The Family game to support parents with intellectual disability in managing challenging behaviours : a replication

Background: Although many parents with intellectual disability (ID) demonstrate good parenting practices, some parents experience difficulties in managing challenging behaviours. One potential solution to this issue involves using The Family Game, a program designed to teach parents with ID how to manage challenging behaviours in their child. Aims: The purpose of our study was to conduct an independent replication of an investigation that had been performed by the developer of the program. Materials & Methods: We used a multiple baseline design to examine the effects of The Family Game on the behaviour of two parents with ID who had a 3-year-old child. Results: Similarly to the original study, our results indicate that The Family Game improved the use of effective parenting strategies during role play, but that these gains failed to generalise to real-life settings. Conclusion: The study further supports the necessity of adding novel strategies to the game to better promote generalisation

A Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of an Anthocyanin–Maqui Berry Extract (Delphinol®) on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers

Objective: Berries are a rich source of anthocyanins, and clinical data suggest that a polyphenol-rich diet may exert health-promoting effects by reducing oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of dietary supplementation with Delphinol (trademark owned by MNL Chile) standardized maqui berry (Aristotelia chilensis) extract on products of lipid peroxidation in healthy, overweight, and smoker subjects.Methods: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 42 participants (age 45-65years) consumed in random order either a standardized extract of maqui berry (162mg anthocyanins) or a matched placebo, given 3times daily for 4weeks. The samples were collected at baseline, after the end of the supplementation, and 40days after the end of the study. Primary outcome was the measure of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) and F-2-isoprostanes in plasma and urine, respectively. Secondary outcomes included anthropometric measures, blood pressure, and lipid profile.Results: Delphinol supplementation was associated with reduced levels of Ox-LDL in the anthocyanin group compared to baseline (p < 0.05). There was also a decrease in urinary F-2-isoprostanes (8-iso-prostaglandin F2) at 4weeks versus baseline in the Delphinol-supplemented group (p < 0.05). However, no differences in primary outcomes were evident at 40days of follow-up. In the fourth week of the intervention, no significant differences were noted for anthropometric characteristics, ambulatory blood pressure, and lipid profile.Conclusions: Our observations suggest that dietary interventions with maqui berry extract may improve oxidative status (Ox-LDL and F-2-isoprostanes) in healthy adults, overweight adults, and adult smoke

Activación de vías redox en respuesta a cargas únicas de ejercicio

La actividad física insuficiente se asocia con el desarrollo de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles. Promover la práctica de ejercicio se vuelve una estrategia importante para contribuir en su prevención y tratamiento.  Las reacciones redox se presentan como parte de la respuesta metabólica al ejercicio. Se desarrolló una revisión sistemática en seis bases de datos con el objetivo de identificar estudios que reportaran  biomarcadores redox asociadas con el ejercicio. Se localizaron nueve publicaciones de los últimos 10 años, en idioma inglés, que cumplían con los criterios de elegibilidad (estudios originales,  en humanos, que incluyeran mecanismos/biomarcadores redox). La mayoría de los biomarcadores reportados fueron proteínas y ARNm, analizados en sangre y músculo. Los cambios en dichos marcadores se observaron mayormente dentro de las tres primeras horas después de cargas únicas de ejercicio físico. Individuos con actividad sedentaria, obesidad o de edad mayor a los 50 años, mostraron mayores niveles de productos de oxidación después de la carga de ejercicio que sujetos entrenados, activos o de menor edad. Los estudios sugieren que en sujetos entrenados se requiere valorar los cambios en biomarcadores redox mínimo a las 3 horas post-carga para detectar diferencias en las respuestas, las cuales son mayores  después de  cargas de duración larga e intensa. El estudio de cambios en biomarcadores redox ante ejercicio físico contribuye a  una mayor comprensión de la respuesta fisiológica generada. Esto  sería de utilidad para ajustar el entrenamiento para promover los beneficios del ejercicio y prevenir el potencial daño de un estrés oxidativo crónico

The Mediating Role of Physical Inactivity on the Relationship between Inflammation and Artery Thickness in Prepubertal Adolescents

