Variation in African American parents' use of early childhood physical discipline

Physical discipline is endorsed by a majority of adults in the U.S. including African American (AA) parents who have high rates of endorsement. Although many studies have examined physical discipline use among AA families, few have considered how early childhood physical discipline varies within the population. Individuals within a cultural group may differ in their engagement in cultural practices (Rogoff, 2003). Furthermore, AA families’ characteristics and their contexts, which are shaped by the interaction of social position, racism, and segregation (García Coll et al., 1996), likely influence how AA families physically discipline their young children. This study examined variation in early childhood physical discipline among AA families living in low-income communities and relations with demographic and contextual factors. Year 1 data from 310 AA parents living in three regionally distinct low-income communities were used from a sequential longitudinal intervention program study of the development and prevention of conduct disorder. Latent class analyses were conducted using parents’ responses on a measure, of the frequency of overall physical discipline, spanking, and hitting during prekindergarten and kindergarten. The associations between latent classes and six demographic and contextual factors were examined using the Bolck, Croon, and Hagenaars (BCH) method. The factors were: child gender (59% male); marital status (51% never married); parental education (66% high school graduates and beyond); income (mean = $16.66K, S.D. = 12.50), family stress, and perception of neighborhood safety. Measures included the Family Information Form, Life Changes, and the Neighborhood Questionnaire. After considering two to seven class solutions, five physical discipline classes or sub-groups were identified. Classes were defined by discipline frequency (‘Infrequent’, ‘Weekly’, ‘Monthly’, ‘Almost-Every-Day’ and ‘Weekly-All’) as well as by discipline type (only parents in the ‘Weekly-All’ class hit their children). Significant associations were found between class membership, and child gender, marital status, income, and perception of neighborhood safety. Girls were more likely to be physically disciplined infrequently, χ2(4, N = 310) = 11.88, p = .05. The ‘Weekly’ class had significantly fewer married parents than all classes except ‘Almost-Every-Day’, χ2(4, N = 310) = 21.56, p < .001. Parents in the ‘Almost-Every-Day’ class had a significantly lower income than parents in all other classes except “Weekly-All”, χ2(4, N = 310) = 10.88, p = .03. Finally, parents in the “Almost-Every-Day” class perceived their neighborhood as significantly less safe compared to those in all other classes except the ‘Weekly-All’ class, χ2(4, N = 310) = 14.13 p = .01. These findings suggest that AA families vary in physical discipline during early childhood; this variation may result in sub-groups with different demographic characteristics. Associations between frequent discipline classes and perceptions of neighborhood safety implies that some AA parents may use physical discipline to protect their children from being harmed if they believe their communities are unsafe. Future research should qualitatively examine how AA parents respond to unsafe neighborhoods in their parenting behaviors, including physical discipline

From present to future : beyond becoming a nation of readers

Includes bibliographical references (p. 13-19)The work upon which this publication was based was supported in part by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement under Cooperative Agreement No. OEG 0087-C100

A Comparative Study Of Online Retailing: U.S. Vs. E.U. Consumer Attitudes Toward Product Country Of Origin

As a first-mover into the use of the Internet for e-commerce, many U.S. retailers have found another tool that it has added to the plethora of methods it can use to reach customers.&nbsp; Although in an early stage of development, the growth of e-commerce is likely to mushroom.&nbsp; Trailing the U.S. in Internet marketing, retailers in the European Union (E.U.) are quickly realizing its potential to increase revenues and profits.&nbsp; This study focuses on two aspects of online retailing by contrasting the perceptions of U.S. and E.U. consumers on the use of the Internet for shopping, and contrasting their views with respect to where a product originates.&nbsp; The study surveyed 268 people from either the U.S., E.U., and from a handful of other locations.&nbsp; From the gathered data set findings and conclusions were made that should be of interest to professionals in academe or the commercial business sector

Improving College Access in the United States: Barriers and Policy Responses

Socioeconomic gaps in college enrollment and attainment have widened over time, despite increasing returns to postsecondary education and significant policy efforts to improve access. We describe the barriers that students face during the transition to college and review the evidence on potential policy solutions. We focus primarily on research that examines causal relationships using experimental or quasi-experimental methods, though we draw upon descriptive evidence to provide context. Our review is distinctive in three respects. First, in addition to the literature on financial aid, we examine the evidence on informational and behavioral interventions, academic programs, and affirmative action policies intended to improve college access. Second, we incorporate a wealth of recent research not included in prior reviews. Finally, we conceptualize college access broadly, as including not just whether but also where students attend and whether they have access to college-level courses. We conclude with a discussion of implications for policy and research

