Psychosocial antecedents of variation in girls' pubertal timing: maternal depression, stepfather presence, and marital and family stress

Drawing on Belsky, Steinberg, and Draper's evolutionary theory of the development of reproductive strategies, we tested a model of individual differences in girls' pubertal timing. This model posits that a history of psychopathology in mothers results in earlier pubertal maturation in daughters, and that this effect is mediated by discordant family relationships and father absence/ stepfather presence. The model was supported in a short-term longitudinal study of 87 adolescent girls. In the primary test of the model, it was found that a history of mood disorders in mothers predicted earlier pubertal timing in daughters, and this relation was fully mediated by dyadic stress and biological father absence. In families in which the mother's romantic partner was not the biological father, dyadic stress accounted for almost half of the variation in daughters' pubertal timing. Stepfather presence, rather than biological father absence, best accounted for earlier pubertal maturation in girls living apart from their biological fathers. We propose that stepfather presence and stressful family relationships constitute separate paths to early pubertal maturation in girls.     

The efficacy of utilizing a phonics treatment package with middle school deaf and hard-of-hearing students

Research indicates that the acquisition of phonemic awareness and phonic skills is highly correlated with later success in learning to read. Numerous studies support the hypothesis that deaf and hard-of-hearing children are able to utilize alternative systems to develop phonological awareness that are not dependent on the ability to hear sounds or accurately pronounce words. A quasi-experimental, pre- and posttest design was employed in this study that evaluated the efficacy of implementing a phonics treatment package with middle-school-aged students. Results indicate that treatment students were able to demonstrate acquisition and generalization of the phonic skills taught. Additionally, acquisition of these skills did not appear to be related to degree of hearing loss.     

Using visual phonics to supplement beginning reading instruction for students who are deaf or hard of hearing

The purpose of the current study is to expand upon the effectiveness of using Visual Phonics in conjunction with Direct Instruction reading programs (B. J. Trezek & K. W. Malmgren, 2005; B. J. Trezek & Y. Wang, 2006) and to explore the results of utilizing Visual Phonics to supplement another phonics-based reading curriculum for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Twenty students with various degrees of hearing loss in kindergarten and first grade as well as 4 teachers participated in the study. Results of the investigation reveal that, given 1 year of instruction from a phonics-based reading curriculum supplemented by Visual Phonics, kindergarten and first-grade students who are deaf or hard of hearing can demonstrate statistically significant improvements in beginning reading skills as measured by standardized assessments.     

Training physical education students to self-regulate during basketball free throw practice

The additive effects of self-regulation training in forethought, performance, and self-reflection phase processes on acquiring a novel motoric skill (i.e., basketball free throws) and self-reflective beliefs were studied with 50 college students. The results showed a positive linear trend between the number of self-regulatory phases, in which the participants were trained, and their free throw shooting performance and shooting adaptation. The two- and three-phase training groups displayed significantly more accurate free throws and were able to self-correct their shooting form more frequently following missed shots than all other groups. Participants who received three-phase training displayed the most adaptive motivational profile, characterized by making strategic attributions and adaptive inferences and by using self/process criteria during self-evaluations.     

Preliminary screening and identification of stem cell-like sphere clones in a gallbladder cancer cell line GBC-SD

This paper aims to screen and identify sphere clone cells with characteristics similar to cancer stem cells in human gallbladder cancer cell line GBC-SD. GBC-SD cells were cultured in a serum-free culture medium with different concentrations of the chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin for generating sphere clones. The mRNA expressions of stem cell-related genes CD133, OCT-4, Nanog, and drug resistance genes ABCG2 and MDR-1 in sphere clones were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Stem cell markers were also analyzed by flow cytometry and immunofluorescent staining. Different amounts of sphere clones were injected into nude mice to test their abilities to form tumors. Sphere clones were formed in serum-free culture medium containing cisplatin (30 μmol/L). Flow cytometry results demonstrated that the sphere clones expressed high levels of stem cell markers CD133⁺ (97.6%) and CD44⁺ (77.9%) and low levels of CD24⁺ (2.3%). These clones also overexpressed the drug resistance genes ABCG2 and MDR-1. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that sphere clones expressed stem cell genes Nanog and OCT-4 284 and 266 times, respectively, more than those in the original GBC-SD cells. Immunofluorescent staining showed that sphere clones overexpressed OCT-4, Nanog, and SOX-2, and low expressed MUC1 and vimentin. Tumor formation experiments showed that 1×10³ sphere clone cells could induce much larger tumors in nude mice than 1×10⁵ GBC-SD cells. In conclusion, sphere clones of gallbladder cancer with stem cell-like characteristics can be obtained using suspension cultures of GBC-SD cells in serum-free culture medium containing cisplatin.     

