bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Latent Transition Analysis: Benefits of a Latent Variable Approach to Modeling Transitions in Substance Use
Authors: Lanza Stephanie T. , Patrick Megan E. , Maggs Jennifer L.
Published: March 2012

We apply latent transition analysis (LTA) to characterize transitions over time in substance use behavior profiles among first-year college students. Advantages of modeling substance use behavior as a categorical latent variable are demonstrated. Alcohol use (any drinking and binge drinking), cigarette use, and marijuana use were assessed in a sample (N=718) of college students during the fall and spring semesters. Four profiles of 14-day substance use behavior were identified: (1) Non-Users; (2) Cigarette Smokers; (3) Binge Drinkers; and (4) Bingers with Marijuana Use. The most prevalent behavior profile at both times was the Non-Users (with over half of the students having this profile), followed by Binge Drinkers and Bingers with Marijuana Use. Cigarette Smokers were the least prevalent behavior profile. Gender, race/ethnicity, early onset of alcohol use, grades in high school, membership in the honors program, and friendship goals were all significant predictors of substance use behavior profile.
Baseline Abstinence May Moderate Substance Use Disorder Intrvention Effects
Authors: Harris Alex H. S. , Finney John W. , Moos Rudolf H.
Published: March 2012

In many evaluations of care for patients with substance use disorders (SUD), a substantial proportion of patients are abstinent from substances prior to their baseline assessment. For researchers evaluating the effect of treatments or patterns of care on follow-up abstinence, especially with non-randomized designs, this raises important conceptual and statistical questions. We discuss several ways researchers might address baseline heterogeneity in abstinence either through design or statistical approaches. For illustration, we estimate the effect of continuing care duration on follow-up abstinence in a sample of 3,181 SUD outpatients treated in 54 Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) facilities. We show that failure to separately examine individuals who are and are not abstinent at baseline overestimates the “treatment effect” on substance use outcomes for those abstinent at baseline and underestimates the treatment effect for those not abstinent at baseline. We also describe comparable findings for the effect of attendance in 12-step self-help groups.
Influences of Covariates on Growth Mixture Modeling
Authors: Huang David , Brecht Mary-Lynn , Hara Motoaki , Hser Yih-Ing
Published: March 2012

This study investigated the influence of including a covariate and/or a distal outcome on growth mixture modeling (GMM). GMM was used to examine patterns of days of heroin use over 16 years among 471 heroin users and the relationship of those patterns to mortality (distal outcome). Comparisons were made among four types of models: without a covariate and a distal outcome (two-stage approach), with a distal outcome, with a covariate, and with a covariate and a distal outcome in conjunction with three different covariates. The two-stage approach and models with the inclusion of a distal outcome resulted in different conclusions when testing the impact of latent trajectory membership on the distal outcome. Differences in membership classifications between unconditional and conditional models were mainly determined by two factors: (1) the associations of the trajectories with the covariate and the distal outcome, and (2) the distribution of the covariate in the study sample.
Patterns of Youth Participation in Cannabis Cultivation
Authors: Nguyen Holly , Bouchard Martin
Published: March 2012

The current study examines the patterns of youth participation in cannabis cultivation by developing a typology among a sample of young offenders (n=175) in a rural region of Quebec, Canada known for its extensive outdoor cultivation industry. A hierarchical cluster analysis approach is used to group participants on various dimensions: motivation, substance use, delinquency and type of participation in cannabis cultivation. We also explore the role that criminal networks have in structuring the nature of youth involvement in the cultivation industry. Two general categories of participants emerged: participants for which cultivation is mainly a money generating activity (Entrepreneurs and Generalists), and participants who grow for personal use and intangible rewards (Hobbyists). Further, we found another group, the “helpers”, who qualify as “participants” to the cultivation industry, but not as “growers” per se. For generalists, participation to the cultivation industry is found among a portfolio of other crimes, while entrepreneurs tend to specialize in cultivation and are rewarded by achieving a higher level of success. Our results also suggest a correlation between the intensity of involvement in cultivation and the size of a youth's criminal network.
Drug Risk: A Cross-Sectional Exploration of the Influence of Family-of-Origin and Current Situational Circumstances
Authors: Perkins Molly , Elifson Kirk W. , Sterk Claire E.
Published: March 2012

The main objective of this paper is to investigate potential predictors of drug risk among a community-based sample of individuals who are exposed to illicit drugs. The four domains of interest are individual socio-demographic and social-psychological attributes, current situational circumstances and family-of-origin characteristics. Interviews were conducted with 242 individuals who were recruited in Atlanta, Georgia. Initial descriptive analyses were followed by multivariate analyses. The final model predicted 60% of the variance in drug risk. Current situational circumstances were statistically significant regarding drug risk. Family-of-origin characteristics also were significant, even when entered into the predictive model after current situational circumstances. In addition to individual social-psychological characteristics such as depression and self-esteem, the impact of childhood emotional abuse is noted. The findings indicate a need for considering proximal as well as more distal influences on drug risk behavior when designing drug use prevention and intervention programs.
Religiosity, Spirituality, and Substance Abuse
Authors: Allen Thomas M. , Lo Celia C.
Published: March 2012

