Search

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders are generally known to experience elevated levels of stress and poorer psychological well-being. To provide treatments and resources that most effectively support parent mental health, it is critical to understand how parents' connections with various networks and systems impact their well-being. This study examined the relationship between the psychological well-being of mothers of adolescents with ASD (n = 20) and their systems of support from an ecological systems theoretical framework. Findings indicated that most connections across mothers' ecosystems were strong in nature. However, the presence of strong connections was not significantly related to psychological well-being. In contrast, stressful/weak connections were significantly related to elevated levels of depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and sense of burden.

Copyright of Avian Conservation & Ecology is the property of Resilience Alliance and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study evaluated whether core vocabulary intervention (CVT) improved single word speech accuracy, consistency and intelligibility in four 9-11-year-old children with profound sensori-neural deafness fitted with cochlear implants and/or digital hearing aids. Their speech was characterized by inconsistent production of different error forms for the same lexical item. The children received twice weekly therapy sessions for eight weeks. Fifty target words were drilled and changes in production assessed for accuracy and consistency. Generalization of consistency and accuracy was assessed on non-targeted words. There were four assessment points: six weeks pre-therapy; immediately before therapy; immediately following therapy and six weeks post-therapy. In addition, 10 unfamiliar listeners judged the intelligibility of audio recordings of the children's speech before and after therapy. The children's consistency and accuracy of single word production improved following CVT. Consistency generalized to untreated words. Sentence intelligibility ratings improved and more target words were identified after therapy. These case studies suggest that CVT merits further investigation as an effective intervention approach for deaf children, enhancing consistency, accuracy and intelligibility of speech.

Gratitude is a topic of increasing popularity across social media platforms, literature and the press. There is mounting evidence for its positive effects in mental health, physical wellbeing and creativity. Whilst specific studies in medical professionals are mostly limited to the human field thus far, there is wide scope for parallels to be drawn to veterinary practice. This article reviews recent literary findings and considers how gratitude could be implemented in the veterinary profession, both in practice and amongst individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poem "The Addresses," by Katie Ford is presented. First Line: I make my bed every morning. Last Line: And it drops to the floor as I fall.

The article discusses the truth about mass incarceration in US is that a significant proportion of the U.S. prison population consists of traumatized female victims of sexual violence. The author explains how the lives of these unfortunate victims progress often starting with childhood abuse and/or sexual violation followed by adolescent or adulthood sex work and/or drug crimes and eventuating in imprisonment.

On Taking the Body Off the Cross The moon seems close, the docks are saturated, a small boat rocking like a light seed caught by the torn thread of a [...]

Presents the sermon by Katie Ford delivered at the Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 2001, dealing with the issue of psychological effects of violence.

The poem "Tell Us" by Katie Ford is presented. First Line: the radio is coming in; Last Line: you cannot be ready.

The poem "In the Hearth," by Katie Ford is presented. First Line: Of life's abundant confusions; Last Line: I don't want to have a story.

The poem "From If You Have to Go: 24" by Katie Ford is presented. First Line: My hope is too open, bells, Last Line: That's my wish.

Presents the poem "Grasses," by Katie Ford.

The poem "Master" by Katie Ford is presented. First Line: What taught me to be such a hateful master of this servant body; Last Line: the taste of the world.

The purpose of this study was to explore how instrumental music teachers of performance-based ensembles use formative assessment as a tool to prepare for music festival. A researcher-designed survey was distributed to directors via email and in person at various music festivals. Sixty middle school and high school instrumental music directors completed the survey. Results revealed that music educators in this study (a) used non-graded observational assessment and self-assessment daily during the month prior to participation in an evaluative music festival, (b) facilitated discussion on performance criteria and performance quality, and (c) perceived graded playing tests to be effective for improving achievement. Additionally, directors who received professional development on formative assessment were more likely to report the use non-graded observational assessment as a strategy than those who did not receive this type of professional development training. The application of formative assessment and professional development to the needs of instrumental music teachers is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the poem "Injury," by Katie Ford.

Escherichia coli swarm on semi-solid surfaces with the aid of flagella. It has been hypothesized that swarmer cells overcome the increased viscous drag near surfaces by developing higher flagellar thrust and by promoting surface wetness with the aid of a flagellar switch. The switch enables reversals between clockwise (CW) and counterclockwise (CCW) directions of rotation of the flagellar motor. Here, we measured the behavior of flagellar motors in swarmer cells. Results indicated that although the torque was similar to that in planktonic cells, the tendency to rotate CCW was higher in swarmer cells. This suggested that swarmers likely have a smaller pool of phosphorylated CheY. Results further indicated that the upregulation of the flagellin gene was not critical for flagellar thrust or swarming. Consistent with earlier reports, moisture added to the swarm surface restored swarming in a CCW-only mutant, but not in a FliG mutant that rotated motors CW-only (FliG CW ). Fluorescence assays revealed that FliG CW cells grown on agar surfaces carried fewer flagella than planktonic FliG CW cells. The surface-dependent reduction in flagella correlated with a reduction in the number of putative flagellar preassemblies. These results hint toward a possibility that the conformational dynamics of switch proteins play a role in the proper assembly of flagellar complexes and flagellar export, thereby aiding bacterial swarming.

The stator-complex in the bacterial flagellar motor is responsible for surface-sensing. It remodels in response to perturbations in viscous loads, recruiting additional stator-units as the load increases. Here, we tested a hypothesis that the amount of torque generated by each stator-unit modulates its association with the rotor. To do this, we measured stator-binding to the rotor in mutants in which motors reportedly develop lower torque compared to wildtype motors. First, we employed a strain lacking fliL. Contrary to earlier reports, measurements indicated that the torque generated by motors in the fliL strain was similar to that in the wildtype, at high loads. In these motors, stator-binding was unchanged. Next, experiments with a paralyzed strain indicated that the stator-binding was measurably weaker when motors were unable to generate torque. An analytical model was developed that incorporated an exponential dependence of the unit's dissociation rate on the force delivered to the rotor. The model provided accurate fits to measurements of stator-rotor binding over a wide range of loads. Based on these results, we propose that the binding of each stator-unit is enhanced by the force it develops. Furthermore, FliL does not play a significant role in motor function in E. coli.

The role of flagellar motors in bacterial motility and chemotaxis is well-understood. Recent discoveries suggest that flagellar motors are able to remodel in response to a variety of environmental stimuli and are among the triggers for surface colonization and infections. The precise mechanisms by which motors remodel and promote cellular adaptation likely depend on key motor attributes. The photomultiplier-based bead-tracking technique presented here enables accurate biophysical characterization of motor functions, including adaptations in motor speeds and switch-dynamics. This approach offers the advantage of real-time tracking and the ability to probe motor behavior over extended durations. The protocols discussed can be readily extended to study flagellar motors in a variety of bacterial species.