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Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease and arises from dopamine (DA) neuron death selectively in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). Rit2 is a reported PD risk allele, and recent single cell transcriptomic studies identified a major RIT2 cluster in PD DA neurons, potentially linking Rit2 expression loss to a PD patient cohort. However, it is still unknown whether Rit2 loss itself impacts DA neuron function and/or viability. Here we report that conditional Rit2 silencing in mouse DA neurons drove motor dysfunction that occurred earlier in males than females and was rescued at early stages by either inhibiting the DA transporter (DAT) or with L-DOPA treatment. Motor dysfunction was accompanied by decreased DA release, striatal DA content, phenotypic DAergic markers, DA neurons, and DAergic terminals, with increased pSer129-alpha synuclein and pSer935-LRRK2 expression. These results provide clear evidence that Rit2 loss is causal for SNc cell death and motor dysfunction, and reveal key sex-specific differences in the response to Rit2 loss.

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is a persistent deficiency or absence of sexual fantasies and desire resulting in significant distress or interpersonal difficulty. Women with this disorder may display a lack of motivation for sexual activity, reduced responsiveness to erotic cues, a loss of interest during sexual activity, and avoidance of situations that could lead to sexual activity. The pathophysiology of HSDD is thought to be centered around inhibitory and excitatory hormones, neurotransmitters, and specific brain anatomy. Due to the multifactorial nature of HSDD, treatment can be complex and must attempt to target the biological and psychosocial aspects of the disorder. Bremelanotide is a melanocortin receptor agonist and has been recently approved by the FDA to treat HSDD. Bremelanotide is administered intranasally or as a subcutaneous injection. The recommended dosage of bremelanotide is 1.75 mg injected subcutaneously in the abdomen or thigh at least 45 min before sexual activity. Studies showed improvements in desire, arousal, and orgasm scores when 1.75 mg of bremelanotide was administered before sexual activity compared to a placebo. Bremelanotide is a promising way to treat HSDD.

Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most common childhood mental health disorders, affecting about 5.6% of the population worldwide. Several studies have specifically shown a high prevalence of comorbid mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder (BD), in those diagnosed with ADHD. Several common symptoms of ADHD are also found in BD, which are characterized by alternating periods of euthymia and mood disturbances. The inattention and impulsivity of ADHD can be seen in manic and hypomanic episodes of BD. Over the past decade, there has been an increased interest in research between the correlation of ADHD and pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) in children. Some experts hypothesize that more children are comorbidly diagnosed with ADHD and PBD because of how many clinicians treat children with ADHD. Other factors, which may affect the dual diagnoses of ADHD and PBD, are overlapping diagnostic criteria for the two disorders, the inevitable biases seen when one disorder is diagnosed without the other, and related risk factors leading to prodromal relationships. By examining clinical trials, a better understanding of whether ADHD and PBD have a stepwise progression or if other factors influence these comorbidities, such as blurred lines of diagnostic criteria. Those with ADHD are also at an increased risk of impairment at work and in social settings. This manuscript explores both progression of this disease and its clinical connections to other disorders.

Abstract Molecular doping of conjugated polymers causes bleaching of the neutral absorbance and results in new polaron absorbance transitions in the mid and near infrared. Here, the concentration dependent changes in the spectra for a series of molecularly doped diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) co‐polymers with a series of ultra‐high electron affinity cyanotrimethylenecyclopropane‐based dopants is analyzed. With these strong dopants the polaron mole fraction (Θ) reaches saturation. Analysis of the full spectrum enables separation of neutral and polaron signals and quantification of the polaron mole fraction using a simple noninteracting site model. The peak ratios for both neutral and polaron peaks change systematically with increasing polaron mole fraction for all measured polymers. Analysis of the spectral changes indicates that the polaron mole fraction can be quantified to within 5%. While the total change in the absorbance spectrum with increasing polaron mole fraction is linear, the lowest energy polaron peak (P1) grows nonlinearly, which indicates increased polarization/delocalization. Molecular doping of polymers that form either H‐ or J‐aggregates shows systematically different spectral changes in the vibronic peak ratios of the neutral spectra and provides insights into the polymer configuration at undoped sites in the film.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to proctor exams after the forced transition to remote teaching and learning. Objective: We evaluated students' experiences creating and answering their own exam items in an upper-level psychology course during the transition to remote teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Students in an advanced social psychology course wrote and answered exam items to demonstrate their learning when proctored exams became impossible during the COVID-19 pandemic. The exams were graded for breadth, depth, and accuracy, and compared to other demonstrations of learning, including traditional in-class exams taken prior to the transition to remote teaching and learning. Results: Students performed well on these exams. Students reported positive perceptions of these exams during the COVID-19 pandemic, but reported that, while these exams reduced test anxiety, they were time-intensive. Conclusion: Students can demonstrate their learning by writing and completing their own exams. Their higher grades may be related to reduced test anxiety and greater time investments. Teaching Implications: Instructors should consider having students write and complete their own exams to demonstrate their learning, especially when proctoring exams is difficult or impossible.

