Book reviews

The Political Sociology of Florian Znaniecki and Contemporary Politics (in Polish), Olgierd Sochacki (Ed.) Wydawnictwo Gdanskie, The Scientific Society of Gdansk, 1996

Why Read. Internal Space and the Social Function of Literature: An Investigation with. Psychoanalysts and Psychology Students, Graziella Pagliano (Ed.) Bonanno Editore, 1994

Voix Littéraires de Femmes

Cuadernos sobre Vico, Nos 5–6, José M. Sevilla et al. 1995–96

Studi in memoria di Ernesto Grassi Proceedings of the International Conference in Memory of Ernesto Grassi (Ischia, 4–6 October 1993), Emilio Hidalgo‐Serna and Massimo Marassi (Eds), Napoli, La Città del Sole, 1996

Naples Istituto Italiano per gli Studi Fiosofici, La Gittà del Sole, Napoli, 1996

Family, Women and Employment in Central‐Eastern Europe, Barbara Lobodzinska (Ed.) Greenwood Press, 1995     

Impact of metabolic status on the association of serum vitamin D with hypogonadism and lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of metabolic status on associations of serum vitamin D with hypogonadism and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)/benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Patients and methods: A total of 612 men underwent physical examination, biochemical/hormonal blood testing, and transrectal prostate ultrasound. Moreover, the subjects filled out standard questionnaires for identification and grading of LUTS and hypogonadism symptoms. Parameters were statistically compared with independent t-tests and correlation analyses.

Results: Vitamin D levels positively correlated with total testosterone (TT) but not with prostate volume or International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Patients with metabolic syndrome had significantly lower vitamin D levels, which were not correlated with TT, prostate volume, or IPSS. However, vitamin D was positively correlated with TT, and negatively correlated with prostate volume and quality-of-life IPSS in subjects without metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion: The clinical usefulness of vitamin D for treatment of hypogonadism or LUTS/BPH varies according to metabolic status.     

Book reviews

Law, socialism and social emancipation

Books Reviewed: M. Los, Communist Ideology, Law and Crime. St. Martin's Press: New York. 1988.

Paul Q. HirstLaw, Socialism and Democracy. London: Allen and Unwin 1986.

Citoyens et citoyennes

Review of: C. Pateman (1988), The Sexual Contract, Stanford University Press.

H.M. Hernes (1987), Welfare State and Women Power, Norwegian University Press.

Franco Crespi (1989), Azione sociale e potere, Il Mulino     

Effect of warning placement on the information processing of college students reading an OTC drug facts panel

Objective: To compare three over-the-counter (OTC) Drug Facts panel versions for information processing optimization among college students.

Participants: University of Houston students (N = 210) participated in a cross-sectional survey from January to May 2010.

Methods: A current FDA label was compared to two experimental labels developed using the theory of CHREST to test information processing by re-positioning the warning information within the Drug Facts panel. Congruency was defined as placing like information together. Information processing was evaluated using the OTC medication Label Evaluation Process Model (LEPM): label comprehension, ease-of-use, attitude toward the product, product evaluation, and purchase intention.

Results: Experimental label with chunked congruent information (uses-directions-other information-warnings) was rated significantly higher than the current FDA label and had the best average scores among the LEPM information processing variables.

Conclusion: If replications uphold these findings, the FDA label design might be revised to improve information processing.     

Effects of resistance training on liver structure and function of aged rats

The aging process may cause negative physiological changes. However, exercises as resistance training (RT) have been considered an important intervention to attenuate these changes. Additionally, liver plays an important role in blood glucose homeostasis in exercise.

Aim: This study aimed to analyze the effects of RT on the liver components of aged animals.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: 24 months’ group (CONTROL); and group submitted to a progressive RT protocol for 16 weeks (EXERCISE). Both groups were sacrificed at 24 months.

Results: We observed a decrease in blood flow due to the practice of resistance exercises. Besides, our results showed that hepatic tissue plays an important role in glycemic homeostasis during RT. In addition, RT increased mitogen capacity of hepatocytes.

Conclusions: Our study showed many implications for the knowledge about the effects of strength training on old animals’ liver.     

