Empirically supported treatments for children with phobic and anxiety disorders: current status

Although interactions of proteins with glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), such as heparin and heparan sulphate, are of great biological importance, structural requirements for protein-GAG binding have not been well-characterised. Ionic interactions are important in promoting protein-GAG binding. Polyelectrolyte theory suggests that much of the free energy of binding comes from entropically favourable release of cations from GAG chains. Despite their identical charges, arginine residues bind more tightly to GAGs than lysine residues. The spacing of these residues may determine protein-GAG affinity and specificity. Consensus sequences such as XBBBXXBX, XBBXBX and a critical 20 A spacing of basic residues are found in some protein sites that bind GAG. A new consensus sequence TXXBXXTBXXXTBB is described, where turns bring basic interacting amino acid residues into proximity. Clearly, protein-GAG interactions play a prominent role in cell-cell interaction and cell growth. Pathogens including virus particles might target GAG-binding sites in envelope proteins leading to infection.     

Response expectancy and phobic anxiety: A reply to Wilkins and Bandura.

Responds to W. Wilkins's (see record 1987-09397-001) and A. Bandura's (see record 1987-09389-001) comments on the present author's (see record 1986-13702-001) study of expectancy modification, suggesting that (1) the procedures used as expectancy controls by Wilkins render implausible his hypothesis that expectancy changes are epiphenomena caused by Ss' observation of their improvement and (2) Bandura has misrepresented the present author's position and then argued against it. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of completers and noncompleters of exposure-based cognitive and behavioral treatment for phobic and anxiety disorders in youth.

This article examined sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of child treatment completers, and noncompleters who received exposure-based cognitive-behavioral treatment. A total of 137 children (46% girls) and their parents (predominantly Euro-American and Hispanic/Latino) participated in this study (106 completers, 31 noncompleters). The majority of noncompleters, received an average of 5 sessions. Findings were generally consistent with past research in terms of lack of differences between completers; and noncompleters. Results are discussed in the context of previous child attrition research and directions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Performance anxiety: Multiple phenotypes, one genotype? Introduction to the special edition on performance anxiety.

This special edition of the International Journal of Stress Management presents 7 articles addressing performance anxiety in a number of areas of human endeavor (sexual performance, music performance, test taking, sport, and work) and as a group, they illuminate underlying differences and commonalities across different domains of human performance. This novel convergence of articles on performance anxiety will assist researchers in the field in synthesizing the various domain findings into a metatheory of performance anxiety. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex determination in Hymenoptera: a need for genetic and molecular studies

Sex-determining mechanisms appear to be very diverse in invertebrates. Haplodiploidy is a widespread mode of reproduction in insects: males are haploid and females are diploid. Several models have been proposed for the genetic mechanisms of sex determination in haplodiploid Hymenoptera. Although a one-locus multi-allele model is valid for several species, sex determination in other species cannot be explained by any of the existing models. Evidence for and predictions of two recently proposed models are discussed. Some genetic and molecular approaches are proposed to study sex determination in Hymenoptera.     

Challenge Tests and Panic Disorder: Implications for Clinical Assessment.

The growing body of research on procedures designed to induce symptoms of panic (challenge tests) has prompted practicing psychologists to consider using challenge tests for assessment of panic disorder. This article overviews the empirical literature on the neurobiological and psychological factors involved in the panicogenic effects of challenge tests and, in doing so, outlines strengths and weaknesses of using challenge tests as assessment tools in clinical settings. It is suggested that challenge tests are useful for understanding a client's phenomenological experience of panic and as a tool for planning and evaluating treatment, though they are not ideal for differential diagnosis. Practicing psychologists can draw on the included recommendations when considering adopting challenge tests in applied settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hypnotizability and phobic behavior: Further supporting data.

20 21–59 yr old women who were phobic to snakes, spiders, or rats were individually evaluated for hypnotic susceptibility, using the standard audiotaped version of the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A. Consistent with the findings of earlier studies using similar methods for measuring hypnotizability but not with a recent study using the Hypnotic Induction Profile (HIP), 55% of the present sample was found to be highly responsive to hypnosis. An item analysis comparing item pass percentages for the phobic Ss with item difficulties obtained from a normative sample of 357 female college students indicated that the 2 samples were significantly correlated. The discrepancy between the findings using standard measures of hypnotizability and studies using HIP is discussed. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expectancy and phobic level: Effects on desensitization.

Three basic conclusions can be drawn from the current expectancy literature: (a) Expectancy effects have been found when therapeutic and experimental instructions are compared. (b) Expectancy effects have not been found when positive therapeutic and negative therapeutic instructions are compared. (c) Highly phobic Ss display less susceptibility to expectancy effects than moderately phobic Ss. In the present study, 3 instructions (positive therapeutic, negative therapeutic, experimental) accompanying desensitization were compared in combination with 2 levels of fear (high, moderate) in 79 snake-phobic undergraduates (according to scores on the Snake Anxiety Questionnaire, Snake Fear Inventory, and Behavioral Avoidance Test). Expectancy instructions were introduced 6 times during the 4-wk treatment, and the effectiveness of these instructions was demonstrated with independent nonreactive measures of Ss' expectancies. Analysis of self-report, behavioral, and unobtrusive measures of snake anxiety revealed significant main effects for instructions, with positive therapeutic instructions effecting greater reductions in Ss' fears than either negative therapeutic or experimental instructions. Ss' initial phobic levels were unrelated to outcome. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Culture-responsive one-session treatment for phobic Asian Americans: A pilot study.

