The Experiences of Religiously and Spiritually Diverse Counselors and Psychotherapists Who Work with Survivors of Sexual Violence

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of religiously and spiritually diverse counselors and psychotherapists who work with survivors of sexual violence. The researcher used a transcendental phenomenological approach to understand how the participants engaged their religious and/or spiritual identity to cope with the traumatic stress that accompanies continuous exposure to their clients’ trauma narratives over time. As the only study that has examined these phenomena qualitatively, the present study aimed to enhance counselors and counselor educators’ understanding of the ways that religiously and spiritually diverse counselors make meaning of their experiences. The researcher collected data through 11 interviews with actively practicing counselors and psychotherapists who have worked with survivors of sexual violence for a significant portion of their practice for at least two years. The data analysis showcased both similarities and significant differences in experiences that resulted in five themes: 1) adverse psychological consequences, 2) faith changes, 3) religion as a barrier, 4) intersecting identities, and 5) growth and resilience. These themes are discussed in detail and implications for counselors and educators are provided. This study’s limitations and recommendations for future research are also discussed

Plasma LDL and HDL characteristics and carotenoid content are positively influenced by egg consumption in an elderly population(1)

BACKGROUND: Approximately 1/3 of individuals have a high plasma response to dietary cholesterol (hyper-responders). Although increases in both LDL and HDL cholesterol have been observed, limited data exist regarding effects of egg consumption on lipoprotein subclasses and circulating carotenoids. METHODS: 29 postmenopausal women (50–68 y) and 13 men (60–80 y) were assigned to either 3 eggs (EGG, 640 mg cholesterol/d) or an equal volume of cholesterol-free egg substitute (SUB, 0 mg cholesterol/d) for 30 d. Following a 3 wk wash out, subjects crossed over to the alternate diet. Individuals with a response to dietary cholesterol > 2.2 mg/dL for each additional 100 mg of dietary cholesterol were classified as hyper-responders while hypo-responders were those with a response ≤ to 2.2 mg/dL. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy determined LDL and HDL size & particle concentrations. Dietary records were used to evaluate carotenoid consumption. RESULTS: Hyper-responders had higher concentrations of both LDL (LDL-C) and HDL (HDL-C) cholesterol after EGG. In contrast, the concentrations of plasma LDL-C and HDL-C did not differ between the EGG and SUB for the hypo-responders. After EGG, hyper-responders had larger (≥ 21.2 nm) less atherogenic LDL particle (P < 0.001) and larger HDL particle (> 8.8 nm) (P < 0.01), with no significant difference in the total number of LDL or HDL particles. Regardless of response classification, all individuals had an increase in plasma lutein (from 32.4 ± 15.2 to 46.4 ± 23.3 ng/L) and zeaxanthin (from 8.8 ± 4.8 to 10.7 ± 5.8 ng/L) during EGG, yet hyper-responders displayed higher concentrations of carotenoids when compared to hypo-responders CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the increases in LDL-C and HDL-C due to increased egg consumption in hyper-responders are not related to an increased number of LDL or HDL particles but, to an increase in the less atherogenic lipoprotein subfractions. Also, increases in plasma carotenoids after EGG may provide a valuable dietary source for this population

Motivated But Challenged: Counselor Educators’ Experiences Teaching About Social Determinants of Health

A phenomenological study was conducted to understand eight counselor educators’ experiences teaching about social determinants of health. The analysis yielded three themes: educator identity, motivations, and challenges. Implications for counselor educators preparing future counselors to be leaders in multiculturalism, social justice, and advocacy are provided

A representative sample of Be stars IV: Infrared Photometry and the Continuum Excess

We present infra-red (JHK) photometry of 52 isolated Be stars of spectral types O9--B9 and luminosity classes III--V. We describe a new method of reduction, enabling separation of interstellar reddening and circumstellar excess. Using this technique we find that the disc emission makes a maximum contribution to the optical (B-V) colour of a few tenths of a magnitude. We find strong correlations between a range of emission lines (H\alpha, Br\gamma, Br11, and Br18) from the Be stars' discs, and the circumstellar continuum excesses. We also find that stellar rotation and disc excess are correlated.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Other papers in this series can be obtained at http://cwis.livjm.ac.uk/astro/research/environs.htm

On the optical--infra-red continuum emission from equatorial discs of supergiant B[e] stars

Two models of the circumstellar disc around supergiant B[e] stars are discussed: an equatorial wind model produced by wind bi-stability, and a Keplerian viscous disc model. Both models are successful in providing a site for dust formation once they have cooled sufficiently. However, the optical--infra-red continuum is calculated and it is found that both models have significant trouble in accounting for observations. In particular the optical--near-IR emission is accounted for, but the dust emission is underestimated by at least an order of magnitude. Variations in the structure of the models (the temperature variation with radius, the density structure and the dust opacity) are investigated to assess how (in)appropriate the standard models are for supergiant B[e] star discs. Changing the temperature structure, and making simple dust opacity changes within the disc has little effect on the resultant continuum emission. By altering the density structure of the discs, the continuum may be accounted for by both models: the equatorial wind model requires a very flat density profile which is impossible to explain with any accelerating wind, and the viscous disc model's density structure is required to fall off less steeply with radius than would have been expected, although this may be explained from consideration of viscous processes in the disc. It is recognised that both theoretical interpretations have difficulties and unsolved problems.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysic

Spitzer 24 micron Survey of Debris Disks in the Pleiades

We performed a 24 micron 2 Deg X 1 Deg survey of the Pleiades cluster, using the MIPS instrument on Spitzer. Fifty four members ranging in spectral type from B8 to K6 show 24 micron fluxes consistent with bare photospheres. All Be stars show excesses attributed to free-free emission in their gaseous envelopes. Five early-type stars and four solar-type stars show excesses indicative of debris disks. We find a debris disk fraction of 25 % for B-A members and 10 % for F-K3 ones. These fractions appear intermediate between those for younger clusters and for the older field stars. They indicate a decay with age of the frequency of the dust-production events inside the planetary zone, with similar time scales for solar-mass stars as have been found previously for A-stars.Comment: accepted to Ap

Brown Dwarfs in Young Moving Groups from Pan-STARRS1. I. AB Doradus

Substellar members of young ($\lesssim$150 Myr) moving groups are valuable benchmarks to empirically define brown dwarf evolution with age and to study the low-mass end of the initial mass function. We have combined Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) proper motions with optical$-$IR photometry from PS1, 2MASS and $\textit{WISE}$ to search for substellar members of the AB Dor Moving Group within $\approx$50 pc and with spectral types of late-M to early-L, corresponding to masses down to $\approx$30 M$_{Jup}$ at the age of the group ($\approx$125 Myr). Including both photometry and proper motions allows us to better select candidates by excluding field dwarfs whose colors are similar to young AB~Dor Moving Group members. Our near-IR spectroscopy has identified six ultracool dwarfs (M6$-$L4; $\approx$30$-$100 M$_{Jup}$) with intermediate surface gravities (INT-G) as candidate members of the AB Dor Moving Group. We find another two candidate members with spectra showing hints of youth but consistent with field gravities. We also find four field brown dwarfs unassociated with the AB Dor Moving Group, three of which have INT-G gravity classification. While signatures of youth are present in the spectra of our $\approx$125 Myr objects, neither their $J-K$ nor $W1-W2$ colors are significantly redder than field dwarfs with the same spectral types, unlike younger ultracool dwarfs. We also determined PS1 parallaxes for eight of our candidates and one previously identified AB Dor Moving Group candidate. Although radial velocities (and parallaxes, for some) are still needed to fully assess membership, these new objects provide valuable insight into the spectral characteristics and evolution of young brown dwarfs.Comment: ApJ, accepte

Detection and quantification of angiogenesis in experimental valve disease with integrin-targeted nanoparticles and 19-fluorine MRI/MRS

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Angiogenesis is a critical early feature of atherosclerotic plaque development and may also feature prominently in the pathogenesis of aortic valve stenosis. It has been shown that MRI can detect and quantify specific molecules of interest expressed in cardiovascular disease and cancer by measuring the unique fluorine signature of appropriately targeted perfluorocarbon (PFC) nanoparticles. In this study, we demonstrated specific binding of α_νβ₃integrin targeted nanoparticles to neovasculature in a rabbit model of aortic valve disease. We also showed that fluorine MRI could be used to detect and quantify the development of neovasculature in the excised aortic valve leaflets.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>New Zealand White rabbits consumed a cholesterol diet for ~180 days and developed aortic valve thickening, inflammation, and angiogenesis mimicking early human aortic valve disease. Rabbits (n = 7) were treated with α_νβ₃integrin targeted PFC nanoparticles or control untargeted PFC nanoparticles (n = 6). Competitive inhibition <it>in vivo </it>of nanoparticle binding (n = 4) was tested by pretreatment with targeted nonfluorinated nanoparticles followed 2 hours later by targeted PFC nanoparticles. 2 hours after treatment, aortic valves were excised and ¹⁹F MRS was performed at 11.7T. Integrated ¹⁹F spectral peaks were compared using a one-way ANOVA and Hsu's MCB (multiple comparisons with the best) post hoc t test. In 3 additional rabbits treated with α_νβ₃integrin targeted PFC nanoparticles, ¹⁹F spectroscopy was performed on a 3.0T clinical scanner. The presence of angiogenesis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Valves of rabbits treated with targeted PFC nanoparticles had 220% more fluorine signal than valves of rabbits treated with untargeted PFC nanoparticles (p < 0.001). Pretreatment of rabbits with targeted oil-based nonsignaling nanoparticles reduced the fluorine signal by 42% due to competitive inhibition, to a level not significantly different from control animals. Nanoparticles were successfully detected in all samples scanned at 3.0T. PECAM endothelial staining and α_νβ₃integrin staining revealed the presence of neovasculature within the valve leaflets.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Integrin-targeted PFC nanoparticles specifically detect early angiogenesis in sclerotic aortic valves of cholesterol fed rabbits. These techniques may be useful for assessing atherosclerotic components of preclinical aortic valve disease in patients and could assist in defining efficacy of medical therapies.</p

Validation and Reliability Testing of the EORTC QLQ-NMIBC24 Questionnaire Module to Assess Patient-reported Outcomes in Non–Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer

Funding/Support and role of the sponsor: Trial recruitment was facilitated within centres by the National Institute for Health Research Cancer Research Network. Pfizer provided study medication free of charge within the BOXIT trial.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Evidence for a very slow X-ray pulsar in 2S0114+650 from RXTE All-Sky Monitor Observations

Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) All-Sky Monitor (ASM) observations of the X-ray binary 2S0114+650 show modulations at periods close to both the optically derived orbital period (11.591 days) and proposed pulse period (~ 2.7 hr). The pulse period shows frequency and intensity variability during the more than 2 years of ASM observations analyzed. The pulse properties are consistent with this arising from accretion onto a rotating neutron star and this would be the slowest such period known. The shape of the orbital light curve shows modulation over the course of the entire orbit and a comparison is made with the orbital light curve of Vela X-1. However, the expected phase of eclipse, based on an extrapolation of the optical ephemeris, does not correspond with the observed orbital minimum. The orbital period derived from the ASM light curve is also slightly longer than the optical period.Comment: To be published in the Astrophysical Journal, 1999, volume 511. 9 figure