15-An Archaeological Survey in Pavilion and Schoolcraft Townships, Kalamazoo County, Michigan

During the 1984 field season, Dr. William Cremin and the Western Michigan University archaeological field school continued the program of site location survey that had been initiated two years earlier in Pavilion Township (T3S RlOW), Kalamazoo County, Michigan. In addition, a small area flanking the north end of Barton Lake in nearby Schoolcraft Township (T4S RllW) was similarly evaluated. With the cooperation of numerous area landowners and local artifact collectors, almost 40 parcels of land aggregating 361 ha in Pavilion and 33 ha in Schoolcraft townships were surveyed by means of surface reconnaissance procedures. There follows a report of our survey activity, including descriptions of the archaeological sites that were recorded and collected and recommendations regarding the proper disposition of several \u27\u27problem\u27\u27 sites; the latter reflect in one instance disagreement among the documentary sources as to the location of a burial mound and in a second the erroneous recording of a natural feature on the landscape as a cultural phenomenon (i.e. burial mound)

Report of the panel on the land surface: Process of change, section 5

The panel defined three main areas of study that are central to the Solid Earth Science (SES) program: climate interactions with the Earth's surface, tectonism as it affects the Earth's surface and climate, and human activities that modify the Earth's surface. Four foci of research are envisioned: process studies with an emphasis on modern processes in transitional areas; integrated studies with an emphasis on long term continental climate change; climate-tectonic interactions; and studies of human activities that modify the Earth's surface, with an emphasis on soil degradation. The panel concluded that there is a clear requirement for global coverage by high resolution stereoscopic images and a pressing need for global topographic data in support of studies of the land surface

The Roles of Want to Commitment and Have to Commitment in Explaining Physical Activity Behavior

Background: Several theories and models have been proposed to explain decisions in changing and adopting behavior but few address the intricacies of behavioral maintenance. The current study assesses the utility of the Investment Model, which identifies satisfaction, investments, and involvement alternatives as predictors of commitment and continued behavior, in predicting physical activity behavior. Methods: Participants (N = 267) completed questionnaires about physical activity and commitment. Structural equation modeling assessed relationships among 2 types of exercise commitment (want to or enthusiastic commitment, have to or obligatory commitment), 3 commitment determinants (satisfaction, investments, and alternatives), and physical activity (minutes of physical activity, stage of behavior change). Results: Want to commitment, but not have to commitment, was related to stage of exercise behavior change and time spent in physical activity. Satisfaction and investments were positively related to want to commitment; whereas, satisfaction, investments, and alternatives were positively related to have to commitment. The model explained 68% and 23% of the variance in time spent in physical activity and stage of behavior change, respectively. Conclusions: This study provides support for the application of the Investment Model to physical activity and suggests that want to commitment may be important for explaining and predicting sustained physical activity behavior

Mitosis in circulating tumor cells stratifies highly aggressive breast carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: Enumeration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) isolated from the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients holds promise as a clinically relevant, minimally invasive diagnostic test. However, CTC utility has been limited as a prognostic indicator of survival by the inability to stratify patients beyond general enumeration. In comparison, histological biopsy examinations remain the standard method for confirming malignancy and grading malignant cells, allowing for cancer identification and then assessing patient cohorts for prognostic and predictive value. Typically, CTC identification relies on immunofluorescent staining assessed as absent/present, which is somewhat subjective and limited in its ability to characterize these cells. In contrast, the physical features used in histological cytology comprise the gold standard method used to identify and preliminarily characterize the cancer cells. Here, we superimpose the methods, cytologically subtyping CTCs labeled with immunohistochemical fluorescence stains to improve their prognostic value in relation to survival. METHODS: In this single-blind prospective pilot study, we tracked 36 patients with late-stage breast cancer over 24 months to compare overall survival between simple CTC enumeration and subtyping mitotic CTCs. A power analysis (1-β = 0. 9, α = 0.05) determined that a pilot size of 30 patients was sufficient to stratify this patient cohort; 36 in total were enrolled. RESULTS: Our results confirmed that CTC number is a prognostic indicator of patient survival, with a hazard ratio 5.2, p = 0.005 (95 % CI 1.6-16.5). However, by simply subtyping the same population based on CTCs in cytological mitosis, the hazard ratio increased dramatically to 11.1, p \u3c 0.001 (95 % CI 3.1-39.7). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that (1) mitotic CTCs are relativity common in aggressive late-stage breast cancer, (2) mitotic CTCs may significantly correlate with shortened overall survival, and (3) larger and more defined patient cohort studies are clearly called for based on this initial pilot study

The Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Social Cognitive Processing in Partners of Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors

Purpose/Objectives: To determine 1) if depressive symptoms in partners of long-term breast cancer survivors (BCS) could be predicted by social cognitive processing theory, and 2) if partners of younger and older breast cancer survivors were differentially affected by the cancer experience. Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive study utilizing self-report questionnaires. Setting: Indiana University and 97 ECOG-ACRIN sites. Sample: Partners of breast cancer survivors (n=508) diagnosed 3-8 years prior. Methods: Secondary data mediation analyses were conducted to determine if cognitive processing mediated the relationship between social constraints and depressive symptoms. Age-related differences on all scales were tested. Main Research Variables: Depressive symptoms; secondary variables included social constraints, cognitive processing (avoidance and intrusive thoughts), and potentially confounding variables. Findings: Cognitive processing mediated the relationship between social constraints and depressive symptoms for partners (F(5,498)= 19.911, R2=.167, p<.001). Partners of young BCS reported worse outcomes on all measures than partners of older breast cancer survivors Conclusions: As predicted by the social cognitive processing theory, cognitive processing mediated the relationship between social constraints and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, partners of younger BCS fared worse on social constraints, intrusive thoughts and depressive symptoms than partners of older BCS. Implications for Nursing: Results provide support for using the social cognitive processing theory in intervention design with partners of long-term BCS to decrease depressive symptoms. Knowledge Translation: • Partners of long-term BCS report clinically significant depression. • Partners of younger BCS report higher levels of depressive symptoms than the national average and than partners of older survivors. • Addressing social constraints within the dyad may improve depressive symptoms.This study was coordinated by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (Robert L. Comis, MD and Mitchell D. Schnall, MD, PhD, Group Co-Chairs) and supported in part by Public Health Service Grants CA189828, CA180795, CA37403, CA35199, CA17145 and CA49883, and from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services. Its content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Cancer Institute. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number F31NR013822, and by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers K05CA175048 and R25CA117865. Its content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health, including the National Cancer Institute or the National Institute of Nursing Research

Factors associated with depressive symptoms in young long-term breast cancer survivors

Purpose Long-term breast cancer survivors frequently report distress (i.e., depressive symptoms) that impacts their quality of life. Previous studies have found that negative social interactions (“social constraints”) from partners contribute to long-term, unresolved cycling of intrusive thoughts and cognitive avoidance, resulting in psychological distress. However, these relationships have not been tested in long-term breast cancer survivors. Furthermore, the effect of partners’ depressive symptoms on the survivors’ depressive symptoms has not been tested within the context of these relationships. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test relationships between breast cancer survivors’ depressive symptoms and (1) social constraints, cognitive avoidance, and intrusive thoughts, and (2) partners’ depressive symptoms. Methods Data were from a cross-sectional descriptive study of breast cancer survivors (N = 222) 3–8 years post-diagnosis and their partners, who completed surveys assessing demographic characteristics, social constraints, intrusive thoughts, cognitive avoidance, and depressive symptoms. Structural equation modeling confirmatory path analyses were conducted to determine significant relationships between survivors’ depressive symptoms and all other variables. Results Our model fits the data well. Breast cancer survivors’ depressive symptoms were predicted by social constraints and intrusive thoughts. The relationship between survivors’ depressive symptoms and partners’ depressive symptoms was close but not significant. Conclusions As hypothesized, depressive symptoms were predicted by social constraints and intrusive thoughts. Further research is needed to understand the possible relationship between survivors’ long-term depressive symptoms and cognitive avoidance and partners’ depressive symptoms. Our findings highlight the negative impact of social constraints from partners on psychological outcomes in long-term breast cancer survivors

