Physical aggression, compromised social support, and 10-year marital outcomes: Testing a relational spillover model

The purpose of the present study was to test a relational spillover model of physical aggression whereby physical aggression affects marital outcomes due to its effects on how spouses ask for and provide support to one another. Newlywed couples (n = 172) reported levels of physical aggression over the past year and engaged in interactions designed to elicit social support; marital adjustment, and stability were assessed periodically over the first 10 years of marriage. Multilevel modeling revealed that negative support behavior mediated the relationship between physical aggression and 10-year marital adjustment levels whereas positive support behavior mediated the relationship between physical aggression and divorce status. These findings emphasize the need to look beyond conflict when explaining how aggression affects relationships and when working with couples with a history of physical aggression who are seeking to improve their relationships

Operation of a three-frequency riometer system on the NASA 711 aircraft during the 1968 auroral expedition

Operation of three-frequency riometer system on NASA 711 aircraft during 1968 auroral expeditio

Calcium isotopes in deep time: Potential and limitations

Calcium is an essential element in the biogeochemical cycles that regulate the long-term climate state of Earth. The removal of CO2 from the ocean-atmosphere system is controlled by the burial of carbonate sediments (CaCO3), ultimately linking the global calcium and carbon cycles. This fundamental link has driven the development of the stable calcium isotope proxy with applica-tion to both ancient skeletal and non-skeletal bulk carbonate sediments. Calcium isotope ratios (44/40Ca) have been used to track long-term changes in seawater chemistry (e.g., aragonite vs. calcite seas) and to elucidate short-term climatic perturbations associated with mass extinction events. However, developments in the calcium isotope proxy have shown that 44/40Ca values in carbonate minerals also are sensitive to changes in precipitation rates, mineralogy and diagene-sis, thereby complicating the application of the proxy to the reconstruction of global cycles. First, inorganic carbonate precipitation experiments have demonstrated that carbonate 44/40Ca values are sensitive to precipitation rates with higher rates generally leading to larger fractiona-tion. Second, 44/40Ca values are sensitive to carbonate mineralogy with inorganic aragonite and calcite being on average ~1.5‰ and ~0.9‰ depleted relative to contemporaneous seawater, re-spectively. The effects of both changes in carbonate mineralogy and precipitation rates affect primary and secondary minerals, but are particularly pronounced during carbonate diagenesis where relatively slow rates of recrystallization and neomorphism can lead to significant changes in bulk sediment 44/40Ca values. Third, changes in faunal composition expressed in skeletal fossil archives can lead to large changes in carbonate 44/40Ca values that are decoupled from changes in global cycles. Nevertheless, when these factors are appropriately considered the ap-plication of calcium isotopes in ancient carbonate sediments becomes a powerful tool for under-standing biogeochemical processes that operate over many scales; from diagenetic changes with-in the sediment pore-space, to regional changes across ancient carbonate platforms, and to global changes in seawater chemistry through time. Importantly, the processes that contribute to varia-bility in carbonate 44/40Ca values are likely to impact other carbonate-bound proxies, highlight-ing the potential for calcium isotopes as a hint to better understand the variability of other iso-tope systems

Parent training for preschool ADHD: a randomized controlled trial of specialized and generic programs

BackgroundThe New Forest Parenting Package' (NFPP), an 8-week home-based intervention for parents of preschoolers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), fosters constructive parenting to target ADHD-related dysfunctions in attention and impulse control. Although NFPP has improved parent and laboratory measures of ADHD in community samples of children with ADHD-like problems, its efficacy in a clinical sample, and relative to an active treatment comparator, is unknown. The aims are to evaluate the short- and long-term efficacy and generalization effects of NFPP compared to an established clinic-based parenting intervention for treating noncompliant behavior [Helping the Noncompliant Child' (HNC)] in young children with ADHD. MethodsA randomized controlled trial with three parallel arms was the design for this study. A total of 164 3-4-year-olds, 73.8% male, meeting DSM-IV ADHD diagnostic criteria were randomized to NFPP (N=67), HNC (N=63), or wait-list control (WL, N=34). All participants were assessed at post-treatment. NFPP and HNC participants were assessed at follow-up in the next school year. Primary outcomes were ADHD ratings by teachers blind to and uninvolved in treatment, and by parents. Secondary ADHD outcomes included clinician assessments, and laboratory measures of on-task behavior and delay of gratification. Other outcomes included parent and teacher ratings of oppositional behavior, and parenting measures. (Trial name: Home-Based Parent Training in ADHD Preschoolers; Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01320098; URL: ). ResultsIn both treatment groups, children's ADHD and ODD behaviors, as well as aspects of parenting, were rated improved by parents at the end of treatment compared to controls. Most of these gains in the children's behavior and in some parenting practices were sustained at follow-up. However, these parent-reported improvements were not corroborated by teacher ratings or objective observations. NFPP was not significantly better, and on a few outcomes significantly less effective, than HNC. ConclusionsThe results do not support the claim that NFPP addresses putative dysfunctions underlying ADHD, bringing about generalized change in ADHD, and its underpinning self-regulatory processes. The findings support documented difficulties in achieving generalization across nontargeted settings, and the importance of using blinded measures to provide meaningful assessments of treatment effects

