Cannabis use and episodic memory performance among adolescents: Moderating effects of depression symptoms and sex.

OBJECTIVE: Cannabis use has been linked to poorer episodic memory. However, little is known about whether depression and sex may interact as potential moderators of this association, particularly among adolescents. The current study addresses this by examining interactions between depression symptoms and sex on the association between cannabis use and episodic memory in a large sample of adolescents. METHOD: Cross-sectional data from 360 adolescents (M age = 17.38, SD = .75) were analyzed at the final assessment wave of a two-year longitudinal study. We used the Drug Use History Questionnaire to assess for lifetime cannabis use, and the Computerized Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, Fourth edition to assess the number of depression symptoms in the past year. Subtests from the Wechsler Memory Scale, Fourth Edition and the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition were used to assess episodic memory performance. RESULTS: The effect of the three-way interaction among cannabis use, depression symptoms, and sex did not have a significant impact on episodic memory performance. However, follow-up analyses revealed a significant effect of the two-way interaction of cannabis use and depression symptoms on episodic memory, such that associations between cannabis use and episodic memory were only significant at lower and average levels of depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to our hypotheses, we found that as depression symptoms increased, the negative association between cannabis use and episodic memory diminished. Given the use of a predominantly subsyndromic sample, future studies should attempt to replicate findings among individuals with more severe depression.

County-level associations between food retailer availability and violent crime rate.

BACKGROUND: Violent crime (i.e., homicide, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and rape) continues to be a major public health concern in America. Several studies have linked the availability and density of specific features of the retail food environment, such as convenience stores and liquor stores, to violent crime rates due to the criminal activity that often occurs in and near these retailers. Nevertheless, there continues to be limited understanding of how other features (e.g., grocery stores, supercenters, restaurants, etc.) are associated with violent crime occurrence. This study aimed to fill this gap in knowledge by examining U.S. county-level associations between food retailer availability and violent crime rate. METHODS: We analyzed 2014 data on 3108 counties from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Environment Atlas and Department of Justice's Unified Crime Reporting Program. Per capita food retailer measures represented the number of stores per 10,000 county residents. Violent crime rate represented the number of police reported violent crimes per 10,000 county residents. We used spatial lag regression models to assess associations between per capita retailer availability and violent crime rate after adjusting for potential confounders (e.g., % under 18, % Black, % Hispanic, % poverty, population density, etc.). In addition, we examined stratified OLS regression models to evaluate associations by metropolitan county status. RESULTS: Adjusted spatial regression models revealed that greater supercenter availability [ß: 2.42; 95% CI: 0.91-3.93; p-value: 0.001] and greater fast food restaurant availability [ß: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.18-0.42; p-value: < 0.001] were associated with higher violent crime rate. Greater availability of farmers' markets [ß: -0.42; 95% CI: -0.77 - - 0.07); p-value: 0.02] was associated with lower violent crime rate. Associations varied between metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties. Stratified OLS models revealed that greater grocery store availability was associated with lower violent crime rate among metropolitan counties only. Greater fast food restaurant availability was associated with lower violent crime rate among non-metropolitan counties only. CONCLUSIONS: Certain features of the retail food environment appear to be associated with county-level violent crime rates in America. These findings highlight the need for additional research on the influence of food retail and food landscape on violent crime occurrence at the community level.

Bringing Assessment-to-Instruction (A2i) Technology to Scale: Exploring the Process from Development to Implementation.

Bringing effective, research-based literacy interventions into the classroom is challenging, especially given the cultural and linguistic diversity of today's classrooms. We examined the promise of Assessment-to-Instruction (A2i) technology redesigned to be used at scale to support teachers' implementation of the individualized student instruction (ISI) intervention from kindergarten through third grade. In seven randomized controlled trials, A2i and ISI have demonstrated efficacy. However, the research version of A2i was not scalable. In order to bring A2i to scale in schools serving linguistically diverse students, we carried out the current study across two phases. This study represents both an exploration of what it takes to bring an educational intervention to scale (Phase 1) and a quasi-experiment on the literacy outcomes of learners whose teachers used the technology (Phase 2). We integrated assessments of vocabulary, word decoding, and reading comprehension; revised the A2i algorithms to account for the constellation of skills English learners (ELs) bring to the classroom; updated the user interfaces and added new graphic features; and improved bandwidth and stability of the technology. Findings were mixed, including several non-significant results, a marginally significant intent-to-treat effect on word reading in kindergarten and first grade for English monolingual students and ELs, and one significant interaction effect, which suggested ELs and students with less developed reading skills in second and third grade benefitted most from the intervention. With some caution, we conclude that A2i demonstrates potential to be used at scale and promise of effectiveness for improving code-focused skills for diverse learners.

