Moms at Work and Dads at Home: Children's Evaluations of Parental Roles

Children's evaluations of two parental roles, working outside the home, and staying home to take care of children, were assessed in second (M = 7.13 years, SD = .39) and fifth grade (M = 10.42, SD = .57) students (N = 121). Children viewed it as acceptable for both mothers and fathers to work full-time, and used personal choice and social conventional reasons as justifications. In contrast, children found it less acceptable for fathers to stay at home than for mothers to stay at home, and they used gender stereotypes about domestic roles as justifications. With age, children were more flexible in their reasoning and used fewer stereotypes in their evaluations; children from traditional family structures used more stereotypic expectations than did children from non-traditional ones. Overall, children's interpretations of competence in a caretaker role was highly contingent on the gender of the parent.     

Morningness–eveningness and performance-based emotional intelligence

The aim of the present article is to determine whether recently shown positive relationships between self-reported emotional intelligence (EI) and morningess preference exist when EI is measured with an ability-based test. In two studies (study 1: N = 206 and study 2: N = 184), we applied two different morningness–eveningness questionnaires and a performance test of EI consisting of four dimensions (perception, understanding, assimilation, managing). The two studies provided similar results indicating that “night owls” have higher EI than “larks”; specifically, evening-oriented subjects showed greater ability in emotion perception and understanding, as compared to morning-oriented individuals. The obtained results were in line with hitherto existing research on chronotype and general intelligence. The results provide further evidence for a cognitive character of ability-based EI and accentuate its different nature when compared to self-reported EI. The main findings are discussed in terms of evolutionary theories of circadian preferences, EI and mental abilities.     

Effect of Adopters' Lifestyles and Animal-Care Knowledge on Their Expectations Prior to Companion-Animal Guardianship

Human expectations can greatly affect the human–companion animal relationship, sometimes putting nonhuman animals at risk for relinquishment. At 20 animal shelters in Southern Ontario, Canada, potential adopters (N = 234) completed a questionnaire regarding their lifestyle, companion animal-care knowledge, and preadoption expectations of their adopted companion animals. Linear mixed models were used to assess the associations of adopters' lifestyles and companion animal-care knowledge with their expectations for animal behavior, the human–companion animal relationship, and the effort required in companion-animal guardianship. Dog adopters had higher expectations than cat adopters for their companion animal's behavior (p < .001), the human–companion animal relationship (p < .001), and the effort required in companion-animal guardianship (p < .001). Adopters' human relationship statuses were also associated with expectations for the human–companion animal relationship (p = .002). As adopters' companion animal-care knowledge increased, so did their expectations for the effort required in companion-animal guardianship (p < .001). An understanding of adopters' expectations prior to adoption will help animal shelters better match, educate, and prepare adopters for their lives with companion animals.     

Effects of the Positive Action Program on Indicators of Positive Youth Development Among Urban Youth

This study evaluated effects of Positive Action, a school-based social-emotional and character development intervention, on indicators of positive youth development (PYD) among a sample of low-income, ethnic minority youth attending 14 urban schools. The study used a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled design at the school level. A multiple-measure self-report protocol assessed four key strengths and resources for PYD: self-concept, peer affiliations, ethics, and social skills. Students (n = 1170) were assessed from grades 3 to 8; the duration of the intervention, with drop-outs and late entrants was included in analyses. Growth curve analyses revealed evidence of favorable program effects on each of the four types of resources. The study contributes to PYD research by providing evidence for school-based interventions in low-income, urban contexts for ethnic minority youth.     

Caryological analysis of South American species of Vernonia (Vernonieae,Asteraceae)

Abstract

In the present study 16 populations belonging to 13 species of the genus Vernonia Schreb. were examined cytologically. In total, six different chromosome numbers, which represent three basic numbers: x = 10, x = 16 and x = 17, were found. These results include the first chromosome number reports for the following four species: V. lanifera Cristóbal & Dematt. (2n = 2x = 32), V. membranacea Gardner (2n = 2x = 34), V. salzmannii DC. (2n = 2x = 20) and V. scabrifoliata Hieron. (2n = 2x = 128). Besides, a new chromosome number was found in V. saltensis Hieron. (2n = 2x = 32), for which only tetraploid populations have been previously recorded. The data obtained in this work, along with the information available from the literature, show that the genus Vernonia in South America is heterogeneous with basic chromosome numbers that range between x = 9 and x = 19. These numbers suggest that a combination of polyploidy and aneuploidy has played an important role in the evolution of the genus.     

