Building Strengths of Character: Keys to Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Nansook

2009-01-01

Character is vital force for positive development and societal well-being. Character strengths play important roles in positive youth development, not only as broad-protective factors, preventing or mitigating psychopathology and problems, but also as enabling conditions that promote thriving and flourishing. Recent research findings show that…

Identifying and Promoting Transition Evidence-Based Practices and Predictors of Success: A Position Paper of the Division on Career Development and Transition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazzotti, Valerie L.; Rowe, Dawn A.; Cameto, Renee; Test, David W.; Morningstar, Mary E.

2013-01-01

This position paper describes the Division of Career Development and Transition's stance and recommendations for identifying and promoting secondary transition evidence-based practices and predictors of postschool success for students with disabilities. Recommendations for experimental research, correlational research, and secondary analysis of…

Nucleosome Positioning and NDR Structure at RNA Polymerase III Promoters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helbo, Alexandra Søgaard; Lay, Fides D.; Jones, Peter A.; Liang, Gangning; Grønbæk, Kirsten

2017-02-01

Chromatin is structurally involved in the transcriptional regulation of all genes. While the nucleosome positioning at RNA polymerase II (pol II) promoters has been extensively studied, less is known about the chromatin structure at pol III promoters in human cells. We use a high-resolution analysis to show substantial differences in chromatin structure of pol II and pol III promoters, and between subtypes of pol III genes. Notably, the nucleosome depleted region at the transcription start site of pol III genes extends past the termination sequences, resulting in nucleosome free gene bodies. The +1 nucleosome is located further downstream than at pol II genes and furthermore displays weak positioning. The variable position of the +1 location is seen not only within individual cell populations and between cell types, but also between different pol III promoter subtypes, suggesting that the +1 nucleosome may be involved in the transcriptional regulation of pol III genes. We find that expression and DNA methylation patterns correlate with distinct accessibility patterns, where DNA methylation associates with the silencing and inaccessibility at promoters. Taken together, this study provides the first high-resolution map of nucleosome positioning and occupancy at human pol III promoters at specific loci and genome wide.

Promoting Positive Citizenship: Priming Youth for Action. CIRCLE Working Paper 05

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaff, Jonathon F.; Malanchuk, Oksana; Michelsen, Erik; Eccles, Jacquelynne

2003-01-01

Researchers have theorized that programs to promote positive citizenship should begin with an opportunity for adolescents to participate in civic activities, such as community service or political volunteering. In this report, authors expand this theoretical perspective by arguing that programs to promote positive citizenship may need to begin by…

Are Women More Likely to Be Hired or Promoted into Management Positions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyness, Karen S.; Judiesch, Michael K.

1999-01-01

In a three-year study of 30,996 financial-services managers, logistic regression analyses showed that women were more likely to be promoted rather than hired into management positions. Relative to men, women in higher-level positions received fewer promotions than women in lower-level positions. (63 references) (SK)

Autophagy promotes synapse development in Drosophila.

PubMed

Shen, Wei; Ganetzky, Barry

2009-10-05

Autophagy, a lysosome-dependent degradation mechanism, mediates many biological processes, including cellular stress responses and neuroprotection. In this study, we demonstrate that autophagy positively regulates development of the Drosophila melanogaster larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Autophagy induces an NMJ overgrowth phenotype closely resembling that of highwire (hiw), an E3 ubiquitin ligase mutant. Moreover, like hiw, autophagy-induced NMJ overgrowth is suppressed by wallenda (wnd) and by a dominant-negative c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (bsk(DN)). We show that autophagy promotes NMJ growth by reducing Hiw levels. Thus, autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system converge in regulating synaptic development. Because autophagy is triggered in response to many environmental cues, our findings suggest that it is perfectly positioned to link environmental conditions with synaptic growth and plasticity.

Preventing Problems vs. Promoting the Positive: What Do We Want for Our Children? Child Trends Research Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Kristin A.; Halle, Tamara G.

Noting that there is little focus in research literature, in popular discussions, or in policymaking regarding how to promote positive youth development, this research brief presents a preliminary set of constructs that might comprise positive youth development in order to spark productive conversations that will lead to a better conceptualization…

A personal connection: Promoting positive attitudes towards teaching and learning.

PubMed

Lujan, Heidi L; DiCarlo, Stephen E

2017-09-01

Students' attitudes towards teaching and learning must be addressed with the same seriousness and effort as we address content. Establishing a personal connection and addressing our students' basic psychological needs will produce positive attitudes towards teaching and learning and develop life-long learners. It will also promote constructive student-teacher relationships that have a profound influence on our students' approach towards school. To begin this process, consider the major tenets of the Self-Determination Theory. The Self-Determination Theory of human motivation focuses on our students' innate psychological needs and the degree to which an individual's behavior is self-motivated and self-determined. Faculty can satisfy the innate psychological needs by addressing our students' desire for relatedness, competence and autonomy. Relatedness refers to our students' need to feel connected to others, to be a member of a group, to have a sense of communion and to develop close relationships with others. Competence is believing our students can succeed , challenging them to do so and imparting that belief in them. Autonomy involves considering the perspectives of the student and providing relevant information and opportunities for student choice and initiating and regulating their own behaviors. Establishing a personal connection and addressing our students' basic psychological needs will improve our teaching, inspire and engage our students and promote positive attitudes towards teaching and learning while reducing competition and increasing compassion. These are important goals because unless students are inspired and motivated and have positive attitudes towards teaching and learning our efforts will fail to meet their full potential. Anat Sci Educ 10: 503-507. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

Promoting positive parenting: an annotated bibliography.

PubMed

Ahmann, Elizabeth

2002-01-01

Positive parenting is built on respect for children and helps develop self-esteem, inner discipline, self-confidence, responsibility, and resourcefulness. Positive parenting is also good for parents: parents feel good about parenting well. It builds a sense of dignity. Positive parenting can be learned. Understanding normal development is a first step, so that parents can distinguish common behaviors in a stage of development from "problems." Central to positive parenting is developing thoughtful approaches to child guidance that can be used in place of anger, manipulation, punishment, and rewards. Support for developing creative and loving approaches to meet special parenting challenges, such as temperament, disabilities, separation and loss, and adoption, is sometimes necessary as well. This annotated bibliography offers resources to professionals helping parents and to parents wishing to develop positive parenting skills.

Lhx6-positive GABA-releasing neurons of the zona incerta promote sleep

PubMed Central

Liu, Kai; Kim, Juhyun; Kim, Dong Won; Zhang, Yi Stephanie; Bao, Hechen; Denaxa, Myrto; Lim, Szu-Aun; Kim, Eileen; Liu, Chang; Wickersham, Ian R.; Pachnis, Vassilis; Hattar, Samer; Song, Juan; Brown, Solange P.; Blackshaw, Seth

2017-01-01

Multiple populations of wake-promoting neurons have been characterized in mammals, but few sleep-promoting neurons have been identified1. Wake-promoting cell types include hypocretin and GABA (γ-aminobutyric-acid)-releasing neurons of the lateral hypothalamus, which promote the transition to wakefulness from non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep2,3. Here we show that a subset of GABAergic neurons in the mouse ventral zona incerta, which express the LIM homeodomain factor Lhx6 and are activated by sleep pressure, both directly inhibit wake-active hypocretin and GABAergic cells in the lateral hypothalamus and receive inputs from multiple sleep–wake-regulating neurons. Conditional deletion of Lhx6 from the developing diencephalon leads to decreases in both NREM and REM sleep. Furthermore, selective activation and inhibition of Lhx6-positive neurons in the ventral zona incerta bidirectionally regulate sleep time in adult mice, in part through hypocretin-dependent mechanisms. These studies identify a GABAergic subpopulation of neurons in the ventral zona incerta that promote sleep. PMID:28847002

High Hopes: Organizational Position, Employment Experiences, and Women's and Men's Promotion Aspirations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassirer, Naomi; Reskin, Barbara

2000-01-01

Analysis of General Social Survey data (n=733) indicated that men attached greater importance to promotion than women because they were more likely in positions with promotion potential. Results support Kanter's thesis that men's and women's positions in the workplace opportunity structure, not gender, shape career attitudes. (Contains 66…

Positive neuropsychology: The science and practice of promoting cognitive health.

PubMed

Randolph, John J

2018-01-01

Positive psychology has influenced multiple subfields within psychology and areas outside of psychology. While positive psychology's focus on positive mental health and character strengths did not appear to meaningfully impact neuropsychology in its earlier stages, more recent indications suggest that the neuropsychological literature, and perhaps the field as a whole, has begun to embrace related research and practice applications. In this context, positive neuropsychology has emerged as a neuropsychological orientation focused on the study and practice of promoting cognitive health. The present review discusses the origins of positive neuropsychology and elaborates on its six key evidence-based domains: compensatory strategy use, activity engagement, prevention of cognitive impairment, public education, exceptional cognition, and positive cognitive outcomes in neuropsychiatric populations. This broad perspective on cognitive wellness can easily be embraced by both clinicians and researchers and offers multiple directions for future growth. Ultimately, consideration of various methods to promote cognitive health can inform our understanding of optimal brain function, maximize functioning in individuals with cognitive limitations, and enhance quality of life among populations served by neuropsychologists.

Development and Evaluation of a Positive Youth Development Course for University Students in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Shek, Daniel T. L.; Sun, Rachel C. F.; Chui, Y. H.; Lit, S. W.; Yuen, Walter W.; Chung, Yida Y. H.; Ngai, S. W.

2012-01-01

With higher education, university graduates are important elements of the labor force in knowledge-based economies. With reference to the mental health and developmental problems in university students, there is a need to review university's role in nurturing holistic development of students. Based on the positive youth development approach, it is argued that promoting intrapersonal competencies is an important strategy to facilitate holistic development of young people in Hong Kong. In The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a course entitled Tomorrow's Leader focusing on positive youth development constructs to promote student well-being will be offered on a compulsory basis starting from 2012/13 academic year under the new undergraduate curriculum structure. The proposed course was piloted in 2010/11 school year. Different evaluation strategies, including objective outcome evaluation, subjective outcome evaluation, process evaluation, and qualitative evaluation, are being carried out to evaluate the developed course. Preliminary evaluation findings based on the piloting experience in 2010/11 academic year are presented in this paper. PMID:22619630

Toward an Integrated Approach to Positive Development: Implications for Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolan, Patrick; Ross, Katherine; Arkin, Nora; Godine, Nikki; Clark, Erin

2016-01-01

Positive development models shift focus for intervention from avoiding problems, deficits, or psychopathology to promoting skills, assets, and psychological well-being as the critical interests in development and intervention. The field can be characterized as multiple parallel lines of empirical inquiry from four frameworks: Social Competence,…

Do Video Games Promote Positive Youth Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adachi, Paul J. C.; Willoughby, Teena

2013-01-01

We argue that video game play may meet Larson's (2000) criteria for fostering initiative in youth, and thus, may be related to positive outcomes such as flow, cooperation, problem solving, and reduced in-group bias. However, developmental and social psychologists examining adolescent video game use have focused heavily on how video games are…

Promoting Social Nurturance and Positive Social Environments to Reduce Obesity in High-Risk Youth.

PubMed

Wilson, Dawn K; Sweeney, Allison M; Kitzman-Ulrich, Heather; Gause, Haylee; St George, Sara M

2017-03-01

Nurturing environments within the context of families, schools, and communities all play an important role in enhancing youth's behavioral choices and health outcomes. The increasing prevalence rates of obesity among youth, especially among low income and ethnic minorities, highlight the need to develop effective and innovative intervention approaches that promote positive supportive environments across different contexts for at-risk youth. We propose that the integration of Social Cognitive Theory, Family Systems Theory, and Self-Determination Theory offers a useful framework for understanding how individual, family, and social-environmental-level factors contribute to the development of nurturing environments. In this paper, we summarize evidence-based randomized controlled trials that integrate positive parenting, motivational, and behavioral skills strategies in different contexts, including primary care, home, community, and school-based settings. Taken together, these studies suggest that youth and parents are most likely to benefit when youth receive individual-level behavioral skills, family-level support and communication, and autonomous motivational support from the broader social environment. Future investigators and healthcare providers should consider integrating these evidence-based approaches that support the effects of positive social climate-based interventions on promoting healthy eating, physical activity, and weight management in youth.

[Identification of Positive Youth Development Interventions].

PubMed

Sardiñas, Lili M; Padilla, Viviana; Aponte, Mari; Boscio, Ana Morales; Pedrogo, Coralee Pérez; Santiago, Betzaida; Morales, Ángela Pérez; Dávila, Paloma Torres; Cesáreo, Marizaida Sánchez

2017-01-01

There are more people in the world in the youth stage of development than in any other stage of development. The youth in Puerto Rico faces many situations that affect their development and readiness for adulthood. Therefore, it's imperative to identify evidence-based positive youth development interventions to develop practices that help young people prevent adverse situations, promote positive experiences and encourage children and young people to be involved and committed. One hundred and forty seven interventions were identified through a traditional scientific literature review. The results reflect that the interventions mainly focused on reducing risk factors and increasing of protection factors. However, no intervention focus on fully engaging children and young people to be involved and committed to their optimal development and to their communities. Nevertheless, all identified interventions providDe tools that could be useful to foster such practices in the context of Puerto Rico. Of the 147 interventions identified, six are designed for the Puerto Rican population residing on the island. In order to make information accessible to professionals and the community, the collection of the Archivo de Programas y Prácticas Basadas en Evidencia para la Prevención has been expanded.

MYCN Promotes the Expansion of Phox2B-Positive Neuronal Progenitors to Drive Neuroblastoma Development

PubMed Central

Alam, Goleeta; Cui, Hongjuan; Shi, Huilin; Yang, Liqun; Ding, Jane; Mao, Ling; Maltese, William A.; Ding, Han-Fei

2009-01-01

Amplification of the oncogene MYCN is a tumorigenic event in the development of a subset of neuroblastomas that commonly consist of undifferentiated or poorly differentiated neuroblasts with unfavorable clinical outcome. The cellular origin of these neuroblasts is unknown. Additionally, the cellular functions and target cells of MYCN in neuroblastoma development remain undefined. Here we examine the cell types that drive neuroblastoma development in TH-MYCN transgenic mice, an animal model of the human disease. Neuroblastoma development in these mice begins with hyperplastic lesions in early postnatal sympathetic ganglia. We show that both hyperplasia and primary tumors are composed predominantly of highly proliferative Phox2B+ neuronal progenitors. MYCN induces the expansion of these progenitors by both promoting their proliferation and preventing their differentiation. We further identify a minor population of undifferentiated nestin+ cells in both hyperplastic lesions and primary tumors that may serve as precursors of Phox2B+ neuronal progenitors. These findings establish the identity of neuroblasts that characterize the tumor phenotype and suggest a cellular pathway by which MYCN can promote neuroblastoma development. PMID:19608868

Engaging Upstanders: Class-Wide Approach to Promoting Positive Bystander Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Laura; Smith, Jennifer; Varjas, Kris; Meyers, Joel

2016-01-01

Positive and supportive bystander behaviors have been associated with decreases in the frequency and negative impact of bullying. This article addresses the design, implementation, evaluation, and continuation of a classroom-based intervention that promotes positive bystander behaviors. The Engaging Upstanders curriculum was piloted with two…

Spirituality as a Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review

PubMed Central

Shek, Daniel T. L.

2012-01-01

The concept of spirituality as a positive youth development construct is reviewed in this paper. Both broad and narrow definitions of spirituality are examined and a working definition of spirituality is proposed. Regarding theories of spirituality, different models pertinent to spiritual development and the relationship between spirituality and positive youth development are highlighted. Different ecological factors, particularly family and peer influences, were found to influence spirituality. Research on the influence of spirituality on adolescent developmental outcomes is examined. Finally, ways to promote adolescent spirituality are discussed. PMID:22654611

Does Positive Youth Development Predict Adolescent Attitudes about Sexuality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Erin N.; Werner-Wilson, Ronald Jay

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among individual factors, parental factors, involvement in activities, and adolescent attitudes regarding sex (the outcome variable). We suggest that Positive Youth Development (PYD) research and programming should include promoting healthy sexuality as an important developmental outcome…

Mental Health Promotion in Public Health: Perspectives and Strategies From Positive Psychology

PubMed Central

Seligman, Martin E.P.; Peterson, Christopher; Diener, Ed; Zack, Matthew M.; Chapman, Daniel; Thompson, William

2011-01-01

Positive psychology is the study of what is “right” about people—their positive attributes, psychological assets, and strengths. Its aim is to understand and foster the factors that allow individuals, communities, and societies to thrive. Cross-sectional, experimental, and longitudinal research demonstrates that positive emotions are associated with numerous benefits related to health, work, family, and economic status. Growing biomedical research supports the view that positive emotions are not merely the opposite of negative emotions but may be independent dimensions of mental affect. The asset-based paradigms of positive psychology offer new approaches for bolstering psychological resilience and promoting mental health. Ultimately, greater synergy between positive psychology and public health might help promote mental health in innovative ways. PMID:21680918

Parent Personality and Positive Parenting as Predictors of Positive Adolescent Personality Development Over Time

PubMed Central

Schofield, Thomas J.; Conger, Rand D.; Donnellan, M. Brent; Jochem, Rachel; Widaman, Keith F.; Conger, Katherine J.

2012-01-01

We investigated the degree to which parent positive personality characteristics in terms of conscientiousness, agreeableness and emotional stability predict similar adolescent personality traits over time as well as the role played by positive parenting in this process. Mothers and fathers of 451 White adolescents (52% female, mean age = 13.59 years) were assessed on three occasions, with 2-year lags between each assessment. Parent personality and observed positive parenting both predicted 12th graders personality. Additionally, we found evidence for an indirect link between parent personality and later adolescent personality through positive parenting. The results suggest that parents may play a significant role in the development of adolescent personality traits that promote competence and personal well-being across the life course. PMID:22822287

Online Positive Interventions to Promote Well-being and Resilience in the Adolescent Population: A Narrative Review

PubMed Central

Baños, Rosa M.; Etchemendy, Ernestina; Mira, Adriana; Riva, Giuseppe; Gaggioli, Andrea; Botella, Cristina

2017-01-01

Numerous studies have shown an alarming prevalence of depression, anxiety, and behavior disorders in youth. Thus, prevention of psychological problems in this population becomes crucial. According to the World Health Organization (1), prevention should also include the promotion and development of the individual’s strengths in order to reduce vulnerability to suffering from mental disorders. In addition, other key elements of prevention are the reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of interventions. The information and communication technologies, especially the Internet, have much to offer in terms of the prevention and promotion of positive mental health in adolescents. This paper reviews these fields of research—prevention, positive psychology, Internet, and adolescents—and discusses the potential of positive interventions delivered over the Internet as effective and sustainable health promotion tools. The paper provides a brief description of the systems developed so far and a summary of selected features of the studies detected in the literature review. The overall conclusions are that there is a need for more controlled studies with long-term follow-ups, the interventions should be designed considering the specific features of the target users and the specific contexts where the interventions will be delivered, and they could be enhanced by the use of other technologies, such as smartphones, sensors, or social networks. PMID:28194117

Prohibitin promotes androgen receptor activation in ER-positive breast cancer

PubMed Central

Liu, Pengying; Xu, Yumei; Zhang, Wenwen; Li, Yan; Tang, Lin; Chen, Weiwei; Xu, Jing; Sun, Qian; Guan, Xiaoxiang

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Prohibitin (PHB) is an evolutionarily conserved protein with multiple functions in both normal and cancer cells. Androgen receptor (AR) was reported to act as a different role in the ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer. However, little is known about the role of PHB and whether PHB could regulate AR expression in the ER-positive breast cancer. Here, we determined the expression and clinical outcomes of PHB in breast cancer samples using 121 breast cancer tissues and published databases, and investigated the role of PHB in breast cancer cell growth, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the ER-positive breast cancer cells. We obtained the expression of PHB is significantly low in breast cancer samples, and low PHB expression positively correlated with poor prognosis of breast cancer. We detected that PHB could inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation, change cell cycle distribution and promote cell apoptosis in the ER-positive breast cancer cells. Moreover, we found PHB could significantly increase AR expression in both mRNA and protein levels in the ER-positive breast cancer cells. Additionally, a significant positive correlation between PHB and AR expression was identified in the 121 breast cancer tissues. PHB and AR expression are associated with prognosis in the ER-positive breast cancer patients. Our results indicate that PHB promotes AR activation in ER-positive breast cancer, making PHB and AR potential molecular targets for ER-positive breast cancer therapy. PMID:28272969

Promoting Social Nurturance and Positive Social Environments to Reduce Obesity in High Risk Youth

PubMed Central

Wilson, Dawn K.; Sweeney, Allison M.; Kitzman-Ulrich, Heather; Gause, Haylee; St. George, Sara M.

2017-01-01

Nurturing environments within the context of families, schools, and communities all play an important role in enhancing youth’s behavioral choices and health outcomes. The increasing prevalence rates of obesity among youth, especially among low income and ethnic minorities, highlight the need to develop effective and innovative intervention approaches that promote positive supportive environments across different contexts for at risk youth. We propose that the integration of Social Cognitive Theory, Family Systems Theory, and Self-Determination Theory offers a useful framework for understanding how individual, family and social-environmental level factors contribute to the development of nurturing environments. In this paper, we summarize evidence-based randomized controlled trials that integrate positive parenting, motivational, and behavioral skills strategies in different contexts, including primary care, home, community, and school-based settings. Taken together, these studies suggest that youth and parents are most likely to benefit when youth receive individual-level behavioral skills, family-level support and communication, and autonomous motivational support from the broader social environment. Future investigators and health care providers should consider integrating these evidence-based approaches that support the effects of positive social climate-based interventions on promoting healthy eating, physical activity, and weight management in youth. PMID:28229248

TV nurses: promoting a positive image of nursing?

PubMed

Spear, Hila J

2010-01-01

It's understood that medical dramas are meant to entertain, not serve as documentaries. Nevertheless, media-driven messages are powerful, influencing the culture and collective mindset. This article evaluates current images of nurses in the media and challenges nurses to engage in professional and public service designed to promote a positive media and public image of nursing.

Media literacy and positive youth development.

PubMed

Boyd, Michelle J; Dobrow, Julie

2011-01-01

This chapter explores the links among media literacy (specifically news media literacy), civic engagement, and positive youth development (PYD). We begin by providing an overview of the literature on PYD and media literacy, and go on to discuss media literacy in the context of civic development. We also explore the existing literature on the associations between news media use, news media literacy, and civic indicators. In addition, we discuss the promotion of media literacy (with a focus on news media literacy) and PYD in educational, extracurricular, and home settings. We conclude with a discussion of the current research in this nascent and interdisciplinary area and, as well, consider directions for future research.

Enhancing the Emotional and Social Skills of the Youth to Promote their Wellbeing and Positive Development: A Systematic Review of Universal School-based Randomized Controlled Trials.

PubMed

Sancassiani, Federica; Pintus, Elisa; Holte, Arne; Paulus, Peter; Moro, Maria Francesca; Cossu, Giulia; Angermeyer, Matthias C; Carta, Mauro Giovanni; Lindert, Jutta

2015-01-01

The acquisition of social and emotional skills is associated with positive youth development, character education, healthy lifestyle behaviours, reduction in depression and anxiety, conduct disorders, violence, bullying, conflict, and anger. School-based interventions aimed to enhance these skills go beyond a problem-focused approach to embrace a more positive view of health; they could also improve the youth's wellbeing. To describe the main features and to establish the effectiveness of universal school-based RCTs for children and the youth, aimed to promote their psychosocial wellbeing, positive development, healthy lifestyle behaviours and/or academic performance by improving their emotional and social skills. Systematic review by searching for relevant papers in PubMed/Medline with the following key words: "mental health" OR "wellbeing" OR "health promotion" OR "emotional learning" OR "social learning" OR "emotional and social learning" OR "positive youth development" OR "life skills" OR "life skills training" AND "school". Interval was set from January 2000 to April 2014. 1,984 papers were identified through the search. Out of them 22 RCTs were included. While most interventions were characterized by a whole-school approach and SAFE practices, few studies only used standardized measures to assess outcomes, or had collected follow-up data after ≥ 6 months. The results of all these trials were examined and discussed. Universal school-based RCTs to enhance emotional and social skills showed controversial findings, due to some methodological issues mainly. Nevertheless they show promising outcomes that are relatively far-reaching for children and youth wellbeing and therefore are important in the real world.

Developing a Promotional Video

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epley, Hannah K.

2014-01-01

There is a need for Extension professionals to show clientele the benefits of their program. This article shares how promotional videos are one way of reaching audiences online. An example is given on how a promotional video has been used and developed using iMovie software. Tips are offered for how professionals can create a promotional video and…

Promoting Positive Interactions between Mothers and Their At-Risk Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephenson, Jennifer; Martin, Andrew J.; Linfoot, Ken W.

2005-01-01

This study explores the impact of an exploratory, minimalist intervention based on the principles of social communication training that aimed at promoting positive interactions between mother and child and increasing child initiations in mother-child communication. Encouraging data indicated a shift towards a more positive interaction style…

The Role of New Technologies to Foster Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bers, Marina Umaschi

2006-01-01

This article describes a developmental systems approach to applied developmental science (ADS), which provides a framework to design and evaluate technology-rich programs that promote positive development by emphasizing the strengths and assets of young people instead of focusing on diminishing or preventing risk-taking behaviors. Until now, most…

Promoting Positive Youth Development: Implications for Future Directions in Developmental Theory, Methods, and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurtines, William M.; Montgomery, Marilyn J.; Ferrer-Wreder, Laura; Berman, Steven L.; Lorente, Carolyn Cass; Silverman, Wendy K.

2008-01-01

The efforts of the Miami Youth Development Project reported in this special issue illustrate how Developmental Intervention Science (DIS; a fusion of the developmental and intervention science) extended to include outreach research contributes to the development of community-supported positive youth development programs. In the process, the…

Bonding as a Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review

PubMed Central

Lee, Tak Yan; Lok, David P. P.

2012-01-01

The concept of bonding as a positive youth development construct is reviewed in this paper. The goals are fourfold. First, theoretical perspectives of bonding are delineated. Secondly, the relationships among bonding to caregivers, friends, romantic partners, as well as teachers, and adolescents' positive developmental outcomes are reviewed. Thirdly, with theoretical and empirical support, a discussion on how to promote bonding among adolescents is offered. Finally, a critical review on the cultural issues of bonding is provided. PMID:22623898

An analysis of the positional distribution of DNA motifs in promoter regions and its biological relevance.

PubMed

Casimiro, Ana C; Vinga, Susana; Freitas, Ana T; Oliveira, Arlindo L

2008-02-07

Motif finding algorithms have developed in their ability to use computationally efficient methods to detect patterns in biological sequences. However the posterior classification of the output still suffers from some limitations, which makes it difficult to assess the biological significance of the motifs found. Previous work has highlighted the existence of positional bias of motifs in the DNA sequences, which might indicate not only that the pattern is important, but also provide hints of the positions where these patterns occur preferentially. We propose to integrate position uniformity tests and over-representation tests to improve the accuracy of the classification of motifs. Using artificial data, we have compared three different statistical tests (Chi-Square, Kolmogorov-Smirnov and a Chi-Square bootstrap) to assess whether a given motif occurs uniformly in the promoter region of a gene. Using the test that performed better in this dataset, we proceeded to study the positional distribution of several well known cis-regulatory elements, in the promoter sequences of different organisms (S. cerevisiae, H. sapiens, D. melanogaster, E. coli and several Dicotyledons plants). The results show that position conservation is relevant for the transcriptional machinery. We conclude that many biologically relevant motifs appear heterogeneously distributed in the promoter region of genes, and therefore, that non-uniformity is a good indicator of biological relevance and can be used to complement over-representation tests commonly used. In this article we present the results obtained for the S. cerevisiae data sets.

Development and pilot testing of an intervention to promote care engagement and adherence among HIV-positive Kenyan MSM.

PubMed

Graham, Susan M; Micheni, Murugi; Kombo, Bernadette; Van Der Elst, Elisabeth M; Mugo, Peter M; Kivaya, Esther; Aunon, Frances; Kutner, Bryan; Sanders, Eduard J; Simoni, Jane M

2015-12-01

In many African settings, MSM are a stigmatized group whose access to and engagement in HIV care may be challenging. Our aim was to design a targeted, culturally appropriate intervention to promote care engagement and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence for MSM in coastal Kenya, and describe intervention safety, feasibility, and acceptability based upon a small pilot study. Based on qualitative work including in-depth interviews with HIV-positive MSM and focus groups with providers, we developed a tailored intervention and conducted a pilot test to refine intervention materials and procedures. The Shikamana intervention combines modified Next-Step Counseling by trained providers, support from a trained peer navigator, and tailored use of SMS messaging, phone calls, and discrete pill carriers. Providers, including counselors and clinicians, work together with peer navigators as a case management team. Forty HIV-positive MSM aged 19-51 participated in intervention development and testing. Six counselors, three clinical officers, and four MSM peers were trained in intervention procedures. Of 10 ART-naïve participants who enrolled in the pilot, eight completed follow-up with no adverse events reported. One participant was lost to follow-up after 2 months and another failed to initiate ART despite ongoing counseling. No adverse events were reported. Staff feedback and exit interviews rated the intervention as feasible and acceptable. This adherence support intervention tailored for Kenyan MSM was well tolerated, feasible, and acceptable in the pilot phase. A randomized controlled trial of a scaled-up programme to estimate intervention efficacy is ongoing.

Digital Media, Participatory Politics, and Positive Youth Development.

PubMed

Middaugh, Ellen; Clark, Lynn Schofield; Ballard, Parissa J

2017-11-01

Research on the social implications of adolescent technology use often focuses on identifying and preventing risk. However, adolescence is also a time of rapidly expanding capacities, expectations of autonomy, and identity exploration. In this article, we highlight findings from research in the field of youth civic development, which point to the importance of youth civic engagement during adolescence for later adult civic engagement as well as for promoting positive developmental outcomes. Researchers suggest that certain forms of Internet use (such as information seeking, social network site use, media production, and participation in online communities) promote civic engagement and that digital tools play an important role in youth empowerment efforts. In this article, we suggest a need for greater attention to efforts to promote digital media competencies among adolescents and for greater coordination of research on adolescent risk and adolescent autonomy and empowerment related to Internet use. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Evaluating Approaches to Physical Literacy through the Lens of Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allan, Veronica; Turnnidge, Jennifer; Côté, Jean

2017-01-01

The potential of physical activity and sport programs to promote positive youth development (PYD) is well-recognized among youth sport researchers and practitioners. More recently, physical literacy has gained traction among sport organizations as an important component of long-term athlete development. With conceptual roots in academic writing,…

The Voice of Youth: Atmosphere in Positive Youth Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Stefan; Parker, Melissa

2013-01-01

Background: Positive youth development (PYD) programs adhere to the notion that all children have strengths and assets to be promoted and nurtured rather than deficits that require "fixing." The study of PYD programs indicates three aspects which set them apart from other programs for youth: activities, goals, and atmosphere. Of these,…

Examining How Model Youth Sport Coaches Learn to Facilitate Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camiré, Martin; Trudel, Pierre; Forneris, Tanya

2014-01-01

Background: Research indicates that some youth sport coaches have specific strategies in their coaching plan to facilitate positive youth development (PYD) while others struggle in articulating how they promote the development of their athletes in actual practice. These variations can be largely attributed to the fact that coaching is a complex…

Workplace health promotion and stakeholder positions: a Finnish case study.

PubMed

Auvinen, Ari-Matti; Kohtamäki, Kari; Ilvesmäki Msc, Antti

2012-01-01

Modern workplace health promotion (WHP) requires collaboration, partnerships, and alliances with both internal and external stakeholders. However, the identification of the key stakeholders as well as the systematic mapping of their views has barely been covered in the existing research literature. This article describes the stakeholders and stakeholder positions in WHP in Finland. In this study, the stakeholders were classified as internal, interface, and external stakeholders. Furthermore, based on the authors' research, stakeholders and their positions were represented on a stakeholder map as well as by the power-interest matrix of the stakeholders. The governmental authorities play a key role in driving the strategic change toward WHP by preparing the required legislation and regulatory measures. However, both active employers and active employees can through their own work accelerate the development of new WHP services. Close collaboration between employers and employees is required at the individual workplaces. Some stakeholders, such as pension funds and occupational health services (OHS) providers, can act as important driving forces and support the strategic implementation of WHP in the workplaces. However, alone they have only limited opportunities to organize the WHP activities. Understanding the various stakeholders and the systematic mapping of their positions is essential for the successful planning and implementation of WHP activities.

The Practical Application of Promoting Positive Body Image on a College Campus: Insights from Freshmen Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Jackson, TeriSue; Reel, Justine J.; Thackeray, Rosemary

2014-01-01

Background: Body image disturbances and disordered eating behaviors are prevalent across college campuses and can lead to psychological and physical health consequences. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gain formative research on the promotion of positive body image on a university campus with the goal of developing educational programs.…

Promoting Afterschool Quality and Positive Youth Development: Cluster Randomized Trial of the Pax Good Behavior Game.

PubMed

Smith, Emilie Phillips; Osgood, D Wayne; Oh, Yoonkyung; Caldwell, Linda C

2018-02-01

This randomized trial tested a strategy originally developed for school settings, the Pax Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG), in the new context of afterschool programs. We examined this approach in afterschool since 70% of all juvenile crime occurs between the hours of 3-6 pm, making afterschool an important setting for prevention and promotion. Dual-career and working families need monitoring and supervision for their children in quality settings that are safe and appropriately structured. While substantial work has identified important features of afterschool programs, increasing attention is being given to how to foster quality. PAX GBG, with its focus on shared norms, cooperative teams, contingent activity rewards, and liberal praise, could potentially enhance not only appropriate structure and supportive relationships, but also youth self-regulation, co-regulation, and socio-emotional development. This study examined the PAX GBG among 76 afterschool programs, serving 811 youth ages 5-12, who were diverse in race-ethnicity, socio-economic status, and geographic locale. Demographically matched pairs of afterschool programs were randomized to PAX GBG or treatment-as-usual. Independent observers conducted ratings of implementation fidelity and program quality across time; along with surveys of children's problem and prosocial behavior. Interaction effects were found using hierarchical linear models such that experimental programs evidencing higher implementation fidelity demonstrated better program quality than controls, (i.e., less harshness, increased appropriate structure, support, and engagement), as well as reduced child-reported hyperactivity and intent-to-treat effects on prosocial behavior. This study demonstrates that best practices fostered by PAX GBG and implemented with fidelity in afterschool result in higher quality contexts for positive youth development.

Summer Camp and Positive Youth Development: Program with Romanian Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feenstra, Jennifer S.

2015-01-01

A variety of activities are used in camps to help promote positive youth development, improving social skills and self-esteem in campers. I expanded on previous camp research in this study to address the influence camps have on trust, belief in the honesty of others, empowerment, and care for others in youth in Eastern Europe. Since 1999, New…

Systematic review of interventions to promote social-emotional development in young children with or at risk for disability.

PubMed

Case-Smith, Jane

2013-01-01

This systematic review synthesized the research on interventions used by occupational therapy practitioners to promote social-emotional development in young children (birth-5 yr) with or at risk for disabilities. After a comprehensive search of the research literature, 23 studies were reviewed and then synthesized into five themes: (1) touch-based interventions to enhance calming and parent-infant bonding, (2) relationship-based interventions to promote positive caregiver-child interactions, (3) joint attention interventions, (4) naturalistic preschool interventions to promote peer-to-peer engagement, and (5) instruction-based interventions to teach children appropriate social behaviors. The interventions for infants primarily involved coaching parents in specific strategies to promote positive interactions; interventions for preschool-age children typically involved encouraging peer support, instructing children, and applying naturalistic behavioral techniques to develop higher-level social competence. The studies demonstrated low to moderate positive effects for interventions used by occupational therapy practitioners to improve social-emotional development across ages, diagnoses, and settings. Copyright © 2013 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Promoting Reading in Developing Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greaney, Vincent, Ed.

With the intention of illuminating the many obstacles involved with literacy promotion in the developing nations of Africa, Asia, and South America, the authors of the 10 articles in this collection share their knowledge and experience of literacy promotion in the developing world--including the unique challenges faced by those who publish, print,…

Achievement Together: The Development of an Intervention Using Relationship-Based Strategies to Promote Positive Learning Habits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earhart, James; Zamora, Irina

2015-01-01

This pilot study describes the development and initial implementation of a treatment program that uses relationship-based techniques as a basis for promoting characteristics important in learning and emotional regulation. A case example has been included as an illustration of the theoretical framework of this intervention, along with preliminary…

Identifying information that promotes belt-positioning booster use. Volume 2, Appendices

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-07-01

Many parents with low educational attainment prematurely graduate their children to seat belt restraint rather than use belt-positioning booster seats. This study aimed to identify interventions that promoted booster seat use among this population. F...

How can midwives promote a normal birth and a positive birth experience? The experience of first-time Norwegian mothers.

PubMed

Dahlberg, Unn; Persen, Janicke; Skogås, Ann-Karin; Selboe, Siv-Tonje; Torvik, Helen Marit; Aune, Ingvild

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the experience of first-time mothers regarding how the midwife may promote a normal birth and a positive birth experience. A qualitative approach was chosen for data collection, and the data presented are based on in-depth interviews. Twelve healthy, first-time Norwegian mothers, aged 22-34, who had experienced a normal and positive childbirth were interviewed five to six weeks after giving birth. The transcribed interviews were analysed with the help of systematic text condensation. The findings included two main themes: "To be seen as an individual" and "Health-promoting perspective". The experience of being cared for by a midwife who provides presence is vital for the woman to be seen as an individual. When the midwife has a health-promoting perspective, she can more easily assist the woman in developing inner strength and coping strategies. Midwives have a pivotal role in helping to promote a normal birth and positive birth experience. The women consider the midwife's attitude and behaviour as essential for their ability to feel safe and cared for. The midwife's individualized and motivating approach promotes the women's inner strength and belief in their own capability to handle the birth. Based on this salutogenic view, the midwife must focus on the woman's resources in order to promote good health during the childbearing process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating a Gender Diversity Workshop to Promote Positive Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burford, James; Lucassen, Mathijs F. G.; Hamilton, Thomas

2017-01-01

Drawing on data from an Aotearoa/New Zealand study of more than 230 secondary students, this article evaluates the potential of a 60-min gender diversity workshop to address bullying and promote positive environments for learning. Students completed pre- and postworkshop questionnaires. The authors used descriptive statistics to summarize results…

Can very early music interventions promote at-risk infants' development?

PubMed

Virtala, Paula; Partanen, Eino

2018-04-30

Music and musical activities are often a natural part of parenting. As accumulating evidence shows, music can promote auditory and language development in infancy and early childhood. It may even help to support auditory and language skills in infants whose development is compromised by heritable conditions, like the reading deficit dyslexia, or by environmental factors, such as premature birth. For example, infants born to dyslexic parents can have atypical brain responses to speech sounds and subsequent challenges in language development. Children born very preterm, in turn, have an increased likelihood of sensory, cognitive, and motor deficits. To ameliorate these deficits, we have developed early interventions focusing on music. Preliminary results of our ongoing longitudinal studies suggest that music making and parental singing promote infants' early language development and auditory neural processing. Together with previous findings in the field, the present studies highlight the role of active, social music making in supporting auditory and language development in at-risk children and infants. Once completed, the studies will illuminate both risk and protective factors in development and offer a comprehensive model of understanding the promises of music activities in promoting positive developmental outcomes during the first years of life. © 2018 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of The New York Academy of Sciences.

A positive perspective of knowledge, attitude, and practices for health-promoting behaviors of adolescents with congenital heart disease.

PubMed

Huang, Hui-Ru; Chen, Chi-Wen; Chen, Chin-Mi; Yang, Hsiao-Ling; Su, Wen-Jen; Wang, Jou-Kou; Tsai, Pei-Kwei

2018-03-01

Health-promoting behaviors could serve as a major strategy to optimize long-term outcomes for adolescents with congenital heart disease. The associations assessed from a positive perspective of knowledge, attitudes, and practice model would potentially cultivate health-promoting behaviors during adolescence. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between disease knowledge, resilience, family functioning, and health-promoting behaviors in adolescents with congenital heart disease. A total of 320 adolescents with congenital heart disease who were aged 12-18 years were recruited from pediatric cardiology outpatient departments, and participated in a cross-sectional survey. The participants completed the Leuven Knowledge Questionnaire for Congenital Heart Disease; Haase Adolescent Resilience in Illness Scale; Family Adaptability, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve; and Adolescent Health Promotion scales. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and three multiple regression models. Greater knowledge of prevention of complications and higher resilience had a more powerful effect in enhancing health-promoting behaviors. Having symptoms and moderate or severe family dysfunction were significantly more negatively predictive of health-promoting behaviors than not having symptoms and positive family function. The third model explained 40% of the variance in engaging in health-promoting behaviors among adolescents with congenital heart disease. The findings of this study provide new insights into the role of disease knowledge, resilience, and family functioning in the health-promoting behavior of adolescents with congenital heart disease. Continued efforts are required to plan family care programs that promote the acquisition of sufficient disease knowledge and the development of resilience for adolescents with congenital heart disease.

Pupils Making a Difference: Enhancing the Power of the Student Peer Group to Promote Positive Social, Emotional and Behavioural Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Paul; Jacobs, Barbara

2011-01-01

In this paper, the authors review empirical evidence on the effects of peer groups on social, emotional and behavioural functioning. The paper shows that an understanding of the ways in which peer groups can influence the development of deviance and subvert the positive effects of interventions can be exploited in the promotion of positive social…

Emotional Competence as a Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review

PubMed Central

Lau, Patrick S. Y.; Wu, Florence K. Y.

2012-01-01

The concept of emotional competence as a positive youth development construct is reviewed in this paper. Differences between emotional intelligence and emotional competence are discussed and an operational definition is adopted. Assessment methods of emotional competence with an emphasis on its quantitative nature are introduced. In the discussion of theories of emotional competence, the functionalist and developmental perspectives and the relationships with positive youth development are highlighted. Possible antecedents, especially the influence of early child-caregiver, and expected outcomes of emotional competence are examined. Practical ways to promote emotional competence among adolescents, particularly the role of parents and teachers, and the future direction of research are also discussed. PMID:22666176

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Promoting and supporting breastfeeding.

PubMed

James, Delores C S; Dobson, Brenda

2005-05-01

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) that exclusive breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition and health protection for the first 6 months of life, and breastfeeding with complementary foods for at least 12 months is the ideal feeding pattern for infants. Breastfeeding is also a public health strategy for improving infant and child health survival, improving maternal morbidity, controlling health care costs, and conserving natural resources. ADA emphasizes the essential role of dietetics professionals in promoting and supporting breastfeeding by providing up-to-date, practical information to pregnant and postpartum women, involving family and friends in breastfeeding education and counseling, removing institutional barriers to breastfeeding, collaborating with community organizations and others who promote and support breastfeeding, and advocating for policies that position breastfeeding as the norm for infant feeding. ADA also emphasizes its own role by providing up-to-date information to the public, encouraging empirical research, providing continuing education opportunities, providing cultural sensitivity and cultural competence training to dietetics professionals, and encouraging universities to review and update undergraduate and graduate training programs.

Social Influence on Positive Youth Development: A Developmental Neuroscience Perspective.

PubMed

Telzer, Eva H; van Hoorn, Jorien; Rogers, Christina R; Do, Kathy T

2018-01-01

Susceptibility to social influence is associated with a host of negative outcomes during adolescence. However, emerging evidence implicates the role of peers and parents in adolescents' positive and adaptive adjustment. Hence, in this chapter we highlight social influence as an opportunity for promoting social adjustment, which can redirect negative trajectories and help adolescents thrive. We discuss influential models about the processes underlying social influence, with a particular emphasis on internalizing social norms, embedded in social learning and social identity theory. We link this behavioral work to developmental social neuroscience research, rooted in neurobiological models of decision making and social cognition. Work from this perspective suggests that the adolescent brain is highly malleable and particularly oriented toward the social world, which may account for heightened susceptibility to social influences during this developmental period. This chapter underscores the need to leverage social influences during adolescence, even beyond the family and peer context, to promote positive developmental outcomes. By further probing the underlying neural mechanisms as an additional layer to examining social influence on positive youth development, we will be able to gain traction on our understanding of this complex phenomenon. © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Career development resource: promotion to associate professor.

PubMed

Sanfey, Hilary; Hollands, Celeste

2012-07-01

This will most likely be the first time through the promotion and tenure process for the faculty member. The faculty member is responsible for meeting with the department chair and/or division chief on a regular basis to determine if she is on the right time line to successfully achieve promotion to associate professor. A physician will begin seriously preparing her portfolio for promotion to associate professor about 5 to 6 years out of training, at which time she will have some considerable experience running a practice and managing her time. However, the planning process for promotion should begin immediately upon starting the first academic position. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Positive Youth Development Interventions Impacting the Sexual Health of Young Minority Adolescents: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, LaNita W.; Cheney, Marshall K.

2018-01-01

A systematic literature review was conducted to assess the utility of Positive Youth Development (PYD) concepts in promoting positive sexual health behaviors in young minority adolescents (n = 12 studies). Interventions reported significant associations between PYD-focused interventions and ever having sex, sexual partners in the last 30 days,…

Green Schoolyards in Low-Income Urban Neighborhoods: Natural Spaces for Positive Youth Development Outcomes.

PubMed

Bates, Carolyn R; Bohnert, Amy M; Gerstein, Dana E

2018-01-01

Children from low-income families are increasingly growing up in urban areas with limited access to nature. In these environments, strategies that promote access to natural outdoor spaces, such as green schoolyards, may enhance positive youth development outcomes by promoting physical activity (PA) and prosocial behavior, as well as increasing perceptions of safety. The current study examines children's PA and social interactions, as well as caregiver and teacher perceptions of safety, injuries, teasing/bullying, and gang activity on three newly renovated green schoolyards in low-income urban neighborhoods. A multi-method strategy, including behavioral mapping and caregiver- and teacher-reported surveys, was utilized at three time points to examine positive youth development outcomes and maintenance of effects over time. Analyses revealed that children evidenced a range of PA on the green schoolyards and demonstrated significant decreases in sedentary activity over time. The majority of children were engaged in social interactions with peers on the green schoolyards when observed. Less than 3% of interactions were negative and follow-up analyses found significant increases in positive interactions on the green schoolyards up to 24 months post-renovation. Caregivers and teachers reported increased perceptions of safety, fewer injuries, less teasing/bullying, and less gang-related activity on the renovated green schoolyards in comparison to the pre-renovation schoolyards, and these effects were maintained up to 32 months post-renovation. Overall, the study suggests that green schoolyards may promote positive development outcomes among youth living in urban, low-income neighborhoods by providing natural and safe spaces for PA and prosocial behavior.

Ways to Promote the Positive Development of Children and Youth. Research-to-Results Brief. Publication #2008-11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zarrett, Nicole; Lerner, Richard M.

2008-01-01

This brief discusses the elements and features that define positive youth development and highlights some ways to support the positive development of children and youth. Specifically, this brief addresses the critical role that particular out-of-school time settings (regular family dinners and organized activity programs) can play in supporting…

International Youth Justice Systems: Promoting Youth Development and Alternative Approaches: A Position Paper of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.

