Earvin "Magic" Johnson's HIV serostatus disclosure: Effects on men's perceptions of AIDS.

The effects of celebrity self-disclosure of HIV seropositivity on perceptions of HIV and AIDS were investigated. AIDS-related interest and knowledge measures were collected from 468 men before and after basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson's self-disclosure of HIV seropositivity. Increased interest in AIDS paralleled media coverage of the announcement, with the most substantial effects occurring within 2 wks. Perceived impact of the disclosure was greatest among African-American men and men who had not previously known someone with HIV/AIDS. Celebrity self-disclosure appears to affect perceptions through mechanisms similar to those involved in personally knowing someone infected with HIV. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Performance in relation to job skill importance: A consideration of rater source.

Investigated relationships between the performance levels of incumbents on job skills and the importance attributed to those job skills. Supervisors and job incumbents rated both the performance of skill dimensions and the importance of those skills for respective incumbents' positions. Results indicate that the ratings of performance and importance on matched skill areas correlated positively, although relationships were somewhat stronger for incumbent data as compared with data provided by supervisors. Supervisors and incumbents agreed moderately on which skill areas were important for various positions, but the interrater agreement was much lower for performance ratings of the skill areas. For some skill areas, incumbent-rated importance and supervisor-rated performance, as well as incumbent-rated performance and supervisor-rated importance, were significantly correlated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fifteen years of cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in Bolivia: a retrospective study

The photosensitizing properties of p-nitroacetophenone (PNAP), a well-known radiosensitizer, have been studied in near UV region. The mechanism of PNAP photosensitization has been investigated by testing the efficiency of singlet oxygen production using photooxidation of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (TEMP) and photodegradation of guanosine. In both the cases, the enhancement effect of deuterated solvents has been observed. Results of these experiments suggest the significant role of type II mechanisms in PNAP photosensitization.     

"Cadism": Odd man out.

Comments that L. B. Silverstein's (see record 1992-05293-001) article on child care and maternal employment contributes unfounded and damaging misbeliefs regarding fathers. The dad-as-cad myth suggests intentional malevolence or at least blatant failure by fathers to care for others, and suggests that their failure to share equally in child care and household management is the primary cause of marital conflict. W. B. Johnson and D. Hayes propose a research agenda for fathering that originates in a coherent model of male development in the context of ever-changing environmental demands. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Glucagon-like peptide I enhances the insulinotropic effect of glibenclamide in NIDDM patients and in the perfused rat pancreas

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the acute effects of glibenclamide and glucagon-like peptide I (GLP-I) and their combination in perfused isolated rat pancreas and in patients with secondary failure to sulfonylureas. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Rat islets were perfused with 10 nmol/l GLP-I in combination with 2 mumol/l glibenclamide. In human experiments, GLP-I (0.75 pmol. kg-1.min-1) was given as a continuous infusion during 240 min, while glibenclamide (3.5 mg) was administered orally. Eight patients participated in the study (age 57.6 +/- 2.7 years, BMI 28.7 +/- 1.5 kg/m2, mean +/- SE). In all subjects, blood glucose was first normalized by insulin infusion administered by an artificial pancreas (Biostator). RESULTS: GLP-I increased the insulinotropic effect of glibenclamide fourfold in the perfused rat pancreas. In human experiments, treatment with GLP-I alone and in combination with glibenclamide significantly decreased basal glucose levels (5.1 +/- 0.4 and 4.5 +/- 0.1 vs. 6.0 +/- 0.3 mmol/l, P < 0.01), while with only glibenclamide, glucose concentrations remained unchanged. GLP-I markedly decreased total integrated glucose response to the meal (353 +/- 60 vs. 724 +/- 91 mmol.l-1. min-1, area under the curve [AUC] [-30-180 min], P < 0.02), whereas glibenclamide had no effect (598 +/- 101 mmol.l-1. min-1, AUC [-30-180 min], NS). The combined treatment further enhanced the glucose lowering effect of GLP-I (138 +/- 24 mmol. l-1.min, AUC [-30-180 min], P < 0.001). GLP-I, glibenclamide, and combined treat-stimulated meal-induced insulin release as reflected by insulinogenic indexes (control 1.44 +/- 0.4; GLP-I 6.3 +/- 1.6, P < 0.01; glibenclamide 6.8 +/- 2.1, P < 0.01; combination 20.7 +/- 5.0, P < 0.001). GLP-I inhibited basal but not postprandial glucagon responses. Using paracetamol as a marker for gastric emptying rate of the test meal, treatment with GLP-I decreased gastric emptying at 180 min by approximately 50% compared with the control subjects (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In acute experiments on overweight patients with NIDDM, GLP-I exerted a marked antidiabetogenic action on the basal and postprandial state. The peptide stimulated insulin, suppressed basal glucagon release, and prolonged gastric emptying. The glucose-lowering effect of GLP-I was further enhanced by glibenclamide. This action may be at least partially accounted for by a synergistic effect of these two compounds on insulin release. Glibenclamide per se enhanced postprandial but not basal insulin release and exerted a less pronounced antidiabetogenic effect compared with GLP-I.     

Comparison of three different methods for measurement of plaque-pH in humans after consumption of soft bread and potato chips

Three different techniques for measurement of plaque-pH--the sampling, the microtouch, and the telemetric methods--were compared after subjects had consumed different starch products. Ten volunteers, equipped with partial lower prostheses, incorporating a miniature glass pH electrode, refrained from toothbrushing for 3 days. Four products were tested: (1) soft bread, (2) potato chips, (3) 5% starch, and (4) 5% sucrose. The pH of plaque was measured for 45 min by means of all three of the methods. The results showed that the mean pH at 10 min was 1.5 units lower with the telemetric than with the sampling method and 1.0 unit lower with the telemetric than with the microtouch method. Relatively small differences were found among the effects of the four test products for all three methods, with the clearest distinctions among the pH curves being with the microtouch and telemetric methods. The main conclusions from the present investigation are: (1) that there were large differences in pH levels measured with the sampling, the microtouch, and the telemetric methods, even though they ranked the test products in about the same order, and (2) that the two starchy foods, bread and potato chips, were both easily fermented by dental plaque.     

Adolescents in stepfamilies: Developmental family interventions.

Discusses issues and interventions for working with adolescents who live in stepfamilies. A developmental perspective, using psychoeducation and brief strategic intervention approaches, is proposed for working with stepfamilies. Six major issues for adolescents in stepfamilies are discussed: developmental issues, sexuality issues, parent–child relationships, parenting in stepfamilies, nonresidential parent–child issues, and changes in visitation and custody. Case illustrations and suggested interventions are presented for each of these areas. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)