Predicting clinical performance of radiologic technology students

The lack of scientific studies on predictive criteria for evaluating the clinical potential of students in radiologic technology led to the current study. Students during a ten-year period was subjected to the ACT examinations. These scores were subsequently compared with the students' scores on the examination of The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, high school grade point average and earned high-school grades in pertinent subjects to see if any predictive factors were evidenced. The result showed correlation of some of these factors with the Registry score of sufficient statistical significance to warrant using them as part of the process for selecting students for radiologic technology programs.     

Predicting confabulation from the Graham-Kendall Memory-For-Designs Test.

Investigated whether the Embellishment score on the Memory-For-Designs Test (MFD) could be used to predict confabulation in hospital settings. Embellishments are additional features (lines and curves) that alter the original design. 16 long-term hospitalized male psychiatric patients (mean age 58.9 yrs) who were judged by staff to be habitual confabulators embellished their drawings on the MFD twice as frequently (p?     

Predicting self-efficacy and performance during skill acquisition.

Ss completed 7 trials of a complex computer task that simulated the job of an air traffic controller. Performance was calculated by combining points for the number of planes landed minus penalty points. Throughout the trials, Ss completed questionnaires assessing their self-efficacy goals, expected performance, and the degree to which certain judgments required more or less cognitive processing. The results show that during skill acquisition people report reductions in their cognitive processing for working on the task and for making self-efficacy judgments. Also, on early trials, self-efficacy is a better predictor of performance than are expected score or goals, whereas the reverse is true for later trials. The discussion focuses on understanding motivational processes during skill acquisition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting future clinical adjustment from treatment outcome and process variables.

General issues relating to the use of outcome and process data from the treatment of antisocial children to predict future childhood adjustment are examined. For outcome measures, it was assumed that variables based on direct observation of child behavior would provide a better predictor of long-term adjustment than would ratings by participant adults. Long-term adjustment measures consisted of police arrest and out-of-home placement data collected 2 years after treatment termination. Observation data collected at termination predicted future police arrest, but parent and teacher ratings did not. It was also hypothesized that measures of the processes thought to produce the changes in child antisocial behavior would serve as predictors of future adjustment. The data supported this hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting communicative competence at 2 and 3 years from pragmatic skills at 10 months

Near-field microwave radiometry and radiometric imaging are non-invasive techniques that are able to provide temperature information at a depth of up to several centimetres in subcutaneous tissues. They are based on the measurement of microwave electromagnetic thermal noise. This paper describes the basic principles, measurement methods and limitations of the techniques and the results of clinical studies, and it reviews recent progress.     

Predicting police officer performance using the Inwald Personality Inventory: An illustration from Appalachia.

Psychologists in rural areas are sometimes called on to assist in police officer selection. In the present study, the Inwald Personality Inventory (IPI) was used to predict police officers' performance. Ratings for 33 officers hired over 4 years, along with IPI scores, were tested statistically. Four variables—elevated scores on the Driving Violations and Lack of Assertiveness scales and lowered scores on the Type A and Rigid Type scales—significantly predicted officers who were rated poorly or terminated. Although the specific findings may not generalize to other rural areas, this exploratory study suggests that the IPI may be useful in such evaluations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting spatial performance from gender stereotyping in activity preferences and in self-concept.

Tested competing hypotheses, derived from Bem's gender schema theory and Spence's gender identity theory. Two samples of college students were given a spatial task (either Piaget's water-level task or the Card Rotations Test) and self-report measures of participation in gender-stereotyped, space-related activities and of stereotypical masculine and feminine personality traits. Used causal modeling techniques to test the adequacy of the path models associated with the predictions from Bem's and Spence's theories. In both samples, sex, self-concept, and spatial activities made significant direct contributions to the prediction of spatial performance, supporting Spence's theory. The tendency of those with higher masculine trait scores to perform better on the spatial tasks was sometimes moderated by sex and feminine trait score. Implications of the results for the question of the origin of sex differences in spatial performance are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

50 years ago: the Nuremberg doctors' tribunal. Part 2: Medical resistance during the Third Reich

The subject of German medical resistance against the Third Reich is grossly under-researched. From all we know, there was little of it and this may have complex reasons. The publication of "International Medical Bulletin", the fate of Dr Rittmeister, the attitude of some German psychiatrists, the activities of the "Weisse Rose" and the behaviour of Prof. Sauerbruch are briefly discussed as examples of medical resistance.     

