The Results of Federalism: an examination of housing and disability services

Housing and disability service

Helping the Student Help Himself

Harvard was still an all male institution when this article was written in 1953. Although there are obvious differences related to the passage of time, the basic elements of student financial aid principles are clearly and eminently outlined. Everyone involved in student aid administration from policymakers to practitioners, should read this important piece. A review of this timeless and simple perspective could provide the basis for re-establishing some sound thinking needed to direct both future policy as well as day to day survival in our profession

Person-environment imbalance in an occupational setting : a comparative study of nursing stress in several hospital wards : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology

The present study had three major objectives; (1) the development of a model in which to view nursing stress in terms of basic processes which underlie behaviour; (2) assessment of the levels of nursing stress in several hospital wards, including Oncology; (3) definition of the relationship of personality to the levels of perceived stress amongst nurses. A general information processing model of behaviour, based on the central role of imbalance in process, was developed as the appropriate context in which to understand occupational stress. The sources of stress in nursing, identified in the literature, were reviewed in terms of this model. Data reported here were obtained with a questionnaire designed to measure perceived frequency and stressfulness of job events, presence and stressfulness of job conditions, propensity to leave the job, role conflict, frequency and degree of satisfaction from a variety of sources, and other variables including a number of possible moderators of stress. Indices of stress were derived from these data and from standard measures of well-being, state anxiety and depression. The personality variables extraversion-introversion, neuroticism, trait anxiety, self esteem and locus of control were measured. Scores for stressfulness of events and job conditions respectively were factor analysed and individual factor scores obtained. Wards were compared on a number of the above variables. Few of the events or job conditions were perceived as very stressful on average, with only job conditions related to work load rated as very stressful. Although scores of frequency and stressfulness of each event were not significantly correlated, individuals reporting high frequencies tended to also give high stress scores. Differences between wards in reported frequency of events were generally consistent with the speciality of wards involved. However, Women's Medical showed a general elevation of scores on most items relative to other wards, and on stress indices, particularly depression. Factor analysis of stressfulness scores with two factors for both events and job conditions respectively revealed in both cases a factor which was heavily loaded on by administrative items and which also correlated strongly with measures of depression. Scores on personality tests did not differ significantly between wards, although neuroticism, trait anxiety and self esteem correlated to similar degrees with a number of stress indices and appeared to be measuring the same trait. Extraversion-introversion and locus of control were not correlated significantly with stress. The results do not support the prevalent view that nurses in Oncology and Intensive Care wards suffer high levels of stress compared with nurses in other wards. The methodology used in this and similar types of study is critically discussed in light of the present results, and the relevance of personality variables to stress is discussed in relation to the present findings

Boronate probes for the detection of hydrogen peroxide release from human spermatozoa

Human spermatozoa are compromised by production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and detection of ROS in spermatozoa is important for the diagnosis of male infertility. Probes 2',7'-dichlorohydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH), dihydroethidium (DHE) and MitoSOX red (MSR) are commonly used for detecting ROS by flow cytometry, however these probes lack sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is particularly damaging to mammalian sperm cells. This study reports the synthesis and use of three aryl boronate probes, peroxyfluor-1 (PF1), carboxy peroxyfluor-1 (CPF1) and a novel probe 2(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethoxy peroxyfluor-1 (EEPF1) in human spermatozoa. PF1 and EEPF1 were found to be effective in detecting H2O2 and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) produced by spermatozoa when stimulated with menadione or 4-hydroxynonenal. EEPF1 was more effective at detection of ROS in spermatozoa than DCFH, DHE and MSR; furthermore it distinguished poorly motile sperm as shown by greater ROS production. EEPF1 should therefore have a significant role in diagnosis of oxidative stress in male infertility, cryopreservation, age, lifestyle and exposure to environmental toxicants.Malcolm S. Purdey, Haley S. Connaughton, Sara Whiting, Erik P. Schartner, Tanya M. Monro, Jeremy G. Thompson, R. John Aitken, Andrew D. Abel

The Effect of a Brief Salivary α-Amylase Exposure During Chewing on Subsequent in Vitro Starch Digestion Curve Profiles

