bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
Authors: Brüne Martin
Published: September 2016

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders are characterized by the presence of delusions, hallucination, disorganized thinking, motor abnormalities, and/or negative symptoms. Behaviourally, schizophrenia patients have profound difficulties in regulating approach and avoidance, causing social withdrawal or aggressive behaviour. Evolutionary hypotheses of schizophrenia abound, but none covers all phenotypic aspects of the syndrome(s). Genetic risk for schizophrenia is partly conferred by genes that have undergone positive selection, whereby the reproductive advantage compensating for the reduced fecundity is as yet unknown. Environmental risk factors for schizophrenia comprise poverty, migration, and urbanicity, which has given rise to the hypothesis that individuals with schizophrenia are particularly sensitive to the exposure of strangers. In a more general vein, many signs and symptoms associated with schizophrenia can be interpreted from an evolutionary point of view. They pertain to diverse aspects of social life, including cooperation and trust (paranoia), mating (delusional jealousy, erotomania), and social rank (catatonic stupor, mutism).
Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders
Authors: Brüne Martin
Published: September 2016

Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders comprise several syndromes, to which repetitive thoughts or behaviours are central. Compulsive behaviour is concerned most with hygiene, orderliness, checking, grooming, and hoarding, whereas obsessive thoughts (rumination) focus on harm avoidance and cultural taboos. Compulsive behaviours resemble stereotypic movements seen in animals or cultural rituals. Cognitively, anticipating potential future risk scenarios may help in minimising threat, suggesting that obsessivecompulsive disorder may be a by-product of foresight. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is often linked to life events that require heightened vigilance for threat, including sexual maturation (puberty), pregnancy, and childbirth. While most individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder follow a ‘slow’ life-history strategy, cases with increased impulsivity and reduced inhibitory control seem to pursue a ‘fast’ life-history strategy.
Feeding and eating disorders
Authors: Brüne Martin
Published: September 2016

Feeding and eating disorders comprise syndromes occurring in childhood or in people with intellectual disability, as well as the classic eating disorders, namely anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder. Individuals with anorexia nervosa are preoccupied with body weight and shape. They engage in diverse activities aimed to reduce body weight. People with bulimia have normal body weight, and have episodes of uncontrolled intake of food (binge eating). Both anorexia and bulimia are associated with the desire to gain control over pressures to fulfil sociobiological role models. Paradoxically, these disorders occur more often in societies where food is abundant. Eating disorders are much more prevalent in females than males. It is unclear whether amenorrhoea is key to the control of one’s reproductive potential, and whether this behaviour is maternally induced to promote ‘help at the nest’. Alternatively, thinness, as in anorexia, may be a by-product of intrasexual competition for mates.
Personality disorders
Authors: Brüne Martin
Published: September 2016

Personality disorders (PD) concern inflexible and maladaptive cognitive, emotional, and behavioural patterns, which cause significant functional impairment or subjective distress. One group of PD is characterized by ‘eccentricity’, another by ‘dramatic’ behaviour, and a third cluster by predominant anxiety. Personality traits reflect individual patterns of behaviour that serve the purpose to achieve important biosocial goals. These behaviours can be grouped according to their interpersonal meaning: dominance versus submission; competition versus cooperation; dependence versus nurturance; assertion versus avoidance; aggression versus defence; and risk-taking versus harm avoidance. From a life-history perspective, personality traits, as well as personality disorders representing the extremes of variation of normal trait distribution, can be differentiated into ‘fast’ and ‘slow’ life-history strategies. Predictions about future resource availability arise from early childhood experiences with caregivers and the interaction of these experiences with genes involved in the regulation of aggression, attachment, etc.
Psychotherapy
Authors: Brüne Martin
Published: September 2016

Psychotherapy can be defined as the attempt to reframe consequences of maladaptive behaviour that have caused suffering in self or others by scientifically evaluated psychological interventions. The response to psychotherapy does not solely rely on the specific technique. Instead, it is the quality of the patient–client relationship that determines the outcome of psychotherapeutic interventions. In spite of the relevance of early experiences with caregivers and significant others for well-being later in life, few psychotherapeutic ‘schools’ explicitly refer to evolutionary theory. However, evolutionary thinking in psychotherapy has a lot to offer, beyond issues pertaining to attachment theory. The concept of self-deception can explain phenomena related to repression and how some therapeutic interventions work. The ability to mentalize is deeply rooted in our biology and is actively used in psychotherapy. In summary, integrative approaches to psychotherapy are much more in line with human evolutionary biology and neuroscience than puristic psychoanalysis or behaviourism.
Psychotropic medication—insights from evolutionary medicine
Authors: Brüne Martin
Published: September 2016

