English obesity policies: To govern and not to govern

Problem definitions constitute a crucial part of the policy process. In 2008 the Labour Government presented a plan to reduce the obesity prevalence in England. Only three years later the Conservative–Liberal Government introduced a plan on the same topic, which it presented as new and innovative. The aim of this study is to analyse the respective governments’ problematisations of obesity and to identify similarities and differences. Despite the different hues of the two governments, the programmes are surprisingly similar. They seek to simultaneously govern and not to govern. They adhere to liberal ideals of individual choice and they also suggest initiatives that will lead people to choose certain behaviours. Both governments encourage the food and drink industry to support their policies voluntarily, rather than obliging them to do so, although Labour is somewhat more inclined to use statutory measures. The Conservative–Liberal plan does not represent many new ideas. The plans are characterised by the paradox that they convey both ideas and ideals about freedom of choice as well as about state interventions to influence people's choices, which could be seen as incompatible, but as the study shows in practice they are not.     

Clinical problem-solving using video simulation: an investigation

This paper examines the use of videotape simulation as a research method for the exploration of clinical problem-solving, the challenges posed and the strategies employed to overcome the difficulties encountered are discussed. The simulation forms part of a larger comparative study of outcomes of pre-registration nurse education programmes, commissioned by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.     

Social problem solving as a moderating variable between negative life stress and depressive symptoms

The present study sought to investigate the moderating function that social problem-solving effectiveness serves in relation to negative stressful life events and depressive symptomatology. It was also hypothesized that knowledge of problem solving would improve upon the prediction of level of depressive symptoms beyond the assessment of stressful events. Results involving 462 undergraduate students provide support for both predictions. Specifically, findings from a multiple regression analysis indicated that (1) differences in reported depressive mood between subjects under high and low stress levels were minimal for individuals characterized as effective problem-solvers, relative to those persons with problem-solving scores reflective of ineffective problem solving; and (2) assessment of problem-solving scores and their interaction with stress level provided for an additional three times the amount of explained variance in predicting depression scores beyond life stress scores. Additionally, a cross-validation of the regression analysis was conducted and found to result in a minimal amount of shrinkage that could be due to samplespecific characteristics.We would like to extend our appreciation to two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this article. The study was supported in part by a grant funded by Fairleigh Dickinson University to the first author.     

Don’t Let an Opportunity Go by: Validation of the EIGHT Gambling Screen

The EIGHT Screen is a brief problem gambling screen originally designed for use by family doctors. Its wider use indicated the need for further validation. A triangulated approach used a range of measures in different settings in both the current study and findings from a number of earlier projects, and reviewed current use. The EIGHT Screen had acceptable correlations with the SOGS (r = 74–90%) and with the NODS-12 months Screen (r = 62.4%). Measurements remained relatively constant amongst a range of cultures, settings, age and gender, while few false positives were produced by the screen. The EIGHT Screen appears to be a valid tool for untrained users to identify Level 2 and 3 problem gambling in a wide range of cultures and settings.     

Group Similarities in Beliefs Concerning the Causes of Alcohol Problems and the Effectiveness of Means of Overcoming Problem Alcohol Use

Four hundred and eight respondents, who did or did not know persons close to themselves with alcohol problems, from four different racial/ethnic groups (with one group, Filipinos, categorized in terms of whether they were born in the Philippines or in the US.) rated the importance of 19 different causes of problem alcohol use and 22 different means of overcoming problem alcohol use. Rank-order correlations across sexes, persons differing in exposure to problem drinkers, and ethnic groups were nearly all in the 0.90's regarding causation. Correlations of Caucasians' ratings with those of other groups were high, but only in the 0.60's and 0.70'9, chiefly because Caucasians were more prone to regard problem alcohol use as hereditary and as a disease, and less likely to believe problem use to result from social factors. All across-group correlations concerning beliefs about the effectiveness of means of overcoming problems were in the 0.90's. Some of the means of treatment regarded most highly by all groups have not been demonstrated to be effective.     

Eyeblinking During Problem Solving: The Effect of Problem Difficulty and Internally vs Externally Directed Attention

This study examined the eyeblink rate during non-visual problem solving. A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design compared eyeblink rates for easy and difficult problems, internally and externally directed attention, and numerical and alphabetical tasks. The major finding was a higher eyeblink rate for difficult problems. There was also a significant interaction between difficulty and the direction of attention; internally directed attention yielded higher blink rates only during the solution of easy problems. Range-corrected data yielded the same pattern of results, but F-values were consistently higher and accounted for a larger proportion of the variance.     

以问题为基础的学习在病理生理学教学中的应用

目的： 与传统的教学方法进行比较，探讨在本科生病理生理学教学中开展以问题为基础的学习（PBL）的必要性，并进一步探索在我国开展PBL教学的可能方法和途径。 方法： 在大学三年级本科生中抽取1个大班作为试验班，其余3个大班作为对照班，在试验班中采用全程PBL教学，将病理生理学教材内容重新整合并划分为6个单元，分别由3位指导教师承担不同单元的教学。每个单元相互独立，但又相互联系、交叉，均以1-2个病历为主要内容，每个病历中均隐藏着所涉及的学习要点的全部内容，学生通过小班讨论、自学、小组讨论、大班讨论以及教师总结等几个环节，归纳、总结出该单元的学习要点，以备进一步学习。在课程结束之后，在学生中进行问卷调查，同时采用PBL教学试验班和对照班期末考试考同一份卷的方法比较PBL教学和传统教学方式的主要差别。 结果： 采用PBL教学方式能够更好地调动学生的学习积极性，启发学生自主学习，并且在提高学生分析问题和解决问题的能力方面相对于传统的教学方式具有明显的优势。     

Laterality of 40 Hz EEG and EMG During Cognitive Performance

Task-dependent lateralization of the 40 Hz EEG rhythm was investigated in 15 right-handed male adults during the performance of verbal analogy and geometric figure rotation tasks. Forty Hz EMG recorded from the temporal and splenius muscles was similarly examined. Results indicate that 40 Hz EEG is asymmetrically distributed during cognitive performance, varying as a function of cognitive processsing. The range of laterality scores also varied by condition, with the largest variation present during baseline conditions and smallest recorded during the presentation of the verbal analogies task, suggesting that individual cognitive styles tend to vary more during less structured situations. No relationship between 40 Hz EMG and task was obtained.     

降低重症患者人工气道湿化不足发生率

目的降低重症患者人工气道湿化不足发生率。方法开展品管圈活动,通过医护双方合作,优化气道管理团队,完善人工气道湿化评估方案,改良气道湿化装置,增加气道湿化途径,实行复合序贯式湿化-排痰护理管理模式等,实现了气道湿化、辅助排痰、气道廓清一体化。结果重症患者人工气道湿化不足发生率从28.57%降低至11.26%,目标达标率为100.58%,进步率为60.59%。结论通过开展品管圈活动,规范了重症患者人工气道湿化方案,降低了气道相关并发症发生率,有效改善了患者治疗结局,提升了医疗质量。