An Analogue Study of Therapist Empathic Process: Working With Difference.

Most theories of psychotherapy advocate therapist empathy, although little is known about the process. A study, using analogue clinical scenarios, suggests psychotherapists can bridge perceived differences between their clients' life experiences and their own. Ninety three therapists viewed 5 videotaped vignettes based on actual cases. Each completed a demographic questionnaire, Interpersonal Reactivity Index (M. H. Davis, 1980), vignette response empathy scale, difference measure, reference point questionnaire, and self-perceived empathy measure. Findings show therapists perceived scenarios as different from their lives and that they were generally empathic across client vignettes. Gender differences emerged on measures of empathy. The research suggests therapists' ability to use reference points from their own experience may help facilitate empathy when responding to client life stories of difference. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perfectionistic self-presentation in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale—Junior Form.

Research on adults indicates that perfectionistic self-presentation, the interpersonal expression of one's perfection, is associated with a variety of psychopathological outcomes independent of trait perfectionism and Big Five traits. The current article reports on the development and evidence for the validity of the subtest score interpretations of an 18-item self-report measure of perfectionistic self-presentation for children and adolescents. Analyses conducted on data from two clinical samples and one nonclinical sample of children and adolescents found that the Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale—Junior Form (PSPS–Jr) reflected a multidimensional model of perfectionistic self-presentation with three subscales: Perfectionistic Self Promotion, Nondisplay of Imperfection, and Nondisclosure of Imperfection. The subscale scores were found to demonstrate internal consistency, and there was good evidence supporting the validity of the interpretation of subscale scores based on this new measure. The subscales were associated with maladaptive outcomes, but were not influenced unduly by biases that included social desirability and differential item functioning by gender. Overall, the PSPS-Jr appears to be a useful measure of the expression of perfection among youths and an important tool in attempting to understand the nature and the consequences of perfectionistic self-presentation in children and adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping-anxiety and coping-depression motives predict different daily mood-drinking relationships.

Individuals with different drinking motives show distinctive patterns of alcohol use and problems. Drinking to cope, or endorsing strong coping motives for alcohol use, has been shown to be particularly hazardous. It is important to determine the unique triggers associated with coping drinking. One limitation of past research has been the failure to contend with the complexities inherent in coping motives. Using the Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire–Revised (Grant, Stewart, O’Connor, Blackwell, & Conrod, 2007), which separates coping-anxiety and coping-depression motives, we investigated whether these motives moderated relationships between daily mood and subsequent drinking (statistically controlling for sex, baseline anxious and depressive symptomatology, initial alcohol problems, and additional drinking motives). College students (N = 146) provided daily reports of mood and alcohol consumption online for 3 weeks. Multilevel modeling analyses revealed that, as hypothesized, stronger initial coping-depression motives predicted higher daily depressed mood-alcohol consumption slopes. Also consistent with expectation, stronger initial coping-anxiety motives predicted higher anxious mood-alcohol consumption slopes. We discuss how this identification of the unique mood triggers associated with each type of coping drinking motive can provide the basis for targeted interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Isotopic character of nitrous oxide emitted from streams

Global models have indicated agriculturally impacted rivers and streams may be important sources of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N(2)O). However, there is significant uncertainty in N(2)O budgets. Isotopic characterization can be used to help constrain N(2)O budgets. We present the first published measurements of the isotopic character of N(2)O emitted from low (2-4) order streams. Isotopic character of N(2)O varied seasonally, among streams, and over diel periods. On an annual basis, δ(18)O of emitted N(2)O (+47.4 to +51.4‰; relative to VSMOW) was higher than previously reported for larger rivers, but δ(15)N of emitted N(2)O (-16.2 to +2.4‰ among streams; relative to atmospheric N(2)) was similar to that of past studies. On an annual basis, all streams emitted N(2)O with lower δ(15)N than tropospheric N(2)O. Given these streams have elevated nitrate concentrations which are associated with enhanced N(2)O fluxes, this supports the hypothesis that streams are contributing to the accumulation of (15)N-depleted N(2)O in the troposphere.     

Fish living near two wastewater treatment plants have unaltered thermal tolerance but show changes in organ and tissue traits

Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a significant source of anthropogenic pollutants and are a serious environmental stressor in Laurentian Great Lakes ecosystems. In this study, we examined whether three freshwater fish species (bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus, green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus, and round goby Neogobius melanostomus) collected near two wastewater effluent outflows in Lake Ontario showed altered measures of somatic investment and thermal tolerance. Fish of all three species collected near the WWTPs were larger with 50–60% heavier body masses compared to those collected at reference sites. Green sunfish had higher body condition and increased haematocrit at wastewater-contaminated sites, and both round goby and bluegill sunfish had larger livers (controlling for body mass) at wastewater-contaminated sites. Thermal tolerance (critical thermal maximum, CT_max) differed between species (green sunfish > bluegill sunfish > round goby), but was similar in fish collected at wastewater-contaminated sites compared to cleaner reference sites. Wastewater-contaminated sites had poorer water quality, higher nutrient loadings, and higher concentrations of anthropogenic contaminants (measured via polar organic chemical integrative samplers, POCIS) than reference sites. Our results suggest that fish in the wild may have some capacity to cope with WWTP effluent and avoid any potential impairments in thermal tolerance. Our findings also suggest that treated wastewater is changing water quality locally in Great Lakes watersheds, and that many fish species may be able to access extra nutrients provided by such effluent outflows. However, if outflow areas become preferred foraging areas this will inadvertently increase exposure to anthropogenic stressors and pollutants.     

