University of Montana Western

By the most recent estimates, 18.8 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with diabetes and an additional 7 million are believed to be living with undiagnosed diabetes. At the same time, 79 million people are estimated to have blood glucose levels in the range of prediabetes or categories of increased risk for diabetes. Thus, more than 100 million Americans are at risk for developing the devastating complications of diabetes (1). Diabetes self-management education (DSME) is a critical element of care for all people with diabetes and those at risk for developing the disease. It is necessary in order to prevent or delay the complications of diabetes (2–6) and has elements related to lifestyle changes that are also essential for individuals with prediabetes as part of efforts to prevent the disease (7,8). The National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education are designed to define quality DSME and support and to assist diabetes educators in providing evidence-based education and self-management support. The Standards are applicable to educators in solo practice as well as those in large multicenter programs—and everyone in between. There are many good models for the provision of diabetes education and support. The Standards do not endorse any one approach, but rather seek to delineate the commonalities among effective and excellent self-management education strategies. These are the standards used in the field for recognition and accreditation. They also serve as a guide for nonaccredited and nonrecognized providers and programs. Because of the dynamic nature of health care and diabetes-related research, the Standards are reviewed and revised approximately every 5 years by key stakeholders and experts within the diabetes education community. In the fall of 2011, a Task Force was jointly convened by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) and the American Diabetes Association …

Abstract Alien invertebrate predators have been introduced to Hawaii to control pests, particularly in lowland areas where most crops are grown. We developed techniques for assessing the impact of these predators on native food webs in relatively pristine upland areas where, it was hypothesized, few lowland predators might be found. Predator densities were assessed along transects within the Alakaii Swamp on Kaua'i. The most numerous alien biocontrol agents found were Halmus chalybeus (Coccinellidae), a species known to feed on Lepidoptera eggs. Laboratory experiments were conducted using two genera of endemic Lepidoptera, Scotorythra and Eupithecia (Geometridae), that are of considerable conservation value, the former because of its recent speciation across Hawaii, the latter for its unique predatory larvae. Techniques were developed for detecting Lepidoptera DNA within the guts of alien predators using prey-specific PCR primers. General primers amplified fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene from beetles and Lepidoptera. The sequences were aligned and used successfully to design target-specific primers for general detection of the remains of Geometridae and for particular species, including Scotorythra rara and Eupithecia monticolans. DNA fragments amplified were short [140-170 base pairs (bp)], optimizing detection periods following prey ingestion. Trials using the introduced biocontrol agent Curinus coeruleus (Coccinellidae) demonstrated detection of Lepidoptera DNA fragments = 151 bp in 85-100% of beetles after 24 h digestion of an early instar larva. This study provides a framework for future use of molecular gut analysis in arthropod conservation ecology and food web research with considerable potential for quantifying threats to endemic species in Hawaii and elsewhere.

Interactions among species determine local-scale diversity, but local interactions are thought to have minor effects at larger scales. However, quantitative comparisons of the importance of biotic interactions relative to other drivers are rarely made at larger scales. Using a data set spanning 78 sites and five continents, we assessed the relative importance of biotic interactions and climate in determining plant diversity in alpine ecosystems dominated by nurse-plant cushion species. Climate variables related with water balance showed the highest correlation with richness at the global scale. Strikingly, although the effect of cushion species on diversity was lower than that of climate, its contribution was still substantial. In particular, cushion species enhanced species richness more in systems with inherently impoverished local diversity. Nurse species appear to act as a 'safety net' sustaining diversity under harsh conditions, demonstrating that climate and species interactions should be integrated when predicting future biodiversity effects of climate change.

