The effects of salient and non-salient stimuli on subjects' self report of a learning task

46, [15] leaves ; 28 cm.Bibliography: leaves [47-49].This study addressed the hypotheses proposed by Nisbett and Wilson (1977) that 1) people do not have direct access in memory to the causes of their own behavior, but rather base their verbal reports of such causes on assumptions of plausible causal relationships, which are subject to various attributional biases, and 2) therefore, verbal reports on one’s own behaviour are not necessarily any more accurate than those of an observer provided with the same information regarding external stimuli (causes) and observable behaviours (effects). Sixty subjects participating in pairs in a learning experiment were assigned to one of 3 list conditions. The lists were designed to instill an expectation that either the color of the letters (black vs. coloured) or the order of the letters (meaningful vs. meaningless anagrams) is a potent variable in learning or that both may be potent. Subsequently, subjects participated in a second test condition as learners or observers, then made attributions of causal impact to both the letter arrangement ( a highly potent variable) of letter strings and/or colour (a highly salient but less potent variable). The results supported both an anti-introspectionist and pro-introspectionist position. On one hand, they supported the hypothesis that subjects would base their verbal reports on assumptions generalized (erroneously) from the first list. On the other hand, the results indicate that subjects attributions were not erroneously generalized from one phase to the other but subjects, in fact, made separate and accurate attributions to each learning phase. The hypothesis regarding the similarity of attributions of observer and learner subjects was not supported due largely to problems with the procedure . In particular, it is not clear whether observer subjects actually observed learners in the manner expected. Recommendations for future research are suggested

Discursive and Psychological Processes in Project MATCH Treatment Manuals and 12-Step Program Literature

Addiction is a word that represents a condition that, at best, causes minor disruptions to one’s life and, at worst, is lethal. The current definition was developed by 80 neuroscientists. It references substance use and other behaviors and includes food and sex. Addictions do not seem to be lessening but rather are increasing in terms of substances, behaviors, and lives affected. The United States opiate epidemic was fueled in part by false claims in over 600 research journal articles that pain medications were non-addictive. Language matters. In the 1930s, decades before researchers drew attention to the psychological importance of emotional tone and pronoun use, editors of the original Alcoholics Anonymous literature drew the same conclusions which informed their writing. Over 400 groups have received permission to adapt this literature for their use. Many represent behavioral addictions, which in theory, were recognized in the last diagnostic manual revision, though its authors included only gambling due to insufficient evidence to date for sex addiction, exercise addiction, and shopping addiction to name a few. In addition to a lack of research, there is a 15- to 20-year lag-time in making clinical use of research. The slow recognition of behavioral addictions by health professionals is filled in part by 12-step programs. Hence, research on 12-step programs is warranted. This dissertation covers the first of the 12 steps which addresses powerlessness and unmanageability. The concept of impaired control has been identified in each of the addictions studied. There has been an evolution of definitions of addiction from “failure of will” concepts to a “language of self-control” – the loss of which is seen as a diagnostic criterion. Rehabilitative treatment is through talk therapy. Addiction treatment manuals are often used to guide treatment; however, their language is unstudied. Leading researchers at some of the most prestigious universities in the United States and advocates for recovery are joining forces with a call to change the language of addiction. It is vital that the current language be disrupted because it induces negative implicit cognitive biases that evoke punitive attitudes and stigmatizing judgments. Globally, addictions are within the top four most stigmatized social problems. Stigma is a major barrier to treatment. For the first manuscript, three research questions were used to examine twelve-step facilitation, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational enhancement therapy manuals from Project MATCH. The second manuscript used the same questions to examine the first step of Alcoholics Anonymous, Debtors Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous. The research questions were: Do differences in the level of broad psycholinguistic processes exist among the texts? Do differences in specific linguistic categories exist among the texts? Do differences in specific psychological and physical processes exist among the texts? Using a synchronic corpus linguistic design, all texts were analyzed using LIWC2015. The log-likelihood ratio test was used to examine if differences in variables exist between the texts, with post hoc analysis to further examine differences. Bayesian information criterion was used to measure effect size, with effects ranging from weak to very strong. Results demonstrate that in each study, statistically significant differences exist in the broad psycholinguistic, specific linguistic, and psychological and physical process words used in the texts. For both manuscripts, differences in analytic, authentic, emotional tone, first-person singular pronouns, third-person plural pronouns, male, and biological processes words showed significance. Manuscript One also showed difference for first-person plural pronouns and third-person singular pronouns. This manuscript is the first study to compare the linguistic components of addiction treatment manuals. Manuscript Two also showed difference for second-person pronouns and negative emotion words. This second manuscript is the first study to compare linguistic components of different 12-step programs. Findings of this dissertation may have relevance to addiction treatment providers, writers of treatment manuals and of 12-step literature, researchers, and individuals with addiction issues

