Larval competition between the invasive Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and the Caribbean endemic Aedes mediovittatus (Diptera: Culicidae) from Puerto Rico, USA.

Competition between mosquito species during the larval phase is a well-established mechanism structuring container mosquito communities, with invasive species often outperforming natives. We assessed the competitive outcome between 2 species that occur on the island of Puerto Rico, the historic invasive Aedes aegypti (L.) and the endemic Aedes mediovittatus (Coquillett) (Diptera: Culicidae).

How an Intergenerational Book Club Can Prevent Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: A Pilot Study.

Older adults are at higher risk for social isolation because of widowhood, loss of friends, retirement, physical limitations, geographic relocation, and caregiving demands. Behavioral interventions aimed at increasing social contact may help to maintain cognition and prevent cognitive decline. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine a novel intervention for social isolation with an intergenerational book club that had weekly in-person and virtual meetings of college students and older adults.

A Tutorial for Speech-Language Pathologists: Physical Activity and Social Engagement to Prevent or Slow Cognitive Decline in Older Adults.

Purpose: This tutorial provides an overview of two behavioral approaches, physical activity and social engagement, to prevent or slow cognitive decline in older adults and to increase awareness in the field of speech-language pathology of the important role that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) play in an interprofessional team working with this population.

Method: A review of exercise science, neuroscience, and social science literature was used to synthesize evidence and to outline the impact of physical activity and social engagement on cognition. The following topics were explored: How do exercise and social engagement support cognition? What are modifiable risk factors of dementia? What is the impact of inactivity and isolation on cognition? What is the potential role of the SLP on an interprofessional team focusing on preventive measures for cognitive decline? What is the impact of physical exercise and social engagement on nursing home residents?

Results: Research increasingly points to the critical importance of physical activity and social engagement to prevent cognitive decline in normal aging and to slow cognitive decline associated with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Reinforcing Productivity in a Job-Skills Training Program for Unemployed Substance-Abusing Adults.

Chronically unemployed adults may benefit from intensive job-skills training; however, training programs do not always reliably engage participants in mastering skills. This study examined effects of voucher reinforcement for performance on a job-skills training program in the therapeutic workplace. Participants were four unemployed, substance abusing adults who earned monetary vouchers for working on programs targeting typing skills.

Effects of incentives for naltrexone adherence on opiate abstinence in heroin-dependent adults.

Aim: To test whether an incentive-based intervention that increased adherence to naltrexone also increased opiate abstinence.

Design: Post-hoc combined analysis of three earlier randomized controlled trials that showed individually that incentives for adherence to oral and to extended-release injection naltrexone dosing schedules increased naltrexone adherence, but not opiate abstinence.

Setting: Out-patient therapeutic work-place in Baltimore, MD, USA.