Attachment to God and psychological well-being: Shame, guilt, and self-compassion as mediators

In this study, I used attachment theory to examine individual differences in people\u27s relationships with God or their Higher Power and the influence of these relationships on shame, guilt, self-compassion, and overall psychological well-being. H1 was that shame, guilt, and self-compassion fully mediate the relatedness of anxious attachment to God and psychological well-being. H2 was that shame, guilt, and self-compassion fully mediate the relatedness of avoidant attachment to God and psychological well-being. Young adults (N = 163) of diverse religious backgrounds from a large Midwestern university completed demographic questions and four scales: (a) The Attachment to God Inventory (AGI; Beck & McDonald, 2004); (b) Test of Self-Conscious Affect-3 (TOSCA-3; Tangney & Dearing, 2003); (c) The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS; Neff, 2003a); and (d) The Scales of Psychological Well-being (SPWB; Ryff, 1989). To examine the two overarching hypotheses, I conducted two mediation analyses, one for anxious attachment and one for avoidant attachment, using a nonparametric bootstrapping procedure (Preacher & Hayes, 2008). Both H1 and H2 were partially supported in that the overall mediation was partial. That is, shame, guilt, and self-compassion accounted for some, but not all, of the relatedness between anxious (H1) and avoidant (H2) attachment to God and psychological well-being. Results indicate that shame, guilt, and self-compassion are some of the pathways through which attachment to God influences psychological well-being. I discuss limitations of the study as well as the implications for research and practice

Assessment of the level of stress, family burden and coping among family care providers of clients with schizophrenia at a selected setting in Chennai

This study was performed to assess the level of stress, family burden and coping among family care providers of clients with schizophrenia. The objectives of the study were: 1. To assess the level of stress, family burden and coping among the family care providers of client with schizophrenia 2. To correlate the level of stress, family burden and coping of the family care providers of client with schizophrenia 3. To associate the level of stress, family burden and coping with the selected demographic variables of the family care providers of client with schizophrenia. The research methodology: A non-experimental descriptive design was used in the study. The study was conducted at Schizophrenia Research Foundation, Chennai. After a formal permission from SCARF and consent from the samples, data was collected. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used. Tools used were modified perceived stress assessment scale, modified family burden scale and modified COPE scale. Major findings of the study: The findings indicate that care givers suffer from mild (86%) to moderate(14%) level of stress and moderate (75%) level of family burden, majority of them have inadequate coping (88%). A weak negative correlation between stress and coping (r=-0.051) and a weak positive correlation between stress and family burden (r=0.065) and a weak positive correlation between family burden and coping (r=0.088) were found. The findings also indicated that there was no statistically significant association found between the level of stress, family burden and coping of family care providers with the demographic variables. The study concluded that care providers suffer from mild to moderate level of stress and moderate level of family burden, majority of them have inadequate coping and none of them had adequate coping

Investigation of gut hormone physiology in the regulation of appetite

Peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) and glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) are endogenous, anorectic gut hormones released from entero-endocrine L cells. The aims of this thesis were to: investigate the breakdown of PYY using peptide analogues in vitro and in vivo, determine the stimuli for release of PYY and GLP-1 from L cells in vitro and finally to attempt to stimulate the endogenous secretion of PYY and GLP-1 and so suppress appetite in man. The breakdown of PYY was studied using specially designed PYY analogues with changes to known enzyme cleavage sites. Degradation of the analogues was studied by incubation with proteolytic enzymes. Receptor binding assays were carried out to confirm that changes to the PYY structure had not altered binding to the endogenous PYY receptors. In vivo studies in rodents previously confirmed an extended pharmacological profile of these analogues. In order to study the various stimulants for PYY and GLP-1 release, a primary L cell model was developed. This was used to study the effect of various nutrients: glucose, amino acids and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) on PYY and GLP-1 release. In mouse and human primary L cell cultures the SCFA propionate increased PYY release significantly compared to basal levels, indicating that propionate is a potent stimulus of PYY release. To further investigate the results of the in vitro work, a randomised, double blind, crossover study was carried out in human volunteers to evaluate the effect of propionate on appetite. Administration of propionate ester over six days reduced energy intake at a buffet meal by 18.8% compared to control (P < 0.05, n = 20). However, there was no significant change in plasma GLP-1 or PYY levels between the groups, possibly suggesting an alternative explanation for the reduction in appetite seen. This may provide an interesting avenue for future studies. These studies of the physiological mechanisms underlying release and degradation of PYY and GLP-1 may contribute towards the development of an anti-obesity therapy based around L cell stimulation