With data from the 2004 General Social Survey, the study examined effects of religiosity and spirituality on substance abuse. Also explored was whether and how social bonding mediates religiosity's effects on substance abuse. The results show that religiosity was negatively associated with substance abuse and, further, that social bonding variables did somewhat mediate this negative relationship between the two. Additionally, and as expected, with religiosity controlled, the likelihood of substance abuse increased along with increasing spirituality, in the models. Policy implications and further research needs are discussed.
Americans' Attitudes toward Drug-Related Issues from 1975–2006: The Roles of Period and Cohort Effects
Authors: Nielsen Amie L.
Published: March 2012

Despite the importance of the “war on drugs,” little research has examined Americans' attitudes toward drug-related issues. In particular, the extant literature has not considered period and cohort effects for views about drug control issues, although there are theoretical reasons to expect both to be important. In this paper the roles of period and cohort effects, net of individual-level predictors, for attitudes toward both governmental spending to address drug addiction and legalizing marijuana use were examined. Data from the General Social Surveys (1975 through 2006) were used. The logistic regression results showed variations in attitudes over time for both addiction spending and legalizing marijuana use. Cohort effects were also evident. The results suggest that a liberalization of attitudes, both over time and across cohorts, may be occurring, especially for the legalization of marijuana use.
Self-Report of Longitudinal Substance Use: A Comparison of the UCLA Natural History Interview and the Addiction Severity Index
Authors: Murphy Debra A. , Hser Yih-Ing , Huang David , Brecht Mary-Lynn , Herbeck Diane M.
Published: March 2012

Reliance on self-report of alcohol and drug use behavior is typical among studies of substance abusers. Few studies have compared different instruments assessing frequency of drug use over long periods of time to determine if the pattern of use is shown to be similar across measures. In this study, the UCLA Natural History Interview (NHI) and the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) were administered at three annual follow-up periods (N = 301). The temporal pattern of the trajectories of days of use assessed by the ASI and NHI are comparable (in terms of both slope and intercept) for alcohol, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana use. Some discrepancies appear to arise from differences in terminology among the instruments. However, the patterns of drug use were consistent across instruments, supporting their reliability for longitudinal examination of self-reported drug use.
Control and Welfare in Danish Drug Policy
Authors: Houborg Esben
Published: March 2012

In 2004 the Danish Parliament re-penalized possession of illegal drugs for personal consumption after 35 years of de-penalization. This article presents an analysis of this shift away from a relatively liberal drug policy and towards a more repressive drug policy and places it in a context of the shifting balances between control and welfare in Danish drug policy since 1955. The article analyzes the background for the first penalization of possession in 1955, de-penalization in 1969 and re-penalization in 2004, focusing particularly on how the drug using subject was constructed at these three important moments in the history of Danish drug policy. The article furthermore analyzes the changes in 1969 and 2004 as part of more general changes of welfare policy and penal policy in Denmark. The article is based on analyses of Danish drug legislation and policy documents.
Does Our Choice of Substance-Related Terms Influence Perceptions of Treatment Need? An Empirical Investigation with Two Commonly Used Terms
Authors: Kelly John F. , Dow Sarah J. , Westerhoff Cara
Published: March 2012

Substance-related terminology is often a contentious topic because certain terms may convey meanings that have stigmatizing consequences and present a barrier to treatment. Chief among these are the labels, “abuse” and “abuser.” While intense rhetoric has persisted on this topic, little empirical information exists to inform this debate. We tested whether referring to an individual as “a substance abuser (SA)” versus “having a substance use disorder” (SUD) evokes different judgments about treatment need, punishment, social threat, problem etiology, and self-regulation. Participants (N = 314, 76% female, 81% White, M age 38) from an urban setting completed an online 35-item assessment comparing two individuals labeled with these terms. Dependent t-tests were used to examine subscale differences. Compared to the SUD individual, the SA was perceived as engaging in willful misconduct, a greater social threat, and more deserving of punishment. The “abuser” label may perpetuate stigmatizing attitudes and serve as a barrier to help-seeking.
Estimating the Prevalence and Frequency of Adolescent Drug Use: Do the Models Fit the Measures?
Authors: Hoffmann John P. , Bahr Stephen J.
Published: March 2012

