Search results

Title: Checkpoint Silencing Regulation by 14-3-3 Proteins.
Creator: Gravenmier, Cutis, College of Medicine
Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_undergradresearch-0024
Format: Citation

Title: Medical-Legal Literature 2010-2011: Top Ten Hits.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_presentations-0001
Format: Citation

Title: Humans Are Mortal?!: I'm Calling My Attorney.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_presentations-0002
Format: Citation

Title: Older Clients with Questionable Legal Capacity/Competence: Elder Law Practice and Treating Physicians.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_presentations-0003
Format: Citation

Title: Libraries for New Medical Schools: The Creation of a Network for Identifying and Supporting the Needs of 21st Century Medical Schools.
Creator: Boilard, David, Dexter, Nadine, Doyle, Jacqueline, Rand, Debra, Shearer, Barbara
Abstract/Description: As new medical schools are developing, new academic libraries must also be created to support the schools' missions, faculty, students, and curricula. The formation of a network of these new and emerging academic health sciences libraries is described. In June 2012, the First Symposium on Creating New Academic Health Sciences Libraries was held in Orlando, Florida. Sponsored by the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL), this inaugural Symposium brought together...
Show moreAs new medical schools are developing, new academic libraries must also be created to support the schools' missions, faculty, students, and curricula. The formation of a network of these new and emerging academic health sciences libraries is described. In June 2012, the First Symposium on Creating New Academic Health Sciences Libraries was held in Orlando, Florida. Sponsored by the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL), this inaugural Symposium brought together representatives from 16 new schools to discuss planning needed for the LCME process for library services and resources, to discuss experiences and challenges, and to share visions of 'born digital' libraries. Because this is a priority initiative of the AAHSL, the Association will continue to support members of this group by providing information and additional networking opportunities.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlib_posters-0001
Format: Citation

Title: Vehicles of the Future: Building Course Pages to Promote Use of Medical Library Resources.
Creator: Nagy, Suzanne, Wood, Martin
Abstract/Description: In 2005, Course Pages were created to resolve the underutilization of medical library resources in the core areas of Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME). Course Pages may include e-books, e-journals, mobile resources, other online library resources, and reserve books. Six initial Course Pages were developed. After successful integration with the curriculum, a Course Page is now available for every required course in UGME at Florida State University. The 2005 Course Pages emphasized a...
Show moreIn 2005, Course Pages were created to resolve the underutilization of medical library resources in the core areas of Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME). Course Pages may include e-books, e-journals, mobile resources, other online library resources, and reserve books. Six initial Course Pages were developed. After successful integration with the curriculum, a Course Page is now available for every required course in UGME at Florida State University. The 2005 Course Pages emphasized a variety of relevant course resources; the 2013 standardized design emphasizes usability and relies on faculty approval of all course resources. In 2010, Course Pages became accessible from any page on the medical library's website. Course Pages have enhanced the speed and accessibility to medical library resources for medical students and faculty from both on and off campus, and they have led to improved evaluation of usage, cost savings, more focused negotiations, and justified purchases.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlib_posters-0002
Format: Citation

Title: 24/7 Access: Crafted in 2010 and Built to Last.
Creator: Rosasco, Robyn, Epstein, Susan A.
Abstract/Description: Objectives Our library has provided 24/7 access for student study space since 2010. This service has functioned as anticipated with minor policy breaches in 2010 and 2013. The purpose of this study was to determine how well 24/7 access to our library is working, obtain student feedback on security procedures, and solicit ideas from all stakeholders for future improvements. Methods Stakeholders for 24/7 access to our academic health sciences library include both the service providers (library,...
Show moreObjectives Our library has provided 24/7 access for student study space since 2010. This service has functioned as anticipated with minor policy breaches in 2010 and 2013. The purpose of this study was to determine how well 24/7 access to our library is working, obtain student feedback on security procedures, and solicit ideas from all stakeholders for future improvements. Methods Stakeholders for 24/7 access to our academic health sciences library include both the service providers (library, student affairs, and security/legal personnel) and the service users (first- and second-year medical students and biomedical graduate students). To evaluate the effectiveness of the library's 24/7 access service, the authors conducted a series of free-response interviews with several service provider and user stakeholders to solicit the most detailed feedback possible. The authors also administered a brief survey to determine if students were satisfied with unstaffed access to library study space. The results of stakeholder feedback were used to evaluate the value of our extensive planning for 24/7 access to the library, our thorough and consistent implementation, and our responsiveness to the needs of our students. Results: Our library director invited (via email) 14 student/staff stakeholders to be interviewed by the primary investigator (PI) and co-PI. Three students and three staff members agreed to be interviewed; five interviews were conducted face-to-face and one was conducted by phone. In addition, our library director sent an email invitation to complete a 10-question survey to approximately 500 students; 114 surveys were completed. From the interviews and the survey, shared themes as well as several unique feedback items emerged. In general, the overwhelming response was that the 24/7 service meets the needs of students, providing a secure, consistent study area for students who do not choose to study in another College of Medicine study space, in another campus library, at home, or at another location. Specifically, 90% of the students were not concerned about safety/security issues in the library during unstaffed hours, 82% indicated that the library environment was conducive to studying during unstaffed hours, and 83% felt that the library's orientation on 24/7 policies and procedures has met their needs. Conclusions: Collecting formal feedback on our 24/7 service has validated the time spent in planning, implementation, and responding to student needs, and has also elicited several ideas for improving the 24/7 service. We plan to continue interviewing and surveying 24/7 stakeholders on a yearly basis to solicit current feedback and continually improve the service.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlib_posters-0003
Format: Citation

Title: Increasing our Library's Value with DALRs.
Creator: Epstein, Susan A.
Abstract/Description: Increasing our Library's Value with DALRs The Maguire Medical Library (MML) at the Florida State University has been developing a unique service for faculty and other researchers who need advanced, long-term assistance using a variety of library resources. Because such research projects typically involve formulating various search strategies, searching several library databases in-depth, and collecting, managing and sharing citations, the MML DALR program uses a team approach to meet...
Show moreIncreasing our Library's Value with DALRs The Maguire Medical Library (MML) at the Florida State University has been developing a unique service for faculty and other researchers who need advanced, long-term assistance using a variety of library resources. Because such research projects typically involve formulating various search strategies, searching several library databases in-depth, and collecting, managing and sharing citations, the MML DALR program uses a team approach to meet researchers' needs. With a team approach, the time and skills of librarians, researchers in the College of Medicine's academic departments, and associates for library research embedded within each department complement each other efficiently and effectively. The poster describes how the research team concept evolved, and features examples of the project documentation, such as the participation requirements for the departmental associates for library research (DALRs). Viewers of this poster will hopefully be able to determine if a team approach to library research might be useful in their own work environments.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlib_posters-0004
Format: Citation

Title: Training Medical Students to Recognize and Address Health Disparities.
Creator: Campbell, Kendall
Abstract/Description: As the U.S. population grows more diverse, it is becoming more and more important for medical schools to address health disparities, underserved populations and cultural competency. The growing population places increasing demands on our health care system and requires our medical schools to produce more culturally competent, health disparity-minded physicians. The 16th Report of the Council on Graduate Medical Education suggests that the demand for physicians after 2015 will be greater than...
Show moreAs the U.S. population grows more diverse, it is becoming more and more important for medical schools to address health disparities, underserved populations and cultural competency. The growing population places increasing demands on our health care system and requires our medical schools to produce more culturally competent, health disparity-minded physicians. The 16th Report of the Council on Graduate Medical Education suggests that the demand for physicians after 2015 will be greater than the supply. The persons most impacted will be those who are underserved.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_fmr-0040
Format: Citation

Title: Functional Role of Kallikrein 6 in Regulating Immune Cell Survival.
Creator: Scarisbrick, Isobel, Epstein, Benjamin, Cloud, Beth, Yoon, Hyesook, Wu, Jianmin, Renner, Danielle, Blaber, Sachiko, Blaber, Michael, Vandell, Alexander, Bryson, Alexandra
Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: Kallikrein 6 (KLK6) is a newly identified member of the kallikrein family of secreted serine proteases that prior studies indicate is elevated at sites of central nervous system (CNS) inflammation and which shows regulated expression with T cell activation. Notably, KLK6 is also elevated in the serum of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients however its potential roles in immune function are unknown. Herein we specifically examine whether KLK6 alters immune cell survival and the...
Show moreBACKGROUND: Kallikrein 6 (KLK6) is a newly identified member of the kallikrein family of secreted serine proteases that prior studies indicate is elevated at sites of central nervous system (CNS) inflammation and which shows regulated expression with T cell activation. Notably, KLK6 is also elevated in the serum of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients however its potential roles in immune function are unknown. Herein we specifically examine whether KLK6 alters immune cell survival and the possible mechanism by which this may occur. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using murine whole splenocyte preparations and the human Jurkat T cell line we demonstrate that KLK6 robustly supports cell survival across a range of cell death paradigms. Recombinant KLK6 was shown to significantly reduce cell death under resting conditions and in response to camptothecin, dexamethasone, staurosporine and Fas-ligand. Moreover, KLK6-over expression in Jurkat T cells was shown to generate parallel pro-survival effects. In mixed splenocyte populations the vigorous immune cell survival promoting effects of KLK6 were shown to include both T and B lymphocytes, to occur with as little as 5 minutes of treatment, and to involve up regulation of the pro-survival protein B-cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-XL), and inhibition of the pro-apoptotic protein Bcl-2-interacting mediator of cell death (Bim). The ability of KLK6 to promote survival of splenic T cells was also shown to be absent in cell preparations derived from PAR1 deficient mice. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: KLK6 promotes lymphocyte survival by a mechanism that depends in part on activation of PAR1. These findings point to a novel molecular mechanism regulating lymphocyte survival that is likely to have relevance to a range of immunological responses that depend on apoptosis for immune clearance and maintenance of homeostasis.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_biomed_faculty_publications-0022, 10.1371/journal.pone.0018376
Format: Citation

