Alien Registration- Miles, Alice F. (Auburn, Androscoggin County)

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The Quiet Eye in a Throwing and Catching Task: Visuomotor Skill of Children with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder

Knowing where and when to look is critical for effective performance of visually guided tasks. A gaze strategy termed the quiet eye (QE; the final gaze before the onset of a critical movement) is strongly associated with motor skill proficiency, with earlier and longer QE periods leading to improved visuomotor control. Children with poor motor proficiency, such as those with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), have impairments in the pick-up and processing of visual information, translating into poorly coordinated movements. The purpose of this project therefore was to perform the first examination of the QE strategy in children of different motor coordination abilities and furthermore to investigate the efficacy of task-specific QE training (QET) to improve the skills of children with and without DCD beyond the effects of a standard coaching technique. Study 1 determined that children with low motor coordination had later, shorter QE durations in comparison to coordinated children and as a result, performed worse in a specified motor task (throwing and catching). Study 2 therefore performed two experiments aimed at developing an appropriate but brief QET protocol for children to improve their throwing and catching ability. These experiments found that typically developing children were able to increase their QE durations with QET and this was reflected in a durable improvement in their motor skill execution. The final study examined this QET intervention in children with DCD. This was the first application of QET in a clinical population, and found that children with DCD were able to improve their QE durations, and make robust changes to their visuomotor control. These studies associate a longer QE with motor skill proficiency in children, and provide an important adjunct to current therapeutic intervention for children with poorly developed motor skills

Gaining prescription rights: A qualitative survey mapping the views of UK counselling and clinical psychologists

Objective: The British Psychological Society (BPS) has been exploring whether its practitioner members are interested in gaining prescription rights for psychiatric drugs and what such a privilege might look like. This qualitative study aimed to survey the views of UK-based, qualified counselling and clinical psychologists. Method: Qualitative data was collected from 82 participants via an online survey (37 counselling and 45 clinical psychologists). Along with the survey items, the last question asked participants to select one of three answers (yes/no/unsure) in relation to whether they supported prescription rights for psychologists. The qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis, from a critical realist perspective, to develop 3 themes. Results: Theme 1 explores how psychologists grapple with their professional identity within structures dominated by the medical model of distress, and constructions of the prescription rights debate as a crossroads for both discipline and profession. Theme 2 explores participants’ assumptions about psychiatric drugs as they seem to serve as a springboard to their views on prescription rights. Theme 3 examines the belief that gaining prescription rights will result in increased status and power for psychologists and what might be gained or lost as a result. Regarding the final question: 18 participants answered yes; 42 no; and 22 were unsure. Conclusion: We advocate for increased criticality in how UK psychology continues to consider this issue. We caution against an optionality approach that might risk obscuring wider implications for psychology beyond the preferences of individual practitioners

Hepatic Endothelial CCL25 Mediates the Recruitment of CCR9+ Gut-homing Lymphocytes to the Liver in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a chronic inflammatory liver disease characterized by progressive bile duct destruction, develops as an extra-intestinal complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (Chapman, R.W. 1991. Gut. 32:1433–1435). However, the liver and bowel inflammation are rarely concomitant, and PSC can develop in patients whose colons have been removed previously. We hypothesized that PSC is mediated by long-lived memory T cells originally activated in the gut, but able to mediate extra-intestinal inflammation in the absence of active IBD (Grant, A.J., P.F. Lalor, M. Salmi, S. Jalkanen, and D.H. Adams. 2002. Lancet. 359:150–157). In support of this, we show that liver-infiltrating lymphocytes in PSC include mucosal T cells recruited to the liver by aberrant expression of the gut-specific chemokine CCL25 that activates α4β7 binding to mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule 1 on the hepatic endothelium. This is the first demonstration in humans that T cells activated in the gut can be recruited to an extra-intestinal site of disease and provides a paradigm to explain the pathogenesis of extra-intestinal complications of IBD

Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative Launched

The Walmart Initiative was designed to provide technical support to train at least 200 farmers on best practices in marketing produce to larger companies and corporations like Walmart. This support was provided through specialized training, workshops, informational group meetings, and overall awareness of market opportunities. The specialized training included Food Safety Standards and Food Safety Certification requirements, effective production techniques, harvesting, grading, packaging, refrigeration/cold chain requirements, transportation, fiscal responsibility, financial management, record-keeping, and insurance and product liability. As part of a five state initiative, Tuskegee University identified and assisted in the formation of the Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative comprised of members from several regions throughout the State of Alabama. The Cooperative received training necessary to understand the importance of farmers working together, internal management and controls, sharing of knowledge, resources and experience, doing business at higher volumes/quantities, and operating at a higher level of quality assurance; thus, improving marketing opportunities. Key Words: Cooperative, Produce Marketing, Small Farmers, Walmart Initiativ

The Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative Today

Abstract The Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Project was designed to provide technical support to train at least 200 farmers on best practices in marketing produce to large companies such as Walmart. Activities included specialized training, workshops, and informational group meetings, and overall awareness of market opportunities. The specialized trainings included food safety standards and food safety certification requirements, efficient production techniques, harvesting, grading, packaging, refrigeration/cold chain requirements, transportation, fiscal responsibility, financial management, record-keeping, and insurance and product liability. As part of the process, Tuskegee University assisted with the formation of the Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative, which is comprised of members from Central and South Alabama. Cooperative training included the benefits of farmers working together; internal management and controls; sharing of knowledge, resources and experience; doing business at higher volumes/quantities, and operating at a higher level of quality assurance; thus, ensuring the improvement in marketing opportunities. Keywords: Cooperative, Produce Marketing, Small Farmers, Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Projec

Perceptions of the Community Food Environment and Related Influences on Food Choice Among Midlife Women Residing in Rural and Urban Areas: A Qualitative Analysis

Introduction—Qualitative research on food choice has rarely focused on individuals’ perceptions of the community food environment. Women remain gatekeepers of the family diet and food purchasing. Therefore we assessed midlife, Southern women's perceptions of the food environment. Related influences on food choices at work and at home were also examined. Methods—We recruited 28 low- and moderate-income, midlife (37-67 years) women from rural and urban areas of southeastern North Carolina, using typical case and snowball sampling. They responded to questions about multilevel influences on food choice in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Results—Women perceived differences between urban and rural food environments, with rural areas having fewer supermarkets and fast food restaurants compared to urban areas, which had fewer produce stands. Workplace food choices were affected by the social environment (co-workers), personal health concerns, and the surrounding food environment. Food chosen at home was primarily influenced by family members, health concerns, and convenient food sources. Discussion—While future studies should explore findings in more representative populations, potential intervention strategies can be inferred, including emphasizing healthful aspects of the food environment. Intervention and advocacy efforts are needed to improve aspects of the food environment that make healthy choices difficult. Originally published in Women & Health Vol. 49, No. 2-3, 2009