The Co-mentoring Project: Overview and Outcomes

The Co-mentoring Project matched developmental psychology students with older adult volunteers for an intergenerational learning experience. Students conducted a biopsychosocial life review to increase understanding of older adult development and the continuity in lifespan development. Each student developed a summary paper containing the older adult\u27s life history, a developmental analysis, and personal reflection. A project description, including the scholarship of teaching and learning, and an overview of its outcomes are presented. The project goal was accomplished; students positively evaluated learning outcomes and displayed a significant increase in knowledge about older adults and aging. Implications for college instructors are discussed. (Contains 4 tables.

Burnout, compassion satisfaction, and intention to quit among long-term care nursing assistants in the time of COVID-19

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly exacerbated the stress and burden of those employed in long-term care (LTC) facilities due to staff shortages, increased risks on the job, and ever-changing COVID-19 protocol requirements. Objective: This study examines potential differences in pre-COVID-19 and current COVID-19 on burnout, compassion satisfaction, job satisfaction, and intent to quit of nursing assistants employed in LTC facilities. Methods: The sample included 81 nursing assistants employed in LTC facilities across the United States, with data collected prior to (n = 42) and during COVID-19 related shutdowns (n = 39). Participants completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale 5 (ProQOL 5), a single-item self-report measure of job satisfaction, and a two-item selfreport measure of intent to quit their current employment. Findings: Nursing assistants during COVID-19 reported a higher level of burnout and lower level of compassion satisfaction than nursing assistants pre-COVID-19. However, there were no differences in job satisfaction or intent to quit. Limitations: The study did not measure levels of burnout and compassion satisfaction throughout the entire pandemic. No causal statements can be made regarding the impact of the pandemic on nursing assistant burnout, compassion satisfaction, job satisfaction, or intention to quit. Implications: The results suggest there may be additional factors that influence an individual’s decision to remain employed above and beyond the impacts of burnout and compassion satisfaction that may be unique to the caring professions. Future research might investigate factors that influence an individual’s decision to remain employed as a nursing assistant during periods of increased stress and burnout

Accelerating Change for Women and Girls: The Role of Women's Funds

In recent years, interest in philanthropy for and by women has intensified, accompanied by a growing acceptance of the idea that philanthropic investments in women and girls can accelerate positive change in communities. To understand this evolution in thinking and practice within philanthropy, the Foundation Center partnered with the Women's Funding Network, a global movement of women's funds, to chart the current landscape of philanthropy focused on women and girls and document the specific role played by women's funds

Walking in a maze : community providers\u27 difficulties coordinating health care for homeless patients

BACKGROUND: While dual usage of US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and non-VA health services increases access to care and choice for veterans, it is also associated with a number of negative consequences including increased morbidity and mortality. Veterans with multiple health conditions, such as the homeless, may be particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of dual use. Homeless veteran dual use is an understudied yet timely topic given the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Veterans Choice Act of 2014, both of which may increase non-VA care for this population. The study purpose was to evaluate homeless veteran dual use of VA and non-VA health care by describing the experiences, perspectives, and recommendations of community providers who care for the population. METHODS: Three semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with medical, dental, and behavioral health providers at a large, urban Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) program. Qualitative content analysis procedures were used. RESULTS: HCH providers experienced challenges coordinating care with VA medical centers for their veteran patients. Participants lacked knowledge about the VA health care system and were unable to help their patients navigate it. The HCH and VA medical centers lacked clear lines of communication. Providers could not access the VA medical records of their patients and felt this hampered the quality and efficiency of care veterans received. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial challenges exist in coordinating care for homeless veteran dual users. Our findings suggest recommendations related to education, communication, access to electronic medical records, and collaborative partnerships. Without dedicated effort to improve coordination, dual use is likely to exacerbate the fragmented care that is the norm for many homeless persons

