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PubMed2005

Experimental research on just-world theory: problems, developments, and future challenges.

M. J. Lerner (1980) proposed that people need to believe in a just world; thus, evidence that the world is not just is threatening, and people have a number of strategies for reducing such threats. Early research on this idea, and on just-world theory more broadly, was reviewed in early publications (e.g., M. J. Lerner, 1980; M. J. Lerner & D. T. Miller, 1978). In the present article, focus is directed on the post-1980 experimental research on this theory. First, 2 conceptualizations of the term belief in a just world are described, the typical experimental paradigms are explained, and a general overview of the post-1980 experiments is provided. Second, problems with this literature are discussed, including the unsystematic nature of the research. Third, important developments that have occurred, despite the problems reviewed, are described. Finally, theoretical challenges that researchers should address if this area of inquiry is to advance in the future are discussed.

Culture↗

PubMed2004

Obesity and inequities in health in the developing world.

OBJECTIVE: To update the social distribution of women's obesity in the developing world and, in particular, to identify the specific level of economic development at which, if any, women's obesity in the developing world starts to fuel inequities in health. DESIGN: Multilevel logistic regression analyses applied to anthropometric and socioeconomic data collected by nationally representative cross-sectional surveys conducted from 1992 to 2000 in 37 developing countries within a wide range of world regions and stages of economic development (gross national product (GNP) from 190 to 4440 US dollars per capita). SUBJECTS: : In total, 148 579 nonpregnant women aged 20-49 y. MEASUREMENTS: Body mass index to assess obesity status; quartiles of years of education to assess woman's socioeconomic status (SES), and GNP per capita to assess country's stage of economic development. RESULTS: Belonging to the lower SES group confers strong protection against obesity in low-income economies, but it is a systematic risk factor for the disease in upper-middle income developing economies. A multilevel logistic model-including an interaction term between the country's GNP and each woman's SES-indicates that obesity starts to fuel health inequities in the developing world when the GNP reaches a value of about 2500 US dollars per capita. CONCLUSIONS: For most upper-middle income economies and part of the lower-middle income economies, obesity among adult women is already a relevant booster of health inequities and, in the absence of concerted national public actions to prevent obesity, economic growth will greatly expand the list of developing countries where this situation occurs.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

A molecular phylogeography approach to biological invasions of the New World by parthenogenetic Thiarid snails.

The parthenogenetic snail Melanoides tuberculata, present in tropical fresh waters of most of the Old World before 1950, has now invaded the Neotropical area. The phylogeography of this snail was studied to evaluate the pathways and number of such invasions. Because of parthenogenetic reproduction, individuals are structured into genetical clones. Within populations from both the original and invaded areas, several morphologically distinct clones (referred to as morphs) often coexist but the amount of genetic divergence among morphs is unknown. Individuals from 27 morphs and 40 populations world-wide were sequenced at two mitochondrial genes (12S and 16S). Our phylogenetic reconstruction suggests that (i) most of the morphological variation observed in the New World predates invasion, (ii) at least six independent introductions have occurred, and (iii) invasive clones are found throughout most of the phylogenetic tree and do not come from a particular region of the area of origin. Two ideas are discussed in the light of these results. The first lies with the specificities of parthenogenesis in an invasion context. While in sexual species, independently introduced populations eventually merge into a single invasive population, in a parthenogenetic species independently introduced clones have distinct invasion dynamics and possibly exclude each other. Second, although repeated invasions in Melanoides may have an impact on indigenous molluscan faunas, their most likely effect is the world-wide homogenization of the invasive taxon itself.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Overview on SARS in Asia and the world.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is the first major novel infectious disease to hit the international community in the 21st century. It originated in southern China in November 2002, reached Hong Kong in February 2003 and spread rapidly thereafter to 29 countries/regions on five continents. At the end of the epidemic, the global cumulative total was 8098 with 774 deaths. Seven Asian countries/regions were among the top ten on the list. Mainland China and Hong Kong, SAR, accounted for 87% of all cases and 84% of all deaths. Severe acute respiratory syndrome is caused by a novel coronavirus. It has alarmed the world with its infectivity and significant morbidity and mortality, its lack of a rapid, reliable diagnostic test and lack of effective specific treatment and vaccination. The adverse impact on travel and business around the world, particularly in Asia, has been enormous. Some lessons learnt from this epidemic included: (1) any outbreak of infectious disease can rapidly spread around the world by air travel; (2) early reporting of the outbreak to neighbouring countries/regions and the World Health Organization is essential to prevent international spread; and (3) infection control, tracing and quarantine of contacts are essential to control the epidemic. Many questions remain unanswered, including the origin and pathogenesis of the novel coronavirus, the natural history and the best specific treatment of the disease. The SARS-CoV has probably jumped from an animal host to humans. There is an urgent need to evaluate the human-animal habitat in southern China and to remove animal reservoirs if found.

