Childhood neglect and increased withdrawal and depressive severity in crack cocaine users during early abstinence

Studies have shown that environmental factors, such as exposure to childhood maltreatment, might shift the course of addiction. Little is known, however, about whether childhood physical neglect (PN) influences the severity of withdrawal and depressive symptoms during the detoxification period. This is a 3 weeks follow-up study. The participants were divided into 2 groups: those with a history of PN (PN+) (n = 32) and those without a history of PN (PN−) (n = 48). Clinical variables were assessed with the SCID-I, BDI-II, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Addiction Severity Index and Cocaine Selective Severity Assessment. Depressive symptom assessments were repeated at three time points. Withdrawal symptom assessments were repeated at five different points following detoxification. A repeated measures analysis of covariance indicated that the PN+ group exhibited a significantly lower reduction in the severity of withdrawal symptoms compared to the PN− group (p < 0.05). Post hoc analyses showed that after 12 days of treatment, the severity of withdrawal symptoms in the PN+ group did not decrease in the same level as was observed in the PN− group. Moreover, a strong correlation was found between the severity of depression and the intensity of the abstinence symptoms during treatment. Patients who reported more depressive symptoms also exhibited more severe withdrawal symptoms. The ASI-6 indicated higher severity problems related to alcohol and psychiatric disorders in the PN+ groups. Our data support the role of childhood PN in the contingencies of the detoxification process of crack cocaine-dependent women.     

Performance Indicator Maps: A Visual Tool for Understanding,Managing, and Continuously Improving Your Business Metrics

Organizations are complex systems that require managers and employees alike to understand the interdependencies between their performance accomplishments and those of others, as well as the specific means and actions that affect them. Performance indicator maps (PIMs) are graphical representations that illustrate the relationships among organizational performance indicators. When properly designed, performance indicator maps can increase the effectiveness of feedback generated by dashboards, trigger tangible improvement actions today, and allow us to get the results we want tomorrow.     

Academic discipline and risk perception of technologies: An empirical study

This article brings together two areas of research: studies on risk perception of technologies and studies on vocational/career choice. This is an important link since decisions concerning technologies are influenced by decision makers’ risk perceptions and these in turn may be related to educational and career paths.We analyze students of different academic disciplines with regard to their risk perception of four technologies. The aim is to find out whether there is a relationship between area of study (as a precursor of vocational and career choice) and risk perception of technologies regarding health, environment and society. The four technologies under study are renewable energies, genetic engineering, nanotechnology and information and communication technologies (ICT). Key results are: irrespective of academic discipline risk of genetic engineering on average is rated highest and renewable energies lowest. This holds for all the risks studied (environmental, health, societal risks). On average, students from different academic disciplines differ in their risk perception. Factor analyses show that common dimensions of risk are the technologies and not the kind of risk. Regression analyses show that the variables influencing perceived risks vary between the technological fields.     

Effects of short-term exercise training on tissue Doppler indices of left ventricular diastolic function in overweight and obese individuals

Abstract

Although exercise training is unable to improve obesity-associated decreases in left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, as assessed using chamber function measurements, the effects on LV diastolic myocardial function, as assessed using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), are uncertain. In 32 overweight (n = 11) or obese (n = 21), sedentary or recreationally active men and women (30–57 years), we assessed the effects of 6 weeks of exercise training either preceded (n = 16) or followed (n = 16) by a 6-week control period on TDI indices of LV diastolic function (e', e'/a' and E/e') (echocardiography). Diastolic function at baseline was comparable to that noted in overweight and obese participants from a community sample (n = 245), and 56% (n = 18) had e' values below the lower 95% CI of a lean and healthy cohort (n = 60) of the community sample. Exercise training increased peak oxygen consumption (27.4 ± 4.9 to 29.4 ± 5.8 mL · kg^–1 · min^–1, P = 0.0001), but had no effect on body mass index (P = 0.99). No changes in TDI indices of diastolic function were observed after exercise training in all the participants (e': P = 0.74, a': P = 0.98, e'/a': P = 0.85, E/e': P = 0.26), participants with abnormal e' values (n = 18)(e': P = 0.99, a': P = 0.96, e'/a': P = 0.91, E/e': P = 0.97) or obese participants (n = 21)(e': P = 0.67, a': P = 1.00, e'/a': P = 0.78, E/e': P = 0.11). In conclusion, exercise training, despite increasing cardiorespiratory fitness, is unable to improve obesity-associated decreases in LV diastolic myocardial function.     

Gain-Loss Framing Enhances Mnemonic Discrimination in Preschoolers

Episodic memory relies on discriminating among similar elements of episodes. Mnemonic discrimination is relatively poor at age 4, and then improves markedly. We investigated whether motivation to encode items with fine-grain resolution would change this picture of development, using an engaging computer-administered memory task in which a bird ate items that made her healthier (gain frame), sicker (loss frame), or led to no change (control condition). Using gain-loss framing led to enhanced mnemonic discrimination in 4- and 5-year-olds, but did not affect older children or adults. Despite this differential improvement, age-related differences persisted. An additional finding was that loss-framing led to greater mnemonic discrimination than gain-framing across age groups. Motivation only partially accounts for the improvement in mnemonic discrimination.     

Long-Term Usage of a Consortial PDA Collection: If They Choose It,Will We Use It?*

Abstract

This paper examines the materials acquired during a consortial PDA pilot; which of the books are still being used, by which institutions, whether the size of a participating institution or the subject of a book have impact on the continued use of the books, and if there is a relationship between the schools that triggered a PDA purchase and the schools that have gone on to use a given title. Findings suggest that models involving some library mediation may be more effective in meeting the various needs of participating institutions.     

A cross‐cultural comparison of anatomy learning: Learning styles and strategies

Cultural influences on anatomy teaching and learning have been investigated by application of a questionnaire to medical students in British and Chinese Medical Schools. Results from the responses from students of the two countries were analyzed. Both groups found it easier to understand anatomy in a clinical context, and in both countries, student learning was driven by assessment. Curriculum design differences may have contributed to the British view wherein students were less likely to feel time pressure and enjoyed studying anatomy more than their Chinese counterparts. Different teaching approaches resulted in British students being more likely to recite definitions to learn, and the Chinese students found learning from cross‐sectional images easy. Cultural differences may account for the observation that British students were more inclined to ask questions in class, and the preference of Chinese students to study in small groups. The findings give evidence to show how ‘cultures of learning’ influence students' approaches and indicate the importance of cultural influences as factors amongst international and home learner groups. Anat Sci Ed 2:49–60, 2009. © 2009 American Association of Anatomists.     

A rapid,inexpensive surface treatment for enhanced functionality of polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic channels

A rapid, inexpensive method using alkoxysilanes has been developed to selectively coat the interior of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic channels with an integral silicaceous layer. This method combines the rapid prototyping capabilities of PDMS with the desirable wetting and electroosmotic properties of glass. The procedure can be carried out on the open faces of PDMS blocks prior to enclosure of the channels, or by flowing the reagents through the preformed channels. Therefore, this methodology allows for high-throughput processing of entire microfluidic devices or selective modification of specific areas of a device. Modification of PDMS with tetraethoxysilane generated a stable surface layer, with enhanced wettability and a more stable electroosmotic flow rate than native PDMS. Modification of PDMS with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane generated a surface layer bearing amine functionalities allowing for further chemical derivatization of the PDMS surface.