High Partner Research Articles

Spousal Synchrony in Allostatic Load Among Older Couples in the Health and Retirement Study.

Using national data from the Health and Retirement Study, this study examined interpartner associations of allostatic load (AL) among 2338 different-sex couples ( N = 4676 individuals) over a 4-year period among older American couples from a dyadic approach. AL was indexed by immune (C-reactive protein), metabolic (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, and glycosylated hemoglobin), renal (cystatin C), cardiovascular (systolic and diastolic blood pressures, pulse rate), and anthropometric (waist and body mass index) parameters using the traditional count-based formulation. Actor-partner interdependence models were used to assess interpartner concordance in AL. Higher partners' baseline AL was significantly associated with higher own AL both at baseline and 4 years later. In addition, partners' baseline AL was significantly associated with own AL 4 years later only in women but not men. Lastly, we did not observe any significant moderating effect of relationship quality on interpartner AL concordance. The findings suggest that older couples' physiological responses to environmental stress are not only linked concurrently, but the associations persist after 4 years, alluding to long-term impacts of couples' psychosocial context and physiology on each other.

Self-management factors associated with quality of life among women with endometriosis: a cross-sectional Australian survey.

What self-management factors are associated with quality of life among women with endometriosis? Greater self-efficacy was associated with improved physical and mental quality of life. Women with endometriosis have an impaired quality of life compared to the general female population. However, most studies have investigated quality of life in a hospital or clinic setting rather than a community setting and the association between self-management factors and quality of life have not, to date, been investigated. A cross-sectional, population-based online survey was performed, which was advertised through women's, community and endometriosis-specific groups. A total of 620 women completed the survey for this study. Mental and physical quality of life was assessed using the standardized SF36v2 questionnaire. Self-management factors included self-efficacy, partners in health (active involvement in managing the condition) and performance of self-care activities. Treatment approaches included the use of hormonal treatment, pain medications and complementary therapies and whether the participant had a chronic disease management plan. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to examine whether self-management and treatment factors were associated with quality of life. Both physical and mental quality of life were significantly lower among women with endometriosis compared to the mean scores of the general Australian female population (P < 0.001). Physical quality of life was positively associated with income sufficiency (P < 0.001) and greater self-efficacy (P < 0.001), but negatively associated with age (P < 0.001), pain severity (P < 0.001), use of prescription medications (P < 0.001), having a chronic disease management plan (P < 0.05) and number of self-care activities (P < 0.05). Mental quality of life was positively associated with being older (P < 0.001), partnered (P < 0.001), having a university education (P < 0.05), increasing self-efficacy (P < 0.001) and higher partners in health scores (P < 0.001). Results are derived from a cross-sectional study and can only be interpreted as associations not as causal relationships. The sample was more educated, more likely to speak English and be born in Australia than the general Australian female population of the same age, which may influence the generalizability of these results. This study investigated a knowledge gap by investigating quality of life of women with endometriosis in a large community sample. Self-efficacy was significantly associated with both physical and mental quality of life. Supporting women with endometriosis to improve self-efficacy through a structured chronic disease management programme may lead to improvements in this aspect of wellbeing. R.O. undertook this research as part of her PhD at Monash University, which was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Stipend. J.F. is the Finkel Professor of Global Public Health, which was supported by the Finkel Family Foundation. There are no conflicts of interest to declare. NA.

The role of partners' fatigue and the patient-partner relationship in the outcome of cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome

BackgroundIn chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) little is known about how partner-related factors influence patients' fatigue symptoms and treatment outcome. We examined partners' fatigue severity, and determined the role of partner-related factors for patients' symptoms and the outcome of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Methods1356 CFS patients and their partners completed baseline measures of fatigue severity (Checklist Individual Strength), causal attributions of symptoms, partner responses to patient symptoms, and relationship satisfaction. Fatigue in partners of patients with CFS was compared with fatigue in age- and gender-matched controls from the Dutch population. Associations between partners' fatigue severity and other partner-related factors were determined. In a subgroup of 760 CFS patients who completed CBT, logistic regression analyses were used to identify partner-related baseline predictors for treatment outcome (fatigue severity, functional impairment). ResultsPartners' fatigue (M = 21.66, SD 11.60) was significantly lower than in controls (M = 24.58, SD = 11.02) (p < .001) and not related to patients' fatigue (r = −0.02, p = .58). Partners' fatigue was correlated with patients' functional impairment (p = .001), partners' and patients' relationship dissatisfaction, negative partner responses, and partners' and patients' psychological attributions of patient symptoms at baseline (all p < .001). After controlling for patients' baseline fatigue severity and functional impairment, only relationship dissatisfaction as reported by (female) patients significantly predicted worse treatment outcome. For male patients with female partners, higher partners' fatigue severity predicted higher fatigue severity after CBT. ConclusionsFemale partners' fatigue and relationship dissatisfaction as reported by the female patient should be addressed in CBT for CFS, as these factors affect treatment outcome.

Maturing Out of Alcohol Use in Young Adulthood: Latent Class Growth Trajectories and Concurrent Young Adult Correlates.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate intraindividual variation in "maturing out" of alcohol use by using latent class growth trajectories of alcohol use from adolescence (age 17years) through young adulthood (age 33years). We also modeled trajectory group differences with regard to concurrent, age-relevant domains of substance use, health (e.g., physical health rating, sleep problems), interpersonal functioning (e.g., conflict with partner), and occupational functioning (e.g., intrinsic motivation). Growth mixture modeling was used with a sample of 1,004 adolescents/young adults, and 3 trajectory groups were identified as follows: (i) a Normative Use group (n=646) with low alcohol use remaining stable from adolescence to young adulthood; (ii) a Moderate Increase group (n=300) with moderate alcohol use increasing slowly from adolescence to emergent adulthood (age 23years) and then decreasing slightly from emergent adulthood to young adulthood (age 33years); and (iii) a High Increase group (n=58) with a high, increasing pattern of alcohol use from adolescence to emergent adulthood and then a small decrease in use from emergent adulthood to young adulthood. At age 33years, trajectory groups differed, with High and Moderate Increase groups differing significantly from the Normative Use group in current alcohol and other substance use and other risk factors (e.g., friends' alcohol use). Furthermore, the High and Moderate Increase groups differed from the Normative Use group on indicators of health (poorer sleep and more sleep problems), social functioning (higher partner and work-family conflict), and occupational functioning (lower intrinsic work motivation). These findings suggest that trajectory group membership in alcohol use from adolescence to young adulthood is associated with the domains of substance use, health, and social and occupational functioning. Furthermore, the findings suggest that maturing out applies primarily to a subset of those individuals at moderate to higher levels of alcohol use.

Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for DSM-IV Sexual Dysfunctions in Breast Cancer Survivors: Predictors of Treatment Response

Objectives: We evaluated factors predictive of the effect of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in breast cancer survivors with a sexual dysfunction. Methods: Fifty-five women completed questionnaires assessing sexual functioning and distress at baseline and post-CBT. Results: Higher therapy compliance and better partner baseline sexual functioning predicted better post-CBT sexual functioning. Higher therapy compliance and higher partner relationship satisfaction predicted lower sexual distress. Therapy compliance, in turn, was predicted by active partner involvement in therapy and a stronger therapeutic relationship. Conclusions: To increase the effect of internet-based CBT, we recommend partner involvement in therapy and establishing a strong therapeutic relationship.

Q-Poincaré supersymmetry in AdS5/CFT4

We consider the exact S-matrix governing the planar spectral problem for strings on AdS5×S5 and N=4 super Yang–Mills, and we show that it is invariant under a novel “boost” symmetry, which acts as a differentiation with respect to the particle momentum. This generator leads us also to reinterpret the usual centrally extended psu(2|2) symmetry, and to conclude that the S-matrix is invariant under a q-Poincaré supersymmetry algebra, where the deformation parameter is related to the 't Hooft coupling. We determine the two-particle action (coproduct) that turns out to be non-local, and study the property of the new symmetry under crossing transformations. We look at both the strong-coupling (large tension in the string theory) and weak-coupling (spin-chain description of the gauge theory) limits; in the former regime we calculate the cobracket utilising the universal classical r-matrix of Beisert and Spill. In the eventuality that the boost has higher partners, we also construct a quantum affine version of 2D Poincaré symmetry, by contraction of the quantum affine algebra Uq(sl2ˆ) in Drinfeld's second realisation.

