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Deciding whether to forego immediate rewards or explore new opportunities is a key component of flexible behavior and is critical for the survival of the species. Although previous studies have shown that different cortical and subcortical areas, including the amygdala and ventral striatum (VS), are implicated in representing the immediate (exploitative) and future (explorative) value of choices, the effect of the motor system used to make choices has not been examined. Here, we tested male rhesus macaques with amygdala or VS lesions on two versions of a three-arm bandit task where choices were registered with either a saccade or an arm movement. In both tasks we presented the monkeys with explore-exploit tradeoffs by periodically replacing familiar options with novel options that had unknown reward probabilities. We found that monkeys explored more with saccades but showed better learning with arm movements. VS lesions caused the monkeys to be more explorative with arm movements and less explorative with saccades, although this may have been due to an overall decrease in performance. VS lesions affected the monkeys' ability to learn novel stimulus-reward associations in both tasks, while after amygdala lesions this effect was stronger when choices were made with saccades. Further, on average, VS and amygdala lesions reduced the monkeys' ability to choose better options only when choices were made with a saccade. These results show that learning reward value associations to manage explore-exploit behaviors is motor system dependent and they further define the contributions of amygdala and VS to reinforcement learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radical cystectomy (RC) is an integral part of the management of patients with advanced-stage bladder cancer. This major oncologic operation is prone to complications resulting in morbidity and mortality. We analyzed the critical steps of open RC, performed an evidence-based review of these steps, and discussed our experience and approach. We conducted a literature review of the open RC technique, identified the critical steps that consistently appeared across different sources, and organized these steps into a framework. PubMed was queried with the critical steps as keywords for relevant articles published from 1 January 2013 to 1 August 2023. We utilized this query to conduct a systematic review of the literature using the outcomes of overall survival and 90-day complication rate. We developed the "Summary for the 10 Critical Operative Steps of Radical Cystectomy", a concise guide to the approach to open RC. When available, an evidence-based analysis of each critical step was performed. We also included additional components of cystectomy optimization such as pre-habilitation in the preoperative phase, standard versus extended lymphadenectomy, the vaginal-sparing approach to female radical cystectomy, patient-reported outcomes following urinary diversion, the use of a mesh for stoma formation, and the use of the ERAS protocol for postoperative care. An evidence-based assessment of RC may help provide valuable information to optimize surgical techniques and patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the early stages of the COVID‐19 pandemic, governments issued public health safety measures (e.g., "stay‐at‐home" ordinances), leaving many people "missing out" on integral social aspects of their own lives. The fear of missing out, popularly shortened as, "FoMO," is a felt sense of unease one experiences when they perceive they may be missing out on rewarding and/or enjoyable experiences. Among 76 participants (ages M = 69.36, SD = 5.34), who were at risk for hospitalization or death if infected with COVID‐19, we found that FoMO was associated with depressive symptoms at Time 1, even when controlling for perceived stress, loneliness, and fear of COVID‐19. However, FoMO did not predict future depressive symptoms, about 1 week later, when controlling for Time 1 depressive symptoms. These findings provide further evidence that FoMO is associated with depressive symptoms in a short period of time even when accounting for other powerful social factors such as loneliness. Future research should explore the potential causal relationships between FoMO and depression, especially those that may establish temporal precedence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robotic surgery continues to revolutionize the field of urologic surgery, and thus it is crucial that graduating urologic surgery residents demonstrate proficiency with this technology. The large learning curve of utilizing robotic technology limits resident immediate participation in real-life robotic surgery, and skill acquisition is further challenged by variable case volume. Robotic simulation offers an invaluable opportunity for urologic trainees to cultivate strong foundational skills in a non-clinical setting, ultimately leading to both competence and operative confidence. Several different simulation technologies and robotic assessment protocols have been developed and demonstrate validity in several domains. However, despite their demonstrable utility, there is no formal robotic curricula within US urologic surgery residencies. In this article, we will review the current state of robotic simulation training in urologic surgery and highlight the importance of its widespread utilization in urologic surgery residency training programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our study was to assess the extent to which families followed recommendations, issued by the German society for sleep medicine, for the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) during night-time sleep. Analyzing longitudinal data from a birth cohort located at the University Children's Hospital Regensburg in Bavaria (Germany), we determined data regarding the infant's sleep location, sleep settings and body position, and exposure to environmental factors. Data were collected in a structured interview after birth and by standardized questionnaires at 4 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year of life, respectively. The majority of 1,400 surveyed infants (94% at 4 weeks) were reported to sleep in the parents' sleeping room during the first months of life. While the most common furniture was a bedside sleeper (used by 48%), we also observed a considerable proportion of families who regularly practiced bed-sharing and, for 16% of infants, the parents' bed was the default sleeping place. 12% of infants were still put regularly in the prone position. The vast majority (87%) of the infants were breastfed at some timepoint and 17% lived in a household with one or more smokers. Although most parents implemented many SIDS recommendations, our analysis illustrates a considerable gap between recommendations and intentions after birth on the one hand and actual implementation in real life on the other. The number-one deviation from the current SIDS guidelines during night-time sleep was bed-sharing with an adult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our study was to assess the extent to which families followed recommendations, issued by the German society for sleep medicine, for the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) during night-time sleep. Analyzing longitudinal data from a birth cohort located at the University Children's Hospital Regensburg in Bavaria (Germany), we determined data regarding the infant's sleep location, sleep settings and body position, and exposure to environmental factors. Data were collected in a structured interview after birth and by standardized questionnaires at 4 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year of life, respectively. The majority of 1,400 surveyed infants (94% at 4 weeks) were reported to sleep in the parents' sleeping room during the first months of life. While the most common furniture was a bedside sleeper (used by 48%), we also observed a considerable proportion of families who regularly practiced bed-sharing and, for 16% of infants, the parents' bed was the default sleeping place. 