Associations between behaviours that challenge in adults with intellectual disability, parent perceptions and parental mental health

Objectives. This study examined parental perceptions of behaviours that challenge (CB) in their adult children with intellectual disability (ID), and explored whether perceptions mediated associations between CB and parental psychological distress. Design. A within-group correlational design was employed. Methods. Sixty-five parents reported on individuals with genetic syndromes and ID who had chronic behaviours that challenge (CB). Parents completed the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (IPQ-R) adapted to measure perceptions of self-injury, aggression or property destruction, alongside assessments of parental locus of control, attributions about behaviour, parental psychological distress, and CB. Results. A high proportion of parents evidenced anxiety and depression at clinically significant levels (56.9% and 30.8%, respectively). Contrary to predictions, psychological distress was not significantly associated with CB. The perception that the adult with ID exerted control over the parent’s life mediated the association between CB and parental psychological distress. Few parents endorsed operant reinforcement as a cause of CB (< 10%). Conclusions. The high levels of psychological distress in parents is notable and of concern. Further research should consider the reasons why parents have causal attributions that might be inconsistent with contemporary interventions. Key words: Adults; parents; attributions; self-regulatory model; challenging behaviour; intellectual disability

An infrared approach to Reggeization

We present a new approach to Reggeization of gauge amplitudes based on the universal properties of their infrared singularities. Using the "dipole formula", a compact ansatz for all infrared singularities of massless amplitudes, we study Reggeization of singular contributions to high-energy amplitudes for arbitrary color representations, and any logarithmic accuracy. We derive leading-logarithmic Reggeization for general cross-channel color exchanges, and we show that Reggeization breaks down for the imaginary part of the amplitude at next-to-leading logarithms and for the real part at next-to-next-to-leading logarithms. Our formalism applies to multiparticle amplitudes in multi-Regge kinematics, and constrains possible corrections to the dipole formula starting at three loops.Comment: 4 page

Building future scenarios using cognitive mapping

A participatory approach for developing future scenarios through cognitive maps as a visual representation of mental models is presented. Applying long-term future visioning techniques in a workshop setting has traditionally been a significant challenge for construction industry practitioners with a predominantly short-term, project-based approach to day-to-day operational responsibilities. Six future scenario cognitive maps are presented to illustrate the process. The maps were digitised from A1-sized papers using Decision Explorer software. Several key characteristics of the resulting cognitive maps and lessons learnt for the organisation of industry-based workshops are discussed. The main benefits are derived from the interaction between participants during the mapping process whereby future issues and their interconnectivities are discussed. Limitations of the findings and further work are presented

The Grizzly, October 7, 2004

Ursinus Students Help in the Fight Against Cancer • New Sports Bar Opening Near Campus • Sigma Who? Students try to Bring National Fraternity to Campus • Did you Watch the Presidential Debates? • Spotlight on Alpha Sigma Nu • Ursinus Political Campaign • From Ursinus to the Publishing House: An Interview with Dr. Schroeder • Opinions: Political Campaign Ads: Too Negative or the Price we Pay for Living in a Democracy?; Why not the Guillotine?; Curbside Pickup: A Classier Alternative to Fast Food; Wismer Worries; Passing Time with Haikus • Ursinus Cross Country 2004 Kicks-off • Field Hockey Comes out Strong in 2004 Seasonhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1567/thumbnail.jp

