DEVELOPMENT AND INITIAL VALIDATION OF THE MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING SELF-EFFICACY SCALE - RACIAL DIVERSITY FORM

The purpose of the study is to develop and validate the Multicultural Counseling Self-Efficacy Scale - Racial Diversity Form (MCSE-RD). Theoretical underpinnings of the study were derived from social cognitive theory and the literature of multicultural counseling. Specifically, the MCSE-RD is designed to assess the helping professional's perceived abilities in providing individual counseling to racially diverse clients. Data were collected from 181 graduate students in counseling-related programs. Results of an exploratory factor analysis retained 37 items and indicated that the MCSE-RD consists of three underlying factors. The MCSE-RD subscale and total scores showed adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities. Also, convergent and discriminant validity was initially supported by differential relations of MCSE-RD scores to general counseling self-efficacy, multicultural counseling competency, and social desirability. Finally, the MCSE-RD scores correlated significantly with demographic variables and educational/training backgrounds. In conclusion, psychometric properties of the MCSE-RD were initially supported by findings of the study

Relation of Efficacy Beliefs and Working Alliance to Psychotherapy Outcomes: A Multilevel Analysis

The purpose of the study is to investigate the contributions of several common factor variables to individual psychotherapy outcomes at both individual and dyad levels. Two dyad-level variables (i.e., the working alliance and collective counseling efficacy) were hypothesized to mediate the relation of client individual-level predictors (i.e., coping efficacy, adult attachment, positive and negative affect) to outcomes (i.e., client-rated progress and session quality). The study involved a naturalistic research design in which no variables were manipulated and psychotherapy occurred without alteration. A novel instrument - the Collective Counseling Efficacy Scale (CCES) - was developed to measure the concept of collective counseling efficacy. Data collected from 73 dyads of clients and therapists were analyzed using multilevel structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. Results of principal axis factoring procedures revealed a 1-factor structure for the CCES, and internal consistency estimates of the total scores were .96 and .93 for clients and therapists, respectively. Based on data from both clients and therapists, intraclass correlations showed that 59% and 34% of the variances of the alliance and collective counseling efficacy, respectively, occurred at the dyad level as opposed to the individual level. To model them as dyad-level factors, 2nd-order intercepts and slopes were created to represent the midpoint and the discrepancy of clients' and therapists' ratings of the two constructs. The alliance and collective counseling efficacy were further integrated by a set of 3rd-order intercept and slope, denoted relational factors. Multilevel SEM analyses provided evidence for the mediating effect of relational factors on the relation of pre-therapy client predictors to post-therapy client-rated outcomes. Specifically, client coping efficacy indirectly predicted client-perceived progress and session quality through the 3rd-order intercept. Also, client coping efficacy (positively) and avoidance attachment (negatively) were indirectly predictive of session quality through the 3rd-order slope. Post-hoc analyses indicated that clients' ratings of the alliance and collective counseling efficacy were significantly higher than those of therapists, and this pattern was positively associated with session quality. In conclusion, the importance of modeling common factor variables at different levels and the inclusion of collective counseling efficacy in psychotherapy research were initially supported by the findings of the study

Predictors of outcome of dream work for East Asian volunteer clients: Dream factors, attachment anxiety, Asian values, and therapist input

Eighty-eight East Asian volunteers were paired with 6 Eas

Association analyses of East Asian individuals and trans-ancestry analyses with European individuals reveal new loci associated with cholesterol and triglyceride levels

Large-scale meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified >175 loci associated with fasting cholesterol levels, including total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG). With differences in linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure and allele frequencies between ancestry groups, studies in additional large samples may detect new associations. We conducted staged GWAS meta-analyses in up to 69,414 East Asian individuals from 24 studies with participants from Japan, the Philippines, Korea, China, Singapore, and Taiwan. These meta-analyses identified (P < 5 × 10-8) three novel loci associated with HDL-C near CD163-APOBEC1 (P = 7.4 × 10-9), NCOA2 (P = 1.6 × 10-8), and NID2-PTGDR (P = 4.2 × 10-8), and one novel locus associated with TG near WDR11-FGFR2 (P = 2.7 × 10-10). Conditional analyses identified a second signal near CD163-APOBEC1. We then combined results from the East Asian meta-analysis with association results from up to 187,365 European individuals from the Global Lipids Genetics Consortium in a trans-ancestry meta-analysis. This analysis identified (log10Bayes Factor ≥6.1) eight additional novel lipid loci. Among the twelve total loci identified, the index variants at eight loci have demonstrated at least nominal significance with other metabolic traits in prior studies, and two loci exhibited coincident eQTLs (P < 1 × 10-5) in subcutaneous adipose tissue for BPTF and PDGFC. Taken together, these analyses identified multiple novel lipid loci, providing new potential therapeutic targets

