Book review: Psychology: The Science of Behaviour.

Review of the book, Neil R. Carlson, William Buskist, Michael E. Enzle, and C. Donald Heth (authors) Psychology: The Science of Behaviour. Toronto, Ontario: Pearson Education Canada Ltd., 2002, 701 pp., ISBN 0-13-0393606-6. Reviewed by: George Alder. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Book review: The World of Psychology, 3rd Canadian Edition.

Review of book, Samuel E. Wood, Ellen R. Green Wood, Eileen Wood, and Serge Desmarais, The World of Psychology, 3rd Canadian Edition. Toronto, Ontario: Pearson Education Canada Inc., 2002, 592 pp., ISBN 0-205-36456-X. Reviewed by Gira Bhatt. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Nonverbal behavior: Perspectives, applications, intercultural insights.

Reviews the book, Nonverbal behavior: Perspectives, applications, intercultural insights edited by Aaron Wolfgang (1984). This book contains articles based on the papers presented at the Second International Conference on Nonverbal Behavior held at OISE in Toronto in May 1983. The fifteen articles, most of them by well-known figures in the nonverbal area, are divided into three separate sections: theoretical perspectives; nonverbal behaviour in teaching, therapy, and research; and intercultural applications of nonverbal research. The current volume is similar to an earlier work documenting the First International Conference on Nonverbal Behavior (both conferences were organized by Aaron Wolfgang) but differs in some significant ways: specifically, the current book is much more focused on intercultural communication; it expands the range of topics to include paralanguage and gender differences in nonverbal behaviour; and finally, it reflects more accurately the significant number of female researchers in the field. Those with a good background in the field should find some of the articles helpful updates, although perhaps not detailed enough to be as useful as possible. On the other hand, those fresh to the nonverbal area should find certain articles stimulating, particularly those with an intercultural focus, but might find the lack of historical or theoretical organization an unfortunate omission. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Custody disputes: Evaluation and intervention.

Reviews the book, Custody disputes: Evaluation and intervention edited by Ruth Parry, E. A. Broder, E. A. G. Schmitt, E. B. Saunders, and E. Hood (see record 1986-97757-000). The editors of this book have brought together a decade's worth of clinical experience in developing and administering the Custody Project associated with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto and the Toronto Family Court Clinic. The Project, which was the first of its kind in Canada, brought together a number of different mental health professionals (psychiatrists, social workers and psychologists) who dedicated themselves to developing principles, guidelines, and a more consistent standard of practice in helping families and their lawyers settle custody and access disputes after parental separation. The book makes an attempt to share this experience in a very candid fashion so that other clinicians can more clearly formulate their roles and avoid the most common pitfalls. The book is divided into nine chapters that cover a general introduction, a legal perspective on custody disputes, a mental health perspective on these disputes, the development of the Custody Project, analysis of data related to 116 families referred to the Project, intervention techniques from an assessment and treatment perspective, special issues in custody disputes, and a focus on access disputes. This book is a well-written book that offers many insights and practical advice to mental health professionals involved directly or indirectly in resolving custody and access conflicts between separating parents. It provides a range of comprehensive solutions that require skill, patience, knowledge of the legal system, a support group, and individualized plans for each family. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Predation and Feeding: Comparisons of Feeding Behavior of Killer and Nonkiller Rats": Erratum.

Reports an error in the original article by Luci Paul and Israel Posner (Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1973[Aug], 84[2], 258-264). The reference at the top of column 2 on p. 264 should read as follows: KARLI, P. The Norway rat's killing response to the white mouse: An experimental analysis. Behaviour, 1956, 10, 81-103. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1974-08844-001.) Studied feeding behavior of 34 killer and 34 nonkiller male Long-Evans rats when (a) hungry, (b) with food available, and (c) with prey and other food of high and low palatability. 3 experiments showed that the act of killing did not potentiate feeding but killers were more responsive to dead prey as food than were nonkillers. Results of this and previous studies suggest that the relationship between attack and feeding is not important to the maintenance of killing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The cancer specific advance directive

