Predicting absenteeism from prior absenteeism, attitudinal factors, and nonattitudinal factors.

Prior absenteeism, job attitudes, demographic variables, and personality variables were correlated in a longitudinal study with absence frequency for 174 employees (mean age 34 yrs) in a manufacturing plant. Measures included the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, Health Locus of Control (LOC) Scale, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Multiple regression analysis showed, as hypothesized, that tenure, marital status (married), group cohesiveness, self-esteem, and an internal health LOC were negatively related to absenteeism and that sex (female) and prior absenteeism were positively related to absenteeism. Job satisfaction, job level, and age did not predict absenteeism. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that prior absenteeism, group cohesiveness, and an internal health LOC accounted for unique variance in absenteeism. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Apoptosis, neurotrophic factors and neurodegeneration

Apoptosis is an active process of cell death characterized by distinct morphological features, and is often the end result of a genetic programme of events, i.e. programmed cell death (PCD). There is growing evidence supporting a role for apoptosis in some neurodegenerative diseases. This conclusion is based on DNA fragmentation studies and findings of increased levels of pro-apoptotic genes in human brain and in in vivo and in vitro model systems. Additionally, there is some evidence for a loss of neurotrophin support in neurodegenerative diseases. In Alzheimer's disease, in particular, there is strong evidence from human brain studies, transgenic models and in vitro models to suggest that the mode of nerve cell death is apoptotic. In this review we describe the evidence implicating apoptosis in neurodegenerative diseases with a particular emphasis on Alzheimer's disease.     

Pressure ulcer prevalence, incidence, risk factors, and impact

Pressure ulcers are a common problem among older adults in all health care settings. Prevalence and incidence estimates vary by setting, ulcer stage, and length of follow-up. Risk factors associated with increased pressure ulcer incidence have been identified. Activity or mobility limitation, incontinence, abnormalities in nutritional status, and altered consciousness are the most consistently reported risk factors for pressure ulcers. Pain, infectious complications, prolonged and expensive hospitalizations, persistent open ulcers, and increased risk of death are all associated with the development of pressure ulcers. The tremendous variability in pressure ulcer prevalence and incidence in health care settings suggests that opportunities exist to improve outcomes for persons at risk for and with pressure ulcers.     

Hypnosis, verbal satiation, vigilance, and personality factors.

62 postgraduate students were subjected to tests of auditory vigilance, verbal satiation, and hypnosis and later filled out the Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI) and the Personal Friends Questionnaire (measuring rigidity). Positive correlations were obtained between hypnosis and low verbal satiation (r =.667) and low verbal satiation and errors in vigilance r =.757). A significant biserial r of .40 was obtained between errors in vigilance and hypnosis. Hypnosis was negatively correlated (r =-.436) with MPI Lie scores and positively with rigidity (r =.514). (16 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cattell, Comrey, and Eysenck personality factors compared: More evidence for the five robust factors?

We administered the Cattell 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF), the Comrey Personality Scales (CPS), and the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) to a sample of 669 Australians that was controlled in composition for age, sex, and social class. Factor analyses derived from analyzing scales of the three inventories in the same matrix produced a group of factors that were similar to the five robust factors of personality found in studies that used ratings by others. Two of the factors were similar to the two EPI scales and five were similar to five of the eight CPS scales. One of these five factors was similar to a single 16PF scale. The 16PF scales were highly overlapping and factorially complex, an indication that fewer than 16 separate constructs are measured at the primary level. There were, however, clear relations between the five factors and the second-order factor structure of the 16PF, as Karson and O'Dell (1976) described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multiple myeloma--diagnosis, prognostic factors and treatment

The problem of diagnosis, prognostic factors and the efficacy of therapies were investigated in 330 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and 51 patients with benign monoclonal gammopathy (BMG)/monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Seven out of 51 patients with BMG/MGUS were transformed into MM. The mean time to the transformation was 61.6 months. M protein level in these patients had been gradually and constantly increasing until the transformation in contrast with stable level in non-transformed patients. In MM there was one year difference between median survival from the time of diagnosis and start of chemotherapies. It depended on the deferral of treatment in patients with stage I myeloma. No difference of survival time was found between initial and differed therapy for stage I myeloma. Earlier therapy is not advantageous in this stage. Stages and immunoglobulin classes of MM were prognostic factors. Stage I or IgG myeloma had the longest survival and stage III or BJP myeloma had the shortest one. The new protocol, DMVM plus natural interferon alpha therapy induced high complete remission rate of 37.1% in initial treatment patients. The survival rate at three years from the treatment was 70%.     

Prognostic factors in oral, head, and neck cancer

Screening tests on mice with the use of a model of neurogenic damage to the stomach revealed antiulcerative activity in extracts of Amoor cork tree, Pacific Bergenia, Lespedeza dichromatic, Leuzea carthamoides, sea-buckthorn, common aspen, Manchurian nuts, Serratula coronarius, and Scutellaria baicalensis. It was proved that an extract of aspen cork produces a marked antiulcerative effect on being administered to animals with "acute" ulcers and in treatment of chronic peptic ulcer. The study of various drug forms of Serratula coronarius extracts (prepared from the bark and the bark and shoots) in experiments on mice (neurogenic ulcer) and rats (Aspirin ulcer) revealed the most marked gastroprotective effect of oil extracts of bark and shoots. A high antiulcerogenic activity of extracts prepared from grass and roots of Scutellaria baicalensis was demonstrated.     

Pattern, structure, and the interpretation of factors.