Book reviews

Brezzi Francesca, A Partire dal Gioco ‐ Per i Sentieri di un Pensiero Ludico Marinetti, Genova, 1992, pp. 134, L. 25.000

Ian McIntyre, DOGFIGHT ‐ The Transatlantic Battle over Airbus, Praeger Publishers, 112 pages, $42

Angela Ales Bello, Fenomenología dell'essere umano. Lineamenti di una filosofía al femminile, Roma, Città Nuova, 1992, pp. 170 L. 18.000

“A Critical Note on Some Literature Concerning Backwardness and Social Unbalances in Islamic Countries”     

Effects of testosterone administration on liver structure and function in aging rats

Aging males have a decrease in testosterone levels, by which the testosterone treatment may influence in a negatively fashion the liver.

Aim: This study aimed to analyze the effects of aging with or without testosterone administration on the liver components of animals.

Methods: Wistar rats were divided into three groups: 20 months’ group (G20), 24 months’ group (G24), group treated with testosterone for 16 weeks (GT). All groups were sacrificed at 24 months except for G20 that was sacrificed at 20 months.

Results: Aging and testosterone treatment alters the body weight (BW), liver weight (LW) and relative liver weight. Besides, testosterone increased the mitogen capacity of hepatocytes. Nonetheless, we reinforce the negative effects of testosterone on old animals’ liver as chronic hepatic congestion and/or cholestasis. In addition, we observed that testosterone plays an important role on hepatic glycogen stores.

Conclusions: Our study showed many implications for the knowledge about the effects of aging with or without testosterone administration on old animals’ liver.     

The feasibility of goal attainment scaling to measure case resolution in elder abuse and neglect adult protective services intervention

Objectives: This pilot study describes implementation procedures of goal attainment scaling (GAS) and examines the feasibility of using GAS to measure the multifarious intervention outcome of case resolution in elder mistreatment (EM) adult protective services (APS).

Methods: Substantiated EM victims (n = 27) were recruited prospectively from the State of Maine APS. An adapted GAS approach was implemented involving development of a pre-populated goal scale menu and web-based GAS application.

Results: The GAS menu comprised 18 goals and corresponding scales spanning several domains of case resolution: social support, service access, health/functioning, enhancing independence, and protective measures. The overall GAS process had mean length 33.8 min per case. The mean GAS summary t-score (54.3) aligned with theoretical expectations.

Discussion: Without a measure of case resolution, research cannot compare the effectiveness of different EM intervention models. Findings suggest that GAS is a feasible, client-centered strategy to measure the multifarious EM intervention case resolution outcome.     

A meta-analysis of effectiveness of E-interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in college and university students.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and moderators of E-Interventions versus assessment only (AO) controls in the reduction of alcoholic drinks per week (DPW) in university students.

Study design and methods: Cochrane library, CINAEL, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched up to June 2017. Studies were included if they were: an RCT, assessed the effectiveness of E-Interventions at reducing DPW, and employed university/college students. 23 studies (N = 7,614) were included and quality was assessed using the JADAD scale.

Results: Weighted mean effect sizes were calculated using random-effects models. These showed a small, significant effect of E-Interventions at reducing the number of alcoholic DPW. Moderator analysis found a significant advantage for web-based personalised feedback interventions compared to other E-Interventions.

Conclusions: E-Interventions show a small, significant effect at reducing mean alcoholic DPW. Personalised feedback E-Interventions showed the strongest effect.     

Housing in Old Age: Dynamical Interactions Between Neighborhood Attachment,Neighbor Annoyance,and Residential Satisfaction

Objective: Residential satisfaction and neighborhood quality play major roles in aging well. However, longitudinal research about the interplay between such factors is still sparse. Our 1-year study examined whether change in residential satisfaction was associated with change in two indicators of neighborhood quality: neighborhood attachment and neighbor annoyance.

Methods: Findings come from a longitudinal study with 85 community-dwelling German older adults (age range: 60 to 92 years). Participants filled out questionnaires at two measurements that were 1 year apart. The interplay between residential satisfaction and neighborhood was explored using a cross-path model.

