Sometimes, Practice Makes Imperfect: Overcoming the Automaticity of Challenging Behavior by Linking Intervention to Thoughts, Feelings, and Action

In schools throughout the country, education personnel express concern over the aggressive and antisocial behavior of children and youth. The frequency and severity of these acts compel us to find more effective strategies for decreasing and eliminating these behaviors. In this article, we argue for a broader explanation of the nature and treatment of aggressive behavior, especially when it rises to what is essentially an automotive response level. We contend that both assessment and intervention must account for internal and external influences on behavior and that treatment should encompass cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of the problem. Finally, we discuss the advantages and limitations of a multifaceted approach to dealing with antisocial and aggressive behavior of children and youth

The Nature of the Strong 24 micron Spitzer Source J222557+601148: Not a Young Galactic Supernova Remnant

The nebula J222557+601148, tentatively identified by Morris et al. (2006) as a young Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) from Spitzer Galactic First Look Survey images and a follow-up mid-infrared spectrum, is unlikely to be a SNR remnant based on Halpha, [O III], [S II] images and low dispersion optical spectra. The object is seen in Halpha and [O III] 5007 images as a faint, roughly circular ring nebula with dimensions matching that seen in 24 micron Spitzer images. Low-dispersion optical spectra show it to have narrow Halpha and [N II] 6548, 6583 line emissions with no evidence of broad or high-velocity (v > 300 km/s) line emissions. The absence of any high-velocity optical features, the presence of relatively strong [N II] emissions, a lack of detected [S II] emission which would indicate the presence of shock-heated gas, plus no coincident X-ray or nonthermal radio emissions indicate the nebula is unlikely to be a SNR, young or old. Instead, it is likely a faint, high-excitation planetary nebula (PN) as its elliptical morphology would suggest, lying at a distance of approximately 2 - 3 kpc with unusual but not extraordinary mid-IR colors and spectrum. We have identified a m_r' = 22.4 +/- 0.2 star as a PN central star candidate.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted to The Astronomical Journa

Chemokines: structure, receptors and functions. A new target for inflammation and asthma therapy?

Five to 10% of the human population have a disorder of the respiratory tract called ‘asthma’. It has been known as a potentially dangerous disease for over 2000 years, as it was already described by Hippocrates and recognized as a disease entity by Egyptian and Hebrew physicians. At the beginning of this decade, there has been a fundamental change in asthma management. The emphasis has shifted from symptom relief with bronchodilator therapies (e.g. β2-agonists) to a much earlier introduction of anti-inflammatory treatment (e.g. corticosteroids). Asthma is now recognized to be a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, involving various inflammatory cells and their mediators. Although asthma has been the subject of many investigations, the exact role of the different inflammatory cells has not been elucidated completely. Many suggestions have been made and several cells have been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma, such as the eosinophils, the mast cells, the basophils and the lymphocytes. To date, however, the relative importance of these cells is not completely understood. The cell type predominantly found in the asthmatic lung is the eosinophil and the recruitment of these eosinophils can be seen as a characteristic of asthma. In recent years much attention is given to the role of the newly identified chemokines in asthma pathology. Chemokines are structurally and functionally related 8–10 kDa peptides that are the products of distinct genes clustered on human chromosomes 4 and 17 and can be found at sites of inflammation. They form a superfamily of proinflammatory mediators that promote the recruitment of various kinds of leukocytes and lymphocytes. The chemokine superfamily can be divided into three subgroups based on overall sequence homology. Although the chemokines have highly conserved amino acid sequences, each of the chemokines binds to and induces the chemotaxis of particular classes of white blood cells. Certain chemokines stimulate the recruitment of multiple cell types including monocytes, lymphocytes, basophils, and eosinophils, which are important cells in asthma. Intervention in this process, by the development of chemokine antagonists, might be the key to new therapy. In this review we present an overview of recent developments in the field of chemokines and their role in inflammations as reported in literature

Maintaining the Integrity of FBA-Based Interventions in Schools

The best interventions and best laid plans are brought into jeopardy when they are implemented inappropriately or of insufficient duration. Six factors that affect fidelity of treatment in relationship to functional behavioral assessment (FBA) are discussed: a) understanding the function of and the contextual valuables that support target behavior, b) adult knowledge of effective interventions, c) adult acceptance of the intervention, d) selection of suitable replacement behavior, e) selection of the standard to judge behavior change, and f) utilization of procedures to enhance integrity of implementation. Examples and suggestions for improving treatment fidelity in schools are offered