12% of infants were still put regularly in the prone position. The vast majority (87%) of the infants were breastfed at some timepoint and 17% lived in a household with one or more smokers. Although most parents implemented many SIDS recommendations, our analysis illustrates a considerable gap between recommendations and intentions after birth on the one hand and actual implementation in real life on the other. The number-one deviation from the current SIDS guidelines during night-time sleep was bed-sharing with an adult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this historical study was to investigate how individuals articulated the call for the South Texas/Border Initiative, a legislative mandate that funneled unprecedented amounts of funding to underserved universities along the Texas-Mexico border region between 1987 and 2003. Utilizing archival sources, we conducted an analysis of the intentional shifts in funding critical to equity and access in higher education. The events surrounding the South Texas/Border Initiative are unique in that they represent purposeful Latina/o community and state-wide activism that challenged higher education funding inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We described the demographic and clinical profiles of patients with carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF), determined the prevalence of increased intraocular pressure (IOP), and described the IOP outcomes after endovascular treatment. Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective review of records of patients with clinical signs and radiologic evidence of CCF from January 2012 to December 2017. Outcome measures included the prevalence of increased IOP in those with CCF, mean and range of IOPs, average number of IOP-lowering medications needed, and percentage of eyes with normal, controlled, and uncontrolled IOP before and after endovascular intervention. Results: Ninety-six (96) eyes of 92 patients with radiologic evidence of CCF on 4-vessel cerebral angiography were included. Fifty-nine (59) percent were between the ages of 20 to 39 years. Majority (65%) were males. Direct CCFs accounted for 70% of cases. Increased IOP was the third most common ocular sign with a prevalence of 78%, ranging from 10 to 56 mmHg (mean 20.3 ± 8.0). The average number of antiglaucoma medications for IOP control was 2. Eleven (11) underwent definitive management for CCF. Post-treatment, 33% of 13 eyes had normal, 27% controlled, and 40% uncontrolled IOPs. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of increased IOP in patients with CCF. Those who did not achieve IOP control should be referred for endovascular intervention to prevent serious complications, including secondary glaucoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hiccups occur at all ages but are most common during fetal development, and accordingly, they are seen regularly in preterm infants. However, the physiologic correlate of hiccups has never been established. We present the case of a preterm infant who developed a spell of hiccups and compared lung volume changes during hiccups with spontaneous breaths using electrical impedance tomography. Hiccups mostly occurred during the expiratory phase of breathing and were associated with a shorter inspiratory time and a larger tidal volume compared with spontaneous breaths. The center of ventilation was shifted toward the ventral (non-gravity-dependent) part of the lung during hiccups and volume changes were mainly restricted to the larger airways, but some gas flow also reached the lung parenchyma. Our observations shed new light on this phenomenon, which is well known but little researched, and our findings may imply a physiological impact of hiccups during fetal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the management of cancer related pain, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) publishes the Adult Cancer Pain guideline on an annual basis. However, a large majority of oncology patients still report inadequate pain control. Single-center, retrospective cohort study of adult patients admitted for uncontrolled pain or pain crisis between 3/1/19 and 06/30/20 were assigned to cohorts of either adherent or non-adherent to NCCN guideline recommendations for management of pain crises based on their initial opioid orders. Patients must have reported a pain score >/= 4 and received at least one dose of opioids within 24 hours upon admission. The length of stay (LOS), pain scores, and naloxone administration were compared between both groups. Patients in the adherent group had a shorter median LOS (3.7 days [range: 1 to 18.93] vs 5.4 days [range: 1.45 to 19.64 days], p = 0.04). Patients that received lower doses than recommended had longer LOS compared to adherent group (6.1 vs. 3.7 days; p = 0.009). When adjusted for confounders, this significance did not remain. The lowest reported pain score within 24 hours of admission was lower in the adherent group (median 3 vs 4, p = 0.04). Predictors of LOS included opioid tolerance and a pain or palliative care consult. Adherence to NCCN guidelines for acute pain crisis management in adult patients with cancer remains poor. Patients who received guideline adherent initial opioid regimens demonstrated a trend toward a shorter LOS. Opioid-tolerant patient outcomes remain inadequate; appropriate pain management for these patients need to improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CONTEXT: Surfactant nebulization (SN) may offer a safe alternative for surfactant administration in respiratory distress syndrome of preterm infants. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of SN for the prevention of early intubation. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, clinicaltrials.gov, published abstracts, and references of relevant articles were searched through March 23, 2021. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized clinical trials of preterm infants <37 weeks' gestation comparing SN with noninvasive respiratory support or intratracheal surfactant application. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias from included studies separately and blinded. Data were pooled by using a fixed-effects model. Subgroups (gestational age, type of nebulizer, surfactant type, and dosage) were evaluated. Primary outcome was intubation rate at 72 hours after birth. RESULTS: Nine studies recruiting 1095 infants met inclusion criteria. SN compared with standard care significantly reduced intubation rate at 72 hours after birth (226 of 565 infants [40.0%] vs 231 of 434 infants [53.2%]; risk ratio [RR]: 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.63--0.84; number needed to treat: 8; 95% CI: 5--14]). Prespecified subgroup analysis identified important heterogeneity: SN was most effective in infants $28 weeks' gestation (RR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.60--0.82), with a pneumatically driven nebulizer (RR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.40--0.68) and in infants receiving $200 mg/kg and animal-derived surfactant (RR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.52--0.75). No differences in neonatal morbidities or mortality were identified. LIMITATIONS: Quality of evidence was low owing to risk of bias and imprecision. CONCLUSIONS: SN reduced the intubation rate in preterm infants with a higher efficacy for specific subgroups. There was no difference in relevant neonatal morbidities or mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Umbilical artery cord blood provides information about the intrauterine metabolism during labor. Umbilical artery lactate is a useful parameter in predicting neonatal morbidity, but data on normal values are limited. We aimed to provide reference ranges of umbilical artery lactate values across the combination of gestational age and mode of delivery. Methods: A single-center retrospective observational study of liveborn infants born between 23 and 42 completed weeks gestation was conducted. Lactate, base deficit (BD), and pH from arterial cord blood were assessed between June 2018 and November 2020 and compared across gestational ages and modes of delivery. Results: Overall, there were 3,353 infants with evaluable data. Lactate values at the 50th, 90th, and 97th percentile were 3.4, 7.0, and 9.0 mmol/L. Lactate was inversely correlated with pH (r = −0.77, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with BD (r = 0.63, p < 0.001). Lactate values changed significantly across gestational age (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.001) which was attributable to an increase in lactate at 39–41 weeks gestational age. Also, lactate values were different across modes of delivery (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.001) with lowest values in