Time Perspective and Substance Use: An Examination Across Three Adolescent Samples.

Time perspective is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct that assesses individuals' feelings and thoughts about the past, present, and future. The current study examined relationships between feelings (time attitudes) and thoughts (time orientation) about time and substance use behaviors across three adolescent samples. Participants included a high-risk sample of adjudicated youth (N=124; M age =15.54, SD=1.69; 51.61% female) and two general population school samples (N=777; M age =15.82, SD=1.23; 53.41% female; N=1873; M age =15.87, SD=1.28; 52.22% female). Cross-sectional survey data were collected from samples in schools during 2010, 2016, and 2011, respectively. Poisson and negative binomial regression analyses indicated that overall, more positive feelings about time were associated with fewer substances used and, conversely, more negative feelings about time were associated with more substances used. These findings were particularly salient for participants with stronger positive and negative feelings toward the past and present time periods. Further, across the three samples, adolescents with a balanced time orientation (i.e., equal emphasis on all three time periods) generally reported less substance use than individuals who emphasized only one or two time periods. Findings highlight relationships between time perspective dimensions and substance use across diverse samples and illustrate opportunities for adapting time perspective-based substance use interventions for adolescents.

Predicting Second and Third Graders' Reading Comprehension Gains: Observing Students' and Classmates Talk during Literacy Instruction using COLT.

This paper introduces a new observation system that is designed to investigate students' and teachers' talk during literacy instruction, Creating Opportunities to Learn from Text (COLT). Using video-recorded observations of 2nd-3rd grade literacy instruction (N=51 classrooms, 337 students, 151 observations), we found that nine types of student talk ranged from using non-verbal gestures to generating new ideas. The more a student talked, the greater were his/her reading comprehension (RC) gains. Classmate talk also predicted RC outcomes (total effect size=0.27). We found that 11 types of teacher talk ranged from asking simple questions to encouraging students' thinking and reasoning. Teacher talk predicted student talk but did not predict students' RC gains directly. Findings highlight the importance of each student's discourse during literacy instruction, how classmates' talk contributes to the learning environments that each student experiences, and how this affects RC gains, with implications for improving the effectiveness of literacy instruction.

Observing individual children in early childhood classrooms using Optimizing Learning Opportunities for Students (OLOS): A feasibility study.

In this study, we present a newly developed observational system, Optimizing Learning Opportunities for Students (OLOS). OLOS is designed to elucidate the learning opportunities afforded to individual children within early childhood classrooms and as they transition to formal schooling (kindergarten through third grade). OLOS records the time spent in different types of learning opportunities (e.g., play, literacy, math) and the frequency of specific discourse moves children and teachers use (child talk and teacher talk). Importantly, it is being designed to be used validly and reliably by practitioners. Using OLOS, we explored individual children's experiences (n = 68 children in 12 classrooms) in four different types of early childhood programs; state-funded, state-funded PK serving children with disabilities, Head Start, and a tuition-based (non-profit) preschool. Results of our feasibility study revealed that we could feasibly and reliably use OLOS in these very different kinds of pre-kindergarten programs with some changes. OLOS provided data that aligned with our hypotheses and that our practitioner partners found useful. In analysing the observations, we found that individual children's learning opportunities varied significantly both within and between classrooms. In general, we observed that most of the PK day (or half day) was spent in language and literacy activities and non-instructional activities (e.g., transitions). Very little time in math and science was observed yet children were generally more likely to actively participate (i.e., more child talk) during academic learning opportunities (literacy, math, and science). The frequency of teacher talk also varied widely between classrooms and across programs. Plus, the more teacher talk we observed, the more likely we were to observe child talk. Our long-term aim is that OLOS can inform policy and provide information that supports practitioners in meeting the learning and social-behavioral needs of the children they serve.