Title: Analysis of the Molecular Pathogenesis of Cardiomyopathy-Causing cTnT Mutants I79N, ΔE96, and ΔK210.
Creator: Bai, Fan, Caster, Hannah, Pinto, Jose, Kawai, Masataka
Abstract/Description: Three troponin T (TnT) mutants that cause hypertrophic, restrictive, and dilated cardiomyopathy (I79N, ΔE96, and ΔK210, respectively), were examined using the thin-filament extraction/reconstitution technique. Effects of Ca(2+), ATP, phosphate, and ADP concentrations on force and its transients were studied at 25°C. Maximal Ca(2+) tension (THC) and Ca(2+)-activatable tension (Tact), respectively, were similar among I79N, ΔE96, and WT, whereas ΔK210 led to a significantly lower THC (∼20% less)...
Show moreThree troponin T (TnT) mutants that cause hypertrophic, restrictive, and dilated cardiomyopathy (I79N, ΔE96, and ΔK210, respectively), were examined using the thin-filament extraction/reconstitution technique. Effects of Ca(2+), ATP, phosphate, and ADP concentrations on force and its transients were studied at 25°C. Maximal Ca(2+) tension (THC) and Ca(2+)-activatable tension (Tact), respectively, were similar among I79N, ΔE96, and WT, whereas ΔK210 led to a significantly lower THC (∼20% less) and Tact (∼25% less) than did WT. In pCa solution containing 8 mM Pi and ionic strength adjusted to 200 mM, the Ca(2+) sensitivity (pCa50) of I79N (5.63 ± 0.02) and ΔE96 (5.60 ± 0.03) was significantly greater than that of WT (5.45 ± 0.04), but the pCa50 of ΔK210 (5.54 ± 0.04) remained similar to that of WT. Five equilibrium constants were deduced using sinusoidal analysis. All three mutants showed significantly lower K0 (ADP association constant) and larger K4 (equilibrium constant of force generation step) relative to the corresponding values for WT. I79N and ΔK210 were associated with a K2 (equilibrium constant of cross-bridge detachment step) significantly lower than that of ΔE96 and WT. These results demonstrated that at pCa 4.66, the force/cross-bridge is ∼18% less in I79N and ∼41% less in ΔK210 than that in WT. These results indicate that the molecular pathogenesis of the cardiac TnT mutation-related cardiomyopathies is different for each mutation.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_biomed_faculty_publications-0051, 10.1016/j.bpj.2013.04.001
Format: Citation

Title: Absence of Myocardial Thyroid Hormone Inactivating Deiodinase Results in Restrictive Cardiomyopathy in Mice.
Creator: Ueta, Cintia, Oskouei, Behzad, Olivares, Emerson, Pinto, Jose, Correa, Mayrin, Simovic, Gordana, Simonides, Warner, Hare, Joshua, Bianco, Antônio Carlos
Abstract/Description: Cardiac injury induces myocardial expression of the thyroid hormone inactivating type 3 deiodinase (D3), which in turn dampens local thyroid hormone signaling. Here, we show that the D3 gene (Dio3) is a tissue-specific imprinted gene in the heart, and thus, heterozygous D3 knockout (HtzD3KO) mice constitute a model of cardiac D3 inactivation in an otherwise systemically euthyroid animal. HtzD3KO newborns have normal hearts but later develop restrictive cardiomyopathy due to cardiac-specific...
Show moreCardiac injury induces myocardial expression of the thyroid hormone inactivating type 3 deiodinase (D3), which in turn dampens local thyroid hormone signaling. Here, we show that the D3 gene (Dio3) is a tissue-specific imprinted gene in the heart, and thus, heterozygous D3 knockout (HtzD3KO) mice constitute a model of cardiac D3 inactivation in an otherwise systemically euthyroid animal. HtzD3KO newborns have normal hearts but later develop restrictive cardiomyopathy due to cardiac-specific increase in thyroid hormone signaling, including myocardial fibrosis, impaired myocardial contractility, and diastolic dysfunction. In wild-type littermates, treatment with isoproterenol-induced myocardial D3 activity and an increase in the left ventricular volumes, typical of cardiac remodeling and dilatation. Remarkably, isoproterenol-treated HtzD3KO mice experienced a further decrease in left ventricular volumes with worsening of the diastolic dysfunction and the restrictive cardiomyopathy, resulting in congestive heart failure and increased mortality. These findings reveal crucial roles for Dio3 in heart function and remodeling, which may have pathophysiologic implications for human restrictive cardiomyopathy.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_biomed_faculty_publications-0052, 10.1210/me.2011-1325
Format: Citation

Title: Myofilament Calcium De-Sensitization and Contractile Uncoupling Prevent Pause-Triggered Ventricular Tachycardia in Mouse Hearts with Chronic Myocardial Infarction.
Creator: Venkataraman, Raghav, Baldo, Marcelo, Hwang, Hyun, Veltri, Tiago, Pinto, Jose, Baudenbacher, Franz, Knollmann, Björn C.
Abstract/Description: Myocardial infarction (MI) is a major risk for ventricular arrhythmia. Pause-triggered ventricular arrhythmia can be caused by increased myofilament Ca binding due to sarcomeric mutations or Ca-sensitizing compounds. Myofilament Ca sensitivity is also increased after MI. Here we hypothesize that MI increases risk for pause-triggered ventricular arrhythmias, which can be prevented by myofilament Ca-desensitization and contractile uncoupling. To test this hypothesis, we generated a murine...
Show moreMyocardial infarction (MI) is a major risk for ventricular arrhythmia. Pause-triggered ventricular arrhythmia can be caused by increased myofilament Ca binding due to sarcomeric mutations or Ca-sensitizing compounds. Myofilament Ca sensitivity is also increased after MI. Here we hypothesize that MI increases risk for pause-triggered ventricular arrhythmias, which can be prevented by myofilament Ca-desensitization and contractile uncoupling. To test this hypothesis, we generated a murine chronic MI model using male B6SJLF1/J mice (n=40) that underwent permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. 4 weeks post MI, cardiac structure, function and myofilament Ca sensitivity were evaluated. Pause-dependent arrhythmia susceptibility was quantified in isolated hearts with pacing trains of increasing frequency, followed by a pause and an extra stimulus. Coronary ligation resulted in a mean infarct size of 39.6±5.7% LV and fractional shortening on echocardiography was reduced by 40% compared to non-infarcted controls. Myofilament Ca sensitivity was significantly increased in post MI hearts (pCa50: Control=5.66±0.03; MI=5.84±0.05; P
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_biomed_faculty_publications-0057, 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2013.03.022
Format: Citation

Title: Examination of Nicotine-Induced Alterations in Germ Cell DNA.
Creator: Lopez, Katheryn, Medicine, Biomedical Sciences
Abstract/Description: While evidence from mouse models strongly suggests that prenatal nicotine exposure supports a hyperactive-inattentive phenotype following direct exposure in utero via maternal circulation (Zhu et al 2014), there is little evidence that suggests consequences resulting from indirect exposure of the offspring through a father's use of tobacco products. In order to address the question of the influence of a father smoking on their offspring, we developed a paternal nicotine exposure mouse model...
Show moreWhile evidence from mouse models strongly suggests that prenatal nicotine exposure supports a hyperactive-inattentive phenotype following direct exposure in utero via maternal circulation (Zhu et al 2014), there is little evidence that suggests consequences resulting from indirect exposure of the offspring through a father's use of tobacco products. In order to address the question of the influence of a father smoking on their offspring, we developed a paternal nicotine exposure mouse model in which adult male mice were exposed to nicotine in their drinking water for 12 consecutive weeks.We found that the offspring of these nicotine exposed male mice displayed deficits in working memory and attention, behavioral phenotypes that have been previously linked to ADHD. These intriguing findings were rationale to hypothesize that the fathers' germ cells may have undergone genetic changes as a result of the nicotine exposure and that these changes in the germ cell DNA were the basis for transmission of an ADHD-like phenotype to the offspring.To address these possibilities, we are performing molecular genetic analysis of germ cells and examining gross morphology of the testes of nicotine-exposed fathers to elucidate mechanisms by which paternal nicotine exposure may cause behavioral changes associated with ADHD in the offspring
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_undergradsymposium2015-0025
Format: Citation