elective CS and highest values in vaginal instrumental deliveries. Comprehensive reference ranges across modes of delivery and gestational ages could be established. Discussion: Mode of delivery and gestational age contribute to lactate levels with highest values occurring in vaginal instrumental deliveries and between 39 and 41 weeks gestational age. Based on these observations, we provide detailed reference ranges for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of function of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) causes cystic fibrosis (CF). In the lungs, this manifests as immune cell infiltration and bacterial infections, leading to tissue destruction. Previous work has determined that acute bacterial sphingomyelinase (SMase) decreases CFTR function in bronchial epithelial cells from individuals without CF (nHBEs) and with CF (cfHBEs, homozygous ΔF508‐CFTR mutation). This study focuses on exploring the mechanisms underlying this effect. SMase increased the abundance of dihydroceramides, a result mimicked by blockade of ceramidase enzyme using ceranib‐1, which also decreased CFTR function. The SMase‐mediated inhibitory mechanism did not involve the reduction of cellular CFTR abundance or removal of CFTR from the apical surface, nor did it involve the activation of 5′ adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase. In order to determine the pathological relevance of these sphingolipid imbalances, we evaluated the sphingolipid profiles of cfHBEs and cfHNEs (nasal) as compared to non‐CF controls. Sphingomyelins, ceramides, and dihydroceramides were largely increased in CF cells. Correction of ΔF508‐CFTR trafficking with VX445 + VX661 decreased some sphingomyelins and all ceramides, but exacerbated increases in dihydroceramides. Additional treatment with the CFTR potentiator VX770 did not affect these changes, suggesting rescue of misfolded CFTR was sufficient. We furthermore determined that cfHBEs express more acid‐SMase protein than nHBEs. Lastly, we determined that airway‐like neutrophils, which are increased in the CF lung, secrete acid‐SMase. Identifying the mechanism of SMase‐mediated inhibition of CFTR will be important, given the imbalance of sphingolipids in CF cells and the secretion of acid‐SMase from cell types relevant to CF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the effect of incorporating recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into asphalt pavement mixtures. The performance characteristics were observed to determine if the mechanical properties of the resulting mixture had significantly improved. The PET-asphalt mixtures were prepared using the dry method and were then evaluated based on the Marshall flow and stability tests, as well as its volumetric properties -- such as air voids, voids filled with asphalt (VFA), voids in mineral aggregates (VMA), bulk specific gravity (BSG), and maximum specific gravity (MSG). Results show that the optimum PET content in the mixture is 15% by weight of asphalt binder at 5% binder composition of the overall asphalt pavement mixture. The stability was observed to increase by 14.2% compared with the conventional mix and each sample passed the standards set by the Asphalt Institute. Based on the results, it can be concluded that at certain amounts, the addition of PET improves the Marshall properties of the pavement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional two-photon microscopes use photomultiplier tubes, which enable high sensitivity but can detect relatively few photons per second, forcing longer pixel integration times and limiting maximum imaging rates. We introduce novel detection electronics using silicon photomultipliers that greatly extend dynamic range, enabling more than an order of magnitude increased photon detection rate as compared to state-of-the-art photomultiplier tubes. We demonstrate that this capability can dramatically improve both imaging rates and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in two-photon microscopy using human surgical specimens. Finally, to enable wider use of more advanced detection technology, we have formed the OpenSiPM project, which aims to provide open source detector designs for high-speed two-photon and confocal microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is the most common cause of respiratory failure in preterm infants. Treatment consists of respiratory support and exogenous surfactant administration. Commonly, surfactant is administered intratracheally. However, this requires airway instrumentation and subsequent fluid instillation which may be harmful. Surfactant nebulization (SN) may offer a safe and effective alternative for surfactant administration, but the clinical efficacy is not yet established. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials will summarize the available evidence to determine the effectiveness and safety of SN for the prevention of intubation and subsequent mechanical ventilation at 72 h after birth. Methods: A systematic literature search in Medline, Embase, and The Cochrane Library will be performed, and all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs from published articles, presentations, and trial registries will be included in this meta-analysis. Titles and abstracts of all records identified in the search will be screened by two reviewers independently. Data on preterm infants (≤ 37 weeks) receiving nebulized surfactant in the first 72 h after birth for the treatment or prevention of RDS will be evaluated. Primary outcome is the intubation rate by 72 h after birth, and secondary outcomes include peridosing safety effects as well as major neonatal morbidities. Risk of bias will be assessed using the revised Cochrane ROB tool, and subgroup analyses will be performed to evaluate potential confounding factors. Publication bias will be assessed by examining a funnel plot. The meta-analysis will be performed using a fixed-effects model. Discussion: This review will provide an evidence-based tool for information about surfactant nebulization, illustrating the current knowledge and hopefully revealing potential novel avenues for researchers and clinicians alike. Systematic review registration: This review is registered with the publicly available resource PROSPERO (CRD42020175625). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: External beam irradiation is an accepted treatment for skeletal malignancies. Radiation acts on both cancerous and normal cells and, depending on the balance of these effects, may promote or impair bone healing after pathologic fracture. Previous studies suggest an adverse effect of radiation on endochondral ossification, but the existence of differential effects of radiation on the two distinct bone healing pathways is unknown.Questions/purposes: The purpose of this study was to investigate the differential effects of external beam irradiation on endochondral compared with intramembranous ossification with intramedullary nail and plate fixation of fractures inducing the two respective osseous healing pathways through assessment of (1) bone biology by histomorphometric analysis of cartilage area and micro-CT volumetric assessment of the calcified callus; and (2) mechanical properties of the healing fracture by four-point bending failure analysis of bending stiffness and strength.Methods: Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent bilateral iatrogenic femur fracture: one side was repaired with an intramedullary nail and the other with compression plating. Three days postoperatively, half (n = 18) received 8-Gray external beam irradiation to each fracture. Rodents were euthanized at 1, 2, and 4 weeks postoperatively (n = 3/group) for quantitative histomorphometry of cartilage area and micro-CT assessment of callus volume. The remaining rodents were euthanized at 3 months (n = 9/group) and subjected to four-point bending tests to assess stiffness and maximum strength.Results: Nailed femurs that were irradiated exhibited a reduction in cartilage area at both 2 weeks (1.08 ± 1.13 mm versus 37.32 ± 19.88 mm; 95% confidence interval [CI] of the difference, 4.32-68.16 mm; p = 0.034) and 4 weeks (4.60 ± 3.97 mm versus 39.10 ± 16.28 mm; 95% CI of the difference, 7.64-61.36 mm; p = 0.023) compared with nonirradiated fractures. There was also a decrease in the volume ratio of calcified callus at 4 weeks (0.35 ± 0.08 versus 0.51 ± 0.05; 95% CI of the difference, 0.01-0.31; p = 0.042) compared with nonirradiated