bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cultural Authentication of Hawaiian Quilting in the Early 19th Century
Authors: Arthur Linda
Published: March 2011

Hawaiian quilting is a form of material culture that developed through the interaction of Polynesian and American design traditions as westernization occurred in Hawaii in the early nineteenth century. Based on eight years of research, this paper presents the early design evolution of Hawaiian quilting and examines the usefulness of the cultural authentication model (Eicher and Erekosima, 1980) for an examination of the cultural diffusion of textiles. While this concept proposed that four stages (selection, characterization, incorporation and transition) would occur in a fixed order, in the Hawaiian case the stages occurred in a different order. This study provides support for the idea that the order of stages is not a critical part of the concept, as has been suggested in some earlier studies focused on assimilation in dress. When an indigenous culture adopts and incorporates a western item, it is culturally authentic by virtue of its cultural embeddedness.
A Metasynthesis of the Self-Management of Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Gomersall Timothy , Madill Anna , Summers Lucinda K. M.
Published: March 2011

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronically elevated blood glucose and high risk of comorbidities. In this article we report a metasynthesis of the 21st-Century qualitative research concerning the self-management of type 2 diabetes. We identified 38 relevant articles (sample size range 6 to 175), which were synthesized through a process of iterative reading and theory development. In this literature, authors argued and assumed that diabetes management is influenced by multiple, complex, competing factors, including interpersonal relations, gender, and sociocultural context. Conversely, self-management was sometimes construed as a facet of individual agency and was accepted uncritically, placing accountability for health with patients themselves. We conclude that a satisfactory account of diabetes care would pay attention to the “inner” world, while acknowledging the social and political conditions in which diabetes-related experiences unfold.
Patient Preferences for Clinician Interactional Style in Treatment of Perinatal Depression
Authors: Henshaw Erin J. , Flynn Heather A. , Himle Joseph A. , O'Mahen Heather A. , Forman Jane , Fedock Gina
Published: March 2011

Most women with depression around the time of childbearing are not treated adequately, or at all. Clinical practice guidelines focus primarily on provision of information rather than on interaction factors. In this study, we explored clinician interactional style characteristics contributing to patient response to perinatal depression referral and treatment. Stratified purposeful sampling resulted in 23 participants selected by pregnancy, socioeconomic, and depression status. Participants completed semistructured interviews exploring their experiences with and preferences for clinician interactional style characteristics in the context of obstetrics-setting referral and delivery of depression treatment. Thematic analysis revealed a central theme related to interactional cues that influence women’s reactions to clinical encounters, summarized by the question, “Can this person help me?” Women evaluated this question in four domains: feeling heard, developing trust in the clinician, perceiving technical competence in the clinician, and feeling that the intervention focus is effectively chosen and communicated. Our results imply that, in addition to informational factors, the way in which clinicians interact with patients about depression might strongly influence patient responses.
A Legendre collocation method for fractional integro-differential equations
Authors: Saadatmandi Abbas , Dehghan Mehdi
Published: March 2011

A numerical method for solving the linear and non-linear fractional integro-differential equations of Volterra type is presented. The fractional derivative is described in the Caputo sense. The method is based upon Legendre approximations. The properties of Legendre polynomials together with the Gaussian integration method are utilized to reduce the fractional integro-differential equations to the solution of algebraic equations. Illustrative examples are included to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the presented technique and a comparison is made with existing results.
Stroke Prevention by Recognizing Risk Factors and Warning Signs and Symptoms
Authors: Alpert Patricia T.
Published: March 2011

Annually more than 700,000 individuals suffer a first time stroke. As the population ages there will be a major rise in the number of stroke events in the next few decades. Additionally, there are many more young adults who also suffer from strokes. While there are genetic and ethnic risk factors that are non-modifiable, there are health measures individuals can observe/practice to prevent strokes. Individuals who have already experienced a trans ischemic attack (TIA) should view this as a warning of a potential impending stroke event and begin to modify life style behaviors to be more in line with preventive health recommendations.
OASIS Update
Authors: Niewenhous Susan S.
Published: March 2011

The newest publication of the CMS Q&As includes questions and answers many home care providers many never have thought about. Some are very “original” and demonstrate the clinicians’ quest for accuracy. Clarification of issues regarding dyspnea and UTIs are particularly pertinent as well as the question on resolving medication issues with a call to the physician. This article is a brief synopsis of the most recent concerns CMS published in the first quarter of 2011.
Electoral and party system effects on ruling party durability
Authors: Nishikawa Misa
Published: March 2011