We critically review recent studies to examine the measurement schemes and empirical models used to examine adolescent drug use, with a particular eye toward determining whether differences between the prevalence and frequency of use have been addressed. Several theoretical models suggest that there are differences but we find relatively few studies that have considered prevalence versus frequency, even though selection effects that dictate these processes affect conclusions about predictors of drug use. Using data from the 2004 U.S. National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), (n=16,235), we provide an empirical example of why distinguishing prevalence and frequency of use is important. In particular, gender, age, and parent-child arguments are associated with the prevalence, but are not associated with the frequency of drug use. The associations between grades, religiousness, positive parental relations and drug use are overestimated substantially absent controls for the selection process inherent in the shift from any use to frequency of use. We therefore contend that adolescent drug use studies require greater attention to this selection process.
A Framework to Examine Gateway Relations in Drug Use: An Application of Latent Transition Analysis
Authors: Maldonado-Molina Mildred M. , Lanza Stephanie T.
Published: March 2012

A progressive and hierarchical sequence of drug use suggests that a sequence of stages of drug use can describe the order by which adolescents try drugs. We propose an operational definition to test gateway relations by providing a framework with the aim of describing a set of conditions to guide the evaluation of whether a drug serves as a gateway for another drug. We used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to demonstrate how using latent transition analysis we can estimate the odds of using a drug at a later time conditional on having used a gateway drug at an earlier time. We provide three empirical demonstrations for testing the gateway relations using a national and longitudinal data of adolescents (e.g., gateway relation between cigarettes and marijuana, alcohol and marijuana, and alcohol and cigarettes).
“To Numb Out and Start to Feel Nothing”: Experiences of Stress among Crack-Cocaine Using Women in a Midwestern City
Authors: Daniulaityte Raminta , Carlson Robert G.
Published: March 2012

The study uses qualitative interviews conducted with 19 crack using women to explore their experiences of stress and their views regarding the relationship between stress and drug use. Fifteen of the women participated in follow-up interviews conducted 5–7 years after the baseline. Life history interviews unveiled a pattern of close connection between the intensity of women's drug use and the level of stress they experienced in relation to their past adversities and current life circumstances. The majority of the women viewed stress as an important causal explanation of their drug use. Tensions related to romantic relationships, traumatic childhood, motherhood failures, unabated grief, and humiliating experiences of “crack life” were discussed as the most common sources of psychosocial stress. Most women had very limited positive coping resources and skills. Crack use was perceived as a very common, although highly maladaptive, way to deal with stress. Implications for interventions are discussed.
Conduct Disorder as a Risk Factor for Violent Victimization and Offending among Regular Illicit Drug Users
Authors: Torok Michelle , Darke Shane , Kaye Sharlene , Ross Joanne
Published: March 2012

This paper aimed to examine the prevalence, correlates and nature of violent crime by, and upon, regular drug users by conduct disorder (CD) status. Interview data was collected from 299 regular psychostimulant and/or opioid users. Conduct disorder significantly increased the lifetime and past 12 month risk of violent victimization and offending. While CD did not independently predict recent violent victimization, it did predict recent violent offending. Greater alcohol dependence and involvement in drug dealing were predictors of both recent victimization and offending. The study indicates that there is significant temporal stability between childhood CD behaviors and later violent behavior among individuals with substance use problems. The study also highlights that there is heterogeneity in the risk of violence exposure in drug using populations, a finding which has implications for early intervention and for treatment interventions among dependent drug user populations.
The Influence of Health Strain on the Initiation and Frequency of Substance Use in a National Sample of Adolescents
Authors: Stogner John , Gibson Chris L.
Published: March 2012

Using Agnew's general strain theory (GST) as a theoretical framework, we make an argument that health problems are sources of strain that influence substance use. Health strain's influence on the initiation and frequency of substance use is then empirically investigated using two waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Results from logistic and zero inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression models show that health related strains affect the initiation of marijuana, cocaine, and other drug use, but were inconsistently associated with the frequency of use of these substances. Adolescents with more frequent minor health problems experience greater levels of strain and may choose to cope with this strain through abusing both licit and illicit substances. In some instances negative affect mediates the effects of health strain on initiation and frequency of use. Study limitations and future directions for research on health strain are discussed.
The Long and Winding Road to Desistance from Crime for Drug-Involved Offenders: The Long-Term Influence of TC Treatment on Re-Arrest
Authors: Martin Steven S. , O'Connell Daniel J. , Paternoster Raymond , Bachman Ronet D.
Published: March 2012

