Religion, Mindfulness, and Resilience as Strategies to Cope With Anxiety

This study examined mindfulness, resilience, and anxiety in adults adhering to either traditional or progressive, more flexible, faith beliefs. Participants (n = 98) were college students (64% Caucasian; 85% women) with a mean age of 21.78 (SD = 5.44). Twenty-nine percent had previously received a diagnosis of anxiety. Participants responded to the following scales: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being, Mindfulness Attention Awareness, Spiritual Experience Index, and Brief Resilience. Additionally, participants were asked about their level of agreement with religious tenants in order to categorize participants as having traditional, progressive, or non-differentiated religious beliefs. It was found that mindfulness and resilience emerged as better predictors of anxiety level than did religion. Contradicting the hypothesis, higher mindfulness did not predict lower anxiety; instead, lower anxiety related to lower mindfulness and higher resilience. Perhaps a mindful, or intentional, focus on daily experiences increased anxiety in anxious people, and the current sample of college students reported high levels of anxiety. Traditionally religious college students reported using religion to cope with stress; however, they were no more or less anxious than other students. This study also found that adults who agreed with liberal theology looked more like non-religious than conservatively religious adults in terms of religion’s impact on their lives. These findings emphasize the fact that adults who consider themselves to be religious are not a homogeneous group and that the trait of resilience might be a more consistent buffer against anxiety than is mindfulness or religion

'It's just a different dimension': Music therapists' experiences of hearing loss

This study explores the lived experiences of qualified music therapists who identify as having hearing loss. The risk of hearing loss for professional musicians is widely acknowledged in literature, with one study demonstrating an increased risk of hearing loss for music therapists. No current literature, however, explores the experiences of hearing loss from the perspective of the music therapist, in a profession in which hearing and listening could be seen as central to the work. For this study, qualitative research methods were employed, involving semi-structured interviews with six music therapists experiencing different levels of hearing loss. Verbatim transcripts were then analysed, using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), resulting in the identification of three principal themes across the data set: 1) Listening is exhausting: Identity as a music therapist with hearing loss; 2) Impatient or intrigued? Stigma versus support; and 3) How I manage: Strategies for coping. These themes are discussed in-depth, in light of existing theory and implications for practice. The analysis supports existing research demonstrating that acquired hearing loss does not impede musical ability. Barriers to proficiency arise from other areas. Implications are discussed, including recommendations for hearing-protection training within music therapy training programmes

The Ursinus Weekly, October 11, 1948

Bishop Corson to speak at exercises honoring college\u27s 79th academic year • Weekly staff sees numerous changes • Haverford trounces bears 26-12 as Ted Test scores four touchdowns, kicks extra point • Alterations cause campus new look • MacQueen elected to council office • Warner-Haines is chosen to play for old timers • Dr. McClure gives address at opening chapel service • IRC names representatives for mid-Atlantic parley • Joe Bechtle views University of Tulsa • Frosh beat sophs in battle of brawn • Spanish Club plans year • Young to receive top football award • MacWilliams heads coed hockey team • Mules to be foe of soccer team • Grizzlies to tackle Dickinson Saturday • Y conducts rally; retreat to be held • Faculty promotes fivehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1597/thumbnail.jp

Heterogeneity in HIV and cellular transcription profiles in cell line models of latent and productive infection: implications for HIV latency.

BackgroundHIV-infected cell lines are widely used to study latent HIV infection, which is considered the main barrier to HIV cure. We hypothesized that these cell lines differ from each other and from cells from HIV-infected individuals in the mechanisms underlying latency.ResultsTo quantify the degree to which HIV expression is inhibited by blocks at different stages of HIV transcription, we employed a recently-described panel of RT-ddPCR assays to measure levels of 7 HIV transcripts ("read-through," initiated, 5' elongated, mid-transcribed/unspliced [Pol], distal-transcribed [Nef], polyadenylated, and multiply-sliced [Tat-Rev]) in bulk populations of latently-infected (U1, ACH-2, J-Lat) and productively-infected (8E5, activated J-Lat) cell lines. To assess single-cell variation and investigate cellular genes associated with HIV transcriptional blocks, we developed a novel multiplex qPCR panel and quantified single cell levels of 7 HIV targets and 89 cellular transcripts in latently- and productively-infected cell lines. The bulk cell HIV transcription profile differed dramatically between cell lines and cells from ART-suppressed individuals. Compared to cells from ART-suppressed individuals, latent cell lines showed lower levels of HIV transcriptional initiation and higher levels of polyadenylation and splicing. ACH-2 and J-Lat cells showed different forms of transcriptional interference, while U1 cells showed a block to elongation. Single-cell studies revealed marked variation between/within cell lines in expression of HIV transcripts, T cell phenotypic markers, antiviral factors, and genes implicated in latency. Expression of multiply-spliced HIV Tat-Rev was associated with expression of cellular genes involved in activation, tissue retention, T cell transcription, and apoptosis/survival.ConclusionsHIV-infected cell lines differ from each other and from cells from ART-treated individuals in the mechanisms governing latent HIV infection. These differences in viral and cellular gene expression must be considered when gauging the suitability of a given cell line for future research on HIV. At the same time, some features were shared across cell lines, such as low expression of antiviral defense genes and a relationship between productive infection and genes involved in survival. These features may contribute to HIV latency or persistence in vivo, and deserve further study using novel single cell assays such as those described in this manuscript

