Students' perceptions of competence and relatedness are known to influence learning processes and achievement, and may have particular import for underrepresented science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learners. Sources of social support that contribute to undergraduate life science learners' perceived competence and relatedness were examined, as were achievement and retention outcomes influenced by these sources of support and selfdetermination theory components. Female, ethnically underrepresented, or first-generation students reported similar levels of perceived competence and relatedness in STEM compared to their majority counterparts at a large, urban university. However, social supports, competence, and relatedness were differentially important for these subgroups as predictors of achievement and intention to leave a science major. For the full sample, competence perceptions predicted greater achievement and lessened intentions to leave a major. Competence perceptions were primarily derived from contact with classmates, especially for underrepresented groups. Feelings of relatedness were specifically important for the retention of women pursuing science degrees. Contacts with STEM peers and classmates were sources of relatedness for majority groups, but classmate contact was not significant for underrepresented groups. Findings highlight the value of promoting competence and relatedness and the differing sources that these subgroups draw on to build the perceived competence and relatedness that can predict achievement and retention.

Cases in which a child has been falsely reported as missing or abducted can be extremely challenging to the law enforcement agencies responsible for their investigation. In the absence of a witnessed abduction or an obvious crime scene, it is difficult to determine whether a child has actually been abducted or has become a victim of a homicide and a false allegation. The purpose of this study was to examine falsely alleged kidnapping cases and identify successful investigative strategies. Sixty-one adjudicated false allegation cases involving 66 victims were analyzed. The mean age of the victim was 5 years. Victims came from generally unstable, high-risk family situations and were killed primarily by biological parents. Victims were killed because they were unwanted or viewed as an obstacle to a desired goal, or they were victims of abuse or maltreatment that ended in fatality.

Acupuncture is the practice of applying needles to target specific pressures points in the body. Since originating in China, acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years to treat numerous conditions including chronic pain and mood disorders. Alopecia is a common dermatologic condition associated with psychological distress and decreased quality of life. Although it remains underexplored in western medicine, recent evidence suggests that acupuncture may be efficacious in the treatment of alopecia. In this review, we discuss the available evidence describing the efficacy of acupuncture or moxibustion alone (ACU) and in combination with other traditional and alternative interventions (ACU + TRAD) for hair loss. Additionally, the proposed physiologic mechanisms, targeted acupuncture points, and the benefits and barriers to treatment will be further described. An exploratory search using PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus databases was performed for studies that evaluated the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on alopecia. In these studies, both ACU and ACU + TRAD were efficacious for numerous etiologies of hair loss including alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia, and seborrheic alopecia. Given their ability to modulate the immune system, as well as neuronal networks associated with emotional cognition, the most frequently targeted acupoints were ST 36, GV 20, and LR 3. The proposed mechanistic effect is dependent upon disease etiology and is theorized to be twofold: reduction of inflammation and decrease in testosterone levels. The limited side effect profile of acupuncture makes it an advantageous treatment option, however, factors including cost, time, limited access, and aversion to needles may serve as barriers to treatment.

No abstract

Ectopic breast tissue is the presence of retained breast tissue along the embryologic mammary ridge, also known as the milk line. Accessory tissue can be located anywhere along or outside the anatomic milk line extending from the axilla to the groin. Ectopic breast tissue can undergo the same physiologic and pathologic changes seen in normal breast tissue, such as fibroadenomas, fibrocystic changes, and malignancy. The wide range of clinical presentations and symptomatology can pose a significant diagnostic challenge, and clinicopathologic correlation is key in establishing the diagnosis. In this report, we review the clinical and histopathologic findings in a rare case of cutaneous periumbilical fibroadenomas in a 25-year-old female.