Kent State University

About: Kent State University is a education organization based out in Kent, Ohio, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Liquid crystal & Population. The organization has 10897 authors who have published 24607 publications receiving 720309 citations. The organization is also known as: Kent State & KSU.

Impact of medical and nonmedical factors on physician decision making for HIV/AIDS antiretroviral treatment

Abstract: To examine influences of medical factors (e.g., viral load) and nonmedical factors (e.g., patient characteristics) on treatment decisions for highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), we sent a survey to a random sample of 995 infectious disease physicians who treat patients with HIV/AIDS in the United States in August, 1998. The response rate was 53%. Respondents were asked to report their current practices with respect to antiretroviral treatment and the extent to which each of three medical and 17 nonmedical factors would influence them for or against prescribing HAART to a hypothetical HIV-positive patient. Most reported initiating HAART with findings of low CD4+ cell counts and high viral loads, and weighing CD4+ cell counts, viral load, and opportunistic infection heavily in their decisions to prescribe HAART. Patients' prior history of poor adherence was weighed very much against initiating HAART. Patient homelessness, heavy alcohol use, injection drug use, and prior psychiatric hospitalization were cited by most physicians as weighing against HAART initiation. Thus, most physicians in this sample follow guidelines for the use of HAART, and nonmedical factors related to patients' life situations are weighed as heavily as disease severity in treatment decisions. As HIV increasingly becomes a disease associated with economic disadvantage and other social health problems, it will be essential to develop interventions and care support systems to enable patients experiencing these problems to benefit from HIV treatment advances.

Soil microbial responses to elevated phosphorus and pH in acidic temperate deciduous forests

Abstract: Although northern temperate forests are generally not considered phosphorus (P) limited, ecosystem P limitation may occur on highly weathered or strongly acidic soils where bioavailable inorganic P is low. In such environments, soil organisms may compensate by increasing the utilization of organic P via the production of extracellular enzymes to prevent limitation. In this study, we experimentally increased available P and/or pH in several acidic eastern deciduous forests underlain by glaciated and unglaciated soils in eastern Ohio, USA. We hypothesized that where inorganic P is low; soil microbes are able to access organic P by increasing production of phosphatase enzymes, thereby overcoming biogeochemical P limitations. We measured surface soil for: available P pools, N mineralization and nitrification rates, total C and N, enzymes responsible for C, N, and P hydrolysis, and microbial community composition (PLFA). Increasing surface soil pH a whole unit had little effect on microbial community composition, but increased N cycling rates in unglaciated soils. Phosphorus additions suppressed phosphatase activities over 60% in the unglaciated soils but were unchanged in the glaciated soils. All treatments had minimal influence on microbial biomass, but available pools of P strongly correlated with microbial composition. Microbes may be dependent on sources of organic P in some forest ecosystems and from a microbial perspective soil pH might be less important overall than P availability. Although our sampling was conducted less than 1 year after treatment initiation, microbial community composition was strongly influenced by available P pools and these effects may be greater than short-term increases in soil pH.

Effects of Logo and CAI Environments on Cognition and Creativity

Abstract: Although claims concerning the cognitive benefits of computer programming have been made, research results are conflicting. This study assessed the effects of learning computer programming and computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on specific cognitive skills (classification and seriation operations), metacognitive skills, creativity, and achievement (reading, mathematics, and ability to describe directions). Seventy-two 6- and 8-year-old children were pretested to assess pretreatment level of operational competence (classification and seriation), creativity, and achievement. The children were then randomly assigned to one of three 22-week treatment conditions — computer programming in Logo, CAT, or control. Posttesting revealed that the programming group scored significantly higher on measures of operational competence, two of three measures of metacognitive skills, and a measure of creativity and on describing directions. No differences were found on measures of reading and mathematics achievement. Although proponents have made strong claims regarding the positive effects of computer programming on young children's cognition, research results are conflicting. Even when results are positive, effects on variables such as achievement tend to be small. There is some empirical and theoretical support, however, for the hypothesis that programming can facilitate the development of specific cognitive and metacognitive skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of computer programming on the cognitive skills (classification and seriation operations), metacognitive skills, creativity, and achievement of 6- and 8-year-old children.

Attachment Style in Marriage: Adjustment and Responses to Interaction:

Abstract: This study examined the association between attachment style and marital functioning, focusing on cognition as a key explanatory link Married spouses completed measures of anxious and avoidant attachment, negative attributions, and perceived marital support and conflict Attachment style was related to marital adjustment and to attribution style, with anxious attachment being a stronger predictor than avoidant attachment The interaction of husbands' and wives' attachment styles also predicted marital functioning In some cases, the tendency to make negative attributions for spouse behavior mediated the effects of attachment style on marital adjustment Couples also participated in a marital interaction task involving two social situation manipulations - an agency threat (ie, evaluation) and a communion threat (ie, disagreement with one's spouse) Following the task, participants completed a measure assessing their appraisals of their spouses' behavior Attachment style interacted with the social sit

A Comparison of Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual College Undergraduate Women on Selected Mental Health Issues

Abstract: Objective: To investigate selected mental health characteristics of lesbians and bisexual undergraduate college women as compared with heterosexual college women. Participants: Self-identified lesbians and bisexual and heterosexual female college students who took part in the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA-II) in Fall 2008, Spring 2009, and Fall 2009. Methods: A secondary analysis of the ACHA-NCHA-II data set for 3 semesters was conducted. Comparisons of lesbians and bisexual and heterosexual female college students were made. Results: Bisexual women reported the worst mental health status in all areas studied including anxiety, anger, depressive symptoms, self-injury, and suicidal ideation and attempts. Both bisexual women and lesbians had a far greater likelihood of having these mental health issues when compared with heterosexual women. Lesbians and bisexual women utilized significantly more mental health services (with the exception of cle...