The therapeutic options for psychiatric disorders have been dramatically advanced by the development of medication for almost all conditions. However, personalized treatment approaches need to carefully consider costs (potential harm) and benefits. All psychotropic drugs have side-effects in relevant areas of life, including social play (stimulants), sexual attractiveness and experience of pleasure (antipsychotics), and reproduction (serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Conversely, many psychotropic substances have antimicrobial or antiparasitic properties. Finally, most psychotropic drugs have modest effects, with placebo effects of similar magnitude. In fact, placebo effects in the treatment of any medical condition need to be taken into account, as they can reduce sickness behaviour, impact on the immune system, and thus play a profound role in healing procedures across cultures.
A first case history
Authors: Hobson R. Peter
Published: September 2016

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce Brief Psychoanalytic Therapy through the case history of a woman who presented with fatigue and a variety of medical ailments. Descriptions are given of the initial assessment consultation and then the course of 16 sessions of Brief Psychoanalytic Therapy. The clinical material represented illustrates both the therapist’s orientation and style of intervention, and the patient’s step-by-step development in the direction of more open, trusting, and fulfilling attitudes toward other people and the possibilities of life. The nature as well as the influence of the therapist’s focus on the transference and countertransference receive special attention.
A second case history
Authors: Hobson R. Peter
Published: September 2016

A second case history, this time of a man with deep anxieties and difficulties with commitment, illustrates further features of Brief Psychoanalytic Therapy. The assessment interview is described, and then details of the final session of the 16-session treatment with a female trainee psychotherapist are recounted. In certain respects, the session recaps a developmental course that had been a feature of the treatment as a whole, As the final session unfolds, one can see how the therapist’s patient but persistent understanding and firmness enables the patient to achieve growth in the capacity to think and, with this, greater autonomy and emotional depth.
The Treatment Manual
Authors: Hobson R. Peter
Published: September 2016

The Brief Psychoanalytic Therapy Treatment Manual is presented. This summarizes the rationale and principles of treatment—in part, distilling and organizing themes that had been introduced in Chapter 1—and then devotes attention to characterizing a particular style of attending to and interpreting the transference. In a final section of the chapter, the very beginning of the assessment consultation from Chapter 3 is revisited, in order to review how the therapeutic orientation and techniques described in the Manual can be identified in clinical material. In a manner that will be developed in subsequent chapters, therefore, principles are exemplified in clinical practice.
The History and Current Status of Testing Across Cultures and Countries
Authors: Poortinga Ype H. , Klieme Eckhard
Published: September 2016

Chapter 2 gives a narrative account of the use of tests across countries and cultures over the course of nearly a century. Initially, differences in test score distributions were usually interpreted at face value, independent of the cultural and educational background of test takers. Findings of group differences in the domain of intelligence were seen as a confirmation of widely held beliefs, also among psychologists, about racial differences. Soon implicit assumptions to the effect that tests can be culture-free or culture-fair were challenged. The cross-cultural equivalence of tests became an issue for conceptual and, especially, for psychometric analysis. This line of work has resulted in a large array of methods and statistical procedures for identifying cultural bias in items and tests. The concluding section of the chapter envisages further improvements in the quality of instruments for cross-cultural usage, notably through the use of international teams of authors in test development.
A Brief History of the International Test Commission
Authors: Oakland Thomas
Published: September 2016

Chapter 3 highlights the history of test development and test use and the development of the International Test Commission (ITC). The chapter addresses the early history of psychological assessment and the emergence of the discipline of psychology in the first half of the twentieth century. With the emergence and widespread use of the Stanford-Binet and Rorschach Inkblot Test, Jean Cardinet envisioned an international test commission that would develop an ethics code, standards for test construction and evaluation, and create a journal to promote an exchange of information. Now the ITC’s primary goal is to assist in the exchange of information on test development and test use among its members and affiliate organizations, as well as with non-member societies, organizations, and individuals who desire to improve test-related practices. The ITC continues to engage in formulation of policies and best practices related to test development and test use.
Measuring States and Traits in Motivation and Emotion
Authors: Roe Robert A. , Inceoglu Ilke
Published: September 2016

In Chapter 6 the authors argue that psychological measurement in the field of motivation and emotion is marked by a considerable degree of ambiguity, partly because these phenomena are poorly defined, but mainly because they are dynamic-motivation and emotion are about changes in behavior-while measurement designs and techniques predominantly address individual differences, which are typically assumed to be stable. The chapter discusses the merits and limitations of prevailing differential methods. It considers how researchers have tried to overcome the challenge of dynamic measurement with the help of state-trait models, noting that there are conceptual and logical problems that limit the use of these models. To overcome these problems, the authors propose a new measurement model, which focuses on individuals’ dynamic trajectories, and they show how this model can be used to describe subjects’ motivational states and to redefine traits in a dynamic way.
A Look Inside the Toolbox
Authors: Weil Rebecca
Published: September 2016