Distinguishing between demographics and contextual factors linked to early childhood physical discipline and physical maltreatment among Black families

Published in final edited form as: Child Abuse Negl. 2019 August ; 94: 104020. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.05.013.BACKGROUND: Despite persistent discouragement from professionals, U.S. parents, especially Black parents, highly endorse physical discipline, which also is a risk factor for physical maltreatment. Few studies have examined physical discipline heterogeneity or maltreatment, and predictive demographic and contextual factors within the same population. OBJECTIVE: This exploratory study aimed to identify subgroups of Black parents’ use of early childhood physical discipline. It also examined whether demographic and contextual factors’ relations with physical discipline were similar or different from those with physical maltreatment. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 310 Black parents from three geographically-distinct high-risk U.S. communities participated in home-based interview and survey data collection. METHODS: We conducted latent class analyses to identify sub-groups among Black parents characterized by physical discipline frequency and type. Bolck, Croon, and Hagenaars method and binary logistic regression were conducted to examine relations between demographic and contextual factors (child gender, family income, marital status, parental education, family stress and perceived neighborhood safety), discipline and maltreatment. RESULTS: Three physical discipline classes, which differed in frequency and type, were identified among Black parents. Only income was significantly related to both discipline (x2=18.97, p<.001) and maltreatment (OR=1.03, p<.01). Child gender (x2=6.66, p<.01), never-married status (x2=13.94, p<.001), parental education (x2=10.32, p<.001), and neighborhood safety (x2=7.57, p<.01) also significantly related to discipline. Family stress was significantly related to physical maltreatment (OR=1.42, p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Differing demographic and contextual factor relations with physical discipline and maltreatment within a Black population should be considered when identifying parents at-risk.Accepted manuscrip

Comparison of Cyclic Nucloetide Phosphodiesterase in Physarum favicomum

We have studied both cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase in the myxomycete Physarum flavicomum. The cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase preparations were isolated from both the diploid plasmodial stage of the lifecycle and the haploid myxamoebal stage. The plasmodial enzyme was prepared from spent medium (extracellular) and also from purified nuclei. The myxamoebal enzyme was prepared from purified nuclei. Cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activity was studied in purified nuclei isolated from the plasmodium. One unusual feature of all the enzymes from the plasmodium is extreme heat stability; they remain catalytically active even after exposure to a boiling water bath for twenty minutes. The myxamoebae enzyme lost all activity after five minutes in a boiling water bath. All four enzyme preparations gave linear product formation with time and all were inhibited by isobutyl-methyl xanthine, a potent competitive inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase

Annotation and analysis of a large cuticular protein family with the R&R Consensus in Anopheles gambiae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The most abundant family of insect cuticular proteins, the CPR family, is recognized by the R&R Consensus, a domain of about 64 amino acids that binds to chitin and is present throughout arthropods. Several species have now been shown to have more than 100 CPR genes, inviting speculation as to the functional importance of this large number and diversity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have identified 156 genes in <it>Anopheles gambiae </it>that code for putative cuticular proteins in this CPR family, over 1% of the total number of predicted genes in this species. Annotation was verified using several criteria including identification of TATA boxes, INRs, and DPEs plus support from proteomic and gene expression analyses. Two previously recognized CPR classes, RR-1 and RR-2, form separate, well-supported clades with the exception of a small set of genes with long branches whose relationships are poorly resolved. Several of these outliers have clear orthologs in other species. Although both clades are under purifying selection, the RR-1 variant of the R&R Consensus is evolving at twice the rate of the RR-2 variant and is structurally more labile. In contrast, the regions flanking the R&R Consensus have diversified in amino-acid composition to a much greater extent in RR-2 genes compared with RR-1 genes. Many genes are found in compact tandem arrays that may include similar or dissimilar genes but always include just one of the two classes. Tandem arrays of RR-2 genes frequently contain subsets of genes coding for highly similar proteins (sequence clusters). Properties of the proteins indicated that each cluster may serve a distinct function in the cuticle.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The complete annotation of this large gene family provides insight on the mechanisms of gene family evolution and clues about the need for so many CPR genes. These data also should assist annotation of other <it>Anopheles </it>genes.</p