Results: Higher levels of residential satisfaction predicted enhanced attachment and reduced annoyance over time. Moreover, attachment predicted positive change in residential satisfaction over the course of 1 year.

Conclusion: Results suggest that older adults may apply adaptive behaviors and strategies to optimize their neighborly experiences. Such findings have implications for improving residential satisfaction in community-dwelling older adults.     

The Impact of the Physical Home Environment for Family Carers of People with Dementia: A Qualitative Study

Background: The majority of people with dementia are cared for by their families at home. This study aimed to elicit family carers' perceptions on home environmental aspects and strategies with the view to identify barriers and facilitators when caring for a person with dementia at home.

Design and methods: Thirteen co-resident family carers were engaged in semi-structured in-depth walking interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Home environments can pose a number of challenges and opportunities. Aspects of the architectural and interior environment (e.g. size, condition, layout and accessibility, familiarity) are perceived as important (Theme 1) as well as a plethora of environmental strategies that encourage independence and comfort at home (Theme 2). Carers' scepticism, timing, costs, property characteristics and mistrust to services are some barriers to implementing environmental strategies (Theme 3).

Conclusions: Carers improvised solutions via trial and error and need further education on strategies to create an enabling and comfortable home environment.     

Reference database of hematological parameters for growing and aging rats

The normal hematological values in various phases of the rat life provide a valuable guide to researchers and could be useful for experimental works. However, database information available on the literature are incomplete. Aim: This study aimed to present normal hematological parameters of young and aged rats.

Methods: Male and female rats were distributed into seven experimental groups with 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. Blood samples taken from the tails were analyzed. Normal hematological values were determined for each age group.

Results: Rats showed a progressive weight gain with advancing age, predominantly after 3 months of life. With advancing age, differences were found on hematological parameters: some of them showed a progressive rise with age and others did not. Hemoglobin levels and hematocrit did not change while the number of circulating red blood cells suffered slight increase.

Conclusion: The present study determined the normal values for absolute and relative hematological parameters in Wistar rats from 2 to 24 months for male and female rats. The results can be used in studies of effects of aging, feeding, and medications on growing and aging rats.     

Book reviews

Women and phenomenology—a survey of the literature

Élites discriminadas (sobre el poder de las mujeres) María Antonia García de Leòn Santafé de Bogotà, Editorial Anthropos, 1994, 254 pp.

G. Ferrero, El Poder. Los genios invisibles de la Ciudad     

Recantation of Sexual Abuse Disclosure Among Child Victims: Accommodation Syndrome

Background: Disclosing the sexual abuse may be related on many individual and/or environmental factors in all age groups. The sociocultural context is the most influential factor of the disclosing process especially for those living in patriarchal cultural values. This study compares the impacts of sexual abuse and other sociodemographic variables between recanting and non-recanting victimized groups in Adana city from Turkey.

Methods: The samples attending our department were divided into two groups: group 1 comprised victims who recanted their first abuse disclosure, and group 2 comprised victims who insisted on the veracity of their first report at further evaluations. The characteristics of the child, family, and abuser were compared between recanting victims and non-recanting victims by retrospective data.

Results: Each group included 27 children, for a total of 54 subjects. All adverse social reactions after the sexual abuse, including keeping secrets and a repressive family attitude, were higher among group 1 victims than group 2 victims (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Although they are victimized by protecting family integrity, victims may show a tendency to keep secrets and to not immediately disclose an abuse event.     

Attitudes and knowledge of social work students towards sexuality in later life

Background: Sexuality in later life may be compromised by restrictive attitudes, and lack of knowledge among professionals. This study examined social work students’ attitudes and knowledge towards sexuality and sexual expression in later life and investigated associated factors.

Method: Undergraduate social work students from Israel (n = 375) completed the Attitudes and Knowledge towards Older Adult’s Sexuality Scale and questionnaires regarding contacts and exposure to older adults, prior sexual education and sociodemographic.

