Social cognitive predictors of engineering students' academic persistence intentions, satisfaction, and engagement.

The demand for high quality engineers is of particular importance as engineering jobs are projected to grow in the next 10 years (United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). More work is needed to understand factors related to academic engagement, satisfaction, and persistence intentions of Latino/as and women in engineering: 2 underrepresented groups in the engineering pipeline. We present findings that explored the role of social-cognitive, environmental, and personality variables in engineering persistence intentions, engagement and satisfaction of a diverse sample of 1,335 engineering students using an extension of the integrative social cognitive career theory model (SCCT; Lent et al., 2013). Results indicated that (a) the hypothesized model fit the data well for the full sample and across 8 subsamples based on gender-ethnicity (i.e., Latinas, Latinos, White women, and White men) and ethnicity-school type (i.e., Latina/os at Hispanic-serving institutions [HSIs], Latina/os at predominantly White institutions [PWIs], Whites at HSIs, and Whites at PWIs), (b) all but 5 model parameters were significant and positive for the full sample, (c) a subset of model parameters differed by the interactions of race/ethnicity-gender and race/ethnicity-school type groups, and (d) the relations within the model explained a significant amount of variance in engineering academic engagement, satisfaction, and persistence intentions for the full sample and 8 subsamples. Implications of the findings for educational and career interventions aimed at retaining Latina/os and women in engineering are discussed in relation to building on social cognitions in engineering academic engagement, satisfaction, and persistence intentions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Expression of AITR and AITR ligand in breast cancer patients.

Human activation-inducible TNF receptor (AITR) is a new member of the tumor necrosis factor family and expressed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and leukocytes. Its ligand (AITRL) is expressed in endothelial cells. This study aimed to evaluate the presence and role of AITR and AITRL in patients with breast cancer. Expression of AITR and AITRL on PBMC and breast cancer cells was determined by flow cytometry, RT-PCR and fluorescence microscopy. Soluble (s) AITR and sAITRL were detected in serum of breast cancer patients by ELISA. AITR and AITRL were constitutively expressed in T cells, B cells, monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells of breast cancer patients. AITRL was overexpressed in breast cancer cells. The levels of sAITRL were significantly increased in serum of breast cancer patients compared with the healthy control. This study suggests that AITR and AITRL may play an important role in tumor growth and survival in breast cancer.

MR imaging of orbital inflammatory pseudotumors with extraorbital extension.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate a variety of MR imaging findings of orbital inflammatory pseudotumors with extraorbital extension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the MR features of five patients, who were diagnosed clinically and radiologically as having an orbital inflammatory pseudotumor with extraorbital extension. RESULTS: The types of orbital pseudotumors were a mass in the orbital apex (n = 3), diffuse form (n = 2), and myositis (n = 1). The extraorbital extension of the orbital pseudotumor passed through the superior orbital fissure in all cases, through the inferior orbital fissure in two cases, and through the optic canal in one case. The orbital lesions extended into the following areas: the cavernous sinus (n = 4), the middle cranial fossa (n = 4), Meckel's cave (n = 2), the petrous apex (n = 2), the clivus (n = 2), the pterygopalatine fossa and infratemporal fossa (n = 2), the foramen rotundum (n = 1), the paranasal sinus (n = 1), and the infraorbital foramen (n = 1). On MR imaging, the lesions appeared as an isosignal intensity with gray matter on the T1-weighted images, as a low signal intensity on the T2-weighted images and showed a marked enhancement on the post-gadoliniumdiethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (post-Gd-DTPA) T1-sequences. The symptoms of all of the patients improved when they were given high doses of steroids. Three of the five patients experienced a recurrence. CONCLUSION: MR imaging is useful for demonstrating the presence of a variety of extraorbital extensions of orbital inflammatory pseudotumors.

Psychometric Confirmation of the Sexual Health Survey as a Useful Tool for College Health Professionals.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a confirmatory factor analysis on the 17-item Sexual Health Survey (SHS), a comprehensive instrument designed to be used with college students. PARTICIPANTS: College students (N = 515) aged 18 to 26 years enrolled at a Midwest public university October 2009. METHODS: Confirmatory factor analysis with maximum likelihood estimation was performed to test the stability of the constructs. RESULTS: All factor loadings were significant (p < .001), ranging from .55 to .99 (standardized). The range of squared multiple correlations of items was .31 to .98, and the intercorrelations among the 5 factors were from -.03 to .52. These small to moderate levels of intercorrelation support discriminant validity of 5 constructs. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the 5-factor version of the 17-item SHS as a viable scale that can measure sexual health overall and 5 distinct areas. College health professionals should consider use of this scale for assessment purposes and evaluation of programmatic efforts.

iRest yoga-nidra on the college campus: changes in stress, depression, worry, and mindfulness.

OBJECTIVES: There is evidence that yoga practice is associated with decreased stress, worry, and depression, and with improved mindfulness-based skills. These findings had not been previously replicated for a sample of college students. This study evaluated whether iRest yoga-nidra practice was associated with reduced perceived stress, worry, and depression, and increased mindfulness in a sample of college student s. METHODS: Sixty-six students age 18-56 completed an 8-week iRest yoga-nidra intervention that was offered for 8 semesters. Assessment occurred 1 week prior to intervention onset and during the class period following the intervention. Qualitative data were collected at Weeks 4 and 8. RESULTS: Statistically significant pre- to posttest improvements in perceived stress, worry, and depression were found. Pre-existing depression accounted for most of the change in worry and perceived stress scores. Pre- to post test improvements in mindfulness-based skills were also detected. CONCLUSIONS: iRest yoga-nidra practice may reduce symptoms of perceived stress, worry, and depression and increase mindfulness-based skills.