The role of individual differences in resistance to persuasion on memory for political advertisements.

When people see political advertisements on a polarized issue they take a stance on, what factors influence how they respond to and remember the adverts contents? Across three studies, we tested competing hypotheses about how individual differences in social vigilantism (i.e., attitude superiority) and need for cognition relate to intentions to resist attitude change and memory for political advertisements concerning abortion. In Experiments 1 and 2, we examined participants' intentions to use resistance strategies to preserve their pre-existing attitudes about abortion, by either engaging against opposing opinions or disengaging from them. In Experiment 3, we examined participants' memory for information about both sides of the controversy presented in political advertisements. Our results suggest higher levels of social vigilantism are related to greater intentions to counterargue and better memory for attitude-incongruent information. These findings extend our understanding of individual differences in how people process and respond to controversial social and political discourse.

The Gradient Perfusion Model Part 1: Why and at what sites decompression sickness can occur.

INTRODUCTION: Decompression sickness (DCS) is manifested by the quantity and location of bubbles in body tissues after reduction in ambient pressures. Models have been formulated to explain why bubbles form, but none provide satisfactory explanations as to why the findings of DCS occur as they do. This first of a three-part series explains why and at what sites DCS occurs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a 50-year span and 500 cases of DCS we have managed, it has become apparent that almost all "unexplained" DCS (i.e., cases with no obvious explanation as to how/why they occurred) have physiological explanations. The vagaries of the physiology of tissue perfusion and the physics of gradients as a cause of autochthonous bubble formation were analyzed. FINDINGS: Perfusion is highly variable, with so-called "fast" tissues (i.e., tissues with a rapid rate of saturation) requiring a constant blood supply, "intermediate" tissues requiring a blood supply proportional to needs, and "slow" tissues having minimal perfusion requirements. The 5-liter blood volume in a vascular system with greater than a 20-liter capacity requires careful regulation. Disruptions in the regulation and/or overwhelming gradients explain why DCS occurs. CONCLUSIONS: Our Gradient-Perfusion Model provides an explanation as to why disordering events account for almost all cases of unexplained DCS. We propose that this latter term be discarded and "disordering events" be sought for DCS cases that have no obvious explanations.

The Gradient Perfusion Model Part 2: Substantiation of the GPM with clinical cases.

Introduction: In Part 1 of this three-part series, we provided an explanation as to why and at what sites decompression sickness (DCS) occurs, using the Gradient-Perfusion Model (GPM). In this part, we provide information to substantiate the concept and present clinical cases that were initially labeled as "unexplained DCS," but later disordering events were identified to explain the clinical presentations. Materials and Methods: Among 500 cases of DCS we have managed for over 50 years, a cohort of these patients was initially diagnosed as unexplained DCS. However, some have shown that disordering events are the likely cause of their DCS. Results: By pairing the tissue involved with the patient's dive history, a gradient-perfusion imbalance connection was identified. In all serious (Type 2) presentations of DCS, alterations in perfusion of the fast tissues were able to account for the clinical findings. The consequences demonstrated that the gradients overwhelmed the ability of altered perfusion to offgas/offload the inert gas. Pain-only and peripheral neuropathy presentations involved both intermediate and slowly perfused tissues. Rather than perfusion, gradient limitations were the reasons for the clinical presentations of these patients. Conclusions: The GPM accounts for signs and symptom presentations in DCS. This provides the basis for appropriate treatments and logical recommendations for return to diving. We recommend that the label "unexplained DCS" be discontinued and that the GPM be used to determine the cause. Once the cause is established, "DCS due to disordered decompression" becomes the appropriate term.

The Gradient Perfusion Model Part 3: An extraordinary case of decompression sickness.

