Marital Status,Home Environments,and Family Strain: Complex Effects on Preschool Children's School Readiness Skills

The current study examined the complex associations among marital status, home environments, and family strain (i.e. income, maternal depressive symptoms, social support, and parenting stress), as they predict preschool children's pre‐academic and social skills at 36 and 54 months. Findings from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 897) showed that the home learning environment, which was significantly lower among single‐parent families, worked as a mediator to explain the relationship between single‐parent families and children's pre‐academic skills at 36 and 54 months. Additionally, parenting stress, which was significantly higher among single‐parent families, worked as a mediator to explain the relationship between single status and the home learning environment. Finally, moderation analyses showed that family income is important for improving the home social environment, and the home social environment is strongly associated with children's social skills in single‐parent families, but not in cohabiting families. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of strain rate on the orientation dependence of microstructure in nickel single crystals

The deformation microstructures of nickel single crystals (99.945 wt.%) during dynamic plastic deformation and quasi-static compression to a true strain of 0.20 were comparatively investigated. The deformation microstructures are orientation dependent, forming cell structure, slip plane aligned or not slip plane aligned extended boundaries. It is found that the orientation spread decreases, remains unchanged and becomes enhanced when loading along 〈0?0?1〉, 〈0?1?1〉 and 〈1?1?1〉, respectively, as strain rate increases.     

A longitudinal person-centred approach to the job demands-control model

We used a longitudinal design and a person-centred methodology to test the strain and learning hypotheses of the job demands–control model among Finnish employees (n = 926), who were followed-up at three time points covering a period of 2 years (2008–2010). First, we identified longitudinal subgroups in demands and control across three measurement points. Second, we examined how these subgroups differed in strain (job exhaustion) and motivation-related outcomes (vigour at work, work–family enrichment). Growth mixture modelling revealed four subgroups: “stable high strain”, “stable low strain”, “increasing control”, and “decreasing control”. The stable high- and low-strain subgroups also differed in the outcomes studied (exhaustion, work–family enrichment) as suggested by the demands–control model. The findings also suggest that job control is subject to changes over time and that these changes are likely to be associated with changes in employee outcomes. Malleability of job control should be kept in mind in job stress interventions, likewise the fact that some employees suffer from chronic job stress.     

Aspiration Strain and Mental Health: The Education‐Contingent Role of Religion

This study examines whether dimensions of religious involvement (i.e., perceived divine control, private religious practices, and religious social integration) buffer associations between aspiration strain and mental health outcomes (i.e., psychological distress, loneliness, and optimism). We also test three‐way interactions to determine whether the stress‐buffering effects of religious involvement are amplified among undereducated persons. We test our hypotheses with cross‐sectional survey data from Vanderbilt University's Nashville Stress and Health Study (2011–2014), a probability sample of non‐Hispanic white and black adults from Davidson County, Tennessee (n = 1,252). Results from multivariate regression models confirmed: (1) aspiration strain was positively associated with psychological distress and loneliness, and negatively associated with optimism; and (2) religious involvement attenuated these associations, but only for respondents with less than or equal to a high school education. We discuss the implications and limitations of our findings and outline avenues for future research.     

