Conceptualizing gratitude and appreciation as a unitary personality trait

Gratitude and appreciation are currently measured using three self-report instruments, the GQ6 (1 scale), the Appreciation Scale (8 scales), and the GRAT (3 scales). Two studies were conducted to test how these three instruments are interrelated, whether they exist under the same higher order factor or factors, and whether gratitude and appreciation is a single or multi-factorial construct. In Study 1 (N = 206) all 12 scales were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis. Both parallel analysis and the minimum average partial method indicated a clear one-factor solution. In Study 2 (N = 389) multigroup confirmatory factor analysis supported the one-factor structure, demonstrated the invariance of this structure across gender, and ruled out the confounding effect of socially desirable responding. We conclude gratitude and appreciation are a single-factor personality trait. We suggest integration of gratitude and appreciation literatures and provide a clearer conceptualization of gratitude

Biomarkers in chronic adult hydrocephalus

Awareness of the importance of chronic adult hydrocephalus has been raised again with the recent emergence of epidemiological studies. It is estimated that between 5 and 10% of patients suffering from dementia might, in fact, have chronic hydrocephalus. Although, surgical diversion of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) represents the only known procedure able to treat the symptoms of this condition, the selection of surgical patients has always been problematic. In the last 40 years, we have become wiser in using appropriate diagnostic tests for the selection of these patients; however, the area of biological markers has so far been overlooked in this condition, in contrast to that for other neurodegenerative disorders and dementias. Biomarkers are biological substances that may be used to indicate either the onset or the presence, and the progression of a clinical condition, being closely linked to its pathophysiology. In such a setting they might assist in the more appropriate selection of patients for shunt surgery. In this article, we have reviewed research carried out in the last 25 years regarding the identification of serum and CSF biomarkers for chronic hydrocephalus, discussed the potential for each one, and finally discussed the limitations for use, as well as future directions and possibilities in this field. It is concluded that tumour-necrosis factor, tau protein, lactate, sulfatide and neurofilament triple protein are the most promising CSF markers for chronic hydrocephalus. At present however, none of these meet the criteria required to justify a change clinical practice. In the future, collaborative multi-centre projects will be needed to obtain more substantial data that overcome the problems that arise from small individual and uncoordinated studies

The Role of Counselor Educators in Preparing Active Duty Military Students Utilizing Online Courses: An Initial Primer

Given today’s diverse educational opportunities afforded through online courses, the implications for counselor educators working with active military students are examined. A literature review is presented summarizing current research addressing online education as well as meeting the specific needs of active duty military students. Suggested best practices for preparing these students to be competent counselors are presented, addressing their unique situations taking online courses while serving in active military roles. Recommendations for future research are also presented

Discussion: refining shear strength characteristic value using experience

Discussion: refining shear strength characteristic value using experienc

Nuclear Receptor Signaling Atlas (): hyperlinking the nuclear receptor signaling community

The nuclear receptor signaling (NRS) field has generated a substantial body of information on nuclear receptors, their ligands and coregulators, with the ultimate goal of constructing coherent models of the biological and clinical significance of these molecules. As a component of the Nuclear Receptor Signaling Atlas (NURSA)—the development of a functional atlas of nuclear receptor biology—the NURSA Bioinformatics Resource is developing a strategy to organize and integrate legacy and future information on these molecules in a single web-based resource (). This entails parallel efforts of (i) developing an appropriate software framework for handling datasets from NURSA laboratories and (ii) designing strategies for the curation and presentation of public data relevant to NRS. To illustrate our approach, we have described here in detail the development of a web-based interface for the NURSA quantitative PCR nuclear receptor expression dataset, incorporating bioinformatics analysis which provides novel perspectives on functional relationships between these molecules. We anticipate that the free and open access of the community to a platform for data mining and hypothesis generation strategies will be a significant contribution to the progress of research in this field

The power of peers in GTA development of practice: evaluation of an equal-status teaching observation project

Peer observation of teaching is a well-established professional development practice and can occur through a range of different activities (e.g., micro-teaching, lesson study, performance reviews, etc.). There is evidence that these various activities are being increasingly used to support Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs). This paper reports the findings of a pilot project that implemented equal-status, interdisciplinary and developmental peer observations. As a collaborative project, it was co-designed and evaluated by eight GTAs and an academic developer. Our observation framework involved GTAs’ undertaking the observee and observer roles and retaining five of six identified dimensions of control. The findings show that the observation experiences encouraged both new and experienced GTAs to take a self-reflective and critical stance to their teaching and disciplinary approaches. This confirms the value of GTAs’ experiencing the observer role and their exposure to other disciplinary environments. The post-observation ‘learning conversations’ provided significant opportunities for GTAs to discuss and reflect on their practice contexts and experiences together. This represents an effective example of peer supported learning, which also reduces the sense of isolation that GTAs often experience