fractures. By contrast, there was no difference in cartilage area or calcified callus between irradiated and nonirradiated plated femurs. The stiffness (128.84 ± 76.60 N/mm versus 26.99 ± 26.07 N/mm; 95% CI of the difference, 44.67-159.03 N/mm; p = 0.012) and maximum strength (41.44 ± 22.06 N versus 23.75 ± 11.00 N; 95% CI of the difference, 0.27-35.11 N; p = 0.047) of irradiated plated femurs was greater than the irradiated nailed femurs. However, for nonirradiated femurs, the maximum strength of nailed fractures (36.05 ± 17.34 N versus 15.63 ± 5.19 N; 95% CI of the difference, 3.96-36.88 N; p = 0.022) was greater than plated fractures, and there was no difference in stiffness between the nailed and plated fractures.Conclusions: In this model, external beam irradiation was found to preferentially inhibit endochondral over intramembranous ossification with the greatest impairment in healing of radiated fractures repaired with intramedullary nails compared with those fixed with plates. Future work with larger sample sizes might focus on further elucidating the observed differences in mechanical properties.Clinical Relevance: This work suggests that there may be a rationale for compression plating rather than intramedullary nailing of long bone fractures in select circumstances where bony union is desirable, adjunctive radiation treatment is required, and bone stock is sufficient for plate and screw fixation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The DSM-5 explicitly states that the neural system model of specific phobia is centered on the amygdala. However, this hypothesis is predominantly supported by human studies on animal phobia, whereas visual cuing of other specific phobias, such as dental fear, do not consistently show amygdala activation. Considering that fear of anticipated pain is one of the best predictors of dental phobia, the current study investigated neural and autonomic activity of pain anticipation in individuals varying in the degree of fear of dental pain.Method: Functional brain activity (fMRI) was measured in women (n = 31) selected to vary in the degree of self-reported fear of dental pain when under the threat of shock, in which one color signaled the possibility of receiving a painful electric shock and another color signaled safety.Results: Enhanced functional activity during threat, compared to safety, was found in regions including anterior insula and anterior/mid cingulate cortex. Importantly, threat reactivity in the anterior insula increased as reported fear of pain increased and further predicted skin conductance changes during pain anticipation.Limitations: The sample was comprised of women.Conclusions: Individual differences in fear of pain vary with activation in the anterior insula, rather than with the amygdala, indicating that fear is not uniquely associated with amygdala activation. Whereas coping techniques such as emotion regulation have been found to vary with activation in a frontal-amygdala circuit when confronted with visual cues, precision psychiatry may need to target specific brain circuits to diagnose and treat different types of specific phobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the rate of progression of visual field loss in mean defect (MD) decibels (dB)/year in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) versus primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) patients managed in a tertiary hospital and to assess the impact of baseline age, baseline MD, and intraocular pressure (IOP) on the rate of progression of visual field loss. Methods: This was a retrospective review of medical records of patients who were seen at the Glaucoma Clinic of a tertiary hospital from August to October 2018. The following data were recorded: diagnosis, number of reliable automated visual fields (AVFs), number of years followed, baseline age, baseline MD, MD of all subsequent AVFs, IOP at the time of each test, and IOP-lowering interventions. Rate of visual field progression expressed in dB/year was calculated using linear regression analysis. T-test was done to compare the baseline data and rates of progression of visual field loss between the POAG and PACG cohorts. Correlation using Pearson's r and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of baseline age, baseline MD, and IOP on rate of progression of visual field loss. Results: The mean rates of progression of visual field loss in POAG and PACG eyes were 0.12 ± 0.68 dB/year and 0.10 ± 0.59 dB/year, respectively (p=0.8525). Despite treatment, 4.35% of the study eyes were identified as fast progressors while 1.09% were catastrophic progressors. In the POAG group (n=33), laser treatment was negatively correlated with rate of progression of visual field loss (r= -0.5072, p=0.0026). Multivariate analysis showed that baseline MD (p=0.017), mean IOP on follow-up (p=0.020), and laser treatment (p=0.004) were significant factors affecting the rate of progression of visual field loss in POAG eyes. In the PACG group (n=59), both baseline MD (r= -0.2798, p=0.0318) and mean IOP on follow-up (r= 0.368, p=0.0041) correlated with rate of progression of visual field loss. Only mean IOP on follow-up was found to be significant on multivariate analysis. Conclusion: While most glaucoma patients managed in a tertiary hospital have a slow rate of progression of visual field loss, a few were still identified as fast and catastrophic progressors. Factors associated with rate of progression of visual field loss were baseline MD, mean IOP on follow-up, and laser treatment for POAG, and mean IOP on follow-up for PACG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter describes various strength‐based theoretical perspectives useful in understanding the experiences of Latinx community college students. We highlight key findings from studies that utilized these perspectives and conclude with recommendations for practitioners and leaders to consider as they support Latinx students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examined how a set of theoretically derived factors predicted the educational attainment outcomes of Latina/o community college students. The guiding research question was, "What precollege and background characteristics, college experiences, and environmental pull factors uniquely predict persistence, certificate or associate degree completion, and transfer or bachelor's degree completion for a national sample of Latina/o community college students?" Method: Three logistic regression analyses were conducted using a nationally represented sample from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS: 04/09). Results: Latina/o community college student educational outcomes were found to be related to demographic or precollege variables including primary language spoken in the home, citizenship status, socioeconomic status, degree expectations; college experiences including academic integration, first-year college grade point average (GPA), enrollment intensity, co-enrollment; and environmental pull factors including the receipt of a federal student loan and Pell Grant. Conclusion: Findings underscore the importance of financial aid in promoting success outcomes and alleviate affordability concerns for Latina/o community college students. Findings also reinforce the notion of considering educational intentions when developing advising services and programs that foster or match those ambitions. Doing so will improve both student outcomes and institutional effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reinforcement learning (RL) refers to the behavioral process of learning to obtain reward and avoid punishment. An important component of RL is managing explore--exploit tradeoffs, which refers to the problem of choosing between exploiting options with known values and exploring unfamiliar options. We examined correlates of this tradeoff, as well as other RL related variables, in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) while three male monkeys performed a three-armed bandit learning task. During the task, novel choice options periodically replaced familiar options. The values of the novel options were unknown, and the monkeys had to explore them to see if they were better than other currently available options. The identity of the chosen stimulus and the reward outcome were strongly encoded in the responses of single OFC neurons. These two variables define the states and state transitions in our model that are relevant