Fair Treatment by Authorities is Related to Children's and Adolescents' Evaluations of Interracial Exclusion

This study investigated U.S. ethnic majority and minority youth's perceptions of fair and unfair treatment by authorities and evaluations of three situations of interracial exclusion (N = 685). Findings revealed that older adolescents who reported fair treatment by authorities were more likely to perceive wrongfulness in interracial exclusion scenarios than were their peers who reported unfair treatment. Additionally, in explaining the wrongfulness of interracial exclusion, older adolescents who had not experienced unfair treatment by authorities were more likely to mention racial prejudice than were their counterparts who had experienced unfair treatment. Results are discussed with reference to developmental theory on authority relations and the positive benefits of authority-adolescent relationships that reflect just and fair treatment.     

Phase equilibria of rodlike molecules in binary solvent systems

Phase relationships in solutions of rodlike, molecules were investigated with solutions of poly(γ-benzyl L -glutamate) having degrees of polymerization of 1500 and 3600, in N,N′-dimethylformamide–methanol and in N,N′-dimethylformamide–water at 30°C. With these systems, corresponding boundary curves for isotropic and anisotropic solution were obtained as a function of composition. Phase diagrams for these ternary systems were analysed on the basis of a theoretical treatment by Flory for a binary system consisting of a rodlike polymer and a solvent and found to be in good agreement with that predicted theoretically. For example, the polymer concentration above which the isotropic phase cannot exist and that of anisotropic conjugate phase agree with the values calculated. Furthermore, viscosities were measured as a function of polymer concentration by the falling-sphere method to confirm the boundary composition between the isotropic solution and heterogeneous region. These results were also found to coincide with those on phase equilibrium.     

The Impacts of a Scalable Intervention on the Language and Literacy Development of Rural Pre-Kindergartners

Read It Again (RIA) is a curriculum for pre-kindergarten (pre-K) classrooms that targets children's development of language and literacy skills. A cluster randomized trial was conducted in which 104 pre-K classrooms in the Appalachian region of the United States were randomly assigned to one of three study conditions: Control (n = 30), RIA only (n = 35), or RIA with expanded professional development components (n = 39). This study tested the impacts of RIA on six measures of children's (n = 506) language and literacy development. There was a significant positive impact of RIA on print concepts, and the impacts of RIA on print knowledge and alphabet knowledge were significantly stronger in classrooms with lower-quality literacy instruction. There were no impacts of RIA on children's language development and no impacts of the professional development components. Implications of the findings for implementing scalable, effective strategies to improve key school readiness outcomes for children from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds are discussed.     

Effect of light intensity on the locomotor activity rhythm of Talitrus saltator (Montagu 1808) from Korba Beach

In this work, we investigate the locomotor behaviour of Talitrus saltator (Montagu 1808) for a population collected from the supralittoral zone of Korba beach. The locomotor activity rhythm was recorded for adult individuals during 10 summer days under continuous light with four different luminous intensities: 5 lux (N = 30), 35 lux (N = 30), 75 lux (N = 30) and 140 lux (N = 15). By the end of the experiments, 100% of the considered individuals were found alive under light intensities of 35 and 140 lux, whereas only 86 and 90% were found alive under light intensity of 5 and 75 lux, respectively. Furthermore, whatever the imposed luminous intensity is, actograms showed a clear drift to the right lengthening day after day the circadian period. Moreover, we found that by raising the light intensity, the drift becomes increasingly important. Actograms as well as activity curves, results showed that the locomotor activity profiles are mainly unimodal and their percentage increases when increasing the light intensity. Furthermore, periodogram analysis highlighted the presence of ultradian and circadian components where the longest periods were observed with the highest luminous intensity. In addition, the locomotor activity rhythm was statistically more defined and individuals of Talitrus saltator were significantly more active under the lowest luminous intensity.     

Preliminary findings for the validity of the Morningness–Eveningness-Stability Scale improved (MESSi): Correlations with activity levels and personality

Aim of the present study is an additional validation of the Morningness–Eveningness-Stability Scale improved (MESSi). We screened a total of 97 German students using the reduced Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ) to identify a subsample (N = 42) of definite morning and evening types (31% males, mean age: 24.8 ± 5.8?years). The participants provided information about their sleep–wake rhythm (diary), personality traits (questionnaire) and experienced actigraphic monitoring. Correlations of the MESSi components “Morning affect subscale” (MA) (r = 0.91, p < 0.01) and “Eveningness subscale” (r = ?0.87, p < 0.01) with the rMEQ showed good convergent validity. MA was also significantly negatively correlated with the acrophase and the midpoint of sleep as measured by actigraphy.     

