Wavelet analysis of the variability of nitrous oxide emissions from soil at decameter to kilometer scales.

We analyzed data on nitrous oxide emissions and on soil properties that were collected on a 7.5-km transect across an agricultural landscape in eastern England using the discrete wavelet packet transform. We identified a wavelet packet "best basis" for the emission data.

Affective and instrumental communication in primary care interactions: predicting the satisfaction of nursing staff and patients.

Verbal and nonverbal communication between nursing staff and patients has received scant research attention. This study examined patients' and nursing staff members' global affective and instrumental communication, mutual influence, and relationship to postvisit satisfaction. This study employed ratings of videotaped primary care visits of 81 nursing staff members with 235 patients, and assessed communication in 2 channels: nonverbal visual and speech including vocal tone.

Mental health, binge drinking, and antihypertension medication adherence.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between self-reported mental health and binge drinking, as well as health status, sociodemographic, social support, economic resource, and health care access indicators to antihypertension medication adherence.

Method: Analysis of 2003 California Health Interview Survey data.

Results: Having poor mental health days predicted medication nonadherence, whereas binge drinking did not.

Physician and patient communication training in primary care: effects on participation and satisfaction.

Objective: To assess the effects of a communication skills training program for physicians and patients.

Design: A randomized experiment to improve physician communication skills was assessed 1 and 6 months after a training intervention; patient training to be active participants was assessed after 1 month. Across three primary medical care settings, 156 physicians treating 2,196 patients were randomly assigned to control group or one of three conditions (physician, patient, or both trained).

Binge drinking, poor mental health, and adherence to treatment among California adults with asthma.

Binge drinking and poor mental health may affect adherence to treatment for individuals with asthma. The purposes were to (a) examine the relationship of self-reported binge drinking and mental health to adherence to daily asthma control medications and (b) identify other demographic and health-related factors associated with asthma control medication adherence. Secondary analyses of 2003 adult California Health Interview Survey data were undertaken, and these analyses identified 3.