Perceptions of Shared Power, Gender Conformity, and Marital Quality in Same- and Different-Sex Marriages

Marriage is a key institutional context for the study of gender and gender inequality. One way in which gender inequality is maintained in marriage is through gender norms, which are often upheld by hegemonic masculinity—the pattern of practices that legitimize men’s dominance over women. While studies have focused on how gender conformity (i.e., women embody femininity and men embody masculinity) affects different-sex unions, they have not considered how gender conformity might shape inequalities and marital quality within same-sex unions. Marriage is a key institutional context for the study of gender and gender inequality. This research brief, led by PRC postdoctoral fellow Amanda Pollitt, examines the relationships between gender conformity (i.e., women embody femininity and men embody masculinity), perceptions of shared power, and marital quality in same- and different-sex marriages.This research was supported, in part, by Grant R21AG044585 from the National Institute on Aging (PI, Debra Umberson); Grant P2CHD042849 awarded to the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD); and Grant T32 HD007081, Training Program in Population Studies, awarded to the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin by NICHD.Population Research Cente

Application of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine to Ameliorate Sepsis Induced Ileus

Graduate Basi

The sensory features of a food cue influence its ability to act as an incentive stimulus and evoke dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens core

The sensory properties of a reward-paired cue (a Conditioned Stimulus; CS) may impact the motivational value attributed to the cue, and in turn influence the form of the conditioned response (CR) that develops. A cue with multiple sensory qualities, such as a moving lever-CS, may activate numerous neural pathways that process auditory and visual information, resulting in CRs that vary both within and between individuals. For example, CRs include approach to the lever-CS itself (rats that “sign-track;” ST), approach to the location of reward delivery (rats that “goal-track;” GT), or an “intermediate” combination of these behaviors. We found that the multimodal sensory features of the lever-CS were important to the development and expression of sign-tracking. When the lever-CS was covered, and thus could only be heard moving, STs continued to approach the lever location, but also started to approach the food cup during the CS period. While still predictive of reward, the auditory component of the lever-CS was a much weaker conditioned reinforcer than the visible lever-CS. This plasticity in behavioral responding observed in STs closely resembled behaviors normally seen in rats classified as “intermediates.” Furthermore, the ability of both the lever-CS and reward-delivery to evoke dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens was also altered by covering the lever – dopamine signaling in STs resembled neurotransmission observed in rats that normally only GT. These data suggest that while the visible lever-CS was attractive, wanted, and had incentive value for STs, when presented in isolation the auditory component of the cue was simply predictive of reward, lacking incentive salience. Therefore, the specific sensory features of cues may differentially contribute to responding and ensure behavioral flexibility

Black Holes in Quasi-topological Gravity

We construct a new gravitational action which includes cubic curvature interactions and which provides a useful toy model for the holographic study of a three parameter family of four- and higher-dimensional CFT's. We also investigate the black hole solutions of this new gravity theory. Further we examine the equations of motion of quasi-topological gravity. While the full equations in a general background are fourth-order in derivatives, we show that the linearized equations describing gravitons propagating in the AdS vacua match precisely the second-order equations of Einstein gravity.Comment: 33 pages, 4 figures; two references adde

Transrelativistic Synchrotron Emissivity, Cross-Section, and Polarization

The spectrum and polarization produced by particles spiraling in a magnetic field undergo dramatic changes as the emitters transition from nonrelativistic to relativistic energies. However, none of the currently available methods for calculating the characteristics of this radiation field are adequate for the purpose of sustaining accuracy and speed of computation in the intensity, and none even attempt to provide a means of determining the polarization fraction other than in the cyclotron or synchrotron limits. But the transrelativistic regime, which we here find to lie between $5\times 10^7$ K and $5\times 10^9$ K for a thermal plasma, is becoming increasingly important in high-energy astrophysical environments, such as in the intra-cluster medium, and in the accretion flows of supermassive black holes. In this paper, we present simple, yet highly accurate, fitting formulae for the magnetobremsstrahlung (also known as cyclo-synchrotron) emissivity, its polarization fraction (and content), and the absorption cross-section. We demonstrate that both the harmonic and high-energy limiting behavior are well represented, incurring at most an error of $\sim 5$ throughout the transition region.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figure

Outcomes in patients with gunshot wounds to the brain.

Introduction:Gunshot wounds to the brain (GSWB) confer high lethality and uncertain recovery. It is unclear which patients benefit from aggressive resuscitation, and furthermore whether patients with GSWB undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) have potential for survival or organ donation. Therefore, we sought to determine the rates of survival and organ donation, as well as identify factors associated with both outcomes in patients with GSWB undergoing CPR. Methods:We performed a retrospective, multicenter study at 25 US trauma centers including dates between June 1, 2011 and December 31, 2017. Patients were included if they suffered isolated GSWB and required CPR at a referring hospital, in the field, or in the trauma resuscitation room. Patients were excluded for significant torso or extremity injuries, or if pregnant. Binomial regression models were used to determine predictors of survival/organ donation. Results:825 patients met study criteria; the majority were male (87.6%) with a mean age of 36.5 years. Most (67%) underwent CPR in the field and 2.1% (n=17) survived to discharge. Of the non-survivors, 17.5% (n=141) were considered eligible donors, with a donation rate of 58.9% (n=83) in this group. Regression models found several predictors of survival. Hormone replacement was predictive of both survival and organ donation. Conclusion:We found that GSWB requiring CPR during trauma resuscitation was associated with a 2.1% survival rate and overall organ donation rate of 10.3%. Several factors appear to be favorably associated with survival, although predictions are uncertain due to the low number of survivors in this patient population. Hormone replacement was predictive of both survival and organ donation. These results are a starting point for determining appropriate treatment algorithms for this devastating clinical condition. Level of evidence:Level II

The pyramidalis-anterior pubic ligament-adductor longus complex (PLAC) and its role with adductor injuries: a new anatomical concept.

PURPOSE: Adductor longus injuries are complex. The conflict between views in the recent literature and various nineteenth-century anatomy books regarding symphyseal and perisymphyseal anatomy can lead to difficulties in MRI interpretation and treatment decisions. The aim of the study is to systematically investigate the pyramidalis muscle and its anatomical connections with adductor longus and rectus abdominis, to elucidate injury patterns occurring with adductor avulsions. METHODS: A layered dissection of the soft tissues of the anterior symphyseal area was performed on seven fresh-frozen male cadavers. The dimensions of the pyramidalis muscle were measured and anatomical connections with adductor longus, rectus abdominis and aponeuroses examined. RESULTS: The pyramidalis is the only abdominal muscle anterior to the pubic bone and was found bilaterally in all specimens. It arises from the pubic crest and anterior pubic ligament and attaches to the linea alba on the medial border. The proximal adductor longus attaches to the pubic crest and anterior pubic ligament. The anterior pubic ligament is also a fascial anchor point connecting the lower anterior abdominal aponeurosis and fascia lata. The rectus abdominis, however, is not attached to the adductor longus; its lateral tendon attaches to the cranial border of the pubis; and its slender internal tendon attaches inferiorly to the symphysis with fascia lata and gracilis. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates a strong direct connection between the pyramidalis muscle and adductor longus tendon via the anterior pubic ligament, and it introduces the new anatomical concept of the pyramidalis-anterior pubic ligament-adductor longus complex (PLAC). Knowledge of these anatomical relationships should be employed to aid in image interpretation and treatment planning with proximal adductor avulsions. In particular, MRI imaging should be employed for all proximal adductor longus avulsions to assess the integrity of the PLAC