Morphology of pollen and orbicules in the tribe Spiraeeae (Rosaceae) and its systematic implications

This study provides pollen data for 38 representative taxa belonging to all nine genera in the current classification of the tribe Spiraeeae (Rosaceae) including the monotypic Korean endemic genus Pentactina, and considers the distribution of orbicules for the first time. Pollen morphology and wall stratification were investigated using light, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. Spiraeeae pollen grains are small to medium in size (P = 6.9–34.0 μm, E = 7.1–28.0 μm), oblate to prolate in shape (P/E = 0.66–1.48) and tri-colporate. Spiraeeae pollen is generally characterised by striate sexine ornamentation, but four ornamentation types are recognised based on the length and direction of the ridge patterns. The observed variation in sexine ornamentation is particularly valuable at the generic level. The exine stratification of the representative Spiraeeae studied is similar and characterised by unbranched columellae and a continuous endexine. Orbicules are present in three genera of the tribe (Luetkea, Sibiraea and Xerospiraea). Orbicule distribution patterns indicate that the absence of orbicules is a synapomorphic condition of the more derived clade, comprising Pentactina + Petrophytum + Kelseya + Spiraea.     

Adolescent motivation to attend youth programs: A mixed-methods investigation

Research suggests that adolescents can benefit from participating in youth programs; however, recruitment and retention are challenging for many programs, and youth living in low-income, urban areas can be the hardest to reach. We investigated motivation to attend a neighborhood-based program for urban adolescents. Participants completed questionnaires (N = 141, M age = 16.6, 88% African American), and a subsample (n = 34) also participated in face-to-face interviews. Findings suggest that although content is the primary surface driver of attendance for most youth, a large majority of youth would choose to retain staff and peers over content, and that staff and content reasons are intertwined. Attending for peer reasons was negatively associated with attendance frequency. Cluster analysis suggested five patterns of reasons for continued participation, which were related to overall program motivation and attendance frequency. Implications for programs include focusing on providing quality content while recognizing the importance of strong youth-staff relationships.     

Characterisation of a phenomenological model for commercial pneumatic muscle actuators

This study focuses on the parameter characterisation of a three-element phenomenological model for commercially available pneumatic muscle actuators (PMAs). This model consists of a spring, damping and contractile element arranged in parallel. Data collected from static loading, contraction and relaxation experiments were fitted to theoretical solutions of the governing equation for the three-element model resulting in prediction profiles for the spring, damping and contractile force coefficient. For the spring coefficient, K N/mm, the following relationships were found: K = 32.7 ? 0.0321P for 150 ≤ P ≤ 314 kPa and K = 17 + 0.0179P for 314 ≤ P ≤ 550 kPa. For the damping coefficient, B Ns/mm, the following relationship was found during contraction: B = 2.90 for 150 ≤ P ≤ 550 kPa. During relaxation, B = 1.57 for 150 ≤ P ≤ 372 kPa and B = 0.311 + 0.00338P for 372 ≤ P ≤ 550. The following relationship for the contractile force coefficient, F _ce N, was also determined: F _ce = 2.91P+44.6 for 150 ≤ P ≤ 550 kPa. The model was then validated by reasonably predicting the response of the PMA to a triangular wave input in pressure under a constant load on a dynamic test station.     

Light rhythmic exercise with dietary milk fat globule membrane improves physical fitness in an elderly Japanese population: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of home-based, light gymnastic exercise plus dietary milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) intake on physical fitness of an elderly Japanese sample in a pilot, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Seventy-one subjects (male, n = 13; female, n = 58) were randomly assigned into two groups: placebo (n = 35 [male, n = 6; female, n = 29]) and MFGM group (n = 36 [male, n = 7; female, n = 29]). The intervention was eight weeks. Subjects ingested either MFGM (1 g/day) or placebo tablets daily and engaged in an exercise program daily. Physical function tests were performed at baseline and after four and eight weeks. Foot tapping and open–close stepping scores significantly increased from baseline to eight weeks in the MFGM group. Study results suggest daily MFGM ingestion might further enhance the effects of light-intensity exercise in healthy elderly people.     

Genetic diversity in the endangered Sicilian endemic Brassica rupestris: Proposals for a conservation strategy

Abstract

Brassica rupestris Raf. is a chasmophyte species that includes two subspecies, both endemic to Central-Western Sicily (Italy). Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers were used to detect genetic diversity within and among eight populations representative of the species' distribution range. High levels of genetic diversity were revealed both at the population (PPB = 53.88%, H _S = 0.212, Sh = 0.309) and at the species level (PPB = 96.55%, H _T = 0.307, Sh = 0.464). The correlation between genetic and geographical distances was negative (Mantel test, r = ?0.06, P < 0.95). The two subspecies of B. rupestris, subsp. rupestris and subsp. hispida, showed remarkable genetic similarity and molecular data did not unequivocally support their distinctness. The pattern of genetic variation revealed by our study bears important consequences for conservation management: It is desirable to preserve B. rupestris populations in situ with a “dynamic” strategy, while, ex situ conservation programmes might be improved to safeguard maximum genetic diversity.     

