Effects of social support and personal coping resources on depressive symptoms: Different for various chronic diseases?

Effects of psychosocial coping resources on depressive symptoms were examined and compared in older persons with no chronic disease or with recently symptomatic diabetes mellitus, lung disease, cardiac disease, arthritis, or cancer. The 719 persons without diseases reported less depressive symptoms than the chronically ill. Direct favorable effects on depressive symptoms were found for having a partner, having many close relationships, greater feelings of mastery, greater self-efficacy expectations, and high self-esteem. Buffer effects were observed for feelings of mastery, having many diffuse relationships, and receiving emotional support. Buffer effects were differential across diseases for emotional support (in cardiac disease and arthritis only) and for diffuse relationships (in lung disease). Receiving instrumental support was associated with more depressive symptoms, especially in diabetes patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stimulation of a neutral triacylglycerol hydrolase from rat heart by phosphatidylethanolamine and lysophosphatidylethanolamine

Triacylglycerol hydrolase activity measured at pH 7.5 in a pH 5.2 precipitate fraction from rat heart was increased two-to three-fold by the presence of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) or lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE). This stimulatory effect also could be obtained in assays with particulate and soluble subcellular fractions and was observed with two different methods of preparing triolein substrate emulsions. Ethanolamine and glycerophosphorylethanolamine had no effect on hydrolase activity, whereas phosphatidylcholine (PC) and acidic phospholipids such as cardiolipin were inhibitory. Palmitic acid, palmityl CoA and palmityl carnitine inhibited PE-stimulated hydrolase activity, but ethyl esters of palmitate had no effect. The preparation of acetone-ether powders resulted in a marked reduction of triacylglycerol hydrolase activity, but PE and LPE now stimulated hydrolase activity by ten-fold or greater, suggesting that these phospholipids may have an obligatory role in modulating triacylglycerol hydrolase activity. Triton X-100 also stimulated hydrolase activity in acetone-ether powders.     

Adolescents' perceptions of process and specialty group therapy.

82 emotionally disturbed adolescents (mean age 16.4 yrs) living in a residential treatment center rated their perceptions of process and specialty group therapies. Ongoing process groups were rated as more helpful for relating to staff and peers, and specialty groups were considered more helpful for cognitive, social, and interpersonal skill development. Despite the findings that both types of group therapy were helpful in different ways, all Ss preferred to deal with their problems in individual therapy. These findings challenge the popular notion that adolescents prefer group therapy to individual psychotherapy, suggesting a need to offer both individual and group therapies to optimize treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-focused attention, gender, gender role, and vulnerability to negative affect.

Research has independently shown that both gender and self-focused attention are linked to depression. In this article, we report a series of studies investigating the relation between these variables. Using a standard self-focusing manipulation, Study 1 suggested that women evidence a greater propensity to self-focus than men. We replicated these findings in Study 2. In Study 3, we conducted an experiment to determine if sex role in conjuction with experimentally increased self-focused attention would lead to more emotional distress after a negative event had occurred. Results suggested that feminine individuals who received a self-focusing manipulation responded with greater levels of self-focused attention and negative affect than did any other group. We interpreted findings in terms of a tendency to self-focus that might prime feminine people to experience depression, or alternately, as a lack of self-focusing that may insulate masculine individuals from the experience of depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Phospholipid polymers & new haemocompatible materials

When blood comes into contact with an artificial surface, a number of events occur which include protein adsorption, platelet activation and the activation of the intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation. With the increased application of blood containing artificial devices, there is a great demand to develop new biomaterials which retard thrombus formation. Our new approach to solving this problem is to mimic the non-thrombogenic surface of natural biological membranes at least in a simple form. We have developed a polymerisable phospholipid and polyesters based on the major phospholipid polar head group present on the erythrocyte outer membrane surface. The coagulation of blood exposed to these polymers was examined by the technique of Material Thrombelastography, a relatively simple test for the in vitro screening of polymer thrombogenicity. We present results which indicate that the polymerised phospholipid and polyesters show reduced thrombogenicity, and may therefore have potential for future biomaterials.     

Cluster analysis of training orientations in clinical psychology.

Performed a cluster analysis of therapeutic approaches in clinical training on the basis of data provided in a survey conducted by G. Colletti et al (1983) of program directors of 96 clinical psychology training programs. Support was found for the emerging popularity of eclectic and cognitive behavioral training approaches in academic clinical psychology. The analysis revealed 3 relatively discrete clusters and 1 heterogeneous grouping: eclectic/cognitive-behavioral (n?=?59); broad-spectrum behavioral (n?=?13); psychoanalytic/humanistic (n?=?8); and unclassified (n?=?16). Psychoanalytically oriented training programs tended to be concentrated in large urban settings. It is suggested that the adoption of eclectic and cognitive behavioral approaches among clinical practitioners may be expected to grow as graduates of training programs emphasizing such orientations enter the field. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cure studies of interpenetrating networks by microdielectrometry

Microdielectrometry has been used to follow the cure kinetics of interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs). The rate of formation of a polyurethane–poly(n-butyl acrylate) IPN has been characterized at three temperatures. The dielectric data indicate that the relative homonetwork formation rates dominate the resultant material properties.     

Social stigma and self-esteem: The self-protective properties of stigma.

Although several psychological theories predict that members of stigmatized groups should have low global self-esteem, empirical research typically does not support this prediction. It is proposed here that this discrepancy may be explained by considering the ways in which membership in a stigmatized group may protect the self-concept. It is proposed that members of stigmatized groups may (a) attribute negative feedback to prejudice against their group, (b) compare their outcomes with those of the ingroup, rather than with the relatively advantaged outgroup, and (c) selectively devalue those dimensions on which their group fares poorly and value those dimensions on which their group excels. Evidence for each of these processes and their consequences for self-esteem and motivation is reviewed. Factors that moderate the use of these strategies and implications of this analysis for treatment of stigmas are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Women and Men Engineering Students: Anticipation of Family and Work Roles

The underrepresentation of women in engineering typically is explained by gender differences in occupational interests, attitudes, or abilities. This paper examines the gender differences hypothesis as well as anticipated role conflicts of women and men students. We explore the academic, career, and family attitudes and expectations of women and men majoring in engineering. Men and women are remarkably similar in their abilities, academic experiences, and career influences. Women, however, are more likely to anticipate that lack of confidence in their own abilities and conflicts between work and family responsibilities will be barriers to success in their careers. These differences, along with several differences in orientations toward family roles, suggest that a role conflict argument better accounts for the disparity in the career development of men and women engineers. Suggestions for addressing these role conflicts before women begin working as engineers are provided.