PubMed

2016-10-01

Youth incarceration is an international public health concern among developed and developing countries. Worldwide, youth are held in incarceration, detention, and other secure settings that are inappropriate for their age and developmental stages, jeopardizing their prosocial development, and reintegration into society. Youth incarceration lacks evidence and cost-effectiveness. The well-being of youth is a key indicator of the welfare of families, communities, and society at large; therefore, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) supports a paradigm shift in the role of the justice system as it relates to treatment of youth. SAHM recommends justice systems focus greater attention and resources on identifying and reducing the antecedents of high-risk and criminal behaviors, recognizing the rights and freedom of young persons, and prioritizing the well-being of youth over punitive measures that may harm and disrupt healthy adolescent development. SAHM supports the following positions: (1) incarceration is a last option for selected offenders who have committed the most serious violent crimes and are unable to remain safely in the community; (2) youth justice policies, programs, and practices affecting youth be evidence based and trauma informed; (3) youth justice policies, programs, and practices must incorporate research and ongoing program evaluation; (4) youth justice policies shall protect the privacy and dignity of children younger than 18 years; and (5) health care professionals and media will promote positive portrayals of youth in healthy relationships within their communities and reduce representations and images of youth that are negative, violent, deviant, and threatening. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PDGFBB promotes PDGFR{alpha}-positive cell migration into artificial bone in vivo

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoshida, Shigeyuki; Center for Human Metabolomic Systems Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582; Iwasaki, Ryotaro

2012-05-18

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We examined effects of PDGFBB in PDGFR{alpha} positive cell migration in artificial bones. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PDGFBB was not expressed in osteoblastic cells but was expressed in peripheral blood cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PDGFBB promoted PDGFR{alpha} positive cell migration into artificial bones but not osteoblast proliferation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PDGFBB did not inhibit osteoblastogenesis. -- Abstract: Bone defects caused by traumatic bone loss or tumor dissection are now treated with auto- or allo-bone graft, and also occasionally by artificial bone transplantation, particularly in the case of large bone defects. However, artificial bones often exhibit poor affinity to host bones followed by bony union failure.more » Thus therapies combining artificial bones with growth factors have been sought. Here we report that platelet derived growth factor bb (PDGFBB) promotes a significant increase in migration of PDGF receptor {alpha} (PDGFR{alpha})-positive mesenchymal stem cells/pre-osteoblastic cells into artificial bone in vivo. Growth factors such as transforming growth factor beta (TGF{beta}) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) reportedly inhibit osteoblast differentiation; however, PDGFBB did not exhibit such inhibitory effects and in fact stimulated osteoblast differentiation in vitro, suggesting that combining artificial bones with PDGFBB treatment could promote host cell migration into artificial bones without inhibiting osteoblastogenesis.« less

Inflammatory Macrophages Promotes Development of Diabetic Encephalopathy.

PubMed

Wang, Beiyun; Miao, Ya; Zhao, Zhe; Zhong, Yuan

2015-01-01

Diabetes and Alzheimer's disease are often associated with each other, whereas the relationship between two diseases is ill-defined. Although hyperglycemia during diabetes is a major cause of encephalopathy, diabetes may also cause chronic inflammatory complications including peripheral neuropathy. Hence the role and the characteristics of inflammatory macrophages in the development of diabetic encephalopathy need to be clarified. Diabetes were induced in mice by i.p. injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Two weeks after STZ injection and confirmation of development of diabetes, inflammatory macrophages were eliminated by i.p. injection of 20µg saporin-conjugated antibody against a macrophage surface marker CD11b (saporin-CD11b) twice per week, while a STZ-treated group received injection of rat IgG of same frequency as a control. The effects of macrophage depletion on brain degradation markers, brain malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase, superoxidase anion-positive cells and nitric oxide (NO) were measured. Saporin-CD11b significantly reduced inflammatory macrophages in brain, without affecting mouse blood glucose, serum insulin, glucose responses and beta cell mass. However, reduced brain macrophages significantly inhibited the STZ-induced decreases in brain MDA, catalase and superoxidase anion-positive cells, and the STZ-induced decreases in brain NO. Inflammatory macrophages may promote development of diabetic encephalopathy. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Recognition for positive behavior as a critical youth development construct: conceptual bases and implications on youth service development.

PubMed

Law, Ben M F; Siu, Andrew M H; Shek, Daniel T L

2012-01-01

Recognition for positive behavior is an appropriate response of the social environment to elicit desirable external behavior among the youth. Such positive responses, rendered from various social systems, include tangible and intangible reinforcements. The following theories are used to explain the importance of recognizing positive behavior: operational conditioning, observational learning, self-determination, and humanistic perspective. In the current work, culturally and socially desirable behaviors are discussed in detail with reference to Chinese adolescents. Positive behavior recognition is especially important to adolescent development because it promotes identity formation as well as cultivates moral reasoning and social perspective thinking from various social systems. The significance of recognizing positive behavior is illustrated through the support, tutorage, invitation, and subsidy provided by Hong Kong's social systems in recognition of adolescent volunteerism. The practical implications of positive behavior recognition on youth development programs are also discussed in this work.

Recognition for Positive Behavior as a Critical Youth Development Construct: Conceptual Bases and Implications on Youth Service Development

PubMed Central

Law, Ben M. F.; Siu, Andrew M. H.; Shek, Daniel T. L.

2012-01-01

Recognition for positive behavior is an appropriate response of the social environment to elicit desirable external behavior among the youth. Such positive responses, rendered from various social systems, include tangible and intangible reinforcements. The following theories are used to explain the importance of recognizing positive behavior: operational conditioning, observational learning, self-determination, and humanistic perspective. In the current work, culturally and socially desirable behaviors are discussed in detail with reference to Chinese adolescents. Positive behavior recognition is especially important to adolescent development because it promotes identity formation as well as cultivates moral reasoning and social perspective thinking from various social systems. The significance of recognizing positive behavior is illustrated through the support, tutorage, invitation, and subsidy provided by Hong Kong's social systems in recognition of adolescent volunteerism. The practical implications of positive behavior recognition on youth development programs are also discussed in this work. PMID:22666155

Prosocial norms as a positive youth development construct: conceptual bases and implications for curriculum development.

PubMed

Siu, Andrew M H; Cheng, Howard C H; Leung, Mana C M

2006-01-01

Prosocial norms are clear, healthy, ethical standards, beliefs, and behavior guidelines that promote prosocial behavior and minimize health risks. The promotion of prosocial norms like altruism, solidarity, and volunteerism is an important aspect of positive youth development programs. From the literature, it is evident that a prosocial orientation is encouraged in traditional Chinese philosophy. Longitudinal studies have shown that prosocial behavior increases gradually over adolescence, and that the development of prosocial behavior is closely linked to the development of moral reasoning, perspective taking, and regulation of personal distress. It is noteworthy that females have a higher prosocial orientation than males, and peer influence could be a major mediating factor of interventions to foster prosocial norms and behavior during adolescence. This review also analyzes the mechanism underlying prosocial behavior using the cost-reward model, social cognitive theory, and stages of moral development. Role modeling, social reinforcements and evaluations, discussion of moral dilemmas, empathy skills training, and foot-in-the-door procedures are identified as useful strategies for fostering prosocial norms and behavior.

Effects of an Intervention Programme with Teachers on the Development of Positive Behaviours in Spanish Physical Education Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García-Calvo, Tomás; Sánchez-Oliva, David; Leo, Francisco Miguel; Amado, Diana; Pulido, Juan José

2016-01-01

Background: The physical education (PE) context has been emphasised as an ideal environment for developing positive behaviours among students. Under the Positive Youth Development paradigm, various initiatives have been conducted with the aim of promoting personal and social responsibility among adolescents. Self-Determination Theory has been…

Developing European guidelines for training care professionals in mental health promotion.

PubMed

Greacen, Tim; Jouet, Emmanuelle; Ryan, Peter; Cserhati, Zoltan; Grebenc, Vera; Griffiths, Chris; Hansen, Bettina; Leahy, Eithne; da Silva, Ksenija Maravic; Sabić, Amra; De Marco, Angela; Flores, Paz

2012-12-27

Although mental health promotion is a priority mental health action area for all European countries, high level training resources and high quality skills acquisition in mental health promotion are still relatively rare. The aim of the current paper is to present the results of the DG SANCO-funded PROMISE project concerning the development of European guidelines for training social and health care professionals in mental health promotion. The PROMISE project brought together a multidisciplinary scientific committee from eight European sites representing a variety of institutions including universities, mental health service providers and public health organisations. The committee used thematic content analysis to filter and analyse European and international policy documents, scientific literature reviews on mental health promotion and existing mental health promotion programmes with regard to identifying quality criteria for training care professionals on this subject. The resulting PROMISE Guidelines quality criteria were then subjected to an iterative feedback procedure with local steering groups and training professionals at all sites with the aim of developing resource kits and evaluation tools for using the PROMISE Guidelines. Scientific committees also collected information from European, national and local stakeholder groups and professional organisations on existing training programmes, policies and projects. The process identified ten quality criteria for training care professionals in mental health promotion: embracing the principle of positive mental health; empowering community stakeholders; adopting an interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach; including people with mental health problems; advocating; consulting the knowledge base; adapting interventions to local contexts; identifying and evaluating risks; using the media; evaluating training, implementation processes and outcomes. The iterative feedback process produced resource kits and

A future task for health-promotion research: Integration of health promotion and sustainable development.

PubMed

Jelsøe, Erling; Thualagant, Nicole; Holm, Jesper; Kjærgård, Bente; Andersen, Heidi Myglegård; From, Ditte-Marie; Land, Birgit; Pedersen, Kirsten Bransholm

2018-02-01

Based on previous studies and reflections collected from participants in a workshop at the 8th Nordic Health Promotion Research Network conference, we reveal current tendencies and discuss future challenges for health-promotion research regarding integration of sustainable development principles. Despite obvious interfaces and interactions between the two, our contention is that strategies for health promotion are not sufficiently integrated with strategies for sustainable development and that policies aimed at solving health or sustainability problems may therefore cause new, undesired and unforeseen environmental and health problems. As illustrated in previous research and as deliberated in the above-mentioned workshop, a number of barriers are identified. These are believed to be related to historical segregation, the conceptual understandings of health promotion and sustainable development, as well as the politics and implementation of policy goals in both areas. Three focal points are proposed as important challenges to address in future research: (a) the duality of health promotion and sustainability and how it can be handled in order to enhance mutually supportive processes between them; (b) the social dimension of sustainability and how it can be strengthened in the development of strategies for health promotion and sustainable development; and (c) exploring and identifying policy approaches and strategies for integrating health promotion and sustainable development.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation's methods and processes for developing position statements.

PubMed

Wallace, Taylor C; Bauer, Douglas C; Gagel, Robert F; Greenspan, Susan L; Lappe, Joan M; LeBoff, Meryl S; Recker, Robert R; Saag, Kenneth G; Singer, Andrea J

2016-01-01

The methods and processes described in this manuscript have been approved and adopted by the NOF Board of Trustees on November 11, 2015. This manuscript has been peer-reviewed by the NOF Research Committee and Osteoporosis International. The National Osteoporosis Foundation frequently publishes position statements for the benefit of educating healthcare professionals and the general public on a particular issue and/or concern related to preventing osteoporosis and/or promoting strong bones throughout the lifespan. This manuscript represents the official methods and processes adopted by the NOF Board of Trustees for the purpose developing future position statements in a transparent and unbiased manner.

Animal emotions, behaviour and the promotion of positive welfare states.

PubMed

Mellor, D J

2012-01-01

This paper presents a rationale that may significantly boost the drive to promote positive welfare states in animals. The rationale is based largely, but not exclusively, on an experimentally supported neuropsychological understanding of relationships between emotions and behaviour, an understanding that has not yet been incorporated into animal welfare science thinking. Reference is made to major elements of the neural/cognitive foundations of motivational drives that energise and direct particular behaviours and their related subjective or emotional experiences. These experiences are generated in part by sensory inputs that reflect the animal's internal functional state and by neural processing linked to the animal's perception of its external circumstances. The integrated subjective or emotional outcome of these inputs corresponds to the animal's welfare status. The internally generated subjective experiences represent motivational urges or drives that are predominantly negative and include breathlessness, thirst, hunger and pain. They are generated by, and elicit specific behaviours designed to correct, imbalances in the animal's internal functional state. Externally generated subjective experiences are said to be integral to the operation of interacting 'action-orientated systems' that give rise to particular behaviours and their negative or positive emotional contents. These action-orientated systems, described in neuropsychological terms, give rise to negative emotions that include fear, anger and panic, and positive emotions that include comfort, vitality, euphoria and playfulness. It is argued that early thinking about animal welfare management focused mainly on minimising disturbances to the internal functional states that generate associated unpleasant motivational urges or drives. This strategy produced animal welfare benefits, but at best it could only lift a poor net welfare status to a neutral one. In contrast, strategies designed to manipulate the

Autophagy promotes escape from phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibition in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

PubMed

Yang, Wei; Hosford, Sarah R; Traphagen, Nicole A; Shee, Kevin; Demidenko, Eugene; Liu, Stephanie; Miller, Todd W

2018-03-01

Hyperactivation of the PI3K pathway has been implicated in resistance to antiestrogen therapies in estrogen receptor α (ER)-positive breast cancer, prompting the development of therapeutic strategies to inhibit this pathway. Autophagy has tumor-promoting and -suppressing roles and has been broadly implicated in resistance to anticancer therapies, including antiestrogens. Chloroquine (CQ) is an antimalarial and amebicidal drug that inhibits autophagy in mammalian cells and human tumors. Herein, we observed that CQ inhibited proliferation and autophagy in ER + breast cancer cells. PI3K inhibition with GDC-0941 (pictilisib) induced autophagy. Inhibition of autophagy using CQ or RNA interference potentiated PI3K inhibitor-induced apoptosis. Combined inhibition of PI3K and autophagy effectively induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization, which required the BH3-only proapoptotic proteins Bim and PUMA. Treatment with GDC-0941, CQ, or the combination, significantly suppressed the growth of ER + breast cancer xenografts in mice. In an antiestrogen-resistant xenograft model, GDC-0941 synergized with CQ to provide partial, but durable, tumor regression. These findings warrant clinical evaluation of therapeutic strategies to target ER, PI3K, and autophagy for the treatment of ER + breast cancer.-Yang, W., Hosford, S. R., Traphagen, N. A., Shee, K., Demidenko, E., Liu, S., Miller, T. W. Autophagy promotes escape from phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibition in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

BODIMOJO: EFFECTIVE INTERNET-BASED PROMOTION OF POSITIVE BODY IMAGE IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS

PubMed Central

Franko, Debra L.; Cousineau, Tara M.; Rodgers, Rachel F.; Roehrig, James P.

2013-01-01

This study tested the efficacy of an Internet-based health promotion program, BodiMojo, designed to promote positive body image in adolescents. Participants were 178 students (mean age 15.2 years, 67.6% ethnic minority) in three public high schools. Intervention groups used BodiMojo for four weekly health class periods, while controls participated in their usual health curriculum. Body image measures were given at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months. Girls reported decreased body dissatisfaction (p < .05), decreased physical appearance comparison (p < .05), and increased appearance satisfaction (p < .05), relative to controls. Effects were not maintained at 3 month follow-up. No significant differences were found between the intervention and control groups with boys. Moderation analyses suggested positive effects for diverse adolescents as well as those who were overweight or indicated baseline high body dissatisfaction. BodiMojo appears to be modestly effective in decreasing body image concerns among adolescent girls in the short term. PMID:23768797

CD44-positive cells are candidates for astrocyte precursor cells in developing mouse cerebellum.

PubMed

Cai, Na; Kurachi, Masashi; Shibasaki, Koji; Okano-Uchida, Takayuki; Ishizaki, Yasuki

2012-03-01

Neural stem cells are generally considered to be committed to becoming precursor cells before terminally differentiating into either neurons or glial cells during neural development. Neuronal and oligodendrocyte precursor cells have been identified in several areas in the murine central nervous system. The presence of astrocyte precursor cells (APCs) is not so well understood. The present study provides several lines of evidence that CD44-positive cells are APCs in the early postnatal mouse cerebellum. In developing mouse cerebellum, CD44-positive cells, mostly located in the white matter, were positive for the markers of the astrocyte lineage, but negative for the markers of mature astrocytes. CD44-positive cells were purified from postnatal cerebellum by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and characterized in vitro. In the absence of any signaling molecule, many cells died by apoptosis. The surviving cells gradually expressed glial fibrillary acidic protein, a marker for mature astrocytes, indicating that differentiation into mature astrocytes is the default program for these cells. The cells produced no neurospheres nor neurons nor oligodendrocytes under any condition examined, indicating these cells are not neural stem cells. Leukemia inhibitory factor greatly promoted astrocytic differentiation of CD44-positive cells, whereas bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) did not. Fibroblast growth factor-2 was a potent mitogen for these cells, but was insufficient for survival. BMP4 inhibited activation of caspase-3 and greatly promoted survival, suggesting a novel role for BMP4 in the control of development of astrocytes in cerebellum. We isolated and characterized only CD44 strongly positive large cells and discarded small and/or CD44 weakly positive cells in this study. Further studies are necessary to characterize these cells to help determine whether CD44 is a selective and specific marker for APCs in the developing mouse cerebellum. In conclusion, we succeeded in

Positive Youth Development among Diverse Racial-Ethnic Children: Quality Afterschool Contexts as Developmental Assets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Emilie Phillips; Witherspoon, Dawn P.; Osgood, D. Wayne

2017-01-01

Positive youth development (PYD) deserves more empirical attention, particularly among children of diverse racial-ethnic backgrounds. Given the need among families for monitoring and supervision during out-of-school time, community-based afterschool is a potentially promotive ecological setting. This study explores the quality of afterschool…

Systematic development of a self-help and motivational enhancement intervention to promote sexual health in HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Van Kesteren, Nicole M C; Kok, Gerjo; Hospers, Harm J; Schippers, Jan; De Wildt, Wencke

2006-12-01

The objective of this study was to describe the application of a systematic process-Intervention Mapping-to developing a theory- and evidence-based intervention to promote sexual health in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). Intervention Mapping provides a framework that gives program planners a systematic method for decision-making in each phase of intervention development. In Step 1, we focused on the improvement of two health-promoting behaviors: satisfactory sexual functioning and safer sexual behavior. These behaviors were then linked with selected personal and external determinants, such as attitudes and social support, to produce a set of proximal program objectives. In Step 2, theoretical methods were identified to influence the proximal program objectives and were translated into practical strategies. Although theoretical methods were derived from various theories, self-regulation theory and a cognitive model of behavior change provided the main framework for selecting the intervention methods. The main strategies chosen were bibliotherapy (i.e., the use of written material to help people solve problems or change behavior) and motivational interviewing. In Step 3, the theoretical methods and practical strategies were applied in a program that comprised a self-help guide, a motivational interviewing session and a motivational interviewing telephone call, both delivered by specialist nurses in HIV treatment centers. In Step 4, implementation was anticipated by developing a linkage group to ensure involvement of program users in the planning process and conducting additional research to understand how to implement our program better. In Step 5, program evaluation was anticipated based on the planning process from the previous Intervention Mapping steps.

Identifying information that promotes belt-positioning booster use. Volume 1, Summary and findings

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-07-01

Many parents with low educational attainment prematurely graduate their children to seat belt restraint rather than use belt-positioning booster seats. This study aimed to identify interventions that promoted booster seat use among this population. F...

7 CFR 930.48 - Research, market development and promotion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Research, market development and promotion. 930.48... Order Regulating Handling Research, Market Development and Promotion § 930.48 Research, market... establishment of production and processing research, market research and development, and/or promotional...

Resilience as a Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review

PubMed Central

Lee, Tak Yan; Cheung, Chau Kiu; Kwong, Wai Man

2012-01-01

The concept of resilience is reviewed from a range of disciplinary perspectives in this paper. Both broad and narrow definitions of resilience are highlighted and a working definition of resilience is proposed to inform research, policy and practice. Different psychological, social and ecological protective factors, particularly competence, optimism, and bonding to family and cultural beliefs are highlighted. Theoretical relationships between resilience and positive youth development are examined with an attempt to erase misunderstandings. Finally, how schools can promote resilience among students is discussed. PMID:22623893

7 CFR 930.48 - Research, market development and promotion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Research, market development and promotion. 930.48... Order Regulating Handling Research, Market Development and Promotion § 930.48 Research, market development and promotion. The Board, with the approval of the Secretary, may establish or provide for the...

Pairing attachment theory and social learning theory in video-feedback intervention to promote positive parenting.

PubMed

Juffer, Femmie; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J; van IJzendoorn, Marinus H

2017-06-01

Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) is a social-learning and attachment-based intervention using video feedback to support sensitive parenting and at the same time setting firm limits. Empirical studies and meta-analyses have shown that sensitive parenting is the key determinant to promote secure child-parent attachment relationships and that adequate parental discipline contributes to fewer behavior problems in children. Building on this evidence, VIPP-SD has been tested in various populations of at-risk parents and vulnerable children (in the age range of zero to six years), as well as in the context of child care. In twelve randomized controlled trials including 1116 parents and caregivers, VIPP-SD proved to be effective in promoting sensitive caregiving, while positive social-emotional child outcomes were also found. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NLR Nod1 signaling promotes survival of BCR-engaged mature B cells through up-regulated Nod1 as a positive outcome

PubMed Central

Asano, Masanao; Li, Yue-Sheng; Núñez, Gabriel

2017-01-01

Although B cell development requires expression of the B cell antigen receptor (BCR), it remains unclear whether engagement of self-antigen provides a positive impact for most B cells. Here, we show that BCR engagement by self-ligand during development in vivo results in up-regulation of the Nod-like receptor member Nod1, which recognizes the products of intestinal commensal bacteria. In anti-thymocyte/Thy-1 autoreactive BCR knock-in mice lacking self–Thy-1 ligand, immunoglobulin light chain editing occurred, generating B cells with up-regulated Nod1, including follicular and marginal zone B cells with natural autoreactivity. This BCR editing with increased Nod1 resulted in preferential survival. In normal adult mice, most mature B cells are enriched for Nod1 up-regulated cells, and signaling through Nod1 promotes competitive survival of mature B cells. These findings demonstrate a role for microbial products in promoting survival of mature B cells through up-regulated Nod1, providing a positive effect of BCR engagement on development of most B cells. PMID:28878001

Peer Positive Social Control and Men's Health-Promoting Behaviors.

PubMed

Houle, Janie; Meunier, Sophie; Coulombe, Simon; Mercerat, Coralie; Gaboury, Isabelle; Tremblay, Gilles; de Montigny, Francine; Cloutier, Lyne; Roy, Bernard; Auger, Nathalie; Lavoie, Brigitte

2017-09-01

Men are generally thought to be less inclined to take care of their health. To date, most studies about men's health have focused on deficits in self-care and difficulties in dealing with this sphere of their life. The present study reframes this perspective, using a salutogenic strengths-based approach and seeking to identify variables that influence men to take care of their health, rather than neglect it. This study focuses on the association between peer positive social control and men's health behaviors, while controlling for other important individual and social determinants (sociodemographic characteristics, health self-efficacy, home neighborhood, spousal positive social control, and the restrictive emotionality norm). In a mixed-method study, 669 men answered a self-reported questionnaire, and interviews were conducted with a maximum variation sample of 31 men. Quantitative results indicated that, even after controlling for sociodemographic variables and other important factors, peer positive social control was significantly associated with the six health behaviors measured in the study (health responsibility, nutrition, physical activity, interpersonal relations, stress management, and spirituality). Interview results revealed that peer positive social control influenced men's health behaviors through three different mechanisms: shared activity, being inspired, and serving as a positive role model for others. In summary, friends and coworkers could play a significant role in promoting various health behaviors among adult men in their daily life. Encouraging men to socialize and discuss health, and capitalizing on healthy men as role models appear to be effective ways to influence health behavior adoption among this specific population.

[Educative intervention and development of position and critical reading].

PubMed

Angulo-Bernal, Sonia Elizabeth; Leyva-González, Félix Arturo; Viniegra-Velázquez, Leonardo

2007-01-01

To investigate the professors of technical courses of the area of health, the effects of a promotional educative strategy of the participation in the development of a position prior to the education and of the aptitude for the critical theoretical text reading and information of educative research. A longitudinal study took place, of intervention. In order to measure the degree of development of a position before the education, it was applied to the instrument Concepts and ideas about education. It consists of 72 statements, organized in duple that expresses two different approaches from education: participative and passive. For the inquiry of the degree of development of critical reading two instruments were applied: 1) Theoretical text reading of education and, 2) Reading information of educative research, constituted both by 120 itemes. The validity and trustworthiness of the three instruments were valued by experts with experience in teaching and educative research. The strategy was implemented through activities in seminary form, which were done twice a week, with a duration of five hours per session, for nine months; within the activities outside the classroom, the student completed reading of a theoretical text and/or report of educative research and the resolution of a reading guide (task). During the activities in a propitious classroom, discussion atmosphere and promoting at any moment the participation of the students; a space for the reflective recovery of their own experience was opened, for the analysis and interchange of ideas and for the critic and self-criticism of the main educative practices. The professor intervened when individual participation diminished; he also channeled the discussion, indicating to the enlightening observations and strong arguments of the students. The three instruments were applied to the group of professors of technical courses (n = 10); the initial measurement was applied before initiating the educative strategy and the

How to Promote a Technology Education Program: An Effective Campaign Will Increase Student Enrollment, Spread Goodwill, Reflect a Positive Image, and Grow Positive Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Mike

2004-01-01

The advertising, marketing, promotion, and positioning of technology education programs have become increasingly important. Yet the rewards of promoting a program will not only bring more students and resources to the classroom, it will also bring support on a larger scale, resulting in added resources to help all students become more successful.…

Do remittances promote financial development in Africa?

PubMed

Karikari, Nana Kwasi; Mensah, Sam; Harvey, Simon K

2016-01-01

The paper seeks to establish whether or not remittances promoted financial developments and explore the traceable causality between remittances and financial developments in some countries in Africa. We examine the association between remittances received and how they affect the availability of credit to private sector, bank deposits intermediated by financial institutions and money supply. We also question whether the development in the financial sector causes higher levels or otherwise of remittances received. This paper uses data on remittance flows to 50 developing countries in Africa from 1990 to 2011 to explore the nexus. The study uses fixed effects and random effect estimations as well as Vector Error Correction Model method on the panel data. The study shows that remittances promote certain aspects of financial development to some extent and better financial system foster receipts of remittances. The effect of causality is seen in the short run and not in the long-run. The study alludes to literature that remittances could promote financial development in the short run and the development of the financial sector helps increase the propensity to remit via formal channels.

Promoting Positive Adaptation in Adult Survivors of Natural Disasters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warchal, Judith R.; Graham, Louise B.

2011-01-01

This article integrates the guidelines of American Red Cross and the "Psychological First Aid: Field Operations Guide" (Brymer et al., 2006) with adult development theories to demonstrate the promotion of adaptive functioning in adults after a disaster. Case examples and recommendations for counselors working in disaster situations are…

Prosocial Involvement as a Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review

PubMed Central

Lam, Ching Man

2012-01-01

This paper discusses the concept of prosocial involvement as a positive youth development construct. How prosocial involvement is defined and how the different theories conceptualize prosocial involvement are reviewed. Antecedents of prosocial involvement such as biological traits, personality, cognitive and emotional processes, socialization experience, culture, and their social context are examined. The relationship between prosocial involvement and adolescent developmental outcomes, together with strategies to promote prosocial involvement in adolescents, are discussed. Finally, directions for future research and practice are proposed. PMID:22649323

Research and the promotion of child health: a position paper of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition.

PubMed

Koletzko, Berthold; Kolacek, Sanja; Phillips, Alan; Troncone, Riccardo; Vandenplas, Yvan; Thapar, Nikhil; Baumann, Ulrich; van Goudoever, Johannes; Mihatsch, Walter; de Swarte, Casper; Benninga, Marc; Mearin, Luisa

2014-08-01

Children comprise one-fifth of Europe's population. Promoting child health and development is of key importance for society and its future. This position paper highlights opportunities of investing in gastrointestinal, liver, and nutritional research to promote child health and delineates priorities for research. Investing in child health plays a key role in the promotion of population health, well-being, and disease prevention lifelong, with large health economic benefits. Major opportunities for improving knowledge and translational application arise from recent scientific and technological developments, for example, the long-term impact of early environmental cues interacting with genes. Personalised approaches to therapy and prevention should be enhanced. Deciphering the microbiome and its effects on functions can help in promoting long-term health. Epigenetic research can help to understand how early environmental factors influence later gastrointestinal and hepatic health and disease. A linked nutrition and physical activity strategy can promote health and prevent nutritional deficiencies, inactivity, and chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes, to ensure optimal health and cognition. Special attention should be devoted to populations with low socioeconomic status, migrant background, and ethnic minorities, and to critical life periods, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, and childhood. Improved understanding of optimal nutrition and on maintaining gut and liver homeostasis throughout childhood will help prevent chronic diseases in later life.

DEK promotes HPV-positive and -negative head and neck cancer cell proliferation.

PubMed

Adams, A K; Hallenbeck, G E; Casper, K A; Patil, Y J; Wilson, K M; Kimple, R J; Lambert, P F; Witte, D P; Xiao, W; Gillison, M L; Wikenheiser-Brokamp, K A; Wise-Draper, T M; Wells, S I

2015-02-12

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide, and patient outcomes using current treatments remain poor. Tumor development is etiologically associated with tobacco or alcohol use and/or human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HPV-positive HNSCCs, which frequently harbor wild-type p53, carry a more favorable prognosis and are a biologically distinct subgroup when compared with their HPV-negative counterparts. HPV E7 induces expression of the human DEK gene, both in vitro and in vivo. In keratinocytes, DEK overexpression is sufficient for causing oncogenic phenotypes in the absence of E7. Conversely, DEK loss results in cell death in HPV-positive cervical cancer cells at least in part through p53 activation, and Dek knockout mice are relatively resistant to the development of chemically induced skin papillomas. Despite the established oncogenic role of DEK in HPV-associated cervical cancer cell lines and keratinocytes, a functional role of DEK has not yet been explored in HNSCC. Using an established transgenic mouse model of HPV16 E7-induced HNSCC, we demonstrate that Dek is required for optimal proliferation of E7-transgenic epidermal cells and for the growth of HNSCC tumors. Importantly, these studies also demonstrate that DEK protein is universally upregulated in both HPV-positive and -negative human HNSCC tumors relative to adjacent normal tissue. Furthermore, DEK knockdown inhibited the proliferation of HPV-positive and -negative HNSCC cells, establishing a functional role for DEK in human disease. Mechanistic studies reveal that attenuated HNSCC cell growth in response to DEK loss was associated with reduced expression of the oncogenic p53 family member, ΔNp63. Exogenous ΔNp63 expression rescued the proliferative defect in the absence of DEK, thereby establishing a functional DEK-ΔNp63 oncogenic pathway that promotes HNSCC. Taken together, our data demonstrate that DEK stimulates HNSCC cellular growth and identify

Promoting Positive Social Development among African American Boys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Kenneth Damon

2017-01-01

Numerous studies have examined mentoring relationships and their consequences for youth development (Rhodes and DuBois, 2008). DuBois and Silverthorn (2005) found that those who reported having had a mentoring relationship during adolescence exhibited significantly better outcomes within the domains of education and work (high-school completion,…

7 CFR 982.58 - Research, promotion, and market development.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... development, and marketing promotion, including paid advertising, designed to assist, improve, or promote the... direct expenditures for such marketing promotion including paid advertising as may be authorized. The... promotion including paid advertising, that promotes the sale of hazelnuts, hazelnut products, or their uses...

Developing health-promoting practice with families: one pedagogical experience.

PubMed

Hartrick, G

2000-01-01

As the significance of social determinants of health has been revealed and the socio-environmental perspective of health promotion has become prominent, family nurses have attempted to move away from disease-treatment models of practice towards emancipatory, health promoting practice. This paper describes a multidisciplinary team's pedagogical experience of developing emancipatory family health promoting practices. The discussion includes a description of the significant educational processes that supported the development of health promoting family practice and an outline of the transformative changes the team members experienced as they evolved their health promoting practices.

School engagement: what it is and why it is important for positive youth development.

PubMed

Li, Yibing

2011-01-01

The observation that too many students are disengaged from school has inspired interest in the concept of school engagement. However, the growing excitement about school engagement is tempered by numerous conceptual and measurement issues. In this chapter, I briefly reviewed the history of the study of school engagement, summarized some prominent theoretical perspectives in the school engagement literature, discussed why it is important to understand the mechanism through which school engagement promotes positive youth development, and made recommendations on future research directions for this topic. Specifically, I called for a better understanding of and the nuances within the school engagement construct, advocated for the development of school engagement measures with sound psychometric property, and encouraged methodological innovations that can be used to understand the development of school engagement and its implications to positive youth development.

Self-Determination as a Psychological and Positive Youth Development Construct

PubMed Central

Hui, Eadaoin K. P.; Tsang, Sandra K. M.

2012-01-01

This paper presents a review of self-determination as a positive youth development construct. The definition and conceptualization of the concept are examined from the perspective of self-determination theory and the functional theory of self-determination. Theories of self-determination from the perspective of motivation and skills enhancement are examined. Factors contributing to self-determination, such as autonomy-supportive teaching and parenting style, culture, efficacy of intervention programmes, and the educational benefits of self-determination for students, are discussed. Strategies to promote self-determination in an educational context and implications for further research and practice are discussed. PMID:22649322

Positively-charged reduced graphene oxide as an adhesion promoter for preparing a highly-stable silver nanowire film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qijun; Lee, Seong Jun; Kang, Hyungseok; Gim, Yuseong; Park, Ho Seok; Cho, Jeong Ho

2015-04-01

An ultrathin conductive adhesion promoter using positively charged reduced graphene oxide (rGO-NH3+) has been demonstrated for preparing highly stable silver nanowire transparent conductive electrodes (AgNW TCEs). The adhesion promoter rGO-NH3+, spray coated between the substrate and AgNWs, significantly enhances the chemical and mechanical stabilities of the AgNW TCEs. Besides, the ultrathin thickness of the rGO-NH3+ ensures excellent optical transparency and mechanical flexibility for TCEs. The AgNW films prepared using the adhesion promoter are extremely stable under harsh conditions, including ultrasonication in a variety of solvents, 3M Scotch tape detachment test, mechanical bending up to 0.3% strain, or fatigue over 1000 cycles. The greatly enhanced adhesion force is attributed to the ionic interactions between the positively charged protonated amine groups in rGO-NH3+ and the negatively charged hydroxo- and oxo-groups on the AgNWs. The positively charged GO-NH3+ and commercial polycationic polymer (poly allylamine hydrochloride) are also prepared as adhesion promoters for comparison with rGO-NH3+. Notably, the closely packed hexagonal atomic structure of rGO offers better barrier properties to water permeation and demonstrates promising utility in durable waterproof electronics. This work offers a simple method to prepare high-quality TCEs and is believed to have great potential application in flexible waterproof electronics.An ultrathin conductive adhesion promoter using positively charged reduced graphene oxide (rGO-NH3+) has been demonstrated for preparing highly stable silver nanowire transparent conductive electrodes (AgNW TCEs). The adhesion promoter rGO-NH3+, spray coated between the substrate and AgNWs, significantly enhances the chemical and mechanical stabilities of the AgNW TCEs. Besides, the ultrathin thickness of the rGO-NH3+ ensures excellent optical transparency and mechanical flexibility for TCEs. The AgNW films prepared using the adhesion

I wonder if robots will take care of me when I am old: Positive aging representations of professionals working in health promotion services.

PubMed

Craciun, Catrinel; Flick, Uwe

2016-12-01

How the social and institutional context is structured and represented by its actors has an impact on positive aging representations. This qualitative study explores professionals' views on positive aging, how they promote positive aging in their practice and what disparities occur between their discourses and the actual practice of promoting positive aging. Interviews were conducted with professionals from different active aging promotion services and analyzed with thematic coding. Findings show professionals hold negative views on aging while trying to promote positive views in their work, illustrating an existing theory-practice gap. Strategies used in practice can be integrated in existing agency models and inform interventions and active aging policies. © The Author(s) 2015.

Commentary: Positive Youth Development Goes Mainstream.

PubMed

Moore, Kristin A

2017-07-01

Evidence has accumulated that confirms the success of a positive youth development (PYD) approach. Importantly, a positive development approach is just that-an approach. It is not a particular program or curriculum but a set of practices designed to achieve one or more positive outcomes. As such, PYD practices can be added onto other programs to make positive outcomes more likely. For example, a tutoring program can work hard to hire and train staff to work with students in a trusting, respectful relationship. Camp counselors can be encouraged to build rapport and positive bonds among the campers. © 2017 The Author. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Positive affect promotes well-being and alleviates depression: The mediating effect of attentional bias.

PubMed

Xu, Yuanyuan; Yu, Yongju; Xie, Yuanjun; Peng, Li; Liu, Botao; Xie, Junrun; Bian, Chen; Li, Min

2015-08-30

The present study tested whether the relationships among positive affect, psychological well-being, life satisfaction and depression could be explained by positive and negative attentional bias. Structural equation modeling and mediation analyses were conducted based on 565 medical freshmen in China. The model of attentional bias as a mediator between positive affect promoting well-being and decreasing depression fit the data. Finding showed positive affect significantly related to positive and negative attentional biases. People who had higher level of positive affect held more positive attentional bias and less negative attentional bias, and reported higher levels of psychological well-being, life satisfaction and lower levels of depression. The utility of the attentional bias as the mechanism through which positive affect enhances well-being and alleviates depression was supported. Applications in cultivating positive affect and regulating attentional bias in counseling and education are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Positive Youth Development through an Outdoor Physical Activity Programme: Evidence from a Four-Year Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armour, Kathleen; Sandford, Rachel

2013-01-01

In 2006, Sandford, Armour and Warmington undertook a comprehensive review of the literature on the role of physical activity/sport and physical education in promoting positive development for disaffected youth. This paper revisits the findings of the literature review in light of data from a four-year evaluation of one corporate-sponsored physical…

School Attachment Theory and Restitution Processes: Promoting Positive Behaviors in Middle Years Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penner, Christine; Wallin, Dawn

2012-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a case study that examined school attachment and restitution strategies used in a middle years school to determine if the program had provided a viable means of promoting and sustaining positive behaviors among middle years students. Data were gathered by interviewing five teachers who had Restitution I training…

7 CFR 982.58 - Research, promotion, and market development.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Research, promotion, and market development. 982.58... GROWN IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON Order Regulating Handling Market Development § 982.58 Research, promotion, and market development. (a) General. The Board, with the approval of the Secretary, may establish or...

Promoting Positive Parenting Practices through Parenting Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zepeda, Marlene; Varela, Frances; Morales, Alex

2004-01-01

The family is the crucible of a young child's development. The 2000 Institute of Medicine report From Neurons to Neighborhoods shows that positive developmental interactions with parents improve young children's social competence and their overall capacity to learn. Fifty-four percent of parents want more information on how they can help their…

SOCS3 promoter hypermethylation is a favorable prognosticator and a novel indicator for G-CIMP-positive GBM patients.

PubMed

Feng, Ying; Wang, Zheng; Bao, Zhaoshi; Yan, Wei; You, Gan; Wang, Yinyan; Hu, Huimin; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Quangeng; Jiang, Tao

2014-01-01

Hypermethylation of the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3(SOCS3) promoter has been reported to predict a poor prognosis in several cancers including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). We explored the function of SOCS3 promoter hypermethylation in GBM cohorts, including analysis of the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), when a large number of gene loci are simultaneously hypermethylated. A whole genome promoter methylation profile was performed in a cohort of 33 GBM samples, with 13 long-term survivors (LTS; overall survival ≥ 18 months) and 20 short-term survivors (STS; overall survival ≤ 9 months). The SOCS3 promoter methylation status was compared between the two groups. In addition, we investigated the relationship of SOCS3 promoter methylation and G-CIMP status. Interestingly, in our present study, we found that SOCS3 promoter methylation was statistically significantly higher in the 13 LTS than that in the 20 STS. Furthermore, high SOCS3 promoter methylation detected via pyro-sequencing predicted a better prognosis in an independent cohort containing 62 GBM patients. This correlation was validated by the dataset from the Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA) and the Chinese Cancer Genome Atlas(CGGA). In addition, we found that hypermethylation of the SOCS3 promoter was tightly associated with the G-CIMP-positive GBM patients. Using a total of 359 clinical samples, we demonstrate that SOCS3 promoter hypermethylation status has a favorable prognostic value in GBM patients because of whole genome methylation status. Particularly, the hypermethylation of the SOCS3 promoter indicates positive G-CIMP status.

Developing a promotional strategy: important questions for social marketing.

PubMed

Thackeray, Rosemary; Neiger, Brad L; Hanson, Carl L

2007-10-01

Health practitioners often use the terms marketing and promotion interchangeably. Yet, promotion is just one element of an overall marketing strategy. To realize the greatest impact there must be a combination of all the marketing components, including product, price, place, and promotion. The purpose of this article is to clarify the role of promotion and describe key elements of developing a promotional strategy within the broader context of a social marketing initiative.

Positive feedback between RNA-binding protein HuD and transcription factor SATB1 promotes neurogenesis.

PubMed

Wang, Feifei; Tidei, Joseph J; Polich, Eric D; Gao, Yu; Zhao, Huashan; Perrone-Bizzozero, Nora I; Guo, Weixiang; Zhao, Xinyu

2015-09-08

The mammalian embryonic lethal abnormal vision (ELAV)-like protein HuD is a neuronal RNA-binding protein implicated in neuronal development, plasticity, and diseases. Although HuD has long been associated with neuronal development, the functions of HuD in neural stem cell differentiation and the underlying mechanisms have gone largely unexplored. Here we show that HuD promotes neuronal differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs) in the adult subventricular zone by stabilizing the mRNA of special adenine-thymine (AT)-rich DNA-binding protein 1 (SATB1), a critical transcriptional regulator in neurodevelopment. We find that SATB1 deficiency impairs the neuronal differentiation of NSCs, whereas SATB1 overexpression rescues the neuronal differentiation phenotypes resulting from HuD deficiency. Interestingly, we also discover that SATB1 is a transcriptional activator of HuD during NSC neuronal differentiation. In addition, we demonstrate that NeuroD1, a neuronal master regulator, is a direct downstream target of SATB1. Therefore, HuD and SATB1 form a positive regulatory loop that enhances NeuroD1 transcription and subsequent neuronal differentiation. Our results here reveal a novel positive feedback network between an RNA-binding protein and a transcription factor that plays critical regulatory roles in neurogenesis.

Reflective Journals of Students Taking a Positive Youth-Development Course in a University Context in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Shek, Daniel T. L.; Wu, Florence K. Y.

2012-01-01

To promote the holistic development of university students, a course entitled “Tomorrow's Leaders” was developed and offered at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Based on a case study approach, reflective journals of five outstanding students of the course are presented and analyzed (i.e., thick description), with several themes emerging from the reflection. First, the students liked the course, and they identified many positive attributes. Second, the students appreciated the instructors. Third, the students viewed that the course contributed to different aspects of their development. Fourth, some areas of improvements were proposed. In conjunction with other evaluation mechanisms, the present findings strongly suggest that the course is able to promote psychosocial competencies in university students taking this course. PMID:22973167

Positive and negative evaluation of relationships: Development and validation of the Positive-Negative Relationship Quality (PN-RQ) scale.

PubMed

Rogge, Ronald D; Fincham, Frank D; Crasta, Dev; Maniaci, Michael R

2017-08-01

Three studies were undertaken to develop the Positive-Negative Relationship Quality scale (PN-RQ), conceptualizing relationship quality as a bidimensional construct in which the positive qualities of a relationship are treated as distinct from its negative qualities. Analyses in emerging adults (Study 1: N = 1,814), in online respondents (Study 2: N = 787) with a 2-week follow-up, and in a single group pre-intervention-post-intervention study (Study 3: N = 54) of the Promoting Awareness, Improving Relationships (PAIR) program provided support for (a) positive and negative qualities as distinct dimensions via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), (b) the PN-RQ representing an item response theory-optimized measure of these 2 dimensions, (c) substantive differences between indifferent (low positive and negative qualities) and ambivalent (high positive and negative qualities) relationships potentially obscured by unidimensional scales, (d) high levels of responsiveness of the PN-RQ scales to change over time, (e) the unique predictive validity offered over time by the PN-RQ scores beyond that offered by scores of current unidimensional measures of relationship quality, and (f) the unique longitudinal information gained by using the PN-RQ as a bidimensional outcome measure in an intervention study. Taken together, the studies offer promising support for the PN-RQ scales suggesting that they have the potential to advance both basic and applied research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

[Art therapy and the promotion of child development in a hospitalization context].

PubMed

Valladares, Ana Cláudia Afonso; da Silva, Mariana Teixeira

2011-09-01

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the development of hospitalized children before and after art therapy interventions. Qualitative case studies were undertaken in this descriptive-exploratory research, based on the developmental evaluation of the children. The study participants were five children between seven and ten years old, in the Hospital of Tropical Illnesses (HDT) in the city of Goiânia, state of Goiás, Brazil, in 2006. Results showed that art therapy interventions efficiently promoted children's development. Art therapy is a resource for positively channeling the variables of hospitalized children's development and for neutralizing affective factors that naturally appear, as well as for exposing the child's healthier potentials, which sometimes receive little stimulus in the context of hospitalization.

Developing Health Promotion Interventions: A Multi-Source Method Applied to Weight Loss among Low-Income Postpartum Women

PubMed Central

Kim, Sunghun; Sterling, Bobbie Sue; Latimer, Lara

2010-01-01

Developing focused and relevant health promotion interventions is critical for behavioral change in a low-resource or special population. Evidence-based interventions, however, may not match the specific population or health concern of interest. This article describes the Multi-Source Method (MSM) which, in combination with a workshop format, may be used by health professionals and researchers in health promotion program development. The MSM draws on positive deviance practices and processes, focus groups, community advisors, behavioral change theory, and evidence-based strategies. Use of the MSM is illustrated in development of ethnic-specific weight loss interventions for low-income postpartum women. The MSM may be useful in designing future health programs designed for other special populations for whom existing interventions are unavailable or lack relevance. PMID:20433674

Development of a promoter shutoff system in Aspergillus oryzae using a sorbitol-sensitive promoter.

PubMed

Oda, Ken; Terado, Shiho; Toyoura, Rieko; Fukuda, Hisashi; Kawauchi, Moriyuki; Iwashita, Kazuhiro

2016-09-01

Promoter shutoff is a general method for analyzing essential genes, but in the fungus Aspergillus oryzae, no tightly repressed promoters have been reported. To overcome the current limitations of conditional promoters, we examined sorbitol- and galactose-responsive genes using microarrays to identify regulatable genes with only minor physiological and genetic effects. We identified two sorbitol-induced genes (designated as sorA and sorB), cloned their promoters, and built a regulated egfp and brlA expression system. Growth medium-dependent enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) fluorescence and conidiation were confirmed for egfp and brlA under the control of their respective promoters. We also used this shutoff system to regulate the essential rhoA, which demonstrated the expected growth inhibition under repressed growth conditions. Our new sorbitol promoter shutoff system developed can serve as a valuable new tool for essential gene analyses of filamentous fungi.

Fostering the future of health promotion as seen through the 'Message from Youth Delegates on Health Promotion and Sustainable Development'.

PubMed

Rodgers, Sara

2017-03-01

The World Health Organization 9th Global Conference on Health Promotion presented us with the Shanghai Declaration for promoting health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. At the same time, the participants of the conference symposium, 'How can youth become future leaders in delivering on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?' produced the 'Message from Youth Delegates on Health Promotion and Sustainable Development' as its complement. This 'Message from Youth Delegates' outlined pledges of young leaders in health promotion and proposed the necessary steps to ensure the future of health promotion includes more meaningful participation by young people. In order to fulfil the newest promises of the Shanghai Declaration and the past promises of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, we must think to close the divides between generations of health promoters and move forward on actions designed to develop the best possible future leaders for the field of global health. (Global Health Promotion, 2017; 24(1): 62-65).

Developing and implementing a positive behavioral reinforcement intervention in prison-based drug treatment: Project BRITE.

