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Stress Index (stress + index)
Kinds of Stress Index Selected AbstractsNursing Outcomes for Evaluations of Caregiver Outcomes in a Rural Alzheimer Demonstration ProjectINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING TERMINOLOGIES AND CLASSIFICATION, Issue 2003Janet Specht PURPOSE To evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions of nurse care managers in the care of family members of people with dementia. METHODS Data were collected as part of a 3-year Administration on Aging,funded Alzheimer Demonstration Project to provide expanded in-home services to rural Iowans affected by Alzheimer disease and related disorders in 8 rural Iowa counties,randomly selected to have a nurse care manager and 4 designated control counties that had traditional case management service. Nurse care managers were trained in the care of people with dementia and their caregivers, the use of role transition theory, and the Progressively Lowered Stress Threshold model of care to provide and coordinate services for enrollees. All referred people with cognitive impairment and their families in the 8 study counties were eligible for inclusion. Three selected NOC outcomes were tested in clinical settings. Interrater reliability for the outcomes was good (87%,95%). The construct validity of Caregiver Stressors Outcome was .74 when correlated with the Caregiver Stress Index. FINDINGS Of the 142 subjects with cognitive impairment enrolled within the first year of the grant, 113 had a caregiver. The outcomes were used to evaluate differences in caregiver outcomes at baseline and at 6-month intervals. The majority of caregivers at follow-up was female and had been providing care for ,5 years. For each of the outcomes the majority of caregivers had improved scores, with only 2,4 caregivers getting scores indicating worsening conditions or remaining the same. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary analysis shows a trend of improved outcomes with the use of a nurse care manager. The NOC caregiver outcomes showed good variability among caregivers at baseline, with caregiver responses distributed throughout the scales. The NOC outcomes also provide guidance for interventions of the nurse care managers. Further evaluation of the outcomes is needed, including examining the relationships of placement, health status, and service use of each outcome. The caregiver outcomes offer an effective and efficient means to evaluate services delivered to caregivers of people with dementia. [source] Parenting stress in mothers of adults with an intellectual disability: parental cognitions in relation to child characteristics and family supportJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 12 2009C. Hill Abstract Background There is a body of evidence that indicates that the cognitions of parents of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) play an important role in influencing parental stress. However, there is a paucity of evidence about the experience of parents of adult children with ID. This study sought to apply a model of parenting stress to mothers of adults with ID. Of particular interest were the parental cognitions of parenting self-esteem and parental locus of control. Method Face-to face interviews were administered with 44 mothers of adults with ID. They completed the Vineland Adaptive and Maladaptive Behaviour Scale, the Family Support Scale, the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, a shortened version of the Parental Locus of Control Scale and the Parenting Stress Index. Results Correlations were observed between parenting stress and the other study variables. Regression analysis revealed that parental cognitive variables predicted 61% of the variance in parenting stress. Parenting satisfaction, a subscale of the measure of parenting sense of competence, mediated the relationships between adaptive behaviour and parenting stress and between family support and parenting stress. Conclusions These results indicate the importance of cognitive variables in the stress of mothers of adults with ID. Potential avenues of future research might focus on the experience of fathers and the impact of positive perceptions as a cognitive factor. [source] Parenting stress in mothers of children with an intellectual disability: the effects of parental cognitions in relation to child characteristics and family supportJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 6 2005R. Hassall Abstract Background Recent theories of stress and coping in parents of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) emphasize the importance of cognitive appraisals in influencing parents' levels of stress and their adaptations to difficulties presented by the children. This study investigated the relationships between parental cognitions, child characteristics, family support and parenting stress. The aspects of cognitions studied were: parenting self-esteem (including efficacy and satisfaction) and parental locus of control. Methods The group studied consisted of 46 mothers of children with