The Submillimeter Bump in Sgr A* from Relativistic MHD Simulations

Recent high resolution observations of the Galactic center black hole allow for direct comparison with accretion disk simulations. We compare two-temperature synchrotron emission models from three dimensional, general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations to millimeter observations of Sgr A*. Fits to very long baseline interferometry and spectral index measurements disfavor the monochromatic face-on black hole shadow models from our previous work. Inclination angles \le 20 degrees are ruled out to 3 \sigma. We estimate the inclination and position angles of the black hole, as well as the electron temperature of the accretion flow and the accretion rate, to be i=50+35-15 degrees, \xi=-23+97-22 degrees, T_e=(5.4 +/- 3.0)x10^10 K and Mdot=(5+15-2)x10^-9 M_sun / yr respectively, with 90% confidence. The black hole shadow is unobscured in all best fit models, and may be detected by observations on baselines between Chile and California, Arizona or Mexico at 1.3mm or .87mm either through direct sampling of the visibility amplitude or using closure phase information. Millimeter flaring behavior consistent with the observations is present in all viable models, and is caused by magnetic turbulence in the inner radii of the accretion flow. The variability at optically thin frequencies is strongly correlated with that in the accretion rate. The simulations provide a universal picture of the 1.3mm emission region as a small region near the midplane in the inner radii of the accretion flow, which is roughly isothermal and has \nu/\nu_c ~ 1-20, where \nu_c is the critical frequency for thermal synchrotron emission.Comment: 14 pages, 17 figures, accepted by Ap

Tilted black hole accretion disc models of Sagittarius A*: time-variable millimetre to near-infrared emission

High-resolution, multi-wavelength, and time-domain observations of the Galactic centre black hole candidate, Sgr A*, allow for a direct test of contemporary accretion theory. To date, all models have assumed alignment between the accretion disc and black hole angular momentum axes, but this is unjustified for geometrically thick accretion flows like that onto Sgr A*. Instead, we calculate images and spectra from a set of simulations of accretion flows misaligned ('tilted') by 15 degrees from the black hole spin axis and compare them with millimetre (mm) to near-infrared (NIR) observations. Non-axisymmetric standing shocks from eccentric fluid orbits dominate the emission, leading to a wide range of possible image morphologies. These effects invalidate previous parameter estimates from model fitting, including estimates of the dimensionless black hole spin, except possibly at low values of spin or tilt. At 1.3mm, the images have crescent morphologies, and the black hole shadow may still be accessible to future mm-VLBI observations. Shock heating leads to high energy electrons (T > 10^12 K), which can naturally produce the observed NIR flux, spectral index, and rapid variability ('flaring'). This NIR emission is uncorrelated with that in the mm, which also agrees with observations. These are the first models to self-consistently explain the time-variable mm to NIR emission of Sgr A*. Predictions of the model include significant structural changes observable with mm-VLBI on both the dynamical (hour) and Lense-Thirring precession (day-year) timescales; and ~30-50 microarcsecond changes in centroid position from extreme gravitational lensing events during NIR flares, detectable with the future VLT instrument GRAVITY. If the observed NIR emission is caused by shock heating in a tilted accretion disc, then the Galactic centre black hole has a positive, non-zero spin parameter (a > 0).Comment: 17 pages, 18 figures, submitted to MNRAS; for movies and version with high-res figures see http://astro.berkeley.edu/~jdexter/tiltedsgr

Using Bayesian methodology to explore the profile of mental health and well-being in 646 mothers of children with 13 rare genetic syndromes in relation to mothers of children with autism

BACKGROUND: It is well documented that mothers of children with intellectual disabilities or autism experience elevated stress, with mental health compromised. However, comparatively little is known about mothers of children with rare genetic syndromes. This study describes mental health and well-being in mothers of children with 13 rare genetic syndromes and contrasts the results with mothers of children with autism.METHODS: Mothers of children with 13 genetic syndromes (n = 646; Angelman, Cornelia de Lange, Down, Fragile-X, Phelan McDermid, Prader-Willi, Rett, Rubenstein Taybi, Smith Magenis, Soto, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, 1p36 deletion and 8p23 deletion syndromes) and mothers of children with autism (n = 66) completed measures of positive mental health, stress and depression. Using Bayesian methodology, the influence of syndrome, child ability, and mother and child age were explored in relation to each outcome. Bayesian Model Averaging was used to explore maternal depression, positive gain and positive affect, and maternal stress was tested using an ordinal probit regression model.RESULTS: Different child and mother factors influenced different aspects of mental well-being, and critically, the importance of these factors differed between syndromes. Maternal depression was influenced by child ability in only four syndromes, with the other syndromes reporting elevated or lower levels of maternal depression regardless of child factors. Maternal stress showed a more complex pattern of interaction with child ability, and for some groups, child age. Within positive mental health, mother and child age were more influential than child ability. Some syndromes reported comparable levels of depression (SMS, 1p36, CdLS) and stress (SMS, AS) to mothers of children with autism.CONCLUSIONS: Bayesian methodology was used in a novel manner to explore factors that explain variability in mental health amongst mothers of children with rare genetic disorders. Significant proportions of mothers of children with specific genetic syndromes experienced levels of depression and stress similar to those reported by mothers of children with autism. Identifying such high-risk mothers allows for potential early intervention and the implementation of support structures.</p