Objective: To analyze the relationship between inflammatory markers and the lipid profile, blood flow, and artery structure in prepubertal adolescents stratified according to sports practice.Study design The sample was composed of 120 adolescents (57 boys and 63 girls) with a mean age of 11.7 +/- 0.7 years (ranging from 11 to 13 years). Intima-media thickness (IMT) and blood flow were measured with ultrasonography. The lipid profile and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were measured after the subjects had fasted for 12 hours overnight. Trunk fatness was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Organized sports participation was analyzed as a categorical variable. Biological maturation was determined via the age at peak height velocity. Results: In the adjusted model, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was significantly related to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (beta = -5.797 [-11.500 to -0.093]), femoral IMT (beta = 0.062 [0.008-0.116]), and the sum of femoral and carotid IMT (beta = 1.107 [0.223-1.919]), but only in the group without sports participation. Slopes of the crude linear regression were greater in the group without sports participation for femoral IMT (t = 2.621; P = .009) and the sum of femoral and carotid IMT (t = 2.876; P = .004) when compared with the group with sports participation. Conclusion: Independent of body fatness and biological maturation, inflammatory status was related to artery IMT and dyslipidemia in prepubertal adolescents, modulated by sport participation.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Impact of COVID-19 on achieving the goal of sustainable development: E-learning and educational productivity

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a thought-provoking impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were approved by United Nations in the year 2015. Therefore, taking this very consideration forward, this study primarily explores the impact of COVID-19, particularly on the SDG number 4, i.e., education. Due to the COVID-19 contagion, given the unusual and never been experienced circumstances, educational institutions all over the world have been forced to establish their e-learning systems practically overnight. For this purpose, we collected the relevant data from middle school students, by using a technique known as convenience sampling. Furthermore, moving on in the same context, we also developed an integrated model with five dimensions, i.e., Learner, Design, Technology, Instructor, and Environment, in order to gauge this relationship in further detail. The empirical findings of the step-wise multiple regression analysis revealed that the learners’ attitude towards the computer, learners’ internet self-efficacy, usefulness, instructors’ response timelines, and the instructors’ attitude towards e-learning, positively and significantly tend to affect the middle school student’s satisfaction with online. Whereas, learners’ computer anxiety, ease of use, system availability, internet availability, learning climate, and interactions negatively affects the middle school students’ satisfaction. These results imply that developing countries could possibly achieve goal number 4 (Education) of the Sustainable Development Goals, by improving the learner satisfaction, and further strengthening the implementation of their E-Learning practices

Review shows that Icelandic society is taking firmer steps to tackle the diverse forms of child abuse and neglect that its children are exposed to

Publisher's version (útgefin grein).Aim: This review examined and summarised the research published on child abuse in Iceland, which was mainly in the country's native language, to make the findings more accessible to English speakers. It specifically focused on child rearing and the physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect and intrafamilial conflicts suffered by children at the hands of their parents and other carers. Method: The review drew on published research, books and reports and compared the findings with Nordic research and global estimates of child abuse. Results: Qualitative and quantitative research revealed that the prevalence of different forms of child abuse, child neglect and intra-familial conflicts in Iceland was similar to, or higher than, global and Nordic estimates. Younger respondents reported less physical abuse than older respondents, but higher levels of emotional abuse. Legislation, greater awareness, public debates and research on child abuse in Iceland have contributed to the growing recognition of the negative consequences of child abuse and strengthened support for prevention strategies. Conclusion: Icelandic children have reportedly experienced diverse forms of child abuse and neglect from their parents and other carers. Diverse initiatives have been put in place that underline the urgent need to tackle such behaviour.Peer Reviewe

A role for Delta-like homologue 1 (DLK1) in a secretory placental cell population and implications for fetal growth

PhDIntrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) affects between 5-10% of pregnancies carrying with it an increased risk of mortality and morbidity. Several serum analytes have been studied in the hope of finding a relevant marker linked to IUGR, but none of them have proven to be sufficiently accurate to be used in routine clinical practice as a single predictive marker. IUGR is likely to be caused by both genetic and environmental factors. Studies in rodents have identified imprinted genes as some of the major genetic modulators of intrauterine growth. In addition, misregulation of imprinted gene dosage in humans is associated with paediatric growth disorders. One such imprinted gene is Delta-like homologue 1 (DLK1). DLK1 is expressed predominantly from the paternally inherited chromosome, while the maternally inherited copy remains silent. Genetic aberrations affecting this imprinted gene cluster, as see in both humans and mouse models, result in distinct phenotypes affecting growth. A small cohort of participants was recruited from the Royal London Hospital, Fetal Medicine Unit for this study. Maternal serum DLK1 levels were measured in this preliminary cohort. DLK1 serum levels rose during gestation with levels falling after delivery. Furthermore, DLK1 was found to be predictive of birth weight and has a positive correlation with fetal growth parameters. This analysis was extended to a new cohort previously recruited at the Kuopio University Hospital, Finland. DLK1 serum levels were seen to be significantly lower in IUGR pregnancies when compared to normal pregnancies. Using immunohistochemistry methods I was able to detect robust expression of DLK1 in the fetal endothelium and trophoblast cells. Histology studies further identified the presence of multinucleated trophoblastic giant cells, a sign of maternal vascular malperfusion, as a finding in pregnancies associated with low DLK1 levels. These findings allow a better understanding of DLK1. Further investigations are warranted to enable elucidation of a mode of action for this protein.Adams Research Training Fellowship/ grant code MEA9926B and William Harvey Research Limited/ grant code TMTL1B3R

Trade Port Dogs - A comparative study of dog bones from the three mediaeval ports of Gásir, Trondheim, and Bergen

Denne avhandlingen tar for seg forholdet mellom mennesker og hunder i middelalderens Nord-Atlanterhav (ca. 1030 - 1500 CE). Dette gjennom makro-analyser av zoo-arkeologisk materiale, og data fra tre handelshavner: Gásir (Island), Trondheim og Bergen (Norge). I tillegg vil materiale og data fra enda en islandsk lokasjon, middelaldergården Oddstaðir (beliggende i samme region som Gásir; Eyjafjörður), inkluderes. Målet med denne avhandlingen er å øke vår forståelse av hunder og hundehold i de gitte områdene i den gitte tidsperioden. Forskningsspørsmålet som står i senter for denne studien er hvorvidt det er mulig å få en økt forståelse av hundene og menneske-hund relasjonene på de valgte stedene, samt å se på hvordan lokasjonene sammenlignes med hverandre. Ved å bruke forskjellige teorier og metoder, har jeg som mål å gi innsikt i hundenes fysiske utseende og deres roller innenfor disse menneske-administrerte samfunnene. I tillegg vil jeg utforske holdninger og praksis mot hundene, inkludert hundenes bruksområder. Stedene som undersøkes i denne studien har blitt valgt basert på deres funksjoner som handelshavn, samt deres sjøveiskoblinger over Nord-Atlanteren.Arkeologi mastergradsoppgaveARK350MAHF-AR

Political communications in the Icelandic general election campaign of 1987.

The thesis is a study of political communications in a general election campaign in Iceland in 1987. The theoretical background is the so-called agenda-setting approach to communication. A multimethodological approach was used: first, a content analysis was applied to printed pamphlets published by the political parties, election broadcasts on TV, daily newspapers, television news and current affairs programmes over a period of eight weeks; second, a three wave panel survey of a sample of 1500 voters, twice before the election and once immediately after it; third, a survey of news-reporters' attitudes towards media and their job, organized and run by students at the University of Iceland; and fourth, a qualitative study of practices and atmosphere inside the State's TV newsroom some days before the election. The thesis is divided into four main parts, which are further divided into sub-sections. The first part deals with theoretical considerations, offers an outline of Icelandic history and social reality and discusses the methodologies employed. Part two is based on the panel survey, a survey of news-reporters and a qualitative study inside the state's TV newsroom. Part two considers the uses of media in the campaign and attitudes towards them. It reports on news values and practices as found in the survey of news-reporters and the qualitative survey inside the TV newsroom. Part three is based on content analysis and the survey. It discusses the "three agendas": the party agenda, the media agenda and the voter agenda. Part four is an assessment of the research. An effort is made to relate the three agendas, in order to measure statistically their impact on one another. A final chapter discusses the conclusions that can be drawn from the various parts of the thesis about the agenda setting process