Chapter 7 provides an overview of frequently used indirect measures and recent research in the area of indirect attitude measures. It summarizes current implicit attitude theories and focuses on the introduction of common indirect measures. Each measure is briefly depicted and the proposed underlying mechanisms are discussed. The descriptions of the measures are structured in order to help the reader select the right measure for her research question, to evaluate a measure according to its psychometric properties, and to interpret its results correctly. Taken together, the chapter serves as an introduction to a toolbox of indirect procedures to predict behavior inside and outside the lab.
Testing in Educational and Developmental Settings
Authors: Sireci Stephen G. , Gándara Fernanda
Published: September 2016

Educational tests are used for a wide variety of purposes, including placing students in appropriate educational programs, diagnosing students’ strengths and weaknesses, certifying competence in specific knowledge and skill areas, selecting students for admission, and testing for the knowledge and skills required in licensure and certification testing. This chapter describes the use of educational tests in both national and international settings, focusing on the use of tests in two countries: the United States and Chile. Highlighting the educational testing practices in these two countries illustrates many of the similarities involved in educational testing, but also illustrates political differences that affect the use and evaluation of tests. International testing activities are described, such as those that compare the educational achievement of students across countries. The chapter also discusses the key issues in educational testing, such as technical quality and validity, as well as current trends and future directions.
Reliability and Validity
Authors: De Boeck Paul , Elosua Paula
Published: September 2016

Chapter 28 describes the evolution of the two most important concepts in psychometrics and for psychological and educational testing: reliability and validity. Between the publication of the first psychological tests and the most recent developments, the scientific, professional, and ethical requirements demanded by testing have largely evolved. Also the scientific disciplines of psychology and education and the practice based on these disciplines are no longer the same as early in their history. Psychometric models have changed, theories have changed, and the problems and requirements made by psychological and educational practice have changed. It does therefore not surprise that the notions of reliability and validity have also evolved. The aim of this chapter is to offer a historical and conceptual view of both these notions, to discuss some approaches in the investigation of reliability and validity, and to formulate some considerations on the way the two notions have evolved.
Norming
Authors: Bartram Dave , van de Vijver Fons J. R.
Published: September 2016

Chapter 30 focuses on issues relating to norm-referenced measures, in particular the use of norms in international assessments. This chapter highlights some of the complex issues involved in norming scores. While the initial sections of the chapter review some general issues of norm construction and use, this is not a chapter on the mechanics of how to produce norms. Rather, it focuses on issues of when and how to use norms, what aggregations of samples to base them on, and how norm-referenced scores should be interpreted. In particular, it considers issues relating to the development and use of international norms. Test norms are often essential for stakeholders to understand the meaning of test scores by providing information about the standing of the test taker relative to other members of the population. Finally, the chapter notes that culturally related variance may reflect either measurement bias or effects of cultural style.
Helping Families Manage Childhood OCD
Authors: Peris Tara S. , Piacentini John
Published: September 2016

Childhood obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex condition that is often accompanied by high levels of family stress and strain. Families of youth with OCD face a unique set of difficulties in that they often are intimately involved in their children’s symptoms. This pattern of responding to OCD, frequently referred to as accommodation, comes in many forms, and for most families, it occurs daily. Research suggests that accommodation is accompanied by increased levels of family distress, anxiety, and conflict, which, when high enough, can undermine successful OCD treatment. Although evidence-based treatments exist for childhood OCD, few protocols offer strategies for treating these more complex family presentations. This program offers an empirically supported approach for managing childhood OCD complicated by poor family functioning. It identifies specific family features that may contribute to treatment nonresponse in childhood OCD, and provides clinicians with an innovative set of strategies for addressing them. By focusing on emotion-regulation strategies and family-problem-solving exercises, families learn to troubleshoot difficult OCD episodes in an effective and supportive manner.
Understanding and Reducing Homophobic Harassment and Victimization in Schools
Authors: Poteat V. Paul
Published: September 2016

Bias-based harassment, or harassment based on one’s actual or perceived social identity, such as sexual orientation, remains a prominent concern in many schools. Homophobic harassment is one form of bias-based harassment evident in schools. Not only is homophobic harassment common compared to non–bias-based victimization, it also carries distinct and elevated consequences for those who experience it. Given the seriousness of homophobic harassment and the consequences of experiencing it, this chapter addresses three key issues. First, it provides a review of individual and contextual factors that underlie homophobic behavior and its perpetuation over time. Second, the chapter describes the various processes by which homophobic victimization predicts health and academic concerns for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and heterosexual youth. Finally, the chapter covers several factors that may promote resilience among youth who experience this form of victimization. Each section notes implications for research, practice, and policy.
Supporting LGB/T Youth
Authors: Schriber Sarah S. , Horn Stacey S. , Peter Christina , Bellinger L. Boyd , Fischer David
Published: September 2016