There is inconsistency between current in vitro digestion methods with regard to accommodation of a (salivary) α-amylase exposure during the oral phase. The effect of a salivary α-amylase pre-exposure on subsequent in vitro starch digestion curve profiles for various foods was investigated. Foods were chewed, expectorated and the boluses left to rest for 0–15 min. During pancreatic digestion, aliquots were taken and hydrolysis curves constructed for comparison against those of the same foods comminuted with a manually-operated chopper, hence spared exposure to saliva. Hydrolysate aliquots taken at T0 (time zero) of the digestion of chewed samples contained higher levels of glucose and dextrins compared with chopped samples. Pancreatin activity immediately overwhelmed differences in sugar released due to salivary amylase activity. Within 10 min no differences were detectable between hydrolysis curves for chewed and chopped foods. Salivary amylase pretreatment does not contribute to the robustness or relative accuracy of in vitro methods

Embodied techno-space: An auto-ethnography on affective citizenship in the techno electronic dance music scene

This study examines auto-ethnographical experience with bodily participation in spaces of techno electronic dance music (EDM). The article engages with how inner- and inter-corporeal lived experience in techno-space constructs affective citizenship on the very personal level of the participant-researcher. In this context, the article attends to the underexplored field of how affective citizenship is attained and valued along embodied knowledge of subcultural capital in the EDM scene. It particularly addresses its overlooked gendered/sexual and technologically mediated (e)motional body. Drawing on a feminist scholar-artist method, the article renders embodied encounters with techno-space through evocative vignettes that include affective writing, a drawing and introspective poetic revelation. This method aims to convey embodied knowledge of techno-space as creative transformative experience beyond conventional modes of retrospective narration. The article concludes with two key lived experiences of affective citizenship: first, at times the gendered/sexual and cyborgian body was mobilised into a state of emotionally shared publicness that co-produced techno-space. Second, (inter)actions in techno-space incited subcultural capital as a set of tacit knowledge assets (including affective, empathic and therapeutic qualities) to be accumulated over techno events and to be occasionally transferred to inclusive participation in the everyday life

Protocol for a randomized controlled study of Iyengar yoga for youth with irritable bowel syndrome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Irritable bowel syndrome affects as many as 14% of high school-aged students. Symptoms include discomfort in the abdomen, along with diarrhea and/or constipation and other gastroenterological symptoms that can significantly impact quality of life and daily functioning. Emotional stress appears to exacerbate irritable bowel syndrome symptoms suggesting that mind-body interventions reducing arousal may prove beneficial. For many sufferers, symptoms can be traced to childhood and adolescence, making the early manifestation of irritable bowel syndrome important to understand. The current study will focus on young people aged 14-26 years with irritable bowel syndrome. The study will test the potential benefits of Iyengar yoga on clinical symptoms, psychospiritual functioning and visceral sensitivity. Yoga is thought to bring physical, psychological and spiritual benefits to practitioners and has been associated with reduced stress and pain. Through its focus on restoration and use of props, Iyengar yoga is especially designed to decrease arousal and promote psychospiritual resources in physically compromised individuals. An extensive and standardized teacher-training program support Iyengar yoga's reliability and safety. It is hypothesized that yoga will be feasible with less than 20% attrition; and the yoga group will demonstrate significantly improved outcomes compared to controls, with physiological and psychospiritual mechanisms contributing to improvements.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>Sixty irritable bowel syndrome patients aged 14-26 will be randomly assigned to a standardized 6-week twice weekly Iyengar yoga group-based program or a wait-list usual care control group. The groups will be compared on the primary clinical outcomes of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, quality of life and global improvement at post-treatment and 2-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes will include visceral pain sensitivity assessed with a standardized laboratory task (water load task), functional disability and psychospiritual variables including catastrophizing, self-efficacy, mood, acceptance and mindfulness. Mechanisms of action involved in the proposed beneficial effects of yoga upon clinical outcomes will be explored, and include the mediating effects of visceral sensitivity, increased psychospiritual resources, regulated autonomic nervous system responses and regulated hormonal stress response assessed via salivary cortisol.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01107977">NCT01107977</a>.</p