Designing guidelines for sustainable housing : what we learn from the development of the green building sector in South Africa

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.ENGLISH SUMMARY: Housing is one of South Africa’s major challenges, amplified by the unprecedented rate of demand and constrained capacity for delivery. Public and private practitioners in the housing sector tend to respond to this challenge by prioritizing meeting immediate needs rather than planning for long-term benefits. Building practices are becoming progressively unsustainable, warranting a shift away from conventional familiar methods of building towards practices that promote sustainability. In this context, initiatives aimed at greening the housing sector or redressing spatial injustice stemming from the Apartheid are often perceived as time consuming add-ons and are not given the necessary importance. Therefore how South Africa addresses housing issues today is a determinant factor in the country’s ability to build resilient communities and promote sustainable living. In this study, I examine the development of the green building sector in South Africa to understand how to promote change within the housing industry. In particular, I explore how the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), a non-profit organisation, developed and implemented various guidelines and certification tools to promote sustainability and enable change in conventional building practices. I then unpack how these guidelines and tools were received and adopted by the housing industry. To gain insights into the dynamics at play, I draw on literature that speaks to issue fields, soft regulations, and the influence of framing approaches in implementing change. The issue fields perspective is helpful to understand what guides the beliefs and practices of actors in a field and how they deal with an issue. Literature on soft regulations provide insights into the role of a voluntary governance framework in promoting new ideas and fostering change. Finally, the framing perspective provides an analytical lens to recognize methods used to develop and promote the GBCSA tools, and how in turn the housing industry received and participated in the process of change. Adopting a grounded theory methodology, I use semi-structured interviews, member check ins and content analysis to unpack how the GBCSA promoted change and induced industry response. Research findings suggest that the GBCSA’s soft regulatory approach relying on voluntary participation is effective in promoting new ideas, building stronger networks and developing collective accountability amongst the participants. However, the study shows that the effectiveness of soft regulations is influenced by how an initiative is framed and the extent to which it provides enough specification to enable an adequate understanding and response to the issue. Linked to this, the study emphasises the role of exogenous events – such as an unexpected emergency like the water or energy crisis – to crystallise the understanding of the issue and accelerate industry’s involvement and commitment to change. Unpacking various methods of implementation, recognizing causes for industry resistance to change, and understanding benefits and setbacks of soft regulations may assist housing industry practitioners and policymakers to improve execution of sustainable housing through design guidelines and enabling lasting changes in conventional building practices and housing delivery.