Bullying and harassment are frequently linked to issues of bias and discrimination. ​​Bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI)​ comprise some of the most common forms of harassment in schools ​and can ​affect​ the health and functioning of​​ all youth. In this chapter, the authors introduce Comprehensive School Transformation (CST), a new approach for addressing bias-motivated bullying and harassment,​​ broadly, and SOGI-related harassment, specifically​​.​​ This approach includes tailoring and coordinating efforts in seven key domains to the unique needs of each school context. The chapter includes support for the CST model and resources that schools can use to start the CST process in their contexts.
Transsexuality and School Education in Brazil
Authors: de Assis Cesar Maria Rita , da Cunha Josafá Moreira
Published: September 2016

This chapter presents a discussion of schooling of transsexual persons in Brazil. Considering the high levels of violence affecting LGBT populations in Brazil, federal and state governments, along with LGBT social movements, have conducted conferences to develop policy guidelines for serving LGBT populations, emphasizing education for diversity. From these guidelines, strategies for promoting the schooling of trans persons were adopted in some of the Brazilian states, and the adoption of regulations regarding the use of chosen names in schools is discussed in detail. Policy strategies toward the inclusion of trans persons in Brazilian schools are analyzed, with emphasis on the potential challenges faced by society when opening the school doors to difference.
The School-to-Prison Pipeline and the Pipeline Population
Authors: Snapp Shannon , Licona Adela C.
Published: September 2016

The school-to-prison pipeline is a phenomenon that is gaining visibility, yet there is little scholarship that brings together academic, activist, and legal literatures to describe and trouble it. Young people of color, urban poor youth, and youth with disabilities overpopulate this pipeline. There is growing evidence that the pipeline is further populated by LGBTQ youth, gender-nonconforming youth, and youth at the intersection of all of these social locations. In this chapter, the authors work across disciplinary locations to identify school practices and policies that produce what they term the pipeline population. They identify efforts currently under way and call for cross-coalitional strategies to intervene in the pipeline’s production. This chapter serves as a resource for those working within and across academic and nonacademic contexts to better understand, analyze, and theorize the production of the pipeline population and, ultimately, to dismantle the pipeline.
The Use of Research in Policy and Advocacy for Creating Safe Schools for LGBTQ Students
Authors: Laub Carolyn , Burdge Hilary
Published: September 2016

Written from the perspective of advocates, this chapter explores how research has been useful for policy and advocacy efforts to create safer schools for LGBTQ students. The authors discuss the use of population-based research that has provided demographic and baseline data about rates of bullying for LGBTQ students, youth-led research in schools that fuels student advocacy for improvements in school climate, community-based research about the steps schools can take to improve student safety and foster positive learning environments for all students, and public opinion polling designed to support and defend legislation requiring LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum in schools. The chapter also discusses ways that nonprofit organizations may conduct and use research as the foundation for designing and implementing solutions and best practices that improve school climate and reduce bias-motivated bullying against students, such as school policy change, professional development for school personnel, and LGBTQ curriculum inclusion.
Homophobia, Schooling, and the Italian Context
Authors: Ioverno Salvatore , Nardelli Nicola , Baiocco Roberto , Orfano Isabella , Lingiardi Vittorio
Published: September 2016

This chapter documents the lecosecambiano@roma project, a collaborative initiative among researchers, political leaders, celebrities, and representatives of LGBTQI associations in Italy to study and combat homophobic bullying in Roman secondary schools. The chapter describes the project and presents results from a study of the interventions in schools. The authors describe interactions with students, the public’s reactions, and the obstacles encountered in implementing this program across schools in Rome. The chapter also includes a discussion of key lessons from this project and plans for future strategies to create safe and supportive schools for LGBT and all students. Through a description of the lecosecambiano@roma project, the authors illuminate what homophobic bullying means in Italy, what obstacles may arise from planning anti-homophobic bullying projects, and why combating homophobic bullying is of paramount importance in the Italian context.
Group CBT for Psychosis
Authors: Lecomte Tania , Leclerc Claude , Wykes Til
Published: September 2016

