Conflict of interest in biomedical research: a view from Europe

In this paper I address the conflict of interest (CoI) issue from a legal point of view at a European level. We will see that the regulatory framework that exists in Europe does state the need for the independence of ethics committee involved in authorisation of research and clinical trials. We will see that CoI is an element that has to be closely monitored at National and International level. Therefore, Member States and Newly Associated States do have to address CoI in the authorisation process of research and clinical protocols of biomedicine. The opinions here expressed are personal and do not commit the European Commission. An earlier version of this paper was delivered at a Conference on Conflict of Interest and Its Significance in Science and Medicine, 5–6 April, 2002, Warsaw, Poland. The author is a Scientific Officer in the Programme Science and Society dealing with ethics and science (Unit C.3).     

Behavioral Family Interventions for Improving Child-rearing: A Review of the Literature for Clinicians and Policy Makers

This paper reviews evidence that behavioral family interventions are effective at improving child-rearing in distressed families and families with children exhibiting disruptive behavior. Essential therapeutic strategies offered within a collaborative therapeutic process are identified. Exemplary materials for parents and clinicians are identified. Differences between behavioral family interventions and two popular press parenting approaches are highlighted, including the lack of empirical support for these widely used programs and the advice they offer which runs counter to behavioral approaches. Recommendations are offered for combining behavioral family interventions with other empirically supported approaches, promoting more widespread use of empirically supported treatments, such as behavioral family interventions, and the need for a public health perspective on family functioning, involving collaboration among clinicians, policy makers, and researchers.     

Neurology and neuropathology of Soman-induced brain injury: an overview.

Battlefield use of nerve agents poses serious medical threats to combat troops and to civilians in the immediate or adjacent environment. The experiments reported herein were carried out in the 1980s to help to define both the neurological and neuropathological consequences of exposure to the organophosphate nerve agent Soman. These data contributed to the scientific foundation for a program of drug development to find agents that would prevent or reduce the risk of injury to the central nervous system and specifically pointed to the importance of including an anticonvulsant in the treatment of agent exposure. Since these experiments were conducted, research efforts have continued to improve pretreatment and treatment, such as the inclusion of the anticonvulsant diazepam in the medical treatment of exposed personnel.     

A systematic review of interventions for adults who stutter

PurposeTo examine the effectiveness of (i) face to face interventions (ii) models of service delivery and (iii) psychological treatments combined with speech-focused interventions for adults who stutter.MethodsFive electronic databases and three clinical trial registries were searched. Systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and studies that applied an intervention with adults who stutter were included. Pharmaceutical interventions were excluded. Primary outcomes included a measure of stuttering severity. Risk of bias assessment was conducted on included studies and overall quality of the evidence was graded.ResultsFive RCTS, four registered trials and three systematic reviews met inclusion criteria. Intervention approaches included speech restructuring programs (e.g. Camperdown Program) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). One study investigated cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) alongside speech restructuring. Overall, studies were classified low risk of bias and good quality. Speech restructuring was included in all but one study (tDCS study) and had the most evidence i.e. supported by the greatest number of RCTs. On average, stuttering frequency was reduced by 50–57 % using speech restructuring approaches. No study reduced stuttering to the same level as community controls who don’t stutter. The study on tDCS reduced stuttering frequency by 22–27 %. Speech restructuring delivered via telehealth was non-inferior to face-to-face intervention. One study reported CBT was an effective adjunct to speech restructuring interventions.ConclusionSpeech restructuring interventions were found to reduce stuttering in adults, however degree and maintenance of fluency varied. The body of evidence surrounding tDCS and psychological interventions is limited. Replication studies should be considered.     