Results: Attitudes and knowledge were correlated. First year students were the most conservative and demonstrated the least knowledge. No differences were found between men and women regarding attitude. However, men and married students had greater knowledge regarding older adults’ sexuality than women or non-married students did. Increased religious observance predicted more conservative attitudes. Age predicted more permissive attitudes and greater knowledge about sexuality in later life. A mediating process examined, suggested knowledge is a mediator variable between age and attitudes towards older adults’ sexuality.

Conclusion: As the population in Israel and in Western countries ages, it is important to examine the knowledge and attitudes of social work students regarding older adults’ sexuality and to develop educational and interventional programs aimed at increasing awareness, knowledge, and positive attitudes in this area.     

Prostate-specific antigen decline pattern in advanced prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy and relationship with prostate-specific antigen progression

Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate prostate-specific antigen decline pattern including prostate-specific antigen kinetics following androgen deprivation therapy on prostate-specific antigen progression in the patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Materials and methods: Ninety-seven advanced prostate cancer patients receiving maximum androgen deprivation therapy were enrolled in case–control study. Baseline prostate-specific antigen, Gleason Score, bone metastase, nadir prostate-specific antigen, time to nadir prostate-specific antigen, declining slope to nadir prostate-specific antigen, estimated baseline prostate-specific antigen half-time, current prostate-specific antigen, post-nadir prostate-specific antigen time, estimated prostate-specific antigen, estimated decline of baseline prostate-specific antigen as quantitative, and ratio were recorded and calculated.

Results: The ratio of prostate-specific antigen progression was significantly lower at the patients who had slower declining slope to prostate-specific antigen, longer time to nadir prostate-specific antigen, and lower estimated decline ratio of baseline prostate-specific antigen (p: .016, p: .020, and p: .026, respectively).

Conclusions: The shorter time to nadir prostate-specific antigen following androgen deprivation therapy, faster declining slope to nadir prostate-specific antigen and higher estimated decline ratio of baseline prostate-specific antigen are associated with higher risk of disease progression in patients with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.     

Feasibility of intervention in elder self-neglecters: Setting the stage for future research

Objectives: Interventions are critical to improving clinical outcomes in elder self-neglecters. This study assessed feasibility of a randomized controlled trial of oral vitamin D in Adult Protective Services-substantiated self-neglect clients ≥65 years.

Methods: Participants were directly observed to consume ergocalciferol 50,000 IU (treatment) or ergocalciferol 400 IU (control), once a month, for 10 months. For months 6–10, half the control group randomly crossed into the treatment group (crossover). Intervention feasibility was measured by number of potential participants who agreed to participate and by retention rates during the study.

Results: Ninety-four referrals were received and 59 (63%) agreed to participate. Forty-nine participants were enrolled after prescreening and 35 completed the two-phase trial for a 72% retention rate. The participants’ average age was 75.2 ± 6.8 years, mainly female (59%), African-American (47%), and living alone (41%).

Discussion: Despite assumptions that self-neglecters are resistant to care, we have successfully conducted the first clinical intervention in this vulnerable population.     

Gene expression of insulin receptor,insulin-like growth factor increases and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 reduces with increase in prostate size in benign prostatic hyperplasia

Introduction: Although the role of insulin in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is well established, there are no studies regarding alteration in the gene expression of components of insulin-signaling pathway and their association with prostate size in BPH. Hence, the study was designed to analyze the gene and protein expression of insulin receptor and its related components in patients with BPH.

Materials and methods: Twenty-seven BPH patients aged between 55 and 75 years were recruited in the study and prostatic tissues were obtained after transurethral resection of the prostate. Gene expression levels of Insulin receptor (IR), insulin receptor substrate (IRS), insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were assessed by q-PCR.

Results: Insulin receptor (IR-A and B) and insulin-like growth factors (IGF-1 and IGF-2) gene expression were significantly increased and IGFBP-3 gene expression was reduced in BPH patients with larger prostate size. Also, serum insulin was significantly increased and IGFBP-3 was significantly reduced in patients with larger prostate size.

Conclusion: Increased expression of IR-A, B and IGF-1, 2 genes and reduced IGFBP-3 gene expression was associated with larger prostate size in BPH.