Title: Connecting Faculty Researchers to Librarians via Departmental Associates.
Creator: Epstein, Susan A., Rosasco, Robyn
Abstract/Description: Librarians have provided reference and research support for faculty to varying degrees for many years, and librarian support is needed more than ever today with the rapidly evolving nature of library resources and online information. Learning about faculty research needs and determining ways to support their research is an ongoing challenge facing librarians. This article describes a library program that uses academic department administrative personnel to connect with faculty researchers and...
Show moreLibrarians have provided reference and research support for faculty to varying degrees for many years, and librarian support is needed more than ever today with the rapidly evolving nature of library resources and online information. Learning about faculty research needs and determining ways to support their research is an ongoing challenge facing librarians. This article describes a library program that uses academic department administrative personnel to connect with faculty researchers and helps clarify the roles that librarians, faculty, and administrative personnel play in the research process.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlib_publications-0003, 10.1080/02763877.2014.978246
Format: Citation

Title: Medical Decision-Making for Incapacitated Elders: A 'Therapeutic Interests' Standard.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Abstract/Description: Some older individuals lack sufficient present cognitive and/or emotional ability to make and express autonomous decisions personally. In those situations, health care providers routinely turn to available formal or informal surrogates who often must apply the best interests standard in making decisions for the incapacitated person. This article contends that defining the best interests standard of surrogate decision making for older adults in terms of optimal or ideal choices (truly the...
Show moreSome older individuals lack sufficient present cognitive and/or emotional ability to make and express autonomous decisions personally. In those situations, health care providers routinely turn to available formal or informal surrogates who often must apply the best interests standard in making decisions for the incapacitated person. This article contends that defining the best interests standard of surrogate decision making for older adults in terms of optimal or ideal choices (truly the patient's "best" interests) frequently sets out an unrealizable goal for surrogates to satisfy. Instead, a decision-making standard based on the incapacitated person's "therapeutic" interests is more realistic and hence more honest to adopt and apply from legal, ethical, and medical perspectives.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_publications-0009
Format: Citation

Title: The PPACA Versus Defined Contribution Approaches to Health Care Financing: A Clash of Visions About the Aged.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Abstract/Description: American culture and public policy have long held a split vision about the aged: vulnerability, dependency, and special need for law and policy to act as a protective shield versus the aged as independent, self-reliant, and capable of choice, with law acting as a source of individual empowerment. In terms of health care financing, the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) clearly leans toward protecting older persons from risk, rather than empowering them to act autonomously...
Show moreAmerican culture and public policy have long held a split vision about the aged: vulnerability, dependency, and special need for law and policy to act as a protective shield versus the aged as independent, self-reliant, and capable of choice, with law acting as a source of individual empowerment. In terms of health care financing, the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) clearly leans toward protecting older persons from risk, rather than empowering them to act autonomously. This article compares the PPACA vision of elder vulnerability to alternative policy proposals for financing health care for the aged that are built on a vision of elder abilities and capacity for self-determination. The author advocates for the latter social vision and associated health care financing policy alternatives, arguing that a rebuttable presumption of elder capacity that recognizes and provides for individual variations better serves important societal values than does the PPACA's categorical conclusion that the aged as a population are unable to fend for themselves.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_publications-0008
Format: Citation

Title: For Love, Legacy, or Pay: Legal and Pecuniary Aspects of Family Caregiving.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Abstract/Description: Most caregiving and companionship provided by family members and friends to older individuals in home environments occurs because of the caregiver's feelings of ethical and emotional obligation and attachment. From a legal perspective, though, it might be ill-advised for an informal caregiver to admit such a motivation. Building on a recently published study of relevant litigation, this essay discusses changing cultural and legal aspects of family caregiving when there is some expectation of...
Show moreMost caregiving and companionship provided by family members and friends to older individuals in home environments occurs because of the caregiver's feelings of ethical and emotional obligation and attachment. From a legal perspective, though, it might be ill-advised for an informal caregiver to admit such a motivation. Building on a recently published study of relevant litigation, this essay discusses changing cultural and legal aspects of family caregiving when there is some expectation of pay, property, or future financial legacy in return for the caregiver's present work and sacrifices.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_publications-0007
Format: Citation

Title: Health Care Technology, Health Care Rationing, and Older Americans: Enough Already?.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Abstract/Description: This is a book review essay, using Daniel Callahan's 2009 book, "Taming the Beloved Beast: How Medical Technology Costs Are Destroying Our Health Care System," as the jumping off point. Kapp takes strong issue with Callahan's proposal that health care costs can best be contained by the federal government setting and enforcing strict controls on the development and use of medical technology, with patients' chronological age acting as the main criterion for distribution of scarce medical...
Show moreThis is a book review essay, using Daniel Callahan's 2009 book, "Taming the Beloved Beast: How Medical Technology Costs Are Destroying Our Health Care System," as the jumping off point. Kapp takes strong issue with Callahan's proposal that health care costs can best be contained by the federal government setting and enforcing strict controls on the development and use of medical technology, with patients' chronological age acting as the main criterion for distribution of scarce medical resources.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_publications-0006
Format: Citation

Title: Older Clients with Questionable Legal Competence: Elder Law Practitioners and Treating Physicians.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Abstract/Description: Issues frequently arise in Elder Law practice concerning the cognitive and emotional ability of an older individual to make legally significant decisions. The physicians who have treated the person whose competence is being called into question, and/or the medical records generated by the treating physicians, often are sought by attorneys as sources of factual evidence regarding the patient's symptoms and behaviors, clinical diagnoses, and treatments offered and dispensed. The attorney...
Show moreIssues frequently arise in Elder Law practice concerning the cognitive and emotional ability of an older individual to make legally significant decisions. The physicians who have treated the person whose competence is being called into question, and/or the medical records generated by the treating physicians, often are sought by attorneys as sources of factual evidence regarding the patient's symptoms and behaviors, clinical diagnoses, and treatments offered and dispensed. The attorney/physician interaction in this arena may be less than ideal. This essay examines some of the reasons for such interprofessional friction and makes suggestions for productively addressing the tension in a manner likely to benefit the allegedly incompetent person.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_publications-0005
Format: Citation

Title: A Legal Approach to the Use of Human Biological Materials for Research Purposes.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Abstract/Description: Human Biological Materials (HBM) come from individuals in a variety of circumstances. The use of HBM for research purposes raises a host of difficult ethical questions. The law is important in this arena because, in most cases, legal principles significantly influence the making of ethical choices. Following a general overview of research regulation in the United States generally and a few comments on the relevance of international statements for this country, this article explores several...
Show moreHuman Biological Materials (HBM) come from individuals in a variety of circumstances. The use of HBM for research purposes raises a host of difficult ethical questions. The law is important in this arena because, in most cases, legal principles significantly influence the making of ethical choices. Following a general overview of research regulation in the United States generally and a few comments on the relevance of international statements for this country, this article explores several specific legal issues, and their ethical implications, related to the obtaining and handling of HBM for research purposes, namely: informed consent; privacy; and commercial or ownership (property) interests in HBM. The article concludes that, although the realistic liability risks are low, the law's important role in characterizing the rights and responsibilities involved will be very influential in shaping the ways that the chasm between science and ethics is resolved within the context of the use of human tissue for research purposes.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_publications-0004
Format: Citation

Title: Legal Issues Arising in the Process of Determining Decisional Capacity in Older Persons.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Abstract/Description: There is an increasing incidence of dementia, depression and other affective disorders, delirium, and other mental health problems such as psychoses among older individuals in the United States. Because the severity of mental illness, in terms of cognitive and behavioral impairment and therefore the illness' impact on functional ability, varies for different patients at different times along a continuum, there is not an automatic correlation between an older person's clinical diagnosis and a...
Show moreThere is an increasing incidence of dementia, depression and other affective disorders, delirium, and other mental health problems such as psychoses among older individuals in the United States. Because the severity of mental illness, in terms of cognitive and behavioral impairment and therefore the illness' impact on functional ability, varies for different patients at different times along a continuum, there is not an automatic correlation between an older person's clinical diagnosis and a dichotomous determination that the individual does or does not possess sufficient present capacity to personally make various sorts of fundamental life decisions. Decisional capacity assessment in the aged carries important implications both for the official adjudication of legal competence and for patient/client management in the vast majority of cases involving "bumbling through." There exists many salient, but generally overlooked, legal and ethical concerns immersed in the health care or human services provider's attempt to evaluate the decisional capacity of a particular older patient/client. This article surveys the most important of those concerns, which arise before we ever get to the point of applying assessment data to the relevant legal and ethical standards of decisional capacity.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_publications-0003
Format: Citation

