Insect exoskeletons react to hypergravity.

A typical feature of biological materials is their ability to adapt to mechanical load. However, it is not known whether the cuticle exoskeleton, one of the most common biological structures, also shares this trait. Here, we show direct experimental evidence that prolonged exposure to hypergravity conditions affects the morphology and biomechanics of an insect exoskeleton. Locusts were raised for several weeks in a custom-designed centrifuge at various levels of hypergravity. Biomechanical measurements and X-ray microtomography show that up to 3 g load Young's modulus of the tibiae increased by about 67%. Higher gravitational loads however decreased the survival rate, body mass and endocuticle thickness. These results directly show that cuticle exoskeletons can react to hypergravity. This ability has so far only been known for bone endoskeletons and plants. Our findings thus add important context to the discussion on general ultimate factors in the evolution of adaptive biological materials and skeletal systems.

Semi-automated differentiation of insect exo- and endocuticle in X-ray microtomography.

One of the most versatile and complex biological composite materials, the insect exoskeleton shows a huge range in biomechanical properties. The cuticle exoskeleton can be differentiated into two main histologically different layers with distinct properties: the outer, more sclerotized exocuticle and inner, softer endocuticle. For most biomechanical research questions, it is of great importance to be able to selectively characterize geometrical features of these layers. However, most conventional preparation methods (cross-sections, histological staining, SEM) require complex and destructive sample preparation, which provides only two-dimensional information. Here, we present a novel, simple staining method using X-ray microtomography to distinguish between exo- and endocuticle in a 3D environment without sample destruction. We illustrate the power of our method using locust (Locusta migratoria) hindleg tibia, a well characterized biomechanical sample. Our method allows an easy and direct measurement of exo- and endocuticle and their respective geometric features. Applying our method will help to understand the biomechanical role of exo- and endocuticle within an insect exoskeleton and will allow us to understand its composition and morphological features in more detail.

Patterns of Psychologists' Interprofessional Collaboration Across Clinical Practice Settings.

Healthcare increasingly emphasizes collaborative treatment by multidisciplinary teams. This is the first research focusing on psychologists' participation in team-based care, the mix of professionals with whom psychologists collaborate, and how these collaborations vary across practice settings. Data are from 1607 respondents participating in the American Psychological Association Center for Workforce Studies' 2015 on-line Survey of Psychology Health Service Providers. Practice settings differed markedly in systemic organizational support for interprofessional collaboration and in psychologists' participation in collaborative activities. Psychologists in individual private practice reported least support for and least occurrence of interprofessional collaboration. Psychologists' collaboration with non-behavioral health professionals, such as non-psychiatrist physicians and nurses, was more frequent in general hospitals and VA medical centers. Across settings, greater contact with another health profession was generally associated with psychologists being more confident about working with that profession. However, for work with psychiatrists, that association was attenuated. A collaborative practice model is presented for psychotherapy patients also treated by physicians or other professionals who manage a patient's psychotropic medication.

Society of Pediatric Psychology Workforce Survey: Updated Factors Related to Compensation.

OBJECTIVE: The 2017 Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP) Workforce Survey provides self-reported compensation by pediatric psychologists, identifies predictors of compensation, and establishes a better understanding of compensation within the context of gender and race/ethnicity minority status. METHODS: SPP members who attended the SPP Annual Conference (SPPAC; April 2017) were invited to complete the survey at the conference through electronic tablets provided on-site by the Workforce Survey Committee. The survey was subsequently distributed online to SPP members who did not complete the survey at SPPAC. The statistical analyses used for this salary data employed flexible semi-parametric models, cross-validation, and prediction models for both the overall sample and academic rank subgroups. RESULTS: Of 27 potential demographic and employment-related predictors from the 2017 SPP Workforce Survey, significant predictors of salary emerged within this sample: academic rank, time since obtaining doctoral degree, managing internal and external funds (of at least $50,000), years in primary employment position, obtaining Fellowship status in the American Psychological Association (APA), and managing other employees (at least 10 people). Given low response rates for males and individuals who identify as belonging to racial and ethnic minority subgroups, only limited, exploratory results are reported for these subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that not only is longevity in one's career important but managing funds/personnel and obtaining professional designations are also predictors of higher salaries for pediatric psychologists, in general. Specific implications of salary according to the psychologist's academic rank, gender, and racial/ethnicity group status are also explored.

