The intergenerational transmission of relationship instability: A focus on emerging adult on-off relationships.

This study extends prior research on the intergenerational transmission of relationship instability by examining parents' history of on-off relationships as a predictor of emerging adults' own cycling (i.e., breaking up and renewing with the same romantic partner). Data were collected at a large mid-western university from 702 emerging adults (18-25 years old). Multinomial logistic regression was used to predict the likelihood that participants had cycled in a past or current relationship. Results show that parental cycling increased the likelihood of offspring cycling in a past or current relationship relative to never cycling, and greater uncertainty about the future of the relationship was a mechanism through which such transmission occurred. Findings from this study demonstrate that parental relationship instability can even be consequential for the transient relationships within emerging adulthood, making family history a productive area to explore for practitioners working with cyclical partners and/or emerging adults.

Military couples' experiences in the aftermath of a cancelled deployment.

Deployment requires considerable preparation for military families and changes to these plans may create notable stress. The current study leveraged data from a sample of military couples who experienced the cancellation of an overseas deployment to learn more about their experiences as they adjusted to this change. Guided by family stress and anticipatory stress perspectives, we analyzed qualitative data from 28 service members and their significant others (i.e., spouses or cohabitating partners) to understand their overall reactions to the deployment cancellation. We identified three overall reactions (positive, negative, and ambivalent) that were based on participants' appraisals of-and preparations for-deployment, as well as ambiguity about family roles and relationships. Further, participants across groups experienced uncertainty about whether or not the deployment would occur, and altered timelines for other life events. Together, our findings highlight the post-cancellation period as a significant time of stress and transition for military families. However, our findings also signify the need to help all military families cope with uncertainty about when or if deployments will occur given that the military's priorities are often in flux. We therefore describe coping efforts that may be particularly adaptive for families to engage in as they prepare for uncertain, anticipated stressors.

La comisión militar exige una preparación considerable para las familias de militares, y los cambios en estos planes pueden generar bastante estrés. En el presente estudio se utilizaron datos de una muestra de parejas de militares a quienes se les suspendió una comisión fuera del país para averiguar más acerca de sus experiencias mientras se adaptaban a este cambio. Guiados por las perspectivas de estrés familiar y de estrés anticipatorio, analizamos datos cualitativos de 28 miembros del servicio militar y sus parejas (p. ej.: cónyuges o concubinos) para comprender sus reacciones generales a la suspensión de la comisión militar. Identificamos tres reacciones generales (positiva, negativa y ambivalente) que se basaron en las apreciaciones de la comisión y en los preparativos para esta que hicieron los participantes, así como en la ambigüedad acerca de los roles y las relaciones familiares. Además, los participantes de los distintos grupos sintieron incertidumbre acerca de si se produciría o no la comisión y cambiaron programas por otros acontecimientos de la vida. Juntos, nuestros resultados destacan el periodo posterior a la suspensión como un momento de estrés considerable y de transición para las familias de militares. Sin embargo, nuestros resultados también indican la necesidad de ayudar a todas las familias de militares a afrontar la incertidumbre acerca de cuándo ocurrirán las comisiones o de si estas ocurrirán, dado que las prioridades de los militares generalmente cambian constantemente. Por lo tanto, describimos los esfuerzos de afrontamiento que pueden ser particularmente adaptables para las familias mientras se preparan para factores desencadenantes de estrés anticipados e inciertos.

Prior On-Off Relationship Instability and Distress in the Separation and Divorce Transition.

Divorce is considered distressing for many individuals (Sbarra et al., Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2015, 24, 109); however, individuals in poor-quality relationships may experience certain benefits of leaving an unstable union (Amato & Hohmann-Marriott, Journal of Marriage and Family, 2007, 69, 621). On-off relationship cycling, or the breakup and reconciliation of a relationship, is a salient indicator of poor relationship quality and a common form of relationship instability (Dailey et al., Personal Relationships, 2009, 16, 23) that is associated with distress (Monk et al., Family Relations, 2018, 67, 523). In line with divorce-stress-adjustment and relational turbulence theory perspectives, we hypothesized that those whose relationships were characterized by on-off instability would experience less distress during the separation and divorce process. Given gender inequality in marriage (e.g., Dempsey, Journal of Sociology, 2002, 38, 91; Monin & Clark, Sex Roles, 2011, 65, 320), we also hypothesized that this association would be more pronounced for women. Using data from 98 divorced or separating couples, we found that relationship cycling prior to the separation and divorce process was associated with fewer distress symptoms for women. Conversely, a history of relationship cycling was associated with more distress symptoms for men. Our study provides support and extends prior investigations illustrating that, for some, those in unions characterized by more turmoil, may experience relief following a termination.

