Psychological Determinants of Physical Activity and the Prediction of Physical Activity Levels in African American Men

African American (AA) men experience disproportionally higher rates of non-communicable, chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular, type 2 diabetes, and renal failure) than White men. Physical activity (PA) is known to reduce the progression of CVD, type 2 diabetes, and renal failure. National statistics illustrate that AA men are less likely to get sufficient levels of PA to obtain health benefits. Although many factors (e.g., biomedical, socio-cultural) influence participation in PA, the psychological factors at the individual level are essential to beginning and maintaining activity. Therefore, understanding the psychological determinants of PA in AA men and their associations with meeting national guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity is vital to improving PA adherence and decreasing disease risk. This cross-sectional study used an online survey to obtain measures of the psychological determinants of PA in AA men and compared groups of AA men who were meeting aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines to AA men who were not meeting the guidelines. In total, 134 men responded to the survey. Of the respondents, 59.7% and 73.1% reported meeting current PA guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity, respectively. The majority of men (n = 119) reported engaging in moderate intensity leisure-time activity, with 85.1% doing at least 21-30 minutes per session. In this sample, 50% (n = 67) of the men reported doing muscle-strengthening activities of at least 21-30 minutes per session, with three sessions per week as the median number of sessions performed. The physical and socioeconomic characteristics of the two groups were similar. However, AA men who met aerobic PA guidelines scored significantly higher in autonomy, competence, introjected regulation, identified regulation, integrated regulation, intrinsic regulation, task self-efficacy, and scheduling self-efficacy. AA men who met aerobic PA guidelines scored lower in “likegroup” and “showoff” on the AFFEXX questionnaire, indicating preferences to exercise alone and avoiding an audience. AA men who met muscle-strengthening guidelines demonstrated higher scores for autonomy, relative autonomy, coping self-efficacy, scheduling self-efficacy, “interest,” “honor,” “competence,” “energy,” “calmness,” and “attraction.” These findings identify potential psychological determinants that may be important when designing PA interventions to improve adherence to national PA guidelines in AA men

Effect of Using Truisms of Different Involvement Levels on Results Predicted from Inoculation Theory

Tested predictions from W. McGuire\u27s inoculation theory, using both low- and high-involvement truisms, and compared them with predictions derived from the theories of Sherif and Rokeach. Results for the low-involvement truism corresponded to the predictions from McGuire\u27s theory; those for the high-involvement truism did not. A possible expansion of inoculation theory within the framework of social judgment theory is suggested to account for results

An Exploratory Study on Determinants of Regular Group Indoor Cycling Participation in Black and White Adults

This study investigated factors influencing regular group indoor cycling (GIC) participation in a sample of Black (71%) and White (29%) adults. Seventeen regular GIC participants (≥1 day/week for ≥3 consecutive months) completed surveys that examined motivations for GIC participation. Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire (TSRQ), Preference for and Tolerance of Intensity of Exercise Questionnaire (PRETIE-Q), and open-ended survey questions were used. TSRQ showed autonomous motivation was significantly higher than controlled (p \u3c.001) and amotivation (p \u3c .001), with no significant difference between controlled and amotivation (p = .08). There was no significant interaction between motivation and race. There were no significant differences between race groups for PRETIE-Q. Five themes emerged as reasons for GIC participation: music, physical health, social support, studio atmosphere, and enjoyment/fun. Racial differences surfaced in the themes. More research is needed to understand the role of cultural relevance as it relates to exercise motivation and regular exercise participation. This could inform strategies for promoting regular exercise in various populations

Exploration and Production Program for Locating and Producing Prospective Aquifers Containing Solution Gas and Free Gas Texas Gulf Coast - Annual Report

The Port Arthur field in Jefferson County, Texas, has been identified as a promising candidate for secondary enhanced gas recovery methods due to its multiple watered-out gas reservoirs, thick aquifers, and gas stringer sandstones at depths ranging from 10,850 to 11,700 feet. Sidewall core data indicate an average porosity of 30 percent and average permeability of 60 millidarcies (md). Reservoir simulation studies suggest that approximately 3.91 billion standard cubic feet of unconventional gas can be recovered through natural flow from the 11 C" sandstone over a 10-year period, by reducing reservoir pressure from 6,500 to 4,018 pounds per square inch gauge (psig). The break-even gas price is estimated to be $3.45 per thousand standard cubic feet for a 15-percent rate of return. Additional gas recovery opportunities exist through co-production from other sandstones and by further reducing reservoir pressure using artificial lift methods. It is recommended to drill a design test well to a depth of 11,650 feet at a location near the Meredith No. 2 Doornbos (Well No. 14). This test well will help evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of secondary enhanced gas recovery techniques in the Port Arthur field.Bureau of Economic Geolog

