Offering Sexual Health Fairs to Supplement Existing Sex Education Programs: An Evaluation of Adolescent Students' Knowledge Needs

A health fair called Choices Not Chances has been designed by the public health nurses in a southern Ontario city to increase the knowledge of young high school students about sexual health and healthy relationships. Our purpose in designing this study in cooperation with the public health nurses ivas to assess the existing level of knowledge among grades 9 and 10 students to determine if the content presented through this fair was appropriate for these students. Forty-five grades 9-10 students completed one survey during class time in their sex-segregated physical education class. Our findings show that although students had basic knowledge about STDs, anatomy, and pregnancy prevention, their knowledge of healthy communication and behavior in relationships was much less developed, which may put students at risk of becoming involved in unsafe sex and abusive relationships. Overall, the health fair appears to provide a valuable supplement for sex education.Dans le but d'accroître les connaissances qu'ont les élèves du secondaire au sujet de la santé en matière de sexualité et des relations interpersonnelles saines, des infirmières de la santé publique ont organisé, dans une ville du sud de l'Ontario, une foire sur la santé intitulée Choices Not Chances (Des choix plutôt que des risques). Nous avons entrepris cette étude avec la coopération de ces infirmières de la santé publique afin d'évaluer ce que savent les élèves en 9e et en 10e années pour ensuite déterminer si le contenu de la foire leur convenait. Quarante-cinq élèves en 9e et en 10e années ont complété un sondage pendant leur cours d'éducation physique (pendant lequel ils sont regroupés selon leur sexe). Les résultats indiquent que, quoique les étudiants aient des connaissances de base au sujet des MTS, de l'anatomie et de la prévention de la grossesse, ils en savent beaucoup moins sur la communication et le comportement sains dans les relations interpersonnelles, ce qui pourrait indiquer qu'ils courrent le risque de se retrouver dans des relations abusives ou d'adopter des pratiques sexuelles risquées. De façon globale, la foire sur la santé semble constituer un supplément valable au cours d'éducation en matière de sexualité

Scribe Hero: An Online Teaching and Learning Approach for the Development of Writing Skills in the Undergraduate Classroom

This study examined whether or not writing skills could be taught to post-secondary students via online learning modules and what student perceptions of such a learning process were like. A pilot study of the modules developed—called Scribe Hero—was conducted in the Fall of 2017. Statistical analysis of quantitative data reveals an improvement in student writing skills following their engagement with the online learning modules. Thematic analysis of qualitative data revealed that the students were engaged by the experience, finding it educational and refreshingly different from in-class options. The feedback also suggested that user-friendly technology, tone of the online environment, incentivising meaningful feedback, and maintaining a sense of direct applicability of content are essential to capitalising on this sort of teaching and learning methodology. Overall, the findings of this small-scale research study support further development of this technology while also offering lessons that can be transferred to other contexts for teaching writing

HSAF-induced antifungal effects in Candida albicans through ROS-mediated apoptosis

Heat-stable antifungal factor (HSAF) belongs to polycyclic tetramate macrolactams (PTMs), which inhibits many fungal pathogens and is effective in inhibiting Candida albicans (C. albicans). In this study, we found that HSAF induced the apoptosis of C. albicans SC5314 through inducing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Nevertheless, we validated the efficacy of HSAF against candidiasis caused by C. albicans in a murine model in vivo,and HSAF significantly improved survival and reduced fungal burden compared to vehicles. A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was also investigated, revealing the theoretical binding mode of HSAF to the β-tubulin of C. albicans. This study first found PTMs-induced fungal apoptosis through ROS accumulation in C. albicans and its potential as a novel agent for fungicides

Software Engineering for Self-Adaptive Systems: A second Research Roadmap

The goal of this roadmap paper is to summarize the state of-the-art and identify research challenges when developing, deploying and managing self-adaptive software systems. Instead of dealing with a wide range of topics associated with the field, we focus on four essential topics of self-adaptation: design space for adaptive solutions, processes, from centralized to decentralized control, and practical run-time verification and validation. For each topic, we present an overview, suggest future directions, and focus on selected challenges. This paper complements and extends a previous roadmap on software engineering for self-adaptive systems published in 2009 covering a different set of topics, and reflecting in part on the previous paper. This roadmap is one of the many results of the Dagstuhl Seminar 10431 on Software Engineering for Self-Adaptive Systems, which took place in October 2010

Narcissism and the strategic pursuit of short-term mating : universal links across 11 world regions of the International Sexuality Description Project-2.

Previous studies have documented links between sub-clinical narcissism and the active pursuit of short-term mating strategies (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality, marital infidelity, mate poaching). Nearly all of these investigations have relied solely on samples from Western cultures. In the current study, responses from a cross-cultural survey of 30,470 people across 53 nations spanning 11 world regions (North America, Central/South America, Northern Europe, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Oceania, Southeast Asia, and East Asia) were used to evaluate whether narcissism (as measured by the Narcissistic Personality Inventory; NPI) was universally associated with short-term mating. Results revealed narcissism scores (including two broad factors and seven traditional facets as measured by the NPI) were functionally equivalent across cultures, reliably associating with key sexual outcomes (e.g., more active pursuit of short-term mating, intimate partner violence, and sexual aggression) and sex-related personality traits (e.g., higher extraversion and openness to experience). Whereas some features of personality (e.g., subjective well-being) were universally associated with socially adaptive facets of Narcissism (e.g., self-sufficiency), most indicators of short-term mating (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality and marital infidelity) were universally associated with the socially maladaptive facets of narcissism (e.g., exploitativeness). Discussion addresses limitations of these cross-culturally universal findings and presents suggestions for future research into revealing the precise psychological features of narcissism that facilitate the strategic pursuit of short-term mating