The purpose of this book is to make group CBT for psychosis more accessible to clinicians everywhere. CBT for psychosis is now recognized as an evidence-based intervention that should be offered to whoever demands it. The limited number of trained psychologists in CBT for psychosis and the limited number of psychologists in general working with people with psychosis have led us to develop the first published group workbook for CBT for psychosis that can be administered by mental health staff, not solely psychologists. The workbook described and included has been evaluated in rigorous studies and has obtained very strong empirical support, with participants also recognizing significant clinical improvements. The ‘group CBT for psychosis—A guidebook for clinicians’ aims at not only explaining how to conduct group CBT for psychosis but also covers the theoretical background behind the intervention, summarizes the various studies conducting in CBT for psychosis, explains essential therapeutic elements needed to conduct group CBT for psychosis, and covers different group interventions inspired by our group CBT for psychosis approach. This book will be useful for students, clinicians, and researchers interested in group CBT for psychosis.
What Have Studies Taught Us About CBT for Psychosis?
Authors: Lecomte Tania , Leclerc Claude , Wykes Til
Published: September 2016

Studies on CBT for psychosis have been ongoing since the early 1990s and have followed the traditional steps of psychotherapy research, whereby we find initial feasibility studies with no or poor control groups; larger, carefully controlled trials focusing on specific populations (high-risk, early psychosis, older participants, treatment-resistant) or on symptoms or models; process-oriented studies; and integrative studies looking at CBT merged with other therapeutic models. Results from the best-designed meta-analyses as well as from group CBT studies are also summarized in tables. The results of our own studies on group CBT for psychosis are also presented. Finally, the chapter covers results from studies looking into who benefits more from CBT for psychosis, what therapeutic elements are necessary, and offers suggestions for studies that are warranted.
Essential Elements of Group Therapy
Authors: Lecomte Tania , Leclerc Claude , Wykes Til
Published: September 2016

This chapter describes the unique elements of group therapy in general as well as in group CBT for psychosis more specifically. Special attention is given to Yalom’s essential elements of group therapy and how most of these are applied in group CBT for psychosis. Elements such as normalization of experience, socialization, social support, interpersonal learning, group cohesion, task focus, a safe and respectful environment, and a goal-oriented approach are described and illustrated. Elements specific to our group CBT for psychosis approach, such as avoiding the psychiatric vocabulary and ensuring that the group is an enjoyable experience are presented. Also the importance of using a single-session time frame is put forward.
Drugs, Alcohol, and How I Feel (Sessions 13 to 18)
Authors: Lecomte Tania , Leclerc Claude , Wykes Til
Published: September 2016

This chapter describes the third section of the workbook, which focuses on the emotional and behavioral manifestations of distress, as well as on self-esteem, and further develops the concept of coping strategies. Distress, specifically substance misuse and suicidal thoughts, is not specific to individuals with psychosis but is prevalent in this population. CBTp therapists will focus on distress but will also focus on strengths and goals, which means the therapy will target not only psychotic symptoms but also other distressing emotions and behaviors. Similarly, the therapy should focus on the person’s strengths, capacities, and goals that go beyond distress reduction. The chapter takes each session of the third section of the workbook and explains in detail the purpose of each activity, how to conduct it, and gives clinical examples to illustrate participants’ reactions to these sessions.
Modelling stellar proton event-induced particle radiation dose on close-in exoplanets
Authors: Atri Dimitra
Published: September 2016

Kepler observations have uncovered the existence of a large number of close-in exoplanets and serendipitously of stellar superflares with emissions several orders of magnitude higher than those observed on the Sun. The interaction between the two and their implications on planetary habitability are of great interest to the community. Stellar proton events (SPEs) interact with planetary atmospheres, generate secondary particles and increase the radiation dose on the surface. This effect is amplified for close-in exoplanets and can be a serious threat to potential planetary life. Monte Carlo simulations are used to model the SPE-induced particle radiation dose on the surface of such exoplanets. The results show a wide range of surface radiation doses on planets in close-in configurations with varying atmospheric column depths, magnetic moments and orbital radii. It can be concluded that for close-in exoplanets with sizable atmospheres and magnetospheres, the radiation dose contributed by stellar superflares may not be high enough to sterilize a planet (for life as we know it) but can result in frequent extinction level events. In light of recent reports, the interaction of hard-spectrum SPEs with the atmosphere of Proxima Centauri b is modelled and their implications on its habitability are discussed.
Constraining the dipolar magnetic field of M82 X-2 by the accretion model
Authors: Chen Wen-Cong
Published: September 2016

