Form of reference: Sex differences in letters of recommendation.

Studied the use of reference systems in letters of recommendation to determine if status and solidarity norms reflect gender inequality in academia. Patterning of form of reference (i.e., recommender's use of first name, full name, last name, or formal title when referring to the candidate) was examined in 1,049 letters for 284 psychology and sociology candidates for academic positions. Sex of recommender, academic area, and quality of doctoral institution were used as controls. Results show more frequent references by title to females and by first name to males. A 2nd study of 102 academicians' perceptions of the meaning implied by different forms of reference provided the basis for interpreting the findings. As letter readers, Ss interpreted title to mean status and first name to indicate solidarity. Sex differences emerged when Ss were treated as letter writers: Men focused on the solidarity dimension, with first name clearly indicating liking, whereas women emphasized the status norm, using first name primarily to imply low status. Findings suggest that an interpretation of the application of solidarity and/or status norms with form of reference must consider both sex of recommender and sex of applicant. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Helping the suicidal client: Some aspects of assessment and treatment.

All manifestations of suicidal intent need to be taken seriously by the clinician, who must make an assessment of the level of suicidal risk and implement an active suicide prevention plan when risk is judged to be substantial. Suicidal behavior is more difficult to predict in schizophrenic compared with depressed people; factors correlated with increased risk of suicide in both contexts are elaborated. Hospitalization is indicated when acute suicidal risk is assessed to be high; its length is ideally limited to the period of acute risk, which may be as short as several days. During hospitalization, there should be active intervention to change real-life conditions, such as lack of social support, which may be central to the person's motivation to commit suicide. Antipsychotic medication may be introduced and the person helped to continue with it as an outpatient. For those at lesser levels of acute risk, outpatient treatment is seen as appropriate and effective. An important feature of such a plan is the involvement of the person's family and associates. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Considerations in the nutritional management of patients with acute renal failure

Despite improvements in medical and dialytic therapies, mortality rates for patients with complicated acute renal failure (ARF) remains tragically high-above 50%. Mortality rates also remain persistently high in patients with ARF and preexisting or hospital-acquired malnutrition. ARF causes significant changes in substrate utilization largely because of the metabolic consequences of acute uremia compounded by underlying stress from acute illness. Alterations in protein or amino acid, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism as well as fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance need to be considered when providing nutritional therapy in patients with ARF. Also, the degree of renal impairment, which influences the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT), impacts nutritional requirements. As medical management is becoming highly aggressive in treating ARF with RRT, the ability to provide adequate nutrition is enhanced; however, no consensus on optimal caloric and macro-/micronutrient requirements is available. More current research is required to clarify nutritional needs of this patient population. Nevertheless, individualizing nutrition care and integrating nutritional therapies within a team setting is essential in providing optimal patient care in the presence of ARF.     

Women's sexual self-schema.

Sexual self-schemas are cognitive generalizations about sexual aspects of oneself that are derived from past experience, manifest in current experience, influential in the processing of sexually relevant social information, and guide sexual behavior. In Part 1, a measure of a cognitive self-view of women's sexuality was developed. The construct includes 2 positive aspects, an inclination to experience passionate–romantic emotions and a behavioral openness to sexual experience, and a negative aspect, embarrassment or conservativism, which may be a deterrent to sexual–romantic affects and behaviors. In Part 2, the role of sexual schema in intrapersonal and interpersonal aspects of sexuality was examined. In Part 3, a bivariate model was explored and 4 self-views (positive, co-schematic, aschematic, and negative) were proposed and compared. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Risk factors for postpartum uterine diseases in dairy cows

The objective of this observational study was to investigate the risk factors for metritis, purulent vaginal discharge, and cytological endometritis. The hypothesis was that purulent vaginal discharge and cytological endometritis would have different risk factors because they represent distinct manifestations of uterine disease. Data generated from 1,363 Holstein cows (3 herds) enrolled in a randomized clinical trial were used. Calving history, periparturient disease incidence, and body condition score at calving and at 63 d in milk (DIM) were recorded. Serum nonesterified fatty acid concentration was measured once during the week before expected calving. Serum nonesterified fatty acid, β-hydroxybutyric acid, and haptoglobin (Hapto) concentrations were measured at 4 ± 3, 11 ± 3, and 18 ± 3 DIM. Serum progesterone concentration was measured at 21 ± 3, 35 ± 3, 49 ± 3, and 63 ± 3 DIM. Metritis was diagnosed by farm managers within the first 20 DIM using a standardized definition. Cows were examined at 35 ± 3 DIM by a veterinarian for purulent vaginal discharge (mucopurulent or worse vaginal discharge; Metricheck device) and cytological endometritis (≥ 6% polymorphonuclear cells on endometrial cytology; cytobrush device). Statistical analyses were performed using multivariable logistic regression models for each disease, accounting for the random effect of herd. Risk factors for metritis included increased nonesterified fatty acid prepartum (≥ 0.6 mmol/L), dystocia, retained placenta, and increased Hapto in the first week postpartum (≥ 0.8 g/L). Risk factors for purulent vaginal discharge included twinning, dystocia, metritis, and increased Hapto (≥ 0.8 g/L) in the first week postpartum. Risk factors for cytological endometritis included low body condition score at parturition (≤ 2.75), hyperketonemia (≥ 1,100 μmol/L), and increased Hapto (≥ 0.8 g/L) in the first week postpartum. These results support the hypothesis that some of the risk factors for purulent vaginal discharge and cytological endometritis are different, which supports that they are distinct manifestations of uterine disease.     

