Perceived competition explains regional differences in stereotype content of immigrant groups

This research investigates differences in the stereotype content of immigrant groups between linguistic regions. We expected that immigrant groups who speak the local language of a specific linguistic region would be perceived as more competitive within this region than in another linguistic region. Further, we expected these differences would underlie regional differences in stereotype content, albeit only for the warmth dimension. Predictions were tested in the two largest linguistic regions of Switzerland. As expected, in the German-speaking region, locals perceived German immigrants as more competitive and thus as less warm, whereas in the French-speaking region, locals perceived French immigrants as more competitive and, consequently, as less warm. So, paradoxically, immigrants with strong integration potential are particularly disliked because they are regarded as direct competitors.

Chromosome size differences may affect meiosis and genome size.

Genetic crosses in many organisms have shown that alleles of unlinked genes generally assort independently of one another during gamete formation. However, variation in chromosome size may affect the process of meiosis and lead to nonindependent assortment of chromosomes. We therefore examined chromosomes with insertions and found that they preferentially segregated away from the X chromosome during meiosis in Caenorhabditis elegans males. Conversely, chromosomes with deletions preferentially segregated with the X chromosome. The degree of segregation bias was significantly associated with the length of the insertion or deletion. Simulations revealed that this segregation bias leads to genome size reduction in hermaphroditic species, a pattern consistent with differences in genome sizes in the genus Caenorhabditis. These results suggest that insertions and deletions may affect chromosome segregation patterns.

Education and male-female differences in later-life cognition: international evidence from latin america and the Caribbean.

This study explores the role of early-life education for differences in cognitive functioning between men and women aged 60 and older from seven major urban areas in Latin America and the Caribbean. After documenting statistically significant differences in cognitive functioning between men and women for six of the seven study sites, I assess the extent to which these differences can be explained by prevailing male-female differences in education. I decompose predicted male-female differences in cognitive functioning based on various statistical models for later-life cognition and find robust evidence that male-female differences in education are a major driving force behind cognitive functioning differences between older men and women. This study therefore suggests that early-life differences in educational attainment between boys and girls during childhood have a lasting impact on gender inequity in cognitive functioning at older ages. Increases in educational attainment and the closing of the gender gap in education in many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean may thus result in both higher levels and a more gender-equitable distribution of later-life cognition among the future elderly in those countries.

Sex differences in the computation of traveling distance

Path integration is known to provide information to keep track of spatial location. Surprisingly, few investigations concerning sex differences in computation of the traveling distance have been done. This work was aimed at analyzing the reproduction of both passive and active linear displacements in women and men. To this end, the displacement of blindfolded subjects was done in a wheelchair, then on foot, three times in each condition for a fixed distance. Copies of passive and active traveling distance, distance estimations and pointing responses towards the starting point were analyzed. In passive condition and comparatively to men, women error was larger. Whereas traveling distance was generally underestimated in women, it was overestimated in men. In active condition, no sex differences were observed. When blindfolded subjects have to estimate the traveling distance, the female error was larger than the male one. But, when subjects were asked to indicate the visual cue corresponding to the traveling distance, the male error was larger than the female one. Finally, pointing to the starting point (0°) after a whole-body rotation showed a larger deviation from 0° in men than in women. These results suggest that sex of the subjects influence brain computation of path integration information.

Prescribing practices in German and Swiss psychiatric university and in non-university hospitals : national differences

