Self-efficacy and disclosure of HIV-positive serostatus to sex partners.

HIV-positive persons face significant challenges to disclosing their HIV serostatus, and failure to disclose can place their sex partners at risk. The current study examined HIV serostatus disclosure in 266 sexually active HIV-positive persons recruited from the community. Results showed that 41% had not disclosed their HIV serostatus to sex partners. Men who had not disclosed to partners indicated lower rates of condom use during anal intercourse and scored significantly lower on a measure of self-efficacy for condom use compared to individuals who had disclosed. Emotional distress was also greatest among persons who had not recently disclosed. Having not disclosed to sex partners was closely associated with lower self-efficacy for disclosing, with women who had not disclosed reporting the lowest disclosure self-efficacy. As people living with HIV-AIDS are encouraged to disclose their HIV status, interventions are needed to facilitate disclosure decision making. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sources of social support and burnout, job satisfaction, and productivity.

Social support has been identified as an important correlate of a variety of work outcomes. Support from different sources, including family, coworkers, and supervisors, was examined in 211 traffic enforcement agents (92 men, 119 women). Outcomes included subjective variables (burnout and job satisfaction) and an objective measure of productivity (number of summonses). Support was negatively associated with burnout and positively associated with satisfaction and productivity. A cluster of support variables accounted for 7% of the variance in burnout and productivity and 12% of the variance in job satisfaction. Family support was more closely associated with burnout than with satisfaction or productivity, whereas immediate supervisor support was related to satisfaction and productivity but not burnout. Results suggest that support may be associated with work-related outcomes through multiple pathways. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attributional complexity: An individual differences measure.

Describes the development of a scale that measures the complexity of attributional schemata for human behavior—the Attributional Complexity Scale (ACS). In Study 1, the ACS was administered to 289 undergraduates. The results show that the ACS had adequate internal reliability and test–retest reliability, and a factor analysis yielded 1 major factor. Study 2 tested the discriminant and convergent validity of the ACS by administering it to 81 undergraduates. As predicted, attributional complexity was not related to social desirability, academic ability, or internal–external locus of control, but it was positively related to the need for cognition. Study 3 confirmed the prediction that psychology majors (n?=?59) would have more complex attributional schemata than natural science majors (n?=?35). Studies 4 and 5, with 174 Ss, provided evidence for the external validity of the scale: Attributionally complex Ss compared with attributionally simple Ss spontaneously produced more causes for personality dispositions and selected more complex causal attributions for simple behavioral events. Implications for various issues in social cognition are discussed. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Computer graphics curricula in the visual arts

Computers have recently emerged as commonplace on the scene in a record number of university art departments. This rapid change has created the need for new curriculum in the computer art discipline. In designing these courses I see three ideas that are paramount to any computer graphics curriculum in the visual arts. First, the courses and course work should focus on individual expression and creativity, second, the instruction should include an awareness of the “wow” factor, and third, the courses should include a balance of computer art, traditional art, computer science, and academics such as theory, art history, and criticism.     

纺锤形赖氨酸芽孢杆菌P-3产胞外多糖发酵工艺参数优化

利用响应面法对纺锤形赖氨酸芽孢杆菌（Lysinibacillus fusiformis）P-3产胞外多糖（EPS）发酵工艺参数进行了优化。通过单因素试验筛选到显著因素,对显著因素进行Box-Behnken中心组合试验设计优化,建立EPS产量与各因素的多元回归方程;最终确定最佳发酵工艺参数为接种量3%、初始pH 7、发酵温度34 ℃、发酵时间32 h和转速161 r/min。在此优化条件下,EPS平均产量为2.92 g/L。     

The Pathophysiology of Osteoporosis after Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects approximately 300,000 people in the United States. Most individuals who sustain severe SCI also develop subsequent osteoporosis. However, beyond immobilization-related lack of long bone loading, multiple mechanisms of SCI-related bone density loss are incompletely understood. Recent findings suggest neuronal impairment and disability may lead to an upregulation of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), which promotes bone resorption. Disruption of Wnt signaling and dysregulation of RANKL may also contribute to the pathogenesis of SCI-related osteoporosis. Estrogenic effects may protect bones from resorption by decreasing the upregulation of RANKL. This review will discuss the current proposed physiological and cellular mechanisms explaining osteoporosis associated with SCI. In addition, we will discuss emerging pharmacological and physiological treatment strategies, including the promising effects of estrogen on cellular protection.     

Bicycle injuries: a matter of mechanism and age

Bicycle riding is a popular form of recreation with positive health and environmental effects. These road users are vulnerable to serious injuries, especially when motor vehicles are involved. The goal of this study was to characterize cyclist-related injuries according to motor vehicle involvement for adults versus children. A retrospective study was carried out using data from 11 trauma centers in the Israeli National Trauma Registry (2001-2007). Injuries were classified according to whether a motor vehicle was involved, and differences in injury characteristics were assessed for adults (18+ years) versus children (1-17 years). A total of 5529 patients were hospitalized for bicycle injuries, of whom 1765 were adults and 3764 were children. Thirty percent (n=1662) of all bicycle injuries involved motor vehicles, although the rate of injuries resulting in hospitalization was 37% among adults and 27% among children. Injury characteristics and hospital resource utilization differed substantially by age group. Cyclists struck by a motor vehicle presented with more severe injuries requiring more hospital resources and resulting in poorer outcomes than those not involved with motor vehicles. The interaction effect between motor vehicle involvement and age was significant for torso injuries and need for medical imaging. We found that injury characteristics, hospital resource utilization and health-related outcomes for bicycle injuries are highly dependent on patient's age and mechanism of injury. Effect modification of motor vehicle involvement by age may in part reflect physicians' attitudes toward pediatric imaging. The risks identified in this study should be used for preparedness and management of trauma hospitalizations from bicycle injuries.     

Laboratory investigations of stormwater remediation via slag: Effects of metals on phosphorus removal

The use of electric arc furnace (EAF) slag for the removal of phosphorus (P) from various simulated stormwater blends was investigated in the laboratory. The form of P measured was the inorganic orthophosphate (PO(4)-P). The stormwater solutions used in this preliminary study were synthesized as blends of P and typical concentrations of some of the most common and abundant metals in stormwater (e.g. cadmium, copper, lead and zinc), and contacted with EAF slag to determine P removal efficiency and sorptive competition. Results showed that the presence of cadmium, lead and zinc had minimal effect on the removal process; copper was a significant inhibitor of P uptake by the EAF slag media. P removal was greatest in the metal-free and multi-metal stormwater solutions.