Returning to School After Covid-19: Relationships Between Parental Stress and Resilience With Children’s Mental Health Behaviors

During the COVID-19 lockdowns, experts predicted an increase of children’s mental health issues. However, not all children showed symptoms after lockdowns lifted. The study’s purpose was to examine parental stress and resilience during COVID-19 lockdowns and their relationship to children’s behaviors, specifically anxiety and aggression after lockdown. Participants included 61 parents of children currently aged 7-11 who did not have mental health disorders before COVID lockdowns. Most parents were white, non-Hispanic within middle to high income ranges. The quantitative study used a correlational design. Parents were recruited through school websites and social media sites which linked them to a 122-question survey that included demographic questions, and scales measuring parental COVID stress/resilience and children’s anxiety/ aggression. Research questions were written in couplets with the first couplet addressing parental COVID stress and the second couplet parental resilience as they both related to children’s anxiety and aggression. The last couplet examined whether parental resilience mediated the effects of COVID stress on children’s anxiety and aggression. The research questions regarding COVID stress both showed a significant relationship; however, parental resilience only showed relationships using the GAD and Self-Aggression subscales. The Self-Aggression subscale showed no relationship using Spearman’s Rho. The final questions regarding resilience as a mediator had a non-significant relationship. Parental COVID stress was found to be related to children’s mental health outcomes after returning to school, while resilience was related to GAD in children, and possibly to self-aggression. Parental education in stress reducing self-care might improve mental health behavior outcomes in children long-term

Systems, methods and devices for treating tinnitus

Systems, methods and devices for paired training include timing controls so that training and neural stimulation can be provided simultaneously. Paired trainings may include therapies, rehabilitation and performance enhancement training. Stimulations of nerves such as the vagus nerve that affect subcortical regions such as the nucleus basalis, locus coeruleus or amygdala induce plasticity in the brain, enhancing the effects of a variety of therapies, such as those used to treat tinnitus, stroke, traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

Timing control for paired plasticity

Systems, methods and devices for paired training include timing controls so that training and neural stimulation can be provided simultaneously. Paired trainings may include therapies, rehabilitation and performance enhancement training. Stimulations of nerves such as the vagus nerve that affect subcortical regions such as the nucleus basalis, locus coeruleus or amygdala induce plasticity in the brain, enhancing the effects of a variety of therapies, such as those used to treat tinnitus, stroke, traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

The 2008 HMDA data: the mortgage market during a turbulent year

The data that mortgage lending institutions reported for 2008 under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975 (HMDA) reflect the ongoing difficulties in the housing and mortgage markets. This article presents a number of key findings from a review of the 2008 HMDA data. In particular, it documents a reduction in lending activity that was experienced by all groups of borrowers, highlights the Federal Housing Administration's greatly expanded role in the mortgage market, and examines how atypical changes in the interest rate environment affected the incidence of reported higher-priced lending in 2008 relative to earlier years.Mortgages ; Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Corporate social responsibility: A unifying discourse for the Mining Industry?

The public perception of mining as an economic activity that generates harmful environmental impacts has generated both a corporate discourse of social responsibility (CSR) to legitimise mining activities and also anti-mining discourses. Both discourses use science to support their claims, yet they rarely agree on a scientific solution. The concept of discourse community may help us to understand the disconnect between mining companies and stakeholders. It is unclear whether the discourse of corporate social responsibility will improve understanding among stakeholders and lead to mutually acceptable resolutions to conflict

Molecular cloning and expression of a prostaglandin E2 receptor of the EP3β subtype from rat hepatocytes

AbstractRat hepatocytes have previously been reported to possess prostaglandin E2 receptors of the EP3-type (EP3-receptors) that inhibit glucagon-stimulated glycogenolysis by decreasing cAMP. Here, the isolation of a functional EP3β receptor cDNA clone from a rat hepatocyte cDNA library is reported. This clone can be translated into a 362-amino-acid protein, that displays over 95% homology to the EP3β receptor from mouse mastocytoma. The amino- and carboxy-terminal region of the protein are least conserved. Transiently transfected HEK 293 cells expressed a single binding site for PGE2 with an apparent Kd of 15 nM. PGE2 > PGF2α > PGD2 competed for [3H]PGE2 binding sites as did the EP3 receptor agonists M&B 28767 = sulprostone > misoprostol but not the EP1 receptor antagonist SC 19220. In stably transfected CHO cells M&B 28767 > sulprostone = PGE2 > misoprostol > PGF2α inhibited the forskolin-elicited cAMP formation. Thus, the characteristics of the EP3β receptor of rat hepatocytes closely resemble those of the EP3β receptor of mouse mastocytoma

