Different levels of negative emotions and their impact on prosocial behavior

In this fast and competitive world, people are becoming less likely to help others. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014), the volunteerism rate reached the lowest point in 2013 since 2002. This decrease in prosocial behavior makes the study of prosocial behavior important, especially with the increasing numbers of charitable organizations and their competition to attract more donors and volunteers. Public service advertisements (PSA) are used as a common medium to garner help and support, and many of them use emotional appeals to enhance persuasion. The literature on persuasion shows that emotions have persuasive power to change people\u27s behavior. For example, participants induced with negative emotions are more careful and detailed as compared to those who are induced with positive emotions (Bohner, Crow, Erb, & Schwarz, 1992). Negative emotions can also increase helping behavior. The negative state relief model (Cialdini, Darby, & Vincent, 1973) states that people help in order to alleviate the discomfort caused by negative emotions. For example, guilty participants donate more blood and report a significant reduction in their guilty feeling after the donation (O’Malley & Andrews, 1983). In this study, I expanded on Bagozzi and Moore (1994) to test whether different levels of negative emotions influence empathy and prosocial behavior differently. I also tested whether cognitive reappraisal moderated the relationship between negative emotions and prosocial behavior. Participants (N= 163) recruited from mTurk completed measures of cognitive reappraisal and social desirability and viewed one of three images (i.e., image of a young girl photoshopped to have no bruises, a few bruises, or many bruises) with a message to support anti-child abuse efforts. Participants self-reported the negative emotions the advertisement made them feel. They also completed an empathy measure and indicated how willing they would be to help the child abuse cause through volunteer efforts and donation pledges. Those who viewed the strong and medium negative emotional images (images of a girl with few or more bruises) reported more negative emotions than those viewed the image in the weak emotional condition (image without bruises). Participants who reported more negative emotions also reported more empathy, but the images seen had no effect on willingness to help or donation. Most people indicated a moderate level of willingness to help, but only 20% pledged a donation. Cognitive reappraisal did not moderate the relationship between negative emotions and helping behavior, but it significantly correlated with both negative emotions and willingness to help. This finding adds to research suggesting that individuals who better regulate their emotions are more prosocial (Eisenberg et al., 1996). Overall, consistent with theories of prosocial behavior (Batson, 1991; Cialdini et al., 1973), negative emotions were related to empathy, and both related to greater self-reported intentions to help, but contrary to both those theories and the research on persuasion, this did not translate into actual behavior

The relationship between estimation skill and computational ability of students in years 5, 7 and 9 for whole and rational numbers

This study explored the relationship between estimation skill and computational ability for whole and rational numbers. The methods carried out were both quantitative as well as qualitative and data were collected from three primary schools along with their associated high school in the Perth area. The year levels chosen were 5, 7 and 9. There were two classes from each chosen primary school representing Year 5 and Year 7 and three classes of Year 9 from the high school. The total number of students involved was 91, 77 and 73 from the three respective year levels. Instruments used for collecting data were group-administered tests and interview. Two parallel tests with identical items, where one of the pair was estimation and the other written computation were administered to all the students in the chosen year levels. Interviews were conducted for the group of selected students based on the criteria: slightly above the average and slightly below the average. There were eighteen students with nine in each group. The results of the correlation shows that performance in estimation is positively correlated with written computation in all the year levels. Moreover, the t-test result reveals that there is no significant difference between the two tests expect in Year 7. Hence, the findings indicate that a child who is good in estimation skill can also perform well in written computation. As such, the importance of achieving estimation skill in a child would be very helpful in solving computation problems with understanding. On the other hand, children\u27s performance related to the development of estimation skill and computational ability seems to be in positive direction from Year 5 to Year 7. Whereas the Year 9\u27s performance is lower than Year 7. Among the topics, the children fared better in whole numbers compared to other topics. Performance tends to follow in a descending order from whole number to ratios. The disparities between estimation skill and computational ability are also more towards the difficult topics like division and multiplication of fractions and decimals. At the same time, the feedback from the interviewees tend to show that, the children from slightly above the average are better at choosing their own sensible strategies for solving the problems, whereas the students from slightly below average are more prone to the rote-learned algorithms. Although, male students appeared to perform better than the female students, the differences in performances are not that high. Thus, the result depicts that there are no significant gender issues in the selected year levels and topics. Further research needs to be carried out in order to determine the relationship between estimation skill and computational ability with topics other than whole and rational numbers, especially in measurement topics. Moreover, such studies can be done involving larger samples, and in other countries as well, Doing so can highlight the importance of the integration of estimation skill in teaching and learning mathematics