Cyanthiwigin Natural Product Core as a Complex Molecular Scaffold for Comparative Late-Stage C-H Functionalization Studies.

The desire for maximally efficient transformations in complex molecule synthesis has contributed to a surge of interest in C-H functionalization methods development in recent years. In contrast to the steady stream of methodological reports, however, there are noticeably fewer studies comparing the efficacies of different C-H functionalization protocols on a single structurally intricate substrate. Recognizing the importance of heteroatom incorporation in complex molecule synthesis, this report discloses a comparative examination of diverse strategies for C-O, C-N, and C-X bond formation through late-stage C-H oxidation of the tricyclic cyanthiwigin natural product core. Methods for allylic C-H acetoxylation, tertiary C-H hydroxylation, tertiary C-H amination, tertiary C-H azidation, and secondary C-H halogenation are explored. These efforts highlight the robustness and selectivities of many well-established protocols for C-H oxidation when applied to a complex molecular framework, and the findings are relevant to chemists aiming to employ such strategies in the context of chemical synthesis.

The role of stress and word size in Spanish speech segmentation.

In English, the predominance of stressed syllables as word onsets aids lexical segmentation in degraded listening conditions. Yet it is unlikely that these findings would readily transfer to languages with differing rhythmic structure. In the current study, the authors seek to examine whether listeners exploit both common word size (syllable number) and stress cues to aid lexical segmentation in Spanish. Forty-seven Spanish-speaking listeners transcribed two-word Spanish phrases in noise. As predicted by the statistical probabilities of Spanish, error analysis revealed that listeners preferred two- and three-syllable words with penultimate stress in their attempts to parse the degraded speech signal. These findings provide insight into the importance of stress in tandem with word size in the segmentation of Spanish words and suggest testable hypotheses for cross-linguistic studies that examine the effects of degraded acoustic cues on lexical segmentation.

Neuroinflammation and brain atrophy in former NFL players: An in vivo multimodal imaging pilot study.

There are growing concerns about potential delayed, neuropsychiatric consequences (e.g, cognitive decline, mood or anxiety disorders) of sports-related traumatic brain injury (TBI). Autopsy studies of brains from a limited number of former athletes have described characteristic, pathologic changes of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) leading to questions about the relationship between these pathologic and the neuropsychiatric disturbances seen in former athletes. Research in this area will depend on in vivo methods that characterize molecular changes in the brain, linking CTE and other sports-related pathologies with delayed emergence of neuropsychiatric symptoms. In this pilot project we studied former National Football League (NFL) players using new neuroimaging techniques and clinical measures of cognitive functioning. We hypothesized that former NFL players would show molecular and structural changes in medial temporal and parietal lobe structures as well as specific cognitive deficits, namely those of verbal learning and memory. We observed a significant increase in binding of [(11)C]DPA-713 to the translocator protein (TSPO), a marker of brain injury and repair, in several brain regions, such as the supramarginal gyrus and right amygdala, in 9 former NFL players compared to 9 age-matched, healthy controls. We also observed significant atrophy of the right hippocampus. Finally, we report that these same former players had varied performance on a test of verbal learning and memory, suggesting that these molecular and pathologic changes may play a role in cognitive decline. These results suggest that localized brain injury and repair, indicated by increased [(11)C]DPA-713 binding to TSPO, may be linked to history of NFL play. [(11)C]DPA-713 PET is a promising new tool that can be used in future study design to examine further the relationship between TSPO expression in brain injury and repair, selective regional brain atrophy, and the potential link to deficits in verbal learning and memory after NFL play.

Regional brain distribution of translocator protein using [(11)C]DPA-713 PET in individuals infected with HIV.

Imaging the brain distribution of translocator protein (TSPO), a putative biomarker for glial cell activation and neuroinflammation, may inform management of individuals infected with HIV by uncovering regional abnormalities related to neurocognitive deficits and enable non-invasive therapeutic monitoring. Using the second-generation TSPO-targeted radiotracer, [(11)C]DPA-713, we conducted a positron emission tomography (PET) study to compare the brains of 12 healthy human subjects to those of 23 individuals with HIV who were effectively treated with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Compared to PET data from age-matched healthy control subjects, [(11)C]DPA-713 PET of individuals infected with HIV demonstrated significantly higher volume-of-distribution (VT) ratios in white matter, cingulate cortex, and supramarginal gyrus, relative to overall gray matter VT, suggesting localized glial cell activation in susceptible regions. Regional TSPO abnormalities were evident within a sub-cohort of neuro-asymptomatic HIV subjects, and an increase in the VT ratio within frontal cortex was specifically linked to individuals affected with HIV-associated dementia. These findings were enabled by employing a gray matter normalization approach for PET data quantification, which improved test-retest reproducibility, intra-class correlation within the healthy control cohort, and sensitivity of uncovering abnormal regional findings.