N,N-Dihexyl-4-[2-(4-nitro­phen­yl)vin­yl]aniline

The title compound, C26H36N2O2, was prepared by Horner olefination of p-dihexyl­amino­benzaldehyde and diethyl p-nitro­benzyl­phospho­nate. It crystallizes with two independent mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit. Both have similar geometries of the π-systems but the conformations of all hexyl chains are different. Whereas one hexyl chain of the first mol­ecule shows the typical all-anti conformation, the second is arranged in a gauche-anti-gauche-anti conformation with N—C—C—C, C—C—C—C, C—C—C—C and C—C—C—C torsion angles of −65.1 (4), 167.3 (3), 63.3 (4), and 179.4 (3)°. One of the hexyl chains in the other mol­ecule has an anti-anti-gauche-anti conformation [N—C—C—C, C—C—C—C, C—C—C—C and C—C—C—C torsion angles = 179.6 (3), −179.8 (3), −68.7 (5) and −178.8 (4)°], the other starts with an anti-gauche-gauche sequence. Molecules A and B are composed of five planar subunits. The angle sums around the N atoms are in the range 356 (2)–360.0 (2)°. Torsion angles between these segments do not exceed 4.9 (4)°, except for one of the alkyl chains each [molecule A = 26.2 (4)°; molecule B = −6.0 (4)°]. The high planarity of the molecules and the short aniline C—N bonds [1.385 (3) Å in molecule A and 1.378 (3) Å in molecule B] indicate a strong electronic coupling through the stilbene unit. One methylene group is disordered over two positions with an occupancy ratio of 0.72:0.28

(E,E,E,E)-2,3,5,6-Tetra­kis{2-[4-(dimethyl­amino)­phen­yl]ethen­yl}pyrazine

In the title compound, C44H48N6, the essentially planar mol­ecule [maximum deviation from the mean plane of the π system of 0.271 (3) Å] is located on a crystallographic centre of inversion. The almost planar (angle sums at N atoms = 357.6 and 357.1°) dimethyl­amino groups and short C—N bonds of the aniline groups [both 1.379 (4) Å] indicate strong electronic coupling between these groups and the central pyrazine ring

A study of cleft lip/palate in a community in the South East of Ghana

The previous study in Wudoaba villages suggested that cleft lip and cleft palate (CL/CP) may be endemic in the Wudoaba cluster of villages in the Ketu South District of the Volta Region in South East Ghana. The study was to detect the prevalence of CL/CP in the Wudoaba communities and to investigate the factors associated with the causes of this malformation in the area. Two different interview-based questionnaires were designed to collect data over a period of 3 days from March 27 to 29, 2006. A purposive and accidental random sampling technique was used in the administering of the various questionnaires to the respondents. Data collected were recorded and analyzed with SPSS version 17.0. A total 99 respondents, with a mean age of 55.0 years, were interviewed. Out of it, 57.6% (n = 57) were related to their spouses: 54 first cousins and three other family relations. The prevalence of CL/CP is at least 6.3 per 1,000 people (i.e., 25/4,000). Majority (56.0%, n = 14) of the cleft cases were unilateral. Interviews revealed that genetic homogeneity and vitamin deficiencies in this community may be a causal factor for the high prevalence of CL/CP. This community provides clues suggesting that the magnitude of CL/CP may be larger than other studies and identifies the Wudoaba population as one that could be further studied to explore the underlying factors causing this congenital malformation

Missense mutations that cause Van der Woude syndrome and popliteal pterygium syndrome affect the DNA-binding and transcriptional activation functions of IRF6

Cleft lip and cleft palate (CLP) are common disorders that occur either as part of a syndrome, where structures other than the lip and palate are affected, or in the absence of other anomalies. Van der Woude syndrome (VWS) and popliteal pterygium syndrome (PPS) are autosomal dominant disorders characterized by combinations of cleft lip, CLP, lip pits, skin-folds, syndactyly and oral adhesions which arise as the result of mutations in interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6). IRF6 belongs to a family of transcription factors that share a highly conserved N-terminal, DNA-binding domain and a less well-conserved protein-binding domain. To date, mutation analyses have suggested a broad genotype–phenotype correlation in which missense and nonsense mutations occurring throughout IRF6 may cause VWS; in contrast, PPS-causing mutations are highly associated with the DNA-binding domain, and appear to preferentially affect residues that are predicted to interact directly with the DNA. Nevertheless, this genotype–phenotype correlation is based on the analysis of structural models rather than on the investigation of the DNA-binding properties of IRF6. Moreover, the effects of mutations in the protein interaction domain have not been analysed. In the current investigation, we have determined the sequence to which IRF6 binds and used this sequence to analyse the effect of VWS- and PPS-associated mutations in the DNA-binding domain of IRF6. In addition, we have demonstrated that IRF6 functions as a co-operative transcriptional activator and that mutations in the protein interaction domain of IRF6 disrupt this activity

Dominant Mutations in GRHL3 Cause Van der Woude Syndrome and Disrupt Oral Periderm Development

Peer reviewe