Predicting child abuse potential from the MMPI-2-RF higher order scales and the ASEBA within a sample of care givers referred for evaluation

The purpose of the current study is to examine the association between the higher-order scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition, Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) and the DSM-oriented scales of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA), Adult Self-Report with physical child abuse potential, as measured by the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAP). Abuse and neglect has been shown to have serious and long-lasting negative effects on children’s mental health. Current research has identified a variety of predictors of child abuse potential. However, no previous studies could be found that have examined the correlation between scores on the MMPI-2-RF and the ASEBA with child abuse potential. The participants were 177 parents and caregivers who were court-ordered by the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services to receive a psychiatric evaluation in north Atlanta. Results show that males and females significantly differed on several of the predictor variables, and CAP scores were significantly correlated with all of the variables except the Drug and Alcohol Use Scales. The results of a multiple regression analysis indicate that the overall model did significantly predict CAP score [F(10,61) = 27.50, p < .001] with an R2 of .844. However, only Depressive Problems (Beta = .300, p < .05) and Emotional/Internalizing Dysfunction (Beta = .620, p < .001) were significantly predictive of child abuse potential. Findings of this study suggest that depression and other emotional disorders could be used as a “red flag” when assessing child abuse potential. In addition, it may be that internalizing disorders such as depression may be more predictive of child abuse potential than externalizing disorders (e.g., substance use)

IUPHAR-DB: An Expert-Curated, Peer-Reviewed Database of Receptors and Ion Channels

The International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology database (IUPHAR-DB) integrates peer-reviewed pharmacological, chemical, genetic, functional and anatomical information on the 354 non-sensory G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), 71 ligand-gated ion channel subunits and 141 voltage-gated ion channel subunits encoded by the human, rat and mouse genomes. These genes represent the targets of about a third of currently approved drugs and are a major focus of drug discovery and development programs in the pharmaceutical industry. Individual gene pages provide a comprehensive description of the genes and their functions, with information on protein structure, ligands, expression patterns, signaling mechanisms, functional assays and biologically important receptor variants (e.g. single nucleotide polymorphisms and splice variants). The phenotypes resulting from altered gene expression (e.g. in genetically altered animals) and genetic mutations are described. Links are provided to bioinformatics resources such as NCBI RefSeq, OMIM, PubChem, human, rat and mouse genome databases. Recent developments include the addition of ligand-centered pages summarising information about unique ligand molecules in IUPHAR-DB. IUPHAR-DB represents a novel approach to biocuration because most data are provided through manual curation of published literature by a network of over 60 expert subcommittees coordinated by NC-IUPHAR. Data are referenced to the primary literature and linked to PubMed. The data are checked to ensure accuracy and consistency by the curators, added to the production server using custom-built submission tools and peer-reviewed by NC-IUPHAR, before being transferred to the public database. Data are reviewed and updated regularly (at least biennially). Other website features include comprehensive database search tools, online and downloadable gene lists and links to recent publications of interest to the field, such as reports on receptor-ligand pairings. The database is freely available at "http://www.iuphar-db.org":http://www.iuphar-db.org. Curators can be reached at curators [at] iuphar-db.org. We thank British Pharmacological Society, UNESCO (through the ICSU Grants Programme), Incyte, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Servier and Wyeth for their support

The use of Dexmedetomidine to mitigate perioperative anxiety in pediatric patients receiving general anesthesia: An evidence-based education module

