Northwestern United Research Articles

Undergraduates’ reactions to errors mediates the association between growth mindset and study strategies

BackgroundStudents employ a variety of study strategies to learn and master content in their courses. Strategies vary widely in their effectiveness for promoting deep, long-term learning, yet most students use ineffective strategies frequently. Efforts to educate students about effective study strategies have revealed that knowledge about effective strategies is by itself insufficient for encouraging widespread and lasting changes. An important next step is to uncover factors that influence the decisions students make about study strategy use. We explored the association between beliefs about intelligence (mindset, universality, and brilliance) and study strategies. The most effective study strategies are error-prone, and beliefs about intelligence carry implications for whether errors are a normal and even beneficial part of the learning process (e.g., growth mindset) or signs of insufficient intelligence (e.g., fixed mindset). Therefore, we hypothesized that beliefs about and reactions to errors would mediate a relationship between beliefs about intelligence and study strategies. We tested this hypothesis by surveying 345 undergraduates enrolled in an introductory biology class at a public, research-active university in northwestern United States.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis indicated that the internal structure of all measures functioned as expected in our sample. We fit a structural equation model to evaluate our hypothesized model. We found that mindset, but not universality nor brilliance, predicts variance in both beliefs about errors and reactions to errors. In turn, adaptive reactions to errors (but not beliefs about errors) are associated with the use of highly effective study strategies and spacing study sessions. There was a significant indirect relationship between growth mindset and spacing of study sessions.ConclusionsOur results provide evidence for a mechanism explaining the association between students’ mindset beliefs and academic outcomes: believing that intelligence is improvable is associated with more adaptive reactions to making errors, which correlates with choosing more error-prone and therefore more effective study strategies. Future interventions aimed at improving students’ study strategies may be more effective if they simultaneously target reacting adaptively to errors and emphasize that intelligence is improvable.

Old‐growth forests buffer climate‐sensitive bird populations from warming

AbstractAimHabitat loss and climate change constitute two of the greatest threats to biodiversity worldwide, and theory predicts that these factors may act synergistically to affect population trajectories. Recent evidence indicates that structurally complex old‐growth forest can be cooler than other forest types during spring and summer months, thereby offering potential to buffer populations from negative effects of warming. Old growth may also have higher food and nest‐site availability for certain species, which could have disproportionate fitness benefits as species approach their thermal limits.LocationPacific Northwestern United States.MethodsWe predicted that negative effects of climate change on 30‐year population trends of old‐growth‐associated birds should be dampened in landscapes with high proportions of old‐growth forest. We modelled population trends from Breeding Bird Survey data for 13 species as a function of temperature change and proportion old‐growth forest.ResultsWe found a significant negative effect of summer warming on only two species. However, in both of these species, this relationship between warming and population decline was not only reduced but reversed, in old‐growth‐dominated landscapes. Across all 13 species, evidence for a buffering effect of old‐growth forest increased with the degree to which species were negatively influenced by summer warming.Main conclusionsThese findings suggest that old‐growth forests may buffer the negative effects of climate change for those species that are most sensitive to temperature increases. Our study highlights a mechanism whereby management strategies to curb degradation and loss of old‐growth forests—in addition to protecting habitat—could enhance biodiversity persistence in the face of climate warming.

HUMAN BABESIOSIS: A GENERAL REVIEW WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO EGYPT.