A new clinical measure of attention: The Attentional Capacity Test.

Developed the Attentional Capacity Test (ACAT), which uses tasks that involve the processing of aurally presented numbers. A 60-item and a 24-item version of the ACAT were validated in 2 studies with a total of 144 normal Ss (aged 16–58 yrs) and 31 brain-damaged patients (aged 17–55 yrs). Other measures included the Digits Forward and Digits Backward tests from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS—R) and a paced auditory serial addition test. Overall, the ACAT appears to be a valid measure of attentional capacity. Normative data are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

40 years of the British Medical Association film competition

Since its inception in 1957 the BMA's annual film competition has fulfilled three roles--promoting the effective use of film and video in medical education, encouraging the production of high quality audiovisual material, and helping to increase the holdings of its film library. The BMA awards recognise programmes for their clinical accuracy, educational value and creative use of the medium.     

Selective Service and the College Qualification Test.

Suggests that the Selective Service decision to use the College Qualification Test as a major criterion for determining student draft status requires open discussion because such use of testing ignores cultural differences in motivation and test readiness, may determine educational priorities, and may subvert educational goals. (0 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Oral contraceptive use during the perimenopausal years

Few guidelines exist for the use of estrogen, particularly low-dose oral contraceptives, during the perimenopausal years. Use of low-dose oral contraceptive pills in women over 35 years of age provides protection against unwanted pregnancy, maintains a stable hormonal environment and decreases abnormal menstrual bleeding. Other noncontraceptive health benefits of oral contraceptives include a reduction in bone loss and protection against iron deficiency anemia, dysmenorrhea, benign breast disease, endometrial cancer and epithelial ovarian cancer. This article discusses potential risks of oral contraceptive use in this age group, as well as recommendations about when and how to change from contraceptive therapy to postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy.     

Prediction of success from examination of performance during the training period.

Production during early weeks of the learning period was correlated with average production after completing learning for a group of power sewing machine operators. In accordance with initial hypotheses, correlations are low during the first few weeks, rising steadily as the learning period progresses, but remaining lower than those obtained in studies using learning performance criteria rather than ultimate level of proficiency. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lessons learned from six years of international administrations of the ECFMG''s SP-based clinical skills assessment

Thapsigargin (TG), a plant-derived sesquiterpene lactone, inhibits several isoforms of both the sarcoplasmic and endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPases. Thus, intracellular Ca2+ stores found in the endoplasmic reticulum can be released by this compound. The mammalian sperm acrosome reaction (AR) depends on influx of extracellular Ca2+. However, few reports have presented evidence for the involvement of putative Ca2+ stores and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in the AR. Thus, we designed experiments to evaluate the effect of TG on the hamster sperm AR. Thapsigargin stimulated-in a dose-dependent manner-the AR of spermatozoa previously capacitated for at least 3 hr, not affecting sperm motility. A maximal stimulatory effect was apparent 3 min after addition of TG to spermatozoa previously capacitated for 4 hr and was dependent on external Ca2+ since ethyleneglycol-bis-(b-amino-ethyl ether) N,N'-tetra-acetic acid added 1 min before TG completely inhibited AR stimulation. The Ca2+ channel blockers diltiazem and nifedipine also abolished the TG-stimulatory effect when added to capacitated spermatozoa 10 min before the inhibitor. In addition, the trypsin inhibitors p-nitrophenyl-p'-guanidine-benzoate hydrochloride and benzamidine added to the sperm suspensions 10 min before TG inhibited by 70-80% the TG-induced AR. These results indicate that putative Ca2+ stores release may be involved in stimulation of extracellular Ca2+ influx required for the occurrence of the AR. In addition, a sperm trypsin-like protease may be part of the mechanism by which TG induces the hamster sperm AR.     