Evaluation of BacLite Rapid MRSA, a rapid culture based screening test for the detection of ciprofloxacin and methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) from screening swabs

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major nosocomial pathogen worldwide. The need for accurate and rapid screening methods to detect MRSA carriers has been clearly established. The performance of a novel assay, BacLite Rapid MRSA (Acolyte Biomedica, UK) for the rapid detection (5 h) and identification of hospital associated ciprofloxacin resistant strains of MRSA directly from nasal swab specimens was compared to that obtained by culture on Mannitol salt agar containing Oxacillin (MSAO) after 48 h incubation. RESULTS: A total of 1382 nasal screening swabs were tested by multiple operators. The BacLite Rapid MRSA test detected 142 out of the 157 confirmed MRSA that were detected on MSAO giving a diagnostic sensitivity of 90.4, diagnostic specificity of 95.7% and a negative predictive value of 98.7%. Of the 15 false negatives obtained by the BacLite Rapid MRSA test, seven grew small amounts (< 10 colonies of MRSA) on the MSAO culture plate and five isolates were ciprofloxacin sensitive. However there were 13 confirmed BacLite MRSA positive samples, which were negative by the direct culture method, probably due to overgrowth on the MSAO plate. There were 53 false positive results obtained by the BacLite Rapid MRSA test at 5 h and 115 cases where MRSA colonies were tentatively identified on the MSAO plate when read at 48 h, and which subsequently proved not to be MRSA. CONCLUSION: The Baclite MRSA test is easy to use and provides a similar level of sensitivity to conventional culture for the detection of nasal carriage of MRSA with the advantage that the results are obtained much more rapidly

Risk of new-onset Long Covid following reinfection with SARS-CoV-2: community-based cohort study

Background: Little is known about the risk of Long Covid following reinfection with SARS-CoV-2. We estimated the likelihood of new-onset, self-reported Long Covid after a second SARS-CoV-2 infection, and compared to a first infection. // Methods: We included UK COVID-19 Infection Survey participants who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between 1 November 2021 and 8 October 2022. The primary outcome was self-reported Long Covid 12 to 20 weeks after each infection. Separate analyses were performed for those <16 years and ≥16 years. We estimated adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for new-onset Long Covid using logistic regression, comparing second to first infections, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics and calendar date of infection, plus vaccination status in those ≥16 years. // Results: Overall, Long Covid was reported by those ≥16 years after 4.0% and 2.4% of first and second infections, respectively; the corresponding estimates among those <16 years were 1.0% and 0.6%. The aOR for Long Covid after second compared to first infections was 0.72 (95% confidence interval: 0.63–0.81) for those ≥16 years and 0.93 (0.57–1.53) for those <16 years. // Conclusions: The risk of new-onset Long Covid after a second SARS-CoV-2 infection is lower than that after a first infection for those ≥16 years, though there is no evidence of a difference in risk for those <16 years. However, there remains some risk of new-onset Long Covid after a second infection, with around 1 in 40 of those ≥16 years and 1 in 165 of those <16 years reporting Long Covid after a second infection

Relationship between trophic level and total mercury concentrations in 5 Steller sea lion prey species

Total mercury concentrations [THg] were measured in 5 Steller sea lion finfish prey species collected in the eastern Aleutian Islands to determine if the amount and/or variation in mercury in select prey could explain the wide range of [THg] in sea lion pup hair and blood (Castellini et al. 2012, Rea et al. 2013). Atka mackerel (ATMA; Pleurogrammus monopterygius), Pacific cod (PACO; Gadus macrocephalus), walleye pollock (WAPO; Theragra chalcogramma), arrowtooth flounder (ARFL; Atheresthes stomias), and Kamchatka flounder (KAFL; Atheresthes evermanni) are known or suspected Steller sea lion diet items (Sinclair and Zeppelin 2002) and thus were chosen as the first focal prey species for this preliminary study. Fish samples (20 individuals per species) were collected and donated by Ocean Peace Inc. from winter 2013 commercial operations in fisheries management area 541. Fish were frozen whole at sea and subsampled at the UAF Wildlife Toxicology Lab for mercury and stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) analyses. The [THg] increased with fork length (fish length) and mass in PACO, KAFL and ARFL (p<0.05) suggesting mercury bioaccumulates with age. PACO and KAFL showed significantly higher [THg] than WAPO, ATMA, and ARFL (p<0.05) although no concentrations exceeded 0.18 μg/g, ww. Thresholds of concern for human consumption of fish are 1 μg/g, ww. More enriched stable nitrogen isotope values in PACO and KAFL (12.9±0.9 and 12.2±0.3 respectively) suggest that these fish were feeding at a higher trophic levels than the ATMA, ARFL, WAPO (10.5±0.4, 11.5±0.5 and 10.5±0.8 respectively) which could explain the slightly higher mercury levels in these two species