Patient engagement and satisfaction with early phase cell therapy clinical trials at a tertiary inflammatory bowel disease center.

Several clinical trials are underway investigating cell and gene therapy, and while these trials are meant to significantly impact patient care, they rely on patient engagement and participation. Unfortunately, clinical trials generally require extensive commitment by subjects. While several studies are using validated surveys to measure patient-reported outcomes, there is a lack of characterization of the patient experience as a subject in these trials. As such, we surveyed mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) trial participants to understand their perspective. We found that there exists a reliance on one's gastroenterologist and colorectal surgeons for trial introduction and that time and cost were the main barriers to participation. Overall, participants demonstrated high satisfaction with MSC trial participation, but future protocols could incorporate increased use of virtual appointments to optimize patient experience.

A phase IB/IIA study of ex vivo expanded allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of rectovaginal fistulizing Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Crohn-related rectovaginal fistulas are notoriously difficult to treat. Studies of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of perianal Crohn fistulizing disease have largely excluded rectovaginal fistulas. The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells for refractory rectovaginal fistulizing Crohn disease. METHODS: A phase IB/IIA randomized control trial was performed in a 3:1, single-blinded study. Patients included were adult women with an anovaginal/rectovaginal fistula in the setting of Crohn disease. Seventy-five million mesenchymal stem cells were administered with a 22G needle after curettage and primary closure of the fistula tract at day 0 and month 3. Adverse and serious adverse events were recorded at post-procedure day 1, week 2, week 6, month 3, month 6, and month 12, along with clinical healing, magnetic resonance imaging, and patient-reported outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 19 patients were enrolled and treated-15 treatment and 4 control. There were no adverse or serious adverse events related to mesenchymal stem cell therapy. At 6 months, 50% of the treatment group and 0% of the control had complete clinical and radiographic healing; 91.7% of the treatment group had improvement at 6 months with only one patient having a lack of response, whereas only 50% of the control group had improvement at 6 months. CONCLUSION: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells offer a safe alternative treatment approach for rectovaginal fistulas in the setting of Crohn disease. Complete healing was achieved in half of the patients.

Treatment effect of ex vivo expanded allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of fistulizing Crohn's disease are durable at 12 months.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells have been administered via direct injection to treat perianal Crohn's fistulizing disease. We herein sought to determine the safety and durability of treatment response to 12 months with 3 individual phase IB/IIA clinical trials of mesenchymal stem cells for refractory perianal, rectovaginal, and ileal pouch fistulas in the setting of Crohn disease. METHODS: Three phase IB/IIA randomized placebo-controlled single-blinded clinical trials were performed for (1) perianal fistulas, (2) rectovaginal fistula, and (3) ileal pouch in situ with anovaginal and/or perianal fistulas. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (75 million in 7.5 mL) were injected at the time of exam under anesthesia on day 0 and month 3. Outcome measures were adverse events and combined clinical and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging healing at month 6 and month 12. RESULTS: Across all 3 trials, 64 patients were enrolled; 49 were treatment and 15 were control. At 6 months, combined clinical and radiographic healing was achieved in 83.3%, 33.3%, and 30.8% of the perianal, rectovaginal, and pouch fistula treatment cohorts, respectively. At 12 months, the treatment response was durable, with 67.7% of perianal, 37.5% of rectovaginal, and 46.2% of peripouch fistulas maintaining complete clinical and radiographic healing. Two patients in the perianal fistula control cohort achieved combined clinical and radiographic healing at 12 months, whereas 0% of rectovaginal and pouch control patients healed. CONCLUSION: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells offer a safe and effective alternative treatment approach for severe perianal, rectovaginal, and peripouch fistulizing Crohn's disease. Treatment results are durable at 12 months.