A Review on Current Nanofiber Technologies: Electrospinning,Centrifugal Spinning,and Electro-Centrifugal Spinning

Nanofiber-based products are widely used in the fields of public health, air/water filtration, energy storage, etc. The demand for nonwoven products is rapidly increasing especially after COVID-19 pandemic. Electrospinning is the most popular technology to produce nanofiber-based products from various kinds of materials in bench and commercial scales. While centrifugal spinning and electro-centrifugal spinning are considered to be the other two well-known technologies to fabricate nanofibers. However, their developments are restricted mainly due to the unnormalized spinning devices and spinning principles. High solution concentration and high production efficiency are the two main strengths of centrifugal spinning, but beaded fibers can be formed easily due to air perturbation or device vibration. Electro-centrifugal spinning is formed by introducing a high voltage electrostatic field into the centrifugal spinning system, which suppresses the formation of beaded fibers and results in producing elegant nanofibers. It is believed that electrospinning can be replaced by electro-centrifugal spinning in some specific application areas. This article gives an overview on the existing devices and the crucial processing parameters of these nanofiber technologies, also constructive suggestions are proposed to facilitate the development of centrifugal and electro-centrifugal spinning.     

The role of building design and interiors in ageing actively at home

This systematic research review examines the role of building- and interior-scale environmental factors of homes and residential developments in promoting or inhibiting older adults’ sedentary behaviour and active living. Using an adaptation of the Cochrane Review protocol, the search and screen for relevant, rigorous research studies resulted in 37 research articles. The review focuses on six built environment characteristics: (1) barriers, supports and features that ‘fit'; (2) spatial organization and layout; (3) environmental cues; (4) ambient qualities; (5) assistive technologies; and (6) gardens and outdoor spaces. Accessibility-oriented features dominated the studies and findings. Pathway and corridor design, and environmental cues that convey an instrumental function of a space also facilitated active living. Ambient features such as lighting quality and meaningful sounds and aromas were important facilitators to active living among residents with dementia. To strengthen the knowledge base of the field and its application in design and improvements of residential environments, future research should focus on: detailed measurement of built environment factors as well as active living; increasing use of digital technologies for such measurements; multidisciplinary research teams; and policy-driven research questions that arise with housing the growing population of older adults in a healthy manner.     

Development of a Highly Sensitive Competitive Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detection of Acrylamide in Foods and Water

Acrylamide (AA) has been classified as a probable human carcinogen and forms in certain foods, particularly plant-based foods that are rich in carbohydrates and low in proteins, during processing or cooking at high temperatures. In this study, polyclonal antibodies were raised against a hapten derived from acrylamide and 3-mercaptobenzoic acid (3-MBA). An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed to rapidly quantify AA in complex food matrices and water. The assay was very specific to the AA-3-MBA derivative and showed no cross-reactivity to asparagine, the main precursor of AA formation in foods, aspartic acid, AA, or 3-MBA. The assay was very sensitive with a limit of detection of 5.0 ng/g in model for food matrices to 0.1 μg/L in water. Good recoveries for AA were observed in all matrices tested, and the results using this method were comparable to those obtained from mass spectrometry methods including Food Analysis Performance Assessment Scheme control samples and results for different food products.     

Prevalence of anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria in contaminated groundwater

Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria perform an important step in the global nitrogen cycle: anaerobic oxidation of ammonium and reduction of nitrite to form dinitrogen gas (N(2)). Anammox organisms appear to be widely distributed in natural and artificial environments. However, their roles in groundwater ammonium attenuation remain unclear and only limited biomarker-based data confirmed their presence prior to this study. We used complementary molecular and isotope-based methods to assess anammox diversity and activity occurring at three ammonium-contaminated groundwater sites: quantitative PCR, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, sequencing of 16S rRNA genes, and (15)N-tracer incubations. Here we show that anammox performing organisms were abundant bacterial community members. Although all sites were dominated by Candidatus Brocadia-like sequences, the community at one site was particularly diverse, possessing four of five known genera of anammox bacteria. Isotope data showed that anammox produced up to 18 and 36% of N(2) at these sites. By combining molecular and isotopic results we have demonstrated the diversity, abundance, and activity of these autotrophic bacteria. Our results provide strong evidence for their important biogeochemical role in attenuating groundwater ammonium contamination.