Political scientists have not paid sufficient attention to the driving forces of ruling party stability, although other areas of political stability, such as democratic stability, leadership stability and cabinet stability have been studied extensively. This research fills a significant gap. It focuses on electoral rules and political party systems to explain ruling party durability. It demonstrates the following: (1) ruling parties’ hazard rates under the first-past-the-post systems are initially lower than those under proportional representation rules, but this tendency reverses over time, and (2) ruling parties’ hazard rates under two-party systems are initially lower than those under multiparty systems, but this too reverses.
Strategic voting in proportional representation systems
Authors: Lago Ignacio
Published: March 2011

Relying on data from a natural experiment in Spain, I produce an unbiased estimate of the extent to which strategic voting occurs in multi-member districts. I show that voters have fully adapted to the different incentives provided by distinctive electoral systems in Spain since the first election and also that they behave strategically only when the opportunity to do so is present. That is, contamination effects do not seem to exist when voting strategically.
Comparing the views of superdelegates and Democratic voters in the 2008 Democratic nomination campaign
Authors: Fridkin Kim , Kenney Patrick , Gershon Sarah
Published: March 2011

The struggle for the power to nominate candidates for office between party elites and rank-and-file partisans surfaced in the late 1700s. The battle endures today and superdelegates in the Democratic Party represent the contemporary political elites in the nomination process. Indeed, superdelegates played a decisive role in determining the outcome of the 2008 Democratic nomination campaign. In this paper, we examine the attitudes and decisions of superdelegates towards the candidates and their own role in the nomination process. We also examine the attitudes of rank-and-file Democrats towards the delegates and the nomination process. To study these two groups, we rely on survey data collected immediately following the 2008 primary season. Results from the surveys indicate that voters and superdelegates differ greatly in their perceptions of superdelegates, their roles and decisions, as well as the legitimacy of the nomination process in the Democratic Party. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings.
Personalization of national election campaigns
Authors: Kriesi Hanspeter
Published: March 2011

The empirical evidence concerning the ‘personalization of politics' thesis is, at best, mixed. The analysis of a new data-set on the media coverage of national elections in six Western European countries serves to reinforce this overall rather sceptical conclusion. The analysis shows that, in the national elections in the six countries covered (Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom [UK]), there is no general trend to increasing personalization or increasing concentration of the media coverage on a limited set of particularly visible personalities. Among the six countries, the exception to this overall assessment is the Netherlands, where we find both a trend towards increasing personalization and increasing concentration of the public attention on a limited set of personalities. Rather than an increasing level of personalization, what we generally observe are large country-specific differences in the overall degree of personalization and of the concentration of attention on the top candidates.
The experiences of parents in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
Authors: Bailie Chantal , Kuyken Willem , Sonnenberg Stefanie
Published: March 2011

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a relatively new intervention that has been developed to help people with recurrent depression stay well in the long term. Although there is evidence that depression impacts negatively on parenting, little is known regarding MBCT’s potential impact on parenting. This study used a qualitative design to explore how parents with a history of recurrent depression experience their relationships with their children one year after MBCT. We interviewed 16 parents who had participated in MBCT as part of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) ( Kuyken et al., 2008 ). Thematic analysis was used to identify prevalent themes in parents’ accounts, including: (i) emotional reactivity and regulation; (ii) empathy and acceptance; (iii) involvement; (iv) emotional availability and comfort; and (v) recognition of own needs. Based on these exploratory findings, we suggest that some components of MBCT may help parents with a history of depression with emotional availability, emotion regulation and self-care and set out avenues of further research.
An investigation of constructions of justice and injustice in chronic pain: A Q-methodology approach
Authors: McParland Joanna , Hezseltine Louisa , Serpell Michael , Eccleston Christopher , Stenner Paul
Published: March 2011

This study used Q-methodology to explore justice-related accounts of chronic pain. Eighty participants completed the Q-sorting procedure (33 chronic pain sufferers and 47 non-pain sufferers). Analysis revealed five main factors. Three factors blame: society for poor medical and interpersonal treatment; the chronic pain sufferer for indulging in self-pity and unempathic healthcare workers for ignoring patients. A fourth factor acknowledges the unfairness of pain and encourages self-reliance. The fifth factor rejects injustice in the chronic pain discourse. Overall, there is a shared view that chronic pain brings unfair treatment, disrespect and a de-legitimization of pain. Future research ideas are suggested.
Effects of gender, age, and diabetes duration on dietary self-care in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: A Self-Determination Theory perspective
Authors: Austin Stéphanie , Senécal Caroline , Guay Frédéric , Nouwen Arie
Published: March 2011

This study tests a model derived from Self-Determination Theory (SDT) (Deci and Ryan, 2000) to explain the mechanisms by which non-modifiable factors influence dietary self-care in adolescents with type 1 diabetes ( n = 289). SEM analyses adjusted for HbA1c levels revealed that longer diabetes duration and female gender were indicative of poorer dietary self-care. This effect was mediated by contextual and motivational factors as posited by SDT. Poorer autonomy support from practitioners was predominant in girls with longer diabetes duration. Perceived autonomous motivation and self-efficacy were indicative of greater autonomy support, and led to better dietary self-care.
Partial occlusion depiction and its relationship with field independence in children with ASD
Authors: Hodgson Eleanor S. , Mcgonigle-Chalmers Margaret
Published: March 2011