Androgen receptor expression is required to ensure development of adult leydig cells and to prevent development of steroidogenic cells with adrenal characteristics in the mouse testis

Background: The interstitium of the mouse testis contains Leydig cells and a small number of steroidogenic cells with adrenal characteristics which may be derived from the fetal adrenal during development or may be a normal subset of the developing fetal Leydig cells. Currently it is not known what regulates development and/or proliferation of this sub-population of steroidogenic cells in the mouse testis. Androgen receptors (AR) are essential for normal testicular function and in this study we have examined the role of the AR in regulating interstitial cell development. Results: Using a mouse model which lacks gonadotropins and AR (hpg.ARKO), stimulation of luteinising hormone receptors in vivo with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) caused a marked increase in adrenal cell transcripts/protein in a group of testicular interstitial cells. hCG also induced testicular transcripts associated with basic steroidogenic function in these mice but had no effect on adult Leydig cell-specific transcript levels. In hpg mice with functional AR, treatment with hCG induced Leydig cell-specific function and had no effect on adrenal transcript levels. Examination of mice with cell-specific AR deletion and knockdown of AR in a mouse Leydig cell line suggests that AR in the Leydig cells are likely to regulate these effects. Conclusions: This study shows that in the mouse the androgen receptor is required both to prevent development of testicular cells with adrenal characteristics and to ensure development of an adult Leydig cell phenotype

Long Covid stigma: estimating burden and validating scale in a UK-based sample

Background Stigma can be experienced as perceived or actual disqualification from social and institutional acceptance on the basis of one or more physical, behavioural or other attributes deemed to be undesirable. Long Covid is a predominantly multisystem condition that occurs in people with a history of SARSCoV2 infection, often resulting in functional disability. This study aimed to develop and validate a Long Covid Stigma Scale (LCSS); and to quantify the burden of Long Covid stigma. Methods Data from the follow-up of a co-produced community-based Long Covid online survey using convenience non-probability sampling was used. Thirteen questions on stigma were designed to develop the LCSS capturing three domains-enacted (overt experiences of discrimination), internalised (internalising negative associations with Long Covid and accepting them as self-applicable) and anticipated (expectation of bias/poor treatment by others) stigma. Confirmatory factor analysis tested whether LCSS consisted of the three hypothesised domains. Model fit was assessed and prevalence was calculated. Results 966 UK-based participants responded (888 for stigma questions), with mean age 48 years (SD: 10.7) and 85% female. Factor loadings for enacted stigma were 0.70-0.86, internalised 0.75-0.84, anticipated 0.58-0.87, and model fit was good. The prevalence of experiencing stigma at least 'sometimes' and 'often/always' was 95% and 76% respectively. Anticipated and internalised stigma were more frequently experienced than enacted stigma. Those who reported having a clinical diagnosis of Long Covid had higher stigma prevalence than those without. Conclusion This study establishes a scale to measure Long Covid stigma and highlights common experiences of stigma in people living with Long Covid

Living with a left ventricular assist device:Capturing recipients experiences using group concept mapping software

BackgroundLeft ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation significantly impacts on a recipient's symptoms and quality of life. Capturing their experiences and post implant journey is an important part of clinical practice, research and device design evolution. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are a useful tool for capturing that experience. However, patient reported outcome measures need to reflect recipients' experiences. Discussions with a patient partner group found that none of the frequently used cardiology PROMs captured their unique experiences.AimsTo capture the experiences and important issues for LVAD recipients. Develop a conceptual map of domains and items that should be reflected in patient reported outcomes.MethodsGroup concept mapping (GCM) web-based software was used to remotely capture and structure recipients' experiences across a wide geographical area. GCM is a semi-quantitative mixed method consisting of 3 stages: item generation, item sorting and rating (importance, relevance and frequency). Patient partners were involved in all aspects of the study design and development.Results18 LVAD recipients consented to take part. 101 statements were generated and multi-dimensional scaling, and hierarchical cluster analysis identified 9 clusters. Cluster themes included: Activities, Partner/family support, Travel, Mental wellbeing, Equipment and clothing, Physical and cognitive limitations, LVAD Restrictions, LVAD Challenges and positive impact of the LVAD (LVAD Positives). LVAD Positives were scored highest across all the rating variables, e.g., frequency (2.85), relevance (2.44) and importance (2.21). Other domains rated high for importance included physical and cognitive limitations (2.19), LVAD restrictions (2.11), Partner/family support (2.02), and Equipment and clothing (2.01).ConclusionOnline GCM software facilitated the inclusion of geographically dispersed recipients and provided useful insights into the experiences of LVAD recipients. The conceptual framework identifies important domains and items that should be prioritised and included in patient reported outcomes in future research, LVAD design evolution, and clinical practice