Genetic differences in the mouse defense test battery

The mouse defense test battery (MDTB) has been designed to examine anxiogenic- or anxiolytic-like properties of psychoactive drugs through effects on specific defensive behaviors. In the present study, the MDTB was used to evaluate the potential contribution of genetic factors to these behaviors. The data revealed pronounced differences in several defense reactions among four inbred strains (BALB/c, C57BL/6, CBA, DBA/2) and one outbred (Swiss) mouse line. Thus, when subjects were introduced into the apparatus, Swiss and C57BL/6 displayed the highest levels of horizontal and vertical activities, while BALB/c and DBA/2 mice showed intermediate and CBA low activity rates. When subjects were chased by the rat, C57BL/6 mice used flight as the dominant defense strategy, while the defensive responses of BALB/c, C57BL/6, and DBA/2 mice consisted of flight reactions and risk assessment activities. However, when flight or escape was not possible, risk assessment became the predominant feature of the defense repertoire in the C57BL/6 mice. When defensive threat/attack behaviors were required, Swiss, BALB/c, DBA/2, and C57BL/6 mice showed very similar reactions in terms of the magnitude of the responses observed. CBA mice were poorly defensive in all these test situations. Finally, after the rat was removed from the test apparatus, Swiss, DBA/2, and C57BL/6 mice displayed more vertical activities than BALB/c mice. These latter, however, showed an increased level of ambulation compared to the activity recorded before the rat exposure. Together, these findings indicate that genetic factors contribute to defensive behaviors in this animal model of anxiety. The different behavioral profiles displayed by the strains used here may provide the means to obtain a better insight into the neurobehavioral mechanisms involved in anxiety-related disorders. Aggr. Behav. 23:19–31, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Intrasession and intersession habituation in mice: From inbred strain variability to linkage analysis

When placed in a novel environment, mice tend to explore for a period of time, and then reduce the level of exploration. This reduction in locomotor or exploratory behavior is known as habituation and can occur within a single session or across sessions, respectively, termed intrasession and intersession habituation. Recent research indicates that there is a genetic component to habituation behavior and that some of the genes involved differ between the two types of habituation. The genetic evidence also suggests that intrasession habituation and intersession habituation are measuring somewhat different conceptual entities and with more such evidence may eventually help us understand the different pathways involved. Some of the genetic methods and tools used to unravel the roles of specific genes in both types of habituation are outlined here, with examples from the literature, as well as new data, to illustrate that this seemingly simple behavior is actually very complicated in terms of genetics. Evidence to date suggests that a number of genetic regions play roles in one or both types of habituation, and further research will be necessary to determine the specific genes involved.     

Social support,strain, and glycemic control: A path analysis

Social support and strain have been linked with many health outcomes. However, less is known about whether these psychosocial factors are associated with Type 2 diabetes risk. This study uses the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) dataset to examine the relationship between social support and strain from friends, family members, and spouse/partners and blood hemoglobin A1c levels in married/cohabiting adults who have not been diagnosed with diabetes. In addition, health locus of control is examined as a possible mediator. The study's findings suggest that support from friends is negatively associated with HbA1c levels, indicating a relationship between better glycemic control and social support from friends, and an indirect association for spouse/partner support. A direct effect for internal health locus of control was also found.     

Correlating the internal length in strain gradient plasticity theory with the microstructure of material

The internal length is the governing parameter in strain gradient theories which among other things have been used successfully to interpret size effects at the microscale. Physically, the internal length is supposed to be related with the microstructure of the material and evolves during the deformation. Based on Taylor hardening law, we propose a power-law relationship to describe the evolution of the variable internal length with strain. Then, the classical Fleck–Hutchinson strain gradient theory is extended with a strain-dependent internal length, and the generalized Fleck–Hutchinson theory is confirmed here, by comparing our model predictions to recent experimental data on tension and torsion of thin wires with varying diameter and grain size. Our work suggests that the internal length is a configuration-dependent parameter, closely related to dislocation characteristics and grain size, as well as sample geometry when this affects either the underlying microstructure or the ductility of the material.     

道“阻”且“长”:通勤压力对工作的溢出效应

通勤压力作为一种新型压力源,近年来逐渐成为组织管理领域的前沿话题。通勤压力是指个体在通勤过程中所遭遇的压力事件以及所产生的紧张反应,它对员工的工作态度、工作状态以及工作行为均会产生一定的负面影响,影响强度取决于员工的个人特征、家庭压力以及所处的工作情境。资源保存理论和控制理论是解释通勤压力消极影响的主要理论。未来研究可进一步完善测量工具,考察不同通勤模式的差异化影响效应,丰富边界机制等。