We report a study of the depiction of partial occlusion and its relationship with field independence (FI) in children with ASD. Nineteen ASD children and 29 TD children (5;6—10;0) attempted to copy two 3D occluded scenes, and also selected the ‘best’ depiction of these scenes in drawings by others. ASD children were not significantly different from controls on FI but were significantly delayed in partial occlusion drawing and selection, independently of chronological age (CA), nonverbal mental age (NVMA) and FI. The results suggest that the depiction of partial occlusion in children with ASD is not qualitatively distinct from that in children with typical development but is significantly and specifically delayed.
Social vulnerability and bullying in children with Asperger syndrome
Authors: Sofronoff Kate , Dark Elizabeth , Stone Valerie
Published: March 2011

Children with Asperger syndrome (AS) have IQ within the normal range but specific impairments in theory of mind, social interaction and communication skills. The majority receive education in mainstream schools and research suggests they are bullied more than typically developing peers. The current study aimed to evaluate factors that predict bullying for such children and also to examine a new measure, the Social Vulnerability Scale (SVS). One hundred and thirty three parents of children with AS completed the SVS and of these 92 parents completed both the SVS and questionnaires measuring anxiety, anger, behaviour problems, social skills and bullying. Regression analyses revealed that these variables together strongly predicted bullying, but that social vulnerability was the strongest predictor. Test—re-test and internal consistency analyses of the SVS demonstrated sound psychometric properties and factor analyses revealed two sub-scales: gullibility and credulity. Limitations of the study are acknowledged and suggestions for future research discussed.
Exploratory investigation of the effects of interest-based learning on the development of young children with autism
Authors: Dunst Carl J. , Trivette Carol M. , Masiello Tracy
Published: March 2011

The influences of child participation in interest-based learning activities on the development of 17 preschoolers with autism was the focus of this brief report. The children’s mothers identified their children’s interests and the everyday family and community activities that provided opportunities for interest-based learning. Parents then implemented intervention procedures for 14 to 16 weeks to increase child participation in the selected activities. Based on an investigator-administered interestingness scale, the children were divided into high and low interest-based learning groups. The children’s language, cognitive, social, and motor development quotients obtained at the beginning, the middle, and the end of the intervention were the dependent measures. Results showed that the high interest-based group made considerably more developmental progress compared to the low interest-based group. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
The everyday routines of families of children with autism
Authors: Schaaf Roseann C. , Toth-Cohen Susan , Johnson Stephanie L. , Outten Gina , Benevides Teal W.
Published: March 2011

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of how sensory-related behaviors of children with autism affected family routines. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with four primary caregivers regarding the meaning and impact of their child’s sensory-related behaviors on family routines that occurred inside and outside the home. Findings indicated that sensory behaviors are one factor that limited family participation in work, family and leisure activities; and that parents employed specific strategies to manage individual and family routines in light of the child’s sensory-related behaviors. This information has important implications for professionals who work with families of children with autism to decrease caregiver stress and to increase life satisfaction for the child and family.
Hospitalisation of people with obesity in Poland in years 1985-2007
Authors: Gajewska Malgorzata , Gorynski Pawel , Wysocki Miroslaw J.
Published: March 2011

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse hospitalisation trends of obese people in Poland in the period of 1985—2007. Methods: The data comes from a nationwide database created in 1979 in the framework of General Hospital Morbidity Study by the Centre for Monitoring and Analyses of Population Health in The National Institute of Public Health — National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw. The analysis took into account age, gender, and place of residence (urban/rural) of hospitalised persons. For this analysis hospitalisation rates have been used (number of people hospitalised due to obesity during the year per unit of analysed population). Results: Analysis has shown a systematic increase in the number of people hospitalised due to obesity. The majority of all admitted patients were women of whom those between the ages of 10—19 were treated most frequently. Because of obesity urban inhabitants were more often hospitalised than those coming from rural areas. In the analysed period of 23 years the hospitalisation span has been reduced by about 50%; it may be due to the trend of shortening treatment time, as well as to high costs of treating obese patients. Conclusions: Systematic increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Polish population reflects a problem growing for decades, manifested in the increase in the number of people hospitalised due to obesity.
Texting and African language literacy
Authors: Vold Lexander Kristin
Published: March 2011

