[Medical-social aspects of multiple sclerosis].

PubMed

Vermersch, P; Marissal, J P

2001-09-01

On a daily basis the quality of life of patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) partially depends on social measures. These are not specific to MS. Patients often need to be helped by hospital or town social services for the numerous and complicated administrative steps to be taken. The information given to a patient is of prime importance concerning his rights, particularly his occupational rights. Many organisations have to be contacted to obtain financial and material aids, even if the latter are considered insufficient in many fields especially for improvements in accommodation. An invalidity card may entitle its holder to certain tax reductions. The competences of the COTOREP are wide-ranging and include the recognition of the handicapped worker, his training and his regarding at work, his orientation and admission into a specialised structure, the degree of his invalidity rate and should his handicap justify it, benefits such as the handicapped adults allowance and the compensatory third person's allowance. It is essential to adopt a multidisciplinary way when dealing with MS in order to provide a better care, experiments in specialised structures and networks are being undertaken. Numerous partners are taking part in these new approaches and patient associations may find their place there. Social aspects have to be taken into account as well in the way the cost of the disease is evaluated in terms of money and humanity.

Aspect ratio dependence of auger recombination and carrier multiplication in PbSe nanorods.

PubMed

Padilha, Lazaro A; Stewart, John T; Sandberg, Richard L; Bae, Wan Ki; Koh, Weon-Kyu; Pietryga, Jeffrey M; Klimov, Victor I

2013-03-13

Nanomaterials with efficient carrier multiplication (CM), that is, generation of multiple electron-hole pairs by single photons, have been the object of intense scientific interest as potential enablers of high efficiency generation-III photovoltaics. In this work, we explore nanocrystal shape control as a means for enhancing CM. Specifically, we investigate the influence of aspect ratio (ρ) of PbSe nanorods (NRs) on both CM and the inverse of this process, Auger recombination. We observe that Auger lifetimes in NRs increase with increasing particle volume and for a fixed cross-sectional size follow a linear dependence on the NR length. For a given band gap energy, the CM efficiency in NRs shows a significant dependence on aspect ratio and exhibits a maximum at ρ ∼ 6-7 for which the multiexciton yields are a factor of ca. 2 higher than those in quantum dots with a similar bandgap energy. To rationalize our experimental observations, we analyze the influence of dimensionality on both CM and non-CM energy-loss mechanisms and offer possible explanations for the seemingly divergent effects the transition from zero- to one-dimensional confinement has on the closely related processes of Auger recombination and CM.

[Multiple homicides--forensic and criminologic aspects].

PubMed

Padosch, Stephan A; Schmidt, Peter H; Rothschild, Markus A; Madea, Burkhard

2004-01-01

The interpretation of medicolegal findings in homicide is an important tool of case profiling (so-called "operative case analysis"). In 17 cases of "multiple homicides" involving 22 offenders (21 males, 1 female; mean age 33 years) and 45 victims (21 males, 24 females; mean age 35 years; 41 fatalities, 4 survivors), the autopsy reports and the prosecution authorities' files were retrospectively analysed with regard to individual characteristics of perpetrators and victims, circumstances, and mode of commitment in order to comprehensively characterise relevant forensic and criminologic aspects. 31 victims were found to belong to the close social environment of the perpetrator, and 32 killings were committed in the victim's, perpetrator's or the joint flat. The main motives included greed (n = 7), personal conflicts (n = 5) and concealing of a crime (n = 9). The relevant injuries were attributable to gunshot wounds (n = 13), sharp force (n = 11), blunt force (n = 3), ligature strangulation (n = 3), smothering (n = 6), fire/carbon monoxide (n = 2) and combined impacts (n = 7). In 12 victims, defense injuries were found. The blood alcohol concentration exceeded 1.5 g/l in 5 victims. In 5 offenders, a psychiatric impairment of juridical responsibility was assessed (and 20 German criminal code, n = 1, psychosis; and 21 German criminal code, n = 4; acute alcohol intoxication). As far as data were available, 16 crimes were judged as murder, 12 as manslaughter and one as physical injury with fatal outcome.

Understanding the Emotional Aspects of Escalation of Commitment: The Role of Negative Affect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Kin Fai Ellick; Yik, Michelle; Kwong, Jessica Y. Y.

2006-01-01

Despite the importance of understanding the emotional aspects of organizational decision making, prior research has paid scant attention to the role of emotion in escalation of commitment. This article attempts to fill this gap by examining the relationship between negative affect and escalation of commitment. Results showed that regardless of…

Affective Aspects of Perceived Loss of Control and Potential Implications for Brain-Computer Interfaces.

PubMed

Grissmann, Sebastian; Zander, Thorsten O; Faller, Josef; Brönstrup, Jonas; Kelava, Augustin; Gramann, Klaus; Gerjets, Peter

2017-01-01

Most brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) focus on detecting single aspects of user states (e.g., motor imagery) in the electroencephalogram (EEG) in order to use these aspects as control input for external systems. This communication can be effective, but unaccounted mental processes can interfere with signals used for classification and thereby introduce changes in the signal properties which could potentially impede BCI classification performance. To improve BCI performance, we propose deploying an approach that potentially allows to describe different mental states that could influence BCI performance. To test this approach, we analyzed neural signatures of potential affective states in data collected in a paradigm where the complex user state of perceived loss of control (LOC) was induced. In this article, source localization methods were used to identify brain dynamics with source located outside but affecting the signal of interest originating from the primary motor areas, pointing to interfering processes in the brain during natural human-machine interaction. In particular, we found affective correlates which were related to perceived LOC. We conclude that additional context information about the ongoing user state might help to improve the applicability of BCIs to real-world scenarios.

Affective Aspects of Perceived Loss of Control and Potential Implications for Brain-Computer Interfaces

PubMed Central

Grissmann, Sebastian; Zander, Thorsten O.; Faller, Josef; Brönstrup, Jonas; Kelava, Augustin; Gramann, Klaus; Gerjets, Peter

2017-01-01

Most brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) focus on detecting single aspects of user states (e.g., motor imagery) in the electroencephalogram (EEG) in order to use these aspects as control input for external systems. This communication can be effective, but unaccounted mental processes can interfere with signals used for classification and thereby introduce changes in the signal properties which could potentially impede BCI classification performance. To improve BCI performance, we propose deploying an approach that potentially allows to describe different mental states that could influence BCI performance. To test this approach, we analyzed neural signatures of potential affective states in data collected in a paradigm where the complex user state of perceived loss of control (LOC) was induced. In this article, source localization methods were used to identify brain dynamics with source located outside but affecting the signal of interest originating from the primary motor areas, pointing to interfering processes in the brain during natural human-machine interaction. In particular, we found affective correlates which were related to perceived LOC. We conclude that additional context information about the ongoing user state might help to improve the applicability of BCIs to real-world scenarios. PMID:28769776

Human-Computer Interaction: A Review of the Research on Its Affective and Social Aspects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deaudelin, Colette; Dussault, Marc; Brodeur, Monique

2003-01-01

Discusses a review of 34 qualitative and non-qualitative studies related to affective and social aspects of student-computer interactions. Highlights include the nature of the human-computer interaction (HCI); the interface, comparing graphic and text types; and the relation between variables linked to HCI, mainly trust, locus of control,…

Partial Sleep Deprivation Attenuates the Positive Affective System: Effects Across Multiple Measurement Modalities.

PubMed

Finan, Patrick H; Quartana, Phillip J; Remeniuk, Bethany; Garland, Eric L; Rhudy, Jamie L; Hand, Matthew; Irwin, Michael R; Smith, Michael T

2017-01-01

Ample behavioral and neurobiological evidence links sleep and affective functioning. Recent self-report evidence suggests that the affective problems associated with sleep loss may be stronger for positive versus negative affective state and that those effects may be mediated by changes in electroencepholographically measured slow wave sleep (SWS). In the present study, we extend those preliminary findings using multiple measures of affective functioning. In a within-subject randomized crossover experiment, we tested the effects of one night of sleep continuity disruption via forced awakenings (FA) compared to one night of uninterrupted sleep (US) on three measures of positive and negative affective functioning: self-reported affective state, affective pain modulation, and affect-biased attention. The study was set in an inpatient clinical research suite. Healthy, good sleeping adults (N = 45) were included. Results indicated that a single night of sleep continuity disruption attenuated positive affective state via FA-induced reductions in SWS. Additionally, sleep continuity disruption attenuated the inhibition of pain by positive affect as well as attention bias to positive affective stimuli. Negative affective state, negative affective pain facilitation, nor negative attention bias were altered by sleep continuity disruption. The present findings, observed across multiple measures of affective function, suggest that sleep continuity disruption has a stronger influence on the positive affective system relative to the negative affective affective system. © Sleep Research Society 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparing Multiple Discrepancies Theory to Affective Models of Subjective Wellbeing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blore, Jed D.; Stokes, Mark A.; Mellor, David; Firth, Lucy; Cummins, Robert A.

2011-01-01

The Subjective Wellbeing (SWB) literature is replete with competing theories detailing the mechanisms underlying the construction and maintenance of SWB. The current study aimed to compare and contrast two of these approaches: multiple discrepancies theory (MDT) and an affective-cognitive theory of SWB. MDT posits SWB to be the result of perceived…

Teaching with Student Response Systems (SRS): Teacher-Centric Aspects that Can Negatively Affect Students' Experience of Using SRS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Kjetil L.; Hansen, Gabrielle; Stav, John B.

2013-01-01

In this article, we describe and discuss the most significant teacher-centric aspects of student response systems (SRS) that we have found to negatively affect students' experience of using SRS in lecture settings. By doing so, we hope to increase teachers' awareness of how they use SRS and how seemingly trivial choices or aspects when using SRS…

Cognitive declines in healthy aging: evidence from multiple aspects of interference resolution.

PubMed

Pettigrew, Corinne; Martin, Randi C

2014-06-01

The present study tested the hypothesis that older adults show age-related deficits in interference resolution, also referred to as inhibitory control. Although oftentimes considered as a unitary aspect of executive function, various lines of work support the notion that interference resolution may be better understood as multiple constructs, including resistance to proactive interference (PI) and response-distractor inhibition (e.g., Friedman & Miyake, 2004). Using this dichotomy, the present study assessed whether older adults (relative to younger adults) show impaired performance across both, 1, or neither of these interference resolution constructs. To do so, we used multiple tasks to tap each construct and examined age effects at both the single task and latent variable levels. Older adults consistently demonstrated exaggerated interference effects across resistance to PI tasks. Although the results for the response-distractor inhibition tasks were less consistent at the individual task level analyses, age effects were evident on multiple tasks, as well as at the latent variable level. However, results of the latent variable modeling suggested declines in interference resolution are best explained by variance that is common to the 2 interference resolution constructs measured herein. Furthermore, the effect of age on interference resolution was found to be both distinct from declines in working memory, and independent of processing speed. These findings suggest multiple cognitive domains are independently sensitive to age, but that declines in the interference resolution constructs measured herein may originate from a common cause. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

An Overview of Multiple Sclerosis: Medical, Psychosocial, and Vocational Aspects of a Chronic and Unpredictable Neurological Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rumrill, Phillip D., Jr.; Roessler, Richard T.

2015-01-01

This article presents an overview of multiple sclerosis (MS), one of the most common neurological disorders in the western hemisphere. Medical and psychosocial aspects of the disease such as causes and risk factors, diagnosis, incidence and prevalence, symptoms, courses, and treatment are described. Existing research regarding the employment…

Taking Perspective: Personal Pronouns Affect Experiential Aspects of Literary Reading

PubMed Central

Burke, Michael; Hagoort, Peter; Willems, Roel M.

2016-01-01

Personal pronouns have been shown to influence cognitive perspective taking during comprehension. Studies using single sentences found that 3rd person pronouns facilitate the construction of a mental model from an observer’s perspective, whereas 2nd person pronouns support an actor’s perspective. The direction of the effect for 1st person pronouns seems to depend on the situational context. In the present study, we investigated how personal pronouns influence discourse comprehension when people read fiction stories and if this has consequences for affective components like emotion during reading or appreciation of the story. We wanted to find out if personal pronouns affect immersion and arousal, as well as appreciation of fiction. In a natural reading paradigm, we measured electrodermal activity and story immersion, while participants read literary stories with 1st and 3rd person pronouns referring to the protagonist. In addition, participants rated and ranked the stories for appreciation. Our results show that stories with 1st person pronouns lead to higher immersion. Two factors—transportation into the story world and mental imagery during reading—in particular showed higher scores for 1st person as compared to 3rd person pronoun stories. In contrast, arousal as measured by electrodermal activity seemed tentatively higher for 3rd person pronoun stories. The two measures of appreciation were not affected by the pronoun manipulation. Our findings underscore the importance of perspective for language processing, and additionally show which aspects of the narrative experience are influenced by a change in perspective. PMID:27192060

Supporting Affect Regulation in Children with Multiple Disabilities during Psychotherapy: A Multiple Case Design Study of Therapeutic Attachment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuengel, C.; Sterkenburg, P. S.; Jeczynski, P.; Janssen, C. G. C.; Jongbloed, G.

2009-01-01

In a controlled multiple case design study, the development of a therapeutic relationship and its role in affect regulation were studied in 6 children with visual disabilities, severe intellectual disabilities, severe challenging behavior, and prolonged social deprivation. In the 1st phase, children had sessions with an experimental therapist…

Gender-, Race-, and Income-Based Stereotype Threat: The Effects of Multiple Stigmatized Aspects of Identity on Math Performance and Working Memory Function

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tine, Michele; Gotlieb, Rebecca

2013-01-01

This study compared the relative impact of gender-, race-, and income-based stereotype threat and examined if individuals with multiple stigmatized aspects of identity experience a larger stereotype threat effect on math performance and working memory function than people with one stigmatized aspect of identity. Seventy-one college students of the…

Clarifying the Relation Between Extraversion and Positive Affect.

PubMed

Smillie, Luke D; DeYoung, Colin G; Hall, Phillip J

2015-10-01

This article clarifies two sources of ambiguity surrounding the relation between extraversion and positive affect. First, positive affect is defined differently across major models of the structure of affect. Second, no previous research has examined potentially diverging associations of lower-order aspects of extraversion (i.e., assertiveness and enthusiasm) with positive affect. Australian (Study 1: N = 437, 78% female, Mage  = 20.41) and American (Study 2: N = 262, 39% female, Mage  = 33.86) participants completed multiple measures of extraversion and positive affect. Correlations were employed to examine relations among these measures. In both studies, extraversion was most clearly associated with positive affect as conceptualized within a major factor model of affect-specifically, as positive activation (Watson & Tellegen, 1985)-rather than the valence-based conceptualization of positive affect provided by a circumplex model of affect (Russell, 1980). This was also the case for the assertiveness and enthusiasm aspects of extraversion. Our findings clarify the nature of the positive affective component of extraversion, which is best described in terms of both positive valence and high activation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Randomized, controlled trial of dextromethorphan/quinidine for pseudobulbar affect in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Panitch, Hillel S; Thisted, Ronald A; Smith, Richard A; Wynn, Daniel R; Wymer, James P; Achiron, Anat; Vollmer, Timothy L; Mandler, Raul N; Dietrich, Dennis W; Fletcher, Malcolm; Pope, Laura E; Berg, James E; Miller, Ariel

2006-05-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of DM/Q (capsules containing dextromethorphan [DM] and quinidine [Q]) compared with placebo, taken twice daily, for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect over a 12-week period in multiple sclerosis patients. A total of 150 patients were randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess pseudobulbar affect with the validated Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale. Each patient also recorded the number of episodes experienced between visits, estimated quality of life and quality of relationships on visual analog scales, and completed a pain rating scale. Patients receiving DM/Q had greater reductions in Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale scores than those receiving placebo (p < 0.0001) at all clinic visits (days 15, 29, 57, and 85). All secondary end points also favored DM/Q, including the number of crying or laughing episodes (p multiple sclerosis patients were similar to those of a previous study in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, demonstrating that DM/Q may be beneficial in treating potentially disabling pseudobulbar affect in a variety of neurological disorders.

PSEUDOBULBAR AFFECT IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS.

PubMed

Vidović, Viktor; Rovazdi, Merisanda Časar; Kraml, Oto; Kes, Vanja Bašić

2015-06-01

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of pseudobulbar affect (PBA) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and to analyze the link between PBA and patient age, sex, clinical course of MS, disease duration and degree of disability. The study was conducted on 79 MS patients that underwent inpatient rehabilitation at the Lipik Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation in the period from August 15, 2014 to February 15, 2015. PBA is a term used for an emotional disinhibition syndrome characterized by sudden and involuntary episodes of crying or laughing which are not in proportion to the stimulus applied or occur without stimulus. The condition can be present in patients with various neurological disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, patients having recovered from stroke, or following traumatic brain injury. The estimated prevalence in patients with MS ranges from 10% to 46.2%. As a measuring instrument in the study, we used the Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS), where a sum 17 denoted positive finding. The total number of respondents was 79, of which 33 (41.8%) met the CNS-LS criteria for the diagnosis of PBA. There was no statistically significant correlation between PBA, age and degree of disability, although PBA was more common in women and in patients with a secondary progressive form of the disease. We found that 42.4% of respondents with positive CNS-LS criteria for PBA did not inform their neurologist on the presence of sudden mood changes. The high frequency of PBA and the fact that a significant proportion of patients did not inform the neurologist on their affective disturbances call for an active approach to diagnosis and treatment.

Disassociation of cognitive and affective aspects of theory of mind in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Liu, Wanting; Fan, Jie; Gan, Jun; Lei, Hui; Niu, Chaoyang; Chan, Raymond C K; Zhu, Xiongzhao

2017-09-01

Impairment in social functioning has been widely described in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, several aspects of social cognition, such as theory of mind (ToM), have not been substantially investigated in this context. This study examined cognitive and affective ToM in 40 OCD patients and 38 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls (HCs) with the computerized Yoni task and a battery of neurocognitive tests. OCD symptom severity was assessed with the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Depressive and anxiety symptoms were also assessed. Compared to HCs, OCD patients performed worse on second-order affective condition trials, but not cognitive or physical condition trials, of the Yoni task; there were not group differences in any of the first-order condition domains. Second-order ToM performance of OCD patients was associated with estimated intelligence and working memory performance. After controlling for neurocognitive variables, the group difference in second-order affective condition performance remained significant. These findings indicate that the affective component of ToM may be selectively impaired in OCD patients and that the observed deficit is largely independent of other neurocognitive impairments and clinical characteristics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Current aspects of therapy conversion for multiple sclerosis].

PubMed

Kolber, P; Luessi, F; Meuth, S G; Klotz, L; Korn, T; Trebst, C; Tackenberg, B; Kieseier, B; Kümpfel, T; Fleischer, V; Tumani, H; Wildemann, B; Lang, M; Flachenecker, P; Meier, U; Brück, W; Limmroth, V; Haghikia, A; Hartung, H-P; Stangel, M; Hohlfeld, R; Hemmer, B; Gold, R; Wiendl, H; Zipp, F

2015-10-01

In recent years the approval of new substances has led to a substantial increase in the number of course-modifying immunotherapies available for multiple sclerosis. Therapy conversion therefore represents an increasing challenge. The treatment options sometimes show complex adverse effect profiles and necessitate a long-term and comprehensive monitoring. This article presents an overview of therapy conversion of immunotherapies for multiple sclerosis in accordance with the recommendations of the Disease-Related Competence Network for Multiple Sclerosis and the German Multiple Sclerosis Society as well as the guidelines on diagnostics and therapy for multiple sclerosis of the German Society of Neurology and the latest research results. At the present point in time it should be noted that no studies have been carried out for most of the approaches for therapy conversion given here; however, the recommendations are based on theoretical considerations and therefore correspond to recommendations at the level of expert consensus, which is currently essential for the clinical daily routine.

Facial-affect recognition deficit as a predictor of different aspects of social-communication impairment in traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Rigon, Arianna; Turkstra, Lyn S; Mutlu, Bilge; Duff, Melissa C

2018-05-01

To examine the relationship between facial-affect recognition and different aspects of self- and proxy-reported social-communication impairment following moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Forty-six adults with chronic TBI (>6 months postinjury) and 42 healthy comparison (HC) adults were administered the La Trobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ) Self and Other forms to assess different aspects of communication competence and the Emotion Recognition Test (ERT) to measure their ability to recognize facial affects. Individuals with TBI underperformed HC adults in the ERT and self-reported, as well as were reported by close others, as having more communication problems than did HC adults. TBI group ERT scores were significantly and negatively correlated with LCQ-Other (but not LCQ-Self) scores (i.e., participants with lower emotion-recognition scores were rated by close others as having more communication problems). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that adults with higher ERT scores self-reported more problems with disinhibition-impulsivity and partner sensitivity and had fewer other-reported problems with disinhibition-impulsivity and conversational effectiveness. Our findings support growing evidence that emotion-recognition deficits play a role in specific aspects of social-communication outcomes after TBI and should be considered in treatment planning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Using Aspects of the TEACCH Structured Teaching Approach with Students with Multiple Disabilities and Visual Impairment: Reflections on Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Kim; Preece, David

2010-01-01

This article reflects on how the first author has adapted aspects of the TEACCH structured teaching approach--developed for use with students with autism--in her work with students with multiple disabilities and visual impairment (MDVI) in a special secondary school for students with severe learning difficulties in England. A brief overview of the…

Effective connectivity during processing of facial affect: evidence for multiple parallel pathways.

PubMed

Dima, Danai; Stephan, Klaas E; Roiser, Jonathan P; Friston, Karl J; Frangou, Sophia

2011-10-05

The perception of facial affect engages a distributed cortical network. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging and dynamic causal modeling to characterize effective connectivity during explicit (conscious) categorization of affective stimuli in the human brain. Specifically, we examined the modulation of connectivity from posterior regions of the face-processing network to the lateral ventral prefrontal cortex (VPFC) during affective categorization and we tested for a potential role of the amygdala (AMG) in mediating this modulation. We found that explicit processing of facial affect led to prominent modulation (increase) in the effective connectivity from the inferior occipital gyrus (IOG) to the VPFC, while there was less evidence for modulation of the afferent connections from fusiform gyrus and AMG to VPFC. More specifically, the forward connection from IOG to the VPFC exhibited a selective increase under anger (as opposed to fear or sadness). Furthermore, Bayesian model comparison suggested that the modulation of afferent connections to the VPFC was mediated directly by facial affect, as opposed to an indirect modulation mediated by the AMG. Our results thus suggest that affective information is conveyed to the VPFC along multiple parallel pathways and that AMG activity is not sufficient to account for the gating of information transfer to the VPFC during explicit emotional processing.

Affective mediators of a physical activity intervention for depression in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Kratz, Anna L; Ehde, Dawn M; Bombardier, Charles H

2014-02-01

Previous analyses showed that a telephone-based intervention to increase physical activity in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and depression resulted in significantly improved depressive symptoms compared to a wait-list control group. The aim of this study was to test positive affect and negative affect as mediators of the effect of the physical activity counseling on depressive symptoms. Ninety-two adults with MS, who met diagnostic criteria for either major depression or dysthymia and who reported low levels of physical activity, were randomized 1:1 to a 12-week telephone-based motivational interviewing (MI) intervention to improve physical activity (n = 44) or to a 12-week wait-list control group (n = 48). Self-reported positive and negative affect, physical activity, and depressive symptoms were gathered at baseline and postintervention. Path-analysis was used to test whether positive affect and negative affect mediated the positive effects of the intervention on depressive symptoms. Both positive and negative affect were significant mediators of the effects of the intervention on depressive symptoms; however, only positive affect mediated the association between changes in physical activity and improved depressive symptoms. Findings support physical activity and positive affect as key mediators of the MI treatment effect on improved mood. Decreases in negative affect were also evident in the treatment group, but were not related to improved physical activity. Findings may suggest the use of exercise-based interventions in conjunction with treatments that specifically target negative affective mechanisms for depression. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Freedom poverty: a new tool to identify the multiple disadvantages affecting those with CVD.

PubMed

Callander, Emily J; Schofield, Deborah J; Shrestha, Rupendra N

2013-06-20

It is recognised that CVD affects an individual's financial situation, placing them in income poverty. However, recent developments in poverty measurement practice recognises other forms of disadvantage other than low income, such as poor health and insufficient education also affect living standards. Using the Freedom Poverty Measure, the multiple forms of disadvantage experienced by those with no health condition, heart disease, other diseases of the circulatory system, and all other health conditions was assessed using data on the adult Australian population contained in the 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers. 24% of those with heart disease and 23% of those with other diseases of the circulatory system were in freedom poverty, suffering from multiple forms of disadvantage. Those with heart disease and those with other diseases of the circulatory system were around three times more likely to be in freedom poverty (OR 3.02, 95% CI: 2.29-3.99, p<.0001; OR 2.78, 95% CI: 1.94-3.98, p<.0001) than those with no health condition. Recognising the multiple forms of disadvantage suffered by those with CVD provides a clearer picture of their living standards than just looking at their income alone and the high proportion of individuals with CVD that are suffering from multiple forms of disadvantage should make them a target for policy makers wishing to improve living standards. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multiple sublethal chemicals negatively affect tadpoles of the green frog, Rana clamitans

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boone, Michelle D.; Bridges, Christine M.; Fairchild, James F.; Little, Edward E.

2005-01-01

Many habitats may be exposed to multiple chemical contaminants, particularly in agricultural areas where fertilizer and pesticide use are common; however, the singular and interactive effects of contaminants are not well understood. The objective of our study was to examine how realistic, sublethal environmental levels of ammonium nitrate fertilizer (0, 10, 20 mg/L and ammonium chloride control) and the common insecticide carbaryl (0 or 2.5 mg/L) individually and interactively affect the development, size, and survival of green frog (Rana clamitans) tadpoles. We reared tadpoles for 95 d in outdoor 1,000-L polyethylene ponds. We found that the combination of carbaryl and nitrate had a negative effect on development and mass of tadpoles compared to the positive effect that either contaminant had alone. Presence of carbaryl was generally associated with short-term increases in algal resources, including ponds exposed to both carbaryl and nitrate. However, with exposure to nitrate and carbaryl, tadpole mass and development were not positively affected as with one chemical stressor alone. The combination of these sublethal contaminants may reduce the ability of amphibians to benefit from food-rich environments or have metabolic costs. Our study demonstrates the importance of considering multiple stressors when evaluating population-level responses.

Factors affecting bone mineral density in multiple sclerosis patients

PubMed Central

Ayatollahi, Azin; Mohajeri-Tehrani, Mohammad Reza

2013-01-01

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease which can cause many disabilities for the patient. Recent data suggests that MS patients have higher risk for osteoporosis. This study was performed to investigate if the osteoporosis prevalence is higher in MS patients and to determine the possible factors affecting bone mineral density (BMD). Methods 51 definite relapsing-remitting MS patients according to McDonald's criteria (45 females, 6 males aged between 20 and 50 years) participated in this study. The control group included 407 females aged from 20 to 49 years; they were healthy and had no history of the diseases affecting bone metabolism. Femoral and lumbar BMD were measured by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). The disability of MS patients was evaluated by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The patient's quality of life was evaluated by the validated Persian version of multiple sclerosis impact scale (MSIS-29). Results Patients’ mean age was 36 ± 3.3 years and their mean disease duration was 8.7 ± 1.7 years. The mean EDSS score and the mean body mass index (BMI) of the patients were 3 ± 0.9 and 23.5 ± 2.3 kg/m2, respectively. 29% of the patients had never been treated by ß-interferon and 6% of them had not received glucocorticoids (GCs) pulses since their MS had been diagnosed. 26% of the patients had a history of fracture.18% of our patients were osteoporotic and 43% of them were osteopenic. Femoral BMD was significantly lower among MS patients than age matched controls (P < 0.001), but lumbar BMD showed no difference. There was no correlation between administration of GCs pulses, interferon and BMD; however, we found a significant correlation between EDSS score, quality of life (QoL), disease duration and BMD of both site. Conclusion As a result of this study, bone loss inevitably occurs in MS patients. The major factor of BMD loss is immobility. Osteoporosis should be managed as part of MS patients’ treatment protocols

Multiplicative and additive modulation of neuronal tuning with population activity affects encoded information

PubMed Central

Arandia-Romero, Iñigo; Tanabe, Seiji; Drugowitsch, Jan; Kohn, Adam; Moreno-Bote, Rubén

2016-01-01

Numerous studies have shown that neuronal responses are modulated by stimulus properties, and also by the state of the local network. However, little is known about how activity fluctuations of neuronal populations modulate the sensory tuning of cells and affect their encoded information. We found that fluctuations in ongoing and stimulus-evoked population activity in primate visual cortex modulate the tuning of neurons in a multiplicative and additive manner. While distributed on a continuum, neurons with stronger multiplicative effects tended to have less additive modulation, and vice versa. The information encoded by multiplicatively-modulated neurons increased with greater population activity, while that of additively-modulated neurons decreased. These effects offset each other, so that population activity had little effect on total information. Our results thus suggest that intrinsic activity fluctuations may act as a `traffic light' that determines which subset of neurons are most informative. PMID:26924437

Risk of breast cancer in families of multiple affected women and men.

PubMed

Bevier, Melanie; Sundquist, Kristina; Hemminki, Kari

2012-04-01

Family history of first and second-degree relatives is known to increase the risk for breast cancer. Less data are available on the risks between defined multiple affected close and distant relatives for which the reliability of data may be an issue. Data on affected males are sparse. These questions and the probable genetic models were addressed in this study by means of a nationwide Swedish Family-Cancer Database. We estimated the effect of family history of breast cancer by Poisson regression for women of at least 30 years of age after adjusting for age, period, region, socioeconomic status, number of children, and age at first birth. The results of the study showed that relative risk (RR) for breast cancer was associated with a first degree as well as second-degree family history. Having at least two female affected first-degree relatives increased the RR at least to 2.8, favoring an additive interaction. The risk was increased around ten times in women with both parents affected. When either a father or a mother was affected, the RRs were nearly identical (RR = 1.73 and 1.74, respectively). The RR for a woman increased more when a brother was affected (RR = 2.48) compared to when a sister was affected (RR = 1.87). Having an affected grandmother showed lower familial excess risks than having an affected half sister (RR = 1.27, and 1.26; and RR = 1.39, and 1.50; respectively, for maternal and paternal relatives). We concluded that when both parents were diagnosed with breast cancer, the risk for the daughter was increased tenfold. Having an affected brother showed a somewhat higher risk than having an affected sister. The data suggest that male breast cancer has a higher genetic basis than female breast cancer, which invites further search of the underlying mechanisms.

Affect Consciousness in children with internalizing problems: Assessment of affect integration.

PubMed

Taarvig, Eva; Solbakken, Ole André; Grova, Bjørg; Monsen, Jon T

2015-10-01

Affect integration was operationalized through the Affect Consciousness (AC) construct as degrees of awareness, tolerance, nonverbal expression and conceptual expression of 11 affects. These aspects are assessed through a semi-structured Affect Consciousness Interview (ACI) and separate rating scales (Affect Consciousness Scales (ACSs)) developed for use in research and clinical work with adults with psychopathological disorders. Age-adjusted changes were made in the interview and rating system. This study explored the applicability of the adjusted ACI to a sample of 11-year-old children with internalizing problems through examining inter-rater reliability of the adjusted ACI, along with relationships between the AC aspects and aspects of mental health as symptoms of depression, symptoms of anxiety, social competence, besides general intelligence. Satisfactory inter-rater reliability was found, as well as consistent relationships between the AC aspects and the various aspects of mental health, a finding which coincides with previous research. The finding indicates that the attainment of the capacity to deal adaptively with affect is probably an important contributor to the development of adequate social competence and maybe in the prevention of psychopathology in children. The results indicate that the adjusted ACI and rating scales are useful tools in treatment planning with children at least from the age of 11 years. © The Author(s) 2014.

Single- versus Multiple-Pest Infestation Affects Differently the Biochemistry of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Ailsa Craig').

PubMed

Errard, Audrey; Ulrichs, Christian; Kühne, Stefan; Mewis, Inga; Drungowski, Mario; Schreiner, Monika; Baldermann, Susanne

2015-11-25

Tomato is susceptible to pest infestations by both spider mites and aphids. The effects of each individual pest on plants are known, whereas multiple-pest infestations have received little interest. We studied the effects of single- versus multiple-pest infestation by Tetranychus urticae and Myzus persicae on tomato biochemistry (Solanum lycopersicum) by combining a metabolomic approach and analyses of carotenoids using UHPLC-ToF-MS and volatiles using GC-MS. Plants responded differently to aphids and mites after 3 weeks of infestation, and a multiple infestation induced a specific metabolite composition in plants. In addition, we showed that volatiles emissions differed between the adaxial and abaxial leaf epidermes and identified compounds emitted particularly in response to a multiple infestation (cyclohexadecane, dodecane, aromadendrene, and β-elemene). Finally, the carotenoid concentrations in leaves and stems were more affected by multiple than single infestations. Our study highlights and discusses the interplay of biotic stressors within the terpenoid metabolism.

Sexual dimorphism in multiple aspects of 3D facial symmetry and asymmetry defined by spatially dense geometric morphometrics

PubMed Central

Claes, Peter; Walters, Mark; Shriver, Mark D; Puts, David; Gibson, Greg; Clement, John; Baynam, Gareth; Verbeke, Geert; Vandermeulen, Dirk; Suetens, Paul

2012-01-01

Accurate measurement of facial sexual dimorphism is useful to understanding facial anatomy and specifically how faces influence, and have been influenced by, sexual selection. An important facial aspect is the display of bilateral symmetry, invoking the need to investigate aspects of symmetry and asymmetry separately when examining facial shape. Previous studies typically employed landmarks that provided only a sparse facial representation, where different landmark choices could lead to contrasting outcomes. Furthermore, sexual dimorphism is only tested as a difference of sample means, which is statistically the same as a difference in population location only. Within the framework of geometric morphometrics, we partition facial shape, represented in a spatially dense way, into patterns of symmetry and asymmetry, following a two-factor anova design. Subsequently, we investigate sexual dimorphism in symmetry and asymmetry patterns separately, and on multiple aspects, by examining (i) population location differences as well as differences in population variance-covariance; (ii) scale; and (iii) orientation. One important challenge in this approach is the proportionally high number of variables to observations necessitating the implementation of permutational and computationally feasible statistics. In a sample of gender-matched young adults (18–25 years) with self-reported European ancestry, we found greater variation in male faces than in women for all measurements. Statistically significant sexual dimorphism was found for the aspect of location in both symmetry and asymmetry (directional asymmetry), for the aspect of scale only in asymmetry (magnitude of fluctuating asymmetry) and, in contrast, for the aspect of orientation only in symmetry. Interesting interplays with hypotheses in evolutionary and developmental biology were observed, such as the selective nature of the force underpinning sexual dimorphism and the genetic independence of the structural patterns

Allergological and Toxicological Aspects in a Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Cohort

PubMed Central

Pigatto, Paolo D.; Minoia, Claudio; Ronchi, Anna; Brambilla, Lucia; Ferrucci, Silvia M.; Spadari, Francesco; Passoni, Manuela; Somalvico, Francesco; Bombeccari, Gian Paolo

2013-01-01

Background. Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a chronic condition characterized by an exaggerated response to toxicants. We ascertained the prevalence of allergy to metals and toxicological aspects in MCS patients. Methods. We conducted a retrospective review of medical records of 41 patients with MCS. We performed patch testing (n = 21) for dental series and did lymphocyte transformation test (n = 18) for metals. We measured mercury in samples of blood (n = 19), urine (n = 19), saliva (n = 20), and scalp hair (n = 17) to investigate the association between mercury levels and cases of MCS. Results. The prevalence of metal immune hypersensitivity in a subset of 26 patients was 92.3 percent. Elevations of mercury occurred in 81.2 percent (26 of 32). The mean (±SD) in blood concentrations of mercury was 7.6 ± 13.6 μg/L; mean in urine was 1.9 ± 2.5 μg/L; mean in scalp hair was 2.2 ± 2.5 μg/g; mean in saliva was 38.1 ± 52.1 μg/L. Subgroup analyses showed that elevation of mercury levels in biological matrices were associated with mercury amalgams in patients with MCS (22 patients), compared with controls (8 patients) (odds ratio 11 : 95 percent confidence interval 1.5 to 81.6; P = 0.023). Conclusions. Our data show an increased prevalence of metal allergy and elevation of mercury levels in bioindicators among patients with MCS. PMID:24367721

78 FR 7659 - Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Congenital Disorders That Affect Multiple Body Systems

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-04

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 20 CFR Part 404 [Docket No. SSA-2009-0039] RIN 0960-AH04 Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Congenital Disorders That Affect Multiple Body Systems AGENCY: Social... in adults and children under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (Act). The revisions...

Integrating multiple aspects of mitochondrial dynamics in neurons: Age-related differences and dynamic changes in a chronic rotenone model

PubMed Central

Arnold, Beth; Cassady, Steven J.; Van Laar, Victor S.; Berman, Sarah B.

2010-01-01

Changes in dynamic properties of mitochondria are increasingly implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson’s disease (PD). Static changes in mitochondrial morphology, often under acutely toxic conditions, are commonly utilized as indicators of changes in mitochondrial fission and fusion. However, in neurons, mitochondrial fission and fusion occur in a dynamic system of axonal/dendritic transport, biogenesis and degradation, and thus, likely interact and change over time. We sought to explore this using a chronic neuronal model (nonlethal low-concentration rotenone over several weeks), examining distal neurites, which may give insight into the earliest changes occurring in PD. Using this model, in live primary neurons, we directly quantified mitochondrial fission, fusion, and transport over time and integrated multiple aspects of mitochondrial dynamics, including morphology and growth/mitophagy. We found that rates of mitochondrial fission and fusion change as neurons age. In addition, we found that chronic rotenone exposure initially increased the ratio of fusion to fission, but later, this was reversed. Surprisingly, despite changes in rates of fission and fusion, mitochondrial morphology was minimally affected, demonstrating that morphology can be an inaccurate indicator of fission/fusion changes. In addition, we found evidence of subcellular compartmentalization of compensatory changes, as mitochondrial density increased in distal neurites first, which may be important in PD, where pathology may begin distally. We propose that rotenone-induced early changes such as in mitochondrial fusion are compensatory, accompanied later by detrimental fission. As evidence, in a dopaminergic neuronal model, in which chronic rotenone caused loss of neurites before cell death (like PD pathology), inhibiting fission protected against the neurite loss. This suggests that aberrant mitochondrial dynamics may contribute to the earliest neuropathologic

Personality affects aspects of health-related quality of life in Parkinson's disease via psychological coping strategies.

PubMed

Whitworth, Stephanie R; Loftus, Andrea M; Skinner, Timothy C; Gasson, Natalie; Barker, Roger A; Bucks, Romola S; Thomas, Meghan G

2013-01-01

Personality traits influence health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Parkinson's disease (PD). Further, an individual's personality traits can influence the strategies they use to cope with a particular stressful situation. However, in PD, the interplay between personality traits, choice of coping strategy, and their subsequent effect on HRQoL remains unclear. The objective of this study was to examine whether personality (neuroticism and extraversion) indirectly affects HRQoL through the use of specific psychological coping strategies. One hundred and forty-six patients with PD completed questionnaires on personality (Big Five Aspects Scale; BFAS), coping (Ways of Coping Questionnaire; WCQ), and mood-specific (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale; DASS-21) and disease-specific HRQoL (Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire; PDQ-39). After controlling for gender, age at diagnosis, and age at testing, the emotion-focused coping strategy of escape-avoidance was significantly correlated with neuroticism and certain aspects of HRQoL (cognitive impairment and social support). This suggests that neurotic personality traits may negatively impact on some aspects of HRQoL due to an increased use of escape-avoidance coping strategies. By contrast, planned problem-solving and escape-avoidance coping strategies were both significantly linked to extraversion and interpersonal and mood-related domains of HRQoL. This suggests that extraversion may positively impact on some aspects of HRQoL due to patients adopting greater planned, problem-solving coping strategies, and using fewer escape-avoidance coping mechanisms. Psychological interventions aimed at targeting maladaptive coping strategies, such as the use of escape-avoidance coping, may be effective in minimising the negative impact of neuroticism on HRQoL in PD.

mTORC2 regulates multiple aspects of NKT-cell development and function

PubMed Central

Sklarz, Tammarah; Guan, Peng; Gohil, Mercy; Cotton, Renee M.; Ge, Moyar Q.; Haczku, Angela; Das, Rupali; Jordan, Martha S.

2017-01-01

Invariant NKT (iNKT) cells bridge innate and adaptive immunity by rapidly secreting cytokines and lysing targets following TCR recognition of lipid antigens. Based on their ability to secrete IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-17A, iNKT-cells are classified as NKT-1, NKT-2 and NKT-17 subsets, respectively. The molecular pathways regulating iNKT-cell fate are not fully defined. Recent studies implicate Rictor, a required component of mTORC2, in the development of select iNKT-cell subsets, however these reports are conflicting. To resolve these questions, we used Rictorfl/fl CD4cre+ mice and found that Rictor is required for NKT-17 cell development and normal iNKT-cell cytolytic function. Conversely, Rictor is not absolutely required for IL-4 and IFN-γ production as peripheral iNKT-cells make copious amounts of these cytokines. Overall iNKT-cell numbers are dramatically reduced in the absence of Rictor. We provide data indicating Rictor regulates cell survival as well as proliferation of developing and mature iNKT-cells. Thus, mTORC2 regulates multiple aspects of iNKT-cell development and function. PMID:28078715

Linking and Psychological Functioning in a Chinese Sample: The Multiple Mediation of Response to Positive Affect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Hongfei; Li, Juan

2016-01-01

The present study examined the associations between linking, response to positive affect, and psychological functioning in Chinese college students. The results of conducting multiple mediation analyses indicated that emotion- and self-focused positive rumination mediated the relationship between linking and psychological functioning, whereas…

Sexual dimorphism in multiple aspects of 3D facial symmetry and asymmetry defined by spatially dense geometric morphometrics.

PubMed

Claes, Peter; Walters, Mark; Shriver, Mark D; Puts, David; Gibson, Greg; Clement, John; Baynam, Gareth; Verbeke, Geert; Vandermeulen, Dirk; Suetens, Paul

2012-08-01

Accurate measurement of facial sexual dimorphism is useful to understanding facial anatomy and specifically how faces influence, and have been influenced by, sexual selection. An important facial aspect is the display of bilateral symmetry, invoking the need to investigate aspects of symmetry and asymmetry separately when examining facial shape. Previous studies typically employed landmarks that provided only a sparse facial representation, where different landmark choices could lead to contrasting outcomes. Furthermore, sexual dimorphism is only tested as a difference of sample means, which is statistically the same as a difference in population location only. Within the framework of geometric morphometrics, we partition facial shape, represented in a spatially dense way, into patterns of symmetry and asymmetry, following a two-factor anova design. Subsequently, we investigate sexual dimorphism in symmetry and asymmetry patterns separately, and on multiple aspects, by examining (i) population location differences as well as differences in population variance-covariance; (ii) scale; and (iii) orientation. One important challenge in this approach is the proportionally high number of variables to observations necessitating the implementation of permutational and computationally feasible statistics. In a sample of gender-matched young adults (18-25 years) with self-reported European ancestry, we found greater variation in male faces than in women for all measurements. Statistically significant sexual dimorphism was found for the aspect of location in both symmetry and asymmetry (directional asymmetry), for the aspect of scale only in asymmetry (magnitude of fluctuating asymmetry) and, in contrast, for the aspect of orientation only in symmetry. Interesting interplays with hypotheses in evolutionary and developmental biology were observed, such as the selective nature of the force underpinning sexual dimorphism and the genetic independence of the structural patterns of

Feline dermatophytosis: aspects pertinent to disease management in single and multiple cat situations.

