A developmental investigation of the relationship between appraisals and peer self-esteem in children experiencing peer-aggression

Transactional models of stress and coping emphasize the role played by cognitive appraisals in determining psychological adjustment (Lazarus, 1999). This proposition has been supported by research examining young people's adjustment in relation to family conflict and break-up (Grych et al., 1992). Furthermore, this literature suggests that there is a change in the relationship between appraisals and adjustment at around 10 years of age: specificity of appraisal type (e.g. threat, blame) becomes relevant to outcome after 10 years, whereas before 10 there are either no effects of appraisal on adjustment or a diffuse effect of 'negative' appraisals more generally (Jouriles et al., 2000). However, it is currently unclear whether this developmental progression can be generalized from familial- to social-stressors experienced by children and young people. The current study therefore evaluates the model within the context of a commonly experienced social childhood stressor: peer-aggression

Parent abuse: Can law be the answer?

© Cambridge University Press 2012This article reviews the different forms of legal interventions which may be available to address parent abuse. It seeks to examine the evidence as to which are actually used currently and the problems which are inherent in them. We do this both by examining the statutory basis of the existing potential legal remedies and reported cases relating to those provisions, and by drawing on evidence from a small-scale study of relevant professional workers in one city. We conclude that while recourse to the police, and hence potentially the criminal justice system, is most frequent in practice, the criminal justice system is not suited to tackling the issue. Other interventions, such as anti-social behaviour orders and injunctions, also reveal problems. Law struggles to find an effective response to such a complex problem. Notwithstanding the acknowledged limits of law in changing behaviour, we argue that law could be used more effectively to reduce the incidence and impact of parent abuse

Business education jargon buster

This Business Education Jargon Buster is one outcome of a HEFCE funded, JISC/HEA managed, Open Educational Resource (OER) project. It is intended to be a re-purposable resource, of relevance not only to business education, but also adaptable to other subject areas and for generic application. It has been designed to take account of the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) and could be used to help you in seeking professional recognition against that Framework. Examples of this professional recognition might include postgraduate certificates, HEA fellowships and other forms of professional development at any of the UKPSF descriptor levels

Interactive effects of prey and p,p′-DDE on Burrowing Owl population dynamics

Author Posting. © The Authors, 2005. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Ecological Society of America for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Ecological Applications 16 (2006): 666–677.We used population models to explore the effects of the organochlorine contaminant p,p'DDE and fluctuations in vole availability on the population dynamics of Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia). Previous work indicated an interaction between low biomass of voles in the diet and moderate levels of p,p'DDE in Burrowing Owl eggs that led to reproductive impairment. We constructed periodic and stochastic matrix models that incorporated three vole population states observed in the field: average, peak and crash years. We modeled varying frequencies of vole crash years and a range of impairment of owl demographic rates in vole crash years. Vole availability had a greater impact on owl population growth rate than reproductive impairment if vole populations peaked and crashed frequently. However, this difference disappeared as the frequency of vole crash years declined to once per decade. Fecundity, the demographic rate most affected by p,p'DDE, had less impact on population growth rate than adult or juvenile survival. A life table response experiment of time-invariant matrices for average, peak and crash vole conditions showed that low population growth under vole crash conditions was due to low adult and juvenile survival rates, whereas the extremely high population growth under vole peak conditions was due to increased fecundity. Our results suggest that even simple models can provide useful insights into complex ecological interactions. This is particularly valuable when temporal or spatial scales preclude manipulative experimental work in the field or laboratory.Field work was supported by grants from the U.S. Navy EFA West, California Department of Fish and Game, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to D. K. Rosenberg. Analysis was supported in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (R-82908901-0)

Do coping variables mediate the effect of social identity on psychological wellbeing for bullied children?

Prsentation examining how coping variables mediate the effect of social identity on psychological wellbeing for bullied children. Demonstrates a need to understand how children interpret their situation, not just how they cope with it. This is independent of minority/majority ethnic status

NAC and DTT promote TGF-β1 monomer formation: demonstration of competitive binding

TGF-β plays an important role in the genesis and progression of pulmonary fibrosis. We sought to determine the role of mononuclear phagocytes in the activation of TGF-β and found that freshly isolated peripheral blood monocytes spontaneously released TGF-β. Stimulating these monocytes with GM-CSF or LPS, but not MCSF, augmented the activation of TGF-β. In human monocytes, the free thiol compounds DTT and NAC decreased the activity of TGF-β, without affecting TGF-β mRNA transcription. Both NAC and DTT lessened the biological activity of recombinant active TGF-β in a cell-free system. We found that NAC and DTT reduced dimeric active TGF-β from a 25 kDa protein to 12.5 kDa inactive monomer. This conversion was reversed using the oxidizing agent diamide. Diamide also restored biological activity to NAC or DTT-treated TGF-β. Reduction of TGF-β to monomers could competitively inhibit active dimeric TGF-β and block intracellular signaling events. Our observations suggest that modulation of the oxidative state of TGF-β may be a novel therapeutic approach for patients with pulmonary fibrosis

Project Aether

The increasing popularity of space travel brings about important innovative discoveries. However, the expanding presence of debris in space poses a threat to the security of low Earth orbits. This project aims to address the orbital debris problem through a multifaceted approach. The project will consider unique debris mitigation and removal solutions and describe the current policies pertaining to de-orbiting satellites after their useful life. In addition, Project Aether considers the problem from a technical standpoint, including categorizing existing debris and existing removal solutions, both successful and not. The team will enact positive change in local and national space law through this project by proposing orbital debris mitigation and satellite removal policies to governing officials. On the technical side, the team will brainstorm ideas for a debris removal concept based on compiled research of existing solutions, eventually leading to a working prototype. This research will provide an educational resource on the topic of space debris, bringing light to the problem. The collection of information is ongoing as Project Aether continues