An English asylum in Africa: Space and order in Valkenberg Asylum.

The authors explore the use of space within and outside the buildings of Valkenberg, a Cape Colonial asylum. Valkenberg's design was conditioned by a complex interplay of factors: the way insanity itself was viewed by the colonial government, developments in medical knowledge, social-economic relations in the colonial setting, and practical forms of treatment. The internal structuring of space within the building, and the way the building was situated in the landscape, are graphic representations of 4 influences, in tension with each other: determination to reform the colony's psychiatric practices, a desire to reproduce British institutions in colonial settings, a stigmatizing fear of insanity and lunatics, and a desire to maintain strict segregation between White and Black staff and patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

'Beyond Four Walls'. The Psycho-social Benefits of Home: Evidence from West Central Scotland

This paper reviews the literatures on housing and ontological security and the meaning of the home in order to derive specific examples of the psycho-social benefits of the home which can be assessed through empirical research. A postal survey measuring these psycho-social benefits was distributed to a random sample of adults in eight local authority districts in West Central Scotland. From the responses to the survey, three factors were constructed relating to the home as a haven, as a locus of autonomy and as a source of status for the occupants. Multivariate analysis showed that housing tenure is less important as an influence upon the attainment of psycho-social benefits from the home than the neighbourhood context and the incidence of problems with the home. Further, those factors negatively associated with psycho-social benefits appear to be more important than those factors positively associated with such benefits. This suggests that future research should focus on the fact that what detracts from psycho-social benefits may be more important than what contributes to them. A further important finding is that, after controlling for other influences, people living alone derive more benefits from the home as a haven and as a locus of autonomy than people in multi-person households.     

Capacitance of silicon pixels

Capacitance measurements have been made on silicon pixel sensors of types n⁺ on n, p⁺on n, and n⁺ on p. The arrays test a variety of implant and gap widths, and the n⁺ on n devices test several p-stop designs. The measurements examine inter-pixel and backplane contributions and include studies of temperature dependence. Measurements were made before and after irradiation with fluences relevant to LHC experiments and Fermilab Tevatron Run 2.     

Improving the social behavior and peer acceptance of rejected boys: Effects of social skill training with instructions and prohibitions.

Thirty-two boys who were rejected by their peers in Grades 1–3 were identified on the basis of negative sociometric nominations and negative social behavior. They were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions: (a) instructions to promote positive social behavior, (b) prohibitions to reduce negative social behavior, (c) a combination of instructions and prohibitions, or (d) no treatment. Interventions were applied during 10 half-hour school play sessions. Behavioral observations and peer and teacher ratings were collected prior to treatment, immediately after treatment, and at a follow-up assessment 6 weeks after treatment. Additional peer and teacher ratings were collected at a 1-year follow-up. Prohibitions combined with a response cost for negative behaviors resulted in immediate and stable declines in negative behavior and led to temporary increases in positive responses received from peers. Instructions and the reinforcement of specific social skills promoted sustained positive peer interactions 6 weeks after treatment. Only the combination of instructions and prohibitions led to improved sociometric ratings from nontarget treatment partners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

So what are master's-level psychology practitioners doing? Surveys of employers and recent graduates in North Carolina.

In response to questions regarding the marketability of master's-level psychology practitioners, 2 surveys were conducted: 1 of prospective employers of master's-level psychologists and 1 of recent graduates of the University of North Carolina system's master's in psychology programs with clinical emphases. Results indicate that graduates face a healthy job market in the public sector and have a good reputation for value in the marketplace. Graduates reported finding desirable work shortly after graduation, primarily in the public sector. Few described any difficulties with the state-mandated supervision requirement or managed-care reimbursement, perhaps because most public-sector settings provided for both. The data represent the collaborative effort of 1 state's university-system's psychology master's programs to assess employment experiences and marketplace trends. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dual Inhibition of MEK and PI3K Pathway in KRAS and BRAF Mutated Colorectal Cancers

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease with multiple underlying causative genetic mutations. Genetic mutations in the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) and the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways are frequently implicated in CRC. Targeting the downstream substrate MEK in these mutated tumors stands out as a potential target in CRC. Several selective inhibitors of MEK have entered clinical trial evaluation; however, clinical activity with single MEK inhibitors has been rarely observed and acquired resistance seems to be inevitable. Amplification of the driving oncogene KRAS(13D), which increases signaling through the ERK1/2 pathway, upregulation of the noncanonical wingless/calcium signaling pathway (Wnt), and coexisting PIK3CA mutations have all been implicated with resistance against MEK inhibitor therapy in KRAS mutated CRC. The Wnt pathway and amplification of the oncogene have also been associated with resistance to MEK inhibitors in CRCs harboring BRAF mutations. Thus, dual targeted inhibition of MEK and PI3K pathway effectors (mTOR, PI3K, AKT, IGF-1R or PI3K/mTOR inhibitors) presents a potential strategy to overcome resistance to MEK inhibitor therapy. Many clinical trials are underway to evaluate multiple combinations of these pathway inhibitors in solid tumors.     

Field evidence of biodegradation of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in groundwater with incidental and active recycled water recharge

Biodegradation of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) has been found through laboratory incubation in unsaturated and saturated soil samples under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. However, direct field evidence of in situ biodegradation in groundwater is very limited. This research aimed to evaluate biodegradation of NDMA in a large-scale groundwater system receiving recycled water as incidental and active recharge. NDMA concentrations in 32 monitoring and production wells with different screen intervals were monitored over a period of seven years. Groundwater monitoring was used to characterize changes in the magnitude and extent of NDMA in groundwater in response to seasonal hydrogeologic conditions and, more importantly, to significant concentration variations in effluent from water reclamation plants (associated with treatment-process changes). Extensive monitoring of NDMA concentrations and flow rates at effluent discharge locations and surface-water stations was also conducted to reasonably estimate mass loading through unlined river reaches to underlying groundwater. Monitoring results indicate that significant biodegradation of NDMA occurred in groundwater, accounting for an estimated 90% mass reduction over the seven-year monitoring period. In addition, a discrete effluent-discharge and groundwater-extraction event was extensively monitored in a well-characterized, localized groundwater subsystem for 626 days. Analysis of the associated NDMA fate and transport in the subsystem indicated that an estimated 80% of the recharged mass was biodegraded. The observed field evidence of NDMA biodegradation is supported by groundwater transport modeling accounting for various dilution mechanisms and first-order decay for biodegradation, and by a previous laboratory study on soil samples collected from the study site [Bradley, P.M., Carr, S.A., Baird, R.B., Chapelle, F.H., 2005. Biodegradation of N-Nitrosodimethylamine in soil from a water reclamation facility. Bioremediat. J. 9 (2), 115-120.].