MS

thesisThis study analyzed the incidence of breast feeding and reasons for weaning among women in Utah. A convience sample population of 274 was obtained from women who were 3 months to 1 year postpartum. The time of weaning was found to be significantly associated with the following reasons for weaning: breast and nipple problems (t=.760, p<.01), the physician advising a woman to stop breast feeding (t=.741, p<.01), and a baby eating a good diet and taking liquids from a cup (t=.613, p=<.01). The rural sample was too small in comparison to the urban group to analyze difference between these two groups. Supportive individuals, especially the husband or partner, were important to most women. In the majority of situations, the support person decreased the incidence of early weaning. Sociodemographic variables were also found to be associated with specific reasons for weaning. Finally, those who enjoyed breastfeeding, weaned later. The incidence of breastfeeding a youngest child within the sample was 83.9%. Only 37% were still breastfeeding after 6 months. A higher incidence of breast feeding was found among women with higher educational achievements, within Protestant and Latter-Day Saints (LDS) religious groups and among married and divorced woman. If a woman had breast fed her youngest child (t=.438, p<.01). Regressional analysis shoed the best predictors of breast feeding were a woman having breast fed a previous child, accounting for 22.28%, and educational level (7.36%), The best predictors of the time of weaning were the enjoyment of breast feeding (12.07%) and the incidence of breast and nipple problems. (9.33%)

Assessing poisoning risks related to storage of household hazardous materials: using a focus group to improve a survey questionnaire

BACKGROUND: In fall of 2004, the authors began an investigation to characterize the correlations between the storage of Household Hazardous Materials and the associated health risks, particularly to children. The study area selected was Genesee County, Michigan, near Flint, with data to be collected by a phone survey of residents and through the acquisition of county hospital records containing procedure codes indicating treatment for poison emergencies, and review of poison control center data. METHODS: A focus group was used to identify key topics and relationships within these data for improving the phone survey questionnaire and its analysis. RESULTS: The focus group was successful in identifying the key issues with respect to all the data collection objectives, resulting in a significantly shorter and more topically focused survey questionnaire. Execution time of the phone survey decreased from 30 to 12 minutes, and useful relationships between the data were revealed, e.g., the linkage between reading food labels and reading labels on containers containing potentially harmful substances. CONCLUSION: Focus groups and their preparatory planning can help reveal data interrelationships before larger surveys are undertaken. Even where time and budget constraints prevent the ability to conduct a series of focus groups, one successful focus group session can improve survey performance and reduce costs

Longitudinal associations of parental psychological control and friend support with autonomy during early adolescence

Although theories suggest transactional associations between adolescents' autonomy and relationships with parents and friends, few studies have examined these within-person effects. This longitudinal study examined the within-person co-development of adolescents' autonomy and relationships with parents and friends. Adolescents (N = 244 Mage = 11.54, SD = 0.43 at T1; 50% boys) participated in a four-wave study across 2 years in the Netherlands. In random-intercept cross-lagged panel models, within-person results showed that higher levels of autonomy predicted less parental psychological control but not vice versa. However, no lagged-effects between friend support and autonomy were found. This study suggests that adolescents' autonomy steers changes in parental psychological control

Egg-Derived Tri-Peptide IRW Exerts Antihypertensive Effects in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Background: There is a growing interest in using functional food components as therapy for cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension. We have previously characterized a tri-peptide IRW (Ile-Arg-Trp) from egg white protein ovotransferrin; this peptide showed anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor properties in vitro. Given the pathogenic roles played by angiotensin, oxidative stress and inflammation in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), we tested the therapeutic potential of IRW in this well-established model of hypertension. Methods and Results: 16–17 week old male SHRs were orally administered IRW at either a low dose (3 mg/Kg BW) or a high dose (15 mg/Kg BW) daily for 18 days. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate were measured by telemetry. Animals were sacrificed at the end of the treatment for vascular function studies and measuring markers of inflammation. IRW treatment attenuated mean BP by ~10 mmHg and ~40 mmHg at the low- and high-dose groups respectively compared to untreated SHRs. Heart rate was not affected. Reduction in BP was accompanied by the restoration of diurnal variations in BP, preservation of nitric oxide dependent vasorelaxation, as well as reduction of plasma angiotensin II, other inflammatory markers and tissue fibrosis. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate anti-hypertensive effects of IRW in vivo likely mediated through ACE inhibition, endothelial nitric oxide synthase and anti-inflammatory properties

Different modes of variation for each BG lineage suggest different functions.

Mammalian butyrophilins have various important functions, one for lipid binding but others as ligands for co-inhibition of αβ T cells or for stimulation of γδ T cells in the immune system. The chicken BG homologues are dimers, with extracellular immunoglobulin variable (V) domains joined by cysteines in the loop equivalent to complementarity-determining region 1 (CDR1). BG genes are found in three genomic locations: BG0 on chromosome 2, BG1 in the classical MHC (the BF-BL region) and many BG genes in the BG region just outside the MHC. Here, we show that BG0 is virtually monomorphic, suggesting housekeeping function(s) consonant with the ubiquitous tissue distribution. BG1 has allelic polymorphism but minimal sequence diversity, with the few polymorphic residues at the interface of the two V domains, suggesting that BG1 is recognized by receptors in a conserved fashion. Any phenotypic variation should be due to the intracellular region, with differential exon usage between alleles. BG genes in the BG region can generate diversity by exchange of sequence cassettes located in loops equivalent to CDR1 and CDR2, consonant with recognition of many ligands or antigens for immune defence. Unlike the mammalian butyrophilins, there are at least three modes by which BG genes evolve.Wellcome Trust (Grant IDs: RG49834 (Studentship), 089305 and a Senior Investigator Award), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Studentship)This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from The Royal Society via http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsob.16018

Exploring the relations in relational engagement:Addressing barriers to transformative consumer research

Marketing academics are increasingly seeking societal impact from their work yet still encounter problems in creating and sustaining meaningful relationships with those whom their work seeks to help. We use an empirical investigation to identify and propose solutions to the key barriers that impede the initiation and development of impactful relationships between marketing academics and Social Impact Organizations (SIOs). The investigation entailed 20 interviews with SIOs and Knowledge Exchange (KE) professionals in the US, UK and France. The main barriers hindering relationships are differing perspectives on resources, goal misalignment and misconceptions about the other party. Potential solutions include: involving both parties in structured activities for initializing collaboration; planning resource investment in research; engaging with KE professionals to facilitate goal alignment and to broker communications; increasing academic visibility in SIO communities; using teaching as a springboard to develop collaborations; supporting SIO-led initiatives and finding creative ways to overcome time incongruity