Armstrong State University

About: Armstrong State University is a education organization based out in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Image segmentation. The organization has 594 authors who have published 896 publications receiving 14536 citations.

The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21): further examination of dimensions, scale reliability, and correlates.

Abstract: Objectives We conducted two studies to examine the dimensions, internal consistency reliability estimates, and potential correlates of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales—21 (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995). Method Participants in Study 1 included 887 undergraduate students (363 men and 524 women, aged 18 to 35 years; mean [M] age = 19.46, standard deviation [SD] = 2.17) recruited from two public universities to assess the specificity of the individual DASS-21 items and to evaluate estimates of internal consistency reliability. Participants in a follow-up study (Study 2) included 410 students (168 men and 242 women, aged 18 to 47 years; M age = 19.65, SD = 2.88) recruited from the same universities to further assess factorial validity and to evaluate potential correlates of the original DASS-21 total and scale scores. Results Item bifactor and confirmatory factor analyses revealed that a general factor accounted for the greatest proportion of common variance in the DASS-21 item scores (Study 1). In Study 2, the fit statistics showed good fit for the bifactor model. In addition, the DASS-21 total scale score correlated more highly with scores on a measure of mixed depression and anxiety than with scores on the proposed specific scales of depression or anxiety. Coefficient omega estimates for the DASS-21 scale scores were good. Conclusions Further investigations of the bifactor structure and psychometric properties of the DASS-21, specifically its incremental and discriminant validity, using known clinical groups are needed.

High-Relaxivity MRI Contrast Agents: Where Coordination Chemistry Meets Medical Imaging

Abstract: The desire to improve and expand the scope of clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has prompted the search for contrast agents of higher efficiency. The development of better agents requires consideration of the fundamental coordination chemistry of the gadolinium(III) ion and the parameters that affect its efficacy as a proton relaxation agent. In optimizing each parameter, other practical issues, such as solubility and in vivo toxicity, must also be addressed, making the attainment of safe, high-relaxivity agents a challenging goal. This Minireview presents recent advances in the field, with an emphasis on gadolinium(III) hydroxypyridinone chelate complexes.

Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation for acute treatment of migraine with aura: a randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, sham-controlled trial

Abstract: Summary Background Preliminary work suggests that single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (sTMS) could be effective as a treatment for migraine We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a new portable sTMS device for acute treatment of migraine with aura Methods We undertook a randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, two-phase, sham-controlled study at 18 centres in the USA 267 adults aged 18–68 years were enrolled into phase one All individuals had to meet international criteria for migraine with aura, with visual aura preceding at least 30% of migraines followed by moderate or severe headache in more than 90% of those attacks 66 patients dropped out during phase one In phase two, 201 individuals were randomly allocated by computer to either sham stimulation (n=99) or sTMS (n=102) We instructed participants to treat up to three attacks over 3 months while experiencing aura The primary outcome was pain-free response 2 h after the first attack, and co-primary outcomes were non-inferiority at 2 h for nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia Analyses were modified intention to treat and per protocol This trial is registered with ClinicalTrialsgov, number NCT00449540 Findings 37 patients did not treat a migraine attack and were excluded from outcome analyses 164 patients treated at least one attack with sTMS (n=82) or sham stimulation (n=82; modified intention-to-treat analysis set) Pain-free response rates after 2 h were significantly higher with sTMS (32/82 [39%]) than with sham stimulation (18/82 [22%]), for a therapeutic gain of 17% (95% CI 3–31%; p=0·0179) Sustained pain-free response rates significantly favoured sTMS at 24 h and 48 h post-treatment Non-inferiority was shown for nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia No device-related serious adverse events were recorded, and incidence and severity of adverse events were similar between sTMS and sham groups Interpretation Early treatment of migraine with aura by sTMS resulted in increased freedom from pain at 2 h compared with sham stimulation, and absence of pain was sustained 24 h and 48 h after treatment sTMS could be a promising acute treatment for some patients with migraine with aura Funding Neuralieve

Examining the Applicability of Lifestyle-Routine Activities Theory for Cybercrime Victimization

Abstract: A great deal of criminological research has attempted to understand and identify the causes of victimization using the lifestyle-routine activities theory. Recent researchers have argued that the lifestyle-routine activities theory may be able to explain the increasingly significant phenomenon of computer and cybercrime. This claim has been contested by Yar (2005), however, who argues that routine activities theory is limited in explaining cybercrime. Few empirical tests exist to address this important issue. Thus, this study attempts to explore this gap in the research literature by examining a specific form of cybercrime, on-line harassment. Using a sample of students at a southeastern university, this analysis found some support for elements of lifestyle-routine activities theory. Individual and peer involvement in computer crime and deviance also significantly increased the risk of victimization. The implications of these findings for theorists and researchers are also explored.