Correlates of sexual abuse and smoking among French adults

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to examine the association between sexual abuse (SA) and initiation, cessation, and current cigarette smoking among a large representative adult population in France. METHOD: A random sample size of 12,256 adults (18-75 years of age) was interviewed by telephone concerning demographic variables, health practices and beliefs, and health status--for which SA and tobacco questions were included. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Nearly 46% of SA survivors were current smokers compared to 34% of non-abused persons (p<.001). Survivors of SA consumed more cigarettes per day than non-abused individuals (14.5 vs. 12.4, p<.01). Survival analysis showed an increased risk of smoking initiation for respondents abused before 18 (adjusted relative hazard=1.55; p<.0001) with referent to the non-abused group. SA was not found to be a significant predictor of current smoking status among those who began smoking after the first incident of SA. Respondents who were not sexually abused were 1.8 times (95% CI, 1.12-2.99) more likely to quit smoking than people who began smoking after they were sexually abused. CONCLUSIONS: The early identification and treatment of sexually abused persons is critical to decrease smoking among adolescents and adults because of the association of SA with both smoking initiation and decreased cessation rates. It may be more difficult to detect an association between SA and current smoking due to the high rates of smoking and lower rates of quitting among the general French population.     

Assessing students' ability to trace matter in dynamic systems in cell biology

College-level biology courses contain many complex processes that are often taught and learned as detailed narratives. These processes can be better understood by perceiving them as dynamic systems that are governed by common fundamental principles. Conservation of matter is such a principle, and thus tracing matter is an essential step in learning to reason about biological processes. We present here multiple-choice questions that measure students' ability and inclination to trace matter through photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Data associated with each question come from students in a large undergraduate biology course that was undergoing a shift in instructional strategy toward making fundamental principles (such as tracing matter) a central theme. We also present findings from interviews with students in the course. Our data indicate that 1) many students are not using tracing matter as a tool to reason about biological processes, 2) students have particular difficulties tracing matter between systems and have a persistent tendency to interconvert matter and energy, and 3) instructional changes seem to be effective in promoting application of the tracing matter principle. Using these items as diagnostic tools allows instructors to be proactive in addressing students' misconceptions and ineffective reasoning.     

滚球

正四岁那年在大西洋城,我从货场一辆火车上摔下来,头先着地,导致双目失明。现在我32岁了。我还模糊地记得阳光是多么灿烂,红色是多么鲜艳。能恢复视觉固然好,但灾难也能对人产生奇妙的作用。有一天我突然想到,倘若我不是盲人,我或许不会变得像现在这样热爱生活。这并不意味着我更愿成为盲人,而只是意味着失去视力使我更加珍惜自己的其他能力。我认为,生活要求人不断地自我调整以适应现实。人越能及时地进行调整,他的个人世界便越有意义。我必须学会的最艰难的一课,就是相信自己,这是最基本的。如果做不到这一点,我就会精神崩溃,只能坐在前门廊的摇椅中度过余生。我所说的相信自己,并不仅仅指支持我独自走下陌生的楼梯的那种自信,那只是其中的一部分。我指的是比那更强大的东西:坚信自己虽然有缺陷,却是一个真正的有进     

对大规模数据集的公正与效用导向的质量评估的理解

在复杂的数据环境中建立并维持非常高的数据质量是很昂贵并且往往不可能实现的。对质量的定量评估能够为制定改进措施的优先顺序提供重要的帮助。本文探索了一套方法,能够对数据质量的公正评估与效用导向评估两种方法进行评价。公正评估可以评价和衡量数据缺陷的程度,效用导向的评估能够衡量在一个特定的使用环境中,质量缺陷的存在对降低数据效用的程度。本文介绍的质量评估方法通过一个实际的校友数据库得到了实际验证。这个数据库是一个巨大的数据资源,它对校友关系和发起的承捐活动进行管理。质量评估的结果能够为这个数据库执行和管理改进数据质量的策略提供帮助。     

Strategies in assessing the need for updating evidence-based guidelines for six clinical topics: an exploration of two search methodologies

BACKGROUND: Because of the expense of updating practice guidelines, recent attention has focused on approaches that can reliably assess any updating required. Shekelle et al. (Journal of the American Medical Association 2001, 286, 1461-7) proposed using limited literature searches with expert involvement to reduce resources used in assessing whether a guideline needs updating. OBJECTIVES: This study compared Shekelle's method and the traditional systematic review method regarding comprehensiveness and effort. METHODS: Two research teams translated critical key questions on screening test treatments and outcomes to Medical Subjects Headings (MeSH) and search strategies. They refined Shekelle's method over three iterations, seeking greater efficiency. Using both methods independently, teams assessed the need to update six topics from the 1996 Guide to Clinical Preventive Services (US Preventive Services Task Force). Outcomes included completeness of study identification, importance of missed studies and effort involved. RESULTS: The revised review approach produced fewer citations than the traditional approach and saved time, identifying fewer eligible studies than the traditional approach. None of the studies missed was rated important by the experts consulted. CONCLUSIONS: The revised review approach provides an acceptable method for judging whether a guideline requires updating. Librarians were an integral part of the research process that streamlined the searches.     

The development of spoken language in deaf children: explaining the unexplained variance

Using a large existing data base on children with severe and profound deafness, 10 children were identified whose level of spoken laguage was most above and 10 whose level was most below that expected on the basis of their hearing loss, age, and intelligence. A study of their personal characteristics, family background, and educational history identified factors associated with unusually high performance; these includes earlier use of binaural ear-level aids, more highly educated mothers, auditory/verbal or auditory/oral instruction, reliance on spoken language as a method of communication, individualized instruction, integration, and structured teaching by parents. Parents of high performers also reported being highly commited to and focusing family resouces on developing their child's spoken language.     

旖旎的西双版纳

对于大多数外国人而言,中国是个远在千里的奇邦异域。如果你从没去过中国,仅仅是在电视上见过,那么很可能你就轻信了那些老黄历,比如到处都能听见的“中国百人同脸”（实际上大多数西方人分不清亚洲各国的居民）．或者“中国人只吃米饭和春卷”。对于菜鸟们来说．中国到处都是宝塔、王朝建筑以及华丽的皇家服饰。     

How Does the Intertidal Sipunculid Phascolosoma Arcuatum Detoxify Hydrogen Sulphide in a Lack of Oxygen

Inmanymarinesediments,considerableconcentrationsofhydrogensulphidearefound[1].Hydrogensulphideistoxictoanimalsduetothestrongbutreversible-bindingtocytochromeaa3andtheconsequentinhibitionofaerobicmetabolism[2].However,itcannotexcludeanimalinthesemarinebiotopes.Severalinvertebrates,similartothemammalianliver,canoxidizesulphidetonon-toxicthiosulphateandsulphate[1].VolkelandGrieshaber[3]reportedthatthesipunculidSipunculusnudus,whichinhabitsarelativelysandysubstratum,oxidizessulphidetothiosulphate…