China↗

PubMed2002

Nutrition: the new world map.

The map of nutrition, evident in the structure of any course or textbook, derives from theses that framed a science begun in the 1840s, developed until the 1940s, and consolidated until now. Nutritionists now are as perplexed as the explorers of half a millennium ago, who continued to use maps that did not fit the wider world they found. Until the 1600s, alternatives to Ptolemaic cosmology remained unthinkable despite its obvious inadequacy, because it was of a universe with the earth, and man made in the divine image, at its centre. Nutritionists now are inhibited for similar reasons. Two determining principles of nutrition science, the identification of health with growth and the belief that animal food is superior to plant food, have a deep origin; they derive from the materialist ideology that asserts a manifest destiny of humans to exploit and consume the living and natural world. In response, a new nutrition is emerging, with a global perspective, whose ideology places humans within nature, and whose theses make a wider frame, able to fit the world as we can discern it now. The new nutrition gives equal value to personal, population and planetary health, with all that implies, including the concept that the world is best perceived as a whole. The Copernican revolution changed the meaning of movement on earth. The new nutrition can change the meaning of life on earth. Now is the time to draw its map.

Dietary Proteins↗

PubMed1999

World food and agriculture: outlook for the medium and longer term.

The world has been making progress in improving food security, as measured by the per person availability of food for direct human consumption. However, progress has been very uneven, and many developing countries have failed to participate in such progress. In some countries, the food security situation is today worse than 20 years ago. The persistence of food insecurity does not reflect so much a lack of capacity of the world as a whole to increase food production to whatever level would be required for everyone to have consumption levels assuring satisfactory nutrition. The world already produces sufficient food. The undernourished and the food-insecure persons are in these conditions because they are poor in terms of income with which to purchase food or in terms of access to agricultural resources, education, technology, infrastructure, credit, etc., to produce their own food. Economic development failures account for the persistence of poverty and food insecurity. In the majority of countries with severe food-security problems, the greatest part of the poor and food-insecure population depend greatly on local agriculture for a living. In such cases, development failures are often tantamount to failures of agricultural development. Development of agriculture is seen as the first crucial step toward broader development, reduction of poverty and food insecurity, and eventually freedom from excessive economic dependence on poor agricultural resources. Projections indicate that progress would continue, but at a pace and pattern that would be insufficient for the incidence of undernutrition to be reduced significantly in the medium-term future. As in the past, world agricultural production is likely to keep up with, and perhaps tend to exceed, the growth of the effective demand for food. The problem will continue to be one of persistence of poverty, leading to growth of the effective demand for food on the part of the poor that would fall short of that required for them to attain levels of consumption compatible with freedom from undernutrition.

Agriculture↗

PubMed2000

Good enough for the Third world.

Over the past two years, much has been made by some governments and the media about the possible callous and racist distribution of Quinacrine by two Americans to sterilize women in the Third World. The main criticism of the practice is that though Quinacrine is unapproved by the developed world's health regulatory agencies for this particular use in the developed world due to inadequate testing for long-term side effects, it is used on defenseless women in the developing world.I argue that the distribution of unapproved medical and other products is morally permissible if it satisfies two conditions: agent-centered utilitarianism and Kant's Categorical Imperative. Roughly, I contend that if the situation will probably improve and no one is treated as a mere means, then it is ethical either to give or to sell the products to those who choose to have them, regardless of where in the world they live.

Caustics↗

PubMed1997

World understanding and well-being in a Hong Kong Chinese marital context.

According to social constructionist theory, an individual's understanding of the world serves to maintain social order and well-being. In this study, this assertion was tested by investigating a mediating process through the contribution of world understanding to problem-solving confidence. Causal modeling with data from 138 married couples in Hong Kong supported this mediating process: World understanding was positively related to problem-solving confidence, which in turn was positively related to well-being, defined by life satisfaction and depression. In addition, social support and exposure to information were possible determinants of one's world understanding. Social support also contributed to problem-solving confidence and well-being. The causal model was applicable to both husbands and wives.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Militarism, militarization, health and the Third World.

This paper examines the relationship between militarism, militarization, health and development. It draws attention to the fact that world military expenditure has continued to soar since the Second World War. Wars increasingly exact a heavy civilian toll. Third World countries are consuming, producing, and exporting more armaments than ever before. The rate of growth of military expenditure in developing countries has been far greater than their rate of growth in gross national product or in foreign economic aid. Countries under military control tend to be more repressive and to have suffered more years at war than those under civilian rule. Widespread availability of arms makes the settlement of disputes through violence more likely. Internal wars and violence are stimulated by a range of factors including inequalities in political and economic power, uneven development, and lack of popular participation in policy decisions by the majority of the population. The support of the industrialized countries for armament sales should be monitored, challenged and made politically unpalatable. Local development and regional cooperation should be stimulated. Health workers, as witnesses to the destruction to public health caused by war and violence, should play a part in advocating a reduction in the arms trade and the promotion of development in Third World countries.

Capital Expenditures↗

PubMed2003

The world-wide increase in tuberculosis: how demographic changes, HIV infection and increasing numbers in poverty are increasing tuberculosis.

After more than a century of decline, in the mid 1980s tuberculosis began to increase in some developed countries. Health care workers were then forced to look to the developing world, where they found tuberculosis to be out of control, in many countries. It is now appreciated that tuberculosis is not only increasing globally but is likely to do so beyond the next decade for three principal reasons. First, demographically as the expected population increase will be greatest in areas of the world where tuberculosis is most prevalent, particularly middle Africa and South Asia. Secondly, the increase of HIV, which renders the host uniquely susceptible to tuberculosis, is occurring in the same areas of the world and is already causing an increase in tuberculosis case rates of up to tenfold. Thirdly, as more and more people are forced to live in poverty, where poor nutrition and crowded conditions lead to the spread of tuberculosis, the disease risk will be compounded. Sound medical management, particularly the use of the five components of directly observed therapy, will relieve the situation. But until world conditions of poverty and HIV spread are addressed, it is unlikely that tuberculosis can be controlled.

Global Health↗

PubMed1986

Capsicum--production, technology, chemistry, and quality--Part II. Processed products, standards, world production and trade.

Capsicums, as a spice, have been known since the beginning of civilization and historically associated with the discovery of the New World. The genus Capsicum (Fam. Solanaceae) provides many varieties and adds color, pungency, and aroma to the cuisines of most of the world. From the pungent chilli, of interest also to pharmaceuticals, to the colorful paprika and the bell capsicums with its remarkable aroma, the genus has been of great interest for its chemistry and physiological action. Pungency as a sensory attribute, its evaluation, structure-activity relationship, and its increasing acceptance and preference by diverse populations of the world are of great interest to many research disciplines. In a comprehensive review of all aspects in four sequential parts, Part I deals with History, Botany, Cultivation, and Primary Processing (CRC Critical Review, Food Science and Nutrition). The Capsicums among the spices are second only to black pepper in trades both in volume and value. The production of the different forms of this spice as ground, specialty seasonings, and as the concentrated oleoresins through technologically advanced processes, proposed newer products, the standard to control quality of the different products, world production, trade, and prospects are reviewed in detail in this, Part II.

Capsaicin↗

PubMed2006

The belief in a just world and subjective well-being in old age.

