The Contribution of Psychological Inflexibility and Metacognitive Processes to Emotional Distress.

Process-based cognitive behavior therapy (PB-CBT) may be informed by identifying shared mechanisms of disorder linked to shared processes of therapeutic change. Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a molar pathogenic process common to both generalized anxiety disorder and depression. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and metacognitive therapy (MCT) offer separate models of the relationship between RNT and emotional distress. In a pair of related studies, the relative degree to which processes specific to the two models accounted for variability in levels of generalized anxiety and depression in college student samples was evaluated. Across both studies, processes of cognitive fusion and obstructed valued living within the ACT model and beliefs about the negative consequences of RNT within the MCT model were most predictive of variability in levels of emotional distress. Limitations of this project as well as implications for further research and practice of PB-CBT for disorders of emotional distress are discussed.

Mindfulness Training Improves Attention: Evidence from Behavioral and Event-related Potential Analyses.

Mindfulness meditation helps to improve attentional capacity. However, the neural correlates that indicate the mechanism through which mindfulness improves attention are unclear. To address this gap, we aimed to assess the effects of mindfulness training on sustained attentional capacity. Event-related potentials (ERPs) associated with the modified sustained attention response task (mSART) were used in this study. A total of 45 college students were randomly assigned to either the mindfulness group (n = 21) or the control group (n = 24). Participants in the mindfulness group received a three-week mindfulness training. The self-report results showed that the mindfulness group reported higher mindfulness scores (observing and non-judgment of inner experiences) after the training. The mindfulness group also scored lower on the state anxiety than the control group. Behavioral results also showed that self-caught mind wandering in the mindfulness group significantly decreased after the training, and the mindfulness group showed a faster response after the training. The ERP results showed that N2 amplitudes in the post-test were significantly greater than those in the pre-test in the mindfulness group. We did not find any interactions between group and time for P3. The findings suggest that mindfulness training can effectively improve sustained attentional capacity, as indicated by reduced mind wandering and increased N2 responses.

Decreased Conflict Control in Overweight Chinese Females: Behavioral and Event-Related Potentials Evidence.

Overweight or obesity is related to a decrease in cognitive control, especially conflict control. However, research on conflict control in overweight/obese individuals are still controversial. This study was conducted to explore general and food-related conflict control in overweight Chinese females (OWs) with a color-word Stroop task and a food-related conflict task. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during the food-related conflict task. Behavioral results showed that, OWs had a longer reaction time (RT) than normal-weight Chinese females (NWs), in both tasks. ERP results in the food-related conflict task showed that there was a reduction of N2 and N450 response strength in OWs, and the P3 and late positive component (LPC) response strength was enhanced. Results indicated that OWs might be less efficient in monitoring and resolving conflict, and OWs tended to have a higher motivational or emotional involvement in processing food-related stimuli, which was likely to contribute to their difficulty in losing weight.

HIV/AIDS epidemics in Vietnam: evolution and responses.

The goal of this study was to describe the evolution of the HIV epidemic in Vietnam and its responses. Surveillance was conducted in 8 provinces in 1994, expanded to 12 in 1995, 20 in 1996, and 30 in 2001. Sentinel populations were sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients, female sex workers (FSWs), injection drug users (IDUs), tuberculosis (TB) patients, antenatal women, and military conscripts. Vietnam is in the concentrated epidemic stage. HIV prevalence had increased significantly in all surveillance population groups in the 1990s. HIV prevalence in the south is higher than in other regions of the country. The national HIV prevalence increased from 10.1% in 1996 to 32% in 2002 among IDUs, from 0.6% in 1994 to 6.6% in 2002 among FSWs, from 0.4% in 1994 to 2.4% in 2002 among STD patients, from 0.03% in 1994 to 0.34% in 2002 among pregnant women, from 0% in 1994 to 0.7% in 2002 among army military recruits, and from 0.5% in 1994 to 3.6% in 2002 among TB patients. The government has a strong commitment to control the epidemic and has implemented many activities for HIV prevention and control. Vietnam's HIV epidemic is predominantly among IDUs. Current intervention activities have not been sufficient to reduce HIV transmission. Vietnam needs to strengthen responses by scaling up the best practices in the most affected population groups by implementing internationally recognised effective interventions appropriately.

Remark on the mortality hemorrhagic fever in Viet Nam, year 2002

42 cases of death due to hemorrhagic fever in the year 2002 showed that: they were mainly (90.5%) in South provinces, mainly at the age under 15 (90.5%). The most died within 48 hours after the admission into hospital (73.8%), 26.2% after 3nd day and 92.2% within 5-6 days after the recovery. 85.7% of deaths were at commune level and provincial level. Hemorrhagic common symptoms were usually: blood vomitting (47.6%), hemorrhagic points (42.9%), nasal hemorrhagic 47.6%, gengive hemorrhage 16.7% and erythema (11.9%)

Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS infection in sentinel provinces and initial interventions in two provinces of the South of Vietnam (1999-2002)

An inquiry was conducted in HIV/AIDS cases and AIDS deaths in 21 sentinel provinces in the period of 1999-2001. In An Giang, Kien Giang provinces, sex female workers underwent interview, intervention, blood examination,… Results showed an increasing tendence of HIV with complex evolution in morphology, in infective objects, in age. There were considerable defferences between various region. The incidence in male was 85.73% and female 14.24%. Among male HIV infected, the incidence in North was higher than in South regions. 61.9% of infections were drug users and the incidence was difference between various locations. There was a tendence of raising of sexual transmitted infection and the prostitutes were rather high risk transmitted people with their low knowlegde on HIV/AIDS, on STD, the prevention ways, low rate of condom use. After intervention there was an enhance of their user of these measures

Dengue Activity in Viet Nam and its Control Programme, 1997-1998.

Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) is showing an increasing trend in Viet Nam ever since its detection in 1959. Both north and south Viet Nam though are equally endemic, but they show seasonal variations. While in north Viet Nam the peak incidence is from June to November and then there is interruption of transmission due to winter, in south Viet Nam the transmission occurs throughout the year. Realizing the need for making organized efforts for the control of DF/DHF, the Ministry of Health established a National Programme for Dengue Prevention and Control in 1997. The key elements of the programme include: (i) active surveillance; (ii) emergency response; (iii) longterm vector control, and (iv) clinical diagnosis and management. An action plan for the years 1997-1998 covering the whole country has been put into operation.