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BackgroundMuch research suggests that mothers play an important role in shaping daughters' body image, yet less is known about how mother-daughter relationship dynamics in weight management affect daughters' body dissatisfaction. The current paper described the development and validation of the mother-daughter Shared Agency in Weight Management Scale (SAWMS) and examined its associations with daughter's body dissatisfaction.MethodsIn Study 1 (N = 676 college students), we explored the factor structure of the mother-daughter SAWMS and identified three processes (control, autonomy support, and collaboration) whereby mothers work with daughters in weight management. In Study 2 (N = 439 college students), we finalized the factor structure of the scale by conducting two CFAs and assessing the test-retest reliability of each subscale. In Study 3 (same sample as Study 2), we examined the psychometric properties of the subscales and their associations with daughters' body dissatisfaction.ResultsCombining results from EFA and IRT, we identified three mother-daughter dynamics in weight management-maternal control, maternal autonomy support, and maternal collaboration. However, based on various empirical results indicating poor psychometric properties of the maternal collaboration subscale, we removed it from the mother-daughter SAWMS and only evaluated the psychometric properties of the remaining two subscales (i.e., control and autonomy support). They explained a significant amount of variance in daughters' body dissatisfaction over and above the effect of maternal pressure to be thin. Maternal control was a significant and positive predictor of daughters' body dissatisfaction; maternal autonomy support was a significant and negative predictor.ConclusionsResults suggested that maternal control in weight management was associated with daughters' increased body dissatisfaction, whereas maternal autonomy support in weight management was associated with daughters' lower body dissatisfaction. These specific ways in which mother work with daughters in weight management provide nuances in understanding young women's body dissatisfaction. Our SAWMS offers new ways to examine body image among young women through the mother-daughter relationship dynamics in weight management.

This study applied a framework of shared and nonshared agency to investigate how social partners can help and hinder young adults career development. We also considered the extent to which motivational control could be promoted or burdened when young people seek help and encouragement from others in their careers. Based on the importance of shared agency in life goal pursuit, it was hypothesized that shared agency (i.e., perceived support and collaboration) with mothers, fathers, important adults, and romantic partners would have direct and positive associations with young adults career satisfaction and exploration and positive indirect associations on career development via motivational control. We further hypothesized that nonshared agency (i.e., directing and uninvolvement) would have direct and negative effects on career satisfaction and exploration and negative indirect effects on career development via motivational strategies. Results indicated that relationships can facilitate career development but differently depending upon relationship type. We found that support and directing from mothers and VIPs had positive associations with outcomes via individual motivational control whereas a total effect of collaboration with fathers and romantic partners were associated with outcomes without an indirect effect via motivational control. These findings are discussed within the context of previous socialization research and theory.

BackgroundOver 96% of high-grade ovarian carcinomas and 50% of all cancers are characterized by alterations in the p53 gene. Therapeutic strategies to restore and/or reactivate the p53 pathway have been challenging. By contrast, p63, which shares many of the downstream targets and functions of p53, is rarely mutated in cancer.MethodsA novel strategy is presented for circumventing alterations in p53 by inducing the tumor-suppressor isoform TAp63 (transactivation domain of tumor protein p63) through its direct downstream target, microRNA-130b (miR-130b), which is epigenetically silenced and/or downregulated in chemoresistant ovarian cancer.ResultsTreatment with miR-130b resulted in: 1) decreased migration/invasion in HEYA8 cells (p53 wild-type) and disruption of multicellular spheroids in OVCAR8 cells (p53-mutant) in vitro, 2) sensitization of HEYA8 and OVCAR8 cells to cisplatin (CDDP) in vitro and in vivo, and 3) transcriptional activation of TAp63 and the B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-inhibitor B-cell lymphoma 2-like protein 11 (BIM). Overexpression of TAp63 was sufficient to decrease cell viability, suggesting that it is a critical downstream effector of miR-130b. In vivo, combined miR-130b plus CDDP exhibited greater therapeutic efficacy than miR-130b or CDDP alone. Mice that carried OVCAR8 xenograft tumors and were injected with miR-130b in 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) liposomes had a significant decrease in tumor burden at rates similar to those observed in CDDP-treated mice, and 20% of DOPC-miR-130b plus CDDP-treated mice were living tumor free. Systemic injections of scL-miR-130b plus CDDP in a clinically tested, tumor-targeted nanocomplex (scL) improved survival in 60% and complete remissions in 40% of mice that carried HEYA8 xenografts.ConclusionsThe miR-130b/TAp63 axis is proposed as a new druggable pathway that has the potential to uncover broad-spectrum therapeutic options for the majority of p53-altered cancers.

