Balancing dangers: GLBT experience in a time of anti-GLBT legislation.

In the past few years, 26 states have changed their constitutions to restrict marriage to one man and one woman. There has been little research on the psychological effects of this political process on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people. In this qualitative project, 13 GLBT people were interviewed about their experience during the process of a constitutional amendment. A grounded theory analysis of these semistructured interviews was conducted. The core category, or central finding, was "GLBT people need to balance the dual dangers of engagement with GLBT advocacy and self-protection through withdrawal." Other findings focused on the experience of living in a context of painful reminders that one is seen as less than human by the government and public, and in which one's life is frequently and publicly misrepresented to advance hostile political campaigns. Social support and a process of self-acceptance helped participants to face their fears of isolation, discrimination, and aggression and to fight for social justice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Growing readers: A hierarchical linear model of children's reading growth during the first 2 years of school.

Using the first 4 waves of data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten cohort (ECLS-K), this piecewise 3-level (time-student-school) growth-curve model provides a portrait of students' reading growth over the first 2 years of school. On average, students make much greater reading gains in 1st grade than they do in kindergarten. First-grade monthly reading growth averages 2.65 points per month, whereas kindergarteners make approximately 1.67 points of reading growth per month. Student-level variables (including socioeconomic status, ethnicity, kindergarten entry age, and gender) were better able to explain between-schools variability in students' initial reading scores and students' reading growth than school-level variables (percentage of minority students, percentage of free-lunch students, and sector). Although socioeconomic status had a minimal impact on reading growth while school was in session, it had a larger impact on summer reading growth. These results suggest that between-schools differences in achievement are largely explained by the differences in school clientele, rather than differences in instruction or resource allocation. These results also underscore the potential importance of preschool and summer programs for low-socioeconomic status children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Identification of ethanol-intoxicated patients with minor head trauma requiring computed tomography scans

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether clinical parameters and neurologic scores can be used to guide the decision to obtain computed tomography (CT) head scans for ethanol- intoxicated patients with presumed-minor head injuries. METHODS: In a prospective cohort analysis, 107 consecutive adult patients who presented to a county emergency department (ED) with serum ethanol levels >80 mg/dL and minor head trauma were studied. Commonly used clinical variables were determined for each patient. Each patient also underwent an abbreviated neurologic scoring examination and a Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score evaluation at the time of presentation and one hour later, after which a cranial CT scan was done. For purposes of analysis, patients with and patients without intracerebral injuries visible on CT scans of the head were compared. RESULTS: Nine of 107 patients (8.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.9-15.4%) had CT scans that were positive for intracerebral injury. Two patients (1.9%; 95% CI = 0.2-6.6%) needed craniotomy. Five patients had hemotympanum and two patients had bilateral periorbital ecchymosis, but CT scans were negative for intracerebral injury in these patients. There was no statistically significant difference between the patients with and without CT scan abnormalities, based on the clinical variables, the GCS scores, or the abbreviated neurologic scoring examinations at presentation or at one hour. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of intracerebral injury in CT scans of ethanol-intoxicated patients with minor head injuries was 8.4%. Commonly used clinical parameters and neurologic scores at presentation and one hour later were unable to predict which patients would have intracerebral injuries and evidenced by CT scans. Our low (1.9%) neurosurgical intervention rate supports the need to develop a selective approach to CT scanning in this population.     

Rain compensation algorithm for ACTS mobile terminal

The initial advanced communication technology satellite (ACTS) mobile terminal (AMT) demonstrations will involve two-way communications between the high-bit-rate link evaluation terminal (HBR-LET), which is a fixed terminal (FT), and a van-housed mobile terminal (MT). The HBR-LET has the capability of adjusting its transmitted uplink power over an approximately 10 dB range to compensate for forward uplink rain attenuation. However, because of size and weight limitations, the MET cannot use power control as a rain compensation technique. Consequently, the AMT rain compensation algorithm (RCA) is based on a formula for varying the transmitted data rate in either direction to maintain link performance within acceptable limits. The objective of the AMT RCA is to ensure reliable operation in both the forward and return directions despite the possibility of uplink or downlink fading due to rain events in the vicinity of the FT or MT. In particular, the RCA must maintain at least a 3 dB link margin at the highest possible transmission rate (AMT can operate at 9.6, 4.8, or 2.4 kb/s) permitted by the prevailing channel conditions. The 3 dB minimum link margin is a system design safety factor to accommodate conceivable implementation losses     