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Behuising is een van Suid -Afrika se grootste uitdagings, versterk deur die ongekende aanvraag en die beperkte leweringskapasiteit. Openbare en private sektore in die behuisingsektor is geneig om op hierdie uitdaging te reageer deur prioriteit te gee aan onmiddellike behoeftes eerder as om vir langtermynvoordele te beplan. Boupraktyke word geleidelik onvolhoubaar, wat 'n verskuiwing van die tradisionele bekende metodes van bou vereis na praktyke wat volhoubaarheid bevorder. In hierdie konteks word inisiatiewe wat daarop gemik is om die behuisingsektor te vergroot of om ruimtelike onreg uit die Apartheidsera te herstel, dikwels as tydrowende byvoegings beskou en word dit nie die nodige belangrikheid gegee nie. Daarom is hoe Suid -Afrika vandag behuisingskwessies aanspreek, 'n bepalende faktor in die land se vermoë om veerkragtige gemeenskappe te bou en volhoubare lewens te bevorder. In hierdie studie ondersoek ek die ontwikkeling van die groenbousektor in Suid -Afrika om te verstaan hoe om verandering binne die behuisingsbedryf te bevorder. In die besonder ondersoek ek hoe die Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), 'n organisasie nie wingewend, verskeie riglyne en sertifiseringsinstrumente ontwikkel en geïmplementeer het om volhoubaarheid te bevorder en verandering in konvensionele boupraktyke moontlik te maak. Ek pak dan uit hoe hierdie riglyne en gereedskap dan deur die behuisingsbedryf ontvang en aangeneem is. Om insig te kry in die dinamika in die spel, maak ek gebruik van literatuur wat spreek oor kwessies, sagte regulasies en die invloed van raamwerkbenaderings by die implementering van verandering. Die perspektief op kwessievelde is nuttig om te verstaan wat die oortuigings en praktyke van akteurs in 'n veld lei en hoe hulle 'n probleem hanteer. Literatuur oor sagte regulasies bied insig in die rol van 'n vrywillige bestuursraamwerk om nuwe idees te bevorder en verandering te bevorder. Laastens bied die raamperspektief 'n analitiese lens om metodes te herken wat gebruik word om die GBCSA -instrumente te ontwikkel en te bevorder, en hoe die behuisingsbedryf op sy beurt die veranderingsproses ontvang en daaraan deelneem. Ek gebruik 'n gegronde teorie-metode, en gebruik semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en inhoudsanalise om uit te pak hoe die GBCSA verandering bevorder en reaksie in die bedryf veroorsaak. Navorsingsbevindinge dui daarop dat die GBCSA se sagte reguleringsbenadering wat op vrywillige deelname staatmaak, effektief is in die bevordering van nuwe idees, die bou van sterker netwerke en die ontwikkeling van gesamentlike aanspreeklikheid onder die deelnemers. Die studie toon egter aan dat die doeltreffendheid van sagte regulasies beïnvloed word deur hoe die inisiatief opgestel is en die mate waarin dit genoegsame spesifikasies verskaf om 'n voldoende begrip en reaksie op die kwessie moontlik te maak. Daarby beklemtoon die studie die rol van eksogene gebeurtenisse - soos 'n onverwagte noodgeval soos die water- of energiekrisis - om die begrip van die kwessie te kristalliseer en die betrokkenheid en toewyding van die industrie by die probleemoplossing te versnel. As u verskillende implementeringsmetodes uitpak, die oorsake van die weerstand teen verandering in die bedryf erken en die voordele en terugslae van sagte regulasies begryp, kan praktisyns in die behuisingsbedryf en beleidmakers dit help om die uitvoering van volhoubare behuising te verbeter deur ontwerpriglyne en om deurlopende veranderinge in boupraktyke en huisvesting moontlik te maak.Master