Earlier research by Inciardi and colleagues established the long-term positive effects of a therapeutic community (TC) continuum of treatment for drug-involved offenders. Using data from his original longitudinal study and archival records of criminal justice re-arrest and recidivism, this paper extends these analyses to examine the effects of TC treatment on the long-term success of offenders, up to 18 years after release from prison. Multivariate trajectory analysis is used to examine patterns of re-arrest and desistance among a sample of 1363 clients followed up in person for five years and subsequently with record checks through state and NCIC criminal justice systems. Results indicate significant reductions in new arrests for those who received TC treatment in each of the five trajectories modeled for patterns of persistence and desistance. Discussion centers on the strengths of the relationships in each modeled trajectory and the implications for long-term understanding of drug offenders and criminal behavior.
Outcomes following Prison and Jail-Based Treatment among Women Residing in Metro and Non-Metro Communities following Release
Authors: Staton-Tindall Michele , Duvall Jamieson , McNees Erin , Walker Robert , Leukefeld Carl
Published: March 2012

This study uses data from the Criminal Justice Kentucky Treatment Outcome Study (CJKTOS) to describe treatment outcomes following prison and jail-based treatment among women residing in metro and non-metro areas following release. The study takes an exploratory look at potential differences in sustained abstinence, community treatment utilization, and recidivism by geographic location (metro/non-metro) and treatment program (jail or prison). Baseline data was collected from women as they entered two prison and two jail-based treatment programs, and follow-up data was collected 12 months post-release in the community. Bivariate group differences were noted with a higher percentage of metro women who participated in prison-based treatment relapsing to cocaine use during the follow-up period compared to non-metro women. In multivariate models, females who participated in jail-based treatment and prison-based treatment fared similarly on study outcomes. There was, however a main effect of residence status in that women living in non-metro areas during the follow-up period were less likely to utilize community-based aftercare treatment and less likely to be re-incarcerated during the follow-up period than women living in metro areas. Findings are discussed with regard to future research and practice implications for women offenders transitioning to geographically different communities following release.
Age of Sexual Initiation, Psychiatric Symptoms, and Sexual Risk Behavior among Ecstasy and LSD Users in Porto Alegre, Brazil: A Preliminary Analysis
Authors: Pechansky Flavio , Remy Lysa , Surratt Hilary L. , Kurtz Steven P. , Rocha Thiago Botter Maio , Von Diemen Lisia , Bumaguin Daniela Benzano , Inciardi James
Published: March 2012

Ecstasy and LSD use is widespread in large Brazilian cities, but there is limited information on their use among young, middle-class, club goers in Brazil. We conducted standardized face-to-face interviews with 200 male and female ecstasy and/or LSD users, focusing on drug use and sexual history, current risk behaviors, and psychiatric symptomatology. Participants with early sexual debut (before 14) were more likely to report lifetime use of marijuana and powder and crack cocaine than those with later sexual initiation. Early sexual debut was associated with past year sexual risk behaviors, including having sex while high (Prevalence Ratio (PR)=1.3), having two or more sex partners (PR=1.3), as well as history of sexual abuse (PR=13.6). Depression and anxiety scores were similar by age of sexual initiation. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Effectiveness of an Adapted Evidence-Based Woman-Focused Intervention for Sex Workers and Non-Sex Workers: The Women's Health CoOp in South Africa
Authors: Wechsberg Wendee M. , Zule William A. , Luseno Winnie K. , Kline Tracy L. , Browne Felicia A. , Novak Scott P. , Ellerson Rachel Middlesteadt
Published: March 2012

South Africa's concurrent epidemics of HIV, substance use, and gender-based violence point to the urgent need for interventions that address the intersectional nature of these issues. A community-based randomized trial assessed the efficacy of an adapted evidence-based Woman-Focused HIV intervention addressing all three issues with sex workers and non-sex workers. At 6-month follow-up, non-sex workers in the Woman-Focused intervention reported significantly lower mean numbers of days drinking alcohol in the previous 30 days, were significantly less likely to meet DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence, were more likely to report using a condom at last sex with a main partner, and were less likely to report sexual abuse by a main partner in the previous 90 days. Sex workers in the Woman-Focused intervention were significantly less likely to report physical abuse by a main partner. The findings suggest that gender-focused interventions can be effective for vulnerable women and should be offered more broadly.
State Methamphetamine Precursor Policies and Changes in Small Toxic Lab Methamphetamine Production
Authors: McBride Duane C. , Terry-McElrath Yvonne M. , Chriqui Jamie F. , O'Connor Jean C. , VanderWaal Curtis J. , Mattson Karen L.
Published: March 2012

