Orbitally Paced Shifts in the Particle Size of Antarctic Continental Shelf Sediments in Response to Ice Dynamics during the Miocene Climatic Optimum

The AND-2A drill hole (ANDRILL [Antarctic Geological Drilling Program] Southern McMurdo Sound Project), ∼10 km from the East Antarctica coastline, records nearly 6 m.y. of sedimentation across the Miocene climatic optimum at a high-latitude site. Sedimentological studies of bedforms and particle size distributions indicate that the paleoenvironment was strongly affected by waves and currents, consistent with deposition in a glacially influenced neritic environment. We document abrupt shifts in mud percent within glacial-interglacial cycles ca. 17.8 Ma and between ca. 16.7 and 15.7 Ma that we attribute to the hydrodynamic effects of wave stirring tied to episodes of ice growth and decay. Although wave climate and geodynamic forcing of the paleobathymetry simultaneously affect wave stirring on a high-latitude shelf, both are ultimately controlled by the size of the ice sheet. The mud percent record displays cyclicity at short-eccentricity time scales (94–99 k.y.) and, unexpectedly, ice retreat phases interpreted from the particle size record coincide with eccentricity minima. We attribute the eccentricity-paced ice retreat phases during the late Early Miocene polythermal glacial conditions and the cool orbital parameters to marine ice sheet instability in response to changes in ocean circulation and heat transport. The particle size record of the AND-2A core provides unique near-field evidence for orbitally paced changes in high-latitude climate and ice volume during the Miocene climatic optimum and important insights into the mechanisms of ice sheet growth and decay in a period of global warmth

Hydrogen-powered road vehicles : the health benfits and drawbacks of a new fuel

Because of the political, social and environmental problems associated with dependency on fossil fuels, there is considerable interest in alternative energy sources. Hydrogen is regarded as a promising option, particularly as a fuel for road vehicles. The Dutch Energy Research Centre (ECN) recently published a vision of the future, in which it suggested that by 2050 more than half of all cars in the Netherlands could be running on hydrogen. A switch to using hydrogen as the primary energy source for road vehicles would have far-reaching social consequences. As with all technological developments, opportunities would be created, but drawbacks would inevitably be encountered as well. Some of the disadvantages associated with hydrogen are already known, and are to some degree manageable. It is likely, however, that other drawbacks would come to light only once hydrogen-powered cars were actually in use. With that thought in mind, and in view of the social significance of a possible transition to hydrogen, it was decided that the Health Council should assess the positive and negative effects that hydrogen use could have on public health. It is particularly important to make such an assessment at the present early stage in the development of hydrogen technologies, so that gaps in existing scientific knowledge may be identified and appropriate strategies may be developed for addressing such gaps. This report has been produced by the Health and Environment Surveillance Committee, which has special responsibility for the identification of important correlations between environmental factors and public health

Interictal and postictal cognitive changes in migraine

The question whether symptom-free migraine patients show cognitive impairments compared to matched control subjects is addressed, and also whether migraine patients show transient cognitive impairments induced by an attack. The Neuropsychological Evaluation System (NES2) was administered once in an interictal period and twice within 30 h after different migraine attacks. Since cognitive impairments could be related to attack duration or severity, cognitive performance was compared during a postictal period after sumatriptan use and during a postictal period after habitual nonvasoactive medication use. Twenty migraineurs without aura, 10 migraineurs with aura, and 30 matched headache-free controls participated in the study. During a headache-free period, migraineurs without aura responded as quickly as controls, while migraineurs with aura were slower than controls during all tasks specifically requiring selective attention. These effects were not aggravated by a preceding migraine attack, irrespective of medication use and attack duration