Background: When patients need a surgical procedure, the natural reaction is to have a heightened sense of anxiety. This anxiety can be regarded as an unwanted response, as it can affect the patient’s perception of the procedure and how pain is experienced. In children, the fear of the unknown and the new can be a traumatizing event in their lives; therefore, it should be considered how practitioners help handle this anxiety and apprehension. Medications such as midazolam and dexmedetomidine are used to help modify this emotion. Aim: This systematic review aims to investigate the potential benefits of using dexmedetomidine intranasally instead of midazolam to help cope with this preoperative sedation and postoperative emergence in the pediatric population. An education module was also deployed to help improve the current knowledge of certified nurse anesthetists working within the pediatric population. Results: All 10 studies were randomized controlled trials (RCT) with a minimum level 1C appraisal designation according to the Johns Hopkins research evidence appraisal tool.11 A total of 828 children were selected for these trials in all parts of the world. The ages ranged from 2-14 years old. Four of the RCTs used comparable levels of sedation compared to the 10 studies when comparing dexmedetomidine and midazolam. Six of the remaining RCTs had better results regarding sedation levels and were recommended by the authors. The statistical analysis between the pre-test and post-test of the education module showed an increase in provider knowledge. Discussion: The results from 10 RCTs demonstrate that dexmedetomidine is indeed a better preoperative medication for sedation and has the added benefit of analgesic properties to help postoperatively. The drawback is the cost difference when compared to midazolam. The other potential downside is the onset of action time is slower with dexmedetomidine versus midazolam in reaching optimal sedation levels. Conclusion: The studies\u27 results have been consistent and clear that dexmedetomidine is superior to midazolam for preoperative sedation and postoperative analgesia. The use of dexmedetomidine can help curb unwanted side effects as well such as respiratory depression with midazolam. The movement to change this common practice of midazolam should be done with the sole focus of improving patient experiences and outcomes

Effects of a multimedia goal-setting intervention on students' knowledge of the Self-Determined Learning Model of instruction and disruptive behavior

Preadolescence is a critical time in the life of children because during this time individuals experience increased social pressure and make decisions that lead to lasting peer relationships (Farmer et al., 2008). Students at-risk for, or with, emotional disturbance during preadolescence struggle to adjust socially, behaviorally, and academically, and often make choices about relationships that support problem behaviors (Farmer et al., 2008). One of the most difficult challenges classroom teachers confront is dealing with these problem behaviors (Alberto & Troutman, 2009). Research has suggested that incorporating self-determination into the curriculum and explicitly teaching self-determination skills as early as preschool may be one method for preventing ED in children (Clark, Olympia, Jensen, Heathfield, & Jenson, 2004; Forness et al., 2000). When students with ED have limited self-determination skills, behavior problems tend to be more apparent (Pierson, Carter, Lane, & Glaeser, 2008); therefore, teaching self-determination to students with ED has the potential to improve behavior. This study examined the effects of a computer-assisted multimedia goal-setting intervention on students’ knowledge of the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction and disruptive behavior. Results indicated a functional relationship between the independent variable and dependent variables. Social validity data suggested that teachers and participants felt the intervention was of social importance. Finally, limitations, suggestions for future research, and implications for practice are provided

Effects of exposure to aluminum oxide (AL2O3) and cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles on human alveolar Cells in vitro