Teaching is a skill that can and should be taught in graduate education. Fortunately, many departments offer some teacher training for their graduate students to prepare them to teach introductory and other survey courses. What is apparently still lacking is training for graduate students to teach upper-level seminar-style classes. Therefore, we designed and implemented a graduate-level seminar on teaching seminars in psychology wherein course-takers developed tangible resources (e.g., syllabi) to empower them to effectively (and autonomously) teach seminar-style courses. We believe our course provides an excellent model for departments interested in further enhancing the teacher training of their graduate students.

Research has primarily focused on the engagement of the student in the classroom (Austin, 1993; Schunk & Mullen, 2012; Tinto, 1993), often without consideration of the engagement of the teacher (Frenzel, Goetz, Lüdtke, Pekrun, & Sutton, 2009). However, we predict that teachers' subjective experiences "trickle down" and ultimately impact the subjective experiences and performance of their students. Consistent with our Trickle-Down Engagement Model Hypothesis, we found undergraduate students' perceptions of their instructor's engagement were associated with their own engagement in the classroom (Studies 1 & 2; Ns = 195 and 210, respectively), and students' increased classroom engagement was associated with more engagement while studying (which, in turn, predicted higher quiz scores; Study 1) as well as with higher final grades (Study 2). Our results suggest there are relatively simple changes teachers can make to their own pedagogy that may improve their own subjective experiences within the classroom and, consequently, trickle down to and improve their students' subjective experiences and performance.

High electron affinity (EA) molecules p-type dope low ionization energy (IE) polymers, resulting in an equilibrium doping level based on the energetic driving force (IE-EA), reorganization energy, and dopant concentration. Anion exchange doping (AED) is a process whereby the dopant anion is exchanged with a stable ion from an electrolyte. We show that the AED level can be predicted using an isotherm equilibrium model. The exchange of the dopant anion (FeCl3-) for a bis(trifluoromethanesulfonamide) (TFSI-) anion in the polymers poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and poly[3-(2,2-bithien-5-yl)-2,5-bis(2-hexyldecyl)-2,5-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione-6,5-diyl] (PDPP-2T) highlights two cases in which the process is nonspontaneous and spontaneous, respectively. For P3HT, FeCl3 provides a high doping level but an unstable counterion, so exchange results in an air stable counterion with a marginal increase in doping. For PDPP-2T, FeCl3 is a weak dopant, but the exchange of FeCl3- for TFSI- is spontaneous, so the doping level increases by >10× with AED.

Merocyanines (MCs) are a versatile class of small-molecule dyes. Their optoelectronic properties are easily tunable by chemically controlling their donor-acceptor strength, and their structural properties can be tuned by simple side-chain substitution. This manuscript demonstrates a novel series of MCs featuring an indoline donor with varying hydrocarbon side-chain length (from 6 to 12 carbons) and a tert-butyl-thiazole acceptor, labeled InTBT. Bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics are fabricated with a [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) acceptor and characterized. Films composed of I8TBT:PCBM and I9TBT:PCBM produced the highest power conversion efficiency of 4.5%, which suggests that the morphology is optimized by controlling the side-chain length. Hierarchical structure formation in InTBT:PCBM films is studied using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). When mixed with PCBM, InTBTs with ≤8 side-chain carbons form pure crystalline domains, while InTBTs with ≥9 side-chain carbons mix well with PCBM. SANS demonstrates that increasing side-chain length increases the InTBT-rich domain size. In addition, a branched hexyl-dodecyl side-chain IHDTBT:PCBM film was studied and found to exhibit the worst-performance organic photovoltaic (OPV) device. The large-branched side chain inhibited mixing between IHDTBT and PCBM resulting in large segregated phases.