PubMed

Burdon, William M; St De Lore, Jef; Prendergast, Michael L

2011-09-01

Within prison settings, the reliance on punishment for controlling inappropriate or noncompliant behavior is self-evident. What is not so evident is the similarity between this reliance on punishment and the use of positive reinforcements to increase desired behaviors. However, seldom do inmates receive positive reinforcement for engaging in prosocial behaviors or, for inmates receiving drug treatment, behaviors that are consistent with or support their recovery. This study provides an overview of the development and implementation of a positive behavioral reinforcement intervention in male and female prison-based drug treatment programs. The active involvement of institutional staff, treatment staff, and inmates enrolled in the treatment programs in the development of the intervention along with the successful branding of the intervention were effective at promoting support and participation. However, these factors may also have ultimately impacted the ability of the randomized design to reliably demonstrate the effectiveness of the intervention.

Progress in Teachers' Readiness to Promote Positive Youth Development among Students during the Lions Quest Teaching Workshop

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talvio, Markus; Berg, Minna; Ketonen, Elina; Komulainen, Erkki; Lonka, Kirsti

2015-01-01

Modern learning psychology places an emphasis on the ability of teachers to promote their students' social and emotional learning (SEL) and living a good life. Research on precisely how teachers promote SEL and well-being among their students, however, remains scarce. This study focused on evaluating the Lions Quest teaching workshop (LQ), which…

Utility of Pamphlets in Promoting Knowledge and Positive Attitudes about Two Early Cancer Detection Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marty, Phillip J.; McDermott, Robert J.

Informational pamphlets about breast self-examination (BSE) and testicular self-examination (TSE) are widely distributed in health care settings, but the pamphlets' effectiveness in promoting knowledge and positive attitudes about these early cancer detection procedures is largely unknown. A study compared pamphlets with alternative methods of…

Supporting Early Childhood Teachers to Promote Children's Social Competence: Components for Best Professional Development Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Heejeong Sophia

2014-01-01

There is a growing recognition that young children's social competence is critical because it is positively associated with their school readiness and academic success. However, professional development (PD) opportunities for early childhood teachers to enhance their roles in promoting young children's social competence are limited. In…

Establishing a health promotion and development foundation in South Africa.

PubMed

Perez, A M; Ayo-Yusuf, O A; Hofman, K; Kalideen, S; Maker, A; Mokonoto, D; Morojele, N; Naidoo, P; Parry, C D H; Rendall-Mkosi, K; Saloojee, Y

2013-01-14

South Africa has a 'quadruple burden of disease'. One way to reduce this burden, and address the social determinants of health and social inequity, could be through health promotion interventions driven by an independent Health Promotion and Development Foundation (HPDF). This could provide a framework to integrate health promotion and social development into all government and civil society programmes. On priority issues, the HPDF would mobilise resources, allocate funding, develop capacity, and monitor and evaluate health promotion and development work. Emphasis would be on reducing the effects of poverty, inequity and unequal development on disease rates and wellbeing. The HPDF could also decrease the burden on the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) system. We reflect on such foundations in other countries, and propose a structure for South Africa's HPDF and a dedicated funding stream to support its activities. In particular, an additional 2% levy on alcohol and tobacco products is proposed to be utilised to fund the HPDF.

Promoting Positive Attitudes towards Disabled People: Definition of, Rationale and Prospects for Anti-Disablist Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckett, Angharad E.; Buckner, Lisa

2012-01-01

This article outlines the findings of an Economic and Social Research Council-funded study exploring the role of English state primary schools in promoting positive attitudes towards disabled people. Data emerging from a survey of schools and interviews with teachers are presented. The article considers progress made by schools against particular…

Developing and Implementing a Positive Behavioral Reinforcement Intervention in Prison-Based Drug Treatment: Project BRITE

PubMed Central

Burdon, William M.; De Lore, Jef St.; Prendergast, Michael L.

2012-01-01

Within prison settings, the reliance on punishment for controlling inappropriate or non-compliant behavior is self-evident. What is not so evident is the similarity between this reliance on punishment and the use of positive reinforcements to increase desired behaviors. However, seldom do inmates receive positive reinforcement for engaging in prosocial behaviors or, for inmates receiving drug treatment, behaviors that are consistent with or support their recovery. This study provides an overview of the development and implementation of a positive behavioral reinforcement intervention in male and female prison-based drug treatment programs. The active involvement of institutional staff, treatment staff, and inmates enrolled in the treatment programs in the development of the intervention along with the successful branding of the intervention were effective at promoting support and participation. However, these factors may also have ultimately impacted the ability of the randomized design to reliably demonstrate the effectiveness of the intervention. PMID:22185038

A televised entertainment-education drama to promote positive discussion about organ donation.

PubMed

Khalil, Georges E; Rintamaki, Lance S

2014-04-01

This article investigates pathways between the exposure to an entertainment-education (E-E) television drama called Three Rivers and positive discussion of organ donation among viewers of the drama in the United States. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online advertising for a period of one week. Survey participants included 1325 adults living in the United States, who had viewed the first episode of Three Rivers on television. Data were collected on recall of events in the storyline, perceived entertainment value, perceived accuracy of the presented health information, rejection of organ donation myths and positive discussion of organ donation and the storyline. Covariates were registration for organ donation, membership to the donation or transplant community and demographic variables. Results show that viewers with high recall of the storyline were more likely to reject myths about organ donation and engage in pro-donation discussions with others. Perceived entertainment value and perceived accuracy acted as mediators in such relationships. The insertion of accurate health information in television drama may be effective in promoting positive discussions about organ donation and myth rejection. Recall of events from the televised E-E drama Three Rivers, entertainment value and accuracy perception were associated with positive discussion.

A televised entertainment-education drama to promote positive discussion about organ donation

PubMed Central

Khalil, Georges E.; Rintamaki, Lance S.

2014-01-01

This article investigates pathways between the exposure to an entertainment-education (E-E) television drama called Three Rivers and positive discussion of organ donation among viewers of the drama in the United States. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online advertising for a period of one week. Survey participants included 1325 adults living in the United States, who had viewed the first episode of Three Rivers on television. Data were collected on recall of events in the storyline, perceived entertainment value, perceived accuracy of the presented health information, rejection of organ donation myths and positive discussion of organ donation and the storyline. Covariates were registration for organ donation, membership to the donation or transplant community and demographic variables. Results show that viewers with high recall of the storyline were more likely to reject myths about organ donation and engage in pro-donation discussions with others. Perceived entertainment value and perceived accuracy acted as mediators in such relationships. The insertion of accurate health information in television drama may be effective in promoting positive discussions about organ donation and myth rejection. Recall of events from the televised E-E drama Three Rivers, entertainment value and accuracy perception were associated with positive discussion. PMID:24399264

Positive Psychology and Career Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Peter J.

2018-01-01

Positive psychology has been an influential movement within psychology in the early years of the twenty-first century. It is now timely to assess the value of its contribution to career education and guidance. This paper provides a critique of this perspective. Positive psychology can enrich approaches to career development. It can provide a…

Choose Health: Food, Fun, and Fitness Youth Curriculum Promotes Positive Behaviors.

PubMed

Wolfe, Wendy S; Scott-Pierce, Michelle; Dollahite, Jamie

2017-11-20

Evaluate whether participation in Choose Health: Food, Fun, and Fitness (CHFFF), a hands-on, experiential curriculum aimed at third- to sixth-graders, resulted in improvements in the targeted obesity and chronic disease prevention behaviors. The researchers evaluated CHFFF in low-income youth participating in 2 federal programs in New York State during 2013-2015. Food and activity behaviors were assessed using the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program third- through fifth- and sixth- through eighth-grade pre-post surveys, along with 2 sets of added CHFFF-specific items completed by subsamples. Educators trained in CHFFF had youth complete the surveys as they delivered the curriculum, primarily in schools and after-school programs. Paired t tests showed significant (P < .01) positive changes before to after CHFFF education for consumption of vegetables, fruits, sweetened drinks, nutrition label reading, and other food and activity behaviors. Results provide practice-based evidence that CHFFF promotes positive behavior change in participating youth. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of the promoting teacher attribution model for promoting science teachers' moral and ethical characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chanprathak, Anusorn; Worakham, Paisan; Suikraduang, Arun

2018-01-01

The promotion science teacher attribution model to develop the moral and ethical characteristics was to analyze, synthesis, and develop the guidelines of the scoping study into concepts, theories and research related about the moral and ethics of characteristically teachers from the resources, including research papers, research articles related research, and interviews with luminaries of 9 members. Using interviews and document analysis, data analysis, content analysis, and present an essay was built. The promoting attributes a teacher, moral principles, concepts and theories involved and guidance of a qualified were developed. The Multiple-Attribute Consensus Reaching (MACR) from 12 educational experts were checked the suitability and feasibility of the model, the possibility of the manual with the research instruments consisted of the promotion model attributes the moral and ethics teacher's characteristics were evaluated, to guide the promotion attributes' model forms were assessed, the first edition of the manual data analysis, information obtained from the evaluation of the suitability and feasibility analysis model and guide for the average were administered. The results have found that; the promoting moral teacher attribute data to their moral and ethical characteristics was divided into two groups, priests and scholars. In both groups, the promotion attributes, focusing on teacher's groups is moral in nature to modify the idea to a change of attitude within the organism. Students got down to real experience; an analysis and synthesis face learning environments that cause cognitive skills to act as a self-realization possibly. The promotion model, moral principles, including the importance of the activities, objectives and evaluation methods were attributed. These core concepts learning theory and social cognitive theory, and integrated learning experience were comprised in five stages and four processes, namely; the intended, memory storage process, the

Developing Partnerships to Promote Local Innovation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waters-Bayer, Ann; van Veldhuizen, Laurens; Wettasinha, Chesha; Wongtschowski, Mariana

2004-01-01

Local innovation in agriculture and natural resource management is the process through which individuals or groups discover or develop new and better ways of managing resources, building on and expanding the boundaries of their existing knowledge. Prolinnova (Promoting Local Innovation) is a NGO-led global partnership programme that is being built…

National Strength and Conditioning Association Position Statement on Long-Term Athletic Development.

PubMed

Lloyd, Rhodri S; Cronin, John B; Faigenbaum, Avery D; Haff, G Gregory; Howard, Rick; Kraemer, William J; Micheli, Lyle J; Myer, Gregory D; Oliver, Jon L

2016-06-01

There has recently been a growing interest in long-term athletic development for youth. Because of their unique physical, psychological, and social differences, children and adolescents should engage in appropriately prescribed exercise programs that promote physical development to prevent injury and enhance fitness behaviors that can be retained later in life. Irrespective of whether a child is involved in organized sport or engages in recreational physical activity, there remains a need to adopt a structured, logical, and evidence-based approach to the long-term development of athleticism. This is of particular importance considering the alarmingly high number of youth who fail to meet global physical activity recommendations and consequently present with negative health profiles. However, appropriate exercise prescription is also crucial for those young athletes who are physically underprepared and at risk of overuse injury because of high volumes of competition and an absence of preparatory conditioning. Whether the child accumulates insufficient or excessive amounts of exercise, or falls somewhere between these opposing ends of the spectrum, it is generally accepted that the young bodies of modern day youth are often ill-prepared to tolerate the rigors of sports or physical activity. All youth should engage in regular physical activity and thus should be viewed as "athletes" and afforded the opportunity to enhance athleticism in an individualized, holistic, and child-centered manner. Because of emerging interest in long-term athletic development, an authorship team was tasked on behalf of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) to critically synthesize existing literature and current practices within the field and to compose a relevant position statement. This document was subsequently reviewed and formally ratified by the NSCA Board of Directors. A list of 10 pillars of successful long-term athletic development are presented, which summarize

Development of Health Promoting Leadership--Experiences of a Training Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eriksson, Andrea; Axelsson, Runo; Axelsson, Susanna Bihari

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyse the experiences of an intervention programme for development of health promoting leadership in Gothenburg in Sweden. The more specific purpose is to identify critical aspects of such a programme as part of the development of a health promoting workplace. Design/methodology/approach: A…

An Intervention to Promote Positive Teacher-Student Relationships and Self-Determination among Adolescents with Emotional Disturbance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lind, John; Poppen, Marcus; Murray, Christopher

2017-01-01

Positive teacher-student relationships provide adolescents with disabilities the confidence to explore new challenges in and out of the classroom. Goal-setting and self-determination skills have been consistently shown to promote healthy transition adjustment among students with disabilities. Despite the growing awareness of the importance of…

Interspecific neighbor interactions promote the positive diversity-productivity relationship in experimental grassland communities.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuhua; Wang, Yongfan; Yu, Shixiao

2014-01-01

Because the frequency of heterospecific interactions inevitably increases with species richness in a community, biodiversity effects must be expressed by such interactions. However, little is understood how heterospecific interactions affect ecosystem productivity because rarely are biodiversity ecosystem functioning experiments spatially explicitly manipulated. To test the effect of heterospecific interactions on productivity, direct evidence of heterospecific neighborhood interaction is needed. In this study we conducted experiments with a detailed spatial design to investigate whether and how heterospecific neighborhood interactions promote primary productivity in a grassland community. The results showed that increasing the heterospecific: conspecific contact ratio significantly increased productivity. We found there was a significant difference in the variation in plant height between monoculture and mixture communities, suggesting that height-asymmetric competition for light plays a central role in promoting productivity. Heterospecific interactions make tall plants grow taller and short plants become smaller in mixtures compared to monocultures, thereby increasing the efficiency of light interception and utilization. Overyielding in the mixture communities arises from the fact that the loss in the growth of short plants is compensated by the increased growth of tall plants. The positive correlation between species richness and primary production was strengthened by increasing the frequency of heterospecific interactions. We conclude that species richness significantly promotes primary ecosystem production through heterospecific neighborhood interactions.

Health promotion community development and the tyranny of individualism.

PubMed

Shiell, A; Hawe, P

1996-01-01

Economic evaluation of health promotion poses few major difficulties when the theoretical approach of the programme and the evaluation of cost and benefits are confined within the context of the individual. Methodological individualism has a long history in economics and the techniques of microeconomics are well suited to the examination of individually focused behaviour change programmes. However, new developments in community health promotion pose special challenges. These programmes have the community, not the individual, as the focus of programme theory and "community' means something completely different from the sum of individuals. Community empowerment and promotion of the community's capacity to deal with health issues are the goals of such programmes. To reflect these notions, sense of community and community competence should be considered as "functionings', an extra-welfarist constituent of well-being. Their inclusion as outcomes of community health promotion requires a shift from individualist utilitarian economics into a communitarian framework which respects the programme's notion of community. If health economics fails to develop new constructs to deal with these new approaches in health promotion, the application of existing techniques to community programmes will mislead health decision makers about their value and potential.

Promoting Employability Skills Development in a Research-Intensive University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Geoff; Henson, Debra

2010-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to consider the place of employability in universities, with a focus on research-intensive institutions, and to outline an initiative that was introduced to promote employability skills development at the University of Nottingham. Design/methodology/approach: Following a discussion of literature on the promotion of…

Sp1-CD147 positive feedback loop promotes the invasion ability of ovarian cancer.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing; Ye, Wei; Wu, Juan; Liu, Lijuan; Yang, Lina; Gao, Lu; Chen, Biliang; Zhang, Fanglin; Yang, Hong; Li, Yu

2015-07-01

CD147 is a novel cancer biomarker that has been confirmed to be overexpressed in ovarian carcinoma, which is significantly associated with poor prognosis. Although the Sp1 protein regulates the expression level of CD147, it remains unclear whether Sp1 phosphorylation plays a role in this regulation. A dual-luciferase assay revealed that T453 and T739 mutations decreased the activity of Sp1 binding to the promoter of CD147, followed by a decrease in CD147 mRNA and protein expression. Western blot analysis showed that CD147 promoted Sp1 phosphorylation at T453 and T739 through the PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK pathways. In addition, blocking the Sp1-CD147 positive feedback loop reduced the invasion ability of HO-8910pm cells. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the components of the feedback loop were overexpressed in ovarian cancer tissues. The correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between phospho-Sp1 (T453), phospho-Sp1 (T739) and CD147 expression levels, with correlation coefficients of r=0.477 and r=0.461, respectively. Collectively, our results suggest that a Sp1-CD147 positive feedback loop plays a critical role in the invasion ability of ovarian cancer cells.

[The new preschool examination in Baden-Wuerttemberg: what determinants influence the school medical evaluation special need for language promotion in childhood development?].

PubMed

Spannenkrebs, M; Crispin, A; Krämer, D

2013-12-01

The new examination before primary school enrollment in Baden-Wuerttemberg aims at detecting problems in infant development with regard to later school success in time to initiate supporting measures, especially to improve the language skills of children with other native languages. By a 2-level process composed of a screening of language skills (HASE and KVS) and an additional test (SETK 3-5) of children who did not pass the screening, the school physicians attested special needs for language promotion in the kindergarten. This study looked for associated risks of children with special needs for language promotion. The degree of test quality of the 2-level process for identifying special needs for language promotion was determined. This cross-sectional analysis explored findings of n=80,781 children in the new examination before primary school enrollment of the data-set of Baden-Wuerttemberg (children with school enrollment 2011). 56,352 children (69.8%) were speaking German, 24,429 children (30.2%) had other family languages. 20,461 children (25.3%) had special needs for language promotion in the kindergarten. A logistic regression model to determine main risks of special needs for language promotion was developed. Main effects were other native languages (OR 5.1 [4.8; 5.2]), problems in subitising (OR 2.8 [2.7; 3.0]) and language development lags in the questionnaire of the nursery school teachers (OR 3.5 [3.3; 3.7]). Protective effects were an elevated graduation of the mother (OR 0.7 [0.7; 0.7]) or the father (OR 0.8 [0.7; 0.8]). Risk scores of the effects were defined. The corresponding predictive probability to different levels of risk scores was calculated. The true positive rate of the screening of language skills (HASE/KVS) in regard to special needs for language promotion was 0.95, the true negative rate was 0.72 and the -positive predictive value was 0.53. The school physician's findings of special needs for language promotion acted as gold standard

Development of measures of organizational leadership for health promotion.

PubMed

Barrett, Linda; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Raine, Kim; Anderson, Donna

2005-04-01

This study describes the development and psychometric evaluation of four scales measuring leadership for health promotion at an organizational level in the baseline survey (n=144) of the Alberta Heart Health Project. Content validity was established through a series of focus groups and expert opinion appraisals, pilot testing of a draft based on capacity assessment instruments developed by other provinces involved in the Canadian Heart Health Initiative, and the literature. Psychometric analyses provided empirical evidence of the construct validity and reliability of the organizational leadership scales. Principal component analysis verified the unidimensionality of the leadership scales of (a) Practices for Organizational Learning, (b) Wellness Planning, (c) Workplace Climate, and (d) Organization Member Development. Scale alpha coefficients ranged between .79 and .91 thus establishing good to high scale internal consistencies. These measures can be used by both researchers and practitioners for the assessment of organizational leadership for health promotion and heart health promotion.

Harvesting river water through small dams promote positive environmental impact.

PubMed

Agoramoorthy, Govindasamy; Chaudhary, Sunita; Chinnasamy, Pennan; Hsu, Minna J

2016-11-01

While deliberations relating to negative consequences of large dams on the environment continue to dominate world attention, positive benefits provided by small dams, also known as check dams, go unobserved. Besides, little is known about the potential of check dams in mitigating global warming impacts due to less data availability. Small dams are usually commissioned to private contractors who do not have clear mandate from their employers to post their work online for public scrutiny. As a result, statistics on the design, cost, and materials used to build check dams are not available in public domain. However, this review paper presents data for the first time on the often ignored potential of check dams mitigating climate-induced hydrological threats. We hope that the scientific analysis presented in this paper will promote further research on check dams worldwide to better comprehend their eco-friendly significance serving society.

Investigation on effective promotion of geothermal energy development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1991-03-01

Efficient and effective measures for promoting geothermal energy development are studied considering the present status and the problems of the geothermal energy development in Japan. To promote it smoothly, solutions to technical and socioeconomic problems are needed: There are many unclear points about the location and amount of geothermal resources. For geothermal energy development, it is necessary to establish a consensus of procedures for surveying the development and settlement of selling prices, and risk sharing in the development. It is indispensable to consider an adjustment with natural parks and hot springs for the development. Troubles in making an adjustment are seen in many cases, and it is necessary to make efforts for that understanding. Improvement of economical efficiency of geothermal power generation is an important subject. From the above mentioned studies, the conclusion is obtained that it is most effective to make rules for development and to expand and strengthen resource prospecting by the government. If the rules are made, reduction of the development cost and shortening of the development period are planned, and the future of the geothermal energy business is expected to be promising.

Promoted from Within: Preparing Beginning Educational Leaders for Executive Loneliness That Occurs in Their New Position

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols, Joe; McBride, Jackie

2017-01-01

This was a study conducted with four first-year educational leaders who were interviewed to determine whether they experienced feelings of isolation and disengagement from individuals who had been peers in the work-place. Each respondent was promoted from within their educational organization to a leadership position and was interviewed to…

Serious game development as a strategy for health promotion and tackling childhood obesity 1

PubMed Central

Dias, Jéssica David; Mekaro, Marcelo Shinyu; Cheng Lu, Jennifer Kaon; Otsuka, Joice Lee; Fonseca, Luciana Mara Monti; Zem-Mascarenhas, Silvia Helena

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objectives: to develop and assess a serious game on healthy eating and physical activity to promote health and tackle childhood obesity. Method: a descriptive, applied and methodological study.For the development of the game, the following steps were taken: conceptualization, pre-production with the development of the game documentation, prototyping, production and assessment of thecomputer and health experts. Results: a prototype has been developed up to beta version. The game was positively assessed both in terms of gameplay and mechanics, and in relation to the content presented, standing out as a powerful strategy for health promotion. The information from the assessment phase contributed to the settings in the software in order to make it available in the future for the target population of this research. The greatest advantage of the proposed game is the fact that it is an open educational resource. Conclusions: the expert assessments showed that the game has great educational potential and it is considered suitable for future application to the target audience.The serious game can become a technological teaching resource available for use in schools and health facilities, and can also be reused for the production of other educational games by accessing its source code. PMID:27533268

What positive encounters with healthcare and social insurance staff promotes ability to return to work of long-term sickness absentees?

PubMed

Olsson, Daniel; Alexanderson, Kristina; Bottai, Matteo

2016-02-01

Previous studies suggest that positive encounters with healthcare and social insurance staff may be important in promoting return to work among long-term sickness absentees. This study aimed to identify more specifically what positive encounters are important for promoting ability to return to work. A questionnaire about different types of encounters was sent to 10,042 people in Sweden on sick leave for 6-8 months (58% responded). For each positive encounter, we estimated the marginal probability difference (PD) of return to work, adjusting for age, sex, education, sick-leave diagnosis, and the sum score of all other encounters. Adjusting for the other encounters is important since of the observed variables these were the strongest confounders. The positive encounters with both healthcare and social insurance staff significantly associated with promoting ability to return to work after adjusting for the other positive encounters were "Believed in my work capacity" PD=16.9 (95% CI: 12.0, 21.9) and 12.0 (6.3, 17.7), respectively; "Supported my suggestions for solutions": 9.5 (3.1, 15.9) and 11.6 (5.7, 17.4); "Was supportive and encouraging": 10.1 (3.6, 16.7) and 7.3 (1.7, 12.8). Additionally, the encounter with healthcare staff most strongly associated with promoting return to work was "Let me take responsibility" 14.8 (7.2, 22.3); and with social security staff: "Showed that she/he liked me" 10.4 (5.4, 15.4). Healthcare and social security staff being supportive, encouraging, and believing in the sickness absentee's work capacity may be very important for increasing the probability for long-term sickness absentees' ability to return to work. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Systematic review of positive youth development programs for adolescents with chronic illness.

PubMed

Maslow, Gary R; Chung, Richard J

2013-05-01

The Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework has been successfully used to support at-risk youth. However, its effectiveness in fostering positive outcomes for adolescents with chronic illness has not been established. We performed a systematic review of PYD-consistent programs for adolescents with chronic illness. Data sources included PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychINFO. Guided by an analytic framework, we searched for studies of PYD-consistent programs serving adolescents and young adults aged 13 through 24 with chronic illness. References were screened iteratively with increasing depth until a focused cohort was obtained and reviewed in full. The authors separately reviewed the studies using structured analysis forms. Relevant study details were abstracted during the review process. Fifteen studies describing 14 programs were included in the analysis. Three comprehensive programs included all 3 core components of a PYD program, including opportunities for youth leadership, skill building, and sustained connections between youth and adults. Four programs were primarily mentoring programs, and 7 others focused on youth leadership. Programs served youth with a variety of chronic illnesses. The quality and type of evaluation varied considerably, with most reporting psychosocial outcomes but only a few including medical outcomes. The PYD-consistent programs identified in this review can serve as models for the development of youth development programs for adolescents with chronic illness. Additional study is needed to evaluate such programs rigorously with respect to both psychosocial and health-related outcomes. PYD-consistent programs have the potential to reach youth with chronic illness and promote positive adult outcomes broadly.

Position statement: start middle and high schools at 8:30 am or later to promote student health and learning.

PubMed

Trevorrow, Tracy; Zhou, Eric S; Dietch, Jessica R; Gonzalez, Brian D

2018-03-13

The Society of Behavioral Medicine recommends school officials start middle and high school classes at 8:30 am or later. Such a schedule promotes students' sleep health, resulting in improvements in physical health, psychological well-being, attention and concentration, academic performance, and driving safety. In this position statement, we propose a four-tiered approach to promote later school start times for middle and high schools.

Towards the development of skills-based health promotion competencies: the Canadian experience.

PubMed

Hyndman, Brian

2009-06-01

The health promotion competencies presented in the Galway Consensus Conference Statement build on an emerging international literature that includes a proposed set of Canadian competencies developed for health promotion practitioners. In Canada, the creation of draft health promotion competencies by Health Promotion Ontario (HPO) was fueled by increased concerns about the potential marginalization of health promotion as well as a national public health renewal process that placed increased emphasis on competency development as a means of strengthening the public health workforce. This commentary presents the proposed Canadian competencies and provides an overview of the process utilized to develop them. Key similarities and differences between the proposed Canadian competencies and the competencies outlined in the Consensus Statement are also explored. The Canadian experience illustrates the way in which national health promotion competencies can be shaped by cultural and political factors unique to a specific jurisdiction.

Health promotion in South Africa.

PubMed

Onya, Hans

2007-01-01

Health promotion first entered the South African health system in 1990. Today, Health Promotion is a Directorate located within the Social Sector Cluster (SSC) within Primary Health Care (PHC), District and Development operations which falls under the Deputy Director General for Health Service Delivery in the National Department of Health (DoH). The first significant piece of new policy for health promotion in South Africa appeared in the African National Congress (ANC) health policy document, health care services including reproductive health care. At the moment, health promotion service delivery is the responsibility of the national, provincial and local governments with provincial and local governments mainly implementing and the National Health Promotion Directorate offering support. Funding for health promotion activities comes from the Department of Health budget allocation by the National Treasury. One major problem for Health Promotion development is infrastructure. There is significant community participation in South Africa including health promotion policy and strategy document development. Health Promotion research and evaluation is limited. The National Department of Health considers the settings approach to be crucial in driving the progress of health promotion. There are very few trained health promotion specialists either capable or in the position to inform politicians and opinion leaders about the relationship between health and social determinants, and the evidence of effectiveness of health promotion action. Mechanisms for demonstrating evidence of health promotion effectiveness in terms of health, social, economic and political impact are lacking and occupational standards for health promotion education and training are needed.

Health promotion and the freedom of the individual.

PubMed

Taylor, Gary; Hawley, Helen

2006-03-01

This article considers the extent to which health promotion strategies pose a threat to individual freedom. It begins by taking a look at health promotion strategies and at the historical development of health promotion in Britain. A theoretical context is then developed in which Berlin's distinction between negative and positive liberty is used alongside the ideas of John Stuart Mill, Charles Taylor and T.H. Green to discuss the politics of health promotion and to identify the implications of conflicting perspectives on freedom. The final section looks at current health promotion policy in Britain and beyond and argues that, if freedom is seen in terms of empowerment, health promotion can enhance individual freedom.

Moving from institutional dependence to entrepreneurialism. Creating and funding a collaborative research and practice development position.

PubMed

Darbyshire, Philip; Downes, Maeve; Collins, Carmel; Dyer, Susan

2005-09-01

The paper describes the creation of, the rationale behind and the external funding of a collaborative research-clinical practice development position. The paper also demonstrates the benefits of nursing's collaboration with external funding bodies and the value of moving from our traditional position of assuming that 'the hospital' will always provide. There is a constant refrain that nursing must become more 'research-based' and develop an active research culture. In harsh financial times however, funding for research development is scarce. Nurses can respond to this by bemoaning the lack of money or by taking an entrepreneurial approach, creating innovative project proposals that develop new partnerships and attract external funding. Institutional support for clinical research is often more verbal than financial as most health care systems are experiencing extreme financial stringencies. Nurses need to reconsider the notion that every initiative must automatically be funded by the institution. In this paper we show how in a busy major hospital, clinicians and researchers collaborated to create and fund the kind of innovative research and practice development position that may be impossible to fund through existing budgets. With creativity and determination, nurses can challenge the orthodoxy that they are solely dependent on institutional funding. If there is a clear project vision, a convincing rationale, a strongly argued 'business case' and a passionate and persistent team, then innovative new projects and positions can be realized. Developing clinical focused, practice based research is now a worldwide policy and practice imperative for nurses. Unfortunately, current levels of institutional funding are unlikely to support research promotion positions and initiatives. This paper outlines an approach to securing funding for research initiatives that can create exciting new positions and develop productive partnerships between researchers, clinicians and

Interspecific Neighbor Interactions Promote the Positive Diversity-Productivity Relationship in Experimental Grassland Communities

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yuhua; Wang, Yongfan; Yu, Shixiao

2014-01-01

Because the frequency of heterospecific interactions inevitably increases with species richness in a community, biodiversity effects must be expressed by such interactions. However, little is understood how heterospecific interactions affect ecosystem productivity because rarely are biodiversity ecosystem functioning experiments spatially explicitly manipulated. To test the effect of heterospecific interactions on productivity, direct evidence of heterospecific neighborhood interaction is needed. In this study we conducted experiments with a detailed spatial design to investigate whether and how heterospecific neighborhood interactions promote primary productivity in a grassland community. The results showed that increasing the heterospecific: conspecific contact ratio significantly increased productivity. We found there was a significant difference in the variation in plant height between monoculture and mixture communities, suggesting that height-asymmetric competition for light plays a central role in promoting productivity. Heterospecific interactions make tall plants grow taller and short plants become smaller in mixtures compared to monocultures, thereby increasing the efficiency of light interception and utilization. Overyielding in the mixture communities arises from the fact that the loss in the growth of short plants is compensated by the increased growth of tall plants. The positive correlation between species richness and primary production was strengthened by increasing the frequency of heterospecific interactions. We conclude that species richness significantly promotes primary ecosystem production through heterospecific neighborhood interactions. PMID:25350670

Technologies for Expanding the Reach of Evidence-Based Interventions: Preliminary Results for Promoting Social-Emotional Development in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baggett, Kathleen M.; Davis, Betsy; Feil, Edward G.; Sheeber, Lisa L.; Landry, Susan H.; Carta, Judith J.; Leve, Craig

2010-01-01

In great demand are efficient mechanisms for delivery of evidence-based interventions for promoting social-emotional development and early positive behavior of all children, and especially for those with or at risk for disabilities. The rise of Internet use has created potentially new avenues for intervention delivery, which, when paired with the…

Hui Malama O Ke Kai: A Positive Prevention-Based Youth Development Program Based on Native Hawaiian Values and Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hishinuma, Earl S.; Chang, Janice Y.; Sy, Angela; Greaney, Malia F.; Morris, Katherine A.; Scronce, Ami C.; Rehuher, Davis; Nishimura, Stephanie T.

2009-01-01

Evaluation of after-school programs that are culturally and place-based and promote positive youth development among minority and indigenous youths has not been widely published. The present evaluation is the first of its kind of an after-school, youth-risk prevention program called Hui Malama O Ke Kai (HMK), that emphasizes Native Hawaiian values…

Promoting success or preventing failure: cultural differences in motivation by positive and negative role models.

PubMed

Lockwood, Penelope; Marshall, Tara C; Sadler, Pamela

2005-03-01

In two studies, cross-cultural differences in reactions to positive and negative role models were examined. The authors predicted that individuals from collectivistic cultures, who have a stronger prevention orientation, would be most motivated by negative role models, who highlight a strategy of avoiding failure; individuals from individualistic cultures, who have a stronger promotion focus, would be most motivated by positive role models, who highlight a strategy of pursuing success. In Study 1, the authors examined participants' reported preferences for positive and negative role models. Asian Canadian participants reported finding negative models more motivating than did European Canadians; self-construals and regulatory focus mediated cultural differences in reactions to role models. In Study 2, the authors examined the impact of role models on the academic motivation of Asian Canadian and European Canadian participants. Asian Canadians were motivated only by a negative model, and European Canadians were motivated only by a positive model.

Streamlining Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure Procedures to Promote Early-Career Faculty Success.

PubMed

Smith, Shannon B; Hollerbach, Ann; Donato, Annemarie Sipkes; Edlund, Barbara J; Atz, Teresa; Kelechi, Teresa J

2016-01-01

A critical component of the progression of a successful academic career is being promoted in rank. Early-career faculty are required to have an understanding of appointment, promotion, and tenure (APT) guidelines, but many factors often impede this understanding, thwarting a smooth and planned promotion pathway for professional advancement. This article outlines the steps taken by an APT committee to improve the promotion process from instructor to assistant professor. Six sigma's DMAIC improvement model was selected as the guiding operational framework to remove variation in the promotion process. After faculty handbook revisions were made, several checklists developed, and a process review rubric was implemented; recently promoted faculty were surveyed on satisfaction with the process. Faculty opinions captured in the survey suggest increased transparency in the process and perceived support offered by the APT committee. Positive outcomes include a strengthened faculty support framework, streamlined promotion processes, and improved faculty satisfaction. Changes to the APT processes resulted in an unambiguous and standardized pathway for successful promotion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Promoting Academic Achievement and Identity Development among Diverse High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, James L.; Jones, Evangelina Bustamante; Pang, Valerie Ooka; Park, Cynthia D.

2004-01-01

This paper describes how a university outreach program promotes academic achievement and identity development among culturally diverse tenth-grade students. The primary goal of the outreach program is to advance students' engagement and competency in mathematics and science learning. A secondary goal of the program is to promote the development of…

Developing a Competency-Based Pan-European Accreditation Framework for Health Promotion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Battel-Kirk, Barbara; Van der Zanden, Gerard; Schipperen, Marielle; Contu, Paolo; Gallardo, Carmen; Martinez, Ana; Garcia de Sola, Silvia; Sotgiu, Alessandra; Zaagsma, Miriam; Barry, Margaret M.

2012-01-01

Background: The CompHP Pan-European Accreditation Framework for Health Promotion was developed as part of the CompHP Project that aimed to develop competency-based standards and an accreditation system for health promotion practice, education, and training in Europe. Method: A phased, multiple-method approach was employed to facilitate consensus…

A perfect storm: examining the synergistic effects of negative and positive emotional instability on promoting weight loss activities in anorexia nervosa

PubMed Central

Selby, Edward A.; Cornelius, Talea; Fehling, Kara B.; Kranzler, Amy; Panza, Emily A.; Lavender, Jason M.; Wonderlich, Stephen A.; Crosby, Ross D.; Engel, Scott G.; Mitchell, James E.; Crow, Scott J.; Peterson, Carol B.; Grange, Daniel Le

2015-01-01

Growing evidence indicates that both positive and negative emotion potentially influence the development and maintenance of anorexia nervosa, through both positive and negative reinforcement of weight loss activities. Such reactive emotional experience may be characterized by frequent and intense fluctuations in emotion, a construct known as “emotional instability.” The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between positive emotional instability and weight loss activities in anorexia nervosa, and to investigate the synergistic effects of positive and negative emotional instability on promoting weight loss activities. Using ecological momentary assessment methods, 118 participants with anorexia nervosa reported their emotional experiences and behaviors at least six times daily over 2 weeks using a portable digital device. Using generalized linear modeling, results indicated that high levels of both positive and negative emotional instability, and the interaction between the two, were associated with more frequent weight-loss activities, beyond anorexia subtype and mean levels of emotional intensity. These findings indicate that when women with anorexia exhibit both high levels of both positive and negative emotional instability they are more prone to a variety of weight loss activities. The importance of addressing the role of both positive and negative emotion in anorexia treatment is discussed. PMID:26379588

Strategies to Promote Lesson Study in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saito, Eisuke

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the developmental stages of lesson study for learning community (LSLC) and to clarify the measures necessary for promoting the progress of LSLC, targeting consultants working on educational development projects for developing countries. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is organised as a…

Activated ovarian endothelial cells promote early follicular development and survival.

PubMed

Kedem, Alon; Aelion-Brauer, Anate; Guo, Peipei; Wen, Duancheng; Ding, Bi-Sen; Lis, Raphael; Cheng, Du; Sandler, Vladislav M; Rafii, Shahin; Rosenwaks, Zev

2017-09-19

New data suggests that endothelial cells (ECs) elaborate essential "angiocrine factors". The aim of this study is to investigate the role of activated ovarian endothelial cells in early in-vitro follicular development. Mouse ovarian ECs were isolated using magnetic cell sorting or by FACS and cultured in serum free media. After a constitutive activation of the Akt pathway was initiated, early follicles (50-150 um) were mechanically isolated from 8-day-old mice and co-cultured with these activated ovarian endothelial cells (AOEC) (n = 32), gel (n = 24) or within matrigel (n = 27) in serum free media for 14 days. Follicular growth, survival and function were assessed. After 6 passages, flow cytometry showed 93% of cells grown in serum-free culture were VE-cadherin positive, CD-31 positive and CD 45 negative, matching the known EC profile. Beginning on day 4 of culture, we observed significantly higher follicular and oocyte growth rates in follicles co-cultured with AOECs compared with follicles on gel or matrigel. After 14 days of culture, 73% of primary follicles and 83% of secondary follicles co-cultured with AOEC survived, whereas the majority of follicles cultured on gel or matrigel underwent atresia. This is the first report of successful isolation and culture of ovarian ECs. We suggest that co-culture with activated ovarian ECs promotes early follicular development and survival. This model is a novel platform for the in vitro maturation of early follicles and for the future exploration of endothelial-follicular communication. In vitro development of early follicles necessitates a complex interplay of growth factors and signals required for development. Endothelial cells (ECs) may elaborate essential "angiocrine factors" involved in organ regeneration. We demonstrate that co-culture with ovarian ECs enables culture of primary and early secondary mouse ovarian follicles.

#WaysToRelax: developing an online alcohol-related health promotion animation for people aged 55 and older.

PubMed

Ferguson, Nyssa; Savic, Michael; Manning, Victoria; Lubman, Daniel

2017-04-27

Alcohol use among middle-aged and older adults (55 years and older) is increasingly becoming a public health concern. Despite this, there is relatively little research on the experiences of alcohol use and related concerns among people aged 55 and older to inform tailored and engaging health promotion activities. To address this gap, we aimed to develop an engaging alcohol-related health promotion resource for people aged 55 and older. We drew on a research-into-action approach, which involved: 1) thematic analysis of alcohol-related concerns in online counselling transcripts of 70 people aged 55 and older, 2) a review of health promotion literature, and 3) consultation with consumers of alcohol and other drug services, and carers. The research phase highlighted that people aged 55 and older were concerned that their reliance on alcohol use to manage stress had become a habit they wanted to shift. Alongside this, the literature showed that people aged 55 and older were often dismissive of conventional health promotion activities, and pointed to the benefits of conveying health promotion messages through animation. In response, we developed an animation to stimulate reflection and thought about other ways to relax and manage stress. We drew on health promotion principles to ensure that the animation had a positive message and was engaging without being ageist or paternalistic. It was further refined with input from consumers and carers, who thought the animation was appropriate, appealing and useful. Future activities will include further dissemination and evaluation of the animation and associated activities.

Effective preventive interventions to support parents of young children: Illustrations from the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD).

PubMed

Juffer, Femmie; Struis, Estelle; Werner, Claudia; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J

2017-01-01

Secure attachment relationships are essential for children's current and later development. From attachment theory and research, it can be derived that sensitive parenting is the key to positive parent-child relationships. Is it possible to design effective interventions to enhance sensitive parenting? In this article, we review elements that are crucial for effective attachment-based interventions, and we proceed with illustrations from the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD). We describe how this intervention program was developed, how it has been implemented in practice in different types of families and in daycare settings, and how effective the program is. We conclude that intervention programs like the VIPP-SD could play an important role in the community by serving families in need of parenting support.

CD13-positive bone marrow-derived myeloid cells promote angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis.

PubMed

Dondossola, Eleonora; Rangel, Roberto; Guzman-Rojas, Liliana; Barbu, Elena M; Hosoya, Hitomi; St John, Lisa S; Molldrem, Jeffrey J; Corti, Angelo; Sidman, Richard L; Arap, Wadih; Pasqualini, Renata

2013-12-17

Angiogenesis is fundamental to tumorigenesis and an attractive target for therapeutic intervention against cancer. We have recently demonstrated that CD13 (aminopeptidase N) expressed by nonmalignant host cells of unspecified types regulate tumor blood vessel development. Here, we compare CD13 wild-type and null bone marrow-transplanted tumor-bearing mice to show that host CD13(+) bone marrow-derived cells promote cancer progression via their effect on angiogenesis. Furthermore, we have identified CD11b(+)CD13(+) myeloid cells as the immune subpopulation directly regulating tumor blood vessel development. Finally, we show that these cells are specifically localized within the tumor microenvironment and produce proangiogenic soluble factors. Thus, CD11b(+)CD13(+) myeloid cells constitute a population of bone marrow-derived cells that promote tumor progression and metastasis and are potential candidates for the development of targeted antiangiogenic drugs.

Promoting Workplace Literacy and Basic Skills Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Elizabeth A.; Ott, Joyce; Wilson, Kathleen

This document is intended to help literacy practitioners and others in South Carolina promote workplace literacy and basic skills development programs. The introduction examines the following topics: South Carolina's current workforce and its outlook; the definitions of literacy and workplace literacy; the need for workplace literacy and basic…

Reclaiming Instructional Supervision: Using Solution-Focused Strategies to Promote Teacher Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stark, Marcella D.; McGhee, Marla W.; Jimerson, Jo Beth

2017-01-01

To positively affect teacher quality, instructional leaders must engage teachers in ways that support improved practice and seek to empower teachers as creative and knowledgeable risk takers. A collaborative, strengths-based approach that promotes teacher growth, rather than one that conditions teachers to await administrator directive or…

[Methylation Status of the SOCS3 Gene Promoter in H2228 Cells and 
EML4-ALK-positive Lung Cancer Tissues].

PubMed

Liu, Chunlai; Li, Yongwen; Dong, Yunlong; Zhang, Hongbing; Li, Ying; Liu, Hongyu; Chen, Jun

2016-09-20

The EML4-ALK fusion gene is a newly discovered driver gene of non-small cell lung cancer and exhibits special clinical and pathological features. The JAK-STAT signaling pathway, an important downstream signaling pathway of EML4-ALK, is aberrantly sustained and activated in EML4-ALK-positive lung cancer cells fusion gene, but the underlying reason remains unknown. The suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) is a negative regulatory factor that mainly inhibits the proliferation, differentiation, and induction of apoptotic cells by inhibiting the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. The aberrant methylation of the SOCS gene leads to inactivation of tumors and abnormal activation of the JAK2-STAT signaling pathway. The aim of this study is to investigate the methylation status of the SOCS3 promoter in EML4-ALK-positive H2228 cells and lung cancer tissues. The methylation status of the SOCS3 promoter in EML4-ALK-positive H2228 lung cancer cells and lung cancer tissues was detected by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) analysis and verified by DNA sequencing. The expression levels of SOCS3 in H2228 cells were detected by Western blot and Real-time PCR analyses after treatment with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5'-Aza-dC. MSP and DNA sequencing assay results indicated the presence of SOCS3 promoter methylation in H2228 cells as well as in three cases of seven EML4-ALK-positive lung cancer tissues. The expression level of SOCS3 significantly increased in H2228 cells after 5'-Aza-dC treatment. The aerrant methylation of the SOCS3 promoter region in EML4-ALK (+) H2228 cells and lung cancer tissues may be significantly involved in the pathogenesis of EML4-ALK-positive lung cancer.

Positive Action. Revised. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2007

2007-01-01

"Positive Action," a K-12 program, aims to promote character development, academic achievement, and social-emotional skills and to reduce disruptive and problem behavior. The program is based on the philosophy that you feel good about yourself when you think and do positive actions, and there is always a positive way to do everything.…

Promoting Character Development through Teaching Wrestling in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Destani, Fitni; Hannon, James C.; Podlog, Leslie; Brusseau, Timothy A.

2014-01-01

Character development has become an important component of physical education that contributes directly to the affective learning domain. However, teaching character development can be challenging. The purpose of this article is to suggest that character development be promoted through the teaching of wrestling, due to the unique moral development…

TOO MANY MOUTHS promotes cell fate progression in stomatal development of Arabidopsis stems.

PubMed

Bhave, Neela S; Veley, Kira M; Nadeau, Jeanette A; Lucas, Jessica R; Bhave, Sanjay L; Sack, Fred D

2009-01-01

Mutations in TOO MANY MOUTHS (TMM), which encodes a receptor-like protein, cause stomatal patterning defects in Arabidopsis leaves but eliminate stomatal formation in stems. Stomatal development in wild-type and tmm stems was analyzed to define TMM function. Epidermal cells in young tmm stems underwent many asymmetric divisions characteristic of entry into the stomatal pathway. The resulting precursor cells, meristemoids, appropriately expressed cell fate markers such as pTMM:GFP. However, instead of progressing developmentally by forming a guard mother cell, the meristemoids arrested, dedifferentiated, and enlarged. Thus asymmetric divisions are necessary but not sufficient for stomatal formation in stems, and TMM promotes the fate and developmental progression of early precursor cells. Comparable developmental and mature stomatal phenotypes were also found in tmm hypocotyls and in the proximal flower stalk. TMM is also a positive regulator of meristemoid division in leaves suggesting that TMM generally promotes meristemoid activity. Our results are consistent with a model in which TMM interacts with other proteins to modulate precursor cell fate and progression in an organ and domain-specific manner. Finally, the consistent presence of a small number of dedifferentiated meristemoids in mature wild-type stems suggests that precursor cell arrest is a normal feature of Arabidopsis stem development.

Promoting Metapragmatic Development through Assessment in the Zone of Proximal Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Compernolle, Remi A.; Kinginger, Celeste

2013-01-01

The assessment of second language (L2) pragmatic competence typically involves questionnaires, such as discourse completion tasks. This article describes a novel approach to using questionnaires to assess L2 metapragmatic capacities while simultaneously promoting their development: engaging learners in cooperative interaction as they complete the…

Impact factor of medical education journals and recently developed indices: Can any of them support academic promotion criteria?

PubMed

Azer, S A; Holen, A; Wilson, I; Skokauskas, N

2016-01-01

Journal Impact Factor (JIF) has been used in assessing scientific journals. Other indices, h- and g-indices and Article Influence Score (AIS), have been developed to overcome some limitations of JIF. The aims of this study were, first, to critically assess the use of JIF and other parameters related to medical education research, and second, to discuss the capacity of these indices in assessing research productivity as well as their utility in academic promotion. The JIF of 16 medical education journals from 2000 to 2011 was examined together with the research evidence about JIF in assessing research outcomes of medical educators. The findings were discussed in light of the nonnumerical criteria often used in academic promotion. In conclusion, JIF was not designed for assessing individual or group research performance, and it seems unsuitable for such purposes. Although the g- and h-indices have demonstrated promising outcomes, further developments are needed for their use as academic promotion criteria. For top academic positions, additional criteria could include leadership, evidence of international impact, and contributions to the advancement of knowledge with regard to medical education.