PubMed

Moriello, Karen

2014-05-01

Dermatophytosis (ringworm) is a superficial fungal skin disease of cats that, depending on the geographic region and practice caseload, may be encountered uncommonly through to commonly. This is a self-curing disease in an immunocompetent cat. Dermatophytosis is prevalent worldwide and is one of a number of zoonotic skin diseases that cat owners are at risk of contracting. Dermatophytosis causes non-specific signs of hair loss, erythema and scaling, making it a differential diagnosis for many skin diseases of cats. The fact that this disease is infectious and contagious, and does not have any one classic clinical presentation, makes knowledge of diagnostic tools important in detection. The veterinarian's role is in early disease recognition and institution of appropriate therapy to hasten resolution of the disease. The focus of this article is to provide an update and review of the most pertinent aspects that may be helpful in the management of dermatophytosis in any single or multiple cat situation. Where appropriate, evidence from the literature is used to supplement a summary of the author's clinical experience and research in feline dermatophytosis.

Multiple Sclerosis

MedlinePlus

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a nervous system disease that affects your brain and spinal cord. It damages the ... attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake. Multiple sclerosis affects women more than men. It often begins ...

Integer Linear Programming for Constrained Multi-Aspect Committee Review Assignment

PubMed Central

Karimzadehgan, Maryam; Zhai, ChengXiang

2011-01-01

Automatic review assignment can significantly improve the productivity of many people such as conference organizers, journal editors and grant administrators. A general setup of the review assignment problem involves assigning a set of reviewers on a committee to a set of documents to be reviewed under the constraint of review quota so that the reviewers assigned to a document can collectively cover multiple topic aspects of the document. No previous work has addressed such a setup of committee review assignments while also considering matching multiple aspects of topics and expertise. In this paper, we tackle the problem of committee review assignment with multi-aspect expertise matching by casting it as an integer linear programming problem. The proposed algorithm can naturally accommodate any probabilistic or deterministic method for modeling multiple aspects to automate committee review assignments. Evaluation using a multi-aspect review assignment test set constructed using ACM SIGIR publications shows that the proposed algorithm is effective and efficient for committee review assignments based on multi-aspect expertise matching. PMID:22711970

Is nurse managers' leadership style related to Japanese staff nurses' affective commitment to their hospital?

PubMed

Kodama, Yoshimi; Fukahori, Hiroki; Sato, Kana; Nishida, Tomoko

2016-10-01

To determine if nurse managers' leadership style is related to Japanese staff nurses' affective commitment to their hospital. In Western countries, nurse managers' transformational leadership style has been found to increase staff nurses' affective commitment to their hospital. However, there are few studies examining this relationship in the context of acute care hospitals in Japan. Staff nurses completed measures of their nurse managers' perceived leadership style and factors related to their own affective commitment. The association between affective commitment and perception of leadership style was assessed with multiple logistic regression. Of 736 questionnaires distributed, 579 (78.9%) were returned, and data from 396 (53.8%) fully completed questionnaires were analysed. The intellectual stimulation aspect of transformational leadership positively increased staff nurses' affective commitment (odds ratio: 2.23). Nurse managers' transactional and laissez-faire leadership styles were not related to affective commitment among staff nurses. The intellectual stimulation aspect of transformational leadership may increase the retention of staff nurses through enhanced affective commitment. To increase staff nurses' affective commitment to their hospital, we suggest that hospital administrators equip nurse managers with intellectual stimulation skills. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Physical and Cognitive-Affective Factors Associated with Fatigue in Individuals with Fibromyalgia: A Multiple Regression Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, Veronica; Brooks, Jessica; Tu, Wei-Mo; Moser, Erin; Lo, Chu-Ling; Chan, Fong

2015-01-01

Purpose: The main objective of this study was to determine the extent to which physical and cognitive-affective factors are associated with fibromyalgia (FM) fatigue. Method: A quantitative descriptive design using correlation techniques and multiple regression analysis. The participants consisted of 302 members of the National Fibromyalgia &…

Polydactylous Transverse Erythronychia: Report of a Patient with Multiple Horizontal Red Bands Affecting the Fingernails.

PubMed

Chang, Carina; Beutler, Bryce D; Cohen, Philip R

2017-06-01

Redness of the nail plate-erythronychia-is a common condition involving one or multiple digits. It may affect the entire nail or present as longitudinal red bands that extend from the proximal nail fold to the distal tip of the nail plate. Rarely, red bands may traverse the nail bed horizontally. Although erythronychia is often idiopathic, it has also been associated with amyloidosis, Darier's disease, lichen planus, and various other cutaneous conditions. We describe the clinical features of a 64-year-old Caucasian man who presented with transverse and longitudinal erythronychia affecting his fingernails. In addition, we review the classification of erythronychia and summarize the acute and chronic conditions that have been associated with this clinical finding. The features of a man with polydactylous transverse and longitudinal erythronychia are presented. In addition, PubMed was used to search the following terms: erythronychia, longitudinal erythronychia, red lunulae, and subungual. All papers were reviewed, and relevant articles, along with their references, were evaluated. Informed consent was obtained from the patient for being included in the study. A 64-year-old Caucasian man with a past medical history significant for testicular cancer and pulmonary embolism presented with multiple horizontal pink-red bands affecting his fingernails. The discoloration was most prominent in the region distal to the lunula. In addition, the nails of the fifth digit of his left hand and third digit of his right hand featured longitudinal red bands extending from the distal curvature of the lunula to the free edge of the nail plate. A diagnosis of polydactylous longitudinal and transverse erythronychia, based on the clinical presentation, was established. Our patient's red bands were asymptomatic and he was not concerned about the cosmetic appearance of his nails; therefore, no additional investigation or treatment was required. Polydactylous transverse erythronychia is a

Crying and suicidal, but not depressed. Pseudobulbar affect in multiple sclerosis successfully treated with valproic acid: Case report and literature review.

PubMed

Johnson, Bridgette; Nichols, Scott

2015-12-01

Pseudobulbar affect/emotional incontinence is a potentially disabling condition characterized by expressions of affect or emotions out of context from the normal emotional basis for those expressions. This condition can result in diagnostic confusion and unrelieved suffering when clinicians interpret the emotional expressions at face value. In addition, the nomenclature, etiology, and treatment for this condition remain unclear in the medical literature. We report the case of a 60-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis who was referred to an inpatient psychiatry unit with complaints of worsening depression along with hopelessness, characterized by unrelenting crying. Our investigation showed that her symptoms were caused by pseudobulbar affect/emotional incontinence stemming from multiple sclerosis. The patient's history of multiple sclerosis and the fact that she identified herself as depressed only because of her incessant crying suggested that her symptoms might be due to the multiple sclerosis rather than to a depressive disorder. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a new plaque consistent with multiple sclerosis lateral to her corpus callosum. Her symptoms resolved completely within three days on valproic acid but returned after she was cross-tapered to dextromethorphan plus quinidine, which is the FDA-approved treatment for this condition. This case provides important additional information to the current literature on pseudobulbar affect/emotional incontinence. The existing literature suggests a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and dextromethorphan/quinidine (Nuedexta) as first-line treatments; however, our patient was taking an SSRI at the time of presentation without appreciable benefit, and her symptoms responded to valproic acid but not to the dextromethorphan/quinidine. In addition, the case and the literature review suggest that the current nomenclature for this constellation of symptoms can be misleading.

Cognitive and Affective Aspects of Creative Option Generation in Everyday Life Situations.

PubMed

Schweizer, T Sophie; Schmalenberger, Katja M; Eisenlohr-Moul, Tory A; Mojzisch, Andreas; Kaiser, Stefan; Funke, Joachim

2016-01-01

Which factors influence a human being's ability to develop new perspectives and be creative? This ability is pivotal for any context in which new cognitions are required, such as innovative endeavors in science and art, or psychotherapeutic settings. In this article, we seek to bring together two research programs investigating the generation of creative options: On the one hand, research on option generation in the decision-making literature and, on the other hand, cognitive and clinical creativity research. Previous decision-making research has largely neglected the topic of generating creative options. Experiments typically provided participants with a clear set of options to choose from, but everyday life situations are less structured and allow countless ways to react. Before choosing an option, agents have to self-generate a set of options to choose from. Such option generation processes have only recently moved to the center of attention. The present study examines the creative quality of self-generated options in daily life situations. A student sample (N = 48) generated options for action in 70 briefly described everyday life scenarios. We rated the quality of the options on three dimensions of creativity- originality, feasibility, and divergence -and linked these qualities to option generation fluency (speed and number of generated options), situational features like the familiarity and the affective valence of the situation in which the options were generated, and trait measures of cognitive performance. We found that when situations were familiar to the participant, greater negative affective valence of the situation was associated with more originality and divergence of generated options. We also found that a higher option generation fluency was associated with a greater maximal originality of options. We complete our article with a joint research agenda for researchers in the decision-making field focusing on option generation and, on the other hand

Multiple shell fusion targets

DOEpatents

Lindl, J.D.; Bangerter, R.O.

1975-10-31

Multiple shell fusion targets for use with electron beam and ion beam implosion systems are described. The multiple shell targets are of the low-power type and use a separate relatively low Z, low density ablator at large radius for the outer shell, which reduces the focusing and power requirements of the implosion system while maintaining reasonable aspect ratios. The targets use a high Z, high density pusher shell placed at a much smaller radius in order to obtain an aspect ratio small enough to protect against fluid instability. Velocity multiplication between these shells further lowers the power requirements. Careful tuning of the power profile and intershell density results in a low entropy implosion which allows breakeven at low powers. For example, with ion beams as a power source, breakeven at 10-20 Terrawatts with 10 MeV alpha particles for imploding a multiple shell target can be accomplished.

STRUCTURAL AND AFFECTIVE ASPECTS OF CLASSROOM CLIMATE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

WALBERG, HERBERT J.

USING THE CLASSROOM AS THE UNIT OF ANALYSIS A 25 PERCENT RANDOM SAMPLE OF STUDENTS IN 72 CLASSES FROM ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY TOOK THE CLASSROOM CLIMATE QUESTIONNAIRE IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRUCTURAL (ORGANIZATIONAL) AND AFFECTIVE (PERSONAL INTERACTION BETWEEN GROUP MEMBERS) DIMENSIONS OF GROUP CLIMATE. REGRESSION AND…

Affects and Affect Consciousness

PubMed Central

MONSEN, JON T.; EILERTSEN, DAG ERIK; MELGÅRD, TROND; ØDEGÅRD, PÅL

1996-01-01

Affect consciousness (AC) was operationalized as degrees of awareness, tolerance, nonverbal expression, and conceptual expression of nine specific affects. A semistructured interview (ACI) and separate scales were developed to assess these aspects of affect integration. Their psychometric properties were preliminarily explored by having 20 former psychiatric outpatients complete the interview. Concurrent validity was assessed by using DSM-III-R Axis I and II diagnoses, the Health-Sickness Rating Scale, SCL-90-R, and several indexes from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Satisfactory interrater reliability and high levels of internal consistency supported the construct validity of the measure. Results suggest the most meaningful use of this instrument is in measuring specific affect and overall AC. Clinically, the ACI has provided highly specific and relevant qualitative data for use in planning psychotherapeutic interventions. PMID:22700292

Cross-cultural generality and specificity in self-regulation: avoidance personal goals and multiple aspects of well-being in the United States and Japan.

PubMed

Elliot, Andrew J; Sedikides, Constantine; Murayama, Kou; Tanaka, Ayumi; Thrash, Todd M; Mapes, Rachel R

2012-10-01

The authors examined avoidance personal goals as concurrent (Study 1) and longitudinal (Study 2) predictors of multiple aspects of well-being in the United States and Japan. In both studies, participants adopted more avoidance personal goals in Japan relative to the United States. Both studies also demonstrated that avoidance personal goals were significant negative predictors of the most relevant aspects of well-being in each culture. Specifically, avoidance personal goals were negative predictors of intrapersonal and eudaimonic well-being in the United States and were negative predictors of interpersonal and eudaimonic well-being in Japan. The findings clarify and extend puzzling findings from prior empirical work in this area, and raise provocative possibilities about the nature of avoidance goal pursuit.

Context matters: the structure of task goals affects accuracy in multiple-target visual search.

PubMed

Clark, Kait; Cain, Matthew S; Adcock, R Alison; Mitroff, Stephen R

2014-05-01

Career visual searchers such as radiologists and airport security screeners strive to conduct accurate visual searches, but despite extensive training, errors still occur. A key difference between searches in radiology and airport security is the structure of the search task: Radiologists typically scan a certain number of medical images (fixed objective), and airport security screeners typically search X-rays for a specified time period (fixed duration). Might these structural differences affect accuracy? We compared performance on a search task administered either under constraints that approximated radiology or airport security. Some displays contained more than one target because the presence of multiple targets is an established source of errors for career searchers, and accuracy for additional targets tends to be especially sensitive to contextual conditions. Results indicate that participants searching within the fixed objective framework produced more multiple-target search errors; thus, adopting a fixed duration framework could improve accuracy for career searchers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Neuroanatomy of pseudobulbar affect : a quantitative MRI study in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Ghaffar, Omar; Chamelian, Laury; Feinstein, Anthony

2008-03-01

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is defined as episodes of involuntary crying, laughing, or both in the absence of a matching subjective mood state. This neuropsychiatric syndrome can be found in a number of neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to identify neuroanatomical correlates of PBA in multiple sclerosis (MS) using a case-control 1.5T MRI study. MS patients with (n = 14) and without (n = 14) PBA were matched on demographic, disease course, and disability variables. Comorbid psychiatric disorders including depressive and anxiety disorders were absent. Hypo- and hyperintense lesion volumes plus measurements of atrophy were obtained and localized anatomically according to parcellated brain regions. Between-group statistical comparisons were undertaken with alpha set at 0.01 for the primary analysis. Discrete differences in lesion volume were noted in six regions: Brainstem hypointense lesions, bilateral inferior parietal and medial inferior frontal hyperintense lesions, and right medial superior frontal hyperintense lesions were all significantly higher in the PBA group. A logistic regression model identified four of these variables (brainstem hypointense, left inferior parietal hyperintense, and left and right medial inferior frontal hyperintense lesion volumes) that accounted for 70% of the variance when it came to explaining the presence of PBA. In conclusion, MS patients with PBA have a distinct distribution of brain lesions when compared to a matched MS sample without PBA. The lesion data support a widely-dispersed neural network involving frontal, parietal, and brainstem regions in the pathophysiology of PBA.

Colloid Surface Chemistry Critically Affects Multiple Particle Tracking Measurements of Biomaterials

PubMed Central

Valentine, M. T.; Perlman, Z. E.; Gardel, M. L.; Shin, J. H.; Matsudaira, P.; Mitchison, T. J.; Weitz, D. A.

2004-01-01

Characterization of the properties of complex biomaterials using microrheological techniques has the promise of providing fundamental insights into their biomechanical functions; however, precise interpretations of such measurements are hindered by inadequate characterization of the interactions between tracers and the networks they probe. We here show that colloid surface chemistry can profoundly affect multiple particle tracking measurements of networks of fibrin, entangled F-actin solutions, and networks of cross-linked F-actin. We present a simple protocol to render the surface of colloidal probe particles protein-resistant by grafting short amine-terminated methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) to the surface of carboxylated microspheres. We demonstrate that these poly(ethylene glycol)-coated tracers adsorb significantly less protein than particles coated with bovine serum albumin or unmodified probe particles. We establish that varying particle surface chemistry selectively tunes the sensitivity of the particles to different physical properties of their microenvironments. Specifically, particles that are weakly bound to a heterogeneous network are sensitive to changes in network stiffness, whereas protein-resistant tracers measure changes in the viscosity of the fluid and in the network microstructure. We demonstrate experimentally that two-particle microrheology analysis significantly reduces differences arising from tracer surface chemistry, indicating that modifications of network properties near the particle do not introduce large-scale heterogeneities. Our results establish that controlling colloid-protein interactions is crucial to the successful application of multiple particle tracking techniques to reconstituted protein networks, cytoplasm, and cells. PMID:15189896

Affective symptoms in multiple system atrophy and Parkinson's disease: response to levodopa therapy

PubMed Central

Fetoni, V; Soliveri, P; Monza, D; Testa, D; Girotti, F

1999-01-01

The objective was to determine the extent to which psychiatric disturbances (especially mood disorders) generally considered poor prognostic factors, are present in patients with striatonigral (SND) type multiple system atrophy (MSA) compared with patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD).
The Hamilton depression scale (HAM-D), brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS), and Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS) were administered to clinically probable non-demented patients with SND-type MSA and patients with IPD matched for age and motor disability, at baseline and after receiving levodopa.
At baseline total HAM-D score was greater in patients with IPD. Overall, BPRS score did not differ between the two groups; however, patients with IPD scored higher on anxiety items of the BPRS, and patients with MSA had higher scores on the item indicating blunted affect. After levodopa, both groups improved significantly in UPDRS and HAM-D total scores (just significant for patients with MSA). Patients with IPD improved significantly in total BPRS score but patients with MSA did not.
At baseline patients with IPD were more depressed and anxious than patients with MSA who, by contrast, showed blunted affect. After levodopa, depression and anxiety of patients with IPD improved significantly whereas the affective detachment of patients with MSA did not change. Major neuronal loss in the caudate and ventral striatum, which are part of the lateral orbitofrontal and limbic circuits, may be responsible for the blunted affect not responsive to levodopa therapy found in patients with MSA.

 PMID:10201434

Cognitive and Affective Aspects of Creative Option Generation in Everyday Life Situations

PubMed Central

Schweizer, T. Sophie; Schmalenberger, Katja M.; Eisenlohr-Moul, Tory A.; Mojzisch, Andreas; Kaiser, Stefan; Funke, Joachim

2016-01-01

Which factors influence a human being’s ability to develop new perspectives and be creative? This ability is pivotal for any context in which new cognitions are required, such as innovative endeavors in science and art, or psychotherapeutic settings. In this article, we seek to bring together two research programs investigating the generation of creative options: On the one hand, research on option generation in the decision-making literature and, on the other hand, cognitive and clinical creativity research. Previous decision-making research has largely neglected the topic of generating creative options. Experiments typically provided participants with a clear set of options to choose from, but everyday life situations are less structured and allow countless ways to react. Before choosing an option, agents have to self-generate a set of options to choose from. Such option generation processes have only recently moved to the center of attention. The present study examines the creative quality of self-generated options in daily life situations. A student sample (N = 48) generated options for action in 70 briefly described everyday life scenarios. We rated the quality of the options on three dimensions of creativity- originality, feasibility, and divergence -and linked these qualities to option generation fluency (speed and number of generated options), situational features like the familiarity and the affective valence of the situation in which the options were generated, and trait measures of cognitive performance. We found that when situations were familiar to the participant, greater negative affective valence of the situation was associated with more originality and divergence of generated options. We also found that a higher option generation fluency was associated with a greater maximal originality of options. We complete our article with a joint research agenda for researchers in the decision-making field focusing on option generation and, on the other hand

The impact of cognitive and affective aspects of cognitive conflict on learners' conceptual change about floating and sinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadjiachilleos, Stella; Valanides, Nicos; Angeli, Charoula

2013-07-01

Background: Cognitive conflict has been identified as an important factor for bringing about students' conceptual change. Researchers draw attention to the need to study not only cognitive factors related to cognitive conflict but affective factors as well. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of cognitive and non-cognitive aspects involved in cognitive conflict on students' conceptual change. Sample: Fifteen students, five from each of fourth, sixth and eighth grades, participated in the study. Seven students were male, and the rest were female. All students had high academic performance and were good at explaining their reasoning. Design and method: The study focused on gaining in-depth information, using semi-structured clinical interviews, about students' thinking when they were engaged in an inquiry process, which incorporated cognitive conflict using a scenario about floating and sinking. Students' initial conceptions related to the phenomenon of floating and sinking were first diagnosed and, subsequently, discrepant events were presented to challenge their initial conceptions. The 15 interviews were qualitatively analyzed using the constant comparative analysis method. Results: The results of this study showed that students' conceptual change was directly related to both cognitive and affective aspects of cognitive conflict. The results also showed that some students showed persistence on alternative frameworks even after their exposure to cognitive conflict. Conclusions: Cognitive conflict is an idiosyncratic, or personal event, that may not be experienced by all learners in the same way. Thus, the effect of cognitive conflict on learners' conceptual change is directly related to learners' ability to experience and feel the conflict when it is presented to them.

Analysis of multispectral signatures and investigation of multi-aspect remote sensing techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malila, W. A.; Hieber, R. H.; Sarno, J. E.

1974-01-01

Two major aspects of remote sensing with multispectral scanners (MSS) are investigated. The first, multispectral signature analysis, includes the effects on classification performance of systematic variations found in the average signals received from various ground covers as well as the prediction of these variations with theoretical models of physical processes. The foremost effects studied are those associated with the time of day airborne MSS data are collected. Six data collection runs made over the same flight line in a period of five hours are analyzed, it is found that the time span significantly affects classification performance. Variations associated with scan angle also are studied. The second major topic of discussion is multi-aspect remote sensing, a new concept in remote sensing with scanners. Here, data are collected on multiple passes by a scanner that can be tilted to scan forward of the aircraft at different angles on different passes. The use of such spatially registered data to achieve improved classification of agricultural scenes is investigated and found promising. Also considered are the possibilities of extracting from multi-aspect data, information on the condition of corn canopies and the stand characteristics of forests.

Multiple sclerosis

MedlinePlus

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000737.htm Multiple sclerosis To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the ...

Physical disability, life stress, and psychosocial adjustment in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Zeldow, P B; Pavlou, M

1984-02-01

Eighty-one outpatients with diagnosed multiple sclerosis were studied in an effort to examine the relative contributions of physical health status, life stress, duration of illness, age, sex, marital status, and social class on various aspects of personal and interpersonal functioning. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to identify the most significant discriminators of the seven psychosocial measures. Physical health status exerted the broadest influence, affecting personal efficiency and well-being, capacity for independent thought and action, self-confidence, self-reliance, and number of meaningful social contacts. Life stress was associated with lowered personal efficiency and sense of well-being. Duration of illness and the demographic variables had few or no effects on psychosocial adjustment. Discussion contrasts the present findings with others in the rehabilitation literature and specifies certain limitations of the study's design.

Characterizing multiple timescales of stream and storage zone interaction that affect solute fate and transport in streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Choi, Jungyill; Harvey, Judson W.; Conklin, Martha H.

2000-01-01

The fate of contaminants in streams and rivers is affected by exchange and biogeochemical transformation in slowly moving or stagnant flow zones that interact with rapid flow in the main channel. In a typical stream, there are multiple types of slowly moving flow zones in which exchange and transformation occur, such as stagnant or recirculating surface water as well as subsurface hyporheic zones. However, most investigators use transport models with just a single storage zone in their modeling studies, which assumes that the effects of multiple storage zones can be lumped together. Our study addressed the following question: Can a single‐storage zone model reliably characterize the effects of physical retention and biogeochemical reactions in multiple storage zones? We extended an existing stream transport model with a single storage zone to include a second storage zone. With the extended model we generated 500 data sets representing transport of nonreactive and reactive solutes in stream systems that have two different types of storage zones with variable hydrologic conditions. The one storage zone model was tested by optimizing the lumped storage parameters to achieve a best fit for each of the generated data sets. Multiple storage processes were categorized as possessing I, additive; II, competitive; or III, dominant storage zone characteristics. The classification was based on the goodness of fit of generated data sets, the degree of similarity in mean retention time of the two storage zones, and the relative distributions of exchange flux and storage capacity between the two storage zones. For most cases (>90%) the one storage zone model described either the effect of the sum of multiple storage processes (category I) or the dominant storage process (category III). Failure of the one storage zone model occurred mainly for category II, that is, when one of the storage zones had a much longer mean retention time (ts ratio > 5.0) and when the dominance of

Neuro-ophthalmologic aspects of multiple sclerosis: Using eye movements as a clinical and experimental tool

PubMed Central

Niestroy, Annette; Rucker, Janet C; Leigh, R John

2007-01-01

Ocular motor disorders are a well recognized feature of multiple sclerosis (MS). Clinical abnormalities of eye movements, early in the disease course, are associated with generalized disability, probably because the burden of disease in affected patients falls on the brainstem and cerebellar pathways, which are important for gait and balance. Measurement of eye movements, especially when used to detect internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO), may aid diagnosis of MS. Measurement of the ocular following response to moving sinusoidal gratings of specified spatial frequency and contrast can be used as an experimental tool to better understand persistent visual complaints in patients who have suffered optic neuritis. Patients with MS who develop acquired pendular nystagmus often benefit from treatment with gabapentin or memantine. PMID:19668480

Cognitive Psychophysiological Substrates of Affective Temperaments.

PubMed

Poyraz, Burç Çağrı; Sakallı Kani, Ayşe; Aksoy Poyraz, Cana; Öcek Baş, Tuba; Arıkan, Mehmet Kemal

2017-03-01

Affective temperaments are the subclinical manifestations or phenotypes of mood states and hypothetically represent one healthy end of the mood disorder spectrum. However, there is a scarcity of studies investigating the neurobiological basis of affective temperaments. One fundamental aspect of temperament is the behavioral reactivity to environmental stimuli, which can be effectively evaluated by use of cognitive event-related potentials (ERPs) reflecting the diversity of information processing. The aim of the present study is to explore the associations between P300 and the affective temperamental traits in healthy individuals. We recorded the P300 ERP waves using an auditory oddball paradigm in 50 medical student volunteers (23 females, 27 males). Participants' affective temperaments were evaluated using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-auto questionnaire version (TEMPS-A). In bivariate analyses, depressive temperament score was significantly correlated with P300 latency ( r s = 0.37, P < .01). In a multiple linear regression analysis, P300 latency showed a significant positive correlation with scores of depressive temperament (β = 0.40, P < .01) and a significant negative one with scores of cyclothymic temperament (β = -0.29, P = .03). Affective temperament scores were not associated with P300 amplitude and reaction times. These results indicate that affective temperaments are related to information processing in the brain. Depressive temperament may be characterized by decreased physiological arousal and slower information processing, while the opposite was observed for cyclothymic temperament.

Multiple Sclerosis-related Uveitis: Does MS Treatment Affect Uveitis Course?

PubMed

Jouve, Léa; Benrabah, Rabah; Héron, Emmanuel; Bodaghi, Bahram; Le Hoang, Phuc; Touitou, Valérie

2017-06-01

Few data are available regarding the optimal treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS)-related uveitis. The aim of this study was to describe clinical features of MS-associated uveitis and determine how MS treatment affects the course of uveitis. Retrospective, multicenter study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the use (group 2) or not (group 1) of immunomodulatory drugs. Characteristics of uveitis and treatment were reviewed. A total of 68 eyes from 36 patients (17 in group 1 and 19 in group 2) were included. All patients were treated with topical and/or systemic steroids for uveitis. Uveitis occurred 1-17 years prior to neurologic symptoms in 78% of patients. Uveitis was more severe in group 2 (p<0.05), with a tendency toward a higher rate of chronic uveitis (p = 0.06). MS-related uveitis has often a favorable evolution. Patients on interferon-beta have more severe and chronic uveitis. As far as we are concerned, interferon-beta given on the sole indication of uveitis is not recommended. If steroid-sparing agent is required for intraocular inflammation, immunosuppressive drugs should be considered.

Some Legal Aspects of Campus Housing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Donald R.

Legal aspects and implications affecting college and university housing administration are unpredictable, unsettled, and subject to change. The complete practical guide to the everyday legal answers for campus housing simply does not exist. This document presents some specific legal considerations involved in housing that may affect the management…

Managing Multiple Health Problems: Living with Multiple Health Problems

MedlinePlus

... treatments affect people with multiple health problems. Guiding Principles on Caring for Older Adults with Multiple Health ... interactions and other side effects. Each of the principles above is intended to help improve the health ...

Multiple aspects of high school students' strategic processing on reading outcomes: The role of quantity, quality, and conjunctive strategy use.

PubMed

Parkinson, Meghan M; Dinsmore, Daniel L

2018-03-01

While the literature on strategy use is relatively mature, measures of strategy use overwhelmingly measure only one aspect of that use, frequency, when relating that strategy use to performance outcomes. While this might be one important attribute of strategy use, there is increasing evidence that quality and conditional use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies may also be important. This study examines how multiple aspects of strategy use, namely frequency, quality, and conjunctive use of strategies, influence task performance on both well- and ill-structured task outcomes in addition to other concomitant variables that may interact with strategic processing during reading. The sample consisted of 21 high school students enrolled in an upper-level biology class in a suburban school in the north-eastern United States. These participants completed measures of prior knowledge and interest, then read either an expository or persuasive text while thinking aloud. They then completed a passage recall and open-ended response following passage completion. In general, quantity was not positively related to the study outcomes and was negatively related to one of them. Quality of strategy use, on the other hand, was consistently related to positive reading outcomes. The influence of knowledge and interest in terms of strategies is also discussed as well as six cases which illustrate the relation of aspects of strategy use and the other concomitant variables. Evaluating strategy use by solely examining the frequency of strategy use did not explain differences in task performance as well as evaluating the quality and conjunctive use of strategies. Further, important relations between prior knowledge, interest, and the task outcomes appeared to be mediated and moderated by the aspects of strategy use investigated. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Bio-psycho-social factors affecting sexual self-concept: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Potki, Robabeh; Ziaei, Tayebe; Faramarzi, Mahbobeh; Moosazadeh, Mahmood; Shahhosseini, Zohreh

2017-01-01

Background Nowadays, it is believed that mental and emotional aspects of sexual well-being are the important aspects of sexual health. Sexual self-concept is a major component of sexual health and the core of sexuality. It is defined as the cognitive perspective concerning the sexual aspects of ‘self’ and refers to the individual’s self-perception as a sexual creature. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the different factors affecting sexual self-concept. Methods English electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar as well as two Iranian databases including Scientific Information Database and Iranmedex were searched for English and Persian-language articles published between 1996 and 2016. Of 281 retrieved articles, 37 articles were finally included for writing this review article. Results Factors affecting sexual self-concept were categorized to biological, psychological and social factors. In the category of biological factors, age gender, marital status, race, disability and sexual transmitted infections are described. In the psychological category, the impact of body image, sexual abuse in childhood and mental health history are present. Lastly, in the social category, the roles of parents, peers and the media are discussed. Conclusion As the development of sexual self-concept is influenced by multiple events in individuals’ lives, to promotion of sexual self-concept, an integrated implementation of health policies is recommended. PMID:29038693

Bio-psycho-social factors affecting sexual self-concept: A systematic review.

PubMed

Potki, Robabeh; Ziaei, Tayebe; Faramarzi, Mahbobeh; Moosazadeh, Mahmood; Shahhosseini, Zohreh

2017-09-01

Nowadays, it is believed that mental and emotional aspects of sexual well-being are the important aspects of sexual health. Sexual self-concept is a major component of sexual health and the core of sexuality. It is defined as the cognitive perspective concerning the sexual aspects of 'self' and refers to the individual's self-perception as a sexual creature. The aim of this study was to assess the different factors affecting sexual self-concept. English electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar as well as two Iranian databases including Scientific Information Database and Iranmedex were searched for English and Persian-language articles published between 1996 and 2016. Of 281 retrieved articles, 37 articles were finally included for writing this review article. Factors affecting sexual self-concept were categorized to biological, psychological and social factors. In the category of biological factors, age gender, marital status, race, disability and sexual transmitted infections are described. In the psychological category, the impact of body image, sexual abuse in childhood and mental health history are present. Lastly, in the social category, the roles of parents, peers and the media are discussed. As the development of sexual self-concept is influenced by multiple events in individuals' lives, to promotion of sexual self-concept, an integrated implementation of health policies is recommended.

How proprioceptive impairments affect quiet standing in patients with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Rougier, P; Faucher, M; Cantalloube, S; Lamotte, D; Vinti, M; Thoumie, P

2007-01-01

To assess if multiple sclerosis patients with proprioceptive impairment are specifically affected during quiet standing with eyes open and how they can develop motor compensatory processes, 56 patients, classified from sensory clinical tests as ataxo-spastic (MS-AS) or only having spasticity (MS-S), were compared to 23 healthy adults matched for age. The postural strategies were assessed from the centre-of-pressure trajectories (CP), measured from a force platform in the eyes open standing condition for a single trial lasting 51.2 s. The vertical projection of the centre of gravity (CGv) and its vertical difference from the CP (CP-CGv) were then estimated through a biomechanical relationship. These two movements permit the characterization of the postural performance and the horizontal acceleration communicated to the CG and from that, the global energy expenditure, respectively. Both MS-AS and MS-S groups demonstrate larger CGv and CP-CGv movements than healthy individuals of the same age. Whilst similar CGv values are noticed in both MS subgroups, suggesting similar postural performances, statistically significant differences are observed for the CP-CGv component. Biomechanically, this feature expresses the necessity for the MS-AS group to develop augmented neuro-muscular means to control their body movements, as compared to the MS-S group. By demonstrating for both groups of patients similar postural performance accompanied by a varying degree of energy expenditure to maintain undisturbed upright stance, this study reveals that MS-AS patients which are affected by proprioceptive loss can compensate for this deficit with more efficient control strategies, when standing still with their eyes open.

Does performance management affect nurses' well-being?

PubMed

Decramer, Adelien; Audenaert, Mieke; Van Waeyenberg, Thomas; Claeys, Tine; Claes, Claudia; Vandevelde, Stijn; van Loon, Jos; Crucke, Saskia

2015-04-01

This article focuses on employee performance-management practices in the healthcare sector. We specifically aim to contribute to a better understanding of the impact of employee performance-management practices on affective well-being of nurses in hospitals. Theory suggests that the features of employee-performance management (planning and evaluation of individual performances) predict affective well-being (in this study: job satisfaction and affective commitment). Performance-management planning and evaluation and affective well-being were drawn from a survey of nurses at a Flemish hospital. Separate estimations were performed for different aspects of affective well-being. Performance planning has a negative effect on job satisfaction of nurses. Both vertical alignment and satisfaction with the employee performance-management system increase the affective well-being of nurses; however, the impact of vertical alignment differs for different aspects of affective well-being (i.e. job satisfaction and affective commitment). Performance-management planning and evaluation of nurses are associated with attitudinal outcomes. The results indicate that employee performance-management features have different impacts on different aspects of well-being. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brain responses to verbal stimuli among multiple sclerosis patients with pseudobulbar affect.

PubMed

Haiman, Guy; Pratt, Hillel; Miller, Ariel

2008-08-15

To characterize the brain activity and associated cortical structures involved in pseudobulbar affect (PBA), a condition characterized by uncontrollable episodes of emotional lability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Behavioral responses and event related potentials (ERP) in response to subjectively significant and neutral verbal stimuli were recorded from 33 subjects in 3 groups: 1) MS patients with PBA (MS+PBA); 2) MS patients without PBA (MS); 3) Healthy control subjects (HC). Statistical non-parametric mapping comparisons of ERP source current density distributions between groups were conducted separately for subjectively significant and for neutral stimuli. Behavioral responses showed more impulsive performance in patients with PBA. As expected, almost all ERP waveform comparisons between the MS groups and controls were significant. Source analysis indicated significantly distinct activation in MS+PBA in the vicinity of the somatosensory and motor areas in response to neutral stimuli, and at pre-motor and supplementary motor areas in response to subjectively significant stimuli. Both subjectively significant and neutral stimuli evoked higher current density in MS+PBA compared to both other groups. PBA of MS patients involves cortical structures related to sensory-motor and emotional processing, in addition to overactive involvement of motor cortical areas in response to neutral stimuli. These results may suggest that a 'disinhibition' of a "gate control"-type mechanism for emotional expression may lead to the lower emotional expression threshold of pseudobulbar affect.

Improved statistical signal detection in pharmacovigilance by combining multiple strength-of-evidence aspects in vigiRank.

PubMed

Caster, Ola; Juhlin, Kristina; Watson, Sarah; Norén, G Niklas

2014-08-01

operating characteristics curve (AUC) over screening based on the Information Component (IC) and raw numbers of reports, respectively (0.775 vs. 0.736 and 0.707, cross-validated). Accounting for multiple aspects of strength of evidence has clear conceptual and empirical advantages over disproportionality analysis. vigiRank is a first-of-its-kind predictive model to factor in report quality and content in first-pass screening to better meet tomorrow's post-marketing drug safety surveillance needs.

Affective brain areas and sleep disordered breathing

PubMed Central

Harper, Ronald M.; Kumar, Rajesh; Macey, Paul M.; Woo, Mary A.; Ogren, Jennifer A.

2014-01-01

The neural damage accompanying the hypoxia, reduced perfusion, and other consequences of sleep-disordered breathing found in obstructive sleep apnea, heart failure (HF), and congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS), appears in areas that serve multiple functions, including emotional drives to breathe, and involve systems that serve affective, cardiovascular, and breathing roles. The damage, assessed with structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures, shows tissue loss or water content and diffusion changes indicative of injury, and impaired axonal integrity between structures; damage is preferentially unilateral. Functional MRI responses in affected areas also are time- or amplitude- distorted to ventilatory or autonomic challenges. Among the structures injured are the insular, cingulate, and ventral medial prefrontal cortices, as well as cerebellar deep nuclei and cortex, anterior hypothalamus, raphé, ventrolateral medulla, basal ganglia and, in CCHS, the locus coeruleus. Raphé and locus coeruleus injury may modify serotonergic and adrenergic modulation of upper airway and arousal characteristics. Since both axons and gray matter show injury, the consequences to function, especially to autonomic, cognitive, and mood regulation, are major. Several affected rostral sites, including the insular and cingulate cortices and hippocampus, mediate aspects of dyspnea, especially in CCHS, while others, including the anterior cingulate and thalamus, participate in initiation of inspiration after central breathing pauses, and the medullary injury can impair baroreflex and breathing control. The ancillary injury associated with sleep-disordered breathing to central structures can elicit multiple other distortions in cardiovascular, cognitive, and emotional functions in addition to effects on breathing regulation. PMID:24746053

Dynamic musical communication of core affect

PubMed Central

Flaig, Nicole K.; Large, Edward W.

2013-01-01

Is there something special about the way music communicates feelings? Theorists since Meyer (1956) have attempted to explain how music could stimulate varied and subtle affective experiences by violating learned expectancies, or by mimicking other forms of social interaction. Our proposal is that music speaks to the brain in its own language; it need not imitate any other form of communication. We review recent theoretical and empirical literature, which suggests that all conscious processes consist of dynamic neural events, produced by spatially dispersed processes in the physical brain. Intentional thought and affective experience arise as dynamical aspects of neural events taking place in multiple brain areas simultaneously. At any given moment, this content comprises a unified “scene” that is integrated into a dynamic core through synchrony of neuronal oscillations. We propose that (1) neurodynamic synchrony with musical stimuli gives rise to musical qualia including tonal and temporal expectancies, and that (2) music-synchronous responses couple into core neurodynamics, enabling music to directly modulate core affect. Expressive music performance, for example, may recruit rhythm-synchronous neural responses to support affective communication. We suggest that the dynamic relationship between musical expression and the experience of affect presents a unique opportunity for the study of emotional experience. This may help elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying arousal and valence, and offer a new approach to exploring the complex dynamics of the how and why of emotional experience. PMID:24672492

Dynamic musical communication of core affect.

PubMed

Flaig, Nicole K; Large, Edward W

2014-01-01

Is there something special about the way music communicates feelings? Theorists since Meyer (1956) have attempted to explain how music could stimulate varied and subtle affective experiences by violating learned expectancies, or by mimicking other forms of social interaction. Our proposal is that music speaks to the brain in its own language; it need not imitate any other form of communication. We review recent theoretical and empirical literature, which suggests that all conscious processes consist of dynamic neural events, produced by spatially dispersed processes in the physical brain. Intentional thought and affective experience arise as dynamical aspects of neural events taking place in multiple brain areas simultaneously. At any given moment, this content comprises a unified "scene" that is integrated into a dynamic core through synchrony of neuronal oscillations. We propose that (1) neurodynamic synchrony with musical stimuli gives rise to musical qualia including tonal and temporal expectancies, and that (2) music-synchronous responses couple into core neurodynamics, enabling music to directly modulate core affect. Expressive music performance, for example, may recruit rhythm-synchronous neural responses to support affective communication. We suggest that the dynamic relationship between musical expression and the experience of affect presents a unique opportunity for the study of emotional experience. This may help elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying arousal and valence, and offer a new approach to exploring the complex dynamics of the how and why of emotional experience.

Reciprocal Modulation of Cognitive and Emotional Aspects in Pianistic Performances

PubMed Central

Higuchi, Marcia K. Kodama; Fornari, José; Del Ben, Cristina M.; Graeff, Frederico G.; Leite, João Pereira

2011-01-01

Background High level piano performance requires complex integration of perceptual, motor, cognitive and emotive skills. Observations in psychology and neuroscience studies have suggested reciprocal inhibitory modulation of the cognition by emotion and emotion by cognition. However, it is still unclear how cognitive states may influence the pianistic performance. The aim of the present study is to verify the influence of cognitive and affective attention in the piano performances. Methods and Findings Nine pianists were instructed to play the same piece of music, firstly focusing only on cognitive aspects of musical structure (cognitive performances), and secondly, paying attention solely on affective aspects (affective performances). Audio files from pianistic performances were examined using a computational model that retrieves nine specific musical features (descriptors) – loudness, articulation, brightness, harmonic complexity, event detection, key clarity, mode detection, pulse clarity and repetition. In addition, the number of volunteers' errors in the recording sessions was counted. Comments from pianists about their thoughts during performances were also evaluated. The analyses of audio files throughout musical descriptors indicated that the affective performances have more: agogics, legatos, pianos phrasing, and less perception of event density when compared to the cognitive ones. Error analysis demonstrated that volunteers misplayed more left hand notes in the cognitive performances than in the affective ones. Volunteers also played more wrong notes in affective than in cognitive performances. These results correspond to the volunteers' comments that in the affective performances, the cognitive aspects of piano execution are inhibited, whereas in the cognitive performances, the expressiveness is inhibited. Conclusions Therefore, the present results indicate that attention to the emotional aspects of performance enhances expressiveness, but constrains

Chamber QoE: a multi-instrumental approach to explore affective aspects in relation to quality of experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Moor, Katrien; Mazza, Filippo; Hupont, Isabelle; Ríos Quintero, Miguel; Mäki, Toni; Varela, Martín.

2014-02-01

Evaluating (audio)visual quality and Quality of Experience (QoE) from the user's perspective, has become a key element in optimizing users' experiences and their quality. Traditionally, the focus lies on how multi-level quality features are perceived by a human user. The interest has however gradually expanded towards human cognitive, affective and behavioral processes that may impact on, be an element of, or be influenced by QoE, and which have been underinvestigated so far. In addition, there is a major discrepancy between the new, broadly supported and more holistic conceptualization of QoE proposed by Le Callet et al. (2012) and traditional, standardized QoE assessment. This paper explores ways to tackle this discrepancy by means of a multi-instrumental approach. More concretely, it presents results from a lab study on video quality (N=27), aimed at going beyond the dominant QoE assessment paradigm and at exploring affective aspects in relation to QoE and in relation to perceived overall quality. Four types of data were collected: `traditional' QoE self-report measures were complemented with `alternative', emotional state- and user engagement-related self-report measures to evaluate QoE. In addition, we collected EEG (physiological) data, gazetracking data and facial expressions (behavioral) data. The video samples used in test were longer in duration than is common in standard tests allowing us to study e.g. more realistic experience and deeper user engagement. Our findings support the claim that the traditional QoE measures need to be reconsidered and extended with additional, affective staterelated measures.

Multiple Factors Affect Socioeconomics and Wellbeing of Artisanal Sea Cucumber Fishers.