Psychosocial and cultural reasons for delay in seeking help and nonadherence to treatment in Indonesian women with breast cancer: A qualitative study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore reasons for delay in seeking medical help and nonadherence to treatment in Indonesian women with breast cancer. Method: Semistructured interviews were conducted by purposive sampling, using a consecutive sample of 50 breast cancer patients who were treated at the Outpatient Surgical Oncology Clinic of Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung, Indonesia. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded using qualitative software. Codes were merged into main themes that were subsequently mapped onto the study's aim. Results: Eight main themes concerning reasons for delay in seeking medical help and treatment nonadherence emerged, namely: lack of awareness and knowledge, cancer beliefs, treatment beliefs, financial problems, emotional burden, severe side effects, paternalistic style of communication, and unmet information needs. Conclusion: This study has identified several modifiable psychosocial and cultural factors related to delay in seeking help and nonadherence to treatment in breast cancer patients. We suggest that the provision of extensive information through media campaigns, treatment decision aids, and caregiver and patient education are needed to change the illness behaviors of Indonesian breast cancer patients. © 2013 American Psychological Association

Consulting a traditional healer and negative illness perceptions are associated with non-adherence to treatment in Indonesian women with breast cancer

Objective: The aim of the present study was to test the association between psychosocial factors and delay in uptake of treatment and treatment non-adherence in Indonesian women with breast cancer. Methods: Seventy consecutive patients with breast cancer who were treated at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Indonesia were recruited. They completed a demographic form, the non-adherence questionnaire, the Breast Cancer Knowledge Test, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scales, the Satisfaction with Cancer Information Profile and the Distress Thermometer. Results: Seventeen (24%) out of 70 patients reported that they had delayed initiating treatment at the hospital, and nine (13%) out of 70 patients had missed two or more consecutive treatment sessions. In the bivariate analyses, we found no significant differences on any of the psychological variables between patients who delayed initiating treatment and those patients who did not, whereas patients who had missed two or more consecutive sessions had lower satisfaction with the type and timing of information provided and more negative illness perceptions than patients who had not missed their sessions. In multivariate regression analyses, consulting a traditional healer before diagnosis was associated with treatment delay (β = 1.27, p = 0.04). More negative illness perceptions (β = 0.10, p = 0.02) and whether a traditional healer had been consulted after diagnosis (β = 1.67, p = 0.03) were associated with missing treatment sessions. Conclusions: Indonesian health professionals need to be aware of patients' negative illness perceptions and their unrealistic belief in traditional healers

Shortening the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory

Abstract Questionnaires that are used in studies with severely ill patients should be as short as possible. Abridged versions of existing inventories are very practical in these instances. The answers of 444 subjects in three samples (cancer patients, medical students, surgical patients) were used to investigate the possibility of constructing short and reliable versions of the scales of the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory. A stepwise regression procedure showed the possibility to reliably predict the total score of the unabridged versions by means of weighted sums of eight items for each scale. Omission of weights did not lead to substantial loss of information. Cronbach's α of the State-scale decreased from 0.93 to about 0.85 for different combinations of items and from 0.91 to about 0.82 for combinations of eight items of the Trait-scale. The relationship between both scales was only slightly modified by the shortening procedure

Child development and quality of parenting in lesbian families: no psychosocial indications for a-priori withholding of infertility treatment. A systematic review

Among fertility centres, much discussion focuses on whether to withhold infertility treatment from special patient groups (lesbians, prospective single parent(s), prospective parent(s) of relatively advanced age, or with severe diseases) because it is assumed that this is in the best interest of the child. The present study aimed to establish whether there is any empirical evidence for this assumption. A literature search was made in PubMed/Medline and PsycINFO to identify studies that had assessed psychological outcomes of children and quality of parenting after infertility treatment. Eight studies met the following inclusion criteria: published in an English-language peer-reviewed journal between 1978 and 2002, and focused on psychosocial child development and quality of parenting after infer

Quality of life and maladjustment associated with hair loss in women with alopecia androgenetica

Quality of life and maladjustment related to hair loss were studied by means of a standardized interview in a group of 58 women with alopecia androgenetica who applied for treatment at the Department of Dermatology. The hair loss was found to have a negative influence on the quality of life on the majority of them. In 88%, hair loss had negative effects on their daily life; in about 75%, the hair problems were manifested in negative self-esteem and about 50% experienced social problems. General psychosocial maladjustment in relation to hair loss was indicated in almost one-third of the women