Risky drinking patterns are being continued into pregnancy: a prospective cohort study

Background: Risky patterns of alcohol use prior to pregnancy increase the risk of alcohol-exposed pregnancies and subsequent adverse outcomes. It is important to understand how consumption changes once women become pregnant. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of women that partake in risky drinking patterns before pregnancy and to examine how these patterns change once they become pregnant. Methods: A sample of 1577 women from the 1973–78 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health were included if they first reported being pregnant in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009 and reported risky drinking patterns prior to that pregnancy. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine which risky drinking patterns were most likely to continue into pregnancy. Results: When reporting risky drinking patterns prior to pregnancy only 6% of women reported weekly drinking only, whereas 46% reported binge drinking only and 48% reported both. Women in both binge categories were more likely to have experienced financial stress, not been partnered, smoked, used drugs, been nulliparous, experienced a violent relationship, and were less educated. Most women (46%) continued these risky drinking patterns into pregnancy, with 40% reducing these behaviors, and 14% completely ceasing alcohol consumption. Once pregnant, women who binged only prior to pregnancy were more likely to continue (55%) rather than reduce drinking (29%). Of the combined drinking group 61% continued to binge and 47% continued weekly drinking. Compared with the combined drinking group, binge only drinkers prior to pregnancy were less likely to reduce rather than continue their drinking once pregnant (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.29, 0.47). Conclusions: Over a third of women continued risky drinking into pregnancy, especially binge drinking, suggesting a need to address alcohol consumption prior to pregnancy. Alexis J. Hure, Peta M. Forder, Jennifer Powers, Frances J. Kay-Lambkin, Deborah J. Loxto

CareerAdvance® Implementation Study Findings through FY 2018

This report examines the implementation of the third year of HPOG II services in a five-year grant cycle, including post-HPOG sustainability planning for CareerAdvance®. This report focuses on how and why the program has changed and adjusted to meet the requirements of HPOG II, while responding to the needs of the participants being served, the local job market, and the partners working together to implement and sustain the program. First, this report briefly describes the organizations partnering to implement the HPOG II version of CareerAdvance®. It then examines changes made to the program components, including the eligibility requirements, recruitment, assessment, and selection process, support services, training options, and other program elements. Also, it describes the HPOG II FY 2018 (September 1, 2017-August 31, 2018) cohorts enrolled in training, including assessment scores and detailed demographic information on the participants and their families, as well as program completion and certification attainment of all HPOG II participants (April 2016-August 31, 2018). A final section addresses CareerAdvance® sustainability planning issues, options and opportunities. This report draws from previous CareerAdvance® reports, information on the HPOG II program participants and their families, and interviews with CAP, Tulsa Tech, Family and Children Services, and Tulsa Community WorkAdvance leadership and staff.Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesRay Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resource

The Food Pantry Dilemma: Understanding the Need for Nutritional Value in Emergency Food Provided in a Down Economy

The purpose of this project was to determine if there are viable nutritional options available to the patrons of suburban food pantries located in Norton, Easton and Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The goal was to establish the existing practices of the pantries, how the food received is utilized, the needs of the patrons, and how corporate establishments work in conjunction with the food pantries. Providing nutritional options in a down economy is a difficult task if there is not a strong system currently in place or if the facility is unable to store and distribute fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy to the patrons. Mixed-methods data was collected through surveys, observations, interviews, and evaluations of each pantry’s operating system. Upon examining these areas, it has become clear that there are viable nutritional options available, but only if the pantries are willing and able to work with the corporate and local establishments. According to the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), 47% of people in eastern Massachusetts have food insecurity, and there has been a 23% increase in the requests for assistance. Public awareness, volunteers, and new procedures within the existing food pantries are essential if pantries are to restructure toward healthier options for a service that is at risk

It Just Weighs in the Back of Your Mind”: Microaggressions in Science

Despite significant increases in academic degrees earned in recent decades, underrepresentation in the sciences still remains for women, African-Americans, Latina/os, and Native Americans (National Science Foundation, 2015). According to social cognitive career theory, academic and career development is impacted by contextual factors, such as environmental barriers (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994). Among previously examined factors, discrimination has been shown to be a barrier for individuals throughout their science academic and career development (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 2000). However, the impact of microaggressions, a subtler form of discrimination, requires further exploration for its potential influence on underrepresented groups in the sciences. To fill the gap within the literature, the current study explored the role of racial and gender microaggressions on science academic and career choices. This study explored the racial and gender microaggressions that prevent diverse representation in the sciences, from the perspectives of youth, graduate students, and faculty who participate in a science support program for Latina/o youth. Three research questions were explored in this study: a) what are the perceived gender and racial/ethnic microaggressions in the sciences? b) what role do gender and racial microaggressions play in science education and careers? c) how do these perceptions of microaggressions vary by race/ethnicity, gender, and age? Qualitative one-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 youth, 11 graduate students, and 13 faculty members. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 2006) and prior taxonomies of microaggressions were used to inform analysis (Sue et al., 2007; Capodilupo et al., 2010). Perceptions of microaggressions fell into four overarching themes: 1) microinsults (including ascriptions of intelligence, assumptions of inferiority), 2) microinvalidations (including invisibility, denial of racism and sexism, restrictive gender roles), 3) gendered microassaults (including hiring discrimination, sexual harassment), and 4) environmental invalidations (including lack of women scientists, lack of scientists of color, lack of role models). Participants reported several ways in which microaggressions impacted their science education career development, including: 1) detrimental to psychological well-being, 2) mobility across science contexts, 3) pressure to prove ability and competence, and 4) sense of social isolation. As suggested by SCCT, these findings support the role of microaggressions as a contextual factor negatively influencing career development. The current study has implications for increasing well-being, retention, and participation of women and underrepresented ethnic/racial groups in the sciences

