Metacognition and Self-regulation Influence Academic Performance in Occupational and Physical Therapy Students

An understanding of student learning strategies is an important component of supporting academic success and avoiding difficulty. Prior inquiry has demonstrated certain learning strategies are more closely related to academic performance than others. The purpose of this study was to describe predictive relationships between the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI), Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), and grade point average (GPA) in occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) programs. A multi-center convenience sample of N=75(100%) entry-level students [OT: 34(45%); PT: 41(55%)] was included from Florida 32(42.7%), California 21(28%), and Texas 22(29.3%). A hierarchical linear regression analysis demonstrated the combination of predictors (MAI, Anxiety, Concentration, and Time Management [r=0.83; p2=0.35; p2=0.34; p2=0.31;

Analysis of Emotional Intelligence as a Competition for Effective Productivity

Background. Emotional intelligence is an essential competence that must be evaluated within a personnel selection process. The level of IE influences the results of a company favorably. In this research, the dependence that exists between the effective productivity of the workers in specific of the commercial area and the emotional intelligence was analyzed. Methodology. The studied population was 88 active workers in the area as mentioned earlier; 40% were male and 60% female. Those evaluated were aged 25 to 40 years, with experience in the average sales area of 3 years. To validate the questions that were handled as an instrument, the Pearson correlation was used; Chi-square to calculate the dependence of variables. Results and discussion. As a result, we obtained ten dependent variables with which we can conclude that there is a relationship between the level of emotional intelligence with the effective productivity that collaborates with the commercial area within an organization. Conclusion. Based on the results we conclude that people with a high level of Emotional Self-understanding (AE) can control their emotions to act correctly in each situation

Psychological and Physical Intimate Partner Aggression Are Associated with Broad and Specific Internalizing Symptoms during Pregnancy

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) has serious consequences, particularly during high-risk periods such as pregnancy, which poses a significant risk to maternal mental health. However, it is unclear whether IPV presents a broad risk for psychopathology or is specific to distinct diagnoses or symptom dimensions (e.g., panic, social anxiety). Further, the relative impact of physical versus psychological aggression remains unclear. Methods: One hundred and fifty-nine pregnant couples completed surveys assessing psychological and physical intimate partner aggression unfolding in the couple relationship, as well as a range of internalizing symptoms. Results: Psychological and physical aggression were each associated with broad negative affectivity, which underlies mood and anxiety disorders; however, only psychological aggression demonstrated a unique association. Further, for pregnant women, aggression was uniquely associated with several symptom dimensions characteristic of PTSD. In contrast, men demonstrated a relatively heterogeneous symptom presentation in relation to aggression. Conclusion: The present study identifies unique symptom manifestations associated with IPV for couples navigating pregnancy and suggests psychological aggression can be more detrimental to mental health than physical aggression. To promote maternal perinatal mental health, clinicians should screen for covert forms of psychological aggression during pregnancy (e.g., raised voices, insults), trauma-related distress, and symptom elevations in women and their partners

Anti-pPKCθ (T538) Delivery via Cell Penetrating Peptide Mimics as a Novel Treatment of Aplastic Anemia

The objective of this study is to deliver anti-pPKCθ (T538) into T cells (hPBMCs) by using cell penetrating peptide mimics (CPPMs) to neutralize PKCθ activity both in vitro and in vivo, with the eventual goal of treating aplastic anemia (AA). AA is an immune-mediated bone marrow failure disease caused by T helper type 1 (Th1) autoimmune responses, which destroy blood cell progenitors. It was previously reported that protein kinase C theta (PKCθ), expressed specifically in T cells, plays an important role in T cell signaling by mediating Th1 differentiation. Mice treated with Rottlerin, a pharmacological inhibitor of PKCθ, are rescued from the disease when PKCθ phosphorylation was inhibited. Furthermore, humanized antibodies are increasingly gaining attention as therapies. The delivery of antibodies could be achieved via cell penetrating peptides (CPPs), which are able to internalize cargo into cells. Here, we designed, synthesized and characterized CPPMs to increase delivery efficiency of an antibody against phosphorylated PKCθ (T538), which subsequently interfered with the function of the kinase. We designed an in vitro delivery method for the CPPM/Anti-pPKCθ complex then assessed T cell activation and AA disease marker expression. Also, we generated an in vivo humanized mouse model of AA and tested the complex for delivery and effect on survival of these mice. Altogether the results reveal that PKCθ may be an optimal target for bone marrow failure treatment and intracellular antibody delivery may represent a novel approach for AA treatment