Recently, ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) M82 X-2 has been identified to be an accreting neutron star, which has a P = 1.37 s spin period, and is spinning up at a rate $\dot{P}=-2.0\times 10^{-10}\,\rm s\,s^{-1}$. Interestingly, its isotropic X-ray luminosity Liso = 1.8 × 1040 erg s− 1 during outbursts is 100 times the Eddington limit for a 1.4 M⊙ neutron star. In this Letter, based on the standard accretion model we attempt to constrain the dipolar magnetic field of the pulsar in ULX M82 X-2. Our calculations indicate that the accretion rate at the magnetospheric radius must be super-Eddington during outbursts. To support such a super-Eddington accretion, a relatively high multipole field ( ≳ 1013 G) near the surface of the accretor is invoked to produce an accreting gas column. However, our constraint shows that the surface dipolar magnetic field of the pulsar should be in the range of 1.0−3.5 × 1012 G. Therefore, our model supports that the neutron star in ULX M82 X-2 could be a low-magnetic-field magnetar (proposed by Tong) with a normal dipolar field (∼1012 G) and relatively strong multipole field. For the large luminosity variations of this source, our scenario can also present a self-consistency interpretation.
Simultaneous constraints on cosmology and photometric redshift bias from weak lensing and galaxy clustering
Authors: Samuroff S. , Troxel M. A. , Bridle S. L. , Zuntz J. , MacCrann N. , Krause E. , Eifler T. , Kirk D.
Published: September 2016

We investigate the expected cosmological constraints from a combination of cosmic shear and large-scale galaxy clustering using realistic photometric redshift distributions. Introducing a systematic bias in the lensing distributions (of 0.05 in redshift) produces a >2σ bias in the recovered matter power spectrum amplitude and dark energy equation of state for preliminary Stage III surveys. We demonstrate that cosmological error can be largely removed by marginalizing over biases in the assumed weak-lensing redshift distributions. Furthermore, the cosmological constraining power is retained despite removing much of the information on the lensing redshift biases. This finding relies upon high-quality redshift estimates for the clustering sample, but does not require spectroscopy. All galaxies in this analysis can thus be assumed to come from a single photometric survey. We show that this internal constraint on redshift biases arises from complementary degeneracy directions between cosmic shear and the combination of galaxy clustering and shear–density cross-correlations. Finally we examine a case where the assumed redshift distributions differ from the truth by more than a simple uniform bias. We find that the effectiveness of this self-calibration method will depend on the survey details and the nature of the uncertainties on the estimated redshift distributions.
Pulmonary diseases induced by ambient ultrafine and engineered nanoparticles in twenty-first century
Authors: Xia Tian , Zhu Yifang , Mu Lina , Zhang Zuo-Feng , Liu Sijin
Published: September 2016

Air pollution is a severe threat to public health globally, affecting everyone in developed and developing countries alike. Among different air pollutants, particulate matter (PM), particularly combustion-produced fine PM (PM2.5) has been shown to play a major role in inducing various adverse health effects. Strong associations have been demonstrated by epidemiological and toxicological studies between increases in PM2.5 concentrations and premature mortality, cardiopulmonary diseases, asthma and allergic sensitization, and lung cancer. The mechanisms of PM-induced toxicological effects are related to their size, chemical composition, lung clearance and retention, cellular oxidative stress responses and pro-inflammatory effects locally and systemically. Particles in the ultrafine range (<100 nm), although they have the highest number counts, surface area and organic chemical content, are often overlooked due to insufficient monitoring and risk assessment. Yet, ample studies have demonstrated that ambient ultrafine particles have higher toxic potential compared with PM2.5. In addition, the rapid development of nanotechnology, bringing ever-increasing production of nanomaterials, has raised concerns about the potential human exposure and health impacts. All these add to the complexity of PM-induced health effects that largely remains to be determined, and mechanistic understanding on the toxicological effects of ambient ultrafine particles and nanomaterials will be the focus of studies in the near future.
Clinical Reasoning of Infectious Diseases Physicians Behind the Use or Nonuse of Transesophageal Echocardiography in Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia
Authors: Young Heather , Knepper Bryan C. , Price Connie S. , Heard Susan , Jenkins Timothy C.
Published: September 2016

In this prospective cohort with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed in 24% of cases. Consulting Infectious Diseases physicians most frequently cited low suspicion for endocarditis due to rapid clearance of blood cultures and the presence of a secondary focus requiring an extended treatment duration as reasons for foregoing TEE.
Risk of Herpes Zoster in Individuals on Biologics, Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs, and/or Corticosteroids for Autoimmune Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Marra Fawziah , Lo Elaine , Kalashnikov Viktor , Richardson Kathryn
Published: September 2016

Background

Studies examining the risk of herpes zoster (HZ) associated with immunosuppressants, such as biologics, nonbiological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (nbDMARDs), or corticosteroids, have generated conflicting results.

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature search from January 1946 to February 2016. Search terms related to HZ, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematous, or inflammatory bowel disease, biologics, nbDMARDS, and corticosteroids were used. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies reporting associations between immunosuppressants and HZ outcomes in adults. For RCTs, we used the Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects model to estimate pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for HZ risk. For observational studies, adjusted ORs were pooled separately using random-effects inverse variance models.

