Search

As young adults transition into adulthood they must develop effective self-regulation techniques to help them navigate the heightened expectations of independence placed upon them. During this challenging developmental stage, mentors and other supportive individuals can facilitate co-regulation processes that help young adults reach self-regulation. This qualitative research identifies and characterizes supportive processes of regulation that graduate student mentors engaged in as part of their mentorship interactions with undergraduate mentees with learning disabilities and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (LD/ADHD). Participants were part of a larger campus-based study with 52 undergraduate mentees with LD/ADHD and 57 graduate student mentors. Data were transcripts from mentor group meetings (N = 20) discussing LD/ ADHD and the mentorship experiences, undergraduate group meetings (N = 13) discussing LD/ADHD experiences and supports, and an instrumental mentor case study. Structural coding was used to identify content related to mentorship experiences; process coding was used to describe the actions and roles undertaken by mentors; content analysis was used to examine relative salience of topics discussed during mentor group meetings. Four themes emerged describing the ways in which mentors acted as co-regulators for mentees including: Fostering Positive Relationships, Guidance Based on a Similar Path, Supporting Strategy Generation, and Supporting Mentees by Setting Limits. Findings highlight key actions and processes for effective co-regulation techniques used by disability-informed mentors, that support the self-regulation practices of undergraduate students with LD/ADHD to reach their educational, career, and personal goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As higher education professionals across the United States examine ways to reduce completion gaps for Latinx students, I the Chicana/o/x Dream i makes the Chicana/o/x student into real people, dealing with real-life challenges, rather than a statistic. Through different Chicana/o/x student I testimonio, The Chicana/o/x Dream i presents a picture of the heart and soul of the Chicana/o/x students, their persistent pursuit of higher education, and their success. [Extracted from the article]

This study used the arc discharge generated by an electrical discharge machine to melt metal silver into nano-sized particles. The manufacturing process was free from chemical agents, while only deionized water was used as the dielectric fluid. The process parameters and discharge pulse width were set to prepare silver nanoparticles suspended in the dielectric fluid, and the process was simple and rapid. However, the process parameters were closely related to success in the discharge. Among them, the discharge pulse width had the most significant effect. Therefore, this study developed a successful arcing rate measuring unit and discussed the effect of different process parameters on the success rate of preparing nano-silver colloid. Silver with a purity of 99.9% was selected as the main research subject. The results showed that under the same process parameters, the arcing rate is not an exact value but a range value, and the 30 μs-30 μs discharge pulse width is identical as the optimum process parameter. When preparing the nano-silver colloid, the higher the processing efficiency, the shorter the diameter of the particle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the physiological responses and shot selection preferences of male singles players between the new (rally-point) and old (scoring-by-service) scoring systems. Ten male athletes each played two matches against the same opponent on different days using the lottery method. Matches were notated using a systematic observation instrument, and physiological data were measured using heart rate (HR), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and blood lactate levels (LA). Results showed no differences in peak HR, RPE or LA responses between the two systems. However, players spent more time at an HR greater than 90%HRpeak under the old system (63%) than under the new system (54%). Notational analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in total match playing time (PT: 29 min), work time (10 min), work density (0.57), rest time (18 min), effective playing time (36%), number of rallies (203) and serves (35) under the new system as compared to the old system (e.g. PT: 42 min). No significant differences were noted between the two systems for number of shots, rally time, stroke time, frequency distribution of shot selection and positions during the matches, and for shot methods on the last shot of each rally. These findings suggest that the new system can significantly shorten PT compared to the old system, and that physiological responses, shot selection and positions do not affect between the systems. Meanwhile, the greater proportion of time spent at higher HR intensities under the old system may be attributed to the longer playing time with the opponent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the chaotic behavior of PMSG under certain parameters, the new ADHDP method based on Cloud RBF neural network is proposed to track the point of maximum wind power, which can make the system out of chaos and track the point of maximum power stably, and the optimal control problems of the complex nonlinear system can be solved effectively. This method is realized by using the optimal power–speed curve and the vector control principle, and by adjusting the stator output voltage to control the electromagnetic torque, then the rotor speed of wind turbine can operate at the optimal speed that corresponds to the point of maximum power, meanwhile, the measure of wind speed also can be avoided. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Principles of community-engaged research are used to discover and address personal- and environmental-level concerns of university students with learning disabilities for the purpose of facilitating individual action and targeting institutional changes most important to participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To explore peripheral blood cell variations in hepatic cirrhosis portal hypertension patients with hypersplenism. Methods: Clinical data of 322 hypersplenism patients with decreased peripheral blood cells, admitted with cirrhotic portal hypertension, was retrospectively studied over the last 17 years. Results: In 64% (206/322) of patients, more than 2 kinds of blood cell were decreased, including 89 cases of pancytopenia (43.2%), 52 cases of WBC + PLT decrease (25.2%), 29 cases of RBC + PLT decrease (14.1%), and 36 cases of WBC + RBC decrease (17.5%); in 36% (116/322) of patients, single type blood cell decrease occurred, including 31 cases of PLT decrease (26.7%), 29 cases of WBC decrease (25%) and 56 cases of RBC decrease (48.3%). Of 227 routine bone marrow examinations, bone marrow hyperplasia was observed in 118 cases (52.0%), the remainder showed no hyperplasia. For the distinct scope and extent of peripheralblood cell decreases, preoperative blood component transfusions were carried out, then treated by surgery, after whole group splenectomy, the peripheral blood cell count was significantly higher (P<0.05). Conclusions: Of portal hypertensive patients with splenomegaly and hypersplenism, 64% have simultaneous decrease in various blood cells, 36% have decrease in single type blood cells, 52% of patients have bone marrow hyperplasia. A splenectomy can significantly increase the reduction of peripheral blood cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: It is widely understood that tumor cells express tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), of which many are usually in low immunogenicity; for example, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is specifically expressed on human colon cancer cells and is viewed as a low-immunogenic TAA. How to activate host immunity against specific TAAs and to suppress tumor growth therefore becomes important in cancer therapy development. Results: To enhance the immune efficiency of CEA in mice that received, we fused a partial CEA gene with exogenous SARS-CoV fragments. Oral vaccination of an attenuated Salmonella typhimurium strain transformed with plasmids encoding CEA-SARS-CoV fusion gene into BALB/c mice elicited significant increases in TNF-α and IL-10 in the serum. In addition, a smaller tumor volume was observed in CT26/CEA-bearing mice who received CEA-SARSCoV gene therapy in comparison with those administered CEA alone. Conclusion: The administration of fusing CEA-SARS-CoV fragments may provide a promising strategy for strengthening the anti-tumor efficacy against low-immunogenic endogenous tumor antigens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summative and formative evaluation methods, adapted from the education evaluation literature, have been of tremendous value to engineering educators as they seek to assess educational materials. There is a third kind of evaluation that has a long history in the informal education realm that promises to further enhance engineering evaluation efforts. Front-end evaluation conducted in the beginning of a project provides information at the earliest stages of materials development to ensure that input from end users, faculty and students alike, is incorporated into the materials design. The benefits of front-end evaluation that have been utilized by museum exhibit evaluations and how they can be transferred across disciplines into the field of engineering education materials development are discussed. Front-end, formative, and summative evaluations combined increase the overall quality of the materials and facilitate dissemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines how gradient variations affect physiological responses during downhill running (DHR) at an intensity of 70% of maximal oxygen capacity (VO2max). It explores the hypothesis that the extent of the physiological responses of the subjects engage in DHR at different gradients is related to the gradient. Results show that the range of the lengthening contractions of the quadriceps femoris muscles seems to increase as the gradient becomes steeper.

The article presents a study on the efficacy of Ganoderma lucidum as an inhibitor of WEHI-3 cells which cause Leukemia in BALB/c mice. It explores the study methods used such as introduction of WEHI-3 murine leukemia cells in BALB/c mice and division of the samples into groups. Results of the study show that cell surface markers from blood of BALB/c mice were affected by the actions of G. lucidum. Moreover, the study asserts that G. lucidum improves immune response and inhibits WEHI-3 cells.

