Nonshock confinement duration and shock- and safebox similarity during escape training in rats

Sixty female hooded rats received 70 shock-escape training trials with shock- and safeboxes similar or dissimilar to each other and nonshock (safebox) confinement durations of 5 sec or 20 sec. (Shockbox confinement duration prior to shock onset was 5 sec.) In each confinement condition performance under the similar shock/safe condition was reliably poorer than that under the dissimilar condition. Safebox confinement duration negligibly affected performance under the dissimilar condition, while in the similar condition increasing confinement duration reliably facilitated performance. Comparisons with control data suggest that facilitation of escape was due to the relative shock-safe confinement duration rather than to absolute safebox confinement.     

Increasing the impact of a Master’s programme on teacher leadership and school development by means of boundary crossing

In this case study, we investigate how the development and impact of teacher leadership through a Master’s programme can be supported by a design that encourages boundary crossing activities between schools and universities. The case study focuses on 42 experienced teachers from three vocational colleges who were promoted to senior teacher positions and participated in a Master’s programme. Through individual and focus group interviews, data were collected on how boundary crossing activities can connect professional development and school development, and on favourable conditions for effective boundary crossing. The study shows that strategic alignment and shared ownership between university and school, a collective approach with multiple participants from one school, and the use of boundary objects, created the conditions through which the Master’s programme could serve as a catalyst, stimulating innovation of work practices and development of new leadership practices. The leadership of the senior teachers initiated a development process that shifted from formally mandated forms of leadership to more culturally embedded forms of leadership. This case study leads to a new understanding of design criteria for Master’s programmes and boundary objects that can support the process of developing teacher leadership within schools by facilitating boundary crossing between university and school.     

Fetal Substance Exposure and Cumulative Environmental Risk in an African American Cohort

Two models of vulnerability to socioenvironmental risk were examined in 337 African American children (M = 7.8 years) recruited to overrepresent prenatal alcohol or cocaine exposure: The cumulative risk model predicted synergistic effects from exposure to multiple risk factors, and the fetal patterning of disease model predicted that prenatal insult will increase vulnerability to environmental risk. Four or more risks emerged as a threshold for poorer cognitive and behavioral outcome among the non‐substance‐exposed children, whereas substance‐exposed children showed greater vulnerability to lower levels of environmental risk. Cumulative risk was associated with increased delinquent and internalizing behaviors only for the substance‐exposed group. Results support the cumulative risk model for non‐substance‐exposed children and increased vulnerability to environmental risk among the substance‐exposed group.     

Higher prevalence of childhood sexual abuse among Latino men who have sex with men than non-Latino men who have sex with men: data from the Urban Men's Health Study

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of childhood sexual abuse among Latino adult men who have sex with men who live in the US was estimated because a history of childhood sexual abuse increases HIV sexual risk behaviors and other negative health outcomes in adulthood. METHOD: The Urban Men's Health Study is a random-digit telephone probability survey of 2881 adult men who have sex with men (MSM) aged 18 years or older residing in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Self-reported history of childhood sexual abuse was the main outcome measure gathered from 2692 MSM. RESULTS: A significantly higher proportion of Latino MSM reported sexual abuse before age 13 (22%) than did non-Latino MSM (11%). CONCLUSIONS: Latino MSM are twice as likely to report a history of childhood sexual abuse than are non-Latino MSM. Given the association between childhood sexual abuse and increased risk for HIV and other negative health outcomes, health providers must remain vigilant to the possibility of childhood sexual abuse histories among their Latino patients.