Book Review: Sex and Manners: Female Emancipation in the West 1890-2000

Review of Sex and Manners: Female Emancipation in the West 1890-2000 by Cas Wouter

fMRI evidence that precision ophthalmic tints reduce cortical hyperactivation in migraine

Background: Certain patterns can induce perceptual illusions/distortions and visual discomfort in most people, headaches in patients with migraine, and seizures in patients with photosensitive epilepsy. Visual stimuli are common triggers for migraine attacks, possibly because of a hyperexcitability of the visual cortex shown in patients with migraine. Precision ophthalmic tints (POTs) are claimed to reduce perceptual distortions and visual discomfort and to prevent migraine headaches in some patients. We report an fMRI visual cortical activation study designed to investigate neurological mechanisms for the beneficial effects of POTs in migraine. Methods: Eleven migraineurs and 11 age- and sex-matched non-headache controls participated in the study using non-stressful and stressful striped patterns viewed through gray, POT, and control coloured lenses. Results: For all lenses, controls and migraineurs did not differ in their response to the non-stressful patterns. When the migraineurs wore gray lenses or control coloured lenses, the stressful pattern resulted in activation that was greater than in the controls. There was also an absence of the characteristic low-pass spatial frequency (SF) tuning in extrastriate visual areas. When POTs were worn, however, both cortical activation and SF tuning were normalized. Both when observing the stressful pattern and under more typical viewing conditions, the POTs reduced visual discomfort more than either of the other two lenses. Conclusion: The normalization of cortical activation and SF tuning in the migraineurs by POTs suggests a neurological basis for the therapeutic effect of these lenses in reducing visual cortical hyperactivation in migraine. </jats:p

Older adults, cognitively stimulating activities and change in cognitive function

Finding interventions which can address the decline of cognitive function as people get older is of great importance to policy-makers, especially in post-industrial societies with rapidly ageing populations. We examine the impact of several different types of mentally stimulating activities on cognitive function in a sample of community-dwelling Europeans aged 50 and older. The data were drawn from the fourth, fifth and sixth waves of the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The activities analysed include non-formal learning activities such as education and training courses; informal learning activities such as reading books, newspapers and magazines; and some other types of cognitively stimulating activities including crossword puzzles and playing chess or card games. The cognitive function outcomes under investigation were memory and verbal fluency. Our longitudinal analysis of data on these older adults show that all the activities constituted a potential source for the delay or reduction of cognitive decline, even after a short period – only 4 years – of engagement in such activities and regardless of their age

Utilizing Counseling Skills in the Classroom to Promote Student Well-Being and Success

The success of institutions of higher education is dependent upon student academic success. Current research with students in higher education links academic success with student well-being. Members of the faculty are in critical positions to ensure student success and thus, the institution, but may be unsure how to promote well-being in the classroom setting. This article examines challenges professors face and shares a professional performance review process. Strategies and skills used by professional counselors that university faculty can implement to foster a sense of student well-being and establish supportive relationships through an integration of Miller’s Relational Cultural Theory and Social Cognitive Theory from Bandura are provided. Some of these counseling skills include rapport building, validation, empathy, grounding techniques, and mindfulness

Academic Job Negotiation Experiences, Reflections, and Biases in Counselor Education: A Descriptive Study

This descriptive study explored the job negotiation experiences of 93 counselor educators through an embedded survey design to examine their negotiation experiences, reflections, and potential hiring biases. The most common negotiation preparation strategy was consulting a mentor (80%) and while salary was most regularly negotiated (76%), a list of other benefits was included. Although a majority of participants regretted not making a request (53%), most reported overall positive experiences (63%). These findings support implications for counselor educators including preparing early, using successful negotiation strategies, exploring all potential benefits, and articulating requests for a more positive negotiation experience

Distinct Profile Differences in Subjective Cognitive Decline in the General Public Are Associated with Metacognition, Negative Affective Symptoms, Neuroticism, Stress, and Poor Quality of Life

