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Spirituality is an important aspect of treatment and recovery for substance use disorders (SUDs), but ambiguities in measurement can make it difficult to incorporate as part of routine care. We evaluated the psychometric properties of an adapted short-form version of the Spirituality Scale (the Spirituality Scale–Short-Form; SS-SF) for use in SUD treatment settings. Participants were adult patients (N = 1,388; Mage = 41.23 years, SDage = 11.55; 68% male; 86% White) who entered a large, clinically mixed inpatient SUD treatment program. Factor analysis supported the two-dimensional structure, with factors representing Self-Discovery and Transcendent Connection. Tests of measurement invariance demonstrated that the scale was invariant across age and gender subgroups. The SS-SF exhibited convergent and concurrent validity via associations with participation in spiritual activities, hopefulness, life satisfaction, 12-step participation, and depressive symptoms. Finally, scores on the SS-SF were significantly higher at discharge compared to admission, demonstrating short-term sensitivity to change. These findings support use of the SS-SF as a concise, psychometrically sound measure of spirituality in the context of substance use treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine the salience of tobacco marketing on postsecondary campuses and student support for tobacco control policies. Methods: Face-to-face surveys were conducted with 1690 students at 3 universities in southwestern Ontario. Results: Virtually all (97%) students reported noticing tobacco marketing in the past year, and 35% reported noticing marketing on campus. There was strong support for smoke-free restrictions on campus, including restaurants and bars (82%), and for prohibitions on campus marketing. The presence of campus policies was associated with reduced exposure to marketing and increased policy support. Conclusions: There is strong support among students to remove tobacco marketing from campus and to introduce comprehensive smoke-free restrictions.

To evaluate the contribution of neural pathways to the determination of the circadian oscillator phase in peripheral organs, we assessed lateralization of clock gene expression in Syrian hamsters induced to split rhythms of locomotor activity by exposure to constant light. We measured the ratio of haPer1, haPer2, and haBmall mRNA on the high vs. low (H/L) side at 3-h intervals prior to the predicted activity onset (pAO). We also calculated expression on the sides ipsilateral vs. contralateral (I/C) to the side of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) expressing higher haPer1. The extent of asymmetry in split hamsters varied between specific genes, phases, and organs. Although the magnitude of asymmetry in peripheral organs was never as great as that in the SCN, we observed significantly greater lateralization of clock gene expression in the adrenal medulla and cortex, lung, and skeletal muscle, hut not in liver or kidney, of split hamsters than of unsplit controls. We observed fivefold lateralization of expression of the clock-controlled gene, albumin site D-element binding protein (Dbp), in skeletal muscle (H/L: 10.7-] 3.7 at 3 h vs. 2.2-] 0.3 at 0 h pAO; P = 0.03). Furthermore, tyrosine hydroxylase expression was asymmetrical in the adrenal medulla of split (H/L: 1.9 - 0.5 at 0 h) vs. unsplit hamsters (1.2 - 0.04; P < 0.05). Consistent with a model of neurally controlled gene expression, we found significant correlations between the phase angle between morning and evening components ([[psi].sub.ME]) and the level of asymmetry (H/L or I/C). Our results indicate that neural pathways contribute to, but cannot completely account for, SCN regulation of the phase of peripheral oscillators. clock genes; splitting; SCN; circadian; period; Bmall; tyrosine hydroxylase; albumin site D-element binding protein doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00746.2009.

Homozygous tau mutant ([τ.sub.ss]) hamsters show an extremely short (20 h) circadian period (τ) that is attributable to altered enzymatic activity of casein kinase 1e. It has been proposed that coupling of constituent circadian oscillators is strengthened in [τ.sub.ss] hamsters, explaining their tendency to show strong resetting after prolonged exposure to constant darkness. To evaluate further the circadian organization of [τ.sub.ss] hamsters, the authors assessed the extent of shortening of period as an aftereffect of exposure to light:dark cycles whose period ([tau) is 91% of t and the ability of constant light to induce splitting. They find that sw hamsters show aftereffects comparable to wild types, indicating that normal CK1e activity is not required for T cycles to shorten τ. This finding also contradicts the proposal that circadian period is homeostatically conserved. However, the authors find that [τ.sub.ss] hamsters rarely show splitting in constant light. Furthermore, LL does not induce lengthening of t or reduction of activity duration (α) in these mutants. The authors' findings support the conclusion that the τ mutation alters the coupling between constituent circadian oscillators. Key words circadian aftereffect, splitting, tau mutant hamster, circadian period, casein kinase 1ζ, The tau mutation in Syrian hamsters, which results in a striking change in entrained phase angle and a dramatic reduction of free-running period (Ralph and Menaker, 1988), has proven useful [...]