Manufactured aluminum oxide and cerium oxide nanoparticles are regularly released into the environment, yet there are presently no regulations to monitor their non-acute effects on respiratory health. The present study, therefore, examined effects of aluminum oxide (AL2O3) and cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles on human alveolar cells in vitro. ATCC A549 human alveolar carcinoma cells were exposed to two different concentrations of these two different nanoparticles to test for cellular and molecular phenotypes, particularly cell viability, oxidative stress, disease marker gene expression and epigenetic responses. Samples were collected at 22 and 88 hours of incubation with and without nanoparticles, representing cells grown to one and four population doublings. Viability and cell health were measured using flow cell cytometry, a fluorescent alamarBlue® assay and total SOD assay. DNA and RNA were extracted from multiple cell samples at 22 and 88 hours of exposure. The extracted DNA was used to assess global DNA methylation and RNA was converted to cDNA to quantify gene expression. The mRNA levels of 15 genes, which are known to transcribe immunological and epigenetic traits, were measured by quantitative realtime PCR. The immunological genes assayed were SOD, SESN, iNOS, IL-6, IL-33, HLA-B, IRF8, CD44 and TNFa. The epigenetic marker genes assayed were DNMT1, DNMT3A, EZH1, KMT2D, EHMT1 and DOT1. Neither of the nanoparticle types nor concentrations affected viability of A549 cells, yet every experimental condition had effects on one or more gene transcript levels. The low concentration Al2O3 showed a decrease in global DNA methylation in 22 hours, while the high concentration showed an increase in 88 hours. DNMT1 expression increased with exposure to AL2O3 with the high concentration in 22 hours suggesting an increased maintenance of genome DNA methylation during the first doubling of cells due to exposure. Conversly, two conditions of AL2O3 exposure caused a decrease in DNMT3A, the de novo methylator. Histone methylation gene DOT1L decreased in the Low 88 group. Pro-inflammatory HLA-B transcripts increased in the High group in 88 hours. ROS reducing SESN3 transcript levels decreased within 22 hours incubation. Cells exposed to varying concentrations of CeO2 nanoparticles showed a tendency to increase both DNMT1 and DNMT3A transcript levels as well as HLA-B and asthma exacerbation indicator IL-6. Similar to the response of AL2O3 exposed cells, there was a decrease in DOT1L expression and SESN3 expression in CeO2 exposed cells, suggesting that both Al2O3 and CeO2 nanoparticles induce epigenetic modifications at various levels of biological organization. The present study, therefore, suggests that these nanoparticle exposures can lead to increased oxidative stress, activation of cancer and asthma related genes, and epigenetic alterations without affecting the viability of A549 alveolar cells. [This abstract has been edited to remove characters that will not display in this system. Please see the PDF for the full abstract.]]]> 2018 Nanoparticles Epigenetics Aluminum oxide $x Physiological effect Cerium oxides$x Physiological effect English http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/Fricault_uncg_0154M_12662.pdf oai:libres.uncg.edu/25151 2019-02-20T10:26:56Z UNCG Learning engagement across the transition to school: investigating the measurement of learning engagement and the effects of early emotion regulation Halliday, Simone E. NC DOCKS at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro <![CDATA[Children’s engagement with learning is important as children enter school, as it facilitates both future learning engagement and academic success. Current measures of learning engagement focus on engagement within a classroom setting and be confounded by contextual characteristics. A laboratory measure of engagement may also broaden available lines of research. This study first aimed to investigate the longitudinal measurement invariance and criterion validity of this measure and explore mean level changes of engagement across this time. Second, this study also assessed how the mechanism of emotion regulation, an important factor of early childhood, may influence the development of engagement in multiple contexts. A community sample of 278 children were brought to the lab for assessments at preschool-age, kindergarten-age, and first grade-age. Children’s learning behaviors and emotion regulation were observed in the lab, and questionnaire data were procured from primary caregivers and children’s teachers at kindergarten and first grade. Results demonstrated that five learning engagement behaviors, attention to instructions, on-task behavior, persistence, monitoring progress/strategy use, and negative affect cohered into a single factor at preschool-age, kindergarten, and first grade. This factor demonstrated partial scalar invariance across the three waves of data collection and was concurrently and longitudinally associated with classroom learning behaviors, academic performance, and, in some instances, school attitude. Thus, this study supports the construct and criterion validity of a laboratory learning engagement measure for young children. Results also indicated that emotion regulation at preschool-age was positively associated with behavioral learning engagement, assessed by both observe behaviors in a laboratory, teacher-reported behaviors in the classroom and affective learning engagement, operationalize as children’s school attitude. This suggests that early regulatory skills may promote or constrain children’s engagement with learning. However, kindergarten emotion regulation was not predictive of later engagement, suggesting that emotion regulation before the start of school may be particularly important for engaged learning processes. One bidirectional was also found: Learning behaviors in the kindergarten classroom were predictive of emotion regulation in first grade. As such, emotion regulation may be affected by children’s behaviors in formal learning contexts. This study provided support for a new measure of learning engagement and expanded current knowledge about the mechanisms that support early engagement. This measure can be useful for researchers who may have difficulty collecting classroom data or are more interested in engagement specific to learning tasks. Moreover, this study suggests that early emotion regulation is important for future engagement, and that any effort to improve emotion regulation should be targeted toward children before the beginning of formal education

Division of child care, parenting roles, and parent-child relationship quality in same-sex headed families

This study examined division of child care, parenting roles, and parent-child relationship quality, both within and across same-sex couples. Analyses were carried out both at the individual level and at the couple level. The utilization of same-sex couples allowed for a quasi-experimental way of teasing apart parental sex and role, which are often conflated in other-sex couple research regarding parent-child relationships. The sample included 238 coresiding same-sex parents living across the United States who participated in online questionnaires. Results indicated that division of child care did not vary at the family level based on sex of the couple or family formation type, but within step families original parents did engage in more child care than step parents. Perceived parenting roles were associated with division of child care, and couples fell into three parenting classification groups: egalitarian (48.8%), primary-secondary (16.3%), and mismatched (34.9%) based on their egalitarianism and congruence of perceived roles. Primary and equal caregivers had higher ratings of parent-child closeness than did secondary caregivers, even when controlling for whether the parent was an original or step parent. These findings highlight the need to consider both sex and role when investigating parent-child relationships