Mobile communication has become an important part of everyday life in Senegal, and text messages have turned out to be highly multilingual. So far Senegalese language policy has supported the use of the official language, French, in education and in writing in general, while the majority language, Wolof, has dominated the oral sphere. As SMS texts tend to include use of Wolof and other African languages as well as French, the question is whether texting will pave the way for African language literacy practices. The aim of this article is to study texting’s potential impact on the status of African languages as written languages through the investigation of SMS messages written and received by fifteen students from Dakar. Ethnographic tools have been used to collect text messages in Wolof, Fulfulde and French, as well as English, Spanish and Arabic, and also data on the context of communication and on the writers’ and receivers’ interpretations of the use of different languages. The analysis shows that African languages are given different roles and values in texting, being used in monolingual messages, in functional codeswitching and in mixed code messages.
The dimensionality and nature of conflict in European Union politics: On the characteristics of intergovernmental decision-making
Authors: Veen Tim
Published: March 2011

This article analyses the dimensionality and nature of political conflict in the European Union Council of Ministers between 1998 and 2007. By comparing policy platforms of member state governments, multidimensional scaling techniques are employed to make inferences about the dimensionality of the Council’s political space. The dimensions are interpreted performing 1250 multiple regression analyses. The results largely corroborate the assumption that cleavages are structured along geographically defined clusters of states. After Eastern enlargement (2004), a North—South divide was replaced by an East—West cleavage. The analysis moreover suggests that there are two stable conflict dimensions within the Council’s political space. The first is an integration dimension that represents the support for deepening European Union integration and the transfer of sovereignty to a supranational level. The second is a ‘policy’ dimension, manifested predominantly in disputes over redistributive policies.
Beginning again: The impact of international adoption on the English language development of a preschooler
Authors: Greenfield Renée
Published: March 2011

This case study investigates the English language development of a female preschooler who was adopted from China at age three years seven months and was four years 11 months at the time of assessment. Her language in a variety of contexts and her development with regard to typical monolingual preschoolers is discussed. Language samples, surveys, observations, interviews, formal assessments, and a storytelling experience are used to document her language development. Descriptive results for phonology, semantax, morphology, and pragmatics are reported. Factors affecting her English language development — external and individual — are explored. Findings suggest this case study fits the unique criteria of a ‘second first language’ learner. Specific characteristics of this type of bilingual learner are explored, as well as recommendations for practitioners and families.
Counting the uncounted: African American students in Reading Recovery
Authors: Compton-Lilly Catherine
Published: March 2011

This article examines Reading Recovery as a microcosm for issues related to race and access. Tenets of critical race theory are presented to explore how racial biases are systemic in our ways of being, teaching, and conducting research. Specifically, I present data for African American children involved in Reading Recovery in one Midwestern American city and explore contextual factors and policies related to both Reading Recovery and the sociopolitical context in which children live that affect their ability to benefit from the program. The article ends with a set of conclusions related to how well African American children are served by Reading Recovery.
Mindbrain and play-literacy connections
Authors: Roskos Kathleen A. , Christie James F.
Published: March 2011

Research on the relationship between play and early literacy flourished in the 1990s but slowed to a trickle at the start of the new millennium. As we see it, play—literacy research is stuck in a theoretical and methodological rut. Two promising conceptual frameworks — connectionist and dynamic systems theories — can supply the thrust needed to get this important area of research moving forward again. We give examples of how Fischer’s dynamic skill theory provides analytic tools for examining data on play and literacy, including partially ordered scaling of items (POSI), dynamic modeling, and dynamic assessment. These new tools and theoretical lenses have the potential to answer the essential question: Does play make a difference in early literacy development?
Social and emotional components of book reading between caregivers and their toddlers in a high-risk sample
Authors: Riedl Cross Jennifer , Fletcher Kathryn L. , Speirs Neumeister Kristie L.
Published: March 2011

In this collective case study of caregiver behaviors with their toddlers, two-minute videotaped reading interactions were analyzed using a constant comparative method. Twenty-four caregiver—toddler dyads from a high-risk sample of children prenatally exposed to cocaine were selected from a larger sample because they represented the extremes of expressive language scores on the Reynell Expressive Language Quotient at 36 months, one year after the reading interactions. Caregivers in the high-scoring group shared control of the book and discourse, were ‘in tune’ with the child’s needs and abilities, and answered their own questions to the children. This was in contrast to the behaviors of caregivers of the low-scoring children, who appeared unaware of the child’s developmental needs in the interaction, particularly in their ability to respond to the questions posed. Implications of the results for future research on caregiver reading with young children are discussed.
Fatigue in COPD: Prevalence and effect on outcomes in pulmonary rehabilitation
Authors: Baltzan Marcel A , Scott Adrienne S , Wolkove Norman , Bailes Sally , Bernard Sarah , Bourbeau Jean , Maltais François , Canadian COPD Pulmonary Rehabilitation Research Group
Published: March 2011

