A Controlled Study on Evaluation of Thermal Stimulation Influence on Affective Measures of Uninformed Individuals

Although the relationship between temperature and emotional states has been investigated in the field of haptics, it remains unknown if, or in what direction, temperature affects emotional states. We approach this question at the intersection of haptics and psychology using a custom-built thermal device and emotional responses based on photos from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) library. Unlike past research, this study incorporates deception and a control (i.e., neutral temperature) condition. One hundred and twenty naive subjects reported their emotional responses to fifty-six images varying on normative arousal and valence ratings while being exposed to a cool~(30{\deg}C), neutral (33{\deg}C), or warm (36{\deg}C) temperature applied to the upper back. Participants exposed to warm temperatures reported higher arousal ratings in some image categories than participants exposed to neutral or cool temperatures. Valence ratings were decreased in warm conditions compared to neutral conditions. The emotion wheel was used as a complementary method of affective response measurement, and exploratory analysis methods were implemented. Although the valence and arousal showed statistical significance, the emotion wheel results did not demonstrate any significant differences between the temperature conditions

The robust nature of the biopsychosocial model challenge and threat: A reply to Wright and Kirby

This article responds to Wright and Kirby's (this issue) critique of our biopsychosocial (BPS) analysis of challenge and threat motivation. We counter their arguments by re- Wright and Kirby (this issue) critiqued our challenge and threat theory and its supporting empirical data. We disagree with their assessment and believe their criticisms (a) are based on a misunderstanding and selective presentation of elements of our current theory and data; (b) are based on a rational-economic perspective entailing only objective comparison of the amount of effort individuals are willing and able to expend to the amount required by the situation, which fails to integrate contextual elements involved in social behavior, in general, and subjectivity and automatic processing, in particular; and (c) provide some interesting challenges for our theory that should be construed as research questions within an ongoing, evolving theoretical framework rather than fatal flaws. Here, we first provide a brief summary of our current challenge and threat theory and research. We then respond to Wright and Kirby's criticisms and finally provide our conclusions regarding their critique. Challenge and Threat: Is the Model Coherent and the Evidence Compelling? Our theory and research address how people evaluate, react to, and behave in goal-relevant performanc

Influence of hormone therapy on the cardiovascular responses to stress of postmenopausal women

Abstract Epidemiological and psychophysiological data suggest that groups that differ in reproductive hormones and stress responses also differ in risk for cardiovascular disease. To evaluate the effects of hormone therapy on women's cardiovascular responses to laboratory stressors, 89 healthy postmenopausal women were tested twice, before and after exposure for about 8 weeks to one of the five conditions: placebo, Estratab (primarily estrone), Estratab plus Prometrium (micronized progesterone), Estratab plus Provera (synthetic progestin), and Estratest (same estrogen as in Estratab plus methyltestosterone). Results showed that women assigned to Estratab plus Prometrium and Estratest had diminished systolic blood pressure responses to stress upon retesting, whereas the other groups did not change in the level of their responses. Women assigned to Estratab plus Prometrium had diminished diastolic blood pressure responses during a speech stressor upon retesting, whereas women assigned to Estratab plus Provera increased. Our findings show that hormone therapy does affect women's stress responses, but they do not provide a simple explanation as to why groups at high and low risk for cardiovascular disease differ in reproductive hormones and stress responses.

Lessons learned for surveillance system strengthening through capacity building and partnership engagement in post-Ebola Guinea, 2015–2019

The 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak in Guinea revealed systematic weaknesses in the existing disease surveillance system, which contributed to delayed detection, underreporting of cases, widespread transmission in Guinea and cross-border transmission to neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia, leading to the largest Ebola epidemic ever recorded. Efforts to understand the epidemic's scale and distribution were hindered by problems with data completeness, accuracy, and reliability. In 2017, recognizing the importance and usefulness of surveillance data in making evidence-based decisions for the control of epidemic-prone diseases, the Guinean Ministry of Health (MoH) included surveillance strengthening as a priority activity in their post-Ebola transition plan and requested the support of partners to attain its objectives. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) and four of its implementing partners—International Medical Corps, the International Organization for Migration, RTI International, and the World Health Organization—worked in collaboration with the Government of Guinea to strengthen the country's surveillance capacity, in alignment with the Global Health Security Agenda and International Health Regulations 2005 objectives for surveillance and reporting. This paper describes the main surveillance activities supported by US CDC and its partners between 2015 and 2019 and provides information on the strategies used and the impact of activities. It also discusses lessons learned for building sustainable capacity and infrastructure for disease surveillance and reporting in similar resource-limited settings

Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia During Stress Predicts Resting Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia 3 Years Later in a Pediatric Sample

The author examined whether respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) responses to stress predicted resting RSA approximately 3 years later in children and adolescents. A total of 149 children and adolescents (49% girls and women, 44% African Americans) participated in 2 laboratory protocols approximately 3 years apart. RSA reactivity during tasks was consistent within participants across tasks during each session. Resting RSA at Visit 1 explained 17% of the variance in resting RSA at Visit 2 when body mass index, duration between visits, race, gender, and age were controlled for. Visit 1 RSA reactivity explained an additional 5% of the variance in resting RSA at Visit 2. The positive relationship between Visit 1 reactivity and Visit 2 resting levels suggests that larger decreases in RSA during stress predicted lower resting RSA. Conversely, increases in RSA during stress were associated with higher resting RSA an average of 3 years later