ID. The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales and Maladaptive Behavior Domain were administered by interview. Mothers also completed four questionnaires: the Family Support Scale, the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, a shortened form of the Parental Locus of Control Scale and the Parenting Stress Index (Short Form). Results Data were analysed using Pearson's correlation coefficients, partial correlations and a regression analysis. The results indicated that most of the variance in parenting stress was explained by parental locus of control, parenting satisfaction and child behaviour difficulties. Whilst there was also a strong correlation between family support and parenting stress, this was mediated by parental locus of control. Conclusions The results demonstrate the potential importance of parental cognitions in influencing parental stress levels. It is argued that these results have implications for clinical interventions for promoting parents' coping strategies in managing children with ID and behavioural difficulties. [source] Predictors of neurodevelopmental outcome of Malaysian very low birthweight children at 4 years of ageJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 4 2001LC Ong Objective: To determine neonatal, early developmental and social risk factors that predict the neurocognitive and behavioural outcome of very low birthweight (VLBW) preschool children at four years of age. Methodology: From a cohort of 151 eligible VLBW survivors born in Kuala Lumpur Maternity Hospital, 116 (76.8%) were prospectively followed up from birth till four years. A standardised neurological examination was performed at one and four years to determine the presence of impairment and cerebral palsy, respectively. Cognitive development was assessed using the Mental Scale of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (MDI) at one year and the Weschler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WIPPSI-R) at four years. Motor coordination was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Movement-ABC). Mothers completed the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) and Parenting Stress Index (PSI) questionnaires. Logistic and multiple regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with cerebral palsy, IQ scores, Movement-ABC and CBCL scores. Results: Factors associated with cerebral palsy were lower MDI scores at one year (P = 0.001) and late neonatal cranial ultrasound abnormalities (P = 0.036). Minor (P = 0.016) or major impairment (P = 0.003) at one year of age and a low level of paternal education (P = 0.01) were associated with poor motor function on the Movement-ABC scale. Lower levels of maternal education (P < 0.001), impairment at one year (P = 0.002) and late neonatal cranial ultrasound abnormalities (P = 0.039) predicted Full Scale IQ scores. Higher PSI scores (P = 0.001), younger mothers (P = 0.003) and late neonatal cranial ultrasound abnormalities (P = 0.009) were associated with worsened child behaviour scores on the CBCL scale. Conclusion: Social factors and the caregiving environment were important determinants of cognitive and behavioural outcome. Cranial ultrasound abnormalities in the late neonatal period and the developmental status at one year might be useful in identifying high risk infants in need of long-term surveillance. [source] A comparison of mothers' and fathers' experience of parenting stress and attributions for parent,child interaction outcomesOCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2003AccOT, SROT, Susan A. Esdaile Ph.D. Abstract Parents of children with disabilities are vulnerable to parenting stress, which may place them at physical and psychological risk. However, it is not clear whether fathers experience stress differently to mothers, or whether their experiences are reported less frequently. Additionally, there is little reported on the relationships and gender differences between mothers' and fathers' attributions for parent,child interaction outcomes. Parenting stress was assessed in this study using Abidin's (1990) Parenting Stress Index (PSI), and parenting attributions were assessed using the original (Bugental et al., 1989; Bugental and Shennum, 1984), and modified versions of the Parenting Attribution Test, also known as the Child Interaction Survey (CIS) (M-CIS: Esdaile and Greenwood, 1995b). Participants were 53 mothers and 25 fathers of children with disabilities. Having a child with a disability was associated with elevated scores on the PSI; some gender differences were found. Only one significant outcome was found on the assessment of parenting attributions. Thus, the findings suggest that further research is indicated to explore differences in mothers' and fathers' experiences of parenting stress, and the assessment of parenting attributions. The fact that having a child with a disability was associated with elevated scores on the PSI for both mothers and fathers indicates the importance of considering stress management as an integral part of occupational therapy programmes that involve parents of children with special needs. Therapists also need to consider possible gender differences when planning stress management programmes including both mothers and fathers of children with disabilities. Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Monitoring of intra-operative nociception: skin conductance and surgical stress index versus stress hormone plasma levelsANAESTHESIA, Issue 10 2010T. Ledowski Summary ,Surgical Stress Index' and the ,Number of Fluctuations in Skin Conductance.s,1, use different methods to analyse sympathetic tone and so provide an estimate of peri-operative analgesia. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between these methods and stress hormone plasma levels. In 20 patients scheduled for elective surgery, values of the two methods, mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate and blood samples (to measure plasma levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline, adrenocorticotrophic hormone and cortisol) were obtained at five time points. Changes in Surgical Stress Index and the Number of Fluctuations in Skin Conductance.s,1 only partially reflected changes in plasma noradrenaline levels. Surgical Stress Index, heart rate and blood pressure, but not the ,Number of Fluctuations in Skin Conductance.s,1 changed in response to changes in depth of analgesia by showing significant differences between before and after a bolus of fentanyl. However, the overall predictive ability of both methods was poor. [source] Effect-site concentration of remifentanil attenuating surgical stress index responses to intubation of the tracheaANAESTHESIA, Issue 6 2010S. Mustola Summary Surgical Stress Index has been proposed for assessment of surgical stress and analgesia. It is a numeric index based on the normalised pulse beat interval and photoplethysmographic pulse wave amplitude. We determined the effect-site concentration of remifentanil for attenuation of Surgical Stress Index responses to intubation of the trachea. Thirty ASA 1,2 patients received either deep or normal anaesthesia and then target-controlled remifentanil. Burst suppression was maintained in the deep group and state entropy at 40,60 (scale 0,91) in the normal group. Mean (SD) effect-site concentrations of remifentanil attenuating responses in 50% of patients were 2.13 (0.25) ng.ml,1 and 3.05 (0.27) ng.ml,1 in deep and normal groups, respectively (p = 0.034). From probit analysis, EC50 and EC95 of remifentanil (95% CI) were 2.34 (1.97,2.71) ng.ml,1 and 3.19 (2.69,3.69) ng.ml,1 in deep group and 3.17 (2.67,3.67) ng.ml,1 and 3.79 (3.21,4.37) ng.ml,1 in the normal group, respectively. The values from probit analysis and up-and-down method did not differ significantly. [source] Comparing cortisol, stress, and sensory sensitivity in children with autismAUTISM RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Blythe A. Corbett Abstract Previously we reported that children with autism show significant variability in cortisol. The current investigation was designed to extend these findings by exploring plausible relationships between cortisol and psychological measures of stress and sensory functioning. Salivary cortisol values for diurnal rhythms and response to stress in children with and without autism were compared to parent-report measures of child stress, the Stress Survey Schedule (SSS), sensory functioning, Short Sensory Profile (SSP), and Parenting Stress Index. In autism, a negative relationship between morning cortisol and the SSS revealed that higher observed symptoms of stress were related to lower cortisol. Lower cortisol is seen in conditions of chronic stress and in social situations characterized by unstable social relationships. Sensory sensitivity painted a more complicated picture, in that some aspects of SSP were associated with higher while others were associated with lower cortisol. We propose that increased sensory sensitivity may enhance the autistic child's susceptibility to the influence of zeitgeibers reflected in variable cortisol secretion. Evening cortisol was positively associated with SSS such that the higher the level of evening cortisol, the higher the child's parent-reported daily stress, especially to changes, such as in daily routine. Regarding the response to stress, the psychological and parent variables did not differentiate the groups; rather, discrete subgroups of cortisol responders and nonresponders were revealed in both the autism and neurotypical children. The results support a complex interplay between physiological and behavioral stress and sensory sensitivity in autism and plausible developmental factors influencing stress reactivity across the groups. [source] Maternal mental health and faltering growth in infantsCHILD ABUSE REVIEW, Issue 5 2007Laura Dunne Abstract This study reports on the first phase of a large-scale, longitudinal, multidisciplinary community study examining the growth, learning and development of young children with a particular focus on failure to thrive without organic cause. However, the group identified in this study may be better described as weight faltering. This paper examines the psychological data collected using the Parenting Stress Index, Rosenberg Self-Esteem and the General Health Questionnaire in relation to child growth. There were no significant differences between the mothers of the weight faltering and control children in terms of parenting stress, maternal depression, maternal perceptions of their parenting competence or maternal self-esteem. Maternal sensitivity to comments about child size, regardless of direction, had a negative impact on mood. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Maternal parenting stress and its correlates in families with a young child with cerebral palsyCHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2009S. Glenn Abstract Objective To investigate factors predicting parenting stress in mothers of pre-school children with cerebral palsy. Method Eighty mothers and children participated. Mothers completed the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) and the following measures of family functioning: family support, family cohesion and adaptability, coping strategies, family needs and locus of control. Children were assessed using the Griffiths Scales and the Gross Motor Function measure. The child's home environment was assessed using Home Observation for Measuring the Environment. Results Mothers had higher mean total PSI scores than the means for the typical sample; 43% had total PSI scores above the threshold for clinical assessment. Cluster analysis demonstrated five distinct clusters of families, more than half of whom were coping well. High stress items were role restriction, isolation and poor spouse support, and having a child who was perceived as less adaptable and more demanding. Lower stress items indicated that this sample of mothers found their children emotionally reinforcing and had close emotional bonds. Regression analysis showed that the factors most strongly related to parenting stress levels were high family needs, low family adaptability and cognitive impairment in the child. Conclusions The results confirmed the individuality of families, and that individual characteristics of coping and feeling in control, together with family support and cohesion, are associated with variation in amount of stress experienced in parenting a child with cerebral palsy. [source] Monitoring of intra-operative nociception: skin conductance and surgical stress index versus stress hormone plasma levelsANAESTHESIA, Issue 10 2010T. Ledowski Summary ,Surgical Stress Index' and the ,Number of Fluctuations in Skin Conductance.s,1, use different methods to analyse sympathetic tone and so provide an estimate of peri-operative analgesia. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between these methods and stress hormone plasma levels. In 20 patients scheduled for elective surgery, values of the two methods, mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate and blood samples (to measure plasma levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline, adrenocorticotrophic hormone and cortisol) were obtained at five time points. Changes in Surgical Stress Index and the Number of Fluctuations in Skin Conductance.s,1 only partially reflected changes in plasma noradrenaline levels. Surgical Stress Index, heart rate and blood pressure, but not the ,Number of Fluctuations in Skin Conductance.s,1 changed in response to changes in depth of analgesia by showing significant differences between before and after a bolus of fentanyl. However, the overall predictive ability of both methods was poor. [source] Financial stress, smoking cessation and relapse: results from a prospective study of an Australian national sampleADDICTION, Issue 1 2006Mohammad Siahpush ABSTRACT Aims Our aim was to examine the association between financial stress and subsequent smoking cessation among smokers, and relapse among ex-smokers. Design and participants Data came from the first two waves of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. The size of the subsample of smokers was 2076, and that of ex-smokers was 2717. Data collection was based on face-to-face interviews. Measurement Eight questionnaire items (e.g. difficulty paying electricity, gas or telephone bills and going without meals due to shortage of money) were used to construct a nine-point financial stress index. Findings Smokers with more financial stress were less likely to quit, with the odds of quitting reducing by 13% (95% CI: 4,21%; P = 0.008) per unit of the financial stress index. Ex-smokers with more financial stress were more likely to relapse (P < 0.001). Conclusions Special programmes may have to be implemented to counter the potentially adverse effects of tobacco price increases on smokers who have financial stress and fail to quit smoking. [source] Sensitivity analysis of creep crack growth prediction using the statistical distribution of uniaxial dataFATIGUE & FRACTURE OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES, Issue 9 2010M. YATOMI ABSTRACT Due to the variables and unknowns in both material properties and predictive models in creep crack growth (CCG) rates, it is difficult to predict failure of a component precisely. A failure strain constraint based transient and steady state