Social Disadvantage, Severe Child Abuse, and Biological Profiles in Adulthood.

Guided by the stress process model and the life course perspective, we hypothesize: (1) that childhood abuse is concentrated, in terms of type and intensity, among socially disadvantaged individuals, and (2) that experiencing serious abuse contributes to poor biological profiles in multiple body systems in adulthood. Data came from the Biomarker subsample of Midlife in the United States (2004-2006). We used latent class analysis to identify distinct profiles of childhood abuse, each reflecting a combination of type and severity.

"Plates and Dishes Smash; Married Couples Clash": Cultural and Social Barriers to Help-Seeking Among Women Domestic Violence Survivors in Kyrgyzstan.

This article develops a grounded theory of help-seeking to investigate the social and cultural determinants of help-seeking among Kyrgyz women who have experienced domestic violence. Results indicate that cultural traditions and social norms-most notably the social construction of marriage, the shame associated with divorce, and the status of daughters-in-law in Kyrgyz society-are used to justify domestic violence and prevent victims from seeking help. The proposed theory and results suggest that scholars, policymakers, and front-line contacts must emphasize dispelling myths, misconceptions, and traditional beliefs about gender and marriage to break the abusive dynamics and provide professional help.

On the Weak Mortality Returns of the Prison Boom: Comparing Infant Mortality and Homicide in the Incarceration Ledger.

The justifications for the dramatic expansion of the prison population in recent decades have focused on public safety. Prior research on the efficacy of incarceration offers support for such claims, suggesting that increased incarceration saves lives by reducing the prevalence of homicide. We challenge this view by arguing that the effects of mass incarceration include collateral infant mortality consequences that call into question the number of lives saved through increased imprisonment.

Underreporting of Gender and Race/Ethnicity Differences in NIH-Funded Dementia Caregiver Support Interventions.

Women and racial/ethnic minority dementia caregivers have unique caregiving experiences and support needs. To ensure the identification of potentially important differences in outcomes within these groups, the amended National Institutes of Health (NIH) Policy on Inclusion of Women and Minorities mandates reporting by gender and race/ethnicity. The objective of this study was to determine the inclusion and reporting rates among NIH-funded dementia caregiver support interventions.

Falls Prevention Process in Assisted Living Communities.

Falls are a significant issue for older adults, and many older adults who once received care in nursing homes now reside in assisted living communities (ALCs). ALC staff needs to address resident falls prevention; however, federal or state requirements or oversight are limited. This research explores falls prevention in Wisconsin ALCs in the context of the Kotter Change Model to identify strategies and inform efforts to establish a more consistent, proactive falls prevention process for ALCs.

Robust Respondents and Lost Limitations: The Implications of Nonrandom Missingness for the Estimation of Health Trajectories.

Objective: We offer a strategy for quantifying the impact of mortality and attrition on inferences from later-life health trajectory models.

Method: Using latent class growth analysis (LCGA), we identify functional limitation trajectory classes in the Health and Retirement Study. We compare results from complete case and full information maximum likelihood (FIML) analyses, and demonstrate a method for producing upper- and lower-bound estimates of the impact of attrition on results.

Using Prosopagnosia to Test and Modify Visual Recognition Theory.

Biederman's contemporary theory of basic visual object recognition (Recognition-by-Components) is based on structural descriptions of objects and presumes 36 visual primitives (geons) people can discriminate, but there has been no empirical test of the actual use of these 36 geons to visually distinguish objects. In this study, we tested for the actual use of these geons in basic visual discrimination by comparing object discrimination performance patterns (when distinguishing varied stimuli) of an acquired prosopagnosia patient (LB) and healthy control participants. LB's prosopagnosia left her heavily reliant on structural descriptions or categorical object differences in visual discrimination tasks versus the control participants' additional ability to use face recognition or coordinate systems (Coordinate Relations Hypothesis).

Selection and Implementation of Skill Acquisition Programs by Special Education Teachers and Staff for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The present investigation examined special education teachers' selection and use of teaching strategies for receptive identification training with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in their classrooms. Teachers first responded to a survey in which they provided examples of receptive identification tasks taught in their classrooms, rated the efficacy of teaching strategies, described how they determined whether skills were mastered, listed any assessments they conducted to identify relevant prerequisite skills prior to receptive identification training, described how they selected teaching strategies for use in their classrooms, and listed their years of experience as a teacher and working with children with ASD. Subsequent observations of implementation of teaching strategies during trial-based instruction occurred in a proportion of teachers' classrooms.

Improving Rates of Screening for Anemia in Infancy.

In 2010, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended universal screening for anemia at approximately 1 year of age. This quality improvement study sought to improve anemia screening in an ambulatory setting. In a large university-based setting, a best practice alert (BPA) was placed within the electronic health record.

Efficacy of an Individually Tailored, Internet-Mediated Physical Activity Intervention in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: This study determined the effectiveness of an individually tailored, Internet-mediated physical activity (PA) intervention for increasing walking behavior in inactive older adults.

Method: This 12-week randomly controlled intervention divided participants ( N = 170) into three groups: control (CON, n = 51), pedometer only (PED, n = 62), and an individually tailored, Internet-mediated pedometer (TI-PED, n = 57) group. The PED group was instructed to increase weekly step count by 10% until 10,000 steps per day was achieved.