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complain of dyspnea and fatigue. We sought to estimate the prevalence of high fatigue in this population and to determine whether individuals with high fatigue had a different response to pulmonary rehabilitation. This observational study was embedded within a randomized trial. Participants underwent 3 months of pulmonary rehabilitation including education and exercise training. We divided 251 individuals into low and high fatigue groups using population normal scores of the SF-36 vitality domain. Baseline data included spirometry, 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), peak exercise capacity, constant workrate cycling endurance time, and questionnaires including the St. George’s and Chronic Respiratory questionnaires (SGRQ, CRQ). The response to pulmonary rehabilitation was evaluated using changes in these measures at 3 months and 1 year after entry. High fatigue was present in 97/251 (39%) of patients. High fatigue patients were younger, had more depressive symptoms, greater dyspnea and poorer SGRQ scores (p < 0.01). They also had lower 6MWD, endurance times, and peak volume of oxygen consumption (VO2; p < 0.05). Patients in both groups improved similarly in their dyspnea, the 6MWD and endurance time. High-fatigue patients had greater improvements in both the CRQ fatigue (by 0.74 more points) and the SGRQ scores (by 6.0 points; p < 0.01), with clinically significant gains maintained at 1 year. This study suggests that high levels of fatigue is a common feature in patients with COPD. They have a lower exercise capacity and a lower health status. However, they benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation.
Folic Acid: Beyond Metabolism
Authors: Lucock Mark
Published: March 2011

Mandatory and discretionary fortification with folic acid is eliminating deficiency of this vitamin. Blood levels of the vitamin have never been higher, with hematologic folate values commonly exceeding the upper range of calibration. The synthetic analog (pteroylmonoglutamic acid) prevents neural tube defects and lowers homocysteine, both positive attributes, yet negative correlates of pteroylmonoglutamic acid are increasingly reported. These involve increased risk for common cancers (ie, colon, breast, prostate) and antimetabolite effects on natural killer cells and at dihydrofolate reductase, a critical gatekeeper enzyme. This review, however, takes a different, human ecological perspective, examining novel folate-related phenomena distinct from the classic metabolic role of the vitamin in maintaining health and well-being. An argument is developed that at molecular, cellular, and organism levels, folate is crucial to some important events that link light to life.
Mythology of Antioxidant Vitamins?
Authors: Howes Randolph M.
Published: March 2011

Decades of overly exuberant antioxidant vitamin claims, regarding disease prevention and antiaging, have not been supported by rigorous scientific testing and negative studies have been largely denied or ignored by the dietary supplement industry. Myths, half truths, and outright lies are commonly used to promote their sales since there is minimal governmental oversight of their effectiveness or of their harmful potential. The free radical theory, which served as the basis of antioxidant vitamin studies to prevent disease, lacks predictability, fails to meet the requirements of the scientific method, and has consequently been invalidated. Antioxidant vitamins have such widespread use that their potential to do harm has become a global public health issue. We must follow the fundamental medical precept of Hippocrates: ‘‘First, do no harm.’’ We must separate fact from factitious and ‘‘myths of marketing’’ from scientific truths.
Efficacy and Tolerability of Antidepressants in the Treatment of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia, A Literature Review of Evidence
Authors: Henry Genevieve , Williamson Deena , Tampi Rajesh R.
Published: March 2011

The objective of this review is to summarize the current data on the use of antidepressants in the treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and to determine whether these medications can be recommended for routine clinical use. A literature search of six major databases (PubMed, Medline, PsychINFO, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane collaboration) trials, 8 using a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) compound and 3 using trazodone showed benefit in the treatment of BPSD. The antidepressant drug was well tolerated in at least 14 of the 19 trials with information about tolerability in one trial not provided in the study (paroxetine or placebo for FTD). This review indicates that antidepressants can be an effective in the treatment of BPSD and are generally well tolerated in elderly demented patients.
Guiding Research and Practice: A Conceptual Model for Aerobic Exercise Training in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Fang Yu
Published: March 2011

Alzheimer’s disease is a global, epidemic problem affecting mainly older adults with tremendous social and financial burdens. Older adults with Alzheimer’s disease showed reduced physical activity and cognitive changes that are probably amenable to aerobic exercise training. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model to guide future aerobic exercise research and practice by synthesizing the current state of the science on aerobic exercise training in older adults with AD. The literature review found 12 qualified studies that met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in this review and revealed six constructs (aerobic exercise training, physical fitness, physical performance, activities of daily living limitations, cognition, and psychological and behavioral symptoms), which composed the Functional Impact of aerobic exercise Training in Alzheimer’s disease (FIT-AD) model. The state of science on each construct in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease is reviewed and summarized. The emerging evidence suggests that aerobic exercise training might positively impacts all five other constructs. The implications of the FIT-AD model for future research and practice are discussed highlighted
Comparing Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid to Cytology in Detection of Precancerous Lesions of the Cervix in HIV-Infected Cambodian Women
Authors: Lim Kruy , Davidson AuTumn , Harwell Joseph , Thay Sovannara , Boardman Lori A. , Feller Edward , Cu-Uvin Susan
Published: March 2011

