Social Conduct Scale (SCS) : a psychometric investigation

The social conduct of an individual comprises all the interpersonal behaviors that he or she exhibits in the social contexts he or she is exposed to. The Social Conduct Scale (SCS) is a self-report instrument developed to provide researchers and clinicians with information on prosocial, antisocial and oppositional-defiant tendencies of Portuguese-speaking children and adolescents. In the present study, we conducted an analysis of the criterion validity of the SCS by comparing the scores obtained from a large population-based sample (N = 1,172) against an offender (N = 129), a scholar (N = 31), and a clinic-referred (N = 24) sample of adolescents with marked previous conduct problems. As expected, antisocial youths had significantly higher means on antisocial behaviors and lower means on prosocial tendencies when compared to the population-based sample. Overall, findings supported the hypothesized criterion validity of the SCS. The instrument might play a role as a helpful resource for researchers, clinicians and practitioners interested in assessing the social conduct of Brazilian children and adolescents

Chemical composition of AY Ceti: A flaring, spotted star with a white dwarf companion

The detailed chemical composition of the atmosphere AY Cet (HD 7672) is determined from a high-resolution spectrum in the optical region. The main atmospheric parameters and the abundances of 22 chemical elements, including key species such as 12C, 13C, N, and O, are determined. A differential line analysis gives T_eff=5080 K, log g=3.0, [Fe/H]=-0.33, [C/Fe]=-0.17, [N/Fe]=0.17, [O/Fe]=0.05, C/N=1.58, and 12C/13C=21. Despite the high chromospheric activity, the optical spectrum of AY Cet provides a chemical composition typical for first ascent giants after the first dredge-up.Comment: 11 figure

Spillover HIV prevention effects of a cash transfer trial in East Zimbabwe: evidence from a cluster-randomised trial and general-population survey

Background: Benefits of cash transfers (CTs) for HIV prevention have been demonstrated largely in purposively designed trials, commonly focusing on young women. It is less clear if CT interventions not designed for HIV prevention can have HIV-specific effects, including adverse effects. The cluster-randomised Manicaland Cash Transfer Trial (2010–11) evaluated effects of CTs on children’s (2–17 years) development in eastern Zimbabwe. We evaluated whether this CT intervention with no HIV-specific objectives had unintended HIV prevention spillover effects (externalities). Methods: Data on 2909 individuals (15–54 years) living in trial households were taken from a general-population survey, conducted simultaneously in the same communities as the Manicaland Trial. Average treatment effects (ATEs) of CTs on sexual behaviour (any recent sex, condom use, multiple partners) and secondary outcomes (mental distress, school enrolment, and alcohol/cigarette/drug consumption) were estimated using mixed-effects logistic regressions (random effects for study site and intervention cluster), by sex and age group (15–29; 30–54 years). Outcomes were also evaluated with a larger synthetic comparison group created through propensity score matching. Results: CTs did not affect sexual debut but reduced having any recent sex (past 30 days) among young males (ATE: − 11.7 percentage points [PP] [95% confidence interval: -26.0PP, 2.61PP]) and females (− 5.68PP [− 15.7PP, 4.34PP]), with similar but less uncertain estimates when compared against the synthetic comparison group (males: -9.68PP [− 13.1PP, − 6.30PP]; females: -8.77PP [− 16.3PP, − 1.23PP]). There were no effects among older individuals. Young (but not older) males receiving CTs reported increased multiple partnerships (8.49PP [− 5.40PP, 22.4PP]; synthetic comparison: 10.3PP (1.27PP, 19.2PP). No impact on alcohol, cigarette, or drug consumption was found. There are indications that CTs reduced psychological distress among young people, although impacts were small. CTs increased school enrolment in males (11.5PP [3.05PP, 19.9PP]). Analyses with the synthetic comparison group (but not the original control group) further indicated increased school enrolment among females (5.50PP [1.62PP, 9.37PP]) and condom use among younger and older women receiving CTs (9.38PP [5.90PP, 12.9PP]; 5.95PP [1.46PP, 10.4PP]). Conclusions: Non-HIV-prevention CT interventions can have HIV prevention outcomes, including reduced sexual activity among young people and increased multiple partnerships among young men. No effects on sexual debut or alcohol, cigarette, or drug consumption were observed. A broad approach is necessary to evaluate CT interventions to capture unintended outcomes, particularly in economic evaluations. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00966849. Registered August 27, 2009