Interactive graph-cut segmentation for fast creation of finite element models from clinical ct data for hip fracture prediction

In this study, we propose interactive graph cut image segmentation for fast creation of femur finite element (FE) models from clinical computed tomography scans for hip fracture prediction. Using a sample of N = 48 bone scans representing normal, osteopenic and osteoporotic subjects, the proximal femur was segmented using manual (gold standard) and graph cut segmentation. Segmentations were subsequently used to generate FE models to calculate overall stiffness and peak force in a sideways fall simulations. Results show that, comparable FE results can be obtained with the graph cut method, with a reduction from 20 to 2–5 min interaction time. Average differences between segmentation methods of 0.22 mm were not significantly correlated with differences in FE derived stiffness (R² = 0.08, p = 0.05) and weakly correlated to differences in FE derived peak force (R² = 0.16, p = 0.01). We further found that changes in automatically assigned boundary conditions as a consequence of small segmentation differences were significantly correlated with FE derived results. The proposed interactive graph cut segmentation software MITK-GEM is freely available online at https://simtk.org/home/mitk-gem.     

Structures and energies of isomers of 1-nitroso-3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one-2-oxide

Isomers of 1-nitroso-3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one-2-oxide are of interest in the contest of high explosives and were found to have true local energy minima at the hybrid DFT-B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ level. The optimised structures, vibrational frequencies and thermodynamic values for triazol-5-one-N-oxides have been obtained in the ground state. Kamlet–Jacob equations were used to evaluate the performance of model compounds based on the predicted density and the calculated heat of explosion. The detonation properties (D = 10.15–10.46 km/s, P = 50.86–54.25 GPa) of designed compounds were found to be promising compared with 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (D = 8.75 km/s, P = 34.7 GPa), octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (D = 8.96 km/s, P = 35.96 GPa), 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (D = 9.20 km/s, P = 42.0 GPa) and octanitrocubane (D = 9.90 km/s, P = 48.45 GPa). The replacement of secondary hydrogen by nitroso group appears to be a particularly promising area for investigation since it may lead to the desirable consequences of higher heat of explosion, higher density and thus detonation performance.     

An anatomical subject-specific FE-model for hip fracture load prediction

In order to reduce the socio-economic burden induced by osteoporotic hip fractures, finite element models have been evaluated as an additional diagnostic tool for fracture prediction. For a future clinical application, the challenge is to reach the best compromise between model relevance and computing time. Based on this consideration, the current study focused on the development and validation of a subject-specific FE-model using an original parameterised generic model and a specific personalization method. A total of 39 human femurs were tested to failure under a quasi-static compression in stance configuration. The corresponding FE-models were generated and for each specimen the numerical fracture load (F _FEM) was compared with the experimental value (F _EXP), resulting in a significant correlation (F _EXP = 1.006 F _FEM with r ² = 0.87 and SEE = 1220 N, p < 0.05) obtained with a reasonable computing time (30 mn). Further in vivo study should confirm the ability of this FE-model to improve the fracture risk prediction.     

Coping with shift work-related circadian disruption: A mixed-methods case study on napping and caffeine use in Australian nurses and midwives

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Two of the most ubiquitous fatigue countermeasures used by shift-working nurses are napping and caffeine. This mixed-methods case study investigated the ways nurses and midwives utilised napping and caffeine countermeasures to cope with shift work, and associated sleep, physical health and psychological health outcomes.

Materials and Methods: N = 130 Australian shift-working nurses and midwives (mean age = 44 years, range = 21–67, 115F, 15M) completed the Standard Shiftwork Index. A sub-set of 22 nurses and midwives completed an in-depth interview.

Results: Nearly 70% of participants reported napping. Those who napped during night shifts had significantly less total sleep time before (F_2,75 = 5.5, p < 0.01) and between days off (F_2,82 = 3.9, p < 0.05). By the end of the night shift, average hours of time awake were significantly less for prophylactic and on-shift nappers compared to non-nappers (F_2,85 = 97.2, p < 0.001). Since starting shift work, the percentage of high caffeine consumers (>400 mg/day) increased from 15% to 33% of the sample and an average of 4 (SD = 2) caffeinated beverages per day was reported. Increased caffeine consumption was associated with greater sleep disturbance (r = 0.26, p < 0.05), psychological distress (r = 0.37, p < 0.001), abdomen pain (r = 0.27, p < 0.05) and weight gain since starting shift work (r = 0.25, p < 0.05). Interviews confirmed these relationships and revealed that caffeine consumption on night shift was common, whereas napping on night shift was dependent on a number of factors including ability to sleep during the day.

Conclusion: This study identified reasons shift workers chose to engage in or abstain from napping and consuming caffeine, and how these strategies related to poor sleep and health outcomes. Further research is required to help develop recommendations for shift workers regarding napping and caffeine consumption as fatigue countermeasures, whilst taking into account the associated hazards of each strategy.