Domestic production of methamphetamine in small toxic labs (STLs) results in significant community safety and health consequences. This paper examines the effects of state-level policies implemented in the middle of the last decade in reaction to a rapid increase in STL labs. These policies focused on controlling access to the methamphetamine precursor chemicals ephedrine and pseudoephedrine and the relationship of such policies with actual STL seizure rates. Data include (a) primary legal research on state laws/regulations in all 50 states in effect as of October 1, 2005; and (b) STL seizure counts for 2004–2006. Results from random effects cross-sectional time-series regression models showed that states with the greatest reduction in STL seizures had comprehensive policies involving quantity limits on methamphetamine precursor purchases, clerk intervention requirements (such as requiring buyer identification) and regulatory agency specification for monitoring compliance and tracking multiple purchases. Criminalizing purchasing violations was not related to STL reductions.
Multiple Determinants of Specific Modes of Prescription Opioid Diversion
Authors: Cicero Theodore J. , Kurtz Steven P. , Surratt Hilary L. , Ibanez Gladys E. , Ellis Matthew S. , Levi-Minzi Maria A. , Inciardi James A.
Published: March 2012

Numerous national surveys and surveillance programs have shown a substantial rise in the abuse of prescription opioids over the past 15 years. Accessibility of these drugs to non-patients is the result of their unlawful channeling from legal sources to the illicit marketplace (diversion). Empirical data on diversion remain absent from the literature. This paper examines abusers' sources of diverted drugs from two large studies: 1) a national sample of opioid treatment clients (N=1983), and 2) a South Florida study targeting diverse populations of opioid abusers (N=782). The most common sources of diverted medications were dealers, sharing/trading, legitimate medical practice (e.g., unknowing medical providers), illegitimate medical practice (e.g., pill mills), and theft, in that order. Sources varied by users' age, gender, ethnicity, risk-aversiveness, primary opioid of abuse, injection drug use, physical health, drug dependence, and either access to health insurance or relative financial wealth. Implications for prescription drug control policy are discussed.
Desisting From Prescription Drug Abuse
Authors: Gunter Whitney D. , Kurtz Steven P. , Bakken Nicholas W. , O’Connell Daniel J.
Published: March 2012

Modern desistance research has examined many facets of desistance, in terms of theoretical predictors of desistance and recidivism, and in terms of differing types of offending. Though predicting desistance from illegal drug use is among these topics, no research to date has examined the predictors of desisting from prescription opioid abuse. This study uses longitudinal data from 318 prescription opioid users to analyze the effects of various predictors of desistance on declining nonmedical prescription opioid use, with an emphasis on gender differences among participants. Results indicate that theoretical and demographic characteristics correspond with differing rates of decline and further vary by gender.
Mental Model of the Drug Market Intervention
Authors: Rivers Louie , Norris Alexis , McGarrell Edmund F.
Published: March 2012

Recent years have witnessed the growth of the so-called “pulling-levers” approach to reducing gang and gun violence, and more recently, to eliminate overt drug markets. Research has indicated promising results, at least in terms of impact at a community level, yet much remains to be known about the theoretical foundation of these interventions. The current research utilizes an approach developed in the cognitive sciences to examine these theoretical foundations. Specifically, the “mental models” approach to developing graphical representations of how people know, perceive, make decisions, and construct behavior is applied to the drug market intervention strategy as originally developed in High Point, North Carolina. In-depth interviews were conducted with police officials, social service providers, and community partners to better understand how this strategy was developed and what these “experts” believe are the foundation of the strategy. The findings indicate a complex logic model undergirding the strategy with multiple theoretical components.
Prescription Drug Misuse
Authors: Schroeder Ryan D. , Ford Jason A.
Published: March 2012

Shifting drug use patterns away from traditional illicit drugs (i.e., heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines) and toward prescription drug misuse among adolescents necessitates a renewed theoretical emphasis in adolescent drug use research. Given the unique processes and perspectives associated with prescription drug misuse, theoretical connections to prescription drug misuse likely show different patterns than prior research has shown with marijuana and other illicit drugs. Using data from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the authors apply concepts of social control theory, social learning theory, and strain theory to prescription drug misuse and draw comparisons with the predictors of marijuana and other drug use. Findings indicate that social learning, social control, and strain measures exert unique and independent influences on all three categories of adolescent substance use. Despite the similar theoretical effects across categories of substance use, many notable differences in theoretical processes are evident, especially for prescription drug misuse.
Language Proficiency and Health Status
Authors: Schachter Ariela , Kimbro Rachel T. , Gorman Bridget K.
Published: March 2012

Bilingual immigrants appear to have a health advantage, and identifying the mechanisms responsible for this is of increasing interest to scholars and policy makers in the United States. Utilizing the National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS; n = 3,264), we investigate the associations between English and native-language proficiency and usage and self-rated health for Asian and Latino U.S. immigrants from China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Mexico, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. The findings demonstrate that across immigrant ethnic groups, being bilingual is associated with better self-rated physical and mental health relative to being proficient in only English or only a native language, and moreover, these associations are partially mediated by socioeconomic status and family support but not by acculturation, stress and discrimination, or health access and behaviors.
Mending Broken Hearts
Authors: Idler Ellen L. , Boulifard David A. , Contrada Richard J.
Published: March 2012