Workforce Analysis of Psychological Practice With Older Adults: Growing Crisis Requires Urgent Action.

As the proportion and sheer number of older adults in the United States continues to increase, we need to plan for their behavioral health care. Access to accurate data about current workforce characteristics in psychology can provide essential information to inform workforce planning. In this paper, we present results of the American Psychological Association's Center for Workforce Studies survey of psychologists, with a focus on older adults. Participants (N = 4,109) were doctoral psychologists identified through state licensing boards. Only 1.2% of those surveyed described geropsychology as their specialty area, although 37.2% reported seeing older adults frequently or very frequently, most often from the specialties of rehabilitation psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and clinical health psychology. Frequent providers of aging services were more likely to be older, nonethnic minority, working in independent practice as their primary work setting, and self-employed as compared to other respondents. In addition, frequent providers of services to older adults were more likely to be in practices colocated with medical professionals and to accept Medicare as payment. Low reimbursement rates were cited as a reason for not accepting Medicare by those who did not. There was strong interest in further education in aging from all psychologists in areas including adjustment to medical illness/disability, depression, bereavement, dementia, anxiety, psychotherapy, and caregiver stress. The results of this survey suggest a continued urgent need to train psychologists across subfields in foundational geropsychology competencies that all psychologists should possess to be prepared for the rapidly growing and increasingly diverse population of older adults.

Trajectories of Maintenance and Resilience in Healthful Eating and Exercise Behaviors in Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to describe behavioral change trajectories for healthful eating and exercise in a group of community-dwelling older adults. A secondary aim was to determine predictors of maintenance and resilience. METHOD: Subjects were participants in the Study of Exercise and Nutrition in Older Rhode Islanders (SENIOR) I study who had achieved postaction stage of change for at least one behavior by its end. They were recruited for SENIOR II, a 48-month study with annual assessments on demographic, anthropometric, cognitive, psychosocial, and behavioral variables. RESULTS: Maintainers generally had higher levels of healthy behaviors and better cognitive function. Resilient older adults were similar to maintainers but were older and had greater functional limitations. DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that both physical health and psychological capital provide important resources upon which to draw as older adults grow even older. The trajectory model can provide useful information for developing resilience interventions for older adults.

Society of Pediatric Psychology Workforce Survey: Factors Related to Compensation of Pediatric Psychologists.

Objective: To summarize compensation results from the 2015 Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP) Workforce Survey and identify factors related to compensation of pediatric psychologists. Methods: All full members of SPP ( n = 1,314) received the online Workforce Survey; 404 (32%) were returned with usable data. The survey assessed salary, benefits, and other income sources. The relationship between demographic and employment-related factors and overall compensation was explored. Results: Academic rank, level of administrative responsibility, and cost of living index of employment location were associated with compensation. Compensation did not vary by gender; however, women were disproportionately represented at the assistant and associate professor level. Conclusions: Compensation of pediatric psychologists is related to multiple factors. Longitudinal administration of the Workforce Survey is needed to determine changes in compensation and career advancement for this profession over time. Strategies to increase the response rate of future Workforce Surveys are discussed.

Pediatric Psychologists' Career Satisfaction: 2015 Society of Pediatric Psychology Workforce Survey Results.