Analytical Insights on the Position, Challenges, and Potential for Promoting OER in ODeL Institutions in Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muganda, Cornelia K.; Samzugi, Athuman S.; Mallinson, Brenda J.

2016-01-01

This paper shares analytical insights on the position, challenges and potential for promoting Open Educational Resources (OER) in African Open Distance and eLearning (ODeL) institutions. The researchers sought to use a participatory research approach as described by Krishnaswamy (2004), in convening a sequence of two workshops at the Open…

5 CFR 362.405 - Development, evaluation, promotion, and certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Development, evaluation, promotion, and certification. 362.405 Section 362.405 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PATHWAYS PROGRAMS Presidential Management Fellows Program § 362.405 Development, evaluation...

5 CFR 362.405 - Development, evaluation, promotion, and certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Development, evaluation, promotion, and certification. 362.405 Section 362.405 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PATHWAYS PROGRAMS Presidential Management Fellows Program § 362.405 Development, evaluation...

Positive youth development among African American adolescents: examining single parents as a factor.

PubMed

Roberts, Shani R; Lewis, Rhonda K; Carmack, Chakema

2011-01-01

Over the past few decades researchers have begun to examine the importance of understanding positive youth development and the many contexts in which youth find themselves. The social contexts in which adolescent development occurs are varied and complex, particularly the development among African American youth. African American youth are faced with a number of challenges including living in single-parent homes, high teen pregnancy rates, and poor neighborhoods, yet many of these youth continue to thrive. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family structure (single-parenting) and adolescent outcomes such as educational aspirations and sexual activity among African American adolescent youth aged 12-17. Approximately 462 African American youth were surveyed. A number of positive results emerged; for instance, there was a negative correlation between family structure and educational aspirations. The number of parents in the home did not interfere with youth wanting to complete high school and go on to college (r = - .218, r² = .04, p < .05). The results also showed that as educational aspirations increased, the number of sexual partners decreased (r = - .141, meaning that the more adolescents reported a desire to complete high school, they were less likely to report having sexual intercourse. These positive results should be promoted among African American youth so that those faced with these challenges will note that others have overcome and accomplished their goals. In this population educational aspirations were important. Limitations and future research are discussed.

Development and Evaluation of Cognitive Games to Promote Health and Wellbeing in Elderly People with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Scase, Mark; Kreiner, Karl; Ascolese, Antonio

2018-01-01

In Europe the number of elderly people is increasing. This population growth has resulted in higher healthcare costs. The purpose of this project was to try to promote active ageing in people aged 65-80 with mild cognitive impairment through cognitive games delivered via a tablet computer. Age-appropriate cognitive games were developed targeting different aspects of cognition and then experiences of elderly people using these games were evaluated. The design of games was developed through iterative user-centered design focus groups with elderly people as participants. The experiences of participants playing the games over a 47 day period were explored through semi-structured interviews. Four games were developed that addressed a range of cognitive functions such as perception, attention, memory, language, comprehension and executive function. The participants were able to play these games without external intervention over an extended period and reported positively on their experiences. Cognitive games can be used successfully by people with mild cognitive impairment to promote active ageing.

Minor positive effects of health-promoting senior meetings for older community-dwelling persons on loneliness, social network, and social support.

PubMed

Gustafsson, Susanne; Berglund, Helene; Faronbi, Joel; Barenfeld, Emmelie; Ottenvall Hammar, Isabelle

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the 1-year effect of the health-promoting intervention "senior meetings" for older community-dwelling persons regarding loneliness, social network, and social support. Secondary analysis of data was carried out from two randomized controlled studies: Elderly Persons in the Risk Zone and Promoting Aging Migrants' Capabilities. Data from 416 participants who attended the senior meetings and the control group at baseline and the 1-year follow-up in the respective studies were included. Data were aggregated and analyzed with chi-square test and odds ratio (OR) to determine the intervention effect. The senior meetings had a positive effect on social support regarding someone to turn to when in need of advice and backing (OR 1.72, p =0.01). No positive intervention effect could be identified for loneliness, social network, or other aspects of social support. Health-promoting senior meetings for older community-dwelling persons have a minor positive effect on social support. The senior meetings might benefit from a revision to reinforce content focused on loneliness, social network, and social support. However, the modest effect could also depend on the lack of accessible social resources to meet participants' identified needs, a possible hindrance for a person's capability. This makes it necessary to conduct further research to evaluate the effect of the senior meetings and other health-promoting initiatives on social aspects of older community-dwelling people's lives, since these aspects are of high importance for life satisfaction and well-being in old age.

Minor positive effects of health-promoting senior meetings for older community-dwelling persons on loneliness, social network, and social support

PubMed Central

Gustafsson, Susanne; Berglund, Helene; Faronbi, Joel; Barenfeld, Emmelie; Ottenvall Hammar, Isabelle

2017-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the 1-year effect of the health-promoting intervention “senior meetings” for older community-dwelling persons regarding loneliness, social network, and social support. Methods Secondary analysis of data was carried out from two randomized controlled studies: Elderly Persons in the Risk Zone and Promoting Aging Migrants’ Capabilities. Data from 416 participants who attended the senior meetings and the control group at baseline and the 1-year follow-up in the respective studies were included. Data were aggregated and analyzed with chi-square test and odds ratio (OR) to determine the intervention effect. Results The senior meetings had a positive effect on social support regarding someone to turn to when in need of advice and backing (OR 1.72, p=0.01). No positive intervention effect could be identified for loneliness, social network, or other aspects of social support. Conclusion Health-promoting senior meetings for older community-dwelling persons have a minor positive effect on social support. The senior meetings might benefit from a revision to reinforce content focused on loneliness, social network, and social support. However, the modest effect could also depend on the lack of accessible social resources to meet participants’ identified needs, a possible hindrance for a person’s capability. This makes it necessary to conduct further research to evaluate the effect of the senior meetings and other health-promoting initiatives on social aspects of older community-dwelling people’s lives, since these aspects are of high importance for life satisfaction and well-being in old age. PMID:29158669

Promoting the Positive Development of Boys in High-Poverty Neighborhoods: Evidence From Four Anti-Poverty Experiments

PubMed Central

Snell, Emily K.; Castells, Nina; Duncan, Greg; Gennetian, Lisa; Magnuson, Katherine; Morris, Pamela

2012-01-01

This study uses geocoded address data and information about parent’s economic behavior and children’s development from four random-assignment welfare and anti-poverty experiments conducted during the 1990s. We find that the impacts of these welfare and anti-poverty programs on boys’ and girls’ developmental outcomes during the transition to early adolescence differ as a function of neighborhood poverty levels. The strongest positive impacts of these programs are among boys who lived in high-poverty neighborhoods at the time their parents enrolled in the studies, with smaller or non-statistically significant effects for boys in lower poverty neighborhoods and for girls across all neighborhoods. This research informs our understanding of how neighborhood context and child gender may interact with employment-based policies to affect children’s well-being. PMID:24348000

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor promotes the development of adrenergic neurons in mouse neural crest cultures

PubMed Central

Maxwell, Gerald D.; Reid, Kate; Elefanty, Andrew; Bartlett, Perry F.; Murphy, Mark

1996-01-01

Growth of mouse neural crest cultures in the presence of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) resulted in a dramatic dose-dependent increase in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive cells that developed when 5% chicken embryo extract was present in the medium. In contrast, growth in the presence of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, BMP-4, BMP-6, transforming growth factor (TGF) β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3 elicited no increase in the number of TH-positive cells. The TH-positive cells that developed in the presence of GDNF had neuronal morphology and contained the middle and low molecular weight neurofilament proteins. Numerous TH-negative cells with the morphology of neurons also were observed in GDNF-treated cultures. Analysis revealed that the period from 6 to 12 days in vitro was the critical time for exposure to GDNF to generate the increase in TH-positive cell number. The growth factors neurotrophin-3 and fibroblast growth factor-2 elicited increases in the number of TH-positive cells similar to that seen in response to GDNF. In contrast, nerve growth factor was unable to substitute for GDNF. These findings extend the previously reported biological activities of GDNF by showing that it can act on mouse neural crest cultures to promote the development of neurons. PMID:8917581

Using social media to enhance career development opportunities for health promotion professionals.

PubMed

Roman, Leah A

2014-07-01

For health promotion professionals, social media offers many ways to engage with a broader range of colleagues; participate in professional development events; promote expertise, products, or services; and learn about career-enhancing opportunities such as funding and fellowships. Previous work has recommended "building networking into what you are already doing." This article provides updated and new social media resources, as well as practical examples and strategies to promote effective use of social media. Social media offers health promotion professionals cost-effective opportunities to enhance their career by building communities of practice, participating in professional development events, and enriching classroom learning. Developing the skills necessary to use social media for networking is important in the public health workforce, especially as social media is increasingly used in academic and practice settings. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

Stress mitigation to promote development of prosocial values and school engagement of inner-city urban African American and Latino youth.

PubMed

Tolan, Patrick; Lovegrove, Peter; Clark, Eren

2013-01-01

Studies of predictors of development of young men of color have been primarily focused on factors that impede positive development rather than factors that promote it. There are also few examples of longitudinal studies of positive development of this population and few that consider multiple protective factors simultaneously. Little is also known about how such positive outcomes might relate to prediction of problematic functioning. This study tests a developmental-ecological framework of positive and risky development among a sample of young men of color growing up in high-risk urban environments. African American and Latino adolescent males (148 African American, 193 Latino) were followed from early to late adolescence. Stress in early adolescence was related to school engagement and prosocial values as well as depressive symptoms and problems assessed 2 years later. The role of family and individual protective factors as direct effects and as mitigating the stress-outcome relation were also tested. Stress predicted problem outcomes but not positive functioning. Early engagement in prosocial activities and coping skills did predict positive outcomes. In contrast, problem outcomes were predicted directly by stress, with some indication of interaction with some protective factors for both such outcomes. Overall results suggest value in focusing on positive outcomes along with negative outcomes, as they are not the antithesis and have some shared but some different predictors. Implications for supporting positive development are presented. © 2013 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

Precise Maps of RNA Polymerase Reveal How Promoters Direct Initiation and Pausing

PubMed Central

Kwak, Hojoong; Fuda, Nicholas J.; Core, Leighton J.; Lis, John T.

2014-01-01

Transcription regulation occurs frequently through promoter-associated pausing of RNA polymerase II (Pol II). We developed a Precision nuclear Run-On and sequencing assay (PRO-seq) to map the genome-wide distribution of transcriptionally-engaged Pol II at base-pair resolution. Pol II accumulates immediately downstream of promoters, at intron-exon junctions that are efficiently used for splicing, and over 3' poly-adenylation sites. Focused analyses of promoters reveal that pausing is not fixed relative to initiation sites nor is it specified directly by the position of a particular core promoter element or the first nucleosome. Core promoter elements function beyond initiation, and when optimally positioned they act collectively to dictate the position and strength of pausing. We test this ‘Complex Interaction’ model with insertional mutagenesis of the Drosophila Hsp70 core promoter. PMID:23430654

Promoting Professional Development for Physical Therapists in Early Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catalino, Tricia; Chiarello, Lisa A.; Long, Toby; Weaver, Priscilla

2015-01-01

Early intervention service providers are expected to form cohesive teams to build the capacity of a family to promote their child's development. Given the differences in personnel preparation across disciplines of service providers, the Early Childhood Personnel Center is creating integrated and comprehensive professional development models for…

Using positive youth development constructs to design a money management curriculum for junior secondary school students in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lau, Patrick S Y; Lam, C M; Law, Ben M F; Poon, Y H

2011-01-01

This paper aims to discuss the relationships between the selected positive youth development constructs and the enhancement of Hong Kong junior secondary school students' money management skills, values, and attitudes. Various issues of money management of adolescents are reviewed. These issues include the need for money management programs for adolescents, the content and coverage of an appropriate money management program, and its relationships with the selected positive youth development constructs. The curriculum units for secondary 3 students are taken as examples to illustrate the design of the program. It is believed that promoting cognitive competence, self-efficacy, and spirituality could be an effective way to enhance students' money management skills, values, and attitudes, thus preparing them better for facing the finance-related issues in life.

Using Positive Youth Development Constructs to Design a Money Management Curriculum for Junior Secondary School Students in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Lau, Patrick S. Y.; Lam, C. M.; Law, Ben M. F.; Poon, Y. H.

2011-01-01

This paper aims to discuss the relationships between the selected positive youth development constructs and the enhancement of Hong Kong junior secondary school students' money management skills, values, and attitudes. Various issues of money management of adolescents are reviewed. These issues include the need for money management programs for adolescents, the content and coverage of an appropriate money management program, and its relationships with the selected positive youth development constructs. The curriculum units for secondary 3 students are taken as examples to illustrate the design of the program. It is believed that promoting cognitive competence, self-efficacy, and spirituality could be an effective way to enhance students' money management skills, values, and attitudes, thus preparing them better for facing the finance-related issues in life. PMID:22125469

Methylation variable position profiles of hMLH1 promoter CpG islands in human sporadic colorectal carcinoma.

PubMed

Huang, Qing; Huang, Jun-Fu; Zhang, Bo; Baum, Larry; Fu, Wei-Ling

2012-03-01

Aberrant hypermethylation of CpG islands (CGIs) in hMLH1 promoter regions has been well known to play an important role in the tumorigenesis of human sporadic colorectal carcinoma (SCRC). In this study, bisulfite sequencing was performed to analyze the methylation variable positions (MVPs) profiles of hMLH1 promoter CGIs in 30 clinical SCRC patients, and further analysis was carried out to evaluate the associations between the CGI methylation and the clinicopathological features in SCRC. Among the 2 CGIs in the hMLH1 promoter, that is, CGI-I and CGI-II, 20% (6/30) and 13% (4/30) of the patients had methylated CGI-I and CGI-II, respectively. Suppressed expression of hMLH1was significantly correlated with methylation of CGI-I but not CGI-II. Further analysis of the MVP profiles of CGI-I showed that most of the MVPs were hypermethylated and others were poorly methylated or unmethylated. The profiles could be classified into at least 4 groups based on the methylation status of 3 MVPs at positions 21 to 23 in CGI-I. All 6 patients with methylated CGI-I belonged to group I. This result suggests that the above 3 MVPs in CGI-I should be a targeted region to further analyze the epigenetic features of hMLH1 in human SCRC. Our results further suggest that MVP profiling is useful for identifying the aberrantly methylated CGIs associated with suppressed gene expression.

Clinicopathologic Risk Factor Distributions for MLH1 Promoter Region Methylation in CIMP-Positive Tumors.

PubMed

Levine, A Joan; Phipps, Amanda I; Baron, John A; Buchanan, Daniel D; Ahnen, Dennis J; Cohen, Stacey A; Lindor, Noralane M; Newcomb, Polly A; Rosty, Christophe; Haile, Robert W; Laird, Peter W; Weisenberger, Daniel J

2016-01-01

The CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) is a major molecular pathway in colorectal cancer. Approximately 25% to 60% of CIMP tumors are microsatellite unstable (MSI-H) due to DNA hypermethylation of the MLH1 gene promoter. Our aim was to determine if the distributions of clinicopathologic factors in CIMP-positive tumors with MLH1 DNA methylation differed from those in CIMP-positive tumors without DNA methylation of MLH1. We assessed the associations between age, sex, tumor-site, MSI status BRAF and KRAS mutations, and family colorectal cancer history with MLH1 methylation status in a large population-based sample of CIMP-positive colorectal cancers defined by a 5-marker panel using unconditional logistic regression to assess the odds of MLH1 methylation by study variables. Subjects with CIMP-positive tumors without MLH1 methylation were significantly younger, more likely to be male, and more likely to have distal colon or rectal primaries and the MSI-L phenotype. CIMP-positive MLH1-unmethylated tumors were significantly less likely than CIMP-positive MLH1-methylated tumors to harbor a BRAF V600E mutation and significantly more likely to harbor a KRAS mutation. MLH1 methylation was associated with significantly better overall survival (HR, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.31-0.82). These data suggest that MLH1 methylation in CIMP-positive tumors is not a completely random event and implies that there are environmental or genetic determinants that modify the probability that MLH1 will become methylated during CIMP pathogenesis. MLH1 DNA methylation status should be taken into account in etiologic studies. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Clinicopathological risk factor distributions for MLH1 promoter region methylation in CIMP positive tumors

PubMed Central

Levine, A. Joan; Phipps, Amanda I.; Baron, John A.; Buchanan, Daniel D.; Ahnen, Dennis J.; Cohen, Stacey A.; Lindor, Noralane M.; Newcomb, Polly A.; Rosty, Christophe; Haile, Robert W.; Laird, Peter W.; Weisenberger, Daniel J.

2015-01-01

Background The CpG Island Methylator Phenotype (CIMP) is a major molecular pathway in colorectal cancer (CRC). Approximately 25% to 60% of CIMP tumors are microsatellite unstable (MSI-H) due to DNA hypermethylation of the MLH1 gene promoter. Our aim was to determine if the distributions of clinicopathologic factors in CIMP-positive tumors with MLH1 DNA methylation differed from those in CIMP-positive tumors without DNA methylation of MLH1. Methods We assessed the associations between age, sex, tumor-site, MSI status BRAF and KRAS mutations and family CRC history with MLH1 methylation status in a large population-based sample of CIMP-positive CRCs defined by a 5-marker panel using unconditional logistic regression to assess the odds of MLH1 methylation by study variables. Results Subjects with CIMP-positive tumors without MLH1 methylation were significantly younger, more likely to be male, more likely to have distal colon or rectal primaries and the MSI-L phenotype. CIMP-positive MLH1-unmethylated tumors were significantly less likely than CIMP-positive MLH1-methylated tumors to harbor a BRAF V600E mutation and significantly more likely to harbor a KRAS mutation. MLH1 methylation was associated with significantly better overall survival (HR=0.50; 95% Confidence Interval (0.31, 0.82)). Conclusions These data suggest that MLH1 methylation in CIMP-positive tumors is not a completely random event and implies that there are environmental or genetic determinants that modify the probability that MLH1 will become methylated during CIMP pathogenesis. Impact MLH1 DNA methylation status should be taken into account in etiologic studies. PMID:26512054

Differential methylation at the RELN gene promoter in temporal cortex from autistic and typically developing post-puberal subjects.

PubMed

Lintas, Carla; Sacco, Roberto; Persico, Antonio M

2016-01-01

Reelin plays a pivotal role in neurodevelopment and in post-natal synaptic plasticity and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The reelin (RELN) gene expression is significantly decreased in ASD, both in the brain and peripherally. Methylation at the RELN gene promoter is largely triggered at puberty, and hypermethylation has been found in post-mortem brains of schizophrenic and bipolar patients. In this study, we assessed RELN gene methylation status in post-mortem temporocortical tissue samples (BA41/42 or 22) of six pairs of post-puberal individuals with ASD and typically developing subjects, matched for sex (male:female, M:F = 5:1), age, and post-mortem interval. ASD patients display a significantly higher number of methylated CpG islands and heavier methylation in the 5' region of the RELN gene promoter, spanning from -458 to -223 bp, whereas controls have more methylated CpG positions and greater extent of methylation at the 3' promoter region, spanning from -222 to +1 bp. The most upstream promoter region (-458 to -364 bp) is methylated only in ASD brains, while the most downstream region (-131 to +1 bp) is methylated exclusively in control brains. Within this general framework, three different methylation patterns are discernible, each correlated with different extents of reduction in reelin gene expression among ASD individuals compared to controls. The methylation pattern is different in ASD and control post-mortem brains. ASD-specific CpG positions, located in the most upstream gene promoter region, may exert a functional role potentially conferring ASD risk by blunting RELN gene expression.

Development, Validation, and Use of an Item Bank for Police Promotion Examinations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enger, John M.

In Arkansas, in reaction to complaints about traditional methods of selection for promotion, the civil service commission has chosen to base promotions in the police department solely on scores on locally-developed objective tests. Items developed and loaded into a computerized test bank were selected from six areas of responsibility: (1) criminal…

Activin B promotes initiation and development of hair follicles in mice.

PubMed

Jia, Qin; Zhang, Min; Kong, Yanan; Chen, Shixuan; Chen, Yinghua; Wang, Xueer; Zhang, Lei; Lang, Weiya; Zhang, Lu; Zhang, Lin

2013-01-01

Activin B has been reported to promote the regeneration of hair follicles during wound healing. However, its role in the development and life cycle of hair follicles has not been elucidated. In our study, the effect of activin B on mouse hair follicles of cultured and neonatal mouse skin was investigated. In these models, PBS or activin B (5, 10 or 50 ng/ml) was applied, and hair follicle development was monitored. Hair follicle initiation and development was examined using hematoxylin and eosin staining, alkaline phosphatase activity staining, Oil Red O+ staining, and the detection of TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling cell apoptosis. Activin B was found to efficiently induce the initiation of hair follicles in the skin of both cultured and neonatal mice and to promote the development of hair follicles in neonatal mouse skin. Moreover, activin-B-treated hair follicles were observed to enter the anagen stage from the telogen stage and to remain in the anagen stage. These results demonstrate that activin B promotes the initiation and development of hair follicles in mice.

Waif goodbye! Average-size female models promote positive body image and appeal to consumers.

PubMed

Diedrichs, Phillippa C; Lee, Christina

2011-10-01

Despite consensus that exposure to media images of thin fashion models is associated with poor body image and disordered eating behaviours, few attempts have been made to enact change in the media. This study sought to investigate an effective alternative to current media imagery, by exploring the advertising effectiveness of average-size female fashion models, and their impact on the body image of both women and men. A sample of 171 women and 120 men were assigned to one of three advertisement conditions: no models, thin models and average-size models. Women and men rated average-size models as equally effective in advertisements as thin and no models. For women with average and high levels of internalisation of cultural beauty ideals, exposure to average-size female models was associated with a significantly more positive body image state in comparison to exposure to thin models and no models. For men reporting high levels of internalisation, exposure to average-size models was also associated with a more positive body image state in comparison to viewing thin models. These findings suggest that average-size female models can promote positive body image and appeal to consumers.

Nitric Oxide Synthase-3 Promotes Embryonic Development of Atrioventricular Valves

PubMed Central

Liu, Yin; Lu, Xiangru; Xiang, Fu-Li; Lu, Man; Feng, Qingping

2013-01-01

Nitric oxide synthase-3 (NOS3) has recently been shown to promote endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in the developing atrioventricular (AV) canal. The present study was aimed to investigate the role of NOS3 in embryonic development of AV valves. We hypothesized that NOS3 promotes embryonic development of AV valves via EndMT. To test this hypothesis, morphological and functional analysis of AV valves were performed in wild-type (WT) and NOS3−/− mice at postnatal day 0. Our data show that the overall size and length of mitral and tricuspid valves were decreased in NOS3−/− compared with WT mice. Echocardiographic assessment showed significant regurgitation of mitral and tricuspid valves during systole in NOS3−/− mice. These phenotypes were all rescued by cardiac specific NOS3 overexpression. To assess EndMT, immunostaining of Snail1 was performed in the embryonic heart. Both total mesenchymal and Snail1+ cells in the AV cushion were decreased in NOS3−/− compared with WT mice at E10.5 and E12.5, which was completely restored by cardiac specific NOS3 overexpression. In cultured embryonic hearts, NOS3 promoted transforming growth factor (TGFβ), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP2) and Snail1expression through cGMP. Furthermore, mesenchymal cell formation and migration from cultured AV cushion explants were decreased in the NOS3−/− compared with WT mice. We conclude that NOS3 promotes AV valve formation during embryonic heart development and deficiency in NOS3 results in AV valve insufficiency. PMID:24204893

Impact factor of medical education journals and recently developed indices: Can any of them support academic promotion criteria?

PubMed Central

Azer, SA; Holen, A; Wilson, I; Skokauskas, N

2016-01-01

Journal Impact Factor (JIF) has been used in assessing scientific journals. Other indices, h- and g-indices and Article Influence Score (AIS), have been developed to overcome some limitations of JIF. The aims of this study were, first, to critically assess the use of JIF and other parameters related to medical education research, and second, to discuss the capacity of these indices in assessing research productivity as well as their utility in academic promotion. The JIF of 16 medical education journals from 2000 to 2011 was examined together with the research evidence about JIF in assessing research outcomes of medical educators. The findings were discussed in light of the nonnumerical criteria often used in academic promotion. In conclusion, JIF was not designed for assessing individual or group research performance, and it seems unsuitable for such purposes. Although the g- and h-indices have demonstrated promising outcomes, further developments are needed for their use as academic promotion criteria. For top academic positions, additional criteria could include leadership, evidence of international impact, and contributions to the advancement of knowledge with regard to medical education. PMID:26732194

Ranking low, feeling high: How hierarchical position and experienced power promote prosocial behavior in response to procedural justice.

PubMed

van Dijke, Marius; De Cremer, David; Langendijk, Gerben; Anderson, Cameron

2018-02-01

Research shows that power can lead to prosocial behavior by facilitating the behavioral expression of dispositional prosocial motivation. However, it is not clear how power may facilitate responses to contextual factors that promote prosocial motivation. Integrating fairness heuristic theory and the situated focus theory of power, we argue that in particular, organization members in lower (vs. higher) hierarchical positions who simultaneously experience a high (vs. low) sense of power respond with prosocial behavior to 1 important antecedent of prosocial motivation, that is, the enactment of procedural justice. The results from a multisource survey among employees and their leaders from various organizations (Study 1) and an experiment using a public goods dilemma (Study 2) support this prediction. Three subsequent experiments (Studies 3-5) show that this effect is mediated by perceptions of authority trustworthiness. Taken together, this research (a) helps resolve the debate regarding whether power promotes or undermines prosocial behavior, (b) demonstrates that hierarchical position and the sense of power can have very different effects on processes that are vital to the functioning of an organization, and (c) helps solve ambiguity regarding the roles of hierarchical position and power in fairness heuristic theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Human protein Staufen-2 promotes HIV-1 proliferation by positively regulating RNA export activity of viral protein Rev.

PubMed

Banerjee, Atoshi; Benjamin, Ronald; Balakrishnan, Kannan; Ghosh, Payel; Banerjee, Sharmistha

2014-02-13

The export of intron containing viral RNAs from the nucleus to the cytoplasm is an essential step in the life cycle of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1). As the eukaryotic system does not permit the transport of intron containing RNA out of the nucleus, HIV-1 makes a regulatory protein, Rev, that mediates the transportation of unspliced and partially spliced viral mRNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, thereby playing a decisive role in the generation of new infectious virus particles. Therefore, the host factors modulating the RNA export activity of Rev can be major determinants of virus production in an infected cell. In this study, human Staufen-2 (hStau-2) was identified as a host factor interacting with HIV-1 Rev through affinity chromatography followed by MALDI analyses. Our experiments involving transient expressions, siRNA mediated knockdowns and infection assays conclusively established that hStau-2 is a positive regulator of HIV-1 pathogenesis. We demonstrated that Rev-hStau-2 interactions positively regulated the RNA export activity of Rev and promoted progeny virus synthesis. The Rev-hStau-2 interaction was independent of RNA despite both being RNA binding proteins. hStau-2 mutant, with mutations at Q314R-A318F-K319E, deficient of binding Rev, failed to promote hStau-2 dependent Rev activity and viral production, validating the essentiality of this protein-protein interaction. The expression of this positive regulator was elevated upon HIV-1 infection in both human T-lymphocyte and astrocyte cell lines. With this study, we establish that human Staufen-2, a host factor which is up-regulated upon HIV-1 infection, interacts with HIV-1 Rev, thereby promoting its RNA export activity and progeny virus formation. Altogether, our study provides new insights into the emerging role of the Staufen family of mRNA transporters in host-pathogen interaction and supports the notion that obliterating interactions between viral and host proteins that positively

Identifying and Developing Women For Management Positions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCord, Bird

1971-01-01

Organizational attitudes and effective development are key factors in acceptance of women managers. Article examines the development of sex role stereotypes and how they effect the placement of women in management positions. (RB)

Positive mental health literacy: development and validation of a measure among Norwegian adolescents.

PubMed

Bjørnsen, Hanne Nissen; Eilertsen, Mary Elizabeth Bradley; Ringdal, Regine; Espnes, Geir Arild; Moksnes, Unni Karin

2017-09-18

Mental health literacy (MHL), or the knowledge and abilities necessary to benefit mental health, is a significant determinant of mental health and has the potential to benefit both individual and public mental health. MHL and its measures have traditionally focused on knowledge and beliefs about mental -ill-health rather than on mental health. No measures of MHL addressing knowledge of good or positive mental health have been identified. This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument measuring adolescents' knowledge of how to obtain and maintain good mental health and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the instrument. More specifically, the factor structure, internal and construct validity, and test-retest reliability were assessed. The participants were Norwegian upper secondary school students aged 15-21 years. The development and validation of the instrument entailed three phases: 1) item generation based on the basic psychological needs theory (BPNT), focus group interviews, and a narrative literature review, 2) a pilot study (n = 479), and 3) test-retest (n = 149), known-groups validity (n = 44), and scale construction, item reduction through principal component analysis (PCA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for factor structure and psychometric properties assessment (n = 1888). Thirty-two items were initially generated, and 15 were selected for the pilot study. PCA identified cross-loadings, and a one-factor solution was examined. After removing five problematic items, CFA yielded a satisfactory fit for a 10-item one-factor model, referred to as the mental health-promoting knowledge (MHPK-10) measure. The test-retest evaluation supported the stability of the measure. McDonald's omega was 0.84, and known-groups validity test indicated good construct validity. A valid and reliable one-dimensional instrument measuring knowledge of factors promoting good mental health among adolescents was developed. The instrument has the

Mental health promotion in the health care setting: collaboration and engagement in the development of a mental health promotion capacity-building initiative.

PubMed

Horn, Michelle A; Rauscher, Alana B; Ardiles, Paola A; Griffin, Shannon L

2014-01-01

Health Compass is an innovative, multiphased project that aims to transform health care practice and shift organizational culture by building the capacity of Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) health care providers to further promote the mental health and well-being of patients and families accessing PHSA's health care services. Health Compass was developed within a health promotion framework, which involved collaboration and engagement with stakeholders across all partnering PHSA agencies. This approach led to the development of an educational and training resource that contributes to increased capacity for mental health promotion within the health care setting. Based on interviews with Health Compass' internal Project Team and findings from a Stakeholder Engagement Evaluation Report, this article outlines the participatory approach taken to develop the Health Compass Mental Health Promotion Resource and E-Learning Tool. A number of key facilitators for collaboration and engagement are discussed, which may be particularly applicable to the implementation of a mental health promotion program or initiative within a complex health care setting.

[Faustlos -- promotion of social-emotional competences in elementary schools and kindergartens].

PubMed

Schick, Andreas; Cierpka, Manfred

2005-11-01

Aggressive and violent behavior of children often is caused by a lack of social and emotional competences, which blocks constructive problem- and conflict-management. Therefore lots of different US-American prevention approaches for the promotion of crucial social competences have been developed. Faustlos is the first German violence prevention curriculum, which promotes the social and emotional competences of first grade pupils and kindergarten aged children. The curriculum builds on the promotion of empathy, impulse control and anger management. Evaluation studies on the effectiveness of Faustlos prove its positive effects on aggressive behavior and on the promotion of social-emotional competence. Further, the feedback of people working with Faustlos concerning the acceptance and practicability of the program is positive too. Besides the development of additive materials (e. g. Faustlos for parents) evaluation studies on the long-term effects of the program are needed.

Promoting LGBT health and wellbeing through inclusive policy development

PubMed Central

Mulé, Nick J; Ross, Lori E; Deeprose, Barry; Jackson, Beth E; Daley, Andrea; Travers, Anna; Moore, Dick

2009-01-01

In this paper we argue the importance of including gender and sexually diverse populations in policy development towards a more inclusive form of health promotion. We emphasize the need to address the broad health and wellbeing issues and needs of LGBT people, rather than exclusively using an illness-based focus such as HIV/AIDS. We critically examine the limitations of population health, the social determinants of health (SDOH), and public health goals, in light of the lack of recognition of gender and sexually diverse individuals and communities. By first acknowledging the unique health and social care needs of LGBT people, then employing anti-oppressive, critical and intersectional analyses we offer recommendations for how to make population health perspectives, public health goals, and the design of public health promotion policy more inclusive of gender and sexual diversity. In health promotion research and practice, representation matters. It matters which populations are being targeted for health promotion interventions and for what purposes, and it matters which populations are being overlooked. In Canada, current health promotion policy is informed by population health and social determinants of health (SDOH) perspectives, as demonstrated by Public Health Goals for Canada. With Canada's multicultural makeup comes the challenge of ensuring that diverse populations are equitably and effectively recognized in public health and health promotion policy. PMID:19442315

Promoting LGBT health and wellbeing through inclusive policy development.

PubMed

Mulé, Nick J; Ross, Lori E; Deeprose, Barry; Jackson, Beth E; Daley, Andrea; Travers, Anna; Moore, Dick

2009-05-15

In this paper we argue the importance of including gender and sexually diverse populations in policy development towards a more inclusive form of health promotion. We emphasize the need to address the broad health and wellbeing issues and needs of LGBT people, rather than exclusively using an illness-based focus such as HIV/AIDS. We critically examine the limitations of population health, the social determinants of health (SDOH), and public health goals, in light of the lack of recognition of gender and sexually diverse individuals and communities. By first acknowledging the unique health and social care needs of LGBT people, then employing anti-oppressive, critical and intersectional analyses we offer recommendations for how to make population health perspectives, public health goals, and the design of public health promotion policy more inclusive of gender and sexual diversity. In health promotion research and practice, representation matters. It matters which populations are being targeted for health promotion interventions and for what purposes, and it matters which populations are being overlooked. In Canada, current health promotion policy is informed by population health and social determinants of health (SDOH) perspectives, as demonstrated by Public Health Goals for Canada. With Canada's multicultural makeup comes the challenge of ensuring that diverse populations are equitably and effectively recognized in public health and health promotion policy.

Gene position in a long operon governs motility development in Bacillus subtilis

PubMed Central

Cozy, Loralyn M.; Kearns, Daniel B.

2010-01-01

Growing cultures of Bacillus subtilis bifurcate into subpopulations of motile individuals and non-motile chains of cells that are differentiated at the level of gene expression. The motile cells are ON and the chaining cells are OFF for transcription that depends on RNA polymerase and the alternative sigma factor σD. Here we show that chaining cells were OFF for σD-dependent gene expression because σD levels fell below a threshold, and σD activity was inhibited by the anti-sigma factor FlgM. The probability that σD exceeded the threshold was governed by the position of the sigD genes. The proportion of ON cells increased when sigD was artificially moved forward in the 27kb fla/che operon. In addition, we identified a new σD-dependent promoter that increases sigD expression and may provide positive feedback to stabilize the ON state. Finally, we demonstrate that ON/OFF motility states in B. subtilis are a form of development because mosaics of stable and differentiated epigenotypes were evident when the normally dispersed bacteria were forced to grow in one dimension. PMID:20233303

Promoting Positive Youth Development Through School-Based Social and Emotional Learning Interventions: A Meta-Analysis of Follow-Up Effects.

PubMed

Taylor, Rebecca D; Oberle, Eva; Durlak, Joseph A; Weissberg, Roger P

2017-07-01

This meta-analysis reviewed 82 school-based, universal social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions involving 97,406 kindergarten to high school students (M age  = 11.09 years; mean percent low socioeconomic status = 41.1; mean percent students of color = 45.9). Thirty-eight interventions took place outside the United States. Follow-up outcomes (collected 6 months to 18 years postintervention) demonstrate SEL's enhancement of positive youth development. Participants fared significantly better than controls in social-emotional skills, attitudes, and indicators of well-being. Benefits were similar regardless of students' race, socioeconomic background, or school location. Postintervention social-emotional skill development was the strongest predictor of well-being at follow-up. Infrequently assessed but notable outcomes (e.g., graduation and safe sexual behaviors) illustrate SEL's improvement of critical aspects of students' developmental trajectories. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Effects of the "Positive Action" Program on Indicators of Positive Youth Development among Urban Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Kendra M.; Vuchinich, Samuel; Ji, Peter; DuBois, David L.; Acock, Alan; Bavarian, Niloofar; Day, Joseph; Silverthorn, Naida; Flay, Brian R.

2016-01-01

This study evaluated effects of "Positive Action," a school-based social-emotional and character development intervention, on indicators of positive youth development (PYD) among a sample of low-income, ethnic minority youth attending 14 urban schools. The study used a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled design at the school…

Developing a Promotional Plan for Adult Vocational Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shubird, Ernest

This manual provides guidelines for promoting adult vocational programs in order to obtain increased funding, expand program offerings, attract more students, and develop and conduct customized training. The publication is organized in seven chapters. Chapter 1 discusses briefly the history of adult vocational training, reviews its purposes,…

A novel positive transcriptional feedback loop in midbrain-hindbrain boundary development is revealed through analysis of the zebrafish pax2.1 promoter in transgenic lines.

PubMed

Picker, Alexander; Scholpp, Steffen; Böhli, Heike; Takeda, Hiroyuki; Brand, Michael

2002-07-01

The pax2.1 gene encodes a paired-box transcription factor that is one of the earliest genes to be specifically activated in development of the midbrain and midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB), and is required for the development and organizer activity of this territory. To understand how this spatially restricted transcriptional activity of pax2.1 is achieved, we have isolated and characterized the pax2.1-promoter using a lacZ and a GFP reporter gene in transient injection assays and transgenic lines. Stable transgenic expression of this reporter gene shows that a 5.3-kb fragment of the 5' region contains most, but not all, elements required for driving pax2.1 expression. The expressing tissues include the MHB, hindbrain, spinal cord, ear and pronephros. Transgene activation in the pronephros and developing ear suggests that these pax2.1-expressing tissues are composed of independently regulated subdomains. In addition, ectopic but spatially restricted activation of the reporter genes in rhombomeres 3 and 5 and in the forebrain, which do not normally express endogenous pax2.1, demonstrates the importance of negative regulation of pax2.1. Comparison of transgene expression in wild-type and homozygous pax2.1 mutant no isthmus (noi) embryos reveals that the transgene contains control element(s) for a novel, positive transcriptional feedback loop in MHB development. Transcription of endogenous pax2.1 at the MHB is known to be initially Pax2.1 independent, during activation in late gastrulation. In contrast, transgene expression requires the endogenous Pax2.1 function. Transplantations, mRNA injections and morpholino knock-down experiments show that this feedback regulation of pax2.1 transcription occurs cell-autonomously, and that it requires eng2 and eng3 as known targets for Pax2.1 regulation. We suggest that this novel feedback loop may allow continuation of pax2.1 expression, and hence development of the MHB organizer, to become independent of the patterning

The development of a physiotherapy continence promotion program using a customer focus.

PubMed

Chiarelli, Pauline; Cockburn, Jill

1999-01-01

Health promotion programs provide information, education for health and opportunity for the development of the skills that people need to make healthy choices. The current climate of health care practice also directs its focus to the needs and wants of the health care consumers. This entails active input from the target group. The present study used focus groups in an attempt to ensure input from women in early postpartum into the development of a postpartum continence promotion program. The focus groups revealed anomalies in women's perceived susceptibility to, and knowledge about, urinary incontinence and pelvic floor exercises, while highlighting other areas of need. Focus groups proved an invaluable tool in the development of a more effective physiotherapy continence promotion program.

Activation of TGF-β1-CD147 positive feedback loop in hepatic stellate cells promotes liver fibrosis.

PubMed

Li, Hai-Yan; Ju, Di; Zhang, Da-Wei; Li, Hao; Kong, Ling-Min; Guo, Yanhai; Li, Can; Wang, Xi-Long; Chen, Zhi-Nan; Bian, Huijie

2015-11-12

Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) initiates HBV-associated fibrogenesis. The mechanism of TGF-β1 modulating HSC activation is not fully uncovered. We hypothesized a positive feedback signaling loop of TGF-β1-CD147 promoting liver fibrogenesis by activation of HSCs. Human HSC cell line LX-2 and spontaneous liver fibrosis model derived from HBV transgenic mice were used to evaluate the activation of molecules in the signaling loop. Wound healing and cell contraction assay were performed to detect the CD147-overexpressed HSC migration and contraction. The transcriptional regulation of CD147 by TGF-β1/Smad4 was determined using dual-luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation. We found that a positive reciprocal regulation between TGF-β1 and CD147 mediated HSC activation. CD147 over-expression promoted HSC migration and accelerated TGF-β1-induced cell contraction. Phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3 in cooperation with Smad4 mediated the TGF-β1-regulated CD147 expression. Smad4 activated the transcription by direct interaction with CD147 promoter. Meanwhile, CD147 modulated the activated phenotype of HSCs through the ERK1/2 and Sp1 which up-regulated α-SMA, collagen I, and TGF-β1 synthesis. These findings indicate that TGF-β1-CD147 loop plays a key role in regulating the HSC activation and combination of TGF-β receptor inhibitor and anti-CD147 antibody might be promised to reverse fibrogenesis.

Activation of TGF-β1-CD147 positive feedback loop in hepatic stellate cells promotes liver fibrosis

PubMed Central

Li, Hai-Yan; Ju, Di; Zhang, Da-Wei; Li, Hao; Kong, Ling-Min; Guo, Yanhai; Li, Can; Wang, Xi-Long; Chen, Zhi-Nan; Bian, Huijie

2015-01-01

Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) initiates HBV-associated fibrogenesis. The mechanism of TGF-β1 modulating HSC activation is not fully uncovered. We hypothesized a positive feedback signaling loop of TGF-β1-CD147 promoting liver fibrogenesis by activation of HSCs. Human HSC cell line LX-2 and spontaneous liver fibrosis model derived from HBV transgenic mice were used to evaluate the activation of molecules in the signaling loop. Wound healing and cell contraction assay were performed to detect the CD147-overexpressed HSC migration and contraction. The transcriptional regulation of CD147 by TGF-β1/Smad4 was determined using dual-luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation. We found that a positive reciprocal regulation between TGF-β1 and CD147 mediated HSC activation. CD147 over-expression promoted HSC migration and accelerated TGF-β1-induced cell contraction. Phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3 in cooperation with Smad4 mediated the TGF-β1-regulated CD147 expression. Smad4 activated the transcription by direct interaction with CD147 promoter. Meanwhile, CD147 modulated the activated phenotype of HSCs through the ERK1/2 and Sp1 which up-regulated α-SMA, collagen I, and TGF-β1 synthesis. These findings indicate that TGF-β1-CD147 loop plays a key role in regulating the HSC activation and combination of TGF-β receptor inhibitor and anti-CD147 antibody might be promised to reverse fibrogenesis. PMID:26559755

Growing up and Growing Older: Books for Young Readers©: An Annotated Booklist of Literature to Promote Positive Aging (Preschool-Third Grade)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuire, Sandra L.

2016-01-01

Early children's literature plays a major role in attitude formation. The attitudes children form about aging will play an important role in how successfully they age. This annotated booklist is a compilation of carefully selected early children's literature that contains positive, meaningful portrayals of older adults and promotes positive aging.…

Promoting Socio-Economic Development: How Mobile Telephony Is an Agent for Creating High-Paying Jobs in Ghana from the Service Providers' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boateng, Ofori

2011-01-01

This exploration study examined solely, mobile telephony (which is an important aspect of ICTs) and how it promotes the creation of high-paying jobs that positively impact socio-economic development in Ghana from the service providers. perspective. This academic study focusing solely on Ghana mobile telephony service providers is the first of its…

Impact of long-term contraceptive promotion on incident pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial among HIV-positive couples in Lusaka, Zambia.

PubMed

Wall, Kristin M; Vwalika, Bellington; Haddad, Lisa; Khu, Naw H; Vwalika, Cheswa; Kilembe, William; Chomba, Elwyn; Stephenson, Rob; Kleinbaum, David; Nizam, Azhar; Brill, Ilene; Tichacek, Amanda; Allen, Susan

2013-05-01

To evaluate the impact of family planning promotion on incident pregnancy in a combined effort to address Prongs 1 and 2 of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. We conducted a factorial randomized controlled trial of 2 video-based interventions. "Methods" and "Motivational" messages promoted long-term contraceptive use among 1060 couples with HIV in Lusaka, Zambia. Among couples not using contraception before randomization (n = 782), the video interventions had no impact on incident pregnancy. Among baseline contraceptive users, viewing the "Methods video" which focused on the intrauterine device and contraceptive implant was associated with a significantly lower pregnancy incidence [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.19 to 0.75] relative to those viewing control and/or motivational videos. The effect was strongest in concordant positive couples (HR = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.08 to 0.58) and couples with HIV-positive women (HR = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.55). The "Methods video" intervention was previously shown to increase uptake of long-acting contraception and to prompt a shift from daily oral contraceptives to quarterly injectables and long-acting methods such as the intrauterine device and implant. Follow-up confirms sustained intervention impact on pregnancy incidence among baseline contraceptive users, in particular couples with HIV-positive women. Further work is needed to identify effective interventions to promote long-acting contraception among couples who have not yet adopted modern methods.

Positive criminology in practice.

PubMed

Ronel, Natti; Segev, Dana

2014-11-01

The discourse regarding offender rehabilitation has been criticized by various scholars who have claimed that reducing negative causes and managing risk will not automatically prompt positive human development and elements that are associated with desistance. Positive criminology is an innovative concept that challenges the common preoccupation with negative elements, by placing emphasis on human encounters and forces of inclusion that are experienced positively by target individuals and that can promote crime desistance. However, as the concept is relatively new, there are still no guiding principles for the practice of positive criminology that could direct research and the criminal justice system. This article attempts to fill that gap by providing principles that could be practiced by criminal justice personnel and examples of different interventions that reflect positive criminology. The article also provides ideological explanations for adopting the concept of positive criminology in practice. © The Author(s) 2013.

Increasing Knowledge and Self-Efficacy through a Pre-Service Course on Promoting Positive School Climate: The Crucial Role of Reducing Moral Disengagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crooks, Claire V.; Jaffe, Peter G.; Rodriguez, Arely

2017-01-01

Teachers play an important role in promoting a positive school climate, which in turns supports academic achievement and positive mental health among students. This study evaluated the impact of a pre-service teacher education course addressing a range of contributors to school climate. Participants included a cohort of 212 pre-service teachers…

Motor development of infants with positional plagiocephaly.

PubMed

Kennedy, Eileen; Majnemer, Annette; Farmer, Jean-Pierre; Barr, Ronald G; Platt, Robert W

2009-01-01

Concurrent with recommendations to place infants to sleep in supine, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of infants with positional plagiocephaly (PP). Recent evidence suggests that infants who have decreased exposure to prone position may have a higher incidence of PP and may be at risk for a delay in the acquisition of certain motor skills. The purpose of this study was to compare motor development between infants with PP and matched peers without PP. We also examined differences in infant positioning practices when asleep and awake between the two groups. Twenty-seven infants with PP, 3 to 8 months of age, were matched by age, gender, and race to infants without PP. Motor performance was evaluated using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS). Parents completed a diary that recorded infant positioning over a 3-day period. Mean AIMS percentile score for infants with PP was 31.1 +/- 21.6 as compared with 42.7 +/- 20.2 in infants without PP (p = .06). Better performance on the AIMS was positively correlated with the amount of time in prone position when awake, for both groups of children (PP r = .52, no PP r = .44, p < .05). Therapists should be aware of a risk of a motor delay when evaluating infants with PP. It is also important for parents to be informed about the importance of supervised prone playtime to enhance the development of early motor skills.

Nurturing care: promoting early childhood development.

PubMed

Britto, Pia R; Lye, Stephen J; Proulx, Kerrie; Yousafzai, Aisha K; Matthews, Stephen G; Vaivada, Tyler; Perez-Escamilla, Rafael; Rao, Nirmala; Ip, Patrick; Fernald, Lia C H; MacMillan, Harriet; Hanson, Mark; Wachs, Theodore D; Yao, Haogen; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Cerezo, Adrian; Leckman, James F; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

2017-01-07

The UN Sustainable Development Goals provide a historic opportunity to implement interventions, at scale, to promote early childhood development. Although the evidence base for the importance of early childhood development has grown, the research is distributed across sectors, populations, and settings, with diversity noted in both scope and focus. We provide a comprehensive updated analysis of early childhood development interventions across the five sectors of health, nutrition, education, child protection, and social protection. Our review concludes that to make interventions successful, smart, and sustainable, they need to be implemented as multi-sectoral intervention packages anchored in nurturing care. The recommendations emphasise that intervention packages should be applied at developmentally appropriate times during the life course, target multiple risks, and build on existing delivery platforms for feasibility of scale-up. While interventions will continue to improve with the growth of developmental science, the evidence now strongly suggests that parents, caregivers, and families need to be supported in providing nurturing care and protection in order for young children to achieve their developmental potential. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Screening in School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports: Methodological Comparisons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Morgan

2012-01-01

Many schools have adopted programming designed to promote students' behavioral aptitude. A specific type of programming with this focus is School Wide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS), which combines positive behavior techniques with a system wide problem solving model. Aspects of this model are still being developed in the research…

Mental Health Intervention Teams: A Collaborative Model to Promote Positive Behavioral Support for Youth with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambros, Katina M.; Culver, Shirley K.; Angulo, Aidee; Hosmer, Pamela

2007-01-01

This paper describes an innovative intervention model for promoting mental health and positive social adjustment for youth with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) in San Diego. More specifically, it highlights a unique partnership between several program divisions within the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD), namely, the Mental Health…

Identification of cis-regulatory modules in promoters of human genes exploiting mutual positioning of transcription factors

PubMed Central

Nandi, Soumyadeep; Blais, Alexandre; Ioshikhes, Ilya

2013-01-01

In higher organisms, gene regulation is controlled by the interplay of non-random combinations of multiple transcription factors (TFs). Although numerous attempts have been made to identify these combinations, important details, such as mutual positioning of the factors that have an important role in the TF interplay, are still missing. The goal of the present work is in silico mapping of some of such associating factors based on their mutual positioning, using computational screening. We have selected the process of myogenesis as a study case, and we focused on TF combinations involving master myogenic TF Myogenic differentiation (MyoD) with other factors situated at specific distances from it. The results of our work show that some muscle-specific factors occur together with MyoD within the range of ±100 bp in a large number of promoters. We confirm co-occurrence of the MyoD with muscle-specific factors as described in earlier studies. However, we have also found novel relationships of MyoD with other factors not specific for muscle. Additionally, we have observed that MyoD tends to associate with different factors in proximal and distal promoter areas. The major outcome of our study is establishing the genome-wide connection between biological interactions of TFs and close co-occurrence of their binding sites. PMID:23913413

Social psychogenic stress promotes the development of endometriosis in mouse.

PubMed

Guo, Sun-Wei; Zhang, Qi; Liu, Xishi

2017-03-01

Exposure to chronic stress before and well after the induction of endometriosis is reported to increase lesion sizes in rats, but it is unclear whether stress, exposed shortly after the induction of endometriosis, would also promote the development of endometriosis, nor is it clear what the underlying possible molecular mechanism is. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that chronic stress can promote the development of endometriosis. A prospective randomized mouse experiment was conducted that subjected mice with induced endometriosis to predator stress. In addition, a cross-sectional immunohistochemistry study was performed in ectopic and eutopic endometrial tissue samples from age- and roughly menstrual phase-matched women with ovarian endometriomas. It was found that the chronic psychogenic stress induced epigenetic changes in the hippocampus in mouse independent of endometriosis. It was also found that chronic psychogenic stress induced epigenetic changes in the hippocampus of mice with endometriosis, and seemingly activated the adrenergic signalling in ectopic endometrium, resulting in increased angiogenesis and accelerated growth of endometriotic lesions. Thus, chronic psychogenic stress promotes endometriosis development, raising the possibility that the use of anti-depressants in cases of prolonged and intense stress might forestall the negative impact of stress on the development of endometriosis. Copyright © 2016 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding among HIV-positive mothers: an exploratory qualitative study.

PubMed

Hazemba, Alice N; Ncama, Busisiwe P; Sithole, Sello L

2016-01-01

Exclusive breastfeeding has the potential to reduce infant and under-five mortality, but research shows the practice is not widespread in resource-poor settings of sub-Saharan Africa. We explored factors influencing the decision to exclusively breastfeed among HIV-positive mothers accessing interventions for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in selected sites of Zambia. This exploratory qualitative study was embedded in research conducted on: HIV and infant feeding; choices and decision-outcomes in the context of prevention of mother-to-child transmission among HIV-positive mothers in Zambia. Thirty HIV-positive mothers and six key informants were recruited from two health facilities providing mother-to-child HIV transmission prevention services. A semi-structured guide was used to conduct interviews, which were digitally recorded and simultaneously transcribed. Data coding and analysis was done with the support of QRS Nvivo 10 version software. Despite the known benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, gaps in understanding and potential for behaviour change remained. We found that information promoting exclusive breastfeeding may have been understood by mothers as instructions from the health care workers indicating how to feed their HIV-exposed babies rather than as an option for the mothers' own informed-decision. This understanding influenced a mother's perceptions of breast milk safety while on antiretroviral medicine, of the formula feeding option, and of the baby crying after breastfeeding. The meanings mothers attached to exclusive breastfeeding thus influenced their understanding of breast milk insufficiency, abrupt weaning and mixed feeding in the context of preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. In order to enhance feeding practices for HIV-exposed infants, our study suggests a broader health campaign supporting all mothers to exclusively breastfeed.

Effects of transcriptional start site sequence and position on nucleotide-sensitive selection of alternative start sites at the pyrC promoter in Escherichia coli.

PubMed Central

Liu, J; Turnbough, C L

1994-01-01

In Escherichia coli, expression of the pyrC gene is regulated primarily by a translational control mechanism based on nucleotide-sensitive selection of transcriptional start sites at the pyrC promoter. When intracellular levels of CTP are high, pyrC transcripts are initiated predominantly with CTP at a site 7 bases downstream of the Pribnow box. These transcripts form a stable hairpin at their 5' ends that blocks ribosome binding. When the CTP level is low and the GTP level is high, conditions found in pyrimidine-limited cells, transcripts are initiated primarily with GTP at a site 9 bases downstream of the Pribnow box. These shorter transcripts are unable to form a hairpin at their 5' ends and are readily translated. In this study, we examined the effects of nucleotide sequence and position on the selection of transcriptional start sites at the pyrC promoter. We characterized promoter mutations that systematically alter the sequence at position 7 or 9 downstream of the Pribnow box or vary the spacing between the Pribnow box and wild-type transcriptional initiation region. The results reveal preferences for particular initiating nucleotides (ATP > or = GTP > UTP >> CTP) and for starting positions downstream of the Pribnow box (7 >> 6 and 8 > 9 > 10). The results indicate that optimal nucleotide-sensitive start site switching at the wild-type pyrC promoter is the result of competition between the preferred start site (position 7) that uses the poorest initiating nucleotide (CTP) and a weak start site (position 9) that uses a good initiating nucleotide (GTP). The sequence of the pyrC promoter also minimizes the synthesis of untranslatable transcripts and provides for maximum stability of the regulatory transcript hairpin. In addition, the results show that the effects of the mutations on pyrC expression and regulation are consistent with the current model for translational control. Possible effects of preferences for initiating nucleotides and start sites on the

Promotion to professor: a career development resource.

PubMed

Sanfey, Hilary

2010-10-01

By the time a faculty member is being considered for promotion to full professor, he/she will be about 10 years out of residency training and will almost certainly have prior experience with the academic promotion process. The preparation for promotion to full professor should begin soon after the promotion to associate professor. This is a time to reassess opportunities, resources, skills, and career goals. The timing of the promotion to full professor is usually less rigid than the timeframe for promotion at lower ranks, but schools vary in this regard. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Serotonin Transporter Promoter Polymorphism and Childhood Positive and Negative Emotionality

PubMed Central

Hayden, Elizabeth P.; Klein, Daniel N.; Sheikh, Haroon I.; Olino, Thomas M.; Dougherty, Lea R.; Dyson, Margaret W.; Durbin, C. Emily; Singh, Shiva M.

2011-01-01

Association studies of the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) and negative emotionality (NE) are inconclusive. However, emerging evidence suggests that the association between this polymorphism and NE may be influenced by levels of another temperament trait, positive emotionality (PE). Therefore, this study examined whether the association between the 5-HTTLPR and NE was moderated by PE. A community sample of 413 three-year-old children completed a standardized battery of laboratory tasks designed to tap temperamental emotionality. Children were also genotyped for the 5-HTTLPR. No direct association between 5-HTTLPR genotype and NE was found. However, the interaction of child PE and NE predicted 5-HTTLPR genotype. Furthermore, children with a short allele who were also low in PE had significantly greater NE than children without a short allele or children with high PE. Our findings suggest that the short allele of the 5-HTTLPR is associated with NE only in the context of low PE. Inconsistent links between NE and this gene in previous research may stem from the failure to consider other temperament traits that moderate associations. PMID:21038952

Sustainable development goals for health promotion: a critical frame analysis.

PubMed

Spencer, Grace; Corbin, J Hope; Miedema, Esther

2018-05-25

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) lay the foundations for supporting global health and international development work for the next 15 years. Thirty years ago, the Ottawa Charter defined health promotion and outlined key principles for global action on health, including the importance of advocating, enabling and mediating for health equity. Advocacy underscores a human right to health and suggests political action to support its attainment. Enabling speaks to health promotion's focus on the empowerment of people and communities to take control over their health and aspirations. Mediation draws attention to the critical intersectoral partnerships required to address health and social inequities. Underpinned by this approach, the aim of this paper is to consider how key health promotion principles, namely, rights, empowerment and partnership feature (and are framed) within the SDGs and to consider how these framings may shape future directions for health promotion. To that end, a critical frame analysis of the Transforming Our World document was conducted. The analysis interrogated varying uses and meanings of partnerships, empowerment and rights (and their connections) within the SDGs. The analysis here presents three framings from the SDGs: (1) a moral code for global action on (in)equity; (2) a future orientation to address global issues yet devoid of history; and (3) a reductionist framing of health as the absence of disease. These framings raise important questions about the underpinning values of the SDGs and pathways to health equity - offering both challenges and opportunities for defining the nature and scope of health promotion.

Promoter classifier: software package for promoter database analysis.

PubMed

Gershenzon, Naum I; Ioshikhes, Ilya P

2005-01-01

Promoter Classifier is a package of seven stand-alone Windows-based C++ programs allowing the following basic manipulations with a set of promoter sequences: (i) calculation of positional distributions of nucleotides averaged over all promoters of the dataset; (ii) calculation of the averaged occurrence frequencies of the transcription factor binding sites and their combinations; (iii) division of the dataset into subsets of sequences containing or lacking certain promoter elements or combinations; (iv) extraction of the promoter subsets containing or lacking CpG islands around the transcription start site; and (v) calculation of spatial distributions of the promoter DNA stacking energy and bending stiffness. All programs have a user-friendly interface and provide the results in a convenient graphical form. The Promoter Classifier package is an effective tool for various basic manipulations with eukaryotic promoter sequences that usually are necessary for analysis of large promoter datasets. The program Promoter Divider is described in more detail as a representative component of the package.

Glycerol positive promoters for tailored metabolic engineering of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Ho, Ping-Wei; Klein, Mathias; Futschik, Matthias; Nevoigt, Elke

2018-05-01

Glycerol offers several advantages as a substrate for biotechnological applications. An important step toward using the popular production host Saccharomyces cerevisiae for glycerol-based bioprocesses has been the fact that in recent studies commonly used S. cerevisiae strains were engineered to grow in synthetic medium containing glycerol as the sole carbon source. For metabolic engineering projects of S. cerevisiae growing on glycerol, characterized promoters are missing. In the current study, we used transcriptome analysis and a yECitrine-based fluorescence reporter assay to select and characterize 25 useful promoters. The promoters of the genes ALD4 and ADH2 showed 4.2-fold and 3-fold higher activities compared to the well-known strong TEF1 promoter. Moreover, the collection contains promoters with graded activities in synthetic glycerol medium and different degrees of glucose repression. To demonstrate the general applicability of the promoter collection, we successfully used a subset of the characterized promoters with graded activities in order to optimize growth on glycerol in an engineered derivative of CEN.PK, in which glycerol catabolism exclusively occurs via a non-native DHA pathway.

Systems of care as asset-building communities: implementing strengths-based planning and positive youth development.

PubMed

McCammon, Susan L

2012-06-01

Using a strength-based approach is one of the hallmarks of the system of care (SOC) initiative, and is consistent with the foundations of community psychology. However, while strengths-based planning is recommended and child and family teams often list child and family strengths, the care plans often do not incorporate the strengths in strategies and interventions. The research base regarding strength implementation and effectiveness is summarized, and needed research is outlined. Steps are offered for promoting the use of strengths in SOCS. Implementing programs from the field of positive youth development is advocated as a way that the educational and criminal justice systems could be more actively engaged in implementing strength-based strategies in SOCs. Promoting SOCs to focus more attentively to asset-building (at the child, family, and community level) is compatible with a public health model that addresses mental health concerns in the context of a full range of supports and services so that all children might experience good mental health and realize their potential.

[More Health in Urban Districts: The Integration of Health Promotion in Urban Development].

PubMed

Reimann, B; Böhme, C

2015-09-01

Poverty represents a considerable health risk. As social- and health-related disadvantages are spatially concentrated, municipalities must take up the task of forging a stronger link between urban district development and health promotion than has thus far been the case. Moreover, they must put health promotion as part of urban district development as an item on the agenda. The present contribution illustrates in which ways health promotion in disadvantaged urban districts and its scientific monitoring and evaluation can be successful. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Intervention Mapping to Develop a Print Resource for Dog-Walking Promotion in Canada.

PubMed

Campbell, Julia; Dwyer, John J M; Coe, Jason B

Promoting dog walking among dog owners is consistent with One Health, which focuses on the mutual health benefits of the human-animal relationship for people and animals. In this study, we used intervention mapping (a framework to develop programs and resources for health promotion) to develop a clearer understanding of the determinants of dog walking to develop curricular and educational resources for promoting regular dog walking among dog owners. Twenty-six adult dog owners in Ontario participated in a semi-structured interview about dog walking in 2014. Thematic analysis entailing open, axial, and selective coding was conducted. Among the reasons why the participating dog owners walk their dog were the obligation to the dog, the motivation from the dog, self-efficacy, the dog's health, the owner's health, socialization, a well-behaved dog, and having a routine. The main barriers to dog walking were weather, lack of time, the dog's behavior while walking, and feeling unsafe. We compared interview results to findings in previous studies of dog walking to create a list of determinants of dog walking that we used to create a matrix of change objectives. Based on these results, we developed a print resource to promote regular dog walking among dog owners. The findings can be used by veterinary educators to inform course content that specifically educates veterinary students on the promotion of dog walking among dog owners and the benefits to both humans and animals. The study also offers veterinarians a further understanding upon which to initiate a conversation and develop educational resources for promoting regular dog walking among dog-owning clients.

Developing New Reading Assessments to Promote Beginning Reading in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koh, Kim H.; Paris, Scott G.

2011-01-01

Effective reading instruction and intervention are rooted in effective assessments of children's developing skills in reading. The article aims to describe the development of new reading assessments to help promote beginning reading in Singapore primary schools. We begin with an introduction to the educational landscape and policies before…

Accelerate social development to promote the advancement of society.

PubMed

Hao, J

1995-02-01

The statement of the vice minister of the Chinese State Planning Commission emphasized the achievements made by the government in improving the quality of life of the Chinese people, protecting the environment, controlling population growth, improving health and employment, improving public and social security, and promoting national solidarity. The Chinese government will look forward to sharing the Chinese experiences with social development at the forthcoming UN World Summit on Social Development in March, 1995. Since 1980 a national program for economic development has been in force. Since 1949 and the founding of the People's Republic and particularly since 1978, many advances have been made. The Chinese government has been able to provide adequate food and clothing for a population comprising 22% of the world's population living on 7% of the world's land. Not only have basic living standards been met, but per capital disposable income has increased. Ownership of durable consumer goods has increased to the level of moderately developed countries. Radio messages reach about 80% of the population, and television reaches about 83% of the population. Family planning programs have promoted a balance among population with ecology and socioeconomic development. The rate of natural increase has declined from 25.83 in 1970 to 11.45 in 1993. The crude birth rate for the same period declined from 33.43 to 18.09. The crude death rate has remained at about 6-7 per 1000 population. The total fertility rate has been reduced to 2.0. Life expectancy has increased from 65 years to 70 years. Illiteracy among the population 15 years and older has greater improved; the illiteracy rate among youth and adults was 7% in 1993. Environmental policies have brought industrial pollution under strict control. Sewage treatment plants have been built. Natural gas and centralized heating have been promoted. Sound agricultural practices have been promoted. Reforestation efforts have resulted

Eye health promotion and the prevention of blindness in developing countries: critical issues.

PubMed

Hubley, J; Gilbert, C

2006-03-01

This review explores the role of health promotion in the prevention of avoidable blindness in developing countries. Using examples from eye health and other health topics from developing countries, the review demonstrates that effective eye health promotion involves a combination of three components: health education directed at behaviour change to increase adoption of prevention behaviours and uptake of services; improvements in health services such as the strengthening of patient education and increased accessibility and acceptability; and advocacy for improved political support for blindness prevention policies. Current eye health promotion activities can benefit by drawing on experiences gained by health promotion activities in other health topics especially on the use of social research and behavioural models to understand factors determining health decision making and the appropriate choice of methods and settings. The challenge ahead is to put into practice what we know does work. An expansion of advocacy-the third and most undeveloped component of health promotion-is essential to convince governments to channel increased resources to eye health promotion and the goals of Vision 2020.

Developing and promoting hygiene in the home and community.

PubMed

Bloomfield, S F; Signorelli, C; Fara, G

2010-01-01

The last two decades have seen infectious diseases (IDs) moving back up the health agenda. If the burden of ID is to be contained, the responsibility must be shared by the public. The International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH) is working to raise awareness of the role of home hygiene, and promote understanding of hygiene practice. To develop a strategy for home hygiene, IFH has used the available scientific data to formulate a risk-based approach. This "targeted hygiene" approach maximises protection against infection, whilst minimising any impact on the environment from cleaning and disinfection products, minimising any risks associated antimicrobial resistance, and sustaining interaction with the microbial flora of the environment. IFH has developed a comprehensive range of materials which are being promoted through the IFH website and other channels. Analysis of website traffic indicates significant demand for home hygiene information including scientific material and information in "plain language".

MiR-27b Promotes Muscle Development by Inhibiting MDFI Expression.

PubMed

Hou, Lianjie; Xu, Jian; Jiao, Yiren; Li, Huaqin; Pan, Zhicheng; Duan, Junli; Gu, Ting; Hu, Chingyuan; Wang, Chong

2018-01-01

Skeletal muscle plays an essential role in the body movement. However, injuries to the skeletal muscle are common. Lifelong maintenance of skeletal muscle function largely depends on preserving the regenerative capacity of muscle. Muscle satellite cells proliferation, differentiation, and myoblast fusion play an important role in muscle regeneration after injury. Therefore, understanding of the mechanisms associated with muscle development during muscle regeneration is essential for devising the alternative treatments for muscle injury in the future. Edu staining, qRT-PCR and western blot were used to evaluate the miR-27b effects on pig muscle satellite cells (PSCs) proliferation and differentiation in vitro. Then, we used bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay to predict and confirm the miR-27b target gene. Finally, we elucidate the target gene function on muscle development in vitro and in vivo through Edu staining, qRT-PCR, western blot, H&E staining and morphological observation. miR-27b inhibits PSCs proliferation and promotes PSCs differentiation. And the miR-27b target gene, MDFI, promotes PSCs proliferation and inhibits PSCs differentiation in vitro. Furthermore, interfering MDFI expression promotes mice muscle regeneration after injury. our results conclude that miR-27b promotes PSCs myogenesis by targeting MDFI. These results expand our understanding of muscle development mechanism in which miRNAs and genes work collaboratively in regulating skeletal muscle development. Furthermore, this finding has implications for obtaining the alternative treatments for patients with the muscle injury. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Learning reflexively from a health promotion professional development program in Canada.

PubMed

Tremblay, Marie-Claude; Richard, Lucie; Brousselle, Astrid; Beaudet, Nicole

2014-09-01

In recent decades, reflexivity has received much attention in the professional education and training literature, especially in the public health and health promotion fields. Despite general agreement on the importance of reflexivity, there appears to be no consensus on how to assess reflexivity or to conceptualize the different forms developed among professionals and participants of training programs. This paper presents an analysis of the reflexivity outcomes of the Health Promotion Laboratory, an innovative professional development program aimed at supporting practice changes among health professionals by fostering competency development and reflexivity. More specifically, this paper explores the difference between two levels of reflexivity (formative and critical) and highlights some implications of each for practice. Data were collected through qualitative interviews with participants from two intervention sites. Results showed that involvement in the Health Promotion Laboratory prompted many participants to modify their vision of their practice and professional role, indicating an impact on reflexivity. In many cases, new understandings seem to have played a formative function in enabling participants to improve their practice and their role as health promoters. The reflective process also served a critical function culminating in a social and moral understanding of the impacts on society of the professionals' practices and roles. This type of outcome is greatly desired in health promotion, given the social justice and equity concerns of this field of practice. By redefining the theoretical concept of reflexivity on two levels and discussing their impacts on practice, this study supports the usefulness of both levels of reflexivity. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Worksite Health Promotion Capacity Instrument (WHPCI): development, validation and approaches for determining companies' levels of health promotion capacity.

PubMed

Jung, Julia; Nitzsche, Anika; Neumann, Melanie; Wirtz, Markus; Kowalski, Christoph; Wasem, Jürgen; Stieler-Lorenz, Brigitte; Pfaff, Holger

2010-09-13

The Worksite Health Promotion Capacity Instrument (WHPCI) was developed to assess two key factors for effective worksite health promotion: collective willingness and the systematic implementation of health promotion activities in companies. This study evaluates the diagnostic qualities of the WHPCI based on its subscales Health Promotion Willingness and Health Promotion Management, which can be used to place companies into four different categories based on their level of health promotion capacity. Psychometric evaluation was conducted using exploratory factor and reliability analyses with data taken from a random sample of managers from n = 522 German information and communication technology (ICT) companies. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted to determine further diagnostic qualities of the instrument and to establish the cut-off scores used to determine each company's level of health promotion capacity. The instrument's subscales, Health Promotion Willingness and Health Promotion Management, are based on one-dimensional constructs, each with very good reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.83/0.91). ROC analyses demonstrated satisfactory diagnostic accuracy with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.76 (SE = 0.021; 95% CI 0.72-0.80) for the Health Promotion Willingness scale and 0.81 (SE = 0.021; 95% CI 0.77-0.86) for the Health Promotion Management scale. A cut-off score with good sensitivity (71%/76%) and specificity (69%/75%) was determined for each scale. Both scales were found to have good predictive power and exhibited good efficiency. Our findings indicate preliminary evidence for the validity and reliability of both subscales of the WHPCI. The goodness of each cut-off score suggests that the scales are appropriate for determining companies' levels of health promotion capacity. Support in implementing (systematic) worksite health promotion can then be tailored to each company's needs based on their current capacity level.

Developing a Promotional Campaign for a Statewide Continuing Education System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munger, Paul; And Others

1981-01-01

Describes activities developed in promoting a statewide continuing education system. They included television and radio advertisements, a user's manual, and a logo. Program evaluation and implementation are also discussed. (CT)

Stability and Change in Positive Development during Young Adulthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Mary T.; Letcher, Primrose; Sanson, Ann; O'Connor, Meredith; Toumbourou, John W.; Olsson, Craig

2011-01-01

Calls have been made for a greater focus on successful development and how positive functioning can be conceptualized in theory and empirical research. Drawing on a large Australian community sample (N = 890; 61.7% female), this article examines the structure and stability of positive development at two time points during young adulthood.…

Tissue-autonomous promotion of palisade cell development by phototropin 2 in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Kozuka, Toshiaki; Kong, Sam-Geun; Doi, Michio; Shimazaki, Ken-ichiro; Nagatani, Akira

2011-10-01

Light is an important environmental information source that plants use to modify their growth and development. Palisade parenchyma cells in leaves develop cylindrical shapes in response to blue light; however, the photosensory mechanism for this response has not been elucidated. In this study, we analyzed the palisade cell response in phototropin-deficient mutants. First, we found that two different light-sensing mechanisms contributed to the response in different proportions depending on the light intensity. One response observed under lower intensities of blue light was mediated exclusively by a blue light photoreceptor, phototropin 2 (PHOT2). Another response was elicited under higher intensities of light in a phototropin-independent manner. To determine the tissue in which PHOT2 perceives the light stimulus to regulate the response, green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged PHOT2 (P2G) was expressed under the control of tissue-specific promoters in the phot1 phot2 mutant background. The results revealed that the expression of P2G in the mesophyll, but not in the epidermis, promoted palisade cell development. Furthermore, a constitutively active C-terminal kinase fragment of PHOT2 fused to GFP (P2CG) promoted the development of cylindrical palisade cells in the proper direction without the directional cue provided by light. Hence, in response to blue light, PHOT2 promotes the development of cylindrical palisade cells along a predetermined axis in a tissue-autonomous manner.

Adrenomedullin promotes lung angiogenesis, alveolar development, and repair.

PubMed

Vadivel, Arul; Abozaid, Sameh; van Haaften, Tim; Sawicka, Monika; Eaton, Farah; Chen, Ming; Thébaud, Bernard

2010-08-01

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and emphysema are significant global health problems at the extreme stages of life. Both are characterized by alveolar simplification and abnormal distal airspace enlargement due to arrested development or loss of alveoli, respectively. Both lack effective treatments. Mechanisms that inhibit distal lung growth are poorly understood. Adrenomedullin (AM), a recently discovered potent vasodilator, promotes angiogenesis and has protective effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory system. Its role in the developing lung is unknown. We hypothesized that AM promotes lung angiogenesis and alveolar development. Accordingly, we report that lung mRNA expression of AM increases during normal alveolar development. In vivo, intranasal administration of the AM antagonist, AM22-52 decreases lung capillary density (12.4 +/- 1.5 versus 18 +/- 1.5 in control animals; P < 0.05) and impairs alveolar development (mean linear intercept, 52.3 +/- 1.5 versus 43.8 +/- 1.8 [P < 0.05] and septal counts 62.0 +/- 2.7 versus 90.4 +/- 3.5 [P < 0.05]) in neonatal rats, resulting in larger and fewer alveoli, reminiscent of BPD. This was associated with decreased lung endothelial nitric oxide synthase and vascular endothelial growth factor-A mRNA expression. In experimental oxygen-induced BPD, a model of arrested lung vascular and alveolar growth, AM attenuates arrested lung angiogenesis (vessel density, 6.9 +/- 1.1 versus 16.2 +/- 1.3, P < 0.05) and alveolar development (mean linear intercept, 51.9 +/- 3.2 versus 44.4 +/- 0.7, septal counts 47.6 +/- 3.4 versus 67.7 +/- 4.0, P < 0.05), an effect in part mediated by inhibition of apoptosis. AM also prevents pulmonary hypertension in this model, as assessed by decreased right ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary artery medial wall thickness. Our findings suggest a role for AM during normal alveolar development. AM may have therapeutic potential in diseases associated with alveolar injury.

Positive Youth Development, Willful Adolescents, and Mentoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Reed

2006-01-01

This article describes positive youth development as a process in which young people's capacity for being motivated by challenge energizes their active engagement in development. The first part of the article discusses the conditions under which this motivation is activated and considers obstacles to its activation in daily life. The second part…

Empowered Learning in Secondary Schools: Promoting Positive Youth Development through a Multi­Tiered System of Supports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hazel, Cynthia E.

2016-01-01

Positive youth development is a strengths-based, positive psychology approach to fostering adolescents' educational engagement and achievement. It focuses not just on students' academic development but also on their vocational, social, and emotional development. The positive youth development philosophy is at the heart of Cynthia Hazel's unique…

Moral Competence as a Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review

PubMed Central

Ma, Hing Keung

2012-01-01

Moral competence refers to the affective orientation to perform altruistic behaviors and the ability to judge moral issues logically. A five-stage theory of moral development is proposed. Both western and Chinese perspectives are incorporated in the elaboration of the characteristics of each stage. A brief review of the antecedents of moral competence is presented. The relationship between moral competence and adolescent developmental outcomes is also discussed. Some practical ways to promote moral competence are suggested. School-based programs may be effective in the promotion of moral competence provided it is based on all-round or whole-person development and the length of the program should be sufficiently long. PMID:22629153

Evaluation development for a physical activity positive youth development program for girls.

PubMed

Ullrich-French, Sarah; Cole, Amy N; Montgomery, Anna K

2016-04-01

Girls on the Run (GOTR) is an after school program for girls in third through fifth grade which utilizes a physical activity based positive youth development curriculum that culminates with completing a 5K run. Unfortunately, there is little empirical data documenting GOTR participant changes that align with the curriculum and describe the evaluation process. Therefore, this study presents an evaluation of GOTR consisting of three main processes: curriculum content analysis and stakeholder focus groups (N=11) to identify key outcomes of the program; community-based participatory research to collaborate with program personnel to further identify important outcomes; and the design and pilot testing of an instrument (N=104) for assessing changes in the theoretically grounded outcomes over time. Findings demonstrated a positive collaborative process that led to important information to be used for an impact evaluation of Girls on the Run and for future evaluation development efforts for physical activity based positive youth development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Positive Activities Campaign.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (DHHS/PHS), Rockville, MD. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

This packet contains four pamphlets that are part of a campaign to encourage adults to provide and promote positive activities for youth and to serve as role models for young people. "Positive Activities: A Campaign for Youth" includes information on what positive activities are, how to get involved in helping to provide positive activities for…

7 CFR 1216.23 - Promotion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... AND ORDERS; MISCELLANEOUS COMMODITIES), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PEANUT PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND INFORMATION ORDER Peanut Promotion, Research, and Information Order Definitions § 1216.23 Promotion. Promotion... image of peanuts to the public to improve the competitive position of peanuts in the marketplace...

Wellness Promotion in the Schools: Enhancing Students' Mental and Physical Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, David N.; Gilman, Rich; Martens, Matthew P.

2007-01-01

Wellness promotion addresses both the reduction of disorder and disease and the enhancement of mental and physical health. There is increasing evidence of a strong and reciprocal relationship between mental and physical health, and linking these two areas may be particularly useful for promoting positive youth development in school contexts. This…

Mechanisms for Promoting the Development of Cognitive, Social and Affective Graduate Attributes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kember, David; Hong, Celina; Yau, Vickie W. K.; Ho, Shun Amaly

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to help universities promote graduate attributes by investigating mechanisms for promoting the development of cognitive, social and affective attributes which could impact upon all undergraduate students. Small group interviews were conducted with 90 final year students at a university in Hong Kong. Interview transcripts…

Health warnings promote healthier dietary decision making: Effects of positive versus negative message framing and graphic versus text-based warnings.

PubMed

Rosenblatt, Daniel H; Bode, Stefan; Dixon, Helen; Murawski, Carsten; Summerell, Patrick; Ng, Alyssa; Wakefield, Melanie

2018-08-01

Food product health warnings have been proposed as a potential obesity prevention strategy. This study examined the effects of text-only and text-and-graphic, negatively and positively framed health warnings on dietary choice behavior. In a 2 × 5 mixed experimental design, 96 participants completed a dietary self-control task. After providing health and taste ratings of snack foods, participants completed a baseline measure of dietary self-control, operationalized as participants' frequency of choosing healthy but not tasty items and rejecting unhealthy yet tasty items to consume at the end of the experiment. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of five health warning groups and presented with 10 health warnings of a given form: text-based, negative framing; graphic, negative framing; text, positive framing; graphic, positive framing; or a no warning control. Participants then completed a second dietary decision making session to determine whether health warnings influenced dietary self-control. Linear mixed effects modeling revealed a significant interaction between health warning group and decision stage (pre- and post-health warning presentation) on dietary self-control. Negatively framed graphic health warnings promoted greater dietary self-control than other health warnings. Negatively framed text health warnings and positively framed graphic health warnings promoted greater dietary self-control than positively framed text health warnings and control images, which did not increase dietary self-control. Overall, HWs primed healthier dietary decision making behavior, with negatively framed graphic HWs being most effective. Health warnings have potential to become an important element of obesity prevention. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A health promotion practicum targeting the college-age population.

PubMed

Diebold, C M; Chappell, H W; Robinson, M K

2000-01-01

Senior and sophomore baccalaureate nursing students at the University of Kentucky developed a health promotion exposition that targeted college students. This experience gave senior students the opportunity to practice leadership and management skills, such as planning, organizing, collaborating, delegating, evaluating, and time management and conflict resolution. Sophomore students developed teaching abilities, practiced assessment and communication techniques, and increased their knowledge of health-promoting behaviors. Both groups experienced team building and demonstrated accountability. Students reported a positive learning experience that met various course objectives in an innovative way.

The stuff that dreams are made of: HIV-positive adolescents' aspirations for development.

PubMed

Hodes, Rebecca; Doubt, Jenny; Toska, Elona; Vale, Beth; Zungu, Nompumelelo; Cluver, Lucie

2018-02-01

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) commit to strengthening collaborations between governments and civil society. Adolescents are among the key target populations for global development initiatives, but research studies and programmes rarely include their direct perspectives on how to promote health and wellbeing. This article explores how both the methods and the findings of participatory research provide insights into adolescents' aspirations across the domains of health and social development. It investigates how adolescents conceive of health and social services as interconnected, and how this reflects the multisectoral objectives of the SDGs. This research was conducted within a longitudinal, mixed-methods study of HIV-positive adolescents (n = 80 qualitative participants, n = 1060 quantitative interviews). Between November 2013 and February 2014, a participatory exercise - the "dream clinic" - was piloted with 25 adolescents in South Africa's Eastern Cape. Key themes were identified based on the insights shared by participants, and through visual and thematic analysis. These findings were explored through a second participatory exercise, "Yummy or crummy? You are the Mzantsi Wakho masterchef !," conducted in January 2016. Findings are described in relation to emerging quantitative results. Mixed methods explored associations between access to food, medicines, clean water and sanitation in HIV-positive adolescents' aspirations for development. The exercises produced practicable recommendations for innovations in development, based on associations between healthcare, food security, clean water and sanitation, while illustrating the value of partnership and collaboration (the objective of SDG17). Findings capture strong interlinkages between SDGs 2, 3 and 6 - confirming the importance of specific SDGs for HIV-positive adolescents. Study results informed the objectives of South Africa's National and Adolescent and Youth Health Policy (2017

TRUSS exacerbates NAFLD development by promoting IκBα degradation.

PubMed

Yu, Chang-Jiang; Wang, Qiu-Shi; Wu, Ming-Ming; Song, Bin-Lin; Liang, Chen; Lou, Jie; Tang, Liang-Liang; Yu, Xiao-Di; Niu, Na; Yang, Xu; Zhang, Bao-Long; Qu, Yao; Liu, Yang; Dong, Zhi-Chao; Zhang, Zhi-Ren

2018-04-27

There is no effective treatment method for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common liver disease. The exact mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of NAFLD remains to be elucidated. Here, we report that tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated ubiquitous scaffolding and signaling protein (TRUSS) acts as a positive regulator of NAFLD and in a variety of metabolic disorders. TRUSS expression was respectively increased in the human liver specimens with NAFLD or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and in the livers of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced and genetically obese (ob/ob) mice. Conditional knockout of TRUSS in hepatocytes significantly ameliorated hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance (IR), glucose intolerance, and inflammatory responses in mice after HFD challenge or in spontaneous obese mice with normal chow (NC) feeding. All these HFD-induced pathological phenotypes were exacerbated in mice overexpressing TRUSS in hepatocytes. We show that TRUSS physically interacts with IκBα and promotes the ubiquitination and degradation of IκBα, which leading to aberrant activation of NF-κB. Overexpressing IκBα S32A/S36A , a phosphorylation-resistant mutant of IκBα, in the hepatocyte-specific TRUSS overexpressing mice almost abolished HFD-induced NAFLD and metabolic disorders. Hepatocyte TRUSS promotes pathological stimuli-induced NAFLD and metabolic disorders, via activation of NF-κB by promoting ubiquitination and degradation of IκBα. Our findings may provide a novel strategy for prevention and treatment of NAFLD by targeting TRUSS. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Promoting Positive Academic Dispositions Using a Web-Based PBL Environment: The GlobalEd 2 Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Scott W.; Lawless, Kimberly A.; Boyer, Mark A.

2013-01-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional design approach for promoting student learning, understanding and knowledge development in context rich settings. Previous PBL research has primarily focused on face-to-face learning environments, but current technologies afford PBL designers the opportunities to create online, virtual, PBL…

Tailored nutritional guidance for home-dwelling AD families: the Feasibility of and Elements Promoting Positive Changes in Diet (NuAD-Trial).

PubMed

Puranen, T M; Pitkala, K H; Suominen, M H

2015-04-01

To describe the process and feasibility of our randomised, controlled intervention study (NuAD trial) that positively affected the nutrition and quality of life, and prevented falls of home-dwelling persons with Alzheimer disease (AD). This qualitative study comprised 40 persons with AD and spousal caregivers of our trial. Our intervention during one year involved tailored nutritional guidance for these couples. The nutritionist's field notes (about 100 pages) and the participant feedback questionnaires (N = 28) served to analyse the feasibility of intervention, factors promoting the application of intervention and challenges hindering it. Thematic content analysis served to analyse our data with the grounded theory approach. We identified several positive elements promoting better nutrition: positive attitudes on nutrition to participants including a participant-centred approach, positive feedback, findings of food diaries and practical suggestions. Home visits by the nutritionist were convenient and participants felt that someone cares. Group meetings which included protein-rich snacks strengthened the nutritional message by enabling discussions and socialising. The oral nutritional supplements (ONS) helped participants to regain their energy and to motivate them to exercise and make changes in their diets. Obstacles to making changes in diets included participants' false ideas about nutrition, especially with regard to weight gain. Health problems and functional limitations hampered food management, and some families had inveterate eating habits. The positive feedback from participants indicated the feasibility of our tailored nutritional guidance. Assessment-based, tailored nutritional guidance implemented with a personal and positive approach may inspire and empower AD families to make positive changes in their diets, leading them to improved nutrition and quality of life.

The way forward: experiences of health promotion development in Thailand.

PubMed

Buasai, Supakorn; Kanchanachitra, Churnrurtai; Siwaraksa, Parichart

2007-01-01

A landmark in health promotion in Thailand came in 2001 with the launching of the Universal Health Coverage Scheme at the cost of approximately USD 2 billion a year. Another important event was the establishment of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) as a health promotion funding mechanism that draws upon a 2 percent surcharge levied on alcohol and tobacco excise tax, approximately USD 50-60 million a year. The most significant institutional development is the promulgation of the National Health Act in 2007. The Act embraces the principle of human rights and key principles of the Ottawa Charter in 2005. It is a result of five years of extensive public dialogues on important health issues that enhanced public awareness and nation wide networking on health promotion. ThaiHealth regards itself as a catalyst for health promotion. The organisation collaborates with all sectors of the society, from the national to the grassroots level, and is the most notable organisation for health promotion in Thailand. ThaiHealth funds programs on health risks/issues such as alcohol, tobacco, accidents, exercise, as well as area or setting based programs, for example, school, work place, community, and programs that target specific population groups such as the youth, the elderly, Muslim community. The open grants program invites proposals from all kinds of organizations/groups interested in launching health promotion initiatives. The endeavour has started to bear fruit. Smoking and alcohol consumption rates have dropped and more people have become health conscious and do more exercise. However, much remains to be done as some population groups especially the youth have become susceptible to various kinds of health risks. This remarkable start must be sustained and reinforced by the continuation and expansion of knowledge generation and dissemination, relentless policy advocacy and creative public campaign, with a strong health promotion network as the most critical

Developing internet-based eHealth promotion programs: the Spiral Technology Action Research (STAR) model.

PubMed

Skinner, Harvey A; Maley, Oonagh; Norman, Cameron D

2006-10-01

Health education and health promotion have a tradition of using information and communication technology (ICT). In recent years, the rapid growth of the Internet has created innovative opportunities for Web-based health education and behavior change applications-termed eHealth promotion. However, many eHealth promotion applications are developed without an explicit model to guide the design, evaluation, and ongoing improvement of the program. The spiral technology action research (STAR) model was developed to address this need. The model comprises five cycles (listen, plan, do, study, act) that weave together technological development, community involvement, and continuous improvement. The model is illustrated by a case study describing the development of the Smoking Zine (www.SmokingZine.org), a youth smoking prevention and cessation Web site.

Natural Killer Cells Promote Fetal Development through the Secretion of Growth-Promoting Factors.

PubMed

Fu, Binqing; Zhou, Yonggang; Ni, Xiang; Tong, Xianhong; Xu, Xiuxiu; Dong, Zhongjun; Sun, Rui; Tian, Zhigang; Wei, Haiming

2017-12-19

Natural killer (NK) cells are present in large populations at the maternal-fetal interface during early pregnancy. However, the role of NK cells in fetal growth is unclear. Here, we have identified a CD49a + Eomes + subset of NK cells that secreted growth-promoting factors (GPFs), including pleiotrophin and osteoglycin, in both humans and mice. The crosstalk between HLA-G and ILT2 served as a stimulus for GPF-secreting function of this NK cell subset. Decreases in this GPF-secreting NK cell subset impaired fetal development, resulting in fetal growth restriction. The transcription factor Nfil3, but not T-bet, affected the function and the number of this decidual NK cell subset. Adoptive transfer of induced CD49a + Eomes + NK cells reversed impaired fetal growth and rebuilt an appropriate local microenvironment. These findings reveal properties of NK cells in promoting fetal growth. In addition, this research proposes approaches for therapeutic administration of NK cells in order to reverse restricted nourishments within the uterine microenvironment during early pregnancy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Promoting Positive Future Expectations During Adolescence: The Role of Assets.

PubMed

Stoddard, Sarah A; Pierce, Jennifer

2015-12-01

Positive future expectations can facilitate optimal development and contribute to healthier outcomes for youth. Researchers suggest that internal resources and community-level factors may influence adolescent future expectations, yet little is known about the processes through which these benefits are conferred. The present study examined the relationship between contribution to community, neighborhood collective efficacy, purpose, hope and future expectations, and tested a mediation model that linked contribution to community and collective efficacy with future expectations through purpose and hope in a sample of 7th grade youth (N = 196; Mage = 12.39; 60 % female; 40 % African American; 71 % economically disadvantaged). Greater collective efficacy and contribution to community predicted higher levels of hope and purpose. Higher levels of hope and purpose predicted more positive future expectations. Contribution to community and neighborhood collective efficacy indirectly predicted future expectations via hope. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Promoting Positive Future Expectations during Adolescence: The Role of Assets

PubMed Central

Stoddard, Sarah A.; Pierce, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Positive future expectations can facilitate optimal development and contribute to healthier outcomes for youth. Researchers suggest that internal resources and community-level factors may influence adolescent future expectations, yet little is known about the processes through which these benefits are conferred. The present study examined the relationship between contribution to community, neighborhood collective efficacy, purpose, hope and future expectations, and tested a mediation model that linked contribution to community and collective efficacy with future expectations through purpose and hope in a sample of 7th grade youth (N = 196; Mage = 12.39; 60% female; 40% African American; 71% economically disadvantaged). Greater collective efficacy and contribution to community predicted higher levels of hope and purpose. Higher levels of hope and purpose predicted more positive future expectations. Contribution to community and neighborhood collective efficacy indirectly predicted future expectations via hope. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed. PMID:26385095

Measuring Responsible Gambling amongst Players: Development of the Positive Play Scale

PubMed Central

Wood, Richard T. A.; Wohl, Michael J. A.; Tabri, Nassim; Philander, Kahlil

2017-01-01

The modern gambling industry has, by-in-large, assumed a duty of care to minimize the risks associated with gambling, which has manifested in responsible gambling (RG) programming (e.g., educating players about the odds of success). The current study fills a void in gambling operators, regulators, and researchers ability to measure RG beliefs and behavior in their player-base, with the development and validation of the Positive Play Scale (PPS). In Study 1, we reviewed the literature and consulted 30 players as well as 10 RG experts to help generate a definition of RG beliefs and behavior that helped guide item generation. In Study 2, regular players (N = 1,551) of a Canadian provincial gambling operator completed a positive play survey. Four components from a principal components analysis (PCA) were extracted: Honesty and Control, Pre-commitment, Personal Responsibility, and Gambling Literacy. The PPS subscales were either not associated with gambling frequency or had small-to-moderate negative relationships with frequency of play for games most often associated with disordered gambling (e.g., electronic games). In Study 3 (N = 413), the factor structure of the PPS was confirmed and refined in a new sample of players. Moreover, a 1-month follow-up session demonstrated that the PPS has high test-retest reliability. The PPS is the first validated scale that reliably assesses the extent to which a consumer base has positive beliefs about gambling and gambles in a positive manner. The PPS can be used by the gambling industry to objectively assess the efficacy of their RG strategy, pinpoint specific areas for future focus, as well as examine the utility of new RG initiatives that aim to promote healthy patterns of gambling consumption. Furthermore, by examining the PPS scores for different player segments (e.g., sex, age, games played) it becomes possible to tailor RG strategy to the needs of specific players. In this way, RG strategy can be optimized by focusing

Developing Health Promotion Interventions on Social Networking Sites: Recommendations from The FaceSpace Project

PubMed Central

Pedrana, Alisa E; Stoove, Mark A; Chang, Shanton; Howard, Steve; Asselin, Jason; Ilic, Olivia; Batrouney, Colin; Hellard, Margaret E

2012-01-01

Online social networking sites offer a novel setting for the delivery of health promotion interventions due to their potential to reach a large population and the possibility for two-way engagement. However, few have attempted to host interventions on these sites, or to use the range of interactive functions available to enhance the delivery of health-related messages. This paper presents lessons learnt from “The FaceSpace Project”, a sexual health promotion intervention using social networking sites targeting two key at-risk groups. Based on our experience, we make recommendations for developing and implementing health promotion interventions on these sites. Elements crucial for developing interventions include establishing a multidisciplinary team, allowing adequate time for obtaining approvals, securing sufficient resources for building and maintaining an online presence, and developing an integrated process and impact evaluation framework. With two-way interaction an important and novel feature of health promotion interventions in this medium, we also present strategies trialled to generate interest and engagement in our intervention. Social networking sites are now an established part of the online environment; our experience in developing and implementing a health promotion intervention using this medium are of direct relevance and utility for all health organizations creating a presence in this new environment. PMID:22374589

Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play

PubMed Central

Tremblay, Mark S.; Gray, Casey; Babcock, Shawna; Barnes, Joel; Costas Bradstreet, Christa; Carr, Dawn; Chabot, Guylaine; Choquette, Louise; Chorney, David; Collyer, Cam; Herrington, Susan; Janson, Katherine; Janssen, Ian; Larouche, Richard; Pickett, William; Power, Marlene; Sandseter, Ellen Beate Hansen; Simon, Brenda; Brussoni, Mariana

2015-01-01

A diverse, cross-sectorial group of partners, stakeholders and researchers, collaborated to develop an evidence-informed Position Statement on active outdoor play for children aged 3–12 years. The Position Statement was created in response to practitioner, academic, legal, insurance and public debate, dialogue and disagreement on the relative benefits and harms of active (including risky) outdoor play. The Position Statement development process was informed by two systematic reviews, a critical appraisal of the current literature and existing position statements, engagement of research experts (N = 9) and cross-sectorial individuals/organizations (N = 17), and an extensive stakeholder consultation process (N = 1908). More than 95% of the stakeholders consulted strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the Position Statement; 14/17 participating individuals/organizations endorsed it; and over 1000 additional individuals and organizations requested their name be listed as a supporter. The final Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play states: “Access to active play in nature and outdoors—with its risks— is essential for healthy child development. We recommend increasing children’s opportunities for self-directed play outdoors in all settings—at home, at school, in child care, the community and nature.” The full Position Statement provides context for the statement, evidence supporting it, and a series of recommendations to increase active outdoor play opportunities to promote healthy child development. PMID:26062040

Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play.

PubMed

Tremblay, Mark S; Gray, Casey; Babcock, Shawna; Barnes, Joel; Bradstreet, Christa Costas; Carr, Dawn; Chabot, Guylaine; Choquette, Louise; Chorney, David; Collyer, Cam; Herrington, Susan; Janson, Katherine; Janssen, Ian; Larouche, Richard; Pickett, William; Power, Marlene; Sandseter, Ellen Beate Hansen; Simon, Brenda; Brussoni, Mariana

2015-06-08

A diverse, cross-sectorial group of partners, stakeholders and researchers, collaborated to develop an evidence-informed Position Statement on active outdoor play for children aged 3-12 years. The Position Statement was created in response to practitioner, academic, legal, insurance and public debate, dialogue and disagreement on the relative benefits and harms of active (including risky) outdoor play. The Position Statement development process was informed by two systematic reviews, a critical appraisal of the current literature and existing position statements, engagement of research experts (N=9) and cross-sectorial individuals/organizations (N=17), and an extensive stakeholder consultation process (N=1908). More than 95% of the stakeholders consulted strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the Position Statement; 14/17 participating individuals/organizations endorsed it; and over 1000 additional individuals and organizations requested their name be listed as a supporter. The final Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play states: "Access to active play in nature and outdoors--with its risks--is essential for healthy child development. We recommend increasing children's opportunities for self-directed play outdoors in all settings--at home, at school, in child care, the community and nature." The full Position Statement provides context for the statement, evidence supporting it, and a series of recommendations to increase active outdoor play opportunities to promote healthy child development.

Evidence for success in health promotion: suggestions for improvement.

PubMed

Macdonald, G; Veen, C; Tones, K

1996-09-01

This paper argues that health promotion needs to develop an approach to evaluation and effectiveness that values qualitative methodologies. It posits the idea that qualitative research could learn from the experience of quantitative researchers and promote more useful ways of measuring effectiveness by the use of intermediate and indirect indicators. It refers to a European-wide project designed to gather information on the effectiveness of health promotion interventions. This project discovered that there was a need for an instrument that allowed qualitative intervention methodologies to be assessed in the same way as quantitative methods.

Development of Measures of Organizational Leadership for Health Promotion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Linda; Plotnikoff, Ronald C.; Raine, Kim; Anderson, Donna

2005-01-01

This study describes the development and psychometric evaluation of four scales measuring leadership for health promotion at an organizational level in the baseline survey (n = 144) of the Alberta Heart Health Project. Content validity was established through a series of focus groups and expert opinion appraisals, pilot testing of a draft based on…

Developing Promotional Materials for Adult Literacy Programs. Practitioner Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jae, Haeran

2014-01-01

This article reports on a specific case of the READ Center--a community-based literacy organization (CBLO) in Richmond, Virginia--and its attempt to develop promotional materials that will encourage low-literate adults to enroll in literacy programs. The article also offers insight on how literacy organizations may utilize the practical experience…

Support for the Development of Technological Innovations: Promoting Responsible Social Uses.

PubMed

Legault, Georges A; Verchère, Céline; Patenaude, Johane

2018-04-01

How can technological development, economic development, and the claims from society be reconciled? How should responsible innovation be promoted? The "responsible social uses" approach proposed here was devised with these considerations in view. In this article, a support procedure for promoting responsible social uses (RSU) is set out and presented. First, the context in which this procedure emerged, which incorporates features of both the user-experience approach and that of ethical acceptability in technological development, is specified. Next, the characteristic features of the procedure are presented, that is, its purpose, fundamental orientation, and component parts as experimented by partners. Third, the RSU approach is compared with other support approaches and considered in term of how each approach assumes responsible innovation. Briefly, the RSU procedure is a way of addressing the issue of responsible innovation through an effective integration of social concerns.

Hypoxia-inducible factors promote alveolar development and regeneration.

PubMed

Vadivel, Arul; Alphonse, Rajesh S; Etches, Nicholas; van Haaften, Timothy; Collins, Jennifer J P; O'Reilly, Megan; Eaton, Farah; Thébaud, Bernard

2014-01-01

Understanding how alveoli and the underlying capillary network develop and how these mechanisms are disrupted in disease states is critical for developing effective therapies for lung regeneration. Recent evidence suggests that lung angiogenesis promotes lung development and repair. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) preserves lung angiogenesis and alveolarization in experimental O2-induced arrested alveolar growth in newborn rats, but combined VEGF+angiopoietin 1 treatment is necessary to correct VEGF-induced vessel leakiness. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are transcription factors that activate multiple O2-sensitive genes, including those encoding for angiogenic growth factors, but their role during postnatal lung growth is incompletely understood. By inducing the expression of a range of angiogenic factors in a coordinated fashion, HIF may orchestrate efficient and safe angiogenesis superior to VEGF. We hypothesized that HIF inhibition impairs alveolarization and that HIF activation regenerates irreversible O2-induced arrested alveolar growth. HIF inhibition by intratracheal dominant-negative adenovirus (dnHIF-1α)-mediated gene transfer or chetomin decreased lung HIF-1α, HIF-2α, and VEGF expression and led to air space enlargement and arrested lung vascular growth. In experimental O2-induced arrested alveolar growth in newborn rats, the characteristic features of air space enlargement and loss of lung capillaries were associated with decreased lung HIF-1α and HIF-2α expression. Intratracheal administration of Ad.HIF-1α restored HIF-1α, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, VEGF, VEGFR2, and Tie2 expression and preserved and rescued alveolar growth and lung capillary formation in this model. HIFs promote normal alveolar development and may be useful targets for alveolar regeneration.

Role of nucleation-promoting factors in mouse early embryo development.

PubMed

Wang, Qiao-Chu; Liu, Jun; Wang, Fei; Duan, Xing; Dai, Xiao-Xin; Wang, Teng; Liu, Hong-Lin; Cui, Xiang-Shun; Sun, Shao-Chen; Kim, Nam-Hyung

2013-06-01

During mitosis nucleation-promoting factors (NPFs) bind to the Arp2/3 complex and activate actin assembly. JMY and WAVE2 are two critical members of the NPFs. Previous studies have demonstrated that NPFs promote multiple processes such as cell migration and cytokinesis. However, the role of NPFs in development of mammalian embryos is still unknown. Results of the present study show that the NPFs JMY and WAVE2 are critical for cytokinesis during development of mouse embryos. Both JMY and WAVE2 are expressed in mouse embryos. After injection of JMY or WAVE2 siRNA, all embryos failed to develop to the morula or blastocyst stages. Moreover, using fluorescence intensity analysis, we found that the expression of actin decreased, and multiple nuclei were observed within a single cell indicating that NPFs-induced actin reduction caused the failure of cell division. In addition, injection of JMY and WAVE2 siRNA also caused ARP2 degradation, indicating that involvement of NPFs in development of mouse embryos is mainly through regulation of ARP2/3-induced actin assembly. Taken together, these data suggested that WAVE2 and JMY are involved in development of mouse embryos, and their regulation may be through a NPFs-Arp2/3-actin pathway.

Promoting a Culture of Scholarship among Educational Developers: Exploring Institutional Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patel, Fay

2014-01-01

Educational developers tend to be located in centres and units of teaching and learning outside the academic mainstream. They have little opportunity to engage in scholarship. Through an overview of the literature on educational development and educational professional roles and responsibilities, the author suggests that promoting a culture of…

The Five Cs of Positive Youth Development in Norway: Assessment and Associations with Positive and Negative Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holsen, Ingrid; Geldhof, John; Larsen, Torill; Aardal, Elisabeth

2017-01-01

As the field of positive youth development (PYD) emerges internationally, models of PYD designed for use in the US must be extended to diverse contexts. For instance, a robust body of evidence supports Lerner and colleagues' Five Cs Model of PYD in the US, but it remains unclear whether the Five Cs Model can validly capture positive development in…

Professional development programs in health promotion: tools and processes to favor new practices.

PubMed

Torres, Sara; Richard, Lucie; Guichard, Anne; Chiocchio, François; Litvak, Eric; Beaudet, Nicole

2017-06-01

Developing innovative interventions that are in sync with a health promotion paradigm often represents a challenge for professionals working in local public health organizations. Thus, it is critical to have both professional development programs that favor new practices and tools to examine these practices. In this case study, we analyze the health promotion approach used in a pilot intervention addressing children's vulnerability that was developed and carried out by participants enrolled in a public health professional development program. More specifically, we use a modified version of Guichard and Ridde's (Une grille d'analyse des actions pour lutter contre les inégalités sociales de santé. In Potvin, L., Moquet, M.-J. and Jones, C. M. (eds), Réduire les Inégalités Sociales en Santé. INPES, Saint-Denis Cedex, pp. 297-312, 2010) analytical grid to assess deductively the program participants' use of health promotion practices in the analysis and planning, implementation, evaluation, sustainability and empowerment phases of the pilot intervention. We also seek evidence of practices involving (empowerment, participation, equity, holism, an ecological approach, intersectorality and sustainability) in the intervention. The results are mixed: our findings reveal evidence of the application of several dimensions of health promotion (equity, holism, an ecological approach, intersectorality and sustainability), but also a lack of integration of two key dimensions; that is, empowerment and participation, during various phases of the pilot intervention. These results show that the professional development program is associated with the adoption of a pilot intervention integrating multiple but not all dimensions of health promotion. We make recommendations to facilitate a more complete integration. This research also shows that the Guichard and Ridde grid proves to be a thorough instrument to document the practices of participants. © The Author 2015. Published by

Tissue-Autonomous Promotion of Palisade Cell Development by Phototropin 2 in Arabidopsis[W

PubMed Central

Kozuka, Toshiaki; Kong, Sam-Geun; Doi, Michio; Shimazaki, Ken-ichiro; Nagatani, Akira

2011-01-01

Light is an important environmental information source that plants use to modify their growth and development. Palisade parenchyma cells in leaves develop cylindrical shapes in response to blue light; however, the photosensory mechanism for this response has not been elucidated. In this study, we analyzed the palisade cell response in phototropin-deficient mutants. First, we found that two different light-sensing mechanisms contributed to the response in different proportions depending on the light intensity. One response observed under lower intensities of blue light was mediated exclusively by a blue light photoreceptor, phototropin 2 (PHOT2). Another response was elicited under higher intensities of light in a phototropin-independent manner. To determine the tissue in which PHOT2 perceives the light stimulus to regulate the response, green fluorescent protein (GFP)–tagged PHOT2 (P2G) was expressed under the control of tissue-specific promoters in the phot1 phot2 mutant background. The results revealed that the expression of P2G in the mesophyll, but not in the epidermis, promoted palisade cell development. Furthermore, a constitutively active C-terminal kinase fragment of PHOT2 fused to GFP (P2CG) promoted the development of cylindrical palisade cells in the proper direction without the directional cue provided by light. Hence, in response to blue light, PHOT2 promotes the development of cylindrical palisade cells along a predetermined axis in a tissue-autonomous manner. PMID:21972260

Developing Consensus on the CompHP Professional Standards for Health Promotion in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Speller, Viv; Parish, Richard; Davison, Heather; Zilnyk, Anna

2012-01-01

Building on the CompHP Core Competencies for health promotion the Professional Standards for Health Promotion have been developed and consulted on across Europe. The standards were formulated to fit within the complexity of professional, occupational and educational standards frameworks in Europe as learning outcome standards with performance…

Youth Sport Programs: An Avenue to Foster Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser-Thomas, Jessica L.; Cote, Jean; Deakin, Janice

2005-01-01

Concern about the growth in adolescent problem behaviours (e.g. delinquency, drug use) has led to increased interest in positive youth development, and a surge in funding for "after school programs." We evaluate the potential of youth sport programs to foster positive development, while decreasing the risk of problem behaviours.…

Positive psychology interventions in breast cancer. A systematic review.

PubMed

Casellas-Grau, Anna; Font, Antoni; Vives, Jaume

2014-01-01

Positive psychology is an emerging area of empirical study, not only in clinical, but also in health psychology. The present systematic review aims to synthesize the evidence about the positive psychology interventions utilized in breast cancer. Relevant studies were identified via Pubmed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, CINAHL, Wiley Online Library, TDX, and DIALNET databases (up to April 2013). Only those papers focused on interventions related to positive psychology and carried out on breast cancer patients were included. Of the 7266 articles found through databases, 16 studies were finally included in this review. Five groups of therapies were found: mindfulness-based approaches, expression of positive emotions, spiritual interventions, hope therapy, and meaning-making interventions. These specific interventions promoted positive changes in breast cancer participants, such as enhanced quality of life, well-being, hope, benefit finding, or optimism. However, the disparity of the interventions and some methodological issues limit the outcomes. Some studies provided relevant evidence about the clear development of positive aspects from the breast cancer experience. Positive interventions applied to patients and survivors of breast cancer were found to be able to promote positive aspects. A global consensus of a positive therapies classification is needed to take one more step in structuring positive psychology. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Shaping Professional Development to Promote the Diffusion of Instructional Expertise among Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Min; Penuel, William R.; Frank, Kenneth A.; Gallagher, H. Alix; Youngs, Peter

2013-01-01

This study examines how high-quality professional development can promote the diffusion of effective teaching strategies among teachers through collaboration. Drawing on longitudinal and sociometric data from a study of writing professional development in 39 schools, this study shows that teachers' participation in professional development is…

5 CFR 532.407 - Promotion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Promotion. 532.407 Section 532.407... Administration § 532.407 Promotion. (a) An employee who is promoted is entitled to be paid at the lowest.... (c) If the promotion is to a position in a different wage area, the agency shall determine the...

The effectiveness of e-& mHealth interventions to promote physical activity and healthy diets in developing countries: A systematic review.

PubMed

Müller, Andre Matthias; Alley, Stephanie; Schoeppe, Stephanie; Vandelanotte, Corneel

2016-10-10

Promoting physical activity and healthy eating is important to combat the unprecedented rise in NCDs in many developing countries. Using modern information-and communication technologies to deliver physical activity and diet interventions is particularly promising considering the increased proliferation of such technologies in many developing countries. The objective of this systematic review is to investigate the effectiveness of e-& mHealth interventions to promote physical activity and healthy diets in developing countries. Major databases and grey literature sources were searched to retrieve studies that quantitatively examined the effectiveness of e-& mHealth interventions on physical activity and diet outcomes in developing countries. Additional studies were retrieved through citation alerts and scientific social media allowing study inclusion until August 2016. The CONSORT checklist was used to assess the risk of bias of the included studies. A total of 15 studies conducted in 13 developing countries in Europe, Africa, Latin-and South America and Asia were included in the review. The majority of studies enrolled adults who were healthy or at risk of diabetes or hypertension. The average intervention length was 6.4 months, and text messages and the Internet were the most frequently used intervention delivery channels. Risk of bias across the studies was moderate (55.7 % of the criteria fulfilled). Eleven studies reported significant positive effects of an e-& mHealth intervention on physical activity and/or diet behaviour. Respectively, 50 % and 70 % of the interventions were effective in promoting physical activity and healthy diets. The majority of studies demonstrated that e-& mHealth interventions were effective in promoting physical activity and healthy diets in developing countries. Future interventions should use more rigorous study designs, investigate the cost-effectiveness and reach of interventions, and focus on emerging technologies, such as

Therapeutic scrapbooking: a technique to promote positive coping and emotional strength in parents of pediatric oncology patients.

PubMed

McCarthy, Paula G; Sebaugh, Jill Genone

2011-01-01

Therapeutic scrapbooking is an intervention being used with parents and caregivers of children with cancer. The purpose of the group is to promote hopefulness, mobilize internal strengths, and thereby enhance the parents' and caregivers' coping abilities to benefit pediatric oncology patients. Facilitators, licensed in medical social work, provide a safe environment for participants to verbalize their stories and share their distress. Scrapbooking is a "normal" activity without the negative stigma that a "support group" may carry, minimizing the reluctance to attend this supportive group. Outcome measurements indicate this therapeutic intervention achieves positive results.

Formative research exploring acceptability, utilization, and promotion in order to develop a micronutrient powder (Sprinkles) intervention among Luo families in western Kenya.

PubMed

Jefferds, Maria Elena D; Ogange, Lorraine; Owuor, Mercy; Cruz, Kari; Person, Bobbie; Obure, Alfredo; Suchdev, Parminder S; Ruth, Laird J

2010-06-01

There is a lack of peer-reviewed literature describing in detail the formative research to develop Sprinkles interventions. To describe community members' reactions to and experiences using Sprinkles, with an emphasis on acceptability, utilization, and promotion. Fourteen initial focus group discussions on Sprinkles and a 25-family home study were conducted. For the home study, each child 6 to 59 months of age in the household received 30 sachets (1 per day). The initial 14 focus group discussions included mothers, grandmothers, vendors, women who purchased from vendors, and adults in the general population. Home study families were recruited from participants in the initial 14 focus group discussions who had at least one child 6 to 59 months of age. Sprinkles were highly acceptable to adults and most children; some children thought Sprinkles were sugar. Most home study families prepared and used Sprinkles correctly. All families reported positive effects, particularly increased appetite, and recommended Sprinkles; none experienced major problems. Potential barriers identified were lack of knowledge of and experience with Sprinkles, availability of Sprinkles, and cost. Promotional messages targeted to mothers, fathers, all child-care providers, and doctors focused on the positive health effects of Sprinkles. Issues related to Sprinkles preparation, use, and barriers required attention before implementation. Locally appropriate visual and written instructions were developed for dissemination. Intervention training sessions and promotions were tailored to answer frequently asked questions, increase knowledge of Sprinkles, and provide tangible evidence of health benefits. Information needs and perceptions changed quickly after use of Sprinkles. Existing levels of Sprinkles awareness and knowledge should be considered when designing interventions.

Promoting Protection Against a Threat That Evokes Positive Affect: The Case of Heat Waves in the United Kingdom

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Heat waves can cause death, illness, and discomfort, and are expected to become more frequent as a result of climate change. Yet, United Kingdom residents have positive feelings about hot summers that may undermine their willingness to protect themselves against heat. We randomly assigned United Kingdom participants to 1 of 3 intervention strategies intended to promote heat protection, or to a control group. The first strategy aimed to build on the availability heuristic by asking participants to remember high summer temperatures, but it elicited thoughts of pleasantly hot summer weather. The second strategy aimed to build on the affect heuristic by evoking negative affect about summer temperatures, but it evoked thoughts of unpleasantly cold summer weather. The third strategy combined these 2 approaches and succeeded in evoking thoughts of unpleasantly hot summer weather. Across 2 experiments, the third (combined) strategy increased participants’ expressed intentions to protect against heat compared with the control group, while performing at least as well as the 2 component strategies. We discuss implications for developing interventions about other “pleasant hazards.” PMID:27268282

Direct injection of vascular endothelial growth factor into the ovary of mice promotes follicular development.

PubMed

Quintana, Ramiro; Kopcow, Laura; Sueldo, Carlos; Marconi, Guillermo; Rueda, Nidia Gomez; Barañao, Rosa Inés

2004-10-01

To investigate the effects of an ovarian injection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on antral follicle development, neoangiogenesis, and apoptosis. Controlled laboratory study. University-affiliated fertility center. Balb/c female mice (n = 32) were studied. Mice were divided into four groups: control group (C) n = 6, no treatment; hyperstimulated group (HS), n = 8, ovaries were stimulated with 7.5 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and 10 IU of hCG; VEGF group (V), n = 8, injected with 0.1 mL of VEGF (0.2 microg) in each ovary; V+HS, n = 8 injected with VEGF and 2 weeks later hyperstimulated. Number of antral and luteinized follicles, number of vessels, and percentage of Bcl-2-positive cells. The number of antral follicles with VEGF was higher than in the C and HS groups (16.0 +/- 2.5 vs. 6.0 +/- 0.9 and 11.3 +/- 0.6, respectively, p<0.005). All treatments significantly increased the number of vessels (C: 5.0 +/- 0.5 vs. V: 20.0 +/- 4.8, p<0.005 and V+HS: 22.2 +/- 1.2, p<0.01), as well as increased Bcl-2-positive cells compared to controls (C: 0; V: 11.8 +/- 3.5, p<0.005; V+HS: 12.5 +/- 3.7, p<0.005). Our findings demonstrated that a direct injection of VEGF into the mouse ovary results in the development of an enhanced vascular network promoting follicular development and diminishing apoptosis.

Health communication in primary health care -a case study of ICT development for health promotion.

PubMed

Mahmud, Amina Jama; Olander, Ewy; Eriksén, Sara; Haglund, Bo Ja

2013-01-30

Developing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported health communication in PHC could contribute to increased health literacy and empowerment, which are foundations for enabling people to increase control over their health, as a way to reduce increasing lifestyle related ill health. However, to increase the likelihood of success of implementing ICT supported health communication, it is essential to conduct a detailed analysis of the setting and context prior to the intervention. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of health communication for health promotion in PHC with emphasis on the implications for a planned ICT supported interactive health channel. A qualitative case study, with a multi-methods approach was applied. Field notes, document study and focus groups were used for data collection. Data was then analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Health communication is an integral part of health promotion practice in PHC in this case study. However, there was a lack of consensus among health professionals on what a health promotion approach was, causing discrepancy in approaches and practices of health communication. Two themes emerged from the data analysis: Communicating health and environment for health communication. The themes represented individual and organizational factors that affected health communication practice in PHC and thus need to be taken into consideration in the development of the planned health channel. Health communication practiced in PHC is individual based, preventive and reactive in nature, as opposed to population based, promotive and proactive in line with a health promotion approach. The most significant challenge in developing an ICT supported health communication channel for health promotion identified in this study, is profiling a health promotion approach in PHC. Addressing health promotion values and principles in the design of ICT supported health communication channel could facilitate

Health communication in primary health care -A case study of ICT development for health promotion

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Developing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported health communication in PHC could contribute to increased health literacy and empowerment, which are foundations for enabling people to increase control over their health, as a way to reduce increasing lifestyle related ill health. However, to increase the likelihood of success of implementing ICT supported health communication, it is essential to conduct a detailed analysis of the setting and context prior to the intervention. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of health communication for health promotion in PHC with emphasis on the implications for a planned ICT supported interactive health channel. Methods A qualitative case study, with a multi-methods approach was applied. Field notes, document study and focus groups were used for data collection. Data was then analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results Health communication is an integral part of health promotion practice in PHC in this case study. However, there was a lack of consensus among health professionals on what a health promotion approach was, causing discrepancy in approaches and practices of health communication. Two themes emerged from the data analysis: Communicating health and environment for health communication. The themes represented individual and organizational factors that affected health communication practice in PHC and thus need to be taken into consideration in the development of the planned health channel. Conclusions Health communication practiced in PHC is individual based, preventive and reactive in nature, as opposed to population based, promotive and proactive in line with a health promotion approach. The most significant challenge in developing an ICT supported health communication channel for health promotion identified in this study, is profiling a health promotion approach in PHC. Addressing health promotion values and principles in the design of ICT supported health

Comparison of Positive Youth Development for Youth With Chronic Conditions With Healthy Peers.

PubMed

Maslow, Gary R; Hill, Sherika N; Pollock, McLean D

2016-12-01

Adolescents with childhood-onset chronic condition (COCC) are at increased risk for physical and psychological problems. Despite being at greater risk and having to deal with traumatic experiences and uncertainty, most adolescents with COCC do well across many domains. The Positive Youth Development (PYD) perspective provides a framework for examining thriving in youth and has been useful in understanding positive outcomes for general populations of youth as well as at-risk youth. This study aimed to compare levels of PYD assets between youth with COCC and youth without illness. Participants with COCC were recruited from specialty pediatric clinics while healthy participants were recruited from a large pediatric primary care practice. Inclusion criteria for participants included being (1) English speaking, (2) no documented intellectual disability in electronic medical record, and (3) aged between 13 and 18 years during the recruitment period. Univariate and bivariate analyses on key variables were conducted for adolescents with and without COCC. Finally, we performed multivariable linear regressions for PYD and its subdomains. There were no significant differences between overall PYD or any of the subdomains between the two groups. Multivariable linear regression models showed no statistically significant relationship between chronic condition status and PYD or the subdomains. The findings from this study support the application of the PYD perspective to this population of youth. The results of this study suggest that approaches shown to benefit healthy youth, could be used to promote positive outcomes for youth with COCC. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Promoting Positive Learning in Australian Students Aged 10- to 12-Years-Old Using Attribution Retraining and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chodkiewicz, Alicia R; Boyle, Christopher

2016-01-01

This study piloted an intervention using attribution retraining and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to promote positive learning experiences and outcomes for students. This research is an important step to revitalise the dwindling field of attribution retraining research by assessing whether these techniques effectively improve student…

The Use of Acceptance to Promote Positive Change by Decreasing Shame and Guilt: A Practice Exemplar.

PubMed

Meltzer, Mary-Ellen

2015-01-01

The use of acceptance by mental health clinicians in the clinical setting is an effective method for providing a safe environment for clients to make positive changes. Acceptance means that mental health clinicians are non-judgmental and acknowledge the clients' situations as they are. When actively used by clinicians, acceptance decreases clients' anxiety and the intensity of their feelings of guilt and shame. Clients are then able to begin to accept themselves as they are. The purpose of this article is to discuss the ways in which mental health clinicians promote clients' acceptance of themselves using the tools of acceptance and commitment therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy.

Mental health promotion in comprehensive schools.

PubMed

Onnela, A M; Vuokila-Oikkonen, P; Hurtig, T; Ebeling, H

2014-09-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe a participatory action research process on the development of a professional practice model of mental health nurses in mental health promotion in a comprehensive school environment in the city of Oulu, Finland. The developed model is a new method of mental health promotion for mental health nurses working in comprehensive schools. The professional practice model has been developed in workshops together with school staff, interest groups, parents and students. Information gathered from the workshops was analysed using action research methods. Mental health promotion interventions are delivered at three levels: universal, which is an intervention that affects the whole school or community; selective, which is an intervention focusing on a certain group of students; and indicated, which is an individually focused intervention. All interventions are delivered within the school setting, which is a universal setting for all school-aged children. The interventions share the goal of promoting mental health. The purposes of the interventions are enhancing protective factors, reducing risk factors relating to mental health problems and early identification of mental health problems as well as rapid delivery of support or referral to specialized services. The common effect of the interventions on all levels is the increase in the experience of positive mental health. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Art promoting mental health literacy and a positive attitude towards people with experience of mental illness.

PubMed

Koh, Eugen; Shrimpton, Bradley

2014-03-01

Exhibitions of art by people with experience of mental illness are increasingly being staged to improve awareness of mental health issues in the general community and to counter the stigma of mental illness. However, few exhibitions have incorporated research to ascertain their actual effectiveness. This paper reports the results of a study that considered the responses of 10,000 people after they viewed exhibitions of art produced by people with experience of mental illness. These works were selected from the Cunningham Dax Collection, one of the world's most extensive collection of artworks by people with experience of mental illness and/or psychological trauma. More than 90% of respondents agreed with three propositions that the exhibitions helped them: (1) gain a better understanding of mental illness; (2) gain a more sympathetic understanding of the suffering of people with mental illness; and (3) appreciate the ability and creativity of people with mental illness. The results suggest that exhibitions can successfully promote mental health literacy and contribute to positive attitudes towards people with experience of mental illness. This paper explores these findings and raises questions about how the presentation of artworks in an exhibition influences their effectiveness in mental health promotion.

MTV's "Staying Alive" global campaign promoted interpersonal communication about HIV and positive beliefs about HIV prevention.

PubMed

Geary, Cynthia Waszak; Burke, Holly McClain; Castelnau, Laure; Neupane, Shailes; Sall, Yacine Ba; Wong, Emily; Tucker, Heidi Toms

2007-02-01

In 2002 MTV launched a global multicomponent HIV prevention campaign, "Staying Alive," reaching over 166 countries worldwide. An evaluation of this campaign focused on three diverse sites: Kathmandu, Nepal; São Paulo, Brazil; and Dakar, Senegal. Data were collected before and after campaign implementation through population-based household surveys. Using linear regression techniques, our evaluation examined the effects of campaign exposure on interpersonal communication about HIV and the effects of campaign exposure and interpersonal communication on beliefs about HIV prevention. We found a consistent positive effect of exposure on interpersonal communication across all sites, though there were differences among sites with regard to whom the respondent talked about HIV. We also found a consistent positive effect of exposure on HIV prevention beliefs across sites when interpersonal communication was simultaneously entered into the model. Finally, in two sites we found a relationship between interpersonal communication and HIV prevention beliefs, controlling for exposure, though again, the effects differed by the type of person the communication was with. These similar findings in three diverse sites provide ecological validity of the findings that "Staying Alive" promoted interpersonal communication and influenced young people's beliefs about HIV prevention in a positive way, evidence for the potential of a global media campaign to have an impact on social norms.

Development and validation of the short-form Adolescent Health Promotion Scale.

PubMed

Chen, Mei-Yen; Lai, Li-Ju; Chen, Hsiu-Chih; Gaete, Jorge

2014-10-26

Health-promoting lifestyle choices of adolescents are closely related to current and subsequent health status. However, parsimonious yet reliable and valid screening tools are scarce. The original 40-item adolescent health promotion (AHP) scale was developed by our research team and has been applied to measure adolescent health-promoting behaviors worldwide. The aim of our study was to examine the psychometric properties of a newly developed short-form version of the AHP (AHP-SF) including tests of its reliability and validity. The study was conducted in nine middle and high schools in southern Taiwan. Participants were 814 adolescents randomly divided into two subgroups with equal size and homogeneity of baseline characteristics. The first subsample (calibration sample) was used to modify and shorten the factorial model while the second subsample (validation sample) was utilized to validate the result obtained from the first one. The psychometric testing of the AHP-SF included internal reliability of McDonald's omega and Cronbach's alpha, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and construct validity with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results of the CFA supported a six-factor model and 21 items were retained in the AHP-SF with acceptable model fit. For the discriminant validity test, results indicated that adolescents with lower AHP-SF scores were more likely to be overweight or obese, skip breakfast, and spend more time watching TV and playing computer games. The AHP-SF also showed excellent internal consistency with a McDonald's omega of 0.904 (Cronbach's alpha 0.905) in the calibration group. The current findings suggest that the AHP-SF is a valid and reliable instrument for the evaluation of adolescent health-promoting behaviors. Primary health care providers and clinicians can use the AHP-SF to assess these behaviors and evaluate the outcome of health promotion programs in the adolescent population.

Promoting Historical Contextualization: The Development and Testing of a Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huijgen, Tim; van de Grift, Wim; van Boxtel, Carla; Holthuis, Paul

2018-01-01

The aim of this explorative study was to develop and test a pedagogy aimed at promoting students' ability to perform historical contextualization. Teaching historical contextualization was conceptualized in terms of four pedagogical design principles: (1) making students aware of the consequences of a present-oriented perspective when examining…

Expression of Slug in S100β-protein-positive cells of postnatal developing rat anterior pituitary gland.

PubMed

Horiguchi, Kotaro; Fujiwara, Ken; Tsukada, Takehiro; Yako, Hideji; Tateno, Kozue; Hasegawa, Rumi; Takigami, Shu; Ohsako, Shunji; Yashiro, Takashi; Kato, Takako; Kato, Yukio

2016-02-01

Among heterogeneous S100β-protein-positive (S100β-positive) cells, star-like cells with extended cytoplasmic processes, the so-called folliculo-stellate cells, envelop hormone-producing cells or interconnect homophilically in the anterior pituitary. S100β-positive cells are known, from immunohistochemistry, to emerge from postnatal day (P) 10 and to proliferate and migrate in the parenchyma of the anterior pituitary with growth. Recent establishment of S100β-GFP transgenic rats expressing specifically green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the S100β-promoter has allowed us to observe living S100β-positive cells. In the present study, we first confirmed that living S100β-positive cells in tissue cultures of S100β-GFP rat pituitary at P5 were present prior to P10 by means of confocal laser microscopy and that they proliferated and extended their cytoplasmic processes. Second, we examined the expression of the Snail-family zinc-finger transcription factors, Snail and Slug, to investigate the mechanism behind the morphological changes and the proliferation of S100β-positive cells. Interestingly, we detected Slug expression in S100β-positive cells and its increase together with development in the anterior pituitary. To analyze downstream of SLUG in S100β-positive cells, we utilized specific small interfering RNA for Slug mRNAs and observed that the expression of matrix metalloprotease (Mmp) 9, Mmp14 and chemokine Cxcl12 was down-regulated and that morphological changes and proliferation were decreased. Thus, our findings suggest that S100β-positive cells express Slug and that its expression is important for subsequent migration and proliferation.

Position of the academy of nutrition and dietetics: nutrition security in developing nations: sustainable food, water, and health.

PubMed

Nordin, Stacia M; Boyle, Marie; Kemmer, Teresa M

2013-04-01

It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that all people should have consistent access to an appropriately nutritious diet of food and water, coupled with a sanitary environment, adequate health services, and care that ensure a healthy and active life for all household members. The Academy supports policies, systems, programs, and practices that work with developing nations to achieve nutrition security and self-sufficiency while being environmentally and economically sustainable. For nations to achieve nutrition security, all people must have access to a variety of nutritious foods and potable drinking water; knowledge, resources, and skills for healthy living; prevention, treatment, and care for diseases affecting nutrition status; and safety-net systems during crisis situations, such as natural disasters or deleterious social and political systems. More than 2 billion people are micronutrient deficient; 1.5 billion people are overweight or obese; 870 million people have inadequate food energy intake; and 783 million people lack potable drinking water. Adequate nutrient intake is a concern, independent of weight status. Although this article focuses on nutritional deficiencies in developing nations, global solutions for excesses and deficiencies need to be addressed. In an effort to achieve nutrition security, lifestyles, policies, and systems (eg, food, water, health, energy, education/knowledge, and economic) contributing to sustainable resource use, environmental management, health promotion, economic stability, and positive social environments are required. Food and nutrition practitioners can get involved in promoting and implementing effective and sustainable policies, systems, programs, and practices that support individual, community, and national efforts. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using strategic planning and organizational development principles for health promotion in an Alaska native community.

PubMed

Lardon, Cecile; Soule, Susan; Kernak, Douglas; Lupie, Henry

2011-01-01

Health promotion aims to support people in their efforts to increase control over factors that impact health and well-being. This emphasis on empowerment and contextual influences allows for a more holistic conceptualization of health and approaches to promoting health that are anchored in principles of community development and systems change. Piciryaratgun Calritllerkaq (Healthy Living Through A Healthy Lifestyle) is a collaboration between a Yup'ik village in rural Alaska and researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The goal was to improve nutrition, increase exercise, and decrease stress. The project utilized elements of organization development and strategic planning to develop a local infrastructure and process and to promote local expertise. The project team developed goals, objectives, action, and evaluation plans that integrated local traditions, Yup'ik culture, and research.

Using strategic planning and organizational development principles for health promotion in an Alaska Native community

PubMed Central

Lardon, Cécile; Soule, Susan; Kernak, Douglas; Lupie, Henry

2011-01-01

SUMMARY Health promotion aims to support people in their efforts to increase control over factors that impact health and well-being. This emphasis on empowerment and contextual influences allows for a more holistic conceptualization of health and approaches to promoting health that are anchored in principles of community development and systems change. Piciryaratgun Calritllerkaq (Healthy Living Through A Healthy Lifestyle) is a collaboration between a Yup’ik village in rural Alaska and researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The goal was to improve nutrition, increase exercise and decrease stress. The project utilized elements of organization development and strategic planning to develop a local infrastructure and process and to promote local expertise. The project team developed goals, objectives, action and evaluation plans that integrated local traditions, Yup’ik culture, and research. PMID:21271433

Positive Psychology in SLA: An Agenda for Learner and Teacher Wellbeing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercer, Sarah

2017-01-01

This article begins with an outline of the developments in Positive Psychology (PP) generally and specifically within SLA focusing on theoretical, empirical and practical developments. It moves on to consider PP's potential contribution to language teaching focusing on how it can help promote emotional, social and psychological wellbeing for…

Social position, early deprivation and the development of attachment.

PubMed

Stansfeld, Stephen; Head, Jenny; Bartley, Mel; Fonagy, Peter

2008-07-01

The effects of childhood social adversity on developing parent/child attachments may partially explain the effects of less advantaged childhood social position on adulthood mental health. Associations between social position, retrospectively recalled parental style and childhood emotional and physical deprivation and attachment were examined in 7,276 civil servants from the Whitehall II Study. Depressive symptoms were associated with insecure attachment style. Social position was not associated with attachment styles. However, fathers' social class was strongly associated with material and emotional deprivation. In turn, deprivation was associated with lower parental warmth. High parental warmth was associated with decreased risk of insecure attachment styles. Despite the methodological shortcomings of retrospective childhood data the results suggest material and emotional adversity influence the development of attachment through parental style, notably parental warmth.

Promoting Prenatal Health and Positive Birth Outcomes: A Snapshot of State Efforts. OPRE Report 2017-65

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparr, Mariel; Joraanstad, Alexandra; Atukpawu-Tipton, Grace; Miller, Nicole; Leis, Julie; Filene, Jill

2017-01-01

To promote prenatal health and improve birth outcomes, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) developed the Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns initiative. The Strong Start initiative is assessing several enhanced prenatal care approaches, including home visiting. As part of the Strong Start initiative, CMS, in partnership with the…

Developing a Culturally Responsive Breast Cancer Screening Promotion with Native Hawaiian Women in Churches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaopua, Lana Sue

2008-01-01

This article presents findings from research to develop the promotional component of a breast cancer screening program for Native Hawaiian women associated with historically Hawaiian churches in medically underserved communities. The literature on adherence to health recommendations and health promotions marketing guided inquiry on screening…

Prenatal administration of neuropeptide bombesin promotes lung development in a rat model of nitrofen-induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

PubMed

Sakai, Kohei; Kimura, Osamu; Furukawa, Taizo; Fumino, Shigehisa; Higuchi, Koji; Wakao, Junko; Kimura, Koseki; Aoi, Shigeyoshi; Masumoto, Kouji; Tajiri, Tatsuro

2014-12-01

Fetal medical treatment to improve lung hypoplasia in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) has yet to be established. The neuropeptide bombesin (BBS) might play an important role in lung development. The present study aims to determine whether prenatally administered BBS could be useful to promote fetal lung development in a rat model of nitrofen-induced CDH. Pregnant rats were administered with nitrofen (100mg) on gestation day 9.5 (E9.5). BBS (50mg/kg/day) was then daily infused intraperitoneally from E14, and fetal lungs were harvested on E21. The expression of PCNA was assessed by both immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR to determine the amount of cell proliferation. Lung maturity was assessed as the expression of TTF-1, a marker of alveolar epithelial cell type II. The lung-body-weight ratio was significantly increased in CDH/BBS(+) compared with CDH/BBS(-) (p<0.05). The number of cells stained positive for PCNA and TTF-1 was significantly decreased in CDH/BBS(+) compared with CDH/BBS(-) (p<0.01). The TTF-1 mRNA expression levels were significantly decreased in CDH/BBS(+) compared with CDH/BBS(-) (p<0.05). Prenatally administered BBS promotes lung development in a rat model of nitrofen-induced CDH. Neuropeptide BBS could help to rescue lung hypoplasia in fetal CDH. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developing the Maternity Portfolio to promote maternal role attainment in women who have undergone artificial reproductive treatment.

PubMed

Iwata, Hiroko; Mori, Emi; Maekawa, Tomoko; Maehara, Kunie; Sakajo, Akiko; Ozawa, Harumi; Morita, Akiko

2012-12-01

The purpose of this study was to develop the Maternity Portfolio to promote maternal role attainment in women who underwent artificial reproductive treatment. The following procedures were undertaken to develop the Maternity Portfolio: (i) a literature review was conducted to identify studies and articles related to maternal diary or portfolio usage; (ii) the research members discussed objectives and usages of the Maternity Portfolio; (iii) a trial product was developed in collaboration with two pregnant women (one following artificial reproductive treatment and one infertility patient) and seven nurses, and after feedback was completed, the product was revised; and (iv) the final product of the Maternity Portfolio was patented. The final Maternity Portfolio product consisted of a 40-page booklet; it contained an information section and a patient comments section. Following artificial reproductive treatment, this booklet can be provided to women during the first trimester. Women would then be instructed to bring the Maternity Portfolio to their prenatal checkups, where a nursing intervention program would be conducted by certified nurses. Through this program and the Maternity Portfolio, participating women are expected to obtain necessary information and maternal role attainment. The Maternity Portfolio was developed to promote maternal role attainment for women who have undergone artificial reproductive treatment. The intervention study with the Maternity Portfolio is a work in progress; therefore, a future evaluation of the study will clarify both positive and negative aspects, which should facilitate refinement of the functions and qualities of the Maternity Portfolio. © 2011 The Authors. Japan Journal of Nursing Science © 2011 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

Ectopic Expression of Nolz-1 in Neural Progenitors Promotes Cell Cycle Exit/Premature Neuronal Differentiation Accompanying with Abnormal Apoptosis in the Developing Mouse Telencephalon

PubMed Central

Chang, Sunny Li-Yun; Chen, Shih-Yun; Huang, Huai-Huei; Ko, Hsin-An; Liu, Pei-Tsen; Liu, Ya-Chi; Chen, Ping-Hau; Liu, Fu-Chin

2013-01-01

Nolz-1, as a murine member of the NET zinc-finger protein family, is expressed in post-mitotic differentiating neurons of striatum during development. To explore the function of Nolz-1 in regulating the neurogenesis of forebrain, we studied the effects of ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors. We generated the Cre-loxP dependent conditional transgenic mice in which Nolz-1 was ectopically expressed in proliferative neural progenitors. Ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors by intercrossing the Nolz-1 conditional transgenic mice with the nestin-Cre mice resulted in hypoplasia of telencephalon in double transgenic mice. Decreased proliferation of neural progenitor cells were found in the telencephalon, as evidenced by the reduction of BrdU−, Ki67− and phospho-histone 3-positive cells in E11.5–12.5 germinal zone of telencephalon. Transgenic Nolz-1 also promoted cell cycle exit and as a consequence might facilitate premature differentiation of progenitors, because TuJ1-positive neurons were ectopically found in the ventricular zone and there was a general increase of TuJ1 immunoreactivity in the telencephalon. Moreover, clusters of strong TuJ1-expressing neurons were present in E12.5 germinal zone. Some of these strong TuJ1-positive clusters, however, contained apoptotic condensed DNA, suggesting that inappropriate premature differentiation may lead to abnormal apoptosis in some progenitor cells. Consistent with the transgenic mouse analysis in vivo, similar effects of Nozl-1 over-expression in induction of apoptosis, inhibition of cell proliferation and promotion of neuronal differentiation were also observed in three different N18, ST14A and N2A neural cell lines in vitro. Taken together, our study indicates that ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors promotes cell cycle exit/premature neuronal differentiation and induces abnormal apoptosis in the developing telencephalon. PMID:24073229

Ectopic expression of nolz-1 in neural progenitors promotes cell cycle exit/premature neuronal differentiation accompanying with abnormal apoptosis in the developing mouse telencephalon.

PubMed

Chang, Sunny Li-Yun; Chen, Shih-Yun; Huang, Huai-Huei; Ko, Hsin-An; Liu, Pei-Tsen; Liu, Ya-Chi; Chen, Ping-Hau; Liu, Fu-Chin

2013-01-01

Nolz-1, as a murine member of the NET zinc-finger protein family, is expressed in post-mitotic differentiating neurons of striatum during development. To explore the function of Nolz-1 in regulating the neurogenesis of forebrain, we studied the effects of ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors. We generated the Cre-loxP dependent conditional transgenic mice in which Nolz-1 was ectopically expressed in proliferative neural progenitors. Ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors by intercrossing the Nolz-1 conditional transgenic mice with the nestin-Cre mice resulted in hypoplasia of telencephalon in double transgenic mice. Decreased proliferation of neural progenitor cells were found in the telencephalon, as evidenced by the reduction of BrdU-, Ki67- and phospho-histone 3-positive cells in E11.5-12.5 germinal zone of telencephalon. Transgenic Nolz-1 also promoted cell cycle exit and as a consequence might facilitate premature differentiation of progenitors, because TuJ1-positive neurons were ectopically found in the ventricular zone and there was a general increase of TuJ1 immunoreactivity in the telencephalon. Moreover, clusters of strong TuJ1-expressing neurons were present in E12.5 germinal zone. Some of these strong TuJ1-positive clusters, however, contained apoptotic condensed DNA, suggesting that inappropriate premature differentiation may lead to abnormal apoptosis in some progenitor cells. Consistent with the transgenic mouse analysis in vivo, similar effects of Nozl-1 over-expression in induction of apoptosis, inhibition of cell proliferation and promotion of neuronal differentiation were also observed in three different N18, ST14A and N2A neural cell lines in vitro. Taken together, our study indicates that ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors promotes cell cycle exit/premature neuronal differentiation and induces abnormal apoptosis in the developing telencephalon.

Formononetin promotes proliferation that involves a feedback loop of microRNA-375 and estrogen receptor alpha in estrogen receptor-positive cells.

PubMed

Chen, Jian; Zhang, Xing; Wang, Yong; Ye, Yu; Huang, Zhaoquan

2016-03-01

Formononetin is an O-methylated isoflavone that is isolated from the root of Astragalus membranaceus, and it has antitumorigenic effects. Our previous studies found that formononetin triggered growth-inhibitory and apoptotic activities in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. To further investigate the potential effect of formononetin in promoting cell proliferation in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive cells, we used in vivo and in vitro studies to elucidate the possible mechanism. ERα-positive cells (HUVEC, MCF-7) were treated with formononetin. The CCK8 assay, Hoechst 33258, and flow cytometry were used to assess cell proliferation and apoptosis. mRNA levels of ERα, Bcl-2, and miR-375 were quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction. ERα, p-Akt, and Bcl-2 expression was determined using Western blot. Compared with the control, low formononetin concentrations (2-6 μM) stimulated ERα-positive cell proliferation (HUVEC, MCF-7). The more sensitive HUVEC cells were used to study the relevant signaling pathway. After treatment with formononetin, ERα, miR-375, p-Akt, and Bcl-2 expression was significantly upregulated. The proliferative effect of formononetin was also blocked by a miR-375 inhibitor or raloxifene pretreatment. Additionally, in the in vivo studies, uterine weight in ovariectomized mice treated with formononetin increased significantly, but the weight dramatically decreased with raloxifene or miR-375 inhibitor pretreatment before formononetin. This study demonstrated that formononetin promoted ERα-positive cell proliferation through miR-375 activation and this mechanism is possibly involving in a miR-375 and ERα feedback loop. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Supporting Structures for Education for Sustainable Development and School-Based Health Promotion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madsen, Katrine Dahl; Nordin, Lone Lindegaard; Simovska, Venka

2016-01-01

The article aims to explore the following question: "How is education for sustainable development and health education in schools approached and contextualized at a municipal level, and what contradictions and tensions might local structures imply for sustainable health promoting school development?" Based on interviews with key agents…

Shared Book Reading Promotes Not Only Language Development, But Also Grapheme Awareness in German Kindergarten Children

PubMed Central

Wesseling, Patricia B. C.; Christmann, Corinna A.; Lachmann, Thomas

2017-01-01

Effects of shared book reading on expressive vocabulary and grapheme awareness without letter instruction in German kindergarteners (longitudinal; N = 69, 3;0–4;8 years) were investigated. Expressive vocabulary was measured by using a standardized test; grapheme awareness was measured by asking children to identify one grapheme per trial presented amongst non-letter distractors. Two methods of shared book reading were investigated, literacy enrichment (additional books) and teacher training in shared book reading strategies, both without explicit letter instruction. Whereas positive effects of shared book reading on expressive vocabulary were evident in numerous previous studies, the impact of shared book reading on grapheme awareness has not yet been investigated. Both methods resulted in positive effects on children’s expressive vocabulary and grapheme awareness over a period of 6 months. Thus, early shared book reading may not only be considered to be a tool for promoting the development of expressive vocabulary, but also for implicit acquisition of grapheme awareness. The latter is considered an important precondition required for the explicit learning of grapheme–phoneme conversion rules (letter knowledge). PMID:28377732

Shared Book Reading Promotes Not Only Language Development, But Also Grapheme Awareness in German Kindergarten Children.

