Stress appraisal, coping, and work engagement among police recruits: an exploratory study.

This study investigated the influence of stress appraisal and coping on work engagement levels (Absorption, Vigour, and Dedication) of police recruits. Participants were 387 men, ages 20 to 33 yr. (M = 24.1, SD = 2.4), in their last month of academy training before becoming police officers. Partially in support of predictions, work engagement was associated with Stressor control perceived, but not Stress intensity experienced over a self-selected stressor. Although the three dimensions of work engagement were explained by Stressor control and coping, Absorption was the dimension better explained by these variables. Police recruits reporting higher Absorption, Vigour, and Dedication reported using more Active coping and less Behavioural disengagement. Results showed that stress appraisal and coping are important variables influencing work engagement among police recruits. Findings suggested that future applied interventions fostering work engagement among police recruits should reinforce perceptions of control over a stressor as well as Active coping strategies

The influence of emotional reaction on help seeking by victims of school bullying

Research has started to focus on how victims of school bullying cope, but there is still very little understanding if why pupils cope in one way and not another. This paper aimed to examine the effects of gender, school-stage, frequency of victimization and different emotions (anger, vengeance, self-pity, indifference, and helplessness) upon the choice of social support that children report using. Questionnaires were completed by 6282 Maltese schoolchildren aged between 9 and 14 years old. Analyses revealed that specific patterns of emotion and victimization predict whether pupils report using certain sources of social support. Results are discussed in relation to their relevance for possible intervention, future research needs and implications for the theoretical framework used

Radionuclide Imaging in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Evaluation of Two New Radiopharmaceuticals

We assessed the uptake of two new radiopharmaceuticals, 131I meta-iodo-benzylguanidine (MIBG) and 99mTc(V) dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), in patients with histologically proven medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). MIBG detected tumor in 40% of patients with known primary or recurrent tumor. 99m Tc(V) DMSA successfully demonstrated primary and recurrent tumor in 86% of patients imaged, with true negative results in 100% of patients imaged after successful surgical resection and a false-negative rate of 14%. We therefore suggest that 99m Tc(V) DMSA is the imaging agent of choice in patients with both primary and recurrent disease. 131I MIBG, with its high false-negative rate, has no place in tumor localization, but its potential role in therapy warrants further evaluation

Significant others benefit from preoperative information

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74659/1/j.1365-2648.1990.tb01950.x.pd

Timing of a Young Mildly Recycled Pulsar with a Massive White Dwarf Companion

We report on timing observations of the recently discovered binary pulsar PSR J1952+2630 using the Arecibo Observatory. The mildly recycled 20.7-ms pulsar is in a 9.4-hr orbit with a massive, M_WD > 0.93 M_sun, white dwarf (WD) companion. We present, for the first time, a phase-coherent timing solution, with precise spin, astrometric, and Keplerian orbital parameters. This shows that the characteristic age of PSR J1952+2630 is 77 Myr, younger by one order of magnitude than any other recycled pulsar-massive WD system. We derive an upper limit on the true age of the system of 50 Myr. We investigate the formation of PSR J1952+2630 using detailed modelling of the mass-transfer process from a naked helium star on to the neutron star following a common-envelope phase (Case BB Roche-lobe overflow). From our modelling of the progenitor system, we constrain the accretion efficiency of the neutron star, which suggests a value between 100 and 300% of the Eddington accretion limit. We present numerical models of the chemical structure of a possible oxygen-neon-magnesium WD companion. Furthermore, we calculate the past and the future spin evolution of PSR J1952+2630, until the system merges in about 3.4 Gyr due to gravitational wave emission. Although we detect no relativistic effects in our timing analysis we show that several such effects will become measurable with continued observations over the next 10 years; thus PSR J1952+2630 has potential as a testbed for gravitational theories.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, to be published in MNRA

Improving Students’ Acquisition of Science Process Skills in Biology Subject: Moving Towards a Learner-Centred Classroom

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of inquiry-based learning (IBL) on students’ level of acquisition of integrated science process skills (ISPS) in Biology subject. The objective of the study was to determine the difference between students’ level of acquisition of ISPS when taught using IBL approach and Traditional Learning approach (TL) in Biology. The Non-equivalent Control Group Post- test only Design was employed in the study as a quasi experiment. The study was carried out in Kesses Sub County of Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya where there has been persistent low achievement in Biology subject at KCSE level. The study sample comprised of 116 students selected from form three students from two mixed day secondary schools. The sampling techniques used were stratified, systematic and simple random sampling. The experimental groups received instructions through use of IBL approach and control groups using the TL approach. Biology Integrated Science Process Skills Questionnaire (BISPSQ) was used for data collection. The results of the study indicated that students in the experimental groups outperformed the control groups in the acquisition of selected science process skills. It was concluded that IBL had a positive output on students’ acquisition of integrated science process skills than the TL method. Teachers and students of Biology in Kenya should be encouraged to incorporate IBL in teaching and learning so as to enhance the acquisition of integrated science process skills. Keywords: Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL); Acquisition of Biology Integrated Science Process Skills and Biology subject

Goitre and Iodine Deficiency in Europe

The prevalence of endemic iodine-deficiency goitre in Europe has been reduced in many areas by the introduction of iodination programmes. Recent reports, however, show that goitre remains a significant problem and that its prevalence has not decreased in a number of European countries. Hetzel1 has pointed out that the high global prevalence of iodine-deficiency disorders could be eradicated within 5-10 years by introduction of an iodised salt programme. The current World Health Organisation recommendations for iodine intake are between 150 and 300 μg/da

Interaction of the solar wind with Venus

Two topics related to the interaction of the solar wind with Venus are considered. First, a short review of the experimental evidence with particular attention to plasma measurements carried out on Mariner-5 and Mariner-10 is given. Secondly, the results of some recent theoretical work on the interaction of the solar wind with the ionosphere of Venus are summarized