PubMed

Purcell, Steven W; Ngaluafe, Poasi; Foale, Simon J; Cocks, Nicole; Cullis, Brian R; Lalavanua, Watisoni

2016-01-01

Small-scale fisheries are important to livelihoods and subsistence seafood consumption of millions of fishers. Sea cucumbers are fished worldwide for export to Asia, yet few studies have assessed factors affecting socioeconomics and wellbeing among fishers. We interviewed 476 men and women sea cucumber fishers at multiple villages within multiple locations in Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga and New Caledonia using structured questionnaires. Low rates of subsistence consumption confirmed a primary role of sea cucumbers in income security. Prices of sea cucumbers sold by fishers varied greatly among countries, depending on the species. Gender variation in landing prices could be due to women catching smaller sea cucumbers or because some traders take advantage of them. Dissatisfaction with fishery income was common (44% of fishers), especially for i-Kiribati fishers, male fishers, and fishers experiencing difficulty selling their catch, but was uncorrelated with sale prices. Income dissatisfaction worsened with age. The number of livelihood activities averaged 2.2-2.5 across countries, and varied significantly among locations. Sea cucumbers were often a primary source of income to fishers, especially in Tonga. Other common livelihood activities were fishing other marine resources, copra production in Kiribati, agriculture in Fiji, and salaried jobs in New Caledonia. Fishing other coastal and coral reef resources was the most common fall-back livelihood option if fishers were forced to exit the fishery. Our data highlight large disparities in subsistence consumption, gender-related price equity, and livelihood diversity among parallel artisanal fisheries. Improvement of supply chains in dispersed small-scale fisheries appears as a critical need for enhancing income and wellbeing of fishers. Strong evidence for co-dependence among small-scale fisheries, through fall-back livelihood preferences of fishers, suggests that resource managers must mitigate concomitant effects on other

Eating in groups: Do multiple social influences affect intake in a fast-food restaurant?

PubMed

Brindal, Emily; Wilson, Carlene; Mohr, Philip; Wittert, Gary

2015-05-01

This study investigated multiple social influences to determine whether they affect amount eaten at a fast-food environment. Using observational methods, data on meal duration, foods eaten and personal characteristics were collected for 157 McDonald's patrons. Analysis of covariance revealed that female diners ate less kilojoules when eating in mixed- versus same-sex groups (adjusted difference = 967 kJ, p < .05), while male diners eating in mixed-sex company ate more in groups compared to pairs (adjusted difference = 1067 kJ, p = .019). Influences to increase and restrict the amount eaten can operate simultaneously in an eating environment with gender a critical factor for consideration. © The Author(s) 2015.

Discovering Socio-Cultural Aspects of Science through Artworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Güney, Burcu Gülay; Seker, Hayati

2017-01-01

Scientific literacy is one of the primary purposes of science education which briefly focuses on using and interpreting scientific explanations, understanding science within its culture. However, science curricula emphasize science with its cognitive aspects and underestimate affective and aesthetic aspects of science. Science education needs to…

Changes of procalcitonin level in multiple trauma patients.

PubMed

Wojtaszek, Marek; Staśkiewicz, Grzegorz; Torres, Kamil; Jakubowski, Krzysztof; Rácz, Oliver; Cipora, Elżbieta

2014-01-01

Some aspects of the pathophysiology of complications in multiple-trauma patients still remain unclear. Mediators of inflammation have been postulated as playing a key role in being responsible for life threatening complications of multiple trauma patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of procalcitonin (PCT) level in multiple trauma patients. A prospective study took place including patients with multiple trauma hospitalised in several hospital units. PCT level was measured in blood from 45 patients, aged 18-70 years using enzyme-linked immunoassay. The patients were divided into three groups: group I - individuals with multiple trauma with central nervous system injury; group II - those with multiple trauma without CNS injury; and group III - patients with isolated central nervous system injury. Initial PCT levels were below 0.5 ng mL(-1) regardless of the cause of trauma. In the 24th hour of observation, a statistically significant increase of PCT concentration vs. initial levels was recorded in all groups of patients. Then PCT levels decreased significantly at the 3rd measurement point in all groups, and they remained unchanged until the last measurement. The highest levels of PCT were observed in multiple trauma patients without CNS injury (group II). In this group of patients, a significantly longer duration of surgery in the post-trauma period affected PCT levels. PCT concentrations in patients who died were significantly greater than in survivors. A long lasting elevated concentration of procalcitonin in the post-traumatic period, or its repeated increase, is a good marker of developing complications observed earlier than clinical manifestations.

Unmet Needs of Patients Feeling Severely Affected by Multiple Sclerosis in Germany: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Golla, Heidrun; Strupp, Julia; Karbach, Ute; Kaiser, Claudia; Ernstmann, Nicole; Pfaff, Holger; Ostgathe, Christoph; Voltz, Raymond

2014-01-01

Abstract Background: The needs of patients feeling severely affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) have rarely been investigated. However this is essential information to know before care can be improved, including adding palliative care (PC) services where helpful. Since it remains unclear at what point specialized palliative care should begin for this patient group, this study focuses on needs in general. Objective: The objective was to explore the subjectively unmet needs of patients feeling severely affected by MS. Methods: The study used a qualitative cross-sectional approach for needs assessment. Fifteen patients self-reporting feeling severely affected by MS were recruited and interviewed using a combination of purposive and convenience sampling (five were accompanied by a caregiver relative). Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, followed by qualitative content analysis. Results: Unmet needs were identified in the main categories “support of family and friends,” “health care services,” “managing everyday life,” and “maintaining biographical continuity.” Patients expressed the desire for more support from their families and to be viewed as distinct individuals. They see a substantial deficit in the physician-patient relationship and in the coordination of services. A decrease in expressed unmet needs was found for patients more severely affected and less socially integrated. Conclusions: To address the unmet needs of severely affected MS patients, health care services need to be improved and linked with existing PC services. Special attention is required to form supporting professional-patient relationships. Multiprofessional services should be accessible for patients, while integrating relatives. All services should have an individual approach to provide needs-tailored support. PMID:24527993

How and why multiple MCMs are loaded at origins of DNA replication.

PubMed

Das, Shankar P; Rhind, Nicholas

2016-07-01

Recent work suggests that DNA replication origins are regulated by the number of multiple mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM) complexes loaded. Origins are defined by the loading of MCM - the replicative helicase which initiates DNA replication and replication kinetics determined by origin's location and firing times. However, activation of MCM is heterogeneous; different origins firing at different times in different cells. Also, more MCMs are loaded in G1 than are used in S phase. These aspects of MCM biology are explained by the observation that multiple MCMs are loaded at origins. Having more MCMs at early origins makes them more likely to fire, effecting differences in origin efficiency that define replication timing. Nonetheless, multiple MCM loading raises new questions, such as how they are loaded, where these MCMs reside at origins, and how their presence affects replication timing. In this review, we address these questions and discuss future avenues of research. © 2016 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

25 CFR 87.9 - Programming aspects of plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Programming aspects of plans. 87.9 Section 87.9 Indians... JUDGMENT FUNDS § 87.9 Programming aspects of plans. In assessing any tribal programming proposal the... such reservation residents; the nature of recent programming affecting the subject tribe or group and...

25 CFR 87.9 - Programming aspects of plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Programming aspects of plans. 87.9 Section 87.9 Indians... JUDGMENT FUNDS § 87.9 Programming aspects of plans. In assessing any tribal programming proposal the... such reservation residents; the nature of recent programming affecting the subject tribe or group and...

25 CFR 87.9 - Programming aspects of plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2012-04-01 2011-04-01 true Programming aspects of plans. 87.9 Section 87.9 Indians... JUDGMENT FUNDS § 87.9 Programming aspects of plans. In assessing any tribal programming proposal the... such reservation residents; the nature of recent programming affecting the subject tribe or group and...

25 CFR 87.9 - Programming aspects of plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Programming aspects of plans. 87.9 Section 87.9 Indians... JUDGMENT FUNDS § 87.9 Programming aspects of plans. In assessing any tribal programming proposal the... such reservation residents; the nature of recent programming affecting the subject tribe or group and...

25 CFR 87.9 - Programming aspects of plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Programming aspects of plans. 87.9 Section 87.9 Indians... JUDGMENT FUNDS § 87.9 Programming aspects of plans. In assessing any tribal programming proposal the... such reservation residents; the nature of recent programming affecting the subject tribe or group and...

[Genetic and neuroendocrine aspects in autism spectrum disorder].

PubMed

Oviedo, Norma; Manuel-Apolinar, Leticia; de la Chesnaye, Elsa; Guerra-Araiza, Christian

The autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was described in 1943 and is defined as a developmental disorder that affects social interaction and communication. It is usually identified in early stages of development from 18 months of age. Currently, autism is considered a neurological disorder with a spectrum covering cases of different degrees, which is associated with genetic factors, not genetic and environmental. Among the genetic factors, various syndromes have been described that are associated with this disorder. Also, the neurobiology of autism has been studied at the genetic, neurophysiological, neurochemical and neuropathological levels. Neuroimaging techniques have shown multiple structural abnormalities in these patients. There have also been changes in the serotonergic, GABAergic, catecholaminergic and cholinergic systems related to this disorder. This paper presents an update of the information presented in the genetic and neuroendocrine aspects of autism spectrum disorder. Copyright © 2014 Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Explorations of Affection and Aggression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shuntich, Richard J.; Shapiro, Richard

Considerable effort has been devoted to investigating various aspects of love and affection, but there have been few studies about direct expressions of affection. Relationships between gender composition of a dyad and the affection/aggression expressed by the dyad were examined as was the possibility of increasing the amount of affectionate…

Right parietal cortex and calculation processing: intraoperative functional mapping of multiplication and addition in patients affected by a brain tumor.

PubMed

Della Puppa, Alessandro; De Pellegrin, Serena; d'Avella, Elena; Gioffrè, Giorgio; Munari, Marina; Saladini, Marina; Salillas, Elena; Scienza, Renato; Semenza, Carlo

2013-11-01

The role of parietal areas in number processing is well known. The significance of intraoperative functional mapping of these areas has been only partially explored, however, and only a few discordant data are available in the surgical literature with regard to the right parietal lobe. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical impact of simple calculation in cortical electrostimulation of right-handed patients affected by a right parietal brain tumor. Calculation mapping in awake surgery was performed in 3 right-handed patients affected by high-grade gliomas located in the right parietal lobe. Preoperatively, none of the patients presented with calculation deficits. In all 3 cases, after sensorimotor and language mapping, cortical and intraparietal sulcus areas involved in single-digit multiplication and addition calculations were mapped using bipolar electrostimulation. In all patients, different sites of the right parietal cortex, mainly in the inferior lobule, were detected as being specifically related to calculation (multiplication or addition). In 2 patients the intraparietal sulcus was functionally specific for multiplication. No functional sites for language were detected. All sites functional for calculation were spared during tumor resection, which was complete in all cases without postoperative neurological deficits. These findings provide intraoperative data in support of an anatomofunctional organization for multiplication and addition within the right parietal area. Furthermore, the study shows the potential clinical relevance of intraoperative mapping of calculation in patients undergoing surgery in the right parietal area. Further and larger studies are needed to confirm these data and assess whether mapped areas are effectively essential for function.

Medicolegal issues in multiple pregnancy.

PubMed

Gersell, Deborah J

2007-02-01

Any discussion of multiple pregnancy figures prominently in the consideration of the medicolegal aspects of placental pathology. Multiple gestations are common and becoming more so with assisted reproductive techniques, and multiples are associated with a disproportionate share of complications that may result in disputes over quality of care. Higher rates of intrauterine growth retardation, prematurity, stillbirth, morbidity, mortality, cerebral palsy, anomalous development, and malformation as compared with singletons are well documented in multiple pregnancy and should be anticipated. Monochorionic placentation and complications of vascular anastomosis are important factors contributing to poor outcome. Other factors, although occurring in all gestations, are relevant because they are more common in multiple gestations.

Decision aids for multiple-decision disease management as affected by weather input errors.

PubMed

Pfender, W F; Gent, D H; Mahaffee, W F; Coop, L B; Fox, A D

2011-06-01

Many disease management decision support systems (DSSs) rely, exclusively or in part, on weather inputs to calculate an indicator for disease hazard. Error in the weather inputs, typically due to forecasting, interpolation, or estimation from off-site sources, may affect model calculations and management decision recommendations. The extent to which errors in weather inputs affect the quality of the final management outcome depends on a number of aspects of the disease management context, including whether management consists of a single dichotomous decision, or of a multi-decision process extending over the cropping season(s). Decision aids for multi-decision disease management typically are based on simple or complex algorithms of weather data which may be accumulated over several days or weeks. It is difficult to quantify accuracy of multi-decision DSSs due to temporally overlapping disease events, existence of more than one solution to optimizing the outcome, opportunities to take later recourse to modify earlier decisions, and the ongoing, complex decision process in which the DSS is only one component. One approach to assessing importance of weather input errors is to conduct an error analysis in which the DSS outcome from high-quality weather data is compared with that from weather data with various levels of bias and/or variance from the original data. We illustrate this analytical approach for two types of DSS, an infection risk index for hop powdery mildew and a simulation model for grass stem rust. Further exploration of analysis methods is needed to address problems associated with assessing uncertainty in multi-decision DSSs.

Mining Multi-Aspect Reflection of News Events in Twitter: Discovery, Linking and Presentation

PubMed Central

Wang, Jingjing; Tong, Wenzhu; Yu, Hongkun; Li, Min; Ma, Xiuli; Cai, Haoyan; Hanratty, Tim; Han, Jiawei

2015-01-01

A major event often has repercussions on both news media and microblogging sites such as Twitter. Reports from mainstream news agencies and discussions from Twitter complement each other to form a complete picture. An event can have multiple aspects (sub-events) describing it from multiple angles, each of which attracts opinions/comments posted on Twitter. Mining such reflections is interesting to both policy makers and ordinary people seeking information. In this paper, we propose a unified framework to mine multi-aspect reflections of news events in Twitter. We propose a novel and efficient dynamic hierarchical entity-aware event discovery model to learn news events and their multiple aspects. The aspects of an event are linked to their reflections in Twitter by a bootstrapped dataless classification scheme, which elegantly handles the challenges of selecting informative tweets under overwhelming noise and bridging the vocabularies of news and tweets. In addition, we demonstrate that our framework naturally generates an informative presentation of each event with entity graphs, time spans, news summaries and tweet highlights to facilitate user digestion. PMID:27034625

Mining Multi-Aspect Reflection of News Events in Twitter: Discovery, Linking and Presentation.

PubMed

Wang, Jingjing; Tong, Wenzhu; Yu, Hongkun; Li, Min; Ma, Xiuli; Cai, Haoyan; Hanratty, Tim; Han, Jiawei

2015-11-01

A major event often has repercussions on both news media and microblogging sites such as Twitter. Reports from mainstream news agencies and discussions from Twitter complement each other to form a complete picture. An event can have multiple aspects (sub-events) describing it from multiple angles, each of which attracts opinions/comments posted on Twitter. Mining such reflections is interesting to both policy makers and ordinary people seeking information. In this paper, we propose a unified framework to mine multi-aspect reflections of news events in Twitter. We propose a novel and efficient dynamic hierarchical entity-aware event discovery model to learn news events and their multiple aspects. The aspects of an event are linked to their reflections in Twitter by a bootstrapped dataless classification scheme, which elegantly handles the challenges of selecting informative tweets under overwhelming noise and bridging the vocabularies of news and tweets. In addition, we demonstrate that our framework naturally generates an informative presentation of each event with entity graphs, time spans, news summaries and tweet highlights to facilitate user digestion.

Multiple sclerosis - discharge

MedlinePlus

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000129.htm Multiple sclerosis - discharge To use the sharing features on this ... Your doctor has told you that you have multiple sclerosis (MS). This disease affects the brain and spinal ...

Structural aspects of denitrifying enzymes.

PubMed

Moura, I; Moura, J J

2001-04-01

The reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas via nitrite, nitric oxide and nitrous oxide is the metabolic pathway usually known as denitrification, a key step in the nitrogen cycle. As observed for other elemental cycles, a battery of enzymes are utilized, namely the reductases for nitrate, nitrite, nitric oxide and nitrous oxide, as well as multiple electron donors that interact with these enzymes, in order to carry out the stepwise reactions that involve key intermediates. Because of the importance of this pathway (of parallel importance to the nitrogen-fixation pathway), efforts are underway to understand the structures of the participating enzymes and to uncover mechanistic aspects. Three-dimensional structures have been solved for the majority of these enzymes in the past few years, revealing the architecture of the active metal sites as well as global structural aspects, and possible mechanistic aspects. In addition, the recognition of specific electron-transfer partners raises important questions regarding specific electron-transfer pathways, partner recognition and control of metabolism.

How multiple mating by females affects sexual selection

PubMed Central

Shuster, Stephen M.; Briggs, William R.; Dennis, Patricia A.

2013-01-01

Multiple mating by females is widely thought to encourage post-mating sexual selection and enhance female fitness. We show that whether polyandrous mating has these effects depends on two conditions. Condition 1 is the pattern of sperm utilization by females; specifically, whether, among females, male mating number, m (i.e. the number of times a male mates with one or more females) covaries with male offspring number, o. Polyandrous mating enhances sexual selection only when males who are successful at multiple mating also sire most or all of each of their mates' offspring, i.e. only when Cov♂(m,o), is positive. Condition 2 is the pattern of female reproductive life-history; specifically, whether female mating number, m, covaries with female offspring number, o. Only semelparity does not erode sexual selection, whereas iteroparity (i.e. when Cov♀(m,o), is positive) always increases the variance in offspring numbers among females, which always decreases the intensity of sexual selection on males. To document the covariance between mating number and offspring number for each sex, it is necessary to assign progeny to all parents, as well as identify mating and non-mating individuals. To document significant fitness gains by females through iteroparity, it is necessary to determine the relative magnitudes of male as well as female contributions to the total variance in relative fitness. We show how such data can be collected, how often they are collected, and we explain the circumstances in which selection favouring multiple mating by females can be strong or weak. PMID:23339237

Relationship between gait initiation and disability in individuals affected by multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Galli, Manuela; Coghe, Giancarlo; Sanna, Paola; Cocco, Eleonora; Marrosu, Maria Giovanna; Pau, Massimiliano

2015-11-01

This study analyzes how multiple sclerosis (MS) does affect one of the most common voluntary activities in life: the gait initiation (GI). The main aim of the work is to characterize the execution of this task by measuring and comparing relevant parameters based on center of pressure (COP) patterns and to study the relationship between these and the level of expanded disability status scale (EDSS). To this aim, 95 MS subjects with an average EDSS score of 2.4 and 35 healthy subjects were tested using a force platform during the transition from standing posture to gait. COP time-series were acquired and processed to extract a number of parameters related to the trajectory followed by the COP. The statistical analysis revealed that only a few measurements were statistically different between the two groups and only these were subsequently correlated with EDSS score. The correlation analysis underlined that a progressive alteration of the task execution can be directly related with the increase of EDSS score. These finding suggest that most of the impairment found in people with MS comes from the first part of the COP pattern, the anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs). The central nervous system performs APAs before every voluntary movement to minimize balance perturbation due to the movement itself. Gait Initiation's APAs consist in some ankle muscles contractions that induce a backward COP shift to the swing limb. The analysis here performed highlighted that MS affected patients have a reduced posterior COP shift that reveals that the anticipatory mechanism is impaired. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sociological aspects of permanent manned occupancy of space.

PubMed

Bluth, B J

1981-01-01

The author examines human experiences with isolation and confined groups to determine the sociological aspects of social isolation in space. Precedent experiences include Antarctic stations, oceanographic research vessels, submarines, undersea laboratories, and space simulators. The Soviet experience with multiple-person crews on the Salyut 6 space station is explored. Sociological aspects of isolation and confinement aboard a space station include physiological stress, social and psychological stress, group size and composition, group organization, architectural programming, privacy, and work/rest scheduling.

BDNF val66met Polymorphism Affects Aging of Multiple Types of Memory

PubMed Central

Kennedy, Kristen M.; Reese, Elizabeth D.; Horn, Marci M.; Sizemore, April N.; Unni, Asha K.; Meerbrey, Michael E.; Kalich, Allan G.; Rodrigue, Karen M.

2014-01-01

The BDNF val66met polymorphism (rs6265) influences activity-dependent secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the synapse, which is crucial for learning and memory. Individuals homozygous or heterozygous for the met allele have lower BDNF secretion than val homozygotes and may be at risk for reduced declarative memory performance, but it remains unclear which types of declarative memory may be affected and how aging of memory across the lifespan is impacted by the BDNF val66met polymorphism. This cross-sectional study investigated the effects of BDNF polymorphism on multiple indices of memory (item, associative, prospective, subjective complaints) in a lifespan sample of 116 healthy adults aged 20-93 years. Advancing age showed a negative effect on item, associative and prospective memory, but not on subjective memory complaints. For item and prospective memory, there were significant age x BDNF group interactions, indicating the adverse effect of age on memory performance across the lifespan was much stronger in the BDNF met carriers than for the val homozygotes. BDNF met carriers also endorsed significantly greater subjective memory complaints, regardless of age, and showed a trend (p < .07) toward poorer associative memory performance compared to val homozygotes. These results suggest that genetic predisposition to the availability of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, by way of the BDNF val66met polymorphism, exerts an influence on multiple indices of episodic memory – in some cases in all individuals regardless of age (subjective memory and perhaps associative memory), in others as an exacerbation of age-related differences in memory across the lifespan (item and prospective memory). PMID:25264352

Relationships among multiple aspects of agriculture's environmental impact and productivity: a meta-analysis to guide sustainable agriculture.

PubMed

German, Richard N; Thompson, Catherine E; Benton, Tim G

2017-05-01

Given the pressures on land to produce ever more food, doing it 'sustainably' is growing in importance. However, 'sustainable agriculture' is complex to define, not least because agriculture impacts in many different ways and it is not clear how different aspects of sustainability may be in synergy or trade off against each other. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the relationships between multiple measures of sustainability using novel analytical methods, based around defining the efficiency frontier in the relationship between variables, as well as using correlation analysis. We define 20 grouped variables of agriculture's impact (e.g. on soil, greenhouse gas, water, biodiversity) and find evidence of both strong positive and negative correlations between them. Analysis based on the efficiency frontier suggests that trade-offs can be 'softened' by exploiting the natural between-study variation that arises from a combination of farming best practice and context. Nonetheless, the literature provides strong evidence of the relationship between yields and the negative externalities created by farming across a range of measures. © 2016 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

[Mixed affective states in the juvenile age (historical aspects, current state of the problem, psychopathology)].

PubMed

Kopeĭko, G I

2011-01-01

The author analyzed the problem in historical, diagnostic and psychopathological aspects and presented the results of his own study. The aim was to study the structure and dynamics of endogenous juvenile mixed states in order to work out the psychopathological typology and to clarify the criteria of diagnosis, differential treatment and clinical-social prognosis. The study included 174 patients, 118 men and 56 women, aged from 17 to 25 years (mean age 20, 4 years). Depressive states were found in 65%, mania in 16% and mixed in 19% of patients. The clinical differentiation of mixed states was carried out basing on the dominating pole of affective disorders and the following types were singled out and described: mania type (dysphoria-like mania)--34%, depressive type (association-driven depression)--38%; alternating type of mixed states--28%. The preference of the formation of alternating and atypical variants of mixed states in the juvenile age demonstrated in the study may reflect the pathogenetic and pathoplastic effect of biological features characteristic of this age--lability and polymorphism of clinical presentations as well as immaturity of emotional and cognitive spheres.

SigmaS controls multiple pathways associated with intracellular multiplication of Legionella pneumophila.

PubMed

Hovel-Miner, Galadriel; Pampou, Sergey; Faucher, Sebastien P; Clarke, Margaret; Morozova, Irina; Morozov, Pavel; Russo, James J; Shuman, Howard A; Kalachikov, Sergey

2009-04-01

Legionella pneumophila is the causative agent of the severe and potentially fatal pneumonia Legionnaires' disease. L. pneumophila is able to replicate within macrophages and protozoa by establishing a replicative compartment in a process that requires the Icm/Dot type IVB secretion system. The signals and regulatory pathways required for Legionella infection and intracellular replication are poorly understood. Mutation of the rpoS gene, which encodes sigma(S), does not affect growth in rich medium but severely decreases L. pneumophila intracellular multiplication within protozoan hosts. To gain insight into the intracellular multiplication defect of an rpoS mutant, we examined its pattern of gene expression during exponential and postexponential growth. We found that sigma(S) affects distinct groups of genes that contribute to Legionella intracellular multiplication. We demonstrate that rpoS mutants have a functional Icm/Dot system yet are defective for the expression of many genes encoding Icm/Dot-translocated substrates. We also show that sigma(S) affects the transcription of the cpxR and pmrA genes, which encode two-component response regulators that directly affect the transcription of Icm/Dot substrates. Our characterization of the L. pneumophila small RNA csrB homologs, rsmY and rsmZ, introduces a link between sigma(S) and the posttranscriptional regulator CsrA. We analyzed the network of sigma(S)-controlled genes by mutational analysis of transcriptional regulators affected by sigma(S). One of these, encoding the L. pneumophila arginine repressor homolog gene, argR, is required for maximal intracellular growth in amoebae. These data show that sigma(S) is a key regulator of multiple pathways required for L. pneumophila intracellular multiplication.

Evaluation of a palliative and hospice care telephone hotline for patients severely affected by multiple sclerosis and their caregivers.

PubMed

Strupp, J; Groebe, B; Knies, A; Mai, M; Voltz, R; Golla, H

2017-12-01

Palliative and hospice care (PHC) still mainly focuses on patients with cancer. In order to connect patients severely affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) and caregivers to PHC, a nationwide hotline was implemented to facilitate access to PHC. The hotline was designed in cooperation with the German Multiple Sclerosis Society. Self-disclosed information given by callers was documented using case-report forms supplemented by personal notes. Data were analysed descriptively. A total of 222 calls were documented in 27 months. The patients' mean age was 51.12 years (range 27-84 years) and mean illness duration was 18 years (range 1 month to 50 years). Inquiries included information on PHC (28.8%) and access to PHC (due to previous refusal of PHC, 5.4%), general care for MS (36.1%), adequate housing (9.0%) and emotional support in crisis (4.5%). A total of 31.1% of callers reported 'typical' palliative symptoms (e.g. pain, 88.4%), 50.5% reported symptoms evolving from MS and 35.6% reported psychosocial problems. For 67 callers (30.2%), PHC services were recommended as indicated. The hotline provided insight into the needs and problems of patients severely affected by MS and their caregivers, some of which may be met by PHC. Future follow-up calls will demonstrate if the hotline helped to improve access to PHC beyond providing information. Overall, the hotline seemed to be easily accessible for patients severely affected by MS whose mobility is limited. © 2017 EAN.

Can the Site-Frequency Spectrum Distinguish Exponential Population Growth from Multiple-Merger Coalescents?

PubMed Central

Eldon, Bjarki; Birkner, Matthias; Blath, Jochen; Freund, Fabian

2015-01-01

The ability of the site-frequency spectrum (SFS) to reflect the particularities of gene genealogies exhibiting multiple mergers of ancestral lines as opposed to those obtained in the presence of population growth is our focus. An excess of singletons is a well-known characteristic of both population growth and multiple mergers. Other aspects of the SFS, in particular, the weight of the right tail, are, however, affected in specific ways by the two model classes. Using an approximate likelihood method and minimum-distance statistics, our estimates of statistical power indicate that exponential and algebraic growth can indeed be distinguished from multiple-merger coalescents, even for moderate sample sizes, if the number of segregating sites is high enough. A normalized version of the SFS (nSFS) is also used as a summary statistic in an approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) approach. The results give further positive evidence as to the general eligibility of the SFS to distinguish between the different histories. PMID:25575536

Molecular profiling of multiple myeloma: from gene expression analysis to next-generation sequencing.

PubMed

Agnelli, Luca; Tassone, Pierfrancesco; Neri, Antonino

2013-06-01

Multiple myeloma is a fatal malignant proliferation of clonal bone marrow Ig-secreting plasma cells, characterized by wide clinical, biological, and molecular heterogeneity. Herein, global gene and microRNA expression, genome-wide DNA profilings, and next-generation sequencing technology used to investigate the genomic alterations underlying the bio-clinical heterogeneity in multiple myeloma are discussed. High-throughput technologies have undoubtedly allowed a better comprehension of the molecular basis of the disease, a fine stratification, and early identification of high-risk patients, and have provided insights toward targeted therapy studies. However, such technologies are at risk of being affected by laboratory- or cohort-specific biases, and are moreover influenced by high number of expected false positives. This aspect has a major weight in myeloma, which is characterized by large molecular heterogeneity. Therefore, meta-analysis as well as multiple approaches are desirable if not mandatory to validate the results obtained, in line with commonly accepted recommendation for tumor diagnostic/prognostic biomarker studies.

Affect and Self-Regulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malmivuori, Marja-Liisa

2006-01-01

This paper presents affect as an essential aspect of students' self-reflection and self-regulation. The introduced concepts of self-system and self-system process stress the importance of self-appraisals of personal competence and agency in affective responses and self-regulation in problem solving. Students are viewed as agents who constantly…

[Pulmonary Echinococcosis: Surgical Aspects].

PubMed

Eichhorn, M E; Hoffmann, H; Dienemann, H

2015-10-01

Pulmonary cystic echinococcosis is a very rare disease in Germany. It is caused by the larvae of the dog tapeworm (echinococcus granulosus). The liver is the most affected organ, followed by the lungs. Surgery remains the main therapeutic approach for pulmonary CE. Whenever possible, parenchyma-preserving lung surgery should be preferred over anatomic lung resections. To ensure best therapeutic results, surgery needs to be performed under precise consideration of important infectiological aspects and patients should be treated in specialised centres based on interdisciplinary consensus. In addition to surgical aspects, this review summarises special infectiological features of this disease, which are crucial to the surgical approach. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Daily fluctuations in positive affect positively co-vary with working memory performance.

PubMed

Brose, Annette; Lövdén, Martin; Schmiedek, Florian

2014-02-01

Positive affect is related to cognitive performance in multiple ways. It is associated with motivational aspects of performance, affective states capture attention, and information processing modes are a function of affect. In this study, we examined whether these links are relevant within individuals across time when they experience minor ups and downs of positive affect and work on cognitive tasks in the laboratory on a day-to-day basis. Using a microlongitudinal design, 101 younger adults (20-31 years of age) worked on 3 working memory tasks on about 100 occasions. Every day, they also reported on their momentary affect and their motivation to work on the tasks. In 2 of the 3 tasks, performance was enhanced on days when positive affect was above average. This performance enhancement was also associated with more motivation. Importantly, increases in task performance on days with above-average positive affect were mainly unrelated to variations in negative affect. This study's results are in line with between-person findings suggesting that high levels of well-being are associated with successful outcomes. They imply that success on cognitively demanding tasks is more likely on days when feeling happier. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

The interaction of state and trait aspects of self-focused attention affects genital, but not subjective, sexual arousal in sexually functional women.

PubMed

van Lankveld, Jacques; Bergh, Simone

2008-04-01

In this study we investigated the effects of state and trait aspects of self-focused attention on genital and subjective sexual arousal of sexually functional, healthy women during presentation of audiovisual erotic stimuli. Psychophysiological sexual response was measured as vaginal pulse amplitude using a vaginal photoplethysmograph. Experiential aspects of sexual arousal were measured both during stimulus presentation and retrospectively after stimulus offset. Trait level of sexual self-focus was measured with the Sexual Self-Consciousness Scale. State self-focus was induced by switching on a TV camera that pointed at the participant's face and upper torso. A manipulation check revealed that both groups experienced equally elevated levels of self-focused attention of their physical appearance. Induction of state self-focus per se did not affect genital responses, but an interaction effect of self-focus and participants' level of trait sexual self-focus was revealed. Compared with women with low scores on this trait, women with high scores exhibited smaller genital responses when state self-focus was induced. Both groups did not differ when no self-focus was induced. Increase of state self-focus did not affect subjective sexual arousal, but participants with a high level of trait sexual self-focus reported stronger subjective arousal, compared with those with low trait level. The results were discussed with reference to previous work in this field. Some implications for treatment of sexual arousal disorder were discussed.

Pseudobulbar affect in multiple sclerosis: toward the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.

PubMed

Miller, Ariel

2006-06-15

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA), a condition involving involuntary and uncontrollable episodes of crying and/or laughing, occurs frequently in patients with a variety of neurological disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), stroke, traumatic brain injury, dementia including Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS). Although PBA results in considerable distress for patients and caretakers, it is underrecognized and undertreated. Agents used to treat psychiatric disorders--particularly tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors--are useful in alleviating PBA, but act on diffuse neural networks rather than targeting those involved in emotional motor expression. As a result of their nonspecific activity, these agents are associated with a range of unwanted effects that preclude many patients from using them. Dextromethorphan, a common cough suppressant, specifically targets sigma(1) receptors concentrated in the brainstem and cerebellum, thus providing the possibility of targeting regions implicated in emotional expression. When administered in a fixed combination with quinidine, dextromethorphan is effective in treating PBA in patients with ALS, and preliminary results suggest that this therapy also is effective in treating MS-related PBA.

Multiple Factors Affect Socioeconomics and Wellbeing of Artisanal Sea Cucumber Fishers

PubMed Central

Ngaluafe, Poasi; Foale, Simon J.; Cocks, Nicole; Cullis, Brian R.; Lalavanua, Watisoni

2016-01-01

Small-scale fisheries are important to livelihoods and subsistence seafood consumption of millions of fishers. Sea cucumbers are fished worldwide for export to Asia, yet few studies have assessed factors affecting socioeconomics and wellbeing among fishers. We interviewed 476 men and women sea cucumber fishers at multiple villages within multiple locations in Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga and New Caledonia using structured questionnaires. Low rates of subsistence consumption confirmed a primary role of sea cucumbers in income security. Prices of sea cucumbers sold by fishers varied greatly among countries, depending on the species. Gender variation in landing prices could be due to women catching smaller sea cucumbers or because some traders take advantage of them. Dissatisfaction with fishery income was common (44% of fishers), especially for i-Kiribati fishers, male fishers, and fishers experiencing difficulty selling their catch, but was uncorrelated with sale prices. Income dissatisfaction worsened with age. The number of livelihood activities averaged 2.2–2.5 across countries, and varied significantly among locations. Sea cucumbers were often a primary source of income to fishers, especially in Tonga. Other common livelihood activities were fishing other marine resources, copra production in Kiribati, agriculture in Fiji, and salaried jobs in New Caledonia. Fishing other coastal and coral reef resources was the most common fall-back livelihood option if fishers were forced to exit the fishery. Our data highlight large disparities in subsistence consumption, gender-related price equity, and livelihood diversity among parallel artisanal fisheries. Improvement of supply chains in dispersed small-scale fisheries appears as a critical need for enhancing income and wellbeing of fishers. Strong evidence for co-dependence among small-scale fisheries, through fall-back livelihood preferences of fishers, suggests that resource managers must mitigate concomitant effects on

Ethical aspects of clinical chemistry.

PubMed Central

BenGershôm, E

1983-01-01

The work performed by the clinical chemist may deeply affect the decisions of the doctor and the well-being of the patient. Yet in contrast to the doctor and to the nurse the clinical chemist usually has no personal relationship with the patient. Being encumbered by much technology and anonymity is itself a reason for scrutinising his involvement in issues of health care ethics. This is an attempt at clarifying some major aspects: the relationship of his professional ethics to medical ethics as a whole, his ethical obligations to the patient and to society, and other aspects. PMID:6199500

Unconscious Desire: The Affective and Motivational Aspects of Subliminal Sexual Priming.

PubMed

Gillath, Omri; Collins, Tara

2016-01-01

Sexual arousal is thought to be the result of the processing of sexual cues at two levels: conscious and unconscious. Whereas numerous studies have examined the affective and motivational responses to supraliminal (consciously processed) sexual cues, much less is known regarding the responses to subliminal (processed outside of one's awareness) sexual cues. Five studies examined responses to subliminal sexual cues. Studies 1–3 demonstrated increases in adults' positive affect following exposure to subliminal sexual cues compared to control cues. Study 4 demonstrated that the positive affect resulting from exposure to subliminal sexual cues increased motivation to further engage in a neutral task. Study 5 provided evidence suggesting that the affect and motivation found in Studies 1–4 were associated with motivation to engage in sex specifically, rather than a general approach motivation. The implications of these findings for the processing of subliminal sexual cues and for human sexuality are discussed.

Context Matters: Multiple Novelty Tests Reveal Different Aspects of Shyness-Boldness in Farmed American Mink (Neovison vison).

PubMed

Noer, Christina Lehmkuhl; Needham, Esther Kjær; Wiese, Ann-Sophie; Balsby, Thorsten Johannes Skovbjerg; Dabelsteen, Torben

2015-01-01

Animal personality research is receiving increasing interest from related fields, such as evolutionary personality psychology. By merging the conceptual understanding of personality, the contributions to both fields of research may be enhanced. In this study, we investigate animal personality based on the definition of personality traits as underlying dispositional factors, which are not directly measurable, but which predispose individuals to react through different behavioural patterns. We investigated the shyness-boldness continuum reflected in the consistency of inter-individual variation in behavioural responses towards novelty in 47 farmed American mink (Neovison vison), which were raised in identical housing conditions. Different stages of approach behaviour towards novelty, and how these related within and across contexts, were explored. Our experimental design contained four tests: two novel object tests (non-social contexts) and two novel animated stimuli tests (social contexts). Our results showed consistency in shyness measures across multiple tests, indicating the existence of personality in farmed American mink. It was found that consistency in shyness measures differs across non-social and social contexts, as well as across the various stages in the approach towards novel objects, revealing that different aspects of shyness exist in the farmed American mink. To our knowledge this is the first study to reveal aspects of the shyness-boldness continuum in the American mink. Since the mink were raised in identical housing conditions, inherited factors may have been important in shaping the consistent inter-individual variation. Body weight and sex had no effect on the personality of the mink. Altogether, our results suggest that the shyness-boldness continuum cannot be explained by a simple underlying dispositional factor, but instead encompasses a broader term of hesitating behaviour that might comprise several different personality traits.

Affective Aspects of an Age-Integrated Water Exercise Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Caroline R.; Jamieson, Nancy B.

1987-01-01

Surveyed 88 female participants of community-based age-integrated water exercise program designed to enhance comfort and social interaction. Affective measures and observation of membership as a support group elicited few differences by age. Members endorsed having age integration in classes and there was little indication that subgroups of…

Multiple Transcript Properties Related to Translation Affect mRNA Degradation Rates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Neymotin, Benjamin; Ettorre, Victoria; Gresham, David

2016-01-01

Degradation of mRNA contributes to variation in transcript abundance. Studies of individual mRNAs have shown that both cis and trans factors affect mRNA degradation rates. However, the factors underlying transcriptome-wide variation in mRNA degradation rates are poorly understood. We investigated the contribution of different transcript properties to transcriptome-wide degradation rate variation in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using multiple regression analysis. We find that multiple transcript properties are significantly associated with variation in mRNA degradation rates, and that a model incorporating these properties explains ∼50% of the genome-wide variance. Predictors of mRNA degradation rates include transcript length, ribosome density, biased codon usage, and GC content of the third position in codons. To experimentally validate these factors, we studied individual transcripts expressed from identical promoters. We find that decreasing ribosome density by mutating the first translational start site of a transcript increases its degradation rate. Using coding sequence variants of green fluorescent protein (GFP) that differ only at synonymous sites, we show that increased GC content of the third position of codons results in decreased rates of mRNA degradation. Thus, in steady-state conditions, a large fraction of genome-wide variation in mRNA degradation rates is determined by inherent properties of transcripts, many of which are related to translation, rather than specific regulatory mechanisms. PMID:27633789

Using Alternative Multiplication Algorithms to "Offload" Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jazby, Dan; Pearn, Cath

2015-01-01

When viewed through a lens of embedded cognition, algorithms may enable aspects of the cognitive work of multi-digit multiplication to be "offloaded" to the environmental structure created by an algorithm. This study analyses four multiplication algorithms by viewing different algorithms as enabling cognitive work to be distributed…

BDNF val66met polymorphism affects aging of multiple types of memory.

PubMed

Kennedy, Kristen M; Reese, Elizabeth D; Horn, Marci M; Sizemore, April N; Unni, Asha K; Meerbrey, Michael E; Kalich, Allan G; Rodrigue, Karen M

2015-07-01

The BDNF val66met polymorphism (rs6265) influences activity-dependent secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the synapse, which is crucial for learning and memory. Individuals homozygous or heterozygous for the met allele have lower BDNF secretion than val homozygotes and may be at risk for reduced declarative memory performance, but it remains unclear which types of declarative memory may be affected and how aging of memory across the lifespan is impacted by the BDNF val66met polymorphism. This cross-sectional study investigated the effects of BDNF polymorphism on multiple indices of memory (item, associative, prospective, subjective complaints) in a lifespan sample of 116 healthy adults aged 20-93 years. Advancing age showed a negative effect on item, associative and prospective memory, but not on subjective memory complaints. For item and prospective memory, there were significant age×BDNF group interactions, indicating the adverse effect of age on memory performance across the lifespan was much stronger in the BDNF met carriers than for the val homozygotes. BDNF met carriers also endorsed significantly greater subjective memory complaints, regardless of age, and showed a trend (p<.07) toward poorer associative memory performance compared to val homozygotes. These results suggest that genetic predisposition to the availability of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, by way of the BDNF val66met polymorphism, exerts an influence on multiple indices of episodic memory - in some cases in all individuals regardless of age (subjective memory and perhaps associative memory), in others as an exacerbation of age-related differences in memory across the lifespan (item and prospective memory). This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Memory & Aging. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adolescents' multiple versus single primary attachment figures, reorganization of attachment hierarchy, and adjustments: the important people interview approach.

PubMed

Umemura, Tomotaka; Lacinová, Lenka; Kraus, Jakub; Horská, Eliška; Pivodová, Lenka

2018-04-20

Using 212 adolescents from a central-European country (mean age = 14.02, SD = 2.05, ranged from 11 to 18 years; females = 54%) and a multi-informant method to measure adolescents' behavioral and emotional adjustments, the present study explored three aspects regarding the attachment hierarchy. (1) The three types of behavioral systems of Rosenthal and Kobak's important people interview (IPI) were initially validated using an exploratory factor analysis with a US sample. Using a confirmatory factor analysis with a Czech sample, we replicated these three behavioral systems: attachment bond, support seeking, and affiliation. (2) We found that adolescents who developed attachment bond to multiple primary attachment figures were likely to score lower on both teacher-rated and parent-rated internalizing problems compared to those who had a single primary attachment figure. These multiple primary attachment figures tended to be family members (not peers). (3) Early adolescents who placed parents low in their attachment hierarchy scored higher on self-reported negative affect and lower on self-reported positive affect compared to early adolescents who placed parents high. The present study highlights multiple (vs. single) primary attachment figures as a protective factor and the premature reorganization of attachment hierarchy as a risk factor for adolescents' emotional and affective adjustments.

Aspects of Ethics As They Affect Social Science Curriculums.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gildea, Ray Y.

This paper discusses the current interest in values and moral education and briefly comments on how they affect college level social science curricula. Many contemporary educators and scholars hope that a renewed emphasis on moral education will achieve the following goals: (1) introduce normative inquiry into higher learning, in order to…

Content and affect in persecutory delusions.

PubMed

Green, Catherine; Garety, Philippa A; Freeman, Daniel; Fowler, David; Bebbington, Paul; Dunn, Graham; Kuipers, Elizabeth

2006-11-01

The study aimed to explore the content of persecutory delusions and its potential links with levels of affective disturbance. Detailed examinations of the phenomenology of delusional beliefs have been rare, but are important for furthering theoretical and clinical understanding. A cross-sectional investigation of 70 individuals with current persecutory delusions was conducted. Taped semi-structured clinical interviews were transcribed for each participant. Using a coding frame devised for the current study, a detailed description of persecutory content was made. Scores on the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales were used as indicators of emotional distress. Data were gathered on the identity and type of persecutor, pervasiveness of threat and the power of the persecutor. Reliability was good. Beliefs involving multiple persecutors, human in nature and identifiable to the individual were common. For the majority threat was severe, ongoing and enduring and coupled with frequent feelings of vulnerability. Specific aspects of delusional content were found to be associated with emotional distress. For example, if participants felt more power in the face of persecution this was coupled with lower depression and higher self-esteem. Persecutory delusions are beliefs concerning severe threat, particularly of physical harm including death, which is personally significant, frequently involving multiple persecutors known to the individual. Depression is higher in those who felt less powerful than their persecutors. Associations, such as this, with emotional distress support a direct role for emotion in delusion formation and maintenance. It is consistent with cognitive models of delusions which emphasize the importance of considering emotional distress in the context of belief appraisal, although interpretation of the results is limited by the cross-sectional study design. Recognizing these links may

Interpretation of Statistical Data: The Importance of Affective Expressions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Queiroz, Tamires; Monteiro, Carlos; Carvalho, Liliane; François, Karen

2017-01-01

In recent years, research on teaching and learning of statistics emphasized that the interpretation of data is a complex process that involves cognitive and technical aspects. However, it is a human activity that involves also contextual and affective aspects. This view is in line with research on affectivity and cognition. While the affective…

Understanding How Grammatical Aspect Influences Legal Judgment

PubMed Central

Sherrill, Andrew M.; Eerland, Anita; Zwaan, Rolf A.; Magliano, Joseph P.