Long-Term Fear of Recurrence in Young Breast Cancer Survivors and Partners

Background Fear of a breast cancer recurrence is the most prevalent and disruptive source of distress for long-term survivors and their partners. However, few studies have focused on predictors of fear of recurrence. The aim of this study is to test the efficacy of the Social Cognitive Processing Theory (SCPT) in predicting fear of recurrence in long-term breast cancer survivors diagnosed at age 45 years or younger and their partners. Methods In a large cross-sectional study, breast cancer survivors (n = 222) 3–8 years from diagnosis and their partners completed a survey assessing demographic characteristics, fear of recurrence, social constraints, and cognitive processing (intrusive thoughts and cognitive avoidance). Mediation analyses were conducted for survivors and partners separately to determine if cognitive processing would mediate the relationship between social constraints and fear of recurrence. Results Cognitive processing mediated the relationship between social constraints and fear of recurrence both for survivors [F(3,213) = 47.541, R2 = 0.401, p < 0.001] and partners [F(3,215) = 27.917, R2 = 0.280, p < 0.001). Demographic variables were not significant predictors of fear of recurrence. Conclusions As predicted, cognitive processing mediated the relationship between social constraints and fear of recurrence. Results expand the utility of the SCPT in long-term survivors and their partners by supporting its use in intervention design.Acknowledgement: This research was supported by an American Cancer Society grant: RSGPB-04-089-01-PBP. This study was coordinated by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (Robert L. Comis, MD and Mitchell D. Schnall, MD, PhD, Group Co-Chairs) and supported in part by Public Health Service Grants CA189828, CA180795 and from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services. Its content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Cancer Institute. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number F31NR013822. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K05CA175048. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health

Physical Activity and Quality of life.

Physical activity (PA) professionals and participants recognize enhanced quality of life (QoL) as a benefit of and motivator for PA. However, QoL measures are often problematic and rarely consider the participants’ perspective. This paper focuses on recent findings from a larger project on the role of QoL in PA and health promotion. More specifically, we focus on the views of participants and potential participants to better understand the relationship of PA and QoL. In earlier stages of the project we began with a conceptual model of QoL and developed a survey. We now focus on participants’ views and ask two questions: 1) what is QoL? and 2) how does PA relate to QoL? We first asked those questions of a large sample of university students and community participants as open-ended survey items, and then asked focus groups of community participants. Overall, participants’ responses reflected the multidimensional, integrative QoL model, but the responses and patterns provided information that may not be picked up with typical survey measures. Findings suggest that PA contributes to multiple aspects of QoL, that social and emotional benefits are primary motivators and outcomes for participants, and that the meaning of QoL and PA benefits is subjective and contextualized, varying across individuals and settings. Programs that directly target and highlight the multiple dimensions and integrative QoL, while considering the individual participants and contexts, may enhance both PA motivation and participants’ health and QoL

Metadata Framework to Support Deployment of Digital Health Technologies in Clinical Trials in Parkinson’s Disease

Sensor data from digital health technologies (DHTs) used in clinical trials provides a valuable source of information, because of the possibility to combine datasets from different studies, to combine it with other data types, and to reuse it multiple times for various purposes. To date, there exist no standards for capturing or storing DHT biosensor data applicable across modalities and disease areas, and which can also capture the clinical trial and environment-specific aspects, so-called metadata. In this perspectives paper, we propose a metadata framework that divides the DHT metadata into metadata that is independent of the therapeutic area or clinical trial design (concept of interest and context of use), and metadata that is dependent on these factors. We demonstrate how this framework can be applied to data collected with different types of DHTs deployed in the WATCH-PD clinical study of Parkinson’s disease. This framework provides a means to pre-specify and therefore standardize aspects of the use of DHTs, promoting comparability of DHTs across future studies