Title: Geriatric Depression: Do Older Persons Have a Right to Be Unhappy?.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Abstract/Description: Clinical depression is a serious medical problem in the older population. Although it is considered to be highly treatable, physicians and other health care professionals often are criticized for doing an inadequate job of recognizing, and then treating, depression in older persons. They are routinely exhorted to improve their performance by being more aggressive in recognizing and intervening with this clinical condition. Yet, the mandate to provide aggressive treatment of depression is not...
Show moreClinical depression is a serious medical problem in the older population. Although it is considered to be highly treatable, physicians and other health care professionals often are criticized for doing an inadequate job of recognizing, and then treating, depression in older persons. They are routinely exhorted to improve their performance by being more aggressive in recognizing and intervening with this clinical condition. Yet, the mandate to provide aggressive treatment of depression is not always uncontroversial. Rather, medical intervention for older patients may raise a number of challenging legal, as well as ethical, questions. Using a case example, this article outlines some of the salient legal issues implicated by an older person's right to be and act depressed and the exceptions to that right.
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Date Issued: 2002
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_publications-0002
Format: Citation

Title: Making Medical Decisions for Someone Else: A Florida Handbook.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Abstract/Description: If you make health care decisions for another adult person—or might at some future point—this handbook is for you. Learn what it means to become a "health care substitute."
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_publications-0001
Format: Citation

Title: Developing an Academic Medical Library Core Journal Collection in the (Almost) Post-Print Era: The Florida State University College of Medicine Medical Library Experience.
Creator: Shearer, Barbara, Nagy, Suzanne
Abstract/Description: The Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine Medical Library is the first academic medical library to be established since the Web's dramatic appearance during the 1990s. A large customer base for electronic medical information resources is both comfortable with and eager to migrate to the electronic format completely, and vendors are designing radical pricing models that make print journal cancellations economically advantageous. In this (almost) post-print environment, the new FSU...
Show moreThe Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine Medical Library is the first academic medical library to be established since the Web's dramatic appearance during the 1990s. A large customer base for electronic medical information resources is both comfortable with and eager to migrate to the electronic format completely, and vendors are designing radical pricing models that make print journal cancellations economically advantageous. In this (almost) post-print environment, the new FSU Medical Library is being created and will continue to evolve. By analyzing print journal subscription lists of eighteen academic medical libraries with similar missions to the community-based FSU College of Medicine and by entering these and selected quality indicators into a Microsoft Access database, a core list was created. This list serves as a selection guide, as a point for discussion with faculty and curriculum leaders when creating budgets, and for financial negotiations in a broader university environment. After journal titles specific to allied health sciences, veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, library science, and nursing were eliminated from the list, 4,225 unique journal titles emerged. Based on a ten-point scale including SERHOLD holdings and DOCLINE borrowing activity, a list of 449 core titles is identified. The core list has been saved in spreadsheet format for easy sorting by a number of parameters.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlib_publications-0002
Format: Citation

Title: Development of a New Academic Digital Library: A Study of Usage Data of a Core Medical Electronic Journal Collection.
Creator: Shearer, Barbara, Klatt, Carolyn, Nagy, Suzanne
Abstract/Description: OBJECTIVES: The current study evaluates the results of a previously reported method for creating a core medical electronic journal collection for a new medical school library, validates the core collection created specifically to meet the needs of the new school, and identifies strategies for making cost-effective e-journal selection decisions. METHODS: Usage data were extracted for four e-journal packages (Blackwell-Synergy, Cell Press, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, and ScienceDirect)....
Show moreOBJECTIVES: The current study evaluates the results of a previously reported method for creating a core medical electronic journal collection for a new medical school library, validates the core collection created specifically to meet the needs of the new school, and identifies strategies for making cost-effective e-journal selection decisions. METHODS: Usage data were extracted for four e-journal packages (Blackwell-Synergy, Cell Press, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, and ScienceDirect). Usage was correlated with weighted point values assigned to a core list of journal titles, and each package was evaluated for relevancy and cost-effectiveness to the Florida State University College of Medicine (FSU COM) population. RESULTS: The results indicated that the development of the core list was a valid method for creating a new twenty-first century, community-based medical school library. Thirty-seven journals are identified for addition to the FSU COM core list based on use by the COM, and areas of overlapping research interests between the university and the COM are identified based on use of specific journals by each population. CONCLUSIONS: The collection development approach that evolved at the FSU COM library was useful during the initial stages of identifying and evaluating journal selections and in assessing the relative value of a particular journal package for the FSU COM after the school was established.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlib_publications-0001, 10.3163/1536-5050.97.2.005
Format: Citation

Title: Chronic Inflammation and Quality of Life in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Biomarkers to Predict Emotional and Relational Outcomes.
Creator: Nowakowski, Alexandra
Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: This study explores relationships between chronic inflammation and quality of life, making a case for biopsychosocial modeling of these associations. It builds on research from social and clinical disciplines connecting chronic conditions, and inflammatory conditions specifically, to reduced quality of life. METHODS: Data from Wave I of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project are modeled using ordinal logistic and ordinary least-squares regression techniques....
Show moreBACKGROUND: This study explores relationships between chronic inflammation and quality of life, making a case for biopsychosocial modeling of these associations. It builds on research from social and clinical disciplines connecting chronic conditions, and inflammatory conditions specifically, to reduced quality of life. METHODS: Data from Wave I of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project are modeled using ordinal logistic and ordinary least-squares regression techniques. Inflammation is measured using C-reactive protein; quality of life is conceptualized as happiness with life overall as well as intimate relationships specifically. RESULTS: For most NSHAP participants, chronic inflammation significantly predicts lower odds of reporting high QoL on both emotional and relational measures. Social structural factors do not confound these associations. Inconsistent results for participants with very high (over 6 mg/L) CRP measurements suggest additional social influences. CONCLUSIONS: Findings echo strong theoretical justification for investigating relationships between CRP and QoL in greater detail. Further research should explore possible mediation of these associations by sociomedical sequelae of chronic disease as well as social relationship dynamics. Elaboration is also needed on the mechanisms by which social disadvantage may cause chronic inflammation.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0043, 10.1186/s12955-014-0141-0
Format: Citation

Title: Community Built Environment Factors and Mobility Around Senior Wellness Centers: The Concept of "Safe Senior Zones".
Creator: Shendell, Derek, Johnson, Matthew, Sanders, Danna, Nowakowski, Alexandra, Yang, Jianhua, Jeffries, Carla, Weisman, Janet, Moulding, Megan
Abstract/Description: The authors investigated built environment (BE) factors in urban neighborhoods in DeKalb County, Georgia. Each volunteering, consenting senior was placed into one of two groups: walking tours outside, then discussions (n=37); and focus group discussions indoors about photographs of BE conditions potentially influencing mobility (n=43). The authors sought to identify BE factors-both real and perceived by participating seniors-related to their ability to walk around senior wellness centers in a...
Show moreThe authors investigated built environment (BE) factors in urban neighborhoods in DeKalb County, Georgia. Each volunteering, consenting senior was placed into one of two groups: walking tours outside, then discussions (n=37); and focus group discussions indoors about photographs of BE conditions potentially influencing mobility (n=43). The authors sought to identify BE factors-both real and perceived by participating seniors-related to their ability to walk around senior wellness centers in a healthy and safe manner. The authors focused specifically on available literature and pilot study data for their concept of "safe senior zones" around senior wellness centers serving urban communities in this article. They also characterized their study population regarding sociodemographic variables and doctor-diagnosed chronic diseases, and types of walking aids reported used to help prevent falls. Their results can inform future applied practice and research on traffic-related exposures and BE factors concerning seniors, and support policy and planning to benefit community environmental public health.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0042
Format: Citation

Title: Hypothalamic-Pituitary Function in Brain Death: A Review.
Creator: Nair-Collins, Michael, Northrup, Jesse, Olcese, James
Abstract/Description: The Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA) states that an individual is dead when "all functions of the entire brain" have ceased irreversibly. However, it has been questioned whether some functions of the hypothalamus, particularly osmoregulation, can continue after the clinical diagnosis of brain death (BD). In order to learn whether parts of the hypothalamus can continue to function after the diagnosis of BD, we performed 2 separate systematic searches of the MEDLINE database,...
Show moreThe Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA) states that an individual is dead when "all functions of the entire brain" have ceased irreversibly. However, it has been questioned whether some functions of the hypothalamus, particularly osmoregulation, can continue after the clinical diagnosis of brain death (BD). In order to learn whether parts of the hypothalamus can continue to function after the diagnosis of BD, we performed 2 separate systematic searches of the MEDLINE database, corresponding to the functions of the posterior and anterior pituitary. No meta-analysis is possible due to nonuniformity in the clinical literature. However, some modest generalizations can reasonably be drawn from a narrative review and from anatomic considerations that explain why these findings should be expected. We found evidence suggesting the preservation of hypothalamic function, including secretion of hypophysiotropic hormones, responsiveness to anterior pituitary stimulation, and osmoregulation, in a substantial proportion of patients declared dead by neurological criteria. We discuss several possible explanations for these findings. We conclude by suggesting that additional clinical research with strict inclusion criteria is necessary and further that a more nuanced and forthright public dialogue is needed, particularly since standard diagnostic practices and the UDDA may not be entirely in accord.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0041, 10.1177/0885066614527410
Format: Citation

