Explaining Mental Health Treatment Disparities: Ethnic and Cultural Differences in Family Involvement

In a large, representative sample of persons receiving public mental health treatment, we examined whether ethnic minority consumers were more likely than white consumers to live with their families and to receive family support. We then evaluated whether differences observed in family involvement explained treatment disparities observed in outpatient and inpatient mental health services. Results indicated that Asian American and Latino consumers, especially, were considerably more likely than white consumers to live with family members and to receive family support. Ethnocultural differences in living with family did explain treatment intensity disparities whether or not consumers described themselves as dependent on family support. The results support the hypothesis that cultural differences in family involvement and support play a role in explaining mental health treatment disparities.     

Decoupled Visually-Guided Reaching in Optic Ataxia: Differences in Motor Control between Canonical and Non-Canonical Orientations in Space

Guiding a limb often involves situations in which the spatial location of the target for gaze and limb movement are not congruent (i.e. have been decoupled). Such decoupled situations involve both the implementation of a cognitive rule (i.e. strategic control) and the online monitoring of the limb position relative to gaze and target (i.e. sensorimotor recalibration). To further understand the neural mechanisms underlying these different types of visuomotor control, we tested patient IG who has bilateral caudal superior parietal lobule (SPL) damage resulting in optic ataxia (OA), and compared her performance with six age-matched controls on a series of center-out reaching tasks. The tasks comprised 1) directing a cursor that had been rotated (180° or 90°) within the same spatial plane as the visual display, or 2) moving the hand along a different spatial plane than the visual display (horizontal or para-sagittal). Importantly, all conditions were performed towards visual targets located along either the horizontal axis (left and right; which can be guided from strategic control) or the diagonal axes (top-left and top-right; which require on-line trajectory elaboration and updating by sensorimotor recalibration). The bilateral OA patient performed much better in decoupled visuomotor control towards the horizontal targets, a canonical situation in which well-categorized allocentric cues could be utilized (i.e. guiding cursor direction perpendicular to computer monitor border). Relative to neurologically intact adults, IG''s performance suffered towards diagonal targets, a non-canonical situation in which only less-categorized allocentric cues were available (i.e. guiding cursor direction at an off-axis angle to computer monitor border), and she was therefore required to rely on sensorimotor recalibration of her decoupled limb. We propose that an intact caudal SPL is crucial for any decoupled visuomotor control, particularly when relying on the realignment between vision and proprioception without reliable allocentric cues towards non-canonical orientations in space.     

Beyond Socioeconomics: Explaining Ethnic Group Differences in Parenting Through Cultural and Immigration Processes

This study examined both socioeconomic and cultural factors in explaining ethnic differences in monitoring, behavioral control, and warmth—part of a series of coordinated studies presented in this special issue. Socioeconomic variables included mother's and father's educational levels, employment status, home ownership, number of siblings in the household, and single parent status. Cultural factors included nationality or ethnicity, immigrant status of child, mother's/father's age of arrival in the United States, mother's/father's English language use with the child, child's native fluency, and cultural values for independence and interdependence. The sample consisted of 591 European American, 123 African American, 1,614 Asian American, and 597 Latino students in the ninth grade. All the ethnic minority groups were higher than European Americans on behavioral control, and Latinos were also higher than European Americans on monitoring. However, European Americans were higher on parental warmth than Asian Americans and African Americans. These ethnic group differences primarily remained even after controlling for the socioeconomic factors. Finally, in analyses looking within the Asian and Latino groups, differences in parenting were found within both groups due to nationality or ethnicity, youth's fluency in the native language, and cultural values of interdependence, although values of independence were also related to the parenting of Asian Americans.     

Grave Injustice: The American Indian Repatriation Movement and NAGPRA.

Grave Injustice: The American Indian Repatriation Movement and NAGPRA. Kathleen S. Fine-Dare. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2002. 250 pp.     

Data-Mining Discovery of Pattern and Process in Ecological Systems

ABSTRACT Most ecologists use statistical methods as their main analytical tools when analyzing data to identify relationships between a response and a set of predictors; thus, they treat all analyses as hypothesis tests or exercises in parameter estimation. However, little or no prior knowledge about a system can lead to creation of a statistical model or models that do not accurately describe major sources of variation in the response variable. We suggest that under such circumstances data mining is more appropriate for analysis. In this paper we 1) present the distinctions between data-mining (usually exploratory) analyses and parametric statistical (confirmatory) analyses, 2) illustrate 3 strengths of data-mining tools for generating hypotheses from data, and 3) suggest useful ways in which data mining and statistical analyses can be integrated into a thorough analysis of data to facilitate rapid creation of accurate models and to guide further research.     