Narcisismo y búsqueda estratégica del emparejamiento a corto plazo a través de las culturas: Enlaces omnipresentes a través de 11 regiones mundiales del Proyecto de la descripción de la sexualidad internacional 2

Previous studies have documented links between sub-clinical narcissism and the active pursuit of short-term mating strategies (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality, marital infidelity, mate poaching). Nearly all of these investigations have relied solely on samples from Western cultures. In the current study, responses from a cross-cultural survey of 30,470 people across 53 nations spanning 11 world regions (North America, Central/South America, Northern Europe, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Oceania, Southeast Asia, and East Asia) were used to evaluate whether narcissism (as measured by the Narcissistic Personality Inventory; NPI) was universally associated with short-term mating. Results revealed narcissism scores (including two broad factors and seven traditional facets as measured by the NPI) were functionally equivalent across cultures, reliably associating with key sexual outcomes (e.g., more active pursuit of short-term mating, intimate partner violence, and sexual aggression) and sex-related personality traits (e.g., higher extraversion and openness to experience). Whereas some features of personality (e.g., subjective well-being) were universally associated with socially adaptive facets of Narcissism (e.g., self-sufficiency), most indicators of short-term mating (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality and marital infidelity) were universally associated with the socially maladaptive facets of narcissism (e.g., exploitativeness). Discussion addresses limitations of these cross-culturally universal findings and presents suggestions for future research into revealing the precise psychological features of narcissism that facilitate the strategic pursuit of short-term mating.Estudios previos, en primer lugar a través de las muestras de culturas occidentales, han documentado asociaciones sistemáticas del narcisismo subclínico con múltiples indicadores de estrategias del emparejamiento a corto plazo (p. ej. sociosexualidad ilimitada, infidelidad, caza de pareja). En este estudio se han usado respuestas de la encuesta transcultural de 30.470 personas de 53 naciones de 11 regiones mundiales (América del Norte, América del Sur/América Central, Europa del Norte, Europa del Oeste, Europa del Este, Europa del Sur, Oriente Próximo, África, Asia del Sur/Sudoeste de Asia, Asia del Este y Oceanía) para evaluar si el narcisismo (medido por el Inventario de Personalidad Narcisista; NPI) se asocia panuniversalmente con los indicadores del emparejamiento a corto plazo, tanto en la dirección, como en la intensidad. Los resultados sugieren que el narcisismo (incluidos muchos aspectos suyos medidos por el NPI) tiene las mismas asociaciones básicas con los rasgos de personalidad relacionados con el sexo (p. ej. extraversión alta) y con los resultados sexuales claves (p. ej. búsqueda más activa de las estrategias del emparejamiento a corto plazo) a través de las 11 mayores regiones mundiales del PDSI 2. La discusión se enfoca en las implicaciones y limitaciones del estudio actual

A new wrinkle on an old concern: Are the new ethics review requirements for explicit warnings in consent forms affecting the results of sexuality research?

Consent forms required by Institutional Ethics Review Boards have changed historically to protect universities and participants but may inadvertently affect sex research through the provision of detailed warnings. We tested this contention using an experiment (N = 135) and a survey (N = 75). Three types of consent forms were used to manipulate the degree of warning ( procedures only, mild warnings, explicit warnings ). We measured participants\u27 mood and expectations after reading the consent form but prior to any study tasks. Following the study, we assessed post-test mood and participants\u27 expectations and experience in the study. Consent forms did not affect mood or survey data. However, warnings influenced participants\u27 evaluations of experimental stimulus materials, with more negative evaluations produced by warnings and detailed content than by procedures only wording. Moreover, more detailed content in consent forms did not provide participants with a better sense of what the studies would entail. We discuss the need to provide information to participants while minimizing demand effects

Are our recruitment practices for sex studies working across gender? The effect of topic and gender of recruiter on participation rates of University men and women

The current study examined some of the factors that may contribute to the low rates of participation of male versus female students in sexual coercion research. Specifically, we tested whether recruitment rates are adversely affected by the topic of the research or the gender of the recruiter. Introductory psychology classes were randomly assigned to a male or female recruiter and to either the memory or sex research condition. Three significant predictors assisted in differentiating students who signed up for the studies from those who did not. Overall, female students were more likely to volunteer to participate. In addition, all students were more likely to sign up for the sex research, especially when they were recruited by a male research assistant. This study confirmed our hypothesis that men are not volunteering to participate at a rate equal to their enrollment. However this problem appears to be a general concern for all researchers who use similar recruitment practices rather than specifically for researchers of sexual coercion

Impact of interaction with a partner or friend on the exposure effects of pornography and erotica

Past studies on the effects of sexually explicit materials on women have tended to study them alone, in pairs, or in groups of strangers. By contrast, our study randomly assigned women to bring either a same-sex friend or a male partner to reflect more natural viewing conditions. Discussion between the participant and her companion followed exposure to the sexual images. Women who viewed pornography maintained their (quite high) level of negative mood, whereas women who viewed erotica experienced a substantial improvement in mood. The sex of the companion did not have a direct influence on participants\u27 mood, with discussion improving mood across the board. However, participants\u27 ratings of their satisfaction with the discussion were significantly influenced by the sex of their companion. We suggest that future research should focus more on the interpersonal aspects of male-female relationships when exploring the effects of sexually explicit materials on heterosexual women. © 2004 Springer Publishing Company