Lambda Boo stars with composite spectra

We examine the large sample of lambda Boo candidates collected in Table 1 of Gerbaldi et al. (2003) to see how many of them show composite spectra. Of the 132 lambda Boo candidates we identify 22 which definitely show composite spectra and 15 more for which there are good reasons to suspect a composite spectrum. The percentage of lambda Boo candidates with composite spectra is therefore > 17 and possibly considerably higher. For such stars the lambda Boo classification should be reconsidered taking into account the fact that their spectra are composite. We argue that some of the underabundances reported in the literature may simply be the result of the failure to consider the composite nature of the spectra. This leads to the legitimate suspicion that some, if not all, the lambda Boo candidates are not chemically peculiar at all. A thorough analysis of even a single one of the lambda Boo candidates with composite spectra, in which the composite nature of the spectrum is duly considered, which would demonstrate that the chemical peculiarities persist, would clear the doubt we presently have that the stars with composite spectra may not be lambda Boo at all.Comment: Accepted for publication by A&A on June 3rd 200

Ordem do Nascimento e Abertura à Experiência: Comunicação Breve

Birth order is defined as a person’s rank by age among his or her siblings. Openness to experience is one of five major domains of personality. The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between birth order and openness to experience in a sample of 472 university students (mean age = 24.6 years; SD = 8.8). Results showed distinct effects for men and women regarding the influence of birth order. Authors discuss the results in light of possible cultural features and of the personality assessment method employed.Ordem do nascimento é definida como a posição ocupada por uma pessoa conforme a sua idade entre seus irmãos e irmãs. Abertura à experiência é uma das cinco dimensões básicas da personalidade. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi investigar a relação entre ordem do nascimento e abertura à experiência em uma amostra de 472 estudantes universitários (média de idades = 24,6 anos; DP = 8,8). Os resultados indicaram efeitos distintos para homens e mulheres quanto à influência da ordem do nascimento. Os resultados são discutidos em termos de possíveis particularidades culturais e do delineamento metodológico empregado para a avaliação da personalidade

Convection, Thermal Bifurcation, and the Colors of A stars

Broad-band ultraviolet photometry from the TD-1 satellite and low dispersion spectra from the short wavelength camera of IUE have been used to investigate a long-standing proposal of Bohm-Vitense that the normal main sequence A- and early-F stars may divide into two different temperature sequences: (1) a high temperature branch (and plateau) comprised of slowly rotating convective stars, and (2) a low temperature branch populated by rapidly rotating radiative stars. We find no evidence from either dataset to support such a claim, or to confirm the existence of an "A-star gap" in the B-V color range 0.22 <= B-V <= 0.28 due to the sudden onset of convection. We do observe, nonetheless, a large scatter in the 1800--2000 A colors of the A-F stars, which amounts to ~0.65 mags at a given B-V color index. The scatter is not caused by interstellar or circumstellar reddening. A convincing case can also be made against binarity and intrinsic variability due to pulsations of delta Sct origin. We find no correlation with established chromospheric and coronal proxies of convection, and thus no demonstrable link to the possible onset of convection among the A-F stars. The scatter is not instrumental. Approximately 0.4 mags of the scatter is shown to arise from individual differences in surface gravity as well as a moderate spread (factor of ~3) in heavy metal abundance and UV line blanketing. A dispersion of ~0.25 mags remains, which has no clear and obvious explanation. The most likely cause, we believe, is a residual imprecision in our correction for the spread in metal abundances. However, the existing data do not rule out possible contributions from intrinsic stellar variability or from differential UV line blanketing effects owing to a dispersion in microturbulent velocity.Comment: 40 pages, 14 figures, 1 table, AAS LaTex, to appear in The Astrophysical Journa