to decision-making. The chosen value of the option and the relative value of exploring that option were encoded at intermediate levels. We also found that OFC value coding was stimulus specific, as opposed to coding value independent of the identity of the option. The location of the option and the value of the current environment were encoded at low levels. Therefore, we found encoding of the variables relevant to learning and managing explore--exploit tradeoffs in OFC. These results are consistent with findings in the ventral striatum and amygdala and show that this monosynaptically connected network plays an important role in learning based on the immediate and future consequences of choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Consumer-to-consumer (C2C) e-commerce involves consumers re-selling products to other consumers using online platforms. Research identifies trust as a major factor in this exchange. It concludes that seller-generated product descriptions can mitigate mistrust. Further, technical and professional communication research can reveal what content sellers tend to provide and can reveal how platform design may encourage that content. Literature review: C2C e-commerce and TPC researchers agree that mistrust can be mitigated by detailed content, and they call for platform designers to help improve platform and seller reputations. Research questions: 1. What content do sellers provide about their technical products? 2. How do the platforms' web form designs and the associated documentation about listing a product for sale encourage certain content types? Research methodology: Four platforms were chosen using specific criteria. Product descriptions were collected once per week for six weeks, generating 1900 product descriptions. These descriptions were unitized and given reliable content categories, a methodology called quantitative content analysis. Further, the documentation and processes for posting items were explored to determine how they may encourage content types. Results/discussion: Sellers mostly provide product information and sales procedures, and they rarely give benefits and goodwill to the buyer. The platform design seems to encourage this content because of the content-entry process, the content-entry options, and the required and unrequired content entry. Conclusions: This study invites technical and professional communicators to provide more guidelines for users about the kinds of content they may include, and designers to explore the content entry process using usability and user-experience research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study intended to help technical support providers understand different communication strategies for diagnosing users’ technical problems and how users may communicate those problems. Also, the study intended to help future researchers to better understand users’ experience in seeking technical help. Method: To contribute to this research area, I examined 18 help desk visits between 11 users and 6 technical support providers in an in-person help desk at a four-year university in the Midwest United States. I analyzed the communication for stages of the conversation in which the component devoted to diagnosing technical problems existed, closely analyzed the dialogue of both speakers during this stage, and explored associations between the communication strategies they used and the user satisfaction based on a customer-support satisfaction survey. Results: The statistical tests suggested that more dialogue about the users’ technical problem seems to associate with user satisfaction. The tests did not reveal a strong association between specific communication strategies and user satisfaction. The analysis of the visits showed how users shared their experiences through narratives and minimal responses, and how technical support providers used inquiries to understand user needs and experiences, providing a framework for understanding what the strategies look like. Conclusions: This research provides a reliable way of identifying and categorizing the ways two speakers communicate to diagnose a technical problem, which provides a framework for new technical support providers to communicate during this part of the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While our understanding of appetitive motivation has benefited immensely from the use of selective outcome devaluation tools, the same cannot be said about aversive motivation. Findings from appetitive conditioning studies have shown that basal amygdala is required for behaviors that are sensitive to updates in outcome value, but similar results in aversive motivation are difficult to interpret due to a lack of outcome specificity. The studies reported here sought to develop procedures to isolate sensory-specific processes in aversive learning and behavior and to assess the possible contribution of the basal amygdala. Post-training changes to outcome value produced commensurate changes to subsequently tested conditioned responding in male rodents. Specifically, increases in shock intensity (Le., inflation) augmented, while repeated exposure to (i.e., habituation of) an aversive sound (klaxon-horn) reduced freezing to conditioned stimuli previously paired with these outcomes. This was extended to a discriminative procedure, in which following revaluation of one event, but not the other, responding was found to be dependent on outcome value signaled by each cue. Chemogenetic inactivation of basal amygdala impaired this discrimination between stimuli signaling differently valued outcomes, but did not affect the revaluation process itself. These findings demonstrate a contribution of the basal amygdala to aversive outcome-dependent motivational processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perception of emotionally arousing scenes modulates neural activity in ventral visual areas via reentrant signals from the amygdala. The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) shares dense interconnections with amygdala and has been strongly implicated in emotional stimulus processing in primates, but our understanding of the functional contribution of this region to emotional perception in humans is poorly defined. In this study we acquired targeted rapid functional imaging from lateral OFC, amygdala, and fusiform gyrus (FG) over multiple scanning sessions (resulting in over 1,000 trials per participant) in an effort to define the activation amplitude and directional connectivity among these regions during naturalistic scene perception. All regions of interest showed enhanced activation during emotionally arousing, compared with neutral scenes. In addition, we identified bidirectional connectivity between amygdala, FG, and OFC in the great majority of individual subjects, suggesting that human emotional perception is implemented in part via nonhierarchical causal interactions across these three regions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Due to the practical limitations of noninvasive recording methodologies, there is a scarcity of data regarding the interactions of human amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Using rapid functional MRI sampling and directional connectivity, we found that the human amygdala influences emotional perception via distinct interactions with late-stage ventral visual cortex and OFC, in addition to distinct interactions between OFC and fusiform gyrus. Future efforts may leverage these patterns of directional connectivity to noninvasively distinguish clinical groups from controls with respect to network causal hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Technical and professional communication (TPC) instructors value audience awareness, using peer- and client-based projects to facilitate it. We explore how students’ audience awareness is facilitated by the case method, which presents students with a professional communication task within a workplace scenario. Situating the case: Case-method research suggests including a detailed audience and situation, multiple genres, and multimedia. Few studies have explored how case materials facilitate students’ audience awareness. About the case: A 12-week case that was consistent with case-method research asked students to respond to an engineering firm's internal problem with a proposal and report. How the case was studied: Students from two sections of a genre-based course completed reflections about their audience