BACKGROUND: Advance directives are an important part of end of life care, but current advance directive documents do not address the specific issues facing cancer patients. The authors' purpose was: 1) to develop a cancer specific advance directive, 2) determine whether oncology outpatients find this directive more acceptable than a generic advance directive, and 3) describe oncology outpatient preferences for life-sustaining treatment. METHODS: A cancer specific advance directive ("The Cancer Living Will"; the full text of the updated version is available at the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics website [URL: www.utoronto.ca/jcb]) was developed in four steps: 1) literature search, 2) key informant interviews, 3) focus groups, and 4) evaluation of face and content validity. Subsequently, 91 volunteer oncology patients were given copies of the cancer specific advance directive and the generic advance directive ("The University of Toronto Centre for Bioethics Living Will") from which it was adapted. Acceptability of the advance directive was measured by determining the participants' preferred directive. Participants recorded their treatment preferences in both the cancer specific and generic advance directives. RESULTS: Of 60 patients who returned their questionnaires, 50 expressed a preference for the advance directive. Thirty-two patients (64%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 49-77%) preferred the disease specific Cancer Living Will and 18 patients (36%; 95% CI, 23-51%) preferred the generic Centre for Bioethics Living Will. Most participants who preferred the Cancer Living Will did so because it was more specific and relevant to their situation. CONCLUSIONS: The authors have developed and evaluated a cancer specific advance directive that they believe can be recommended for clinical use with cancer patients.     

Charles Roger Myers (1906-1985).

Presents an obituary for Charles Roger Myers, who died in Toronto on June 5, 1985. Roger Myers shared the distinction of being one of the first two psychology internes employed by the Ontario Hospital Service. He served as the first Consulting Psychologist for the Ontario Department of Health from 1930 to 1963. He was the first person in charge of research at the Toronto Psychiatric Hospital before World War II. He was a founding member of the Canadian Psychological Association in 1940, its secretary, its president (1950-1951), its first executive officer (1970-1978) and its archivist. He was a man who left as his ultimate legacy a strong, vigorous, and unified department that strives to contribute to the creation and dissemination of psychological knowledge not only in Canada but in the world. In all of these ways his life has touched thousands of others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mortality studies in systemic lupus erythematosus. Results from a single center. III. Improved survival over 24 years

OBJECTIVE: Prognosis studies have indicated that survival of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has improved significantly. We investigate whether the apparent improvement in the survival of patients with SLE is associated with a reduction in the risk of death compared with the general population, or with changes over time in the distribution of various prognostic factors. METHODS: The University of Toronto cohort of 720 patients with SLE followed between 1970 and 1994 was divided into 3 groups based on year of entry into study: Group A 1970-77, Group B 1978-85, Group C 1986-1994. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated for each cohort. Prognostic factors for death occurring in the first 8 yr period after entry into the study were examined in each of the 3 cohorts. Analysis involved chi-squared tests for categorical values and unpaired t tests for continuous variables. RESULTS: Group A comprised 183 patients, Group B 332 patients, and Group C 205 patients. An examination of the first 8 years of evaluation for each group revealed that the SMR decrease over time ranged from 10.1-fold greater than the general population in Group A, to 4.8-fold in Group B, to 3.3-fold in Group C. Prognostic factors for death varied over time, with vasculitis decreasing and hyperlipidemia increasing. CONCLUSION: Survival in SLE has improved over 24 yrs in the University of Toronto cohort more than the health of the general population has improved. This improved survival was not related to changing demographics, severity of lupus at presentation, major change in disease patterns, or new modalities of treatment.     

"Role of Dread in Suicidal Behavior": Erratum.

Reports an error in the original article by D. E. Spiegel and C. Neuringer (Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1963, 66[5], 507-511). On page 507, the word "not" was omitted from the fourth line from the bottom of Column 1 and should read: urge to live, for not everyone who has an over-...(The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1964-03018-001.) The proposition that inhibition of the experience of dread ordinarily evoked by suicidal intention is a necessary condition for suicidal action was evaluated by comparison of genuine and faked suicide notes. 3 judges, unaware that some notes were simulated, independently rated 33 matched pairs of genuine and faked notes in terms of 5 variables. On the basis of a combined X-super(2) analysis, confirmation was achieved for 4 of 5 hypotheses (p     

Aspartate kinase from the cyanobacteriium Plectonema boryanum infected with the cyanophage LPP-3

During normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), the body temperature is maintained at 37 degrees C. Since 1987, it has been our standard practice to use normothermic CPB in our patients undergoing a cardiac operation, and our experience now consists of more than 3,000 consecutive patients. Myocardial protection is achieved through the combination of cold intermittent antegrade blood cardioplegia, no topical cooling, and a terminal "hot shot" of blood cardioplegia. We disagree with the stance of the Toronto group that normothermic CPB requires the administration of large volumes of cardioplegic and crystalloid solutions and the frequent use of phenylephrine hydrochloride to ensure a low systemic vascular resistance. To establish a routine technique of cold heartwarm body bypass, we conducted a clinical study in 100 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease. We found that the total cardioplegia volume needed in our patients was 1,946 +/- 257 mL, versus 4,700 +/- 1,900 mL in the Toronto study, and an additional crystalloid volume loading of 400 +/- 141 mL during CPB was needed in 26% of our patients, versus a total volume of 3,650 +/- 800 mL in the Toronto series. Phenylephrine (250 micrograms) was used in 16% of our patients, versus 88% of the patients in the Toronto study (mean dose, 1.3 mg). During normothermic CPB, the mean radial arterial pressure was 57.3 +/- 9.4 mm Hg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis of using methotrexate vs Goeckerman therapy for psoriasis. A pilot study

