Dopamine Genes and Pathological Gambling in Discordant Sib-Pairs

Pathological gambling (PG) is an impulse control disorder that has been considered as a behavioral addiction. Recent studies have suggested the involvement of the dopaminergic system in addictions and impulse control disorders and associations of dopamine receptor genes (DRD1, DRD2, and DRD4) and PG have been reported. In the present study, 140 sib-pairs discordant for the diagnosis of PG (70 males and 70 females on each group) were recruited through the Gambling Outpatient Unit at the Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo and were assessed by trained psychiatrists. A family-based association design was chosen to prevent population stratification. All subjects were genotyped for dopamine receptor genes (DRD1 -800 T/C, DRD2 TaqIA RFLP, DRD3 Ser9Gly, DRD4 48bp exon III VNTR, DRD5 (CA) repeat) and the dopamine transporter gene (SCL6A3 40 bp VNTR). Our results suggest the association of PG with DRD1 -800 T/C allele T (P = .03).     

Development and evaluation of the physical activity questionnaire for elderly Japanese: the Nakanojo study

The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Elderly Japanese (PAQ-EJ) is a self-administered physical activity questionnaire for elderly Japanese; the authors report here on its repeatability and direct and indirect validity. Reliability was assessed by repeat administration after 1 month. Direct validation was based on accelerometer data collected every 4 s for 1 month in 147 individuals age 65-85 years. Indirect validation against a 10-item Barthel index (activities of daily living [ADL]) was completed in 3,084 individuals age 65-99 years. The test-retest coefficient was high (r = .64-.71). Total and subtotal scores for lower (transportation, housework, and labor) and higher intensity activities (exercise/sports) were significantly correlated with step counts and durations of physical activity <3 and >or=3 METs (r = .41, .28, .53), respectively. Controlling for age and ADL, scores for transportation, exercise/sports, and labor were greater in men, but women performed more housework. Sex- and ADL- or age-adjusted PAQ-EJ scores were significantly lower in older and dependent people. PAQ-EJ repeatability and validity seem comparable to those of instruments used in Western epidemiological studies.     

Proteins' promise--progress and challenges in ovarian cancer proteomics

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynaecological cancer death. The mortality rate of ovarian cancer could be greatly decreased if there were a screening test which was able to detect the disease at an early stage, resulting in an increased probability of cure. The most promising prospect for the early detection of ovarian cancer comes from the rapidly advancing field of clinical proteomics. An increasing number of reports on the potential clinical application of proteomics research for early detection as well as risk assessment and management of ovarian cancer are being published. Although the research is very promising, major technical challenges are still preventing new discoveries in ovarian cancer proteomics from being translated into clinical practice.     

大学生心理健康教育优化研究

大学生是推动未来我国社会主义全面发展的基础以及重要力量,而心理健康教育又是大学生培养领域新的研究方向,这就导致大学生心理健康教育成为我国社会广泛关注的焦点问题。当代大学生的心理健康问题在大学生活期间,其问题与发展始终同时存在,也越来越受到各级党委和政府的高度重视。如何提升大学生心理健康教育水平是教育领域一个新的难题。本文重点分析大学生心理健康教育的概念和意义并浅谈当前大学生心理健康教育工作中所存在的一些问题及其产生的原因,并对未来大学生心理健康教育优化路径提出建议。     

基于系统观念一体推进的反腐建设研究

系统观念贯穿于中国共产党管党治党和治国理政的各个方面,尤其在不同历史时期党的廉政建设和反腐败斗争中发挥着重要作用。坚持系统观念推进反腐败建设,要不断健全党和国家的监督体系,有效推进“四项监督”统筹衔接,注重监督治理效能发挥;要发挥好纪委监委在党和国家监督体系中的作用,做实监督全覆盖、增强监督有效性,积极构建监督工作“一盘棋”发展的新格局;要不断提高对腐败的政治认识和规律特点的研究能力,推进不敢腐、不能腐、不想腐的协同一体进程。     

公司文化:美国高等教育的新威胁

为民主而斗争是一项政治任务,也是一项教育任务.要促进充满活力的民主文化的产生,最根本的就是要认识到,教育必须被作为公共利益来看待.使高等教育沦为公司文化的附庸违反了教育支持和发展包含民主在内的公共空间的重要社会规则.从汤姆斯·杰佛逊到约翰·杜威,再到C.赖特·米尔斯,赞颂教育对于民主公共生活的根本的重要性成为一个悠久的传统.