How Well Do Cognitive and Metacognitive Models Predict Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms?

The research reported here was designed to expand upon the understanding that cognitive and metacognitive theories each offer explanations for the development of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) by contrasting predictions derived from these models. Undergraduate students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (n=110) completed online surveys to facilitate this study. The Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire (OBQ-44) was used to measure beliefs and appraisals which are considered to be critical to the etiology of OCD from the cognitive perspective, whereas the Metacognitive Beliefs Questionnaire (MCQ-30) was used to measure beliefs related to monitoring and evaluating thoughts, from the metacognitive perspective. Each of these models has support in that both cognitive and metacognitive beliefs are linked to OC symptoms, but the extent to which the OBQ and MCQ account for various obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms had not been compared previously. Partial correlations and hierarchical regression analyses provided a framework through which to compare the utility of these tools in predicting OC symptoms, while holding general distress constant. In final regression models the OBQ significantly predicted OC symptoms related to responsibility for harm whereas the MCQ significantly predicted OC symptoms related to unacceptable thoughts and symmetry. Neither the OBQ nor the MCQ significantly predicted OC contamination concerns in this study, however, across regression models the MCQ and OBQ differed in the amount of variance in OC symptoms that they could each explain. These findings demonstrate a lack of overlap between the OBQ (specifically the importance and control of thoughts domain) and the MCQ, as previously suggested. This study offers additional insight into how cognitive and metacognitive models align with various OC symptom domains, and indicates that each model has specific strengths in predicting certain kinds of OC symptoms.Bachelor of Art

The Relationships Between Perceived Social Support, Discrimination, Distress, and Alcohol Usage

Those who identify with a sexual minority identity are more likely to experience stress in day to day life due to their identity. Given that alcohol use has been a recorded outlet for stress release, it was hypothesized that the discrimination and distress in those with a sexual minority identity would be positively associated with alcohol consumption. Additionally, it was hypothesized that there would be a negative association between perceived social support and alcohol consumption in individuals who identify as a sexual minority. Regression analysis failed to support all three hypotheses. However, significantly associated correlations were found between: Sexuality and Distress (r=-.368, p\u3c.001), Sexuality and Perceived Social Support (r=1.90, p\u3c.036), Perceived Social Support and Discrimination (r=.296, p\u3c .001), Perceived Social Support and Distress (r=-.407, p\u3c.001), and lastly Distress and Discrimination (r=-.247, p\u3c.006). The only one found without a significant association was Sexuality and Discrimination. (r=1.67, p\u3c.066). This could indicate that people are experiencing less discrimination based on their sexuality. These results also suggest that alcohol use may not be a stress outlet source for this particular sample. For future research it is recommended that a larger sample size of sexual minority individuals are used as in this study the majority identified as bisexual

Analyzing the Variable Pain

This presentation is a thorough analysis of participant physical pain and physical impairment within the given study. This data was conducted through an EMA study. The smartphone apps TigerAware and Qualtrics were used to give participants surveys throughout the course of ten days. The participants were undergraduate students at UMSL who received extra credit for participating in the study. Out of the 126 participants, 13 were male and 113 female. The surveys focused on comparing the relationship between alcohol usage and other variables. These surveys had questions relating to alcohol usage, marijuana usage, mood, pain, and questions about daily functioning. Participants\u27 level of physical pain and physical impairment were analyzed in correlation to alcohol usage and other variables. In this study, the more pain someone experiences, the more physical impairment they will have. Other possible correlations are found, although the data was not significant, future research should be conducted to analyze the data further

Repair of bone defects using adipose-derived stem cells combined with alpha-tricalcium phosphate and gelatin sponge scaffolds in a rat model

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the potential of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) combined with a modified α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) or gelatin sponge (GS) scaffolds for bone healing in a rat model. Material and Methods Bone defects were surgically created in the femur of adult SHR rats and filled with the scaffolds, empty or combined with ASCs. The results were analyzed by histology and histomorphometry on days seven, 14, 30, and 60. Results Significantly increased bone repair was observed on days seven and 60 in animals treated with α-TCP/ASCs, and on day 14 in the group treated with GS/ASCs, when compared with the groups treated with the biomaterials alone. Intense fibroplasia was observed in the group treated with GS alone, on days 14 and 30. Conclusions Our results showed that the use of ASCs combined with α-TCP or GS scaffolds resulted in increased bone repair. The higher efficacy of the α-TCP scaffold suggests osteoconductive property that results in a biological support to the cells, whereas the GS scaffold functions just as a carrier. These results confirm the potential of ASCs in accelerating bone repair in in vivo experimental rat models. These results suggest a new alternative for treating bone defects

An. Acad. Bras. Ciênc.

Abstract Mesenchymal stem cells present clinical potential to recover and regenerate injured tissues in diverse pathologies. The in vitro expansion and characterization of these cells contribute to elucidation of the mechanisms of senescence and strategies involving cell therapies. This study aimed to compare specific characteristics between initial and advanced passages of mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue and bone marrow. Both cell types were characterized according to immunophenotype, osteogenic differentiation, genomic instability, migration assay, doubling population time and colony forming ability. Our results demonstrated that both cell types were able to maintain an immunophenotypic profile typical of mesenchymal stem cells during increasing passages. Adipose stem cells at initial passage presented greater migration capacity compared to advanced passage cells, and advanced passage cells proliferated faster than initial passage cells. Bone marrow stem cells at early passages presented higher osteogenic potential than advanced. At advanced passages they presented higher colony forming capacity and genetic damage than those at initial passage. These results suggest that mesenchymal stem cells maintained in culture presented characteristics of senescence that should be monitored prior the use in regenerative medicine and cells derived from bone marrow at initial passage have better potential for therapeutic use in bone tissue engineering

Development of a Kemp\u27s Ridley Sea Turtle Stock Assessment Model

We developed a Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) stock assessment model to evaluate the relative contributions of conservation efforts and other factors toward this critically endangered species’ recovery. The Kemp’s ridley demographic model developed by the Turtle Expert Working Group (TEWG) in 1998 and 2000 and updated for the binational recovery plan in 2011 was modified for use as our base model. The TEWG model uses indices of the annual reproductive population (number of nests) and hatchling recruitment to predict future annual numbers of nests on the basis of a series of assumptions regarding age and maturity, remigration interval, sex ratios, nests per female, juvenile mortality, and a putative ‘‘turtle excluder device effect’’ multiplier starting in 1990. This multiplier was necessary to fit the number of nests observed in 1990 and later. We added the effects of shrimping effort directly, modified by habitat weightings, as a proxy for all sources of anthropogenic mortality. Additional data included in our model were incremental growth of Kemp’s ridleys marked and recaptured in the Gulf of Mexico, and the length frequency of stranded Kemp’s ridleys. We also added a 2010 mortality factor that was necessary to fit the number of nests for 2010 and later (2011 and 2012). Last, we used an empirical basis for estimating natural mortality, on the basis of a Lorenzen mortality curve and growth estimates. Although our model generated reasonable estimates of annual total turtle deaths attributable to shrimp trawling, as well as additional deaths due to undetermined anthropogenic causes in 2010, we were unable to provide a clear explanation for the observed increase in the number of stranded Kemp’s ridleys in recent years, and subsequent disruption of the species’ exponential growth since the 2009 nesting season. Our consensus is that expanded data collection at the nesting beaches is needed and of high priority, and that 2015 be targeted for the next stock assessment to evaluate the 2010 event using more recent nesting and in-water data