Quantitative Measurement of Rate of Targeted Protein Degradation.

Targeted protein degradation (TPD) is a therapeutic approach that leverages the cell's natural machinery to degrade targets instead of inhibiting them. This is accomplished by using mono- or bifunctional small molecules designed to induce the proximity of target proteins and E3 ubiquitin ligases, leading to ubiquitination and subsequent proteasome-dependent degradation of the target. One of the most significant attributes of the TPD approach is its proposed catalytic mechanism of action, which permits substoichiometric exposure to achieve the desired pharmacological effects. However, apart from one in vitro study, studies supporting the catalytic mechanism of degraders are largely inferred based on potency. A more comprehensive understanding of the degrader catalytic mechanism of action can help aspects of compound development. To address this knowledge gap, we developed a workflow for the quantitative measurement of the catalytic rate of degraders in cells. Comparing a selective and promiscuous BTK degrader, we demonstrate that both compounds function as efficient catalysts of BTK degradation, with the promiscuous degrader exhibiting faster rates due to its ability to induce more favorable ternary complexes. By leveraging computational modeling, we show that the catalytic rate is highly dynamic as the target is depleted from cells. Further investigation of the promiscuous kinase degrader revealed that the catalytic rate is a better predictor of optimal degrader activity toward a specific target compared to degradation magnitude alone. In summary, we present a versatile method for mapping the catalytic activity of any degrader for TPD in cells.

A silica sol-gel design strategy for nanostructured metallic materials.

Batteries, fuel cells and solar cells, among many other high-current-density devices, could benefit from the precise meso- to macroscopic structure control afforded by the silica sol-gel process. The porous materials made by silica sol-gel chemistry are typically insulators, however, which has restricted their application. Here we present a simple, yet highly versatile silica sol-gel process built around a multifunctional sol-gel precursor that is derived from the following: amino acids, hydroxy acids or peptides; a silicon alkoxide; and a metal acetate. This approach allows a wide range of biological functionalities and metals--including noble metals--to be combined into a library of sol-gel materials with a high degree of control over composition and structure. We demonstrate that the sol-gel process based on these precursors is compatible with block-copolymer self-assembly, colloidal crystal templating and the Stöber process. As a result of the exceptionally high metal content, these materials can be thermally processed to make porous nanocomposites with metallic percolation networks that have an electrical conductivity of over 1,000 S cm(-1). This improves the electrical conductivity of porous silica sol-gel nanocomposites by three orders of magnitude over existing approaches, opening applications to high-current-density devices.

Assessing resident performance and training of colonoscopy in a general surgery training program.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the adequacy of endoscopy training in general surgery residency programs has been questioned. Efforts to improve resident endoscopic training and to judge competency are ongoing but not well studied. We assessed resident performance using two assessment tools in colonoscopy in a general surgery residency program. METHODS: Prospectively collected data were reviewed from consecutive colonoscopies by a single surgeon: September 2008 to June 2011. Colonoscopies performed without residents were excluded. Data included patient demographics, procedural data, and outcomes. Following the colonoscopy, residents were graded by the attending surgeon using up two different assessment tools. Descriptive statistics were calculated and outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Colonoscopies were performed by residents in 100 patients. Average age was 52 (range, 22-79) years. Females made up 66 % of patients, and 63 % were Caucasian. Postgraduate level (PG-Y) 3 level residents performed 72 % of colonoscopies. The average resident participation was 73 % of the procedure. Biopsies were performed in 35 %; adenomatous polyps were found in 17 % and invasive cancer in 1 %. Bowel preparation was deemed good in 76 % of patients. Colonoscopy was completed in 90 % of patients. Reasons for incomplete exam were technical (7 patients), inability to pass a stricture (2 patients), and poor prep (1 patient). For completed full colonoscopies, the average time to reach the cecum was 22 min, and withdrawal time was 13 min. Resident assessments were made in 89 of the colonoscopies using 2 separate assessment tools. There were no mortalities; the morbidity rate was 3 %. Morbidities included a perforation related to a biopsy requiring surgery and partial colectomy, a postpolypectomy bleed requiring repeat colonoscopy with clipping of the bleeding vessel, and a patient with transient bradycardia requiring atropine during the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Using objective assessment tools, overall resident skill and knowledge in performing colonoscopy appears to improve based on increasing PG-Y level, although this was not evident with all categories measured. Methods to assess competency continue to evolve and should be the focus of future research.