2015-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that grammatical aspect can bias how individuals perceive criminal intentionality during discourse comprehension. Given that criminal intentionality is a common criterion for legal definitions (e.g., first-degree murder), the present study explored whether grammatical aspect may also impact legal judgments. In a series of four experiments participants were provided with a legal definition and a description of a crime in which the grammatical aspect of provocation and murder events were manipulated. Participants were asked to make a decision (first- vs. second-degree murder) and then indicate factors that impacted their decision. Findings suggest that legal judgments can be affected by grammatical aspect but the most robust effects were limited to temporal dynamics (i.e., imperfective aspect results in more murder actions than perfective aspect), which may in turn influence other representational systems (i.e., number of murder actions positively predicts perceived intentionality). In addition, findings demonstrate that the influence of grammatical aspect on situation model construction and evaluation is dependent upon the larger linguistic and semantic context. Together, the results suggest grammatical aspect has indirect influences on legal judgments to the extent that variability in aspect changes the features of the situation model that align with criteria for making legal judgments. PMID:26496364

Relationships among depressive symptoms, benefit-finding, optimism, and positive affect in multiple sclerosis patients after psychotherapy for depression.

PubMed

Hart, Stacey L; Vella, Lea; Mohr, David C

2008-03-01

While many patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience psychological problems, such as depression, benefit-finding is commonly reported. Using the Broaden-and-Build Model of positive emotions (Fredrickson, 2001) and the Expectancy-Value Model of optimism (Carver & Scheier, 1998) as two related, yet, distinct conceptual frameworks, this study examined positive affect and optimism as mediators of the relationship between improved depression and enhanced benefit-finding. MS patients (N=127), who participated in a larger, randomized clinical trial comparing two types of telephone psychotherapy for depression, were assessed at baseline, midtherapy (8 weeks), end of therapy (16 weeks), and 6- and 12-month posttherapy. Depression was measured with a telephone administered version of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression; Positive Affect was measured with the Positive Affect Subscale from the Positive and Negative Affect Scale; Optimism was measured with the Life Orientation Test-Revised; Benefit-Finding was measured with the revised version of the Stress-Related Growth Scale. Data were analyzed with multilevel random-effects models, controlling for time since MS diagnosis and type of treatment. Improved depression was associated with increased benefit-finding over time. The relationship between improved depression and benefit-finding was significantly mediated by both increased optimism and increased positive affect. Findings provide support to both theoretical models. Positivity appears to promote benefit-finding in MS. Copyright (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved.

[The life as a caregiver of a person affected by Chorea Huntington: multiple case study].

PubMed

Winkler, Evi; Ausserhofer, Dietmar; Mantovan, Franco

2012-10-01

Chorea Huntington is an autosomal dominantly inherited, neurodegenerative brain disorder that leads to involuntary hyperkinesia, psychotic symptoms and dementia. The illness not only changes the life of the person itself but also the world of the caregivers. The challenges in the care of a person which is affected by Chorea Huntington have an effect on the daily living as an assemblage of natural and social conditions. a multiple case study was conducted. It included semi-structured interviews with three caregivers of people with Chorea Huntington in South Tyrol. The qualitative data was analyzed using the qualitative structured analysis of Mayring (2007). The objective of this study was to describe the phenomenon of change of life from family members that care people affected by Chorea Huntington in a specific cultural setting (South Tyrol, Italy). The caregivers reported that the diagnosis of Chorea Huntington leads to negative changes in "relationship and family". Particularly, frustration, aggression, impatience and apathy were perceived as stressful. At the same time they highlight the positive changes through home care. They report that the relationship became more intimate and integral and it was characterized by more cohesion. Family caregivers get valuable support from the home care service, however, they complain that there is no facility in South Tyrol, which is specialized to care people with Chorea Huntington. Therefore, the caregivers have to "give up a lot" and don't have any personal desires, dreams and expectations for the future. The caregivers have learned independently to deal with their changed life step by step, and to see also the positive effects of the caring role. The life of family caregivers of a person which is affected by Chorea Huntington is characterized by abandonment. A continuous and professional care would be important for the affected and his caregiver. A continuous and professional care is important for both, addressing the

The thalamus and multiple sclerosis: modern views on pathologic, imaging, and clinical aspects.

PubMed

Minagar, Alireza; Barnett, Michael H; Benedict, Ralph H B; Pelletier, Daniel; Pirko, Istvan; Sahraian, Mohamad Ali; Frohman, Elliott; Zivadinov, Robert

2013-01-08

The paired thalamic nuclei are gray matter (GM) structures on both sides of the third ventricle that play major roles in cortical activation, relaying sensory information to the higher cortical centers that influence cognition. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease of the human CNS that affects both the white matter (WM) and GM. A number of clinical observations as well as recent neuropathologic and neuroimaging studies have clearly demonstrated extensive involvement of the thalamus, basal ganglia, and neocortex in patients with MS. Modern MRI techniques permit visualization of GM lesions and measurement of atrophy. These contemporary methods have fundamentally altered our understanding of the pathophysiologic nature of MS. Evidence confirms the contention that GM injury can be detected in the earliest phases of MS, and that iron deposition and atrophy of deep gray nuclei are closely related to the magnitude of inflammation. Extensive involvement of GM, and particularly of the thalamus, is associated with a wide range of clinical manifestations including cognitive decline, motor deficits, fatigue, painful syndromes, and ocular motility disturbances in patients with MS. In this review, we characterize the neuropathologic, neuroimaging, and clinical features of thalamic involvement in MS. Further, we underscore the contention that neuropathologic and neuroimaging correlative investigations of thalamic derangements in MS may elucidate not heretofore considered pathobiological underpinnings germane to understanding the ontogeny, magnitude, and progression of the disease process.

The journey from infertility to parenting multiples: a dream come true?

PubMed

Baor, Liora; Blickstein, Isaac

2005-01-01

Infertility deeply affects psychosocial aspects of young couples, who often erroneously take fertility for granted. The inevitable transformation from apparently healthy adults into patients can lead to loss of self-esteem, confidence, health, close relationships, security, and hope. Frequently, when emotional and psychological resources are diminished after prolonged infertility, the couple may express their desperate wish for a family in the form of accepting without reservation the risks of a multiple pregnancy, ignoring the undeniable increased morbidity and mortality associated with these gestations. It is unclear why a couple embarking on the journey of infertility treatment may prefer a pregnancy that is tenfold as likely to have a serious adverse outcome. Of the three potential explanations for such an attitude--desperation, denial, and ignorance--only the last one can be solved with patient education and adequate counseling. At the same time, it is unjustified to avoid assisted reproductive technologies because of potential adverse outcome, however necessary it is to acknowledge the risk of multiple births.

Health insurance affects the use of disease-modifying therapy in multiple sclerosis

PubMed Central

Marrie, Ruth Ann; Salter, Amber R.; Fox, Robert; Cofield, Stacey S.; Tyry, Tuula; Cutter, Gary R.

2016-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the association between health insurance coverage and disease-modifying therapy (DMT) use for multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: In 2014, we surveyed participants in the North American Research Committee on MS registry regarding health insurance coverage. We investigated associations between negative insurance change and (1) the type of insurance, (2) DMT use, (3) use of free/discounted drug programs, and (4) insurance challenges using multivariable logistic regressions. Results: Of 6,662 respondents included in the analysis, 6,562 (98.5%) had health insurance, but 1,472 (22.1%) reported negative insurance change compared with 12 months earlier. Respondents with private insurance were more likely to report negative insurance change than any other insurance. Among respondents not taking DMTs, 6.1% cited insurance/financial concerns as the sole reason. Of respondents taking DMTs, 24.7% partially or completely relied on support from free/discounted drug programs. Of respondents obtaining DMTs through insurance, 3.3% experienced initial insurance denial of DMT use, 2.3% encountered insurance denial of DMT switches, and 1.6% skipped or split doses because of increased copay. For respondents with relapsing-remitting MS, negative insurance change increased their odds of not taking DMTs (odds ratio [OR] 1.50; 1.16–1.93), using free/discounted drug programs for DMTs (OR 1.89; 1.40–2.57), and encountering insurance challenges (OR 2.48; 1.64–3.76). Conclusions: Insurance coverage affects DMT use for persons with MS, and use of free/discounted drug programs is substantial and makes economic analysis that ignores these supplements potentially inaccurate. The rising costs of drugs and changing insurance coverage adversely affect access to treatment for persons with MS. PMID:27358338

[Aspects of post-tramatic stress disorder after a traffic acident].

PubMed

Noll-Hussong, M; Herberger, S; Grauer, M T; Otti, A; Gündel, H

2013-09-01

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs most frequently in the general population after traffic accidents and affects up to 15 % of those involved. Mental and physical comorbidity, preliminary damage or injury can herald the development of PTSD, but the scope of social support after the accident plays a crucial role in whether and to what extent potential PTSD develops. Against this background, preventive and injury reduction aspects of the interaction between insurance companies and their customers are conceivable, which could also positively affect health economic and aspects of job or customer satisfaction.

Use of multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) to identify interactive meteorological conditions affecting relative throughfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Stan, John T.; Gay, Trent E.; Lewis, Elliott S.

2016-02-01

Forest canopies alter rainfall reaching the surface by redistributing it as throughfall. Throughfall supplies water and nutrients to a variety of ecohydrological components (soil microbial communities, stream water discharge/chemistry, and stormflow pathways) and is controlled by canopy structural interactions with meteorological conditions across temporal scales. This work introduces and applies multiple correspondence analyses (MCAs) to a range of meteorological thresholds (median intensity, median absolute deviation (MAD) of intensity, median wind-driven droplet inclination angle, and MAD of wind speed) for an example throughfall problem: identification of interacting storm conditions corresponding to temporal concentration in relative throughfall beyond the median observation (⩾73% of rain). MCA results from the example show that equalling or exceeding rain intensity thresholds (median and MAD) corresponded with temporal concentration of relative throughfall across all storms. Under these intensity conditions, two wind mechanisms produced significant correspondences: (1) high, steady wind-driven droplet inclination angles increased surface wetting; and (2) sporadic winds shook entrained droplets from surfaces. A discussion is provided showing that these example MCA findings agree well with previous work relying on more historically common methods (e.g., multiple regression and analytical models). Meteorological threshold correspondences to temporal concentration of relative throughfall at our site may be a function of heavy Tillandsia usneoides coverage. Applications of MCA within other forests may provide useful insights to how temporal throughfall dynamics are affected for drainage pathways dependent on different structures (leaves, twigs, branches, etc.).

The effects of a documentary film about schizophrenia on cognitive, affective and behavioural aspects of stigmatisation.

PubMed

Thonon, Bénédicte; Pletinx, Amandine; Grandjean, Allison; Billieux, Joël; Larøi, Frank

2016-03-01

Stereotypes about schizophrenia may lead to prejudicial attitudes and discrimination with debilitating effects on people diagnosed with schizophrenia. There is thus a need to develop interventions aiming to prevent, reduce or eliminate such stereotypes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a documentary film on schizophrenia on cognitive, affective and behavioural aspects of stigmatisation. Forty-nine participants were assessed on measures of stereotypes and social distance, and on the Model of Stereotype Content, which includes measures of stereotypes, emotional reactions and behavioural tendencies. Participants were randomly assigned into either a condition in which they viewed the documentary film (Film group), or into a control condition in which no intervention was conducted (Control group). Only participants in the Film group revealed a significant decrease of negative stereotypes (Dangerousness and Unpredictability) and desired Social distance, and a significant increase in the perception of sociability in persons with schizophrenia. Small sample size and its reduced generalizability are the main limitations in this study. These findings suggest that a documentary film promoting indirect contact with people diagnosed with schizophrenia is a promising tool to prevent and reduce stigmatisation regarding schizophrenia.. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Role of Self-regulation and Affective Control in Predicting Interpersonal Reactivity of Drug Addicts

PubMed Central

Abolghasemi, Abbas; Rajabi, Saeed

2013-01-01

Background Due to its progressive nature in all aspects of life, addiction endangers the health of individuals, families and the society. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the role of self-regulation and affective control in predicting interpersonal reactivity of drug addicts. Materials and Methods This research is a correlation study. The statistical population of this study includes all drug addicts who were referred to addiction treatment centers of Ardabil in 2011 of whom 160 addicts were selected through convenience sampling. A self-regulation questionnaire, interpersonal reactivity questionnaire and affective control scale were used for data collection. Results Research results showed that self-regulation (r = -0.40) and affective control (r = -0.29) have a significant relationship with interpersonal reactivity of addicts (P < 0.001). The results of the multiple regression analysis indicated that 19 percent of interpersonal reactivity can be predicted by self-regulation and affective control. Conclusion These results suggest that self-regulation and affective control play an important role in exacerbating as well as reducing interpersonal reactivity of addicts. PMID:24971268

Conflicts in maintaining biodiversity at multiple scales.

PubMed

Lankau, Richard A

2011-05-01

Biodiversity consists of multiple scales, including functional diversity in ecological traits, species diversity and genetic diversity within species, and is declining across the globe, largely in response to human activities. While species extinctions are the most obvious aspect of this, there has also been a more insidious loss of genetic diversity within species. While a vast literature concerns each of these scales of biodiversity, less is known about how different scales affect one another. In particular, genetic and species diversity may influence each other in numerous ways, both positively and negatively. However, we know little about the mechanism behind these patterns. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Nestmann et al. (2011) experimentally explore the effect of species and functional diversity and composition of grassland plant communities on the genetic structure of one of the component species. Increasing species richness led to greater changes in the genetic composition of the focal populations over 4 years, primarily because of genetic drift in smaller population sizes. However, there were also genetic changes in response to particular plant functional groups, indicating selective differences driven by plant community composition. These results suggest that different levels of biodiversity can trade-off in communities, which may prove a challenge for conservation biologists seeking to preserve all aspects of biodiversity.

Aspect-related Vegetation Differences Amplify Soil Moisture Variability in Semiarid Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yetemen, O.; Srivastava, A.; Kumari, N.; Saco, P. M.

2017-12-01

Soil moisture variability (SMV) in semiarid landscapes is affected by vegetation, soil texture, climate, aspect, and topography. The heterogeneity in vegetation cover that results from the effects of microclimate, terrain attributes (slope gradient, aspect, drainage area etc.), soil properties, and spatial variability in precipitation have been reported to act as the dominant factors modulating SMV in semiarid ecosystems. However, the role of hillslope aspect in SMV, though reported in many field studies, has not received the same degree of attention probably due to the lack of extensive large datasets. Numerical simulations can then be used to elucidate the contribution of aspect-driven vegetation patterns to this variability. In this work, we perform a sensitivity analysis to study on variables driving SMV using the CHILD landscape evolution model equipped with a spatially-distributed solar-radiation component that couples vegetation dynamics and surface hydrology. To explore how aspect-driven vegetation heterogeneity contributes to the SMV, CHILD was run using a range of parameters selected to reflect different scenarios (from uniform to heterogeneous vegetation cover). Throughout the simulations, the spatial distribution of soil moisture and vegetation cover are computed to estimate the corresponding coefficients of variation. Under the uniform spatial precipitation forcing and uniform soil properties, the factors affecting the spatial distribution of solar insolation are found to play a key role in the SMV through the emergence of aspect-driven vegetation patterns. Hence, factors such as catchment gradient, aspect, and latitude, define water stress and vegetation growth, and in turn affect the available soil moisture content. Interestingly, changes in soil properties (porosity, root depth, and pore-size distribution) over the domain are not as effective as the other factors. These findings show that the factors associated to aspect-related vegetation

Ideal affect in daily life: implications for affective experience, health, and social behavior.

PubMed

Tsai, Jeanne L

2017-10-01

Over the last decade, researchers have increasingly demonstrated that ideal affect-the affective states that people value and ideally want to feel-shapes different aspects of daily life. Here I briefly review Affect Valuation Theory (AVT), which integrates ideal affect into existing models of affect and emotion by identifying the causes and consequences of variation in ideal affect. I then describe recent research that applies AVT to the valuation of negative states as well as more complex states, examines how ideal affect shapes momentary affective experience, suggests that ideal affect has both direct and indirect effects on health, and illustrates that people's ideal affect shapes how they judge and respond to others. Finally, I discuss the implications of cultural and individual differences in ideal affect for clinical, educational, work, and leisure settings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Web-based physiotherapy for people moderately affected with Multiple Sclerosis; quantitative and qualitative data from a randomized, controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Paul, Lorna; Coulter, Elaine H; Miller, Linda; McFadyen, Angus; Dorfman, Joe; Mattison, Paul George G

2014-09-01

To explore the effectiveness and participant experience of web-based physiotherapy for people moderately affected with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and to provide data to establish the sample size required for a fully powered, definitive randomized controlled study. A randomized controlled pilot study. Rehabilitation centre and participants' homes. Thirty community dwelling adults moderately affected by MS (Expanded Disability Status Scale 5-6.5). Twelve weeks of individualised web-based physiotherapy completed twice per week or usual care (control). Online exercise diaries were monitored; participants were telephoned weekly by the physiotherapist and exercise programmes altered remotely by the physiotherapist as required. The following outcomes were completed at baseline and after 12 weeks; 25 Foot Walk, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go, Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale, Leeds MS Quality of Life Scale, MS-Related Symptom Checklist and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The intervention group also completed a website evaluation questionnaire and interviews. Participants reported that website was easy to use, convenient, and motivating and would be happy to use in the future. There was no statistically significant difference in the primary outcome measure, the timed 25ft walk in the intervention group (P=0.170), or other secondary outcome measures, except the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (P=0.048). Effect sizes were generally small to moderate. People with MS were very positive about web-based physiotherapy. The results suggested that 80 participants, 40 in each group, would be sufficient for a fully powered, definitive randomized controlled trial. © The Author(s) 2014.

Multiple Intelligences: Curriculum and Assessment Project. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyland, Aine, Ed.

2011-01-01

The "Multiple Intelligences, Curriculum and Assessment Project" at University College Cork was a collaborative project carried out between 1995 and 1999. The key research question focused on whether Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences could be applied to, and enhance, aspects of curriculum and assessment at primary and…

Does Grammatical Aspect Affect Motion Event Cognition? A Cross-Linguistic Comparison of English and Swedish Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athanasopoulos, Panos; Bylund, Emanuel

2013-01-01

In this article, we explore whether cross-linguistic differences in grammatical aspect encoding may give rise to differences in memory and cognition. We compared native speakers of two languages that encode aspect differently (English and Swedish) in four tasks that examined verbal descriptions of stimuli, online triads matching, and memory-based…

Psychological aspects in children affected by duchenne de boulogne muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Filippo, Teresa Di; Parisi, Lucia; Roccella, Michele

2012-07-26

Impairment of intelligence in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients was described by Duchenne de Boulogne himself in 1868. Further studies report intelligence disorders with mayor impairment of memory. The aim of the present study was to assess the presence of affective and personality disorders in a group of children affected by DMD. Twenty six male DMD patients, mean age eleven and four months years old, were assessed for their affective and personality disorder. Only eight subjects had a total IQ below average with major difficulties in verbal and visual-spatial memory, comprehension, arithmetic and vocabulary. All the subjects presented some disorders: tendency to marginalization and isolation, self-depreciation, sense of insecurity, hypochondriac thoughts and marked state of anxiety. These disorders are often a dynamic prolongation of a psychological process which starts when the diagnosis is made and continues, in a slow and latent fashion, throughout the evolution of the disease.

VIEWIT: computation of seen areas, slope, and aspect for land-use planning

Treesearch

Michael R. Travis; Gary H. Elsner; Wayne D. Iverson; Christine G. Johnson

1975-01-01

This user's guide provides instructions for using VIEWIT--a computerized technique for delineating the terrain visible from a single point or from multiple observer points, and for doing slope and aspect analyses. Results are in tabular or in overlay map form. VIEWIT can do individual view-area, slope, or aspect analyses or combined analyses, and can produce...

Ranking product aspects through sentiment analysis of online reviews

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Wang, Hongwei; Song, Yuan

2017-03-01

The electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) is one of the most important among all the factors affecting consumers' behaviours. Opinions towards a product through online reviews will influence purchase decisions of other online consumers by changing their perceptions on the product quality. Furthermore, each product aspect may impact consumers' intentions differently. Thus, sentiment analysis and econometric models are incorporated to examine the relationship between purchase intentions and aspect-opinion pairs, which enable the weight estimation for each product aspect. We first identify product aspects and reduce dimensions to extract aspect-opinion pairs. Next the information gain is calculated for each aspect through entropy theory. Based on sentiment polarity and sentiment strength, we formulate an econometric model by integrating the information gain to measure the aspect's weight. In the experiment, we track 386 digital cameras on Amazon for 39 months, and results show that the aspect weight for digital cameras is detected more precisely than TF-ID and HAC algorithms. The results will bridge product aspects and consumption intention to facilitate e-WOM-based marketing.

BEHAVIORAL MOMENTUM AND ACCUMULATION OF MASS IN MULTIPLE SCHEDULES

PubMed Central

Craig, Andrew R.; Cunningham, Paul J.; Shahan, Timothy A.

2015-01-01

Behavioral momentum theory suggests that the relation between a discriminative-stimulus situation and reinforcers obtained in that context (i.e., the Pavlovian stimulus–reinforcer relation) governs persistence of operant behavior. Within the theory, a mass-like aspect of behavior has been shown to be a power function of predisruption reinforcement rates. Previous investigations of resistance to change in multiple schedules, however, have been restricted to examining response persistence following protracted periods of stability in reinforcer rates within a discriminative situation. Thus, it is unclear how long a stimulus–reinforcer relation must be in effect prior to disruption in order to affect resistance to change. The present experiment examined resistance to change of pigeon’s key pecking following baseline conditions where reinforcer rates that were correlated with discriminative-stimulus situations changed. Across conditions, one multiple-schedule component arranged either relatively higher rates or lower rates of variable-interval food delivery, while the other component arranged the opposite rate. These schedules alternated between multiple-schedule components across blocks of sessions such that reinforcer rates in the components were held constant for 20, 5, 3, 2, or 1 session(s) between alternations. Resistance to extinction was higher in the component that most recently was associated with higher rates of food delivery in all conditions except when schedules alternated daily or every other day. These data suggest that resistance to change in multiple schedules is related to recently experienced reinforcer rates but only when multiple-schedule components are associated with specific reinforcer rates for several sessions. PMID:25787824

Psychological Aspects in Children Affected by Duchenne De Boulogne Muscular Dystrophy

PubMed Central

Parisi, Lucia; Roccella, Michele

2014-01-01

Impairment of intelligence in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients was described by Duchenne de Boulogne himself in 1868. Further studies report intelligence disorders with mayor impairment of memory. The aim of the present study was to assess the presence of affective and personality disorders in a group of children affected by DMD. Twenty six male DMD patients, mean age eleven and four months years old, were assessed for their affective and personality disorder. Only eight subjects had a total IQ below average with major difficulties in verbal and visual-spatial memory, comprehension, arithmetic and vocabulary. All the subjects presented some disorders: tendency to marginalization and isolation, self-depreciation, sense of insecurity, hypochondriac thoughts and marked state of anxiety. These disorders are often a dynamic prolongation of a psychological process which starts when the diagnosis is made and continues, in a slow and latent fashion, throughout the evolution of the disease. PMID:25478112

Technology-Aided Leisure and Communication Opportunities for Two Post-Coma Persons Emerged from a Minimally Conscious State and Affected by Multiple Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lancioni, Giulio E.; O'Reilly, Mark F.; Singh, Nirbhay N.; Sigafoos, Jeff; Buonocunto, Francesca; Sacco, Valentina; Navarro, Jorge; Lanzilotti, Crocifissa; De Tommaso, Marina; Megna, Marisa; Oliva, Doretta

2013-01-01

This study assessed technology-aided programs for helping two post-coma persons, who had emerged from a minimally conscious state and were affected by multiple disabilities, to (a) engage with leisure stimuli and request caregiver's procedures, (b) send out and listen to text messages for communication with distant partners, and (c) combine…

Managed care aspects of managing multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Owens, Gary M

2013-11-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system usually diagnosed in the second or third decade of life; MS is more common among women than men by a ratio of 3 to 1. With its relatively early age of onset and symptoms that impair patients' quality of life, MS requires lifelong, dynamic treatment, and places a substantial economic burden on individuals, healthcare systems, and society. The costs associated with providing benefits for MS therapy are growing rapidly and the increasing complexity of the MS market is impacting disease management for payers. Employers are also increasingly aware of the costs associated with MS and are asking health plans to advise on the most appropriate and cost-effective ways to manage both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies for MS. Health plans, by necessity, must therefore balance appropriate access to treatments for MS with the need to manage rising treatment costs. To meet this goal, payers require population-based solutions, guidelines, and treatment algorithms for the management of MS that can be used in clinical and formulary management decision making in the context of an evolving therapeutic landscape. Further, comparative studies are necessary for payers to determine which agents may work best on a population basis. Due to the current lack of appropriate clinical guidance and insufficient head-to-head data on disease-modifying drugs, strategies for health plans and clinical management have been designed using the best available evidence. Undoubtedly, management of this class will continue to evolve with the launch of newer agents.

Developing a reliable and valid instrument to assess health-affecting aspects of neighborhoods in Tehran

PubMed Central

Ghalichi, Leila; Mohammad, Kazem; Majdzadeh, Reza; Hoseini, Mostafa; Pournik, Omid; Nedjat, Saharnaz

2012-01-01

Background: Residence characteristics can affect health of residents. This paper reports the development of an instrument assessing these aspects of neighborhoods. Materials and Methods: Literature search and focus group discussions with residents were carried out and relevant items were extracted. Five experts reviewed and commented on the items. An observation instrument with 54 items was composed and completed by two independent observers in 20 randomly selected locations. Due to lack of acceptable reliability in some items, the checklist was revised. The new 22-items checklist in four categories (general characteristics, public green area characteristics, access to services and undesirable features) was completed by two independent trained observers in 28 randomly selected locations. Results: The items in the final checklist had kappa statistics ranging from 0.63 to 1, with an exception of the item assessing “presence of beggars, homeless or working/street children”, with kappa as low as 0.27 due to variability of their presence in different times. Average Kappa statistics was 0.78 for general characteristics, 0.79 for public green area characteristics, 0.84 for access to services, and 0.54 for undesirable features. Conclusion: Neighborhood and health observation instrument seems to have good reliability in city of Tehran. It can probably be used in other large cities of Iran and similar cities elsewhere. PMID:23626633

The ASYMMETRIC LEAVES Complex Employs Multiple Modes of Regulation to Affect Adaxial-Abaxial Patterning and Leaf Complexity.

PubMed

Husbands, Aman Y; Benkovics, Anna H; Nogueira, Fabio T S; Lodha, Mukesh; Timmermans, Marja C P

2015-12-01

Flattened leaf architecture is not a default state but depends on positional information to precisely coordinate patterns of cell division in the growing primordium. This information is provided, in part, by the boundary between the adaxial (top) and abaxial (bottom) domains of the leaf, which are specified via an intricate gene regulatory network whose precise circuitry remains poorly defined. Here, we examined the contribution of the ASYMMETRIC LEAVES (AS) pathway to adaxial-abaxial patterning in Arabidopsis thaliana and demonstrate that AS1-AS2 affects this process via multiple, distinct regulatory mechanisms. AS1-AS2 uses Polycomb-dependent and -independent mechanisms to directly repress the abaxial determinants MIR166A, YABBY5, and AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR3 (ARF3), as well as a nonrepressive mechanism in the regulation of the adaxial determinant TAS3A. These regulatory interactions, together with data from prior studies, lead to a model in which the sequential polarization of determinants, including AS1-AS2, explains the establishment and maintenance of adaxial-abaxial leaf polarity. Moreover, our analyses show that the shared repression of ARF3 by the AS and trans-acting small interfering RNA (ta-siRNA) pathways intersects with additional AS1-AS2 targets to affect multiple nodes in leaf development, impacting polarity as well as leaf complexity. These data illustrate the surprisingly multifaceted contribution of AS1-AS2 to leaf development showing that, in conjunction with the ta-siRNA pathway, AS1-AS2 keeps the Arabidopsis leaf both flat and simple. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

Mapping emotions through time: how affective trajectories inform the language of emotion.

PubMed

Kirkland, Tabitha; Cunningham, William A

2012-04-01

The words used to describe emotions can provide insight into the basic processes that contribute to emotional experience. We propose that emotions arise partly from interacting evaluations of one's current affective state, previous affective state, predictions for how these may change in the future, and the experienced outcomes following these predictions. These states can be represented and inferred from neural systems that encode shifts in outcomes and make predictions. In two studies, we demonstrate that emotion labels are reliably differentiated from one another using only simple cues about these affective trajectories through time. For example, when a worse-than-expected outcome follows the prediction that something good will happen, that situation is labeled as causing anger, whereas when a worse-than-expected outcome follows the prediction that something bad will happen, that situation is labeled as causing sadness. Emotion categories are more differentiated when participants are required to think categorically than when participants have the option to consider multiple emotions and degrees of emotions. This work indicates that information about affective movement through time and changes in affective trajectory may be a fundamental aspect of emotion categories. Future studies of emotion must account for the dynamic way that we absorb and process information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Multiple sclerosis lesions affect intrinsic functional connectivity of the spinal cord.

PubMed

Conrad, Benjamin N; Barry, Robert L; Rogers, Baxter P; Maki, Satoshi; Mishra, Arabinda; Thukral, Saakshi; Sriram, Subramaniam; Bhatia, Aashim; Pawate, Siddharama; Gore, John C; Smith, Seth A

2018-06-01

Patients with multiple sclerosis present with focal lesions throughout the spinal cord. There is a clinical need for non-invasive measurements of spinal cord activity and functional organization in multiple sclerosis, given the cord's critical role in the disease. Recent reports of spontaneous blood oxygenation level-dependent fluctuations in the spinal cord using functional MRI suggest that, like the brain, cord activity at rest is organized into distinct, synchronized functional networks among grey matter regions, likely related to motor and sensory systems. Previous studies looking at stimulus-evoked activity in the spinal cord of patients with multiple sclerosis have demonstrated increased levels of activation as well as a more bilateral distribution of activity compared to controls. Functional connectivity studies of brain networks in multiple sclerosis have revealed widespread alterations, which may take on a dynamic trajectory over the course of the disease, with compensatory increases in connectivity followed by decreases associated with structural damage. We build upon this literature by examining functional connectivity in the spinal cord of patients with multiple sclerosis. Using ultra-high field 7 T imaging along with processing strategies for robust spinal cord functional MRI and lesion identification, the present study assessed functional connectivity within cervical cord grey matter of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (n = 22) compared to a large sample of healthy controls (n = 56). Patient anatomical images were rated for lesions by three independent raters, with consensus ratings revealing 19 of 22 patients presented with lesions somewhere in the imaged volume. Linear mixed models were used to assess effects of lesion location on functional connectivity. Analysis in control subjects demonstrated a robust pattern of connectivity among ventral grey matter regions as well as a distinct network among dorsal regions. A gender effect

Comparing Happiness and Hypomania Risk: A Study of Extraversion and Neuroticism Aspects

PubMed Central

Kirkland, Tabitha; Gruber, June; Cunningham, William A.

2015-01-01

Positive affect has long been considered a hallmark of subjective happiness. Yet, high levels of positive affect have also been linked with hypomania risk: a set of cognitive, affective, and behavioral characteristics that constitute a dispositional risk for future episodes of hypomania and mania. At a personality level, two powerful predictors of affective experience are extraversion and neuroticism: extraversion has been linked to positive affect, and neuroticism to negative affect. As such, a single personality trait – extraversion – has been linked to both beneficial and harmful outcomes associated with positivity. It is clear that positive affect, in different forms, has divergent consequences for well-being, but previous research has struggled to articulate the nature of these differences. We suggest that the relationship between affect and well-being needs to be situated within the psychological context of the individual – both in terms of more specific forms of extraversion and neuroticism, but also in terms of interactions among personality aspects. Consistent with this idea, we found that two aspects of extraversion (enthusiasm and assertiveness) differentially predicted subjective happiness from hypomania risk and two aspects of neuroticism (volatility and withdrawal) interacted to predict hypomania risk: the highest levels of hypomania risk were associated with the combination of high volatility and low withdrawal. These findings underscore the importance of examining personality at the right level of resolution to understand well-being and dysfunction. PMID:26161562

On the structure of cellular solutions in Rayleigh-Benard-Marangoni flows in small-aspect-ratio containers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dijkstra, Henk A.

1992-01-01

Multiple steady flow patterns occur in surface-tension/buoyancy-driven convection in a liquid layer heated from below (Rayleigh-Benard-Marangoni flows). Techniques of numerical bifurcation theory are used to study the multiplicity and stability of two-dimensional steady flow patterns (rolls) in rectangular small-aspect-ratio containers as the aspect ratio is varied. For pure Marangoni flows at moderate Biot and Prandtl number, the transitions occurring when paths of codimension 1 singularities intersect determine to a large extent the multiplicity of stable patterns. These transitions also lead, for example, to Hopf bifurcations and stable periodic flows for a small range in aspect ratio. The influence of the type of lateral walls on the multiplicity of steady states is considered. 'No-slip' lateral walls lead to hysteresis effects and typically restrict the number of stable flow patterns (with respect to 'slippery' sidewalls) through the occurrence of saddle node bifurcations. In this way 'no-slip' sidewalls induce a selection of certain patterns, which typically have the largest Nusselt number, through secondary bifurcation.

Kirschner wire fixation of Salter-Harris type IV fracture of the lateral aspect of the humeral condyle in growing dogs. A retrospective study of 35 fractures.

PubMed

Cinti, Filippo; Pisani, Guido; Vezzoni, Luca; Peirone, Bruno; Vezzoni, Aldo

2017-01-16

To evaluate the use of Kirschner wires for treatment of fractures of the lateral aspect of the humeral condyle in growing dogs. Retrospective analysis of 35 elbow fractures (33 dogs) of the lateral aspect of the humeral condyle treated by insertion of multiple transcondylar and one anti-rotational Kirschner wires. Radiographic and clinical re-evaluations were carried out immediately after surgery, at four weeks and, when required, at eight weeks postoperatively. Long-term follow-up was planned after a minimum of six months. The relationship between different implant configurations and clinical outcome was analysed statistically. Complete functional recovery was seen in 31 elbows (30 dogs), three elbows (2 dogs) had reduction in the range of motion, and one elbow (1 dog) had persistent grade 1 lameness two months postoperatively. Major complications occurred in eight elbows (8 dogs) and all were resolved by implant removal. Implant configuration did not affect outcome. Long-term evaluation in 12 cases with a mean follow-up of four years showed absence of lameness, normal function and no or mild radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis in 11 cases. Fracture of the lateral aspect of the humeral condyle in growing dogs can be successfully treated by multiple transcondylar convergent or parallel Kirschner wires, resulting in adequate fracture healing.

Neurocognitive function in an extended Afrikaner-ancestry family with affective illness.

PubMed

Savitz, Jonathan; van der Merwe, Lize; Solms, Mark; Ramesar, Rajkumar

2007-03-01

To characterize the neuropsychological profile of an extended family with unipolar depression (UPD) and other forms of affective illness. We administered a battery of neuropsychological tasks measuring various aspects of executive function and visual and verbal memory to 49 individuals in 1 extended family. Six participants had 1 lifetime episode of major depression (MDE-S), 15 were diagnosed with recurrent major depression (MDE-R), 11 had another DSM-IV diagnosis and 17 subjects were unaffected. After controlling for multiple confounding factors, including mood and medication, the MDE-R sample made significantly more errors than unaffected relatives on the Stroop Task, a measure of cognitive control. There may be at least 1 subtype of UPD characterized by a state-independent deficit in cognitive control.

The ASYMMETRIC LEAVES Complex Employs Multiple Modes of Regulation to Affect Adaxial-Abaxial Patterning and Leaf Complexity[OPEN

PubMed Central

Husbands, Aman Y.; Benkovics, Anna H.; Nogueira, Fabio T.S.; Lodha, Mukesh; Timmermans, Marja C.P.

2015-01-01

Flattened leaf architecture is not a default state but depends on positional information to precisely coordinate patterns of cell division in the growing primordium. This information is provided, in part, by the boundary between the adaxial (top) and abaxial (bottom) domains of the leaf, which are specified via an intricate gene regulatory network whose precise circuitry remains poorly defined. Here, we examined the contribution of the ASYMMETRIC LEAVES (AS) pathway to adaxial-abaxial patterning in Arabidopsis thaliana and demonstrate that AS1-AS2 affects this process via multiple, distinct regulatory mechanisms. AS1-AS2 uses Polycomb-dependent and -independent mechanisms to directly repress the abaxial determinants MIR166A, YABBY5, and AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR3 (ARF3), as well as a nonrepressive mechanism in the regulation of the adaxial determinant TAS3A. These regulatory interactions, together with data from prior studies, lead to a model in which the sequential polarization of determinants, including AS1-AS2, explains the establishment and maintenance of adaxial-abaxial leaf polarity. Moreover, our analyses show that the shared repression of ARF3 by the AS and trans-acting small interfering RNA (ta-siRNA) pathways intersects with additional AS1-AS2 targets to affect multiple nodes in leaf development, impacting polarity as well as leaf complexity. These data illustrate the surprisingly multifaceted contribution of AS1-AS2 to leaf development showing that, in conjunction with the ta-siRNA pathway, AS1-AS2 keeps the Arabidopsis leaf both flat and simple. PMID:26589551

Radiation recall dermatitis, panniculitis, and myositis following cyclophosphamide therapy: histopathologic findings of a patient affected by multiple myeloma.

PubMed

Borroni, Giovanni; Vassallo, Camilla; Brazzelli, Valeria; Martinoli, Sara; Ardigò, Marco; Alessandrino, Paolo Emilio; Borroni, Riccardo Giovanni; Franchini, Pietro

2004-06-01

Radiation recall dermatitis is one of the skin sequelae that may affect oncology patients. It occurs in a previously irradiated field, when subsequent chemotherapy is given. The eruption may be elicited by chemotherapy, even several months after radiotherapy. Its mechanism is poorly understood, and the histopathologic findings have received, to date, only sketchy descriptions. A 55-year-old male affected by multiple myeloma received radiation therapy both on his left coxofemoral area, and lumbar region (D11-L1). After cyclophosphamide administration, he developed 2 well defined square-shaped, infiltrated erythematoviolaceous plaques in the prior irradiated fields. Histopathologic findings revealed a diffusely fibrosclerosing process, involving deep dermis, hypodermis, as well as the underlying muscle, while sparing the epidermis and superficial-mid dermis. Histopathology was indistinguishable from deep radio-dermatitis, panniculitis, and myositis. This is the first case providing clear evidence of the causative role of cyclophosphamide in inducing a cutaneous and subcutaneous radiation recall reaction.

Multiple-output support vector machine regression with feature selection for arousal/valence space emotion assessment.

PubMed

Torres-Valencia, Cristian A; Álvarez, Mauricio A; Orozco-Gutiérrez, Alvaro A

2014-01-01

Human emotion recognition (HER) allows the assessment of an affective state of a subject. Until recently, such emotional states were described in terms of discrete emotions, like happiness or contempt. In order to cover a high range of emotions, researchers in the field have introduced different dimensional spaces for emotion description that allow the characterization of affective states in terms of several variables or dimensions that measure distinct aspects of the emotion. One of the most common of such dimensional spaces is the bidimensional Arousal/Valence space. To the best of our knowledge, all HER systems so far have modelled independently, the dimensions in these dimensional spaces. In this paper, we study the effect of modelling the output dimensions simultaneously and show experimentally the advantages in modeling them in this way. We consider a multimodal approach by including features from the Electroencephalogram and a few physiological signals. For modelling the multiple outputs, we employ a multiple output regressor based on support vector machines. We also include an stage of feature selection that is developed within an embedded approach known as Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE), proposed initially for SVM. The results show that several features can be eliminated using the multiple output support vector regressor with RFE without affecting the performance of the regressor. From the analysis of the features selected in smaller subsets via RFE, it can be observed that the signals that are more informative into the arousal and valence space discrimination are the EEG, Electrooculogram/Electromiogram (EOG/EMG) and the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR).

Specific aspects of modern life for people with multiple sclerosis: considerations for the practitioner

PubMed Central

Oreja-Guevara, Celia; Wiendl, Heinz; Airas, Laura

2014-01-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, debilitating, neurodegenerative disease that has a high impact on patients’ quality of life. Individuals are often diagnosed in early adulthood and are faced with the difficulty of managing their lifestyle within the context of this chronic illness. Here we review factors that influence the disease course and the challenges that might be encountered when managing patients with MS. The majority of diagnosed patients are women of childbearing age, making pregnancy-related issues a key concern. MS typically stabilizes during pregnancy and evidence suggests that the disease has no impact on the risk of complications or outcomes. However, the effect of disease-modifying therapies on outcomes is less clear, and discontinuation of treatment prior to pregnancy or when breastfeeding is recommended. Awareness of genetic risk factors is important for patients planning a family, as several genes increase the risk of MS. Further aspects that require consideration include infections, vaccinations, environmental factors, surgery and the emergence of osteoporosis. Vaccinations are generally not a risk factor for MS and may be beneficial in terms of protection against infection and reducing the number of relapses. Environmental factors such as vitamin D deficiency, low exposure to sunlight, smoking and Epstein−Barr virus infection can all negatively influence the disease course. Furthermore, osteoporosis is generally higher in patients with MS than the general population, and the risk is increased by the environmental and genetic factors associated with the disease; bone mineral density should be assessed and smoking cessation and correction of serum vitamin D levels are recommended. Finally, as patients with MS are typically young, they are at low risk of surgery-related complications, although they should be carefully monitored postoperatively. Awareness of, and planning around, these factors may minimize the impact of the disease on

Protein function prediction--the power of multiplicity.

PubMed

Rentzsch, Robert; Orengo, Christine A

2009-04-01

Advances in experimental and computational methods have quietly ushered in a new era in protein function annotation. This 'age of multiplicity' is marked by the notion that only the use of multiple tools, multiple evidence and considering the multiple aspects of function can give us the broad picture that 21st century biology will need to link and alter micro- and macroscopic phenotypes. It might also help us to undo past mistakes by removing errors from our databases and prevent us from producing more. On the downside, multiplicity is often confusing. We therefore systematically review methods and resources for automated protein function prediction, looking at individual (biochemical) and contextual (network) functions, respectively.

Genetic variation affecting host-parasite interactions: different genes affect different aspects of sigma virus replication and transmission in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Bangham, Jenny; Kim, Kang-Wook; Webster, Claire L; Jiggins, Francis M

2008-04-01

In natural populations, genetic variation affects resistance to disease. Knowing how much variation exists, and understanding the genetic architecture of this variation, is important for medicine, for agriculture, and for understanding evolutionary processes. To investigate the extent and nature of genetic variation affecting resistance to pathogens, we are studying a tractable model system: Drosophila melanogaster and its natural pathogen the vertically transmitted sigma virus. We show that considerable genetic variation affects transmission of the virus from parent to offspring. However, maternal and paternal transmission of the virus is affected by different genes. Maternal transmission is a simple Mendelian trait: most of the genetic variation is explained by a polymorphism in ref(2)P, a gene already well known to affect resistance to sigma. In contrast, there is considerable genetic variation in paternal transmission that cannot be explained by ref(2)P and is caused by other loci on chromosome 2. Furthermore, we found no genetic correlation between paternal transmission of the virus and resistance to infection by the sigma virus following injection. This suggests that different loci affect viral replication and paternal transmission.

