Menstrual Phase Symptoms and Perceived Musculoskeletal Strength and Flexibility Among NCAA Collegiate Athletes

Previous findings suggest that the associations among menstrual hormones, symptoms and human performance are inconsistent and lacking. Earlier research has measured hormonal fluctuations and symptoms from each of the four menstrual phases (menstrual, follicular, ovulation, and luteal), but their physiological effects on perceived musculoskeletal strength and perceived flexibility remain unclear, particularly among college athletes. PURPOSE: To measure the prevalence and associations among self-reported menstrual symptoms, perceived overall strength and perceived flexibility in NCAA female athletes during each of the four menstrual phases. METHODS: In the Fall of 2020, a survey consisting of demographic questions and questions of perceived strength, flexibility, and menstrual symptoms was emailed to 99 female athletes at a NCAA Division III University. RESULTS: Twenty-five participants (M age= 19.76 years, SD= 1.01 years) representing 6 NCAA sports (softball N=11, volleyball N=5, soccer N=4, basketball N=2, cross country/track & field N=2, and tennis N=1) voluntarily responded. Eighty-eight percent of participants reported suffering from premenstrual and/or menstrual symptoms that included cramps, headaches, bloating, mood swings, back pain, cravings, decrease in physical activity, and breast aches. Most participants (56%) reported feeling the weakest during the menstruation phase, and only 29% felt no difference in strength throughout the phases. Less than half of participants (44%) felt the least amount of flexibility in the menstruation phase, but most participants (52%) reported no difference for flexibility throughout the phases. Further, bivariate analyses suggested statistical significance between the presence of premenstrual and/or menstrual symptoms and self-reported strength (r=.478, p=.018). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that perceived strength and flexibility can vary among the four menstrual phases and that the presence of symptoms and self-reported strength are correlated. Clinicians, trainers and coaches could consider symptom treatments, injury prevention programs, timing of competitions and appropriate strength training techniques to address perceived strength fluctuations among their female athletes

Emotion and Prejudice: Specific Emotions Toward Outgroups

This research draws on ideas about emotion-related appraisal tendencies to generate and test novel propositions about intergroup emotions. First, emotion elicited by outgroup category activation can be transferred to an unrelated stimulus (incidental emotion effects). Second, people predisposed toward an emotion are more prejudiced toward groups that are likely to be associated with that emotion. Discussion focuses on the implications of the studies for a more complete understanding of the nature of prejudice, and specifically, the different qualities of prejudice for different target groups

Educators\u27 Experiences With Teaching During COVID-19: Journey of a Participatory Action Research Inquiry Team

In 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, 2030) for everyone in this world to address. The need to act on these goals was intensified in 2020 when the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic spotlighting inequitable infrastructures and systems throughout many countries. The UN, in SDG4, urges us to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” (UN, 2015, p. 21). To address this crisis, the International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) and MESHGuides sent out a call for research to scholars across the globe to capture teacher voices and find out about their experiences with teaching during COVID-19. Members of the College of Education program Professional Opportunities Supporting Scholarly Engagement (POSSE) at Texas A&M International University initiated a participatory action research project to join them and learn about changes in educators’ professional requirements. This report delineates their journey of collecting and analyzing data on teaching during COVID-19 and shares preliminary findings. Sixteen educators were interviewed in a focus group inquiry; six qualitative researchers analyzed the data using a systematic constant comparative method of analysis (Maykut & Morehouse, 1994). Educators shared challenges encountered when transferring curriculum, strategies, and pedagogical mindsets to a virtual platform. Teachers emphasized the significance of building collaborative relationships with parents as a supportive strategy. To face the pandemic-related changes, teachers paid both physical and emotional tolls, describing feelings such as frustration, helplessness, and uncertainty. As the participatory action research inquiry and analysis was being drafted as this article, at least half of the co-authors were still juggling expectations of altered face-to-face and virtual teaching–learning experiences while identifying the multiple impacts of a pandemic that lasted an entire calendar year, overlapping two academic years, while the research team had invested the time in listening to teachers’ voices to learn how best to promote equitable quality educational experiences for all

Microtubule dynamics drive enhanced chromatin motion and mobilize telomeres in response to DNA damage

Chromatin exhibits increased mobility on DNA damage, but the biophysical basis for this behavior remains unknown. To explore the mechanisms that drive DNA damage–induced chromosome mobility, we use single-particle tracking of tagged chromosomal loci during interphase in live yeast cells together with polymer models of chromatin chains. Telomeres become mobilized from sites on the nuclear envelope and the pericentromere expands after exposure to DNA-damaging agents. The magnitude of chromatin mobility induced by a single double-strand break requires active microtubule function. These findings reveal how relaxation of external tethers to the nuclear envelope and internal chromatin–chromatin tethers, together with microtubule dynamics, can mobilize the genome in response to DNA damage

La imagen y la narrativa como herramientas para el abordaje psicosocial en escenarios de violencia.

