Relationship between morphologic somatotypes and standing posture equilibrium.

Previous studies have identified height and weight as important factors affecting quiet standing stability but studies have not addressed body morphology as a global factor. Using anthropometric measurements, the morphologic somatotypes were defined in terms of body composition and structure. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that morphologic somatotypes were related to standing posture equilibrium in able-bodied girls. A total of 43 able-bodied girls having a mean age of 13.8 +/- 2.2 years participated in this study. Somatotype measurements were taken to determine their endomorphic, mesomorphic or ectomorphic components. Then, subjects were asked to stand still on a force platform for 64 s with their eyes opened, feet about 23 cm apart and arms aligned with the trunk. Afterwards, subjects were grouped based on the highest value of their somatotype component. There was no statistical difference in age, height and weight among the groups. The surface area of an ellipse delineated by the displacement of the centre of pressure (COP) was statistically larger (236.9 +/- 134.3 mm2) for the ectomorphs than for the endomorphs 137.7 +/- 71.4 mm2). The minor axis was longer (8.1 +/- 2.9 mm) for the ectomorphs than for the endomorphs (5.7 +/- 2.2 mm). The decrease in standing posture stability of the ectomorphic group was attributed to a relatively low muscle component, a high height weight ratio and an elevated position of the body centre of mass in this population of girls. Somatotypes should be considered when assessing standing posture in both able-bodied subjects and patients.     

Growth status of children 6-12 years from two different geographic regions of Mexico

Primary objectives : The purposes of the study are to assess the growth status of urban Mexican children living in different geographic areas of the country, to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and to explore secular trends in body size. Design : Cross-sectional surveys of 293 children 6-11 years from Sonora in the north-west of the country (155 boys, 138 girls), and 356 children 7-12 years from Veracruz on the Gulf Coast (194 boys, 162 girls) were undertaken in 1992 and 1993, respectively. Procedures : Height and weight were measured; the body mass index (BMI, kg m -2 ) was calculated. Growth status was compared to USA reference data and to samples of Mexican children in 1926 and 1975. The prevalence of overweight (BMI &#83 85th and < 95th percentiles) and obesity (BMI &#83 95th percentile) was estimated. Results : Girls and boys from Sonora and Veracruz do not differ in height, weight and the BMI. Mean heights are at (girls) or below (boys) the medians of USA growth charts, while mean weights are at (boys) or just below (girls) the 75th percentiles at most ages. As a result, mean BMIs are above (boys) and below (girls) the 75th percentiles over the age range studied. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is 40% in boys and 35% in girls, whereas the prevalence of obesity per se is 23% in boys and 17% in girls. Compared to urban Mexican children in the Federal District surveyed in 1926, children in the present sample are taller and heavier, but the secular trend in body weight is more pronounced since the mid-1960s. Heights of the current samples are similar to those of well-off children in Mexico City in the early 1970s, but weights are heavier. Conclusions : The gap in height between well-off and lower socioeconomic status chidren in different regions of Mexico has been reduced, but there is an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity.     

Improved femoral neck BMD in older Finnish women between 2002 and 2010

Purpose

The number of hip fractures among Finns over 50-years of age rose constantly between 1970 and 1997, but since then, there has been a nationwide decline in incidence of hip fractures. One possible explanation, although not the only one, for the declining fracture rates, could be improved bone mineral density (BMD). The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in femoral neck BMD between older Finnish women born about a decade apart.

Methods

We compared the baseline data of two population-based samples of home-dwelling 70–80-year-old women who were initially recruited in exercise intervention studies (N = 216 in Cohort1, and N = 389 in Cohort 2). Femoral neck BMD was measured with DXA. Between-cohort differences were evaluated with analysis of covariance using age, height, weight, and use of hormone therapy as covariates.

Results

The later-born Cohort 2 was somewhat older and taller than Cohort 1. Adjusted mean difference (95% CI) in femoral neck BMD between the cohorts was 0.043 g/cm² (0.023–0.064) corresponding the mean difference of 0.36 (0.19–0.53) in T-score in favor of Cohort 2.