A multigenerational family with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Dyment, D A; Cader, M Z; Willer, C J; Risch, N; Sadovnick, A D; Ebers, G C

2002-07-01

We report a family with 15 individuals affected with multiple sclerosis present in three and possibly four generations. The segregation of multiple sclerosis within this pedigree is consistent with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance with reduced penetrance. The clinical characteristics of the affected individuals are indistinguishable from those seen in sporadic multiple sclerosis with respect to sex ratio, age at onset, onset symptom, MRI and clinical course. Eleven of 14 cases (78.6%) were positive for the known multiple sclerosis-associated major histocompatibility complex (MHC) Class II HLA DRB1*15 allele. Parametric linkage analysis gave a non-significant LOD score of 0.31 (theta; = 0.33) for the DRB1 gene. However, among 11 affected children with at least one DRB1*15 bearing parent, all 11 out of 11 received at least one copy of this known susceptibility allele. A transmission disequilibrium test analysis was significant for the DRB1*15 allele within this single family; P = 0.0054. The inheritance pattern in this family suggests the presence of a single major locus responsible for multiple sclerosis susceptibility, with DRB1 acting as an important modifier. This family could be an important resource for the identification of a multiple sclerosis susceptibility gene.

Hypochondriasis and somatization: two distinct aspects of somatoform disorders?

PubMed

Leibbrand, R; Hiller, W; Fichter, M M

2000-01-01

We investigated boundaries and overlap between somatization and hypochondriasis on different levels of psychopathology: (1) comorbidity between hypochondriasis and somatization on the level of diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994): (2) comorbidity with other mental disorders; (3) differences in clinical characteristics: and (4) overlap on the level of psychometric measures. The sample consisted of 120 psycho somatic inpatients. Somatoform, hypochondriacal, and depressive symptomatology, cognitions about body and health, and further aspects of general symptomatology were investigated. Diagnoses of Axis I and II were based on DSM-IV Our results suggest a large overlap on the level of DSM-IV-diagnoses: only 3 of 31 hypochondriacal patients had no multiple somatoform symptoms, while 58 of 86 patients with multiple somatoform symptoms had no hypochondriasis. However, the overlap between hypochondriacal and somatization symptomatology on the level of psychometric measurement is only moderate, indicating that hypochondriasis is a markedly distinct aspect of somatoform disorders.

Morphological and clinical aspects of the occurrence of accessory (multiple) renal arteries

PubMed Central

Gulas, Ewelina; Wysiadecki, Grzegorz; Szymański, Jacek; Majos, Agata; Stefańczyk, Ludomir; Topol, Mirosław

2016-01-01

Renal vascularization variants vastly differ between individuals due to the very complex embryogenesis of the kidneys. Moreover, each variant may have implications for clinical and surgical interventions. The number of operating procedures continues to grow, and includes renal transplants, aneurysmorrhaphy and other vascular reconstructions. In any surgical technique, unawareness of the presence of multiple renal arteries may result in a fatal outcome, especially if laparoscopic methods are used. The aim of this review is to comprehensively identify the variation within multiple renal arteries and to highlight the connections between the presence of accessory renal arteries and the coexistence of other variants of vascularization. Another aim is to determine the potential clinical implications of the presence of accessory renal arteries. This study is of particular importance for surgeons, intervention radiologists, nephrologists and vascular surgeons. PMID:29593819

Novel Insights and Therapeutics in Multiple Sclerosis.

PubMed

Wagner, Catriona A; Goverman, Joan M

2015-01-01

The last twelve years have witnessed the development of new therapies for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis that demonstrate increased efficacy relative to previous therapies. Many of these new drugs target the inflammatory phase of disease by manipulating different aspects of the immune system. While these new treatments are promising, the development of therapies for patients with progressive multiple sclerosis remains a significant challenge. We discuss the distinct mechanisms that may contribute to these two types of multiple sclerosis and the implications of these differences in the development of new therapeutic targets for this debilitating disease.

Symptom variability, affect and physical activity in ambulatory persons with multiple sclerosis: Understanding patterns and time-bound relationships.

PubMed

Kasser, Susan L; Goldstein, Amanda; Wood, Phillip K; Sibold, Jeremy

2017-04-01

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience a clinical course that is highly variable with daily fluctuations in symptoms significantly affecting functional ability and quality of life. Yet, understanding how MS symptoms co-vary and associate with physical and psychological health is unclear. The purpose of the study was to explore variability patterns and time-bound relationships across symptoms, affect, and physical activity in individuals with MS. The study employed a multivariate, replicated, single-subject repeated-measures (MRSRM) design and involved four individuals with MS. Mood, fatigue, pain, balance confidence, and losses of balance were measured daily over 28 days by self-report. Physical activity was also measured daily over this same time period via accelerometry. Dynamic factor analysis (DFA) was used to determine the dimensionality and lagged relationships across the variables. Person-specific models revealed considerable time-dependent co-variation patterns as well as pattern variation across subjects. Results also offered insight into distinct variability structures at varying levels of disability. Modeling person-level variability may be beneficial for addressing the heterogeneity of experiences in individuals with MS and for understanding temporal and dynamic interrelationships among perceived symptoms, affect, and health outcomes in this group. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Working session 5: Operational aspects and risk analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cizelj, L.; Donoghue, J.

1997-02-01

A general observation is that both operational aspects and risk analysis cannot be adequately discussed without information presented in other sessions. Some overlap of conclusions and recommendations is therefore to be expected. Further, it was assumed that recommendations concerning improvements in some related topics were generated by other sessions and are not repeated here. These include: (1) Knowledge on degradation mechanisms (initiation, progression, and failure). (2) Modeling of degradation (initiation, progression, and failure). (3) Capabilities of NDE methods. (4) Preventive maintenance and repair. One should note here, however, that all of these directly affect both operational and risk aspects ofmore » affected plants. A list of conclusions and recommendations is based on available presentations and discussions addressing risk and operational experience. The authors aimed at reaching as broad a consensus as possible. It should be noted here that there is no strict delineation between operational and safety aspects of degradation of steam generator tubes. This is caused by different risk perceptions in different countries/societies. The conclusions and recommendations were divided into four broad groups: human reliability; leakage monitoring; risk impact; and consequence assessment.« less

Dopamine Precursor Depletion Influences Pain Affect Rather than Pain Sensation

PubMed Central

Schulz, Enrico; Baumkötter, Jochen; Ploner, Markus

2014-01-01

Pain is a multidimensional experience, which includes sensory, cognitive, and affective aspects. Converging lines of evidence indicate that dopaminergic neurotransmission plays an important role in human pain perception. However, the precise effects of dopamine on different aspects of pain perception remain to be elucidated. To address this question, we experimentally decreased dopaminergic neurotransmission in 22 healthy human subjects using Acute Phenylalanine and Tyrosine Depletion (APTD). During APTD and a control condition we applied brief painful laser stimuli to the hand, assessed different aspects of pain perception, and recorded electroencephalographic responses. APTD-induced decreases of cerebral dopaminergic activity did not influence sensory aspects of pain perception. In contrast, APTD yielded increases of pain unpleasantness. The increases of unpleasantness ratings positively correlated with effectiveness of APTD. Our finding of an influence of dopaminergic neurotransmission on affective but not sensory aspects of phasic pain suggests that analgesic effects of dopamine might be mediated by indirect effects on pain affect rather than by direct effects on ascending nociceptive signals. These findings contribute to our understanding of the complex relationship between dopamine and pain perception, which may play a role in various clinical pain states. PMID:24760082

Questioning our Questions: Do frequently asked questions adequately cover the aspects of women's lives most affected by abnormal uterine bleeding? Opinions of women with abnormal uterine bleeding participating in focus group discussions

PubMed Central

Matteson, Kristen A.; Clark, Melissa A.

2010-01-01

Objectives: (1) To explore the effects on women's lives by heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding; (2) To examine whether aspects of women's lives most affected by heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding were adequately addressed by questions that are frequently used in clinical encounters and available questionnaires. Methods: We conducted four focus group sessions with a total of 25 English-speaking women who had reported abnormal uterine bleeding. Discussions included open-ended questions that pertained to bleeding, aspects of life affected by bleeding, and questions frequently used in clinical settings about bleeding and quality of life. Results: We identified five themes that reflected how women's lives were affected by heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding: irritation/inconvenience, bleeding-associated pain, self-consciousness about odor, social embarrassment, and ritual like behavior. Although women responded that the frequently used questions about bleeding and quality of life were important, they felt that the questions failed to go into enough depth to adequately characterize their experiences. Conclusions: Based on the themes identified in our focus group sessions, clinicians and researchers may need to change the questions used to capture “patient experience” with abnormal uterine bleeding more accurately. PMID:20437305

Suicide Prevention in the Dot Com Era: Technological Aspects of a University Suicide Prevention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manning, Jessica; VanDeusen, Karen

2011-01-01

Western Michigan University's Suicide Prevention Program utilizes multiple technological components, including an online training course, a Web site, and 2 social networking Web site profiles, as integral aspects of a comprehensive program. This article discusses the development, maintenance, use, and impact of the technological aspects of this…

Deficiency of RITA results in multiple mitotic defects by affecting microtubule dynamics.

PubMed

Steinhäuser, K; Klöble, P; Kreis, N-N; Ritter, A; Friemel, A; Roth, S; Reichel, J M; Michaelis, J; Rieger, M A; Louwen, F; Oswald, F; Yuan, J

2017-04-01

Deregulation of mitotic microtubule (MT) dynamics results in defective spindle assembly and chromosome missegregation, leading further to chromosome instability, a hallmark of tumor cells. RBP-J interacting and tubulin-associated protein (RITA) has been identified as a negative regulator of the Notch signaling pathway. Intriguingly, deregulated RITA is involved in primary hepatocellular carcinoma and other malignant entities. We were interested in the potential molecular mechanisms behind its involvement. We show here that RITA binds to tubulin and localizes to various mitotic MT structures. RITA coats MTs and affects their structures in vitro as well as in vivo. Tumor cell lines deficient of RITA display increased acetylated α-tubulin, enhanced MT stability and reduced MT dynamics, accompanied by multiple mitotic defects, including chromosome misalignment and segregation errors. Re-expression of wild-type RITA, but not RITA Δtub ineffectively binding to tubulin, restores the phenotypes, suggesting that the role of RITA in MT modulation is mediated via its interaction with tubulin. Mechanistically, RITA interacts with tubulin/histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) and its suppression decreases the binding of the deacetylase HDAC6 to tubulin/MTs. Furthermore, the mitotic defects and increased MT stability are also observed in RITA -/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts. RITA has thus a novel role in modulating MT dynamics and its deregulation results in erroneous chromosome segregation, one of the major reasons for chromosome instability in tumor cells.

Cerebral Blood Volume ASPECTS Is the Best Predictor of Clinical Outcome in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Retrospective, Combined Semi-Quantitative and Quantitative Assessment.

PubMed

Padroni, Marina; Bernardoni, Andrea; Tamborino, Carmine; Roversi, Gloria; Borrelli, Massimo; Saletti, Andrea; De Vito, Alessandro; Azzini, Cristiano; Borgatti, Luca; Marcello, Onofrio; d'Esterre, Christopher; Ceruti, Stefano; Casetta, Ilaria; Lee, Ting-Yim; Fainardi, Enrico

2016-01-01

The capability of CT perfusion (CTP) Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) to predict outcome and identify ischemia severity in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients is still questioned. 62 patients with AIS were imaged within 8 hours of symptom onset by non-contrast CT, CT angiography and CTP scans at admission and 24 hours. CTP ASPECTS was calculated on the affected hemisphere using cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV) and mean transit time (MTT) maps by subtracting 1 point for any abnormalities visually detected or measured within multiple cortical circular regions of interest according to previously established thresholds. MTT-CBV ASPECTS was considered as CTP ASPECTS mismatch. Hemorrhagic transformation (HT), recanalization status and reperfusion grade at 24 hours, final infarct volume at 7 days and modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 3 months after onset were recorded. Semi-quantitative and quantitative CTP ASPECTS were highly correlated (p<0.00001). CBF, CBV and MTT ASPECTS were higher in patients with no HT and mRS ≤ 2 and inversely associated with final infarct volume and mRS (p values: from p<0.05 to p<0.00001). CTP ASPECTS mismatch was slightly associated with radiological and clinical outcomes (p values: from p<0.05 to p<0.02) only if evaluated quantitatively. A CBV ASPECTS of 9 was the optimal semi-quantitative value for predicting outcome. Our findings suggest that visual inspection of CTP ASPECTS recognizes infarct and ischemic absolute values. Semi-quantitative CBV ASPECTS, but not CTP ASPECTS mismatch, represents a strong prognostic indicator, implying that core extent is the main determinant of outcome, irrespective of penumbra size.

Cerebral Blood Volume ASPECTS Is the Best Predictor of Clinical Outcome in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Retrospective, Combined Semi-Quantitative and Quantitative Assessment

PubMed Central

Padroni, Marina; Bernardoni, Andrea; Tamborino, Carmine; Roversi, Gloria; Borrelli, Massimo; Saletti, Andrea; De Vito, Alessandro; Azzini, Cristiano; Borgatti, Luca; Marcello, Onofrio; d’Esterre, Christopher; Ceruti, Stefano; Casetta, Ilaria; Lee, Ting-Yim; Fainardi, Enrico

2016-01-01

Introduction The capability of CT perfusion (CTP) Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) to predict outcome and identify ischemia severity in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients is still questioned. Methods 62 patients with AIS were imaged within 8 hours of symptom onset by non-contrast CT, CT angiography and CTP scans at admission and 24 hours. CTP ASPECTS was calculated on the affected hemisphere using cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV) and mean transit time (MTT) maps by subtracting 1 point for any abnormalities visually detected or measured within multiple cortical circular regions of interest according to previously established thresholds. MTT-CBV ASPECTS was considered as CTP ASPECTS mismatch. Hemorrhagic transformation (HT), recanalization status and reperfusion grade at 24 hours, final infarct volume at 7 days and modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 3 months after onset were recorded. Results Semi-quantitative and quantitative CTP ASPECTS were highly correlated (p<0.00001). CBF, CBV and MTT ASPECTS were higher in patients with no HT and mRS≤2 and inversely associated with final infarct volume and mRS (p values: from p<0.05 to p<0.00001). CTP ASPECTS mismatch was slightly associated with radiological and clinical outcomes (p values: from p<0.05 to p<0.02) only if evaluated quantitatively. A CBV ASPECTS of 9 was the optimal semi-quantitative value for predicting outcome. Conclusions Our findings suggest that visual inspection of CTP ASPECTS recognizes infarct and ischemic absolute values. Semi-quantitative CBV ASPECTS, but not CTP ASPECTS mismatch, represents a strong prognostic indicator, implying that core extent is the main determinant of outcome, irrespective of penumbra size. PMID:26824672

Acquisition of the Korean Imperfective Aspect Markers "-ko iss-" and "-a iss-" by Japanese Learners: A Multiple-Factor Account

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryu, Ju-Yeon; Horie, Kaoru; Shirai, Yasuhiro

2015-01-01

Although cross-linguistic research on second language tense-aspect acquisition has uncovered universal tendencies concerning the association between verbal semantics and tense-aspect markers, it is still unclear what mechanisms underlie this link. This study investigates the acquisition of two imperfective aspect markers ("-ko iss-" and…

Discovering Socio-cultural Aspects of Science Through Artworks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Güney, Burcu Gülay; Şeker, Hayati

2017-11-01

Scientific literacy is one of the primary purposes of science education which briefly focuses on using and interpreting scientific explanations, understanding science within its culture. However, science curricula emphasize science with its cognitive aspects and underestimate affective and aesthetic aspects of science. Science education needs to cover beauty of science for students to cross borders between their own culture and culture of science and to achieve the aim of scientific literacy. Relating aesthetic aspects of science with content of science and paving the way for aesthetic experiences through artworks may enrich science education. The purposes of this study are to discuss the need of integrating aesthetic aspects of science in science instruction and to propose examples and pedagogical suggestions to promote aesthetic experiences into the science education. Artworks are selected to present socio-cultural aspects of science to demonstrate the culture of science, their stories are explained, and pedagogical suggestions are proposed. Advantages and difficulties of using artworks in science instruction are discussed as a result of the study.

Neurocognitive function in an extended Afrikaner-ancestry family with affective illness

PubMed Central

Savitz, Jonathan; van der Merwe, Lize; Solms, Mark; Ramesar, Rajkumar

2007-01-01

Objective To characterize the neuropsychological profile of an extended family with unipolar depression (UPD) and other forms of affective illness. Method We administered a battery of neuropsychological tasks measuring various aspects of executive function and visual and verbal memory to 49 individuals in 1 extended family. Six participants had 1 lifetime episode of major depression (MDE-S), 15 were diagnosed with recurrent major depression (MDE-R), 11 had another DSM-IV diagnosis and 17 subjects were unaffected. Results After controlling for multiple confounding factors, including mood and medication, the MDE-R sample made significantly more errors than unaffected relatives on the Stroop Task, a measure of cognitive control. Conclusion There may be at least 1 subtype of UPD characterized by a state-independent deficit in cognitive control. PMID:17353940

'I'm Black and I'm Proud': A Majority Ecological Context Protects Affective Aspects of Black Identity Under Stereotype Threat.

PubMed

Oliver, Andre'; Andemeskel, Ghilamichael; King, Carlise R; Wallace, Lyndsey; McDougal, Serie; Monteiro, Kenneth P; Ben-Zeev, Avi

2017-12-01

We provide evidence that stereotype threat, a phenomenon that causes stigmatized individuals to experience group-based evaluative concerns (Steele in Am Psychol 52:613-629, 1997; Whistling Vivaldi and other clues to how stereotypes affect us, W.W. Norton, New York, 2010), impacts affective aspects of Black identity as a function of majority versus minority ecological contexts. Black/African-American students, enrolled in either Africana Studies (Black ecological majority) or Psychology (Black ecological minority), completed private and public regard subscales from the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (Sellers et al. in Pers Soc Psychol Rev 2:18-39, 1998) at baseline (Time 1) and after being randomly assigned to a stereotype threat or no-threat/control condition (Time 2). In threat, participants were introduced to a 'puzzle' task as diagnostic of intellectual abilities, whereas in no-threat the same task was introduced as culture fair, such that people from different racial/ethnic groups had performed similarly on this task in the past. In Psychology, students under threat exhibited a simultaneous decrease and increase in private and public regard, respectively, a pattern shown in the literature to be associated with discrimination-based distress and lesser well-being in Black ecological minority environments. In contrast, Africana Studies students' racial identity under threat remained intact. We discuss the protective effects of Africana Studies on racial identity and implications for educational reform.

[Assessment of exposure to tobacco smoke in a selected group of patients with multiple sclerosis from the Upper Silesia region].

PubMed

Dobosz, Cezary; Tyrpień, Krystyna; Pierzchała, Krystyna

2012-01-01

In recent years, the increase in the incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS - Multiple Sclerosis) is observed. and the direct cause of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis is myelin nerves damage. It can be concluded that the environmental factor is at least partly responsible for the occurrence of this disease. For the development of this disease are responsible, in addition to genetic factors, compounds present in many parts of the environment. Many of these compounds may adversely affect the redox equilibrium of the body, exacerbating radicalgenesis and decreasing antioxidant defenses. Multiple sclerosis is usually diagnosed in early adulthood, during most daily activities. Effects of SM on living standards includes not only the medical aspect, but also social, economic and emotional aspect. Polish population is a high risk zone regarding multiple sclerosis. The aim of this study was a preliminary assessment of selected environmental exposure factors in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis with regard to exposure to tobacco smoke with the author's survey of patients from the region of Upper Silesia. Most MS patients (32) in the study group (suffering from MS from 2 to 44 years) are inhabitants of agglomeration of over 50 thousand citizens, from the area of Gliwice, Bytom and Zabrze (43.75%). In investigated group 46.88% MS patients from Silesia region were exposed to tobacco smoke, of which 21.88% actively smoke. Patients with MS, in order not to worsen their disease manifestation, should stop smoking and increase, if possible, any physical activities. These data will be incorporated into a wide-ranging research to clarify the role of selected environmental factors in a very complex and still not fully explored the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis in Upper Silesia.

Alternative Multiple Imputation Inference for Mean and Covariance Structure Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Taehun; Cai, Li

2012-01-01

Model-based multiple imputation has become an indispensable method in the educational and behavioral sciences. Mean and covariance structure models are often fitted to multiply imputed data sets. However, the presence of multiple random imputations complicates model fit testing, which is an important aspect of mean and covariance structure…

Creating the Multiple Personality: An Experiential Demonstration for an Undergraduate Abnormal Psychology Class.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rabinowitz, Fredric E.

1989-01-01

Discusses a classroom role-playing exercise in which students and teacher re-enact interviewing techniques that cause subjects to assume characteristics of the multiple personality. Demonstrates the social psychological aspects of multiple personality disorder. Considers the pedagogical and ethical implications of creating the multiple personality…

Phosphorylation of NHE3-S719 regulates NHE3 activity through the formation of multiple signaling complexes

PubMed Central

Sarker, Rafiquel; Cha, Boyoung; Kovbasnjuk, Olga; Cole, Robert; Gabelli, Sandra; Tse, Chung Ming; Donowitz, Mark

2017-01-01

Casein kinase 2 (CK2) binds to the NHE3 C-terminus and constitutively phosphorylates a downstream site (S719) that accounts for 40% of basal NHE3 activity. The role of CK2 in regulation of NHE3 activity in polarized Caco-2/bbe cells was further examined by mutation of NHE3-S719 to A (not phosphorylated) or D (phosphomimetic). NHE3-S719A but not -S719D had multiple changes in NHE3 activity: 1) reduced basal NHE3 activity—specifically, inhibition of the PI3K/AKT-dependent component; 2) reduced acute stimulation of NHE3 activity by LPA/LPA5R stimulation; and 3) reduced acute inhibition of NHE3 activity—specifically, elevated Ca2+ related (carbachol/Ca2+ ionophore), but there was normal inhibition by forskolin and hyperosmolarity. The S719A mutant had reduced NHE3 complex size, reduced expression in lipid rafts, increased BB mobile fraction, and reduced binding to multiple proteins that bind throughout the NHE3 intracellular C-terminus, including calcineurin homologous protein, the NHERF family and SNX27 (related PDZ domains). These studies show that phosphorylation of the NHE3 at a single amino acid in the distal part of the C-terminus affects multiple aspects of NHE3 complex formation and changes the NHE3 lipid raft distribution, which cause changes in specific aspects of basal as well as acutely stimulated and inhibited Na+/H+ exchange activity. PMID:28495796

The embryonic mir-35 family of microRNAs promotes multiple aspects of fecundity in Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

McJunkin, Katherine; Ambros, Victor

2014-07-21

MicroRNAs guide many aspects of development in all metazoan species. Frequently, microRNAs are expressed during a specific developmental stage to perform a temporally defined function. The C. elegans mir-35-42 microRNAs are expressed abundantly in oocytes and early embryos and are essential for embryonic development. Here, we show that these embryonic microRNAs surprisingly also function to control the number of progeny produced by adult hermaphrodites. Using a temperature-sensitive mir-35-42 family mutant (a deletion of the mir-35-41 cluster), we demonstrate three distinct defects in hermaphrodite fecundity. At permissive temperatures, a mild sperm defect partially reduces hermaphrodite fecundity. At restrictive temperatures, somatic gonad dysfunction combined with a severe sperm defect sharply reduces fecundity. Multiple lines of evidence, including a late embryonic temperature-sensitive period, support a role for mir-35-41 early during development to promote subsequent sperm production in later larval stages. We further show that the predicted mir-35 family target sup-26 (suppressor-26) acts downstream of mir-35-41 in this process, suggesting that sup-26 de-repression in mir-35-41 deletion mutants may contribute to temperature-sensitive loss of fecundity. In addition, these microRNAs play a role in male fertility, promoting proper morphogenesis of male-specific mating structures. Overall, our results demonstrate that robust activity of the mir-35-42 family microRNAs not only is essential for embryonic development across a range of temperatures but also enables the worm to subsequently develop full reproductive capacity. Copyright © 2014 McJunkin and Ambros.

Does grammatical aspect affect motion event cognition? A cross-linguistic comparison of English and Swedish speakers.

PubMed

Athanasopoulos, Panos; Bylund, Emanuel

2013-03-01

In this article, we explore whether cross-linguistic differences in grammatical aspect encoding may give rise to differences in memory and cognition. We compared native speakers of two languages that encode aspect differently (English and Swedish) in four tasks that examined verbal descriptions of stimuli, online triads matching, and memory-based triads matching with and without verbal interference. Results showed between-group differences in verbal descriptions and in memory-based triads matching. However, no differences were found in online triads matching and in memory-based triads matching with verbal interference. These findings need to be interpreted in the context of the overall pattern of performance, which indicated that both groups based their similarity judgments on common perceptual characteristics of motion events. These results show for the first time a cross-linguistic difference in memory as a function of differences in grammatical aspect encoding, but they also contribute to the emerging view that language fine tunes rather than shapes perceptual processes that are likely to be universal and unchanging. Copyright © 2012 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Honey Bee Antiviral Immune Barriers as Affected by Multiple Stress Factors: A Novel Paradigm to Interpret Colony Health Decline and Collapse.

PubMed

Nazzi, Francesco; Pennacchio, Francesco

2018-03-30

Any attempt to outline a logical framework in which to interpret the honey bee health decline and its contribution to elevated colony losses should recognize the importance of the multifactorial nature of the responsible syndrome and provide a functional model as a basis for defining and testing working hypotheses. We propose that covert infections by deformed wing virus (DWV) represent a sword of Damocles permanently threatening the survival of honey bee colonies and suggest that any factor affecting the honey bee’s antiviral defenses can turn this pathogen into a killer. Here we discuss the available experimental evidence in the framework of a model based on honey bee immune competence as affected by multiple stress factors that is proposed as a conceptual tool for analyzing bee mortality and its underlying mechanisms.

Enhancing multiple disciplinary teamwork.

PubMed

Weaver, Terri E

2008-01-01

Multiple disciplinary research provides an opportunity to bring together investigators across disciplines to provide new views and develop innovative approaches to important questions. Through this shared experience, novel paradigms are formed, original frameworks are developed, and new language is generated. Integral to the successful construction of effective cross-disciplinary teams is the recognition of antecedent factors that affect the development of the team such as intrapersonal, social, physical environmental, organizational, and institutional influences. Team functioning is enhanced with well-developed behavioral, affective, interpersonal, and intellectual processes. Outcomes of effective multiple disciplinary research teams include novel ideas, integrative models, new training programs, institutional change, and innovative policies that can also influence the degree to which antecedents and processes contribute to team performance. Ongoing evaluation of team functioning and achievement of designated outcomes ensures the continued development of the multiple disciplinary team and confirmation of this approach as important to the advancement of science.

How the multiple antioxidant properties of ascorbic acid affect lipid oxidation in oil-in-water emulsions.

PubMed

Uluata, Sibel; McClements, D Julian; Decker, Eric A

2015-02-18

Lipid oxidation is a serious problem for oil-containing food products because it negatively affects shelf life and nutritional composition. An antioxidant strategy commonly employed to prevent or delay oxidation in foods is to remove oxygen from the closed food-packaging system. An alternative technique is use of an edible oxygen scavenger to remove oxygen within the food. Ascorbic acid (AA) is a particularly promising antioxidant because of its natural label and multiple antioxidative functions. In this study, AA was tested as an oxygen scavenger in buffer and an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. The effects of transition metals on the ability of AA to scavenge oxygen were determined. Headspace oxygen decrease less than 1% in the medium-chain triacylglycerol (MCT) O/W emulsion system (pH 3 and 7). AA was able to almost completely remove dissolved oxygen (DO) in a buffered solution. Transition metals (Fe(2+) and Cu(+)) significantly accelerated the degradation of AA; however, iron and copper only increased DO depletion rates, by 10.6-16.4% from day 1 to 7, compared to the control. AA (2.5-20 mM) decreased DO in a 1% O/W emulsion system 32.0-64.0% and delayed the formation of headspace hexanal in the emulsion from 7 to over 20 days. This research shows that, when AA is used in an O/W emulsion system, oxidation of the emulsion system can be delay by multiple mechanisms.

Cognitive-Affective Dimensions of Female Orgasm: The Role of Automatic Thoughts and Affect During Sexual Activity.

PubMed

Tavares, Inês M; Laan, Ellen T M; Nobre, Pedro J

2017-06-01

Cognitive-affective factors contribute to female sexual dysfunctions, defined as clinically significant difficulties in the ability to respond sexually or to experience sexual pleasure. Automatic thoughts and affect presented during sexual activity are acknowledged as maintenance factors for these difficulties. However, there is a lack of studies on the influence of these cognitive-affective dimensions regarding female orgasm. To assess the role of automatic thoughts and affect during sexual activity in predicting female orgasm occurrence and to investigate the mediator role of these variables in the relation between sexual activity and orgasm occurrence. Nine hundred twenty-six sexually active heterosexual premenopausal women reported on frequency of sexual activities and frequency of orgasm occurrence, cognitive factors, and social desirability. Participants completed the Sexual Modes Questionnaire-Automatic Thoughts Subscale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Socially Desirable Response Set. Multiple linear regressions and mediation analyses were performed, controlling for the effect of covariates such as social desirability, sociodemographic and medical characteristics, and relationship factors. The main outcome measurement was orgasm frequency as predicted and mediated by automatic thoughts and affect experienced during sexual activities. The presence of failure thoughts and lack of erotic thoughts during sexual activity significantly and negatively predicted female orgasm, whereas positive affect experienced during sexual activity significantly and positively predicted female orgasm. Moreover, negative automatic thoughts and positive affect during sexual activity were found to mediate the relation between sexual activity and female orgasm occurrence. These data suggest that the cognitive aspects of sexual involvement are critical to enhancing female orgasm experience and can aid the development of strategies that contemplate the central role

Hypercoagulable states in patients with multiple myeloma can affect the thalidomide-associated venous thromboembolism.

PubMed

Talamo, Giampaolo P; Ibrahim, Sulfi; Claxton, David; Tricot, Guido J; Fink, Louis M; Zangari, Maurizio

2009-07-01

The therapeutic use of thalidomide in patients with multiple myeloma is often complicated by the development of venous thromboembolism. The objective of the present study was to identify hypercoagulable states associated with development of venous thromboembolism in thalidomide-treated multiple myeloma patients. We screened 49 consecutive multiple myeloma patients treated with thalidomide at baseline for hypercoagulability. With a median follow-up of 11 months, 10 of 49 multiple myeloma patients developed a thrombotic episode. Laboratory assays revealed an underlying abnormality in nine of the 10 patients; hypercoagulable screenings were normal in 36 of the 39 patients who did not develop venous thromboembolism (P < 0.0001). Our retrospective study results suggest that the multiple myeloma patients with thromboembolic complications during treatment with thalidomide have a frequent concomitant underlying thrombophilic state.

Current Concepts in Orthopedic Management of Multiple Trauma

PubMed Central

Kucukdurmaz, Fatih; Alijanipour, Pouya

2015-01-01

Multiple trauma patients frequently present challenging clinical scenarios with musculoskeletal injuries being the most common indications for surgical procedures in these patients. Despite our substantial knowledge, a universally approved objective definition for “multiple trauma” is yet to be delineated. Several controversial aspects of economics, pathophysiology, animal models, diagnosis, management and outcome of patients with multiple trauma have recently been explored and although some progress has been made, it seems that the available evidence is still inconclusive in some occasions. This manuscript revisits several current concepts of multiple trauma that have been the focus of recent investigation. We aim to provide the reader with an updated perspective based on the most recently published literature in the field of multiple trauma. PMID:26312111

The affective dimension of response elicitation data: a projective measure.

PubMed

Tibon, S; Blumberg, H H

2000-03-01

In this research, the Rorschach Affective Ratio, a measure for frequency of response elicitation, was used to examine the affective dimension of response elicitation data. The purpose of this study was to apply the Rorschach Affective Ratio to an examination of the psychodynamic roots of political behavior. This measure compares the number of responses to colored cards, considered as emotional stimuli, with those revealed by the other (black and white) cards of the test. Israeli undergraduates (N = 26) completed a questionnaire composed of 20 questions about peace. Participants who were more supportive of the peace process in the Middle East were found to have a lower Affective Ratio than those who were less supportive. This result suggests that measurable affective aspects may be as important as cognitive aspects of response elicitation in understanding an individual's political attitudes.

Exploring the Educational Benefits of Introducing Aspect-Oriented Programming Into a Programming Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boticki, I.; Katic, M.; Martin,S.

2013-01-01

This paper explores the educational benefits of introducing the aspect-oriented programming paradigm into a programming course in a study on a sample of 75 undergraduate software engineering students. It discusses how using the aspect-oriented paradigm, in addition to the object-oriented programming paradigm, affects students' programs, their exam…

Associations of multiple domains of self-esteem with four dimensions of stigma in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Lysaker, Paul H.; Tsai, Jack; Yanos, Philip; Roe, David

2011-01-01

Research suggests global self-esteem among persons with schizophrenia may be negatively affected by stigma or stereotyped beliefs about persons with severe mental illness. Less clear however, is whether particular dimensions of self-esteem are linked to particular domains of stigma. To examine this we surveyed a range of self-esteem dimensions including lovability, personal power, competence and moral self-approval and four domains of stigma: Stereotype endorsement, Discrimination experience, Social withdrawal and Stigma rejection. Participants were 133 adults with diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Stepwise multiple regressions controlling for a possible defensive response bias suggested that aspects of self-esteem related to lovability by others were more closely linked with lesser feelings of being alienated from others due to mental illness. Aspects of self-esteem related to the ability to manage one’s own affairs were more closely associated with the rejection of stereotypes of mental illness. A sense of being able to influence others was linked to both the absence of discrimination experiences and the ability to ward off stigma. Implications for treatment are discussed. PMID:18029145

The Community as Classroom: Multiple Perspectives on Student Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerrigan, Seanna; Gelmon, Sherrill; Spring, Amy

2003-01-01

Reports on the multiple perspectives of students, community members, and faculty to document the affect of student participation in service-learning courses. The study examined in this article used a large sample size and multiple qualitative and quantitative methods over several years. The results indicate that service learning affects students…

Games, Gaming, and Gamification: Some Aspects of Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson-Smith, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Unsupported claims have been made for the use of games in education and the gamification (game-like aspects, such as scores and point goals) of various learning elements. This brief article examines what may be the motivational basis of gaming and how it can affect students' behavior and ultimate success.

Advanced multiple access concepts in mobile satellite systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ananasso, Fulvio

1990-01-01

Some multiple access strategies for Mobile Satellite Systems (MSS) are discussed. These strategies were investigated in the context of three separate studies conducted for the International Maritime Satellite Organization (INMARSAT) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Satellite-Switched Frequency Division Multiple Access (SS-FDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and Frequency-Addressable Beam architectures are addressed, discussing both system and technology aspects and outlining advantages and drawbacks of either solution with associated relevant hardware issues. An attempt is made to compare the considered option from the standpoint of user terminal/space segment complexity, synchronization requirements, spectral efficiency, and interference rejection.

Factors affecting construction performance: exploratory factor analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soewin, E.; Chinda, T.

2018-04-01

The present work attempts to develop a multidimensional performance evaluation framework for a construction company by considering all relevant measures of performance. Based on the previous studies, this study hypothesizes nine key factors, with a total of 57 associated items. The hypothesized factors, with their associated items, are then used to develop questionnaire survey to gather data. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied to the collected data which gave rise 10 factors with 57 items affecting construction performance. The findings further reveal that the items constituting ten key performance factors (KPIs) namely; 1) Time, 2) Cost, 3) Quality, 4) Safety & Health, 5) Internal Stakeholder, 6) External Stakeholder, 7) Client Satisfaction, 8) Financial Performance, 9) Environment, and 10) Information, Technology & Innovation. The analysis helps to develop multi-dimensional performance evaluation framework for an effective measurement of the construction performance. The 10 key performance factors can be broadly categorized into economic aspect, social aspect, environmental aspect, and technology aspects. It is important to understand a multi-dimension performance evaluation framework by including all key factors affecting the construction performance of a company, so that the management level can effectively plan to implement an effective performance development plan to match with the mission and vision of the company.

Feeling worse to feel better: pain-offset relief simultaneously stimulates positive affect and reduces negative affect.

PubMed

Franklin, Joseph C; Lee, Kent M; Hanna, Eleanor K; Prinstein, Mitchell J

2013-04-01

Although pain itself induces negative affect, the removal (or offset) of pain induces a powerful state of relief. Despite being implicated in a wide range of psychological and behavioral phenomena, relief remains a poorly understood emotion. In particular, some theorists associate relief with increased positive affect, whereas others associate relief with diminished negative affect. In the present study, we examined the affective nature of relief in a pain-offset paradigm with psychophysiological measures that were specific to negative valence (startle eyeblink reactivity) and positive valence (startle postauricular reactivity). Results revealed that pain offset simultaneously stimulates positive affect and diminishes negative affect for at least several seconds. Results also indicated that pain intensity differentially affects the positive and negative valence aspects of relief. These findings clarify the affective nature of relief and provide insight into why people engage in both normal and abnormal behaviors associated with relief.

Impact of wildfire and slope aspect on soil temperature in a mountainous environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ebel, Brian A.

2012-01-01

Soil temperature changes after landscape disturbance impact hydrology, ecology, and geomorphology. This study used field measurements to examine wildfire and aspect effects on soil temperatures. Combustion of the litter and duff layers on north-facing slopes removed pre-fire aspect-driven soil temperature controls.Wildfire is one of the most significant disturbances in mountainous landscapes and can affect soil temperature, which can in turn impact ecologic and geomorphologic processes. This study measured the temperature in near-surface soil (i.e., top 30 cm) during the first summer after a wildfire. In mountainous environments, aspect can also affect soil temperature, so north- vs. south-facing aspects were compared using a fully factorial experimental design to explore the effects of both wildfire and aspect on soil temperature. The data showed major wildfire impacts on soil temperatures on north-facing aspects (unburned ∼4–5°C cooler, on average) but little impact on south-facing aspects. Differences in soil temperatures between north-facing and south-facing unburned aspects (north ∼5°C cooler, on average) were also observed. The data led to the conclusion that, for this field site during the summer period, the forest canopy and litter and duff layers on north-facing slopes (when unburned) substantially decreased mean soil temperatures and temperature variability. The sparse trees on south-facing slopes caused little to no difference in soil temperatures following wildfire in south-facing soils for unburned compared with burned conditions. The results indicate that wildfire can reduce or even remove aspect impacts on soil temperature by combusting the forest canopy and litter and duff layers, which then homogenizes soil temperatures across the landscape.

Ethical aspects on rare diseases.

PubMed

Barrera, Luis A; Galindo, Gilberto Cely

2010-01-01

In this chapter we discuss several of the most relevant subjects related to ethics on Rare Diseases. Some general aspects are discussed such as the socio-psychological problems that confront the patients and their families that finally lead to marginalization and exclusion of patients affected by these diseases from the health programs, even in wealthy countries. Then we address problems related to diagnosis and some ethical aspects of newborn screening, prenatal, pre-implantation diagnosis and reference centers, as well as some conditions that should be met by the persons and institutions performing such tasks. Alternatives of solutions for the most critical situations are proposed. Subsequently the orphan drugs subject is discussed not only from the availability point of view, prizes, industrial practices, and purchasing power in developed and developing societies. The research related to rare disease in children and other especially vulnerable conditions, the need for informed consent, review boards or ethics comities, confidentiality of the information, biobanks and pharmacogenetics are discussed.

Pharmacotherapeutic management of pseudobulbar affect.

PubMed

Chen, Jack J

2017-12-01

This activity will update pharmacists and other healthcare professionals on current treatments for pseudobulbar affect (PBA). Points of discussion will focus on the off-label therapies traditionally used to treat PBA, the FDA-approved combination drug product with PBA as an indication, and managed care aspects of treating PBA.

The first Korean patient with Potocki-Shaffer syndrome: a rare cause of multiple exostoses.

PubMed

Sohn, Young Bae; Yim, Shin-Young; Cho, Eun-Hae; Kim, Ok-Hwa

2015-02-01

Potocki-Shaffer syndrome (PSS, OMIM #601224) is a rare contiguous gene deletion syndrome caused by haploinsufficiency of genes located on the 11p11.2p12. Affected individuals have a number of characteristic features including multiple exostoses, biparietal foramina, abnormalities of genitourinary system, hypotonia, developmental delay, and intellectual disability. We report here on the first Korean case of an 8-yr-old boy with PSS diagnosed by high resolution microarray. Initial evaluation was done at age 6 months because of a history of developmental delay, hypotonia, and dysmorphic face. Coronal craniosynostosis and enlarged parietal foramina were found on skull radiographs. At age 6 yr, he had severe global developmental delay. Multiple exostoses of long bones were detected during a radiological check-up. Based on the clinical and radiological features, PSS was highly suspected. Subsequently, chromosomal microarray analysis identified an 8.6 Mb deletion at 11p11.2 [arr 11p12p11.2 (Chr11:39,204,770-47,791,278)×1]. The patient continued rehabilitation therapy for profound developmental delay. The progression of multiple exostosis has being monitored. This case confirms and extends data on the genetic basis of PSS. In clinical and radiologic aspect, a patient with multiple exostoses accompanying with syndromic features, including craniofacial abnormalities and mental retardation, the diagnosis of PSS should be considered.

Recognition of aspect-dependent three-dimensional objects by an echolocating Atlantic bottlenose dolphin.

PubMed

Helweg, D A; Roitblat, H L; Nachtigall, P E; Hautus, M J

1996-01-01

We examined the ability of a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) to recognize aspect-dependent objects using echolocation. An aspect-dependent object such as a cube produces acoustically different echoes at different angles relative to the echolocation signal. The dolphin recognized the objects even though the objects were free to rotate and sway. A linear discriminant analysis and nearest centroid classifier could classify the objects using average amplitude, center frequency, and bandwidth of object echoes. The results show that dolphins can use varying acoustic properties to recognize constant objects and suggest that aspect-independent representations may be formed by combining information gleaned from multiple echoes.

Multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS).

PubMed

Leys, A; Leys, M; Jonckheere, P; De Laey, J J

1990-01-01

We describe the course of MEWDS (multiple evanescent white dot syndrome) in 2 young females. The first patient presented with a very pronounced macular edema. The second patient had merely optic disc edema. Both had an enlargement of the blind spot, which normalized later. Only the granular aspect of the fovea persisted in the involved eye.

Lateralized hippocampal oscillations underlie distinct aspects of human spatial memory and navigation.

PubMed

Miller, Jonathan; Watrous, Andrew J; Tsitsiklis, Melina; Lee, Sang Ah; Sheth, Sameer A; Schevon, Catherine A; Smith, Elliot H; Sperling, Michael R; Sharan, Ashwini; Asadi-Pooya, Ali Akbar; Worrell, Gregory A; Meisenhelter, Stephen; Inman, Cory S; Davis, Kathryn A; Lega, Bradley; Wanda, Paul A; Das, Sandhitsu R; Stein, Joel M; Gorniak, Richard; Jacobs, Joshua

2018-06-21

The hippocampus plays a vital role in various aspects of cognition including both memory and spatial navigation. To understand electrophysiologically how the hippocampus supports these processes, we recorded intracranial electroencephalographic activity from 46 neurosurgical patients as they performed a spatial memory task. We measure signals from multiple brain regions, including both left and right hippocampi, and we use spectral analysis to identify oscillatory patterns related to memory encoding and navigation. We show that in the left but not right hippocampus, the amplitude of oscillations in the 1-3-Hz "low theta" band increases when viewing subsequently remembered object-location pairs. In contrast, in the right but not left hippocampus, low-theta activity increases during periods of navigation. The frequencies of these hippocampal signals are slower than task-related signals in the neocortex. These results suggest that the human brain includes multiple lateralized oscillatory networks that support different aspects of cognition.

Examining the Interplay of Processes Across Multiple Time-Scales: Illustration With the Intraindividual Study of Affect, Health, and Interpersonal Behavior (iSAHIB).