Photographic Eye: Capturing the Moment through Personal Narrative [8th-9th grade]

Students will explore the connections between the writing process, art and memory. Through the lens of photography and art, they will refine and publish a “moment in time” personal narrative. This unit was created for the beginning of the school year, and serves the dual purpose of reviewing the writing process and helping students create meaningful connections with each other. Learning culminates as students produce and present a literary magazine celebrating their work

Romanticism: Past and Present [10th grade]

Exploring the Romantic Movement and its influence on our culture today, this unit focuses on identifying and explaining how the characteristics of a literary genre are reflected in a work of art or piece of literature. Students will refine their explication skills and learn to make connections between literature, art and music. The unit culminates in a differentiated multimedia project, which allows students to show what they know about Romanticism and its connections to our lives today

Preoperative Smoking Cessation Education Plan for Patients and Health Care Professionals

Surgical site infections are an undesired consequence of surgery. Smoking has been identified as a risk factor for developing a postoperative infection (Anderson, 2019). Patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery should be required to be tobacco-free for at least four weeks before surgery. Health care organizations can implement a preoperative smoking cessation program within their facility to assist patients in achieving this requirement. To do so, an education plan is needed to effectively disseminate the main components of the program to both patients and health care professionals. The efficacy of the education plan can be exponentially increased by selecting learning strategies that align with the concepts of the adult learning theory. Adults can learn best when they understand the rationale, they can direct their learning, the material is based in reality and it is directly applicable to their life and previous experiences (McEwen & Wills, 2014). Therefore, a preoperative smoking cessation education plan within an adult learning theory framework can include the following evidence-based learning strategies: pamphlets, videos, computer-based training courses, in-services, poster board presentations, quick reference cards, and unit mentorships

I Have Not Learned Anything About Native American Women in Minnesota : An Educational Workshop about Indigenous Women of Minnesota

The historical and contemporary experience of Native cultures is an integral component of the history of Minnesota; however, the significance of these Nations is often overlooked in formal education, as well as culturally ignored. I have witnessed a lack of knowledge regarding Native lived experiences from both resident and non-resident college students in Minnesota. Comprehension of topics ranging from the various Nations in Minnesota to the United States-Dakota War of 1862 is absent. Furthermore, any recognition or familiarity with Native women\u27s position is basically nonexistent. Formal education has failed to transmit the history and the cultures of this population, so I embarked on this project to remedy this problem by creating an educational workshop that would be informative of Native women\u27s lived experiences in Minnesota. I began this project by investigating college students\u27 existing knowledge of the indigenous people of Minnesota, with a specific focus on Native women. The findings from this research, in conjunction with reviewing relevant literature, informed the content for the workshop. This workshop includes the histories, cultures, lived experiences, current issues, and authentic voices of Native women in Minnesota. Native women\u27s lived experiences is this project\u27s central element, and brining their lives to the forefront of people\u27s minds through education is the goal. The methodology used for this project was a mixed-methods approach that incorporated surveys and an action research project

Comparison of the generic neuronal differentiation and neuron subtype specification functions of mammalian achaete-scute and atonal homologs in cultured neural progenitor cells

In the vertebrate peripheral nervous system, the proneural genes neurogenin 1 and neurogenin 2 (Ngn1 and Ngn2), and Mash1 are required for sensory and autonomic neurogenesis, respectively. In cultures of neural tube-derived, primitive PNS progenitors NGNs promote expression of sensory markers and MASH1 that of autonomic markers. These effects do not simply reflect enhanced neuronal differentiation, suggesting that both bHLH factors also specify neuronal identity like their Drosophila counterparts. At high concentrations of BMP2 or in neural crest stem cells (NCSCs), however, NGNs like MASH1 promote only autonomic marker expression. These data suggest that that the identity specification function of NGNs is more sensitive to context than is that of MASH1. In NCSCs, MASH1 is more sensitive to Notch-mediated inhibition of neurogenesis and cell cycle arrest, than are the NGNs. Thus, the two proneural genes differ in other functional properties besides the neuron subtype identities they can promote. These properties may explain cellular differences between MASH1- and NGN-dependent lineages in the timing of neuronal differentiation and cell cycle exit