Psychology for the public: A content analysis of Psychology Today..

Surveyed the extent to which Psychology Today (PT) has maintained an empirical basis for its articles and the degree to which psychologists and individuals with doctorates have been responsible for PT articles. Two samples of PT were selected for review by 2 raters (the present authors). Findings indicate that not only have PT articles significantly shifted away from a presentation of empirically based data, but the proportion of articles authored by psychologists, as well as the educational level of authors, has declined, particularly in the last 3 yrs. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A quantitative look at software licensing for IT managers

Information vendors, buyers, and users often take the approach that the number of employees equals the number of licensed users. Unfortunately, although assuring virtually unlimited usage of the software or database, this approach can also come with an unlimited cost. A typical vendor contract might read something to the effect that "Vendor A agrees to provide unlimited access to database B for all 200 employees of Firm Z," a relatively straightforward approach. However, there is no logical reason to pay for unused information and access.     

Retardation of Dredged Material Leachate in Foundation Soils

Contaminated dredged material is often placed in confined disposal facilities (CDFs) designed and managed to control environmental impacts of the disposed sediment. This note presents equations for use in a screening procedure to evaluate the impact of a CDF on groundwater. The hydrologic evaluation of leachate production and quality model was used to simulate leachate production and transport through the foundation considering a range of foundation soil characteristics and contaminant properties. The model results were used to develop predictive equations of contaminant attenuation and travel time in the foundation soils. When used with equations to predict dispersion in the aquifer, contaminant exposures at receptor locations can be predicted, which is essential in leachate screening applications. The approach does not consider degradation or permanent sequestration of contaminants. Therefore, the procedure is conservative in that it may overestimate actual leachate concentrations and underestimate actual travel times.     

A Longitudinal Examination of Causal Attributions and Depression Symptomatology in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: Examine longitudinal relationships between causal attributions and depression symptoms in adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Study Design: Cross-lagged panel correlations tested the temporal precedence of attributions relative to depression symptoms over 1 year. Participants: Forty-two participants completed self-report instruments on 2 occasions. Main Outcome Measures: The Inventory to Diagnose Depression and the Attributional Style Questionnaire. Results: Time 1 attributions predicted increased levels of depression symptoms at Time 2 after perceived pain and disability were controlled: Time 1 depression symptoms were unrelated to Time 2 attributions. Cross-lagged correlation comparisons revealed statistical dominance for attribution-depression relationships relative to depression-attribution relationships. Conclusions: Results support cognitive diathesis conceptualizations of depression and support cognitive-behavioral treatments for depression in RA. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Internationale Rekrutierung und Migration von Ärztinnen, Ärzten und Personal in Gesundheitsfachberufen: ein qualitatives Scoping Review der Public Health Literatur

Background

The international recruitment and migration of health workers has long been debated in the health policy literature. This study assesses to what extent the ethics of international recruitment are targeted in existing public health peer-reviewed literature, with a focus on concepts and in-depth consideration within articles. It further critically discusses hidden implications of this discourse regarding equity-creating health policy.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative scoping literature review searching the databases PubMed and Web of Science. Articles were assessed for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) checklist for qualitative research. Drawing on a thematic analysis approach, common themes across the sample were identified, coded and analyzed.

Results

A total of 17 articles were included in the analysis after searches and quality appraisal. These articles predominantly targeted nursing professions and physicians, and were written mainly by authors working in the Global North. Thematic analysis revealed that ethics are generally discussed in connection with overviews regarding the situation of health systems as well as regarding inequities between countries. Their focus lies more on migration between countries than between regions within a country. Proposed solutions are usually of an economic nature and range from global financial equalization between countries to national improvements in working conditions. Creative evaluation schemes for these solutions are rarely discussed in depth. Overall, the academic ethics discussion focuses predominantly on the health systems level, and views migration of health workers as problematic.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that academic research operates and aims to inform policy within the current system, without necessarily proposing fundamental changes to the status quo. Thus, an ethics discourse of health workforce recruitment may serve to increase awareness of inequalities without supporting radical change. Further research into intersectional aspects of health worker migration, including gender and ethnicity, may be useful for the discussion on inequities.

     

Gender differences and the effects of perceived internet privacy on self-reports of sexual behavior and sociosexuality

The use of the Internet for conducting research has found that the level of anonymity intrinsic to web-based surveys is useful in deterring various participant biases. Though, concerns about Internet privacy could interfere with the effects of perceived anonymity and influence how a person responds. In this study, participants were asked to take an Internet survey and then were randomly assigned to conditions with varying degrees of implied privacy in which they answered questions about their desire for casual sex (sociosexuality) and their lifetime sexual partners. Only in the condition without any threat to the participant’s anonymity was there no difference between men and women’s reports of their sexual behavior. However, in every condition men reported having a significantly higher sociosexuality than women. Findings are consistent with both the biologic and gender-biased explanations in differences of self-report for sexual information. Implications for social constraints and Internet based research are discussed.     

Impact of enzymatic mash maceration and storage on anthocyanin and color retention of pasteurized strawberry purées

Strawberry purées were prepared using a commercial polygalacturonase (PG) and a highly purified pectinesterase (PE) preparation, respectively. To elucidate the effect of pectin on color stability following enzymatic pulp maceration, pectin composition was studied by isolating and fractionating the alcohol-insoluble residue from the strawberry purées. The purées were stored at +20 and +4 °C in the dark over a period of 24 weeks monitoring the amounts of monomeric and polymeric anthocyanins as well as antioxidant activities (FRAP, TEAC). Individual anthocyanins were analyzed by HPLC–DAD–MS ⁿ , and color measurements were obtained in the CIE L*a*b* system. Pectin composition was significantly modified following enzymatic maceration of the purées. While PG treatment generally resulted in pectin losses, oxalate-soluble pectins were increased in PE-treated purées. After 24 weeks of storage, the best anthocyanin retention was observed in PE-treated purées. Such products also revealed greatest anthocyanin half-life values and lowest proportion of polymeric pigments. Compared to an untreated control, enzymatic purée maceration using the PG was also beneficial for pigment retention, but less effective than PE. In contrast, color and antioxidant activity were independent of both enzymatic treatments. An initial heating step (90 °C, 10 s) for immediate inactivation of native enzymes such as polyphenoloxidases slightly improved pigment stability, while lowered temperature during mash maceration was less effective. However, by far best color and pigment retention were achieved when the purées were stored at 4 °C in the dark.     

Control and care: landlords and the governance of vulnerable tenants in houses in multiple occupation

Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in which tenants share facilities are housing an increasing proportion of vulnerable adults who have limited affordable housing options. However, knowledge about how these types of property are managed is limited. In this paper, we examine the governance function of HMO landlords from the perspective of landlords/landlord agents and the tenants that live within their properties. The landlord exercises control through formal and informal risk assessment of tenants and close surveillance of them. These control mechanisms may also involve direct or indirect provision of support and care to some tenants. This illustrates the complex relationship between care and control and the extent to which both are integral to the housing management of vulnerable tenants living in HMOs. We suggest that this dual function calls for a critical examination of what constitutes a ‘good landlord’.     

Co-optimization of color and mechanical properties by volumetric voxel control

Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization - Controlling the composition of individual voxels allows for a co-optimization of 3D-printed part properties such as color and mechanical ones. As a...