The Grizzly, September 16, 2004

Ursinus Goes Wireless • New Bookstore, New Look, Same Sentiments • Project Pericles Seeks to Remedy Political Apathy • Election 101: Who do you Side With? • Environmental Studies Professor gets with the Program • Ursinus Student Awarded $40,000 Grant • Are Ursinus Students Apathetic? • Ursinus Professors Dance the Night Away in Russia • Opinions: Should the Miss America Pageant Qualify as one of the Great American pastimes?; Why America Needs Four More Years of George W. Bush; Surviving \u27R-ships\u27 in College • Field Hockey Team Continues Where They Left Off • Men\u27s Soccer Shows Promisehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1564/thumbnail.jp

Size Threshold Perimetry Performs as Well as Conventional Automated Perimetry With Stimulus Sizes III, V, and VI for Glaucomatous Loss

Citation: Wall M, Doyle CK, Eden T, Zamba KD, Johnson CA. Size threshold perimetry performs as well as conventional automated perimetry with stimulus sizes III, V, and VI for glaucomatous loss. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2013;54:3975-3983. DOI:10. 1167/iovs.12-11300 PURPOSE. It is thought that large perimetric stimuli are insensitive for demonstrating visual field defects. To test the hypothesis that there is no difference in the total number of abnormal test locations with total deviation empiric probability plots in glaucoma patients, we compared results of glaucoma patients tested with sizes III (0.438 diameter), V (1.728), and VI (3.448), and size threshold perimetry (STP), a method that finds threshold by changing stimulus size. METHODS. We derived normative limits for total deviation probability plots using the second test from 60 age-matched normals. We analyzed the probability plots of 120 glaucoma patients (mean deviation was À9.3 6 6.1 dB with a range of À0.2 to À31.6) at the 42 nonblind spot locations common to the tests. We compared the number of abnormal test locations at the 5% level among the tests using one-way repeated measures ANOVA on ranks. We stratified the results by mean deviation. RESULTS. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of abnormal test locations among the tests: III, 28.5; V, 29.7; VI, 27.0; and STP, 28.8, P ¼ 0.001; Tukey pairwise comparisons were statistically significant for the assessments between sizes V and VI and between STP and size VI. When stratifying by mean deviation, with mild visual loss, size V was most sensitive, followed by STP; size VI appeared slightly less sensitive. CONCLUSIONS. Size V and STP provide favorable stimulus methodology for detection of mild to moderate glaucoma. Size VI appears slightly less sensitive for glaucoma with mild loss. Keywords: perimetry, visual testing, visual field, vision testing, stimulus size C onventional automated perimetry, since its introduction in the late 1970s, has almost exclusively used the Goldmann size III stimulus. However, it has been shown that detection of defects from glaucoma and other optic neuropathies can be done at least as well with larger stimuli. 1,2 In addition, these large stimuli have been shown to give better retest variability and extend the dynamic range of the test. 5 However, the original 108 frequency doubling technology stimulus is over 40 times the size of the 1.78 size V stimulus in area and Frequency Doubling Technology (FDT) testing is similar in sensitivity to conventional automated perimetry using a size III stimulus (0.438) for glaucoma and other optic neuropathies