Minors' attitudes and competence toward participation in psychoeducational decisions.

27 7–23 yr olds, 33 14–25 yr olds, and 21 16–20 yr olds enrolled in a university-based day-school program for children with learning and related behavior problems were given a choice about participating in decisions about their subsequent placements. Ss were also offered instructions on how to prepare for participating in the decision process. Structured questions and ratings of observed behavior were used to measure Ss' current and subsequent interest in participation, perspective of competence to participate, interest in instruction to increase competence, expectations, actual participation, and judgments of outcome. Findings were similar to those found in a previous study by the present authors (see record 1984-16316-001). A high proportion of Ss wanted to participate, perceived themselves as competent to do so, knew what outcomes they wanted, followed through, and judged their involvement as effective. Most Ss were interested in improving skills related to such participation. Adults involved (6 teachers, 76 parents, and 4 school psychologists) rated the participation of Ss as effective. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The design of millimeter-wave control components

The design of broadband high-performance control components covering the 18-40-GHz frequency range utilizing microstrip technology is described. Design considerations and experimental results are presented for high-speed single-pole, single-throw and single-pole, double-throw switches with 80- and 60-dB isolation, respectively. Design equations and experimental results are presented for a 3-dB quadrature microstrip reentrant coupler and for a nonreflective voltage-controlled attenuator with a dynamic range of 50 dB     

Prediction of reading and related academic problems.

Conducted a 5-yr longitudinal study to (a) compare psychometric vs behavioral kindergarten predictors of reading performance and (b) examine the effect on reading performance of particular classroom and school environments. Two cohorts of approximately 850 middle-class kindergarten children were administered a psychometric battery (e.g., the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence and the Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test). Also, a Student Rating Scale consisting of 41 classroom behavior items representing 5 factors was completed for each S by the kindergarten teacher. The scale proved equal to the best psychometric measures in predicting reading test scores in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades. Inclusion of classroom and school variables enhanced the prediction. Particularly instructive were analyses of false positive and negative prediction patterns. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

US oil/gas production cost: recent changes

Since 1984, US oil development cost has decreased, but only as the movement down along a curve shifting toward higher cost. In contrast, the non-associated gas cost curve has shifted favourably.     

Potential reaction intermediates of NOx reduction with propane over Cu/ZSM-5

Adsorption complexes that are formed by exposing Cu/ZSM-5 to nitric oxides have been identified by FTIR. Some of them are thermally decomposed below 200°C, but others, though much more stable thermally, are reduced at low temperature by chemical interaction with gaseous propane. The FTIR spectra suggest that the latter complexes are nitro and/or nitrate groups associated with Cu ions. Their formation and reduction when Cu/ZSM-5 is exposed to NO + O₂ + C₃H₈ seems consistent with the assumption that they are intermediates in catalytic NO_x reduction. Mass spectrometric analysis of the gases that are released when these complexes react with propane reveals formation of N₂, whereas thermal decomposition at higher temperatures only yields NO₂, NO, H₂O, traces of O₂, but no N₂. The results suggest that adsorbed NO_y, groups (y ? 2) are able to abstract H atoms from hydrocarbon molecules.     

Competing selves: Negotiating the intersection of spiritual and sexual identities.

Psychotherapy has sometimes been seen as incongruent with religion and spirituality. This fact is even more pronounced when counseling lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients, who feel as if their sexual orientation places them at odds with religious doctrine that is experienced as antigay. Postmodern theory provides a context for understanding socially constructed identities that may be in conflict with one another and may also provide some insight into how therapists may approach religious issues with LGB clients. The current study uses a mixed method design to investigate the relation between religious and sexuality variables in a sample of 422 LGB respondents. Quantitative results indicated that conservative religious beliefs were related to higher levels of shame, guilt, and internalized homophobia. Qualitative results appeared to highlight eight themes, the more dominant of which indicated that issues around sexual orientation were the catalyst for questioning or changing religious affiliation or beliefs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Oncogenic Role of Exosomal Circular and Long Noncoding RNAs in Gastrointestinal Cancers

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are differentially expressed in gastrointestinal cancers. These noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) regulate a variety of cellular activities by physically interacting with microRNAs and proteins and altering their activity. It has also been suggested that exosomes encapsulate circRNAs and lncRNAs in cancer cells. Exosomes are then discharged into the extracellular environment, where they are taken up by other cells. As a result, exosomal ncRNA cargo is critical for cell–cell communication within the cancer microenvironment. Exosomal ncRNAs can regulate a range of events, such as angiogenesis, metastasis, immune evasion, drug resistance, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. To set the groundwork for developing novel therapeutic strategies against gastrointestinal malignancies, a thorough understanding of circRNAs and lncRNAs is required. In this review, we discuss the function and intrinsic features of oncogenic circRNAs and lncRNAs that are enriched within exosomes.     

Performance of the Coumatrak system in a large anticoagulation clinic

There is a need to monitor anticoagulation accurately, inexpensively, and rapidly. The accuracy and precision of a simple fingerstick method was studied in a large outpatient anticoagulation clinic using the Coumatrak method. The Coumatrak apparatus has been studied in the home setting, and three recent reports suggest that it is practical, accurate, and possibly superior to the standard method. These results differ from recently published studies. This technique was found to be less than acceptable in precision and accuracy. This method requires further study before it can be recommended for wide-spread use in making decisions for patient care.     

Head injury in partner-abusive men.

Research into etiology of marital aggression has focused primarily on psychosocial, political, and cultural factors, to the exclusion of physiological influences. Fifty-three partner abusive men, 45 maritally satisfied, and 32 maritally discordant, nonviolent men were evaluated for past history of head injury, by a physician who was not informed of group membership and aggression history. Logistic regressions confirmed that head injury was a significant predictor of being a batterer. The implications of these findings for both marital aggression and post-head injury rehabilitation are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Automatic vigilance for negative words is categorical and general.

With other factors controlled, negative words elicit slower lexical decisions and naming than positive words (Estes & Adelman, 2008; see record 2008-09984-001). Moreover, this marked difference in responding to negative words and to positive words (i.e., between-category discontinuity) was accompanied by relatively uniform responding among negative words (i.e., within-category equivalence), thus suggesting a categorical model of automatic vigilance. Larsen, Mercer, Balota, and Strube (this issue; see record 2008-09984-002) corroborated our observation that valence predicts lexical decision and word naming latencies. However, on the basis of an interaction between linear arousal and linear valence, they claim that automatic vigilance does not occur among arousing stimuli and they purport to reject the categorical model. Here we show that (a) this interaction is logically irrelevant to whether automatic vigilance is categorical; (b) the linear interaction is statistically consistent with the categorical model; (c) the interaction is not observed within the categorical model; and (d) despite having 5 fewer parameters, the categorical model predicts word recognition times as well as the interaction model. Thus, automatic vigilance is categorical and generalizes across levels of arousal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)