Results

Data were pooled from 40 eligible RCTs (20136 patients) and 19 observational studies (810939 patients). Biologics were associated with a greater risk of HZ than control (RCTs: OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.11–2.64; observational studies: OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.39–1.81). In RCTs, the OR of non-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers was 2.19 (95% CI 1.20–4.02), but that of TNF blockers was not significantly different from control. Increased risks of HZ with nbDMARDs (OR = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.15–1.28) and corticosteroids (OR = 1.73; 95% CI = 1.57–1.89) were observed in observational studies, but few RCTs examined these comparisons.

Conclusions

Immunocompromised patients receiving biologics were associated with an increased risk of HZ. The risk is also increased with corticosteroids and nbDMARDs. These findings raise the issue of prophylaxis with zoster vaccine in patients initiating immunosuppressive therapy for autoimmune diseases.
Did that Scare You? Tips on Creating Emotion in Experimental Subjects
Authors: Albertson Bethany , Gadarian Shana Kushner
Published: September 2016

The appropriateness of experiments for studying causal mechanisms is well established. However, the ability of an experiment to isolate the effect of emotion has received less attention, and in this letter we lay out a guide to manipulating and tracing the impact of emotions. Some experimental manipulations are straightforward. Manipulating an emotion like anxiety is less obvious. There is no magic “political anxiety pill” and placebo that can be randomly assigned to participants. While the magic political anxiety pill is still elusive, we advocate using multiple manipulations, extensive pretesting, and mediation models. These approaches have allowed us to situate a discrete emotional experience in a complex political environment.
Family-centered outcomes during and after critical illness: current outcomes and opportunities for future investigation
Authors: Long Ann C. , Kross Erin K. , Curtis J. Randall
Published: September 2016

Purpose of review

Family-centered outcomes during and after critical illness assess issues that are most important to family members. An understanding of family-centered outcomes is necessary to support the provision of family-centered care and to foster development of interventions to improve care and communication in the ICU.

Recent findings

Current family-centered outcomes in critical care include satisfaction with care, including end-of-life care, symptoms of psychological distress, and health-related quality of life. Novel measures include assessments of decisional conflict, decision regret, therapeutic alliance, and caregiver burden, as well as positive adaptations and resilience.

Critical illness places a significant burden on family members. A wide variety of family-centered outcomes are available to guide improvements in care and communication. Future research should focus on developing sensitive and responsive measures that capture key elements of the family member experience during and after critical illness.
Fluid composition and acute kidney injury
Authors: Zampieri Fernando G. , Libório Alexandre B. , Cavalcanti Alexandre B.
Published: September 2016

Purpose of review

To describe recent advances in the understanding of the role of fluid composition in renal outcomes in critically ill patients.

Recent findings

The debate on fluid composition is now focused in a pragmatic discussion on fluid electrolyte composition. The resurgence of this debate was propelled by several observational studies that suggested that balanced (i.e., low chloride) solutions were associated with less acute kidney injury in critically ill patients. Nevertheless, a cluster randomized trial failed to show any benefit of balanced solutions. This trial, however, may have failed to detect an effect because of low global illness severity and little fluid infused. If balanced solutions are to be associated with less acute kidney injury, it will probably be in high risk, aggressively resuscitated patients. Additionally, the causal loop involving unbalanced solution infusion, induction of hyperchloremia and acute kidney injury is yet to be closed. Other factors, such as buffer type, speed of infusion and temperature, among others, may also be important.

Recent evidence suggests that crystalloid fluid composition matters and can influence renal outcomes in critically ill patients. Further studies should assess the impact and cost-efficiency of balanced solutions in the context of high-risk scenarios.
Interoperability of Information Systems Managed and Used by the Local Health Departments
Authors: Shah Gulzar H. , Leider Jonathon P. , Luo Huabin , Kaur Ravneet
Published: September 2016

Background:

In the post-Affordable Care Act era marked by interorganizational collaborations and availability of large amounts of electronic data from other community partners, it is imperative to assess the interoperability of information systems used by the local health departments (LHDs).

Objectives:

To describe the level of interoperability of LHD information systems and identify factors associated with lack of interoperability.

Data and Methods:

This mixed-methods research uses data from the 2015 Informatics Capacity and Needs Assessment Survey, with a target population of all LHDs in the United States. A representative sample of 650 LHDs was drawn using a stratified random sampling design. A total of 324 completed responses were received (50% response rate). Qualitative data were used from a key informant interview study of LHD informatics staff from across the United States. Qualitative data were independently coded by 2 researchers and analyzed thematically. Survey data were cleaned, bivariate comparisons were conducted, and a multivariable logistic regression was run to characterize factors associated with interoperability.

