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Youth violence directed toward significant others.

This study explored violent behavior of high school students toward their parents, using a self-report questionnaire. The families of the students were characterized as having high, moderate, or low levels of family functioning, and these levels were correlated with the amount of violent behavior manifested by the youths. It was found that violence by young people toward their parents tended to be concentrated in households with strong manifestations of intra-family violence or aggression between the parents, between parents and children, and between siblings. Low levels of family functioning, characterized by disagreements over money matters, inappropriate disciplining of children, few share activities, and alcohol abuse, also correlated strongly with youth violence toward parents. It was also found that youths involved in deviant peer group activity had higher levels of violence toward parents than youths who were not involved in this way.

Adolescent↗

Stair locomotion in children with spastic hemiplegia: the impact of three different ankle foot orthosis (AFOs) configurations.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of three different ankle foot orthoses (AFO) configurations on the function and kinematics of stair locomotion in children with spastic hemiplegia. Nineteen children were evaluated barefoot and with a hinged, posterior leaf spring (PLS) and solid AFO during stair ascent and descent. Stair specific items from the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) were used to evaluate function, while a motion measurement system was used to evaluate kinematics. The PEDI revealed no significant differences between AFOs and barefoot, although a greater percentage of children were able to keep up with their peers while wearing a hinged AFO. At the ankle, the hinged AFO provided the greatest amount of dorsiflexion during stance. All AFOs reduced plantarflexion in comparison to barefoot. The results of this study indicate that for children with spastic hemiplegia the use of an AFO did not impair stair ambulation.

Adolescent↗

Biology of IL-5 in health and disease.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Reading this article will increase the readers' knowledge of the biology of interleukin-5 (IL-5), an important cytokine. The immune and inflammatory responses of any organism are the basis of the defense mechanism ensuring its survival. The role of IL-5 in these processes, as well as in the pathogenesis of various diseases has been discussed along with the effects of various pharmacologic agents on the production and function of IL-5. DATA SOURCES: A detailed literature search was performed. Studies considered relevant and important, in all languages, which involved humans and animals were used. STUDY SELECTION: Information was obtained only from peer reviewed journals. RESULTS: Interleukin-5 is normally produced by T-cells, mast cells, and eosinophils while Reed Sternberg and Epstein Barr virus (EBV) transformed cells also produce IL-5. Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to IL-5 are potent inhibitors of IL-5 mediated tissue damage, secondary to eosinophil infiltration. The majority of the studies on IL-5 are preliminary, often the information is obtained from animal studies or in vitro systems and occasionally from pathologic tissue analysis. This along with the absence of confirmatory studies is a limiting factor. Nonetheless, the role of IL-5 in allergic and immunologic disease and asthma may be central to their pathogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: Interleukin-5 is an important molecule that is participant to many processes that maintain health and are involved directly or indirectly in the pathogenesis of disease. Some pharmacologic agents can modify IL-5 production in vivo. Development of selective inhibitors of IL-5 may have a potential use for specific therapy of certain autoimmune, inflammatory, and neoplastic diseases.

Animals↗

Are performance appraisal ratings from different rating sources comparable?

The purpose of this study was to test whether a multisource performance appraisal instrument exhibited measurement invariance across different groups of raters. Multiple-groups confirmatory factor analysis as well as item response theory (IRT) techniques were used to test for invariance of the rating instrument across self, peer, supervisor, and subordinate raters. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the rating instrument was invariant across these rater groups. The IRT analysis yielded some evidence of differential item and test functioning, but it was limited to the effects of just 3 items and was trivial in magnitude. Taken together, the results suggest that the rating instrument could be regarded as invariant across the rater groups, thus supporting the practice of directly comparing their ratings. Implications for research and practice are discussed, as well as for understanding the meaning of between-source rating discrepancies.

Employee Performance Appraisal↗

The McMaster philosophy: a student's perspective on implementation.