Conclusions

Despite several factors that basically could have indicated lower mean BMD in Cohort 2, the finding was the opposite. This suggests that the mean femoral neck BMD has increased substantially among older Finnish women within a decade, but primary reason for this improvement remains unclear, but improved social and economic resources may have at least partly accounted for this favorable phenomenon.     

Menarcheal age and socio-economic factors in Poland

Background:?Menarcheal age is the most important measure of sexual maturation in girls and a sensitive indicator of environmental conditions during childhood.

Objective:?The study analysed the association between age at menarche and socio-economic characteristics (urbanization, population size, education of parents and number of children in the family).

Subjects and methods:?Questionnaire data were collected from 3271 female schoolchildren born between 1981 and 1984, living in three provinces of southern Poland. Menarcheal age was estimated by the recall method and based on the date of menarche given by the study participants. ANCOVA and multiple regression analyses were applied to test statistical significance of differences between groups.

Results:?Girls from families with high socio-economic status experience menarche at an earlier age than girls from families with lower socio-economic status. However, depending on the geographical region and the population size, other factors influence menarcheal age. In the Krakow province, factors that significantly differentiate age at menarche are urbanization, father's education and number of children in the family; in the Opole province, these factors include urbanization and number of children in the family, while in the Nowy Sacz province, number of children in the family is significant.

Conclusions:?Socio-economic differences are greater in a large urban city (Krakow), and affect variation in age at menarche. However, within smaller populations (Opole, Nowy Sacz) living in towns and villages, the difference in age at menarche is less visible. In addition, variation between areas reveals a lower age at menarche in urban as compared with non-urban areas.

Résumé. Arrière plan: L’âge aux premières règles est une mesure importante de la maturation sexuelle des filles ainsi qu’un indicateur sensible des conditions du milieu au cours de l’enfance.

Objectif: Cette étude analyse l’association entre âge aux premières règles et facteurs socio-économiques (urbanisation, taille de la population, éducation parentale et nombre d’enfants dans la famille).

Sujets et méthodes: Des données par questionnaire ont été rassemblées sur 3271 écoliers habitant dans trois provinces du sud de la Pologne, nés entre 1981 et 1984. L’âge aux premières règles a été estimé par la méthode de mémorisation. Des analyses de régression multiple et de covariance (ANCOVA) ont été effectuées afin d’évaluer la signification statistique des différences entre groupes.

Résultats: Les filles de familles à statut socio-économique élevé sont plus précoces que celles de statut socio-économique défavorable, mais suivant la région et la dimension de la population, d’autres facteurs influencent l’âge aux premières règles. Dans la province de Cracovie, l’urbanisation, l’éducation du père et le nombre d’enfants dans la famille jouent un rôle significatif. Dans la province d’Opole, ce sont l’urbanisation, l’éducation du père et le nombre d’enfants dans la famille qui interviennent, alors que dans la province de Nowi Sacz, est significatif le nombre d’enfants dans la famille.

Conclusions: Les différences socio-économiques sont plus significatives dans une grande ville (Cracovie), alors que dans les ensembles populationnels plus restreints (Opole, Nowy Sacz), elles sont de moindre importance. Par ailleurs, la variation entre régions révèle un âge aux premières règles plus précoce chez les filles urbaines que chez les rurales.

Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund: Das Menarchealter ist das wichtigste Maß für die sexuelle Reife bei Mädchen und ein empfindlicher Indikator für Umweltbedingungen während der Kindheit.

Ziel: Die Studie analysierte die Beziehung zwischen Menarchealter und sozio-ökonomischen Kennzeichen (Urbanisation, Populationsgröße, Schulbildung der Eltern und Anzahl der Kinder pro Familie).

Probanden und Methoden: Mittels Fragebögen wurden Daten von 3271 Schülerinnen, geboren zwischen 1981 und 1984, aus drei Provinzen Südpolens erhoben. Das Menarchealter wurde retrospektiv erfragt und basiert auf Angaben zur Menarche von den Studienteilnehmerinnen. Es wurden ANCOVA und multiple Regressionsanalysen verwendet, um Unterschiede zwischen den Gruppen auf statistische Signifikanz zu testen.