Different sperm sources and parameters can influence intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes before embryo implantation

To evaluate the effects of sperm with different parameters and sources on the outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), 1972 ICSI cycles were analyzed retrospectively. Groups 1 to 5 were composed of cycles using ejaculated sperm and were grouped according to sperm quantity, quality, and morphology into normal (288 cycles), or mild (329 cycles), moderate (522 cycles), severe (332 cycles), and extremely severe (171 cycles) oligozoospermia and/or asthenozoospermia and/or teratozoospermia (OAT) groups. Group 6 was composed of 250 cycles using testicular or epididymal sperm, and Group 7 consisted of 80 cycles using frozen-thawed sperm. We found that fertilization rates were gradually reduced from Groups 1 to 6, and reached statistical difference in Groups 5 and 6 (P<0.05). The high-quality embryo rate was higher in Group 1 than in Groups 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 (P<0.05). No statistical differences were observed in the rates of embryo cleavage, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, live-birth, premature birth, low birth weight, weeks of premature birth, average birth weight, or sex ratio for all seven groups (P>0.05). A total of nine cases of malformation were observed, with a malformation rate of 1.25% (9/719). In conclusion, different sperm sources and parameters can affect ICSI outcomes before embryo implantation. A full assessment of offspring malformation will require further study using a larger sample size.     

Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells transplanted into damaged rabbit heart to improve heart function

INTRODUCTION Congestive heart failure is the end stage of manycardiovascular diseases. Myocardial infarction (MI)is a life-threatening event that may cause suddencardiac death and heart failure. Despite considerableadvances in diagnosis and treatment of heart disease,cardiac dysfunction after MI is still the majorworldwide cardiovascular disorder. Damaged myo-cardium after acute MI is gradually replaced by fi-brotic noncontractile cells to form scar tissue. Thedeveloping ventricul…     

一根粉笔画出的奇迹

我们一家人对父亲的恐惧已经成了一种自然反应。甚至连母亲也怕他。小时候,我和妹妹以为每个家庭都是这样的——家家户户都有个酗酒的父亲,不知道他什么时候会发酒疯,无论怎么做都不合他的心意。而家中却有一位不断祈求老天爷救助的母亲在一旁保护孩子们。我们以为每个家庭都是如此。     

Physical punishment, childhood abuse and psychiatric disorders

OBJECTIVES: Physical punishment, as a means of disciplining children, may be considered a mild form of childhood adversity. Although many outcomes of physical punishment have been investigated, little attention has been given to the impact of physical punishment on later adult psychopathology. Also, it has been stated that physical punishment by a loving parent is not associated with negative outcomes; however, this theory has not been empirically tested with regard to psychiatric disorders. The main objective of the present study was to investigate three categories of increasing severity of childhood adversity (no physical punishment or abuse, physical punishment only, and child abuse) to examine whether the childhood experience of physical punishment alone was associated with adult psychopathology, after adjusting for sociodemographic variables and parental bonding dimensions. METHODS: Data were drawn from the nationally representative National Comorbidity Survey (NCS, n=5,877; age 15-54 years; response rate 82.4%). Binary logistic and multinomial logistic regression models were used to determine the odds of experiencing psychiatric disorders. RESULTS: Physical punishment was associated with increased odds of major depression (AOR=1.22; 95% CI=1.01-1.48), alcohol abuse/dependence (AOR=1.32; 95% CI=1.08-1.61), and externalizing problems (AOR=1.30; 95% CI=1.05-1.60) in adulthood after adjusting for sociodemographic variables and parental bonding dimensions. Individuals experiencing physical punishment only were at increased odds of adult psychopathology compared to those experiencing no physical punishment/abuse and at decreased odds when compared to those who were abused. CONCLUSIONS: Physical punishment is a mild form of childhood adversity that shows an association with adult psychopathology.     

Child abuse potential among mothers of substance-exposed and nonexposed infants and toddlers

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this longitudinal study was to determine whether there were differences in child abuse potential among mothers who were nonusers, drug users who accepted treatment, and drug users who rejected offers of treatment, over the first 2 years of their children's lives. METHOD: Participants were mothers of 140 infants, classified into Nonuser (n = 48), Treatment (n = 72), or Refuser (n = 20) groups. The Child Abuse Potential (CAP) Inventory [Milner, J. S. 1980. The Child Abuse Potential Inventory: Manual. Webster, NC: Psytec Corporation] was administered when infants were 4, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months. RESULTS: Results of mixed-model analyses of variances showed no group differences on CAP Inventory abuse scale scores. There were significant group differences in lie scale scores on the CAP Inventory, such that lie scale scores for the Nonuser group were significantly higher than lie scale scores for the Treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, results support the position that low-income women with many risk factors in their lives are at high risk for potential child abuse, but that their drug use status and drug treatment status does not differentiate them from their nonuser peers from a similar social and demographic background.