Perceptions of Family Functioning and Suicide Attitudes

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the general functioning of a family is related to attitudes regarding suicide. Past research has examined the impact of family functioning on suicide attitudes and found that the relationship between families and children are different in families of suicidal children than in families who have nonsuicidal children. This study combined three variables of suicide acceptance, suicide normality, and perceptions of family functioning in the hopes of gaining more information to assess risk of harm to self in adolescents. The participants were 94 students from Introductory Psychology classes at Eastern Illinois University. Three questionnaires were administered: the Family Assessment Device, the normality scale from the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire, and the Suicide Acceptability Scale. Questions regarding demographic information including exposure to suicide and religiosity were also included. A majority of the participants knew someone who had attempted and completed suicide. Students, in general, did not consider suicide as normal or acceptable behavior, however, if participants knew a close friend or family member who attempted or committed suicide they were more likely to consider the suicide more normal than if they knew an acquaintance or no one had committed or attempted suicide. This finding may illustrate the adjustment process for the survivor. Students who indicated they were more likely during their life to commit suicide were more accepting of suicide. In order to feel normal, suicidal adolescents seem to accept their suicidal thoughts and feelings as normal. Furthermore, males were more accepting of suicide than females which may be the result of man\u27s more aggressive nature. Religiosity and family factors were correlated negatively with suicide acceptance and normality. Intense religious beliefs appear to produce negative attitudes towards suicide, perhaps because the consequences for taking your own life in most traditional religions is severe. Family factors, such as married parents and siblings may also prove to be a buffer against suicide. The intact family may serve as a support system for the adolescent. Previous suicidal intent, exposure to suicide, religiosity, sex, and family factors appear to have an influence over who is at greater risk for suicidal behavior. It may be interesting for future research to determine which combination of these factors are deadlier than others in order to decrease the risk of suicidal behavior in adolescents

Perceptions of Family Functioning and Suicide Attitudes

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the general functioning of a family is related to attitudes regarding suicide. Past research has examined the impact of family functioning on suicide attitudes and found that the relationship between families and children are different in families of suicidal children than in families who have nonsuicidal children. This study combined three variables of suicide acceptance, suicide normality, and perceptions of family functioning in the hopes of gaining more information to assess risk of harm to self in adolescents. The participants were 94 students from Introductory Psychology classes at Eastern Illinois University. Three questionnaires were administered: the Family Assessment Device, the normality scale from the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire, and the Suicide Acceptability Scale. Questions regarding demographic information including exposure to suicide and religiosity were also included. A majority of the participants knew someone who had attempted and completed suicide. Students, in general, did not consider suicide as normal or acceptable behavior, however, if participants knew a close friend or family member who attempted or committed suicide they were more likely to consider the suicide more normal than if they knew an acquaintance or no one had committed or attempted suicide. This finding may illustrate the adjustment process for the survivor. Students who indicated they were more likely during their life to commit suicide were more accepting of suicide. In order to feel normal, suicidal adolescents seem to accept their suicidal thoughts and feelings as normal. Furthermore, males were more accepting of suicide than females which may be the result of man\u27s more aggressive nature. Religiosity and family factors were correlated negatively with suicide acceptance and normality. Intense religious beliefs appear to produce negative attitudes towards suicide, perhaps because the consequences for taking your own life in most traditional religions is severe. Family factors, such as married parents and siblings may also prove to be a buffer against suicide. The intact family may serve as a support system for the adolescent. Previous suicidal intent, exposure to suicide, religiosity, sex, and family factors appear to have an influence over who is at greater risk for suicidal behavior. It may be interesting for future research to determine which combination of these factors are deadlier than others in order to decrease the risk of suicidal behavior in adolescents