PubMed

Ram, Nilam; Conroy, David E; Pincus, Aaron L; Lorek, Amy; Rebar, Amanda; Roche, Michael J; Coccia, Michael; Morack, Jennifer; Feldman, Josh; Gerstorf, Denis

Human development is characterized by the complex interplay of processes that manifest at multiple levels of analysis and time-scales. We introduce the Intraindividual Study of Affect, Health and Interpersonal Behavior (iSAHIB) as a model for how multiple time-scale study designs facilitate more precise articulation of developmental theory. Combining age heterogeneity, longitudinal panel, daily diary, and experience sampling protocols, the study made use of smartphone and web-based technologies to obtain intensive longitudinal data from 150 persons age 18-89 years as they completed three 21-day measurement bursts ( t = 426 bursts, t = 8,557 days) wherein they provided reports on their social interactions ( t = 64,112) as they went about their daily lives. We illustrate how multiple time-scales of data can be used to articulate bioecological models of development and the interplay among more 'distal' processes that manifest at 'slower' time-scales (e.g., age-related differences and burst-to-burst changes in mental health) and more 'proximal' processes that manifest at 'faster' time-scales (e.g., changes in context that progress in accordance with the weekly calendar and family influence processes).

Clinical and Epidemiological Aspects of Multiple Sclerosis in Children

PubMed Central

NASEHI, Mohammad Mehdi; SAHRAIAN, Mohammad Ali; NASER MOGHADASI, Abdorreza; GHOFRANI, Mohammad; ASHTARI, Fereshteh; TAGHDIRI, Mohammad Mahdi; TONEKABONI, Seyed Hassan; KARIMZADEH, Parvaneh; AFSHARI, Mahdi; MOOSAZADEH, Mahmood

2017-01-01

Objective Overall, 2%-5% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experienced the first episode of disease before the age 18 years old. Since the age of onset among children is not similar to that in general population, clinicians often fail to early diagnose the disease. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological and clinical patterns of MS among Iranian children. Materials & Methods In this cross-sectional study carried out in Iran in 2014-2015, information was collected using a checklist with approved reliability and validity. Method sampling was consensus. Data were analyzed using frequency, mean and standard deviation indices by means of SPSS ver. 20 software. Results Totally, 177 MS children were investigated. 75.7% of them were female. Mean (SD), minimum and maximum age of subjects were 15.9 (2), 7 and 18 yr, respectively. The most reported symptoms were sensory (28.2%), motor (29.4%), diplopia (20.3%) and visual (32.8%). Primary MRI results showed 91.5% and 53.1% periventricular and spinal cord lesions, respectively. Conclusion MS is significantly more common among women. The most common age of onset is during the second decades. Visual and motor problems are the most symptoms, while, periventricular and spinal cord lesions are the most MRI results. PMID:28698726

Models of Disability in Children's Pretend Play: Measurement of Cognitive Representations and Affective Expression Using the Affect in Play Scale.

PubMed

Federici, Stefano; Meloni, Fabio; Catarinella, Antonio; Mazzeschi, Claudia

2017-01-01

Play is a natural mode of children's expression and constitutes a fundamental aspect of their life. Cognitive, affective, and social aspects can be assessed through play, considered as a "window" to observe a child's functioning. According to Russ's model, cognitive and affective components and their reciprocal connections can be assessed through the Affect in Play Scale (APS). The aim of the present study was to investigate children's representations of the three main models of disability (medical, social, and biopsychosocial) and how these models affected cognitive and affective components of children's play. Sixty-three children, aged 6-10 years, were assessed by means of the APS. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two APS task orders: the standard APS task followed by the modified APS task (including a wheelchair toy), or vice versa. The standard and modified APS sessions were coded according to the APS system. The modified APS sessions were also coded for the model of disability expressed by children. A one-way ANOVA conducted on the APS affective and cognitive indexes revealed an effect of condition on the affective components of play and no effect on cognitive components and variety of affect as assessed by the APS. In addition, when children are involved in pretend play from which concepts of disability emerge, these concepts are almost exclusively related to the medical model of disability. Results suggested implications for intervention with children in educational contexts that aim to teach children about disability.

[Current description of multiple sclerosis].

PubMed

Río, Jordi; Montalbán, Xavier

2014-12-01

Multiple sclerosis is a multifocal demyelinating disease leading to progressive neurodegeneration caused by an autoimmune response in genetically predisposed individuals. In the last few years, the knowledge and management of this disease has been revolutionized by a series of findings. The present article reviews pathological features of the disease, in which cortical involvement is increasingly implicated, and aspects related to novel pathogenic mechanisms, such as the role of the microbiota in the genesis of multiple sclerosis, as well as recent contributions from the fields of epidemiology and genetics. Also reviewed are the latest diagnostic criteria, which currently allow a much earlier diagnosis, with clear therapeutic implications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

DsSWEET17, a Tonoplast-Localized Sugar Transporter from Dianthus spiculifolius, Affects Sugar Metabolism and Confers Multiple Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Zhou, Aimin; Ma, Hongping; Feng, Shuang; Gong, Shufang; Wang, Jingang

2018-05-24

Plant SWEETs (Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters) affect the growth of plants by regulating the transport of sugar from source to sink and its intracellular transport between different organelles. In this study, DsSWEET17 from Dianthus spiculifolius was identified and characterized. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the expression of DsSWEET17 was affected by exogenous application of fructose and glucose as well as under salt, osmotic, and oxidation stress. Colocalization experiments showed that the DsSWEET17-GFP (green fluorescent protein) fusion protein was localized to the FM4-64-labeled tonoplasts in Arabidopsis . Compared to the wild type, the transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing DsSWEET17 had longer roots, greater fresh weight, and a faster root growth upon exogenous application of fructose. Furthermore, transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings had significantly higher fructose accumulation than was observed for the wild-type seedlings. The analysis of root length revealed that transgenic Arabidopsis had higher tolerance to salt, osmotic, and oxidative stresses. Taken together, our results suggest that DsSWEET17 may be a tonoplast sugar transporter, and its overexpression affects sugar metabolism and confers multiple stress tolerance in Arabidopsis .

Daily affect and female sexual function.

PubMed

Kalmbach, David A; Pillai, Vivek

2014-12-01

The specific affective experiences related to changes in various aspects of female sexual function have received little attention as most prior studies have focused instead on the role of clinical mood and anxiety disorders and their influence on sexual dysfunction. We sought to understand the transaction between daily affect and female sexual function in effort to provide a more nuanced understanding of the interplay between affective and sexual experiences. The present study used a 2-week daily diary approach to examine same-day and temporal relations between positive and negative affect states and sexual function in young women. We examined the unique relations between positive (i.e., joviality, serenity, self-assurance) and negative (i.e., fear, sadness, hostility) affects and female sexual response (i.e., desire, subjective arousal, vaginal lubrication, orgasmic function, and sexual pain) while controlling for higher order sexual distress, depression, and anxiety, as well as age effects and daily menstruation. Analyses revealed different aspects of both positive and negative affects to be independently related to sexual response indices. Specifically, results indicated that joviality was related to same-day sexual desire and predicted increased desire the following day. This latter relation was partially mediated by sexual activity. Further, greater sexual desire predicted next-day calmness, which was partially mediated by sexual activity. Notably, fear was related to same-day subjective arousal, lubrication, orgasmic function, and vaginal pain, whereas poorer orgasmic function predicted greater next-day sadness. These findings describe the manner in which changes in affect correspond to variations in female sexual function, thus highlighting the inextricability of mental and sexual health. Further, these findings may offer insight into the progression of normative levels of affect and sexual function as they develop into comorbid depression, anxiety, and

Trauma exposure and cigarette smoking: the impact of negative affect and affect-regulatory smoking motives.

PubMed

Farris, Samantha G; Zvolensky, Michael J; Beckham, Jean C; Vujanovic, Anka A; Schmidt, Norman B

2014-01-01

Cognitive-affective mechanisms related to the maintenance of smoking among trauma-exposed individuals are largely unknown. Cross-sectional data from trauma-exposed treatment-seeking smokers (n = 283) were utilized to test a series of multiple mediator models of trauma exposure and smoking, as mediated by the sequential effects of negative affect and affect-modulation smoking motives. The sequential effects of both mediators indirectly predicted the effect of greater trauma exposure types on nicotine dependence, a biochemical index of smoking, perceived barriers to smoking cessation, and greater withdrawal-related problems during past quit attempts. Negative affect and affect-modulation motives for smoking may contribute to the trauma-smoking association.

Trauma Exposure and Cigarette Smoking: The Impact of Negative Affect and Affect-Regulatory Smoking Motives

PubMed Central

Farris, Samantha G.; Zvolensky, Michael J.; Beckham, Jean C.; Vujanovic, Anka A.; Schmidt, Norman B.

2014-01-01

Cognitive-affective mechanisms related to the maintenance of smoking among trauma-exposed individuals are largely unknown. Cross-sectional data from trauma-exposed treatment-seeking smokers (n = 283) were utilized to test a series of multiple mediator models of trauma exposure and smoking, as mediated by the sequential effects of negative affect and affect-modulation smoking motives. The sequential effects of both mediators indirectly predicted the effect of greater trauma exposure types on nicotine dependence, a biochemical index of smoking, perceived barriers to smoking cessation, and greater withdrawal-related problems during past quit attempts. Negative affect and affect-modulation motives for smoking may contribute to the trauma-smoking association. PMID:25299617

‘I’m Black and I’m Proud’: A Majority Ecological Context Protects Affective Aspects of Black Identity Under Stereotype Threat

PubMed Central

Oliver, Andre’; Andemeskel, Ghilamichael; King, Carlise R.; Wallace, Lyndsey; McDougal, Serie; Monteiro, Kenneth P.

2018-01-01

We provide evidence that stereotype threat, a phenomenon that causes stigmatized individuals to experience group-based evaluative concerns (Steele in Am Psychol 52:613–629, 1997; Whistling Vivaldi and other clues to how stereotypes affect us, W.W. Norton, New York, 2010), impacts affective aspects of Black identity as a function of majority versus minority ecological contexts. Black/African-American students, enrolled in either Africana Studies (Black ecological majority) or Psychology (Black ecological minority), completed private and public regard subscales from the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (Sellers et al. in Pers Soc Psychol Rev 2:18–39, 1998) at baseline (Time 1) and after being randomly assigned to a stereotype threat or no-threat/control condition (Time 2). In threat, participants were introduced to a ‘puzzle’ task as diagnostic of intellectual abilities, whereas in no-threat the same task was introduced as culture fair, such that people from different racial/ethnic groups had performed similarly on this task in the past. In Psychology, students under threat exhibited a simultaneous decrease and increase in private and public regard, respectively, a pattern shown in the literature to be associated with discrimination-based distress and lesser well-being in Black ecological minority environments. In contrast, Africana Studies students’ racial identity under threat remained intact. We discuss the protective effects of Africana Studies on racial identity and implications for educational reform. PMID:29657583

Multiple Sensing Application on Wireless Sensor Network Simulation using NS3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurniawan, I. F.; Bisma, R.

2018-01-01

Hardware enhancement provides opportunity to install various sensor device on single monitoring node which then enables users to acquire multiple data simultaneously. Constructing multiple sensing application in NS3 is a challenging task since numbers of aspects such as wireless communication, packet transmission pattern, and energy model must be taken into account. Despite of numerous types of monitoring data available, this study only considers two types such as periodic, and event-based data. Periodical data will generate monitoring data follows configured interval, while event-based transmit data when certain determined condition is met. Therefore, this study attempts to cover mentioned aspects in NS3. Several simulations are performed with different number of nodes on arbitrary communication scheme.

High-Speed Additive Manufacturing Through High-Aspect-Ratio Nozzles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, Leon; Islam, Mashfiqul; Li, Jie; Li, Ling; Ayub, S. M. Imran

2018-03-01

The feasibility of layer-by-layer manufacturing through high-aspect-ratio (HAR) nozzles for microextrusion of paste to deposit planes has been investigated. Various conditions for paste extrusion, including nozzle moving speed, piston speed, extrusion rate, and distance between the nozzle tip and substrate, have been evaluated. By linking various microextrusion parameters together with the aid of a critical distance concept derived from microextrusion using circular nozzles and addressing the extrusion delay in response to the change of the piston speed and air pocket problems properly, we successfully microextruded single planes, multilayer objects, and larger planes made of multiple smaller planes side by side through HAR nozzles. It is further demonstrated that the X- Y dimensions of an extruded plane in the steady-state extrusion stage are determined by the nozzle travel distance and the length of the HAR nozzle opening if microextrusion is conducted with proper conditions. However, the height of the extruded plane is not only determined by the microextrusion conditions, but also affected by the drying shrinkage of the paste after microextrusion. This demonstration of the feasibility of using a HAR nozzle machine opens the door to manufacture of multimaterial, multilayer devices with high productivity in the near future.

Effects of dextromethorphan/quinidine on auditory event-related potentials in multiple sclerosis patients with pseudobulbar affect.

PubMed

Haiman, Guy; Pratt, Hillel; Miller, Ariel

2009-10-01

The purpose of this study was to characterize the brain activity and associated cortical structures involved in pseudobulbar affect (PBA), a condition characterized by uncontrollable episodes of laughing and/or crying in patients with multiple sclerosis before and after treatment with dextromethorphan/quinidine (DM/Q). Behavioral responses and event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to subjectively significant and neutral verbal stimuli were recorded from 2 groups: 6 multiple sclerosis patients with PBA before (PBA-preTx) and after (PBA-DM/Q) treatment with DM/Q and 6 healthy control (HC) subjects. Statistical nonparametric mapping comparisons of ERP source current density distributions between groups were conducted for subjectively significant and neutral stimuli separately before and after treatment with DM/Q. Treatment with DM/Q had a normalizing effect on the behavioral responses of PBA patients. Event-related potential waveform comparisons of PBA-preTx and PBA-DM/Q with HC, for both neutral and subjectively significant stimuli, revealed effects on early ERP components. Comparisons between PBA-preTx and HC, in response to subjectively significant stimuli, revealed both early and late effects. Source analysis comparisons between PBA-preTx and PBA-DM/Q indicated distinct activations in areas involved in emotional processing and high-level and associative visual processing in response to neutral stimuli and in areas involved in emotional, somatosensory, primary, and premotor processing in response to subjectively significant stimuli. In most cases, stimuli evoked higher current density in PBA-DM/Q compared with the other groups. In conclusion, differences in brain activity were observed before and after medication. Also, DM/Q administration resulted in normalization of behavioral and electrophysiological measures.

The physician-administrator as patient: distinctive aspects of medical care.

PubMed

Cappell, Mitchell S

2011-01-01

This article examines distinctive aspects of medical care experienced by a 55-year-old hospitalized for quintuple coronary artery bypass surgery who was also a senior physician-administrator (chief of gastroenterology) at the same hospital. The article describes eight distinctive aspects of administrator-physicians as patients, including special patient treatment; exalted patient expectations by hospital personnel; patient suppression of emotions; patient denial; self-doctoring; job stress contributing to disease; self-sacrifice to achieve better health; and rational medical decisions when not under stress. Health-care workers should recognize how these distinctive aspects of medical care and behavior affect administrator-physicians as patients, in order to mitigate their negative effects, potentiate their positive effects, and optimize the care of these patients.

Bisphenol A affects androgen receptor function via multiple mechanisms.

PubMed

Teng, Christina; Goodwin, Bonnie; Shockley, Keith; Xia, Menghang; Huang, Ruili; Norris, John; Merrick, B Alex; Jetten, Anton M; Austin, Christopher P; Tice, Raymond R

2013-05-25

Bisphenol A (BPA), is a well-known endocrine disruptor compound (EDC) that affects the normal development and function of the female and male reproductive system, however the mechanisms of action remain unclear. To investigate the molecular mechanisms of how BPA may affect ten different nuclear receptors, stable cell lines containing individual nuclear receptor ligand binding domain (LBD)-linked to the β-Gal reporter were examined by a quantitative high throughput screening (qHTS) format in the Tox21 Screening Program of the NIH. The results showed that two receptors, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and androgen receptor (AR), are affected by BPA in opposite direction. To confirm the observed effects of BPA on ERα and AR, we performed transient transfection experiments with full-length receptors and their corresponding response elements linked to luciferase reporters. We also included in this study two BPA analogs, bisphenol AF (BPAF) and bisphenol S (BPS). As seen in African green monkey kidney CV1 cells, the present study confirmed that BPA and BPAF act as ERα agonists (half maximal effective concentration EC50 of 10-100 nM) and as AR antagonists (half maximal inhibitory concentration IC50 of 1-2 μM). Both BPA and BPAF antagonized AR function via competitive inhibition of the action of synthetic androgen R1881. BPS with lower estrogenic activity (EC50 of 2.2 μM), did not compete with R1881 for AR binding, when tested at 30 μM. Finally, the effects of BPA were also evaluated in a nuclear translocation assays using EGPF-tagged receptors. Similar to 17β-estradiol (E2) which was used as control, BPA was able to enhance ERα nuclear foci formation but at a 100-fold higher concentration. Although BPA was able to bind AR, the nuclear translocation was reduced. Furthermore, BPA was unable to induce functional foci in the nuclei and is consistent with the transient transfection study that BPA is unable to activate AR. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Effect of Cell Aspect Ratio on Swarming Bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilkanaiv, Bella; Kearns, Daniel B.; Ariel, Gil; Be'er, Avraham

2017-04-01

Swarming bacteria collectively migrate on surfaces using flagella, forming dynamic whirls and jets that consist of millions of individuals. Because some swarming bacteria elongate prior to actual motion, cell aspect ratio may play a significant role in the collective dynamics. Extensive research on self-propelled rodlike particles confirms that elongation promotes alignment, strongly affecting the dynamics. Here, we study experimentally the collective dynamics of variants of swarming Bacillus subtilis that differ in length. We show that the swarming statistics depends on the aspect ratio in a critical, fundamental fashion not predicted by theory. The fastest motion was obtained for the wild-type and variants that are similar in length. However, shorter and longer cells exhibit anomalous, non-Gaussian statistics and nonexponential decay of the autocorrelation function, indicating lower collective motility. These results suggest that the robust mechanisms to maintain aspect ratios may be important for efficient swarming motility. Wild-type cells are optimal in this sense.

Cognitive aspect of diagnostic errors.

PubMed

Phua, Dong Haur; Tan, Nigel C K

2013-01-01

Diagnostic errors can result in tangible harm to patients. Despite our advances in medicine, the mental processes required to make a diagnosis exhibits shortcomings, causing diagnostic errors. Cognitive factors are found to be an important cause of diagnostic errors. With new understanding from psychology and social sciences, clinical medicine is now beginning to appreciate that our clinical reasoning can take the form of analytical reasoning or heuristics. Different factors like cognitive biases and affective influences can also impel unwary clinicians to make diagnostic errors. Various strategies have been proposed to reduce the effect of cognitive biases and affective influences when clinicians make diagnoses; however evidence for the efficacy of these methods is still sparse. This paper aims to introduce the reader to the cognitive aspect of diagnostic errors, in the hope that clinicians can use this knowledge to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.

Parallel Operation of Multiple Closely Spaced Small Aspect Ratio Rod Pinches

DOE PAGES

Harper-Slaboszewicz, Victor J.; Leckbee, Joshua; Bennett, Nichelle; ...

2014-12-10

A series of simulations and experiments to resolve questions about the operation of arrays of closely spaced small aspect ratio rod pinches has been performed. Design and post-shot analysis of the experimental results are supported by 3D particle-in-cell simulations. Both simulations and experiments support these conclusions. Penetration of current to the interior of the array appears to be efficient, as the current on the center rods is essentially equal to the current on the outer rods. Current loss in the feed due to the formation of magnetic nulls was avoided in these experiments by design of the feed surface ofmore » the cathode and control of the gap to keep the electric fields on the cathode below the emission threshold. Some asymmetry in the electron flow to the rod was observed, but the flow appeared to symmetrize as it reached the end of the rod. Interaction between the rod pinches can be controlled to allow the stable and consistent operation of arrays of rod pinches.« less

Role of Multiple Representations in Physics Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maries, Alexandru

2013-01-01

This thesis explores the role of multiple representations in introductory physics students' problem solving performance through several investigations. Representations can help students focus on the conceptual aspects of physics and play a major role in effective problem solving. Diagrammatic representations can play a particularly important role…

[Physical rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis: general principles and high-tech approaches].

PubMed

Peresedova, A V; Chernikova, L A; Zavalishin, I A

2013-01-01

In a chronic and disabling disease like multiple sclerosis, rehabilitation programs are of major importance for the preservation of physical, physiological, social and professional functioning and improvement of quality of life. Currently, it is generally assumed that physical activity is an important component of non-pharmacological rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis. Properly organized exercise is a safe and efficient way to induce improvements in a number of physiological functions. A multidisciplinary rehabilitative approach should be recommended. The main recommendations for the use of exercise for patients with multiple sclerosis have been listed. An important aspect of the modern physical rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis is the usage of high-tech methods. The published results of robot-assisted training to improve the hand function and walking impairment have been represented. An important trend in the rehabilitation of patients with multiple sclerosis is the reduction of postural disorders through training balance coordination. The role of transcranial magnetic stimulation in spasticity reducing is being investigated. The use of telemedicine capabilities is quite promising. Due to the fact that the decline in physical activity can lead to the deterioration of many aspects of physiological functions and, ultimately, to mobility decrease, further research of the role of physical rehabilitation as an important therapeutic approach in preventing the progression of disability in multiple sclerosis is required.

Conceptual Learning with Multiple Graphical Representations: Intelligent Tutoring Systems Support for Sense-Making and Fluency-Building Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rau, Martina A.

2013-01-01

Most learning environments in the STEM disciplines use multiple graphical representations along with textual descriptions and symbolic representations. Multiple graphical representations are powerful learning tools because they can emphasize complementary aspects of complex learning contents. However, to benefit from multiple graphical…

Molecular aspects of diabetes mellitus: Resistin, microRNA, and exosome.

PubMed

Saeedi Borujeni, Mohammad Javad; Esfandiary, Ebrahim; Taheripak, Gholamreza; Codoñer-Franch, Pilar; Alonso-Iglesias, Eulalia; Mirzaei, Hamed

2018-02-01

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is known as one of important common endocrine disorders which could due to deregulation of a variety of cellular and molecular pathways. A large numbers studies indicated that various pathogenesis events including mutation, serin phosphorylation, and increasing/decreasing expression of many genes could contribute to initiation and progression of DM. Insulin resistance is one of important factors which could play critical roles in DM pathogenesis. It has been showed that insulin resistance via targeting a sequence of cellular and molecular pathways (eg, PI3 kinases, PPARγ co-activator-1, microRNAs, serine/threonine kinase Akt, and serin phosphorylation) could induce DM. Among of various factors involved in DM pathogenesis, microRNAs, and exosomes have been emerged as effective factors in initiation and progression of DM. A variety of studies indicated that deregulation of these molecules could change behavior of various types of cells and contribute to progression of DM. Resistin is other main factor which is known as signal molecule involved in insulin resistance. Multiple lines evidence indicated that resistin exerts its effects via affecting on glucose metabolism, inhibition of fatty acid uptake and metabolism with affecting on a variety of targets such as CD36, fatty acid transport protein 1, Acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and AMP-activated protein kinase. Here, we summarized various molecular aspects are associated with DM particularly the molecular pathways involved in insulin resistance and resistin in DM. Moreover, we highlighted exosomes and microRNAs as effective players in initiation and progression of DM. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dextromethorphan/quinidine: in pseudobulbar affect.

PubMed

Garnock-Jones, Karly P

2011-05-01

Pseudobulbar affect is characterized by uncontrollable, inappropriate laughing and/or crying that is either unrelated or out of proportion to the emotions felt by the patient and occurs in patients with neurological disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis or traumatic brain injury. Dextromethorphan/quinidine is indicated in the US for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect. Dextromethorphan, when its metabolism is inhibited by the coadministration of quinidine, has been shown to have a positive effect on the symptoms of pseudobulbar affect. Dextromethorphan/quinidine 20 mg/10 mg twice daily was associated with a significantly greater decrease in the rate of pseudobulbar affect episodes per day (primary endpoint) than placebo in the 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre STAR trial (Safety, Tolerability, And efficacy Results trial of AVP-923 in PBA [pseudobulbar affect]) involving patients with pseudobulbar affect and ALS or multiple sclerosis. Moreover, the mean change from baseline in Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale score at 12 weeks was significantly greater among recipients of dextromethorphan/quinidine 20 mg/10 mg twice daily than those receiving placebo. Dextromethorphan/quinidine 20 mg/10 mg twice daily was generally well tolerated. The drug has been shown to cause dosage-dependent corrected QT interval (QTc) prolongation; however, in the STAR trial, dextromethorphan/quinidine 20 mg/10 mg twice daily appeared to be well tolerated with regard to QTc prolongation.

Psychosomatic aspects of Cushing's syndrome.

PubMed

Sonino, Nicoletta; Fallo, Francesco; Fava, Giovanni A

2010-06-01

There has been growing interest in the psychosocial aspects of Cushing's syndrome, such as the role of life stress as a pathogenetic factor, the association with affective disorders, and the presence of residual symptoms after treatment. Interestingly, a temporal relationship between stressful life events and disease onset is relevant only to pituitary-dependent Cushing's disease, and not to the pituitary-independent forms. A number of psychiatric and psychological disturbances may be associated with the active hypercortisolemic state, regardless of its etiology. Within the high frequency of mood disorders (about 60%), major depression is the most common complication. Other psychopathological aspects include mania, anxiety disorders, psychological symptoms (demoralization, irritable mood, somatization) and cognitive impairment. Cognitive symptoms are associated with brain abnormalities (mainly loss of brain volume). Quality of life may be seriously compromised during both active and post-treatment phases. Long-standing hypercortisolism may imply a degree of irreversibility of the pathological process. Recovery, thus, may be delayed and be influenced by highly individualized affective responses. Outcomes of Cushing's syndrome treatment are not fully satisfactory. Within its great complexity, a conceptual shift from a merely biomedical care to a psychosomatic consideration of the person and his/her quality of life appears to be necessary to improve effectiveness. It is time to translate the research evidence that has accumulated into clinical practice initiatives. To patients who show persistence or even worsening of psychological distress upon adequate endocrine treatment psychiatric/psychological interventions should be readily available. Applying interdisciplinary expertise and addressing the needs for rehabilitation would markedly improve final outcome.

Mutations in Nonconserved Domains of Ty3 Integrase Affect Multiple Stages of the Ty3 Life Cycle

PubMed Central

Nymark-McMahon, M. Henrietta; Sandmeyer, Suzanne B.

1999-01-01

Ty3, a retroviruslike element of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, transposes into positions immediately upstream of RNA polymerase III-transcribed genes. The Ty3 integrase (IN) protein is required for integration of the replicated, extrachromosomal Ty3 DNA. In retroviral IN, a conserved core region is sufficient for strand transfer activity. In this study, charged-to-alanine scanning mutagenesis was used to investigate the roles of the nonconserved amino- and carboxyl-terminal regions of Ty3 IN. Each of the 20 IN mutants was defective for transposition, but no mutant was grossly defective for capsid maturation. All mutations affecting steady-state levels of mature IN protein resulted in reduced levels of replicated DNA, even when polymerase activity was not grossly defective as measured by exogenous reverse transcriptase activity assay. Thus, IN could contribute to nonpolymerase functions required for DNA production in vivo or to the stability of the DNA product. Several mutations in the carboxyl-terminal domain resulted in relatively low levels of processed 3′ ends of the replicated DNA, suggesting that this domain may be important for binding of IN to the long terminal repeat. Another class of mutants produced wild-type amounts of DNA with correctly processed 3′ ends. This class could include mutants affected in nuclear entry and target association. Collectively, these mutations demonstrate that in vivo, within the preintegration complex, IN performs a central role in coordinating multiple late stages of the retrotransposition life cycle. PMID:9847351

Relaxation and health-related quality of life in multiple sclerosis: the example of autogenic training.

PubMed

Sutherland, Georgina; Andersen, Mark B; Morris, Tony

2005-06-01

This study was a pilot project to explore the effect of an autogenic training program (AT; a relaxation intervention) on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and well-being for people with multiple sclerosis. Participants either met weekly for sessions in AT for 10 weeks (n = 11) or were assigned to the control group (n = 11). The AT group was also asked to practice the technique daily at home. Scales designed to measure HRQOL and aspects of well-being (mood and depressed affect) were taken preintervention and at week 8 of the 10-week program. ANCOVAs using a measure of social support and pretest scores as covariates revealed that at the posttest the AT group reported more energy and vigor than the control group and were less limited in their roles due to physical and emotional problems. Future research should involve studies conducted over an extended period, together with sufficiently sized samples to explore the effect of frequency of practice of relaxation training on HRQOL and well-being for people with multiple sclerosis.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) - Scientific and Public-Health Aspects

PubMed Central

Schwenk, Michael

2004-01-01

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a phenomenon which the ENT-doctor should be familiar with. It has its roots in the description of a syndrome in 1987. A worker spilled chemicals at his workplace and from then on he reacted highly sensitive to chemicals. Today, there are many people who explain their complaints with self-suspected MCS. Various pathopysiological models have been proposed, including toxicological, immunological or behaviorial models. But no-one could be proved so far. Since controlled provocation tests have also provided unclear results, an increasing number of doctors assumes today, that MCS reflects a psychic condition. In 1996, an expert team of the WHO has suggested the renaming of MCS to "idiopathic environmental illness" (IEI). However, other doctors still assume a chemical cause. Since there are neither straightforward diagnostic methods to proof MCS, nor reliable therapeutic concepts, treatment of MCS-patients is usually difficult. The MCS-debate (somatic vs psychic causes) seems to reflect the dilemma of the medical profession today, that somatic disorders of known origin can be well treated, whereas the increasing number of psychosomatic/ somatoform disorders is often resistant to medical help. The ENT-doctor should pay attention to changes of the nasal mucous membrane, nasal resistance and the sense of smell. Moreover he should know about the peculiarities of MCS-patients. The manuscript describes the present knowledge and state of discussion with special regard to the situation in Germany. PMID:22073047

Device design and signal processing for multiple-input multiple-output multimode fiber links

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Appaiah, Kumar; Vishwanath, Sriram; Bank, Seth R.

2012-01-01

Multimode fibers (MMFs) are limited in data rate capabilities owing to modal dispersion. However, their large core diameter simplifies alignment and packaging, and makes them attractive for short and medium length links. Recent research has shown that the use of signal processing and techniques such as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) can greatly improve the data rate capabilities of multimode fibers. In this paper, we review recent experimental work using MIMO and signal processing for multimode fibers, and the improvements in data rates achievable with these techniques. We then present models to design as well as simulate the performance benefits obtainable with arrays of lasers and detectors in conjunction with MIMO, using channel capacity as the metric to optimize. We also discuss some aspects related to complexity of the algorithms needed for signal processing and discuss techniques for low complexity implementation.

Positivity and well-being among community-residing elders and nursing home residents: what is the optimal affect balance?

PubMed

Meeks, Suzanne; Van Haitsma, Kimberly; Kostiwa, Irene; Murrell, Stanley A

2012-07-01

To explore whether a ratio of positive to negative affect, from the work of Fredricksen and Losada, could predict high levels of well-being in elderly samples and especially in nursing home residents despite multiple chronic health conditions, consonant with Ryff and Singer's notion of "flourishing under fire." We used two samples: a probability sample of community-residing elders and a sample from nursing homes. We calculated ratios of positive to negative affect in each sample and measured well-being with social interaction, mental health, life satisfaction, and general well-being. The positivity ratio of 2.9 differentiated high levels of well-being in both the samples, as in previous research on younger samples. Although we expected the positivity ratio to perform less well among nursing home residents, we found that it differentiated residents with high well-being just as well as in the community sample. The ability to regulate positive affect to maintain a relative ratio of positive over negative affect appears to be an important aspect of successful adjustment in late life. Further research is needed on objective indicators of quality of life and on whether intra-individual shifts in affect balance are coupled with shifts in indicators of positive mental health.

Positivity and Well-being Among Community-Residing Elders and Nursing Home Residents: What Is the Optimal Affect Balance?

PubMed Central

Van Haitsma, Kimberly; Kostiwa, Irene; Murrell, Stanley A.

2012-01-01

Objectives: To explore whether a ratio of positive to negative affect, from the work of Fredricksen and Losada, could predict high levels of well-being in elderly samples and especially in nursing home residents despite multiple chronic health conditions, consonant with Ryff and Singer's notion of “flourishing under fire.” Method: We used two samples: a probability sample of community-residing elders and a sample from nursing homes. We calculated ratios of positive to negative affect in each sample and measured well-being with social interaction, mental health, life satisfaction, and general well-being. Results: The positivity ratio of 2.9 differentiated high levels of well-being in both the samples, as in previous research on younger samples. Discussion: Although we expected the positivity ratio to perform less well among nursing home residents, we found that it differentiated residents with high well-being just as well as in the community sample. The ability to regulate positive affect to maintain a relative ratio of positive over negative affect appears to be an important aspect of successful adjustment in late life. Further research is needed on objective indicators of quality of life and on whether intra-individual shifts in affect balance are coupled with shifts in indicators of positive mental health. PMID:22227736

Myocardial contrast echocardiography in mice: technical and physiological aspects.

PubMed

Verkaik, Melissa; van Poelgeest, Erik M; Kwekkeboom, Rick F J; Ter Wee, Piet M; van den Brom, Charissa E; Vervloet, Marc G; Eringa, Etto C

2018-03-01

Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) offers the opportunity to study myocardial perfusion defects in mice in detail. The value of MCE compared with single-photon emission computed tomography, positron emission tomography, and computed tomography consists of high spatial resolution, the possibility of quantification of blood volume, and relatively low costs. Nevertheless, a number of technical and physiological aspects should be considered to ensure reproducibility among research groups. The aim of this overview is to describe technical aspects of MCE and the physiological parameters that influence myocardial perfusion data obtained with this technique. First, technical aspects of MCE discussed in this technical review are logarithmic compression of ultrasound data by ultrasound systems, saturation of the contrast signal, and acquisition of images during different phases of the cardiac cycle. Second, physiological aspects of myocardial perfusion that are affected by the experimental design are discussed, including the anesthesia regimen, systemic cardiovascular effects of vasoactive agents used, and fluctuations in body temperature that alter myocardial perfusion. When these technical and physiological aspects of MCE are taken into account and adequately standardized, MCE is an easily accessible technique for mice that can be used to study the control of myocardial perfusion by a wide range of factors.

Holistic aspects of children's ways of understanding in making sense of genetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Hui-Ju

The study examined the nature of how children make sense of phenomena in the area of genetics and inheritance. I proposed the phrase, way of understanding to capture a unified entity which children use to make sense of phenomena. The methodology was semi-structured probing interviews with six sixth grade students. Seven specific ways of understanding were discussed in the results section. Overall, the study described and discovered children's ways of understanding in terms of five aspects: cognitive aspects, affective aspects, social aspects, playfulness, and mode of awareness. Students' propositional knowledge, a holistic view of looking at how people resemble each other, syntactic knowledge, and an extension of rational explanations belonged to the cognitive aspects. Four categories of affective expressions were: an enjoyment of thinking and learning, a special feeling about the instructional activity, a deep personal involvement, and an anxiety in finding correct answers. Two types of social context were identified, one had somewhat of a connection to the science world, and the other did not have much of an scientific tie. The playfulness and the mode of awareness were two emerging aspects through the study. The playfulness represented the spontaneity, freedom, and sense of fun associated with the social interaction activity, such as the playfulness in expressing ideas to others. The modes of awareness included two types of metacognition, one was a conscious reflection on one's cognitive abilities, and the other was a continuous process of monitoring knowledge. In addition, the importance of considering language aspect in science learning was an emerging issue. Students' talking about genetics was embedded in the larger framework of social relationships and social institutions. Their social identify might influence the development of concepts, ways of talking and science learning. The study reflects the richness of children's sense-making processes

Biography of George Eastman: A Multiple Intelligences Profile.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogle, Jan G.

This paper describes the life and achievements of businessman, philanthropist, and photographic innovator, George Eastman. Aspects of multiple intelligences theory with regard to Eastman's life are discussed. The paper details Eastman's many and varied successes after a poor childhood and notes that, although he left school at 13 to help support…

Matrix multiplication on the Intel Touchstone Delta

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huss-Lederman, S.; Jacobson, E.M.; Tsao, A.

1993-12-31

Matrix multiplication is a key primitive in block matrix algorithms such as those found in LAPACK. We present results from our study of matrix multiplication algorithms on the Intel Touchstone Delta, a distributed memory message-passing architecture with a two-dimensional mesh topology. We obtain an implementation that uses communication primitives highly suited to the Delta and exploits the single node assembly-coded matrix multiplication. Our algorithm is completely general, able to deal with arbitrary mesh aspect ratios and matrix dimensions, and has achieved parallel efficiency of 86% with overall peak performance in excess of 8 Gflops on 256 nodes for an 8800more » {times} 8800 matrix. We describe our algorithm design and implementation, and present performance results that demonstrate scalability and robust behavior over varying mesh topologies.« less

IgA-kappa type multiple myeloma affecting proximal and distal renal tubules.

PubMed

Minemura, K; Ichikawa, K; Itoh, N; Suzuki, N; Hara, M; Shigematsu, S; Kobayashi, H; Hiramatsu, K; Hashizume, K

2001-09-01

A 45-year-old male was admitted because of chest pain, lumbago, and bilateral ankle pain. Examination disclosed hypophosphatemic osteomalacia, acquired Fanconi syndrome, and abnormalities in distal nephron such as distal renal tubular acidosis and renal diabetes insipidus. Further exploration revealed IgA kappa multiple myeloma excreting urinary Bence Jones protein (kappa-light chain). Renal biopsy revealed thick basement membranes and elec-tron-dense crystals in proximal tubular epithelial cells. Immunofluorescent studies revealed deposition of kappa-light chain in renal tubular epithelial cells that caused the renal tubular damage. Although the osteomalacia was relieved by medical treatment, the urinary Bence Jones protein and the renal tubular defects were not improved by the chemotherapy for the myeloma. The patient died of exacerbation of multiple myeloma at 50 years of age.

PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM (REVIEW AND CASE STUDY)

PubMed Central

De Sousa, Alan; De Sousa, D.A.

1984-01-01

SUMMARY The psychological aspects of hypothyroidism are reviewed with reference to the available literature. A case history of hypothyroidism along with its psychological manifestations is discussed and a conclusion is drawn that usually four characteristic types of psychological pictures co-exist with hypothyroidism viz. organic brain syndrome, schizophrenia form psychoses, affective psychosis, especially the depression and mixed variety. Suggestion for therapy are also outlined. PMID:21966022

Multiple Representations-Based Face Sketch-Photo Synthesis.

PubMed

Peng, Chunlei; Gao, Xinbo; Wang, Nannan; Tao, Dacheng; Li, Xuelong; Li, Jie

2016-11-01

Face sketch-photo synthesis plays an important role in law enforcement and digital entertainment. Most of the existing methods only use pixel intensities as the feature. Since face images can be described using features from multiple aspects, this paper presents a novel multiple representations-based face sketch-photo-synthesis method that adaptively combines multiple representations to represent an image patch. In particular, it combines multiple features from face images processed using multiple filters and deploys Markov networks to exploit the interacting relationships between the neighboring image patches. The proposed framework could be solved using an alternating optimization strategy and it normally converges in only five outer iterations in the experiments. Our experimental results on the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) face sketch database, celebrity photos, CUHK Face Sketch FERET Database, IIIT-D Viewed Sketch Database, and forensic sketches demonstrate the effectiveness of our method for face sketch-photo synthesis. In addition, cross-database and database-dependent style-synthesis evaluations demonstrate the generalizability of this novel method and suggest promising solutions for face identification in forensic science.

[Assessing various aspects of the motivation to eat that can affect food intake and body weight control].

PubMed

Bellisle, F

2009-04-01

Over the last 30 years, several questionnaires have been developed and validated in order to assess many aspects of the motivation to eat that might be susceptible to impair adequate food intake and body weight control. A few of such questionnaires are described here, in particular, the "Three Factor Eating Questionnaire" also called the "Eating Inventory", and the "Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire". Critical aspects of the motivation to eat assessed by these tools are presented, such as dietary restraint, disinhibition, hunger, vulnerability to eat in response to external cues or emotional states, etc. These questionnaires were developed for use in the general population with the aim to identify critical aspects of the motivation to eat that might predispose to weight gain. They have been widely used in many countries and have allowed an improved understanding of the individual characteristics that predispose to body weight gain or resistance to weight loss. Originally, poor body weight control was attributed to a high level of dietary "restraint", or in other words, the tendency to deliberately restrict one's food intake for body weight control purposes. Such dietary restraint was suspected to lead to a number of physical and psychological difficulties, among which poor self-esteem and a paradoxical tendency to gain weight, resulting from the incapacity to maintain strict restraint over time. More recent studies have established that a motivational trait called "Disinhibition" is a strong predictor of body weight gain over time and of poor outcome of dieting. "Disinhibition" corresponds to a tendency to lose control over one's eating behavior and ingest excessively large quantities of food substances, in response to a variety of cues and circumstances. In addition to its untoward effect on weight, disinhibition also predicts various risk factors and pathologies, such as hypertension and diabetes. Other potentially critical dimensions for adequate body weight

The Acquisition of Progressive and Resultative Meanings of the Imperfective Aspect Marker by L2 Learners of Japanese: Transfer, Universals, or Multiple Factors?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sugaya, Natsue; Shirai, Yasuhiro

2007-01-01

It has been observed that there is a strong association between the inherent (lexical) aspect of verbs and the acquisition of tense-aspect morphology (the aspect hypothesis; Andersen & Shirai, 1994). To investigate why such an association is observed, this study examined the influence of inherent aspect and learners' first language (L1) on the…

Multilingual Aspects of Fluency Disorders. Communication Disorders across Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, Peter; Van Borsel, John

2011-01-01

This book contains contributions by scholars working on diverse aspects of speech who bring their findings to bear on the practical issue of how to treat stuttering in different language groups and in multilingual speakers. The book considers classic issues in speech production research, as well as whether regions of the brain that are affected in…

Some engineering aspects of insulin delivery systems.

PubMed

Spencer, W J; Bair, R E; Carlson, G A; Love, J T; Urenda, R S; Eaton, R P; Schade, D S

1980-01-01

The characteristics of electronically controlled insulin delivery systems are presented. Early experiments with an external system have shown promise in providing improved glycemic control over conventional methods of single or multiple subcutaneous insulin injections. The encouraging results with external insulin delivery systems have led to the development and early testing in dogs of an implantable system with remote controls to permit variable insulin flow rates. A number of questions remain to be answered before widespread experimentation with external and implanted insulin delivery systems is possible. There appears to be no major development problems with the engineering aspects of such systems.

Multiple emulsions: an overview.

PubMed

Khan, Azhar Yaqoob; Talegaonkar, Sushama; Iqbal, Zeenat; Ahmed, Farhan Jalees; Khar, Roop Krishan

2006-10-01

Multiple emulsions are complex polydispersed systems where both oil in water and water in oil emulsion exists simultaneously which are stabilized by lipophillic and hydrophilic surfactants respectively. The ratio of these surfactants is important in achieving stable multiple emulsions. Among water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) and oil-in-water-in-oil (o/w/o) type multiple emulsions, the former has wider areas of application and hence are studied in great detail. Formulation, preparation techniques and in vitro characterization methods for multiple emulsions are reviewed. Various factors affecting the stability of multiple emulsions and the stabilization approaches with specific reference to w/o/w type multiple emulsions are discussed in detail. Favorable drug release mechanisms and/or rate along with in vivo fate of multiple emulsions make them a versatile carrier. It finds wide range of applications in controlled or sustained drug delivery, targeted delivery, taste masking, bioavailability enhancement, enzyme immobilization, etc. Multiple emulsions have also been employed as intermediate step in the microencapsulation process and are the systems of increasing interest for the oral delivery of hydrophilic drugs, which are unstable in gastrointestinal tract like proteins and peptides. With the advancement in techniques for preparation, stabilization and rheological characterization of multiple emulsions, it will be able to provide a novel carrier system for drugs, cosmetics and pharmaceutical agents. In this review, emphasis is laid down on formulation, stabilization techniques and potential applications of multiple emulsion system.