Ergebnisse: Mädchen aus Familien der oberen sozio-ökonomischen Schicht menstruieren früher als Mädchen aus Familien niederer sozio-ökonomischer Schichten. Je nach geographischer Region und Populationsgröße gibt es jedoch noch weitere Faktoren, die das Menarchealter beeinflussten. Faktoren, die in der Provinz Krakau signifikanten Einfluss auf das Menarchealter zeigen, sind Urbanisationsgrad, Schulbildung des Vaters und Anzahl der Kinder in der Familie; in der Provinz Oppeln beinhalten diese Faktoren den Urbanisationsgrad und die Anzahl der Kinder in der Familie, während in der Provinz Novy Sacz nur die Anzahl der Kinder in der Familie Signifikanzniveau erreichen.

Zusammenfassung: Sozio-ökonomische Unterschiede sind in einer Großstadt (Krakau) größer und nehmen Einfluss auf die Variation des Menarchealters. In den weniger umfangreichen Populationen (Oppeln, Novy Sacz) aus kleineren Städten und Dörfern ist dagegen der Unterschied im Menarchealter weniger offensichtlich. Darüber hinaus zeigt die Variation zwischen Regionen, dass das Menarchealter in städtischen Gegenden niedriger ist als in ländlichen.

Resumen. Antecedentes: La edad de menarquia es la medida más importante de la maduración sexual en chicas y un sensible indicador de las condiciones ambientales durante la infancia.

Objetivo: El estudio analizó la asociación entre la edad de menarquia y características socioeconómicas (urbanización, tamaño poblacional, educación de los padres y número de hijos en la familia).

Sujetos y métodos: Los datos del cuestionario se recogieron en 3271 niñas escolares nacidas entre 1981 y 1984, que residían en tres provincias del sur de Polonia. La edad de menarquia se estimó por el método retrospectivo y se basó en la fecha de menarquia proporcionada por las participantes en el estudio. Se aplicaron los análisis ANCOVA y de regresión múltiple para comprobar la significación estadística de las diferencias entre grupos.

Resultados: Las chicas de familias con un nivel socioeconómico elevado experimentan la menarquia a una edad más temprana que las de familias con un nivel socioeconómico bajo. Sin embargo, dependiendo de la región geográfica y del tamaño poblacional, existen otros factores que influyen sobre la edad de menarquia. En la provincia de Cracovia, los factores que producen diferencias significativas en la edad de menarquia son la urbanización, la educación del padre y el número de hijos en la familia; en la provincia de Opole, estos factores incluyen la urbanización y el número de hijos de la familia, mientras que en la provincia de Nowy Sacz, es significativo el número de hijos por familia.

Conclusiones: Las diferencias socioeconómicas son mayores en una gran urbe (Cracovia) y afectan a la variación en la edad de menarquia. Sin embargo, dentro de poblaciones más pequeñas (Opole, Nowy Sacz), viviendo en pueblos y aldeas, la diferencia en la edad de menarquia es menos evidente. Además, la variación entre áreas revela una menor edad de menarquia en el medio urbano comparado con las áreas no urbanas.     

Changes in body adiposity in girls and boys from the rural areas of East Poland over a time span of 20 years

Introduction: Excess adiposity is one of the major causes of a number of developing civilization diseases, hence increasing adiposity levels in populations of various countries over years have raised considerable attention worldwide.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the character, dynamics and tendencies in adiposity changes in the population of children and youths from the rural areas of East Poland over the last 20 years.

Material and methods: Body adiposity was evaluated using BMI values, fatty tissue content (in % and kg), and measurements of three skinfolds. The results obtained in the years 1999–2000 were compared with those reported for rural children and youths from that area in 1980.

Results: Total body adiposity as well as adiposity of individual body parts were observed to increase considerably in the years 1980–2000. The highest adiposity gains were reported in the puberty period.