Title: Abandoning the Dead Donor Rule?: A National Survey of Public Views on Death and Organ Donation.
Creator: Nair-Collins, Michael, Green, Sydney, Sutin, Angelina
Abstract/Description: Brain dead organ donors are the principal source of transplantable organs. However, it is controversial whether brain death is the same as biological death. Therefore, it is unclear whether organ removal in brain death is consistent with the 'dead donor rule', which states that organ removal must not cause death. Our aim was to evaluate the public's opinion about organ removal if explicitly described as causing the death of a donor in irreversible apneic coma. We conducted a cross-sectional...
Show moreBrain dead organ donors are the principal source of transplantable organs. However, it is controversial whether brain death is the same as biological death. Therefore, it is unclear whether organ removal in brain death is consistent with the 'dead donor rule', which states that organ removal must not cause death. Our aim was to evaluate the public's opinion about organ removal if explicitly described as causing the death of a donor in irreversible apneic coma. We conducted a cross-sectional internet survey of the American public (n=1096). Questionnaire domains included opinions about a hypothetical scenario of organ removal described as causing the death of a patient in irreversible coma, and items measuring willingness to donate organs after death. Some 71% of the sample agreed that it should be legal for patients to donate organs in the scenario described and 67% agreed that they would want to donate organs in a similar situation. Of the 85% of the sample who agreed that they were willing to donate organs after death, 76% agreed that they would donate in the scenario of irreversible coma with organ removal causing death. There appears to be public support for organ donation in a scenario explicitly described as violating the dead donor rule. Further, most but not all people who would agree to donate when organ removal is described as occurring after death would also agree to donate when organ removal is described as causing death in irreversible coma.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0040, 10.1136/medethics-2014-102229
Format: Citation

Title: The Nature and Implementation of Representation in Biological Systems.
Creator: Nair-Collins, Michael
Abstract/Description: I defend a theory of mental representation that satisfies naturalistic constraints. Briefly, we begin by distinguishing (i) what makes something a representation from (ii) given that a thing is a representation, what determines what it represents. Representations are states of biological organisms, so we should expect a unified theoretical framework for explaining both what it is to be a representation as well as what it is to be a heart or a kidney. I follow Millikan in explaining (i) in...
Show moreI defend a theory of mental representation that satisfies naturalistic constraints. Briefly, we begin by distinguishing (i) what makes something a representation from (ii) given that a thing is a representation, what determines what it represents. Representations are states of biological organisms, so we should expect a unified theoretical framework for explaining both what it is to be a representation as well as what it is to be a heart or a kidney. I follow Millikan in explaining (i) in terms of teleofunction, explicated in terms of natural selection. To explain (ii), we begin by recognizing that representational states do not have content, that is, they are neither true nor false except insofar as they both "point to" or "refer" to something, as well as "say" something regarding whatever it is they are about. To distinguish veridical from false representations, there must be a way for these separate aspects to come apart; hence, we explain (ii) by providing independent theories of what I call f-reference and f-predication (the 'f' simply connotes 'fundamental', to distinguish these things from their natural language counterparts). Causal theories of representation typically founder on error, or on what Fodor has called the disjunction problem. Resemblance or isomorphism theories typically founder on what I've called the non-uniqueness problem, which is that isomorphisms and resemblance are practically unconstrained and so representational content cannot be uniquely determined. These traditional problems provide the motivation for my theory, the structural preservation theory, as follows. F-reference, like reference, is a specific, asymmetric relation, as is causation. F-predication, like predication, is a non-specific relation, as predicates typically apply to many things, just as many relational systems can be isomorphic to any given relational system. Putting these observations together, a promising strategy is to explain f-reference via causal history and f-predication via something like isomorphism between relational systems. This dissertation should be conceptualized as having three parts. After motivating and characterizing the problem in chapter 1, the first part is the negative project, where I review and critique Dretske's, Fodor's, and Millikan's theories in chapters 2-4. Second, I construct my theory about the nature of representation in chapter 5 and defend it from objections in chapter 6. In chapters 7-8, which constitute the third and final part, I address the question of how representation is implemented in biological systems. In chapter 7 I argue that single-cell intracortical recordings taken from awake Macaque monkeys performing a cognitive task provide empirical evidence for structural preservation theory, and in chapter 8 I use the empirical results to illustrate, clarify, and refine the theory.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0039
Format: Citation

Title: Brain Death, Paternalism, and the Language of "Death".
Creator: Nair-Collins, Michael
Abstract/Description: The controversy surrounding the dead donor rule and the adequacy of neurological criteria for death continues unabated. However, despite disagreement on fundamental theoretical questions, I argue that there is significant (but not complete) agreement on the permissibility of organ retrieval from heart-beating donors. Many disagreements are rooted in disputes surrounding language meaning and use, rather than the practices of transplant medicine. Thus I suggest that the debate can be fruitfully...
Show moreThe controversy surrounding the dead donor rule and the adequacy of neurological criteria for death continues unabated. However, despite disagreement on fundamental theoretical questions, I argue that there is significant (but not complete) agreement on the permissibility of organ retrieval from heart-beating donors. Many disagreements are rooted in disputes surrounding language meaning and use, rather than the practices of transplant medicine. Thus I suggest that the debate can be fruitfully recast in terms of a dispute about language. Given this recasting, I argue that the language used to describe organ donation is misleading and paternalistic. Finally, I suggest that the near-agreement on the permissibility of heart-beating organ retrieval ought to be reconsidered. If the paternalism is not justified, then either the language used to describe organ transplantation must change radically, or it would seem to follow that much of the transplant enterprise lacks ethical justification.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0038, 10.1353/ken.2013.0002
Format: Citation

Title: Professor Gert's Views on Death: An Analysis and Critique.
Creator: Nair-Collins, Michael
Abstract/Description: In this paper I analyze and critique Gert's views on death, tracing the evolution of his ideas throughout his career. I argue that the definitions-criteria-tests framework that he and his colleagues introduced, along with their approach to death as a biological phenomenon to be understood in biological terms, are immensely important and largely correct. However, there is no scientific justification for claiming that brain-dead bodies are biologically dead bodies. Furthermore, continuing to...
Show moreIn this paper I analyze and critique Gert's views on death, tracing the evolution of his ideas throughout his career. I argue that the definitions-criteria-tests framework that he and his colleagues introduced, along with their approach to death as a biological phenomenon to be understood in biological terms, are immensely important and largely correct. However, there is no scientific justification for claiming that brain-dead bodies are biologically dead bodies. Furthermore, continuing to use the language of "death" to describe such bodies as a matter of public policy constitutes paternalism. I use Gert's analysis of the justification of paternalism to argue that the paternalism inherent in the language of "death" is unjustified.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0037
Format: Citation

Title: Personality and Career Success: Concurrent and Longitudinal Relations.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Costa, Paul, Miech, Richard, Eaton, William W.
Abstract/Description: The present research addresses the dynamic transaction between extrinsic (occupational prestige, income) and intrinsic (job satisfaction) career success and the Five-Factor Model of personality. Participants (N = 731) completed a comprehensive measure of personality and reported their job title, annual income, and job satisfaction; a subset of these participants (n = 302) provided the same information approximately 10 years later. Measured concurrently, emotionally stable and conscientious...
Show moreThe present research addresses the dynamic transaction between extrinsic (occupational prestige, income) and intrinsic (job satisfaction) career success and the Five-Factor Model of personality. Participants (N = 731) completed a comprehensive measure of personality and reported their job title, annual income, and job satisfaction; a subset of these participants (n = 302) provided the same information approximately 10 years later. Measured concurrently, emotionally stable and conscientious participants reported higher incomes and job satisfaction. Longitudinal analyses revealed that, among younger participants, higher income at baseline predicted decreases in Neuroticism and baseline Extraversion predicted increases in income across the 10 years. Results suggest that the mutual influence of career success and personality is limited to income and occurs early in the career.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0036, 10.1002/per.704
Format: Citation

