Psychometric Functioning of The MMPI-A Restructured Form VRIN-R, TRIN-R, CRIN, and Cannot Say Scales with Varying Degrees of Randomness, Acquiescence, Counter-Acquiescence, and Omitted Items

The MMPI-A-RF (Archer, Handel, Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2016) is a new measure of adolescent personality and psychopathology derived from the MMPI-A (Butcher, Williams, Graham, Archer, Tellegen, Ben-Porath & Kaemmer, 1992) item pool. Similar to the MMPI-A, the MMPI-A-RF includes indexes designed to assess non-content-based responding and omitted items. Building on Handel, Ben-Porath, Tellegen & Archer’s study (2010) on adults, the current study utilized computer simulation of random, acquiescent, counteracquiescent, and omitted responses to examine how adolescent validity scale and RC scale scores are affected by increasing degrees of non-content-based responding. Further, RC scale validity coefficients were examined to see how increasing degrees of non-content-based responding attenuates these relationships. Lastly, this study examines the moderating effects of VRIN-r and TRIN-r on the relationship between RC scale and extra-test variables. Results showed that MMPI-A-RF content non-responsiveness does have a predictable impact on validity scale scores, RC scale scores, and clinical scale relationships through changes in mean T-scores, degradation of validity coefficients, and significant moderating effects. Limitations and implications of the current study are addressed

Maximum voluntary ventilation is more strongly associated with energy expenditure during simple activities of daily living than measures of airflow obstruction or respiratory muscle strength in patients with COPD

This is a retrospective analysis of data in which we explored the association between energy expenditure (EE) and lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A total of 36 participants (20 males; forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of 48 ± 15% predicted) underwent measures of indirect calorimetry whilst performing five simple activities of daily living. Maximal voluntary ventilation was the only lung function parameter associated with EE. These data highlight the limited extent to which the FEV1 is related to the functional performance of patients with COPD

Effect of the larval density of Chrysodeixis includens (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE) on cotton yield.

The cultivation of soybean near to cotton areas has favored the migration of lepidopteran pests between those crops, including the soybean looper, Chrysodeixis includens, which usually attacks soybean leaves but can also attack cotton plants. The objective of this study is to identify the density of C. includens larvae capable of decreasing cotton productivity. Six treatments (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 16 larvae.meter-1) with five replications were arranged in a completely randomized block design. Plants of cultivar FM 944GL at stage F2 were protected by PVC cages (length, 1.0 m; width, 1.0 m, height, 1.6 m) covered with organza fabric and infested with third-instar larvae. Crop yield and defoliation data were subjected to analysis of variance using the F-test and regression analysis. The results indicated that the presence of two third-instar larvae.m-1 did not affect cotton yield in the F2 phase whereas four or more third-instar larvae.m-1 decreased cotton yield. The rate of defoliation was 4%, 10%, 6%, 13%, and 24% in the treatments with two, four, six, eight, and sixteen larvae, respectively. Keywords: Gossypium hirsutum; soybean looper; herbivory; management

Scopolamine and hyoscyamine production by hairy root cultures of Brugmansia candida: Influence of calcium chloride, hemicellulase and theophylline

CaCl2 (50 mM) and hemicellulase (0.5 U mg-1) increased the intracellular accumulation (60-250%), release (60-200%) and production (45-200%) of hyoscyamine and scopolamine in hairy roots of Brugmansia candida. Theophylline (0.25 mM), alone or in combination with hemicellulase, was ineffective in increasing hyoscyamine and scopolamine production.Fil: Pitta Alvarez, Sandra Irene. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Microbiología Industrial y Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Spollansky, T. C.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Microbiología Industrial y Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Giulietti, Ana Maria. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Microbiología Industrial y Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin