Developmental networks comprise individuals (i.e., developers) who take an active interest in and concerted action to advance protégé's career. Research demonstrates that the social composition and characteristics of developmental networks change over time as protégés' careers evolve. However, little qualitative research explores if, how, and why developmental networks change. This analysis examines why protégés change or maintain connections to their developers, focusing on social constraints and deliberative actions. Using an exploratory qualitative approach, we explored the reasons that university faculty respondents changed their developmental networks over time. We considered the potential for individual/developer characteristics and structural constraints on relations between developers and protégés (e.g., job change) to understand how and why respondents added, maintained, or dropped developers from their networks. We conducted 56 semi-structured interviews with faculty mentors and mentees from three universities and the Mountain West Clinical and Translational Research Infrastructure Network, enrolled in a larger study of mentor training interventions. Respondents discussed how their developmental networks changed over 30 months. Self-reported network maps at baseline, 12, and 24 months were used to augment these interviews by showing who was in their network at these time points. Decisions about stability or change in networks mainly appeared unrelated to strategic decisions based on respondents' goals or identified network gaps. Instead, themes related to consistency or change included personal reasons (e.g., position change by respondent), or the personal or situational characteristics of the developer such as: being supportive and trustworthy; a collaborator on projects; genuinely caring; having similar experiences, goals, or values as respondent; social and work overlap; and time or capacity changes (e.g., developer retiring). Our findings establish the rationale for developing and implementing a structured, evidence-based networking intervention to educate faculty on intentionally changing developmental networks based on action plans.

'Critical' career milestones for faculty (e.g., tenure, securing grant funding) relate to career advancement, job satisfaction, service/leadership, scholarship/research, clinical or teaching activities, professionalism, compensation, and work-life balance. However, barriers and challenges to these milestones encountered by junior faculty have been inadequately studied, particularly those affecting underrepresented minorities in science (URM-S). Additionally, little is known about how barriers and challenges to career milestones have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic for URM-S and non-URM faculty mentees in science. In this study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 31 faculty mentees from four academic institutions (located in New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, and Hawaii), including 22 URM-S (women or racial/ethnic). Respondents were given examples of 'critical' career milestones and were asked to identify and discuss barriers and challenges that they have encountered or expect to encounter while working toward achieving these milestones. We performed thematic descriptive analysis using NVivo software in an iterative, team-based process. Our preliminary analysis identified five key themes that illustrate barriers and challenges encountered: Job and career development, Discrimination and a lack of workplace diversity; Lack of interpersonal relationships and inadequate social support at the workplace; Personal and family matters; and Unique COVID-19-related issues. COVID-19 barriers and challenges were related to online curriculum creation and administration, interpersonal relationship development, inadequate training/service/conference opportunities, and disruptions in childcare and schooling. Although COVID-19 helped create new barriers and challenges for junior faculty mentees, traditional barriers and challenges for 'critical' career milestones continue to be reported among our respondents. URM-S respondents also identified discrimination and diversity-related barriers and challenges. Subsequent interviews will focus on 12-month and 24-month follow-ups and provide additional insight into the unique challenges and barriers to 'critical' career milestones that URM and non-URM faculty in science have encountered during the unique historical context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the advantages of developmental networks are well-known, most faculty do not know how to participate in such networks actively. Additionally, institutions face challenges in teaching faculty the best practices of networking. This deficiency constitutes a critical gap in the literature, which may slow career advancement for faculty, particularly from underrepresented groups. The study's purpose was to examine the effectiveness of a curriculum-based faculty training in developmental networks, utilizing the Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO) platform. In this pre-post study, 33 faculty members participated in the intervention utilizing eight modules involving four competencies. Each module followed a standard format, including a short didactic, two facilitated case study discussions based on real-life scenarios, and self-reading of selected literature. Outcomes included (i) change in knowledge scores obtained from two questions per module and (ii) self-efficacy scores measured on a scale of 0-100. Paired student's t-test and mixed model regression analyses were used. A significant increase in knowledge score was documented using mixed model regression for 4 of the eight modules (mean change score 0.4-0.8, p≤0.03 for all analyses). The proportion of faculty participants reporting correct knowledge items for all modules increased from 49.8% (pre) to 64.3% (post), which was statistically significant (p<0.001). Significant increases in paired self-efficacy scores were reported for each of the eight modules (mean change score 17-37, p<0.05 for all analyses). This study highlights the importance of curriculum-based training in networking. Participants showed a significant increase in pre-post networking self-efficacy and knowledge scores. Our ECHO-based curriculum, facilitator training, and manual enable easy implementation in other institutions, ensuring scalability and adaptability. Our analysis provides the evidence basis for examining the impact of a developmental network intervention in enhancing individual career networks.