Weight status and depression: Moderating role of fat talk between female friends

This study examined whether engagement in fat talk would moderate the association between weight status (body mass index) and depression between female friends. Individuals' body mass index was significantly related to their own (actor effect) and friend's (partner effect) depression. For low-fat-talk friends, higher actor's body mass index was associated with higher actor's depression, but not for high-fat-talk friends. For high-fat-talk friends, higher actor's body mass index was associated with higher partner's depression, but not for low-fat-talk friends. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Heterosexual partner acquisition rates in the Australian population

The rate of partner acquisition in a population is an important parameter when constructing epidemiological models of sexually transmissible infections. We have analysed the results of a survey of the sexual behaviour of the Australian population to estimate how many people have acquired no new partner, one, two or at least three new partners in the past year, and hence estimated heterosexual partner acquisition rates for the population by gender and age band. Partner acquisition rates are ~0.5 new partners per year for 16- to 19-year-olds, peak at ~0.7 in the 20- to 24-year-old age band, and then decline steadily with age to ~0.2 per year. In all age bands, there are more male respondents reporting three or more new partners in the last year than what is consistent with the rest of the data, which could be interpreted as evidence of an additional population stratum characterised by higher partner acquisition rates.

ACRL PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: New students, new expectations = new information infrastructures

Au sein de la conference de mars-avril 2000 de l'AAHE (American Association of Higher Education), le forum organise par l'ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) avait pour theme : Nouveaux etudiants, nouvelles attentes = nouvelles infrastructures d'information. Les opportunites educatives que constituent les nouvelles technologies de l'information sont en train de changer le visage de beaucoup d'ecoles et d'universites. Il faut tenir compte des besoins emergents des etudiants notamment en matiere de ressources electroniques. La question des droits d'auteur est egalement abordee.

ACRL: PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: Web authorware and courseintegrated library instruction

Le Web aujourd'hui offre un environnement propice a l'instruction, notamment grâce aux progiciels permettant de creer et gerer des modules d'enseignement dans un site Web. L'auteur presente le projet Learning Links mene par l'Universite de Rutgers (Etats-Unis) en collaboration avec la bibliotheque, avec le progiciel WebCT. Avec ce projet, organise autour d'un ensemble de sites Web portant sur la langue et la culture hispanique, les etudiants creent une communaute d'apprentissage et profitent des nouvelles technologies. L'auteur s'interesse egalement aux questions de droit d'auteur et de droit d'usage en ce domaine.

ACRL: PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: Teaching about the Internet

ACRL: PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: Teaching about the Internet

ACRL: PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: More than faculty training

ACRL: PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: More than faculty training

ACRL PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: Architects and librarians: A baseball experiment with American fiction and stadium design

Collaboration, a l'universite de Miami, entre architectes et bibliothecaires pour donner un cours experimental d'enseignement combinant l'histoire du base-ball et la litterature sur ce sport avec la conception architecturale d'un stade

ACRL: PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: Provosts, libraries, and electronic information: Reports from AAHE and CNI

ACRL: PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: Provosts, libraries, and electronic information: Reports from AAHE and CNI

ACRL: PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: NASULGC’s 110th annual meeting examines library concerns: Copyright, scholarly publishing, and technology discussed

ACRL: PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: NASULGC’s 110th annual meeting examines library concerns: Copyright, scholarly publishing, and technology discussed

Culture's Influence on Business Negotiations in Four Countries

The usefulness of a theoretical model of the determinants of business negotiation outcomes is tested in a simulation with business people from four countries (the United States, Japan, Brazil and Spain). The article is an extension of Graham, Mintu, and Rodgers (1994), and also directly tests Hofstede's and Hall's theories of culture. A problem-solving approach results in higher negotiation outcomes for Americans when their partners reciprocate. Role (buyer or seller) is the key determinant of profits for Japanese negotiations; that is, buyers do better than sellers. For the Spanish negotiators, a problem-solving approach actually yielded lower profits. For the Brazilians, interpersonal attractiveness lead to higher partner satisfaction.