Impact of stress and mitigating information on evaluations, attributions, affect, disciplinary choices, and expectations of compliance in mothers at high and low risk for child physical abuse

The objective is to know if high-risk mothers for child physical abuse differ in their evaluations, attributions, negative affect, disciplinary choices for children's behavior, and expectations of compliance. The effect of a stressor and the introduction of mitigating information are analyzed. Forty-seven high-risk and 48 matched low-risk mothers participated in the study. Mothers' information processing and disciplinary choices were examined using six vignettes depicting a child engaging in different transgressions. A four-factor design with repeated measures on the last two factors was used. High-risk mothers reported more hostile intent, global and internal attributions, more use of power assertion discipline, and less induction. A risk group by child transgression interaction and a risk group by mitigating information interaction were found. Results support the social information-processing model of child physical abuse, which suggests that high-risk mothers process child-related information differently and use more power assertive and less inductive disciplinary techniques.     

Motor vehicle accident with complete loss of consciousness due to vasovagal syncope

Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is one of the most common causes of complete or partial loss of consciousness, thus it might cause harm to the patients themselves or innocent bystanders while driving a car. In our case report we introduce the case of a 60-year-old man who was admitted to hospital after a serious motor vehicle accident due to loss of consciousness. We demonstrate the process and results of complete cardiologic and neurological assessment. Our case report illustrates the importance of recognition of patients with a high risk for incapacitating symptoms due to VVS, and the use of head-up tilt-table tests to determine the diagnosis and to guide therapy with beta-blocking agents. As transient loss of consciousness during driving may cause potentially fatal accident, it has to be taken into consideration during decision making for issue of driving licenses to patients with VVS.     

STR data for nine Y-chromosomal loci in Guinea Equatorial (central Africa)

Allele and haplotype frequencies for nine Y-specific STR loci (DYS19, DYS389-I, DYS389-II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS393, DYS434, DYS437, and DYS439) were obtained from a sample of 57 males from Guinea Equatorial.     

Age estimation by IBAS image analysis of teeth

The study of teeth to estimate age in a cadaver or in remains has become widely accepted in legal medicine, especially since the appearance of Gustafson's work in 1950. However, many studies published since that time have questioned the accuracy of these determinations. Computerized image analysis (IBAS) provides much more precise measurements of the parameters involved in these studies. An IBAS I (Kontron) image analysis system was used to study 19 different morphological parameters in midsagittal sections of a total of 173 upper and lower central incisors from as many live subjects. The data thus obtained provide useful information for determining the subject's age.     

Equal employment opportunity across states: The EEOC 1979–1989

This study uses unpublished EEOC data from 1979–89 to concentrate on how dwindling resources and policy changes advocated by the EEOC chairs regarding the time and intensity devoted to anti-discrimination cases may have yielded regional variation in discrimination outcomes. We arrive at two major conclusions. First, evidence here suggests that the EEOC counteracted potential regional resistance against anti-discrimination laws. Second, we argue that the seeming inefficiency of the EEOC during Thomas' first years as EEOC chair appears to have occurred because he inherited a large pool of low-merit cases.