Current approaches to improving diversity in scientific research focus on graduating more science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors, but graduation with a STEM undergraduate ...degree alone is not sufficient for entry into graduate school. Undergraduate independent research experiences are becoming more or less a prerequisite for admission into graduate school and eventually a career in academia; a quick look at the recommendations for any of the top graduate programs in biology or science career-related websites state an expectation for undergraduate research and a perceived handicap if recommendation letters for graduate school do not include a discussion of the applicant's research experience (Webb, 2007; Harvard University, 2013). Independent undergraduate research experiences have been shown to improve the retention of students in scientific research (National Research Council, 2003; Laursen et al., 2010; American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2011; Eagan et al., 2013). Participation in independent research experiences has been shown to increase interest in pursuing a PhD (Seymour et al., 2004; Russell et al., 2007) and seems to be particularly beneficial for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds (Villarejo et al., 2008; Jones et al., 2010; Espinosa, 2011; Hernandez et al., 2013). However, the limited number of undergraduate research opportunities available and the structure of how students are selected for these independent research lab positions exclude many students and can perpetuate inequities in the research community. In this article, the authors highlight barriers faced by students interested in pursuing an undergraduate independent research experience and factors that impact how faculty members select students for these limited positions. They examine how bringing research experiences into the required course work for students could mitigate these issues and ultimately make research more inclusive.
The Brazilian sugarcane industry is relevant in the country since the colonial period. Nowadays, there are sugarcane mills all over Brazil in a number over 350, which are responsible for generating ...jobs for the population and valuable products for the society. The development of this industry was is mostly due to governmental incentives, through several mechanisms. The last governmental program that aimed to boost ethanol production was the RenovaBio program. This program aimed to help the country to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Moreover, the RenovaBio also collaborates economically for the development of the ethanol industry by creating a new product, the decarbonization credit (CBio). This aspect is interesting because it provides a new possibility to increase ethanol company's profits. Additionally, it shows that through improving process efficiency in all of the production steps (from agriculture up to product distribution) with positive impacts on environmental it is possible to increase profits. In this review, it will be discussed the potential of the CBio market and also suggestions to optimize ethanol and to increase ethanol production, reduce costs and improve environmental efficiency.
•The commercialization of CBio may create an R$ 6.5 billion of market.•The dry cleaning method saves 80% of the water used to clean the sugarcane and reduce the maintenance costs by 50%.•During juice concentration, it is possible to reduce energy consumption by 33% and to reduce the volume of vinasse by 90%.
Background
Economic crises during the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic severely impacted mental health outcomes. However, there is limited evidence on this issue in Thailand. We aimed to ...evaluate the association of economic burden during the first phase of the pandemic and the risk of adverse mental health outcomes in the Thai population.
Methods
We recruited 2,303 participants aged 18 years or above with employment/full‐time jobs before the national lockdown in April–May 2020. The measures of economic burden were job loss, income loss, and financial problems related to the outbreak. The outcomes included depressive symptoms, anxiety, and perceived stress. The association between economic burden and adverse mental health outcomes was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models.
Results
Individuals who lost their jobs during the COVID‐19 pandemic had a higher risk of perceived stress compared to those who maintained their job (adjusted odds ratio OR, 2.40; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.28–4.51; p = .006). A higher risk of anxiety was observed in individuals with a monthly income loss of 50% (adjusted OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.03–1.99; p = .035; individuals without income loss, reference group) or over. Self‐reported financial problems were significantly associated with adverse mental health outcomes (nonexperienced financial problems, reference group): Adjusted ORs of 1.84 (95% CI, 1.34–2.51; p < .001) for depressive symptoms, 2.00 (95% CI, 1.48–2.71; p < .001) for anxiety, and 2.12 (95% CI, 1.51–2.95; p < .001) for perceived stress.
Conclusions
Economic burden, especially self‐reported financial problems, was associated with adverse mental health outcomes. However, long‐term studies are needed to address the mental health consequences of COVID‐19 and economic downturns.
Raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be an overwhelming experience for parents and families. The pervasive and severe deficits often present in children with ASD are associated ...with a plethora of difficulties in caregivers, including decreased parenting efficacy, increased parenting stress, and an increase in mental and physical health problems compared with parents of both typically developing children and children with other developmental disorders. In addition to significant financial strain and time pressures, high rates of divorce and lower overall family well-being highlight the burden that having a child with an ASD can place on families. These parent and family effects reciprocally and negatively impact the diagnosed child and can even serve to diminish the positive effects of intervention. However, most interventions for ASD are evaluated only in terms of child outcomes, ignoring parent and family factors that may have an influence on both the immediate and long-term effects of therapy. It cannot be assumed that even significant improvements in the diagnosed child will ameliorate the parent and family distress already present, especially as the time and expense of intervention can add further family disruption. Thus, a new model of intervention evaluation is proposed, which incorporates these factors and better captures the transactional nature of these relationships.
