The use of actual and imaginary fear stimuli in the behavior modification of a simple fear with covert reinforcement.

The present study was concerned with the actual versus imagined fear stimuli in the behavior modification of fear of laboratory rats by covert reinforcement. It was predicted that (a) both treatment groups would exhibit greater fear reduction than the control group for which no predictions were made; (b) both treatment groups would exhibit greater fear reduction than the control group; (c) that the treatment group presented with the actual fear stimulus would reveal greater reductions in fear than the treatment group presented with the fear stimulus in imagination; (d) that transfer of training would occur in a substantially altered environment. Forty-five student nurses from Boston College were assigned to the two treatment and one control groups. Baseline data on three behavioral measures (approach, stroke, hold), and two self-report measures (fear intensity scale; fear survey schedule) were obtained before all subjects were trained in covert reinforcement. During the experimental stage, one treatment group was presented the actual fear stimulus paired with covert reinforcement, the second treatment group was presented with the fear stimulus in imagination; the control group talked about rats. All measures were repeated after experimental sessions, and again in the transfer setting. The main findings were (a) both treatment groups did exhibit significantly greater reductions in fear while the control group showed no changes; (b) both treatment groups did reveal significantly greater fear reductions than the control group; (c) the group presented with the actual fear stimulus had significantly greater fear reductions than the group presented with the fear stimulus in imagination; (d) transfer of training did occur. These results were consistent with previously reported behavior modification research. The implications for future research were discussed. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 62-10, Section: B, page: 4822. Adviser: Wolfgang Bringman. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1970

Association Between Race and Early Antibiotic Use in Newborns Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Introduction: Given the risk of early-onset sepsis, providers frequently prescribe empirical antibiotics to newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Early and prolonged use of antibiotics in uninfected newborns is associated with many adverse effects and potentially life-threatening complications, particularly among those with very low birth weight (VLBW; \u3c1500g). Studies of neonatal antibiotic utilization often adjust for race, acknowledged as a social construct, but there is a paucity of data on whether there is an independent association between race and antibiotic use in this population. We hypothesized that Black newborns have higher antibiotic use after adjusting for confounding factors compared to other races. Design/Methods: Retrospective cohort study including newborns admitted to a NICU from 2012-2021 included in the Premier Health database, which captures inpatient encounters from academic and community hospitals across the US. Early antibiotic initiation was defined as any parenteral antibiotic administered within the first 3 days after birth. Prolonged antibiotic duration was defined as early antibiotic initiation that was continued for \u3e4 days. Race was categorized as non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Asian, Hispanic, and Other/unknown race or ethnicity. Standard descriptive and comparative statistics were performed. Multivariable logistic regression, stratified by birth weight ≥ and \u3c1500g, was used to determine the association between race (non-Hispanic Black vs non-Hispanic White, and non-Hispanic Black vs other races/ethnicities) and early/prolonged antibiotic use, adjusting for potential confounders including birthweight category, length of stay, hospital setting, geographic region, and teaching status, accounting for clustering by center. Results: A total of 865,893 newborns from 699 NICUs were included. Overall, 478,045 (55.2%) were male, 108,896 (12.6%) were Hispanic ethnicity, 5236 (0.6%) died, and median length of stay was 7 days (IQR 4,17). Demographics and clinical characteristics between the different race/ethnicity groups are shown in Table 1. In the unadjusted analysis comparing infants of non-Hispanic Black race to non-Hispanic White and other race/ethnicity, stratified by birth weight ≥ and \u3c1500g, there were differences in antibiotic initiation and prolonged duration identified (Table 2). After adjusting for available potential confounders and accounting for clustering by center, non-Hispanic Black infants ≥ 1500g had higher odds of antibiotic initiation (aOR 1.09, 95%CI 1.02,1.2; p=0.02) compared to non-Hispanic White infants (Table 2). Non-Hispanic Black infants \u3c1500g had higher odds of antibiotic initiation (aOR 1.4, 95%CI 1.3,1.6; p\u3c0.001) and prolonged antibiotic duration (aOR 1.2, 95%CI 1.02,1.4; p=0.03) compared to non-Hispanic White infants, and higher odds of antibiotic initiation (aOR 1.3, 95%CI 1.1,1.5; p\u3c0.001) compared to other races/ethnicities (Table 2). Discussion: Newborns of non-Hispanic Black race/ethnicity compared to non-Hispanic White had increased odds of antibiotic initiation when stratified by birth weight. Non-Hispanic black infants with birth weight \u3c1500g also had increased odds of antibiotic initiation when compared to other races/ethnicities. Though this study is limited due to low granularity of patient level data and associations possibly being confounded by other factors, its significance still warrants further study. Future studies must explore if other factors, including maternal factors influenced by structural racism, are being considered when prescribing early antibiotics in the NICU

Advances in methods to analyse cardiolipin and their clinical applications

Cardiolipin (CL) is a mitochondria-exclusive phospholipid, primarily localised within the inner mitochondrial membrane, that plays an essential role in mitochondrial architecture and function. Aberrant CL content, structure, and localisation have all been linked to impaired mitochondrial activity and are observed in the pathophysiology of cancer and neurological, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders. The detection, quantification, and localisation of CL species is a valuable tool to investigate mitochondrial dysfunction and the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning several human disorders. CL is measured using liquid chromatography, usually combined with mass spectrometry, mass spectrometry imaging, shotgun lipidomics, fluorometry, and radiolabelling. This review summarises available methods to analyse CL, with a particular focus on modern mass spectrometry, and evaluates their advantages and limitations. We provide guidance aimed at selecting the most appropriate technique, or combination of techniques, when analysing CL in different model systems, and highlight the clinical contexts in which measuring CL is relevant