Pleomorphic adenoma of minor salivary gland in the parapharyngeal space

BACKGROUND: Majority of tumours occurring in minor salivary gland are malignant. Pleomorphic adenoma is of rare occurrence in parapharangeal space. CASE PRESENTATION: A rare case of a minor salivary gland pleomorphic adenoma of the parapharyngeal space is reported. Review of literature, clinical features, pathology, radiological findings and treatment of these tumours are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Parapharangeal salivary tumours presents as a painless progressive swelling with majority of these being malignant. Pleomorphic adenoma in parapharangeal space is of rare occurrence. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice

A study on the histopathological pattern of thyroid lesions in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Thyroid diseases are one of the most common endocrine disorders affecting the general population. They range from non-neoplastic to neoplastic lesions. The prevalence and pattern of these disorders depend on various factors including sex, age, ethnic and geographical patterns. The aim of the present study was to determine the pattern of thyroid lesions in thyroidectomy specimens received in the pathology department of MOSC Medical College Hospital, Kolenchery, Kerala, India.Methods: It was a 6 year retrospective study (January 2010 to December 2015) of all thyroidectomy specimens received in the Pathology department. All the biopsy reports were reviewed and different lesions were categorized according to age and gender distribution.Results: There were a total of 801 specimens, of which 716 were females and 85 were males. Maximum number of thyroid lesions were seen in the age group 41-50 yrs. Multinodular goiter was the most common non-neoplastic thyroid lesion (71.5%) followed by thyroiditis. There were 151 carcinomas (18.8%). Maximum numbers of carcinomas were seen in age group 31-40 (28.8%).The frequency of carcinomas among the total thyroid lesions was almost same for both males and females (18.82% and 18.85%). Papillary carcinoma was the most frequent malignancy, out of which half were of the micro papillary subtype.Conclusions: Multinodular goiter was found to be the most common thyroid lesion in this study. The percentage of malignant thyroid tumors was high compared to other studies done in Kerala. Papillary carcinoma was the most common malignant neoplasm. The micropapillary variant comprised 50% of the papillary carcinoma

Is That How You Should Talk to Her? Using Appropriate Prosody Affects Adults’, But Not Children’s, Judgments of Communicators’ Competence

Varghese, A. & Nilsen, E. S., Journal of Language & Social Psychology, SAGE ( 39), 738-750 pp. xx-xx. Copyright © 2019 (SAGE Publications). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X19871692Two studies explored whether the appropriateness of a speaker’s prosodic style (i.e., pitch, volume, speech rate) affects observers’ judgments of speakers’ and listeners’ competence. Adults and school-aged children watched videos of speakers addressing a listener using prosodic styles that were either appropriate (e.g., adult-directed for an adult listener), or inappropriate (e.g., child-directed for an adult listener). Adults, but not children, awarded higher ratings in some domains of communicative competence to speakers and listeners when a speaker used appropriate prosodic styles.Funder 1, The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowship awarded to the first author and a SSHRC Insight Grant awarded to the second author

On the addition of hectors bases to the heterocumulene viz. isothiocyanates: Formation of 1-alkyl/aryl-3-(4-aryl-3-arylimino-5-imino-1,2,4-thiadiazolidin- 2-yl)thiourea and 6aSIV -4-aryl-2,5-bisarylamino[1,2,4]dithiazolo[2,3-b][1,2,4]-thiadiazoles

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Attitude towards drug adherence in inpatients with bipolar affective disorder: a cross-sectional study

Background and Objectives: Bipolar Affective Disorder is the sixth leading cause of disability-adjusted life years in individuals aged 15-44 years. Among the patients with Bipolar Disorder, about 60% are at least partially non-adherent to medications. This study attempted to study attitude towards drug adherence in inpatients with bipolar affective disorder. Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients, between 18 to 60 years of age, diagnosed with Bipolar Affective Disorder, undergoing inpatient treatment over a two-month period, were recruited. Their attitude towards drug adherence was assessed using a 30-item version of the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI). Results: Subjects in this study had good medication adherence (DAI= 3.12± 7.09), indicating these patients tended to report favourable views towards their psychiatric medications. Conclusion: Assessment of attitude towards non-adherence in this population showed good medication adherence and a positive response to treatment

Empathic mediators for distance learning courses

Conferência Internacional realizada em Lisboa de 15-16 de novembro de 2018.Online distance learning introduces several challenges, such as the dependence of online tools, the asynchronous communication between teachers and students, and the lack of synchronous social engagement level that inclassroom teaching can leverage. The existence of an online tutor 24 hours/day would be an interesting asset to potentially work as an additional learning support tool. The Virtual Tutoring project aims at the development of solutions involving anthropomorphic 3D avatars that work as both virtual online tutors in the Moodle e-learning platform as well as coaches in a mobile application that interact empathically with the students by predicting their emotional state and selecting appropriate emotion regulation strategies. This paper presents the current status of the project, preliminary evaluations with students, and future developments.This work was developed in the context of the FCT project PTDC/IVC-PEC/3963/2014 with the support of the R&D units of his authors.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio