Investigating superstitious beliefs in technology

We completed an online survey to access the relationship between a novel measure of superstitious technological beliefs (STBs), computer skill, computer use, technological trust, negative attitudes toward robots, paranormal, and anthropomorphic beliefs. Trust in complex technological systems (e.g. automation, robots, etc.) is an important factor determining whether those systems will be used appropriately, used outside of their capabilities, or not used at all which may lead to loss of human life or property. Previous research has indicated that individual differences (e.g. experience, skill) are important considerations in complex technological systems. However, more research is needed to determine how individual differences influence beliefs, and attitudes toward technology. The current study may be the first empirical attempt to develop a measure of STBs and examine how they relate to technological trust. We hypothesized that that greater anthropomorphic beliefs, computer skill and paranormal beliefs would predict greater technological trust based on previous research. Our results show that computer use, skill, anthropomorphic and paranormal beliefs predicted STBs and greater STBs were predictive of greater technological trust supporting our hypotheses. However, contrary to previous research, anthropomorphism was not associated with technological trust or negative attitudes towards robots. Instead, we found that STBs may mediate the relationship between anthropomorphism and trust. Individuals who self-reported greater computer expertise had higher technological trust and had more positive attitudes towards robots. Greater paranormal beliefs and anthropomorphism were associated with greater STBs. Additionally, the mixed relationship between computer skill and usage habits may indicate that frequent users with lower skill may be more likely to develop superstitious beliefs. Additionally, because the concept of measuring STBs was novel, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis to determine an initial factor structure and cross-validated the findings with a different set of participants using a confirmatory factor analysis. Overall, the measure was found to be reliable and potentially valid as the measure correlated with previous measures of superstitious belief

Examining the restorative effects of casual video games

Individuals who work in highly stressful jobs (e.g. doctors, soldiers) struggle with the daily impact of stress-related cognitive fatigue. High-pressured job tasks and worry for job security can produce an unstable internal environment for the individual, where stress and cognitive workload can intensify. Stress-induced fatigue generates a multitude of overwhelming problems for the individual. Due to society’s growing demand of productivity and efficiency, there is an essential need for finding a cost effective way to reduce cognitive fatigue and stress for everyone. This study analyzed and compared three relaxation methods (break, meditation, & game) to determine the effectiveness of brief casual video game exposure as a method to reduce stress increase mood, and restore cognitive resources. Taking a short break or engaging in guided relaxation exercises are well-known methods for reducing stress and improving mood, but can be impractical, less motivating, and time-consuming in a high stress related job, where time-efficiency and productivity are critical. Casual Video Games (CVGs) may present an optimum opportunity to be a preferred method to reduce stress and improve mood, due to their short time requirements, better mobility, and convenience. Three experiments were conducted to examine the hypothesis that CVGs could be an efficacious method of reducing stress, improving mood and restoring fatigue induced cognitive decrements. Across all three experiments, the guided medication technique was found to be another effective method to reduce stress and improve mood; however, this method was found to be less effective than the casual video game condition, the break was found to be the least effective method of reducing stress and improving mood. However, none of the methods were able to improve cognitive functioning. Overall, the results indicated that briefly playing a casual video game (\u3c 10 minutes) can improve mood (increased positive affect & reduced negative affect), reduce stress with increased task engagement. Widespread use of Casual Video Games has the potential of improving employee productivity and efficiency and therefore improving a company’s profitability. Future research is needed to determine which aspects of casual video games may increase or reduce these effects

Examining methods to induce cognitive fatigue

Cognitive fatigue is important to user task productivity and worker safety in critical occupations because it may cause exhaustion and difficulty executing mental tasks leading to increased errors and job related injuries. Activities that require sustained focused attention over time (i.e. vigilance) increase stress and induce cognitive fatigue. In careers where safety is critical, such as aviation, homeland security, and medicine, these errors can lead to serious injury or even death. Therefore, studying this phenomenon is crucial for findings ways to ameliorate these deleterious effects. In order to study cognitive fatigue effects in a laboratory setting researchers need to find effective tasks to induce fatigue. Studies that fail to do so may suffer ceiling effects as participants may not arrive to the study fatigued. Three methods shown to be stressful in the literature, a 15-minute break, a 15-minute vigilance task, and a 30-minute vigilance task were used to induce laboratory fatigue. These three methods were compared to determine their effectiveness of inducing fatigue. Physiological fatigue was determined using ECG, subjective fatigue was determined using self-report stress, task engagement, and anxiety, and cognitive fatigue was determined using performance on a cognitive test designed to measure executive functioning. It was hypothesized that a 30-minute vigilance task would be most effective at inducing fatigue, as errors during vigilance tasks tend to increase over time on watch. Overall self-reported stress and fatigue was rated high in both vigilance tasks, but only the 30-minute task induced cognitive fatigue (decreased performance pre to post on the cognitive task). This finding is unique in the literature, as previous research has tested fatigue effects using subjective measures and not cognitive ones. Researchers who are interested in studying the restoration of cognitive fatigue effects are recommended to use tasks that require sustained focused attention for at least 30-minutes. It is also recommended that future research investigate motivational differences which may have lead to these findings