Marriage has long been linked to lower risk for adult mortality in population and clinical studies. In a regional sample of patients ( n = 569) undergoing cardiac surgery, we compared 5-year hazards of mortality for married persons with those of widowed, separated or divorced, and never married persons using data from medical records and psychosocial interviews. After adjusting for demographics and pre- and postsurgical health, unmarried persons had 1.90 times the hazard of mortality of married persons; the disaggregated widowed, never married, and divorced or separated groups had similar hazards, as did men and women. The adjusted hazard for immediate postsurgical mortality was 3.33; the adjusted hazard for long-term mortality was 1.71, and this was mediated by married persons’ lower smoking rates. The findings underscore the role of spouses (both male and female) in caregiving during health crises and the social control of health behaviors.
Associative Stigma among Mental Health Professionals
Authors: Verhaeghe Mieke , Bracke Piet
Published: March 2012

In contrast with growing attention given to the stigma experiences of mental health service users, the stigma literature has paid almost no attention to mental health professionals. This study focuses on experiences of associative stigma among these professionals. We investigate the link between associative stigma and three dimensions of burnout as well as job satisfaction among mental health professionals, and the link of associative stigma with self-stigma and client satisfaction among service users. Survey data from 543 professionals and 707 service users from diverse mental health services are analyzed using multilevel techniques. The results reveal that among mental health professionals associative stigma is related to more depersonalization, more emotional exhaustion, and less job satisfaction. In addition, in units in which professionals report more associative stigma, service users experience more self-stigma and less client satisfaction. The results reveal that associative stigma is related to more depersonalization, more emotional exhaustion, and less job satisfaction among mental health professionals.
The Social Context of Disablement among Older Adults
Authors: Warner David F. , Kelley-Moore Jessica
Published: March 2012

Prior research has not adequately considered that disablement occurs within a web of relationships that provides socioemotional resources to and/or places demands on older adults. Drawing on the stress process and life course perspectives, we considered the social context of disablement by examining the influence of marital quality on the association between disability and loneliness among married older adults. Using data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, we found (1) functional limitations were associated with higher levels of loneliness; (2) neither positive nor negative marital quality mediated this association, contrary to the stress-deterioration hypothesis; and (3) positive (but not negative) marital quality moderated this association, consistent with the stress-buffering hypothesis. These associations were similar for women and men. Our findings indicate the importance of the social context of disablement, as interpersonal resources offer protection from the deleterious socioemotional consequences of disability.
Safe Practices for Compounding of Parenteral Nutrition
Authors: Cohen Michael R.
Published: March 2012

Safe practices for sterile compounding are essential to preventing errors, particularly with parenteral nutrition (PN). This article reports several areas of errors in PN processes and provides recommendations for error prevention.
Common Problem Behaviors of Children and Adolescents in General Education Classrooms in the United States
Authors: Harrison Judith R. , Vannest Kimberly , Davis John , Reynolds Cecil
Published: March 2012

The majority of incidence and prevalence studies on childhood behavioral problems report the occurrence of mental health disorders under diagnostic categories. A few studies report prevalence of specific behavior problems identified through direct observation, teacher surveys, or analyses of office discipline referrals. However, each possesses limitations that may be informed by data that report the occurrence of specific behavior problems at the classroom level. The rapidly increasing use of multitiered models of prevention and intervention will benefit from data of prevalence of problem behaviors. The purpose of this study was to identify the “most common” problem behaviors in classrooms in the United States as reported by teachers on a broadband rating scale with a demographically representative sample of 3,600 children and adolescents. Results indicate 17 common problem behaviors of children and adolescents, each in four behavioral domains. Interesting findings include behaviors associated with anxiety, learning problems, and distractibility as the most commonly addressed by teachers in the classroom as opposed to the most frequently addressed by administrators, such as aggression. Implications are discussed for policy makers, teacher educators, administrators, and teachers.
Risk factors for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Kim N.H. , Lang I.M.
Published: February 2012

