treatment was related to less improvement in ED symptoms after one year, and (2) if a decrease in ED symptoms was associated with a concurrent decrease in PS. METHOD: Participants were 69 adolescents with a diagnosis of AN at the start of treatment of whom 62 participated again one year later. ED symptom severity and PS were assessed at both time points. RESULTS: Findings showed that (1) higher PS at the start of treatment was related to less improvement in ED symptoms, and (2) an improvement in ED symptoms was related to a decrease in PS. DISCUSSION: These findings are consistent with the proposed relevance of PS in the persistence of AN and suggest that it might be beneficial to address high PS in treatment. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Consistent with the view that punishment sensitivity (PS) is related to the persistence of anorexia nervosa, high PS at the start of treatment was related to less improvement in eating disorder symptoms in patients with anorexia nervosa. Furthermore, an improvement in eating disorder symptoms was associated with a concurrent decrease in PS, suggesting that PS can be subject to change and may be a relevant target for treatment

Gait quality is improved by locomotor training in individuals with SCI regardless of training approach

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>While various body weight supported locomotor training (BWSLT) approaches are reported in the literature for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), none have evaluated outcomes in terms of gait quality. The purpose of this study was to compare changes in measures of gait quality associated with four different BWSLT approaches in individuals with chronic motor-incomplete SCI, and to identify how gait parameters differed from those of non-disabled (ND) individuals.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data were analyzed from 51 subjects with SCI who had been randomized into one of four BWSLT groups: treadmill with manual assistance (TM), treadmill with electrical stimulation (TS), overground with electrical stimulation (OG), treadmill with locomotor robot (LR). Subjects with SCI performed a 10-meter kinematic walk test before and after 12 weeks of training. Ten ND subjects performed the test under three conditions: walking at preferred speed, at speed comparable to subjects with SCI, and with a walker at comparable speed. Six kinematic gait quality parameters were calculated including: cadence, step length, stride length, symmetry index, intralimb coordination, and timing of knee extension.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In subjects with SCI, all training approaches were associated with improvements in gait quality. After training, subjects with SCI walked at higher cadence and had longer step and stride lengths. No significant differences were found among training groups, however there was an interaction effect indicating that step and stride length improved least in the LR group. Compared to when walking at preferred speed, gait quality of ND subjects was significantly different when walking at speeds comparable to those of the subjects with SCI (both with and without a walker). Post training, gait quality measures of subjects with SCI were more similar to those of ND subjects.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>BWSLT leads to improvements in gait quality (values closer to ND subjects) regardless of training approach. We hypothesize that the smaller changes in the LR group were due to the passive settings used for the robotic device. Compared to walking at preferred speed, gait quality values of ND individuals walking at a slower speed and while using a walker were more similar to those of individuals with SCI.</p

Influence of hunger on attentional engagement with and disengagement from pictorial food cues in women with a healthy weight

Because of inconsistencies in the field of attentional bias to food cues in eating behavior, this study aimed to re-examine the assumption that hungry healthy weight individuals have an attentional bias to food cues, but satiated healthy weight individuals do not. Since attentional engagement and attentional disengagement have been proposed to play a distinct role in behavior, we used a performance measure that is specifically designed to differentiate between these two attentional processes. Participants were healthy weight women who normally eat breakfast. In the satiated condition (n = 54), participants were instructed to have breakfast just before coming to the lab. In the fasted condition (n = 50), participants fasted on average 14 h before coming into the lab. Satiated women showed no stronger attentional engagement or attentional disengagement bias to food cues than to neutral cues. Fasted women did show stronger attentional engagement to food cues than to neutral cues that were shown briefly (100 ms). They showed no bias in attentional engagement to food cues that were shown longer (500 ms) or in attentional disengagement from food cues. These findings are in line with the assumption that healthy weight individuals show an attentional bias to food cues when food stimuli are motivationally salient. Furthermore, the findings point to the importance of differentiating between attentional engagement and attentional disengagement