Parents Forever: Evaluation of a Divorce Education Curriculum

Parents Forever is an educational program developed by the University of Minnesota Extension Service for families experiencing divorce. It was designed to help parents: a) eliminate parent conflict in front of the children; b) keep the children out of the middle of parent issues; c) provide access to both parents; and d) put the best interests of the children first. Eighty-nine parents were interviewed via telephone after completing the course about the impact of Parents Forever on parental behaviors. Analyses revealed that Parents Forever is effective in meeting its four objectives. Implications for divorce education programming are outlined

On a nonlocal boundary value problem for parabolic-hyperbolic type equation

We consider the mixed type equation with the nonlocal boundary condition and the initial condition. A uniqueness for the solvability of this boundary problem is shown

Selective Sweeps in Growing Microbial Colonies

Evolutionary experiments with microbes are a powerful tool to study mutations and natural selection. These experiments, however, are often limited to the well-mixed environments of a test tube or a chemostat. Since spatial organization can significantly affect evolutionary dynamics, the need is growing for evolutionary experiments in spatially structured environments. The surface of a Petri dish provides such an environment, but a more detailed understanding of microbial growth on Petri dishes is necessary to interpret such experiments. We formulate a simple deterministic reaction-diffusion model, which successfully predicts the spatial patterns created by two competing species during colony expansion. We also derive the shape of these patterns analytically without relying on microscopic details of the model. In particular, we find that the relative fitness of two microbial strains can be estimated from the logarithmic spirals created by selective sweeps. The theory is tested with strains of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, for spatial competitions with different initial conditions and for a range of relative fitnesses. The reaction-diffusion model also connects the microscopic parameters like growth rates and diffusion constants with macroscopic spatial patterns and predicts the relationship between fitness in liquid cultures and on Petri dishes, which we confirmed experimentally. Spatial sector patterns therefore provide an alternative fitness assay to the commonly used liquid culture fitness assays.Molecular and Cellular Biolog

Genetic Reporter System for Positioning of Proteins at the Bacterial Pole

Spatial organization within bacteria is fundamental to many cellular processes, although the basic mechanisms underlying localization of proteins to specific sites within bacteria are poorly understood. The study of protein positioning has been limited by a paucity of methods that allow rapid large-scale screening for mutants in which protein positioning is altered. We developed a genetic reporter system for protein localization to the pole within the bacterial cytoplasm that allows saturation screening for mutants in Escherichia coli in which protein localization is altered. Utilizing this system, we identify proteins required for proper positioning of the Shigella autotransporter IcsA. Autotransporters, widely distributed bacterial virulence proteins, are secreted at the bacterial pole. We show that the conserved cell division protein FtsQ is required for localization of IcsA and other autotransporters to the pole. We demonstrate further that this system can be applied to the study of proteins other than autotransporters that display polar positioning within bacterial cells.Molecular and Cellular Biolog

Construct and content validity of the Turkish Birth Satisfaction Scale – Revised (T-BSS-R)

Background: The Birth Satisfaction Scale – Revised (BSS-R) is a valid and reliable scale designed to assess women’s experiences of labour and childbirth. Objective: To assess factor structure, validity, and reliability of the Turkish Birth Satisfaction Scale – Revised (T-BSS-R) using data collected from a Turkish population. Setting: Istanbul Ministry of Health Zeynep Kamil Women’s and Children’s Training and Research Hospital. Participants: A convenience sample of healthy child-bearing women (n = 120) who had experienced a spontaneous vertex delivery at full term. Method: A survey was conducted post backtranslating the T-BSS-R, with survey data analysed using confirmatory factor analysis. Results: Factor modelling found three subscales embedded in the T-BSS-R, which indicated a good model fit, χ2 = 44.67, CFI = .94; MSEA = .057; SRMR = .075. A Chi-square value of 1.33 also indicated a good fit. Means for the T-BSS-R subdimensions (1) Stress Experienced (T-BSS-SE-R) = 6.86 ± 3.10, (2) Women’s Attributes (T-BSS-WA-R) = 2.84 ± 1.89, (3) Quality of Care (T-BSS-QC-R) = 10.69 ± 3.19 and total scale = 20.39 ± 5.98. The Cronbach alpha coefficient for total scale = 0.71 and for subdimensions T-BSS-SE-R= 0.55, T-BSS-WA-R = 0.44 and T-BSS-QC-R = –0.74.Conclusion: Data analysis determined that the T-BSS-R is a valid andreliable instrument to measure birth satisfaction in a population of Turkish women. The T-BSS-R is available for use from [email protected]

Crustal Imaging Across the North Anatolian Fault Zone from the Auto-Correlation of Ambient Seismic Noise

Seismic images of active fault zones can be used to examine the structure of faults throughout the crust and upper mantle, and give clues as to whether the associated deformation occurs within a narrow shear zone, or is broadly distributed through the lower crust. Limitations on seismic resolution within the crust, and difficulties imaging shallow structures such as the crust-mantle boundary (Moho), place constraints on the interpretation of seismic images. In this study we retrieve body wave reflections from autocorrelations of ambient seismic noise. The instantaneous phase coherence autocorrelations allow unprecedented ambient noise images of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ). Our reflection profiles show a Moho reflected P-wave, and additional structure within the crust and upper mantle. We image a distinct vertical offset of the Moho associated with the northern branch of the NAFZ indicating that deformation related to the fault remains narrow in the upper mantle

Effect of alkali treatment of lower concentrations on the structure and tensile properties of Pakistan’s coarse cotton fibre

Cotton fibres of high Micronaire values are known to have inferior spinning performance. Either reduction of fibres’ fineness or increase in tensile strength is generally expected to improve the spinnability of fibres. In this piece of research, the effects of alkali treatment at lower concentrations (0.75–2.25M) and higher temperatures (70–100 °C) on the cross-section of cotton fibre and on the tensile strength have been investigated. Observations were made using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and single fibre tensile strength testing. It was found that the roundness of the fibre cross section was improved and the tensile strength of the fibres also increased after treatment with alkali at lower concentration (0.75 M) and relatively lower temperature (70 °C). It is proposed that such changes occurred due to possible cellulose dissolution/transformations. It was thus concluded that the alkali treatment of cotton fibres at lower concentrations (0.75 M) and 70 °C for a shorter period of time (45 mins) could lead to improvement in tensile strength and roundness of fibre cross-section, thereby improving micronaire