Relationships between career indecision subtypes and ego identity development.

Four cluster groups of career-undecided college students (N?=?423) were formed from Career Factors Inventory scores. Career decision groups were compared across Erikson's first 5 stages of ego identity development as measured by the Ego Development Scale (R. Ochse & C. Plug, 1986). It was predicted that career decision groups would differ in level of ego identity resolution, with groups that experienced the most indecision reporting the least successful resolution. Using profile analysis, overall profile parallelism, level, and shape were examined, and comparisons of career decision groups within the substages were made. Results indicated that the 4 career decision groups differed in their degree of successful identity resolution in the predicted direction. Results are related to career interventions and treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hard X-Ray Images Created by a Series of Harmonically Related Modulation Collinators

A series of images of hard (30 - 300keV) X-ray sources have been created by use of a multi-pitch rotating modulation collimator (RMC) and a striped NaI(Tl)/CsI(Tl) scintillator detector arrangement. The performance of the system with respect to a series of point and extended objects has been analysed. The implications with respect to space instrumentation are discussed.     

Application of a hybrid computational fluid dynamics and physiologically based inhalation model for interspecies dosimetry extrapolation of acidic vapors in the upper airways

This study provides a scientific basis for interspecies extrapolation of nasal olfactory irritants from rodents to humans. By using a series of short-term in vivo studies, in vitro studies with nasal explants, and computer modeling, regional nasal tissue dose estimates were made and comparisons of tissue doses between species were conducted. To make these comparisons, this study assumes that human and rodent olfactory epithelium have similar susceptibility to the cytotoxic effects of organic acids based on similar histological structure and common mode of action considerations. Interspecies differences in susceptibility to the toxic effects of acidic vapors are therefore assumed to be driven primarily by differences in nasal tissue concentrations that result from regional differences in nasal air flow patterns relative to the species-specific distribution of olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity. The acute, subchronic, and in vitro studies have demonstrated that the nasal olfactory epithelium is the most sensitive tissue to the effects of inhalation exposure to organic acids and that the sustentacular cells are the most sensitive cell type of this epithelium. A hybrid computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) dosimetry model was constructed to estimate the regional tissue dose of organic acids in the rodent and human nasal cavity. The CFD-PBPK model simulations indicate that the olfactory epithelium of the human nasal cavity is exposed to two- to threefold lower tissue concentrations of a representative inhaled organic acid vapor, acrylic acid, than the olfactory epithelium of the rodent nasal cavity when the exposure conditions are the same. The magnitude of this difference varies somewhat with the specific exposure scenario that is simulated. The increased olfactory tissue dose in rats relative to humans may be attributed to the large rodent olfactory surface area (greater than 50% of the nasal cavity) and its highly susceptible location (particularly, a projection of olfactory epithelium extending anteriorly in the dorsal meatus region). In contrast, human olfactory epithelium occupies a much smaller surface area (less than 5% of the nasal cavity), and it is in a much less accessible dorsal posterior location. In addition, CFD simulations indicate that human olfactory epithelium is poorly ventilated relative to rodent olfactory epithelium. These studies suggest that the human olfactory epithelium is protected from irritating acidic vapors significantly better than rat olfactory epithelium due to substantive differences in nasal anatomy and nasal air flow. Furthermore, the general structure of the hybrid CFD-PBPK model used for this study appears to be useful for target tissue dosimetry and interspecies dose comparisons for a wide range of inhaled vapors.     

Distal 10q trisomy syndrome with unusual cardiac and pulmonary abnormalities

AIM: To evaluate the use of local transdermic anesthetics in fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in breast lesions. METHODS: Prospective randomized study of 119 patients having breast lesions, all being indicated for FNAB. The patients were divided into three groups: 40 patients entered in the active group (lidocaine + prilocaine); 40 patients underwent the placebo group (aqueous extract of Triticum vulgaris); and a control group of 39 women in whom FNAB was performed without the administration of any substance. Both the anesthetic and placebo were administered an hour before FNAB. Pain was quantified through a visual analogic scale of pain. The type of pain was also classified in terms of occurrence: only during the puncture, only during the movements and both. RESULTS: The visual linear analogic scale of pain showed an average of 3.3 in the active group, 3.5 in the placebo and 4.0 in the control group (NS). Analysis of the type of pain which was referred by the patient showed that 15% of the patients in the active group, 12.5% of those in the placebo group and 5.1% in the control group did not refer to any sensation of pain. Pain, when felt, was similar in all three groups (p < 0.4). CONCLUSIONS: Both the quantification and the type of pain referred to were similar in all three groups. However, there was a tendency of the patient to refer to less pain when the active substance or the placebo were used, when results were compared to the control group.     

The impact of September 11 on psychologists.

A variety of recent research studies have investigated the psychological impact on victims of the devastating events of September 11, 2001. The present study adopted a different approach, instead focusing on the experience of caregivers through a brief survey of state psychological association members. Overall, practitioners described modest but significant changes in both their professional work and their personal lives. Not surprisingly, those respondents working closest to Ground Zero reported the greatest changes. The sample also reported more positive than negative feelings regarding their work in the post-9/11 environment. Although the survey return rate was only 15%, the findings shed light on several important professional issues related to disaster relief, including service utilization, preparedness, and vicarious traumatization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cardiac and behavioral responses to repeated tactile and auditory stimulation by preterm and term neonates.

Auditory stimuli (a buzzer and rattle) and a tactile stimulus (a plastic filament) were repeatedly presented to 18 term and 18 preterm infants. Both groups initially responded to all stimuli with increased limb movements and heart rate acceleration. However, only the term infants responded to stimulus repetition by decreasing both cardiac and behavioral responses. In addition, they differentially responded to the 3 stimuli and showed response recovery in both systems. Since a behavioral response decrement was observed without a cardiac response decrement in the preterm group, a 2nd experiment was conducted. Heart rate change during the sucking activity of Exp II revealed an integration between autonomic and motor responsivity of preterm infants comparable to that of term newborns. The lack of cardiac–behavioral response integration during Exp I is discussed in the context of state differences between preterm and term infants as well as potential immaturity or some insult experienced by the preterm infants. The stimulus discrimination and habituation demands of Exp I may have overtaxed the preterm infants' ability to maintain response integration. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Letter to the Editor and a Response.

A response by Judy Hall to some of the challenges that Arlene Carsten enumerated in her Forum letter of November 1978 concerning the licensing exam for psychology. I am pleased to see consumer representatives on a licensing board for psychology take such an active interest in the exam. However, it appears that serving on such a board has not sensitized her to the need for interpretation of her scores. Being psychologists, the Executive Committee of AASPB and the professional members of state boards are painfully aware of any imperfections in test construction methods available to date. Knowing that there are no easy, available answers to some of Carsten's challenges makes us proceed carefully and do what we are best at doing-systematically collect data in order to answer the questions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex differences in learned helplessness: I. Differential debilitation with peer and adult evaluators.

Predicted that sex differences in learned helplessness (attributions of failure to uncontrollable factors) and the impaired performance associated with it would be agent specific. Two experiments were conducted with 105 female and 111 male 4th and 5th graders. Among girls, failure feedback from adults led to little improvement in performance on a series of digit-letter substitution problems, but failure from peers led to immediate and sustained improvement. Among boys, however, failure feedback from adults led to rapid improvement, but failure from peers led to no improvement over trials. Moreover, girls' and boys' attributions for failure varied systematically with the agent of evaluation. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)