Purpose: To compare Papanicolaou (Pap) smear readings to visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) findings among HIV-infected women in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Methods: A total of 304 HIV-infected women presenting to the women’s clinic at the Community Resource Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, were screened for cervical cancer by both Pap smear and VIA. The results of the 2 tests were compared. Results: Complete data were available on 293 women. In all, 55 (19%) women screened positive on VIA; 25 (8.5%) women screened positive by Pap. Visual inspection with acetic acid detected 18 of the 25 patients with abnormal cytology and was normal in 7 women with abnormal cytology. A total of 37 (67%) women with positive VIA were negative by cytology. Conclusions: Our study shows a reasonable correlation between VIA and Pap smear, with VIA detecting more abnormalities than cytology. In the absence of Pap smear availability, VIA may be a reasonable cervical cancer screening method for HIV-infected women in Cambodia.
Infant Feeding Options, Other Nonchemoprophylactic Factors, and Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Zambia
Authors: Torpey Kwasi , Kabaso Mushota , Weaver Mark A. , Kasonde Prisca , Mukonka Victor , Bweupe Maximillian , Mukundu Jonathan , Mandala Justin
Published: March 2011

Background: The role of antiretroviral drugs in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV is well known. The objective of this study is to explore how nonchemoprophylactic factors, including infant feeding practices, mother’s HIV status disclosure, mode and place of delivery, infant gender, and maternal age, are related to MTCT. Methods: The study analyzed program data of DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results from dried blood spot samples and selected client information from perinatally exposed infants aged 0 to 12 months. Results: A total of 8237 samples were analyzed. In all, 84% of the mothers ever breast-fed their children. In instances where both mother and baby received intervention, the transmission rates of HIV were higher among those who are still breast-feeding after 6 to 12 months. Disclosure, location, and mode of delivery did not have an effect on the transmission rates of HIV when both mother and baby received prophylaxis. Conclusion: Nonchemoprophylaxis factors, especially breast-feeding, play a key role in perinatal transmission of HIV.
Varicella Zoster Vasculopathy
Authors: Mareedu Jyotsna , Hanumaiah Raghu Gowda , Hale Elizabeth , Habte-Gabr Eyassu
Published: March 2011

Varicella-zoster virus can cause neurological disease in primary and reactivated latent forms, with a wide spectrum of disorders throughout a person’s lifetime. 35-year-old male with AIDS; histoplasmosis; mild, intermittent asthma; and hypertension presented to hospital with left-sided weakness and slurred speech. Exam showed left hemiparesis with left upper motor neurons facial palsy and dysarthria. Acute right basal ganglia infarct was detected in head CT without contrast. A subsequent MRI showed acute non-hemorrhagic infarct, right basal ganglia; fusiform dilatation, and proximal right middle cerebral artery. A CT angiogram of the bilateral carotid arteries revealed occlusion of the right anterior cerebral artery with conical dilatation at the origin; significant stenosis, and dilatation of the right middle cerebral artery. These findings were consistent with vasculitis. Patient was successfully treated with IV acyclovir. Rapid diagnosis of VZV vasculopathy is important because it is a treatable cause of stroke. Mortality rate is 25% without treatment.
Focus on Youth in the Caribbean
Authors: Deveaux Lynette , Lunn Sonja , Bain Rosa Mae , Gomez Perry , Kelly Tanya , Brathwaite Nanika , Russell-Rolle Glenda , Li Xiaoming , Stanton Bonita
Published: March 2011

In the 1990s, an interdisciplinary group including pediatricians, anthropologists, health educators, psychologists, and statisticians developed and evaluated an HIV prevention intervention targeting early adolescents living in public housing developments in the USA. The intervention, “Focus on Kids,” (FOK) was effective in reducing risk behaviors, intentions, and perceptions and ultimately was included in the Center for Disease Control's portfolio of effective adolescent programs, “Programs that Work.” Learning about FOK and concerned about the need for a structured program to address high rates of teen pregnancy and risk for HIV, professionals from the Ministries of Health of The Bahamas approached the researchers about collaborating to develop a program for Bahamian youth. A partnership developed which has spanned over a decade and led to the development of an intervention program targeting Bahamian children in grade six, a 10-session adolescent HIV prevention program entitled “Focus on Youth in the Caribbean” (FOYC). Two programs including a video and parent discussion were developed for their parents. Caribbean Informed Parents and Children Together (CImPACT) emphasizes the importance of parent-child communication about sexuality and “Goal for It” (GFI) emphasizes the importance of planning ahead. The US-Bahamian team evaluated these interventions through a randomized, controlled 3-celled longitudinal trial (36 months follow-up) involving 15 elementary schools in The Bahamas. The programs have been shown to be effective. This article describes the context in which the epidemic occurred, events leading up to the collaboration and the issues, decisions, processes, and relationships that we have developed that have allowed it to succeed.
Arousal-Biased Competition in Perception and Memory
Authors: Mather Mara , Sutherland Matthew R.
Published: March 2011

