Sexism in research is not only sexism.

Problems of gender bias and sexism in research cited by F. Denmark et al (see record 1988-34553-001) illustrate violations of general principles of sound scientific formulation, data collection, data analysis, interpretation, and reporting. Social bias is the content of these violations rather than their substance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Scientific freedom is not the only issue.

Comments on the R. A. Bjork (see record 2000-05933-001) discussion of the editorial policy of American Psychological Association (APA) journals and the independence of scientific publishing. S. J. Ondersma notes that the influence science has is indeed a "frightening responsibility' (Bjork, 2000), one that does require the vigorous defense of scientific freedom. It also requires objectivity, protection against misuse, and openness to valid criticism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Soy allergy is not common in atopic children: a multicenter study

This paper describes a release program developed in 1995 for year I hospital based GP registrars in the Rural Training Stream of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Training Program in South Australia. Background, objectives, content and organisation, and evaluation are described. The 1996 program that developed from this pilot is also described.     

Development of a measure of unemployability among restored psychiatric patients.

Examined the tenability of supplementing subjective clinical information concerning a patient's employability with more objective data for formulating specific placement procedures. Analysis revealed that 15 behavioral items differentiated placed successes, placed failures, and nonplaced patients on initial and replication studies of 87 and 129 psychiatric patients. Results indicate that the final items comprise an effective instrument for distinguishing the mentally restored individual who will experience failure in employment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The "common cause hypothesis" of cognitive aging: Evidence for not only a common factor but also specific associations of age with vision and grip strength in a cross-sectional analysis.

A prominent hypothesis in cognitive aging is the existence of a common factor that is responsible for age-related deterioration in cognitive and noncognitive processes. A multiple indicators, multiple causes model was used to examine the nature of this common factor and its relationship to age, gender, and the apolipoprotien E (APOE) genotype. The common factor was modeled by using 10 indicator variables with 374 participants aged between 77.4 and 98.7 years. A latent factor was identified, with all indicators except blood pressure loading significantly. This factor could be established in 2 age strata within the sample. After controlling for the effects of gender, APOE, and level of education, direct effects of age were seen on visual functioning and grip strength. APOE was significantly associated with memory but not with the common factor. The findings suggest that a number of specific processes may operate concurrently with the common cause factor. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Unfortunately, psychosis is not a myth.

Responds to J. E. Teahan's (1982) criticism of the present author's (1969, 1982) study of a schizophrenic woman and her Rorschach record. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome: is there a common pathophysiological basis?

OBJECTIVES: Alterations of mechanosensitive thresholds occur in a subset of patients with functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, symptoms associated with these two conditions frequently overlap. It is not known how often subjects with and without symptom overlap have abnormal intestinal sensory thresholds. Our objective was to assess the pattern of symptoms and small intestinal sensory thresholds in patients with functional disorders. METHODS: We studied 157 consecutive patients who had undergone extensive diagnostic work-up to exclude organic disease. Abdominal symptoms were assessed with a validated instrument, and patients were categorized as having functional dyspepsia, IBS, or both. With a barostat device, we tested small intestinal mechanosensitive function in 22 randomly selected patients from this population (with functional dyspepsia, IBS, or both) and 22 healthy controls. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients (43%) reported simultaneous symptoms of functional dyspepsia and IBS, whereas symptoms of functional dyspepsia or of IBS alone occurred in 68 (43%) and 22 (14%) patients, respectively. Thresholds for first perception and maximum tolerated pressure (mm Hg +/-SD) were significantly lower in patients (21.0 +/- 2.0 and 31.0 +/- 1.0) than in controls (32.0 +/- 1.8 and 39.0 +/- 0.9, p < 0.001). However, thresholds for first perception and maximum tolerated pressure did not differ (p > 0.6) in patients with functional dyspepsia alone (20.1 +/- 3.2 and 28.9 +/- 2.5, n = 9), functional dyspepsia and concomitant IBS (19.9 +/- 2.7 and 30.7 +/- 2.2, n = 8), or IBS alone (23.5 +/- 2.3 and 33.3 +/- 3.0, n = 5). CONCLUSIONS: Small intestinal mechanosensitive pathways are disturbed in patients with functional dyspepsia and IBS. Differences in the pattern and localization of symptoms probably do not reflect differences in small intestinal sensory thresholds. Functional dyspepsia and IBS cannot be distinguished on the basis of altered small intestinal sensory thresholds.     

What is your diagnosis? Acute scrotal syndrome in a newborn]

Right axillary lymph node metastases was observed 4 months after a right lower lobectomy performed for a T2 NO lung adenocarcinoma. After surgical excision and subsequent radiotherapy follow-up was uneventful and the patient is still alive after a 6-year interval. Such isolated metastases are probably of systemic origin.     

