Changes in spontaneous overt motor execution immediately after observing others’ painful action: two pilot studies

Research has demonstrated that motor control is directly influenced by observation of others’ action, stimulating the mirror neuron system. In addition, there is evidence that both emotion and empathy after observing a painful stimulus affects motor cortical excitability and reaction times. Aim of the present two pilot studies is a) to test for significant influence of observing other’s painful bending of the trunk on execution of the same activity in a self-directed bending action (study 1) and to compare these results with a bending action according to a strict bending protocol (study 2). In addition to study 1, differences between Low Back Pain (LBP) patients versus healthy subjects are tested. Video footage of a (1) neutral, (2) painful, and (3) happy bending action was presented in random order. Changes in flexion–relaxation phenomenon (FRP) of back muscles were studied directly after watching the videos with surface EMG, in study 1 during a self-directed bending action in LBP patients and healthy subjects, in study 2 according to a strict bending protocol. FRP ratios were calculated by a custom-made analysis scheme tested for sufficient reliability prior to both studies. Evoked emotions were measured with an Emotional Questionnaire after each video. A Mixed Model ANOVA was used to test for the effect video and the difference between LBP and healthy subjects on the FRP-rs. Differences in evoked emotion will be tested with a Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. In study 1, 24 healthy controls and 16 LBP patients FRP-rs were significantly influenced after observing a painful video in all subjects versus a happy and neutral video (p = 0.00). No differences were present between LBP and healthy controls. All subjects experienced more fear after observation of the painful video (p 0.05). In study 2, 6 healthy subjects followed the strict FRP bending protocol for three times after observing each video. No significant changes occurred in FRPs per video compared to FRPs of six healthy subjects carrying out the spontaneous bending activity. Observing a painful action in another person changes motor performance and increases fear in both people with and without back pain, during self-directed trunk flexion, but not during a protocolled trunk flexion

Microminiaturized, biopotential conditioning system (MBCS)

Multichannel, medical monitoring system allows almost complete freedom of movement for subject during monitoring periods. System comprises monitoring unit (biobelt), transmission line, and data acquisition unit. Belt, made of polybenzimidizole fabric, is wrapped around individual's waist and held in place by overlapping sections of Velcro closure material

Levels of resourcefulness and motivation as they relate to sales force success: An examination of correlates using the hope theory.

This study sought to determine whether a relationship existed between individual salesperson's levels of goal-directed cognition and motivation and their professional success as determined by the percentage of sales goals achieved. Salespersons represented two companies with national sales forces: one from the financial services industry and one from the apparel manufacturing industry. Both groups of salespeople were responsible for complex selling tasks. The skill sets for these professionals included high levels of communication skills, extensive product knowledge, and competitive market knowledge. Survey research, both paper and pencil and online, was conducted using the Hope Scale developed by C. R. Snyder and associates (1991). Hope is defined as a two-dimensional construct of goal-directed thinking: resourcefulness, thoughtful planning to overcome obstacles to goals, and motivation, cognition to sustain momentum toward goal achievement. Theoretically, upon assessing salespersons' Hope scores, organizations would be better prepared to assist those with low Hope Scale Scores (HSS) in one of the two areas. Those with low resourcefulness scores could be trained in cognitive techniques to overcome obstacles to goal achievement. Those with low motivational scores would be identified for further analysis, from a developmental perspective, to better determine what personally initiates and sustains motivation to attain their goals (Snyder, 1991). This study affirmed two of three parts of the hope theory with regard to salespeople. High Hope scores showed significant correlations with high goal achievement, as did one of the subset scores, motivation. The resourcefulness subset score did not correlate significantly with high goal achievement, and also produced low reliability scores

Raising African American student graduation rates:A best practices study of predominantly white liberals arts college.