Social media reduce users' moral sensitivity: Online shaming as a possible consequence

In this study, we propose that social media reduce users' moral sensitivity through the mediation of the perceived moral intensity of hostile comments, which leads to behavioral consequences for online shaming. Three separate studies were conducted to explore this statement. Study 1 (N = 160) compared moral sensitivity between participants in simulated social media situations and a control group. Study 2 (N = 412) tested the mediating role of perceived moral intensity through self-rated questionnaires. Study 3 (N = 295) examined the behavioral consequences of reduced moral sensitivity on online shaming by manipulating social media and perceived moral intensity. Across these three studies with their different methodologies, we found consistent support for our prediction that social media reduce users' moral sensitivity. Also, our findings shed light on perceived moral intensity as a mediator. As expected, less perceived moral intensity and less moral sensitivity (as serial mediators) induced by social media led to a higher tendency to participate in online shaming. In addition, our research suggests that the harmful effects of social media could be restricted by improving users' perceived moral intensity in the form of reminders. These findings provide novel insights into the underlying mechanism of cyberviolence on social media and also contribute to the literature on the antecedents and consequences of moral sensitivity.     

刷屏的原理：在线内容的病毒式分享机制

通过社交网络发布优质在线内容以引发消费者的主动分享从而使该内容像病毒一样传播开来的营销方式被称为病毒式营销。在线内容的病毒式分享机制主要包括内容特征、心理动机、情绪反应、情境因素以及个体特征这五个方面, 可以为品牌和自媒体有效提高在线内容的分享转发率提供系统的理论指导。未来研究需要进一步探索某些具体情绪的作用机制, 识别出更多本土背景下的情境因素, 关注病毒式营销的效果评估和心理行为后果, 并采用更加多样化的研究方法。     

默认选项助推老年人意外伤害险在线购买

老年人意外伤害保险作为应对人口老龄化带来的意外风险的措施之一,能够有效缓解老年人意外伤害给其和家庭造成的经济负担。然而该险种购买不足的现状有可能影响其持续运营。本研究试图通过四个子研究探讨默认选项的助推方式是否能够促进老年人意外伤害险在线购买额。研究1通过实际销售数据分析,研究2~4通过实验发现:把默认选项设置在最高份数上能够有效地促进保险的购买份额。研究表明应用行为科学的发现可以有效促进公共政策的实施。     

网络募捐中求助者的面部表情对捐助意愿的影响：有中介的调节模型

基于框架效应和共情–助人行为假说,以82名大学生为被试,通过实验探讨了网络募捐中求助者的面部表情对捐助意愿的影响,并考察了目标框架的调节作用以及共情的中介作用。结果表明：目标框架调节了求助者的面部表情对捐助者的共情和捐助意愿的影响。在积极框架下,消极面部表情对捐助者的共情和捐助意愿的积极影响显著高于积极面部表情;而在消极框架下,两种面部表情对捐助者的共情和捐助意愿的影响均无显著差异。研究还发现了有中介的调节作用模型,共情在求助者的面部表情对捐助意愿的影响中发挥中介作用,而目标框架是有中介的调节变量。     

面部表情与捐赠者–受益者关系对网络慈善众筹捐赠行为的影响

网络慈善众筹是从在线社区获得财力捐助的行为。本研究通过3个实验,考察在线社交平台上受益者面部表情与捐赠者–受益者关系对慈善众筹捐赠行为的影响。结果发现,快乐的面部表情对捐赠金额和分享意愿的影响总体上比悲伤更大;捐赠者–受益者共有的熟人关系比陌生人关系对捐赠金额与分享意愿的影响更大;面部表情与捐赠者–受益者关系对慈善众筹的捐赠金额存在交互作用,但对分享意愿没有显著性影响。结果表明,在线社交平台的慈善众筹捐赠行为更偏好有快乐面部表情的受益者,并且更多地受到间接的、社会交换预期微弱的熟人共有关系的影响。     

Functional analysis and treatment of adult problem behavior: A review

Functional analysis (FA) methodology has been deemed the best practice in the field of applied behavior analysis. The data collected in an FA allows behavior analysts to develop the most effective and ethical behavior interventions. With the diagnosis for individuals with autism on the rise along with the forecast of adults who will need support, it may be time to take stock of the available literature. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the behavior analytic research over the last 25 years (1997–2022) on FA and treatment for adults who engage in severe problem behavior. Utilizing specific inclusion and exclusion criteria resulted in the identification of 28 articles. These articles were examined across participant characteristics, target behavior, FA type, FA settings, interventions, generalization, and maintenance. Implications on adult FA and treatment are discussed along with recommendations for practitioners who desire to support this population.