Examining Political, Environmental and Economic Determinants of Refugee Flows from Mainland China to North and South Countries

This research examines refugee migration originating from Mainland China to North and South countries, like Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Nepal and India. To analyze refugee flow, I used four different determinants: political, civil, environmental, and economic to isolate the importance of each determinate. The analysis was derived from the gravity model to estimate the flow of refugees. I estimated the random effects model for all three of my models. The empirical analysis demonstrated that PTS and fertility in China were the most significant determinant within developed countries for refugee flow, whereas the most important determinants for developing countries were fertility rate, distance, and population. I also find that in the overall model, all variables except China’s GDP per capita were significant determinates of refugee flow. The analysis concludes that refugee flow to North countries is due to political and economic indicators while refugee flow to South countries is a result of distance and cultural components

An overview on microspheres

Microspheres are multiparticulate drug delivery systems which are prepared to obtain prolonged or controlled drug delivery to improve bioavailability, stability and to target the drug to specific site at a predetermined rate. They are made from polymeric waxy or other protective materials such as natural, semi synthetic and synthetic polymers. Microspheres are characteristically free flowing powders having particle size ranging from 1-1000 μm consisting of proteins or synthetic polymers. . The present review highlights various types of microspheres, different methods of preparation, its applications and also various parameters to evaluate their efficiency. Microspheres are various types like Bioadhesive microspheres, Magnetic microspheres, Floating microspheres, Radioactive microspheres, Polymeric microspheres, Biodegradable polymeric microspheres, Synthetic polymeric microspheres and are prepared by methods like Spray Drying, Solvent Evaporation, Single emulsion technique, Double emulsion technique, Phase separation coacervation technique, Spray drying and spray congealing, Solvent extraction. Microspheres have wide range of applications because of controlled and sustained release. This article also focuses on the various drugs that can be formulated into microspheres for controlled and sustained release

A Gender Invariant Model of Disgust Propensity in Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia in Latina/o Individuals

Latinas/os have been underrepresented in research investigating the role of disgust propensity in phobias. The current study was the first to examine associations between disgust propensity and Blood-Injection-Injury (BII) phobia, when acculturation was controlled for, in Latina/o Americans (n = 376). A structural model was developed with a BII fear latent variable consisting of fears of injection, blood, and sharp objects (causing injuries). The disgust propensity latent variable was formed with three domains of core, animal reminder, and contamination disgust elicitors. In the model, disgust propensity predicted BII fear when controlling for acculturation. A series of measurement and structural invariance tests demonstrated that the model was invariant between males and females. The current findings supported the hypothesis that disgust plays a role in BII fear symptoms similarly in Latinas and Latinos. The findings are expected to improve our understanding of mechanisms and treatment approaches for BII phobia symptoms in this underserved cultural group

Serotonin Syndrome Associated with Antidepressant Discontinuation in a Neonate Following Drug Exposure During Pregnancy

Sudden withdrawal of some drugs leads to withdrawal issues. We describe a baby girl who was indirectly exposed to venlafaxine as her mother was administered this drug during pregnancy for treatment of depression. The subject presented with involuntary movement of the limbs. The mother had also encountered similar scenario along with some other symptoms after she suddenly discontinued her medication. The symptoms of the mother completely resolved a few hours after the she took another dose of venlafaxine. The baby was kept under observation and recovered completely without any intervention. We suggest that healthcare professionals should be aware that patients may require tapering of anti-depressants before discontinuation

Cybersecurity Whistleblower Protection: A Comparison of the US and the EU Approaches

This study compares the laws in the United States and the European Union protecting cybersecurity whistleblowers from employer retaliation. Similarities and differences exist regarding the scope of laws, the definition of “retaliation,” and required reporting procedures to be eligible for legal protection. In the US, no anti-retaliation federal statute directly addresses cybersecurity whistleblowing, but whistleblowers may still be protected when they disclose cybersecurity-related violations of laws falling within the scope of protected activity under the current laws. In the EU, the Directive (EU) 2019/1937 directly protects employees who report breaches falling within the scope of the EU acts, including the protection of privacy and personal data and the security of network and information systems. The two approaches also differ concerning the confidentiality of the reporting person’s identity. This study provides a brief foundation for understanding how the US and EU’s approaches differ in providing legal protection against retaliation for whistleblowers