Dendritic and Synaptic Effects in Systems of Coupled Cortical Oscillators

We explore the influence of synaptic location and form on the behavior of networks of coupled cortical oscillators. First, we develop a model of two coupled somatic oscillators that includes passive dendritic cables. Using a phase model approach, we show that the synchronous solution can change from a stable solution to an unstable one as the cable lengthens and the synaptic position moves further from the soma. We confirm this prediction using a system of coupled compartmental models. We also demonstrate that when the synchronous solution becomes unstable, a bifurcation occurs and a pair of asynchronous stable solutions appear, causing a phase lag between the cells in the system. Then using a variety of coupling functions and different synaptic positions, we show that distal connections and broad synaptic time courses encourage phase lags that can be reduced, eliminated, or enhanced by the presence of active currents in the dendrite. This mechanism may appear in neural systems where proximal connections could be used to encourage synchrony, and distal connections and broad synaptic time courses could be used to produce phase lags that can be modulated by active currents.     

The Future of the Past: Archeologists, Native Americans, and Repatriation.

The Future of the Past: Archeologists, Native Americans, and Repatriation. Tamara L. Bray. New York: Garland Publishing. 2001. 252 pp.     

The Role of Spatial Refuges in Coupled Map Lattice Model for Host-Parasitoid Systems

A Coupled Map Lattice (CML) model, for host-parasitoid Nicholson–Bailey interactions, with an explicit spatial distribution of partial refuge areas, is presented by considering the parasitoid attack rate as a patch dependent parameter. The effect of habitat heterogeneity on the dynamics of both populations, that is, on their spatial distribution and temporal behavior is analyzed. Our results show that depending on many features such as position, size, and fragmentation of a refuge, as well as the dispersal parameters of hosts and parasitoids, together with the parasitoid attack rate, the inclusion of refuges may as well stabilize as destabilize the host-parasitoid dynamics. The results are analyzed for the local and the global scales. Spatial patterns resulting from such heterogeneous patchy environments are also obtained.     

Response Line-Shapes in Compact Coupled Plasmonic Resonator Systems

A compact plasmonic coupled-resonator system, consisting of a stub resonator and baffles in the metal–insulator–metal waveguide, is numerically investigated with the finite element method. Simulations show that sharp and asymmetric response line-shapes can occur in the system. The asymmetric line-shapes in the transmission spectra depend on the relative positions of the resonant wavelengths between the single-stub resonator and the inner resonator constructed by the baffle and the stub resonator, while the other part of the transmission spectra (except the asymmetric part) maintains the spectral features of the structure constructed by the baffles. An analytic model and a relative phase analysis based on the scattering matrix theory are used to describe and explain this phenomenon. These sharp and asymmetric response line-shapes are important for improving the nano-plasmonic devices’ performances.     

Intersegmental Coordination: Lessons from Modeling Systems of Coupled Non-Linear Oscillators

SYNOPSIS. Intersegmental coordination of both vertebrates andinvertebrates is poorly understood primarily because so littleis known about the substrate of the neural underpinnings andhow the elements interact to produce the complex timing relationshipsrequired by the organism. We describe here a systems approachcombining experimental and theoretical treatment of the lampreylocomotor central pattern generator. The central pattern generatoris viewed as a chain of coupled non-linear oscillators correspondingto segmental burst generators. We analyze various coupling schemesin terms of their ability to produce a stable traveling wavesimilar to that seen in the isolated spinal cord and the intactanimal. The role of long coordinating neurons is particularlydiscussed.     

Sudden Shifts in Ecological Systems: Intermittency and Transients in the Coupled Ricker Population Model

Many real ecological systems show sudden changes in behavior, phenomena sometimes categorized as regime shifts in the literature. The relative importance of exogenous versus endogenous forces producing regime shifts is an important question. These forces’ role in generating variability over time in ecological systems has been explored using tools from dynamical systems. We use similar ideas to look at transients in simple ecological models as a way of understanding regime shifts. Based in part on the theory of crises, we carefully analyze a simple two patch spatial model and begin to understand from a mathematical point of view what produces transient behavior in ecological systems. In particular, since the tools are essentially qualitative, we are able to suggest that transient behavior should be ubiquitous in systems with overcompensatory local dynamics, and thus should be typical of many ecological systems. This work has been supported by NSF Grant EF-0434266.     