PubMed

Wesseling, Patricia B C; Christmann, Corinna A; Lachmann, Thomas

2017-01-01

Effects of shared book reading on expressive vocabulary and grapheme awareness without letter instruction in German kindergarteners (longitudinal; N = 69, 3;0-4;8 years) were investigated. Expressive vocabulary was measured by using a standardized test; grapheme awareness was measured by asking children to identify one grapheme per trial presented amongst non-letter distractors. Two methods of shared book reading were investigated, literacy enrichment (additional books) and teacher training in shared book reading strategies, both without explicit letter instruction. Whereas positive effects of shared book reading on expressive vocabulary were evident in numerous previous studies, the impact of shared book reading on grapheme awareness has not yet been investigated. Both methods resulted in positive effects on children's expressive vocabulary and grapheme awareness over a period of 6 months. Thus, early shared book reading may not only be considered to be a tool for promoting the development of expressive vocabulary, but also for implicit acquisition of grapheme awareness. The latter is considered an important precondition required for the explicit learning of grapheme-phoneme conversion rules (letter knowledge).

Indigenous endophytic seed bacteria promote seedling development and defend against fungal disease in browntop millet (Urochloa ramosa L.).

PubMed

Verma, S K; White, J F

2018-03-01

This study was conducted to investigate indigenous seed endophyte effects on browntop millet seedling development. We report that seed-inhabiting bacterial endophytes are responsible for promoting seedling development, including stimulation of root hair formation, increasing root and shoot length growth and increasing photosynthetic pigment content of seedlings. Bacterial endophytes also improved resistance of seedlings to disease. A total of four endophytic bacteria were isolated from surface-sterilized seeds and identified by 16S rDNA sequencing as Curtobacterium sp. (M1), Microbacterium sp. (M2), Methylobacterium sp. (M3) and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (M4). Removal of bacteria with streptomycin treatment from the seeds compromised seedling growth and development. When endophytes were reinoculated onto seeds, seedlings recovered normal development. Strains M3 and M4 were found to be most potent in promoting growth of seedlings. Bacteria were found to produce auxin, solubilize phosphate and inhibit fungal pathogens. Significant protection of seedlings from Fusarium infection was found using strain M4 in microcosm assays. The antifungal lipopeptide genes for surfactin and iturin were detected in M4; culture extracts of M4 showed a positive drop collapse result for surfactins. This study demonstrates that browntop millet seeds vector indigenous endophytes that are responsible for modulation of seedling development and protection of seedlings from fungal disease. This study is significant and original in that it is the first report of seed-inhabiting endophytes of browntop millet that influence seedling development and function in defence against soilborne pathogens. This study suggests that conservation and management of seed-vectored endophytes may be important in development of more sustainable agricultural practices. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Adolescence: Assessing and Promoting Resilience in Vulnerable Children 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Brigid; Wassell, Sally

Noting that the protective factors that support positive development despite adversity are becoming better understood, this workbook discusses the importance of encouraging resilience and promoting prosocial behavior in adolescents living in challenging circumstances and shows how to evaluate resilience through the use of checklists and background…

A Review of Computational Intelligence Methods for Eukaryotic Promoter Prediction.

PubMed

Singh, Shailendra; Kaur, Sukhbir; Goel, Neelam

2015-01-01

In past decades, prediction of genes in DNA sequences has attracted the attention of many researchers but due to its complex structure it is extremely intricate to correctly locate its position. A large number of regulatory regions are present in DNA that helps in transcription of a gene. Promoter is one such region and to find its location is a challenging problem. Various computational methods for promoter prediction have been developed over the past few years. This paper reviews these promoter prediction methods. Several difficulties and pitfalls encountered by these methods are also detailed, along with future research directions.

Reintegration of Emigrant Manpower and Promotion of Local Opportunities for Development (REMPLOD)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penninx, Rinus; And Others

1976-01-01

The REMPLOD project (Reintegration of Emigrant Manpower and the Promotion of Local Opportunities for Development) investigates ways in which foreign workers can contribute to development processes in their countries of origin (Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey). Three experts involved with the Turkish project make recommendations on the Turkish-Dutch…

Community-based oral health promotion practices targeted at children and adolescents in Finland--developing an assessment tool.

PubMed

Blomqvist, Pia; Ojala, Ellinoora; Kettunen, Tarja; Poskiparta, Marita; Kasila, Kirsti

2014-06-01

To develop an assessment tool for evaluating oral health promotion practices and to evaluate community-based oral health promotion practices targeted at children and adolescents with this tool. A theoretical framework about health promotion planning, implementation and evaluation was made on the basis of a literature review. Then, information about Finnish community-based oral health promotion practices (n=12) targeted at children and adolescents was collected using semi-structured interviews. Also, related documents, for example action plans and reports, were collected when available. Next, an assessment tool based on the theoretical framework was developed, and the recorded and transcribed interview data and other documents were evaluated with this tool. The assessment tool proved to be practical: it pointed out the strengths and weaknesses of the practices. The tool revealed strengths in the implementation and deficiencies in the planning and evaluation of oral health promotion practices. One-quarter of the 12 practices assessed could be considered 'good practices'. There is a need to improve the planning and evaluation of oral health promotion practices. The assessment tool developed in this study might be useful for practitioners both in the field of oral health promotion and general health promotion. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Beyond Positive Psychology?

PubMed Central

McNulty, James K.; Fincham, Frank D.

2014-01-01

The field of positive psychology rests on the assumption that certain psychological traits and processes are inherently beneficial for well-being. We review evidence that challenges this assumption. First, we review data from 4 independent longitudinal studies of marriage revealing that 4 ostensibly positive processes—forgiveness, optimistic expectations, positive thoughts, and kindness—can either benefit or harm well-being depending on the context in which they operate. Although all 4 processes predicted better relationship well-being among spouses in healthy marriages, they predicted worse relationship well-being in more troubled marriages. Then, we review evidence from other research that reveals that whether ostensibly positive psychological traits and processes benefit or harm well-being depends on the context of various noninterpersonal domains as well. Finally, we conclude by arguing that any movement to promote well-being may be most successful to the extent that it (a) examines the conditions under which the same traits and processes may promote versus threaten well-being, (b) examines both healthy and unhealthy people, (c) examines well-being over substantial periods of time, and (d) avoids labeling psychological traits and processes as positive or negative. PMID:21787036

Promotion

PubMed Central

Alam, Hasan B.

2013-01-01

This article gives an overview of the promotion process in an academic medical center. A description of different promotional tracks, tenure and endowed chairs, and the process of submitting an application is provided. Finally, some practical advice about developing skills and attributes that can help with academic growth and promotion is dispensed. PMID:24436683

A Distal ABA Responsive Element in AtNCED3 Promoter Is Required for Positive Feedback Regulation of ABA Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis

PubMed Central

Yang, Yan-Zhuo; Tan, Bao-Cai

2014-01-01

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a crucial role in plant development and responses to abiotic stresses. Recent studies indicate that a positive feedback regulation by ABA exists in ABA biosynthesis in plants under dehydration stress. To understand the molecular basis of this regulation, we analyzed the cis-elements of the AtNCED3 promoter in Arabidopsis. AtNCED3 encodes the first committed and highly regulated dioxygenase in the ABA biosynthetic pathway. Through delineated and mutagenesis analyses in stable-transformed Arabidopsis, we revealed that a distal ABA responsive element (ABRE: GGCACGTG, -2372 to -2364 bp) is required for ABA-induced AtNCED3 expression. By analyzing the AtNCED3 expression in ABRE binding protein ABF3 over-expression transgenic plants and knock-out mutants, we provide evidence that the ABA feedback regulation of AtNCED3 expression is not mediated by ABF3. PMID:24475264

A distal ABA responsive element in AtNCED3 promoter is required for positive feedback regulation of ABA biosynthesis in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Yang, Yan-Zhuo; Tan, Bao-Cai

2014-01-01

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a crucial role in plant development and responses to abiotic stresses. Recent studies indicate that a positive feedback regulation by ABA exists in ABA biosynthesis in plants under dehydration stress. To understand the molecular basis of this regulation, we analyzed the cis-elements of the AtNCED3 promoter in Arabidopsis. AtNCED3 encodes the first committed and highly regulated dioxygenase in the ABA biosynthetic pathway. Through delineated and mutagenesis analyses in stable-transformed Arabidopsis, we revealed that a distal ABA responsive element (ABRE: GGCACGTG, -2372 to -2364 bp) is required for ABA-induced AtNCED3 expression. By analyzing the AtNCED3 expression in ABRE binding protein ABF3 over-expression transgenic plants and knock-out mutants, we provide evidence that the ABA feedback regulation of AtNCED3 expression is not mediated by ABF3.

Association Between Intensive Handwashing Promotion and Child Development in Karachi, Pakistan

PubMed Central

Bowen, Anna; Agboatwalla, Mubina; Luby, Stephen; Tobery, Timothy; Ayers, Tracy; Hoekstra, R. M.

2015-01-01

Objective To evaluate associations between handwashing promotion and child growth and development. Design Cluster randomized controlled trial. Setting Informal settlements in Karachi, Pakistan. Participants A total of 461 children who were enrolled in a trial of household-level handwashing promotion in 2003 and were younger than 8 years at reassessment in 2009. Interventions In 2003, neighborhoods were randomized to control (n=9), handwashing promotion (n=9), or handwashing promotion and drinking water treatment (n=10); intervention households received free soap and weekly handwashing promotion for 9 months. Main Outcome Measures Anthropometrics and developmental quotients measured with the Battelle Developmental Inventory II at 5 to 7 years of age. Results Overall, 24.9% (95% CI, 20.0%–30.6%) and 22.1% (95% CI, 18.0%–26.8%) of children had z scores that were more than 2 SDs below the expected z scores for height and body mass index for age, respectively; anthropometrics did not differ significantly across study groups. Global developmental quotients averaged 104.4 (95% CI, 101.9–107.0) among intervention children and 98.3 (95% CI, 93.1–103.4) among control children (P=.04). Differences of similar magnitude were measured across adaptive, personal-social, communication, cognitive, and motor domains. Conclusions Although growth was similar across groups, children randomized to the handwashing promotion during their first 30 months of age attained global developmental quotients 0.4 SDs greater than those of control children at 5 to 7 years of age. These gains are comparable to those of at-risk children enrolled in publicly funded preschools in the United States and suggest that handwashing promotion could improve child wellbeing and societal productivity. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01538953 PMID:22986783

Core element characterization of Rhodococcus promoters and development of a promoter-RBS mini-pool with different activity levels for efficient gene expression.

PubMed

Jiao, Song; Yu, Huimin; Shen, Zhongyao

2018-09-25

To satisfy the urgent demand for promoter engineering that can accurately regulate the metabolic circuits and expression of specific genes in the Rhodococcus microbial platform, a promoter-ribosome binding site (RBS) coupled mini-pool with fine-tuning of different activity levels was successfully established. Transcriptome analyses of R. ruber TH revealed several representative promoters with different activity levels, e.g., Pami, Pcs, Pnh, P50sl36, PcbiM, PgroE and Pniami. β-Galactosidase (LacZ) reporter measurement demonstrated that different gene expression levels could be obtained with these natural promoters combined with an optimal RBS of ami. Further use of these promoters to overexpress the nitrile hydratase (NHase) gene with RBSami in R. ruber THdAdN produced different expression levels consistent with the transcription analyses. The -35 and -10 core elements of different promoters were further analyzed, and the conserved sequences were revealed to be TTGNNN and (T/C)GNNA(A/C)AAT. By mutating the core elements of the strong promoters, Pnh and Pami, into the above consensus sequence, two even stronger promoters, PnhM and PamiM, were obtained with 2.2-fold and 7.7-fold improvements in transcription, respectively. Integrating several strategies, including transcriptome promoter screening, -35 and -10 core element identification, core element point-mutation, RBS optimization and diverse reporter verification, a fine-tuning promoter-RBS combination mini-pool with different activity levels in Rhodococcus strains was successfully established. This development is significant for broad applications of the Rhodococcus genus as a microbial platform. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Elevated circulating IGF-I promotes mammary gland development and proliferation.

PubMed

Cannata, Dara; Lann, Danielle; Wu, Yingjie; Elis, Sebastien; Sun, Hui; Yakar, Shoshana; Lazzarino, Deborah A; Wood, Teresa L; Leroith, Derek

2010-12-01

Animal studies have shown that IGF-I is essential for mammary gland development. Previous studies have suggested that local IGF-I rather than circulating IGF-I is the major mediator of mammary gland development. In the present study we used the hepatic IGF-I transgenic (HIT) and IGF-I knockout/HIT (KO-HIT) mouse models to examine the effects of enhanced circulating IGF-I on mammary development in the presence and absence of local IGF-I. HIT mice express the rat IGF-I transgene under the transthyretin promoter in the liver and have elevated circulating IGF-I and normal tissue IGF-I levels. The KO-HIT mice have no tissue IGF-I and increased circulating IGF-I. Analysis of mammary gland development reveals a greater degree of complexity in HIT mice as compared to control and KO-HIT mice, which demonstrate similar degrees of mammary gland complexity. Immunohistochemical evaluation of glands of HIT mice also suggests an enhanced degree of proliferation of the mammary gland, whereas KO-HIT mice exhibit mammary gland proliferation similar to control mice. In addition, HIT mice have a higher percentage of proliferating myoepithelial and luminal cells than control mice, whereas KO-HIT mice have an equivalent percentage of proliferating myoepithelial and luminal cells as control mice. Thus, our findings show that elevated circulating IGF-I levels are sufficient to promote normal pubertal mammary epithelial development. However, HIT mice demonstrate more pronounced mammary gland development when compared to control and KO-HIT mice. This suggests that both local and endocrine IGF-I play roles in mammary gland development and that elevated circulating IGF-I accelerates mammary epithelial proliferation.

c-Fos downregulation positively regulates EphA5 expression in a congenital hypothyroidism rat model.

PubMed

Song, Honghua; Zheng, Yuqin; Cai, Fuying; Ma, Yanyan; Yang, Jingyue; Wu, Youjia

2018-04-01

The EphA5 receptor is well established as an axon guidance molecule during neural system development and plays an important role in dendritic spine formation and synaptogenesis. Our previous study has showed that EphA5 is decreased in the developing brain of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and the EphA5 promoter methylation modification participates in its decrease. c-Fos, a well-kown transcription factor, has been considered in association with brain development. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the EphA5 promoter region contained five putative c-fos binding sites. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were used to assess the direct binding of c-fos to the EphA5 promoter. Furthermore, dual-luciferase assays showed that these three c-fos protein binding sites were positive regulatory elements for EphA5 expression in PC12 cells. Moreover, We verified c-fos positively regulation for EphA5 expression in CH model. Q-PCR and Western blot showed that c-fos overexpression could upregulate EphA5 expression in hippocampal neurons of rats with CH. Our results suggest that c-fos positively regulates EphA5 expression in CH rat model.

University hospitals as drivers of career success: an empirical study of the duration of promotion and promotion success of hospital physicians.

PubMed

Degen, Christiane; Kuntz, Ludwig

2014-04-23

German hospitals have a well-defined career structure for clinicians. In this hierarchical career system university hospital are stepping stones for career advancement. This longitudinal study investigates the impact of working in university hospitals on the career success of junior physicians and senior physicians. Consideration of the career trajectories of 324 hospital physicians. Discrete-time event history analysis is used to study the influence of working in university hospitals on the chance of promotion from junior physician to senior physician and senior physician to chief physician. A comparison of medians provides information about the impact of working in university hospitals on the duration of promotion to senior and chief physician positions. Working in university hospitals has a negative impact for advancement to a senior physician position in terms of promotion duration (p = 0.005) and also in terms of promotion success, where a short time span of just 1-2 years in university hospitals has a negative effect (OR = 0.38, p < 0.01), while working there for a medium or long term has no significant effect. However, working in universities has a positive effect on the duration of promotion to a chief physician position (p = 0.079), and working in university hospitals for 3-4 years increases the chance of promotion to a chief physician position (OR = 4.02, p < 0.05), while working there > =7 years decreases this chance (OR = 0.27, p < 0.05). In addition, physicians have a higher chance of promotion to a chief physician position through career mobility when they come to the position from a university hospital. Working at university hospitals has a career-enhancing effect for a senior physician with ambitions to become a chief physician. For junior physicians on the trajectory to a senior physician position, however, university hospitals are not drivers of career success.

Positive Discipline. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Urbana, IL.

This ERIC Digest suggests methods and language that can be used in handling difficult, but common, situations involving young children. Discussion focuses on: (1) 12 methods of discipline that promote self-worth; (2) the process of creating a positive climate that promotes self-discipline; (3) harmful and negative disciplinary methods; and (4)…

Pirates at Parties: Letter Position Processing in Developing Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohnen, Saskia; Castles, Anne

2013-01-01

There has been much recent interest in letter position coding in adults, but little is known about the development of this process in children learning to read. Here, the letter position coding abilities of 127 children in Grades 2, 3, and 4 (aged 7-10 years) were examined by comparing their performance in reading aloud "migratable" words (e.g.,…

Association between sleep position and early motor development.

PubMed

Majnemer, Annette; Barr, Ronald G

2006-11-01

To compare motor performance in infants sleeping in prone versus supine positions. Healthy 4-month-olds (supine: n = 71, prone: n = 12) and 6-month olds (supine: n = 50, prone: n = 22) were evaluated with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and Peabody Developmental Motor Scale (PDMS), and parents completed a positioning diary. Infants were reassessed at 15 months. At 4 months, motor scores were lower in the supine group and were less likely to achieve prone extension (P < .05). At 6 months, there were wide discrepancies on the AIMS (supine: 44.5 +/- 21.6, prone: 60.0 +/- 18.8, P = .005) and the gross motor PDMS (supine: 85.7 +/- 7.6, prone: 90.2 +/- 9.5, P = .03). Motor delays were documented in 22% of babies sleeping supine. Prone sleep-positioned infants were more likely to sit and roll. Daily exposure to awake prone positioning was predictive of motor performance in infants sleeping supine. At 15 months, sleep position continued to predict motor performance. Infants sleeping supine may exhibit early motor lags, associated with less time in prone while awake. This has implications for accurate interpretation of assessment of infants at risk and prevention of inappropriate referrals. Rate of infant motor development appears influenced by extrinsic factors such as positioning practices.

Competence development for the promotion of gender equality in development cooperation: the case of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

PubMed

Hannan-andersson, C

1997-01-01

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) has created an Action Program for Promoting Equality Between Women and Men in Partner Countries that emphasizes competency development as a means of achieving gender equality. Competency development goes beyond formal training and utilizes existing entry points while creating innovative ones. SIDA's partnership approach requires clear delineation of roles for SIDA personnel and partner countries, with SIDA 1) applying a gender perspective to assessments, 2) initiating a constructive dialogue about gender equality if needed, 3) assessing the need for gender equality promoting competency development, 4) studying the local context, and 5) developing effective local networks. In addition, the needs of different groups within SIDA should be met with appropriate competency development inputs while SIDA continues support to competency development in partner countries by developing local capacity for gender training and gender sensitization at the regional and national levels. At SIDA, gender training has evolved since 1989 to its current focus on the practical and concrete challenges facing participants. In addition, departments and divisions conduct sector- and issue-specific training, and gender equality is integrated in all SIDA training activities on every topic. The challenges for future competency development are to 1) increase the number of men involved in provision of competency development inputs, 2) improve competency at embassy and field levels, and 3) improve competency in policy dialogues.

Virtue ethics, positive psychology, and a new model of science and engineering ethics education.

PubMed

Han, Hyemin

2015-04-01

This essay develops a new conceptual framework of science and engineering ethics education based on virtue ethics and positive psychology. Virtue ethicists and positive psychologists have argued that current rule-based moral philosophy, psychology, and education cannot effectively promote students' moral motivation for actual moral behavior and may even lead to negative outcomes, such as moral schizophrenia. They have suggested that their own theoretical framework of virtue ethics and positive psychology can contribute to the effective promotion of motivation for self-improvement by connecting the notion of morality and eudaimonic happiness. Thus this essay attempts to apply virtue ethics and positive psychology to science and engineering ethics education and to develop a new conceptual framework for more effective education. In addition to the conceptual-level work, this essay suggests two possible educational methods: moral modeling and involvement in actual moral activity in science and engineering ethics classes, based on the conceptual framework.

Development of the Workplace Health Savings Calculator: a practical tool to measure economic impact from reduced absenteeism and staff turnover in workplace health promotion.

PubMed

Baxter, Siyan; Campbell, Sharon; Sanderson, Kristy; Cazaly, Carl; Venn, Alison; Owen, Carole; Palmer, Andrew J

2015-09-18

Workplace health promotion is focussed on improving the health and wellbeing of workers. Although quantifiable effectiveness and economic evidence is variable, workplace health promotion is recognised by both government and business stakeholders as potentially beneficial for worker health and economic advantage. Despite the current debate on whether conclusive positive outcomes exist, governments are investing, and business engagement is necessary for value to be realised. Practical tools are needed to assist decision makers in developing the business case for workplace health promotion programs. Our primary objective was to develop an evidence-based, simple and easy-to-use resource (calculator) for Australian employers interested in workplace health investment figures. Three phases were undertaken to develop the calculator. First, evidence from a literature review located appropriate effectiveness measures. Second, a review of employer-facilitated programs aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of employees was utilised to identify change estimates surrounding these measures, and third, currently available online evaluation tools and models were investigated. We present a simple web-based calculator for use by employers who wish to estimate potential annual savings associated with implementing a successful workplace health promotion program. The calculator uses effectiveness measures (absenteeism and staff turnover rates) and change estimates sourced from 55 case studies to generate the annual savings an employer may potentially gain. Australian wage statistics were used to calculate replacement costs due to staff turnover. The calculator was named the Workplace Health Savings Calculator and adapted and reproduced on the Healthy Workers web portal by the Australian Commonwealth Government Department of Health and Ageing. The Workplace Health Savings Calculator is a simple online business tool that aims to engage employers and to assist participation

Promoting protection against a threat that evokes positive affect: The case of heat waves in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Bruine de Bruin, Wändi; Lefevre, Carmen E; Taylor, Andrea L; Dessai, Suraje; Fischhoff, Baruch; Kovats, Sari

2016-09-01

Heat waves can cause death, illness, and discomfort, and are expected to become more frequent as a result of climate change. Yet, United Kingdom residents have positive feelings about hot summers that may undermine their willingness to protect themselves against heat. We randomly assigned United Kingdom participants to 1 of 3 intervention strategies intended to promote heat protection, or to a control group. The first strategy aimed to build on the availability heuristic by asking participants to remember high summer temperatures, but it elicited thoughts of pleasantly hot summer weather. The second strategy aimed to build on the affect heuristic by evoking negative affect about summer temperatures, but it evoked thoughts of unpleasantly cold summer weather. The third strategy combined these 2 approaches and succeeded in evoking thoughts of unpleasantly hot summer weather. Across 2 experiments, the third (combined) strategy increased participants' expressed intentions to protect against heat compared with the control group, while performing at least as well as the 2 component strategies. We discuss implications for developing interventions about other "pleasant hazards." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Computer Game Development: An Instructional Strategy to Promote Higher Order Thinking Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prayaga, Lakshmi; Coffey, John W.

2008-01-01

Several studies have demonstrated that games have been effectively used as an instructional strategy to motivate and engage students. This paper presents the use of the process of game development as an instructional strategy to promote higher order thinking skills. An analysis of the various aspects of game development including graphics,…

Development of a one-dimensional Position Sensitive Detector for tracking applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lydecker, Leigh Kent, IV

Optical Position Sensitive Detectors (PSDs) are a non-contact method of tracking the location of a light spot. Silicon-based versions of such sensors are fabricated with standard CMOS processing, are inexpensive and provide a real-time, analog signal output corresponding to the position of the light spot. Because they are non-contact, they do not degrade over time from surface friction due to repetitive sliding motion associated with standard full contact sliding potentiometers. This results in long, reliable device lifetimes. In this work, an innovative PSD was developed to replace the linear hard contact potentiometer currently being used in a human-computer interface architecture. First, a basic lateral effect PSD was developed to provide real-time positioning of the mouthpiece used in the interface architecture which tracks along a single axis. During the course of this work, multiple device geometries were fabricated and analyzed resulting in a down selection of a final design. This final device design was then characterized in terms of resolution and responsivity and produced in larger quantities as initial prototypes for the test product integration. Finally, an electronic readout circuit was developed in order to interface the dual- line lateral effect PSD developed in this thesis with specifications required for product integration. To simplify position sensing, an innovative type of optical position sensor was developed using a linear photodiodes with back-to-back connections. This so- called Self-Balancing Position Sensitive Detector (SBPSD) requires significantly fewer processing steps than the basic lateral effect position sensitive detector discussed above and eliminates the need for external readout circuitry entirely. Prototype devices were fabricated in this work, and the performance characteristics of these devices were established paving the way for ultimate integration into the target product as well as additional applications.

Consumer opinion on social policy approaches to promoting positive body image: Airbrushed media images and disclaimer labels.

PubMed

Paraskeva, Nicole; Lewis-Smith, Helena; Diedrichs, Phillippa C

2017-02-01

Disclaimer labels on airbrushed media images have generated political attention and advocacy as a social policy approach to promoting positive body image. Experimental research suggests that labelling is ineffective and consumers' viewpoints have been overlooked. A mixed-method study explored British consumers' ( N = 1555, aged 11-78 years) opinions on body image and social policy approaches. Thematic analysis indicated scepticism about the effectiveness of labelling images. Quantitatively, adults, although not adolescents, reported that labelling was unlikely to improve body image. Appearance diversity in media and reorienting social norms from appearance to function and health were perceived as effective strategies. Social policy and research implications are discussed.

Theory of positive disintegration as a model of adolescent development.

PubMed

Laycraft, Krystyna

2011-01-01

This article introduces a conceptual model of the adolescent development based on the theory of positive disintegration combined with theory of self-organization. Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration, which was created almost a half century ago, still attracts psychologists' and educators' attention, and is extensively applied into studies of gifted and talented people. The positive disintegration is the mental development described by the process of transition from lower to higher levels of mental life and stimulated by tension, inner conflict, and anxiety. This process can be modeled by a sequence of patterns of organization (attractors) as a developmental potential (a control parameter) changes. Three levels of disintegration (unilevel disintegration, spontaneous multilevel disintegration, and organized multilevel disintegration) are analyzed in detail and it is proposed that they represent behaviour of early, middle and late periods of adolescence. In the discussion, recent research on the adolescent brain development is included.

Foxp3-positive macrophages display immunosuppressive properties and promote tumor growth

PubMed Central

Zorro Manrique, Soraya; Duque Correa, Maria Adelaida; Hoelzinger, Dominique B.; Dominguez, Ana Lucia; Mirza, Noweeda; Lin, Hsi-Hsien; Stein-Streilein, Joan; Gordon, Siamon

2011-01-01

Regulatory T cells (T reg cells) are characterized by the expression of the forkhead lineage-specific transcription factor Foxp3, and their main function is to suppress T cells. While evaluating T reg cells, we identified a population of Foxp3-positive cells that were CD11b+F4/80+CD68+, indicating macrophage origin. These cells were observed in spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, thymus, liver, and other tissues of naive animals. To characterize this subpopulation of macrophages, we devised a strategy to purify CD11b+F4/80+Foxp3+ macrophages using Foxp3-GFP mice. Analysis of CD11b+F4/80+Foxp3+ macrophage function indicated that these cells inhibited the proliferation of T cells, whereas Foxp3− macrophages did not. Suppression of T cell proliferation was mediated through soluble factors. Foxp3− macrophages acquired Foxp3 expression after activation, which conferred inhibitory properties that were indistinguishable from natural Foxp3+ macrophages. The cytokine and transcriptional profiles of Foxp3+ macrophages were distinct from those of Foxp3− macrophages, indicating that these cells have different biological functions. Functional in vivo analyses indicated that CD11b+F4/80+Foxp3+ macrophages are important in tumor promotion and the induction of T reg cell conversion. For the first time, these studies demonstrate the existence of a distinct subpopulation of naturally occurring macrophage regulatory cells in which expression of Foxp3 correlates with suppressive function. PMID:21670203

An update on the prone position: Continuing Professional Development.

PubMed

Chui, Jason; Craen, Rosemary Ann

2016-06-01

The purpose of this Continuing Professional Development module is to provide information needed to prepare for and clinically manage a patient in the prone position. Prone positioning is required for surgical procedures that involve the posterior aspect of a patient. We searched MEDLINE(®) and EMBASE™ from January 2000 to January 2015 for literature related to the prone position and retrieved only original articles in English. We reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of various equipment used in prone positioning, the physiological changes associated with prone positioning, and the complications that can occur. We also reviewed strategies for the safe conduct and management of position-related complications. Increased age, elevated body mass index, the presence of comorbidities, and long duration of surgery appear to be the most important risk factors for complications associated with prone positioning. We recommend a structured team approach and careful selection of equipment tailored to the patient and surgery. The systematic use of checklists is recommended to guide operating room teams and to reduce prone position-related complications. Anesthesiologists should be prepared to manage major intraoperative emergencies (e.g., accidental extubation) and anticipate postoperative complications (e.g., airway edema and visual loss).

Where is the child? A discursive exploration of the positioning of children in research on mental-health-promoting interventions.

PubMed

Bergnehr, Disa; Zetterqvist Nelson, Karin

2015-02-01

The present study explores the discursive positioning of children in research articles on mental-health-promoting interventions. The questions under investigation are: are children positioned as active or passive agents, are children's health and wellbeing contextualised, and if so how? How is the child perceived; that is, how are age, gender, socioeconomic status, family structure, dis/ability, and so on accounted for? We found that the positioning of the child as passive and formed by adults prevails; health is largely individualised and decontextualised in that it is depicted as being contingent on the person's own capabilities. However, there are instances in which children are positioned as active subjects, their opinions are in focus, and their health and wellbeing are connected to social relations and context. We propose a more active discussion about how children and wellbeing are conceptualised in the outlining, implementation and research of public health interventions. Moreover, children--just like adults--should be increasingly regarded as service users who are entitled to have a say in matters that concern them. © 2015 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2015 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Strategies for Promoting Gender Equity in Developing Countries: Lessons, Challenges, and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryan, Elizabeth, Ed.

2008-01-01

Over the last several decades a number of strategies have emerged and evolved to promote gender equity in development efforts. Yet debates regarding the relative efficacy of these strategies remain. On Thursday, April 26, 2007, the Woodrow Wilson Center convened a group of experts on gender and development to address the issue of gender inequality…

Development and Testing of a Smartphone Application Prototype for Oral Health Promotion.

PubMed

Nolen, Sara L; Giblin-Scanlon, Lori J; Boyd, Linda D; Rainchuso, Lori

2018-04-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and test a smartphone application (app) prototype, ToothSense, as an oral health promotion tool for the prevention of Early Childhood Caries (ECC) based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Methods: A quantitative and qualitative design process based on the TPB was used for the app development in the first phase of the study. A behavioral intervention technologic model was used to document the app features design, accounting for Doshi's intervention strategies for the TPB. Beta-testing of the app was hosted via an online software program. Testers were presented with a series of tasks and prompts followed by a 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire that quantitatively measured perceptions of the app's interactive design based on Jakob Nielsen's principles and behavioral strategies. A Net Promotor Score was calculated to determine the tester's likelihood to recommend the app prototype. Audio and video aspects of the app were qualitatively measured using a template approach. Results: Beta testers agreed the app met the majority of the five usability statements. The Net Promotor Score indicated a likelihood to recommend the app prototype. Thematic analyses revealed the following themes: interface design, navigation, terminology, information, and oral health promotion. Conclusion: Beta testing results from this study provided health promotion project design information for the prevention of ECC using the TPB and highlighted the importance and usability of smartphone app for oral health promotion. Copyright © 2018 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Future development, innovation and promotion of European unique food: an interdisciplinary research framework perspective.

PubMed

Byrne, Derek V; Waehrens, Sandra S; O'Sullivan, Maurice G

2013-11-01

Unique food products constitute a very important element of European food business, culture, identity and heritage. Understanding the uniqueness of food in Europe from a research-based interdisciplinary perspective will be a critical factor in promoting the competitiveness of artisanal food industries going forward both locally and internationally. Success will support the competitiveness of the European food industry, in particular, small and medium enterprises, by enabling substantial product differentiation potential for producers and providing ample variety in food choice for the consumer. In addition, it will contribute to promotion of sustainable agriculture and development of rural areas, protecting them from depopulation. In order to meet the demands of a developing fundamental shift in European Union agricultural focus to greener, sustainable farming practices and wider rural development and to ensure success for local small-scale producers, this paper discusses the future direction of research in the field of unique European foods. The paper presents a perspective which promotes optimisation and innovation in unique food products in Europe through the integration of advanced knowledge and technologies. A framework is presented covering location, identity, perception and well-being as research areas needing synergy to bridge the research knowledge deficit in determination and specification of food identity in the European Union. The ultimate aim being promotion of sustainable agriculture and rural development, particularly in territories across the European Union where unique food is strategically and scientifically under-defined. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Development and evaluation of a patient education video promoting pneumococcal vaccination.

PubMed

Brown, Tiffany; Goldman, Shira N; Persell, Stephen D; Lee, Ji Young; Doan, Crystal T; Stephens, Quinn; Baker, David W; Cameron, Kenzie A

2017-05-01

This study aimed to develop and refine a patient education video about pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination (PPSV23) and to assess patient perceptions regarding video content and receipt of video during a clinic visit. Focus groups were conducted to obtain patient feedback on a brief video focusing on personal susceptibility to pneumonia and highlighting the importance of both childhood and adult vaccines. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with patients ages 65 and 66 who were shown the revised video at an office visit. We assessed attitudes toward the video and perceptions about its presentation at the point of care. Participants responded to open-ended items as well as Likert-type items with responses from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Focus group participants (n=26) had positive reactions to the video, but suggested reducing the intensity of messages about pneumonia severity. Participants (n=73) shown the revised video during a clinic visit perceived it to be easy to understand (M=4.83, SD=0.58) and informative (M=4.8, SD=0.75). Target audience feedback helped refine a video promoting PPSV23 vaccination; the video was well received by patients. This video may be an effective educational tool to increase rates of PPSV23 vaccination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nursing clinical developments units--A strategy to promote the relationship between practice and academia.

PubMed

Happell, Brenda

2006-05-01

Bridging the theory-practice gap has historically been acknowledged as a priority for the nursing profession. Enhancing nurses' attitudes regarding the relevance of theory to practice has been considered as crucial in order that the relationship between theory and practice becomes strong and complimentary. A review of the literature suggests that strategies such as joint clinical and academic positions have not had a significant impact in this respect. Nursing Clinical Development Units (NCDUs) were introduced in the United Kingdom as an initiative to promote the recognition and utilisation of research findings as an inherent component of nursing practice. However, there is limited literature addressing the impact of NCDUs on relationships between academia and the clinical field. The aim of this paper is to present the findings of a qualitative evaluation conducted with participants (n=14) of an NCDU program in Victoria, Australia. The findings suggest that this initiative can significantly enhance relationships with, and attitudes towards, academia.

Structural developmental psychology and health promotion in the third age.

PubMed

Bauger, Lars; Bongaardt, Rob

2017-01-12

In response to the ever-increasing longevity in Western societies, old age has been divided into two different periods, labelled the third and fourth age. Where the third age, with its onset at retirement, mostly involves positive aspects of growing old, the fourth age involves functional decline and increased morbidity. This article focuses on the entry to the third age and its potential for health promotion initiatives. Well-being is an important factor to emphasize in such health promotion, and this article views the lifestyle of third agers as essential for their well-being. The structural developmental theory of Robert Kegan delineates how a person's way of knowing develops throughout the life course. This theory is an untapped and salient perspective for health promotion initiatives in the third age. This article outlines Kegan's approach as a tool for developing psychologically spacious health promotion, and suggests future directions for research on the topic. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Health-promoting schools: an opportunity for oral health promotion.

PubMed Central

Kwan, Stella Y. L.; Petersen, Poul Erik; Pine, Cynthia M.; Borutta, Annerose

2005-01-01

Schools provide an important setting for promoting health, as they reach over 1 billion children worldwide and, through them, the school staff, families and the community as a whole. Health promotion messages can be reinforced throughout the most influential stages of children's lives, enabling them to develop lifelong sustainable attitudes and skills. Poor oral health can have a detrimental effect on children's quality of life, their performance at school and their success in later life. This paper examines the global need for promoting oral health through schools. The WHO Global School Health Initiative and the potential for setting up oral health programmes in schools using the health-promoting school framework are discussed. The challenges faced in promoting oral health in schools in both developed and developing countries are highlighted. The importance of using a validated framework and appropriate methodologies for the evaluation of school oral health projects is emphasized. PMID:16211159

Promoting mental wellbeing: developing a theoretically and empirically sound complex intervention.

PubMed

Millar, S L; Donnelly, M

2014-06-01

This paper describes the development of a complex intervention to promote mental wellbeing using the revised framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions produced by the UK Medical Research Council (UKMRC). Application of the first two phases of the framework is described--development and feasibility and piloting. The theoretical case and evidence base were examined analytically to explicate the theoretical and empirical foundations of the intervention. These findings informed the design of a 12-week mental wellbeing promotion programme providing early intervention for people showing signs of mental health difficulties. The programme is based on the theoretical constructs of self-efficacy, self-esteem, purpose in life, resilience and social support and comprises 10 steps. A mixed methods approach was used to conduct a feasibility study with community and voluntary sector service users and in primary care. A significant increase in mental wellbeing was observed following participation in the intervention. Qualitative data corroborated this finding and suggested that the intervention was feasible to deliver and acceptable to participants, facilitators and health professionals. The revised UKMRC framework can be successfully applied to the development of public health interventions. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Position of the American Dietetic Association: the roles of registered dietitians and dietetic technicians, registered in health promotion and disease prevention.

PubMed

Stitzel, Kimberly F

2006-11-01

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) that primary prevention is the most effective, affordable course of action for preventing and reducing risk for chronic disease. Registered dietitians and dietetic technicians, registered, are leaders in delivering preventive services in both clinical and community settings, including advocating for funding and inclusion of these services in programs and policy initiatives at local, state, and federal levels. In addition, registered dietitians are leaders in facilitating and participating in research in chronic disease prevention and health promotion. Diet, nutrition, and physical activity are important factors in the promotion and maintenance of good health throughout the life cycle. Cost-effective interventions that produce a change in personal health practices are likely to lead to substantial reductions in the incidence and severity of the leading causes of disease in the United States. In an era of increasing health care expenditures and relative decreases in availability of federal funds, there is increasing demand on health promotion and disease prevention to be economically viable. Through clinical involvement and rigorous participation in research on chronic disease prevention and health promotion, the field of dietetics can lead the way to effectively translate the impact of nutrition on all ages.

7 CFR 1219.22 - Promotion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... AND ORDERS; MISCELLANEOUS COMMODITIES), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HASS AVOCADO PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND INFORMATION Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Order Definitions § 1219.22... activities are designed to improve the competitive position and stimulate sales of Hass avocados in the...

Ten Years of Experience with a Performance-Based Promotional Selection and Career Development System within State Government.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baugher, Dan; And Others

1994-01-01

The New York State Division of Budget uses a decentralized system to assess promotion candidates by comparing their training, experience, and recent performance to the proposed position. Managers and candidates find the system more effective than traditional written/oral exams. (SK)

Estimating Development Cost of an Interactive Website Based Cancer Screening Promotion Program

PubMed Central

Lairson, David R.; Chung, Tong Han; Smith, Lisa G.; Springston, Jeffrey K.; Champion, Victoria L.

2015-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to estimate the initial development costs for an innovative talk show format tailored intervention delivered via the interactive web, for increasing cancer screening in women 50 to 75 who were non-adherent to screening guidelines for colorectal cancer and/or breast cancer. Methods The cost of the intervention development was estimated from a societal perspective. Micro costing methods plus vendor contract costs were used to estimate cost. Staff logs were used to track personnel time. Non-personnel costs include all additional resources used to produce the intervention. Results Development cost of the interactive web based intervention was $.39 million, of which 77% was direct cost. About 98% of the cost was incurred in personnel time cost, contract cost and overhead cost. Conclusions The new web-based disease prevention medium required substantial investment in health promotion and media specialist time. The development cost was primarily driven by the high level of human capital required. The cost of intervention development is important information for assessing and planning future public and private investments in web-based health promotion interventions. PMID:25749548

Necrotrophic pathogens use the salicylic acid signaling pathway to promote disease development in tomato.

PubMed

Rahman, Taha Abd El; Oirdi, Mohamed El; Gonzalez-Lamothe, Rocio; Bouarab, Kamal

2012-12-01

Plants use different immune pathways to combat pathogens. The activation of the jasmonic acid (JA)-signaling pathway is required for resistance against necrotrophic pathogens; however, to combat biotrophic pathogens, the plants activate mainly the salicylic acid (SA)-signaling pathway. SA can antagonize JA signaling and vice versa. NPR1 (noninducible pathogenesis-related 1) is considered a master regulator of SA signaling. NPR1 interacts with TGA transcription factors, ultimately leading to the activation of SA-dependent responses. SA has been shown to promote disease development caused by the necrotrophic pathogen Botrytis cinerea through NPR1, by suppressing the expression of two JA-dependent defense genes, proteinase inhibitors I and II. We show here that the transcription factor TGA1.a contributes to disease development caused by B. cinerea in tomato by suppressing the expression of proteinase inhibitors I and II. Finally, we present evidence that the SA-signaling pathway contributes to disease development caused by another necrotrophic pathogen, Alternaria solani, in tomato. Disease development promoted by SA through NPR1 requires the TGA1.a transcription factor. These data highlight how necrotrophs manipulate the SAsignaling pathway to promote their disease in tomato.

Development and promotion of Malaysian Dietary Guidelines.

PubMed

Tee, E-Siong

2011-01-01

Development and promotion of dietary guidelines is one of the key activities outlined in the National Plan of Action for Nutrition of Malaysia for the prevention of nutrition-related disorders. The first official Malaysian Dietary Guidelines (MDG) was published in 1999 and was thoroughly reviewed and launched on 25 March 2010. The new MDG 2010 is a compilation of science-based nutrition and physical activity recommendations. These guidelines form the basis of consistent and scientifically sound nutrition messages for the public. There are 14 key messages and 55 recommendations, covering the whole range of food and nutrition issues, from importance of consuming a variety of foods to guidance on specific food groups, messages to encourage physical activities, consuming safe food and beverages and making effective use of nutrition information on food labels. The MDG also has an updated food pyramid. Various efforts have been made to ensure that the revised MDG is disseminated to all stakeholders. The Ministry of Health has organised a series of workshops for nutritionists and other health care professionals, and the food industry. In collaboration with other professional bodies and the private sector, the Nutrition Society of Malaysia has been promoting the dissemination and usage of the MDG to the public through a variety of formats and channels. These include the publication of a series of leaflets, educational press articles, educational booklets, as well as through educational activities for children. It is imperative to monitor the usage and evaluation of these dietary messages.

Process Evaluation of the Project SHINE Intervention for African American Families: An Integrated Positive Parenting and Peer Monitoring Approach to Health Promotion.

PubMed

St George, Sara M; Wilson, Dawn K; McDaniel, Tyler; Alia, Kassandra A

2016-07-01

This study describes the process evaluation of Project SHINE, a randomized family-based health promotion intervention that integrated parenting and peer monitoring for improving sedentary behavior, physical activity, and diet in African American families. Adolescent-parent dyads (n = 89) were randomized to a 6-week behavioral, positive parenting, and peer monitoring skills intervention or a general health education comparison condition. Process evaluation included observational ratings of fidelity, attendance records, psychosocial measures, and qualitative interviews. Results indicated that the intervention was delivered with high fidelity based on facilitator adherence (>98% of content delivered) and competent use of theoretically based behavior change and positive parenting skills (100% of ratings >3 on a 1-4 scale). Although only 43% of peers attended the "bring a friend" session, overall attendance was high (4.39 ± 1.51 sessions) as was the retention rate (88%). Parents in the intervention condition reported significant improvements in communication related to adolescents' engagement in health behaviors both on their own and with peers. These findings were supported by qualitative themes related to improvements in family communication and connectedness. This study provides an innovative example of how future family-based health promotion trials can expand their process evaluation approaches by assessing theoretically relevant positive parenting variables as part of ongoing monitoring. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

Promoting Teachers' Positive Attitude towards Web Use: A Study in Web Site Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akpinar, Yavuz; Bayramoglu, Yusuf

2008-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine effects of a compact training for developing web sites on teachers' web attitude, as composed of: web self efficacy, perceived web enjoyment, perceived web usefulness and behavioral intention to use the web. To measure the related constructs, the Web Attitude Scale was adapted into Turkish and tested with a…

Development of an economic skill building intervention to promote women's safety and child development in Karachi, Pakistan.

PubMed

Hirani, Saima Shams; Karmaliani, Rozina; McFarlane, Judith; Asad, Nargis; Madhani, Farhana; Shehzad, Shireen; Ali, Nazbano Ahmed

2010-02-01

Violence against women is a global epidemic phenomenon that can result in major mental health problems. Not only are women affected but also the health and well-being of their children are in jeopardy. To prevent violence and promote women's safety, several strategies have been tested in various cultural contexts. This article describes the process of developing and validating an economic skill building intervention for women of an urban slum area of Karachi, Pakistan. The purpose of the intervention is to increase women's economic independence, promote women's safety, and improve the behavioral functioning of their children.

Promoting family planning through women's development.

PubMed

Gulhati, K

1986-12-01

Private initiatives in developing countries have been successful in increasing women's desire for family planning by enabling them to earn more income. These approaches have incorporated a woman-to-woman strategy in which women train others not only in how to earn an income from producing and marketing products, but also in the skills needed to establish and manage their own organizations. Private voluntary organizations play an especially crucial role in training project managers. The Center for Development and Population Activities, for example, has held 19 Women in Management workshops and channels funds and technical assistance for projects in health, family planning, nutrition, and income generation. Women who move from managerial to policymaking positions are most able to help other women raise their political, social, and economic status.

Health-promoting residential aged care: a pilot project in Austria.

