Resilient widowed older adults and their family and friend relations

This study examined the relationship of family and friends to the resiliency of older widows. Data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) survey (Waite et al., 2007), which sampled persons 57-85 years of age (n = 3005), was used. It was hypothesized that older widows have greater breadth and depth of family and friend relationships than older married adults. Multiple regression analysis results revealed that older widows engaged more frequently in family and friend relations compared to older married adults, possibly enabling greater resilience to widowhood

Acquisition of English Relative Clauses by Korean-speaking Learners of English

This study investigated whether Korean-speaking learners of L2 English differentiate between lexically-headed relatives and headless relatives and demonstrate any preference between the two structures. It further examines whether learners acquire headless relativization in the order predicted by Keenan and Comries (1977) NPAH hypothesis and its application in language acquisition (Comrie, 2007). To this end, data were collected from forty-seven adult Korean speakers (28 female; 19 male) ages 19-36 (with an average age of 25.8), using an elicited imitation task and a grammaticality judgment task. Results from the learners with different proficiency levels showed fewer errors in headless relatives than they did in lexically-headed relatives, regardless of the gap position (subject vs. direct object) and the nature of the test instruments. The learners further showed a subject advantage in the realm of headless relatives, which supports the validity of Keenan and Comries NPAH hypothesis in the acquisition of English headless relativization

INFORMATION GAP TASKS: Their Multiple Roles and Contributions to Interaction Research Methodology

This article describes how information gap tasks can be designed as instruments for data collection and analysis and as treatments in interaction research. The development of such tasks is illustrated and data are presented on their role in drawing learners\u27 attention to second language (L2) forms that are difficult to notice through classroom discussion alone. Because the tasks presented here are closed-ended and precision oriented and require the exchange of uniquely held information, they promote modified interaction among participants and orient their attention to form, function, and meaning. These processes can be observed by the researcher during task implementation. Thus, the tasks reduce researcher dependence on externally applied treatments and analytical instruments not integral to the interaction itself. To illustrate this methodology in use, we report on a study in which six pairs of intermediate-level English L2 learners carried out three types of information gap tasks in their classrooms. They first read passages on familiar topics, whose sentences contained L2 forms that were low in salience and difficult to master but developmentally appropriate. To complete the tasks, the learners were required to identify, recall, and compare the forms, their functions, and their meanings. Data revealed close relationships among learners\u27 attentional processes, their recall of form, function, and meaning, and the interactional processes that supported their efforts

The Effects of a Weight Loss Program Focusing on Maternal Education on Childhood Obesity

PurposeChildhood obesity is a matter of great concern because of its negative health and social consequences. We examined the effect of a weight control program focusing on maternal education on childhood obesity, given that the incidence of obesity is greatly affected by parents.MethodsA two-group pre-test/post-test design was used. Participants consisted of 65 obese children and their mothers. The children were fourth- to sixth-grade elementary students who did not currently receive any therapy for weight loss. The children and their mothers were randomly assigned to either an experimental (n = 32) or a control group (n = 33). The 8-week intervention for mothers included one-time group education, three-time phone counseling, and four-time fliers regarding obesity management. Four outcomes (self-control, obesity index, abdominal circumference, and body fat percentage) were measured before and after the intervention. Chi-squared test or t test was used to test homogeneity between the two groups. Analysis of covariance was used to test the intervention effects.ResultsAfter the intervention was completed, the level of self-control was significantly heightened and obesity levels in the other three outcomes were greatly lowered in the experimental group when compared with the control group.ConclusionDue to strong maternal effects on children's weight control, mothers' active participation must be encouraged in order to resolve childhood obesity

The Dendritic magnetic avalanches in carbon-free MgB2_2 thin films with and without a deposited Au layer

From the magneto optics images (MOI), the dendritic magnetic avalanche is known to appear dominantly for thin films of the newly discovered MgB$_2$. To clarify the origin of this phenomenon, we studied in detail the MOI of carbon-free MgB$_2$ thin films with and without a deposited gold layer. The MOI indicated carbon contamination was not the main source of the avalanche. The MOI clearly showed that the deposition of metallic gold deposition on top of a MgB$_2$ thin film improved its thermal stability and suppressed the sudden appearance of the dendritic flux avalanche. This is consistent with the previous observation of flux noise in the magnetization.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figeure

Monitoring of multi-frequency polarization of gamma-ray bright AGNs

We started two observing programs with the Korean VLBI Network (KVN) monitoring changes in the flux density and polarization of relativistic jets in gamma-ray bright AGNs simultaneously at 22, 43, 86, 129 GHz. One is a single-dish weekly-observing program in dual polarization with KVN 21-m diameter radio telescopes beginning in 2011 May. The other is a VLBI monthly-observing program with the three-element VLBI network at an angular resolution range of 1.0--9.2 mas beginning in 2012 December. The monitoring observations aim to study correlation of variability in gamma-ray with that in radio flux density and polarization of relativistic jets when they flare up. These observations enable us to study the origin of the gamma-ray flares of AGNs.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Proceedings of the conference "The innermost regions of relativistic jets and their magnetic fields", Granada, Spai

Protective Mechanism of KIOM-4 in Streptozotocin-Induced Pancreatic β-Cells Damage Is Involved in the Inhibition of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis plays an important role in the destruction of pancreatic β-cells and contributes to the development of type 1 diabetes. The present study examined the effect of KIOM-4, a mixture of four plant extracts, on streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in rat pancreatic β-cells (RINm5F). KIOM-4 was found to inhibit STZ-induced apoptotic cell death, confirmed by formation of apoptotic bodies and DNA fragmentation. STZ was found to induce the characteristics of ER stress; mitochondrial Ca2+ overloading, enhanced ER staining, release of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), phosphorylation of RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) like ER kinase (PERK) and eukaryotic initiation factor-2α (eIF-2α), cleavage of activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) and caspase 12, and upregulation of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein (CHOP). However, KIOM-4 attenuated these changes induced by STZ. Furthermore, KIOM-4 suppressed apoptosis induced by STZ in CHOP downregulated cells using CHOP siRNA. These results suggest that KIOM-4 exhibits protective effects in STZ-induced pancreatic β-cell damage, by interrupting the ER stress-mediated pathway