Visuo-perceptual task performance across the menstrual cycle in women with and without premenstrual symptoms: potential influences of estradiol and estradiol sensitivity on retinogeniculostriate, extrastriate, and elementary retinal-based smooth pursuit pathways

The present study examined whether women with premenstrual symptoms (PMS) exhibit a different pattern of performance on psychophysical tasks across the menstrual cycle in comparison to control women. Research has shown that a related and more extreme presentation of this phenomenon, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) may be experienced as the result of a heightened sensitivity to normal phasic changes in sex steroid concentrations. In addition, research suggests that performance on certain measures of visuo-perceptual ability is associated with changing levels of estradiol. Thus, women who are more sensitive to changing hormonal levels (e.g., women with PMS) may exhibit different performance on such tasks when compared to controls; and as a function of the menstrual cycle. Control women (N= 18) and women with PMS symptoms (N= 16) performed a series of four psychophysical tasks during laboratory sessions at both the late-follicular (LF) and late-luteal (LL) phases of the menstrual cycle

Polymorphic regions of the estrogen receptor, androgen receptor and serotonin transporter genes and their association with mood variability in young women

The present study examined whether genetic polymorphisms on the estrogen receptor, androgen receptor, and serotonin transporter genes affect mood reactivity or mood variability in women. A total of 279 women from the university community completed a screening questionnaire (phase 1) for the study. During phase two, 146 women provided a buccal swab which was analyzed for Variable Number Tandem Repeat (VNTR) polymorphisms on the aforementioned genes. They also participated in an anxietyinducing task. The Positive and Negative Affect Scale Expanded (PANAS-X), the Pleasantness-Unpleasantness Scale, as well as the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were completed prior to and following the completion of the mood induction task in order to assess mood reactivity. Mood variability was assessed in the third phase of the study where 62 women completed the PANAS and the Pleasantness-Unpleasantness Scale at eight one-hour intervals over the course of one 24-hour period. It was hypothesized that women’s mood variability, either during the laboratory mood manipulation or over the 8- hour period, would differ based on number of repeats of (1) the 17 base pair element within intron 2 of the Serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT), (2) CAG repeat numbers on the Androgen Receptor (AR) gene, or (3) number of TA repeats on the Estrogen Receptor a (ERa) gene. Women’s emotional variability did not differ significantly as a function of genotype. However, with respect to emotional reactivity, the following trends were observed: (1) a greater amount of overall mood change and PA change for the homozygous long group o f the ERa allele, (2) a greater amount of NA change for the heterozygous group o f the ERa allele, and (3) a greater amount of PA change for the 8/10-9/10 allele group of the 5-HTT gene. Additional predictors of affect are discussed

Akin House Curriculum Development and Living History Programming

This unit plan is comprised of a variety of inquiry-based lessons that explore the culture and way of life of the Native Americans who occupied New England. After studying the Akin house documents, materials, and narratives, I chose to focus my unit on the land and the people who came before the Akin family so that students will learn the long-view of our rich New England history

Development of a New Implant System for the Correction of Coxofemoral Luxation in Canines

Hip dislocation is the most common joint luxation in canines and currently lacks an easy and reliable method of correction. The purpose of this project was to reengineer the current procedure to create a new system with an increased success rate and easier instrumentation. The final design consisted of a four part system which increased the success rate by decreasing the causes of suture breakage through a redesigned implant, improved aiming guide, and the use of a novel suture sheath

Psychometric Properties of a DSM-5-Based Screening Tool for Women's Perceptions of Premenstrual Symptoms

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Sage in Psychological reports on Feb. 14, 2021, available online: https://doi.org/10.1177/0033294120979696A premenstrual screening tool is needed when time constraints and attrition limit the feasibility of daily ratings. The present study examines the utility of a novel, 33-item, retrospective, dimensional, DSM-5-based, screening measure developed to explore women’s perceptions of premenstrual symptomatology. This is the first measure that examines perception of impairment for each DSM-5 symptom and assesses the frequency criterion. Participants (N = 331) reported symptoms ranging from none to a level consistent with a provisional DSM-5 diagnosis of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Initial psychometric properties indicated a five-factor structure: (1) affective symptoms; (2) fatigue, sleep, and anhedonia; (3) symptom frequency; (4) impairment and severity of appetite change and physical symptoms; and (5) difficulty concentrating. The total symptom scale and the frequency, severity, and impairment subscales demonstrated high internal consistency. Strong correlations between this dimensional measure and other retrospective and prospective premenstrual symptom measures suggest strong convergent, concurrent, and predictive validity. Premenstrual symptom groups created using this screening measure (minimal, mild/moderate, severe) differed on other retrospective and prospective measures of premenstrual symptoms. There was evidence of divergent validity and lack of an acquiescence bias. We also report data describing women’s perceptions of the frequency, level of impairment, and level of severity for each DSM-5 PMDD symptom over a 12-month period and discuss implications for future research on premenstrual phenomenology. Initial evidence for the reliability and construct validity of this symptom screening measure suggests potential value for assessing premenstrual symptomatology in research and practice

