Computerized and written questionnaires: Are they equivalent?

In this set of three studies, comparisons were made between computer-administered questionnaires and those administered in written form. Specifically, we examined nonclinical subjects' affective reactions to the two modes of questionnaire administration and their responses to a variety of commonly used attitude and personality measures. Subjects' affective reactions to the two modes of administration did not differ. With respect to questionnaire responses, there is some evidence suggesting that computer administration may slightly increase socially desirable responding amongst those subjects with relatively little computer experience. Overall, however, the differences between the two conditions were negligible, suggesting that social scientists should not hesitate to take advantage of the benefits of computer-administered questionnaires.     

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid-Enriched Lipid Fingerprint of Glioblastoma Proliferative Regions Is Differentially Regulated According to Glioblastoma Molecular Subtype

Glioblastoma (GBM) represents one of the deadliest tumors owing to a lack of effective treatments. The adverse outcomes are worsened by high rates of treatment discontinuation, caused by the severe side effects of temozolomide (TMZ), the reference treatment. Therefore, understanding TMZ’s effects on GBM and healthy brain tissue could reveal new approaches to address chemotherapy side effects. In this context, we have previously demonstrated the membrane lipidome is highly cell type-specific and very sensitive to pathophysiological states. However, little remains known as to how membrane lipids participate in GBM onset and progression. Hence, we employed an ex vivo model to assess the impact of TMZ treatment on healthy and GBM lipidome, which was established through imaging mass spectrometry techniques. This approach revealed that bioactive lipid metabolic hubs (phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogen species) were altered in healthy brain tissue treated with TMZ. To better understand these changes, we interrogated RNA expression and DNA methylation datasets of the Cancer Genome Atlas database. The results enabled GBM subtypes and patient survival to be linked with the expression of enzymes accounting for the observed lipidome, thus proving that exploring the lipid changes could reveal promising therapeutic approaches for GBM, and ways to ameliorate TMZ side effects.     

Effective components of TORDIA cognitive–behavioral therapy for adolescent depression: Preliminary findings.

In this report, we conducted a secondary analysis of the Treatment of SSRI-Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA) study to explore the impact of specific cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment components on outcome. In TORDIA, 334 youths (ages 12 to 18 years) with major depressive disorder who had failed to respond to an adequate course of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medication were randomized to a medication switch (either to an alternative SSRI or venlafaxine) with or without 12 weeks of adjunctive CBT. Participants who had more than 9 CBT sessions were 2.5 times more likely to have adequate treatment response than those who had 9 or fewer sessions. CBT participants who received problem-solving and social skills treatment components, controlling for number of sessions and other confounding variables, were 2.3 and 2.6 times, respectively, more likely to have a positive response. These preliminary findings underscore the importance of receiving an adequate number of sessions to attain an adequate clinical response. Finally, social skills and problem solving may be active elements in CBT for adolescent depression and should be considered in treatment by those working with seriously depressed youths. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A numerical strategy to compute optical parameters in turbulent flow: Application to telescopes

We present a numerical formulation to compute optical parameters in a turbulent air flow. The basic numerical formulation is a large eddy simulation (LES) of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations, which are approximated using a finite element method. From the time evolution of the flow parameters we describe how to compute statistics of the flow variables and, from them, the parameters that determine the quality of the visibility. The methodology is applied to estimate the optical quality around telescope enclosures.     

Key competencies of the psychodynamic psychotherapist and how to teach them in supervision.

Four of Rodolfa et al.’s (2005) competencies in professional psychology—relationship, self-reflection, assessment-case conceptualization, and intervention—are key for the psychodynamic psychotherapist. Relationship lies at the heart of what is understood to be curative about psychodynamic psychotherapy. Self-reflection implies a complex and highly developed process that includes but goes beyond Rodolfa et al.’s and Kaslow, Dunn, and Smith’s (2008) definitions. Competent assessment, diagnosis, and case conceptualization entails making inferences about unconscious processes by observing the client and also one’s own experience, and integrating these inferences with theory. Effective psychodynamic intervention is derived from what the psychotherapist has experienced, processed, and conceptualized about the relationship with the client and about the client’s internal object world. An extended vignette shows these competencies emerging in a psychotherapist-in-training, facilitated by an intense interaction with a supervisor. Although the supervisory and clinical tasks are different, the supervisor provides a relationship experience that models these same competencies for the supervisee and catalyzes their development in the supervisee. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A probabilistic fatigue strength model for brick masonry under compression