CCG model (called NSW) modified using probabilistic techniques, has been employed to predict CCG using uniaxial data as basic material property. In this paper the influence of scatter in the creep uniaxial properties, the parameter,C* and creep crack initiation and growth rate have been examined using probabilistic methods. Using uniaxial and CCG properties of C-Mn steel at 360 °C, a method is developed which takes into account the scatter of the data and its sensitivity to the correlating parameters employed. It is shown that for an improved prediction method in components containing cracks the NSW crack growth model employed would benefit from a probabilistic analysis. This should be performed by considering the experimental scatter in failure strain, the creep stress index and in estimating the,C* parameter. [source] DNA damage in metabolic syndrome and its association with antioxidative and oxidative measurementsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 10 2006R. DEMIRBAG Summary The purpose of this study was to assess DNA damage levels in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Sixty-five subjects with MetS and 65 controls were enrolled in this study. Levels of DNA damage, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total peroxide and oxidative stress index (OSI) were measured. We found that DNA damage levels were significantly increased [155.5 (60,264) vs. 93.2 (0,208) arbitrary units; p < 0.001] and TAC levels were significantly decreased in MetS than in control (1.34 ± 0.27 vs. 55 ± 0.33 mmol Trolox equivalent/l; p < 0.001). A significant falling trend in TAC levels and a significant rising trend in DNA damage values with the increase in the number of metabolic disturbances (anova p < 0.001 for both) were observed. Total peroxide (30.9 ± 4.9 vs. 21.3 ± 2.5 ,mol H2O2/l; p < 0.001) and OSI levels [2.4 (1.3,3.8) vs. 1.4 (0.7,2.3) arbitrary units; p < 0.001] were significantly higher in the subjects with MetS than in controls. We found significant negative correlation between DNA damage and TAC levels in MetS (r = ,0.656, p < 0.001) and in control (r = ,0.546, p < 0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, age, body mass index, presence of MetS and number of the componens of MetS were independent predictors of log-transformed DNA damage (p < 0.05, for all). DNA damage is increased in patients with MetS. The increase in DNA damage might be occur because of the increase in the imbalance between the production of oxidants and antioxidant defences in subjects with MetS. [source] MODIS Biophysical States and NEXRAD Precipitation in a Statistical Evaluation of Antecedent Moisture Condition and Streamflow,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 2 2009B. P. Weissling Abstract:, The potential of remotely sensed time series of biophysical states of landscape to characterize soil moisture condition antecedent to radar estimates of precipitation is assessed in a statistical prediction model of streamflow in a 1,420 km2 watershed in south-central Texas, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) time series biophysical products offer significant opportunities to characterize and quantify hydrologic state variables such as land surface temperature (LST) and vegetation state and status. Together with Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) precipitation estimates for the period 2002 through 2005, 16 raw and deseasoned time series of LST (day and night), vegetation indices, infrared reflectances, and water stress indices were linearly regressed against observed watershed streamflow on an eight-day aggregated time period. Time offsets of 0 (synchronous with streamflow event), 8, and 16 days (leading streamflow event) were assessed for each of the 16 parameters to evaluate antecedent effects. The model results indicated a reasonable correlation (r2 = 0.67) when precipitation, daytime LST advanced 16 days, and a deseasoned moisture stress index were regressed against log-transformed streamflow. The estimation model was applied to a validation period from January 2006 through March 2007, a period of 12 months of regional drought and base-flow conditions followed by three months of above normal rainfall and a flood event. The model resulted in a Nash-Sutcliffe estimation efficiency (E) of 0.45 for flow series (in log-space) for the full 15-month period, ,0.03 for the 2006 drought condition period, and 0.87 for the 2007 wet condition period. The overall model had a relative volume error of ,32%. The contribution of parameter uncertainties to model discrepancy was evaluated. [source] Monitoring of intra-operative nociception: skin conductance and surgical stress index versus stress hormone plasma levelsANAESTHESIA, Issue 10 2010T. Ledowski Summary ,Surgical Stress Index' and the ,Number of Fluctuations in Skin Conductance.s,1, use different methods to analyse sympathetic tone and so provide an estimate of peri-operative analgesia. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between these methods and stress hormone plasma levels. In 20 patients scheduled for elective surgery, values of the two methods, mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate and blood samples (to measure plasma levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline, adrenocorticotrophic hormone and cortisol) were obtained at five time points. Changes in Surgical Stress Index and the Number of Fluctuations in Skin Conductance.s,1 only partially reflected changes in plasma noradrenaline levels. Surgical Stress Index, heart rate and blood pressure, but not the ,Number of Fluctuations in Skin Conductance.s,1 changed in response to changes in depth of analgesia by showing significant differences between before and after a bolus of fentanyl. However, the overall predictive ability of both methods was poor. [source] Monitoring of sympathetic tone to assess postoperative pain: skin conductance vs surgical stress indexANAESTHESIA, Issue 7 2009T. Ledowski Summary The number of fluctuations in skin conductance per second has been described as a potential tool for monitoring postoperative pain. More recently, the surgical stress index has shown promising correlations with intra-operative painful stimuli. We compared both methods for their ability to assess postoperative pain, in 100 postoperative patients who were also asked to quantify their level of pain at different time points in the recovery room. The number of fluctuations per second and surgical stress index were significantly different between pain scoring , 5/10 and > 5/10 on a numeric rating scale (mean (SE) number of fluctuations per second 0.12 (0.02) vs 0.21 (0.03), respectively; p = 0.017, and surgical stress index 57 (1.4) vs 64 (1.9) points, respectively; p = 0.001). Both number of fluctuations in skin conductance per second and surgical stress index identified timepoints with moderate to severe pain with only moderate sensitivity and specificity. [source] The Relationship Between Leptin Level and Oxidative Status Parameters in Hemodialysis PatientsARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 1 2009Mehmet Horoz Abstract Both serum leptin level and oxidative stress are increased in hemodialysis (HD) patients. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether there is association between oxidative status and leptin level in HD patients. Thirty-five HD patients and 25 healthy controls were enrolled in the present study. Serum leptin level, total peroxide (TP) level, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and oxidative stress index (OSI) were determined. Serum leptin level, TP level, and OSI were significantly higher in HD patients than controls (all P < 0.001) while TAC was lower (P < 0.001). In HD patients, serum leptin level was significantly correlated with TP level and OSI (r = 0.372, P < 0.001 and r = 0.409, P < 0.001, respectively). The correlation of serum leptin level with TP level and OSI remained statistically significant after adjusting for age, gender, and body-fat percentage (r = 0.446, P < 0.001 and r = 0.463, P < 0.001, respectively). Hyperleptinemia seems to be associated with increased oxidative stress in HD patients, and this association may provide better understanding about the disorders related to either elevated serum leptin levels and/or increased oxidative stress in HD patients. [source] Effects of a selective Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 on oxidative stress parameters in acute dichlorvos poisoning in ratsCELL BIOCHEMISTRY AND FUNCTION, Issue 7 2008N. Gunay Abstract This study examined the effects of Y-27632, a selective Rho-kinase inhibitor, on organophosphate-induced acute toxicity in rats. Rats were randomly divided into four groups as control (corn oil), dichlorvos (30,mg,kg,1 i.p.), 1 and 10,mg,kg,1 Y-27632,+,dichlorvos groups. Cholinergic signs (fatigue, tremor, cyanosis, hyper-secretion, fasciculations) were observed in all the rats in the dichlorvos group and the mortality rate was 50%. No cholinergic findings and deaths were observed in the control and Y-27632 groups. Plasma cholinesterase activities were suppressed with dichlorvos and these reductions were attenuated with Y-27632 pretreatment. There was a marked increase in plasma malondialdehyde level in the dichlorvos group, but Y-27632 pretreatment abolished this elevation. Dichlorvos markedly depressed cardiac paraoxonase activity, but these changes were not markedly modified with Y-27632. Total antioxidant capacities, total oxidant status, oxidative stress index, total free sulfhydryl groups and catalase activities in plasma and cardiac tissues were not markedly different between the groups. No significant changes were observed with cardiac myeloperoxidase activities or plasma arylesterase and ceruloplasmin activities. In conclusion, our results suggest that Rho-kinase pathway is involved in organophosphate intoxication, and a decrease in cardiac paraoxonase activities may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute organophosphate poisoning in rats. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The relationship between potency of oxidative stress and severity of depressionACTA NEUROPSYCHIATRICA, Issue 4 2004Medaim Yanik Background:, Oxidative stress is one of the suggested mechanisms in major depression. Objective:, To determine the oxidative and antioxidative status of plasma of patients with major depression and to investigate whether there is a relationship between the potency of oxidative stress and the severity of depression. Methods:, To determine the antioxidative status of plasma, total and individual antioxidant levels which are total antioxidant potential (TAOP), total protein, albumin, uric acid, vitamin C and total bilirubin were measured. To determine the oxidative status, total peroxide level of plasma was measured in patients with drug-free depressive patients and compared with those of controls. Per cent ratio of total peroxide to TAOP was evaluated as oxidative stress index (OSI). Results:, Plasma TAOP and individual antioxidant levels were found to be lower in patients with depression than those of controls. On the contrary, the patients had high total plasma peroxide levels. OSI values of the patients were significantly higher than those of controls (P = 0.002), and a significant positive correlation between Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and OSI values was found (r = 0.54, P = 0.01). Conclusions:, The patients with major depression are exposed to oxidative stress, and OSI may be useful to reflect the severity of the disease. [source] Cumulative parenting stress across the preschool period: relations to maternal parenting and child behaviour at age 5INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2005Keith A. Crnic Abstract Despite increasing interest in the effects of parenting stress on children and families, many questions remain regarding the nature of parenting stress and the mechanism through which stress exerts its influence across time. In this study, cumulative parenting stress was assessed across the preschool period in a sample of 125 typically developing children and their mothers. Indices of parenting stress included both major life events stress-assessed annually from age 3 to 5, and parenting daily hassles assessed every 6 months across the same period. Naturalistic home observations were conducted when children were age 5, during which measures of parent and child interactive behaviour as well as dyadic pleasure and dyadic conflict were obtained. Mothers also completed the CBCL to assess children's behaviour problems. Results indicated that parenting daily hassles and major life stress are relatively stable across the preschool period. Both cumulative stress indices also proved to be important predictors of parent and child behaviour and dyadic interaction, although the predictions were somewhat differential. Despite meaningful relations between the stress factors and child well being, no evidence was found to support the premise that parent behaviour mediates the association between parenting stress and child outcomes. Results are discussed within a developmental framework to understand the stability and complexity of cumulative stress associations to early parent,child relationships. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] MODIS Biophysical States and NEXRAD Precipitation in a Statistical Evaluation of Antecedent Moisture Condition and Streamflow,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 2 2009B. P. Weissling Abstract:, The potential of remotely sensed time series of biophysical states of landscape to characterize soil moisture condition antecedent to radar estimates of precipitation is assessed in a statistical prediction model of streamflow in a 1,420 km2 watershed in south-central Texas, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) time series biophysical products offer significant opportunities to characterize and quantify hydrologic state variables such as land surface temperature (LST) and vegetation state and status. Together with Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) precipitation estimates for the period 2002 through 2005, 16 raw and deseasoned time series of LST (day and night), vegetation indices, infrared reflectances, and water stress indices were linearly regressed against observed watershed streamflow on an eight-day aggregated time period. Time offsets of 0 (synchronous with streamflow event), 8, and 16 days (leading streamflow event) were assessed for each of the 16 parameters to evaluate antecedent effects. The model results indicated a reasonable correlation (r2 = 0.67) when precipitation, daytime LST advanced 16 days, and a deseasoned moisture stress index were regressed against log-transformed streamflow. The estimation model was applied to a validation period from January 2006 through March 2007, a period of 12 months of regional drought and base-flow conditions followed by three months of above normal rainfall and a flood event. The model resulted in a Nash-Sutcliffe estimation efficiency (E) of 0.45 for flow series (in log-space) for the full 15-month period, ,0.03 for the 2006 drought condition period, and 0.87 for the 2007 wet condition period. The overall model had a relative volume error of ,32%. The contribution of parameter uncertainties to model discrepancy was evaluated. [source] | ||||||||||||||||