BACKGROUND: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is increasingly recognized in both the clinical and research arenas as a risk factor for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. Although SCD is etiologically heterogeneous and potentially treatable, in comparison to MCI and Alzheimer’s disease, SCD remains poorly characterized with its clinical relevance often questioned. OBJECTIVE: This study’s aim was to improve the characterization of SCD within the general public. METHODS: Individuals with SCD were compared to those without via a battery of measures. RESULTS: Both the SCD and the non-SCD group correlational analysis identified significant relationships between worse SCD, worse metacognitive dysfunction, negative affective symptoms, and greater levels of stress. The SCD group displayed additional correlational relationships between Cognitive Change Index (Self report) (CCI-S) scores, higher neuroticism scores, and poorer quality of life (QoL). Partial correlation analysis in the SCD group suggests CCI-S scores, anxiety, depression, and metacognition are intercorrelated. Ad hoc analyses using metacognition as the grouping variable found that those experiencing worse metacognitive dysfunction were significantly more likely to experience poorer SCD, psychological and social QoL, greater levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and neuroticism. CONCLUSION: The emerging pattern from the analysis indicates that SCD appears associated with sub-clinical negative affective difficulties, metacognitive, and other psycho-social issues, and poorer QoL. Dysfunctional cognitive control at a meta-level may impact someone’s ability to rationally identify cognitive changes, increase worry about cognitive changes, and allow such changes to impact their lives more than those with superior metacognitive control. Findings could impact SCD assessment, monitoring, early intervention, and ultimately reducing risk of further decline

Southside taskforce on workforce development : Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Southside Taskforce on Workforce Development is a group of Ten community-based, employment service providers and community development corporations organized to "link residents of stable affordable housing developments with existing training and employment opportunities; to increase the likelihood of self-sufficiency." Upon completion of this project the outcomes will include a high quality training grid that would coordinate all of the available programs and list the requirements and contact information for the various programs. In addition, the Taskforce will facilitate four (4) information programs at affordable housing facilities in South Minneapolis. (Author abstract)Jenkins, A. (2002). Southside taskforce on workforce development: Minneapolis, Minnesota. Retrieved from http://academicarchive.snhu.eduMaster of Science (M.S.)School of Community Economic Developmen

Prospectus, September 7, 1994

https://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1994/1011/thumbnail.jp

Students\u27 Experiences with Different Course Delivery Modalities: On Campus, Online, and Satellite

In an effort to adapt to the technological advances of this century, the training of human services professionals has grown from traditional classrooms and satellite programs to online education. Many human services programs are under pressure from their universities and students to expand into online education. This study examined 252 students’ experiences and perceptions of their Bachelors of Science program as it transitioned to offering courses online in addition to on campus and satellite sites. Students’ narrative responses reflected 4 themes: convenience, interactions, learning preference, and technology. These themes and their implications for educators and students are discussed

Administering Cognitive Tests Through Touch Screen Tablet Devices: Potential Issues

Mobile technologies, such as tablet devices, open up new possibilities for health-related diagnosis, monitoring, and intervention for older adults and healthcare practitioners. Current evaluations of cognitive integrity typically occur within clinical settings, such as memory clinics, using pen and paper or computer-based tests. In the present study, we investigate the challenges associated with transferring such tests to touch-based, mobile technology platforms from an older adult perspective. Problems may include individual variability in technical familiarity and acceptance; various factors influencing usability; acceptability; response characteristics and thus validity per se of a given test. For the results of mobile technology-based tests of reaction time to be valid and related to disease status rather than extraneous variables, it is imperative the whole test process is investigated in order to determine potential effects before the test is fully developed. Researchers have emphasized the importance of including the ‘user’ in the evaluation of such devices; thus we performed a focus group-based qualitative assessment of the processes involved in the administration and performance of a tablet-based version of a typical test of attention and information processing speed (a multi-item localization task), to younger and older adults. We report that although the test was regarded positively, indicating that using a tablet for the delivery of such tests is feasible, it is important for developers to consider factors surrounding user expectations, performance feedback, and physical response requirements and to use this information to inform further research into such applications