The author visited McMaster Medical School as a fourth-year medical student in 1984 and took part in a 12-week unit 3 course. The present investigation on implementation of the educational principles of the MD programme was performed as an elective. A sample of 30 students out of 100 unit 3 all completed a questionnaire. Only 5 of 18 student groups used the 'cold', i.e. unprepared, approach to problem-solving during tutorials and 15 of 30 practised self-learning related to the last problem. The others spent most time on general reading. From unit 1 to unit 3 a declining number of groups used peer evaluation (less than 50%) and evaluation of groups (greater than 50%). The students felt that the performance of tutors should be improved. Most students attended lectures. It is suggested that tutor and group function may benefit from releasing the tutor from grading students. Despite its implementation problems, the author found the McMaster approach to education more beneficial than that of his own traditional school.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Milieu therapy with the adolescent sociopath.

This paper defines sociopathy, presents current research experimentation being conducted and findings as to its causes and treatment. Also presented is a description of a milieu therapy program for the adolescent sociopath. Both preventive and active treatment methods in this program are discussed. The value of the milieu therapy approach is shown in its attempt to keep the adolescent sociopath engaged in constructive activities and relationships in order to overcome antisocial behavior patterns. With the failure of individual therapy alone to reinforce normal living patterns and overcome lack of socialization functions in the adolescent sociopath, a more comprehensive and effective approach is required. Such an approach is described in which the following are stressed: 1) prevention of incarceration, 2) prevention of rejection by parents, peers and teachers, 3) active treatment of hyperkinesis and specific learning disabilities, 4) utilization of "sponsors," and 5) multiple therapist (family, group, individual) programs.

Adolescent↗

Early recurrent otitis media, language and central auditory processing in children.

The study examines the relationships that exist between early recurrent otitis media, language and central auditory processing in children. A retrospective case-control experimental design was employed and ten subjects were allocated to each of the two research groups, namely children with a history of early recurrent otitis media (research group 1) and children without a history of early recurrent otitis media (research group 2). The children in both research groups were in grade one and turning 7 years old. The language and central auditory processing of the subjects were assessed using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Function (Wiig & Semel, 1980) and the Willeford Battery of Central Auditory Function (Willeford, 1974). The results showed that the language and central auditory processing of the children with a history of early recurrent otitis media were significantly poorer than that of their disease-free peers. The results stress the importance of vigorous identification and management programmes for children with a history of early recurrent otitis media.

Audiometry↗

Full mouth reconstruction. Utilizing fiber-reinforced framework and Ceromer restorations in combination with pressed ceramic technology.

The final results of this case were pleasing to the patient and the dentist (Fig. 5). The missing teeth had been replaced, function had been restored, the anterior crowding had been eliminated (Fig. 6), and the bioesthetic symmetry and harmony had been restored (Fig. 7). The patient reported a dramatic increase in self confidence with her peers. (Fig. 8) Special thanks to Michael Milner for the excellent Laboratory work provided for this case.

Aluminum Silicates↗

Ambiguity, logic, simplicity, and dynamics: Wittgensteinian evaluative criteria in peer review of quantitative research on categorization.

Research on categorization has changed over time, and some of these changes resemble how Wittgenstein's views changed from his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus to his Philosophical Investigations. Wittgenstein initially focused on unambiguous, abstract, parsimonious, logical propositions and rules, and on independent, static, "atomic facts." This approach subsequently influenced the development of logical positivism and thereby may have indirectly influenced method and theory in research on categorization: much animal research on categorization has focused on learning simple, static, logical rules unambiguously interrelating small numbers of independent features. He later rejected logical simplicity and rigor and focused instead on Gestalt ideas about figure-ground reversals and context, the ambiguity of family resemblance, and the function of details of everyday language. Contemporary contextualism has been influenced by this latter position, some features of which appear in contemporary empirical research on categorization. These developmental changes are illustrated by research on avian local and global levels of visual perceptual analysis, categorization of rectangles and moving objects, and artificial grammar learning. Implications are described for peer review of quantitative theory in which ambiguity, logical rigor, simplicity, or dynamics are designed to play important roles.

Artificial Intelligence↗

An alternative medicine, Agaricus blazei, may have induced severe hepatic dysfunction in cancer patients.