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a form of pulmonary hypertension caused by obstruction and vascular remodelling of pulmonary arteries following pulmonary embolism. Risk factors that predispose patients to CTEPH include the size of the initial thrombus and numerous associated host or medical conditions. Haemostatic risk factors include elevated levels of factor VIII and phospholipid antibodies or intrinsic abnormalities in fibrinogen. Medical conditions that are associated with an increased risk of CTEPH include a history of splenectomy, cancer, ventriculoatrial shunt, chronic inflammatory disease, antiphospholipid antibodies and hypothyroidism. Although CTEPH is potentially curable by pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), up to 40% of patients evaluated for PEA may be denied surgery depending on the level of surgical experience and disease accessibility after pre-operative assessment. Furthermore, an estimated 10–15% of patients are at risk for residual pulmonary hypertension following PEA surgery, due to significant concomitant small-vessel disease. However, pre-operative identification of small-vessel involvement remains a challenge.The current medications effective in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension have not demonstrated efficacy in CTEPH. Accordingly, identification of CTEPH, followed by early referral for evaluation and treatment by an experienced PEA centre, is recommended.
Development of a nurse home visitation intervention for intimate partner violence
Authors: Jack Susan M , Ford-Gilboe Marilyn , Wathen C Nadine , Davidov Danielle M , McNaughton Diane B , Coben Jeffrey H , Olds David L , MacMillan Harriet L ,   NFP IPV Research Team
Published: February 2012

Background

Despite an increase in knowledge about the epidemiology of intimate partner violence (IPV), much less is known about interventions to reduce IPV and its associated impairment. One program that holds promise in preventing IPV and improving outcomes for women exposed to violence is the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), an evidence-based nurse home visitation program for socially disadvantaged first-time mothers. The present study developed an intervention model and modification process to address IPV within the context of the NFP. This included determining the extent to which the NFP curriculum addressed the needs of women at risk for IPV or its recurrence, along with client, nurse and broader stakeholder perspectives on how best to help NFP clients cope with abusive relationships.

Methods

Following a preliminary needs assessment, an exploratory multiple case study was conducted to identify the core components of the proposed IPV intervention. This included qualitative interviews with purposeful samples of NFP clients and community stakeholders, and focus groups with nurse home visitors recruited from four NFP sites. Conventional content analysis and constant comparison guided data coding and synthesis. A process for developing complex interventions was then implemented.

Results

Based on data from 69 respondents, an IPV intervention was developed that focused on identifying and responding to IPV; assessing a client's level of safety risk associated with IPV; understanding the process of leaving and resolving an abusive relationship and system navigation. A need was identified for the intervention to include both universal elements of healthy relationships and those tailored to a woman's specific level of readiness to promote change within her life. A clinical pathway guides nurses through the intervention, with a set of facilitators and corresponding instructions for each component.

Conclusions

NFP clients, nurses and stakeholders identified the need for modifications to the existing NFP program; this led to the development of an intervention that includes universal and targeted components to assist NFP nurses in addressing IPV with their clients. Plans for feasibility testing and evaluation of the effectiveness of the IPV intervention embedded within the NFP, and compared to NFP-only, are discussed.
Collective excitations on a surface of topological insulator
Authors: Efimkin Dmitry K , Lozovik Yurii E , Sokolik Alexey A
Published: February 2012

We study collective excitations in a helical electron liquid on a surface of three-dimensional topological insulator. Electron in helical liquid obeys Dirac-like equation for massless particles and direction of its spin is strictly determined by its momentum. Due to this spin-momentum locking, collective excitations in the system manifest themselves as coupled charge- and spin-density waves. We develop quantum field-theoretical description of spin-plasmons in helical liquid and study their properties and internal structure. Value of spin polarization arising in the system with excited spin-plasmons is calculated. We also consider the scattering of spin-plasmons on magnetic and nonmagnetic impurities and external potentials, and show that the scattering occurs mainly into two side lobes. Analogies with Dirac electron gas in graphene are discussed.

PACS: 73.20.Mf; 73.22.Lp; 75.25.Dk.
Metabolic syndrome correlates intracoronary stenosis detected by multislice computed tomography in male subjects with sleep-disordered breathing
Authors: Nakanishi-Minami Tomoko , Kishida Ken , Nakagawa Yasuhiko , Nishio Munetaka , Nakagawa Chisa , Nishida Yoshiharu , Yanagi Koji , Yoshida Ryoko , Funahashi Tohru , Shimomura Iichiro
Published: March 2012

Background

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), especially obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), has frequent complications include hypertension, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance based on abdominal obesity or excess visceral fat (called Syndrome Z). OSA is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The clinical characteristics of Japanese OSA subjects with OSA remain unclear. The present study investigated prevalence and predictive factors of intracoronary stenosis detected by multislice computed tomography (MSCT) in Japanese male subjects with SDB/OSA.

Findings

The study (O-VFStudy) subjects were 39 Japanese men with SDB/OSA who underwent all-night cardiorespiratory monitoring with fully attended polysomnography, and moreover both fat computed tomography (CT) scan and 64-row MSCT coronary angiography. The prevalence of coronary stenosis in this selected population with SDB/OSA was 15%. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant relationship between age-adjusted CAD and metabolic syndrome (p < 0.05), but not serum adiponectin levels and nocturnal fall in adiponectin. Subjects with the metabolic syndrome had significantly higher prevalence of CAD (31.3 versus 4.3%, p = 0.033), and lower levels of serum adiponectin (4.5 ± 0.6 versus 6.4 ± 0.6 μg/mL, p = 0.014), compared with groups without the metabolic syndrome.