Babesiosis is a tick-borne malaria-like illness caused by species of the intra-erythrocytic protozoan Babesia. Humans are opportunistic hosts for Babesia when bitten by nymph or adult ticks. Currently, Babesia infection is transmitted by various tick vectors in Europe, Asia, Africa and the northwestern and northeastern United States. Human babesiosis was first described in 1957 but is now known to have worldwide distribution. The increase in reported cases is likely due to increases in actual incidence as well as increased awareness of the disease. Despite the diagnostic and preventive advances resulting from extensive research and a greater understanding of the disease, babesiosis continues to have significant medical impact as a confounding variable in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease and as a potential threat to the blood supply, especially in the United States. Diagnostic advances, like the development of PCR assays, have resulted in increased sensitivity for detection as well as the discovery and characterization of new babesial species. Further studies using the molecular tools now available and those to be developed will lead to a better understanding of the natural history of these organisms, including the transmission cycle and the, potential role of Babesia parasites themselves as immunomodulAtor. Human babesiosis is usually an asymptomatic infection in healthy individuals. Several patients become symptomatic, and, within these subpopulations, significant morbidity and mortality occur, especially in elderly, immunocompromised, or asplenic patients. It is difficult to diagnose. Although the index of suspicion should be high in rural Babesia endemic areas, patients with babesiosis have few, if any, localizing signs to suggest the disease. Diagnosis confirmation depends on the parasitemia degree, the expertise and well trained laboratory personnel. Most patients infected by B microti who are otherwise healthy appear to have a mild illness and typically recover without specific chemotherapy; however, treatment is recommended for all diagnosed cases to prevent sequelae and potential transmission through blood donation. In addition, patients should be advised to take precautions against tick exposure and to refrain from donating blood until completely cured of babesiosis.

Environmental margin and island evolution in Middle Eastern populations of the Egyptian fruit bat

Here, we present a study of the population genetic architecture and microevolution of the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) at the environmental margins in the Middle East using mitochondrial sequences and nuclear microsatellites. In contrast to the rather homogenous population structure typical of cave-dwelling bats in climax tropical ecosystems, a relatively pronounced isolation by distance and population diversification was observed. The evolution of this pattern could be ascribed to the complicated demographic history at higher latitudes related to the range margin fragmentation and complex geomorphology of the studied area. Lineages from East Africa and Arabia show divergent positions. Within the northwestern unit, the most marked pattern of the microsatellite data set is connected with insularity, as demonstrated by the separate status of populations from Saharan oases and Cyprus. These demes also exhibit a reduction in genetic variability, which is presumably connected with founder effects, drift and other potential factors related to island evolution as site-specific selection. Genetic clustering indicates a semipermeability of the desert barriers in the Sahara and Arabian Peninsula and a corridor role of the Nile Valley. The results emphasize the role of the island environment in restricting the gene flow in megabats, which is also corroborated by biogeographic patterns within the family, and suggests the possibility of nascent island speciation on Cyprus. Demographic analyses suggest that the colonization of the region was connected to the spread of agricultural plants; therefore, the peripatric processes described above might be because of or strengthened by anthropogenic changes in the environment.

Predicting antibiotic resistance to community‐acquired pneumonia antibiotics in culture‐positive patients with healthcare‐associated pneumonia

To develop and validate a model to predict resistance to community-acquired pneumonia antibiotics (CAP-resistance) among patients with healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP), and to compare the model's predictive performance to a model including only guideline-defined criteria for HCAP. Retrospective cohort study. Six Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in the northwestern United States. Culture-positive inpatients with HCAP. Patients were identified based upon guideline-defined criteria for HCAP. Relevant cultures obtained within 48 hours of admission were assessed to determine bacteriology and antibiotic susceptibility. Medical records for the year preceding admission were assessed to develop predictive models of CAP-resistance with logistic regression. The predictive performance of cohort-developed and guideline-defined models was compared. CAP-resistant organisms were identified in 118 of 375 culture-positive patients. Of guideline-defined criteria, CAP-resistance was associated (odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)]) with: admission from nursing home (2.6 [1.6-4.4]); recent antibiotic exposure (1.7 [1.0-2.8]); and prior hospitalization (1.6 [1.0-2.6]). In the cohort-developed model, CAP-resistance was associated with: admission from nursing home or recent nursing home discharge (2.3 [1.4-3.8]); positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) history within 90 days of admission (6.4 [2.6-17.8]) or 91-365 days (2.3 [0.9-5.9]); cephalosporin exposure (1.8 [1.1-2.9]); recent infusion therapy (1.9 [1.0-3.5]); diabetes (1.7 [1.0-2.8]); and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (1.6 [1.0-2.6]). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (aROC [95% CI]) for the cohort-developed model (0.71 [0.65-0.77]) was significantly higher than for the guideline-defined model (0.63 [0.57-0.69]) (P = 0.01). Select guideline-defined criteria predicted CAP-resistance. A cohort-developed model based primarily on prior MRSA history, nursing home residence, and specific antibiotic exposures provided improved prediction of CAP-resistant organisms in HCAP.