These are the first clinical guidelines published for the treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) providing evidence-based practice parameters. They were developed by the Standards of Practice Committee and reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The guidelines provide recommendations for the practice of sleep medicine in North America regarding the treatment of RLS and PLMD. Recommendations are based on the accompanying comprehensive review of the medical literature regarding treatment of RLS and PLMD which was developed by a task force commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Recommendations are identified as standards, guidelines, or options, based on the strength of evidence from published studies that meet criteria for inclusion. Dopaminergic agents are the best studied and most successful agents for treatment of RLS and PLMD. Specific recommendations are also given for the use of opioid, benzodiazepine, anticonvulsant, and adrenergic medications, and for iron supplementation. In general, pharmacological treatment should be limited to individuals who meet diagnostic criteria and especially who experience insomnia and/or excessive sleepiness that is thought to occur secondary to RLS or PLMD. Individuals treated with medication should be followed by a physician and monitored for clinical response and adverse effects. It would be desirable for future investigations to employ multicenter clinical trials, with expanded numbers of subjects using double-blind, placebo-controlled designs, and an assessment of long-term response, side effects, and impact of treatment on quality of life. Evaluation of special groups such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly is warranted.

The following study spans three consecutive semesters of investigation into the teaching and learning responses of 77 preservice teachers enrolled in a 3-week language arts field practicum just prior to student-teaching. Despite consistent efforts by university professors to help preservice teachers examine theory into practice during their practica, the data indicated that procedural concerns of time management, teaching expected lessons and content, and classroom management most often focused the practicum experience for the preservice teachers.

Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) adapts to its arthropod and mammalian hosts by altering its transcriptional and antigenic profiles in response to environmental signals associated with each of these milieus. In studies presented here, we provide evidence to suggest that mammalian host signals are important for modulating and maintaining both the positive and negative aspects of mammalian host adaptation mediated by the alternative sigma factor RpoS in Bb. Although considerable overlap was observed between genes induced by RpoS during growth within the mammalian host and following temperature-shift, comparative microarray analyses demonstrated unequivocally that RpoS-mediated repression requires mammalian host-specific signals. A substantial portion of the in vivo RpoS regulon was uniquely upregulated within dialysis membrane chambers, further underscoring the importance of host-derived environmental stimuli for differential gene expression in Bb. Expression profiling of genes within the RpoS regulon by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) revealed a level of complexity to RpoS-dependent gene regulation beyond that observed by microarray, including a broad range of expression levels and the presence of genes whose expression is only partially dependent on RpoS. Analysis of Bb-infected ticks by qRT-PCR established that expression of rpoS is induced during the nymphal blood meal but not within unfed nymphs or engorged larvae. Together, these data have led us to postulate that RpoS acts as a gatekeeper for the reciprocal regulation of genes involved in the establishment of infection within the mammalian host and the maintenance of spirochetes within the arthropod vector.

Abstract The clearly defined work and family roles of the traditional American family model-husbands as breadwinners and wives as homemakers-have been replaced by a model where both husbands and wives are employed, creating the need to re-negotiate family roles. The current study examined: (1) differences in perceived decision-making, gender-role attitudes, division of household labor and perceived marital equity in dual-earner husbands and wives (n = 233); and (2) the impact of perceived decision-making, gender-role attitudes, and division of household labor on perceived marital equity. Findings indicated that decision-making, low-control household labor, and high-control household labor differed significantly between husbands and wives. Wives spent more time in household labor and were much more likely to be involved in low-control household tasks. Perceptions of marital equity were influenced by decision-making and time spent in low-control household tasks for both husbands and wives.

Insomnia is the most common sleep complaint reported to physicians. Treatment has traditionally involved medication. Behavioral approaches have been available for decades, but lack of physician awareness and training, difficulty in obtaining reimbursements, and questions about efficacy have limited their use. These practice parameters review the current evidence with regards to a variety of nonpharmacologic treatments for insomnia. Using a companion paper which provides a background review, the available literature was analyzed. The evidence was graded by previously reported criteria of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine with references to American Psychological Association criteria. Treatments considered include: stimulus control, progressive muscle relaxation, paradoxical intention, biofeedback, sleep restriction, multicomponent cognitive behavioral therapy, sleep hygiene education, imagery training, and cognitive therapy. Improved experimental design has significantly advanced the process of evaluation of nonpharmacologic treatments for insomnia using guidelines outlined by the American Psychological Association (APA). Recommendations for individual therapies using the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommendation levels for each are: Stimulus Control (Standard); Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Paradoxical Intention, and Biofeedback (Guidelines); Sleep Restriction, and Multicomponent Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Options); Sleep Hygiene Education, Imagery Training, and Cognitive Therapy had insufficient evidence to be recommended as a single therapy. Optimal duration of therapy, who should perform the treatments, long term outcomes and safety concerns, and the effect of treatment on quality of life are questions in need of future research.