Walking for our health: couple-focused interventions to promote physical activity in older adults

More than 50% of U.S. adults do not engage in sufficient physical activity to meet current recommendations, making physical activity change and maintenance a priority for health promotion throughout adulthood. Among married partners, change in physical activity of one partner often is concordant with change of activity of the other. The primary purpose of this study was to examine two couple-focused interventions that capitalize on the co-occurrence of health behavior change within couples to promote physical activity in older adults. In this study, partners (N = 31 couples) participated together in assessment and intervention activities, and were randomized together into one of two couple-focused conditions. In one condition (concurrent), standard goal-setting techniques were extended to a couple-focused design with each partner setting daily step goals and monitoring her or his own progress. In the other condition (combined), partners collaborated to set and monitor shared daily step goals. Physical activity was assessed with accelerometers pre- and post-intervention. Post-intervention, average weekly physical activity increased by 58 min (p \u3c 0.001), and average body mass index (BMI) decreased by 0.50 kg/m2 (p = 0.001), from pre-intervention measures. Similar levels of change in weekly physical activity and in BMI were detected in both intervention groups. Furthermore, participants demonstrated high adherence to the intervention protocol. Results suggest that couple-focused physical activity interventions can be effective in eliciting increases in physical activity among older adults. Further research is needed to uncover interpersonal mechanisms that maximize physical activity promotion and maintenance within couples over time

The Vehicle, Spring 2005

Table of Contents The Remnants of YouKaty Dwigginspage 5 Sunrise, Early Spring, with CigaretteMario Podeschipage 6-7 I\u27m Not the Butterfly, I\u27m the KnifeAllison Staulcuppage 8 AcceptanceHeather Lucaspage 9 WordsKaty Dwigginspage 10 Thank YouA.T. Shootpage 11 72 Beats ofA.T. Shootpage 12 I Think We Hang Out Too MuchAllison Staulcuppage 13 StorageA.T. Shootpage 14 Plum PerfectKaty Dwigginspage 15 Last MinuteMeghan Moralespage 16 Last Monday\u27s SummersaultKelly Richardspage 17 A Peaceful MomentStaci Lucepage 18-19 The SaviorKaty Dwigginspage 20 IslandsDanielle Hookepage 21 My Nalgene: A SonnetJesse Wygonikpage 22 Unwanted ChildKaty Dwigginspage 23 My Pain or YoursAllison Staulcuppage 24 TimmyKelly Richardspage 25-30https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1083/thumbnail.jp

The Vehicle, Spring 2005

Table of Contents The Remnants of YouKaty Dwigginspage 5 Sunrise, Early Spring, with CigaretteMario Podeschipage 6-7 I\u27m Not the Butterfly, I\u27m the KnifeAllison Staulcuppage 8 AcceptanceHeather Lucaspage 9 WordsKaty Dwigginspage 10 Thank YouA.T. Shootpage 11 72 Beats ofA.T. Shootpage 12 I Think We Hang Out Too MuchAllison Staulcuppage 13 StorageA.T. Shootpage 14 Plum PerfectKaty Dwigginspage 15 Last MinuteMeghan Moralespage 16 Last Monday\u27s SummersaultKelly Richardspage 17 A Peaceful MomentStaci Lucepage 18-19 The SaviorKaty Dwigginspage 20 IslandsDanielle Hookepage 21 My Nalgene: A SonnetJesse Wygonikpage 22 Unwanted ChildKaty Dwigginspage 23 My Pain or YoursAllison Staulcuppage 24 TimmyKelly Richardspage 25-30https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1083/thumbnail.jp

Multicenter clinical evaluation of Etest meropenem-vaborbactam (bioMérieux) for susceptibility testing of Enterobacterales (Enterobacteriaceae) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Meropenem-vaborbactam (MEV) is a novel carbapenem-beta-lactamase inhibitor combination antibiotic approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of complicated urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis, in adults. In this study, we evaluated the performance of Etest MEV (bioMérieux, Marcy l\u27Etoile, France) compared to that of broth microdilution for 62

Evidence of Remediation-Induced Alteration of Subsurface Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Distribution at a Former Firefighter Training Area

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of fluorinated chemicals that are utilized in firefighting and have been reported in groundwater and soil at several firefighter training areas. In this study, soil and groundwater samples were collected from across a former firefighter training area to examine the extent to which remedial activities have altered the composition and spatial distribution of PFASs in the subsurface. Log K[subscript oc] values for perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), estimated from analysis of paired samples of groundwater and aquifer solids, indicated that solid/water partitioning was not entirely consistent with predictions based on laboratory studies. Differential PFAA transport was not strongly evident in the subsurface, likely due to remediation-induced conditions. When compared to the surface soil spatial distributions, the relative concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and PFAA precursors in groundwater strongly suggest that remedial activities altered the subsurface PFAS distribution, presumably through significant pumping of groundwater and transformation of precursors to PFAAs. Additional evidence for transformation of PFAA precursors during remediation included elevated ratios of perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) to PFOS in groundwater near oxygen sparging wells