We report three cases of patients with advanced cancer who showed severe hepatic damage, and two of whom died of fulminant hepatitis. All the patients were taking Agaricus blazei (Himematsutake) extract, one of the most popular complementary and alternative medicines among Japanese cancer patients. In one patient, liver functions recovered gradually after she stopped taking the Agaricus blazei, but she restarted taking it, which resulted in deterioration of the liver function again. The other patients who were admitted for severe liver damage had started taking the Agaricus blazei several days before admission. Although several other factors cannot be completely ruled out as the causes of liver damage, a strong causal relationship between the Agaricus blazei extract and liver damage was suggested and, at least, taking the Agaricus blazei extract made the clinical decision-making process much more complicated. Doctors who are aware of their patients taking the extract may accept it probably because they believe there is no harm in a complementary and alternative medicine. When unexpected liver damage is documented, however, doctors should consider the use of the Agaricus blazei extract as one of its causal factors. It is necessary to evaluate many modes of complementary and alternative medicines, including the Agaricus blazei extract, in rigorous, scientifically designed and peer-reviewed clinical trials.

Agaricus↗

Health plan selection criteria by people with impaired mobility.

BACKGROUND: Many decision-support tools for consumers selecting a health plan include a module measuring peer-group satisfaction with service and quality of care. The most widely used tools are sufficient for most people, but fail to report measures that are important to many individuals with disabilities. OBJECTIVES: To elicit health plan selection and assessment criteria by groups of people with one type of functional impairment arising from different origins. RESEARCH DESIGN: Observational study and qualitative analysis of structured focus groups. Content analysis of CAHPS survey instruments. SUBJECTS: Each participant had a mobility impairment arising from spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, rheumatoid arthritis, or multiple sclerosis. Each participant had a choice of health plans. Focus groups were conducted in Phoenix, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. RESULTS: People with mobility impairments arising from the studied conditions desire comparative health plan information on the reliability of transportation to medical appointments, the ability to use an experienced and knowledgeable specialist as a primary provider, and accessible buildings and examination equipment. This study population also seeks information about the experience of their peers in each health plan, especially about benefits administration. CONCLUSIONS: People with mobility impairments arising from spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis currently have little information and little bona fide choice of health plans and physicians. This group of people seeks specific information within the areas of benefit coverage, benefits interpretation and administration, provider panels, accessibility to clinics and equipment, and how to navigate the health plan's grievance and appeals process.

Adult↗

Narrative abilities in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and normal peers.

A story retelling task was used to assess narrative abilities in 30 boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 30 normally developing boys, matched on age and IQ. Each boy listened to two stories and retold them for another child. Results indicated that the two groups did not differ in their ability to comprehend and extract the main ideas from the stories, but did differ in the production of narratives. Boys with ADHD provided less information overall, and their stories were more poorly organized and less cohesive and contained more inaccuracies. As a result, their stories were often confused and hard to follow. Organization and monitoring of information are functions of executive control. Thus the observed deficits in narrative production in children with ADHD may reflect underlying deficits in executive processes.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

Prediction of peer-rated adult hostility from autonomy struggles in adolescent-family interactions.

Observed parent-adolescent autonomy struggles were assessed as potential predictors of the development of peer-rated hostility over a decade later in young adulthood in both normal and previously psychiatrically hospitalized groups of adolescents. Longitudinal, multireporter data were obtained by coding family interactions involving 83 adolescents and their parents at age 16 years and then obtaining ratings by close friends of adolescents' hostility at age 25 years. Fathers' behavior undermining adolescents' autonomy in interactions at age 16 years were predictive of adolescents-as-young-adults' hostility, as rated by close friends at age 25 years. These predictions contributed additional variance to understanding young adult hostility even after accounting for concurrent levels of adolescent hostility at age 16 years and paternal hostility at this age, each of which also significantly contributed to predicting future hostility. Results are discussed as highlighting a pathway by which difficulties attaining autonomy in adolescence may presage the development of long-term difficulties in social functioning.

Adolescent↗

Hypoxia stimulates Ca2+ release from intracellular stores in astrocytes via cyclic ADP ribose-mediated activation of ryanodine receptors.