En este documento se presenta la actividad final del Diplomado en Acompañamiento Psicosocial en Escenarios de Violencia, abordando el tema: Desarrollo de competencias de análisis y valoración frente a las múltiples experiencias vividas por las víctimas del conflicto armado en Colombia. Experiencias que se revelan desde la narrativa; donde cada historia expresa el dolor, la impotencia y la capacidad de resiliencia de una forma diferente. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en dos etapas, la individual sobre el enfoque narrativo y análisis de relatos propios de nuestro país y la actividad colaborativa sobre abordajes psicosociales; para lo cual se escogió de los cuatro relatos propuestos, el de José Ignacio Medina, víctima del conflicto armado; una historia que representa la violencia y los diferentes efectos psicosociales que han dejado innumerables víctimas. Se elaboró un análisis desde la experiencia narrativa donde se detectaron diferentes impactos psicosociales del contexto y la posición subjetiva, desde el ser humano como víctima y como sobreviviente de la historia. En este trabajo se busca explorar las herramientas y estrategias necesarias para poner en práctica el rol del psicólogo en estos escenarios de violencia; haciendo uso del planteamiento de preguntas reflexivas, circulares y estratégicas, como medio para identificar voces y eventos más allá del relato. Por último, se tomó el caso de las comunidades de Cacarica, como abordaje de reflexión y análisis sobre los emergentes psicosociales, acciones de apoyo y algunas estrategias psicosociales para ayudar en el afrontamiento de la situación traumática y poder dar un nuevo significado social , para cambiar la revictimización, reforzar las capacidad de resiliencia, y crear nuevas oportunidades de superación, afrontamiento y empoderamiento de la comunidad, como parte importante en un proceso de transformación social y emancipación. Esta experiencia nos permite comprender la importancia de una relación de empatía con las víctimas del conflicto armado, donde, los profesionales en Psicología puedan hacer uso de varias herramientas que lleven a la propia víctima a reconciliarse con su dolor y empoderarse de sí mismo, para que sea la misma victima la precursora de su propio cambio, logrando así el denominado de sobreviviente.This document presents the final activity of the Diploma in Psychosocial Accompaniment in Violence Scenarios, addressing the theme: Development of analysis and assessment skills in face of the multiple experiences lived by the victims of the armed conflict in Colombia. Experiences that are revealed from the narrative; where each story expresses pain, impotence and resilience in a different way. The work was carried out in two stages: the individual, on the narrative approach and analysis of stories from our country and the collaborative activity on psychosocial approaches; for which it was chosen from the four proposed stories, that of José Ignacio Medina, victim of the armed conflict; a story that represents violence and the different psychosocial effects that countless victims have left. An analysis was elaborated from the narrative experience where different psychosocial impacts of the context and the subjective position were detected, from the human being as a victim and as a survivor of the story. This document seeks to explore the tools and strategies necessary to put into practice the role of the psychologist in these scenarios of violence; making use of reflective, circular and strategic questions, as a means to identify voices and events beyond the story. Finally, the case of the communities of Cacarica was taken, as a reflection and analysis approach on the psychosocial emergencies, support actions and some psychosocial strategies to help in the confrontation of the traumatic situation and to be able to give a new social meaning, to change revictimization, reinforce resilience, and create new opportunities to overcome, cope and empower the community, as an important part in a process of social transformation and emancipation. This experience allows us to understand the importance of a relationship of empathy with the victims of the armed conflict, where professionals in Psychology can make use of various tools that lead the victim to reconcile with his pain and empower himself, so that the victim himself is the precursor of his own change, thus achieving the so-called survivor

Prospects for Time-Domain and Multi-Messenger Science with AXIS

The Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite (AXIS) promises revolutionary science in the X-ray and multi-messenger time domain. AXIS will leverage excellent spatial resolution (<1.5 arcsec), sensitivity (80x that of Swift), and a large collecting area (5-10x that of Chandra) across a 24-arcmin diameter field of view to discover and characterize a wide range of X-ray transients from supernova-shock breakouts to tidal disruption events to highly variable supermassive black holes. The observatory's ability to localize and monitor faint X-ray sources opens up new opportunities to hunt for counterparts to distant binary neutron star mergers, fast radio bursts, and exotic phenomena like fast X-ray transients. AXIS will offer a response time of <2 hours to community alerts, enabling studies of gravitational wave sources, high-energy neutrino emitters, X-ray binaries, magnetars, and other targets of opportunity. This white paper highlights some of the discovery science that will be driven by AXIS in this burgeoning field of time domain and multi-messenger astrophysics.Comment: This White Paper is part of a series commissioned for the AXIS Probe Concept Mission; additional AXIS White Papers can be found at http://axis.astro.umd.ed