The Developmental Network Questionnaire (DNQ) is used in business to self-assess relationships with developers, or people who support one's career. The Mentoring Network Questionnaire (MNQ) is an online modification of the DNQ and includes two scales that rate developer's contributions to career or psychosocial help. The psychometrics of these scales for different populations are unreported. This study analyzed the construct validity and reliability of the two scales measuring support provided by developers of university faculty. Mentors and mentees (G=156) from multiple Southwestern and Mountain West universities rated 741 developers on the MNQ's five-item career- and psychosocial-support scales. Participants responded on a seven-point scale ranging from "never, not at all" to "to the maximum extent possible." Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) using Mplus and the multi-level reliability coefficient omega assessed construct validity and internal consistency reliability, respectively. Results supported the validity of two latent constructs of career- and psychosocial support, each measured by the established five-item scale: Comparative fit index (CFI)=.93, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI)=.91, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA)=.06, standardized root mean square residual (SRMR): W=.09, B=.10. The measurement model was improved when the "removes barriers" item was removed from the career-support scale (CFI=.96, TLI=.95, RMSEA=.05, SRMR: W=.06 B=.09. Factor loadings at both the within- and between-levels were strong and statistically significant. Reliability omegas ranged from .85 to .92. Career and psychosocial support provided to university faculty by developers in their networks may be validly and reliably measured at both the within- and between-levels by a modified four-item career support scale and the original five-item psychosocial support scale from the DNQ and the modified MNQ. Limitations include reduced statistical power due to small sample size and lack of testing at the university level. Future work will assess the responsiveness of these scales to measuring change over time in the amount of support provided.

Scholars have long recognized gender variation in social relationship dynamics. However, how gender shapes developmental networking relationships for career advancement, particularly among university faculty members, is understudied. This area of research is important since women comprise an increasing proportion of faculty and yet report receiving less mentoring and lower career satisfaction, productivity, and advancement than their male counterparts. This cross-sectional study assessed gender differences in self-reported dimensions of faculty participants' developmental networks by collecting information on relationships with developers, who are people who have taken concerted action and offered professional and personal guidance to help participants advance in their careers over the past year. The investigators used egocentric network data from an electronically administered Mentoring Network Questionnaire collected from 159 faculty involved in a mentoring intervention during the pandemic. Faculty were from multiple Southwest and Mountain West institutions. Statistical analyses were performed using the Chi-squared test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and unadjusted multilevel regression. Female faculty chose developers of lower gender diversity than male faculty (p=0.01). Compared to male faculty, female faculty reported receiving more psychosocial support from individual developers (p=0.03). Female faculty members' developers were more often characterized as friends and less often described as sponsors and allies than male faculty, based on relative levels of career and psychosocial support that individual developers provided (p<0.001). No gender differences were found in other network characteristics. Female faculty build developmental networks that have different factors compared to male faculty. Greater levels of psychosocial support and fewer allies and sponsors for female faculty may have long-term implications for differential career advancement for women vs. men in academic careers. Strategies to enhance networking should address gender differences and include a structured framework for assessing network gaps.

The growing application of social network-based theories and methods (Burt et al., 2013) in scholarship on mentoring illustrates that mentoring goes beyond dyadic relationships comprising a senior mentor and a junior protégé (Higgins & Kram, 2001). However, limited data exist on the state of developmental networks of university faculty. This study examines developmental network characteristics among mentors and mentees participating in an ongoing intervention that aims to enhance career success through improved mentoring. Cross-sectional data come from 81 faculty mentors and mentees at three universities in the Southwestern United States. Using the online Modified Mentoring Network Questionnaire (MNQ), participants provided information on relationships with developers, who are people that have taken concerted action, and provided professional and/or personal guidance to help participants advance in their careers. An individual's developmental network comprises relationships with developers. We conducted exploratory analyses examining key characteristics of mentors' and mentees' developmental networks. Participants received psychosocial and career support from an average of 4.9 developers (4.8 and 5.1 for mentors and mentees respectively) from 2.3 arenas (2.2 and 2.4 arenas for mentors and mentees, respectively). While the most common arena was the respondents' current job/position (62%, 64% and 59% for all participants, mentors, and mentees respectively), developers were from graduate school (11%, 6% and 17%); prior jobs/positions (13%, 16% and 9%) and family (8%, 5% and 11%). Our preliminary findings suggest that developers are important for university faculty and that methods and insights from social network analysis can be applied to examine their support networks. As our study is part of an ongoing longitudinal intervention, these findings will inform future analyses that will examine changes in developmental network characteristics and its impact on participants' careers.

Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that high blood lactate in the prehospital setting and poor lactate clearance in the emergency department are predictive of in-hospital mortality. This analysis of data collected from a swine model of hemorrhage and restricted volume resuscitation investigated the hypotheses that noninvasive muscle pH (pHm) and H+ clearance would predict mortality, and the responses would be similar between pHm and lactate. Data from a set of 57 swine were analyzed over the first 2 h after controlled hemorrhage and uncontrolled splenic bleeding. Surviving animals were ones that lived for the full 5-h experimental period. Venous lactate was determined at baseline, shock, and at 30, 60, and 120 min after injury. Spectra were collected continuously from the posterior thigh using a prototype CareGuide 1100 Oximeter and pHm calculated from the spectra; H+ concentration was determined from pHm. Lactate clearance rate was calculated from the difference in lactate concentration at 120 min and shock, and H+ clearance was calculated in a similar manner. Comparison of the area under the receiver operator characteristic curves was used to assess prediction of survival at 5 h after injury. At 120 min after injury, lactate, lactate clearance, noninvasive pHm, and noninvasive H+ clearance were equivalent predictors of mortality each with a receiver operator characteristic area under the curve of 0.87. Thresholds for single lactate (<3.8 mmol/L) or pHm (>7.30) determinations were found to be consistent with a resuscitation goal targeted to reverse acidosis. Continuous, noninvasive pHm monitoring may provide a substitute for lactate measurement in trauma patients, particularly in the prehospital and emergency department settings.

You might find this additional info useful...This article cites€39 articles, 15 of which you can access for free at: http://jap.physiology.org/content/104/3/837.full#ref-list-1This article has been cited by€2 other HighWire-hosted articles: http://jap.physiology.org/content/104/3/837#cited-by Updated information and services including high resolution figures, can be found at: http://jap.physiology.org/content/104/3/837.fullAdditional material and information about Journal of Applied Physiology can be found at: http://www.the-aps.org/publications/japplThis information is current as of May 29, 2013.

Muscle tissue oxygenation (SmO2) can track central blood volume loss associated with hemorrhage. Traditional peripheral measurement sites (e.g., forearm) may not be practical due to excessive movement or injury (e.g., amputation). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of three novel anatomical sites for the assessment of SmO2 under progressive central hypovolemia. 10 male volunteers were exposed to stepwise prone lower body negative pressure to decrease central blood volume, while SmO2 was assessed at four sites—the traditional site of the flexor carpi ulnaris (ARM), and three novel sites not previously investigated during lower body negative pressure, the deltoid, latissimus dorsi, and trapezius. SmO2 at the novel sites was compared to the ARM sensor and to stroke volume responses. A reduction in SmO2 was detected by the ARM sensor at the first level of lower body negative pressure (−15 mmHg; P = 0.007), and at −30 (the deltoid), −45 (latissimus dorsi), and −60 mmHg lower body negative pressure (trapezius) at the novel sites (P ≤ 0.04). SmO2 responses at all novel sites were correlated with responses at the ARM (R ≥ 0.89), and tracked the reduction in stroke volume (R ≥ 0.87); the latissimus dorsi site exhibited the strongest linear correlations (R ≥ 0.96). Of the novel sensor sites, the latissimus dorsi exhibited the strongest linear associations with SmO2 at the ARM, and with reductions in central blood volume. These findings have important implications for detection of hemorrhage in austere environments (e.g., combat) when use of a peripheral sensor may not be ideal, and may facilitate incorporation of these sensors into uniforms.