Conclusions: The maintenance of the secular trend in body adiposity of children and youths from the rural areas of East Poland was observed in the experiment. The extent of those changes appeared to be differentiated depending on the adiposity measure applied, as well as sex and stage of ontogenetic development of subjects.

Résumé. Introduction: L’excès d’adiposité étant l’une des causes majeures d’un certain nombre de maladies associées au développement économique, son accroissement dans les populations de diverses nations au fil des années, a soulevé une préoccupation dans le monde entier.

Objectif: Cette étude a pour but d’évaluer le caractère, la dynamique et les tendances des changements d’adiposité dans la population des enfants et des adolescents des régions rurales de l’est de la Pologne au cours des vingt dernières années.

Matériel et méthodes: L’adiposité corporelle a été estimée par les valeurs d’IMC, du contenu en tissus de réserve (en % et kg) et par les mesures de trois plis cutanés. Les résultats obtenus pour les années 1999–2000, ont été comparés avec ceux des enfants et adolescents de cette même région en 1980.

Résultats: L’adiposité corporelle totale ainsi que l’adiposité de diverses parties du corps s’est accrue considérablement pendant les années 1980–2000. Les gains les plus élevés sont observés pendant la puberté.

Conclusion: On a observé la poursuite de la tendance séculaire à l’accroissement d’adiposité des enfants et des adolescents de l’est de la Pologne. L’importance de ces changements est variable suivant la mesure effectuée ainsi que suivant le sexe et le stade de développement ontogénique des sujets.

Zusammenfassung. Einführung: Extreme Adipositas ist einer der Hauptgründe für die Entstehung einer Anzahl von Zivilisationskrankheiten. Aus diesem Grunde hat in den vergangenen Jahren die Zunahme der Adipositas in Völkern verschiedener Länder für erhebliche Aufmerksamkeit gesorgt.

Vorhaben: Die Studie zielte auf die Beurteilung von Charakter, Dynamik und weiterer Entwicklung von Adipositasveränderungen in den letzten 20 Jahren bei Kindern und Jugendlichen aus ländlichen Gebieten Ostpolens.

Material und Methoden: Adipositas wurde über BMI-Werte, Anteil an Fettgewebe (in % und kg) und Messungen von drei Hautfaltendicken definiert. Die Ergebnisse aus den Jahren 1999–2000 wurden mit Daten von Landkindern und -Jugendlichen derselben Gegend aus dem Jahr 1980 verglichen.

Ergebnisse: Gesamtkörperfettgehalt und der Fettgehalt einzelner Körperteile sind in den Jahren 1980–2000 offenbar erheblich angestiegen. Die höchste Zunahme an Adipositas wurde während der Pubertät beobachtet.

Zusammenfassung: Es wurde in unserer Untersuchung ein stetiger säkularer Trend an Adipositas bei Kindern und Jugendlichen aus ländlichen Gebieten Ostpolens beobachtet. Das Ausmaß dieser Veränderungen schien in Abhängigkeit von der jeweils verwendeten Messmethode, vom Geschlecht und vom Entwicklungsstand des Probanden zu differieren.

Resumen. Introducción: El exceso de adiposidad es una de las principales causas de una serie de enfermedades de las civilizaciones en desarrollo, por lo que el incremento durante años en los niveles de adiposidad en las poblaciones de varios países ha despertado una considerable atención en todo el mundo.

Objetivo: El estudio pretende evaluar el carácter, la dinámica y las tendencias de los cambios de la adiposidad en la población de niños y jóvenes de las áreas rurales del este de Polonia, durante los últimos 20 años.

Material y métodos: La adiposidad corporal se evaluó utilizando los valores del IMC, el contenido del tejido adiposo (en % y en kg) y las medidas de tres pliegues de grasa subcutánea. Los resultados obtenidos durante los años 1999–2000 se compararon con los señalados para los niños y jóvenes rurales de esa misma área en 1980.

Resultados: Se observó que la adiposidad corporal total, así como la adiposidad de partes individuales del cuerpo, ha aumentado considerablemente entre los años 1980–2000. Los mayores incrementos en la adiposidad han correspondido al periodo de la pubertad.