Novel Microdialysis Technique Reveals a Dramatic Shift in Metabolite Secretion during the Early Stages of the Interaction between the Ectomycorrhizal Fungus Pisolithus microcarpus and Its Host Eucalyptus grandis

The colonisation of tree roots by ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi is the result of numerous signalling exchanges between organisms, many of which occur before physical contact. However, information is lacking about these exchanges and the compounds that are secreted by each organism before contact. This is in part due to a lack of low disturbance sampling methods with sufficient temporal and spatial resolution to capture these exchanges. Using a novel in situ microdialysis approach, we sampled metabolites released from Eucalyptus grandis and Pisolithus microcarpus independently and during indirect contact over a 48-h time-course using UPLC-MS. A total of 560 and 1530 molecular features (MFs; ESI- and ESI+ respectively) were identified with significant differential abundance from control treatments. We observed that indirect contact between organisms altered the secretion of MFs to produce a distinct metabolomic profile compared to either organism independently. Many of these MFs were produced within the first hour of contact and included several phenylpropanoids, fatty acids and organic acids. These findings show that the secreted metabolome, particularly of the ECM fungus, can rapidly shift during the early stages of pre-symbiotic contact and highlight the importance of observing these early interactions in greater detail. We present microdialysis as a useful tool for examining plant-fungal signalling with high temporal resolution and with minimal experimental disturbance

How does racial context matter?: Family preparation-for-bias messages and Black youths’ racial coping reported by Black youth

Black families and youth likely consider specific racial discriminatory situations in preparation‐for‐bias messages and racial coping responses. Our study investigated coping responses embedded in youth‐reported Black families’ preparation‐for‐bias messages and youths’ proactive coping responses to specific racially discriminatory situations—teachers’ negative expectations, store employees’ hyper‐monitoring and police harassment. Gender and racial discrimination experience differences were considered along with relations between messages and coping. Our investigation was guided by the integrated‐developmental, transactional/ecological, intersectionality, and Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory theoretical frameworks. We conducted cluster analyses using data from 117 Black youth aged 13–14 to identify situation‐specific family messages and youth coping responses. Families’ messages and youths’ responses varied in content and frequency based on the specific discriminatory situation, which suggests consideration of context.Accepted manuscript2021-10-2

An Exploration of Critical Care Professionals\u27 Strategies to Enhance Daily Implementation of the Assess, Prevent, and Manage Pain; Both Spontaneous Awakening and Breathing Trials; Choice of Analgesia and Sedation; Delirium Assess, Prevent, and Manage; Early Mobility and Exercise; and Family Engagement and Empowerment: A Group Concept Mapping Study

OBJECTIVES: The goals of this exploratory study were to engage professionals from the Society for Critical Care Medicine ICU Liberation Collaborative ICUs to: 1) conceptualize strategies to enhance daily implementation of the Assess, prevent, and manage pain; Both spontaneous awakening and breathing trials; Choice of analgesia and sedation; Delirium assess, prevent, and manage; Early mobility and exercise; and Family engagement and empowerment (ABCDEF) bundle from different perspectives and 2) identify strategies to prioritize for implementation. DESIGN: Mixed-methods group concept mapping over 8 months using an online method. Participants provided strategies in response to a prompt about what was needed for successful daily ABCDEF bundle implementation. Responses were summarized into a set of unique statements and then rated on a 5-point scale on degree of necessity (essential) and degree to which currently used. SETTING: Sixty-eight academic, community, and federal ICUs. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 121 ICU professionals consisting of frontline and leadership professionals. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A final set of 76 strategies (reduced from 188 responses) were suggested: education (16 strategies), collaboration (15 strategies), processes and protocols (13 strategies), feedback (10 strategies), sedation/pain practices (nine strategies), education (eight strategies), and family (five strategies). Nine strategies were rated as very essential but infrequently used: adequate staffing, adequate mobility equipment, attention to (patient\u27s) sleep, open discussion and collaborative problem solving, nonsedation methods to address ventilator dyssynchrony, specific expectations for night and day shifts, education of whole team on interdependent nature of the bundle, and effective sleep protocol. CONCLUSIONS: In this concept mapping study, ICU professionals provided strategies that spanned a number of conceptual implementation clusters. Results can be used by ICU leaders for implementation planning to address context-specific interdisciplinary approaches to improve ABCDEF bundle implementation