Effects of aspect ratio on the phase diagram of spheroidal particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kutlu, Songul; Haaga, Jason; Rickman, Jeffrey; Gunton, James

Ellipsoidal particles occur in both colloidal and protein science. Models of protein phase transitions based on interacting spheroidal particles can often be more realistic than those based on spherical molecules. One of the interesting questions is how the aspect ratio of spheroidal particles affects the phase diagram. Some results have been obtained in an earlier study by Odriozola (J. Chem. Phys. 136:134505 (2012)). In this poster we present results for the phase diagram of hard spheroids interacting via a quasi-square-well potential, for different aspect ratios. These results are obtained from Monte Carlo simulations using the replica exchange method. We find that the phase diagram, including the crystal phase transition, is sensitive to the choice of aspect ratio. G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation.

Audio-visual affective expression recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Thomas S.; Zeng, Zhihong

2007-11-01

Automatic affective expression recognition has attracted more and more attention of researchers from different disciplines, which will significantly contribute to a new paradigm for human computer interaction (affect-sensitive interfaces, socially intelligent environments) and advance the research in the affect-related fields including psychology, psychiatry, and education. Multimodal information integration is a process that enables human to assess affective states robustly and flexibly. In order to understand the richness and subtleness of human emotion behavior, the computer should be able to integrate information from multiple sensors. We introduce in this paper our efforts toward machine understanding of audio-visual affective behavior, based on both deliberate and spontaneous displays. Some promising methods are presented to integrate information from both audio and visual modalities. Our experiments show the advantage of audio-visual fusion in affective expression recognition over audio-only or visual-only approaches.

Metacognitive aspects influence subjective well-being in parents of children with cancer.

PubMed

Toffalini, Enrico; Veltri, Alessia; Cornoldi, Cesare

2015-02-01

Research suggests that metacognitive beliefs may be involved in psychological distress and even in the pathogenesis of emotional disorders. The present research is a first attempt to investigate how certain metacognitive aspects operate as favorable or adverse factors influencing subjective wellbeing (SWB) in the parents of children with cancer. Thirty parents of children being treated for cancer completed questionnaires on their metacognitive beliefs (Metacognition Questionnaire), sensitivity to autobiographical memory, and self-reported measures of positive and negative affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). Results in the study group were compared with those obtained from 36 control parents of children being treated for acute, not life-threatening illnesses (hospitalized control group) and from 30 control parents of healthy children (healthy control group). Parents in both the study group and the hospitalized control group reported less SWB than the healthy control group. Most important, metacognitive aspects explained up to 77% of the variance in SWB in parents of children with cancer, as opposed to only 23% in hospitalized control group and 33% in the healthy control group. Differentmetacognitive aspects have a crucial role—both negative and positive—inSWB of parents of children with cancer. It is suggested that the psychological support for parents copingwith a child suffering from oncological disease should assess such aspects and try to address them in clinical practice.

Assessing subjective quality of life domains after multiple sclerosis diagnosis disclosure.

PubMed

Mattarozzi, Katia; Casini, Federica; Baldin, Elisa; Baldini, Martina; Lugaresi, Alessandra; Milani, Paola; Pietrolongo, Erika; Gajofatto, Alberto; Leone, Maurizio; Riise, Trond; Vignatelli, Luca; D'Alessandro, Roberto

2016-04-01

An investigation of the domains Italian patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) named as constituting their quality of life over time. We assessed, in 68 patients, QoL domains using the Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual QoL: (a) before MS diagnosis disclosure, (b) thirty days after disclosure, and (c) after one and (d) four years' follow-up. The life domains most frequently named by patients were as follows: Family, Work and Finance, Hobbies, Health, Relationship with Friends and Job Effectiveness. Only Health and Job Effectiveness domains varied with time. The Health domain became a critical dimension when MS diagnosis was revealed. In addition, patients tended to be more satisfied with their health after disclosure compared to pre-diagnosis. Job Effectiveness seemed to be an important aspect until 1 year after diagnosis disclosure, but it tended to become less crucial over time. Family seems to be the most important domain over time, and psychological adaptation to MS seems to be characterized by a reconceptualization of aspects that revolve around oneself, such as professional success, rather than relational or affective factors. Evaluating the most relevant life domains for patients and their alteration over time may provide practitioners with an important tool in making health-related decisions, thus improving health outcomes and QoL. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors affecting continuation of clean intermittent catheterisation in people with multiple sclerosis: Results of the COSMOS mixed-methods study.

PubMed

McClurg, Doreen; Bugge, Carol; Elders, Andrew; Irshad, Tasneem; Hagen, Suzanne; Moore, Katherine N; Buckley, Brian; Fader, Mandy

2018-04-01

Clean intermittent catheterisation (CIC) is often recommended for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). To determine the variables that affect continuation or discontinuation of the use of CIC. A three-part mixed-method study (prospective longitudinal cohort ( n = 56), longitudinal qualitative interviews ( n = 20) and retrospective survey ( n = 456)) was undertaken, which identified the variables that influenced CIC continuation/discontinuation. The potential explanatory variables investigated in each study were the individual's age, gender, social circumstances, number of urinary tract infections, bladder symptoms, presence of co-morbidity, stage of multiple sclerosis and years since diagnosis, as well as CIC teaching method and intensity. For some people with MS the prospect of undertaking CIC is difficult and may take a period of time to accept before beginning the process of using CIC. Ongoing support from clinicians, support at home and a perceived improvement in symptoms such as nocturia were positive predictors of continuation. In many cases, the development of a urinary tract infection during the early stages of CIC use had a significant detrimental impact on continuation. Procedures for reducing the incidence of urinary tract infection during the learning period (i.e. when being taught and becoming competent) should be considered, as well as the development of a tool to aid identification of a person's readiness to try CIC.

Experience Modulates the Reproductive Response to Heat Stress in C. elegans via Multiple Physiological Processes

PubMed Central

Gouvêa, Devin Y.; Aprison, Erin Z.; Ruvinsky, Ilya

2015-01-01

Natural environments are considerably more variable than laboratory settings and often involve transient exposure to stressful conditions. To fully understand how organisms have evolved to respond to any given stress, prior experience must therefore be considered. We investigated the effects of individual and ancestral experience on C. elegans reproduction. We documented ways in which cultivation at 15°C or 25°C affects developmental time, lifetime fecundity, and reproductive performance after severe heat stress that exceeds the fertile range of the organism but is compatible with survival and future fecundity. We found that experience modulates multiple aspects of reproductive physiology, including the male and female germ lines and the interaction between them. These responses vary in their environmental sensitivity, suggesting the existence of complex mechanisms for coping with unpredictable and stressful environments. PMID:26713620

Identifying Aspects of Parental Involvement that Affect the Academic Achievement of High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roulette-McIntyre, Ovella; Bagaka's, Joshua G.; Drake, Daniel D.

2005-01-01

This study identified parental practices that relate positively to high school students' academic performance. Parents of 643 high school students participated in the study. Data analysis, using a multiple linear regression model, shows parent-school connection, student gender, and race are significant predictors of student academic performance.…

MULTIPLE SCALES FOR SUSTAINABLE RESULTS

EPA Science Inventory

This session will highlight recent research that incorporates the use of multiple scales and innovative environmental accounting to better inform decisions that affect sustainability, resilience, and vulnerability at all scales. Effective decision-making involves assessment at mu...

[Epidemiological aspects of multiple sclerosis in Lublin (Poland)].

PubMed

Łobińska, Alicja; Stelmasiak, Zbigniew

2004-01-01

The objective of this paper was to present an epidemiological analysis of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Lublin, identify MS prevalence as well as characterize the population of MS patients. Information about the patients was gathered and they were examined from 1996 to the end of 2000, that is within a 5-year period. The patients' data were obtained from the neurological departments in Lublin, most often neurological (but also general and ophthalmic) clinics, as well as from the Lublin MS Society. The remaining patients' data were obtained from the doctors, family members, the Lublin MS Society members, as well as from the hospital and clinic files. The patients were interviewed in detail using a prepared questionnaire. The diagnosis and its degree of certainty were determined in accordance with the Poser's criteria. The control group included 111 healthy people who were Lublin residents on the day of examination. The obtained results were analyzed in epidemiological and statistical terms. On the prevalence day (31 December 1997) there were 204 MS cases in Lublin, including 141 women (69%) and 63 men (31%). The calculated incidence ratio was 57.3/105. The average age of MS onset was estimated to be 30.1 years. On 31 December 1997 the average duration of the illness was 15.4 years. The average age for the examined cases was 45.5 years. The average DSS (Disability Status Scale) score was 3.5. Most often the disease began with a single symptom, in 155 cases (75.9%), whereas several symptoms occurred in 37 patients (18.1%). The most common symptoms at the illness onset were sensory impairments (52 patients), optic neuritis (42 people) and pyramidal symptoms (34 patients). The most common form of the illness was a disseminated form, which was diagnosed in 131 patients (64.2%). In the examined patient population four types of MS were recognized. The relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS) was observed in 62 patients (30.3%), the secondary progressive MS (SP-MS) in 83 patients (40

Predicting hearing thresholds and occupational hearing loss with multiple-frequency auditory steady-state responses.

PubMed

Hsu, Ruey-Fen; Ho, Chi-Kung; Lu, Sheng-Nan; Chen, Shun-Sheng

2010-10-01

An objective investigation is needed to verify the existence and severity of hearing impairments resulting from work-related, noise-induced hearing loss in arbitration of medicolegal aspects. We investigated the accuracy of multiple-frequency auditory steady-state responses (Mf-ASSRs) between subjects with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) with and without occupational noise exposure. Cross-sectional study. Tertiary referral medical centre. Pure-tone audiometry and Mf-ASSRs were recorded in 88 subjects (34 patients had occupational noise-induced hearing loss [NIHL], 36 patients had SNHL without noise exposure, and 18 volunteers were normal controls). Inter- and intragroup comparisons were made. A predicting equation was derived using multiple linear regression analysis. ASSRs and pure-tone thresholds (PTTs) showed a strong correlation for all subjects (r = .77 ≈ .94). The relationship is demonstrated by the equationThe differences between the ASSR and PTT were significantly higher for the NIHL group than for the subjects with non-noise-induced SNHL (p < .001). Mf-ASSR is a promising tool for objectively evaluating hearing thresholds. Predictive value may be lower in subjects with occupational hearing loss. Regardless of carrier frequencies, the severity of hearing loss affects the steady-state response. Moreover, the ASSR may assist in detecting noise-induced injury of the auditory pathway. A multiple linear regression equation to accurately predict thresholds was shown that takes into consideration all effect factors.

A Study on Students' Affective Factors in Junior High School English Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Biyi; Zhou, Yaping

2012-01-01

Affect is considered as aspects of emotion, feeling, mood or attitude which condition behaviors in second language acquisition. Positive affect is good for studying while negative affect will inevitably hinder learners' learning process. As we know, students in junior high school are special groups as they are experiencing great changes both in…

Affective and Social Factors in a Project-Based Writing Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kathpalia, Sujata Surinder; Heah, Carmel

2011-01-01

Much of the work in academic writing has focused on the cognitive rather than the affective and social aspects involved in project-based writing. Emphasis in past research has been on skills and processes of writing rather than on affective factors such as motivation, attitudes, feelings or social factors involving intrapersonal and interpersonal…

Multiple Weather Factors Affect Apparent Survival of European Passerine Birds

PubMed Central

Salewski, Volker; Hochachka, Wesley M.; Fiedler, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Weather affects the demography of animals and thus climate change will cause local changes in demographic rates. In birds numerous studies have correlated demographic factors with weather but few of those examined variation in the impacts of weather in different seasons and, in the case of migrants, in different regions. Using capture-recapture models we correlated weather with apparent survival of seven passerine bird species with different migration strategies to assess the importance of selected facets of weather throughout the year on apparent survival. Contrary to our expectations weather experienced during the breeding season did not affect apparent survival of the target species. However, measures for winter severity were associated with apparent survival of a resident species, two short-distance/partial migrants and a long-distance migrant. Apparent survival of two short distance migrants as well as two long-distance migrants was further correlated with conditions experienced during the non-breeding season in Spain. Conditions in Africa had statistically significant but relatively minor effects on the apparent survival of the two long-distance migrants but also of a presumably short-distance migrant and a short-distance/partial migrant. In general several weather effects independently explained similar amounts of variation in apparent survival for the majority of species and single factors explained only relatively low amounts of temporal variation of apparent survival. Although the directions of the effects on apparent survival mostly met our expectations and there are clear predictions for effects of future climate we caution against simple extrapolations of present conditions to predict future population dynamics. Not only did weather explains limited amounts of variation in apparent survival, but future demographics will likely be affected by changing interspecific interactions, opposing effects of weather in different seasons, and the potential for

Material Culture of Multilingualism and Affectivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aronin, Larissa

2012-01-01

Affectivity is an important dimension in humans' social and individual lives. It is either a stimulating or hindering aspect of language learning. This article aims to draw attention to material culture as a powerful, but mostly neglected source of data on the use and acquisition of languages, and demonstrates the close and intricate links between…

Stability and Evolution of Multiple Planet and Satellite Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quillen, Alice

Numerous multiple planet systems have recently been discovered with the Kepler Mission, suggesting that multiple planet systems are common. Multiple- body nearly coplanar satellite systems are also found in the Solar system. Multiple planet and satellite systems exhibit rich dynamics as they are affected by three-body and secular resonances affecting short timescale behavior and long timescale stability. Interactions with debris disks and planetesimal belts and tidal interactions can both reduce and induce instability. Using both numerical and analytical studies, we propose to develop a broadly applicable framework to estimate diffusion rates and stability regimes both in resonant and non- resonant configurations. Understanding of resonant dynamics is needed to understand each of these systems and a broader general theory would cover scenarios and mechanisms that are relevant for all of them. Architectures and dynamical mechanisms will be used to test scenarios for formation and evolution of multiple body systems and constrain poorly known quantities such as masses, eccentricities, inclinations, radii, and the existence of undetected bodies.

Developing Connections for Affective Regulation: Age-Related Changes in Emotional Brain Connectivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perlman, Susan B.; Pelphrey, Kevin A.

2011-01-01

The regulation of affective arousal is a critical aspect of children's social and cognitive development. However, few studies have examined the brain mechanisms involved in the development of this aspect of "hot" executive functioning. This process has been conceptualized as involving prefrontal control of the amygdala. Here, using functional…

Detection of Multiple Stationary Humans Using UWB MIMO Radar.

PubMed

Liang, Fulai; Qi, Fugui; An, Qiang; Lv, Hao; Chen, Fuming; Li, Zhao; Wang, Jianqi

2016-11-16

Remarkable progress has been achieved in the detection of single stationary human. However, restricted by the mutual interference of multiple humans (e.g., strong sidelobes of the torsos and the shadow effect), detection and localization of the multiple stationary humans remains a huge challenge. In this paper, ultra-wideband (UWB) multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) radar is exploited to improve the detection performance of multiple stationary humans for its multiple sight angles and high-resolution two-dimensional imaging capacity. A signal model of the vital sign considering both bi-static angles and attitude angle of the human body is firstly developed, and then a novel detection method is proposed to detect and localize multiple stationary humans. In this method, preprocessing is firstly implemented to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the vital signs, and then a vital-sign-enhanced imaging algorithm is presented to suppress the environmental clutters and mutual affection of multiple humans. Finally, an automatic detection algorithm including constant false alarm rate (CFAR), morphological filtering and clustering is implemented to improve the detection performance of weak human targets affected by heavy clutters and shadow effect. The simulation and experimental results show that the proposed method can get a high-quality image of multiple humans and we can use it to discriminate and localize multiple adjacent human targets behind brick walls.

Detection of Multiple Stationary Humans Using UWB MIMO Radar

PubMed Central

Liang, Fulai; Qi, Fugui; An, Qiang; Lv, Hao; Chen, Fuming; Li, Zhao; Wang, Jianqi

2016-01-01

Remarkable progress has been achieved in the detection of single stationary human. However, restricted by the mutual interference of multiple humans (e.g., strong sidelobes of the torsos and the shadow effect), detection and localization of the multiple stationary humans remains a huge challenge. In this paper, ultra-wideband (UWB) multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) radar is exploited to improve the detection performance of multiple stationary humans for its multiple sight angles and high-resolution two-dimensional imaging capacity. A signal model of the vital sign considering both bi-static angles and attitude angle of the human body is firstly developed, and then a novel detection method is proposed to detect and localize multiple stationary humans. In this method, preprocessing is firstly implemented to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the vital signs, and then a vital-sign-enhanced imaging algorithm is presented to suppress the environmental clutters and mutual affection of multiple humans. Finally, an automatic detection algorithm including constant false alarm rate (CFAR), morphological filtering and clustering is implemented to improve the detection performance of weak human targets affected by heavy clutters and shadow effect. The simulation and experimental results show that the proposed method can get a high-quality image of multiple humans and we can use it to discriminate and localize multiple adjacent human targets behind brick walls. PMID:27854356

Technology-aided leisure and communication opportunities for two post-coma persons emerged from a minimally conscious state and affected by multiple disabilities.

PubMed

Lancioni, Giulio E; O'Reilly, Mark F; Singh, Nirbhay N; Sigafoos, Jeff; Buonocunto, Francesca; Sacco, Valentina; Navarro, Jorge; Lanzilotti, Crocifissa; De Tommaso, Marina; Megna, Marisa; Oliva, Doretta

2013-02-01

This study assessed technology-aided programs for helping two post-coma persons, who had emerged from a minimally conscious state and were affected by multiple disabilities, to (a) engage with leisure stimuli and request caregiver's procedures, (b) send out and listen to text messages for communication with distant partners, and (c) combine leisure engagement and procedure requests with text messaging within the same sessions. The program for leisure engagement and procedure requests relied on the use of a portable computer with commercial software, and a microswitch for the participants' response. The program for text messaging communication involved the use of a portable computer, a GSM modem, a microswitch for the participants' response, and specifically developed software. Results indicated that the participants were successful at each of the three stages of the study, thus providing relevant evidence concerning performance achievements only minimally documented. The implications of the findings in terms of technology and practical opportunities for post-coma persons with multiple disabilities are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dean Flow Dynamics in Low-Aspect Ratio Spiral Microchannels

PubMed Central

Nivedita, Nivedita; Ligrani, Phillip; Papautsky, Ian

2017-01-01

A wide range of microfluidic cell-sorting devices has emerged in recent years, based on both passive and active methods of separation. Curvilinear channel geometries are often used in these systems due to presence of secondary flows, which can provide high throughput and sorting efficiency. Most of these devices are designed on the assumption of two counter rotating Dean vortices present in the curved rectangular channels and existing in the state of steady rotation and amplitude. In this work, we investigate these secondary flows in low aspect ratio spiral rectangular microchannels and define their development with respect to the channel aspect ratio and Dean number. This work is the first to experimentally and numerically investigate Dean flows in microchannels for Re > 100, and show presence of secondary Dean vortices beyond a critical Dean number. We further demonstrate the impact of these multiple vortices on particle and cell focusing. Ultimately, this work offers new insights into secondary flow instabilities for low-aspect ratio, spiral microchannels, with improved flow models for design of more precise and efficient microfluidic devices for applications such as cell sorting and micromixing. PMID:28281579

Do Streaks Matter in Multiple-Choice Tests?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiss, Hubert János; Selei, Adrienn

2018-01-01

Success in life is determined to a large extent by school performance, which in turn depends heavily on grades obtained in exams. In this study, we investigate a particular type of exam: multiple-choice tests. More concretely, we study if patterns of correct answers in multiple-choice tests affect performance. We design an experiment to study if…

Encoding specificity manipulations do affect retrieval from memory.

PubMed

Zeelenberg, René

2005-05-01

In a recent article, P.A. Higham (2002) [Strong cues are not necessarily weak: Thomson and Tulving (1970) and the encoding specificity principle revisited. Memory &Cognition, 30, 67-80] proposed a new way to analyze cued recall performance in terms of three separable aspects of memory (retrieval, monitoring, and report bias) by comparing performance under both free-report and forced-report instructions. He used this method to derive estimates of these aspects of memory in an encoding specificity experiment similar to that reported by D.M. Thomson and E. Tulving (1970) [Associative encoding and retrieval: weak and strong cues. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 86, 255-262]. Under forced-report instructions, the encoding specificity manipulation did not affect performance. Higham concluded that the manipulation affected monitoring and report bias, but not retrieval. I argue that this interpretation of the results is problematic because the Thomson and Tulving paradigm is confounded, and show in three experiments using a more appropriate design that encoding specificity manipulations do affect performance in forced-report cued recall. Because in Higham's framework forced-report performance provides a measure of retrieval that is uncontaminated by monitoring and report bias it is concluded that encoding specificity manipulations do affect retrieval from memory.

Development and Validation of the ADAS Scale and Prediction of Attitudes Toward Affective-Sexual Diversity Among Spanish Secondary Students.

PubMed

Garrido-Hernansaiz, Helena; Martín-Fernández, Manuel; Castaño-Torrijos, Aida; Cuevas, Isabel

2018-01-01

Violence against non-heterosexual adolescents in educational contexts remains a worrying reality, but no adequate attitudes toward affective-sexual diversity (AtASD) measure exists for Spanish adolescent students. We developed a 27-item scale including cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects, which was completed by 696 secondary school students from the Madrid area. Factor analyses suggested a unidimensional model, Cronbach's alpha indicated excellent scale scores reliability, and item calibration under the item response theory framework showed that the scale is especially informative for homophobic attitudes. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that variables traditionally related to AtASD (gender, age, religion, nationality, perceived parental/peer attitudes, direct contact with LGB people) also were so in our sample. Moreover, interest in sexuality topics and perceived center's efforts to provide AtASD education were related to better AtASD. Our scale was reliable and valid, and it may also prove useful in efforts to detect those students with homophobic attitudes and to guide interventions.

Multiple Language Use and Mathematics: Politicizing the Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutstein, Eric

2007-01-01

Macroeconomic forces, globalization, transnational capital flight, and massive migration have global and local reverberations that affect our classrooms, teachers, communities, and students. In particular, teaching and learning mathematics in multiple language contexts is affected by these broader dynamics. Thus, politicizing the discussion around…

Multiple response optimization for higher dimensions in factors and responses

DOE PAGES

Lu, Lu; Chapman, Jessica L.; Anderson-Cook, Christine M.

2016-07-19

When optimizing a product or process with multiple responses, a two-stage Pareto front approach is a useful strategy to evaluate and balance trade-offs between different estimated responses to seek optimum input locations for achieving the best outcomes. After objectively eliminating non-contenders in the first stage by looking for a Pareto front of superior solutions, graphical tools can be used to identify a final solution in the second subjective stage to compare options and match with user priorities. Until now, there have been limitations on the number of response variables and input factors that could effectively be visualized with existing graphicalmore » summaries. We present novel graphical tools that can be more easily scaled to higher dimensions, in both the input and response spaces, to facilitate informed decision making when simultaneously optimizing multiple responses. A key aspect of these graphics is that the potential solutions can be flexibly sorted to investigate specific queries, and that multiple aspects of the solutions can be simultaneously considered. As a result, recommendations are made about how to evaluate the impact of the uncertainty associated with the estimated response surfaces on decision making with higher dimensions.« less

PERCEIVED RACISM AND NEGATIVE AFFECT: ANALYSES OF TRAIT AND STATE MEASURES OF AFFECT IN A COMMUNITY SAMPLE

PubMed Central

BRONDOLO, ELIZABETH; BRADY, NISHA; THOMPSON, SHOLA; TOBIN, JONATHAN N.; CASSELLS, ANDREA; SWEENEY, MONICA; MCFARLANE, DELANO; CONTRADA, RICHARD J.

2008-01-01

Racism is a significant psychosocial stressor that is hypothesized to have negative psychological and physical health consequences. The Reserve Capacity Model (Gallo & Matthews, 2003) suggests that low socioeconomic status may influence health through its effects on negative affect. We extend this model to study the effects of racism, examining the association of lifetime perceived racism to trait and daily negative affect. A multiethnic sample of 362 American–born Black and Latino adults completed the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire–Community Version (PEDQ–CV). Trait negative affect was assessed with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and state negative affect was measured using ecological momentary assessments (EMA), in the form of an electronic diary. Analyses revealed a significant relationship of lifetime perceived racism to both daily negative affect and trait negative affect, even when controlling for trait hostility and socioeconomic status. The relationship of perceived racism to negative affect was moderated by education, such that the relationships were strongest for those with less than a high school education. The findings support aspects of the Reserve Capacity Model and identify pathways through which perceived racism may affect health status. PMID:19079772

Comparing comprehension measured by multiple-choice and open-ended questions.

PubMed

Ozuru, Yasuhiro; Briner, Stephen; Kurby, Christopher A; McNamara, Danielle S

2013-09-01

This study compared the nature of text comprehension as measured by multiple-choice format and open-ended format questions. Participants read a short text while explaining preselected sentences. After reading the text, participants answered open-ended and multiple-choice versions of the same questions based on their memory of the text content. The results indicated that performance on open-ended questions was correlated with the quality of self-explanations, but performance on multiple-choice questions was correlated with the level of prior knowledge related to the text. These results suggest that open-ended and multiple-choice format questions measure different aspects of comprehension processes. The results are discussed in terms of dual process theories of text comprehension. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved

[Temperament and affective disorders--historical basis of current discussion].

PubMed

Ehrt, U; Brieger, P; Marneros, A

2003-06-01

The history of the temperament concept begins in ancient Greece. The humoral theory remained influential over the centuries. At the beginning of the 20 th century, both Wilhelm Wundt and his pupil Emil Kraepelin formulated new aspects. Wundt described two dimensions: "speed of variability of emotions" and "intensity of emotions". Kraepelin observed four fundamental states (depressive, manic, irritable and cyclothymic), which he linked to manic-depressive illness. Since then different lines of temperament research have evolved: (1) psychiatric-psychopathological theories (e. g. Ewald, Kretschmer and Sheldon), which tend to see temperament as a dilution of full-blown affective disorders; (2) neurobiological theories (e. g. Pavlov, Eysenck and Gray), which understand temperament as determined by underlying neurobiological processes - especially levels of arousal; and (3) developmental theories (e. g. Chess & Thomas, Rothbart and Kagan), which derived their temperament concept from early childhood observations. Recent theories (e. g. those of Cloninger or Akiskal) combine different aspects. After reviewing the historical temperament concepts we present underlying factors which are linked to affective disorders (such as emotional reactivity, cyclicity or trait affectivity). Finally, we illustrate the importance of temperament concepts for research in affective disorders.

Dramatic Playing beyond the Theory of Multiple Intelligences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guss, Faith Gabrielle

2005-01-01

Related to aspects of drama and theatre education, I search beyond the findings about symbolic play set forth by Dr Howard Gardner in "Frames of mind. The theory of multiple intelligences". Despite the inspiration for and solidarity with arts educators that emanate from his theory, I sensed that it did not provide a full picture of the complex…

Corticosterone regulates multiple colour traits in Lacerta [Zootoca] vivipara males.

PubMed

San-Jose, L M; Fitze, P S

2013-12-01

Ornamental colours usually evolve as honest signals of quality, which is supported by the fact that they frequently depend on individual condition. It has generally been suggested that some, but not all types of ornamental colours are condition dependent, indicating that different evolutionary mechanisms underlie the evolution of multiple types of ornamental colours even when these are exhibited by the same species. Stress hormones, which negatively affect condition, have been shown to affect colour traits based on different pigments and structures, suggesting that they mediate condition dependence of multiple ornament types both among and within individuals. However, studies investigating effects of stress hormones on different ornament types within individuals are lacking, and thus, evidence for this hypothesis is scant. Here, we investigated whether corticosterone mediates condition dependence of multiple ornaments by manipulating corticosterone levels and body condition (via food availability) using a two-factorial design and by assessing their effect on multiple colour traits in male common lizards. Corticosterone negatively affected ventral melanin- and carotenoid-based coloration, whereas food availability did not affect coloration, despite its significant effect on body condition. The corticosterone effect on melanin- and carotenoid-based coloration demonstrates the condition dependence of both ornaments. Moreover, corticosterone affected ventral coloration and had no effect on the nonsexually selected dorsal coloration, showing specific effects of corticosterone on ornamental ventral colours. This suggests that corticosterone simultaneously mediates condition dependence of multiple colour traits and that it therefore accounts for covariation among them, which may influence their evolution via correlational selection. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2013 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Gelling agents and culture vessels affect in vitro multiplication of banana plantlets.

PubMed

Kaçar, Y A; Biçen, B; Varol, I; Mendi, Y Y; Serçe, S; Cetiner, S

2010-03-09

Agar is the most commonly used gelling agent in media for plant tissue culture. Because of the high price of tissue-culture-grade agar, attempts have been made to identify suitable alternatives. The type of culture vessel and lid also affects the gaseous composition inside the vessel as well as light penetration. In turn, the vessel affects growth parameters, such as shoot elongation, proliferation and fresh weight, as well as hyperhydric degradation processes. We examined the effects of different culture vessels, including commercial glass jars, magenta boxes, and disposable containers, as well as different gelling agents (agar-agar, Agargel, Phytagel, and plant agar) on the micropropagation of Dwarf Cavendish bananas in an effort to find a combination that yields large numbers of high-quality seedlings. The different culture vessels did not significantly affect seedling culture success. The medium significantly affected shoot weight. Phytagel resulted in the highest shoot weight (overall mean = 2.4 g), while agar, Agargel and plant agar resulted in 1.7, 2.2 and 2.2 g, respectively. Disposable container/Phytagel and Magenta/Agargel combinations yielded the highest shoot weights (2.9 and 3.0 g, respectively). Mean shoot length increased progressively with subculture (four subcultures were made). The highest mean shoot length was obtained with Phytagel and Agargel media (6.4 and 6.3 cm, respectively). Shoot number was significantly affected by medium only at subculture 4. Overall, the highest mean shoot length was obtained with the Magenta/Agargel combination (8.5 cm). Phytagel and plant agar gave higher mean shoot number than agar and Agargel (2.1, 2.1 and 1.7 and 1.9, respectively). The costs of the media and of the culture vessels need to be taken into account for final choice of the banana shoot culture system.

Physics of cardiac imaging with multiple-row detector CT.

PubMed

Mahesh, Mahadevappa; Cody, Dianna D

2007-01-01

Cardiac imaging with multiple-row detector computed tomography (CT) has become possible due to rapid advances in CT technologies. Images with high temporal and spatial resolution can be obtained with multiple-row detector CT scanners; however, the radiation dose associated with cardiac imaging is high. Understanding the physics of cardiac imaging with multiple-row detector CT scanners allows optimization of cardiac CT protocols in terms of image quality and radiation dose. Knowledge of the trade-offs between various scan parameters that affect image quality--such as temporal resolution, spatial resolution, and pitch--is the key to optimized cardiac CT protocols, which can minimize the radiation risks associated with these studies. Factors affecting temporal resolution include gantry rotation time, acquisition mode, and reconstruction method; factors affecting spatial resolution include detector size and reconstruction interval. Cardiac CT has the potential to become a reliable tool for noninvasive diagnosis and prevention of cardiac and coronary artery disease. (c) RSNA, 2007.

Seemingly irrational driving behavior model: The effect of habit strength and anticipated affective reactions.

PubMed

Chung, Yi-Shih

2015-09-01

An increasing amount of evidence suggests that aberrant driving behaviors are not entirely rational. On the basis of the dual-process theory, this study postulates that drivers may learn to perform irrational aberrant driving behaviors, and these behaviors could be derived either from a deliberate or an intuitive decision-making approach. Accordingly, a seemingly irrational driving behavior model is proposed; in this model, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was adopted to represent the deliberate decision-making mechanism, and habit strength was incorporated to reflect the intuitive decision process. A multiple trivariate mediation structure was designed to reflect the process through which driving behaviors are learned. Anticipated affective reactions (AARs) were further included to examine the effect of affect on aberrant driving behaviors. Considering the example of speeding behaviors, this study developed scales and conducted a two-wave survey of students in two departments at a university in Northern Taiwan. The analysis results show that habit strength consists of multiple aspects, and frequency of past behavior cannot be a complete repository for accumulating habit strength. Habit strength appeared to be a crucial mediator between intention antecedents (e.g., attitude) and the intention itself. Including habit strength in the TPB model enhanced the explained variance of speeding intention by 26.7%. In addition, AARs were different from attitudes; particularly, young drivers tended to perform speeding behaviors to reduce negative feelings such as regret. The proposed model provides an effective alternative approach for investigating aberrant driving behaviors; corresponding countermeasures are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Three-Component Commitment and Turnover: An Examination of Temporal Aspects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culpepper, Robert A.

2011-01-01

SEM (N = 182) was employed to examine implied temporal aspects of three-component commitment theory as they relate to turnover. Consistent with expectations, affective commitment predicted subsequent turnover in an immediate and relatively short interval of 4 months, but failed to do in a much longer but outlying interval of 5-12 months. Side bet…

Deformation mechanisms in negative Poisson's ratio materials - Structural aspects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lakes, R.

1991-01-01

Poisson's ratio in materials is governed by the following aspects of the microstructure: the presence of rotational degrees of freedom, non-affine deformation kinematics, or anisotropic structure. Several structural models are examined. The non-affine kinematics are seen to be essential for the production of negative Poisson's ratios for isotropic materials containing central force linkages of positive stiffness. Non-central forces combined with pre-load can also give rise to a negative Poisson's ratio in isotropic materials. A chiral microstructure with non-central force interaction or non-affine deformation can also exhibit a negative Poisson's ratio. Toughness and damage resistance in these materials may be affected by the Poisson's ratio itself, as well as by generalized continuum aspects associated with the microstructure.

Biomedical and environmental aspects of the thorium fuel cycle: a selected, annotated bibliography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faust, R.A.; Fore, C.S.; Cone, M.V.

1979-07-01

This bibliography was compiled to assist in the evaluation of the health and environmental consequences of high specific activity thorium and related nuclides which could be released to the environment by activities related to the Thorium Fuel Cycle. The general scope covers studies regarding potential releases, environmental transport, metabolism, dosimetry, dose assessment, and overall risk assessment for radionuclides specific to the NASAP project. This publication of 740 abstracted references highlights the biological and medical aspects of thorium 228 and thorium 232 in man and animals. Similar studies on related nuclides such as radium 224, radium 226, radium 228, and thoriummore » 230 are also emphasized. Additional categories relevant to these radionuclides are included as follows: chemical analysis; ecological aspects; energy; geological aspects; instrumentation; legal and political aspects; monitoring, measurement and analysis; physical aspects; production; radiation safety and control; and waste disposal and management. Environmental assessment and sources categories were used for entries which contain a multiple use of categories. Leading authors appear alphabetically within each category. Indexes are provided for : author(s), geographic location, keywords, title, and publication description. The bibliography contains literature dating from December 1925 to February 1978.« less

Number of Repetitions Required to Retain Single-Digit Multiplication Math Facts for Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Matthew K.; Ysseldyke, Jim; Nelson, Peter M.; Kanive, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Computational fluency is an important aspect of math proficiency. Despite widely held beliefs about the differential difficulty of single-digit multiplication math facts, little empirical work has examined this issue. The current study analyzed the number of repetitions needed to master multiplication math facts. Data from 15,402 3rd, 4th, and 5th…

Software Aspects of IEEE Floating-Point Computations for Numerical Applications in High Energy Physics

ScienceCinema

Arnold, Jeffrey

2018-05-14

Floating-point computations are at the heart of much of the computing done in high energy physics. The correctness, speed and accuracy of these computations are of paramount importance. The lack of any of these characteristics can mean the difference between new, exciting physics and an embarrassing correction. This talk will examine practical aspects of IEEE 754-2008 floating-point arithmetic as encountered in HEP applications. After describing the basic features of IEEE floating-point arithmetic, the presentation will cover: common hardware implementations (SSE, x87) techniques for improving the accuracy of summation, multiplication and data interchange compiler options for gcc and icc affecting floating-point operations hazards to be avoided. About the speaker: Jeffrey M Arnold is a Senior Software Engineer in the Intel Compiler and Languages group at Intel Corporation. He has been part of the Digital->Compaq->Intel compiler organization for nearly 20 years; part of that time, he worked on both low- and high-level math libraries. Prior to that, he was in the VMS Engineering organization at Digital Equipment Corporation. In the late 1980s, Jeff spent 2½ years at CERN as part of the CERN/Digital Joint Project. In 2008, he returned to CERN to spent 10 weeks working with CERN/openlab. Since that time, he has returned to CERN multiple times to teach at openlab workshops and consult with various LHC experiments. Jeff received his Ph.D. in physics from Case Western Reserve University.

Does Inquiry Based Learning Affect Students' Beliefs and Attitudes towards Mathematics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGregor, Darren

2014-01-01

Ill-structured tasks presented in an inquiry learning environment have the potential to affect students' beliefs and attitudes towards mathematics. This empirical research followed a Design Experiment approach to explore how aspects of using ill-structured tasks may have affected students' beliefs and attitudes. Results showed this task type and…

Socio-affective touch expression database

PubMed Central

Op de Beeck, Hans

2018-01-01

Socio-affective touch communication conveys a vast amount of information about emotions and intentions in social contexts. In spite of the complexity of the socio-affective touch expressions we use daily, previous studies addressed only a few aspects of social touch mainly focusing on hedonics, such as stroking, leaving a wide range of social touch behaviour unexplored. To overcome this limit, we present the Socio-Affective Touch Expression Database (SATED), which includes a large range of dynamic interpersonal socio-affective touch events varying in valence and arousal. The original database contained 26 different social touch expressions each performed by three actor pairs. To validate each touch expression, we conducted two behavioural experiments investigating perceived naturalness and affective values. Based on the rated naturalness and valence, 13 socio-affective touch expressions along with 12 corresponding non-social touch events were selected as a complete set, achieving 75 video clips in total. Moreover, we quantified motion energy for each touch expression to investigate its intrinsic correlations with perceived affective values and its similarity among actor- and action-pairs. As a result, the touch expression database is not only systematically defined and well-controlled, but also spontaneous and natural, while eliciting clear affective responses. This database will allow a fine-grained investigation of complex interpersonal socio-affective touch in the realm of social psychology and neuroscience along with potential application areas in affective computing and neighbouring fields. PMID:29364988

Multiple trial inhibitory avoidance acquisition and retrieval are resistant to chronic stress.

PubMed

Raya, J; Girardi, C E N; Esumi, L A; Ferreira, L B T; Hipólide, D C

2018-02-01

Chronic mild stress (CMS) is a widely accepted animal model relevant to depression that among other consequences, is chiefly known to induce anhedonia, often assessed as decreased preference for sucrose solution. CMS is also known to affect cognition, particularly memory tasks. In this study we have employed the multiple-trial inhibitory avoidance memory task (MTIA) to assess CMS effects on memory acquisition and retrieval. MTIA consists of repeated exposures to the unconditioned stimulus until a learning criterion is reached. Wistar rats underwent CMS for 5 weeks, and sucrose consumption was assessed once a week. At the end of CMS, animals were evaluated in the MTIA task. Overall decreased sucrose solution preference was highly variable. Further analyses showed that a subset of animals expressed resilience while another subset was sensitive to stress. CMS did not affect the number of acquisition sessions before reaching criterion or retrieval latency of MTIA task in neither sensitive nor resilient groups. Although tasks that assess learning ability in animal models relevant to depression indicate cognitive deficits, the ability to learn the association between compartment crossing and the aversive electric foot shock, which is strongly dependent on emotional aspects, was intact. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Broadband piezoelectric energy harvesting devices using multiple bimorphs with different operating frequencies.

PubMed

Xue, Huan; Hu, Yuantai; Wang, Qing-Ming

2008-09-01

This paper presents a novel approach for designing broadband piezoelectric harvesters by integrating multiple piezoelectric bimorphs (PBs) with different aspect ratios into a system. The effect of 2 connecting patterns among PBs, in series and in parallel, on improving energy harvesting performance is discussed. It is found for multifrequency spectra ambient vibrations: 1) the operating frequency band (OFB) of a harvesting structure can be widened by connecting multiple PBs with different aspect ratios in series; 2) the OFB of a harvesting structure can be shifted to the dominant frequency domain of the ambient vibrations by increasing or decreasing the number of PBs in parallel. Numerical results show that the OFB of the piezoelectric energy harvesting devices can be tailored by the connection patterns (i.e., in series and in parallel) among PBs.

Multiple Family Group Counseling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sauber, S. Richard

1971-01-01

This article describes the innovative, short term approach of multiple family group counseling in which the counseling applies the principles and dynamics found in family and group counseling to the treatment of the student and his family. Several family units met together to discuss the problems that adversely affect the adolescent and result in…

Cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs) mediate diverse aspects of cell-cell communication in plant reproduction and development.

PubMed

Marshall, Eleanor; Costa, Liliana M; Gutierrez-Marcos, Jose

2011-03-01

Cell-cell communication in plants is essential for the correct co-ordination of reproduction, growth, and development. Studies to dissect this mode of communication have previously focussed primarily on the action of plant hormones as mediators of intercellular signalling. In animals, peptide signalling is a well-documented intercellular communication system, however, relatively little is known about this system in plants. In recent years, numerous reports have emerged about small, secreted peptides controlling different aspects of plant reproduction. Interestingly, most of these peptides are cysteine-rich, and there is convincing evidence suggesting multiple roles for related cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs) as signalling factors in developmental patterning as well as during plant pathogen responses and symbiosis. In this review, we discuss how CRPs are emerging as key signalling factors in regulating multiple aspects of vegetative growth and reproductive development in plants.

Multiple factors affect diversity and abundance of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in iron mine soil.

PubMed

Xing, Yi; Si, Yan-Xiao; Hong, Chen; Li, Yang

2015-07-01

Ammonia oxidation by microorganisms is a critical process in the nitrogen cycle. In this study, four soil samples collected from a desert zone in an iron-exploration area and others from farmland and planted forest soil in an iron mine surrounding area. We analyzed the abundance and diversity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in iron-mining area near the Miyun reservoir using ammonia monooxygenase. A subunit gene (amoA) as molecular biomarker. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was applied to explore the relationships between the abundance of AOA and AOB and soil physicochemical parameters. The results showed that AOA were more abundant than AOB and may play a more dominant role in the ammonia-oxidizing process in the whole region. PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was used to analyze the structural changes of AOA and AOB. The results showed that AOB were much more diverse than AOA. Nitrosospira cluster three constitute the majority of AOB, and AOA were dominated by group 1.1b in the soil. Redundancy analysis was performed to explore the physicochemical parameters potentially important to AOA and AOB. Soil characteristics (i.e. water, ammonia, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and soil type) were proposed to potentially contribute to the distributions of AOB, whereas Cd was also closely correlated to the distributions of AOB. The community of AOA correlated with ammonium and water contents. These results highlight the importance of multiple drivers in microbial niche formation as well as their affect on ammonia oxidizer composition, both which have significant consequences for ecosystem nitrogen functioning.

Photodynamic therapy--aspects of pain management.

PubMed

Fink, Christine; Enk, Alexander; Gholam, Patrick

2015-01-01

Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a highly effective and safe treatment method for actinic keratoses with an excellent cosmetic outcome and is commonly used for the therapy of large areas of photodamaged skin with multiple clinically manifest and subclinical lesions. However, the major drawback of photodynamic therapy is the pain experienced during the treatment that can be intense and sometimes even intolerable for patients, requiring interruption or termination of the process. Several strategies for controlling pain during photodynamic therapy have been studied but few effective methods are currently available. Therefore, this review puts the spotlight on predictors on pain intensity and aspects of pain management during photodynamic therapy. © 2014 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Designing for Automatic Affect Inference in Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afzal, Shazia; Robinson, Peter

2011-01-01

Emotions play a significant role in healthy cognitive functioning; they impact memory, attention, decision-making and attitude; and are therefore influential in learning and achievement. Consequently, affective diagnoses constitute an important aspect of human teacher-learner interactions motivating efforts to incorporate skills of affect…

Affective brain-computer music interfacing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daly, Ian; Williams, Duncan; Kirke, Alexis; Weaver, James; Malik, Asad; Hwang, Faustina; Miranda, Eduardo; Nasuto, Slawomir J.