Reflecting the real value of health care resources in modelling and cost-effectiveness studies-The example of viral load informed differentiated care

BACKGROUND: The WHO HIV Treatment Guidelines suggest routine viral-load monitoring can be used to differentiate antiretroviral therapy (ART) delivery and reduce the frequency of clinic visits for patients stable on ART. This recommendation was informed by economic analysis that showed the approach is very likely to be cost-effective, even in the most resource constrained of settings. The health benefits were shown to be modest but the costs of introducing and scaling up viral load monitoring can be offset by anticipated reductions in the costs of clinic visits, due to these being less frequent for many patients. KEY ISSUES FOR ECONOMIC EVALUATION: The cost-effectiveness of introducing viral-load informed differentiated care depends upon whether cost reductions are possible if the number of clinic visits is reduced and/or how freed clinic capacity is used for alternative priorities. Where freed resources, either physical or financial, generate large health gains (e.g. if committed to patients failing ART or to other high value health care interventions), the benefits of differentiated care are expected to be high; if however these freed physical resources are already under-utilized or financial resources are used less efficiently and would not be put to as beneficial an alternative use, the policy may not be cost-effective. The implication is that the use of conventional unit costs to value resources may not well reflect the latter's value in contributing to health improvement. Analyses intended to inform resource allocated decisions in a number of settings may therefore have to be interpreted with due consideration to local context. In this paper we present methods of how economic analyses can reflect the real value of health care resources rather than simply applying their unit costs. The analyses informing the WHO Guidelines are re-estimated by implementing scenarios using this framework, informing how differentiated care can be prioritized to generate greatest gains in population health. IMPLICATIONS: The findings have important implications for how economic analyses should be undertaken and reported in HIV and other disease areas. Results provide guidance on conditions under which viral load informed differentiated care will more likely prove to be cost effective when implemented

Current understanding and future research priorities in malignancy associated with inborn errors of immunity and DNA repair disorders : the perspective of an interdisciplinary working group

Patients with inborn errors of immunity or DNA repair defects are at significant risk of developing malignancy and this complication of their underlying condition represents a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality. Whilst this risk is increasingly well-recognized, our understanding of the causative mechanisms remains incomplete. Diagnosing cancer is challenging in the presence of underlying co-morbidities and frequently other inflammatory and lymphoproliferative processes. We lack a structured approach to management despite recognizing the competing challenges of poor response to therapy and increased risk of toxicity. Finally, clinicians need guidance on how to screen for malignancy in many of these predisposing immunodeficiencies. In order to begin to address these challenges, we brought together representatives of European Immunology and Pediatric Haemato-Oncology to define the current state of our knowledge and identify priorities for clinical and research development. We propose key developmental priorities which our two communities will need to work together to address, collaborating with colleagues around the world

Assessing a social norms approach for improving recreational fisheries compliance

This study aimed to assess the suitability of the Berkowitz’ (2005) social norms approach (SNA) for improving compliance behaviour amongst recreational fishers. A total of 138 recreational shore anglers were interviewed in Eastern Cape, South Africa and asked about their compliance, attitudes towards compliance, perceptions of compliance and the attitudes of other anglers. Results indicate that angler compliance for individual regulations was relatively high (75%–90%). Attitudes of anglers towards compliance was positive, with >80% feeling that “breaking any regulation is wrong.” Yet, as predicted by the SNA, interviewees often overestimated the non-compliance and negative attitudes of other anglers, particularly as their social proximity decreased. Interviewees with the greatest misperceptions were also less compliant. The social norms present in the Eastern Cape rock and surf fishery fulfil the criteria required for the application of the SNA, suggesting that this approach may provide a suitable normative intervention for improving compliance to be used in conjunction with instrumental approaches in recreational fisheries