Implementation of Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) as a Universal Suicide Risk Screening tool in a High Volume Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVE: To examine clinical and demographic parameters with regards to efficacy, resource utilization, and clinician burden associated with implementation of universal suicide screening by Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) in a single high-volume emergency department. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study, performed via chart review, included 10,197 adult patients seen in the emergency department over two specific time frames (4935 pre- and 5262 post-implementation of the screening tool). All visits with psychiatry consultation underwent further chart review (172 pre- and 217 post-) to compare number, length of stay (LOS) and demographics for psychiatric evaluations pre- and post- use of C-SSRS screening. RESULTS: Both groups were predominantly male with previous psychiatric diagnoses. Within the post-screening group, individuals tended to be older with lower likelihood of previously diagnosed psychiatric illness. No significant differences were seen in gender, psychiatric diagnosis, or outpatient psychiatric treatment. Incidence of psychiatric evaluation was slightly higher post-screening (18%) without meeting statistical significance, with more patients discharged home in the post- cohort. LOS was slightly lower after implementation of C-SSRS, without reaching statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of universal screening showed increased demand for psychiatric evaluations, without meeting clinical significance in this limited analysis. Although there were slightly more psychiatric evaluations, more patients were discharged to home. LOS showed no statistical increase, even trending toward shorter duration for patients screened to be evaluated by psychiatry. Based on these results, efficient suicide screening may help identify at-risk individuals without overwhelming psychiatric resources or causing unnecessary increase in LOS. HighlightsRapid identification of suicide risk is important in an emergency department environment.Universal suicide screening has limitations, with concerns for emergency department resources.Use of C-SSRS for universal screening does not show significant burden to this department.

Chromobacterium violaceum in a U.S. Marine: A Case Report.

Chromobacterium violaceum is associated with severe sepsis leading to cutaneous and visceral organ abscesses, with mortality rates up to 73%. Around 200 cases of C. violaceum infection have been reported globally. We report a case of a 27-year-old female U.S. Marine recruit who presented with fever, chills, myalgias, arthralgias, headache, and nodules on her extremities. Physical examination revealed multiple small skin abscesses on her extremities. Abdominal imaging with contrast revealed large liver abscesses requiring drainage. Both blood and wound cultures grew C. violaceum. The patient was successfully treated with meropenem and ciprofloxacin. At 3 months, symptoms had resolved, and labs and imaging were normal. Though rare, C. violaceum infection rates are increasing. Severe infection develops rapidly and invasive disease is not uncommon. Early detection and appropriate antibiotic treatment are key in preventing mortality.

Modelling climate variabilities and global rice production: A panel regression and time series analysis.

Climate change threatens agriculture and it remains a present global challenge to food security and Sustainable Development Goals. The potential impact on the supply of crops such as rice is seen as a major food security issue that requires intervention on several fronts. The literature on rice production, climate variations and climate change show several studies outlining various impacts on rice supply as a result of variations in temperature and rainfall. This study intends to further explore the impacts on rice production caused by temperature changes and rainfall variation by analyzing and modelling the production of rice by the top rice-producing countries globally. A time series of the national rice production and yield along with national average annual temperature and rainfall were sourced for 15 major rice-producing countries. The trends of the time series were then compared between the rice productivity variables and temperature and rainfall. A panel regression model was also developed to further assess the relationship between rice production and temperature and rainfall. The time series showed that rice production and yield are increasing for the majority of the countries analyzed. The panel regression model however showed that continued increase in temperature can result in decreased production of rice and that rainfall volume directly impacts rice output and therefore shows rice production is highly susceptible to flooding and drought events caused by climate variabilities.

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer Health-Care Experiences in a Military Population.

ABTRACTThis study aimed to understand the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer of former military service members. Data for this analysis was collected from the two open-ended survey questions as part of a larger online survey. The analysis was performed using the web-based data analysis application Dedoose. Eighty-eight qualitative responses were used. Analysis of the responses revealed five main themes: (1) identity, (2) negative experiences, (3) impact of experiences, (4) policy, and (5) positive experiences. These findings can influence future military research by focusing on the effects of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, negative and positive experiences, and the impact of those experiences.