In this pilot trial, 15 phobic Asian Americans were randomly assigned to standard one-session treatment (OSTS), culturally adapted one-session treatment (OST-CA), or manualized self-help. At posttreatment, OST (combined standard and culturally adapted) led to greater reductions in phobic avoidance and anxiety than self-help. Moreover, analyses comparing the two active treatments showed trends favoring OST-CA over OST-S. Results suggest that Asian Americans may benefit most from empirically supported treatments that consider Asian cultural values. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evidence for the genetic control of estradiol-regulated responses. Implications for variation in normal and pathological hormone-dependent phenotypes

The ovarian steroid hormone estrogen (E2) elicits a multiplicity of both systemic and uterotropic responses in vivo. For example, the administration of E2 to ovariectomized (Ovx) and sexually immature rodents leads to uterine-specific inflammatory infiltrates. In this study, we quantitated the number of eosinophils and BM8+, Ia+, and CD4+ cells in uteri obtained from adult Ovx control and E2-treated C57BL/6J, C3H/HeJ, and (C57BL/6J x C3H/HeJ) (B6C3) F1 hybrid mice. All three strains exhibited a significant increase in the number of uterine eosinophils and BM8+ macrophages after E2 treatment. However, C57BL/6J and B6C3 F1 hybrid mice responded with a greater number of infiltrating eosinophils and macrophages as compared with C3H/HeJ. A similar analysis of Ia+ and CD4+ cells showed that E2 treatment either down-regulates or does not affect the number of such cells in all three strains. Genome exclusion mapping using a (C57BL/6J x C3H/HeJ) x C3H/HeJ backcross population localized Est1, the major locus controlling the number of eosinophils infiltrating the uterus after E2 treatment, to chromosome 4. In addition, suggestive linkage to marker loci on chromosomes 10 and 16 was detected and evidence for locus interaction is presented. Our results conclusively demonstrate that E2-regulated/ dependent responses can be genetically controlled, indicating that the phenotypic variation observed in both the normal and pathological effects of E2 may, in part, be due to a genetic component.     

Diagnostic criteria for genetic studies of Tourette syndrome

Larvae of Aedes albopictus from a plant of the Bromeliaceae family on the outskirts of S. Paulo, SP, Brazil, were collected. This occurrence sheds new light on the attempt to determine the potential of this plants as a breeding site for this mosquito in Brazil.     

Use of DNA fingerprinting for human population genetic studies

DNA fingerprinting techniques have been used in population genetic studies on many different kinds of organisms. Here, we present new applications for multilocus DNA fingerprint probes in population studies and demonstrate the applicability of DNA fingerprinting to human population genetics, using M13 phage DNA as a probe. The new approach, which is based on a factor method of numerical coding of nonquantitative data (factor correspondence analysis-FCA), shows good agreement between population position, as indicated by the three principal factors, and ethnogenetic proximity.     

Dental visits for orofacial injury: defining the dentist's role

There were an estimated 5.9 million episodes of care for orofacial trauma in the U.S. private practice sector in 1991. More than 4 million were seen by general dental practitioners, the rest by specialists. An in-depth understanding of the injuries and the extent and cost of the care could establish a focused injury prevention strategy.     

Mechanisms in motor neurone disease: clues from genetic studies

Motor neurone disease is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by muscular weakness and wasting with fasciculation and by spasticity. While most cases are sporadic, approximately 10% are inherited in an autosomal dominant mode. Recently, mutations in the gene encoding the free-radical scavenging enzyme superoxide dismutase-1 have been found to segregate with the disorder in 20% of familial cases. This is an exciting development, as free radical damage has long been implicated in the pathogenesis of motor neurone disease and it raises the possibility of novel therapeutic approaches in this otherwise fatal condition.     

Trichuris ovis and Trichuris globulosa: morphological, biometrical, and genetic studies

We report a 2-year-old girl with a combination of the ectodermal dysplasia, ectrodactyly, cleft lip/palate (EEC) syndrome, distinctive hair abnormalities, scalp dermatitis and atopic disease. To our knowledge, this is the first report of scalp dermatitis in the EEC syndrome. Distinctive structural hair abnormalities shared by the syndromes of ectodermal dysplasia and clefting are helicotrichia, pili torti et canaliculi, and cuticle defects, all of which were observed in the present case. A high incidence of atopic disease in certain subsets of ectodermal dysplasia has been reported. In our patient this manifested as food-induced exacerbation of atopic dermatitis, associated with positive prick tests and significant levels of circulating specific IgE.