awareness after the proposal and report. We qualitatively analyzed 51 reflections. Results/discussion: Students stated they could understand the facts about their primary audience but couldn't identify secondary and tertiary audiences. Students stated they could identify audience needs, but they disagreed about the amount of detail to understand those needs. Also, students stated they could respond to the audience using appropriate evidence and writing style. Conclusions: When using the case method, instructors should know that students may need varying levels of detail to interpret their audience's needs. Also, including data and conflicting needs gives students opportunities to make strategic decisions about content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive behavior requires animals to learn from experience. Ideally, learning should both promote choices that lead to rewards and reduce choices that lead to losses. Because the ventral striatum (VS) contains neurons that respond to aversive stimuli and aversive stimuli can drive dopamine release in the VS, it is possible that the VS contributes to learning about aversive outcomes, including losses. However, other work suggests that the VS may play a specific role in learning to choose among rewards, with other systems mediating learning from aversive outcomes. To examine the role of the VS in learning from gains and losses, we compared the performance of macaque monkeys with VS lesions and unoperated controls on a reinforcement learning task. In the task, the monkeys gained or lost tokens, which were periodically cashed out for juice, as outcomes for choices. They learned over trials to choose cues associated with gains, and not choose cues associated with losses. We found that monkeys with VS lesions had a deficit in learning to choose between cues that differed in reward magnitude. By contrast, monkeys with VS lesions performed as well as controls when choices involved a potential loss. We also fit reinforcement learning models to the behavior and compared learning rates between groups. Relative to controls, the monkeys with VS lesions had reduced learning rates for gain cues. Therefore, in this task, the VS plays a specific role in learning to choose between rewarding options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Fibrinogen (Fg) dose-dependently activates astrocytes. • Fg-activated astrocytes overexpress ICAM-1 and TrkB, result in TrkB phosphorylation. • Fg may bind the activated astrocytes via ICAM-1. Abstract Fibrinogen (Fg)-containing plaques are associated with memory loss during various inflammatory neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. However, mechanisms of its action in neurovascular unit are not clear. As Fg is a high molecular weight blood protein and cannot translocate far from the vessel after extravasation, we hypothesized that it may interact with astrocytes first causing their activation. Cultured mouse cortical astrocytes were treated with Fg in the presence or absence of function-blocking anti-mouse intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) antibody, or with medium alone (control). Expressions of ICAM-1 and tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) as markers of astrocyte activation, and phosphorylation of TrkB (pTrkB) were assessed. Fg dose-dependently increased activation of astrocytes defined by their shape change, retraction of processes, and enhanced expressions of ICAM-1 and TrkB, and increased pTrkB. Blocking of ICAM-1 function ameliorated these Fg effects. Data suggest that Fg interacts with astrocytes causing overexpression of ICAM-1 and TrkB, and TrkB phosphorylation, and thus, astrocyte activation. Since TrkB is known to be involved in neurodegeneration, interaction of Fg with astrocytes and the resultant activation of TrkB can be a possible mechanism involved in memory reduction, which were observed in previous studies and were associated with formation of complexes of Fg deposited in extravascular space with proteins such as Amyloid beta or prion, the proteins involved in development of dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • DLS-dependent training produces a significant increase in MSN spine density. • DLS-dependent training produces a robust increase in mushroom-type spine density. • Spine density and morphology differences are not associated with zif 268 expression. • DLS spine changes suggest a link to early learning of stereotyped behavior. Abstract Increases in the number and/or the size of dendritic spines, sites of excitatory synapses, have been linked to different types of learning as well as synaptic plasticity in several brain regions, including the hippocampus, sensory cortex, motor cortex, and cerebellum. By contrast, a previous study reported that training on a maze task requiring the dorsal striatum has no effect on medium spiny neuron dendritic spines in this area. These findings might suggest brain region-specific differences in levels of plasticity as well as different cellular processes underlying different types of learning. No previous studies have investigated whether dendritic spine density changes may be localized to specific subpopulations of medium spiny neurons, nor have they examined dendritic spines in rats trained on a dorsolateral striatum-dependent maze task in comparison to rats exposed to the same type of maze in the absence of training. To address these questions further, we labeled medium spiny neurons with the lipophilic dye DiI and stained for the protein product of immediate early gene zif 268, an indirect marker of neuronal activation, in both trained and untrained groups. We found a small but significant increase in dendritic spine density on medium spiny neurons of the dorsolateral striatum after short-term intensive training, along with robust increases in the density of spines with mushroom morphology coincident with reductions in the density of spines with thin morphology. However, these results were not associated with zif 268 expression. Our findings suggest that short-term intensive training on a dorsolateral striatum-dependent maze task induces rapid increases in dendritic spine density and maturation on medium spiny neurons of the dorsolateral striatum, an effect which may contribute to early acquisition of the learned response in maze training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: For early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, ablative strategies are potentially curative treatment options. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has emerged as a promising ablative therapy, although its comparison with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) remains confined to a single institution retrospective review. We sought to characterize the comparative outcomes and cost between the two treatment strategies.Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database (2004-2011) and identified adult patients with stage I or II HCC and treated with RFA or SBRT as the initial treatment within 6 months of diagnosis. Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis. Factors associated with overall survival and 90-day hospital admission post-treatment were identified using propensity score (PS) adjusted multivariate analysis. We performed costs analysis and calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER).Results: Four hundred and forty patients were identified, 408 treated with RFA and 32 SBRT. In the overall cohort, 90-day hospitalization and 1-year mortality were similar between groups but RFA patients had better overall survival (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed advanced age, higher stage, decompensated cirrhosis, and treatment with SBRT (HR 1.80; 95%CI: 1.15-2.82) was associated with worse survival, but in the PS adjusted analysis, survival and costs were similar between the two groups.Conclusion: In a national cohort of early stage HCC patients, treatment with RFA vs SBRT resulted in no significant difference in survival, 90-day hospitalization, or costs. These data highlight the need for a randomized clinical trial comparing these two modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a cultural-historical genre analysis of the Gantt chart, the author describes how, when a project's progress and scope are being considered, this popular project management visualization evokes managerial values of certainty and simplicity. These values, instantiated in early 