The ability of O(2) levels to regulate Ca(2+) signalling in non-excitable cells is poorly understood, yet crucial to our understanding of Ca(2+)-dependent cell functions in physiological and pathological situations. Here, we demonstrate that hypoxia mobilizes Ca(2+) from an intracellular pool in primary cultures of cortical astrocytes. This pool can also be mobilized by bradykinin, which acts via phospholipase C and inositol trisphosphate production. By contrast, hypoxic Ca(2+) mobilization utilizes ryanodine receptors, which appear to be either present on the same intracellular pool, or on a separate but functionally coupled pool. Hypoxic activation of ryanodine receptors requires formation of cyclic ADP ribose, since hypoxic Ca(2+) mobilization was fully prevented by nicotinamide (which inhibits ADP ribosyl cyclase) or by 8-Br-cADP ribose, an antagonist of cyclic ADP ribose. Our results demonstrate for the first time the involvement of cyclic ADP ribose in hypoxic modulation of Ca(2+) signalling in the central nervous system, and suggest that this modulator of ryanodine receptors may play a key role in the function of astrocytes under conditions of fluctuating O(2) levels.

ADP-ribosyl Cyclase↗

The identification of a conserved domain in both spartin and spastin, mutated in hereditary spastic paraplegia.

Multiple sequence alignment has revealed the presence of a sequence domain of approximately 80 amino acids in two molecules, spartin and spastin, mutated in hereditary spastic paraplegia. The domain, which corresponds to a slightly extended version of the recently described ESP domain of unknown function, was also identified in VPS4, SKD1, RPK118, and SNX15, all of which have a well established and consistent role in endosomal trafficking. Recent functional information indicates that spastin is likely to be involved in microtubule interaction. With this new information relating to its likely function, we propose the more descriptive name 'MIT' (contained within microtubule-interacting and trafficking molecules) for the domain and predict endosomal trafficking as the principal functionality of all molecules in which it is present.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

The effect of physiotherapy on shoulder function in patients surgically treated for breast cancer: a randomized study.

The effect of physiotherapy on shoulder function in patients surgically treated for breast cancer was examined through a randomized controlled trial. One hundred and thirty-nine patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer were enrolled in the study. Sixty-two (45%) had Breast Conserving Therapy and 77 (55%) had Modified Radical Mastectomy (Axillary dissection of level I and II was included in both procedures). Enrolled patients were randomized to either group A or group B. Group A was offered, team instructed physiotherapy consisting of 12 sessions of 60 min, two sessions a week. The treatment was instituted between the sixth and eight postoperative week. Group B was also offered team instructed physiotherapy, consisting of 12 sessions of 60 minute two sessions a week, but not until the 26th postoperative week. The patients were seen for follow-up examinations four times during the first postoperative year (after 7, 13, 26 and 56 weeks). Shoulder function was assessed by the Constant Shoulder Score preoperatively and at the four follow-up examinations. Team instructed physiotherapy was found to improve the shoulder function significantly in patients treated surgically for breast cancer. The effect of the treatment was influenced by the type of surgery performed, and in mastectomised patients, also by the application of radiation therapy. Compromised shoulder function is a less frequent and less severe side effect to breast conserving therapy as compared to modified radical mastectomy.

Adult↗

Adolescent sexual orientation and suicide risk: evidence from a national study.

OBJECTIVES: Sexual orientation has been a debated risk factor for adolescent suicidality over the past 20 years. This study examined the link between sexual orientation and suicidality, using data that are nationally representative and that include other critical youth suicide risk factors. METHODS: Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were examined. Survey logistic regression was used to control for sample design effects. RESULTS: There is a strong link between adolescent sexual orientation and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The strong effect of sexual orientation on suicidal thoughts is mediated by critical youth suicide risk factors, including depression, hopelessness, alcohol abuse, recent suicide attempts by a peer or a family member, and experiences of victimization. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide strong evidence that sexual minority youths are more likely than their peers to think about and attempt suicide.

Adolescent↗

Abuse, support, and depression among homeless and runaway adolescents.

This study examines the effectiveness of social support networks on psychological well-being among 602 homeless and runaway adolescents. The respondents were interviewed in shelters, drop-in centers, and on the streets in cities of four Midwestern states (Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas). The path model was used to test the direct effect of family abuse and precocious independence on adolescent depressive symptoms and indirect effects through social support networks. Results indicate that although abusive family origins contribute directly to depressive symptoms there are indirect effects of family abuse and early independence through social support networks. Family abuse and early independence drive homeless adolescents to rely on peers for social support. While support from friends on the street reduces depression, association with deviant peers increases depression.

Adolescent↗