Predicting stability and change in frequency of intoxication from the college years to beyond: Individual-difference and role transition variables.

The authors examined whether individual-difference variables (e.g., family history of alcoholism, sex, personality traits, positive alcohol expectancies) and role transition-related variables (full-time work status, marital status, parenthood) moderate the "maturing-out" process whereby young adults who drink heavily during college decrease their drinking in the following years. Analyses were based on 288 young adults, assessed as full-time students (mostly college seniors, Year 4 of a larger study) and 3 years later (Year 7) when all had earned bachelor's degrees, and the analyses showed that frequency of intoxication (per week) decreased significantly (p?     

Influence of clinical mastitis during early lactation on reproductive performance of Jersey cows

In the common goby, Pomatoschistus microps (Pisces, Gobiidae), males build nests under mussel shells where they care for the eggs until hatching. To investigate why male common gobies cannibalize their own eggs (filial cannibalism), we conducted a feeding experiment. Males given little food ate from their eggs more often than males given food in excess. However, males given mussel meat in excess did not eat more of their eggs than males fed with both mussel meat in excess and goby eggs. This may suggest that male common gobies cannibalize their eggs to obtain energy rather than essential nutrients lacking in other diets. Moreover, males ate their whole clutch if it was exceptionally small regardless of food treatment, suggesting that males stop investing in their clutch if its reproductive value is less than the cost of guarding it. Thus, whole clutch cannibalism and partial clutch cannibalism seem to be governed by different factors. Furthermore, poorly built nests were associated with starved males, suggesting that nest concealing is costly. There was an association between how well the nest was built and partial clutch filial cannibalism, suggesting that the appearance of the nest may indicate the condition of the male, and thus the risk of filial cannibalism. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.     

Naftifin--laboratory and clinical experience with a new antimycotic from the allylamine group

The authors evaluated the effectiveness of naftifin on a broad spectrum of 42 types of agents causing mycoses. Using the microdilution method, the authors assessed minimal inhibiting concentrations (MIC) of this antimycotic agent in 107 clinical isolates. Naftifin displayed a selective antifungal activity: excellent sensitivity was found in dermatophytes (MIC 90% = 0.39 mg.l-1), Aspergillae were medium sensitive (MIC = 0.09-12.5 mg.l-1). The majority of yeasts and filamentous fungi from the group of Zygomycetes was resistant to naftifin. The therapeutic results in 57 subjects with dermatomycoses corresponded to the results of in vitro tests of the antimycotic agent. Most successful as treatment of dermatophytoses at extra-intertriginous sites and treatment of pityriasis versicolor; manifestation of candidoses were not affected. The commercial preparation used--Fetimin cream--is considered by the authors a suitable alternative of hitherto used local antimycotics, in particular preparations from the azole series.     

Critique of an earlier study of the Sacramento Medical Care Foundation's Certified Hospital Admission Program (CHAP)

The Certified Hospital Admission Program (CHAP), which was originated by the Medical Care Foundation of Sacramento, California, is regarded as a prototype of admission certification programs and the concurrent monitoring of inpatient care. These peer review functions have now been made key elements of provider utilization review requirements and of Professional Standards Review Organizations' program operations for Medicare and Medicaid. The present article questions, on methodological and interpretive grounds, earlier published findings and conclusions about CHAP's effectiveness. Significant deficiencies in evaluating its impact may mean that the success of CHAP has not yet been demonstrated and, hence, that an adequate basis for formulating certain national peer review policies may not exist.