Service-learning internships : speech communication in the community

The purpose of this study was to investigate the advisability of service-learning internships as an institutional strategy within the curriculum of the Speech Communication Division, Department of Drama and Speech, UNC-Greensboro. The thesis was that this type of curriculum option would be an effective means of preparing speech communication students for careers in business and the community. A second thesis was that this option would become increasingly necessary as social, economic, and demographic trends constrain traditional career selections of speech communication students. Analyses of current trends established the need for a service-learning program in the Speech Communication Division. A service-learning model suitable for implementation was created. Both theses were validated. The recommended model was projected into a planning scheme and schedule

The influence of sensory and motor set on early attention-sensitive VERs

The study examined whether motor set, along with perceptual set, produces precortical short-latency poststimulus effects in the visuo-motor system. Eighteen subjects participated in a spatial selective attention paradigm developed by Eason, Harter, and White in 1969. Spots of light were presented concomitantly 30 degrees peripherally in the right and left visual fields. The stimuli were presented either as a single flash or as two flashes (doublets). Subjects were required to make one of three types of responses to the doublets presented in the relevant field: (1) an eye movement, (2) a foot lift response, or (3) silent counting. VERs were recorded at frontal and parietal areas of each hemisphere

An Education Module for the Utilization of the Perioperative Quadratus Lumborum Block to Improve Postoperative Cesarean Section Pain

Background: Pain management for cesarean section patients postoperatively mainly involves oral analgesics, especially opioids. Further exploration is needed to discover the copious benefits of the quadratus lumborum (QL) block in obstetrics and create recommendations for its use. Objectives: The systematic review aimed to assess the most current randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the efficacy of the QL block given for postoperative cesarean section pain management. Additionally, the results will be presented in an education module to Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). Data Sources: Investigators used CINAHL, MedLine, EMBASE, and Pubmed databases to answer the PICO question: In patients undergoing cesarean section (P), does the use of an ultrasound-guided perioperative quadratus lumborum block (I) compared to an ultrasound-guided perioperative transversus abdominus plane block (C) improve postoperative pain management (O)? Methodology: Ten RCTs were included in this systematic review and incorporated in the education module to CRNAs. All studies found the block group to have superior pain management and less opioid consumption. The six studies that compared the QL and TAP block found the QL block to be superior in both pain management and reducing opioid consumption. The education module containing a pre- and post-test and a voiced-over PowerPoint was presented to a group of CRNAs. Results: Statistical analysis using SPSS revealed a statistically significant knowledge increase from the pre- to post-test, and increased likelihood of recommending the QL block. Conclusions: The empirical evidence shows the QL block to provide a longer-lasting reduction in pain and opioid consumption. CRNA providers benefit from an educational module presenting evidence-based information on the newest regional block techniques

Generic Medications and Blood Pressure Control in Diabetic Hypertensive Subjects

OBJECTIVE To investigate temporal improvements in blood pressure (BP) control in subjects with diabetes and policy changes regarding generic antihypertensives. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In a cross-sectional study we used logistic regression models to investigate the temporal relationship between access to generic antihypertensive medications and BP control (<130/80 mmHg) in 5,375 subjects (mean age, 66 ± 9 years; 61% African American) with diabetes and hypertension (HTN) enrolled in the national Results from the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort study between 2003 and 2007. At enrollment, BP was measured and medications in the home determined by medication label review by a trained professional. Generic antihypertensive medication status was ascertained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. RESULTS The percentage of subjects accessing generically available antihypertensive medications increased significantly from 66% in 2003 to 81% in 2007 (P < 0.0001), and the odds of achieving a BP <130/80 mmHg in 2007 was 66% higher (odds ratio 1.66 [95% CI 1.30–2.10]) than in 2003. Nevertheless, <50% of participants achieved this goal. African American race, male sex, limited income, and medication nonadherence were significant predictors of inadequate BP control. There was no significant relationship between access to generic antihypertensives and BP control when other demographic factors were included in the model (0.98 [0.96–1.00]). CONCLUSIONS Among African American and white subjects with HTN and diabetes, BP control remained inadequate relative to published guidelines, and racial disparities persisted. Although access to generic antihypertensives increased, this was not independently associated with improved BP control, suggesting that poor BP control is multifactorial