Estradiol and its metabolites and their association with knee osteoarthritis

Objective To determine if levels of endogenous estrogen or estrogen metabolites are associated with an increased risk of developing knee osteoarthritis (OA) in women. Methods Serum estradiol (E 2 ) and 2 urinary estrogen metabolites (2-hydroxyestrone and 16Α-hydroxyestrone) with radiographically defined prevalent and incident knee OA in 842 white and African American women from the Southeast Michigan Arthritis Cohort. Results The mean age and body mass index (BMI) of women in the cohort were 42.3 years and 28.5 kg/m 2 , respectively. Women who developed radiographically defined knee OA had significantly greater odds of having baseline endogenous early follicular phase estradiol concentrations in the lowest tertile (0.86; OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.01–3.44 compared with women with ratios in the 0.54–0.86 range), after adjustment for other covariates. Conclusion There were significant associations of lower baseline serum estradiol and urinary 2-hydroxyestrone with developing knee OA in middle-aged women.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/55806/1/22005_ftp.pd

Detection of xenoestrogens in serum after immunoprecipitation of endogenous steroidal estrogens.

In this article we report a simple and efficient method for detecting nonsteroidal estrogens in a biologic sample. This method uses polyclonal antibodies to estradiol (E2) to immunoprecipitate these major biologically active steroidal estrogens, leaving behind the nonsteroidal estrogens, which are then detected in a cell-based transcriptional activation bioassay for estrogen receptor agonist. The immunoprecipitation method efficiently removed 99% of radiolabeled E2 and estrone (E1) from human serum. In experiments in which supraphysiologic concentrations of E2 and E1 to human serum, all of the immunoreactive estrogens were still removed by the immunoprecipitation protocol. We carried out an in vivo validation study of this method in which we treated female macaques with the xenoestrogen nonylphenol (NP), during the late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. We used blood samples collected before and after treatment to evaluate and characterize endogenous and exogenous serum estrogens. An immunoassay for E2 did not detect the NP in treated monkeys. The cell-based bioassay also did not detect the estrogenic activity of NP because of its saturation by the endogenous serum steroidal estrogens. However, when steroidal estrogens were removed by immunoprecipitation, we detected the estrogenic activity of NP in the bioassay. Thus, this approach is appropriate for detecting exogenous, nonsteroidal estrogens in serum samples

Seasonally resolved ice core records from West Antarctica indicate a sea ice source of sea-salt aerosol and a biomass burning source of ammonium

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2014. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 119 (2014): 9168–9182, doi:10.1002/2013JD020720.The sources and transport pathways of aerosol species in Antarctica remain uncertain, partly due to limited seasonally resolved data from the harsh environment. Here, we examine the seasonal cycles of major ions in three high-accumulation West Antarctic ice cores for new information regarding the origin of aerosol species. A new method for continuous acidity measurement in ice cores is exploited to provide a comprehensive, charge-balance approach to assessing the major non-sea-salt (nss) species. The average nss-anion composition is 41% sulfate (SO42−), 36% nitrate (NO3−), 15% excess-chloride (ExCl−), and 8% methanesulfonic acid (MSA). Approximately 2% of the acid-anion content is neutralized by ammonium (NH4+), and the remainder is balanced by the acidity (Acy ≈ H+ − HCO3−). The annual cycle of NO3− shows a primary peak in summer and a secondary peak in late winter/spring that are consistent with previous air and snow studies in Antarctica. The origin of these peaks remains uncertain, however, and is an area of active research. A high correlation between NH4+ and black carbon (BC) suggests that a major source of NH4+ is midlatitude biomass burning rather than marine biomass decay, as previously assumed. The annual peak in excess chloride (ExCl−) coincides with the late-winter maximum in sea ice extent. Wintertime ExCl− is correlated with offshore sea ice concentrations and inversely correlated with temperature from nearby Byrd station. These observations suggest that the winter peak in ExCl− is an expression of fractionated sea-salt aerosol and that sea ice is therefore a major source of sea-salt aerosol in the region.This work was supported by grants from the NSF Antarctic Program (0632031 and 1142166), NSF-MRI (1126217), the NASA Cryosphere Program (NNX10AP09G), and by an award from the Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Fellowship Program (DOE SCGF) to ASC.2015-01-2

Changes in androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, testosterone, estradiol, and estrone over the menopausal transition

Abstract Background Previous reports have noted that dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) increases prior to the final menstrual period (FMP) and remains stable beyond the FMP. How DHEAS concentrations correspond with other sex hormones across the menopausal transition (MT) including androstenedione (A4), testosterone (T), estrone (E1), and estradiol (E2) is not known. Our objective was to examine how DHEAS, A4, T, E1, and E2 changed across the MT by White vs. African-American (AA) race/ethnicity. Methods We conducted a longitudinal observational analysis of a subgroup of women from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation observed over 4 visits prior to and 4 visits after the FMP (n = 110 women over 9 years for 990 observations). The main outcome measures were DHEAS, A4, T, E1, and E2. Results Compared to the decline in E2 concentrations, androgen concentrations declined minimally over the MT. T (β 9.180, p < 0.0001) and E1 (β 11.365, p < 0.0001) were higher in Whites than in AAs, while elevations in DHEAS (β 28.80, p = 0.061) and A4 (β 0.2556, p = 0.052) were borderline. Log-transformed E2 was similar between Whites and AAs (β 0.0764, p = 0.272). Body mass index (BMI) was not significantly associated with concentrations of androgens or E1 over time. Conclusion This report suggests that the declines in E2 during the 4 years before and after the FMP are accompanied by minimal changes in DHEAS, A4, T, and E1. There are modest differences between Whites and AAs and minimal differences by BMI.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138836/1/40695_2017_Article_28.pd