Title: The personality domains and styles of the five-factor model are related to incident depression in Medicare recipients aged 65 to 100.
Creator: Weiss, Alexander, Sutin, Angelina, Duberstein, Paul Raphael, Friedman, Bruce, Bagby, R. Michael, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: OBJECTIVES: Few prospective studies have examined personality and depression in older adults. The authors investigated whether the Five-Factor Model of personality traits-Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness-and trait combinations (styles) are related to incident major or minor depression. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Prospective data were gathered on a community sample of 512 older adults with disability and a history of significant health care...
Show moreOBJECTIVES: Few prospective studies have examined personality and depression in older adults. The authors investigated whether the Five-Factor Model of personality traits-Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness-and trait combinations (styles) are related to incident major or minor depression. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Prospective data were gathered on a community sample of 512 older adults with disability and a history of significant health care utilization who were enrolled in a Medicare Demonstration Project. MEASUREMENTS: Depression and personality traits and styles were assessed at baseline; depression was assessed again at approximately 12 and 22 months. DESIGN: Participants who developed incident major depression were compared with those free of depression at all three assessments. Similar analyses were done for minor depression. RESULTS: High Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness were risk factors for both major and minor depression. Combinations of high Neuroticism with low or high Extraversion or high Openness conferred risk for major depression. Other novel findings for major depression revealed new trait combinations of low Conscientiousness with low or high Extraversion, high Openness, or low Agreeableness. Three trait combinations, all involving low Conscientiousness, predicted risk for minor depression: high Neuroticism, high Agreeableness, and low Openness. CONCLUSION: The present findings highlight the importance of examining combinations of personality traits or personality styles when identifying those who are most at-risk for geriatric depression. Since other personality domains may modify the risk related to high Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness, the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of depression could be greatly improved by assessing older patients not only on all five domains of personality but in terms of their combinations.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0035
Format: Citation

Title: Autobiographical Memory Phenomenology and Content Mediate Attachment Style and Psychological Distress.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Gillath, Omri
Abstract/Description: In two studies, the present research tested the phenomenology and content of autobiographical memory as distinct mediators between attachment avoidance and anxiety and depressive symptoms. In Study 1, participants (N = 454) completed measures of attachment and depressive symptoms in one session, and retrieved and rated two self-defining memories of romantic relationships in a separate session. In Study 2, participants (N = 534) were primed with attachment security, attachment insecurity, or a...
Show moreIn two studies, the present research tested the phenomenology and content of autobiographical memory as distinct mediators between attachment avoidance and anxiety and depressive symptoms. In Study 1, participants (N = 454) completed measures of attachment and depressive symptoms in one session, and retrieved and rated two self-defining memories of romantic relationships in a separate session. In Study 2, participants (N = 534) were primed with attachment security, attachment insecurity, or a control prime and then retrieved and rated a self-defining relationship memory. Memory phenomenology, specifically memory coherence and emotional intensity, mediated the association between attachment avoidance and depressive symptoms, whereas the negative affective content of the memory mediated the association between attachment anxiety and depressive symptoms. Priming attachment security led to retrieval of a more coherent relationship memory, whereas insecurity led to the retrieval of a more incoherent relationship memory. Discussion focuses on the construction and recollection of memories as underlying mechanisms of adult attachment and psychological distress, the importance of memory coherence, and the implications for counseling research and practice.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0034
Format: Citation

Title: Facets of Personality Linked to Underweight and Overweight.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, Sutin, Angelina, McCrae, Robert R., Deiana, Barbara, Ferrucci, Luigi, Schlessinger, David, Uda, Manuela, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: OBJECTIVE: Personality traits underlie maladaptive behaviors, and cognitive and emotional disturbances that contribute to major preventable causes of global disease burden. This study examines detailed personality profiles of underweight, normal, and overweight individuals to provide insights into the causes and treatments of abnormal weight. METHODS: More than half of the population from four towns in Sardinia, Italy (n = 5693; age = 14-94 years; mean +/- standard deviation = 43 +/- 17 years...
Show moreOBJECTIVE: Personality traits underlie maladaptive behaviors, and cognitive and emotional disturbances that contribute to major preventable causes of global disease burden. This study examines detailed personality profiles of underweight, normal, and overweight individuals to provide insights into the causes and treatments of abnormal weight. METHODS: More than half of the population from four towns in Sardinia, Italy (n = 5693; age = 14-94 years; mean +/- standard deviation = 43 +/- 17 years) were assessed on multiple anthropometric measures and 30 facets that comprehensively cover the five major dimensions of personality, using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. RESULTS: High Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness were associated with being underweight and obese, respectively. High Impulsiveness (specifically eating-behavior items) and low Order were associated with body mass index categories of overweight and obese, and with measures of abdominal adiposity (waist and hip circumference). Those scoring in the top 10% of Impulsiveness were about 4 kg heavier than those in the bottom 10%, an effect independent and larger than the FTO genetic variant. Prospective analyses confirmed that Impulsiveness and Order were significant predictors of general and central measures of adiposity assessed 3 years later. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obese individuals have difficulty resisting cravings and lack methodical and organized behaviors that might influence diet and weight control. Although individuals' traits have limited impact on the current obesogenic epidemic, personality traits can improve clinical assessment, suggest points of intervention, and help tailor prevention and treatment approaches.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0033, 10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181a2925b
Format: Citation

Title: Visual Perspective and Genetics: A Commentary on Lemogne and Colleagues.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina
Abstract/Description: Lemogne and colleagues offer an interesting extension to their previous work on visual perspective and depression: Individuals at-risk for depression (defined as higher scores on Harm Avoidance), without a history of mood disorders, report retrieval of positive memories from the 3rd person perspective. Their findings suggest that the retrieval of positive experiences from the 3rd person perspective may be a risk-factor for depression, not just a lingering consequence of it. Their study,...
Show moreLemogne and colleagues offer an interesting extension to their previous work on visual perspective and depression: Individuals at-risk for depression (defined as higher scores on Harm Avoidance), without a history of mood disorders, report retrieval of positive memories from the 3rd person perspective. Their findings suggest that the retrieval of positive experiences from the 3rd person perspective may be a risk-factor for depression, not just a lingering consequence of it. Their study, however, also reports a genetic association in a severely underpowered sample. Rather than focusing on gene x environment interactions, which large, well-powered studies on related phenotypes have failed to detect, a greater understanding of the phenomenology of visual perspective may be a more fruitful avenue for future research.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0032, 10.1016/j.concog.2009.05.002
Format: Citation

Title: Sex Differences in Resting-State Neural Correlates of Openness to Experience Among Older Adults.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Beason-Held, Lori, Resnick, Susan M., Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: We investigated sex differences in the resting-state neural correlates of Openness to Experience, a universal personality trait defined by cognitive flexibility, attention to feelings, creativity, and preference for novelty. Using resting-state positron-emission tomography from 100 older individuals (>55 years of age), we identified associations between Openness and resting-state regional cerebral blood flow that replicated across 2 assessments of the same sample, approximately 2 years apart....
Show moreWe investigated sex differences in the resting-state neural correlates of Openness to Experience, a universal personality trait defined by cognitive flexibility, attention to feelings, creativity, and preference for novelty. Using resting-state positron-emission tomography from 100 older individuals (>55 years of age), we identified associations between Openness and resting-state regional cerebral blood flow that replicated across 2 assessments of the same sample, approximately 2 years apart. Openness correlated positively with prefrontal activity in women, anterior cingulate activity in men, and orbitofrontal activity in both sexes, which suggests that areas linked to cognitive flexibility (women), monitoring processes (men), and reward and emotional processing (both) underlie individual differences in Openness. The results challenge the implicit assumption that the same trait will rely on the same neural mechanisms across all who express it.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0031, 10.1093/cercor/bhp066
Format: Citation

Title: Reciprocal Influences of Personality and Job Characteristics Across Middle Adulthood.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: The present research uses an economically diverse, middle-aged sample to examine the concurrent and longitudinal interplay between personality and occupational experiences. Using the Five-Factor Model of personality and the Demand-Control Model of the occupational environment as guiding frameworks, participants (N=722) reported on their personality, job characteristics, and occupational history; a subset (n=297) made the same ratings approximately 10 years later. Measured concurrently,...
Show moreThe present research uses an economically diverse, middle-aged sample to examine the concurrent and longitudinal interplay between personality and occupational experiences. Using the Five-Factor Model of personality and the Demand-Control Model of the occupational environment as guiding frameworks, participants (N=722) reported on their personality, job characteristics, and occupational history; a subset (n=297) made the same ratings approximately 10 years later. Measured concurrently, emotionally stable, extraverted, open, and conscientious participants reported jobs with greater decision-making latitude, whereas disagreeable participants had more physically demanding and dangerous jobs. Longitudinal cross-lagged analyses revealed that personality was associated with changes in decision latitude, hazardous working conditions, and physical demands. None of the job characteristics predicted change in personality at the factor level. Thus, personality shaped occupational experiences, but occupational experiences had minimal impact on personality. Support for the Five-Factor Theory perspective and implications for environmental approaches to personality development are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0030, 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2009.00615.x
Format: Citation

