Loss of control, self-blame, and depression: An investigation of spouse caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients.

Tested several predictions derived from the reformulated learned helplessness (RLH) depression model developed by L. Y. Abramson et al (see record 1979-00305-001) and from recent critiques of that model, in a longitudinal study of spouses caring for a husband or wife with Alzheimer's disease. During initial interviews, 68 caregivers (aged 37–85 yrs) rated the uncontrollability of important upsetting events related to their spouse's disease and were scored on an index of internal–external causal attribution (CATN) for those events. In addition, at both the initial and follow-up interviews (n?=?38) about 10 mo later, caregivers were rated for depression, anxiety, and hostility. Results indicate that the indices of loss of control and CATN were more consistently related to depression than to anxiety or hostility, although hostility was related to CATNs. Correlations of the loss of control and CATN variables with depression remained significant after controlling for a measure of the spouse's objective disability. In hierarchical regression analyses, perceived loss of control and its interaction with CATN significantly predicted follow-up depression after controlling for initial depression. The interaction showed that loss of control combined with an internal attribution predicted higher depression than did either one alone. The importance of including specific uncontrollable events when studying the RLH model is emphasized. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Revisiting neighbourhood change from a Canadian perspective: Some supporting evidence from Vancouver

This paper argues that the several models of neighbourhood change developed in the United States are generally not applicable to Canadian cities due to differences in urban form, socioeconomic characteristics, and a host of institutional factors. A simple model is presented which extends the arbitrage model of neighbourhood dynamics. Several hypotheses are advanced and then tested on a data base covering three Vancouver, B.C. neighbourhoods from 1955 to 1981 by estimating several hedonic price equations. The hypotheses receive partial support. Implications for policymakers are then discussed.We wish to thank Jim Fitzsimmons and Judy Fountain for their computer assistance and the British Columbia Assessment Authority for providing us with data. Helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper were provided by Lawrence Jones and Douglas Diamond. We also like to acknowledge the financial support of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the Real Estate Council of British Columbia, the University of British Columbia and the British Columbia Youth Employment Program.     

On the nature of self-monitoring: Matters of assessment, matters of validity.

Notes that an extensive network of empirical relations has been identified in research on the psychological construct of self-monitoring. Nevertheless, in recent years some concerns have been expressed about the instrument used for the assessment of self-monitoring propensities, the Self-Monitoring Scale (SMS) developed by the 1st author (see record 1975-03047-001). Both the extent to which the SMS taps an interpretable and meaningful causal variable and the extent to which the self-monitoring construct provides an appropriate theoretical understanding of this causal variable have been questioned. An examination of reanalyses of studies of self-monitoring, analyses of the internal structure of the SMS, and further relevant data suggests that the measure does tap a meaningful and interpretable causal variable with pervasive influences on social behavior, a variable reflected as a general self-monitoring factor. The evaluation and furthering of the interpretation of this latent causal variable are discussed, criteria for evaluating alternative measures of self-monitoring are offered, and a new 18-item SMS is presented. (88 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Addressing the special concerns of landfill closures: VLDPE and textured geomembranes

Landfill closures often require a somewhat different set of properties for synthetic liners than do landfill bottom liner installations. In particular, cap design usually presents the geotechnical engineer with greater concerns regarding long-term slope stability and accommodation of differential settlement. Friction between synthetic liners and materials contacting those liners, multiaxial elongation, and flexibility increase in importance. Since leachate does not contact the liners, chemical resistance becomes less important. Resistance to the components of landfill gas is, in most cases, all that is necessary.

As a result, synthetic liners with a textured surface to improve friction angles, and very low density polyethylene (VLDPE) geomembranes are becoming very attractive to geotechnical engineers. They provide considerable improvement in those areas which are important for cap installation. These materials, however, behave differently in standard index and performance testing of geomembranes, when compared with traditional polyethylene liners. These behaviors and differences are important for geotechnical engineers to understand. They are discussed in this paper.     

Reliability and stability of executive functioning in older adults.

A number of methodological questions have been raised about the reliability and validity of measuring executive functioning (EF) across multiple time points. In this study, correlational and latent-variable analyses were used to examine test-retest reliability of 5 common measures of EF and the stability of a latent EF construct. One hundred eighteen nondemented older adults were tested twice over a 4- to 8-week period. Findings demonstrated modest reliability of individual EF measures but very high stability of a latent EF construct. Relative contributions of each measure to the latent EF factor did not change across measurement trials. In addition, age-related effects on EF were similar at the 2 time points and were within the expected range. Implications for future studies of EF are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role of Specimen Geometry in the Effect of Fiber Orientation on the Thermal Conductivity of a Uniaxial Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Aluminoborosilicate Glass-Matrix Composite

A study concerning the effect of fiber orientation on the thermal conductivity of a uniaxial carbon-fiber-reinforced borosilicate glass was conducted. For thin specimens, and thick specimens with specimen sides cut parallel to the fiber direction, the dependence of thermal conductivity on fiber orientation showed excellent agreement with theoretical behavior predicted for a composite infinite in extent. In contrast, the thermal conductivity data for rectangular thick specimens fell well below the data for the thin and angled specimens. For fiber orientation of 45° and higher, at which the heat was directed toward the side of the specimen rather than across, the thermal conductivity values showed excellent agreement with theoretical behavior predicted for a finite composite strip with insulated sides.     

On a bounded solution to a pair of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations

We present a bounded, decaying solution to a pair of coupled, nonlinear second-order ordinary differential equations arising in the theory of natural convection. The solution is found by transforming the problem into a non-autonomous system in the phase-plane. A uniqueness proof is given for the bounded solution.     

New intramolecular effect observed for polyesters: An anomeric effect

A series of polyesters was prepared to evaluate hydrolytic stability as a function of cyclohexyl dibasic acid content. The three cyclohexyl dibasic acids: 1,2; 1,3; and 1,4 were formulated into polyesters with two glycols. The proportion of cis and trans isomers was evaluated via ¹H NMR. The hydrolytic stability of short chain polyesters was evaluated in an acetone/water mixture which solubilized the polyesters to mimic oligoester behavior within a thermosetting polyester coating environment. The rate of hydrolysis was monitored by acid titration and corroborated by GPC. Surprisingly, 1,2-cylohexyl diacid-based polyesters were robust, and 1,3-cyclohexyl diacid-based polyesters were the most susceptible to hydrolysis. Evidently, a 1,2-anchimeric effect for cyclohexyl dibasic acid polyesters was not an important consideration, while the 1,3-cyclohexyl ester interaction was. Consequently, an anomeric effect was proposed. Presented at the 81st Annual Meeting of the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology, November 12–14, 2003, in Philadelphia, PA.