An Internet version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC-IV): Correspondence of the ADHD section with the paper-and-pencil version.

The authors recently developed an Internet version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children–Version 4 (DISC-IV), parent version (D. Shaffer, P. Fisher, C. P. Lucas, M. K. Dulcan, & M. E. Schwab-Stone, 2000), with the main purpose of using it at home without an interviewer. This offers many advantages (e.g., extended applicability, fast communication, reduction of costs) but requires thorough study of correspondence between diagnostic outcomes of the interview and self-administered Internet versions. This is the 1st study to report on Internet administration of the DISC-IV. Using the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) section, the authors investigated whether the 2 versions yielded the same diagnostic outcome. Parents (N = 120) of patients visiting a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic were randomly divided into 4 groups, each completing 1 test and about 2 weeks later another according to 1 of these patterns: Internet–interview, interview–Internet, interview–interview, and Internet–Internet. Correspondence between the Internet and interview versions at the level of symptom scores was excellent, and correspondence with respect to the presence/absence of ADHD was good. Although highly comparable diagnostic outcomes between self-administration through the Internet and interviewer administration were found, further study using other DISC-IV modules is required. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When parents break sacred vows: The role of spiritual appraisals, coping, and struggles in young adults’ adjustment to parental divorce.

Young adults (N = 274; mean age = 18.9) recalled their spiritual responses to their parents’ divorce (M = 4.2 years ago). After controlling for general religiousness and spirituality, participants who had appraised the divorce as a sacred loss or desecration and experienced spiritual struggles over the divorce reported higher current depression, anxiety, painful feelings about the divorce (paternal blame, self-blame, loss and abandonment, seeing life through filter of divorce, intrusive thoughts), and spiritual growth. Prior adaptive spiritual coping was tied to greater current personal and spiritual growth and, unexpectedly, psychological distress. As expected, spiritual struggles with the divorce partially or fully mediated all but one of the links found between having appraised the divorce as a sacred loss or desecration and outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nitrate and nitrite in vegetables on the Danish market: content and intake

The contents of nitrate and nitrite in lettuce, leek, potato, beetroot, Chinese cabbage and white cabbage on the Danish market were determined for 3 years in the period 1993-1997 as part of the Danish food monitoring programme. These vegetables are supposed to provide the major contribution to the intake of nitrate from the diet. Results for nitrate and nitrite in fresh and frozen spinach are also shown. The highest content of nitrate was found in lettuce followed by beetroot, Chinese cabbage, fresh spinach, leek, frozen spinach, white cabbage and potatoes. For all the products a great variation in the content of nitrate was found. For lettuce a characteristic variation throughout the year is clearly seen with the highest content in the winter period the lowest content in the summer period. Generally, the content of nitrite was low but in spinach high contents were found, probably due to improper storage conditions during transportation. The intake of nitrate and nitrite from these vegetables is calculated on the basis of two different consumption surveys. For both surveys the average intake of nitrate from the vegetables included in the monitoring programme is estimated to be approximately 40mg day^-1, whereas for nitrite the average intake is approximately 0.09mg day^-1. The total intake of nitrate and nitrite is estimated to be respectively 61mg day^-1 and 0.5mg day^-1.     

Spatial trends and temporal declines in tissue metals/metalloids in the context of wild fish health at the St. Clair River Area of Concern

The St. Clair River, which flows from Lake Huron to Lake St Clair, receives discharges and emissions from numerous petroleum refineries, petrochemical facilities, and other sources. We used a multi-factor ANOVA to test for spatial and temporal changes in concentrations of trace metals/metalloids in homogenates of fish from Lake Huron (reference site) and two river sites - an industrialized region (Stag Island) and downstream Walpole Island/Chenal Écarte. In 2002/2003 and in 2014, we sampled 20 adult fish of each sex of the following species: shorthead redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum), yellow perch (Perca flavescens); we added emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides; unsexed) in 2014. There was a temporal decline of most metals/metalloids in shorthead redhorse at the river sites. Linear Discriminant Analysis separated the 2014 shorthead redhorse by site. Emerald shiners had higher concentrations of metals/metalloids, apart from mercury, than the other species; those concentrations were highest at Chenal Écarte, which warrants further research. Tissue concentrations of mercury, which declined temporally at Stag Island and Walpole Island, were above the protective guidance for wildlife consumers at all sites, but were lower than predicted to affect fish health. Apart from increased liver size (ANCOVA) in shorthead redhorse at Walpole Island (2014), the health variables in the riverine fish were stable or differed slightly from reference, which indicated good health and reproductive potential. In shorthead redhorse, tissue metals correlated inconsistently with health indices. Further research could ascertain if temporal declines in metals/metalloids in riverine SHRH are benefits of remediation actions or fluctuations with other causes.     

A novel direct-drive ocean wave energy extraction concept with contact-less force transmission system

This paper describes the design and testing of a new rotary direct-drive ocean wave energy extraction system. The device employs a contact-less force transmission system (CFTS) to couple a float to the power take-off (PTO) mechanism made up of a ball screw, unidirectional clutch and a permanent magnet generator. Comprehensive simulation, design and testing of both the force transmission system and the ocean energy extraction system are presented along with preliminary wave flume test results of the buoy in irregular waves.