Little is known about the career satisfaction of pediatric psychologists, who specialize in psychological research, teaching, and clinical service in the context of pediatric healthcare. As part of the larger Society of Pediatric Psychology Workforce Survey and in collaboration with the American Psychological Association Center for Workforce Studies, this study aimed to: (1) describe the career domains which pediatric psychologists perceive to be important and their satisfaction in each domain, and (2) compare satisfaction of pediatric psychologists across work settings, number of positions, appointment duration, professional roles, career stage, academic rank, and gender. Responses from 336 pediatric psychologists demonstrated high career satisfaction. Domains of career satisfaction that received mean scores indicating high importance include balance of work and personal lives, peer/collegial support, and flexibility and choice in the workplace, but on average respondents reported being only somewhat satisfied in these domains. Total satisfaction scores were significantly higher among pediatric psychologists in 9-10 month appointments, primarily research careers, and at higher academic ranks, but scores were similar across employment settings and genders. To enhance career satisfaction and retention, pediatric psychologists may seek additional mentorship or explore new employment roles, and administrators and managers may consider adopting workplace policies or making environmental changes that could address specific areas of need. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This study suggests that overall, pediatric psychologists are highly satisfied with their employment. However, there may be some important aspects of their work that could be more satisfying. The findings have implications for identifying professional development strategies that can maintain or enhance satisfaction.

Undergraduate study in psychology: Curriculum and assessment.

The undergraduate curriculum in psychology profoundly reflects and shapes the discipline. Yet, reliable information on the undergraduate psychology curriculum has been difficult to acquire due to insufficient research carried out on unrepresentative program samples with disparate methods. In 2014, APA launched the first systematic effort in a decade to gather national data on the psychology major and program outcomes. We surveyed a stratified random sample of department chairs/coordinators of accredited colleges and universities in the United States that offer undergraduate courses and programs in psychology. A total of 439 undergraduate psychology programs (45.2%) completed the survey. This article summarizes, for both associate and baccalaureate programs, the results of the Undergraduate Study in Psychology. Current practices concerning the introductory course, the courses offered, core requirements, the psychology minor, and tracks/concentrations are presented. The frequency of formal program reviews and program-level assessment methods are also addressed. By extending prior research on the undergraduate curriculum, we chronicle longitudinal changes in the psychology major over the past 20 years.

Maintaining exercise and healthful eating in older adults: the SENIOR project II: study design and methodology.

The Study of Exercise and Nutrition in Older Rhode Islanders (SENIOR) Project II is an intervention study to promote the maintenance of both exercise and healthful eating in older adults. It is the second phase of an earlier study, SENIOR Project I, that originally recruited 1277 community-dwelling older adults to participate in behavior-specific interventions designed to increase exercise and/or fruit and vegetable consumption. The general theoretical framework for this research is the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of Health Behavior Change. The current intervention occurs over a 48-month period, using a manual, newsletters, and phone coaching calls. Annual assessments collect standardized data on behavioral outcomes (exercise and diet), TTM variables (stage of change and self-efficacy), psychosocial variables (social support, depression, resilience, and life satisfaction), physical activity and functioning (SF-36, Up and Go, Senior Fitness Test, and disability assessment), cognitive functioning (Trail Making Test and Forward and Backward Digit Span), physical measures (height, weight, and waist circumference), and demographics. The SENIOR Project II is designed to answer the following question as its primary objective: (1) Does an individualized active-maintenance intervention with older adults maintain greater levels of healthful exercise and dietary behaviors for 4years, compared to a control condition? In addition, there are two secondary objectives: (2) What are the psychosocial factors associated with the maintenance of health-promoting behaviors in the very old? (3) What are the effects of the maintenance of health-promoting behaviors on reported health outcomes, psychosocial measures, anthropometrics, and cognitive status?

Helping journalists get it right: a physicians's guide to improving health care reporting.

News reports are the way that most people, including many physicians and scientists, first learn about new developments in medicine. Because these reports can raise awareness, influence behavior, and confer credibility, physicians should share responsibility with the media for accurate reporting. Physicians can work with reporters to avoid sensationalizing tentative findings, overstating benefits, and making inappropriate generalizations. This article includes pragmatic suggestions for crafting effective news releases and explaining numerical data. It details "rules of the road" for interviews. Working collaboratively with news reporters to improve the quality of medical stories in the lay press benefits patients and physicians alike.