Schizophrenia-like Cognitive, Trait and DNA Markers in Regular Cannabis Users

Rationale: Converging evidence suggests that cannabis use can induce psychosis and is a distinct risk factor for schizophrenia. Taken together with the effects of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on neural systems, dopamine and endocannabinoids it is likely that cannabis use may also produce sub- clinical psychosis-linked changes in a much larger number of regular recreational users; observable in schizophrenia-sensitive assessments. Use of the drug by individuals with genetic risk factors for schizophrenia appears to magnify the chances of pathology, and so changes in recreational users with one or more of these genetic markers may be more evident or pronounced. Method: 50 cannabis users and 50 non cannabis users were assessed in each of two studies. Study one assessed selective attention in the Latent Inhibition (LI) and Kamin Blocking (KB) paradigms and examined schizophrenia-linked traits using the short form of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (the SPQ-B; Raine and Benishay, 1995). Study two assessed executive control (using an Anti-Saccade Test), decision-making (using the Iowa Gambling Task), and selective/sustained attention and inhibitory control (Continuous Performance Test). Study two included additional personality measures to explore paranoia, emotional processing, ambivalence and impulsivity. Across both studies, the relative contribution of seven genetic risk markers in five candidate genes for schizophrenia (DAOA, COMT, NRG1, FAAH and CNR1) were assessed. Key Results: Cannabis use was associated with abolished latent inhibition and significantly riskier decision making, especially in those who used the drug more frequently. Cannabis users reported significantly higher scores for psychosis-linked personality traits and there was a dose-response effect with heavier users experiencing more of these schizotypal traits. Some key trends existed in the genotyping data for the cannabis group. The psychosis-risk C allele in the NRG1 gene was linked to higher SPQ-B scores and more errors on the AST; and was also associated with longer use of cannabis. Cannabis users without the protective three-way T-G-G haplotype COMT gene had higher scores for the SPQ-B disorganised thinking subscale than users with the protective haplotype. Discussion: The data in this thesis suggests that cannabis users are showing differences in brain inhibitory function and decision-making akin to previous research with schizophrenic patients, their first degree relatives and high schizotypy scorers. Exposure to THC may contribute to changes in individuals by pushing them further along a schizophrenia-spectrum resulting in the display of more psychotic-like traits and cognitive dysfunction at sub-clinical levels. These preliminary findings need expansion and replication, particularly with regards to the COMT three-way haplotype

Educational language policy and the new Latino diaspora in Iowa

The New Latino Diaspora is a demographic phenomenon that describes the immigration of Latinos from across Latin America to small cities and towns in the United States, which have historically not been popular destinations for Spanish speakers. As a result of this demographic shift, Iowa has experienced a 452% increase in its population of English learners (ELs) in public schools over the past 20 years. Thus, communities throughout Iowa (and the rest of the New Latino Diaspora) have struggled to put a support network in place for newcomers, including educational programs that provide educational opportunity for non-native English speakers. The purpose of this study was to examine how Iowa's educational language policy has adapted to growing numbers of ELs. Findings suggest that policymakers and educators alike have struggled to develop coherent plans for accommodating native Spanish speakers and leverage resources to enact what plans exist. While there is support at the state-level for a diversity of educational programs, including English as a second language (ESL) and bilingual education, there is very little guidance or financial support for districts. In other words, while educators have a lot of agency in determining how to educate non-native English speakers and some very industrious individuals have opened dual language schools, a more robust (funded) structure for language education is needed. We argue that the new language ecology is a linguistic and cultural resource, for both non-native English speakers and students who are currently English monolingual. Our results have implications for the future of linguistic accommodation and educational opportunity for Latinos around the Midwest

Precipitation Drivers of Cropping Frequency in the Brazilian Cerrado: Evidence and Implications for Decision-Making

The Amazon basin has been subjected to unprecedented rates of land-use change over the past several decades, primarily as a result of the expansion of agriculture. Enhanced rain forest conservation efforts toward the end of the twentieth century slowed deforestation of the Amazon but, in turn, increased demand for land repurposing in the adjacent Cerrado (savanna) region, where conservation regulations are less strict. To maintain or increase yields while minimizing the need for additional land, agricultural producers adopted a form of intensification in which two rain-fed crops are planted within a single growing season (double cropping). Using 10 years (August 2002 to July 2012) of MODIS and TRMM data, it is demonstrated that there exists a threshold growing season rainfall amount (1759 mm) for double cropping. But more nuanced is the relationship between observable precipitation information available to farmers at the time of planting decision and the choice to “double crop” in a given year. An evaluation of decision-available precipitation characteristics provides strong evidence for the importance of high rainfall frequency during a critical period prior to, and including, the rainy season onset