Foaming characteristics of β-lactoglobulin as affected by enzymatic hydrolysis and polysaccharide addition: Relationships with the bulk and interfacial properties

The objective of this work was to study the effect of enzymatic hydrolysis and polysaccharide addition on the foaming characteristics of β-lactoglobulin (β-LG). Enzymatic treatment was performed in the hydrolysis degree (HD) range of 0.0–5.0% using bovine α-chymotrypsin II immobilized on agarose microbeads. Anionic non-surface active polysaccharides (PS), sodium alginate (SA) and λ-carrageenan (λ-C) were studied in the concentration range of 0.0–0.5 wt.%. Foaming characteristics were determined by conductimetric and optical methods and were linked to protein diffusion kinetics, film mechanical properties and biopolymer molecular dynamics in solution. Experiments were performed at constant temperature (20 °C), pH 7 and ionic strength 0.05 M. Limited hydrolysis improved the formation and stability of β-LG foam possibly due to an increased protein diffusion rate and film dilatational elasticity. Furthermore, PS addition caused different effects on β-LG foaming characteristics depending on the PS type, their relative concentration and extent of enzymatic treatment (HD). Diffusion rate and interfacial rheological behavior of mixed systems could exert a decisive role in foaming characteristics of β-LG and its hydrolysates in close connection with biopolymer interactions in solution, e.g., macromolecule repulsion, protein segregation/aggregation and soluble complexes formation.Fil: Perez, Adrián Alejandro. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Instituto de Tecnología de los Alimentos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Carrera Sánchez, Cecilio. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Rodríguez Patino, Juan M.. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Rubiolo, Amelia Catalina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Instituto de Tecnología de los Alimentos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Santiago, Liliana Gabriela. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Instituto de Tecnología de los Alimentos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentin

Costos de la licencia de maternidad para apoyar la lactancia materna en Brasil, Ghana y México

Objective To develop a method to assess the cost of extending the duration of maternity leave for formally-employed women at the national level and apply it in Brazil, Ghana and Mexico. Methods We adapted a World Bank costing method into a five-step method to estimate the costs of extending the length of maternity leave mandates. Our method used the unit cost of maternity leave based on working women’s weekly wages; the number of additional weeks of maternity leave to be analysed for a given year; and the weighted population of women of reproductive and legal working age in a given country in that year. We weighted the population by the probability of having a baby that year among women in formal employment, according to individual characteristics. We applied nationally representative cross-sectional data from fertility, employment and population surveys to estimate the costs of maternity leave for mothers employed in the formal sector in Brazil, Ghana and Mexico for periods from 12 weeks up to 26 weeks, the WHO target for exclusive breastfeeding. Findings We estimated that 640 742 women in Brazil, 33 869 in Ghana and 288 655 in Mexico would require formal maternity leave annually. The median weekly cost of extending maternity leave for formally working women was purchasing power parity international dollars (PPP$) 195.07 per woman in Brazil, PPP$ 109.68 in Ghana and PPP$ 168.83 in Mexico. Conclusion Our costing method could facilitate evidence-based policy decisions across countries to improve maternity protection benefits and support breastfeeding

Housing Temperature Modulates the Impact of Diet-Induced Rise in Fat Mass on Adipose Tissue Before and During Pregnancy in Rats