Many organic electronic devices require vertically layered structures to operate. This manuscript demonstrates an additive solution process for depositing multiple layers of semiconducting polymer (SP) films by controlling film solubility with molecular dopants. During multi-layer deposition the bottom layers are exposed to a series of solvent environments that swell the SP films. We use neutron reflectometry (NR) to quantify the film thickness change and solvent content during solvent exposure in a single poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) layer. The film thickness increases by 40-80% with exposure to good solvents. Four layer thin-films composed of alternating protonated and deuterated P3HT layers were additively coated from solution. NR measurements reveal high individual layer purity and that extensive solvent soaking induces no mixing between layers. Finally, two-point conductivity measurements demonstrate that P3HT:P3HT layer interfaces have no effect on vertical conductivity. This facile process enables additive layering of mutually soluble SP films and can be used to design novel electronic device architectures.

Recent theories suggest that low frequency dynamic intramolecular and intermolecular motions in organic semiconductors (OSCs) are critical to determining the hole mobility. So far, however, it has not been possible to probe these motions directly experimentally and therefore no unequivocal and quantitative link exists between molecular-scale thermal disorder and macroscale hole mobility in OSCs. Here we use inelastic neutron scattering to probe thermal disorder directly by measuring the phonon spectrum in six different small molecule OSCs, which we accurately reproduce with first principles simulations. We use the simulated phonons to generate a set of electron-phonon coupling parameters. Using these parameters, the theoretical mobility is in excellent agreement with macroscopic measurements. Comparison of mobility between different materials reveals routes to improve mobility by engineering phonon and electron-phonon coupling.

The case of "Pellham v. Let's Go Tubing, Inc." (2017) is the result of the plaintiff striking a fallen log in the river after he fell off an inner tube he had rented from the defendants. The plaintiff sustained a ruptured eardrum, lower-disk problems in his back, a radiating foot pain, and eventually a neck fusion. The plaintiff alleged the defendants owed him a duty to warn about a fallen log in the river that was unseen but close to the entry site to the river that the defendants had chosen. The trial court provided summary judgment against the plaintiff that was later upheld in the Court of Appeals in the state of Washington. The article examines the case and why participants need to understand that while a duty is owed to them, they may waive the right to pursue litigation because of the inherent risks in the activity and their assumption of risk.

Pellham v. Let's Go Tubing, Inc., 199 Wn. App. 399, 398 P.3d 1205, Washington Court of Appeals, Division III (June 27, 2017) The case of Pellham v. Let's Go Tubing, [...]

Large-scale audiovisual data that measure group learning are time consuming to collect and analyze. As an initial step towards scaling qualitative classroom observation, we qualitatively coded classroom video using an established coding scheme with and without its audio cues. We find that interrater reliability is as high when using visual data only - without audio - as when using both visual and audio data to code. Also, interrater reliability is high when comparing use of visual and audio data to visual-only data. We see a small bias to code interactions as group discussion when visual and audio data are used compared with video-only data. This work establishes that meaningful educational observation can be made through visual information alone. Further, it suggests that after initial work to create a coding scheme and validate it in each environment, computer-automated visual coding could drastically increase the breadth of qualitative studies and allow for meaningful educational analysis on a far greater scale.

We integrated multiple behavioural and developmental measures from multiple time-points using machine learning to improve early prediction of individual Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) outcome. We examined Mullen Scales of Early Learning, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, and early ASD symptoms between 8 and 36 months in high-risk siblings (HR; n = 161) and low-risk controls (LR; n = 71). Longitudinally, LR and "HR-Typical" showed higher developmental level and functioning, and fewer ASD symptoms than "HR-Atypical" and "HR-ASD." At 8 months, machine learning classified "HR-ASD" at chance level, and broader atypical development with 69.2% Area Under the Curve (AUC). At 14 months, ASD and broader atypical development were classified with approximately 71% AUC. Thus, prediction of ASD was only possible with moderate accuracy at 14 months.