Cholesterol biosynthesis, peroxisomes and peroxisomal disorders: mevalonate kinase is not only deficient in Zellweger syndrome but also in rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata

We examined the inhibitory potency of F-1394 ((1S,2S)-2-[3-(2,2-dimethylpropyl)-3-nonylureido]cyclohexane -1-yl 3-[(4R)-N-(2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3-dioxane-4-carbonyl)amino]propionate), an acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) inhibitor, on ACAT activity and its hypolipidemic effect. F-1394 inhibited whole-cell ACAT activity in HepG2 cells with an IC50 value of 42 nM. The potency of F-1394 was greater than that of the five other ACAT inhibitors tested (YM-17E, CI-976, 57-118, CL-277,082 and DL-melinamide). In rats made hyperlipidemic by Triton WR-1339, F-1394 caused a reduction in the hepatic secretion rate of cholesterol. These data suggest that inhibition of hepatic ACAT activity helps to reduce very low density lipoprotein secretion from the liver into the circulation.     

Homologous recombination of a flanking repeat gene cluster is a mechanism for a common contiguous gene deletion syndrome

Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS), caused by del(17)p11.2, represents one of the most frequently observed human microdeletion syndromes. We have identified three copies of a low-copy-number repeat (SMS-REPs) located within and flanking the SMS common deletion region and show that SMS-REP represents a repeated gene cluster. We have isolated a corresponding cDNA clone that identifies a novel junction fragment from 29 unrelated SMS patients and a different-sized junction fragment from a patient with dup(17)p11.2. Our results suggest that homologous recombination of a flanking repeat gene cluster is a mechanism for this common microdeletion syndrome.     

Patterns and prevalence of metabolic syndrome among psychiatric inpatients receiving antipsychotic medications: Implications for the practicing psychologist.

Psychologists prescribe or work with professionals who prescribe psychotropic medications to their patients with mental illness. Extrapyramidal effects, including neuroleptic induced tardive dyskinesia, are well-documented health concerns associated with first-generation antipsychotics (FGA), while metabolic syndrome is a growing health concern associated with second-generation antipsychotics (SGA). We examined the medical records of 99 inpatients randomly selected from all admissions to a public psychiatric hospital between 1990 and 2006 (56 on FGAs and 43 on SGAs). Study results suggest that patients treated with SGAs were more likely to have symptoms of metabolic syndrome during hospitalization compared to patients treated with FGAs. Weight and body mass index increased in the SGA cohort but not in the FGA cohort. Systolic blood pressure increased in the SGA cohort while it decreased in the FGA cohort. There was no difference between SGA and FGA cohorts on measures of clinical efficacy. Patients in both groups showed clinical improvement. Second-generation antipsychotics are frontline treatment for schizophrenia. Best practice interventions for treatment of metabolic syndrome include weight reduction and increased physical activity. Psychologists play a primary role in developing and implementing evidence-based interventions that promote healthy lifestyles. Psychologists provide evidence-based treatments as part of an integrated health care system. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A source of data is not a measuring instrument.

Discusses a study by J. I. Berzins et al (see PA, Vol 53:Issue 5) which used a national sample and made multiple analyses of data on the outcome of psychotherapy. While they appropriately stress the disagreements among sources of data, their hope for a remedy is futile. A source of data yields observations from a distinctive role providing distinctive experience. When an observer representing a source makes judgments about the complex variables of interest to current psychotherapeutic theory, he is actively processing his own experience. His observations may agree fairly well with parallel observers representing that source, but will not agree as well with observers from other sources. Nearly exact agreement can be obtained only from inanimate measuring instruments or from observers functioning like instruments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Overlap of clusters of psychiatric symptoms among clients of a comprehensive addiction treatment service.

This article describes the prevalence and overlap of psychiatric symptoms among 2,784 clients of the outpatient programs at a comprehensive addictions treatment facility. The psychiatric symptoms were assessed by a computer-based questionnaire, and the analysis focused on the overlap of symptom clusters (multimorbidity) and their relation to selected intake variables known to be predictors of treatment outcome. Of all clients, 27.4% scored positive for 1, 18.9% for 2, and 22.3% for 3 or more clusters, the most frequent being depression, anxiety, and history of conduct disorder. Multimorbidity was significantly correlated with female gender, unemployment, less social support, cannabis problems, fewer legal problems, and increased treatment engagement. Clients with more substance use disorders presented more psychiatric symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A-B therapist status, patient diagnosis, and psychotherapy outcome in a psychiatric outpatient population.

Previous research generally has supported the hypothesis that A therapists obtain better therapy outcomes with schizophrenics, while B therapists do better with neurotics. Based on recent evidence, a 2nd hypothesis (super A) has been advanced which predicts that A therapists do at least as well with neurotic patients as do B therapists and that As obtain significantly more positive outcomes with schizophrenics. To examine these hypotheses, the therapy outcomes of 7 A and 4 B therapists, differentiated by their scores on the 23-item Whitehorn and Betz (1957) A-B scale, with their 18 schizophrenic and 18 neurotic patients were examined. A multivariate ANOVA computed for the 2 outcome measures, therapists' ratings of patient improvement and number of therapy sessions, clearly supported the super-A hypothesis. Separate ANOVAs demonstrated further support for the super-A hypothesis with therapists' ratings as the dependent variable, whereas the interaction hypothesis received support with number of sessions attended as the dependent measure. Of considerable importance was the fact that the addition of ataractic medication to the treatment of schizophrenics did not attenuate the effect of the A-B therapist distinction on therapeutic outcome. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)