How Much Does Effortful Thinking Underlie Observers’ Reactions to Victimization?

From blaming to helping innocent victims, just-world research has revealed that observers react to victimization in a variety of ways. Recent research suggests that such responses to victimization require effortful thought, whereas other research has shown that people can react to these situations intuitively. Along with manipulating just-world threat, across seven experiments, we manipulated or measured participants’ level of mental processing before assessing judgments of victim derogation, blame, willingness to help, and ultimate justice reasoning. The effect of just-world threat on these responses held constant over a range of manipulations/measures, suggesting that the processes involved in maintaining a belief in a just world are not restricted to the rational, deliberative level of mental processing but also occur intuitively

Thalidomide in the treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL): systematic review of clinical trials and prospects of new investigations

FUNDAMENTOS: A hanseníase persiste como problema de saúde pública, e episódios de ENH são eventos agudos que ocorrem antes, durante e após PQT. Na última década, o uso da talidomida como agente imunomodulador foi expandido a outras doenças. OBJETIVOS: realizar revisão sistemática dos ensaios clínicos publicados sobre a eficácia e efeitos colaterais da talidomida no ENH. Descrever metodologia e resultados da triagem para recrutamento de ensaio clínico visando avaliar dose-resposta da talidomida seguida de desmame no ENH moderado e grave, realizado no Brasil. MÉTODOS: Analisaram-se ensaios publicados sobre talidomida no ENH. Foi delineado um ensaio clínico duplo-cego randomizado para avaliar dose de 100 thalid 300mg/dia de talidomida durante fase aguda de ENH, seguida de desmame da talidomida, thalid placebo. Para este ensaio clínico descreve-se metodologia e dados de recrutamento de pacientes, com ênfase na gravidade dos episódios de ENH. RESULTADOS: Os seis ensaios clínicos publicados nas décadas de 1960 e 1970 apontam para o benefício da talidomida no ENH, embora diferenças metodológicas dificultem a comparação. Na fase de recrutamento do ensaio brasileiro, dos 143 pacientes de ENH triados, 65% eram potencialmente elegíveis. A associação com neurite em 56,4% dos ENH moderados e graves exigiu co-intervenção com corticosteróide. CONCLUSÃO: O padrão de recrutamento dos pacientes evidenciou alta freqüência de neurite nos episódios de ENH. O esquema de talidomida isolada no ENH foi avaliado como infreqüente na prática clínica brasileira. O desafio atual é acumular evidências sobre a eficácia e efeitos colaterais da talidomida em associação com corticosteróides.BACKGROUND: Leprosy remains a public health problem. Episodes of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) are acute events that occur before, during and after polychemotherapy. In the last decade, the use of thalidomide as an immunomodulating agent was expanded to other diseases. OBJECTIVES: To perform a systematic review of published clinical trials on efficacy and side effects of thalidomide in ENL. To describe the methodology and screening results of recruiting for a clinical trial performed in Brazil, which aimed to assess the dose-response of thalidomide followed by tapering regimen in severe and moderate cases of ENL. METHODS: Published clinical trials on the use of thalidomide in ENL were analyzed. A randomized, double-blind clinical trial was designed to evaluate the doses of 100mg versus 300mg/day thalidomide during the acute stage of ENL, followed by thalidomide tapering regimen versus placebo. For this clinical trial, the methodology and data for enrollment of patients were described, with an emphasis on severity of ENL episodes. RESULTS: Six clinical trials published in the 1960's and 1970's indicated the benefits of thalidomide in ENL, although methodological differences made comparison difficult. In the enrollment stage of the Brazilian trial, 65% of patients were potentially eligible out of 143 ENL patients screened. The association with neuritis in 56.4% of moderate and severe cases of ENL required the co-intervention with steroids. CONCLUSION: The patients' enrollment pattern demonstrated high frequency of neuritis in ENL episodes. The treatment regimen with thalidomide in monotherapy for ENL was considered infrequent in the clinical practice in Brazil. The current challenge is to accumulate evidence about efficacy and side effects of thalidomide in combination with steroids

Approach and avoidance: Relations with the thin body ideal in women with disordered eating behavior

Item does not contain fulltextRecent research suggests that automatic cognitive biases are linked to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behavior. However, little is known about automatic action tendencies in the field of body image research. The aim of the present study was to examine approach and avoidance biases toward the thin body ideal and normal weight bodies and whether these are pronounced in individuals showing disordered eating behavior. Participants were divided into a group with disordered eating behavior (n = 55) and without disordered eating behavior (n = 45). To assess approach and avoidance tendencies, the Approach-Avoidance Task was used during which the participants were instructed to approach or avoid thin and normal weight body pictures. Our results indicated faster push than pull movements towards thin and normal weight body pictures. However, participants with and without disordered eating behavior did not differ with regard to their reactions. Furthermore, we found positive associations between the avoidance of normal weight body pictures and perceived pressure to confirm to media ideals. Future research is warranted to replicate our findings and to extend our knowledge on approach and avoidance biases toward body pictures in patients suffering from eating disorders.7 p