Relationship between craving and personality in treatment-seeking women with substance-related disorders

BACKGROUND: Individual differences may impact susceptibility to addiction. The impact of personality features on drug craving, however, has not been studied, particularly in women. METHODS: Ninety-five treatment-seeking women with substance dependence, abstinent for at least 5 and no more than 21 days, were investigated regarding the correlation between personality factors and craving. Personality was assessed using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the NEO Personality Inventory Revised (NEO-PI-R), and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11). Cravings were assessed through the Pennsylvania Craving Scale (PCS), and the Craving Questionnaire (CQ). Anxiety and depressive symptomatology were also recorded. RESULTS: Craving scores were positively correlated with depression and negatively correlated with number of days abstinent from substance use. Also, craving scores were positively associated with the novelty-seeking factor from the TCI and the total score on the BIS-11, and negatively associated with the conscientiousness and agreeableness facets of the NEO-PI-R. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that personality features, particularly impulsiveness, can be important predictors of craving in women, which has important implications for treatment planning

Plasma Physics

Contains reports on eight research projects.U. S. Atomic Energy Commission (Contract AT(30-1)-1842)U. S. Navy (Office of Naval Research) under Contract Nonr-1841(42

Kin5 Knockdown in Tetrahymena thermophila Using RNAi Blocks Cargo Transport of Gef1

A critical process that builds and maintains the eukaryotic cilium is intraflagellar transport (IFT). This process utilizes members of the kinesin-2 superfamily to transport cargo into the cilium (anterograde transport) and a dynein motor for the retrograde traffic. Using a novel RNAi knockdown method, we have analyzed the function of the homodimeric IFT kinesin-2, Kin5, in Tetrahymena ciliary transport. In RNAi transformants, Kin5 was severely downregulated and disappeared from the cilia, but cilia did not resorb, although tip structure was affected. After deciliation of the knockdown cell, cilia regrew and cells swam, which suggested that Kin5 is not responsible for the trafficking of axonemal precursors to build the cilium, but could be transporting molecules that act in ciliary signal transduction, such as guanine nucleotide exchange proteins (GEFs). Gef1 is a Tetrahymena ciliary protein, and current coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence studies showed that it is absent in regrowing cilia of the knockdown cells lacking ciliary Kin5. We suggest that one important cargo of Kin5 is Gef1 and knockdown of Kin5 results in cell lethality

The Evolution of Compact Binary Star Systems

We review the formation and evolution of compact binary stars consisting of white dwarfs (WDs), neutron stars (NSs), and black holes (BHs). Binary NSs and BHs are thought to be the primary astrophysical sources of gravitational waves (GWs) within the frequency band of ground-based detectors, while compact binaries of WDs are important sources of GWs at lower frequencies to be covered by space interferometers (LISA). Major uncertainties in the current understanding of properties of NSs and BHs most relevant to the GW studies are discussed, including the treatment of the natal kicks which compact stellar remnants acquire during the core collapse of massive stars and the common envelope phase of binary evolution. We discuss the coalescence rates of binary NSs and BHs and prospects for their detections, the formation and evolution of binary WDs and their observational manifestations. Special attention is given to AM CVn-stars -- compact binaries in which the Roche lobe is filled by another WD or a low-mass partially degenerate helium-star, as these stars are thought to be the best LISA verification binary GW sources.Comment: 105 pages, 18 figure

An agent based decentralized matching macroeconomic model

In this paper we present a macroeconomic microfounded framework with heterogeneous agents-individuals, firms, banks-which interact through a decentralized matching process presenting common features across four markets-goods, labor, credit and deposit. We study the dynamics of the model by means of computer simulation. Some macroeconomic properties emerge such as endogenous business cycles, nominal GDP growth, unemployment rate fluctuations, the Phillips curve, leverage cycles and credit constraints, bank defaults and financial instability, and the importance of government as an acyclical sector which stabilize the economy. The model highlights that even extended crises can endogenously emerge. In these cases, the system may remain trapped in a large unemployment status, without the possibility to quickly recover unless an exogenous intervention takes place

Advancing clinical trials for inherited retinal diseases: Recommendations from the second monaciano symposium

Major advances in the study of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) have placed efforts to develop treatments for these blinding conditions at the forefront of the emerging field of precision medicine. As a result, the growth of clinical trials for IRDs has increased rapidly over the past decade and is expected to further accelerate as more therapeutic possibilities emerge and qualified participants are identified. Although guided by established principles, these specialized trials, requiring analysis of novel outcome measures and endpoints in small patient populations, present multiple challenges relative to study design and ethical considerations. This position paper reviews recent accomplishments and existing challenges in clinical trials for IRDs and presents a set of recommendations aimed at rapidly advancing future progress. The goal is to stimulate discussions among researchers, funding agencies, industry, and policy makers that will further the design, conduct, and analysis of clinical trials needed to accelerate the approval of effective treatments for IRDs, while promoting advocacy and ensuring patient safety