Concordance of Zp×ZpZ_p\times\Z_p actions on S4S^4

We consider locally linear Z_p x Z_p actions on the four-sphere. We present simple constructions of interesting examples, and then prove that a given action is concordant to its linear model if and only if a single surgery obstruction taking to form of an Arf invariant vanishes. We discuss the behavior of this invariant under various connected-sum operations, and conclude with a brief discussion of the existence of actions which are not concordant to their linear models

Trait Conscientiousness and Agreeableness in Relation to Positive and Negative Mood Self-Perceived Altruism

While much research has been done on altruism and people\u27s perceptions of the altruistic tendencies of others, perception of altruism as it relates to self, especially in relation to the influence of internal states, lacks similarly extensive investigation. This study aims to explore how the stable internal states of personality and the fluid states of mood play a role in our own perceptions of our altruistic tendencies. Participants were provided with a personality questionnaire and exposed to image sets designed to induce positive or negative mood. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) was administered post mood induction to verify successful change in affective state. Participants were provided with a questionnaire presenting altruistic behaviors subjects might hypothetically engage in, and were asked how often they believe they would engage in the behaviors in the near future. Lastly subjects were asked if they would be willing to participate in another study as a means of acquiring an explicit altruism measure. It is hypothesized agreeableness and conscientiousness will impact self-perceived altruism, while emotional states (positive and negative) will have a negligible impact

Physician Wellness Interventions and Distress Assessment During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Introduction: Physician burnout and interventions to decrease physician burnout on organizational and individual levels have been theorized and implemented. The Coronavirus pandemic has increased the need to continue physician burnout assessment and increase wellness programming. Few studies have had the opportunity to address physician wellness amidst the Coronavirus pandemic using the strategy of multi-dimensional interventions. The purpose of this study is to document interventions to reduce burnout and stress among physicians during the Coronavirus pandemic while assessing overall physician distress and well-being. Methods: A cohort study of 304 pediatric physicians at a large healthcare organization in the United States was designed to measure distress in physicians using the Well-Being Index. Participation was voluntary. A third-party collected and disseminated de-identified aggregate data through a secure website portal. Organizational and individual wellness initiatives were introduced to the cohort population and voluntary participation tracked. Results: 145 (48%) Well-Being Index assessments were completed between March 16 and September 30, 2020. Mean distress over the 6-month period was 1.22, with high distress indicated by a score greater than 3.0. Monthly averages show a 111.5% decrease in distress scores during the time period. Over 91% of respondents reported feeling “somewhat” or “very supported” by the organization, and these respondents had overall low mean distress scores. Conclusion: Overall, the cohort population experienced decreased distress levels at program initiation and during the observation period compared to national physician distress data. Contributing factors may be participation in various organizational and individual interventions to target well-being, perceived support from the organization, or regional implications of the Coronavirus pandemic on population health

Examiner variability in determining clinical serviceability of amalgam restorations : a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment ... restorative dentistry, operative ... / by Francis J. Robertello.

viii, 104 leaves.http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015006435369;view=2up;ui=fullscreen#page/n0/mode/2uphttp://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015008113972;view=2up;ui=fullscreen#page/n0/mode/2u

Physician Wellness Interventions and Distress Assessment During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Introduction: Physician burnout and interventions to decrease physician burnout on organizational and individual levels have been theorized and implemented. The Coronavirus pandemic has increased the need to continue physician burnout assessment and increase wellness programming. Few studies have had the opportunity to address physician wellness amidst the Coronavirus pandemic using the strategy of multi-dimensional interventions. The purpose of this study is to document interventions to reduce burnout and stress among physicians during the Coronavirus pandemic while assessing overall physician distress and well-being. Methods: A cohort study of 304 pediatric physicians at a large healthcare organization in the United States was designed to measure distress in physicians using the Well-Being Index. Participation was voluntary. A third-party collected and disseminated de-identified aggregate data through a secure website portal. Organizational and individual wellness initiatives were introduced to the cohort population and voluntary participation tracked. Results: 145 (48%) Well-Being Index assessments were completed between March 16 and September 30, 2020. Mean distress over the 6-month period was 1.22, with high distress indicated by a score greater than 3.0. Monthly averages show a 111.5% decrease in distress scores during the time period. Over 91% of respondents reported feeling “somewhat” or “very supported” by the organization, and these respondents had overall low mean distress scores. Conclusion: Overall, the cohort population experienced decreased distress levels at program initiation and during the observation period compared to national physician distress data. Contributing factors may be participation in various organizational and individual interventions to target well-being, perceived support from the organization, or regional implications of the Coronavirus pandemic on population health.</jats:p

Investigating the effect of biofilm pathways on Bacillus subtilis anti-termination

Biofilms are communities of bacteria ensconced in a blanket of exopolysaccharides and proteins. They can form in a variety of clinically important contexts such as the surfaces of teeth, contact lenses, and medical implants. Biofilm communities are more resistant to antibiotics than planktonic cells. Hence, it is important to understand the underlying mechanisms which promote biofilm formation. Bacillus subtilis is an important model system for studying biofilm-synthesis genes. The biosynthetic genes for B. subtilis exopolysaccharide are found in one, unusually long, operon (eps). A previously discovered processive anti-termination (PA) mechanism promotes readthrough of transcription termination sites within this operon. PA occurs when regulatory factor(s) modify the transcription elongation complex (TEC) such that it becomes resistant to downstream termination events. The PA mechanism of the eps operon requires a highly conserved RNA element called eps-associated RNA (EAR). It is not currently known how EAR exerts its influence on the TEC. The eps operon itself is only one of many biosynthetic genes necessary to biofilm formation and maintenance. In this study, we investigate the impact of a few key regulatory pathways on EAR anti-termination. We combined deletions of genes involved in these pathways with a genetic reporter assay for EAR anti-termination activity. Our preliminary data do not support a connection between these genes and the PA efficiency of EAR. These data suggest that anti-termination of the eps operon is not necessarily coupled to other known biofilm-regulatory pathways