El divorcio se considera angustiante para muchas personas (Sbarra et al., 2015); sin embargo, las personas que tienen relaciones de mala calidad pueden percibir ciertos beneficios al romper una unión inestable (Amato & Hohmann-Marriott, 2007). El ciclo intermitente de las relaciones, o la separación y la reconciliación de una relación, es un indicador prominente de la mala calidad de la relación y una forma común de inestabilidad relacional (Dailey et al., 2009) que está asociada con el distrés (Monk et al., 2018). En consonancia con las perspectivas de adaptación al estrés por el divorcio y de la teoría del estrés relacional, planteamos la hipótesis de que aquellas personas cuyas relaciones se caracterizaban por la inestabilidad intermitente sufrirían menos distrés durante la separación y el proceso de divorcio. Dada la desigualdad de género en el matrimonio (p. ej.: Dempsey, 2002; Monin & Clark, 2011) también planteamos la hipótesis de que esta asociación sería más marcada para las mujeres. Utilizando datos de 98 parejas divorciadas o que se estaban separando, descubrimos que el ciclo relacional anterior a la separación y al proceso de divorcio estuvo asociado con menos síntomas de distrés en las mujeres. Contrariamente, un historial de ciclo relacional se asoció con más síntomas de distrés en los hombres. Nuestro estudio ofrece respaldo y amplía investigaciones previas demostrando que algunas personas que están en uniones caracterizadas por más confusión pueden sentir alivio después de una separación.

Topical mecamylamine for diabetic macular edema.

PURPOSE: Stimulation of nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors on vascular endothelial cells promotes angiogenesis and vascular permeability in animal models. The safety and bioactivity of topical mecamylamine, an antagonist of nACh receptors, was tested in patients with diabetic macular edema. DESIGN: A multicenter phase I/II clinical trial. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with chronic diabetic macular edema received 1% mecamylamine topically twice daily for 12 weeks, the primary end point. Patients underwent safety assessments, measurement of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and measurement of foveal thickness using optical coherence tomography at baseline, 1, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks. RESULTS: Mecamylamine drops were well tolerated and there were no drug-related safety problems. Mean improvement in BCVA at 1, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks was 2.8, 1.9, 2.4, 0.8, and 3.1 letters, respectively. There was little change in mean excess foveal thickness. There was substantial heterogeneity in response, because 8 patients showed convincing improvement in BCVA, foveal thickness, or both, 9 patients showed equivocal or no substantial changes, and 4 patients showed worsening. Five patients showed a substantial improvement in BCVA, foveal thickness, or both between their last visit while receiving mecamylamine and 1 month after stopping mecamylamine. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that administration of topical mecamylamine, a nonspecific nACh receptor blocker, may have heterogeneous effects in patients with diabetic macular edema. Variable expression of nACh receptor subtypes on endothelial cells that have different effects on permeability would provide an explanation for these results and should be investigated, because more specific nACh receptor blockers may dissociate antipermeability and propermeability effects.

Effect of daily fruit ingestion on angiotensin converting enzyme activity, blood pressure, and oxidative stress in chronic smokers.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether, daily fruit (blueberries) consumption (250 g) for three weeks or acute fruit ingestion (250 g) would attenuate angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity and reduce oxidative stress in chronic cigarette smokers. METHODS: Twenty subjects were recruited and randomized into fruit or control groups. Blood samples and blood pressure were obtained at baseline and then pre and one hour post when subjects returned to the lab three weeks later. To examine acute effects, the fruit group immediately ingested 250 g of blueberries after returning and at least one hour prior to the post blood draw. Plasma samples were analyzed for ACE activity, F(2)- isoprostanes and lipid hydroperoxides (LH) as measures of oxidative stress, and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) as a measure of antioxidant potential. A 2 (treatment) x 3 (time) repeated measures ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. If interaction was significant, then Student's t-tests were used to further examine this relationship. For these comparisons, a Bonferroni adjustment was made with statistical significance set at P < 0.025. RESULTS: The pattern of change between treatments was not significant for any variable except LH (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that LH are significantly reduced by daily fruit consumption, but not affected by acute ingestion. This finding could be one way in which fruit consumption contributes to prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Evaluation of leg-to-leg BIA in assessing body composition of high-school wrestlers.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of leg-to-leg bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in assessing fat-free mass (FFM) using the TBF-300WA in comparison with hydrostatic weighing (HW) and skinfolds (SK) in high-school (HS) wrestlers in a hydrated state. METHODS: Body composition was determined by BIA, HW, and three-site SK in 129 HS wrestlers (mean +/- SD, age: 15.5 +/- 1.3, height 1.70 +/- 0.08 m, body mass 65.6 +/- 13.1 kg). For all methods, body density (Db) was converted to percent body fat (%BF) using the Brozek equation. Hydration state was quantified by evaluating urine specific gravity. RESULTS: There were no significant differences for estimated FFM between BIA (56.9 +/- 8.4 kg) and HW (56.2 +/- 9.9 kg) or between SK (56.1 +/- 8.9 kg) and HW. The standard errors of estimate for FFM with HW as the reference method were 3.64 kg for BIA and 1.97 kg for SK. Significant correlations were found for FFM between HW and BIA (r = 0.93, P < 0.001), and between HW and SK (r = 0.98, P < 0.001). The FFM difference between BIA and HW was significantly correlated with the FFM average of the two methods (r = -0.39, P < 0.001). The FFM difference between SK and HW was also significantly correlated with the FFM average (r = -0.44, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that SK should be considered as the preferred field method of estimating the FFM of HS wrestlers because of its greater individual precision than the leg-to-leg BIA method. Although the BIA is an attractive assessment tool and easy to use, it should be recommended as an alternative to the SK method only when trained skinfold technicians are not available.