Cutaneous mastocytosis in children: clinical observations

Generalităţi. Mastocitozele sunt afecţiuni rare, cu o evoluţie cel mai frecvent benignă, datorate proliferării anormale de mastocite, care poate fi limitată la organul cutanat sau poate afecta și alte organe. Pentru prima dată, a fost descrisă de E. Nettleship și W. Tay (1869), iar termenul „mastocitoză” aparţine lui Degos (1953). Referitor la repartiţia pe vârste, 80% dintre mastocitoze se întâlnesc la copii și sunt în 75% din cazuri depistate sub vârsta de un an. Material și metode. În studiu, ne-am propus să prezentăm câteva aspecte privind cazurile de mastocitoză cutanată, observate în Institutul Mamei și Copilului, în perioada 2008-2015. S-au luat în consideraţie datele clinico-evolutive, paraclinice și cele de tratament. Rezultate. Au fost incluse în studiu 9 cazuri de mastocitoză. Vârsta pacienţilor a oscilat între 4 luni – 3 ani (b/f – 6/3). În 5 cazuri, debutul maladiei a avut loc în primul an de viaţă, iar în 4 cazuri - la vârsta de peste un an. La toţi copiii incluşi în studiu, s-au atestat manifestări clinice de tip urticarie pigmentară, exprimată în două variante clinice: forma maculară comună – 3 cazuri şi forma maculo-papuloasă (Gougerot-Sezary) – 6 cazuri. În forma maculară s-a observat o erupţie constituită din macule multiple, rotund-ovalare, cafenii, netede, de 1 mm - 1 cm în diametru, localizată pe toracele anterior şi posterior, extremităţi, gât, tegument, având un aspect de “piele de leopard”. Bolnavii care acuzau o formă maculo-papuloasă a urticariei pigmentare, maculele au fost intricate cu papule roşii-brune, de 0,5-1 cm în diametru, având localizări diverse. Semnul Darier-Nettleship (edemaţierea leziunii la fricţiune şi băi calde) era pozitiv în toate cazurile. Tabloul clinic de mastocitoză cutanată a fost completat cu maladii concomitente: disbacterioză intestinală – 2 cazuri, infecţie cu citomegalovirus – 3 cazuri şi chist renal – 1 caz. Devieri paraclinice (nivelul IgE totale, eozinofilie etc.) nu s-au observat. Diagnosticul clinic a fost confirmat prin examenul histopatologic (4 cazuri). Dispariţia parţială a manifestărilor eruptive după tratamentul efectuat (ketotifen, cetirizină) s-a constatat în 3 cazuri. Concluzii. Forma clinică cea mai frecvent întâlnită în mastocitoza cutanată a copilului este urticaria pigmentară. Tratamentul mastocitozelor este dificil, fiindcă nicio procedură terapeutică nu poate întrerupe evoluţia maladiei. Prognosticul pentru copiii cu mastocitoză este favorabil în 80% din cazuri, marcat prin ameliorare sau vindecare până la pubertate. Evoluţia ulterioară a cazurilor incluse în studiu va fi urmărită prin controale periodice.Overview. Mastocytosis is a rare disease, with in majority of cases a benign evolution, which is caused by abnormal proliferation of mast cells in skin or other organs. For the first time this disease was described by E. Nettleship and W.Tay (in 1869), while definition “mastocytosis” was given by Degos in 1953. Regarding to the age segregation 80% of cases of mastocytosis occur in children, 75% of which are observed in infants. Material and methods. In this research author has presented some specific aspects of cutaneous mastocytosis, which were observed in children consulted at the Research Institute for Mother and Child Care during 2008-2015. The author has taken into consideration clinico-evolutive, laboratory and treatment data. Results. 9 cases of mastocytosis were included into the study. Patients’ age has oscillated from 4 months till 3 years (m/f – 6/3). The onset of the disease within first year of life has been observed in 5 cases, and in 4 cases in toddlers. In all children pigmented urticaria has been seen and 2 main forms were described as follows: obvious macular form in 3 cases and maculo-papular form (Gougerot-Sezary) in 6 cases, respectively. Macular form consisted of multiple, round-oval, brown, flat, 1 mm to 1 cm macules, which spread on patients’ trunk, limbs and neck; tegument has taken an aspect of “leoaprd skin”. In patients with Gougerot-Sezary form both macules are red-brown; 0,5 to 1cm in diameter and disseminated papules were seen. DarierNettleship sign (swelling of the lesion due to mechanical irritation or hot bath) was postive in all cases.Some associated diseases were described: 2 cases of intestinal dysbacteriosis, 3 cases of cytomegalovirus infection and 1 case of nephrocyst. Lab tests (total IgE and eosinophil count) haven’t shown any changes. In 4 cases diagnosis was made on the base of gistopathological report. Partial involution of skin eruption under the treatment with ketotifen and cetirizin was achieved in 3 cases. Conclusions. The most frequent manifestation of cutaneous mastocytosis in children is pigmented urticaria. Tretament of mastocytosis represents a challenge for dermatologists because there is no procedure which can completely reduce evolution of the disease. Children with cutaneous mastocytosis have a benign prognosis, in 80% of cases, up to puberty period, a complete recovery has been observed. All those children who have been included into the research are permanently supervised by dermatologists