This qualitative study sought to explore best practices at small, private liberal arts institutions that experienced large increases in African American graduation rates. Particular focus was on institutions that enrolled less than 17% minority students whose overall enrollment fell within the middle 50% of all SAT scores and the middle 50% of institutional full time equivalent (FTE) spending. Two colleges were selected for study via one-on-one interviews of key personnel, focus groups of students, and institutional document analyses. Themes from the data which participants felt contributed to the unusually large African American graduation rate increases are discussed.Robert W. PoolPowers, JoshuaHinton, Kandace GTillery, CarmenDoctor of PhilosophyDepartment of Educational Leadership, Administration, and FoundationsCunningham Memorial library, Terre Haute,Indiana State UniversityILL-ETD-093DoctoralTitle from document title page. Document formatted into pages: contains 217 p.: ill. Includes abstract and appendi

A handbook of Nebraska grasses : with illustrated keys for their identification, together with a general account of their structure and economic importance

The true grasses belong to the one family Poaceae, often called Gramineae, and constitute a very well defined natural group of plants. This family comprises upward of 3,000 species distributed among almost 300 genera. From the economic point of view the family is of supreme importance thru the fact that here belong the cereals, which supply a large part of the food of man, and the forage grasses which are so important as feed for our domesticated animals. The genera and species are for the most part separated by artificial characters—a fact which renders their study and identification extremely difficult even for the expert. The experience of the authors has convinced them that much of this difficulty is to be credited to the keys found in our common manuals. Theoretically a key is intended to assist one in properly identifying a plant, but actually many of the keys, upon close inspection. are found to contain so many vague and contradictory statements that they can be depended upon only by the expert who, on account of his working knowledge, makes slight use of the keys. It occurred to the senior author some years ago that an illustrated key might solve many of these difficulties. An accurate illustration conveys a more definite idea of any particular structure and leaves less room for doubt than any number of words. In fact, the serious and annoying inaccuracies of most keys to the grasses became more and more apparent as the work of preparing the illustrations progressed. The authors are fully convinced that illustrated keys of the type here employed will prove useful in many other groups of plants. The nomenclature here employed is largely that of the seventh edition of Gray\u27s Manual—tho our purpose has not been to insist upon any particular name but to provide means whereby the student can with some certainty attach to any given plant some one name which has been properly authorized. The present key includes most of the species known to occur in Nebraska, tho a few of minor importance and very restricted distribution have been omitted. There are provided also some data on the economic value of certain of the most important species. The illustrations for the grass keys have been drawn expressly for this publication. They are derived in part from actual authentic specimens and in part redrawn in modified form from various manuals and monographs. T he authors have made free use of the manuals, monographs. etc., included in the Bibliography and take this opportunity to commend these publications to the attention of all who wish to learn more of our common grasses. It is hoped that the keys here presented will facilitate the study of the grass flora of Nebraska by farmers and students

The Drosophila genome nexus: a population genomic resource of 623 Drosophila melanogaster genomes, including 197 from a single ancestral range population.

Hundreds of wild-derived Drosophila melanogaster genomes have been published, but rigorous comparisons across data sets are precluded by differences in alignment methodology. The most common approach to reference-based genome assembly is a single round of alignment followed by quality filtering and variant detection. We evaluated variations and extensions of this approach and settled on an assembly strategy that utilizes two alignment programs and incorporates both substitutions and short indels to construct an updated reference for a second round of mapping prior to final variant detection. Utilizing this approach, we reassembled published D. melanogaster population genomic data sets and added unpublished genomes from several sub-Saharan populations. Most notably, we present aligned data from phase 3 of the Drosophila Population Genomics Project (DPGP3), which provides 197 genomes from a single ancestral range population of D. melanogaster (from Zambia). The large sample size, high genetic diversity, and potentially simpler demographic history of the DPGP3 sample will make this a highly valuable resource for fundamental population genetic research. The complete set of assemblies described here, termed the Drosophila Genome Nexus, presently comprises 623 consistently aligned genomes and is publicly available in multiple formats with supporting documentation and bioinformatic tools. This resource will greatly facilitate population genomic analysis in this model species by reducing the methodological differences between data sets