Expression of the inhibitory Ly49E receptor is not critically involved in the immune response against cutaneous, pulmonary or liver tumours

Natural killer (NK) lymphocytes are part of the innate immune system and are important in immune protection against tumourigenesis. NK cells display a broad repertoire of activating and inhibitory cell surface receptors that regulate NK cell activity. The Ly49 family of NK receptors is composed of several members that recognize major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) or MHC-I-related molecules. Ly49E is a unique inhibitory member, being triggered by the non-MHC-I-related protein urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) in contrast to the known MHC-I-triggering of the other inhibitory Ly49 receptors. Ly49E also has an uncommon expression pattern on NK cells, including high expression on liver DX5-NK cells. Furthermore, Ly49E is the only Ly49 member expressed by epidermal gamma delta T cells. As gamma delta T cells and/or NK cells have been shown to be involved in the regulation of cutaneous, pulmonary and liver malignancies, and as uPA is involved in tumourigenesis, we investigated the role of the inhibitory Ly49E receptor in the anti-tumour immune response. We demonstrate that, although Ly49E is highly expressed on epidermal gamma delta T cells and liver NK cells, this receptor does not play a major role in the control of skin tumour formation or in lung and liver tumour development

Active commuting to school, cognitive performance, and academic achievement: an observational study in Dutch adolescents using accelerometers

Background: The current study examined the associations between active commuting to school, cognitive performance, and academic achievement in Dutch adolescents. In addition, it was explored whether these associations were moderated by sex and mediated by depressive symptoms. Methods: Students in grades 7 and 9 (N = 270; mean age 13.4 years; 53% boys) were included. Active commuting to school was measured objectively by an ActivPAL3™ accelerometer. Cognitive performance was measured by the d2 Test of attention (key components of executive functioning) and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (information-processing speed). Academic achievement was determined by the mean of the school grades obtained in Dutch, mathematics and English. Depressive symptoms were self-reported. Results: Active commuting to school constituted 28% of the total amount of time spent moving per week. Active commuting to school was not significantly associated with cognitive performance and academic achievement, overall. However, active commuting to school was positively associated with performance on the d2 Test of attention in girls (β = .17, p = .037), but not in boys (β = −.03, p =.660). The associations were not mediated by depressive symptoms. Conclusions: The associations between active commuting to school and cognitive performance and academic achievement are weak and might be moderated by sex, while the greatest benefits on cognition due to active commuting to school might be with regard to executive functioning. Future studies might make use of experimental designs, because causal relations between active commuting to school and cognitive performance or academic achievement would provide important implications for both education and public health.This research was supported by the NIHC (Nationaal Initiatief Hersenen & Cognitie [National Initiative Brain & Cognition]) funded by FES (Fonds Economische Structuurversterking [Fund Economic Structure Reinforcement])

The Association Between Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Academic Achievement in Dutch Adolescents: Findings From the GOALS Study

The main goal of this study was to investigate the association between objectively measured physical activity and academic achievement in adolescents

Objectively versus subjectively measured physical activity: associations with cognition and academic achievement in adolescents

Van Dijk, M. L., De Groot, R. H. M., Savelberg, H. C. M., Van Acker, F. H. M., & Kirschner, P. A. (2013, 25 May). Objectively versus subjectively measured physical activity: associations with cognition and academic achievement in adolescents. Poster presentation at the ISBNPA conference 2013, Ghent, Belgium.An increasing amount of research supports a positive association between physical activity and cognitive performance or academic achievement. The majority of these studies focused on children or older adults, while less is known about these associations in adolescents. Moreover, in studies on the associations between physical activity and cognitive performance / academic achievement in adolescents, questionnaires (i.e. self-report) were used to measure physical activity. This subjective measure of physical activity has been found to have several limitations, such as social desirability and recall bias. Therefore, associations between objectively measured physical activity and cognition / academic achievement in Dutch adolescents, controlling for relevant covariates, were investigated in this stud

Physical activity, cognitive performance, and academic achievement: an observational study in Dutch adolescents using accelerometers

Van Dijk, M. L., De Groot, R. H. M., Savelberg, H. C. M., Van Acker, F. H. M., & Kirschner, P. A. (2013, 7 November). Physical activity, cognitive performance, and academic achievement: an observational study in Dutch adolescents using accelerometers. Paper presentation at ICO National Fall School 2013, Maastricht, The Netherlands.Presentation of the associations between physical activity and cognitive performance, and academic achievement in adolescents. Physical activity levels were measured in 440 secondary school students during one full week using accelerometers