PURPOSE: To compare topical tetracaine 0.5% alone and with intracameral lidocaine 1% as a local anesthetic agent in phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. SETTING: The Toronto Hospital-Western Division, Toronto, Canada. METHODS: Fifty-nine consecutive patients (60 eyes) having phacoemulsification with implantation of a foldable acrylic IOL (AcrySof) were randomized into 1 of 2 groups: The intracameral balanced salt solution (BSS) group received topical tetracaine 0.5% plus intracameral BSS; the intracameral lidocaine group received topical tetracaine 0.5% with preservative-free intracameral lidocaine 1%. The patients' subjective experience of pain was measured at 4 points during surgery using a 4-point pain scale. Patient and surgeon satisfaction with the anesthesia used was measured using a 5-point satisfaction scale. Central endothelial cell counts were obtained preoperatively and 1 month postoperatively. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured preoperatively and 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean pain score after phacoemulsification was significantly higher in the intracameral BSS group than in the intracameral lidocaine group (0.63 +/- 0.7 [SD] and 0.23 +/- 0.4, respectively, P < .019). The mean pain score at the end of surgery was also significantly higher in the intracameral BSS group than in the intracameral lidocaine group (0.60 +/- 0.6 and 0.21 +/- 0.4, respectively; P < .014). The surgeon satisfaction score was significantly lower for the intracameral BSS group than for the intracameral lidocaine group (3.90 +/- 1.2 and 4.73 +/- 0.8, respectively; P < .0007). There was no difference in patient satisfaction between the intracameral BSS and intracameral lidocaine groups (4.60 +/- 0.6 and 4.70 +/- 0.8). Endothelial cell loss 1 month postoperatively was similar between the 2 groups (6.1% +/- 8% and 6.7% +/- 6%). Ninety-seven percent of patients (29/30) in each group noted BCVA improvement from preoperatively. The rate of potential visual acuity recovery was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Topical tetracaine 0.5% with intracameral lidocaine was safe and effective in patients having phacoemulsification with IOL implantation. The advantage of using intracameral lidocaine 1% over a placebo was a significant decrease in the patients' subjective experience of pain and in the surgeon's satisfaction with the anesthesia used. None of the other parameters measured in this study differed significantly between the 2 groups.     

0.125% ropivacaine is similar to 0.125% bupivacaine for labor analgesia using patient-controlled epidural infusion

In order to assess the lifetime risk of skin cancer for recreational users from dermal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), sediment samples were collected from beach sites along the St. Marys River near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and in Hamilton Harbor and Toronto Harbor, Ontario, and analyzed for PAHs. Dermal exposure and lifetime skin cancer risk were estimated as follows: Concentrations of 11 PAHs with sufficient or limited evidence of carcinogenicity or mutagenicity were converted to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) equivalents using toxic equivalency factors (TEFs). Lifetime dermal exposure values were derived based on the BaP equivalents in the silt + clay fraction taken as representative of suspended sediment particulates to which recreational users would be exposed. The lifetime health risk of skin cancer associated with such exposures was above the negligible risk level of 1.0 x 10(-6) at offshore Rytac, Lake George Channel, and Bell Point beaches in the St. Marys River; at Pier 4 Park in Hamilton Harbor; and at Humber Bay, Sunnyside Beach, Cherry Beach, and Water Rats Sailing Club in Toronto Harbor. Risk was negligible inshore at the Rytac and Bell Point beaches and at Squirrel Island and Ojibway Trailer Park along St. Marys River, at Lax Beach in Hamilton Harbor; and at Centre Island in Toronto Harbor. Strategies to reduce risk were developed with these communities; a key recommendation was to take a bath or shower within 24 h after a swim because virtually all the PAHs on the skin would be removed.     

Citations: Special Convocation at the University of Manitoba.