Title: BDNF Val66Met is Associated with Introversion and Interacts with 5-HTTLPR to Influence Neuroticism.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, Tanaka, Toshiko, Sutin, Angelina, Deiana, Barbara, Balaci, Lenuta, Sanna, Serena, Olla, Nazario, Maschio, Andrea, Uda, Manuela, Ferrucci, Luigi,...
Show moreTerracciano, Antonio, Tanaka, Toshiko, Sutin, Angelina, Deiana, Barbara, Balaci, Lenuta, Sanna, Serena, Olla, Nazario, Maschio, Andrea, Uda, Manuela, Ferrucci, Luigi, Schlessinger, David, Costa, Paul
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Abstract/Description: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission, and has been linked to neuroticism, a major risk factor for psychiatric disorders. A recent genome-wide association (GWA) scan, however, found the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265) associated with extraversion but not with neuroticism. In this study, we examine the links between BDNF and personality traits, assessed using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R), in a sample from SardiNIA ...
Show moreBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission, and has been linked to neuroticism, a major risk factor for psychiatric disorders. A recent genome-wide association (GWA) scan, however, found the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265) associated with extraversion but not with neuroticism. In this study, we examine the links between BDNF and personality traits, assessed using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R), in a sample from SardiNIA (n=1560) and the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA; n=1131). Consistent with GWA results, we found that BDNF Met carriers were more introverted. By contrast, in both samples and in a meta-analysis inclusive of published data (n=15251), we found no evidence for a main effect of BDNF Val66Met on neuroticism. Finally, on the basis of recent reports of an epistatic effect between BDNF and the serotonin transporter, we explored a Val66Met x 5-HTTLPR interaction in a larger SardiNIA sample (n=2333). We found that 5-HTTLPR LL carriers scored lower on neuroticism in the presence of the BDNF Val variant, but scored higher on neuroticism in the presence of the BDNF Met variant. Our findings support the association between the BDNF Met variant and introversion and suggest that BDNF interacts with the serotonin transporter gene to influence neuroticism.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0029, 10.1038/npp.2009.213
Format: Citation

Title: Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and the Five-Factor Model of Personality.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Terracciano, Antonio, Deiana, Barbara, Uda, Manuela, Schlessinger, David, Lakatta, Edward, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: Unhealthy lipid levels are among the leading controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease. To identify the psychological factors associated with dyslipidemia, this study investigates the personality correlates of cholesterol (total, LDL, and HDL) and triglycerides. A community-based sample (N=5532) from Sardinia, Italy, had their cholesterol and triglyceride levels assessed and completed a comprehensive personality questionnaire, the NEO-PI-R. All analyses controlled for age, sex, BMI...
Show moreUnhealthy lipid levels are among the leading controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease. To identify the psychological factors associated with dyslipidemia, this study investigates the personality correlates of cholesterol (total, LDL, and HDL) and triglycerides. A community-based sample (N=5532) from Sardinia, Italy, had their cholesterol and triglyceride levels assessed and completed a comprehensive personality questionnaire, the NEO-PI-R. All analyses controlled for age, sex, BMI, smoking, drinking, hypertension, and diabetes. Low Conscientiousness and traits related to impulsivity were associated with lower HDL cholesterol and higher triglycerides. Compared to the lowest 10%, those who scored in top 10% on Impulsivity had a 2.5 times greater risk of exceeding the clinical threshold for elevated triglycerides (OR=2.51, CI=1.56-4.07). In addition, sex moderated the association between trait depression (a component of Neuroticism) and HDL cholesterol, such that trait depression was associated with lower levels of HDL cholesterol in women but not men. When considering the connection between personality and health, unhealthy lipid profiles may be one intermediate biomarker between personality and morbidity and mortality.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0028, 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2010.01.012
Format: Citation

Title: Teeth Grinding: Is Emotional Stability Related to Bruxism?.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Terracciano, Antonio, Ferrucci, Luigi, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: This study examines the association between personality traits and bruxism, the repetitive grinding or clenching of teeth. Community-dwelling participants (N = 470) had a comprehensive oral examination by a dentist and completed a dental history and personality questionnaires. Consistent with the literature on state anxiety and depression as antecedents of bruxism, Neuroticism-related traits were associated with self-reported teeth grinding. These traits were also associated with other oral...
Show moreThis study examines the association between personality traits and bruxism, the repetitive grinding or clenching of teeth. Community-dwelling participants (N = 470) had a comprehensive oral examination by a dentist and completed a dental history and personality questionnaires. Consistent with the literature on state anxiety and depression as antecedents of bruxism, Neuroticism-related traits were associated with self-reported teeth grinding. These traits were also associated with other oral complaints often associated with anxiety (jaw clicks, difficulty chewing food, and dry mouth), but not with more general oral health complaints (unhealthy gums, bleeding gums, and canker sores) or with dentist-assessed occlusal wear or tongue indentations. This study provides evidence for the association between Neuroticism and bruxism and other stress-related oral health symptoms.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0027, 10.1016/j.jrp.2010.03.006
Format: Citation

Title: High Neuroticism and Low Conscientiousness Are Associated with Interleukin-6.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Terracciano, Antonio, Deiana, Barbara, Naitza, Silvia, Ferrucci, Luigi, Uda, Manuela, Schlessinger, David, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: High Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness are frequently implicated in health-risk behaviors, such as smoking and overeating, as well as health outcomes, including mortality. Their associations with physiological markers of morbidity and mortality, such as inflammation, are less well documented. The present research examines the association between the five major dimensions of personality and interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine often elevated in patients with...
Show moreBACKGROUND: High Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness are frequently implicated in health-risk behaviors, such as smoking and overeating, as well as health outcomes, including mortality. Their associations with physiological markers of morbidity and mortality, such as inflammation, are less well documented. The present research examines the association between the five major dimensions of personality and interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine often elevated in patients with chronic morbidity and frailty. METHOD: A population-based sample (n=4923) from four towns in Sardinia, Italy, had their levels of IL-6 measured and completed a comprehensive personality questionnaire, the NEO-PI-R. Analyses controlled for factors known to have an effect on IL-6: age; sex; smoking; weight; aspirin use; disease burden. RESULTS: High Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness were both associated with higher levels of IL-6. The findings remained significant after controlling for the relevant covariates. Similar results were found for C-reactive protein, a related marker of chronic inflammation. Further, smoking and weight partially mediated the association between impulsivity-related traits and higher IL-6 levels. Finally, logistic regressions revealed that participants either in the top 10% of the distribution of Neuroticism or the bottom 10% of conscientiousness had an approximately 40% greater risk of exceeding clinically relevant thresholds of IL-6. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with the literature on personality and self-reported health, individuals high on Neuroticism or low on Conscientiousness show elevated levels of this inflammatory cytokine. Identifying critical medical biomarkers associated with personality may help to elucidate the physiological mechanisms responsible for the observed connections between personality traits and physical health.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0026, 10.1017/S0033291709992029
Format: Citation

Title: Correlates and Phenomenology of First and Third Person Memories.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Robins, Richard W.
Abstract/Description: The present research addressed fundamental questions about the visual perspective of autobiographical memories: Are stable personality characteristics associated with visual perspective? Does visual perspective influence the memory's phenomenological qualities? Participants in Study 1 (N=1684) completed individual-difference measures and indicated the perspective from which they generally retrieve memories. Participants in Study 2 (N=706) retrieved a memory from their natural or manipulated...
Show moreThe present research addressed fundamental questions about the visual perspective of autobiographical memories: Are stable personality characteristics associated with visual perspective? Does visual perspective influence the memory's phenomenological qualities? Participants in Study 1 (N=1684) completed individual-difference measures and indicated the perspective from which they generally retrieve memories. Participants in Study 2 (N=706) retrieved a memory from their natural or manipulated perspective, rated its phenomenology, and completed the same individual-difference measures. Dissociation and anxiety were associated with third person retrieval style; the Big Five personality traits were primarily unrelated to perspective. Compared to third person memories, naturally occurring first person memories were higher on Vividness, Coherence, Accessibility, Sensory Detail, Emotional Intensity, and Time Perspective, and lower on Distancing; manipulating perspective eliminated these differences. Visual perspective is associated with clinically relevant constructs and, although associated with the memory's phenomenology, perspective does not shape it.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0025, 10.1080/09658211.2010.497765
Format: Citation

Title: Perceptions of Stressful Life Events as Turning Points Are Associated with Self-Rated Health and Psychological Distress.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Costa, Paul, Wethington, Elaine, Eaton, William W.
Abstract/Description: We test the hypothesis that changes in physical and psychological health are associated with construals of stressful life events. At two points in time, approximately 10 years apart, participants (n=1038) rated their physical health and psychological distress. At the second assessment, participants also reported their most stressful life event since the first assessment and indicated whether they considered the event a turning point and/or lesson learned. Lower self-ratings of health and...
Show moreWe test the hypothesis that changes in physical and psychological health are associated with construals of stressful life events. At two points in time, approximately 10 years apart, participants (n=1038) rated their physical health and psychological distress. At the second assessment, participants also reported their most stressful life event since the first assessment and indicated whether they considered the event a turning point and/or lesson learned. Lower self-ratings of health and higher ratings of psychological distress, controlling for baseline health and distress, and relevant demographic factors, were associated with perceiving the stressful life event as a turning point, particularly a negative turning point. The two health measures were primarily unrelated to lessons learned. How individuals construe the most stressful events in their lives are associated with changes in self-rated health and distress.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0024, 10.1080/10615800903552015
Format: Citation