This study evaluated noninvasively determined muscle pH (pHm) and muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) in a swine shock model that used uncontrolled hemorrhage and restricted volume resuscitation. Anesthetized 40-kg female swine underwent hemorrhage until 24 mL/kg of blood was removed (n = 26), followed by transection of the spleen, causing uncontrolled hemorrhage throughout the remainder of the protocol. After 15 min, 15 mL/kg of resuscitation fluid (Hextend, fresh-frozen plasma or platelets) was given for 30 min. Arterial and venous blood gases were measured at baseline, shock, end of resuscitation, and end of the study (death or 5 h), along with lactate and base excess. In addition, seven animals underwent a sham procedure. Spectra were collected continuously from the posterior thigh using a prototype CareGuide 1100 Oximeter, and pHm and SmO2 were calculated from the spectra. A two-factor analysis of variance with repeated measures followed by Tukey post hoc comparisons was used to compare experimental factors. It was shown that, for both pH and SO2, venous and muscle values were similar to each other at the end of the resuscitation period and at the end of the study for both surviving and nonsurviving animals. pH and SO2, venous and muscle, significantly declined as a result of bleeding, but lactate and base excess did not show significant changes during this period. Noninvasive pHm and SmO2 tracked the adequacy of resuscitation in real time, indicating at the time all of the fluid was delivered, which animals would live and which would die. The results of this swine study indicate that further evaluation on trauma patients is warranted.

During normothermia, a reduction in near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-derived tissue oxygen saturation (So2) is an indicator of central hypovolemia. Hyperthermia increases skin blood flow and reduces tolerance to central hypovolemia, both of which may alter the interpretation of tissue So2 during central hypovolemia. This study tested the hypothesis that maximal reductions in tissue So2 would be similar throughout normothermic and hyperthermic central hypovolemia to presyncope. Ten healthy males (means ± SD; 32 ± 5 yr) underwent central hypovolemia via progressive lower-body negative pressure (LBNP) to presyncope during normothermia (skin temperature ≈34°C) and hyperthermia (+1.2 ± 0.1°C increase in internal temperature via a water-perfused suit, skin temperature ≈39°C). NIRS-derived forearm (flexor digitorum profundus) tissue So2 was measured throughout and analyzed as the absolute change from pre-LBNP. Hyperthermia reduced (P < 0.001) LBNP tolerance by 49 ± 33% (from 16.7 ± 7.9 to 7.2 ± 3.9 min). Pre-LBNP, tissue So2 was similar (P = 0.654) between normothermia (74 ± 5%) and hyperthermia (73 ± 7%). Tissue So2 decreased (P < 0.001) throughout LBNP, but the reduction from pre-LBNP to presyncope was greater during normothermia (-10 ± 6%) than during hyperthermia (-6 ± 5%; P = 0.041). Contrary to our hypothesis, these findings indicate that hyperthermia is associated with a smaller maximal reduction in tissue So2 during central hypovolemia to presyncope.

Background Dengue viral infections are prevalent in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. Clinical manifestations range from a self-limited fever to a potential life-threatening plasma leakage syndrome (dengue hemorrhagic fever). The objective of this study was to assess the utility of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measurements of muscle oxygen saturation (SmO 2 ) as a possible continuous measure to detect plasma leakage in children with dengue. Methods Children ages 6 months to 15 years of age admitted with suspected dengue were enrolled from the dengue ward at Queen Sirikit National Institute for Child Health. Children were monitored daily until discharge. NIRS data were collected continuously using a prototype CareGuide Oximeter 1100 with sensors placed on the deltoid or thigh. Daily ultrasound of the chest and a right lateral decubitus chest x-ray the day after defervescence were performed to detect and quantitate plasma leakage in the pleural cavity. Results NIRS data were obtained from 19 children with laboratory-confirmed dengue. Average minimum SmO 2 decreased for all subjects prior to defervescence. Average minimum SmO 2 subsequently increased in children with no ultrasound evidence of pleural effusion but remained low in children with pleural effusion following defervescence. Average minimum SmO 2 was inversely correlated with pleural space fluid volume. ROC analysis revealed a cut-off value for SmO 2 which yielded high specificity and sensitivity. Conclusions SmO 2 measured using NIRS may be a useful guide for real-time and non-invasive identification of plasma leakage in children with dengue. Further investigation of the utility of NIRS measurements for prediction and management of severe dengue syndromes is warranted.