20th-century scientific management philosophy, are made visually manifest in Henry L. Gantt's popular chart. These charts require technical and professional communicators to gauge the rhetorical implications of using them when providing their expertise in communicating project management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined discourse during the problem resolution process in face-to-face technical-support interactions between technical-support providers and users at a helpdesk. Specifically, this study responds to the limited discourse-based research in technical-support interactions, despite the agreement that exploring communication within these interactions can help to improve them. Literature review: Research in technical communication has only begun to systematically explore the microlevel (smaller, moment-to-moment) communication in these interactions, though it has provided a well-established understanding of their macrolevel (genre) structure. Further, research has not completely explored how the two participants in the interaction work discursively to resolve technical problems and what strategies appear to promote user satisfaction. Research questions: 1. What microlevel discourse do technical-support providers employ to resolve technical problems? 2. What microlevel discourse do users employ when collaborating with technical-support providers to resolve technical problems? 3. What microlevel discourse from both technical-support providers and users appears in satisfactory interactions? 4. What exchange patterns between the two participants appear in satisfactory interactions? Methodology: Using speech-act discourse analysis, this study examined 17 helpdesk interactions that resolved problems. These interactions occurred at a large, Midwestern US university helpdesk at which 11 instructors sought help with instructional technologies. Using a post-session survey completed by the users, I compared interactions with above- and below-average levels of user satisfaction to determine which microlevel discourse promoted user satisfaction with the help experience. Results: Technical-support providers employed signals announcing their thoughts and actions, gave explanations of the technology, and communicated confirmations or denials to user questions. Users employed inquiries about the technology, gave background information, and communicated confirmations or denials to technical-support provider questions. Statistically significant results about both speakers’ discourse indicate that typical instructional strategies (such as explanations) do not necessarily characterize more satisfactory interactions. Instead, alternate forms of instruction (minimal responses or giving background information from personal experience) contribute toward satisfactory outcomes. Also, users’ facility in asking follow-up questions or in giving further background information even during the problem-resolution stage appears to promote satisfaction. Further, a closer examination of the exchanges reveals how both participants interact in these ways. Conclusions: This study provides further insight into the typical instructional strategies identified by other researchers. Specifically, although explanations or directions do characterize problem resolution, these discourse strategies do not necessarily characterize distinctly satisfactory problem resolution. As one of the only studies of the functional discourse within technical-support interactions, this study provides researchers and practitioners further insight into how these important interactions work when technical-support providers resolve problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of residency programs is to provide an educational venue with graduated responsibility and increasing levels of independence as preparation for entering the unsupervised practice of medicine. Surgical programs are required to both cultivate and convey skills pursuant to three fundamental domains: a sufficient fund of knowledge, technical competence in surgical procedures, and a degree of professionalism to enable ethical independent practice. Never before has the expectation that residency programs provide graduated responsibility in preparation for entering the unsupervised practice of medicine been so clearly articulated as it has by Nasca in the recent Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) work-hour guideline revisions. The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons has provided similar guidance in Canada. Yet, as we progress further into the second decade of work-hour restrictions, it is unclear that we have adequately defined or can recognize the critical end points essential to trainee competency. What is clear is that we must achieve these end points in a manner different from that prior to the introduction of work-hour restrictions. We present the current state of thinking from North America and contrast this with the evolving medical educational process in the United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article exposes the violences encoded within many contemporary, mainstream gay spaces and connects these violences to a wider politics of the modern LGBT movement. No longer are queer places sites of radically disrupting time, space, and social norms, a practice that in some ways were constitutive of Queerness. Instead, many queer spaces have been organized and reorganized to reflect, reinforce, and support the integrationist and assimilationist goals of contemporary gay (white, cisgender, male) liberals and the State and corporate institutions they seek to become or have become a part of. I develop this argument by undertaking Queer readings of three "gay" maps of Washington, D.C. In deconstructing the violences within spatial representations of gay spaces within the nation's capital, I hope to engage in a broader disruption and subversion of both the cooptation of queer/Queer struggle by State and multinational corporate formations and the assimilationist and (white) nationalist trends within mainstream LGBT politics that allow this to happen. In the "slippage" or "fissure" produced by this disruption, I hope to open a path that allows us to "cruise" ahead towards new thought on what can and should constitute Queer and queer politics and spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning the values of actions versus stimulimaydepend on separable neural circuits. In the current study, we evaluated the performance of rhesus macaques with ventral striatum (VS) lesions on a two-arm bandit task that had randomly interleaved blocks of stimulus-based and action-based reinforcement learning (RL). Compared with controls, monkeys with VS lesions had deficits in learning to select rewarding images but not rewarding actions. We used a RL model to quantify learning and choice consistency and found that, in stimulus-based RL, the VS lesion monkeys were more influenced by negative feedback and had lower choice consistency than controls. Using a Bayesian model to parse the groups' learning strategies, we also found thatVSlesion monkeys defaulted to an action-based choice strategy. Therefore, the VS is involved specifically in learning the value of stimuli, not actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decapping enzyme D9 acts on host mRNA and viral double-stranded RNA to promote viral replication in host cells. In this issue of Structure , Peters et al. (2022) present crystal structures of m7GDP-bound D9 to highlight how a conventional fold is adapted to target a wide variety of RNA substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preliminary studies show psychedelic compounds administered with psychotherapy are potentially effective and durable substance misuse interventions. However, little is known about the association between psychedelic use and substance misuse in the general population. This study investigated the association between psychedelic use and past year opioid use disorders within illicit opioid users.Methods: While controlling for socio-demographic covariates and the use of other substances, the relationship between classic psychedelic use and past year opioid use disorders was analyzed within 44,000 illicit opioid users who completed the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2008 to 2013.Results: Among respondents with a history of illicit opioid use, psychedelic drug use is associated with 27% reduced risk of past year opioid dependence (weighted risk ratio = 0.73 (0.60-0.89) p = 0.002) and 40% reduced risk of past year opioid abuse (weighted risk ratio = 0.60 (0.41-0.86) p = 0.006). Other than marijuana use, which was associated with 55% reduced risk of past year opioid abuse (weighted risk ratio = 0.45 (0.30-0.66) p < 0.001), no other illicit drug was associated with reduced risk of past year opioid dependence or abuse.Conclusion: Experience with psychedelic drugs is associated with decreased risk of opioid abuse and dependence. Conversely, other illicit drug use history is largely associated with increased risk of opioid abuse and dependence. These findings suggest that psychedelics are associated with positive psychological characteristics and are consistent with prior reports suggesting efficacy in treatment of substance use disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A challenge to technical assistance service providers is to identify the driving forces behind the decision a facility may make to implement a change to improve its overall environmental sustainability and to implement cleaner production. Two United States university-based programs that utilize student interns to provide technical assistance surveyed past clients concerning their implementation of past recommendations and their motivations for implementation decisions. Generally, recommendations with a shorter payback and lower implementation cost had the highest implementation rate. Finances were more often a barrier to implementation than a motivation for implementation. Financial motivations were most important for equipment/process modifications and least important for training/policies. Capital was more of a financial barrier for implementation than poor payback, with other priorities for capital investments being more important than a lack of access to capital. Financial motivations were not as important in the decision-making process for public institutions as for private sector entities. The relative unimportance of payback in the decision-making process suggests other indirect and intangible benefits often impacted the decision to implement recommendations or not. Social motives, particularly corporate commitment to resource use/waste reduction, were especially important for recycling and training/policies recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Reinforcement learning (RL) theories posit that dopaminergic signals are integrated within the striatum to associate choices with outcomes. Often overlooked is that the amygdala also receives dopaminergic input and is involved in Pavlovian processes that influence choice behavior. To determine the relative contributions of the ventral striatum (VS) and amygdala to appetitive RL, we tested rhesus macaques with VS or amygdala lesions on deterministic and stochastic versions of a two-arm bandit reversal learning task. When learning was characterized with an RL model relative to controls, amygdala lesions caused general decreases in learning from positive feedback and choice consistency. By comparison, VS lesions only affected learning in the stochastic task. Moreover, the VS lesions hastened the monkeys’ choice reaction times, which emphasized a speed-accuracy trade-off that accounted for errors in deterministic learning. These results update standard accounts of RL by emphasizing distinct contributions of the amygdala and VS to RL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of protein mass transport via atomistic simulation requires time and length scales beyond the computational capabilities of modern computer systems. The raspberry model for colloidal particles in combination with the mesoscopic hydrodynamic method of lattice Boltzmann facilitates coarse-grained simulations that are on the order of microseconds and hundreds of nanometers for the study of diffusive transport of protein-like colloid particles. The raspberry model reproduces linearity in resistance to motion versus particle size and correct enhanced drag within cylindrical pores at off-center coordinates for spherical particles. Owing to the high aspect ratio of many proteins, ellipsoidal raspberry colloid particles were constructed and reproduced the geometric resistance factors of Perrin and of Happel and Brenner in the laboratory-frame and in the moving body-frame. Accurate body-frame rotations during diffusive motion have been captured for the first time using projections of displacements. The spatial discretization of the fluid leads to a renormalization of the hydrodynamic radius, however, the data describes a self-consistent hydrodynamic frame within this renormalized system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter provides an overview of organizations and other entities focused on assisting community college staff, faculty, and administrators in developing and promoting student success outcomes. We provide a listing of relevant web resources related to programming and conclude with a summary of suggested readings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) administered as an adjunct to talk therapy influences patient speech content and increases improvement in treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Data came from the recordings of Mithoefer et al. (2011). In the third therapeutic session studied, patients were assigned, double blind, to an MDMA or a placebo group. Condition-blind scorers listened to therapy recordings and scored utterances where patients initiated topics that were empathic (regarding others' emotions), entactic (requesting or appreciating physical touch), or ensuic (describing a change in their sense of themselves). Patients who received MDMA produced high levels of ensuic, empathic, and entactic utterances compared with those who received the placebo. Interrater discourse scoring was reliable. The relationship between the number of scored utterances and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale scores measuring PTSD severity after the treatment was significant, and reanalysis grouped bimodally into "many" or "few" such utterances remained significant. MDMA assisted these patients in having meaningful and disorder-resolving thoughts and discourse in talk therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities and climate change continue to alter streamflow in many river basins. In this study, the influence of human activities and climate variability on streamflow changes in the Rietspruit sub-basin (RSB), South Africa, were investigated using precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, and discharge data for the period 1986 to 2018. Trends in the hydrometeorological variables were assessed using the Mann-Kendall test while the change point in the annual streamflow data was identified using the Pettitt test and the double mass curve technique. Results revealed no statistically significant change in annual precipitation, whereas annual streamflow showed a significant increasing trend while potential evapotranspiration showed a decreasing trend. It was identified that the change point occurred around 1999, thereby dividing the streamflow data into the pre-change (1986–1999) period with comparatively low urban cover (8.3%), and the post-change period (2000–2018) with urban land covering 16.6% of the study area. The results demonstrate that from 1986 to 2018, the elasticity of streamflow with respect to precipitation and potential evapotranspiration was 0.26 and −2.01, respectively. This implies that streamflow in the study area is more sensitive to potential evapotranspiration than precipitation. Nonetheless, changes in land use/land cover, particularly the urban settlement which increased by 101% between 1986 and 2018, were more influential than climate variability for the significant increase in streamflow in the RSB. The results provide necessary information for water resource management, land use planning and ecosystem development in the near future. This study emphasizes the necessity of addressing nonlinear and dynamic hydrological processes as a result of human impact and climate associated changes. • Streamflow attributions were assessed using statistical and analytical approaches. • Increasing streamflow trend was observed during the study period (1986–2018). • Sprawling urbanization largely influenced the streamflow characteristics. • Partitioning is essential for water resource management, particularly due to non-linearity of river basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]