On May 29, 1970 a special convocation was held at the University of Manitoba to celebrate the formal opening of the new $6,600,000 Psychology-Zoology Building. At this convocation, which was held in conjunction with the 31st annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, the honorary degree of doctor of laws was conferred upon two distinguished Canadian psychologists: Dr. Robert B. Malmo of McGill University and Dr. C. Roger Myers of the University of Toronto. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Tuberculosis surveillance practices in long-term care institutions

OBJECTIVES: To identify the tuberculosis (TB) skin-testing practices of long-term care facilities for the elderly in Toronto, Ontario. DESIGN: A telephone survey using a 25-item questionnaire. SETTING: Twenty-nine nursing homes (NHs) and 26 Homes for the Aged (HFAs) in metropolitan Toronto. RESULTS: Thirty-one percent of facilities (17 of 55) had no formal tuberculin skin-testing program, including 52% of NHs (15 of 29) versus 8% of HFAs (2 of 26; P = 0.001). Ninety-two percent of HFAs (24 of 26), compared with 45% of NHs (13 of 29), obtained preadmission or admission skin-test status of residents (P = 0.0005). Annual testing was performed at 46% of HFAs (12 of 26) and 27% of NHs (8 of 29; P = 0.28). Of facilities that carried out any skin testing, 64% of HFAs (16 of 25) versus 32% of NHs (6 of 19) measured induration to establish test positivity (P = 0.068). Fifty-two percent of HFAs (13 of 25), compared with 21% of NHs (4 of 19), recorded the actual size of induration in the patient record (P = 0.085). Only 28% of HFAs (7 of 25) and 21% of NHs (4 of 19) correctly defined a positive tuberculin skin test. CONCLUSIONS: TB surveillance practices in long-term care institutions in Toronto are inadequate and often yield results that do not predict the risk of infection and cannot be used to investigate outbreaks. Tuberculin skin-testing practices were better at HFAs, which are subject to provincial legislation regarding TB surveillance, than at NHs, which are not subject to this legislation. Staff at HFAs and NHs require education regarding tuberculin skin-testing policies and procedures.     

Canadian Psychological Association: Minutes of the Annual General Meeting.

Presents the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association held June 4, 1981 in Toronto, Ontario. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gonarthrosis after injury of the anterior cruciate ligament: a multicenter, long-term study

In order to estimate incidence, severity and associated factors in the development of the degenerative arthritis of the knee following a cruciate ligament injury, a multicenter, longterm follow-up study was undertaken. The time interval between injury and follow-up exam was a minimum of 15 years (range 15-52 years). Extensive physical examination and radiographic analyses from four "Knee Centers" (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York; Orthop?dische Klinik, Bruderholz; Orthopaedic and Arthritic Hospital, Toronto; Orthopaedic Department Wichita, Kansas) on 328 patients revealed that the best correlation to the degree of osteoarthritis could be found to the time of meniscectomy. All other operations (suture of cruciate ligament, intraarticular or extraarticular reconstruction) showed much less correlation to the severity of the degenerative arthritis found at the follow-up exam. In conclusion: Preservation of as much meniscus tissue as possible at the time of injury seems to be the best warranty for slowing down degenerative arthritis after cruciate ligament injury.     

A Tale of Two Cities: Financing Two Voucher Programs for Substance Abusers Through Community Donations.

Voucher-based reinforcement therapy (VBRT) is an effective drug abuse treatment, but the cost of VBRT rewards has limited its dissemination. Obtaining VBRT incentives through donations may be one way to overcome this barrier. Two direct mail campaigns solicited donations for use in VBRT for pregnant, postpartum, and parenting drug users in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and in Los Angeles, California. In Toronto, 19% of those contacted over 2 months donated $8,000 ($4,000/month) of goods and services. In Los Angeles, nearly 26% of those contacted over 34 months donated $161,000 ($4,472/month) of goods and services. Maintaining voucher programs by soliciting donations is feasible and sustainable. The methods in this article can serve as a guide for successful donation solicitation campaigns. Donations offer an alternative for obtaining VBRT rewards for substance abuse treatment and may increase its dissemination. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Performance Norms on Job Applications: Reliability and Validity Statistics.

Reviews the book, Performance Norms on Job Applications: Reliability and Validity Statistics. This manual includes the performance norms and standardization of each of the forms of the Wonderlic Personnel Test. The sample comprises 251,253 job applicants. The test itself is a measure of a persons trainability. Over one thousand businesses, industries and government departments generated data for the study. Analysis for all forms of the test is undertaken for age, sex, educational level, job classification, region, etc. Canadian data is presented separately and further stratified by province and one city (Toronto). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)