Physicians, ethics, advance directives, and long-term care

We investigated the influence of NG-nitro-L-arginine (NNA), the inhibitor of nitric oxide synthese, on seizures induced by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), the K+ channel antagonist, in mice NNA (5, 10 and 40 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly reduced the respectives CD50 of 4-AP from 9.0 to 7.6, 7.5 and 6.8 for clonic seizures, and from 9.2 to 7.7, 7.5 and 6.9 for tonic seizures and death. Lower doses of NNA (1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg) had no effect on 4-AP-induced convulsions and lethality. Our results indicate that 4-AP-induced seizures may be, at least in part, dependent on nitric oxide level.     

Change in folate status with antidepressant treatment

Ninety-nine consecutive unmedicated outpatients with a major depressive illness had blood drawn for measurement of serum folate (SF), red cell folate (RCF), and vitamin B12 within 24 hours of completion of ratings of severity of depression at the beginning and ending of a 5-week trial of desmethylimipramine (mean dose = 149.2 mg/day, range = 75-225 mg). As compared with nonresponders, responders had a significantly higher mean SF at baseline (nonresponders = 13.8 nmol/l; responders = 17.7 nmol/l) and RCF showed a significant inverse correlation with severity of depression and a significant positive correlation with age of onset of illness. At week 5, change in severity of depression was significantly correlated with change in RCF, and significantly more responders than nonresponders had an increase in RCF. The possible role of folate status in the regulation of mood and response to treatment is discussed.     

A community food system analysis as formative research for a comprehensive anemia control program in Northern Afghanistan

Dietary strategies to reduce chronic iron deficiency anemia are still lacking for the rural poor in most developing countries. This study of 60 households (30 irrigated zone, 30 rainfed zone) in northern Afghanistan emphasized women’s seasonal food consumption and the relationships between household capacities and consumption. In both zones, iron-rich foods and foods affecting iron bioavailability were consumed in summer and winter diets. Households in the irrigated zone had more capacity for cultivation, food preservation and social networking in addition to owning more total livestock and food animals. Rainfed zone households scored higher on food preservation knowledge. Iron-rich food consumption was strongly associated with social networking and food preservation capacities, but weakly with socioeconomic proxies. Social networking showed no relationships to socioeconomic proxies. Agroecozone, social customs and food combinations should be considered in the design of health and food security programs to reduce anemia risk.

Understanding and Managing Three-Dimensional/ Four-Dimensional Model Implementations at the Project Team Level

This paper introduces an extant, theoretical, social-psychological model that explains the sense-making processes of project managers confronted with a new technology to improve our understanding of project-based innovation processes. The model represents the interlinked processes through which project managers decide to implement new technologies on their projects according to the outcomes of these sense-making processes. The paper validates the model against observations gathered in four case studies of technology implementation on construction projects. Doing so, it assesses the general usefulness of the model to explain the success of technology implementation dynamics in project teams. The paper also derives a number of management suggestions from the model: for example, project managers should focus squarely on the immediate benefits of the technology in improving work processes on the project instead of focusing on long-term strategic firm or industry benefits.     

APA bridging the gap on aging-related issues.

Past and present efforts of the American Psychological Association related to aging issues are described. Initiatives to integrate aging information into the psychology curriculum at all levels of education and training and to advocate for federal policies and funding that recognize the role of geropsychology and expand training opportunities for practitioners and researchers are discussed. These include the Committee on Aging's Preparing Psychology for an Aging World Initiative; the Education Policy Office and the Office on Aging's Graduate Training in Geropsychology Initiative; and the program offerings of the Office of Continuing Professional Education. The critical need to educate policymakers regarding the role of geropsychologists and psychological researchers in identifying and addressing the mental and behavioral health needs of older adults and their families is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)