In vivo measurements of neurotransmitters by microdialysis sampling

The brain contains a vast network of neurons that connect with each other at specialized junctions called synapses.A synapse consists of a presynaptic terminal (the "sending"neuron) and a postsynaptic bouton (the "receiving" neuron)that are separated by a gap of 5-50 nm (Figure 1). Chemicals released into this synaptic gap interact with receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. This leads to intracellular changes in the postsynaptic neuron-for example, an altered membrane potential or gene expression. The chemical signal is terminated by transporter proteins that transfer transmitter molecules across the membrane to the intracellular space (a process known as "reuptake")or enzymes that degrade the transmitter in the vicinity of the synapse (Figure 1). This classical view of neurotransmission might be considered point-to-point or"wired" communication because neurons communicate only with neurons to which they are specifically connected. In addition,neurotransmitters can activate receptors at more distant sites either by escaping the synapse or by being directly released into extrasynaptic space. This longer-range communication has been called "volume" transmission (1, S1; S references can be found in Supporting Information). All brain functions, from controlling movement to emotions, involve these two forms of chemical communication.Analytical chemistry has an important role to play in developing our understanding of the brain by providing tools for identification and measurement of the many chemicals involved in neurotransmission.     

Effect of health status upon arrival at a single milk-fed veal facility on breakeven purchase price of calves

Male calves are purchased from the dairy industry in North America to produce red meat. The price paid for male calves varies widely, and it is unclear which variables influence the price paid for each calf. The objective of this study was to assess how the health traits of calves at the time of arrival and demographic variables affect the breakeven purchase price of a male calf entering the veal industry. A financial model was constructed using the prevalence of health abnormalities, weight at arrival, source of the calf, number of days in the barn, base carcass price, days to mortality, feed costs, season at arrival, interest rate, housing location, carcass dressing percentage, and costs associated with housing, labor, utilities, trucking, and health to calculate the breakeven purchase price and an estimate of profit. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using health variables measured at arrival and demographic variables, including season at arrival and housing location, to identify the factors with the largest impact on the predicted average daily gain, early and late mortality risk, breakeven purchase price, and profit. At the baseline inputs, the average calculated profit was ?$5.36 per calf and it was most sensitive to the location of housing where calves were fed and the body weight of the arriving calf. The mortality risk in the first 21 d after arrival (early) was calculated to be 2.2%, whereas the risk of mortality after 21 d (late) was 3.7%. The risks of early and late mortality were most sensitive to the level of dehydration measured at arrival and the season at arrival for the purchased calves, respectively. The calculated average daily gain was 1.12 kg/d and it was most sensitive to housing location. The breakeven purchase price was calculated to be $242.49 per calf, which was most sensitive to the housing location where the calves were fed. The results of this analysis demonstrate that veal producers need to consider many variables before purchasing calves. In addition to overall market conditions, veal producers should factor health characteristics and the expected performance of the calves they purchase into what they are willing to pay for them.     

Validation of an automated cell counter to determine leukocyte differential counts in neonatal Holstein calves

Recent advances in the understanding of risk factors and biomarkers in calves entering rearing facilities show promise for identifying high-risk calves on arrival at veal and dairy beef operations. Rapid automated leukocyte differential cell counts may be a good addition for augmenting or refining calf risk identification on-farm. The objective of this study was to validate an automated leukocyte cell counter, the QScout BLD test (Advanced Animal Diagnostics, Morrisville, NC), for its ability to determine leukocyte differential cell counts in neonatal Holstein calves. From June to July 2018, blood samples collected in EDTA anticoagulant from 235 calves upon arrival at an independent veal research facility in Ontario, Canada, were evaluated using the QScout BLD test and manually by microscopy. We compared these leukocyte differential counts using Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (ρ) and found very good agreement between tests for neutrophil counts (ρ = 0.83); fair agreement for lymphocyte counts (ρ = 0.32); fair agreement for the ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes (ρ = 0.36); slight agreement for monocyte counts (ρ = 0.14); and slight agreement for eosinophil counts (ρ = 0.20). We further examined test results to determine if they differed in their classification of samples as being above, within, or below reported 95% reference intervals for neonatal Holstein calves. Classification between tests resulted in very good agreement for neutrophils and lymphocytes, with only 4.2% and 5.8% disagreement in classification, respectively. We observed moderate agreement for monocytes, with 23.3% classified differently, and poor agreement for eosinophils, with 70.3% classified differently. Further study is required to determine the role of leukocyte profiling in the risk assessment of calves arriving at calf-rearing facilities.