RÉSUMÉ Il existe dans la pratique de prescription des médicaments de grandes variations entre les hôpitaux. Ces variations sont d'origines multifactorielles, comme par exemple des traditions de prescriptions locales, des considérations pharmato-économiques, la disponibilité d'un médicament, des différences de population, la prévalence d'une maladie, etc. Les études disponibles sur les pratiques de prescription sont souvent réduites à un centre unique, à une région ou à un pays. L'emploi de méthodes et de définitions particulières a jusqu'à pressent limité des comparaisons plus étendues entre les pays et régions. Le but de cette étude est de comparer la pratique de prescription de nouveaux médicaments psychotropes dans des cliniques suisses et allemandes. Cinq hôpitaux psychiatriques ont été sélectionnés, faisant tous partie du projet AMSP, et représentant des cliniques suisses, allemandes, de niveau universitaire ou non. Des données sur 572 patients et 1745 prescriptions ont été collectées durant un jour précis. Les comparaisons ont été ajustées pour l'âge et le sexe. Une différence significative (p <0.001) a été trouvée dans la prescription de nouveaux médicaments antidépresseurs, les cliniciens suisses en donnant en moyenne plus (65.2%) que les allemands (48.3%). Aucune différence significative n'a été démontrée dans la prescription des nouveaux médicaments antipsychotiques atypiques. Il semble en conséquence que les psychiatres suisses ont une propension plus élevée à prescrire des nouveaux médicaments antidépresseurs. Cela semble être dû à des différences de traditions de prescriptions nationales ou régionales. D'autres études sont nécessaires pour investiguer les influences économiques sur la pratique de prescription dans des cliniques suisses et allemandes. SUMMARY Obiective: There are great variations between hospitals in the way drugs are prescribed and these variations may be due to multiple factors such as local prescribing traditions, pharmacoeconomic considerations, drug availability; regional differences of population, disease prevalence etc. Available studies on prescribing habits have, besides studies performed in a unique centre, until now often been restricted to single countries or regions and the comparisons across countries or regions have often been limited by the use of diverse methodologies and definitions. The aim of the present study was to compare drug prescriptions between German and Swiss psychiatric services with regard to their preference of newer psychotropics. Material, method: Five psychiatric hospitals, associated to the AMSP-project, were chosen to represent Swiss and German clinics, university and non-university settings. Data were available from one index day on 572 patients and 1745 prescriptions. The comparisons were adjusted for age and gender. Results: There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) with regard to the prescription of newer antidepressants (NAD), Swiss clinicians giving proportionally more (65.2 %) than the German psychiatrists (48.3 %). No significant difference was, on the other hand, found as to the proportion of atypical antipsychotics, the lack of difference being due to the higher proportion of clozapine among the atypical antipsychotics in Germany. Conclusion: There seems therefore to be a higher propensity for Swiss hospital psychiatrists to prescribe newer antidepressants. This seems to be due to national or regional prescribing traditions. Further studies are needed to investigate the economical influences on antidepressant prescribing in Swiss and German clinics.)

Gender differences in premorbid, entry, treatment, and outcome characteristics in a treated epidemiological sample of 661 patients with first episode psychosis.

OBJECTIVES: Gender differences in psychotic disorder have been observed in terms of illness onset and course; however, past research has been limited by inconsistencies between studies and the lack of epidemiological representative of samples assessed. Thus, the aim of this study was to elucidate gender differences in a treated epidemiological sample of patients with first episode psychosis (FEP). METHODS: A medical file audit was used to collect data on premorbid, entry, treatment and 18-month outcome characteristics of 661 FEP consecutive patients treated at the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre (EPPIC), Melbourne, Australia. RESULTS: Prior to onset of psychosis, females were more likely to have a history of suicide attempts (p=.011) and depression (p=.001). At service entry, females were more likely to have depressive symptoms (p=.007). Conversely, males had marked substance use problems that were evident prior to admission (p<.001) and persisted through treatment (p<.001). At service entry, males also experienced more severe psychopathology (p<.001) and lower levels of functioning (GAF, p=.008; unemployment/not studying p=.004; living with family, p=.003). Treatment non-compliance (p<.001) and frequent hospitalisations (p=.047) were also common for males with FEP. At service discharge males had significantly lower levels of functioning (GAF, p=.008; unemployment/not studying p=.040; living with family, p=.001) compared to females with FEP. CONCLUSIONS: Gender differences are evident in illness course of patients with FEP, particularly with respect to past history of psychopathology and functioning at presentation and at service discharge. Strategies to deal with these gender differences need to be considered in early intervention programs.

Adverse life events among community-dwelling persons aged 65-70 years: gender differences in occurrence and perceived psychological consequences.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the occurrence of selected adverse life events in young-old men and women, as well as their perceived psychological consequences. METHODS: In 2005, 1,422 participants in the Lausanne Cohort 65+ study, born in 1934-1938, self-reported whether they experienced any of 26 life events during the preceding year. Most participants (N = 1,309, 92%) completed the geriatric adverse life events scale during a face-to-face interview, by rating the level of stress associated with each event, as well as its impact on their psychological well-being. RESULTS: Overall, 72% of the participants experienced at least one of the 26 events in the preceding year (range 1-9). Disease affecting the respondent (N = 525) or a close relative (N = 276) was most frequent, as well as the death of a friend or non-close relative (N = 274). Women indicated a higher frequency of events (mean 2.1 vs. 1.7 events, P < 0.001), as well as a higher level of stress and a stronger negative impact on well-being than men. In multivariate analyses adjusting for self-rated health, depressive symptoms and comorbidity, female gender remained significantly associated with the level of stress and negative impact on psychological well-being. CONCLUSION: This exploratory study shows that several types of adverse life events frequently occur at age 65-70, with gender differences both in the frequency of reporting and consequences of these events. However, information on this topic is limited and studies based on different populations and designs are needed to better understand the impact of such events.