End-of-Life Care for Veterans With Schizophrenia and Cancer

This study compared the quality of end-of-life care between veterans with and without schizophrenia who died of cancer in the northwestern United States. In this cross-sectional study, medical records of 60 veterans with schizophrenia and 196 with no major mental illness who died of cancer were compared on hospice enrollment, palliative and life-sustaining interventions, advance directives, and site of death. Among veterans with schizophrenia, 58% had an advance directive, 73% received an opiate before hospice enrollment, 63% had a physician order to forgo cardiopulmonary resuscitation, 55% were hospice enrolled, and 27% died in the hospital. Schizophrenia patients had longer hospice stays (107+/-144 versus 63+/-96 days, p=.05) and more physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (15% versus 5%, p=.006) compared with veterans without mental illness. On most measures, veterans with schizophrenia who died of cancer received comparable or better end-of-life care than veterans without mental illness.

Breast Cancer Beliefs and Mammography Screening Practices Among Chinese American Immigrants

To explore knowledge and beliefs (perceived risk factors, susceptibility, benefits, common barriers, and cultural barriers) in relation to mammography screening practices among Chinese American women. A descriptive study guided by the Health Belief Model. Metropolitan area in the northwestern United States. One hundred Chinese immigrant women, 40 years or older. The percentage of Chinese American women ages 40 and older who ever received a mammogram and who received a mammogram within the past year. Although 86% of the respondents reported that they had once had a mammogram, only 48.5% had a mammogram within the past year. The strongest factor associated with having a mammogram within the past year was having an immediate family member diagnosed with breast cancer, followed by having insurance that covered a mammogram and lower perceived barriers to obtaining a mammogram. Respondents had low knowledge of breast cancer and mammography screening guidelines. They also perceived low susceptibility to breast cancer. Nurses may influence the mammogram rates among Chinese American women by providing health education to family members of patients with breast cancer, reducing perceived barriers to mammogram, and seeking alternative payment mechanisms for patients who do not have insurance coverage for mammogram.

The Role of Social Support in Facilitating Postpartum Women’s Return to Employment

More than half of mothers with infants under 1 year are employed. This study explored the role of social support in facilitating women's return to employment during the 1st year postpartum. Analysis of existing longitudinal, repeated-measures questionnaire data gathered at 4 and 12 months postpartum. 94 postpartum women who were married or partnered, employed, and residing in a large urban area in the northwestern United States. Satisfaction with decision to return to work, role performance, work-family balance. Relationships between indicators of social support and return-to-work experiences were absent to modest. Satisfaction with child care was related to satisfaction with the decision to return to work. Workplace support was related to work-family balance at 12 months postpartum. Satisfactory child care arrangements and supportive relationships in the workplace are the most significant facilitators of women's return to work postpartum.

Cost offset from a psychiatric consultation-liaison intervention with elderly hip fracture patients

The authors hypothesized that psychiatric liaison screening of elderly patients with hip fractures would shorten the average length of hospital stay and increase the proportion of patients who returned home after discharge. The study was performed at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York and Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. The subjects were 452 patients 65 years or older who were consecutively admitted for surgical repair of fractured hips. During a baseline year the patients received traditional referral for psychiatric consultation. During the experimental year all the patients at Mount Sinai and the patients on one Northwestern Unit were screened for psychiatric consultation. The patients who received psychiatric liaison screening had a higher consultation rate than those who received traditional consultation. The rates of DSM-III disorders in the experimental year were 56% at Mount Sinai and 60% at Northwestern. The mean length of stay was reduced from 20.7 to 18.5 days at Mount Sinai and from 15.5 to 13.8 days at Northwestern, resulting in reductions in hospital costs ($647/day) of $166,926 and $97,361, respectively. Fees generated from Medicare service delivery could have paid for the $20,000 psychiatric intervention cost at each site. There was no difference, however, between the two years in the discharge placement of patients. Admission psychiatric liaison screening of elderly patients with hip fractures results in early detection of psychiatric morbidity, better psychiatric care, earlier discharge, and substantial cost savings to the hospital.