Conclusiones: En la investigación se observa el mantenimiento de la tendencia secular de la adiposidad corporal en los niños y jóvenes de las áreas rurales del este de Polonia. La magnitud de estos cambios parece ser distinta dependiendo de la medida de adiposidad considerada, así como del sexo y del estadio del desarrollo ontogénico de los sujetos estudiados.     

Socio-economic status,growth, physical activity and fitness: The Madeira Growth Study

Background: Within a country social conditions change over time and these conditions vary from country to country. The associations between these conditions, somatic growth, physical activity and fitness reflect these changes.

Aim: The study documented variation in somatic growth, physical activity and fitness associated with socio-economic status (SES).

Subjects and methods: The study involved 507 subjects (256 boys and 251 girls) from the Madeira Growth Study, a mixed longitudinal study of five cohorts (8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 years of age) followed at yearly intervals over 3 years (1996–1998). A total of 1493 observations were made. Anthropometric measurements included lengths, body mass, skeletal breadths, girths and skinfolds. Physical activity and SES were collected via questionnaire and interview. Physical fitness was assessed using the Eurofit test battery. Variation in somatic growth, physical activity and physical fitness by SES (high, average and low) was tested with analysis of variance.

Results: Significant differences between SES groups were observed for height, body mass and skinfolds. Boys and girls from high SES groups were taller, heavier and fatter (subscapular and triceps skinfolds) than their peers from average and low SES groups. At some age intervals, the high SES group had larger skeletal breadths (girls) and girths (boys and girls) than low SES. Small SES differences were observed for physical activity (sport and leisure-time indices). SES was significantly associated with physical fitness. At some age levels, boys from the low SES group performed better for muscular and aerobic endurance whereas girls from the high SES group performed better for power.

Conclusion: Considerable variation in somatic growth and physical fitness in association with SES has been demonstrated, but little association was found for physical activity.     

Effects of Parkinson's disease on proprioceptive control of posture and reaching while standing

Although previous studies have shown pointing errors and abnormal multijoint coordination in seated subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD) who cannot view their arm, the extent to which subjects with PD have problems using proprioception to coordinate equilibrium maintenance and goal-oriented task execution has not been adequately investigated. If a common motor program controls voluntary arm pointing movements and the accompanying postural adjustments, then impairments of proprioceptive integration in subjects with PD should have similar effects on pointing and body center of mass (CoM) control with eyes closed. Ten standing subjects with PD (OFF-medication) and 10 age-matched control (CTR) subjects pointed to a target with their eyes closed and open. Although pointing accuracy was not significantly different between groups, body CoM displacements were reduced in subjects with PD, but not in CTR, when eyes were closed. In addition, with eyes closed, PD subjects showed reduced temporal coupling between pointing and CoM velocity profiles and reduced spatial coupling between pointing and CoM endpoints. This poor coupling with eyes closed could be related to the PD subjects' increased jerkiness of CoM displacements. The different effects of eye closure between CTR and PD subjects on the CoM displacements, but not pointing accuracy, are consistent with separate motor programs for the pointing and postural components of this task. Furthermore, the decoupling between the two movement components in subjects with PD when they could not use vision, suggests that the basal ganglia are involved in the integration of proprioceptive information for posture–movement coordination.     

Sensitive parenting as a cross-cultural ideal: sensitivity beliefs of Dutch,Moroccan, and Turkish mothers in the Netherlands