The paper presents the development of a model for the fatigue resistance of brick masonry under compression. The model takes into account the random nature of the fatigue strength phenomena and, as a consequence, proposes different model parameters as a function of the desired probability level. The model, based on a Weibull distribution, has been calibrated with the still limited experimental data on brick masonry under high cycle compression loading. Very good correlation is obtained. The results show that there is a clear trend of the experimental data to follow the Weibull distribution. It is also shown how the fatigue resistance of brick masonry is not only dependent on the magnitude of the stress cycles, but also on the magnitude of the minimum stress level. The paper also shows how the proposed model can be used in the reliability-based assessment of the fatigue performance of existing masonry arch bridges. Either the nominal probability of failure (reliability index) to fatigue or the remaining service life with a predefined probability level for an existing bridge can be predicted with the proposed method.     

Reconceptualizing feeding and feeding disorders in interpersonal context: The case for a relational disorder.

The feeding of young children is fundamentally a relational and multisystemic process. Successful treatment of clinically significant feeding problems involves careful assessment of the full range of influences on the feeding relationship and integrated treatment approaches. However, current diagnostic approaches to feeding disorders tend to be reductionistic, exclusively focused on the child as an individual, and overly concerned with exclusionary criteria. Criteria are proposed for "Feeding Disorder Between Parent and Child" that address these limitations and embrace the complexity of feeding problems. A multiaxial diagnosis that describes the child (including medical, developmental, and behavioral characteristics); the parent; the parent-child relationship; and the social and nutritional context of feeding will more accurately speak to treatment planning in this population. The proposed diagnostic criteria were developed and refined on the basis of the available literature and many years of treatment experience across the authors of this article. The proposed diagnosis will support the development and evaluation of treatment packages with components specifically targeted to issues of the child, parent, parent-child interaction, and the broader environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characterizing nicotine withdrawal in pregnant cigarette smokers.

Maternal smoking is a leading preventable cause of poor pregnancy outcomes and infant morbidity and mortality. Whereas pregnancy has been thought of as a "window of opportunity" when women are more motivated to change health behaviors such as smoking, only 20% of pregnant women quit smoking upon learning they are pregnant and remain abstinent at the end of the pregnancy. Greater understanding of possible obstacles to smoking during pregnancy, such as nicotine withdrawal, is needed. The symptoms of nicotine withdrawal have been well characterized in nonpregnant smokers, but there has been only 1 report conducted during pregnancy, and that was a retrospective study. The aim of the present study was to characterize nicotine withdrawal and craving in pregnant cigarette smokers. These data were collected as part of prospective clinical trials assessing the efficacy of voucher-based incentives to promote abstinence from cigarette smoking during pregnancy and postpartum. The authors examined results from the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (J. R. Hughes & D. K. Hatsukami, 1998) in 27 abstainers (reported no or very low levels of smoking, which was confirmed biochemically) and 21 smokers (smoked at >80% of their baseline smoking level) during the first 5 days of a cessation attempt. Abstainers reported more impatience, anger, and difficulty concentrating than did smokers. The results also suggest that pregnant smokers generally may have elevated baseline levels of withdrawal, which need to be considered in the design and analysis of future studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stress exposure and stress generation in child and adolescent depression: A latent trait-state-error approach to longitudinal analyses.

In 2 longitudinal studies of negative life events and depressive symptoms in adolescents (N = 708) and in children (N = 508), latent trait-state-error structural equation models tested both the stress generation hypothesis and the stress exposure hypothesis. Results strongly suggested that self-reports of depressive symptoms reflect the influence of a perfectly stable trait factor as well as a less stable state factor. Support emerged for both the stress generation model and the stress exposure model. When the state depression factor was modeled as predicting stress, support for the stress generation model appeared to increase with age. When the trait depression factor was modeled as the predictor of stress, support for the stress generation model did not vary with the child's age. In both models, support for the stress exposure remained relatively constant across age. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does solitary substance use increase adolescents' risk for poor psychosocial and behavioral outcomes? A 9-year longitudinal study comparing solitary and social users.

This longitudinal study compared Grade 8 solitary cigarette smokers (n = 541), drinkers (n = 577), and marijuana users (n = 148) with adolescents who restricted their use of these substances to social settings (ns = 562, 1,426, and 388, respectively) on adolescent functioning and young adult outcomes. In Grade 8, solitary users held more positive beliefs about the consequences of substance use, earned poorer grades, engaged in more deviant behavior, and devoted less time to school and more time to social activities. By age 23, these solitary users had lower educational attainment, poorer self-rated health, and greater substance use problems. Results indicate the importance of better understanding and addressing the needs of this understudied group of high-risk youth. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)