The Mothers and Toddlers Program: Preliminary findings from an attachment-based parenting intervention for substance-abusing mothers.

The authors examined pilot data from an attachment-based parenting intervention for substance-abusing mothers of toddlers (ages 12-36 months). The Mothers and Toddlers Program (MTP) is a 20-week individual therapy intervention that aims to help mothers develop more balanced representations of their children and improve their capacity for reflective functioning (i.e., recognition of the intentional nature of children's behavior). The authors hypothesized that improvement in maternal representational balance and maternal capacity for reflective functioning would correspond with improvements in maternal behavior with toddlers (e.g., sensitivity to cues, responsiveness to distress, and social-emotional growth fostering) and reduction in maternal psychiatric distress and substance abuse. Eight mothers who completed MTP showed moderate improvements in representational balance and reflective functioning, and these changes corresponded with significant improvements in maternal behaviors with toddlers. The authors also compared MTP completers and noncompleters on sociodemographic and psychosocial indexes and examined the validity of the intervention's proposed mechanisms of change. Preliminary findings support the importance of attachment mechanisms and indicate that attachment-based interventions may strengthen substance-abusing mothers' capacities to foster their toddlers' socioemotional development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prader-Willi syndrome.

Although known for its distinctive food-related behaviors, Prader-Willi syndrome is a multisystem disorder with genetic, developmental, and behavioral features. Two separate and distinct eating disorders are noted: initial feeding difficulties and failure to thrive, and later overeating. Additional outcomes observed with this disorder include hypotonia, obesity, developmental/cognitive disabilities, and significant maladaptive behaviors. Symptoms vary in complexity across age and individuals. This necessitates multidisciplinary approaches to interventions across the life span to address medical, developmental, and behavioral issues. School psychologists have a vital role to play in assessment and consultation for individuals with this syndrome, their families, and school staff. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Workplace mobbing and bullying: A consulting psychology perspective and overview.

Mobbing and bullying are forms of abusiveness that are of increasing concerns in the workplace. This special issue overviews various issues and interventions relevant for the practice of consulting psychology. The articles describe theoretical issues including prevalence, definitional clarity, and the influence of individual, work group, and organizational dynamics; they also describe various organizational interventions, including alternative dispute resolution, antimobbing training, and antibullying policy development. These articles and commentaries are intended to inform, provide strategies, and foster discussion of how consulting psychologists can best serve clients and client organizations that are experiencing mobbing and bullying. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

(Mis-) Direction of effect sizes.

Comments on an article by Dixon et al. (see record 2007-06671-001) regarding the effect sizes they presented in their meta-analysis of psychological interventions for arthritis pain management. The author of this comment claims that some of the individual effect sizes that they presented are erroneous and have therefore undermined their cumulative effect size estimates. After examining findings from other studies, he concludes that the Dixon et al. meta-analysis reports cumulative effect sizes (Hedge’s g) that overestimate the effects of psychological treatments upon arthritis pain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

负载TEMPOL的静电纺丝纳米纤维实现PCI相关并发症治疗的局部长期抗自由基性能

使用抗氧剂清除活性氧(ROS)被证实是应对经皮冠状动脉介入治疗(PCI)相关并发症的有效方法,但抗氧剂向特定组织的长期局部输送不易实现.本文将抗氧剂TEMPOL可控地负载入静电纺丝纳米纤维以实现其局部应用和长期抗自由基能力,制得TEMPOL负载薄膜的生物功能通过细胞增殖、ROS清除能力、单核细胞黏附、细胞迁移、炎症因子...     

Sustainable Intervention Plans for Igbo Cultural Region of Nigeria

The Igbos are one of the major tribes of Nigeria. Over the years, their distinct way of living have further accentuated their culture. The paper discusses the Igbo cultural landscape region which comprises of rural autonomous communities made up of clusters of kindred and villages. In spite of the existence of the townships serving as trade, political and administrative centers for more than one century, the rate of urbanization has been very slow thereby affecting the development of the communities physically, economically and socially at astonishing rates consuming farmlands and traditional community boundaries. This paper is aimed at creating awareness on the unique regional growth pattern in Igbo land heavily dependent on cultural and natural heritages for purpose of determining adaptable regional planning strategies for such vibrant cultural region. It has examined the key issues and suggested a way forward to a more sustainable development of the region.     

Osteosarcopenia: A Narrative Review on Clinical Studies

Osteosarcopenia (OS) is defined by the concurrent presence of osteopenia/osteoporosis and sarcopenia. The pathogenesis and etiology of OS involve genetic, biochemical, mechanical, and lifestyle factors. Moreover, an inadequate nutritional status, such as low intake of protein, vitamin D, and calcium, and a reduction in physical activity are key risk factors for OS. This review aims to increase knowledge about diagnosis, incidence, etiology, and treatment of OS through clinical studies that treat OS as a single disease. Clinical studies show the relationship between OS and the risk of frailty, falls, and fractures and some association with Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) pathologies such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. In some cases, the importance of deepening the related mechanisms is emphasized. Physical exercise with adequate nutrition and nutritional supplementations such as proteins, Vitamin D, or calcium, represent a significant strategy for breaking OS. In addition, pharmacological interventions may confer benefits on muscle and bone health. Both non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions require additional randomized controlled trials (RCT) in humans to deepen the synergistic effect of exercise, nutritional interventions, and drug compounds in osteosarcopenia.     

Chronic insomnia: Recent advances and innovations in treatment developments and dissemination.

Insomnia is a prevalent public health problem that carries an important psychosocial and economic burden for those affected, their families, employers, and for society at large. Despite its negative impacts, insomnia often remains untreated and, when treatment is initiated, it is predominantly with medication, an option that is not always acceptable to people with insomnia. There is extensive evidence that psychological approaches, primarily cognitive behavioural therapy, are effective, produce durable and generalizable outcomes, and should be the first line therapy for chronic insomnia. Nonetheless, these approaches remain under utilised in clinical (medical) practise. Several innovative and cost-effective treatment delivery models (e.g., telephone consultations, Internet-based treatment) have yielded promising results but despite these advances, there remains a problem of supply. A significant challenge for the future will be to disseminate more efficiently validated therapies and practise guidelines and increase their use in clinical practise. Additional training opportunities are also needed for psychologists to develop expertise in a new emerging behavioural sleep medicine subspecialty. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)