The intramitochondrial localization of succinate-yellow tetrazolium reductase with the electron microscope

A new tetrazolium salt, yellow tetrazolium, has been used to localise succinatetetrazolium reductase with the electron microscope. As expected, the formazan did not give high contrast in the optical microscope, but localization with the EM was good. The size of the formazan granules was 60–100Å; lead staining was essential to secure good contrast.Facultad de Ciencias Médica

Conserving nature out of fear or knowledge? Using threatening versus connecting messages to generate support for environmental causes

Threatening and connecting messages are two types of appeals commonly used to encourage conservation behaviors, yet little research has examined their psychological impacts and behavioral outcomes. This paper describes two studies contrasting these approaches with a neutral comparison and testing their effects on state levels of negative affect, caring, and openness, psychological states which we expected in turn would encourage conservation behavior. Participants viewed visually identical nature videos with no text, connecting text or negative text. They then reported on their state experiences, and were asked to engage in conservation behaviors, including supporting conservation organizations. Findings showed that connecting messages increased caring and openness, and decreased negative affect, and by doing so elicited more conservation behaviors. On the other hand, threatening messages showed no beneficial effects above a neutral comparison without an appeal. Our findings, which we contextualize in motivational theory, can be used to inform the use of messages to promote conservation.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2015.04.00

Nature and Community Cohesion

Individuals may be losing touch with nature as their contact with it decreases worldwide. While the consequences for people’s personal well-being outcomes are becoming well documented, there is almost no research examining the social correlates of contact with nature. This paper used a large nationally representative sample to link objective (% greenspace) and subjective measurements of contact with nature, community cohesion, and local crime incidence. The perceived quality, views, and amount of time spent in nature were linked to more community cohesion, and in turn the perception of cohesive communities enhances individual well-being outcomes and contributions back to society through higher workplace productivity and environmentally responsible behaviors. Findings also indicated that local nature was linked to lower crime both directly and indirectly through its effects on community cohesion.This research was funded in part by the ESRC (project number RES-064-27-0019).This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Oxford University Press via http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biv15

Social support in marriage: Translating research into practical applications for clinicians

How spouses support one another may be important in understanding and preventing marital distress, but has received relatively little attention. Instead, the behavioral model of marriage and corresponding treatment protocols have focused on the importance of good conflict management skills in preventing and treating marital distress. This paper outlines recent research indicating that couples social support skills predict marital outcome two years later, above and beyond conflict management skills. These results indicate that successful prevention and treatment programs may need to incorporate support skills training as well as conflict management training. Practical implications of this research are outlined, and specific techniques are recommended for teaching social support skills to couples

Shortened Lung Clearance Index is a repeatable and sensitive test in children and adults with cystic fibrosis

BACKGROUND: Lung clearance index (LCI) derived from sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) multiple breath washout (MBW) is a sensitive measure of lung disease in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). However, it can be time-consuming, limiting its use clinically. AIM: To compare the repeatability, sensitivity and test duration of LCI derived from washout to 1/30th (LCI1/30), 1/20th (LCI1/20) and 1/10th (LCI1/10) to 'standard' LCI derived from washout to 1/40th initial concentration (LCI1/40). METHODS: Triplicate MBW test results from 30 clinically stable people with CF and 30 healthy controls were analysed retrospectively. MBW tests were performed using 0.2% SF6 and a modified Innocor device. All LCI end points were calculated using SimpleWashout software. Repeatability was assessed using coefficient of variation (CV%). The proportion of people with CF with and without abnormal LCI and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) % predicted was compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve statistics were calculated. Test duration of all LCI end points was compared using paired t tests. RESULTS: In people with CF, LCI1/40 CV% (p=0.16), LCI1/30 CV%, (p=0.53), LCI1/20 CV% (p=0.14) and LCI1/10 CV% (p=0.25) was not significantly different to controls. The sensitivity of LCI1/40, LCI1/30 and LCI1/20 to the presence of CF was equal (67%). The sensitivity of LCI1/10 and FEV1% predicted was lower (53% and 47% respectively). Area under the ROC curve (95% CI) for LCI1/40, LCI1/30, LCI1/20, LCI1/10 and FEV1% predicted was 0.89 (0.80 to 0.97), 0.87 (0.77 to 0.96), 0.87 (0.78 to 0.96), 0.83 (0.72 to 0.94) and 0.73 (0.60 to 0.86), respectively. Test duration of LCI1/30, LCI1/20 and LCI1/10 was significantly shorter compared with the test duration of LCI1/40 in people with CF (p<0.0001) equating to a 5%, 9% and 15% time saving, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, LCI1/20 was a repeatable and sensitive measure with equal diagnostic performance to LCI1/40. LCI1/20 was shorter, potentially offering a more feasible research and clinical measure