Emotion Regulation Strategies and Parenting Practices among Parents of Children With Clinic-Referred Conduct Problems

Objective. This study examined the cognitive-affective strategies used by parents of young children with conduct problems to regulate emotions. Key questions concerned the extent to which these emotion regulation strategies are associated with positive and negative parenting practices and predict quality of parenting through interplay with parental depression. Design. Participants were families of toddlers (n = 84) referred to a tertiary-level health service for the treatment of disruptive behavior problems. Parenting practices were indexed through observational coding of parent–child interactions and self-report data on multiple dimensions of positive and negative parenting. Parents self-reported their use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression—the two emotion regulation strategies that are most robustly associated with psychosocial functioning in adults. Results. Associations between emotion regulation strategy and quality of parenting were moderated by parental depressive symptom severity, with distinct effects seen for positive and negative parenting practices. In terms of positive parenting, more frequent use of cognitive reappraisal was associated with increased use of labeled praise among parents with lower levels of depressive symptoms, whereas parents who had higher levels of depressive symptoms engaged in less such praise regardless of how frequently they used reappraisal. In terms of negative parenting, frequent use of cognitive reappraisal and expression suppression were associated with reduced levels of negative parenting, but only among parents with high levels of depression. Conclusions. These findings add to growing support for the integration of emotion regulation strategies into family process models of early-onset conduct problems and related clinical interventions.     

知识管理在中美教育机构中的应用研究

目前知识管理在教育机构中的应用较为滞后 ,但其思想和方法同样适用于像大学、教育管理部门这样的组织机构。教育机构也可以通过实施知识管理达到提高响应能力和工作效率的目的。在高等教育中 ,知识管理工作体现在面向学生的教学和管理活动中。通过对中美两国教育机构调研的数据分析可以看出 ,在与知识管理相关的因素分析上 ,如知识管理的实施与激励形式、作用力和学校规模等方面 ,中国学校与美国学校在认识上具有不同的相关程度。这些差异反映了两国知识管理发展水平的不同 ,同时 ,对中国的高校实施知识管理具有启发意义 ,即知识管理本身本非目的 ,而是一种手段 ,应将它同具体的工作有机结合 ,才能取得更好的效果。     

STUDENTS’ AND INSTRUCTORS’ BELIEFS ABOUT EXCELLENT LECTURERS AND DISCUSSION LEADERS

To what extent do students and teachers hold similar beliefs about excellent teaching? Do differences in beliefs have practical implications (e.g., how students rate their teachers on end-of-semester evaluation forms)? In Study 1, undergraduate students (N=414) and faculty members (N=128) responded to questionnaires assessing their perceptions of an excellent discussion leader, lecturer, or instructor. Participants judged items that contributed to a Structure composite as more characteristic of excellent lecturers than excellent discussion leaders and items that contributed to a Process composite as more characteristic of excellent discussion leaders than excellent lecturers. Results for students and teachers showed several systematic differences. In Study 2,278 students and their course teachers rated the characteristics of a hypothetical excellent lecturer. In addition, students rated the effectiveness of their individual teachers. Students’ ratings of their teachers were higher when students and teachers agreed on their perceptions of characteristics of excellent lecturers.     

Clinico-Biochemical indexing of calcium urolithiasis on the basis of urinary citrate to calcium ratio and inhibition of mineralisation of urinary stone forming minerals by human urine

Urinary citric acid and calcium levels have been estimated in the urine of 20 normal healthy persons as well as 12 urinary stone patients. Inhibition efficiency of these urine samples towards the mineralisation of urinary stone forming minerals, viz., calcium phosphate, oxalate or carbonate, has been studied in an experimental model. Statistical correlation of the above data has been made by computing the coefficient of determination and unexplained variance. Clinico-biochemical indexing of calcium urolithiasis risk factor has been attempted in the light of the data.     