INTRODUCTION: Decompression sickness (DCS) has been associated with unusual circumstances such as breath-hold diving, shallow depths, and short bottom times. We report a case of DCS with an extraordinary cause and course. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 72-year-old healthy Hispanic female was referred to our 24/7 Hyperbaric Medicine Unit for emergency hyperbaric oxygen recompression treatment (HBO2 RCT) after developing lower-extremity paralysis following a hyperbaric air exposure in a homemade hyperbaric chamber. RESULTS: After an uneventful exposure to hyperbaric air at a maximum 72-foot depth (3.2 ATA, 32.3 psig), the patient had the delayed onset of abdominal pain and paraplegia after eating a meal. After HBO2 RCT in accordance with our management algorithm, the patient had a full recovery. CONCLUSIONS: This patient's presentation and course corresponded to what we label as "disordered decompression" and conformed to our Gradient Perfusion Model. With a finite blood volume and the need to perfuse two "intermediate" tissues simultaneously, we postulate that a "steal" syndrome arose to cause the abdominal and paralysis symptoms.

Scuba in older-aged divers.

As the population gets older, coupled with increased awareness of good health practices and the recognition that fitness contributes to participation in activities generally appropriate for younger individuals, decisions need to be made about what are appropriate activities for the older-aged scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) diver. It is essential to appreciate the distinction between chronological and physiological age. Three factors, namely fitness, comorbidities, and mobility and strength are fundamental when making decisions about participation in activities in general as well as in scuba diving for older adults. There is almost always a time to call it quits for everything.

The validity of transcutaneous oxygen measurements in predicting healing of diabetic foot ulcers.

INTRODUCTION: In 2002 Fife and Strauss (Fife, et al. Wound Rep Reg, 10:198-207; Strauss, et al. Foot Ankle Intl, 23:933-937) studied the predictability of transcutaneous oxygen measurements (TCOMs) for healing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). This paper analyzes the validity of the two studies and combines their information to predict which DFU will heal with adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) treatments. METHODS: A statistical review of the Fife and Strauss papers was performed. The numbers presented in the papers were subjected to analyses to compare like by like data as well as test for p-values and odds ratios for predicting healing of DFUs with HBO2. RESULTS: In the Strauss paper 143 subjects were studied in retrospective and prospective series. In those TCOMs which exceed 200 mmHg with HBO2 healing occurred in 87.5% even if the room air TCOM was ⟨ 30 mmHg (p ⟨ 0.001). The Fife paper studied retrospectively a subset of 221 patients who had TCOMs with HBO2. Failure rates for healing decreased progressively from 35.7% to 14.3%, with TCOMs grouped in 100-mmHg increments from 200 mmHg to 699 mmHg. This resulted in absence of statistical significance for any 100-mmHg range over 200 mmHg with HBO2 due to the small number of subjects for each 100-mmHg grouping. CONCLUSIONS: Although differences exist between the study designs, each complements the other. If TCOMs exceed 200 mmHg with HBO2, both authors observed that almost 90% of DFUs healed regardless of the room air readings when HBO2 was used as an adjunct to management.

Foot sensation testing in the patient with diabetes: introduction of the quick & easy assessment tool.

INTRODUCTION: Sensory testing of patients with diabetes is an integral part of preventing new and recurrent wounds. The Semmes- Weinstein monofilament (SWM) test is considered the gold standard to screen for loss of protective sensation; however, the authors' experience has shown that it is not only time consuming, but is of negligible value for a patient with a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). METHODS: This article discusses the shortfalls with regard to the SWM test and reviews other techniques for sensory evaluation. In addition, the Quick & Easy system is introduced, which combines sensory assessment with guidance for anesthesia requirements during wound debridements or other surgical interventions. RESULTS: A scale ranging from grade 2 (normal sensation) to grade 0 (absent sensation) reflects the patient's responses to wound manipulation, palpation of an underlying deformity, and/or evaluation of the difference between light touch sensation with the patient's hands compared to the feet. For patients with total loss of sensation (grade 0), no anesthesia is needed for surgical procedures. If there is diminished sensation (grade 1), surgical intervention can be performed following administration of either topical or local anesthesia. For patients with normal sensation (grade 2), complete anesthesia of the surgical site will be required. A preliminary observation was conducted on 50 patients with DFUs using the Quick & Easy system. Anesthetic requirements were accurately predicted in all cases without the need to modify the type of anesthesia during the procedure. CONCLUSION: The Quick & Easy system serves as a simple sensory evaluation for a patient with a DFU and provides valuable anesthesia guidance for wound care procedures.