Prospectus for a Design Well in the Blessing Area Matagorda County, Texas

In recent years, the Bureau of Economic Geology has conducted regional subsurface studies of the Wilcox Group and Frio Formation of Texas as part of the U. S. Department of Energy's assessment of deep geopressured geothermal resources along the Gulf Coast. These studies resulted in two reports (Bebout and others, 1978; 1979) that describe several areas in Texas where temperatures are greater than 300°F and where the geology and reservoir conditions are suitable for resource testing by a design well. Throughout the Texas Coastal Plain, the 300°F isotherm generally occurs at depths ranging from 12,000 to 16,000 ft. The overlying geopressured sediments represent a substantial portion of the sedimentary column that contains significant quantities of entrained methane, making them a significant portion of the resource base (Gregory and others, 1980). The lower temperatures and pressures of these shallow geopressured sediments result in lower methane solubility, but drilling costs would be substantially lower, and perhaps reservoir quality would be better in comparison to the deep geopressured intervals. Although the latter condition has not been substantiated, several areas that are geologically favorable for testing shallow geopressured aquifers with temperatures less than 300°F were identified in a recently completed study (Weise and others, 1980) funded by the Gas Research Institute. The Blessing Prospect (fig. 1), one of the shallow prospects in Matagorda County, Texas, is presented in this prospectus as a candidate for the DOE design well program. The prospectus focuses on the geological and engineering aspects of the test site. Although legal and environmental considerations are mentioned, they have not been studied in detail and additional work would necessarily follow if the prospect is approved for drilling and testing. Likewise, a drilling program and an economic analysis would be necessary before final approval of a design well.Bureau of Economic Geolog

Genomic Profiling of Childhood Tumor Patient-Derived Xenograft Models to Enable Rational Clinical Trial Design.

Accelerating cures for children with cancer remains an immediate challenge as a result of extensive oncogenic heterogeneity between and within histologies, distinct molecular mechanisms evolving between diagnosis and relapsed disease, and limited therapeutic options. To systematically prioritize and rationally test novel agents in preclinical murine models, researchers within the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Consortium are continuously developing patient-derived xenografts (PDXs)-many of which are refractory to current standard-of-care treatments-from high-risk childhood cancers. Here, we genomically characterize 261 PDX models from 37 unique pediatric cancers; demonstrate faithful recapitulation of histologies and subtypes; and refine our understanding of relapsed disease. In addition, we use expression signatures to classify tumors for TP53 and NF1 pathway inactivation. We anticipate that these data will serve as a resource for pediatric oncology drug development and will guide rational clinical trial design for children with cancer

Content analysis of elite articulations

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67140/2/10.1177_002200276400800406.pd

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Convergent and parallel evolution in life habit of the scallops (Bivalvia: Pectinidae)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We employed a phylogenetic framework to identify patterns of life habit evolution in the marine bivalve family Pectinidae. Specifically, we examined the number of independent origins of each life habit and distinguished between convergent and parallel trajectories of life habit evolution using ancestral state estimation. We also investigated whether ancestral character states influence the frequency or type of evolutionary trajectories.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We determined that temporary attachment to substrata by byssal threads is the most likely ancestral condition for the Pectinidae, with subsequent transitions to the five remaining habit types. Nearly all transitions between life habit classes were repeated in our phylogeny and the majority of these transitions were the result of parallel evolution from byssate ancestors. Convergent evolution also occurred within the Pectinidae and produced two additional gliding clades and two recessing lineages. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that byssal attaching gave rise to significantly more of the transitions than any other life habit and that the cementing and nestling classes are only represented as evolutionary outcomes in our phylogeny, never as progenitor states.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Collectively, our results illustrate that both convergence and parallelism generated repeated life habit states in the scallops. Bias in the types of habit transitions observed may indicate constraints due to physical or ontogenetic limitations of particular phenotypes.</p