During normothermia, a reduction in near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) derived muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) is an indicator of central hypovolemia. Hyperthermia reduces tolerance to central hypovolemia. This study tested the hypothesis that reductions in NIRS derived SmO2 would be similar throughout normothermic and hyperthermic central hypovolemia to pre‐syncope. Ten healthy males (32 ± 5 y) underwent central hypovolemia via progressive lower‐body negative pressure (LBNP) to pre‐syncope during normothermia and hyperthermia (+1.2 ± 0.1°C increase in internal temperature). NIRS derived SmO2 (Reflectance Medical Inc.) was measured throughout and analyzed as the absolute change from pre‐LBNP. Hyperthermia reduced (P<0.001) LBNP tolerance by 38 ± 19%. Pre‐LBNP SmO2 was similar (P=0.654) between normothermia (74.1 ± 5.0%) and hyperthermia (72.6 ± 6.9%). SmO2 decreased (P<0.001) throughout LBNP, but the absolute reduction from pre‐LBNP to pre‐syncope was greater (P=0.018) during normothermia (‐10.0 ± 5.7%) than during hyperthermia (‐5.7 ± 4.5%). These data indicate that hyperthermia influences the magnitude of the reduction in NIRS derived SmO2 during central hypovolemia to pre‐syncope. However, a potentially confounding influence of hyperthermia‐induced increases in skin blood flow affecting the NIRS derived SmO2 signal cannot be discounted.Grant Funding Source: DOD Grant 110475007

Near infrared spectroscopy can be used noninvasively and continuously to assess deep muscle pH (pHm) as an indicator of acidosis and adequacy of resuscitation. Since pHm is a new parameter, it was compared to blood measurements of arterial and venous pH (pHa, pHv) during shock in swine to provide data to aid in interpretation during clinical use. Methods: Anesthetized 40 kg female swine (n=26) underwent hemorrhage until 24 mL/kg of blood was removed (Shock); followed by transection of the spleen causing uncontrolled hemorrhage throughout the remainder of the protocol. After 15min, 15.25mg/kg of resuscitation fluid (hextend, fresh frozen plasma or platelets) was given over 30min. Arterial and venous blood gases were measured at baseline, shock, end resuscitation and end of the study. Spectra were collected continuously from the posterior thigh muscle using a prototype CareGuide 1100 Oximeter. pHm was calculated from the spectra using the equation contained in the CareGuide 3100 product. Differences between survivors and non-survivors were assessed with two-way repeated measured ANOVA followed by a Tukey test. RESULTS: Thirteen of the 26 swine did not survive for the full 5 hrs. pHv and pHm discriminated survivors and non-survivors at the end of resuscitation (p < 0.05) with lower pH for the non-survivors. pHa did not discriminate between survivors and non-survivors at any time point. Conclusions: Noninvasive pHm is a surrogate for peripheral venous pH during swine hemorrhage and resuscitation.

New patient monitoring technologies can noninvasively and directly provide an assessment of the adequacy of tissue perfusion through the simultaneous determination of muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) and muscle pH (pHm). Non-pulsatile near infrared spectroscopy is used to determine these microvascular parameters. Two separate studies were conducted using an isolated perfused swine limb preparation to widely vary venous blood oxygen saturation (SviO2) and pH (pHvi) to assess the accuracy of a noninvasive sensor with the capability to simultaneously measure both parameters. The isolated limb model is necessary to establish equilibrium between the venous output of the perfusion circuit and the venule measurement of the spectroscopic sensor. The average absolute difference between SmO2 and SviO2 determined over 50 conditions of SviO2 between 13% and 83% on 3 pig limbs was 3.8% and the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.95. The average absolute difference between pHm and pHvi determined over 69 conditions of pHvi between pHvi 6.9 and pHvi 7.5 on 3 pig limbs was 0.045 pH units with an R2 of 0.92. Measured accuracy was acceptable to support clinically relevant decision making for the assessment of impaired tissue perfusion and acidosis. Sensors were also evaluated on human subjects. There was no statistical difference in SmO2 by gender or location when multiple sensors were evaluated on the right and left calf, deltoid, and thigh of resting men and women (N = 33). SmO2 precision for subjects at rest was 5.6% over the six locations with four different sensors.