Title: Genome-Wide Association Scan of Trait Depression.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, Tanaka, Toshiko, Sutin, Angelina, Sanna, Serena, Deiana, Barbara, Lai, Sandra, Uda, Manuela, Schlessinger, David, Abecasis, Gonçalo, Ferrucci, Luigi, Costa...
Show moreTerracciano, Antonio, Tanaka, Toshiko, Sutin, Angelina, Sanna, Serena, Deiana, Barbara, Lai, Sandra, Uda, Manuela, Schlessinger, David, Abecasis, Gonçalo, Ferrucci, Luigi, Costa, Paul
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Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: Independent of temporal circumstances, some individuals have greater susceptibility to depressive affects, such as feelings of guilt, sadness, hopelessness, and loneliness. Identifying the genetic variants that contribute to these individual differences can point to biological pathways etiologically involved in psychiatric disorders. METHODS: Genome-wide association scans for the depression scale of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory in community-based samples from a...
Show moreBACKGROUND: Independent of temporal circumstances, some individuals have greater susceptibility to depressive affects, such as feelings of guilt, sadness, hopelessness, and loneliness. Identifying the genetic variants that contribute to these individual differences can point to biological pathways etiologically involved in psychiatric disorders. METHODS: Genome-wide association scans for the depression scale of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory in community-based samples from a genetically homogeneous area of Sardinia, Italy (n = 3972) and from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging in the United States (n = 839). RESULTS: Meta-analytic results for genotyped or imputed single nucleotide polymorphisms indicate that the strongest association signals for trait depression were found in RORA (rs12912233; p = 6 × 10⁻⁷·), a gene involved in circadian rhythm. A plausible biological association was also found with single nucleotide polymorphisms within GRM8 (rs17864092; p = 5 × 10⁻⁶), a metabotropic receptor for glutamate, a major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest shared genetic basis underlying the continuum from personality traits to psychopathology.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0023, 10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.06.030
Format: Citation

Title: Trait Antagonism and the Progression of Arterial Thickening: Women with Antagonistic Traits Have Similar Carotid Arterial Thickness as Men.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Scuteri, Angelo, Lakatta, Edward, Tarasov, Kirill, Ferrucci, Luigi, Costa, Paul, Schlessinger, David, Uda, Manuela, Terracciano, Antonio
Abstract/Description: A large body of evidence links antagonism-related traits with cardiovascular outcomes, but less is known about how psychological traits are associated with intermediate markers of cardiovascular disease. Using a large, community-based sample from Sardinia, Italy (n=5614), this study examined how trait antagonism (low agreeableness) and its facets are associated with carotid artery intima-media thickness, a measure of arterial thickening. Controlling for demographic and cardiovascular risk...
Show moreA large body of evidence links antagonism-related traits with cardiovascular outcomes, but less is known about how psychological traits are associated with intermediate markers of cardiovascular disease. Using a large, community-based sample from Sardinia, Italy (n=5614), this study examined how trait antagonism (low agreeableness) and its facets are associated with carotid artery intima-media thickness, a measure of arterial thickening. Controlling for demographic and cardiovascular risk factors, low agreeableness and, in particular, low straightforwardness and low compliance, were associated with greater carotid thickening, measured concurrently and prospectively, and with increases in intima-media thickness over 3 years. Indeed, those in the bottom 10% of agreeableness had a 40% increase in risk for elevated intima-media thickness. Although men have thicker arterial walls, women with antagonistic traits had similar carotid thickening as antagonistic men. Antagonistic individuals, especially those who are manipulative and aggressive, have greater increases in arterial thickening, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0022, 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.110.155317
Format: Citation

Title: The Neural Correlates of Neuroticism Differ by Sex Prospectively Mediate Depressive Symptoms Among Older Women.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Beason-Held, Lori, Dotson, Vonetta, Resnick, Susan M., Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: Mood disorders in old age increase the risk of morbidity and mortality for individuals and healthcare costs for society. Trait Neuroticism, a strong risk factor for such disorders into old age, shares common genetic variance with depression, but the more proximal biological mechanisms that mediate this connection are not well understood. Further, whether sex differences in the neural correlates of Neuroticism mirror sex differences in behavioral measures is unknown. The present...
Show moreBACKGROUND: Mood disorders in old age increase the risk of morbidity and mortality for individuals and healthcare costs for society. Trait Neuroticism, a strong risk factor for such disorders into old age, shares common genetic variance with depression, but the more proximal biological mechanisms that mediate this connection are not well understood. Further, whether sex differences in the neural correlates of Neuroticism mirror sex differences in behavioral measures is unknown. The present research identifies sex differences in the stable neural activity associated with Neuroticism and tests whether this activity prospectively mediates Neuroticism and subsequent depressive symptoms. METHODS: A total of 100 (46 female) older participants (>55years) underwent a resting-state PET scan twice, approximately two years apart, and completed measures of Neuroticism and depressive symptoms twice. RESULTS: Replicating at both time points, Neuroticism correlated positively with resting-state regional cerebral blood-flow activity in the hippocampus and midbrain in women and the middle temporal gyrus in men. For women, hippocampal activity mediated the association between Neuroticism at baseline and depressive symptoms at follow-up. The reverse mediational model was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Neuroticism was associated with stable neural activity in regions implicated in emotional processing and regulation for women but not men. Among women, Neuroticism prospectively predicted depressive symptoms through greater activity in the right hippocampus, suggesting one neural mechanism between Neuroticism and depression for women. Identifying responsible mechanisms for the association between Neuroticism and psychiatric disorders may help guide research on pharmacological interventions for such disorders across the lifespan.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0021, 10.1016/j.jad.2010.06.004
Format: Citation

Title: Personality and Metabolic Syndrome.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Costa, Paul, Uda, Manuela, Ferrucci, Luigi, Schlessinger, David, Terracciano, Antonio
Abstract/Description: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome has paralleled the sharp increase in obesity. Given its tremendous physical, emotional, and financial burden, it is of critical importance to identify who is most at risk and the potential points of intervention. Psychological traits, in addition to physiological and social risk factors, may contribute to metabolic syndrome. The objective of the present research is to test whether personality traits are associated with metabolic syndrome in a large...
Show moreThe prevalence of metabolic syndrome has paralleled the sharp increase in obesity. Given its tremendous physical, emotional, and financial burden, it is of critical importance to identify who is most at risk and the potential points of intervention. Psychological traits, in addition to physiological and social risk factors, may contribute to metabolic syndrome. The objective of the present research is to test whether personality traits are associated with metabolic syndrome in a large community sample. Participants (N = 5,662) from Sardinia, Italy, completed a comprehensive personality questionnaire, the NEO-PI-R, and were assessed on all components of metabolic syndrome (waist circumference, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting glucose). Logistic regressions were used to predict metabolic syndrome from personality traits, controlling for age, sex, education, and current smoking status. Among adults over age 45 (n = 2,419), Neuroticism and low Agreeableness were associated with metabolic syndrome, whereas high Conscientiousness was protective. Individuals who scored in the top 10% on Conscientiousness were approximately 40% less likely to have metabolic syndrome (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.41-0.92), whereas those who scored in the lowest 10% on Agreeableness were 50% more likely to have it (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.09-2.16). At the facet level, traits related to impulsivity and hostility were the most strongly associated with metabolic syndrome. The present research indicates that those with fewer psychological resources are more vulnerable to metabolic syndrome and suggests a psychological component to other established risk factors.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0020, 10.1007/s11357-010-9153-9
Format: Citation

Department of Family Medicine and Rural Health (55)	+ -
Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine (39)	+ -
Department of Geriatrics (38)	+ -
Department of Biomedical Sciences (29)	+ -
Center for Innovative Collaboration in Medicine and Law (12)	+ -

Maguire Medical Library (7)	+ -
Department of Clinical Sciences (1)	+ -
Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences (1)	+ -
School of Information Faculty Scholarship (1)	+ -
Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence (1)	+ -
2015 (1)	+ -

Psychology (64)	+ -
Psychiatry (57)	+ -
Diseases (48)	+ -
Human behavior (43)	+ -
Social aspects (43)	+ -

Personality (42)	+ -
Mental health (34)	+ -
Social psychiatry (25)	+ -
Cardiovascular system (24)	+ -
Biochemistry (21)	+ -
Genetics (21)	+ -
Social sciences (21)	+ -
Cytology (19)	+ -
Geriatrics (19)	+ -
Developmental biology (18)	+ -
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Physiology (18)	+ -
Public health (18)	+ -
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Mental illness (16)	+ -
Molecular biology (16)	+ -
Pathology (16)	+ -
Symptoms (16)	+ -
Chemicals (15)	+ -
Amino acids (14)	+ -
Drugs (14)	+ -
Medical education (14)	+ -
Peptides (14)	+ -

Terracciano, Antonio (52)	+ -
Rodríguez, Jose (46)	+ -
Costa, Paul (37)	+ -
Sutin, Angelina (29)	+ -
Ferrucci, Luigi (22)	+ -

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