Biotic interactions can shape phylogenetic community structure (PCS). However, we do not know how the asymmetric effects of foundation species on communities extend to effects on PCS. We assessed PCS of alpine plant communities around the world, both within cushion plant foundation species and adjacent open ground, and compared the effects of foundation species and climate on alpha (within-microsite), beta (between open and cushion) and gamma (open and cushion combined) PCS. In the open, alpha PCS shifted from highly related to distantly related with increasing potential productivity. However, we found no relationship between gamma PCS and climate, due to divergence in phylogenetic composition between cushion and open sub-communities in severe environments, as demonstrated by increasing phylo-beta diversity. Thus, foundation species functioned as micro-refugia by facilitating less stress-tolerant lineages in severe environments, erasing a global productivity - phylogenetic diversity relationship that would go undetected without accounting for this important biotic interaction.

Intercropping barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) with Austrian winter pea ( Pisum sativum ssp. arvense L. Poir) may increase the use efficiencies of growth resources and reduce fertilizer N requirements. The objectives of this study were to determine (i) row configuration and (ii) fertilizer N effects on yield, protein content, and the land equivalent ratio (LER) of barley–pea intercropping systems. A 3‐yr barley–pea intercropping study was conducted at the Western and Central Agricultural Research Centers (WARC and CARC) of Montana State University from 2000 to 2002 with three row configurations (4 rows barley × 4 rows pea, 2 rows barley × 2 rows pea, and barley–pea mixed within rows) and three N application treatments (0, 67, and 134 kg N ha −1 ). Barley biomass production increased 41% at WARC and CARC, whereas pea biomass production decreased 34% at WARC and 46% at CARC with the row configuration changing from the 4 × 4 to the mixed configuration. The LER ranged from 1.05 to 1.24 on a biomass basis and from 1.05 to 1.26 on a protein basis, indicating a production advantage of intercropping. Barley is a more competitive component than pea. Separated row arrangements are advantageous where the desired outcome is a greater pea component in the harvested forage, but the mixed arrangement has a greater total biomass yield and LER. Fertilizer N increased total biomass yield and protein level in barley–pea intercrops, but high N rates could decrease the LER and result in toxic levels of nitrate in the forage.

Research Article| January 01, 1999 200 k.y. paleoclimate record from Death Valley salt core Tim K. Lowenstein; Tim K. Lowenstein 1Department of Geological Sciences and Environmental Studies, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jianren Li; Jianren Li 1Department of Geological Sciences and Environmental Studies, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Christopher Brown; Christopher Brown 1Department of Geological Sciences and Environmental Studies, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Sheila M. Roberts; Sheila M. Roberts 2Environmental Sciences Department, Western Montana College of the University of Montana, Dillon, Montana 59725, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Teh-Lung Ku; Teh-Lung Ku 3Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Shangde Luo; Shangde Luo 3Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Wenbo Yang Wenbo Yang 4Marine Science Research Center, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (1999) 27 (1): 3–6. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027<0003:KYPRFD>2.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Tim K. Lowenstein, Jianren Li, Christopher Brown, Sheila M. Roberts, Teh-Lung Ku, Shangde Luo, Wenbo Yang; 200 k.y. paleoclimate record from Death Valley salt core. Geology 1999;; 27 (1): 3–6. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027<0003:KYPRFD>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract A 186-m-long core (DV93-1) from Death Valley, California, composed of interbedded salts and muds contains a 200 k.y. record of closed-basin environments and paleoclimates, interpreted on the basis of sedimentology, ostracodes, homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions in halite, and correlation with shoreline tufa. The 200 k.y. paleoclimate record is dominated by two dry and/or warm and wet and cold cycles that occurred on a 100 k.y. time scale. These cycles begin with mud-flat deposits (192 ka to bottom of core, and 60 ka to 120 ka). Wetter and/or colder conditions produced greater effective moisture; saline pan and shallow saline lake evaporites overlie mud-flat sediments (186 ka to 192 ka and 35 ka to 60 ka). Eventually, enough water entered Death Valley to sustain perennial lakes that had fluctuating water levels and salinities (120 ka to 186 ka and 10 ka to 35 ka). When more arid conditions returned, mud-flat deposits accumulated on top of the perennial lake sediments, completing the cycle (120 ka and 10 ka). Of particular significance are the major lacustrine phases, 10 ka to 35 ka and 120 ka to 186 ka (oxygen isotope stages 2 and 5e–6), which represent markedly colder and wetter conditions than those of modern Death Valley. Of the two major lake periods, the penultimate glacial lakes were deeper and far longer lasting than those of the last glacial. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