PubMed

Krajic, Karl; Cichocki, Martin; Quehenberger, Viktoria

2015-09-01

Long-term care for the aged is an area that has not been in the focus of health promotion so far. The paper describes context, concept and project plan of a 2-year pilot project of comprehensive health-promoting setting development in residential aged care in Austria, and provides an overview over main experiences and results. Austria's most relevant health promotion agencies, a specialized scientific institute and Austria's largest provider of aged care acted as partners. The project aimed at developing elements of a comprehensive approach, but also providing evidence for the effectiveness of health promotion. Therefore, the project combined an organizational development approach with a scientific, randomized controlled study on mobility enhancement for residents. A comprehensive settings approach turned out acceptable for the main stakeholders of aged care (owners and management, staff, residents and residents' relatives). Strategy development, based on a systematic needs assessment, found staff health to be of special interest for the organization (ergonomics, workability over life course), and residents' relatives, got more attention. The mobility study was able to achieve positive results on occupational performance, concerning quality-of-life indicators and reached also formerly inactive groups. After the end of the project, health promotion is still on the agenda of the organization; further developments will be monitored. Good support from the policy level and well-established networking between the aged care provider, health promotion agencies and a network for health promotion in health care seems to have been an important resource for success. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Promotion of oral health by community nurses.

PubMed

Garry, Brendan; Boran, Sue

2017-10-02

To explore the enablers and barriers perceived by community nurses in the promotion of oral health in an adult community trust directorate. Oral health care promotion in community care settings is being neglected. England and Wales have witnessed marked improvements in periodontal disease; however, no improvements have been seen in older people. A qualitative methodology was employed, where eight nurses from Band 5 to 7 were interviewed using a semi-structured approach. The data was analysed thematically. Data analysis was organised into four themes: professional self-concept and the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary in the promotion of oral health; the impact an organisation has on the promotion of oral health and an exploration of the enablers and barriers identified by the community nurses while delivering care; the relationships between the nurse and patient and the potential impact on oral health promotion; the concept of self-regard in relation to the promotion of oral health and its overall impact. A commitment to improving oral health and requests for additional educational input were apparent. Organisational enablers and barriers were identified, alongside the crucial role a positive self-regard for oral health care may play in the promotion of oral health. Nurses need relevant education, organisational support, adequate resources and support from a multidisciplinary team to deliver optimal oral health promotion.

Potassium Ions Promote Solution-Route Li2O2 Formation in the Positive Electrode Reaction of Li-O2 Batteries.

PubMed

Matsuda, Shoichi; Kubo, Yoshimi; Uosaki, Kohei; Nakanishi, Shuji

2017-03-16

Lithium-oxygen system has attracted much attention as a battery with high energy density that could satisfy the demands for electric vehicles. However, because lithium peroxide (Li 2 O 2 ) is formed as an insoluble and insulative discharge product at the positive electrode, Li-O 2 batteries have poor energy capacities. Although Li 2 O 2 deposition on the positive electrode can be avoided by inducing solution-route pathway using electrolytes composed of high donor number (DN) solvents, such systems generally have poor stability. Herein we report that potassium ions promote the solution-route formation of Li 2 O 2 . The present findings suggest that potassium or other monovalent ions have the potential to increase the volumetric energy density and life cycles of Li-O 2 batteries.

Are positive emotions just as "positive" across cultures?

PubMed

Leu, Janxin; Wang, Jennifer; Koo, Kelly

2011-08-01

Whereas positive emotions and feeling unequivocally good may be at the heart of well-being among Westerners, positive emotions often carry negative associations within many Asian cultures. Based on a review of East-West cultural differences in dialectical emotions, or co-occurring positive and negative feelings, we predicted culture to influence the association between positive emotions and depression, but not the association between negative emotions and depression. As predicted, in a survey of over 600 European-, immigrant Asian-, and Asian American college students, positive emotions were associated with depression symptoms among European Americans and Asian Americans, but not immigrant Asians. Negative emotions were associated with depression symptoms among all three groups. We also found initial evidence that acculturation (i.e., nativity) may influence the role of positive emotions in depression: Asian Americans fell "in between" the two other groups. These findings suggest the importance of studying the role of culture in positive emotions and in positive psychology. The use of interventions based on promoting positive emotions in clinical psychology among Asian clients is briefly discussed. 2011 APA, all rights reserved

Intervention for Positive Use of Leisure Time Among College Students

PubMed Central

Yarnal, Careen; Qian, Xinyi; Hustad, John; Sims, Damon

2013-01-01

College student excessive alcohol use is a pressing public health concern, and many of the negative events associated with heavy drinking occur during leisure or free time. Positive use of leisure can lead to coping skills, stress reduction, and healthy development. Negative use of leisure, including heavy alcohol use, is associated with physical inactivity, stress, and short and long-term health concerns. We contend that using the classroom context to help college students understand why it is beneficial to engage in positive leisure pursuits and how that engagement will promote personal growth is of critical importance to healthy development. PMID:24198896

Positive Clinical Psychology: a new vision and strategy for integrated research and practice.

PubMed

Wood, Alex M; Tarrier, Nicholas

2010-11-01

This review argues for the development of a Positive Clinical Psychology, which has an integrated and equally weighted focus on both positive and negative functioning in all areas of research and practice. Positive characteristics (such as gratitude, flexibility, and positive emotions) can uniquely predict disorder beyond the predictive power of the presence of negative characteristics, and buffer the impact of negative life events, potentially preventing the development of disorder. Increased study of these characteristics can rapidly expand the knowledge base of clinical psychology and utilize the promising new interventions to treat disorder through promoting the positive. Further, positive and negative characteristics cannot logically be studied or changed in isolation as (a) they interact to predict clinical outcomes, (b) characteristics are neither "positive" or "negative", with outcomes depending on specific situation and concomitant goals and motivations, and (c) positive and negative well-being often exist on the same continuum. Responding to criticisms of the Positive Psychology movement, we do not suggest the study of positive functioning as a separate field of clinical psychology, but rather that clinical psychology itself changes to become a more integrative discipline. An agenda for research and practice is proposed including reconceptualizing well-being, forming stronger collaborations with allied disciplines, rigorously evaluating the new positive interventions, and considering a role for clinical psychologists in promoting well-being as well as treating distress. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promoting Positive Emotion in Multimedia Learning Using Visual Illustrations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Sanghoon; Lim, Jung

2007-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to explore the concept of interest, one of the critical positive emotions in learning contexts and to investigate the effects of different types of visual illustrations on learning interest, achievement, and motivation in multimedia learning. The concept of interest was explored in light of positive emotion; an…

Scale Development of Individual and Organisation Infrastructure for Heart Health Promotion in Regional Health Authorities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plotnikoff, Ronald C.; Anderson, Donna; Raine, Kim; Cook, Kay; Barrett, Linda; Prodaniuk, Tricia R.

2005-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to validate measures of individual and organisational infrastructure for health promotion within Alberta's (Canada) 17 Regional Health Authorities (RHAs). Design: A series of phases were conducted to develop individual and organisational scales to measure health promotion infrastructure. Instruments were…

University hospitals as drivers of career success: an empirical study of the duration of promotion and promotion success of hospital physicians

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background German hospitals have a well-defined career structure for clinicians. In this hierarchical career system university hospital are stepping stones for career advancement. This longitudinal study investigates the impact of working in university hospitals on the career success of junior physicians and senior physicians. Methods Consideration of the career trajectories of 324 hospital physicians. Discrete-time event history analysis is used to study the influence of working in university hospitals on the chance of promotion from junior physician to senior physician and senior physician to chief physician. A comparison of medians provides information about the impact of working in university hospitals on the duration of promotion to senior and chief physician positions. Results Working in university hospitals has a negative impact for advancement to a senior physician position in terms of promotion duration (p = 0.005) and also in terms of promotion success, where a short time span of just 1–2 years in university hospitals has a negative effect (OR = 0.38, p < 0.01), while working there for a medium or long term has no significant effect. However, working in universities has a positive effect on the duration of promotion to a chief physician position (p = 0.079), and working in university hospitals for 3–4 years increases the chance of promotion to a chief physician position (OR = 4.02, p < 0.05), while working there > =7 years decreases this chance (OR = 0.27, p < 0.05). In addition, physicians have a higher chance of promotion to a chief physician position through career mobility when they come to the position from a university hospital. Conclusion Working at university hospitals has a career-enhancing effect for a senior physician with ambitions to become a chief physician. For junior physicians on the trajectory to a senior physician position, however, university hospitals are not drivers of career success. PMID

Promoting an Interest in Language To Stimulate College Students' Vocabulary Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wellington, Kathy

1999-01-01

Describes using the book "The Professor and the Madman" (which tells the story of how the "Oxford English Dictionary" came into being) in a college or developmental reading class. Notes it motivates students to take greater interest in language and work on expanding their vocabularies, thus promoting vocabulary development and…

Role of the RNA polymerase α subunits in CII-dependent activation of the bacteriophage λ pE promoter: identification of important residues and positioning of the α C-terminal domains

PubMed Central

Kedzierska, Barbara; Lee, David J.; Węgrzyn, Grzegorz; Busby, Stephen J. W.; Thomas, Mark S.

2004-01-01

The bacteriophage λ CII protein stimulates the activity of three phage promoters, pE, pI and paQ, upon binding to a site overlapping the –35 element at each promoter. Here we used preparations of RNA polymerase carrying a DNA cleavage reagent attached to specific residues in the C-terminal domain of the RNA polymerase α subunit (αCTD) to demonstrate that one αCTD binds near position –41 at pE, whilst the other αCTD binds further upstream. The αCTD bound near position –41 is oriented such that its 261 determinant is in close proximity to σ70. The location of αCTD in CII-dependent complexes at the pE promoter is very similar to that found at many activator-independent promoters, and represents an alternative configuration for αCTD at promoters where activators bind sites overlapping the –35 region. We also used an in vivo alanine scan analysis to show that the DNA-binding determinant of αCTD is involved in stimulation of the pE promoter by CII, and this was confirmed by in vitro transcription assays. We also show that whereas the K271E substitution in αCTD results in a drastic decrease in CII-dependent activation of pE, the pI and paQ promoters are less sensitive to this substitution, suggesting that the role of αCTD at the three lysogenic promoters may be different. PMID:14762211

Health Promotion: A developing focus area over the years.

PubMed

Povlsen, Lene; Borup, Ina

2015-08-01

In 1953 when the Nordic School of Public Health was founded, the aim of public health programmes was disease prevention more than health promotion. This was not unusual, since at this time health usually was seen as the opposite of disease and illness. However, with the Ottawa Charter of 1986, the World Health Organization made a crucial change to view health not as a goal in itself but as the means to a full life. In this way, health promotion became a first priority and fundamental action for the modern society. This insight eventually reached NHV and in 2002 - 50 years after the foundation - an associate professorship was established with a focus on health promotion. Nevertheless, the concept of health promotion had been integrated with or mentioned in courses run prior to the new post. Subsequently, a wide spectrum of courses in health promotion was introduced, such as 'Empowerment for Child and Adolescent Health Promotion', 'Salutogenesis--from theory to practice' and 'Health, Stress and Coping'. More than half of all doctoral theses undertaken at NHV during these years had health promotion as their theme. As a derivative, the Nordic Health Promotion Research Network (NHPRN) was established in 2007 with bi-annual meetings at NHV. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Course Development in Socially Responsible Advertising and Promotion: An Interdisciplinary and Stakeholder Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyllegard, Karen H.; Ogle, Jennifer Paff; Rudd, Nancy A.; Littrell, Mary A.; Bickle, Marianne

2012-01-01

This paper describes a course development project designed to address the obligation of consumer goods companies to engage in socially responsible advertising and promotion. Course development was informed by stakeholder theory. Videotaped interviews with 46 stakeholder representatives were integrated into the course, providing students with an…

Development and Evaluation of Digital Game-Based Training for Managers to Promote Employee Mental Health and Reduce Mental Illness Stigma at Work: Quasi-Experimental Study of Program Effectiveness

PubMed Central

Birner, Ulrich Walter; Oberhauser, Cornelia; Nowak, Dennis; Sabariego, Carla

2017-01-01

Background To counteract the negative impact of mental health problems on business, organizations are increasingly investing in mental health intervention measures. However, those services are often underused, which, to a great extent, can be attributed to fear of stigmatization. Nevertheless, so far only a few workplace interventions have specifically targeted stigma, and evidence on their effectiveness is limited. Objective The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a digital game-based training program for managers to promote employee mental health and reduce mental illness stigma at work. Methods We describe the empirical development of Leadership Training in Mental Health Promotion (LMHP), a digital game-based training program for leaders. A 1-group pre-post design and a 3-month follow-up were used for training evaluation. We applied multilevel growth models to investigate change over time in the dependent variables knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and intentions to promote employee mental health in 48 managers of a global enterprise in the United Kingdom. Participants were mainly male (44/48, 92%) and ranged in age from 32 to 58 (mean 46.0, SD 7.2) years. Results We found a positive impact of the Web-based training program on managers’ knowledge of mental health and mental illness (P<.001), on attitudes toward people with mental health problems (P<.01), and on their self-efficacy to deal with mental health situations at work (P<.001), with the exception of intentions to promote employee mental health, which was initially high. Conclusions Results provide first evidence of the effectiveness of LMHP to positively affect managers’ skills to promote employee mental health at work. Furthermore, the high rate of participation in LMHP (48/54, 89%) supports the use of digital game-based interventions to increase user engagement and user experience in mental health programs at work. PMID:28778839

Promoting and developing a trail network across suburban, rural, and urban communities.

PubMed

Schasberger, Michele G; Hussa, Carol S; Polgar, Michael F; McMonagle, Julie A; Burke, Sharon J; Gegaris, Andrew J

2009-12-01

The Wyoming Valley Wellness Trails Partnership received an Active Living by Design grant late in 2003 for a project centered on a growing trail network linking urban, suburban, and rural communities in northeast Pennsylvania, a former coal region, in order to increase physical activity among residents. The partnership conducted research, collected information, created promotional documents, worked with partners on events and programs, and participated in trail planning. Local trail organizations continued planning and construction toward developing a trail network. Other partners spearheaded policy change in schools and worksites and worked toward downtown revitalization. The partnership assisted these efforts by providing a forum in which organizations could meet. The partnership became a central resource for information about local parks, trails, and outdoor recreational activities. The partnership increased awareness and use of recreational facilities. Trail partners constructed 22 miles of walking and biking trails. The partnership took advantage of an allied effort that created organizational capacity for wellness in schools and worksites. Messages promoting social and entertainment benefits of physical activity were more successful than those promoting health benefits. The existence of multiple small, independent trail organizations can help advance trail development through concurrent development efforts. Urban, suburban, and rural residents' conceptions of walkability may differ. Trails provide options for recreational and transportation-related physical activity across urban, suburban, and rural landscapes that are supported by all constituents. Trail builders can be strong allies in bringing active living to suburban and rural places.

Parent perceptions of health promotion for school-age children with spina bifida.

PubMed

Luther, Brenda L; Christian, Becky J

2017-01-01

To gain insight into how parents develop their beliefs of health promotion for their children with spina bifida (SB) and how they develop and promote health promotion practices for their children. Qualitative, exploratory design with semi-structured interviews of parents of children between 6 and 12 years of age diagnosed with SB was used for this study. Perceptions of health promotion were maintaining healthy bowel function and managing SB care. Good bowel function and SB management is health promotion and adequate bowel function is viewed as a marker of health. Maintaining healthy bowel function was identified by parents as the key marker of health for their children with SB. Further, the term health promotion brought up plans, concerns, and goals more related to their child's physiologic functioning and health care needs rather than promoting health and avoiding preventable disease. Nurses and healthcare providers are in unique and powerful positions for strategizing with parents on how to integrate health promotion into the lives of children with SB. Team-based, whole-person, holistic assessment and teaching inclusive of promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors in addition to providing excellent care related to their physiologic systems affected by SB can improve how we promote health for these children. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genetic and Environmental Contributions to the Development of Positive Affect in Infancy

PubMed Central

Planalp, Elizabeth M.; Van Hulle, Carol; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Goldsmith, H. Hill

2016-01-01

We studied developmental changes in infant positive affect from 6 to 12 months of age, a time marked by increasing use of positive vocalizations, laughter, and social smiles. We estimated the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences on observed and parent reported infant positive affect across development. Participants were drawn from a longitudinal twin study of infancy and toddlerhood (N=536 twin pairs). Mothers and fathers reported on infant temperament and infants were videotaped during two observational tasks assessing positive affect. Parents also reported on their own affect and emotional expression within the family. Biometric models examined genetic and environmental influences that contribute to the developmental continuity of positive affect. Infant positive affect was associated with increased parent positive affect and family expressions of positive affect although not with family expressions of negative affect. In addition, the shared environment accounted for a large portion of variation in infant positive affect and continuity over time. These findings highlight the importance of the family environment in relation to infant positive emotional development. PMID:27797564

Genetic and environmental contributions to the development of positive affect in infancy.

PubMed

Planalp, Elizabeth M; Van Hulle, Carol; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Goldsmith, H Hill

2017-04-01

We studied developmental changes in infant positive affect from 6 to 12 months of age, a time marked by increasing use of positive vocalizations, laughter, and social smiles. We estimated the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences on observed and parent reported infant positive affect across development. Participants were drawn from a longitudinal twin study of infancy and toddlerhood (N = 536 twin pairs). Mothers and fathers reported on infant temperament and infants were videotaped during 2 observational tasks assessing positive affect. Parents also reported on their own affect and emotional expression within the family. Biometric models examined genetic and environmental influences that contribute to the developmental continuity of positive affect. Infant positive affect was associated with increased parent positive affect and family expressions of positive affect although not with family expressions of negative affect. In addition, the shared environment accounted for a large portion of variation in infant positive affect and continuity over time. These findings highlight the importance of the family environment in relation to infant positive emotional development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Complementary development of prevention and mental health promotion programs for Canadian children based on contemporary scientific paradigms.

PubMed

Breton, J J

1999-04-01

Confusion regarding definitions and standards of prevention and promotion programs is pervasive, as revealed by a review of such programs in Canada. This paper examines how a discussion of scientific paradigms can help clarify models of prevention and mental health promotion and proposes the complementary development of prevention and promotion programs. A paradigm shift in science contributed to the emergence of the transactional model, advocating multiple causes and dynamic transactions between the individual and the environment. Consequently, the view of prevention applying over a linear continuum and of single stressful events causing mental disorders may no longer be appropriate. It is the author's belief that the new science of chaos theory, which addresses processes involved in the development of systems, can be applied to child development and thus to the heart of prevention and promotion programs. Critical moments followed by transitions or near-chaotic behaviours lead to stable states better adapted to the environment. Prevention programs would focus on the critical moments and target groups at risk to reduce risk factors. Promotion programs would focus on stable states and target the general population to develop age-appropriate life skills. The concept of sensitive dependence on initial conditions and certain empirical studies suggest that the programs would have the greatest impact at the beginning of life. It is hoped that this effort to organize knowledge about conceptual models of prevention and mental health promotion programs will foster the development of these programs to meet the urgent needs of Canadian children.

Swimsuit issues: promoting positive body image in young women's magazines.

PubMed

Boyd, Elizabeth Reid; Moncrieff-Boyd, Jessica

2011-08-01

This preliminary study reviews the promotion of healthy body image to young Australian women, following the 2009 introduction of the voluntary Industry Code of Conduct on Body Image. The Code includes using diverse sized models in magazines. A qualitative content analysis of the 2010 annual 'swimsuit issues' was conducted on 10 Australian young women's magazines. Pictorial and/or textual editorial evidence of promoting diverse body shapes and sizes was regarded as indicative of the magazines' upholding aspects of the voluntary Code of Conduct for Body Image. Diverse sized models were incorporated in four of the seven magazines with swimsuit features sampled. Body size differentials were presented as part of the swimsuit features in three of the magazines sampled. Tips for diverse body type enhancement were included in four of the magazines. All magazines met at least one criterion. One magazine displayed evidence of all three criteria. Preliminary examination suggests that more than half of young women's magazines are upholding elements of the voluntary Code of Conduct for Body Image, through representation of diverse-sized women in their swimsuit issues.

A Portrait of Young Adolescents in the 1990s: Implications for Promoting Healthy Growth and Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scales, Peter C.

Designed to promote the creation of programs and policies that meet the needs of young adolescents, this report considers trends and forces affecting children between the ages of 10 and 15 and offers recommendations for drawing out adolescents' positive possibilities. Section 1 acknowledges trends that point to an increasing number of at-risk…

Achieving Success in Small Business. A Self-Instruction Program for Small Business Owner-Managers. Developing Your Sales Promotion Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg. Div. of Vocational-Technical Education.

This self-instructional module on developing your sales promotion plan is the fifth in a set of twelve modules designed for small business owner-managers. Competencies for this module are (1) describe the role of advertising, display, and personal selling in a sales promotion plan and (2) develop an effective sales promotion plan which…

Developing and promoting an intranet site for a drug information service.

PubMed

Costerison, Emily C; Graham, Angie S

2008-04-01

The development and promotion of a drug information service (DIS) intranet site are described. Stanford Hospital and Clinics (SHC) is an acute and tertiary care facility with 613 licensed inpatient beds and 48 outpatient clinics. A DIS intranet site was developed to allow better accessibility to pharmacy forms and products (e.g., drug shortage list, reference guides) and to reduce repetitive requests to the DIS. The goal was to continue to provide information to SHC health care providers but allow the drug information specialist to focus on answering clinical questions. The intranet site was completed over a four-month period. The intranet site was divided into seven webpages: DIS overview, pharmacy and therapeutics, frequently asked questions, quick drug reference guide, ask the pharmacist, drug information resources, and referral center. The preparation for and implementation of the promotional phase took approximately two months. Promotional strategies included the creation and dissemination of brochures and stickers. The intranet site went live on January 1, 2007, and the advertising campaign began one month later. The utility of the site was measured for five months by tracking the number of visits to the site, the number of visits to each webpage, and the number of downloaded files. Request volume, caller affiliation, and question types received by the DIS call center were also recorded. Establishing a DIS intranet site required a considerable time investment and a willingness to work with existing infrastructures, such as the marketing and communications department and Web marketing staff.

[Subtainable health promotion via organisational development--a model project for teachers in professional training schools].

PubMed

Schumacher, L; Nieskens, B; Bräuer, H; Sieland, B

2005-02-01

The goal of this project is the development, implementation and evaluation of a concept designed for sustainable health promotion among occupational and trade school teachers. We assume that for sustainable health promotion -- along with a behavioral prevention program -- a change is necessary in the structure, as well as, the working and communication processes within schools. The realization of early teacher participation and self regulated cooperative groups initiates comprehensive and goal-oriented developmental processes in the project schools. The organizational development process was accomplished in the following way: At the beginning we conducted a diagnosis of school-specific and individual health risks and the resources available to the project schools. The results were reported for both the individual and for the teacher group. This was intended to clarify the potential for improvement and, thus, strengthen the teachers' motivation toward processes of change. Following the diagnosis, the teachers chose areas of stress-related strain and then worked in groups to develop and implement behaviour and working condition-oriented intervention strategies for health promotion. The diagnosis results confirm the necessity of school-specific health promotion: the schools demonstrate very different demand and resource profiles. Furthermore, is has become evident that the central success factor for health promotion in schools is the teachers' willingness for change. The individual and group reports of the diagnosis results seem to have made clear how essential individual and organisational changes are.

Developing a Framework and Priorities to Promote Mobility among Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Lynda A.; Slonim, Amy; Yen, Irene H.; Jones, Dina L.; Allen, Peg; Hunter, Rebecca H.; Goins, R. Turner; Leith, Katherine H.; Rosenberg, Dori; Satariano, William A.; McPhillips-Tangum, Carol

2014-01-01

Mobility, broadly defined as movement in all of its forms from ambulation to transportation, is critical to supporting optimal aging. This article describes two projects to develop a framework and a set of priority actions designed to promote mobility among community-dwelling older adults. Project 1 involved a concept-mapping process to solicit…

Heteroduplex DNA Position Defines the Roles of the Sgs1, Srs2, and Mph1 Helicases in Promoting Distinct Recombination Outcomes

PubMed Central

Mitchel, Katrina; Lehner, Kevin; Jinks-Robertson, Sue

2013-01-01

The contributions of the Sgs1, Mph1, and Srs2 DNA helicases during mitotic double-strand break (DSB) repair in yeast were investigated using a gap-repair assay. A diverged chromosomal substrate was used as a repair template for the gapped plasmid, allowing mismatch-containing heteroduplex DNA (hDNA) formed during recombination to be monitored. Overall DSB repair efficiencies and the proportions of crossovers (COs) versus noncrossovers (NCOs) were determined in wild-type and helicase-defective strains, allowing the efficiency of CO and NCO production in each background to be calculated. In addition, the products of individual NCO events were sequenced to determine the location of hDNA. Because hDNA position is expected to differ depending on whether a NCO is produced by synthesis-dependent-strand-annealing (SDSA) or through a Holliday junction (HJ)–containing intermediate, its position allows the underlying molecular mechanism to be inferred. Results demonstrate that each helicase reduces the proportion of CO recombinants, but that each does so in a fundamentally different way. Mph1 does not affect the overall efficiency of gap repair, and its loss alters the CO-NCO by promoting SDSA at the expense of HJ–containing intermediates. By contrast, Sgs1 and Srs2 are each required for efficient gap repair, strongly promoting NCO formation and having little effect on CO efficiency. hDNA analyses suggest that all three helicases promote SDSA, and that Sgs1 and Srs2 additionally dismantle HJ–containing intermediates. The hDNA data are consistent with the proposed role of Sgs1 in the dissolution of double HJs, and we propose that Srs2 dismantles nicked HJs. PMID:23516370

Mutations That Improve the pRE Promoter of Coliphage Lambda

PubMed Central

Mahoney, Michael E.; Wulff, Daniel L.

1987-01-01

The dya5 mutation, a C→T change at position -43 of the λ pRE promoter, results in a twofold increase in pRE activity in vivo. Smaller increases in pRE activity are found for the dya2 mutation, a T→C change at position -1 of pRE, and the dya3 mutation, an A→G change at +5 of pRE. The mutant p RE promoters retain complete dependence on cII protein for activity. These observations argue, at least for pRE-like promoters, that promoter activities are influenced by nucleotide sequences at least eight nucleotides to the 5'-side of the conventional -35 region consensus sequence, and by nucleotide sequences near the start-site of transcription. Although Hawley and McClure (1983) found A·T pairs more frequently than G·TC pairs in the region of -40 to -45 of prokaryotic promoters, other mutations that change a G·TC pair to an A·T pair at positions -41, -44 and -45 of pRE do not result in increased promoter activity. We also found that a T→C change at position -42 results in a mild decrease in promoter activity. These observations argue that Ts at positions -42 and -43 of pRE are required for maximum promoter activity, but do not support the hypothesis that As and Ts in the -40 to -45 region generally lead to higher promoter activities. PMID:2953648

Developing School Laboratories To Promote the Establishment of Individual Experience Programs. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valley Springs School District 2, AR.

A project was conducted to promote and develop individual Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs in Arkansas through the development of laboratories. It was felt that strong SAE programs enhance the instructional portion of agriculture education, serve as a motivational tool, and improve the relations between the local school and…

How we developed the GIM clinician-educator mentoring and scholarship program to assist faculty with promotion and scholarly work.

PubMed

Bertram, Amanda; Yeh, Hsin Chieh; Bass, Eric B; Brancati, Frederick; Levine, David; Cofrancesco, Joseph

2015-02-01

Clinician Educators' (CEs) focus on patient care and teaching, yet many academic institutions require dissemination of scholarly work for advancement. This can be difficult for CEs. Our division developed the Clinician-Educator Mentoring and Scholarship Program (CEMSP) in an effort to assist CEs with scholarship, national reputation, recognition, promotion and job satisfaction. The key components are salary-supported director and co-director who coordinate the program and serve as overall mentors and link CEs and senior faculty, and a full-time Senior Research Coordinator to assist with all aspects of scholarship, a close relationship with the General Internal Medicine (GIM) Methods Core provides advanced statistical support. Funding for the program comes from GIM divisional resources. Perceived value was evaluated by assessing the number of manuscripts published, survey of faculty regarding usage and opinion of CEMSP, and a review of faculty promotions. Although impossible to attribute the contributions of an individual component, a program specifically aimed at helping GIM CE faculty publish scholarly projects, increase participation in national organizations and focus on career progression can have a positive impact.

Children affected by HIV/AIDS: SAFE, a model for promoting their security, health, and development.

PubMed

Betancourt, Theresa S; Fawzi, Mary K S; Bruderlein, Claude; Desmond, Chris; Kim, Jim Y

2010-05-01

A human security framework posits that individuals are the focus of strategies that protect the safety and integrity of people by proactively promoting children's well being, placing particular emphasis on prevention efforts and health promotion. This article applies this framework to a rights-based approach in order to examine the health and human rights of children affected by HIV/AIDS. The SAFE model describes sources of insecurity faced by children across four fundamental dimensions of child well-being and the survival strategies that children and families may employ in response. The SAFE model includes: Safety/protection; Access to health care and basic physiological needs; Family/connection to others; and Education/livelihoods. We argue that it is critical to examine the situation of children through an integrated lens that effectively looks at human security and children's rights through a holistic approach to treatment and care rather than artificially limiting our scope of work to survival-oriented interventions for children affected by HIV/AIDS. Interventions targeted narrowly at children, in isolation of their social and communal environment as outlined in the SAFE model, may in fact undermine protective resources in operation in families and communities and present additional threats to children's basic security. An integrated approach to the basic security and care of children has implications for the prospects of millions of children directly infected or indirectly affected by HIV/AIDS around the world. The survival strategies that young people and their families engage in must be recognized as a roadmap for improving their protection and promoting healthy development. Although applied to children affected by HIV/AIDS in the present analysis, the SAFE model has implications for guiding the care and protection of children and families facing adversity due to an array of circumstances from armed conflict and displacement to situations of extreme poverty.

Adenylate kinase 2 (AK2) promotes cell proliferation in insect development

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Adenylate kinase 2 (AK2) is a phosphotransferase that catalyzes the reversible reaction 2ADP(GDP) ↔ ATP(GTP) + AMP and influences cellular energy homeostasis. However, the role of AK2 in regulating cell proliferation remains unclear because AK2 has been reported to be involved in either cell proliferation or cell apoptosis in different cell types of various organisms. Results This study reports AK2 promotion of cell proliferation using the lepidopteran insect Helicoverpa armigera and its epidermal cell line HaEpi as models. Western blot analysis indicates that AK2 constitutively expresses in various tissues during larval development. Immunocytochemistry analysis indicates that AK2 localizes in the mitochondria. The recombinant expressed AK2 in E. coli promotes cell growth and viability of HaEpi cell line by 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. AK2 knockdown in larvae by RNA interference causes larval growth defects, including body weight decrease and development delay. AK2 knockdown in larvae also decreases the number of circulating haemocytes. The mechanism for such effects might be the suppression of gene transcription involved in insect development caused by AK2 knockdown. Conclusion These results show that AK2 regulates cell growth, viability, and proliferation in insect growth and development. PMID:23020757

Developing a promotion plan for health care marketing.

PubMed

Hallums, A

1994-07-01

Promotion of a health care provider's services is essential for communication with its customers and consumers. It is relevant to an organization's marketing strategy and is an element of what is described as the marketing mix. This paper considers the relationship of promotion to the marketing of services and proposes a plan for the promotion of the organization as a whole which can also be applied to an individual service or specialty. Whilst specific reference is made to an National Health Service (NHS) Trust it is also relevant to a Directly Managed Unit.

Positive youth development programs for adolescents with greater psychosocial needs: evaluation based on program implementers.

PubMed

Shek, Daniel T L; Ng, Catalina S M; Law, Moon Y M

2017-02-01

As program implementers' views are seldom included in program evaluation and there are few related studies in different Chinese communities, this study examined the perceptions of the program implementers who implemented the Tier 2 Program of the P.A.T.H.S. Program in Hong Kong. The Tier 2 Program was designed to promote the development of adolescents with greater psychosocial needs. In the community-based P.A.T.H.S. Project, 400 program implementers completed a subjective outcome evaluation form (Form D) for program implementers. Consistent with the previous findings, program implementers generally held positive views towards the program, implementers, and program effectiveness and their views towards these three domains did not differ across grades. In line with the hypotheses, perceived program quality and perceived implementer quality predicted program effectiveness. The present findings provided an alternative perspective showing that the Tier 2 Program was well received by the program implementers and they regarded the program to be beneficial to the program participants.

Applications of Trauma-Informed Curriculum in the Artroom to Promote Adolescent Identity Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waibel, Lindsay

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of trauma-informed care, specifically the application of a "identity-safe environment" in order to promote identity development in adolescents. Of specific interest to the researcher were the theories of adolescent development and techniques that serve to improve adolescent learning…

c-Myb promotes the survival of CD4+CD8+ double positive thymocytes through up-regulation of Bcl-xL1

PubMed Central

Yuan, Joan; Crittenden, Rowena B.; Bender, Timothy P.

2010-01-01

Mechanisms that regulate the lifespan of CD4+CD8+ double positive (DP) thymocytes help shape the peripheral T cell repertoire. However, the molecular mechanisms that control DP thymocyte survival remain poorly understood. The Myb proto-oncogene encodes a transcription factor required during multiple stages of T cell development. We demonstrate that Myb mRNA expression is up-regulated in the small, pre-selection DP stage during T cell development. Using a conditional deletion mouse model, we demonstrate that Myb deficient DP thymocytes undergo premature apoptosis, resulting in a limited Tcrα repertoire biased towards 5’ Jα segment usage. Premature apoptosis occurs in the small pre-selection DP compartment in an αβTCR independent manner and is a consequence of decreased Bcl-xL expression. Forced Bcl-xL expression is able to rescue survival and re-introduction of c-Myb restores both Bcl-xL expression and the small pre-selection DP compartment. We further demonstrate that thymocytes become dependent on Bcl-xL for survival upon entering the quiescent, small pre-selection DP stage and c-Myb promotes transcription at the Bclx locus via a genetic pathway that is independent of the expression of TCF-1 or RORγt, two transcription factors that induce Bcl-xL expression in T cell development. Thus, Bcl-xL is a novel mediator of c-Myb activity during normal T cell development. PMID:20142358

Positioning Community Colleges via Economic Development. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeiss, Anthony

Community colleges, because of their late arrival in the development of American education, have suffered from an image and identity problem since their inception. To deal with this problem, community colleges should position themselves as unique community-based service-oriented colleges and market a specific focus to the general public. The first…

Genotype-specific enrichment of ACC deaminase-positive bacteria in winter wheat rhizospheres

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bacteria that produce ACC deaminase promote plant growth and development by lowering levels of the stress hormone ethylene through deamination of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), the immediate precursor of ethylene. Therefore, it is hypothesized that ACC deaminase positive (ACC+) bacteri...

Collaborating With Youth in School Health Promotion Initiatives With Photovoice.

PubMed

Lofton, Saria; Bergren, Martha Dewey

2018-06-01

Photovoice, a community-based approach that is being embraced in school settings, can help to nurture collaborations with youth, particularly adolescents, and engage them in the development of social policy and health promotion projects. Photovoice is an approach that positions school nurses to inspire youth to take ownership of health promotion issues that directly affect them in the school and in their communities. Engaging youth in Photovoice not only allows advocates to directly work with youth but also promotes critical thinking and the exploration of topics that may not otherwise be considered. Photovoice raises awareness about issues through critical dialogue and is well suited to engage youth and provide a channel for youth to assert their voices.

Variant Histone H2A.Z Is Globally Localized to the Promoters of Inactive Yeast Genes and Regulates Nucleosome Positioning

PubMed Central

Gévry, Nicolas; Adam, Maryse; Blanchette, Mathieu

2005-01-01

H2A.Z is an evolutionary conserved histone variant involved in transcriptional regulation, antisilencing, silencing, and genome stability. The mechanism(s) by which H2A.Z regulates these various biological functions remains poorly defined, in part due to the lack of knowledge regarding its physical location along chromosomes and the bearing it has in regulating chromatin structure. Here we mapped H2A.Z across the yeast genome at an approximately 300-bp resolution, using chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with tiling microarrays. We have identified 4,862 small regions—typically one or two nucleosomes wide—decorated with H2A.Z. Those “Z loci” are predominantly found within specific nucleosomes in the promoter of inactive genes all across the genome. Furthermore, we have shown that H2A.Z can regulate nucleosome positioning at the GAL1 promoter. Within HZAD domains, the regions where H2A.Z shows an antisilencing function, H2A.Z is localized in a wider pattern, suggesting that the variant histone regulates a silencing and transcriptional activation via different mechanisms. Our data suggest that the incorporation of H2A.Z into specific promoter-bound nucleosomes configures chromatin structure to poise genes for transcriptional activation. The relevance of these findings to higher eukaryotes is discussed. PMID:16248679

Operationalising and piloting the IUHPE European accreditation system for health promotion.

PubMed

Battel-Kirk, Barbara; Barry, Margaret M; van der Zanden, Gerard; Contu, Paolo; Gallardo, Carmen; Martinez, Ana; Speller, Viv; Debenedetti, Sara

2015-09-01

The International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) European Accreditation System for Health Promotion aims to promote quality assurance in health promotion practice, education and training. The System is designed to be flexible and sensitive to the different contexts for health promotion practice, education and training in Europe, while maintaining robust criteria. These competency-based criteria were developed in the CompHP Project (2009-2012) that developed core competencies, professional standards and an accreditation framework for health promotion practice, education and training in the context of workforce capacity development in Europe.This paper describes how consultations undertaken with the health promotion community informed the structure and processes of the IUHPE Accreditation System. An overview of its development, key functions and the piloting of its implementation, which was co-funded by the European Union in the context of the EU Health Programme, is presented.Feedback from consultations with key health promotion stakeholders in Europe indicated overall support for the development of an accreditation system for health promotion. However, a number of potential barriers to its implementation were noted including: absence of dedicated practitioners and professional bodies in some countries; lack of clarity about professional boundaries; lack of financial resources required to facilitate capacity building; and concerns about the costs, objectivity and transparency of the system. Feedback from the consultations shaped and informed the process of designing an operational accreditation system to ensure that it would be responsive to potential users' needs and concerns.Based on the agreed structures and processes, a web-based application system was developed and managed at IUHPE headquarters. A governance structure was established together with agreed policies and procedures for the System. During the pilot period, applications from 20

Satellite remote sensing reveals a positive impact of living oyster reefs on microalgal biofilm development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echappé, Caroline; Gernez, Pierre; Méléder, Vona; Jesus, Bruno; Cognie, Bruno; Decottignies, Priscilla; Sabbe, Koen; Barillé, Laurent

2018-02-01

Satellite remote sensing (RS) is routinely used for the large-scale monitoring of microphytobenthos (MPB) biomass in intertidal mudflats and has greatly improved our knowledge of MPB spatio-temporal variability and its potential drivers. Processes operating on smaller scales however, such as the impact of benthic macrofauna on MPB development, to date remain underinvestigated. In this study, we analysed the influence of wild Crassostrea gigas oyster reefs on MPB biofilm development using multispectral RS. A 30-year time series (1985-2015) combining high-resolution (30 m) Landsat and SPOT data was built in order to explore the relationship between C. gigas reefs and MPB spatial distribution and seasonal dynamics, using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Emphasis was placed on the analysis of a before-after control-impact (BACI) experiment designed to assess the effect of oyster killing on the surrounding MPB biofilms. Our RS data reveal that the presence of oyster reefs positively affects MPB biofilm development. Analysis of the historical time series first showed the presence of persistent, highly concentrated MPB patches around oyster reefs. This observation was supported by the BACI experiment which showed that killing the oysters (while leaving the physical reef structure, i.e. oyster shells, intact) negatively affected both MPB biofilm biomass and spatial stability around the reef. As such, our results are consistent with the hypothesis of nutrient input as an explanation for the MPB growth-promoting effect of oysters, whereby organic and inorganic matter released through oyster excretion and biodeposition stimulates MPB biomass accumulation. MPB also showed marked seasonal variations in biomass and patch shape, size and degree of aggregation around the oyster reefs. Seasonal variations in biomass, with higher NDVI during spring and autumn, were consistent with those observed on broader scales in other European mudflats. Our study provides the

Relative tumour promoting activity of three polychlorinated biphenyls in rat liver.

PubMed

Hemming, H; Flodström, S; Wärngård, L; Bergman, A; Kronevi, T; Nordgren, I; Ahlborg, U G

1993-08-02

The relative tumour promoting activity of three structurally and toxicologically diverse polychlorinated biphenyls (3,4,5,3',4'-penta- 2,3,4,3',4'-penta- and 2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl) was measured in an initiation/promotion assay in nitrosodiethylamine-initiated female Sprague-Dawley rats. The congeners under study were administered by once-weekly subcutaneous injections for 20 weeks. Evaluation of the development of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)- and glutation transferase P (GST-P)-positive hepatic foci showed that all congeners promoted altered hepatic foci, although 3,4,5,3',4'-pentachlorobiphenyl was far more potent. The volume fraction of the liver occupied by GGT-positive tissue in the 3,4,5,3',4'-pentachlorobiphenyl-treated animals (100 micrograms/kg per week) was 23%, while the volume fractions of altered liver tissue in the rats treated with 2,3,4,3',4'-pentachlorobiphenyl (5000 micrograms/kg per week) and 2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexaCB (20,000 micrograms/kg per week) were 1.2 and 2.3, respectively. The enhancement of GGT- and GST-P-positive foci was accompanied by an increased incidence of histological changes in the livers.

HIV-Positive Youth's Perspectives on the Internet and eHealth

PubMed Central

Flicker, Sarah; Goldberg, Eudice; Read, Stanley; Veinot, Tiffany; McClelland, Alex; Saulnier, Paul

2004-01-01

Background Globally, half of all new HIV infections occur among young people. Despite this incidence, there is a profound lack of resources for HIV-positive youth. Objective To investigate Internet access, use and acceptability as a means for health promotion and health service delivery among HIV-positive youth. Methods A community-based participatory approach was used to conduct a mixed methods research study. Thirty-five qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with youth (ages 12-24) living with HIV in Ontario. Also, brief structured demographic surveys were administered at the time of the interview. A stakeholder group of youth living with HIV, professionals and researchers collaboratively analyzed the data for emerging themes. Results Five main themes were identified with respect to the youth's use of and interest in the Internet as a health promotion strategy. These include: (1) high rates of Internet use and access; (2) issues around public and private terminals; (3) their use of the Internet primarily for communication and entertainment; (4) the rarity of health information seeking behavior in this group; and (5) wanting "one-stop shopping" from an e-health site. HIV-positive youth were enthusiastic about the possibility of content that was developed specifically to target them and their needs. Also, they were keen about the possibilities for increased social support that youth-specific online chat rooms and message boards might provide. Conclusion Given high rates of use, access and interest, the Internet provides an important way to reach young people living with HIV using health services and health promotion programs. The onus is on e-Health developers to understand the particular needs of HIV-positive youth and create relevant content. PMID:15471758

Support of public–private partnerships in health promotion and conflicts of interest

PubMed Central

Hernandez-Aguado, Ildefonso; Zaragoza, G A

2016-01-01

Objectives Public–private partnerships (PPPs) are considered key elements in the development of effective health promotion. However, there is little research to back the enthusiasm for these partnerships. Our objective was to describe the diversity of visions on PPPs and to assess the links between the authors and corporations engaged in such ventures. Methods We reviewed the scientific literature through PubMed in order to select all articles that expressed a position or recommendation on governments and industries engaging in PPPs for health promotion. We included any opinion paper that considered agreements between governments and corporations to develop health promotion. Papers that dealt with healthcare provision or clinical preventive services and those related to tobacco industries were excluded. We classified the articles according to the authors' position regarding PPPs: strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree. We related the type of recommendation to authors' features such as institution and conflicts of interest. We also recorded whether the recommendations were based on previous assessments. Results Of 46 papers analysed, 21 articles (45.6%) stated that PPPs are helpful in promoting health, 1 was neutral and 24 (52.1%) were against such collaborations. 26 papers (57%) set out conditions to assure positive outcomes of the partnerships. Evidence for or against PPPs was mentioned in 11 papers that were critical or neutral (44%) but not in any of those that advocated collaboration. Where conflicts were declared (26 papers), absence of conflicts was more frequent in critics than in supporters (86% vs 17%). Conclusions Although there is a lack of evidence to support PPPs for health promotion, many authors endorse this approach. The prevalence of ideas encouraging PPPs can affect the intellectual environment and influence policy decisions. Public health researchers and professionals must make a contribution in properly framing the PPP

Beyond computer literacy: supporting youth's positive development through technology.

PubMed

Bers, Marina Umaschi

2010-01-01

In a digital era in which technology plays a role in most aspects of a child's life, having the competence and confidence to use computers might be a necessary step, but not a goal in itself. Developing character traits that will serve children to use technology in a safe way to communicate and connect with others, and providing opportunities for children to make a better world through the use of their computational skills, is just as important. The Positive Technological Development framework (PTD), a natural extension of the computer literacy and the technological fluency movements that have influenced the world of educational technology, adds psychosocial, civic, and ethical components to the cognitive ones. PTD examines the developmental tasks of a child growing up in our digital era and provides a model for developing and evaluating technology-rich youth programs. The explicit goal of PTD programs is to support children in the positive uses of technology to lead more fulfilling lives and make the world a better place. This article introduces the concept of PTD and presents examples of the Zora virtual world program for young people that the author developed following this framework.

The Career Development of Women in Executive Level Positions in Information Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cordova-Wentling, Rose Mary; Thomas, Steven P.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop an in-depth understanding of career development for women in executive level positions in information technology. The study examined the barriers that hindered and the factors that assisted the women in achieving executive level positions. Furthermore, this study obtained an in-depth understanding of the…

A randomized clinical trial of an intervention to promote resilience in young children of HIV-positive mothers in South Africa.

PubMed

Eloff, Irma; Finestone, Michelle; Makin, Jennifer D; Boeving-Allen, Alex; Visser, Maretha; Ebersöhn, Liesel; Ferreira, Ronél; Sikkema, Kathleen J; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J; Forsyth, Brian W C

2014-07-01

The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of an intervention designed to promote resilience in young children living with their HIV-positive mothers. HIV-positive women attending clinics in Tshwane, South Africa, and their children, aged 6-10 years, were randomized to the intervention (I) or standard care (S). The intervention consisted of 24 weekly group sessions led by community care workers. Mothers and children were in separate groups for 14 sessions, followed by 10 interactive sessions. The primary focus was on parent-child communication and parenting. Assessments were completed by mothers and children at baseline and 6, 12 and 18 months. Repeated mixed linear analyses were used to assess change over time. Of 390 mother-child pairs, 84.6% (I: 161 and S: 169) completed at least two interviews and were included in the analyses. Children's mean age was 8.4 years and 42% of mothers had been ill in the prior 3 months. Attendance in groups was variable: only 45.7% attended more than 16 sessions. Intervention mothers reported significant improvements in children's externalizing behaviours (ß = -2.8, P = 0.002), communication (ß = 4.3, P = 0.025) and daily living skills (ß = 5.9, P = 0.024), although improvement in internalizing behaviours and socialization was not significant (P = 0.061 and 0.052, respectively). Intervention children reported a temporary increase in anxiety but did not report differences in depression or emotional intelligence. This is the first study demonstrating benefits of an intervention designed to promote resilience among young children of HIV-positive mothers. The intervention was specifically designed for an African context and has the potential to benefit large numbers of children, if it can be widely implemented.

Promoting Completion through Organizational Development and Process Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

David, Kevin M.; Sivadon, Angela D.; Wood, Donna G.; Stecher, Sarah L.

2015-01-01

In 2007, Tulsa Community College (TCC) joined the national Achieving the Dream (ATD) network, which is dedicated to developing data-informed interventions to increase persistence and completion among community college students. TCC's participation in the national initiative set it down a path for positive institutional change, but it was the…

Promoting toddlers' positive social-emotional outcomes in low-income families: a play-based experimental study.

PubMed