Suggests that factors seem best interpreted by considering the factor structure the correlations between the factors and the tests rather than the general factor loading procedure. If the interpretation of the factors is established, the factor loadings are properly used to interpret the tests. The matrix of weights which reproduces the factors from the latent test vectors is made explicit and discussed. The foregoing thesis is developed with the aid of a hypothetical example which illustrates some of the inconsistencies that develop when the pattern is used to interpret the factors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Placebo effects, common factors, and incremental effectiveness.

In his discussion of the logical consequences of the common-factor definition of the term placebo, I. Kirsch (see record 1986-01780-001) maintained that the common-factors definition of placebo is unacceptable because it (1) fails to encompass placebos such as false biofeedback and (2) overinclusively identifies as placebos traditional procedures such as contingent reinforcement. A solution offered by Kirsch is to formally define the placebo only within medicine while retaining for psychotherapy both the concept of placebo and the use of (relabeled) placebo control groups. The present author addresses the points raised by Kirsch's solution in terms of placebo effects, common factors, and incremental effectiveness. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Infantile trauma, genetic factors, and adult temperament.

"This investigation was concerned with the effects of infantile trauma upon adult temperament, the influence of genetic factors upon temperament, and the possibility of an interaction between early experience and gene structure in their influence upon adult behavior." With mice as the Ss, evidence was obtained which indicated that: genetic factors influence emotionality, timidity, and motility in mice; infantile trauma influences emotionality; and there is an interaction effect of genetic and traumatic factors on timidity. The results are related to Freudian theory. (20 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Schwann cells, neurotrophic factors, and peripheral nerve regeneration

The peripheral nervous system retains a considerable capacity for regeneration. However, functional recovery rarely returns to the preinjury level no matter how accurate the nerve repair is, and the more proximal the injury the worse the recovery. Among a variety of approaches being used to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration are the manipulation of Schwann cells and the use of neurotrophic factors. Such factors include, first, nerve growth factor (NGF) and the other recently identified members of the neurotrophin family, namely, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5); second, the neurokines ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF); and third, the transforming growth factors (TGFs)-beta and their distant relative, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). In this review article we focus on the roles in peripheral nerve regeneration of Schwann cells and of the neurotrophin family, CNTF and GDNF, and the relationship between these. Finally, we discuss what remains to be understood about the possible clinical use of neurotrophic factors.     

Tissue dosimetry, pharmacokinetic modeling, and interspecies scaling factors

Interspecies scaling factors (ISFs) are numbers used to adjust the potency factor (for example, the q1* for carcinogens or reference doses for compounds eliciting other toxic endpoints) determined in experimental animals to account for expected differences in potency between test animals and people. ISFs have been developed for both cancer and non-cancer risk assessments in response to a common issue: toxicologists often determine adverse effects of chemicals in test animals and then they, or more commonly risk assessors and risk managers, have to draw inferences about what these observations mean for the human population. This perspective briefly reviews the development of ISFs and their applications in health risk assessments over the past 20 years, examining the impact of pharmacokinetic principles in altering current perceptions of the ISFs applied in these health risk assessments, and assessing future directions in applying both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles for developing ISFs.     

Patients' awareness of stroke signs, symptoms, and risk factors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We sought to determine knowledge at the time of symptom onset regarding the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of stroke in patients presenting to the emergency department with potential stroke. METHODS: Patients admitted from the emergency department with possible stroke were identified prospectively. A standardized, structured interview with open-ended questions was performed within 48 hours of symptom onset to assess patients' knowledge base concerning stroke signs, symptoms, and risk factors. RESULTS: Of the 174 eligible patients, 163 patients were able to respond to the interview questions. Of these 163 patients, 39% (63) did not know a single sign or symptom of stroke. Unilateral weakness (26%) and numbness (22%) were the most frequently noted symptoms. Patients aged > or = 65 years were less likely to know a sign or symptom of stroke than those aged < 65 years (percentage not knowing a single sign or symptom, 47% versus 28%, P = .016). Similarly, 43% of patients did not know a single risk factor for stroke. The elderly were less likely to know a risk factor than their younger counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Almost 40% of patients admitted with a possible stroke did not know the signs, symptoms, or risk factor of a stroke. Further public education is needed to increase awareness of the warning signs and risk factors of stroke.     

Participative goal-setting: Social, motivational, and cognitive factors.

Examined 3 explanations of why participation in goal setting may lead to increased performance—the social factor of group discussion, the motivational factor of involvement in goal setting, and the cognitive factor of information. A 2?×?2?×?2 experimental design (low and high levels of group discussion, involvement, and information) was used to study 96 predominantly male white collar employees (aged 23–58 yrs) who worked on a simulated personnel selection task. Results indicate that the social and motivational factors of participation increased performance quantity, incidental learning, goal acceptance, group commitment, and satisfaction. The motivational and cognitive factors significantly contributed to performance quality but the cognitive factor did not significantly affect performance quantity and work attitudes. It is suggested that a combination of the 3 factors leads to the highest level of performance. (39 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Anatomical, histological, and physiological factors in experienced downhill skiers

1. (Methyl-3H)decamethonium dichloride was injected intravenously into the tail vein of dystrophic and normal mice of the Bar Harbour strain 129 ReJ/dy in paralysing doses. 2. Scintillation counts were made of 1 mm sections of diaphragm and tibialis anterior which showed a normal distribution of tritiated decamethonium in the dystrophic animals. 3. Intraperitoneal injections of L-(gamma-3H)leucine were made into dystrophic and normal mice. Examination of diaphragm and tibialis anterior by scintillation counting showed the abnormal uptake typical of dystrophic involvement of murine muscle. 4. The normal distribution of (methyl-3H)decamethonium dichloride uptake by the dystrophic muscle does not support the concept of active denervation in this disease.