Small and intermediate congenital melanocytic nevi have a lifetime risk of developing melanoma estimated to range from 0% to 5%. Secondary benign melanocytic proliferations commonly arise in congenital melanocytic nevi; however, some are difficult to definitively distinguish from malignant melanoma based on clinical features and conventional histology. Herein, we describe the use of comparative genomic hybridization in supporting the diagnosis of a deep penetrating nevus developing within a congenital melanocytic nevus of a 3-month-old infant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The occurrence of leiomyoma of the colon is uncommon. Most of these lesions are clinically silent and are found incidentally during laparotomy or endoscopic procedures for unrelated conditions. Symptomatic leiomyomas of the colon are encountered less frequently, with only sporadic reports in the literatures. We describe a heretofore unreported case of a large extraluminal leiomyoma of the sigmoid colon presenting as massive lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Because it was extraluminal in position, it was difficult to make an accurate diagnosis endoscopically and the condition was easily misdiagnosed as angiodysplasia of the colon until CT scan results were seen. Although rare and benign in nature, leiomyoma of the colon may cause life-threatening complications that require emergency surgery and should be included in the differential diagnosis of lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a modification of the Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy for circumferential prolapsed hemorrhoids. This details the operative procedure and compares the results of other radical methods in patients with circumferential hemorrhoidal disease. A total of 738 patients (mean age, 43 (range, 19–83) years) were treated with our modified Ferguson method under sedative analgesia between 1989 and 2004: 576 patients had Grade III and 162 patients had Grade IV hemorrhoids, and 131 patients also had a partial lateral internal sphincterotomy to correct anal hypertonia. Postoperative bleeding occurred in 16 patients, 3 of whom required surgical hemostasis. Fecal impaction occurred in 11 patients and wound complications in 6 patients. Thirty-two patients needed bladder catheterization because of acute urinary retention. The median follow-up was 13.2 months in our outpatient department. One patient developed mild gas incontinence, five developed anal stenosis, and three had an anal fissure. Only three patients had recurrent skin tags, which did not affect their quality of life. Our modified Ferguson method represents a good choice for radical treatment of circumferential prolapsed hemorrhoids because it is easy to perform, has few complications, and provides satisfying results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study that investigates the efficacy of downhill running repeated bout in muscle conditions. Accordingly, the study was conducted to 12 male students who undergoes general stretching exercise, running in treadmill and other strenuous physical activities. In addition, the study reveals that maximal isometric strength of the knee extensor decreased as well as the changes of the markers of muscle damage which manifest the efficiency of second round of exercise.

Intestinal intussusception in adults is rare and the optimal management of this problem remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the causes of intussusceptions in adults and to assess their treatment. A retrospective review of patients older than aged 18 years who were diagnosed with intestinal intussusception at Tri-Service General Hospital between July 1984 and July 2004 was conducted. During the 20-year period, there were 292 patients with intussusception, 24 (8.2 percent) of which were adults. Abdominal pain was the most common presenting complaint (79.2 percent). The diagnosis of adult intussusception was made preoperatively in 18 cases (75 percent) and intraoperatively in 6 cases (25 percent). Of the 24 patients, 20 (83.3 percent) had a defined lesion; 11 (55 percent) lesions were benign and 9 (45 percent) were malignant. In eight patients (33.3 percent), the intussusception was reduced; perforation occurred in one patient (12.5 percent). Segmental resections were performed on 14 patients (58.3 percent), right hemicolectomies on 6 patients (25 percent), laparoscopic low anterior resection on 1 patient (4.2 percent), appendectomy on 1 patient (4.2 percent), and diverticulectomy on 1 patient (4.2 percent). Intraoperative colonoscopy was performed on three patients (12.5 percent) before reduction (lipomas were noted in 2 of the patients (66.7 percent) with limited resection of the ileum and preservation of the antireflux ileocecal valve. There was one perioperative mortality (4.2 percent) and seven postoperative morbidities (29.2 percent). Adult intussusception is an unusual and challenging condition and is a preoperative diagnostic problem. We discuss our 20 years of experience in treatment strategies for dealing with such unusual problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study about the effects of a 4-day low-intensity run (LIR) following downhill running (DHL) in the improvement of recovery from muscle damage and running economy (RE). The study measured the participants' blood lactate concentration, maximal isometric voluntary strength of the knee extensor, vertical jump, plasma creatine kinase, and myoglobin concentration.