Toward Eclipse Mapping of Hot Jupiters

Recent Spitzer infrared measurements of hot Jupiter eclipses suggest that eclipse mapping techniques could be used to spatially resolve the day-side photospheric emission of these planets using partial occultations. As a first step in this direction, we simulate ingress/egress lightcurves for the three brightest known eclipsing hot Jupiters and evaluate the degree to which parameterized photospheric emission models can be distinguished from each other with repeated, noisy eclipse measurements. We find that the photometric accuracy of Spitzer is insufficient to use this tool effectively. On the other hand, the level of photospheric details that could be probed with a few JWST eclipse measurements could greatly inform hot Jupiter atmospheric modeling efforts. A JWST program focused on non-parametric eclipse map inversions for hot Jupiters should be actively considered.Comment: 32 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in Ap

Redox-dependent Franck–Condon blockade and Avalanche Transport in a Graphene–Fullerene single-molecule transistor

We report transport measurements on a graphene–fullerene single-molecule transistor. The device architecture where a functionalized C60 binds to graphene nanoelectrodes results in strong electron–vibron coupling and weak vibron relaxation. Using a combined approach of transport spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and DFT calculations, we demonstrate center-of-mass oscillations, redox-dependent Franck–Condon blockade, and a transport regime characterized by avalanche tunnelling in a single-molecule transistor

Changes in attitudes, beliefs, and experiences related to pregnancy during graduate medical education training from 2005 to 2021

Today, 50% of medical students are women, and residency and fellowship training years overlap with peak times for starting families. The authors describe attitudes toward pregnancy during residency and fellowship and report pregnancy rates and complications for female residents and resident partners across several decades. A web-based survey was emailed to 1,057 residents in 2005 (period 1) and 1,860 residents in 2021 (period 2). Anonymous surveys were sent to all trainees including pregnant trainees, affected co-trainees and trainee partners. Resident attitudes and pregnancy characteristics were compared between groups using the chi-square (χ2) test for categorical variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test for ordinal variables. A total of 442 residents (41.8%) responded to the 2005 survey, and 525 (28.2%) responded to the 2021 survey. Most residents who covered for a pregnant resident had positive feelings about covering for their colleagues during both time periods, although more positive attitudes were present during the period 2. Only about 10% of residents received compensation for their coverage during both time periods. Among residents with a pregnancy during training (i.e., themselves or partners), most characterized having a baby in training as “somewhat difficult” or “very difficult” at both time periods. Pregnancy complication rates were 33% and 44% for training years 2005 and 2021. As medical education evolves, training programs should be proactive in creating structured support systems for pregnant residents and resident partners to minimize adverse maternal and fetal outcomes and to improve training programs. Future studies are needed to elucidate the causality of higher-than-expected pregnancy complication rates

A theory-based approach to understanding condom errors and problems reported by men attending an STI clinic

The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2008 Springer VerlagWe employed the information–motivation–behavioral skills (IMB) model to guide an investigation of correlates for correct condom use among 278 adult (18–35 years old) male clients attending a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic. An anonymous questionnaire aided by a CD-recording of the questions was administered. Linear Structural Relations Program was used to conduct path analyses of the hypothesized IMB model. Parameter estimates showed that while information did not directly affect behavioral skills, it did have a direct (negative) effect on condom use errors. Motivation had a significant direct (positive) effect on behavioral skills and a significant indirect (positive) effect on condom use errors through behavioral skills. Behavioral skills had a direct (negative) effect on condom use errors. Among men attending a public STI clinic, these findings suggest brief, clinic-based, safer sex programs for men who have sex with women should incorporate activities to convey correct condom use information, instill motivation to use condoms correctly, and directly enhance men’s behavioral skills for correct use of condoms

The Ursinus Weekly, February 14, 1949

Enrollment hits 1009 as 28 new students begin college life • Richardson Dilworth to speak tonight: former mayoralty nominee to expose corruption in Philadelphia government • Floy Lewis named queen • Frats begin rushing week • Lauterbach outlines proposed US policy in mid-week forum • Frosh girls slated to receive colors at annual program • Local NSA leaders choose Philadelphia for convention site • How could your college life be improved? • B-listers take lead by tripping imbeciles • Retreat held by Y; letters to Congress sent by commission • Student life of faculty members uncovered in old yearbooks • Popular couple wins laurels in print for countless services to student body • Ingber paces Cadets as bears yield 59-40 • Coeds score second win as Rosemont bows 34-23 • Beaver meet looms as local mermaids improve technique • Unbeaten record slashed as bruinettes lose 32-24 • Initial match fatal as Ford grapplers wallop bruins 23-11 • Bears drop fifth tilt as Drexel wins 75-61 • Jay Vees drop two; one point decides as PMC wins 45-44 • Pettit tops offense as junior varsity captures two wins • Three tilts listed for opening night of inter-dorm loophttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1607/thumbnail.jp