Our everyday surroundings besiege us with information. The battle is for a share of our limited attention and memory, with the brain selecting the winners and discarding the losers. Previous research shows that both bottom–up and top–down factors bias competition in favor of high priority stimuli. We propose that arousal during an event increases this bias both in perception and in long-term memory of the event. Arousal-biased competition theory provides specific predictions about when arousal will enhance memory for events and when it will impair it, which accounts for some puzzling contradictions in the emotional memory literature.
Dopamine and the Neural “Now”
Authors: Lewis Marc D.
Published: March 2011

Rather than view addiction as a disease, Heyman sees it as a choice—one that works like other choices, whereby immediate rewards outshine long-term gains. He rejects neuroscientific explanations of addictive behavior, because he believes they cast it as involuntary or disease-like. I argue that the disease-versus-choice debate creates a false dichotomy: Neuroscience does not have to frame addiction as a disease. Rather, it can help explain how addicts make impulsive choices in the moment and distort appraisal and decision-making habits in the long run. Specifically, the salience of drug-related cues is enhanced by dopamine activity in the ventral striatum, orbitofrontal cortex, and amygdala, due to the intense hedonic impact of repeated drug experiences. Moreover, dopamine-based craving peaks when drug (or alcohol or gambling) rewards become available, in the moment, and this rapid increase in attractiveness preempts rational judgment. Finally, repeated dopamine enhancement modifies brain structures to maximize the appeal of addictive activities, minimize the appeal of competing rewards, and undermine the cognitive capacities necessary to choose between them. I conclude that addiction is not a monolithic state but a recurrent series of choices that permit negotiation, and sometimes cooperation, between immediate and long-range goals.
Can Sex Differences in Science Be Tied to the Long Reach of Prenatal Hormones? Brain Organization Theory, Digit Ratio (2D/4D), and Sex Differences in Preferences and Cognition
Authors: Valla Jeffrey M. , Ceci Stephen J.
Published: March 2011

Brain organization theory posits a cascade of physiological and behavioral changes initiated and shaped by prenatal hormones. Recently, this theory has been associated with outcomes including gendered toy preference, 2D/4D digit ratio, personality characteristics, sexual orientation, and cognitive profile (spatial, verbal, and mathematical abilities). We examine the evidence for this claim, focusing on 2D/4D and its putative role as a biomarker for organizational features that influence cognitive abilities/interests predisposing males toward mathematically and spatially intensive careers. Although massive support exists for early brain organization theory overall, there are myriad inconsistencies, alternative explanations, and outright contradictions that must be addressed while still taking the entire theory into account. Like a fractal within the larger theory, the 2D/4D hypothesis mirrors this overall support on a smaller scale while likewise suffering from inconsistencies (positive, negative, and sex-dependent correlations), alternative explanations (2D/4D related to spatial preferences rather than abilities per se), and contradictions (feminine 2D/4D in men associated with higher spatial ability). Using the debate over brain organization theory as the theoretical stage, we focus on 2D/4D evidence as an increasingly important player on this stage, a demonstrative case in point of the evidential complexities of the broader debate, and an increasingly important topic in its own right.
Voodoo Correlations Are Everywhere—Not Only in Neuroscience
Authors: Fiedler Klaus
Published: March 2011

A recent set of articles in Perspectives on Psychological Science discussed inflated correlations between brain measures and behavioral criteria when measurement points (voxels) are deliberately selected to maximize criterion correlations (the target article was Vul, Harris, Winkielman, & Pashler, 2009). However, closer inspection reveals that this problem is only a special symptom of a broader methodological problem that characterizes all paradigmatic research, not just neuroscience. Researchers not only select voxels to inflate effect size, they also select stimuli, task settings, favorable boundary conditions, dependent variables and independent variables, treatment levels, moderators, mediators, and multiple parameter settings in such a way that empirical phenomena become maximally visible and stable. In general, paradigms can be understood as conventional setups for producing idealized, inflated effects. Although the feasibility of representative designs is restricted, a viable remedy lies in a reorientation of paradigmatic research from the visibility of strong effect sizes to genuine validity and scientific scrutiny.
Why the Cognitive Approach in Psychology Would Profit From a Functional Approach and Vice Versa
Authors: Houwer Jan De
Published: March 2011