Development and testing of a fiber/multianode photomultiplier system for use on FiberGLAST

A scintillating fiber detector is currently being studied for the NASA Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) mission. This detector utilizes modules composed of a thin converter sheet followed by an x, y plane of scintillating fibers to examine the shower of particles created by high energy gamma-rays interacting in the converter material. The detector is composed of a tracker with 90 such modular planes and a calorimeter with 36 planes. The two major component of this detector are the scintillating fibers and their associated photodetectors. Here we present current status of development and test result of both of these. The Hamamatsu R5900-00-M64 multianode photomultiplier tube (MAPMT) is the baseline readout device. A characterization of this device has been performed including noise, cross- talk, gain variation, vibration, and thermal/vacuum test. A prototype fiber/MAPMT system has been tested at the Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices at Louisiana State University with a photon beam and preliminary results are presented

Efficacy of D-cycloserine augmented brief intensive cognitive-behavioural therapy for paediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: A randomised clinical trial

Objective: To examine the efficacy of weight-adjusted D-cycloserine (DCS) (35 or 70 mg) relative to placebo augmentation of intensive exposure therapy for youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in a double-blind, randomised controlled trial, and examine whether antidepressant medication or patient age moderated outcomes. Methods: Youth (n = 100, 7–17 years) with OCD were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to either DCS + exposure (n = 49) or placebo + exposure (n = 51). Assessments occurred posttreatment, 1 month later, and at 3 and 6 months. Pills were ingested immediately before sessions. Results: Significant improvements on all outcomes were observed at posttreatment, and to 6-month follow-up. Treatment arms did not differ across time, with no significant time-by-medication interactions on symptom severity (T1 to T2 estimate: 9.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −11.2 to −7.4, and estimate −10.7, 95% CI: −12.6 to −8.7), diagnostic severity (T1 to T2 estimate: −2.0, 95% CI: −2.4 to −1.5 and estimate −2.5, 95% CI: −3.0 to −2.0) or global functioning (T1 to T2 estimate: 13.8, 95% CI: 10.6 to 17.0, and estimate 16.6, 95% CI: 13.2 to 19.9). Neither antidepressants at baseline nor age moderated primary outcomes. There were significantly fewer responders/remitters at 1- and 6-month follow-up among youth in the DCS condition stabilised on SSRIs, relative to youth not taking SSRIs. Conclusions: DCS augmented intensive exposure therapy did not result in overall additional benefits relative to placebo. Intensive exposure proved effective in reducing symptoms for the overall sample

D-cycloserine augmentation of exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy for anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and posttraumatic stress disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data

Importance: Whether and under which conditions D-cycloserine (DCS) augments the effects of exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy for anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and posttraumatic stress disorders is unclear. Objective: To clarify whether DCS is superior to placebo in augmenting the effects of cognitive behavior therapy for anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and posttraumatic stress disorders and to evaluate whether antidepressants interact with DCS and the effect of potential moderating variables. Data Sources: PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycINFO were searched from inception to February 10, 2016. Reference lists of previous reviews and meta-analyses and reports of randomized clinical trials were also checked. Study Selection: Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were (1) double-blind randomized clinical trials of DCS as an augmentation strategy for exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy and (2) conducted in humans diagnosed as having specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Raw data were obtained from the authors and quality controlled. Data were ranked to ensure a consistent metric across studies (score range, 0-100). We used a 3-level multilevel model nesting repeated measures of outcomes within participants, who were nested within studies. Results: Individual participant data were obtained for 21 of 22 eligible trials, representing 1047 of 1073 eligible participants. When controlling for antidepressant use, participants receiving DCS showed greater improvement from pretreatment to posttreatment (mean difference, -3.62; 95% CI, -0.81 to -6.43; P = .01; d = -0.25) but not from pretreatment to midtreatment (mean difference, -1.66; 95% CI, -4.92 to 1.60; P = .32; d = -0.14) or from pretreatment to follow-up (mean difference, -2.98, 95% CI, -5.99 to 0.03; P = .05; d = -0.19). Additional analyses showed that participants assigned to DCS were associated with lower symptom severity than those assigned to placebo at posttreatment and at follow-up. Antidepressants did not moderate the effects of DCS. None of the prespecified patient-level or study-level moderators was associated with outcomes. Conclusions and Relevance: D-cycloserine is associated with a small augmentation effect on exposure-based therapy. This effect is not moderated by the concurrent use of antidepressants. Further research is needed to identify patient and/or therapy characteristics associated with DCS response.2018-05-0