Research during the past decade shows that social class or socioeconomic status (SES) is related to satisfaction and stability in romantic unions, the quality of parent-child relationships, and a ...range of developmental outcomes for adults and children. This review focuses on evidence regarding potential mechanisms proposed to account for these associations. Research findings reported during the past decade demonstrate support for an interactionist model of the relationship between SES and family life, which incorporates assumptions from both the social causation and social selection perspectives. This review concludes with recommendations for future research on SES, family processes, and individual development in terms of important theoretical and methodological issues yet to be addressed.
Medical students have been found to report high levels of perceived stress, yet there is a lack of theoretical frameworks examining possible reasons. This cross-sectional study examines correlates of ...perceived stress in medical students on the basis of a conceptual stress model originally developed for and applied to the general population. The aim was to identify via structural equation modeling the associations between perceived stress and emotional distress (anxiety and depression), taking into account the activation of personal resources (optimism, self-efficacy and resilient coping).
Within this cross-sectional study, 321 first year medical students (age 22 ± 4 years, 39.3% men) completed the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-20), the Self-Efficacy Optimism Scale (SWOP) and the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) as well as the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4). The statistical analyses used t-tests, ANOVA, Spearman Rho correlation and multiple regression analysis as well as structural equation modeling.
Medical students reported higher levels of perceived stress and higher levels of anxiety and depression than reference samples. No statistically significant differences in stress levels were found within the sample according to gender, migration background or employment status. Students reported more self-efficacy, optimism, and resilient coping and higher emotional distress compared to validation samples and results in other studies. Structural equation analysis revealed a satisfactory fit between empirical data and the proposed stress model indicating that personal resources modulated perceived stress, which in turn had an impact on emotional distress.
Medical students' perceived stress and emotional distress levels are generally high, with personal resources acting as a buffer, thus supporting the population-based general stress model. Results suggest providing individual interventions for those students, who need support in dealing with the challenges of the medical curriculum as well as addressing structural determinants of student stress such as course load and timing of exams.
This study aimed to examine the unique predictive validity of debt regarding recidivism and what elements are specifically predictive. This was done based on a Dutch sample of 250 people on probation ...using an explorative research tool, the Finances, Debt, and Offending Scale (FDOS). Cox survival regression and receiver operating characteristics analyses were conducted on the total FDOS and its individual items as predictors and diverse recidivism criteria. The average follow-up duration was 5.41 years. The results show that debt moderately predicts recidivism (adjusted for other predictors). The FDOS significantly predicted recidivism on all three levels of severity, and regarding the type of crime, it predicted recidivism in property and drug-related crime. Earlier debt and probation officers’ indications of whether finances are criminogenic were especially predictive. These insights may help frontline service providers better understand the role of finances in recidivism, measure financial problems in risk assessment, and select interventions.
Research is needed to facilitate better understanding of how different groups have been impacted by COVID-19, especially those in already strained service systems such as foster care. These inquiries ...will support further response, recovery and preparedness efforts.
This qualitative study addressed how professionals and caregivers in foster care described being affected by COVID-19 in order to support future research and planning for foster care systems in this pandemic context.
A sample of foster parents and foster care professionals (N = 357) from a mostly rural, southeastern state in the U.S. participated in the study.
Qualitative analysis was conducted of 357 open-ended responses regarding the impact of COVID-19 from a survey distributed in August 2020.
The coding process resulted in the identification of 15 distinct themes: Isolation & Loss of Social Support, Work Changes/Stressors, School Issues, Childcare Issues, No Impact/Positive Changes, Financial Problems, Fear of Contagion, Negative Child Welfare Impacts, Mental Health Problems/Stress, Loss of Faith/Trust & Societal Frustrations, Health & Mental Healthcare Access Issues, PPE & Testing Issues, Grief & Loss, and Marital Problems. Secondary impacts rather than direct physiologic effects of the virus were primarily reported.
This study underscores the various challenges facing foster care systems, and how the pandemic context is exacerbating many of these issues. Further research is needed to ensure the implementation of adequately complex and nuanced responses that target needs and avoid creating further problems for foster care.
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The article discusses four development scenarios for the system of state (municipal) microfinance organizations based on the model developed by the author that makes it possible to analyze the ...prospects and choose the optimal development direction for this system.
The article analyzes parameters characterizing anticrisis financing of the global financial safety net (GFSN) with an emphasis on international reserves. A new approach was used, in which the ...analysis was carried out through the prism of the global currency liquidity concept. The article shows the role of international currency reserves as a key element providing interconnection, on the one hand, of official and private components of global liquidity, and, on the other hand, of national and international currency systems. Facilitating the redistribution of global currency liquidity, reserves are at the same time free from the disadvantages inherent in other components of the global financial safety net.
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