Conclusions

The present study describes that the prevalence of greater than 50% intracoronary stenotic lesions detected by MSCT was 15% and the metabolic syndrome was correlated with intracoronary stenosis detected by MSCT in Japanese SDB/OSA subjects.

Trial Registration

UMIN 000002997

https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr.cgi?function=brows&action=brows&type=summary&recptno=R000003633&language=E.
Using Comparative Genomics for Inquiry-Based Learning to Dissect Virulence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Yersinia pestis
Authors: Baumler David J. , Banta Lois M. , Hung Kai F. , Schwarz Jodi A. , Cabot Eric L. , Glasner Jeremy D. , Perna Nicole T.
Published: March 2012

Genomics and bioinformatics are topics of increasing interest in undergraduate biological science curricula. Many existing exercises focus on gene annotation and analysis of a single genome. In this paper, we present two educational modules designed to enable students to learn and apply fundamental concepts in comparative genomics using examples related to bacterial pathogenesis. Students first examine alignments of genomes of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains isolated from three food-poisoning outbreaks using the multiple-genome alignment tool Mauve. Students investigate conservation of virulence factors using the Mauve viewer and by browsing annotations available at the A Systematic Annotation Package for Community Analysis of Genomes database. In the second module, students use an alignment of five Yersinia pestis genomes to analyze single-nucleotide polymorphisms of three genes to classify strains into biovar groups. Students are then given sequences of bacterial DNA amplified from the teeth of corpses from the first and second pandemics of the bubonic plague and asked to classify these new samples. Learning-assessment results reveal student improvement in self-efficacy and content knowledge, as well as students' ability to use BLAST to identify genomic islands and conduct analyses of virulence factors from E. coli O157:H7 or Y. pestis. Each of these educational modules offers educators new ready-to-implement resources for integrating comparative genomic topics into their curricula.
Using Targeted Active-Learning Exercises and Diagnostic Question Clusters to Improve Students' Understanding of Carbon Cycling in Ecosystems
Authors: Maskiewicz April Cordero , Griscom Heather Peckham , Welch Nicole Turrill
Published: March 2012

In this study, we used targeted active-learning activities to help students improve their ways of reasoning about carbon flow in ecosystems. The results of a validated ecology conceptual inventory (diagnostic question clusters [DQCs]) provided us with information about students' understanding of and reasoning about transformation of inorganic and organic carbon-containing compounds in biological systems. These results helped us identify specific active-learning exercises that would be responsive to students' existing knowledge. The effects of the active-learning interventions were then examined through analysis of students' pre- and postinstruction responses on the DQCs. The biology and non–biology majors participating in this study attended a range of institutions and the instructors varied in their use of active learning; one lecture-only comparison class was included. Changes in pre- to postinstruction scores on the DQCs showed that an instructor's teaching method had a highly significant effect on student reasoning following course instruction, especially for questions pertaining to cellular-level, carbon-transforming processes. We conclude that using targeted in-class activities had a beneficial effect on student learning regardless of major or class size, and argue that using diagnostic questions to identify effective learning activities is a valuable strategy for promoting learning, as gains from lecture-only classes were minimal.
Using Student Learning and Development Outcomes to Evaluate a First-Year Undergraduate Group Video Project
Authors: Jensen Murray , Mattheis Allison , Johnson Brady
Published: March 2012

Students in an interdisciplinary undergraduate introductory course were required to complete a group video project focused on nutrition and healthy eating. A mixed-methods approach to data collection involved observing and rating video footage of group work sessions and individual and focus group interviews. These data were analyzed and used to evaluate the effectiveness of the assignment in light of two student learning outcomes and two student development outcomes at the University of Minnesota. Positive results support the continued inclusion of the project within the course, and recommend the assignment to other programs as a viable means of promoting both content learning and affective behavioral objectives.
The Utility of Writing Assignments in Undergraduate Bioscience
Authors: Libarkin Julie , Ording Gabriel
Published: March 2012

We tested the hypothesis that engagement in a few, brief writing assignments in a nonmajors science course can improve student ability to convey critical thought about science. A sample of three papers written by students (n = 30) was coded for presence and accuracy of elements related to scientific writing. Scores for different aspects of scientific writing were significantly correlated, suggesting that students recognized relationships between components of scientific thought. We found that students' ability to write about science topics and state conclusions based on data improved over the course of three writing assignments, while the abilities to state a hypothesis and draw clear connections between human activities and environmental impacts did not improve. Three writing assignments generated significant change in student ability to write scientifically, although our results suggest that three is an insufficient number to generate complete development of scientific writing skills.