The primary goal of this study is to test the hypothesis that beliefs about the ideal sensitive mother are similar across Dutch, Moroccan, and Turkish mothers living in the Netherlands. A total of 75 mothers with at least one child between the ages of six months and six years described their views about the ideal sensitive mother using the Maternal Behavior Q-Sort (Pederson, Moran, & Bento, 1999 Pederson, D.R., Moran, G. and Bento, S. 1999. Manual Maternal Behavior Q-Sort Version 3.1 Retrieved from http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=psychologypub&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.uk%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dmbqs%2520manual%2520moran%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D2% 26ved%3D0CCYQFjAB%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fir.lib.uwo.ca%252Fcgi%252Fviewcontent.cgi%253Farticle%253D1000%2526context%253Dpsychologypub%26ei%3D1_VjUJXLDNOP4gS_64GIDw%26usg%3DAFQjCNGrDNIwMuiK_xxi4ipoA0SmaTW0Rw#search=%22mbqs%20manual%20moran%22 [Google Scholar]). These views were highly similar within and across cultural and socio-economic groups. Nevertheless, family income fully mediated the relationship between ethnic background and sensitivity beliefs; income of minority mothers was lower which was in turn predictive of a lower sensitivity belief score. Our findings suggest that the main behavioral markers of sensitivity are valued by mothers from different cultural backgrounds. The role of socio-economic status in sensitivity beliefs is consistent with the Family Stress Model.     

乳腺浸润性微乳头状癌的形态改变与生物学行为的关系

目的 观察乳腺浸润性微乳头状癌的形态与生物学行为之间的关系。方法 对2088例术前没有作活检取材(仅经细胞学或细针穿刺活检诊断)的乳腺癌乳腺切除标本做全乳腺切片检查,其中浸润性导管癌1880例,观察浸润性微乳头状癌的临床病理学特征及光镜、电镜下的形态学表现。结果 浸润性微乳头状癌的发生率为6．2％(117／1880),其淋巴管侵犯(54．7％,58／106)、淋巴结转移阳性率(76．4％,81／106)及转移的个数(平均9．6)均明显的高于浸润性导管癌。光镜下特征性表现为癌巢由呈集块型或(和)腺管型的微乳头状癌巢组成,与网状间质间形成明显的空隙(主间质分离)。电镜下见癌巢与间质接触侧的细胞表面有大量的微绒毛,与间质的结合弱;癌细胞质内含有丰富的细丝;间质内见丰富的脉管。结论 浸润性微乳头状癌的淋巴管侵袭力强和淋巴结转移率高,这种恶性程度高的生物学行为可能与其癌巢的容易脱离及肿瘤细胞本身所具有的高度运动能力以及富含脉管的网状间质有关。     

Trends in weight,height, BMI and obesity in schoolchildren from Santa Rosa (Argentina), 1990–2005/07

Abstract

Aim: To assess secular changes in physical growth and the current prevalence and trend of overweight/obesity in Argentinian schoolchildren.

Subjects and methods: One thousand and forty-nine schoolchildren aged 6 and 12 years attending schools in 1990 were compared with an age-matched sample of 935 boys and girls collected between 2005–2007. Changes in weight, height and BMI by age between the surveys were analysed using one-way analysis of variance. Overweight and obesity were defined according to IOTF criteria and compared by Chi-squared test. Odds ratios (OR) and intervals of confidence (95% CI) were also calculated.

Results: Six and 12 year-old boys and girls were significantly heavier (1.2–3.2?kg) and had higher BMIs (0.7–1.0?kg/m²) in 2005–2007 than in 1990. Significant differences in height were seen in 6 year old boys (1.5?cm) and 12 year old girls (1.3?cm). Overweight and obesity increased by 4.4% (OR?=?1.4, 1.1–1.8) and 5.9% (OR?=?4.3, 2.8–6.5), respectively; obesity being higher in younger children.

Conclusion: The disharmonic secular change in weight and height has led to high overweight/obesity. The obesity increase is consistent with global and regional trends, indicating a shift in BMI distribution, especially at the higher centiles.     

Secular growth changes in stature and weight for Chinese Mongolian youth, 1964–2005

Background: A secular growth trend has been demonstrated in China during the past half century. However, few studies have involved minority ethnicity.

Aim: This study demonstrates secular changes in stature and weight for Chinese Mongolians from 1964 to 2005, and analyses the correlations with environmental factors, revealing inequalities within populations.

Subjects and methods: Data were gathered from 7- to 18–year-old students in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region of China, both from local records in 1964 and from the 1985, 1991, 1995, 2000 and 2005 cycles of the Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health.