A Large-Scale Multi-ancestry Genome-wide Study Accounting for Smoking Behavior Identifies Multiple Significant Loci for Blood Pressure

Genome-wide association analysis advanced understanding of blood pressure (BP), a major risk factor for vascular conditions such as coronary heart disease and stroke. Accounting for smoking behavior may help identify BP loci and extend our knowledge of its genetic architecture. We performed genome-wide association meta-analyses of systolic and diastolic BP incorporating gene-smoking interactions in 610,091 individuals. Stage 1 analysis examined similar to 18.8 million SNPs and small insertion/deletion variants in 129,913 individuals from four ancestries (European, African, Asian, and Hispanic) with follow-up analysis of promising variants in 480,178 additional individuals from five ancestries. We identified 15 loci that were genome-wide significant (p <5 x 10(-8)) in stage 1 and formally replicated in stage 2. A combined stage 1 and 2 meta-analysis identified 66 additional genome-wide significant loci (13, 35, and 18 loci in European, African, and trans-ancestry, respectively). A total of 56 known BP loci were also identified by our results (p <5 x 10(-8)). Of the newly identified loci, ten showed significant interaction with smoking status, but none of them were replicated in stage 2. Several loci were identified in African ancestry, highlighting the importance of genetic studies in diverse populations. The identified loci show strong evidence for regulatory features and support shared pathophysiology with cardiometabolic and addiction traits. They also highlight a role in BP regulation for biological candidates such as modulators of vascular structure and function (CDKN1B, BCAR1-CFDP1, PXDN, EEA1), ciliopathies (SDCCAG8, RPGRIP1L), telomere maintenance (TNKS, PINX1, AKTIP), and central dopaminergic signaling MSRA, EBF2).Peer reviewe

A multi-ancestry genome-wide study incorporating gene-smoking interactions identifies multiple new loci for pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure

Elevated blood pressure (BP), a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, is influenced by both genetic and lifestyle factors. Cigarette smoking is one such lifestyle factor. Across five ancestries, we performed a genome-wide gene-smoking interaction study of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) in 129 913 individuals in stage 1 and follow-up analysis in 480 178 additional individuals in stage 2. We report here 136 loci significantly associated with MAP and/or PP. Of these, 61 were previously published through main-effect analysis of BP traits, 37 were recently reported by us for systolic BP and/or diastolic BP through gene-smoking interaction analysis and 38 were newly identified (P <5 x 10(-8), false discovery rate <0.05). We also identified nine new signals near known loci. Of the 136 loci, 8 showed significant interaction with smoking status. They include CSMD1 previously reported for insulin resistance and BP in the spontaneously hypertensive rats. Many of the 38 new loci show biologic plausibility for a role in BP regulation. SLC26A7 encodes a chloride/bicarbonate exchanger expressed in the renal outer medullary collecting duct. AVPR1A is widely expressed, including in vascular smooth muscle cells, kidney, myocardium and brain. FHAD1 is a long non-coding RNA overexpressed in heart failure. TMEM51 was associated with contractile function in cardiomyocytes. CASP9 plays a central role in cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Identified only in African ancestry were 30 novel loci. Our findings highlight the value of multi-ancestry investigations, particularly in studies of interaction with lifestyle factors, where genomic and lifestyle differences may contribute to novel findings.Peer reviewe

Social cognitive predictors of academic adjustment and life satisfaction in Portuguese college students: A longitudinal analysis