High-Throughput Screening Platform for Engineered Nanoparticle-Mediated Genotoxicity Using CometChip Technology

The likelihood of intentional and unintentional engineered nanoparticle (ENP) exposure has dramatically increased due to the use of nanoenabled products. Indeed, ENPs have been incorporated in many useful products and have enhanced our way of life. However, there are many unanswered questions about the consequences of nanoparticle exposures, in particular, with regard to their potential to damage the genome and thus potentially promote cancer. In this study, we present a high-throughput screening assay based upon the recently developed CometChip technology, which enables evaluation of single-stranded DNA breaks, abasic sites, and alkali-sensitive sites in cells exposed to ENPs. The strategic microfabricated, 96-well design and automated processing improves efficiency, reduces processing time, and suppresses user bias in comparison to the standard comet assay. We evaluated the versatility of this assay by screening five industrially relevant ENP exposures (SiO[subscript 2], ZnO, Fe[subscript 2]O[subscript 3], Ag, and CeO[subscript 2]) on both suspension human lymphoblastoid (TK6) and adherent Chinese hamster ovary (H9T3) cell lines. MTT and CyQuant NF assays were employed to assess cellular viability and proliferation after ENP exposure. Exposure to ENPs at a dose range of 5, 10, and 20 μg/mL induced dose-dependent increases in DNA damage and cytotoxicity. Genotoxicity profiles of ZnO > Ag > Fe[subscript 2]O[subscript 3] > CeO[subscript 2] > SiO[subscript 2] in TK6 cells at 4 h and Ag > Fe[subscript 2]O[subscript 3] > ZnO > CeO[subscript 2] > SiO[subscript 2] in H9T3 cells at 24 h were observed. The presented CometChip platform enabled efficient and reliable measurement of ENP-mediated DNA damage, therefore demonstrating the efficacy of this powerful tool in nanogenotoxicity studies.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 1235806)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant P30ES000002

The Effectiveness of Group Cohesiveness Training in Reducing Social Loafing

Abstract: Group cohesiveness training is a series of processes to develop and improve work by attracting group members and being motivated to remain within the group. This study aims to determine whether group cohesiveness training is effective in reducing social loafing on a group of women’s empowerment family head (PEKKA). This study used an experimental method with a one-group pretest-posttest research design. The subjects of this study used a total population of 28 subjects and only 25 people attended the training until completion. Using 4 aspects namely self-esteem, problem-solving, task cohesiveness, and social cohesiveness. Measure training using Mulvey's Social Loafing Scale and Carron's Cohesion Scale. Data analysis using paired sample test. Based on the analysis of research data, social loafing variables scored 0.337, and group cohesiveness scored 0,000. This shows that group cohesiveness training is less effective in reducing social loafing but is effective in increasing group cohesiveness.  Abstrak: Pelatihan kohesivitas kelompok adalah serangkaian proses untuk mengembangkan serta meningkatkan kerja dengan menjadikan anggota kelompok saling tertarik dan termotivasi untuk tetap berada dalam kelompok tersebut. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui apakah pelatihan kohesvitas kelompok efektif untuk menurunkan social loafing pada kelompok Pemberdayaan Perempuan Kepala Keluarga (PEKKA). Penelitian ini menggunakan metode eksperimen dengan desain penelitian one-group pretest posttest. Subjek penelitian ini menggunakan keseluruhan jumlah populasi sebanyak 28 subjek dan hanya 25 orang yang mengikuti pelatihan hingga selesai. Menggunakan 4 aspek yakni harga diri, problem solving, kohesivitas tugas dan kohesivitas sosial. Pengukuran pelatihan menggunakan skala social loafing dari Mulvey dan skala kohesvitas dari Carron. Analisis data menggunakan paired sample test. Berdasarkan analisis data penelitian, variabel social loafing mendapat nilai 0,337 dan kohesivitas kelompok mendapat nilai 0,000. Ini menunjukkan bahwa pelatihan kohesvitas kelompok kurang efektif menurunkan social loafing tetapi efektif menaikkan kohesvitas kelompok