Results:

For 30% of LHDs, no systems were interoperable, and 38% of LHD respondents indicated some of the systems were interoperable. Significant determinants of interoperability included LHDs having leadership support (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.54), control of information technology budget allocation (AOR = 2.48), control of data systems (AOR = 2.31), having a strategic plan for information systems (AOR = 1.92), and existence of business process analysis and redesign (AOR = 1.49).

Conclusion:

Interoperability of all systems may be an informatics goal, but only a small proportion of LHDs reported having interoperable systems, pointing to a substantial need among LHDs nationwide.
Assessing Skills and Capacity for Informatics: Activities Most Commonly Performed by or for Local Health Departments
Authors: Drezner Kate , McKeown Lisa , Shah Gulzar H.
Published: September 2016

Objective:

To describe the informatics activities performed by and for local health departments.

Design:

Analysis of data from the 2015 Informatics Capacity and Needs Assessment Survey of local health departments conducted by the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University in collaboration with the National Association of County & City Health Officials.

Participants:

324 local health departments.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Informatics activities performed at or for local health departments in use and analysis of data, system design, and routine use of information systems.

Results:

A majority of local health departments extract data from information systems (69.5%) and use and interpret quantitative (66.4%) and qualitative (55.1%) data. Almost half use geographic information systems (45.0%) or statistical or other analytical software (39.7%). Local health departments were less likely to perform project management (35.8%), business process analysis and redesign (24.0%), and developing requirements for informatics system development (19.7%). Local health departments were most likely to maintain or modify content of a Web site (72.1%). A third of local health departments (35.8%) reported acting as “super users” for their information systems. A significantly higher proportion of local health departments serving larger jurisdictions (500 000+) and those with shared governance reported conducting informatics activities.

Conclusion:

Most local health department informatics activities are completed by local health department staff within each department or a central department, but many state health departments also contribute to informatics at the local level. Larger local health departments and those with shared governance were more likely to perform informatics activities. Local health departments need effective leadership, a skilled workforce, strong partnerships, and policies that foster implementation of health information systems to successfully engage in informatics. Local health departments also face important training needs, including data analytics, project management, and geographical information systems, so they can adapt to the increasing availability of electronic data and changes in technology.
The Effect of Warm Water Intake on Bowel Movements in the Early Postoperative Stage of Patients Having Undergone Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Authors: Çalişkan Nefise , Bulut Hülya , Konan Ali
Published: September 2016

This study was aimed at determining the effect of oral administration of warm water during the postoperative initial stage on the time of first flatus in patients who had undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In the literature, it is emphasized that warm water has favorable effects on intestinal movements such as “reliving gastrointestinal spasms and helping peristalsis return.” This randomized controlled trial and experimental study was conducted in a university hospital between May and December 2011. In the study sample, we included a total of 60 patients; 30 were in the experimental group (drank warm water), while the other 30 composed the control group. Patients were randomized through a simple random sampling method. The experimental group was provided with 200 ml of warm water at 98.6°F (37°C) in the fourth postoperative hour and were made to drink it within 15 minutes. Patients received no oral intake other than warm water until the eighth postoperative hour. The oral feeding of both groups started in the eighth postoperative hour with fluids and soft food. They shifted to the normal diet as tolerated. In the analysis of the data and percentage numbers, chi-square test and Fisher's exact test, Student's t test, Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis variance, and correlation analysis were used. The results of the data were considered reliable and statistically significant when they were in the reliability interval of 95% and p < .05. No significant differences were found between the patients in the experimental and control groups in terms of demographic features, bowel habits, surgery durations, postoperative applications, nausea/vomiting conditions, and initial mobilization times (p > .05). Groups were homogeneously distributed. Flatus expulsion in the experimental group was 11 ± 4.2 hours and was determined to be 18.6 ± 6 hours for patients in the control group (p < .05); in contrast, no significant difference was detected in terms of the times of stool defecation (p > .05). It was determined that warm water intake in the fourth postoperative hour significantly decreased the first flatus expulsion period and had a favorable impact on intestinal movements.
Variant Set Enrichment: An R package to Identify Dis-ease-Associated Functional Genomic Regions
Authors: Ahmed Musaddeque , Sallari Richard C. , Guo Haiyang , Moore Jason H. , He Housheng Hansen , Lupien Mathieu
Published: September 2016

Genetic predispositions to diseases populate the noncoding regions of the human genome. Delineating their functional basis can inform on the mechanisms contributing to disease development. However, this remains a challenge due to the poor characterization of the noncoding genome. Variant Set Enrichment (VSE) is a fast method to calculate the enrichment of a set of disease-associated variants across functionally annotated genomic regions, consequently highlighting the mechanisms important in the etiology of the disease studied.

Availability and Implementation

VSE is implemented as an R package and can easily be implemented in any system with R. See supplementary information for details.

Contact

hansenhe@uhnresearch.ca;mlupien@uhnresearch.ca