A social cognitive model of well-being [Lent, R. W. (2004). Toward a unifying theoreticaland practical perspective on well-being and psychosocial adjustment.Journal of CounselingPsychology, 51,482–509.] was adapted to the context of academic adjustment and testedusing a longitudinal design. Participants were 252 students at a university in northernPortugal. They completed measures of academic self-efficacy, environmental support, goalprogress, and adjustment, along with global measures of positive affect and life satisfac-tion. Path analyses indicated that the model fit the data well overall. As expected, self-effi-cacy and environmental support were predictive of goal progress and academicadjustment, and the latter was predictive of students’ global life satisfaction. Self-efficacyand positive affect were found to be reciprocally related to one another. Contrary to expec-tations, goal progress did not contribute uniquely to the prediction of academic adjustmentor life satisfaction. We consider directions for future research applying the social cognitivemodel to satisfaction in, and adjustment to, educational and work settings

Biliary Cysts in Children — Long-term Follow-up in Taiwan

This study analyzed the clinical presentation, postoperative morbidity and mortality and incidence of associated extrahepatic biliary atresia in children with biliary cysts in Taiwan. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 158 pediatric patients with biliary cysts seen between June 1981 and July 2004, with follow-up ranging from 12 months to 22 years (mean, 11.2 ± 6.1 years). Patients were divided into three groups: biliary atresia-associated biliary cyst (BABC, 21 patients), non-biliary atresia-associated choledochal cyst (NBACC) in infancy (37 patients), and late NBACC (> 1 year of age, 100 patients). Results: BABC accounted for 36.2% of the infantile biliary cysts in this study. Extrahepatic cysts in late NBACC had a greater mean diameter than those in infantile NBACC and BABC (21.5 mm vs. 16.0 mm vs. 7.9 mm, p < 0.001). Cholangitis was the most serious complication within 3 months postoperatively in all three groups, resulting in four deaths (two in the infantile NBACC group and one each in the other two groups). Liver cirrhosis developed during long-term follow-up in nine of the 21 patients with BABC, four of whom died. Three of these nine patients underwent liver transplantation and remained well during follow-up. Chronic complications in NBACC occurred mainly in late IVa cases, with persistent intrahepatic dilatation developing in 12 of 35 patients and intrahepatic stones in five. Elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was found preoperatively in 85% of late NBACC and 35% of infantile NBACC cases. Postoperative normalization of ALT occurred after a mean of 152 ± 23 days and 158 ± 67 days in late NBACC and infantile NBACC, respectively. Higher ALT levels before operation were associated with a longer period until normalization. Conclusion: The possibility of BABC must be included in the differential diagnosis when a small extrahepatic cyst (< 8 mm in diameter) with prolonged jaundice is found in infancy. Postoperative follow-up is essential for patients with NBACC due to their frequently prolonged elevation of serum ALT and possibility of residual intrahepatic dilatation. Cholangitis was the major cause of death within 3 months postoperatively in this study

The Effect of Heat Treatment on the Corrosion Resistance of Fe-Based Amorphous Alloy Coating Prepared by High Velocity Oxygen Fuel Method

In this study, Fe40Cr19Mo18C15B8 amorphous coatings were prepared using high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) technology. Different temperatures were used in the heat treatment (600 &deg;C, 650 &deg;C, and 700 &deg;C) and the annealed coatings were analyzed by DSC, SEM, TEM, and XRD. XRD and DSC results showed that the coating started to form a crystalline structure after annealing at 650 &deg;C. From the SEM observation, it can be found that when the annealing temperature of the Fe-based amorphous alloy coating reached 700 &deg;C, the surface morphology of the coating became relatively flat. TEM observation showed that when the annealing temperature of the Fe-based amorphous alloy coating was 700 &deg;C, crystal grains in the coating recrystallized with a grain size of 5&ndash;20 nm. SAED analysis showed that the precipitated carbide phase was M23C6 phase with different crystal orientations (M = Fe, Cr, Mo). Finally, the corrosion polarization curve showed that the corrosion current density of the coating after annealing only increased by 9.13 &mu;A/cm2, which indicated that the coating after annealing treatment still had excellent corrosion resistance. It also proved that the Fe-based amorphous alloy coating can be used in high-temperature environments. XPS analysis showed that after annealing FeO and Fe2O3 oxide components increased, and the formation of a large number of crystals in the coating resulted in a decrease in corrosion resistance