Aim: To investigate whether housing temperature influences rat adiposity, and the extent it is modified by diet and/or pregnancy. Housing temperature impacts on brown adipose tissue, that possess a unique uncoupling protein (UCP) 1, which, when activated by reduced ambient temperature, enables rapid heat generation.Methods: We, therefore, examined whether the effects of dietary induced rise in fat mass on interscapular brown fat in female rats were dependent on housing temperature, and whether pregnancy further modulates the response. Four week old rats were either maintained at thermoneutrality (27°C) or at a “standard” cool temperature (20°C), and fed either a control or obesogenic (high in fat and sugar) diet until 10 weeks old. They were then either tissue sampled or mated with a male maintained under the same conditions. The remaining dams were tissue sampled at either 10 or 19 days gestation.Results: Diet had the greatest effect on fat mass at thermoneutrality although, by 19 days gestation, fat weight was similar between groups. Prior to mating, the abundance of UCP1 was higher at 20°C, but was similar between groups during pregnancy. UCP1 mRNA followed a similar pattern, with expression declining to a greater extent in the animals maintained at 20°C.Conclusion: Housing temperature has a marked influence on the effect of dietary induced rise in fat deposition that was modified through gestation. This maybe mediated by the reduction in UCP1 with housing at thermoneutrality prior to pregnancy and could subsequently impact on growth and development of the offspring

Periodontal Disease and Nuclear and Oxidative DNA Damage

Oral health is an important aspect of the overall health status of an individual. DNA damage has been associated with oral health and dental factors due to the increased of oxidative stress (OxS). DNA damage can produce a wide range of effects on human health. These effects could appear immediately, but others do not become evident much later. Chronic diseases have been study to understand their mechanisms, clinical implications, and the development of secondary disease such as cancer. Periodontitis is one of the most common oral diseases. It is an inflammatory chronic infectious disease, which is characterized by the loss of supporting tissues and tooth loss caused by periodontopathogens and long-term release of reactive oxygen species (ROS); thus, oxidative stress is increased during periodontitis. Oxidative stress can produce DNA damage, including the oxidation of nucleosides, which could cause DNA strand break. This oxidative damage leads the formation of micronuclei (MN) a marker of nuclear damage. Also, oxidative stress increased 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine levels which are the most common stable product of oxidative DNA damage

Distribution of macro- and micronutrient intakes in relation to the meal pattern of third- and fourth-grade schoolchilderen in the city of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Objective: Our objective was to assess the distribution of energy, macro- and micronutrient intakes by meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner and combined snacks) in a cross-sectional sample of schoolchildren. Design: Cross-sectional dietary survey in schoolchildren. Setting: Twelve private and public schools in the urban setting of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Subjects: A total of 449 schoolchildren (from higher and lower socio-economic strata) were enrolled in the study. Methods: Each child completed a single, pictorial 24 h prospective diary and a face-to-face interview to check completeness and estimate portion sizes. Estimated daily intakes were examined by mealtime as: (i) absolute intakes; (ii) relative nutrient distribution; and (iii) critical micronutrient density (i.e. nutrient density in relation to the WHO Recommended Nutrient Intakes/median age-specific Guatemalan energy requirements). Results: The daily distribution of energy intake was 24 % at breakfast, 30 % at lunch, 23 % at dinner and 23 % among snacks. Lunch was also the leading meal for macronutrients, providing 35 % of proteins, 27 % of fat and 30 % of carbohydrate. The distribution of selected micronutrients did not follow the pattern of energy, insofar as lunch provided relatively more vitamin C and Zn, whereas breakfast led in terms of vitamins A and D, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, Ca and Fe. Conclusions: Meal-specific distribution of energy, macro- and micronutrients provides a unique and little used perspective for evaluation of children's habitual intake, and may provide guidance to strategies to improve dietary balance in an era of coexisting energy overnutrition and micronutrient inadequacy. © The Authors 2008

Cultural differences in body size perception

El contexto sociocultural condiciona las relaciones entre las personas, así como el espacio físico que rodea dicha relación. La percepción del cuerpo, elemento central de la relación de las personas con su entorno podría verse afectada por estos condicionantes culturales. Estudiar este supuesto fue el objetivo de la presente investigación. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 80 estudiantes de psicología (55.49% mexicanos, 44.51% españoles), que conformaron dos contextos socioculturales de comparación diferentes. Todos los participantes realizaron una prueba online que requería emparejar siluetas corporales de hombres y mujeres, con tres estímulos que simulaban puertas de diferente tamaño. Los resultados mostraron que la población mexicana, respecto a la española, percibió menor el volumen corporal en relación al contexto. Se interpretan estos resultados dentro del enfoque empirista de la percepción