Cognitively oriented psychologists often define behavioral effects in terms of mental constructs (e.g., classical conditioning as a change in behavior that is due to the formation of associations in memory) and thus effectively treat those effects as proxies for mental constructs. This practice can, however, hamper scientific progress. I argue that if psychologists would consistently define behavioral effects only in terms of the causal impact of elements in the environment (e.g., classical conditioning as a change in behavior that is due to the pairing of stimuli), they would adopt a functional approach that not only reveals the environmental causes of behavior but also optimizes cognitive research. The cognitive approach in turn strengthens the functional approach by facilitating the discovery of new causal relations between the environment and behavior. I thus propose a functional–cognitive framework for research in psychology that capitalizes on the mutually supportive nature of the functional and cognitive approaches in psychology.
Much Pain, Little Gain? Paradigm-Specific Models and Methods in Experimental Psychology
Authors: Meiser Thorsten
Published: March 2011

Paradigm-oriented research strategies in experimental psychology have strengths and limitations. On the one hand, experimental paradigms play a crucial epistemic and heuristic role in basic psychological research. On the other hand, empirical research is often limited to the observed effects in a certain paradigm, and theoretical models are frequently tied to the particular features of the given paradigm. A paradigm-driven research strategy therefore jeopardizes the pursuit of research questions and theoretical models that go beyond a specific paradigm. As one example of a more integrative approach, recent research on illusory and spurious correlations has attempted to overcome the limitations of paradigm-specific models in the context of biased contingency perception and social stereotyping. Last but not least, the use of statistical models for the analysis of elementary cognitive functions is a means toward a more integrative terminology and theoretical perspective across different experimental paradigms and research domains.
Spatial Metaphor and Real Estate
Authors: Meier Brian P. , Moller Arlen C. , Chen Julie J. , Riemer-Peltz Miles
Published: March 2011

Metaphors are used to help people understand abstract concepts in terms of perceptual experiences (e.g., “feeling high” or “feeling down”). A consequence of this strategy is that metaphor can bias perception and decision making. For example, consistent with metaphors for affect and spatial perception (up = good, down = bad), people more readily identify positive things when high in location. North and south are abstract concepts, which are also tied by metaphor to spatial perception (north = up, south = down). Based on this, the authors hypothesized that, by virtue of a shared mapping with up and down, north and south may have affective associations (north = good, south = bad) that bias decisions related to housing in terms of location preference and expectations of where others live. The authors found convergent support for this hypothesis across four studies using correlational (Studies 1 and 2) and experimental (Studies 3 and 4) data.
Personal Values Before and After Migration
Authors: Lönnqvist Jan-Erik , Jasinskaja-Lahti Inga , Verkasalo Markku
Published: March 2011

We investigated the process of value change in a migration context. Specifically, in a longitudinal panel design with around 19 months between measurement points, 145 Ingrian–Finnish migrants from Russia to Finland completed the same measures of personal values both before and after migration. As expected, the importance of both Universalism and Security values increased after migration, whereas the importance of Power and Achievement values decreased. Although this pattern of value change was reliable at the level of the group, any two migrant’s value change profiles shared only 2% of their variance, suggesting divergent patterns of value change across migrants. At the level of the individual, the structure of value change was similar to the typical between-subjects structure of values.
Coenzyme Q10: Clinical Update and Bioavailability
Authors: Bank Ginny , Kagan Daniel , Madhavi Doddabele
Published: March 2011

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ 10) supplementation has been reported to be beneficial in treating a variety of health conditions and diseases, with more than 200 clinical trials investigating its use as a drug or dietary supplement. Numerous reviews of the safety and clinical potential of CoQ10 have been published. Successful treatment and efficacy is dependent on the bioavailability of CoQ 10, which is well known to be poor because of its lipophilic nature and large molecular weight. A number of recent clinical trials on CoQ 10 have investigated new formulations of CoQ10 for improvements in absorption and bioavailability. This review provides an update of clinical efficacy trials using CoQ10 and describes recent advances in formulation technology to improve the bioavailability of CoQ10. The authors also discuss a new method to improve the standards of reporting the bioavailability results of such advanced CoQ10 formulations to help clinicians and consumers make informed decisions.
Clinical Meditation Teacher: A New Role for Health Professionals
Authors: Schaub Richard
Published: March 2011

The support for integrating meditation into health care and mental health has reached scientific and public acceptance. For the public to receive the benefits of the mind—body medicine of meditation, it is time for health professionals to step into the role of clinical meditation teachers. Clinical meditation refers to the ability to discern the right kinds of meditation for the right person at the right time. With the increased emphasis on preventative medicine and self-care skills to reduce health care costs, the timing is absolutely appropriate for health professionals to gain skills in this new role.