The Relationship between Tropical Cyclone Activity, Nutrient Loading, and Algal Blooms over the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem, is subject to many environmental stressors. This study utilizes remotely sensed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) chlorophyll a concentration data to explore statistically significant relationships between local-scale tropical cyclone disturbance and relative water quality between 2004–2014. The study reveals that tropical cyclone activity reduces water quality at 8- and 16-day time lags. Relationships suggest that at early stages (during and just after cyclone activity) algal response is induced primarily through wind-driven sediment re-suspension. However, wind speed in isolation only increases minimum levels of chlorophyll a, rather than mean or extreme upper values. At greater time lags (16-day), it is suggested that nutrient runoff from rainfall (and perhaps storm surge) increase phytoplankton activity, leading to detrimental ecological effects. The analyses systematically demonstrate the dominance of tropical cyclone size on mean and extreme values of chlorophyll a during and after tropical cyclone activity (at 0-, 8-, and 16-day time lags). Both the total area affected and the area from which nutrients can be extracted have more impact on chlorophyll a concentrations than either the duration or intensity of the cyclone. Findings indicate that efforts to reduce nutrient and sediment leaching into the reef lagoon from the Queensland coastal lands need to be continued and improved. This will be particularly important in the context of climate change, since tropical cyclone frequency, dynamics and characteristics are likely to change

Dimming the Powerhouse: Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the Liver and Skeletal Muscle of Intrauterine Growth Restricted Fetuses

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) of the fetus, resulting from placental insufficiency (PI), is characterized by low fetal oxygen and nutrient concentrations that stunt growth rates of metabolic organs. Numerous animal models of IUGR recapitulate pathophysiological conditions found in human fetuses with IUGR. These models provide insight into metabolic dysfunction in skeletal muscle and liver. For example, cellular energy production and metabolic rate are decreased in the skeletal muscle and liver of IUGR fetuses. These metabolic adaptations demonstrate that fundamental processes in mitochondria, such as substrate utilization and oxidative phosphorylation, are tempered in response to low oxygen and nutrient availability. As a central metabolic organelle, mitochondria coordinate cellular metabolism by coupling oxygen consumption to substrate utilization in concert with tissue energy demand and accretion. In IUGR fetuses, reducing mitochondrial metabolic capacity in response to nutrient restriction is advantageous to ensure fetal survival. If permanent, however, these adaptations may predispose IUGR fetuses toward metabolic diseases throughout life. Furthermore, these mitochondrial defects may underscore developmental programming that results in the sequela of metabolic pathologies. In this review, we examine how reduced nutrient availability in IUGR fetuses impacts skeletal muscle and liver substrate catabolism, and discuss how enzymatic processes governing mitochondrial function, such as the tricarboxylic acid cycle and electron transport chain, are regulated. Understanding how deficiencies in oxygen and substrate metabolism in response to placental restriction regulate skeletal muscle and liver metabolism is essential given the importance of these tissues in the development of later lifer metabolic dysfunction

Integrated root phenotypes for improved rice performance under low nitrogen availability

Greater nitrogen efficiency would substantially reduce the economic, energy and environmental costs of rice production. We hypothesized that synergistic balancing of the costs and benefits for soil exploration among root architectural phenes is beneficial under suboptimal nitrogen availability. An enhanced implementation of the functional-structural model OpenSimRoot for rice integrated with the ORYZA_v3 crop model was used to evaluate the utility of combinations of root architectural phenes, namely nodal root angle, the proportion of smaller diameter nodal roots, nodal root number; and L-type and S-type lateral branching densities, for plant growth under low nitrogen. Multiple integrated root phenotypes were identified with greater shoot biomass under low nitrogen than the reference cultivar IR64. The superiority of these phenotypes was due to synergism among root phenes rather than the expected additive effects of phene states. Representative optimal phenotypes were predicted to have up to 80% greater grain yield with low N supply in the rainfed dry direct-seeded agroecosystem over future weather conditions, compared to IR64. These phenotypes merit consideration as root ideotypes for breeding rice cultivars with improved yield under rainfed dry direct-seeded conditions with limited nitrogen availability. The importance of phene synergism for the performance of integrated phenotypes has implications for crop breeding.Peer reviewe

Performance of a Carbon Nanotube Field Emission Electron Gun

A cold cathode field emission electron gun (e-gun) based on a patterned carbon nanotube (CNT) film has been fabricated for use in a miniaturized reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer (RTOF MS). Performance of the CNT e-gun has been evaluated. A traditional thermionic electron gun has also been fabricated and evaluated in parallel and its performance is used as a benchmark in the evaluation of our CNT e-gun. Implications for future improvements and integration into the RTOF MS are discussed