This exploratory research investigated the creative abilities of OpenAI's large language model, ChatGPT, based on the GPT-4 architecture, as assessed by the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. In comparison to human samples and a national percentile from Scholastic Testing Services, ChatGPT's performance was analyzed for fluency, flexibility, and originality. Results indicated that ChatGPT scored within the top 1% for originality and fluency, and showed high scores for flexibility, thus highlighting the current creative abilities of AI and the potential of AI systems to support and augment human creativity in new and meaningful ways. The study encourages additional research to further define, measure, and develop creativity in the era of advanced AI.

These clinical guidelines were developed by the Standards of Practice Committee and reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The guidelines provide recommendations for the practice of sleep medicine in North America regarding the use of light therapy for treatment of various sleep disorders. This paper is based on a series of articles in the Journal of Biological Rhythms and also includes evidence tables from an updated Medline review covering the period January 1994 to December 1997. Evidence is presented by grade and level. Recommendations are identified as standards, guidelines, or options. Recommendations are provided for delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS), non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome, jet lag, shift work, dementia, and sleep complaints in the healthy elderly. Light therapy appears generally safe if used within recommended intensity and time limits. Light therapy can be useful in treatment of DSPS and ASPS. Benefits of light therapy are less clear and treatment is an option in jet lag, shift work, and non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome in some blind patients.

By the most recent estimates, 18.8 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with diabetes and an additional 7 million are believed to be living with undiagnosed diabetes. At the same time, 79 million people are estimated to have blood glucose levels in the range of prediabetes or categories of increased risk for diabetes. Thus, more than 100 million Americans are at risk for developing the devastating complications of diabetes (1). Diabetes self-management education (DSME) is a critical element of care for all people with diabetes and those at risk for developing the disease. It is necessary in order to prevent or delay the complications of diabetes (2–6) and has elements related to lifestyle changes that are also essential for individuals with prediabetes as part of efforts to prevent the disease (7,8). The National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education are designed to define quality DSME and support and to assist diabetes educators in providing evidence-based education and self-management support. The Standards are applicable to educators in solo practice as well as those in large multicenter programs—and everyone in between. There are many good models for the provision of diabetes education and support. The Standards do not endorse any one approach, but rather seek to delineate the commonalities among effective and excellent self-management education strategies. These are the standards used in the field for recognition and accreditation. They also serve as a guide for nonaccredited and nonrecognized providers and programs. Because of the dynamic nature of health care and diabetes-related research, the Standards are reviewed and revised approximately every 5 years by key stakeholders and experts within the diabetes education community. In the fall of 2011, a Task Force was jointly convened by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) and the American Diabetes Association …

Cannabis, or Marijuana, has been used for centuries for both symptomatic and prophylactic treatment of migraine. It was highly esteemed as a headache remedy by the most prominent physicians of the age between 1874 and 1942, remaining part of the Western pharmacopoeia for this indication even into the mid-twentieth century. Current ethnobotanical and anecdotal references continue to refer to its efficacy for this malady, while biochemical studies of THC and anandamide have provided a scientific basis for such treatment. The author believes that controlled clinical trials of Cannabis in acute migraine treatment are warranted.

The magnon mode excitation spectrum is obtained from a linearized set of Landau-Lifshitz equations for vortex ground state cylindrical nanomagnets in an external magnetic field. It is shown that there is a rich spectrum of doublet states, and the splitting can be amplified in an external magnetic field.