Results: During the past 41 years, the average rates of stature increments for 7- to 17- year-olds are 1.9 and 2.0 cm per decade, of weight are 2.2 and 1.5 kg per decade and of BMI are 0.5 and 0.3 kg/m² per decade, for males and females, respectively. The overall increments of stature in 18–year-old males and females from 1985 to 2005 are 2.3 and 2.1 cm, respectively. The rate of change of stature is stronger in the first three decades, while that of weight and BMI are greater in the last decade. Evidence strongly suggests that changes may have occurred since the late 1970s.

Conclusion: The positive growth changes of Chinese Mongolian people are closely related to urbanization, socio-economic progress and living improvements.     

Menarche,pregnancy, birth spacing and menopause among the Agta women foragers of Cagayan Province,Luzon, the Philippines

The reproductive histories of 74 post-menarcheal Agta Negrito women, tropical foragers of Cagayan province, north-eastern Luzon, the Philippines are described and analysed in comparison with data collected by Howell on Dobe! Kung hunter-gatherers. Among the Agta, mean age at menarche is 17, mean age at first live birth is 20·14 years, mean completed parity is 6·53 and mean age at menopause is 44. Average height is 141·24cm and average weight 36·72 kg. No time trends were detected in age at menarche and age at first live birth among the Agta. Average spacing between live births where an infant survives until the birth of the next sibling was 2·85 years. Compared to the Dobe !Kung, Agta women have later menarche, but shorter birth spacing and a longer active childbearing span.     

大学生自我同一性与心理健康的关系研究

目的　探讨大学生自我同一性与心理健康状况的关系。方法　采用 SCL-90和同一性状况量表对 40 3名大学生进行测试。结果　同一性完成状况 ( A)和延缓状况 ( M)的得分与 SCL-90各因子得分之间存在显著相关 ,不同同一性状况者的 SCL-90各因子得分之间存在显著差异。结论　大学生自我同一性对其心理健康状况有重要影响     

大学生就业压力与社会支持之间的关系

目的了解全国6所高校大学生就业压力与社会支持的现状及关系,为促进大学生心理健康提供理论依据。方法采用大学生就业压力问卷和社会支持量表对6所高校的303名大学生的就业压力及社会支持进行调查。结果大学生的就业压力处在中等水平(x珋=2.836,稍微低于理论中数3),而大学生社会支持评分显著低于全国常模(t=-2.152,P0.05);就业压力和社会支持在学校上均有显著差异(F=5.488,P0.01;F-2.430,P0.05);不同家庭经济地位水平的大学生在就业压力与社会支持状况上均有显著性差异(F=5.823,F=3.275;P0.05);大学生的社会支持在是否担任学生干部上有显著性差异(t=-3.306,P0.01);就业压力总分也与社会支持总分呈现负相关(r=-0.140,P0.05),就业压力总分与主观支持呈负相关(r=-0.120,P0.05);社会支持对大学生的就业压力具有预测作用(P0.05)。结论学校的不同会影响大学生的就业压力与社会支持状况;家庭经济地位水平也会影响大学生的就业压力与社会支持状况;担任学生干部的大学生获得的社会支持得分高于未担任学生干部的大学生。大学生的就业压力与社会与支持关系密切。     

Anticipatory control of center of mass and joint stability during voluntary arm movement from a standing posture: interplay between active and passive control

