Psychological research, practice, and social policy: Potential pathways of influence.

Greater use of psychological research and practice knowledge in the formulation of social policy is necessary to enhance the well-being of U.S. citizens and communities. Although historically there are instances in which psychological and social science research and practice have had a substantial influence on federal policy, for the most part the relationships among research, practice, and policy have been tenuous. Three cases in which research has substantively influenced policy over the past 80 years are reviewed: Keynesian economics, Head Start legislation, and the activities of conservative think tanks. Several recommendations are made for ways in which psychologists can enhance their influence in the policy arena, including communicating directly with policymakers regarding relevant policy findings and knowledge gleaned from practice; conducting interdisciplinary, multilevel research as well as evaluation research (including qualitative data drawn from practice settings); and networking among researchers, practitioners, policy advocates, and social action groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fabrication and properties of large core, high NA, high Nd/sup 3+/ content multimode optical fibres for temperature sensor applications

The fabrication and properties of 0.28 NA, 100/140 mu m, multimode alumino-silicate fibre doped with 7.5 wt.% Nd/sup 3+/ is reported. These fibres show excellent potential for use as the sensing element in intrinsic optical fibre temperature sensors.<>     

Use of octreotide acetate for control of symptoms in patients with islet cell tumors

Gut tumor syndromes are rare, occurring in less than two cases per million population per year: Insulinomas are most common and gastrinomas are less common; all the others are extremely rare. Conventional treatment of the symptoms caused by these tumors has included surgery, hepatic arterial embolization, and chemotherapy; some patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) have been treated with specific agents such as gastric antisecretory drugs. The development of octreotide, a synthetic, long-acting analogue of the natural peptide somatostatin, has offered an alternative to such therapies. Octreotide has a half life of > 100 minutes and inhibits both physiological- and tumor release of many peptides. It also has direct effects on the gut that modify secretion and motility. Octreotide has been shown to be particularly useful for the symptoms of tumors producing vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and of the carcinoid syndrome. It is also useful in patients with glucagonomas, with growth hormone-releasing hormone producing tumors, and in some patients with Cushing's syndrome and unresectable insulinomas. Octreotide is effective in patients with ZES, but alternative therapies such as omeprazole are more effective, safer, and more convenient for those patients. Side effects of octreotide have not been troublesome in these patients, but the incidence of long term effects is still not entirely clear. Octreotide has proved to be a significant advance in the treatment of patients with islet cell tumors.     

In vitro immunosuppressive activity, isolation from pig liver microsomes and identification by electrospray ms-ms of a new FK-506 C19-C20 epoxide metabolite

In order to mediate their effects, cyclosporin A and FK-506 must each bind with high affinity to a cytosolic target protein that belongs to the immunophilin group. FK-506 forms complexes with the FK-506 binding protein FKBP, mainly FKBP-12, and these complexes possess immunosuppressive activity through their ability to interact with another target, the abundant serine threonine phosphatase calcineurin. Evaluating the immunosuppressive activities of the FK-506 metabolites by comparing them with known immunosuppressive agents via mixed lymphocyte reaction is of clinical importance because some metabolites may retain the pharmacological activity of the parent drug or exhibit cytotoxic effects. FK-506 is metabolized by the cytochrome P-450-dependent mixed-function oxygenase system in different animal species, and we are reporting the isolation from pig liver microsomes, and the identification by electrospray ms-ms, of the FK-506 C19-C20 epoxide metabolite. We found that this new metabolite exhibits reduced in vitro immunosuppressive activity compared with FK-506 and has approximately the same immunosuppressive potency as other known immunosuppressive drugs, such as cyclosporin A and IMM-125, a hydroxyethyl derivative of D-serine cyclosporin A. We were able to demonstrate that after incubation of the FK-506 metabolite in human mixed lymphocyte reaction cultures for 6 days, the compound was stable under the conditions used for cell culture as evidenced by electrospray-ms data. A weak direct cytotoxic effect (< 30% cell death) was observed only at the highest concentrations (2500 and 5000 ng/ml), which shows that the mixed lymphocyte reaction inhibition cannot be due to a toxic effect.     