A spin-polarized current with the polarization direction perpendicular to a disk in the vortex ground state will result in renormalization of the effective damping of excitations on this state. As the current is increased to a threshold current Ic the effective damping will be zero and the lowest threshold current corresponds to the vortex gyrotropic mode. For larger values of the current the excitation is a nonlinear gyrotropic mode having nonsmall amplitudes and larger frequency than the linear mode. This effect occurs for any mode of the vortex-state disk, and the value of Ic is proportional to the mode frequency.

Row spacing, plant density, and N application timing can be manipulated to optimize plant growth and spatial distribution, therefore maximizing sunlight, nutrients, soil water use efficiency and grain yield. A 2‐yr field study to evaluate the effects of four seeding rates (108, 215, 323, and 430 seeds m −2 ), two row spacings (15 and 30 cm), and three N treatments (FA1, 100% at seeding; FA2, 50% at seeding and 50% at tiller formation; and FA3, 50% at seeding and 50% at shoot elongation) on grain yield of McNeal hard red spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) was conducted in central Montana. Spring wheat accumulated greater biomass at a faster rate under the 15‐cm row spacing than the 30‐cm row spacing. Grain yield was 410 and 412 kg ha −1 greater at 15‐cm than at 30‐cm row spacings in 2004 and 2005, and the yield increase was primarily attributed to 44 and 40 more spikes m −2 at 15‐cm than at 30‐cm row spacing in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Grain yield was not significantly affected by the N treatments, thus all N should be applied at seeding. The optimum seeding rate was 215 seeds m −2 . Tillers at higher seeding rates had larger phyllochrons and greater mortalities. Low protein content was found in FA3 and high seeding rate treatments in 2005. Narrow row spacing is recommended for high spring wheat yield in the northern Great Plains. This yield increase cannot be achieved by increasing seeding rate at wide row spacing.

Thin submicron magnetic cylinders can have a vortex ground state, and dynamic magnon normal mode excitations of this ground state exhibit a rich spectrum consisting of the subgigahertz gyrotropic mode as well as other higher frequency modes. The frequencies and structure of the normal modes are obtained analytically within the basis of the vortex-magnon interaction, including both exchange and the magnetostatic interaction to obtain the structures and frequencies of these modes. It is remarked that the modes can be classified according to an azimuthal integer eigenvalue, $m$ corresponding to the number of azimuthal nodes, with the gyrotropic mode belonging to the $\ensuremath{\mid}m\ensuremath{\mid}=1$ class. In this paper the higher frequency $\ensuremath{\mid}m\ensuremath{\mid}=1$ modes are also investigated. Analytic calculation shows that the mode frequency is an approximately linear function of $\sqrt{L∕R}$ (where $L$ is the cylinder thickness and $R$ is the cylinder radius) for small values of the aspect ratio, with deviations from linearity as the aspect ratio increases. Time-resolved Kerr microscopy imaging of the dynamic magnetic structure (excited by an in-plane pulse) in single permalloy cylinders of radii from $250\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{to}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}1000\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ indicates that the calculated frequencies are close to the measured frequencies. Finally, the azimuthal node is also observed, showing that the high frequency $\ensuremath{\mid}m\ensuremath{\mid}=1$ mode is indeed excited and observed.

Foundation species can change plant community structure by modulating important ecological processes such as community assembly, yet this topic is poorly understood. In alpine systems, cushion plants commonly act as foundation species by ameliorating local conditions. Here, we analyze diversity patterns of species' assembly within cushions and in adjacent surrounding open substrates (83 sites across five continents) calculating floristic dissimilarity between replicate plots, and using linear models to analyze relationships between microhabitats and species diversity. Floristic dissimilarity did not change across biogeographic regions, but was consistently lower in the cushions than in the open microhabitat. Cushion plants appear to enable recruitment of many relatively stress-intolerant species that otherwise would not establish in these communities, yet the niche space constructed by cushion plants supports a more homogeneous composition of species than the niche space beyond the cushion's influence. As a result, cushion plants support higher α-diversity and a larger species pool, but harbor assemblies with lower β-diversity than open microhabitats. We conclude that habitats with and without dominant foundation species can strongly differ in the processes that drive species recruitment, and thus the relationship between local and regional species diversity.