Anticipatory control of upright posture is the focus of this study that combines experimental and modeling work. Individuals were asked to raise or lower their arms from two initial postures such that the final posture of the arm was at 90 degrees with respect to the body. Holding different weights in the hand varied the magnitude of perturbation to postural stability generated by the arm movement. Whole body kinematics and ground reaction forces were measured. Inverse dynamic analysis was used to determine the internal joint moments at the shoulder, hip, knee and ankle, and reaction forces at the shoulder. Center of mass (COM) of the arm, posture (rest of the body without the arms) and whole body (net COM) were also determined. Changes in joint moment at the hip, knee and ankle revealed a significant effect of the direction of movement. The polarities of the joint moment response were appropriate for joint stabilization. Net COM change showed a systematic effect of the direction of movement even though the arm COM was displaced by the same amount and in the same direction for both arm raising and lowering conditions. In order to determine the effects of the passive forces and moments on the posture COM, the body was modeled as an inverted pendulum. The model was customized for each participant; the relevant model parameters were estimated from data obtained from each trial. The ankle joint stiffness and viscosity were adjusted to ensure postural equilibrium prior to arm movement. Joint reactive forces and moments generated by the arm movements were applied at the shoulder level of this inverted pendulum; these were the only inputs and no active control was included. The posture COM profile from the model simulation was calculated. Results show that simulated posture COM profile and measured posture COM profile are identical for about 200 ms following the onset of arm movement and then they deviate. Therefore, the initial control of COM is passive in nature and the observed joint moment response is for joint stabilization and not for the control of COM.     

Relationship between plasma potassium and ventilation during successive periods of exercise in men

Summary During and after two successive incremental cycle ergometer tests (tests A and B), plasma potassium concentration ([K⁺]_p), plasma pH (pH_p), plasma partial pressure of carbon dioxide, blood lactate concentration ([Lac^–]_b) and ventilation (V_E) were measured. While there was a good correlation between the increase in [K⁺]_p and V_E or pH_p, respectively, in test A, in test B a close correlation was found only between the increase in V_E and [K⁺]_p (r>0.9 for nearly all single cases; r was 0.84 and 0.89 for all (pooled) cases in tests A and B, respectively; the correlation coefficients between changes in pH_p and V_E in tests A and B were r=0.74 and r=0.28, respectively, and r=0.89 and r=0.10 between the changes in [Lac^–]_b and V_E in tests A and B). The close relationship for individuals between V_E and [K⁺]_p in tests A and B supported the hypothesis that the extracellular increase in [K⁺] may contribute to the ventilatory drive during exercise. The comparison of the results of tests A and B further indicated that the relationship between pH_p and V_E was dependent on the experimental design, and that pH_p and V_E changes are unlikely to be cause and effect.The study was carried out in the Centre of Physiology, Department of Sports- and Exercise Physiology, Medical School, W-3000 Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany     

大学生体育锻炼态度与心理健康的关系研究

目的探讨大学生体育锻炼态度与心理健康的关系。方法采用体育锻炼态度量表、中国人心理健康量表对230名大学生进行调查。结果大学生体育锻炼态度得分与心理健康得分在专业因素上存在显著差异;大学生的体育锻炼态度与心理健康总均分之间存在显著负相关。结论大学生的心理健康水平可能受到体育锻炼态度的影响。     

医学院校大学生就业状况与人口学变量

目的探讨影响医学院校大学生就业的人口学变量。方法采用人口学问卷,对368名医学院校大学毕业生的就业状况进行调查。结果①专业、是否学生干部、是否党员、家庭经济状况在就业状况上的差异有统计学意义(χ2=38.596,P0.000;χ2=12.923,P0.012;χ2=26.684,P0.000;χ2=21.253,P0.007);②就业状况在性别、生源地上的差异没有统计学意义(χ2=7.330,P0.119;χ2=9.145,P0.058)。结论专业、是否学生干部、是否党员、家庭经济状况等变量影响医学院校大学生的就业状况;性别、生源地不影响其就业状况。     

医学生躯体主观感觉状况和心理因素的关系

目的：了解医学生的躯体主观感觉状况、个性和心理状态以及3者间的关系，探索与整形美容相关的心理学问题。方法：采用躯体自信量表、症状自评量表和艾森克个性问卷对190名医学生进行调查。结果：医学生躯体自信程度不高。不同性别医学生的躯体自信状况不同，女生的较低；躯体自信程度与男生的E成分正相关，与女生的N分成负相关，不同性别的躯体自信程度均与焦虑成负相关。结论：医学生躯体自信程度较低，其躯体自信与性格、心理状况有关，对整形美容者有进行心理咨询提高自信的必要。