This cross-sectional study examined how minority stress (i.e., internalized homonegativity, self-concealment, and rejection sensitivity) and positive parent-child relationship dynamics (i.e., respect for parents and perceived parental support for sexual orientation) were associated with the psychological adjustment of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals in China. Based on survey responses from 277 self-identified Chinese LGB young adults, results from structural equation modeling showed that minority stress was not a significant predictor of psychological maladjustment, whereas respect for parents and perceived parental support for sexual orientation were associated with positive psychological adjustment. Tests of gender differences partially confirmed whether Confucian traditions may burden sexual minority men more than women. Gender differences were found in the correlations between minority stress and each measure of positive parent-child relationship dynamics. However, the associations between independent variables and psychological maladjustment were not different between men and women in the sample. Our results suggest that culture-specific variables, such as parent-child factors within the context of China, may be especially important when working with LGB individuals in research and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Due to their inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, organophosphates are among the most toxic of chemicals. Pralidoxime (a.k.a 2-PAM) is the only acetylcholinesterase reactivator approved in the U.S., but 2-PAM only poorly traverses the blood–brain barrier. Previously, we have demonstrated that scL-2PAM, a nanoformulation designed to enter the brain via receptor-mediated transcytosis, is superior to unencapsulated 2-PAM for reactivating brain acetylcholinesterase, ameliorating cholinergic crisis, and improving survival rates for paraoxon-exposed mice. Here, we employ histology and transcriptome analyses to assess the ability of scL-2PAM to prevent neurological sequelae including microglial activation, expression of inflammatory cytokines, and ultimately loss of neurons in mice surviving paraoxon exposures. Levels of the mRNA encoding chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) were significantly upregulated after paraoxon exposures, with CCL2 mRNA levels in the brain correlating well with the intensity and duration of cholinergic symptoms. Our nanoformulation of 2-PAM was found to be superior to unencapsulated 2-PAM in reducing the levels of the CCL2 transcript. Moreover, brain histology revealed that scL-2PAM was more effective than unencapsulated 2-PAM in preventing microglial activation and the subsequent loss of neurons. Thus, scL-2PAM appears to be a new and improved countermeasure for reducing neuroinflammation and mitigating brain damage in survivors of organophosphate exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the context and focus of the late 2008 survey of 45 early career nursing graduates working in public hospitals in an outer-urban area of Sydney who were identified by their supervisors as performing successfully. It gives an overview of the key quantitative and qualitative results for 2008 compared with the results of earlier studies of successfully performing nurses and other professionals in the first 3-5 years of their career. Based on this analysis it makes a range of recommendations on how to optimise the quality and relevance of the learning design, support and assessment systems experienced by undergraduate nursing students. The study confirms that, in addition to possessing a high level of technical competence, it is a particular combination of personal, interpersonal and cognitive capabilities which characterises the most effective performers. The most productive approaches to developing these capabilities focus on: consistent two-way links between theory and practice; the availability of responsive, committed academic staff with current clinical experience; provision of clear direction and integration between different units of study; the systematic use of case-based learning, simulations, clinical placements and associated assessment tasks which are "real-world" focused, integrated and problem-based, and which concentrate on the key capabilities identified as counting most for successful early career practice in this and parallel studies.

The present study takes a motivational perspective that views youths' educational and career engagement as influential and potentially competing for the same motivational resources in the transition to adulthood. We investigated whether motivational engagement with educational and career goals in the year after high-school graduation was differentially associated with educational, career-related and subjective well-being outcomes 2 and 4 years after school graduation. Our longitudinal study of a multi-ethnic sample of Los Angeles high-school graduates followed participants 2 years (N = 561; 61.5 % female) and 4 years (N = 364; 59.8 % female) after high school graduation. The findings indicate that motivational engagement with educational goals after high school graduation predicted educational attainments and psychological well-being at follow-up 2 and 4 years after graduation, and occupational progress at 4 years after graduation. Work hours assessed shortly after high school graduation were associated with poorer educational outcomes both at 2 and 4 years after high school. Occupational goal engagement was not associated with better outcomes, but predicted less educational attainment 4 years after graduating. Thus, educational goal engagement predicted favorable outcomes, whereas career-related goal engagement for the most part was neutral with some select associations with negative educational outcomes. A strong motivational commitment to educational goals, but not to career goals, is an important component of a successful transition to adulthood.

This short-term longitudinal study examined whether the social resources of important nonparental adults (VIPs) perceived by youth during their senior year of high school had a significant relation to their educational and socioemotional adjustment 1 year later. One month before their high school graduation, a multiethnic sample of youths (N=754) reported on their grades, educational expectations, and selected psychosocial characteristics (i.e., depressed mood and misconduct); the educational attainment and perceived psychosocial characteristics of an important nonparental adult in their lives; and the educational plans and perceived psychosocial characteristics of their close friends. Key measures were included in a mailed survey 1 year later. VIP characteristics (particularly their educational attainment) were associated with post-high school adjustment, even after controlling for previous level of youth adjustment and contributions from demographic and peer characteristics. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Research on Adolescence © 2010 Society for Research on Adolescence.

This study proposed and confirmed three ways in which college students can perceive shared agency and two ways in which they can perceive non-shared agency with parents when pursuing educational goals in college. Differences and similarities were examined among participants from four ethnic backgrounds (N = 515; 67% female): East Asian American, Southeast Asian American, Filipino/Pacific Islander American, and European American. Results indicated that Asian American youth reported higher levels of non-shared agency with parents (i.e., parental directing and noninvolvement), lower levels of shared agency (i.e., parental accommodation, support, or collaboration), and poorer college adjustment compared to European Americans. However, ethnic similarities were found whereby perceived shared agency in education with parents was associated with college adjustment. Multiple mediation analyses also indicated that our model of shared and non-shared agency with parents explained differences in college adjustment between Asian and European Americans, though more strongly for comparisons between European and East Asian Americans. Our results suggest that parents continue to be important in the education of older youth but that continued directing of youth’s education in college can be maladaptive.

This study investigated ethnic as well as gender and generational similarities and differences in the life goals among graduating high-school seniors. Adolescents came from six ethnic groups: White, African, Mexican, Other Latino, Filipino, and East/Southeast Asian Americans. Their self-articulated medium-range life goals were grouped into 8 major categories such as occupational, educational, familial, and material goals. Group differences in various aspects of future plans, such as priorities given to different life goals, time frame of attainment, and perceived controllability over their attainment, were also examined. Hypothesized group differences based on current social realities and small-scale qualitative studies on ethnic minorities were not found; there were very few ethnic, gender, and generational differences in adolescents' life goals. All groups reported a higher priority for, earlier expected attainment of, and more control over their medium-range educational and occupational goals than their family-related and material goals. Further, long-term educational and occupational aspirations were high across all groups. There were moderate ethnic differences in educational expectations and none for corresponding career expectations. Thus, current inequalities in educational and occupational attainments across ethnic groups were only partially reflected in the life goals of adolescents on the brink of graduating from high school. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

Aim: The aims of this sequential explanatory mixed method study were twofold 1. Firstly, to evaluate the implementation of a spiritual care subject in a nursing program. 2. Secondly, to examine undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of providing spiritual care within their holistic care practice. Background: Studies conducted internationally indicate many nurses feel inadequately prepared to provide holistic care inclusive of spiritual care due to insufficient spiritual care education. Design: Two phase, sequential explanatory mixed method design which comprised of a quantitative study followed by a qualitative study. Methods: The setting was an Australian faith-based university. Participants comprised of undergraduate nursing students who were enrolled in a spiritual care subject. Findings: Two study findings emerged: 1. Participants' knowledge and practice of spiritual care were transformed by the spiritual care subject, and 2. The spiritual care subject broadened perceptions of spiritual care so participants viewed themselves more equipped to provide spiritual care in their holistic care provision. Conclusion: The spiritual care subject had an affirmative influence on participants' perceptions of providing spiritual care within holistic care practice. The findings have implications for nurse educators to consider how spiritual care content can be included within undergraduate nursing curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]