Alkaptonuric ochronosis: Report of a case and brief review

Alkaptonuria, a metabolic disorder characterized by a triad of homogentisic aciduria, arthritis and ochronosis is one of the first conditions in the charter of group of inborn errors of metabolism proposed to have Mendelian recessive inheritance. It is due to the deficiency of the enzyme homogentisic acid oxidase which catalyzes the conversion of homogentisic acid to maleylacetoacetic acid in the catabolism of tyrosine. Homogentisic acid thus accumulates in cells and body fluids and its oxidized polymers bind to collagen, leading to progressive deposition of grey to bluish black pigment resulting in degenerative changes in cartilage, intervertebral disc and other connective tissues, leading to arthritis which is the only disabling effect in an affected older individual. However the diagnosis can be made in neonates when blackish stain is noticed in an unwashed diaper. Alkaptonuria is treated symptomatically, surgical intervention necessitates in advanced stages, treatment with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and dietary restrictions of food containing phenylalanine and tyrosine have proved to be successful in alleviating the symptoms.     

A case of IgA multiple myeloma: Nutritional perspective in diagnostic testing

A 64-year-old security guard and longstanding known hypertensive presented with hypertensive heart disease (HHD), weight loss, an enlarged prostate, and a spontaneously fractured rib. Malignancy of the prostate with possible metastases to the ribs was strongly suspected. Biochemical profiling revealed a paraprotein. Other biochemical and hematological correlates that were on hand before serum protein electrophoresis were rather atypical. Paraprotein studies by immunofixation revealed IgA myelomatosis. Unlike previous reports from Caucasians there was normocalcaemia, normal protein level, microcytic hypochromia, low MCHC, cholesterol level at the lower limit of the reference range and normal urea level (in the face of markedly raised creatinine level). Nutritional modulation of the classical laboratory features of this disease may account for the fairly atypical laboratory picture. The need to appreciate the influence of nutritional status on the laboratory (especially biochemical) features of a disease and thus interpretation of diagnostic tests appears of exceptional current importance, given the widening gap in socioeconomic status and the level of poverty between the resource poor and developed countries from which the classical, clinical and laboratory features of most diseases were first described. This case report reminds of the need not only to recognize theoretically the impact of nutritional status on the laboratory characteristics of a disease but of the practical application of the nutritional perspective in the interpretation of diagnostic investigations, especially in nutritionally disadvantaged communities.     

The Bivariate Distribution of a Median Smoothed Markov Chain

Median based smoothing algorithms have received considerable attention in the last few years. Their properties make them sometimes superior to linear smoothers. In this paper we develop an expression for the bivariate distribution of a median- smoothed Markov chain and we illustrate one application of it by comparing the power spectra of the input and the output of a median smoother when the input is binary valued.     

Evaluations of matrix functions by real similarity transformation

An effective way of constructing transforming matrix which similarly transforms a real square matrix to a quasi-diagonal form, is obtained. The transforming matrix as well as the quasi-diagonal form are real, regardless whether the given matrix has real eigenvalues or not. Formulas are included; they can be applied conveniently to evaluate a matrix function f(A) from the given scalar function f(λ). Three examples are given to illustrate the ease of application. These are the solutions of system differential equations of first and second order, and the determination of Nth root of a square matrix.     

Prostate specific antigen in patients of benign prostate hypertrophy and carcinoma prostate

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) has emerged as the most applicable and important tumor marker for carcinoma prostate. In the present study PSA was determined in serum of healthy subjects, patients of benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH) and Carcinoma Prostate (Ca−P) to evaluate its diagnostic efficiency in day to day management of prostate cancer patients and in differentiating patients of early prostate cancer from those with BPH. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) revealed 2 ng/ml and 10 ng/ml cut off serum PSA level for BPH and untreated carcinoma prostate patients (Ca−P). An extremely significant increase (P<0.0001) was observed in mean PSA concentration in BPH patients and adenocarcinoma prostate patients when compared to healthy males. Clinical relevance of PSA was highlighted by a case study of cancer patient prior to any therapy till death.     

When do incumbents learn from entrepreneurial ventures?: Corporate venture capital and investing firm innovation rates

In this paper, we focus on the potential innovative benefits to corporate venture capital (CVC), i.e. equity investments in entrepreneurial ventures by incumbent firms. We propose that corporate venture capital programs may be instrumental in harvesting innovations from entrepreneurial ventures and thus an important part of a firm's overall innovation strategy. We hypothesize that these programs are especially effective in weak intellectual property (IP) regimes and when the firm has sufficient absorptive capacity. We analyze a large panel of public firms over a 20-year period and find that increases in corporate venture capital investments are associated with subsequent increases in firm patenting.