Biological Anthropology and Ethics: From Repatriation to Genetic Identity

Biological Anthropology and Ethics: From Repatriation to Genetic Identity . Trudy R. Turner, ed. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2004. 327 pp.     

The Role of Nature and Nurture for Individual Differences in Primary Emotional Systems: Evidence from a Twin Study

The present study investigated for the first time the relative importance of genetics and environment on individual differences in primary emotionality as measured with the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (ANPS) by means of a twin-sibling study design. In N = 795 participants (n = 303 monozygotic twins, n = 172 dizygotic twins and n = 267 non-twin full siblings), moderate to strong influences of genetics on individual differences in these emotional systems are observed. Lowest heritability estimates are presented for the SEEKING system (33%) and highest for the PLAY system (69%). Further, multivariate genetic modeling was applied to the data showing that associations among the six ANPS scales were influences by both, a genetic as well as an environmental overlap between them. In sum, the study underlines the usefulness of the ANPS for biologically oriented personality psychology research.     

Explaining Away the Body: Experiences of Supernaturally Caused Touch and Touch on Non-Hand Objects within the Rubber Hand Illusion

Background

In rubber hand illusions and full body illusions, touch sensations are projected to non-body objects such as rubber hands, dolls or virtual bodies. The robustness, limits and further perceptual consequences of such illusions are not yet fully explored or understood. A number of experiments are reported that test the limits of a variant of the rubber hand illusion.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A variant of the rubber hand illusion is explored, in which the real and foreign hands are aligned in personal space. The presence of the illusion is ascertained with participants'' scores and temperature changes of the real arm. This generates a basic illusion of touch projected to a foreign arm. Participants are presented with further, unusual visuotactile stimuli subsequent to onset of the basic illusion. Such further visuotactile stimulation is found to generate very unusual experiences of supernatural touch and touch on a non-hand object. The finding of touch on a non-hand object conflicts with prior findings, and to resolve this conflict a further hypothesis is successfully tested: that without prior onset of the basic illusion this unusual experience does not occur.

Conclusions/Significance

A rubber hand illusion is found that can arise when the real and the foreign arm are aligned in personal space. This illusion persists through periods of no tactile stimulation and is strong enough to allow very unusual experiences of touch felt on a cardboard box and experiences of touch produced at a distance, as if by supernatural causation. These findings suggest that one''s visual body image is explained away during experience of the illusion and they may be of further importance to understanding the role of experience in delusion formation. The findings of touch on non-hand objects may help reconcile conflicting results in this area of research. In addition, new evidence is provided that relates to the recently discovered psychologically induced temperature changes that occur during the illusion.     

Genetic Regulation of Bone Metabolism in the Chicken: Similarities and Differences to Mammalian Systems

Birds have a unique bone physiology, due to the demands placed on them through egg production. In particular their medullary bone serves as a source of calcium for eggshell production during lay and undergoes continuous and rapid remodelling. We take advantage of the fact that bone traits have diverged massively during chicken domestication to map the genetic basis of bone metabolism in the chicken. We performed a quantitative trait locus (QTL) and expression QTL (eQTL) mapping study in an advanced intercross based on Red Junglefowl (the wild progenitor of the modern domestic chicken) and White Leghorn chickens. We measured femoral bone traits in 456 chickens by peripheral computerised tomography and femoral gene expression in a subset of 125 females from the cross with microarrays. This resulted in 25 loci for female bone traits, 26 loci for male bone traits and 6318 local eQTL loci. We then overlapped bone and gene expression loci, before checking for an association between gene expression and trait values to identify candidate quantitative trait genes for bone traits. A handful of our candidates have been previously associated with bone traits in mice, but our results also implicate unexpected and largely unknown genes in bone metabolism. In summary, by utilising the unique bone metabolism of an avian species, we have identified a number of candidate genes affecting bone allocation and metabolism. These findings can have ramifications not only for the understanding of bone metabolism genetics in general, but could also be used as a potential model for osteoporosis as well as revealing new aspects of vertebrate bone regulation or features that distinguish avian and mammalian bone.