Congenital diverticular disease of jejunum presenting as obstruction in adulthood: A case report from Ladakh

Of the many causes of small bowel obstruction, volvulus of the midgut is seen mainly in paediatric age group only, along with malrotation of the gut. However, the volvulus of the small gut in an adult is rare. Volvulus of the midgut in adulthood could be due to many reasons like long mesentery, adhesive bands, internal herniation, endometrioses, etc. But volvulus occurring due to diverticulosis of small intestine is a rare occurrence. The diverticulosis in most of the adult patient are acquired (pulsion diverticuli) with a diverticular wall having only two layers of the intestine. Congenital diverticulosis with the diverticuli bearing all the layers of the intestine leading to the volvulus of the midgut makes it still rarer. We present the case of midgut volvulus arising due to congenital true jejunal diverticulosis in a 50-years-old adult along with a brief review of the literature. In our case report, volvulus occurred in an adult due to congenital diverticulosis of jejunum making it a difficult preoperative diagnosis and a rare case reporting

Expériences d’utilisation des services de réadaptation chez les personnes âgées originaires de l’Asie de l’Est du point de vue des professionnelles et professionnels de la réadaptation et des personnes proches aidantes

Introduction : Les personnes âgées originaires de l’Asie de l’Est (PAAE) font partie intégrante de la population québécoise sujette à utiliser des services de réadaptation. Toutefois, elles peuvent avoir des difficultés à en bénéficier, notamment en raison des écarts culturels et sociétaux entre leur pays d’origine et d’accueil, ce qui pourrait les désavantager par rapport à la population générale. Objectif : Comprendre les expériences d’utilisation des services de réadaptation chez les PAAE, du point de vue des professionnelles et professionnels de la réadaptation et des personnes proches aidantes. Méthodologie : Une recherche qualitative descriptive a été menée. Neuf cliniciennes (huit ergothérapeutes et une physiothérapeute) et trois personnes proches aidantes ont participé au projet. Les données ont été collectées via quatre groupes de discussion focalisée et une analyse thématique a été effectuée. Résultats : Selon les cliniciennes et les personnes prochaines aidantes, les expériences d’utilisation des services de réadaptation chez les PAAE sont influencées par quatre facteurs : 1) les défis de la communication relatifs à la barrière linguistique et la réticence des PAAE à exprimer leurs besoins ; 2) la forte implication de la famille afin de soutenir la récupération et d’assurer le maintien à domicile ; 3) les croyances et perceptions en santé reliées à la définition de l’autonomie et aux décisions de santé ; et 4) les défis dans l’alliance thérapeutique. Conclusion : Ces facteurs sont à considérer tant au niveau de l’évaluation que de l’intervention en réadaptation auprès des PAAE. Ils peuvent constituer de pistes d’amélioration afin que les services rendus soient mieux adaptés à leurs besoins tout en tenant compte de leurs réalités culturelles.Introduction: East Asian origin older adults (EAOA) form an important part of the population in Quebec who are likely to use rehabilitation services. However, they may face difficulties in benefiting from these services, partly due to cultural and societal differences between their countries of origin and their host countries, which could disadvantage them compared to the general population. Objective: To understand EAOAs’ experiences in using rehabilitation services from the perspective of rehabilitation professionals and caregivers. Methodology: A descriptive qualitative research study was conducted. Nine clinicians (eight occupational therapists and one physical therapist) and three caregivers participated in the project. Data were collected through four focus groups and a thematic analysis was conducted. Results: According to the rehabilitation professionals and caregivers of this study, EAOAs' experiences of rehabilitation services utilization are shaped by four factors: 1) communication challenges related to language barriers and EAOAs' reluctance to express their needs; 2) the strong involvement of family in supporting the recovery and in ensuring that elderly people to remain at home; 3) health beliefs and perceptions regarding the definition of autonomy and health-related decisions; and 4) challenges in the therapeutic alliance. Conclusion: These factors should be taken into consideration in rehabilitation care with EAOA both in terms of assessment and intervention. They may constitute avenues for improvement to better adapt the services provided to the needs of these individuals while also considering their cultural realities