Dynamic modeling of compressed gas energy storage to complement renewable wind power intermittency

To evaluate the impacts and capabilities of large-scale compressed gas energy storage for mitigating wind intermittency, dynamic system models for compressed air energy storage and compressed hydrogen energy storage inside salt caverns have been developed. With the experimental data from air storage in a salt cavern in Huntorf, Germany, the cavern model has been verified. Both daily and seasonal simulation results suggest that with the same size wind farm and salt cavern, a compressed hydrogen energy storage system could better complement the wind intermittency and could also achieve load shifting on a daily and seasonal time scale. Moreover, the hydrogen produced in the compressed hydrogen energy storage system could also be dispatched as a fuel to accommodate zero emission transportation for up to 14,000 fuel cell vehicles per day while achieving seasonal load shifting.     

Relaxometry, animal biodistribution, and magnetic resonance imaging studies of some new gadolinium (III) macrocyclic phosphinate and phosphonate monoester complexes

The Gd3+ complexes of three new phosphorus containing tetraaza macrocycles (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetrakis (methylene ethylphosphonic acid), H4DOTEP; 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetrakis (methylene phosphonic acid monoethylester), H4DOTPME; and the corresponding n-butyl ester, H4DOTPMB) were prepared and examined for possible use as MRI contrast agents. Although thermodynamically and kinetically less stable than Gd(DOTA)- in saline and HSA solution, the stability of these new macrocyclic complexes appears to be sufficiently high for in vivo applications. NMRD relaxivity profiles of the three complexes indicate that the number of inner sphere water molecules for these chelates is < or = 1 and that the more hydrophobic chelate, Gd(DOTPMB), binds to human serum albumin (HSA). Biodistribution studies of the radioactive 153Sm or 159Gd chelates in rats, gamma imaging of the 153Sm chelates in rats, and proton MRI studies of the nonradioactive Gd3+ chelates in rabbits all indicate that the DOTPMB complexes accumulate preferentially in the liver, spleen, and small intestines while the more hydrophilic DOTEP and DOTPME complexes appear to display renal clearances similar to other low molecular weight contrast agents.     

Minority students of color and the psychology graduate pipeline: Disquieting and encouraging trends, 1989-2003.

Trends since 1989 in the minority graduate pipeline in psychology are examined, with special focus on trends in recent years. Encouraging trends generally outweigh troubling ones at lower levels of the pipeline. However, in recent years disquieting trends dominate at the higher pipeline levels. Promising trends include a rise in the percentage (to nearly 25%) of minority psychology students receiving the bachelor's degree and a rise to more than 20% receiving the master's degree. Troubling trends include the stalling of growth in minority PhD degree receipt since 1999 and the lack of growth in the percentage of African American and Hispanic/Latino(a) students entering PhD departments. Given the mixed findings, one of the highest priorities for psychology must be continued and persistent efforts to develop practices and policies that enhance recruitment, high levels of achievement, and degree receipt for students of color. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Health-related quality of life outcomes of omeprazole versus ranitidine in poorly responsive symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated changes in health-related quality of life (HRQL) outcomes of once-daily omeprazole compared with ranitidine for the short-term treatment of patients with poorly responsive symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial, compared omeprazole versus ranitidine for the treatment of poorly responsive GERD. Eligible patients had a history of predominant heartburn symptoms with symptomatic heartburn after 6 weeks of ranitidine treatment. Patients were randomized to omeprazole 20 mg once daily (n = 156) or ranitidine 150 mg twice daily (n = 161) and followed for 8 weeks. Assessments were completed at baseline and after 8 weeks with physician-rated symptoms: Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS); Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) Index; Sleep Scale; Impact on Daily Activities Scale, and Overall Treatment Effect. Primary HRQL endpoints were the GSRS reflux scale and PGWB total score. RESULTS: No differences between the 2 treatment groups were observed in baseline demographic, clinical or HRQL measures. After 8 weeks, omeprazole-treated patients had greater improvement in GSRS reflux scale scores (p<0.0001) and PGWB total scores (p = 0. 019) compared with ranitidine-treated patients. Significant between group differences favoring omeprazole were also observed in GSRS total scores (p<0.0001), abdominal pain scale scores (p = 0.003), and indigestion scale scores (p = 0.003), Impact on Daily Activities (p = 0.001), PGWB positive well-being (p = 0.015), anxiety (p = 0. 030), and general health scale scores (p = 0.010). Patient ratings of overall treatment effect demonstrated the significantly (p<0. 0001) greater benefits of omeprazole (mean = 5.26) compared with ranitidine treatment (mean = 3.83). CONCLUSIONS: Omeprazole treatment significantly reduced persistent reflux-related symptoms and normalized psychological well-being compared with ranitidine in poorly responsive symptomatic patients with GERD.