This article investigates the relationship between the belief in a just world (BJW) and subjective well-being in old age. On the basis of just world theory, the authors argue that seniors who strongly endorse the belief in a personally just world should reveal a better well-being. The results of a questionnaire study with Slovakian senior citizens are reported. A positive relationship between strong BJW and subjective well-being (life satisfaction, positive and negative affect) was observed. Moreover, the relationship persisted when controlled for other significant predictors of well-being (subjective health, social contacts). The overall pattern of results reveals the belief in a personal just world to have a unique association with subjective well-being in old age.

Affect↗

PubMed2006

The relationship of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) to functional capacity and real-world functional outcome.

The Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) assesses five different domains of cognitive function with six tests, and takes about 30-35 minutes to complete in patients with schizophrenia. Previous work has demonstrated the reliability of this measure, and its sensitivity to the deficits of schizophrenia. However, the relationship of this brief cognitive measure to functional outcome has not been determined. Further, future registration trials for potentially cognitive enhancing compounds may not only assess efficacy with cognitive performance measures, but with assessments of real-world functional outcome and functional capacity. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the BACS and a potential co-primary measure for treatment studies of cognition in schizophrenia, and to determine if such a measure accounts for significant variance in functioning beyond that provided by cognitive function. The current study assessed 60 patients with schizophrenia over the course of six months. Cognitive functions were measured with the BACS. Functional capacity was measured with the UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment (UPSA). Real-world functional outcome was measured with the Independent Living Skills Inventory (ILSI). BACS composite scores were significantly correlated with functional capacity as measured by the UPSA (r = .65, df = 55, p < .001), and real-world functional outcome as assessed by the ILSI (r = .37, df = 56, p = .005). In multiple regression analyses, UPSA scores did not account for additional variance in real-world functioning beyond that accounted for by the BACS. These data suggest that brief cognitive assessments such as the BACS are able to assess aspects of cognition that are related to important functional measures in clinical trials of cognitive enhancement. They also suggest that the measures being considered as potential co-primary indicators of cognitive function for registration trials are significantly correlated with cognition as assessed by brief cognitive assessments.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Information about liver transplantation on the World Wide Web.

Orthotopic liver transplant (OLTx) has evolved to a successful surgical management for end-stage liver diseases. Awareness and information about OLTx is an important tool in assisting OLTx recipients and people supporting them, including non-transplant clinicians. The study aimed to investigate the nature and quality of liver transplant-related patient information on the World Wide Web. Four common search engines were used to explore the Internet by using the key words 'Liver transplant'. The URL (unique resource locator) of the top 50 returns was chosen as it was judged unlikely that the average user would search beyond the first 50 sites returned by a given search. Each Web site was assessed on the following categories: origin, language, accessibility and extent of the information. A weighted Information Score (IS) was created to assess the quality of clinical and educational value of each Web site and was scored independently by three transplant clinicians. The Internet search performed with the aid of the four search engines yielded a total of 2,255,244 Web sites. Of the 200 possible sites, only 58 Web sites were assessed because of repetition of the same Web sites and non-accessible links. The overall median weighted IS was 22 (IQR 1 - 42). Of the 58 Web sites analysed, 45 (77%) belonged to USA, six (10%) were European, and seven (12%) were from the rest of the world. The median weighted IS of publications originating from Europe and USA was 40 (IQR = 22 - 60) and 23 (IQR = 6 - 38), respectively. Although European Web sites produced a higher weighted IS [40 (IQR = 22 - 60)] as compared with the USA publications [23 (IQR = 6 - 38)], this was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). Web sites belonging to the academic institutions and the professional organizations scored significantly higher with a median weighted IS of 28 (IQR = 16 - 44) and 24(12 - 35), respectively, as compared with the commercial Web sites (median = 6 with IQR of 0 - 14, p = .001). There was an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) of 0.89 and an associated 95% CI (0.83, 0.93) for the three observers on the 58 Web sites. The study highlights the need for a significant improvement in the information available on the World Wide Web about OLTx. It concludes that the educational material currently available on the World Wide Web about liver transplant is of poor quality and requires rigorous input from health care professionals. The authors suggest that clinicians should pay more attention to take the necessary steps to improve the standard of information available on their relevant Web sites and must take an active role in helping their patients find Web sites that provide the best and accurate information specifically applicable to the loco-regional circumstances.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Current status of hypertension control around the world.