The Gravity Collective: A Search for the Electromagnetic Counterpart to the Neutron Star-Black Hole Merger GW190814

We present optical follow-up imaging obtained with the Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope, Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, Nickel Telescope, Swope Telescope, and Thacher Telescope of the LIGO/Virgo gravitational wave (GW) signal from the neutron star-black hole (NSBH) merger GW190814. We searched the GW190814 localization region (19 deg$^{2}$ for the 90th percentile best localization), covering a total of 51 deg$^{2}$ and 94.6% of the two-dimensional localization region. Analyzing the properties of 189 transients that we consider as candidate counterparts to the NSBH merger, including their localizations, discovery times from merger, optical spectra, likely host-galaxy redshifts, and photometric evolution, we conclude that none of these objects are likely to be associated with GW190814. Based on this finding, we consider the likely optical properties of an electromagnetic counterpart to GW190814, including possible kilonovae and short gamma-ray burst afterglows. Using the joint limits from our follow-up imaging, we conclude that a counterpart with an $r$-band decline rate of 0.68 mag day$^{-1}$, similar to the kilonova AT 2017gfo, could peak at an absolute magnitude of at most $-17.8$ mag (50% confidence). Our data are not constraining for ''red'' kilonovae and rule out ''blue'' kilonovae with $M>0.5 M_{\odot}$ (30% confidence). We strongly rule out all known types of short gamma-ray burst afterglows with viewing angles $<$17$^{\circ}$ assuming an initial jet opening angle of $\sim$$5.2^{\circ}$ and explosion energies and circumburst densities similar to afterglows explored in the literature. Finally, we explore the possibility that GW190814 merged in the disk of an active galactic nucleus, of which we find four in the localization region, but we do not find any candidate counterparts among these sources.Comment: 86 pages, 9 figure

The Digital Fish Library: Using MRI to Digitize, Database, and Document the Morphological Diversity of Fish

Museum fish collections possess a wealth of anatomical and morphological data that are essential for documenting and understanding biodiversity. Obtaining access to specimens for research, however, is not always practical and frequently conflicts with the need to maintain the physical integrity of specimens and the collection as a whole. Non-invasive three-dimensional (3D) digital imaging therefore serves a critical role in facilitating the digitization of these specimens for anatomical and morphological analysis as well as facilitating an efficient method for online storage and sharing of this imaging data. Here we describe the development of the Digital Fish Library (DFL, http://www.digitalfishlibrary.org), an online digital archive of high-resolution, high-contrast, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the soft tissue anatomy of an array of fishes preserved in the Marine Vertebrate Collection of Scripps Institution of Oceanography. We have imaged and uploaded MRI data for over 300 marine and freshwater species, developed a data archival and retrieval system with a web-based image analysis and visualization tool, and integrated these into the public DFL website to disseminate data and associated metadata freely over the web. We show that MRI is a rapid and powerful method for accurately depicting the in-situ soft-tissue anatomy of preserved fishes in sufficient detail for large-scale comparative digital morphology. However these 3D volumetric data require a sophisticated computational and archival infrastructure in order to be broadly accessible to researchers and educators

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Increased HIV-1 transcriptional activity and infectious burden in peripheral blood and gut-associated CD4+ T cells expressing CD30

HIV-1-infected cells persist indefinitely despite the use of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), and novel therapeutic strategies to target and purge residual infected cells in individuals on ART are urgently needed. Here, we demonstrate that CD4+ T cell-associated HIV-1 RNA is often highly enriched in cells expressing CD30, and that cells expressing this marker considerably contribute to the total pool of transcriptionally active CD4+ lymphocytes in individuals on suppressive ART. Using in situ RNA hybridization studies, we show co-localization of CD30 with HIV-1 transcriptional activity in gut-associated lymphoid tissues. We also demonstrate that ex vivo treatment with brentuximab vedotin, an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that targets CD30, significantly reduces the total amount of HIV-1 DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from infected, ART-suppressed individuals. Finally, we observed that an HIV-1-infected individual, who received repeated brentuximab vedotin infusions for lymphoma, had no detectable virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Overall, CD30 may be a marker of residual, transcriptionally active HIV-1 infected cells in the setting of suppressive ART. Given that CD30 is only expressed on a small number of total mononuclear cells, it is a potential therapeutic target of persistent HIV-1 infection