Use of Research Interfaces for Psychophysical Studies With Cochlear-Implant Users.

A growing number of laboratories are using research interfaces to conduct experiments with cochlear-implant (CI) users. Because these interfaces bypass a subject's clinical sound processor, several concerns exist regarding safety and stimulation levels. Here we suggest best-practice approaches for how to safely and ethically perform this type of research and highlight areas of limited knowledge where further research is needed to help clarify safety limits.

Patient Outcomes, Health Care Resource Use, and Costs Associated with High Versus Low HEDIS Asthma Medication Ratio.

Background: The Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) quality measures for asthma include the asthma medication ratio (AMR) as a marker of quality of care for patients with asthma. Few data are available to describe the association between health care use and costs in patients with high versus low AMR.

Objective: To characterize health care use and costs associated with high versus low AMR in patients participating in commercial health plans.

An Interactive Web-Based Intervention to Achieve Healthy Weight in Young Children.

This prospective, randomized, controlled trial for parents of overweight and obese 3- to 7-year-olds was performed to assess the feasibility of a program promoting healthy eating and lifestyle by targeting parents as agents of change. The intervention was composed of 6-in-person group sessions and a customized website over 12 months. The control group received customary care.

Prospective Trial Evaluating the Surgical Anastomosis at One-Year Colorectal Cancer Surveillance: CT Colonography Versus Optical Colonoscopy and Implications for Patient Care.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of CT colonography versus optical colonoscopy for neoplastic involvement at the surgical anastomosis 1 year after curative-intent colorectal cancer resection.

Design, Setting, Patients, And Interventions: Two hundred one patients (mean age, 58.6 years; 117 men, 84 women) underwent same-day contrast-enhanced CT colonography and colonoscopy approximately 1 year (mean, 12.

Effect of Posttrial Visual Feedback and Fatigue During Drop Landings on Patellofemoral Joint Stress in Healthy Female Adults.

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is common in females. Patellofemoral joint stress (PFJS) may be important in the development of PFP. Ground reaction force (GRF) during landing activities may impact PFJS.

"I'm Trying To Be the Safety Net": Family Protection of Patients With Moderate-To-Severe TBI During the Hospital Stay.

Research has shown that during hospital stay, family caregivers of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) perceive that their role is to protect the patient; however, research on this topic is limited. The purpose of this article is to describe family caregivers' experience of protecting patients with TBI during the hospital stay. Grounded theory was used to conduct 24 interviews with 16 family caregivers.

Mere Gifting: Liking a Gift More Because It Is Shared.

We investigated a type of mere similarity that describes owning the same item as someone else. Moreover, we examined this mere similarity in a gift-giving context, whereby givers gift something that they also buy for themselves (a behavior we call "companionizing"). Using a Heiderian account of balancing unit-sentiment relations, we tested whether gift recipients like gifts more when gifts are companionized.

Assessing Health Promotion Interventions: Limitations of Traditional Research Methods in Community-Based Studies.

Most low-income Americans fail to meet physical activity recommendations. Inactivity and poor diet contribute to obesity, a risk factor for multiple chronic diseases. Health promotion activities have the potential to improve health outcomes for low-income populations.

Vancomycin Prophylaxis for Prevention of Clostridium difficile Infection Recurrence in Renal Transplant Patients.

Background: Incidence of primary and recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is higher in solid-organ transplant recipients than in the average hospitalized patient. Strategies for preventing recurrent CDI are limited. Prophylaxis with oral vancomycin (VPPx) for preventing recurrent CDI may be beneficial, but there is limited evidence supporting its use.

High-Dose Acyclovir for Cytomegalovirus Prophylaxis in Seropositive Abdominal Transplant Recipients.

Background: Following abdominal solid organ transplant (aSOT), valganciclovir (VGC) is recommended for cytomegalovirus (CMV) prophylaxis. This agent is associated with efficacy concerns, toxicity, and emergence of ganciclovir resistance.

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of high-dose acyclovir (HD-A) prophylaxis failure in seropositive aSOT recipients (R+).

Do puzzle pieces and autism puzzle piece logos evoke negative associations?

Puzzle pieces have become ubiquitous symbols for autism. However, puzzle-piece imagery stirs debate between those who support and those who object to its use because they believe puzzle-piece imagery evokes negative associations. Our study empirically investigated whether puzzle pieces evoke negative associations in the general public.

Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening at an Urban FQHC Using iFOBT and Patient Navigation.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Black Americans suffer even higher incidence and death rates than the general population. Genetics and patient perceptions explain some of this difference, however, modifiable health care system factors such as lack of access to colon cancer screening also contribute.

Strategies for Developing Family Nursing Communities of Practice Through Social Media.

This discussion article presents communities of practice (CoPs) and bridging social capital as conceptual frameworks to demonstrate how social media can be leveraged for family nursing knowledge, scholarship, and practice. CoPs require a shared domain of interest, exchange of resources, and dedication to expanding group knowledge. Used strategically and with a professional presence, mainstream social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube can support the family nurse in developing and contributing to CoPs related to family nursing.