Substance use and academic success: Results from three longitudinal panels, including analyses of adjustments for panel attrition

https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137861/1/occ62.pd

Education-drug use relationships: An examination of racial/ethnic subgroups

https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137857/1/occ66.pd

Interface modification of clay and graphene platelets reinforced epoxy nanocomposites: a comparative study

The interface between the matrix phase and dispersed phase of a composite plays a critical role in influencing its properties. However, the intricate mecha-nisms of interface are not fully understood, and polymer nanocomposites are no exception. This study compares the fabrication, morphology, and mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy nanocomposites tuned by clay layers (denoted as m-clay) and graphene platelets (denoted as m-GP). It was found that a chemical modification, layer expansion and dispersion of filler within the epoxy matrix resulted in an improved interface between the filler mate-rial and epoxy matrix. This was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscope. The enhanced interface led to improved mechanical properties (i.e. stiffness modulus, fracture toughness) and higher glass transition temperatures (Tg) compared with neat epoxy. At 4 wt% m-GP, the critical strain energy release rate G1c of neat epoxy improved by 240 % from 179.1 to 608.6 J/m2 and Tg increased from 93.7 to 106.4 �C. In contrast to m-clay, which at 4 wt%, only improved the G1c by 45 % and Tg by 7.1 %. The higher level of improvement offered by m-GP is attributed to the strong interaction of graphene sheets with epoxy because the covalent bonds between the carbon atoms of graphene sheets are much stronger than silicon-based clay

Health‐Related Quality of Life in Kidney Donors From the Last Five Decades: Results From the RELIVE Study

Live donation benefits recipients, but the long‐term consequences for donors remain uncertain. Renal and Lung Living Donors Evaluation Study surveyed kidney donors (N = 2455; 61% women; mean age 58, aged 24–94; mean time from donation 17 years, range 5–48 years) using the Short Form‐36 Health Survey (SF‐36). The 95% confidence intervals for White and African‐American donors included or exceeded SF‐36 norms. Over 80% of donors reported average or above average health for their age and sex (p 1 SD below norm). Obesity, history of psychiatric difficulties and non‐White race were risk factors for impaired physical health; history of psychiatric difficulties was a risk factor for impaired mental health. Education, older donation age and a first‐degree relation to the recipient were protective factors. One percent reported that donation affected their health very negatively. Enhanced predonation evaluation and counseling may be warranted, along with ongoing monitoring for overweight donors. Questionnaires completed by 2544 living donors 5 to 48 years postnephrectomy show that 80% have average or better health‐related quality of life for their age and sex based on SF‐36 norms and that obesity, history of psychiatric difficulties and nonwhite race are risk factors for poor health‐related quality of life outcomes, whereas being older, having more education and/or being a first‐degree relation to the recipient predict better outcomes.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/100300/1/ajt12434.pd

Emotional Well‐Being of Living Kidney Donors: Findings From the RELIVE Study

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/109345/1/ajt12906.pd

The Influence of Supplemental Zinc and Ractopamine Hydrochloride on the Performance and Longissimus Thoracis Proteome of Finishing Beef Steers

To determine how Zn and ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) supplementation affect the longissimus thoracis muscle proteome in beef cattle, 48 high percentage Angus steers (494±18.2 kg) were utilized in a 2×2 factorial study design. Steers were blocked by body weight (BW) and genetic gain potential (GeneMax; Zoetis, Parsippany, NJ) into control (CON; analyzed 36 mg Zn/kg dry matter [DM]) or supranutritional Zn (SUPZN; CON+60 mg Zn/kg DM from ZnSO4+60 mg Zn/kg DM from Zn-amino acid complex; Availa Zn, Zinpro, Eden Prairie, MN) dietary treatments (ZNTRT). Starting 28 d prior to harvest, steers were blocked by BW within ZNTRT to RAC treatments (RACTRT) of 0 (NO) or 300 mg·steer−1·d−1 (RAC; Actogain 45, Zoetis). After 15 d on RACTRT, longissimus thoracis biopsies were collected from all steers for proteomic analysis. Twenty-eight steers (n=7 per treatment) were harvested at a commercial abattoir on Day 90. A ZNTRT×RACTRT effect showed SUPZN-RAC steers had a greater dressing percentage than other treatments (P≤0.02). Steers fed SUPZN had a greater hot carcass weight, carcass-adjusted final BW, overall average daily gain, and overall gain to feed (P≤0.05). Differentially abundant proteins involved in energy metabolism, muscle structure, and protein synthesis potentially indicate muscle fiber characteristic differences because of Zn and RAC supplementation.Both myosin light chain kinase 2 and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A-1 were more abundant in SUPZN-RAC steers than SUPZN-NO (P≤0.05) or CON-NO (P≤0.04) steers when analyzed for phosphorylation modifications. L-lactate dehydrogenase B was more abundant in SUPZN-NO steers than CON-NO (P=0.03) or CON-RAC (P=0.01) steers. In conclusion, increased Zn supplementation may be needed to optimize the hypertrophic effects of RAC through its effects on the longissimus thoracis proteome

Signaling in Secret: Pay-for-Performance and the Incentive and Sorting Effects of Pay Secrecy

Key Findings: Pay secrecy adversely impacts individual task performance because it weakens the perception that an increase in performance will be accompanied by increase in pay; Pay secrecy is associated with a decrease in employee performance and retention in pay-for-performance systems, which measure performance using relative (i.e., peer-ranked) criteria rather than an absolute scale (see Figure 2 on page 5); High performing employees tend to be most sensitive to negative pay-for- performance perceptions; There are many signals embedded within HR policies and practices, which can influence employees’ perception of workplace uncertainty/inequity and impact their performance and turnover intentions; and When pay transparency is impractical, organizations may benefit from introducing partial pay openness to mitigate these effects on employee performance and retention

Catechol Polymers for pH-Responsive, Targeted Drug Delivery to Cancer Cells

A novel cell-targeting, pH-sensitive polymeric carrier was employed in this study for delivery of the anticancer drug bortezomib (BTZ) to cancer cells. Our strategy is based on facile conjugation of BTZ to catechol-containing polymeric carriers that are designed to be taken up selectively by cancer cells through cell surface receptor-mediated mechanisms. The polymer used as a building block in this study was poly(ethylene glycol), which was chosen for its ability to reduce nonspecific interactions with proteins and cells. The catechol moiety was exploited for its ability to bind and release borate-containing therapeutics such as BTZ in a pH-dependent manner. In acidic environments, such as in cancer tissue or the subcellular endosome, BTZ dissociates from the polymer-bound catechol groups to liberate the free drug, which inhibits proteasome function. A cancer-cell-targeting ligand, biotin, was presented on the polymer carriers to facilitate targeted entry of drug-loaded polymer carriers into cancer cells. Our study demonstrated that the cancer-targeting drug-polymer conjugates dramatically enhanced cellular uptake, proteasome inhibition, and cytotoxicity toward breast carcinoma cells in comparison with nontargeting drug-polymer conjugates. The pH-sensitive catechol-boronate binding mechanism provides a chemoselective approach for controlling the release of BTZ in targeted cancer cells, establishing a concept that may be applied in the future toward other boronic acid-containing therapeutics to treat a broad range of diseases