It is well established that hypertension is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Data from epidemiological and observational studies have demonstrated increasing risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death and all cause mortality associated with high blood pressure. Despite the significance of the problem with respect to overall health, control of high blood pressure is far from being optimal. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey have shown that those achieving target blood pressure values less than 140/90 mmHg are only 34% of the hypertensive population. The situation is no better in the rest of the world and even worse in the developing countries. Epidemiological transition taking place in developing countries with a decline in communicable diseases and an increase in noncommunicable have resulted in an improvement in life expectancy, thus causing predictable shifts in causes of death. Aging of the populations, urbanization and socioeconomic changes in the developing world have led to an increase in the prevalence of hypertension, with low control rates due to scarce health resources and insufficient health infrastructure. Thus prevention, detection, treatment and control of hypertension play a crucial role in protection of cardiovascular disease, not only in the developed countries but also in the developing world and implementation of hypertension guidelines should be reinforced around the world.

Global Health↗

PubMed2002

Blockade of HIV-1 infection of New World monkey cells occurs primarily at the stage of virus entry.

HIV-1 naturally infects chimpanzees and humans, but does not infect Old World monkeys because of replication blocks that occur after virus entry into the cell. To understand the species-specific restrictions operating on HIV-1 infection, the ability of HIV-1 to infect the cells of New World monkeys was examined. Primary cells derived from common marmosets and squirrel monkeys support every phase of HIV-1 replication with the exception of virus entry. Efficient HIV-1 entry typically requires binding of the viral envelope glycoproteins and host cell receptors, CD4 and either CCR5 or CXCR4 chemokine receptors. HIV-1 did not detectably bind or utilize squirrel monkey CD4 for entry, and marmoset CD4 was also very inefficient compared with human CD4. A marmoset CD4 variant, in which residues 48 and 59 were altered to the amino acids found in human CD4, supported HIV-1 entry efficiently. The CXCR4 molecules of both marmosets and squirrel monkeys supported HIV-1 infection, but the CCR5 proteins of both species were only marginally functional. These results demonstrate that the CD4 and CCR5 proteins of New World monkeys represent the major restriction against HIV-1 replication in these primates. Directed adaptation of the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins to common marmoset receptors might allow the development of New World monkey models of HIV-1 infection.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Aging and infectious diseases in the developing world.

Although demographic aging does not remain restricted to industrialized countries, the medical challenge arising from the aging population will be distinct in the developing world. This is particularly true with respect to infectious diseases, which have a distinct spectrum in the elderly population, as well as a greater overall relevance in the developing world. Tropical diseases have a specific presentation and epidemiology in elderly patients. Infectious diseases with a worldwide distribution impact elderly patients in the developing world in a specific manner, which is most obvious with respect to human immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis but is also true with respect to "trivial" manifestations of infection, such as diarrhea and pneumonia. Malnutrition contributes in a major way to the immunodeficiency of elderly patients in the developing world. Poorly controlled use of antimicrobial drugs leads to multidrug-resistant microorganisms, which, together with the limited resources available for drug treatment, makes appropriate treatment of infections in elderly patients in developing countries very difficult. Infections in elderly patients will have an increasing impact on the public health and economy of developing countries.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2002

Ethical codes and values in a virtual world.

Some members of the so-called virtual world deny that technology such as the virtual environment (VE) is value-laden. But there are a variety of complex issues which arise in VE that make it necessary to think about ethics and values in VE applications. Using VE in therapy and psychotherapy research or diagnostics leads to several ethical concerns. VE can impoverish those aspects of life that are essential to social development, interpersonal relations, and emotional growth. This paper will focus on the concept called "virtual world," a question of metaphysics. After reviewing general ethical principles, ethics in applied sciences will be described. Ethical decision-making, code of conduct, and specific issues in VE will be discussed. The VE community is challenged to set guidelines around VE, and its ethics and values. A set of measurement tools around ethical codes and values in a virtual world ought to be discursively gained in this virtual world and in real society as a whole.

Bioethics↗