Teaching is a skill that can and should be taught in graduate education. Fortunately, many departments offer some teacher training for their graduate students to prepare them to teach introductory and other survey courses. What is apparently still lacking is training for graduate students to teach upper-level seminar-style classes. Therefore, we designed and implemented a graduate-level seminar on teaching seminars in psychology wherein course-takers developed tangible resources (e.g., syllabi) to empower them to effectively (and autonomously) teach seminar-style courses. We believe our course provides an excellent model for departments interested in further enhancing the teacher training of their graduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to proctor exams after the forced transition to remote teaching and learning. Objective: We evaluated students' experiences creating and answering their own exam items in an upper-level psychology course during the transition to remote teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Students in an advanced social psychology course wrote and answered exam items to demonstrate their learning when proctored exams became impossible during the COVID-19 pandemic. The exams were graded for breadth, depth, and accuracy, and compared to other demonstrations of learning, including traditional in-class exams taken prior to the transition to remote teaching and learning. Results: Students performed well on these exams. Students reported positive perceptions of these exams during the COVID-19 pandemic, but reported that, while these exams reduced test anxiety, they were time-intensive. Conclusion: Students can demonstrate their learning by writing and completing their own exams. Their higher grades may be related to reduced test anxiety and greater time investments. Teaching Implications: Instructors should consider having students write and complete their own exams to demonstrate their learning, especially when proctoring exams is difficult or impossible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated polymers can be chemically tailored for a variety of electronic device applications. Sequential solution doping with high electron affinity (EA) molecular dopants is the processing technique that has produced molecularly doped polymeric films with the highest conductivity. In spite of numerous studies quantifying the conductivity of molecularly doped polymers as a function of processing conditions, there have been a limited number of studies that quantitatively compare a sweep of polaron densities in different polymer and dopant pairs. The consequence is that the relationship between conductivity, mobility, and charge density is poorly understood, prohibiting meaningful quantitative comparisons between different polymers and dopants. Here we demonstrate a practical method to quantify the polaron density using the material density, molecular volumes, and optical measurements. Importantly, this method enables quantitative comparisons between multiple polymer and dopant combinations as we demonstrate using poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) and a set of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) co-polymers doped with a series of ultra-high EA cyano- and ester-substituted cyclopropane-1,2,3-triylidene-based dopants. The Langmuir isotherm is used to fit the solution concentration dependence of the film polaron mole fraction, which enables characterization of the sequential doping process using a single equilibrium constant. The polaron mole fraction saturates with respect to the energetic driving force for doping, indicating that simply increasing the EA of the dopant is not an effective strategy for obtaining 100% ionization of the polymer monomers. We show quantitative consistency between this thermodynamic model and a simulated density of states (DOS) model using Gaussian energy distributions. This DOS model predicts the experimental saturated doping level for every polymer/dopant pair within uncertainty. This data and model demonstrate conclusively that the polaron density has a larger effect on increasing both conductivity and charge mobility than changes in the polymer chemistry or structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varying opinions about the COVID‐19 pandemic inspire different behaviors (e.g., mask‐wearing), and confrontation may result between people with differing viewpoints. Individual differences associated with belief superiority (e.g., Social Vigilantism; SV) and/or pride (e.g., Masculine Honor Beliefs; MHB) likely related to third‐person perceptions of pandemic confrontations. In this study (N = 237; US sample), we used vignettes in a 2 (Mask: Yes/No) × 2(Confrontation Response: Vocal Defense/Walked Away) between‐groups design to examine how SV and MHB predict perceptions of (1) responses to public confrontation about (not) wearing a mask and (2) the person being confronted. In general, mask‐wearing and walking away from confrontation were perceived more positively. Higher SV was associated with more positive perceptions of seemingly morally‐justified responses to confrontation (e.g., walking away when confronted for not wearing a mask, vocally defending oneself when confronted for wearing a mask). Contrarily, higher MHB were associated with more positive perceptions of non‐mask‐wearing. This research provides insight about how individual differences in SV and MHB relate to nuances in pandemic confrontations, and responses to confrontations, about (non)mask‐wearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]