Eigenvector Analysis of Seasonal Temperature, Precipitation and Synoptic-Scale System Frequency over the Contiguous United States. Part II: Spring, Summer, Fall and Annual

Abstract Eigenvector analysis was performed on spring, summer, fall and annual temperature and precipitation over the contiguous United States and on the frequency of occurrence of cyclonic and anticyclonic conditions over an area extending roughly from 60–130°W and 20–50°N. The first eigenvector in all cases represents anomalies of one sign over nearly all the contiguous United States. Correspondence of the other eigenvector forms across seasons was also good. These patterns appear to be associated with latitudinal shifts in the westerlies and to the amplitude and position of the long waves. An opposition in precipitation anomaly was found between the northwestern and southwestern United States which was mirrored in a similar pattern in variations of cyclone frequency over these two areas. Significant changes occurred in the frequency of occurrence of individual eigenvector forms, suggesting that particular circulation regimes may become established, persist and disappear in time. The length of time that...

Geophysical events

Mount St. Helens Volcano, Cascade Range, southern Washington, U.S.A. (46.20°N, 122.18° W). All times are local (GMT − 7 h). A major eruption destroyed the summit of Mount St. Helens, projected ash into the stratosphere, devastated the north and northwest flanks, and killed dozens of people last May 18. The initial explosion was heard more than 350 km away. Substantial ashfalls occurred hundreds of kilometers downwind, closing roads, schools, and businesses, and threatening crops in the northwestern United States.Mount St. Helens had begun to erupt on March 27, after a week of local seismicity. During the first 10 days, small to moderate steam and ash explosions ejected ash to as much as 3 km above the summit. A little ash fell as far away as Spokane, Washington, 500 km to the northwest. Small debris flows and cold ash avalanches moved down the flanks of the volcano. By April 12, the two initially separate explosion vents had coalesced into a single crater that was at least 500 m long, 350 m wide, and 300 m deep. Both explosions and ash content decreased in size through mid‐April, then episodic explosions were replaced by continuous steaming late in the month. Explosions, similar to those of early to mid‐April, resumed on May 6 and continued until at least May 14. Several tens of earthquakes per day of magnitude 3 or greater continued to be recorded through May 17. Total seismic energy release remained relatively constant through late April, then declined slightly.

Deer Ked Infestation on White-Tailed Deer in East Texas

Deer Ked Infestation on White-Tailed Deer in East Texas

NSF Grant to the University of Colorado

The University of Colorado has received a $4,600 grant from the National Science Foundation to study the Lake Missoula floods, which in prehistoric times covered what is now the northwestern United States.Known geological evidence of floods and some standard hydraulic techniques will be used to reconstruct the floods, including how much water was released in the flood flow and how fast it was moving, and how these flows were related to the transportation of sediments.

Crop-Hail Intensities in Central and Northwest United States

Abstract Information on hail intensity is not readily available on a national or local scale. As a result, a study was made to obtain general estimates of the mean areal patterns of hail intensity in the central and northwestern continental United States. Although the results of the study are based on indirect measures of hail intensity developed from crop-insurance data, the results provide useful estimates of a phenomenon heretofore unmeasured. Intensity measures derived from crop-insurance data available for 19 states revealed that summer hailfalls at points in the lee of the Rocky Mountains were 5 to 15 times more intense than those in the Middle West. A good correlation was found for the mean intensity indices of states and the mean hailday frequencies, suggesting that the widely available climatological data on hail frequency could provide useful estimates of hail intensity in other states.

ZONAL DISTRIBUTION OF BAROCLINITY FOR THREE PACIFIC STORMS

Abstract The thermal structure of the troposphere and lower stratosphere during the movement eastward of several Pacific troughs is examined primarily from the standpoint of the distribution of baroclinity within a vertical plane extending across the northwestern and north central United States. Baroclinity is defined and then expressed in a form suitable to the potential-temperature cross-sections employed in this study. Dominating features of the thermal field are two types of baroclinic zones: (1) broad and essentially non-frontal zones which form the leading and trailing edges of deep, rapidly moving cold domes in the middle and upper troposphere; (2) narrow, frontal type zones comprising the leading or trailing edges of either slowly-moving, low-level cold domes or rapidly-moving, upper-level ones. There is evidence that the non-frontal baroclinic zones are equally as important, both dynamically and synoptically, as the frontal ones.