Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Jun 2019
Early career biomedical grantsmanship self-efficacy: validation of an abbreviated self-assessment tool.
A hallmark of success for early career biomedical researchers is the acquisition of research funding. There are marked disparities among principal investigators who submit grants and the likelihood of receiving national funding. The National Research Mentoring Network was funded by the National Institutes of Health to diversify the biomedical research workforce and included grantsmanship training for early career researchers. ⋯ Our aims were to confirm the internal consistency of a three-factor solution for grantsmanship confidence and to test the likelihood that self-efficacy influences grant proposal submission timing. We gathered data from 190 diverse biomedical trainees who completed NRMN grantsmanship training between August 2015 and June 2017. Findings revealed high internal consistency for items in each of three factors. There was a statistically significant association between self-efficacy mean scores and grant submission timing predicting that, for every one-point increase in the mean score, the odds of submitting a grant 6 months post-training increased by 69%. An abbreviated inventory of grantsmanship skills self-efficacy is a promising tool for monitoring changes over time in early career researchers and for promoting tailored grantsmanship interventions.
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Mar 2015
ReviewAre E-cigarettes a safe and good alternative to cigarette smoking?
Electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes) are devices that can vaporize a nicotine solution combined with liquid flavors instead of burning tobacco leaves. Since their emergence in 2004, E-cigarettes have become widely available, and their use has increased exponentially worldwide. E-cigarettes are aggressively advertised as a smoking cessation aid; as healthier, cheaper, and more socially acceptable than conventional cigarettes. ⋯ This review explores the development of the current E-cigarette and its market, prevalence of awareness, and use. The review also explores the beneficial and adverse effects of E-cigarettes in various aspects in accordance with recent research. The discussed aspects include smoking cessation or reduction and the health risks, social impact, and environmental consequences of E-cigarettes.
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Sep 2015
ReviewHow ion channels sense mechanical force: insights from mechanosensitive K2P channels TRAAK, TREK1, and TREK2.
The ability to sense and respond to mechanical forces is essential for life and cells have evolved a variety of systems to convert physical forces into cellular signals. Within this repertoire are the mechanosensitive ion channels, proteins that play critical roles in mechanosensation by transducing forces into ionic currents across cellular membranes. Understanding how these channels work, particularly in animals, remains a major focus of study. ⋯ Structural and functional insights have led to a physical model for mechanical activation of these channels. This model of force sensation by K2Ps is compared to force sensation by bacterial mechanosensitive ion channels MscL and MscS to highlight principles shared among these evolutionarily unrelated channels, as well as differences of potential functional relevance. Recent advances address fundamental questions and stimulate new ideas about these unique mechanosensors.
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Most people derive pleasure from music. Neuroimaging studies show that the reward system of the human brain is central to this experience. Specifically, the dorsal and ventral striatum release dopamine when listening to pleasurable music, and activity in these structures also codes the reward value of musical excerpts. ⋯ Applying this questionnaire to a large sample uncovered approximately 5% of the population with low sensitivity to musical reward in the absence of generalized anhedonia or depression. Further study of this group revealed that there are individuals who respond normally both behaviorally and psychophysiologically to rewards other than music (e.g., monetary value) but do not experience pleasure from music despite normal music perception ability and preserved ability to identify intended emotions in musical passages. This specific music anhedonia bears further study, as it may shed light on the function and dysfunction of the reward system.
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Nov 2014
ReviewDevelopment of the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for reducing sudden cardiac death.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) detect ventricular arrhythmias responsible for causing sudden cardiac arrest and then deliver a high-voltage defibrillation shock to terminate the arrhythmia and restore normal cardiac function. Conventional transveneous ICD (TV-ICD) systems require one or more leads to be implanted into the heart through the venous anatomy. While TV-ICDs are well tolerated by most patients, the invasive approach can be associated with severe complications, including systemic infection, cardiac injuries, and lead failures. ⋯ Advances in defibrillation research and far-field sensing combined to enable development of the commercial S-ICD system. An investigation device exemption (IDE) clinical investigation followed, with FDA approval in September 2012. Evaluation of the long-term performance of the S-ICD system continues, with two independent postmarket registries and a prospective randomized head-to-head trial versus the transvenous ICD.