2016-08-01

Objective. We aim to develop and evaluate an affective brain-computer music interface (aBCMI) for modulating the affective states of its users. Approach. An aBCMI is constructed to detect a user's current affective state and attempt to modulate it in order to achieve specific objectives (for example, making the user calmer or happier) by playing music which is generated according to a specific affective target by an algorithmic music composition system and a case-based reasoning system. The system is trained and tested in a longitudinal study on a population of eight healthy participants, with each participant returning for multiple sessions. Main results. The final online aBCMI is able to detect its users current affective states with classification accuracies of up to 65% (3 class, p\\lt 0.01) and modulate its user's affective states significantly above chance level (p\\lt 0.05). Significance. Our system represents one of the first demonstrations of an online aBCMI that is able to accurately detect and respond to user's affective states. Possible applications include use in music therapy and entertainment.

Phenomenology from SIDIS and e+e- multiplicities: multiplicities and phenomenology - part I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bacchetta, Alessandro; Echevarria, Miguel G.; Radici, Marco; Signori, Andrea

2015-01-01

This study is part of a project to investigate the transverse momentum dependence in parton distribution and fragmentation functions, analyzing (semi-)inclusive high-energy processes within a proper QCD framework. We calculate the transverse-momentum-dependent (TMD) multiplicities for e+e- annihilation into two hadrons (considering different combinations of pions and kaons) aiming to investigate the impact of intrinsic and radiative partonic transverse momentum and their mixing with flavor. Different descriptions of the non-perturbative evolution kernel (see, e.g., Refs. [1-5]) are available on the market and there are 200 sets of flavor configurations for the unpolarized TMD fragmentation functions (FFs) resulting from a Monte Carlo fit of Semi-Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Scattering (SIDIS) data at Hermes (see Ref. [6]). We build our predictions of e+e- multiplicities relying on this rich phenomenology. The comparison of these calculations with future experimental data (from Belle and BaBar collaborations) will shed light on non-perturbative aspects of hadron structure, opening important insights into the physics of spin, flavor and momentum structure of hadrons.

Wait-Time and Multiple Representation Levels in Chemistry Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Winnie Sim Siew; Arshad, Mohammad Yusof

2014-01-01

Wait-time is an important aspect in a teaching and learning process, especially after the teacher has posed questions to students, as it is one of the factors in determining quality of students' responses. This article describes the practices of wait-time one after teacher's questions at multiple representation levels among twenty three chemistry…

Boredom proneness: its relationship to positive and negative affect.

PubMed

Vodanovich, S J; Verner, K M; Gilbride, T V

1991-12-01

170 undergraduate students completed the Boredom Proneness Scale by Farmer and Sundberg and the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist by Zuckerman and Lubin. Significant negative relationships were found between boredom proneness and negative affect scores (i.e., Depression, Hostility, Anxiety). Significant positive correlations also obtained between boredom proneness and positive affect (i.e., Positive Affect, Sensation Seeking). The correlations between boredom proneness "subscales" and positive and negative affect were congruent with those obtained using total boredom proneness scores. Implications for counseling are discussed.

FITNESS CONSEQUENCES OF MULTIPLE PATERNITY IN WILD RADISH, RAPHANUS SATIVUS.

PubMed

Karron, Jeffrey D; Marshall, Diane L

1990-03-01

In natural populations, wild radish plants typically mate with 6-8 pollen donors, and seeds of individual fruits are usually sired by 1-4 fathers. Since radish fruits are indehiscent and gravity-dispersed, progeny are most likely to compete with a mixture of full and half siblings. The fitness consequences of single and multiple paternity were investigated in a greenhouse experiment. Seeds of every possible cross in a 5 times 5 reciprocal diallel mating design were assigned to one of three competition regimes (four full siblings, four maternal half siblings, or four unrelated individuals per pot) or were grown as singletons. After 14 weeks, the aboveground biomass of all plants was harvested and oven-dried. The dry weight of singletons was more than three times that of progeny grown in competition, indicating that intraspecific competition had occurred. Full- and half-sib progenies did not differ in mean dry weight. Thus, there was no evidence that multiple paternity enhances this aspect of maternal fitness. However, the competition regime dramatically affected the coefficient of variation in dry weight of progeny within a pot. Weight hierarchies were much more pronounced in pots of half sibs and unrelated neighbors than in pots of full sibs. Also variance in dry weight attributable to sire was greatest in the half-sib and "unrelated neighbors" competition regimes. These results suggest that weight hierarchies reinforce genetic differences among the offspring. © 1990 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

An Exploration of the Associations Among Multiple Aspects of Religiousness, Body Image, Eating Pathology, and Appearance Investment.

PubMed

Goulet, Carol; Henrie, James; Szymanski, Lynda

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of positive and negative aspects of religiousness on eating pathology, body satisfaction, and appearance investment beyond previously established variables (age, BMI, exercise frequency, weight stability, and self-esteem). Data collected from 168 adult females at a Catholic-affiliated university were analyzed using hierarchical linear regressions. As expected, some religiousness variables (spirituality and seeing one's body as having sacred qualities) were associated with eating pathology, body satisfaction, and appearance investment in potentially beneficial ways, and others (negative interaction with one's religious community) were associated in potentially harmful ways. Interestingly, greater religious meaning, or the importance of religion in one's life, was associated with greater eating pathology, and some variables (religious coping, participation in and support from one's religious community) expected to be associated with greater body satisfaction were unrelated. Results are discussed in terms of mechanisms through which the aspects of religiousness may influence body satisfaction, appearance investment, and eating pathology.

Frequency Hopping, Multiple Frequency-Shift Keying, Coding, and Optimal Partial-Band Jamming.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

receivers appropriate for these two strategies. Each receiver is noncoherent (a coherent receiver is generally impractical) and implements hard...Advances in Coding and Modulation for Noncoherent Channels Affected by Fading, Partial Band, and Multiple- . Access Interference, in A. J. Viterbi...Modulation for Noncoherent Channels Affected by Fading, Partial Band, and Multiple-Access interference, in A. J. Viterbi, ed., Advances in Coumunication

Rural-urban analyses of health-related quality of life among people with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Buchanan, Robert J; Zhu, Li; Schiffer, Randolph; Radin, Dagmar; James, Wesley

2008-01-01

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a multi-dimensional construct including aspects of life quality or function that are affected by physical health and symptoms, psychosocial factors, and psychiatric conditions. HRQOL gives a broader measure of the burden of disease than physical impairment or disability levels. To identify factors associated with HRQOL among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) utilizing the SF-8 Health Survey. Data presented in this study were collected in a survey of 1,518 people with MS living in all 50 states. The survey sample was randomly selected from the database of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, using ZIP codes to recruit the survey sample. A multiple linear regression model was employed to analyze the survey data, with the Physical Component Summary and the Mental Component Summary of the SF-8 the dependent variables. Independent variables were demographic characteristics, MS-disease characteristics, and health services utilized. People with MS in rural areas tended to report lower physically related HRQOL. Worsening MS symptoms were associated with reduced physical and mental dimensions of HRQOL. In addition, people with MS who received a diagnosis of depression tended to have reduced physical and mental dimensions of HRQOL. Receiving MS care at an MS clinic was associated with better physically related HRQOL, while having a neurologist as principal care physician was associated with better mental-related HRQOL. The challenge is to increase the access that people living with MS in rural areas have to MS-focused specialty care.

Drama and the Representation of Affect--Structures of Feeling and Signs of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franks, Anton

2014-01-01

The way in which school students represent affective aspects of human relationships in drama and what this reveals about learning in drama is the focus of this paper. Such an enquiry traverses the borders between affect, intellect, and physicality. Affect and its representation in drama have been themes in the history of drama and theatre and is a…

Aspect Ratio Model for Radiation-Tolerant Dummy Gate-Assisted n-MOSFET Layout.

PubMed

Lee, Min Su; Lee, Hee Chul

2014-01-01

In order to acquire radiation-tolerant characteristics in integrated circuits, a dummy gate-assisted n-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (DGA n-MOSFET) layout was adopted. The DGA n-MOSFET has a different channel shape compared with the standard n-MOSFET. The standard n-MOSFET has a rectangular channel shape, whereas the DGA n-MOSFET has an extended rectangular shape at the edge of the source and drain, which affects its aspect ratio. In order to increase its practical use, a new aspect ratio model is proposed for the DGA n-MOSFET and this model is evaluated through three-dimensional simulations and measurements of the fabricated devices. The proposed aspect ratio model for the DGA n-MOSFET exhibits good agreement with the simulation and measurement results.

Aspect Ratio Model for Radiation-Tolerant Dummy Gate-Assisted n-MOSFET Layout

PubMed Central

Lee, Min Su; Lee, Hee Chul

2014-01-01

In order to acquire radiation-tolerant characteristics in integrated circuits, a dummy gate-assisted n-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (DGA n-MOSFET) layout was adopted. The DGA n-MOSFET has a different channel shape compared with the standard n-MOSFET. The standard n-MOSFET has a rectangular channel shape, whereas the DGA n-MOSFET has an extended rectangular shape at the edge of the source and drain, which affects its aspect ratio. In order to increase its practical use, a new aspect ratio model is proposed for the DGA n-MOSFET and this model is evaluated through three-dimensional simulations and measurements of the fabricated devices. The proposed aspect ratio model for the DGA n-MOSFET exhibits good agreement with the simulation and measurement results. PMID:27350975

Minimizing energy dissipation of matrix multiplication kernel on Virtex-II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Seonil; Prasanna, Viktor K.; Jang, Ju-wook

2002-07-01

In this paper, we develop energy-efficient designs for matrix multiplication on FPGAs. To analyze the energy dissipation, we develop a high-level model using domain-specific modeling techniques. In this model, we identify architecture parameters that significantly affect the total energy (system-wide energy) dissipation. Then, we explore design trade-offs by varying these parameters to minimize the system-wide energy. For matrix multiplication, we consider a uniprocessor architecture and a linear array architecture to develop energy-efficient designs. For the uniprocessor architecture, the cache size is a parameter that affects the I/O complexity and the system-wide energy. For the linear array architecture, the amount of storage per processing element is a parameter affecting the system-wide energy. By using maximum amount of storage per processing element and minimum number of multipliers, we obtain a design that minimizes the system-wide energy. We develop several energy-efficient designs for matrix multiplication. For example, for 6×6 matrix multiplication, energy savings of upto 52% for the uniprocessor architecture and 36% for the linear arrary architecture is achieved over an optimized library for Virtex-II FPGA from Xilinx.

Predictors of Student Persistence: Student Satisfaction and Aspects of the Residential Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nayor, Gregory J.

2009-01-01

Research in higher education over the past several decades has extensively examined the extent to which various aspects of the college environment affect student persistence (Astin, 1962, 1993; Bean, 1980; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Tinto, 1975, 1988, 1993). Furthermore, researchers have noted the importance of the residential living…

Effects of Aspect on Clonal Reproduction and Biomass Allocation of Layering Modules of Nitraria tangutorum in Nebkha Dunes

PubMed Central

Li, Qinghe; Xu, Jun; Li, Huiqing; Wang, Saixiao; Yan, Xiu; Xin, Zhiming; Jiang, Zeping; Wang, Linlong; Jia, Zhiqing

2013-01-01

The formation of many nebkha dunes relies on the layering of clonal plants. The microenvironmental conditions of such phytogenic nebkha are heterogeneous depending on the aspect and slope. Exploring the effects of aspect on clonal reproduction and biomass allocation can be useful in understanding the ecological adaptation of species. We hypothesized that on the windward side layering propagation would be promoted, that biomass allocation to leaves and stems of ramets would increase, and that the effects of aspect would be greater in the layering with larger biomass. To test these hypotheses, we surveyed the depth of germination points of axillary buds, the rate of ramet sprouting, the density of adventitious root formation points, and the biomass of modules sprouting from layering located on the NE, SE, SW and NW, aspects of Nitraria tangutorum nebkhas. The windward side was located on the NW and SW aspects. The results indicated that conditions of the NW aspect were more conducive to clonal reproduction and had the highest rate of ramet sprouting and the highest density of adventitious formation points. For the modules sprouting from layering on the SW aspect, biomass allocation to leaves and stems was greatest with biomass allocation to adventitious roots being lowest. This result supported our hypothesis. Contrary to our hypothesis, the effects of aspect were greater in layering of smaller biomass. These results support the hypothesis that aspect does affect layering propagation capacity and biomass allocation in this species. Additionally, clonal reproduction and biomass allocation of modules sprouting from layering with smaller biomass was more affected by aspect. These results suggest that the clonal growth of N. tangutorum responses to the microenvironmental heterogeneity that results from aspect of the nebkha. PMID:24205391

Effects of aspect on clonal reproduction and biomass allocation of layering modules of Nitraria tangutorum in nebkha dunes.

PubMed

Li, Qinghe; Xu, Jun; Li, Huiqing; Wang, Saixiao; Yan, Xiu; Xin, Zhiming; Jiang, Zeping; Wang, Linlong; Jia, Zhiqing

2013-01-01

The formation of many nebkha dunes relies on the layering of clonal plants. The microenvironmental conditions of such phytogenic nebkha are heterogeneous depending on the aspect and slope. Exploring the effects of aspect on clonal reproduction and biomass allocation can be useful in understanding the ecological adaptation of species. We hypothesized that on the windward side layering propagation would be promoted, that biomass allocation to leaves and stems of ramets would increase, and that the effects of aspect would be greater in the layering with larger biomass. To test these hypotheses, we surveyed the depth of germination points of axillary buds, the rate of ramet sprouting, the density of adventitious root formation points, and the biomass of modules sprouting from layering located on the NE, SE, SW and NW, aspects of Nitraria tangutorum nebkhas. The windward side was located on the NW and SW aspects. The results indicated that conditions of the NW aspect were more conducive to clonal reproduction and had the highest rate of ramet sprouting and the highest density of adventitious formation points. For the modules sprouting from layering on the SW aspect, biomass allocation to leaves and stems was greatest with biomass allocation to adventitious roots being lowest. This result supported our hypothesis. Contrary to our hypothesis, the effects of aspect were greater in layering of smaller biomass. These results support the hypothesis that aspect does affect layering propagation capacity and biomass allocation in this species. Additionally, clonal reproduction and biomass allocation of modules sprouting from layering with smaller biomass was more affected by aspect. These results suggest that the clonal growth of N. tangutorum responses to the microenvironmental heterogeneity that results from aspect of the nebkha.

Strategies to reduce hyperthermia in ambulatory multiple sclerosis patients.

PubMed

Edlich, Richard F; Buschbacher, Ralph M; Cox, Mary Jude; Long, William B; Winters, Kathryne L; Becker, Daniel G

2004-01-01

Approximately 400,000 Americans have multiple sclerosis. Worldwide, multiple sclerosis affects 2.5 million individuals. Multiple sclerosis affects two to three times as many women as men. The adverse effects of hyperthermia in patients with multiple sclerosis have been known since 1890. While most patients with multiple sclerosis experience reversible worsening of their neurologic deficits, some patients experience irreversible neurologic deficits. In fact, heat-induced fatalities have been encountered in multiple sclerosis patients subjected to hyperthermia. Hyperthermia can be caused through sun exposure, exercise, and infection. During the last 50 years, numerous strategies have evolved to reduce hyperthermia in individuals with multiple sclerosis, such as photoprotective clothing, sunglasses, sunscreens, hydrotherapy, and prevention of urinary tract infections. Hydrotherapy has become an essential component of rehabilitation for multiple sclerosis patients in hospitals throughout the world. On the basis of this positive hospital experience, hydrotherapy has been expanded through the use of compact aquatic exercise pools at home along with personal cooling devices that promote local and systemic hypothermia in multiple sclerosis patients. The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America and NASA have played leadership roles in developing and recommending technology that will prevent hyperthermia in multiple sclerosis patients and should be consulted for new technological advances that will benefit the multiple sclerosis patient. In addition, products recommended for photoprotection by The Skin Cancer Foundation may also be helpful to the multiple sclerosis patient's defense against hyperthermia. Infections in the urinary tract, especially detrusor-external sphincter dyssynergia, are initially managed conservatively with intermittent self-catheterization and pharmacologic therapy. In those cases, refractory to conservative therapy, transurethral external

Children's Comprehension Monitoring of Multiple Situational Dimensions of a Narrative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wassenburg, Stephanie I.; Beker, Katinka; van den Broek, Paul; van der Schoot, Menno

2015-01-01

Narratives typically consist of information on multiple aspects of a situation. In order to successfully create a coherent representation of the described situation, readers are required to monitor all these situational dimensions during reading. However, little is known about whether these dimensions differ in the ease with which they can be…

Clinical benefits to vestibular rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis. Report of 4 cases.

PubMed

Zeigelboim, Bianca; Liberalesso, Paulo; Jurkiewicz, Ari; Klagenberg, Karlin

2010-01-01

Balance difficulties are common among multiple sclerosis patients. To evaluate the effectiveness of the Cawthorne and Cooksey protocol of vestibular rehabilitation (VR) exercises in reducing the physical, functional and emotional impact of multiple sclerosis among individuals who complained of vertigo. Four patients with remittent-recurrent multiple sclerosis underwent an interview, otorhinolaryngological and vestibular evaluation, VR exercises and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory pre- and post-intervention. There was significant improvement in the physical, functional and emotional aspects of the DHI after the completion of the VR. The VR exercises appeared useful in reducing subjective complaints of the study participants.

Contribution of multiple inert gas elimination technique to pulmonary medicine. 1. Principles and information content of the multiple inert gas elimination technique.

PubMed Central

Roca, J.; Wagner, P. D.

1994-01-01

This introductory review summarises four different aspects of the multiple inert gas elimination technique (MIGET). Firstly, the historical background that facilitated, in the mid 1970s, the development of the MIGET as a tool to obtain more information about the entire spectrum of VA/Q distribution in the lung by measuring the exchange of six gases of different solubility in trace concentrations. Its principle is based on the observation that the retention (or excretion) of any gas is dependent on the solubility (lambda) of that gas and the VA/Q distribution. A second major aspect is the analysis of the information content and limitations of the technique. During the last 15 years a substantial amount of clinical research using the MIGET has been generated by several groups around the world. The technique has been shown to be adequate in understanding the mechanisms of hypoxaemia in different forms of pulmonary disease and the effects of therapeutic interventions, but also in separately determining the quantitative role of each extrapulmonary factor on systemic arterial PO2 when they change between two conditions of MIGET measurement. This information will be extensively reviewed in the forthcoming articles of this series. Next, the different modalities of the MIGET, practical considerations involved in the measurements and the guidelines for quality control have been indicated. Finally, a section has been devoted to the analysis of available data in healthy subjects under different conditions. The lack of systematic information on the VA/Q distributions of older healthy subjects is emphasised, since it will be required to fully understand the changes brought about by diseases that affect the older population. PMID:8091330

RACER: Effective Race Detection Using AspectJ

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodden, Eric; Havelund, Klaus

2008-01-01

The limits of coding with joint constraints on detected and undetected error rates Programming errors occur frequently in large software systems, and even more so if these systems are concurrent. In the past, researchers have developed specialized programs to aid programmers detecting concurrent programming errors such as deadlocks, livelocks, starvation and data races. In this work we propose a language extension to the aspect-oriented programming language AspectJ, in the form of three new built-in pointcuts, lock(), unlock() and may be Shared(), which allow programmers to monitor program events where locks are granted or handed back, and where values are accessed that may be shared amongst multiple Java threads. We decide thread-locality using a static thread-local objects analysis developed by others. Using the three new primitive pointcuts, researchers can directly implement efficient monitoring algorithms to detect concurrent programming errors online. As an example, we expose a new algorithm which we call RACER, an adoption of the well-known ERASER algorithm to the memory model of Java. We implemented the new pointcuts as an extension to the Aspect Bench Compiler, implemented the RACER algorithm using this language extension and then applied the algorithm to the NASA K9 Rover Executive. Our experiments proved our implementation very effective. In the Rover Executive RACER finds 70 data races. Only one of these races was previously known.We further applied the algorithm to two other multi-threaded programs written by Computer Science researchers, in which we found races as well.

Examining Preservice Science Teacher Understanding of Nature of Science: Discriminating Variables on the Aspects of Nature of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, William I.

This study examined the understanding of nature of science among participants in their final year of a 4-year undergraduate teacher education program at a Midwest liberal arts university. The Logic Model Process was used as an integrative framework to focus the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of the data for the purpose of (1) describing participant understanding of NOS and (2) to identify participant characteristics and teacher education program features related to those understandings. The Views of Nature of Science Questionnaire form C (VNOS-C) was used to survey participant understanding of 7 target aspects of Nature of Science (NOS). A rubric was developed from a review of the literature to categorize and score participant understanding of the target aspects of NOS. Participants' high school and college transcripts, planning guides for their respective teacher education program majors, and science content and science teaching methods course syllabi were examined to identify and categorize participant characteristics and teacher education program features. The R software (R Project for Statistical Computing, 2010) was used to conduct an exploratory analysis to determine correlations of the antecedent and transaction predictor variables with participants' scores on the 7 target aspects of NOS. Fourteen participant characteristics and teacher education program features were moderately and significantly ( p < .01) correlated with participant scores on the target aspects of NOS. The 6 antecedent predictor variables were entered into multiple regression analyses to determine the best-fit model of antecedent predictor variables for each target NOS aspect. The transaction predictor variables were entered into separate multiple regression analyses to determine the best-fit model of transaction predictor variables for each target NOS aspect. Variables from the best-fit antecedent and best-fit transaction models for each target aspect of NOS were

Exploring Elementary Teachers' Perceptions about the Developmental Appropriateness and Importance of Nature of Science Aspects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Elif Adibelli; Deniz, Hasan

2016-01-01

This study explored how four elementary teachers assessed the developmental appropriateness and importance of nine nature of science (NOS) aspects after participating in a yearlong professional development program. A multiple-embedded case study design was employed. The primary data sources included (a) Views of Nature of Science Elementary School…

Spirituality: An Affective Facet for Curriculum Consideration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickmann, Leonore W.

1980-01-01

The current age has been characterized as an Age of Materialism in which personal goals are material aims and pleasures. The need for getting back to a spiritual culture is considered foundational. It is the duty of educators to provide for the spiritual or affective domain of a learner's development. To neglect this aspect of a person's being is…

Deep erosions of the palmar aspect of the navicular bone diagnosed by standing magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Sherlock, C; Mair, T; Blunden, T

2008-11-01

Erosion of the palmar (flexor) aspect of the navicular bone is difficult to diagnose with conventional imaging techniques. To review the clinical, magnetic resonance (MR) and pathological features of deep erosions of the palmar aspect of the navicular bone. Cases of deep erosions of the palmar aspect of the navicular bone, diagnosed by standing low field MR imaging, were selected. Clinical details, results of diagnostic procedures, MR features and pathological findings were reviewed. Deep erosions of the palmar aspect of the navicular bone were diagnosed in 16 mature horses, 6 of which were bilaterally lame. Sudden onset of lameness was recorded in 63%. Radiography prior to MR imaging showed equivocal changes in 7 horses. The MR features consisted of focal areas of intermediate or high signal intensity on T1-, T2*- and T2-weighted images and STIR images affecting the dorsal aspect of the deep digital flexor tendon, the fibrocartilage of the palmar aspect, subchondral compact bone and medulla of the navicular bone. On follow-up, 7/16 horses (44%) had been subjected to euthanasia and only one was being worked at its previous level. Erosions of the palmar aspect of the navicular bone were confirmed post mortem in 2 horses. Histologically, the lesions were characterised by localised degeneration of fibrocartilage with underlying focal osteonecrosis and fibroplasia. The adjacent deep digital flexor tendon showed fibril formation and fibrocartilaginous metaplasia. Deep erosions of the palmar aspect of the navicular bone are more easily diagnosed by standing low field MR imaging than by conventional radiography. The lesions involve degeneration of the palmar fibrocartilage with underlying osteonecrosis and fibroplasia affecting the subchondral compact bone and medulla, and carry a poor prognosis for return to performance. Diagnosis of shallow erosive lesions of the palmar fibrocartilage may allow therapeutic intervention earlier in the disease process, thereby preventing

How Does Difficulty Communicating Affect the Social Relationships of Older Adults? An Exploration Using Data from a National Survey

PubMed Central

Palmer, Andrew D.; Newsom, Jason T.; Rook, Karen S.

2016-01-01

Healthy social relationships are important for maintaining mental and physical health in later life. Less social support, smaller social networks, and more negative social interactions have been linked to depression, poorer immune functioning, lower self-rated health, increased incidence of disease, and higher mortality. Overwhelming evidence suggests that communication disorders adversely affect social relationships. Much less is known about whether some or all aspects of social relationships are negatively affected by a communication disorder. The relative impact of a communication disorder on social relationships, as compared to other kinds of disability, is also poorly understood. Data were analyzed from a representative national sample of community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older living in the continental United States (n = 742). Results from multiple regressions indicated that difficulty communicating was significantly associated with several parameters of social relationships even after controlling for age, gender, partnership status, health, functional limitations, and visual impairment. Communication difficulty was a significant predictor of smaller social network size, fewer positive social exchanges, less frequent participation in social activities, and higher levels of loneliness, but was not a significant predictor of negative social exchanges. These findings suggest that communication disorders may place older adults at increased risk for mental and physical health problems because of social isolation, reduced social participation, and higher rates of loneliness. In addition, it appears that communication disorders may have a greater impact on positive, rather than negative, aspects of social relationships. PMID:27420152

How does difficulty communicating affect the social relationships of older adults? An exploration using data from a national survey.

PubMed

Palmer, Andrew D; Newsom, Jason T; Rook, Karen S

2016-01-01

Healthy social relationships are important for maintaining mental and physical health in later life. Less social support, smaller social networks, and more negative social interactions have been linked to depression, poorer immune functioning, lower self-rated health, increased incidence of disease, and higher mortality. Overwhelming evidence suggests that communication disorders adversely affect social relationships. Much less is known about whether some or all aspects of social relationships are negatively affected by a communication disorder. The relative impact of a communication disorder on social relationships, as compared to other kinds of disability, is also poorly understood. Data were analyzed from a representative national sample of community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older living in the continental United States (n=742). Results from multiple regressions indicated that difficulty communicating was significantly associated with several parameters of social relationships even after controlling for age, gender, partnership status, health, functional limitations, and visual impairment. Communication difficulty was a significant predictor of smaller social network size, fewer positive social exchanges, less frequent participation in social activities, and higher levels of loneliness, but was not a significant predictor of negative social exchanges. These findings suggest that communication disorders may place older adults at increased risk for mental and physical health problems because of social isolation, reduced social participation, and higher rates of loneliness. In addition, it appears that communication disorders may have a greater impact on positive, rather than negative, aspects of social relationships. As a result of this activity, the following learning outcomes will be realized: Readers will be able to (1) describe changes in the social relationships of older adults that occur as part of normal aging, (2) identify the aspects of social

Affected Aspects Regarding Literacy and Numeracy in Children Treated for Brain Tumors.

PubMed

Lönnerblad, Malin; Lovio, Riikka; Berglund, Eva; Van't Hooft, Ingrid

The aim of this study was to investigate the test results of reading speed, reading comprehension, word comprehension, spelling, basic arithmetic skills, and number sense (intuitive understanding of numbers) by children treated for brain tumors. This is a retrospective study based on medical records, including standardized academic tests. In the years of 2010 to 2014, all children in the area of Stockholm between 7 and 18 years (IQ <70) who had no major linguistic or motor difficulties after they had undergone treatment for brain tumors were offered a special education assessment one year after treatment, at school start, or the year before a transition from one stage to another. Our results indicate that children treated for a brain tumor are at risk of having difficulties in spelling, reading speed, and arithmetic and that the test performance may decline over years in arithmetic and spelling. Children diagnosed at age 0 to 6 years may need extra tutoring at school start, especially in basic arithmetic skills. In both reading and mathematics, many children perform better on tests focused on understanding than on tests focused on speed. Continuous special needs assessments including different aspects of literacy and numeracy, are important for understanding each child's specific needs.

Growth, nutritional, and gastrointestinal aspects of focal dermal hypoplasia (Goltz-Gorlin syndrome)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Focal dermal hypoplasia (FDH) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the PORCN gene located on the X-chromosome. In the present study, we characterized the pattern of growth, body composition, and the nutritional and gastrointestinal aspects of children and adults (n'='19) affected with t...

Multiple filters affect tree species assembly in mid-latitude forest communities.

PubMed

Kubota, Y; Kusumoto, B; Shiono, T; Ulrich, W

2018-05-01

Species assembly patterns of local communities are shaped by the balance between multiple abiotic/biotic filters and dispersal that both select individuals from species pools at the regional scale. Knowledge regarding functional assembly can provide insight into the relative importance of the deterministic and stochastic processes that shape species assembly. We evaluated the hierarchical roles of the α niche and β niches by analyzing the influence of environmental filtering relative to functional traits on geographical patterns of tree species assembly in mid-latitude forests. Using forest plot datasets, we examined the α niche traits (leaf and wood traits) and β niche properties (cold/drought tolerance) of tree species, and tested non-randomness (clustering/over-dispersion) of trait assembly based on null models that assumed two types of species pools related to biogeographical regions. For most plots, species assembly patterns fell within the range of random expectation. However, particularly for cold/drought tolerance-related β niche properties, deviation from randomness was frequently found; non-random clustering was predominant in higher latitudes with harsh climates. Our findings demonstrate that both randomness and non-randomness in trait assembly emerged as a result of the α and β niches, although we suggest the potential role of dispersal processes and/or species equalization through trait similarities in generating the prevalence of randomness. Clustering of β niche traits along latitudinal climatic gradients provides clear evidence of species sorting by filtering particular traits. Our results reveal that multiple filters through functional niches and stochastic processes jointly shape geographical patterns of species assembly across mid-latitude forests.

Could positive affect help engineer robot control systems?

PubMed

Quirin, Markus; Hertzberg, Joachim; Kuhl, Julius; Stephan, Achim

2011-11-01

Emotions have long been seen as counteracting rational thought, but over the last decades, they have been viewed as adaptive processes to optimize human (but also animal) behaviour. In particular, positive affect appears to be a functional aspect of emotions closely related to that. We argue that positive affect as understood in Kuhl's PSI model of the human cognitive architecture appears to have an interpretation in state-of-the-art hybrid robot control architectures, which might help tackle some open questions in the field.

The Caenorhabditis Elegans Unc-31 Gene Affects Multiple Nervous System-Controlled Functions

PubMed Central

Avery, L.; Bargmann, C. I.; Horvitz, H. R.

1993-01-01

We have devised a method for selecting Caenorhabditis elegans mutants that execute feeding motions in the absence of food. One mutation isolated in this way is an allele of the gene unc-31, first discovered by S. Brenner in 1974, because of its effects on locomotion. We find that strong unc-31 mutations cause defects in four functions controlled by the nervous system. Mutant worms are lethargic, feed constitutively, are defective in egg-laying and produce dauer larvae that fail to recover. We discuss two extreme models to explain this pleiotropy: either unc-31 affects one or a few neurons that coordinately control several different functions, or it affects many neurons that independently control different functions. PMID:8325482

Managing Multiple Tasks in Complex, Dynamic Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freed, Michael; Null, Cynthia H. (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

Sketchy planners are designed to achieve goals in realistically complex, time-pressured, and uncertain task environments. However, the ability to manage multiple, potentially interacting tasks in such environments requires extensions to the functionality these systems typically provide. This paper identifies a number of factors affecting how interacting tasks should be prioritized, interrupted, and resumed, and then describes a sketchy planner called APEX that takes account of these factors when managing multiple tasks.

An experience sampling study of learning, affect, and the demands control support model.

PubMed

Daniels, Kevin; Boocock, Grahame; Glover, Jane; Holland, Julie; Hartley, Ruth

2009-07-01

The demands control support model (R. A. Karasek & T. Theorell, 1990) indicates that job control and social support enable workers to engage in problem solving. In turn, problem solving is thought to influence learning and well-being (e.g., anxious affect, activated pleasant affect). Two samples (N = 78, N = 106) provided data up to 4 times per day for up to 5 working days. The extent to which job control was used for problem solving was assessed by measuring the extent to which participants changed aspects of their work activities to solve problems. The extent to which social support was used to solve problems was assessed by measuring the extent to which participants discussed problems to solve problems. Learning mediated the relationship between changing aspects of work activities to solve problems and activated pleasant affect. Learning also mediated the relationship between discussing problems to solve problems and activated pleasant affect. The findings indicated that how individuals use control and support to respond to problem-solving demands is associated with organizational and individual phenomena, such as learning and affective well-being.

Multiple Dimensions of Teacher Identity Development from Pre-Service to Early Years of Teaching: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Ji; Greene, Barbara; Lowery, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Based on dialogical self theory framework that highlights three dimensions of identity construction (multiplicity vs. unity; social vs. individual; discontinuity vs. continuity), this study explored multiple aspects of teacher identity development over time, in relation to the unity of self, the way the social environment is negotiated, and the…

Childhood Multiple Sclerosis: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldman, Amy; O'Connor, Erin; Tennekoon, Gihan

2006-01-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that is increasingly recognized as a disease that affects children. Similar to adult-onset MS, children present with visual and sensory complaints, as well as weakness, spasticity, and ataxia. A lumbar puncture can be helpful in diagnosing MS when…

A Comparative Analysis of Selected Mechanical Aspects of the Ice Skating Stride.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marino, G. Wayne

This study quantitatively analyzes selected aspects of the skating strides of above-average and below-average ability skaters. Subproblems were to determine how stride length and stride rate are affected by changes in skating velocity, to ascertain whether the basic assumption that stride length accurately approximates horizontal movement of the…

Hereditary Angioedema Attacks: Local Swelling at Multiple Sites.

PubMed

Hofman, Zonne L M; Relan, Anurag; Hack, C Erik

2016-02-01

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) patients experience recurrent local swelling in various parts of the body including painful swelling of the intestine and life-threatening laryngeal oedema. Most HAE literature is about attacks located in one anatomical site, though it is mentioned that HAE attacks may also involve multiple anatomical sites simultaneously. A detailed description of such multi-location attacks is currently lacking. This study investigated the occurrence, severity and clinical course of HAE attacks with multiple anatomical locations. HAE patients included in a clinical database of recombinant human C1-inhibitor (rhC1INH) studies were evaluated. Visual analog scale scores filled out by the patients for various symptoms at various locations and investigator symptoms scores during the attack were analysed. Data of 219 eligible attacks in 119 patients was analysed. Thirty-three patients (28%) had symptoms at multiple locations in anatomically unrelated regions at the same time during their first attack. Up to five simultaneously affected locations were reported. The observation that severe HAE attacks often affect multiple sites in the body suggests that HAE symptoms result from a systemic rather than from a local process as is currently believed.

Emotions, affects and the production of social life.

PubMed

Fox, Nick J

2015-06-01

While many aspects of social life possess an emotional component, sociology needs to explore explicitly the part emotions play in producing the social world and human history. This paper turns away from individualistic and anthropocentric emphases upon the experience of feelings and emotions, attending instead to an exploration of flows of 'affect' (meaning simply a capacity to affect or be affected) between bodies, things, social institutions and abstractions. It establishes a materialist sociology of affects that acknowledges emotions as a part, but only a part, of a more generalized affective flow that produces bodies and the social world. From this perspective, emotions are not a peculiarly remarkable outcome of the confluence of biology and culture, but part of a continuum of affectivity that links human bodies to their physical and social environment. This enhances sociological understanding of the part emotions play in shaping actions and capacities in many settings of sociological concern. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2015.

Institutional and Managerial Factors Affecting International Student Recruitment Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Mitchell; Heaney, Joo-Gim; Cooper, Maxine

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate international student recruitment from an institutional perspective and to consider institutional factors that may affect recruitment. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study is undertaken in which education marketing practitioners are interviewed regarding aspects of international…

Childhood adversities as risk factors for alexithymia and other aspects of affect dysregulation in adulthood.

PubMed

Kooiman, Cornelis G; van Rees Vellinga, Sonja; Spinhoven, Philip; Draijer, Nel; Trijsburg, Rutger W; Rooijmans, Harry G M

2004-01-01

Affect regulation is assumed to be a biologically based function that can become disrupted by inadequate parenting and by traumatic experiences. We studied the relation between the perceived parental parenting style, and sexual and physical abuse, with alexithymia, dissociation, anxiety and depression. In a cross-sectional study psychiatric outpatients were administered a structured interview on childhood physical and sexual abuse and they completed a number of questionnaires about the parenting styles of their parents, and about alexithymia, dissociation and mood pathology. Maternal and paternal parenting styles were moderately correlated with alexithymia and depression. The paternal parenting style was also correlated with dissociation. Optimal parenting of one of the parents had a buffering effect on the degree of alexithymia, but not on the severity of other forms of affect dysregulation. The effect of sexual or physical abuse did not add to that of parental parenting style in terms of predicting affect dysregulation. However, a positively perceived maternal parenting style was found to have a buffering effect in terms of the degree of alexithymia, if sexual abuse had also taken place. Perceived parenting does appear to be of some significance in the development of alexithymia. Optimal parenting of one of the parents may protect against the development of alexithymia when the parenting of the other parent is perceived as non-optimal. However, it is likely that other factors besides parental care and sexual or physical abuse play an important role in the development of an adequate affect regulation. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Affective medicine. A review of affective computing efforts in medical informatics.

PubMed

Luneski, A; Konstantinidis, E; Bamidis, P D

2010-01-01

Affective computing (AC) is concerned with emotional interactions performed with and through computers. It is defined as "computing that relates to, arises from, or deliberately influences emotions". AC enables investigation and understanding of the relation between human emotions and health as well as application of assistive and useful technologies in the medical domain. 1) To review the general state of the art in AC and its applications in medicine, and 2) to establish synergies between the research communities of AC and medical informatics. Aspects related to the human affective state as a determinant of the human health are discussed, coupled with an illustration of significant AC research and related literature output. Moreover, affective communication channels are described and their range of application fields is explored through illustrative examples. The presented conferences, European research projects and research publications illustrate the recent increase of interest in the AC area by the medical community. Tele-home healthcare, AmI, ubiquitous monitoring, e-learning and virtual communities with emotionally expressive characters for elderly or impaired people are few areas where the potential of AC has been realized and applications have emerged. A number of gaps can potentially be overcome through the synergy of AC and medical informatics. The application of AC technologies parallels the advancement of the existing state of the art and the introduction of new methods. The amount of work and projects reviewed in this paper witness an ambitious and optimistic synergetic future of the affective medicine field.

Factors Affecting Student Burnout and Academic Achievement in Multiple Enrollment Programs in Taiwan's Technical-Vocational Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Hui-Jen

2004-01-01

Instead of the 44-year joint entrance examination held so far in Taiwan, multiple enrollment programs are a more recent policy of the Ministry of Education to reform the deficiencies of the above mentioned examination. However, the results of multiple enrollment programs in reducing student pressure are not clear. Therefore, the main purpose of…

Stress Effects on Multiple Memory System Interactions

PubMed Central

Ness, Deborah; Calabrese, Pasquale

2016-01-01

Extensive behavioural, pharmacological, and neurological research reports stress effects on mammalian memory processes. While stress effects on memory quantity have been known for decades, the influence of stress on multiple memory systems and their distinct contributions to the learning process have only recently been described. In this paper, after summarizing the fundamental biological aspects of stress/emotional arousal and recapitulating functionally and anatomically distinct memory systems, we review recent animal and human studies exploring the effects of stress on multiple memory systems. Apart from discussing the interaction between distinct memory systems in stressful situations, we will also outline the fundamental role of the amygdala in mediating such stress effects. Additionally, based on the methods applied in the herein discussed studies, we will discuss how memory translates into behaviour. PMID:27034845

Assessment of Affect Lability: Psychometric Properties of the ALS-18.

PubMed

Contardi, Anna; Imperatori, Claudio; Amati, Italia; Balsamo, Michela; Innamorati, Marco

2018-01-01

Affect lability, an important aspect of emotion dysregulation, characterizes several psychiatric conditions. The short Affective Lability Scales (ALS-18) measures three aspects of changeability between euthymia and affect states (Anxiety/Depression, AD; Depression/Elation, DE; and Anger, Ang). The aim of our study was to investigate the psychometric characteristics of an Italian version of the ALS-18 in a sample of adults recruited from the general population. The sample was composed of 494 adults (343 women and 151 men) aged 18 and higher (mean age = 31.73 years, SD = 12.6). All participants were administered a checklist assessing socio-demographic variables, the ALS-18 and measures of depression and difficulties in emotion regulation. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated adequate fit of the three-factor model (RMSEA = 0.061, 95% CI = 0.054/0.069; CFI = 0.99; SRMR = 0.055), and the presence of a higher-order general factor. Internal consistency was satisfactory for all the lower-order dimensions and the general factor (ordinal α > 0.70). The ALS-18 was significantly associated with concurrent measures of depression and difficulties in emotion regulation. These findings indicate that the ALS-18 is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring affect lability, although discriminant validity of subdimensions scores could be problematic.

The Unique Effects of Parental Alcohol and Affective Disorders, Parenting, and Parental Negative Affect on Adolescent Maladjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haller, Moira; Chassin, Laurie

2011-01-01

Using a high-risk community sample, multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for mothers (n = 416) and fathers (n = 346) to test the unique, prospective influence of parental negative affect on adolescent maladjustment (internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and negative emotionality) 2 years later over and above parental…

Differentiating attention styles and regulatory aspects of self-reported interoceptive sensibility

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Based on prior research, multiple discriminable dimensions of interoception have been defined: awareness, accuracy and sensibility. Some investigators defined interoceptive awareness as metacognitive awareness of interoceptive accuracy, assessed as correspondence between subjective confidence in and objective accuracy of one's heartbeat detection. However, metacognitive awareness has been understood quite differently: ‘a cognitive set in which negative thoughts/feelings are experienced as mental events, rather than as the self’ or as ‘error awareness’. Interoceptive sensibility, defined as self-reported interoception, distinguishes self-reported interoception from objective interoceptive accuracy, but does not differentiate between anxiety-driven and mindful attention styles towards interoceptive cues, a distinction of key clinical importance: one attention style is associated with somatization and anxiety disorders; the other has been viewed as healthy, adaptive, resilience-enhancing. The self-report Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness was developed to differentiate these attention styles. It has been translated into 16 languages and applied in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Findings from these applications suggest that differentiating interoceptive sensibility according to attention style and regulatory aspects (i) provides insights into the psychology of interoceptive awareness, (ii) differentiates between clinically maladaptive and beneficial interoceptive attention, and (iii) helps elucidate therapeutic approaches that claim to provide health benefits by training mindful styles of bodily awareness. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Interoception beyond homeostasis: affect, cognition and mental health’. PMID:28080970

Multiple cholinergic nicotinic receptor genes affect nicotine dependence risk in African and European Americans.

PubMed

Saccone, N L; Schwantes-An, T-H; Wang, J C; Grucza, R A; Breslau, N; Hatsukami, D; Johnson, E O; Rice, J P; Goate, A M; Bierut, L J

2010-10-01

Several independent studies show that the chromosome 15q25.1 region, which contains the CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 gene cluster, harbors variants strongly associated with nicotine dependence, other smoking behaviors, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We investigated whether variants in other cholinergic nicotinic receptor subunit (CHRN) genes affect the risk of nicotine dependence in a new sample of African Americans (AAs) (N = 710). We also analyzed this AA sample together with a European American (EA) sample (N = 2062, 1608 of which have been previously studied), allowing for differing effects in the two populations. Cases are current nicotine-dependent smokers and controls are non-dependent smokers. Variants in or near CHRND-CHRNG, CHRNA7 and CHRNA10 show modest association with nicotine dependence risk in the AA sample. In addition, CHRNA4, CHRNB3-CHRNA6 and CHRNB1 show association in at least one population. CHRNG and CHRNA4 harbor single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that have opposite directions of effect in the two populations. In each of the population samples, these loci substantially increase the trait variation explained, although no loci meet Bonferroni-corrected significance in the AA sample alone. The trait variation explained by three key associated SNPs in CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 is 1.9% in EAs and also 1.9% in AAs; this increases to 4.5% in EAs and 7.3% in AAs when we add six variants representing associations at other CHRN genes. Multiple nicotinic receptor subunit genes outside chromosome 15q25 are likely to be important in the biological processes and development of nicotine dependence, and some of these risks may be shared across diverse populations. © 2010 The Authors. Genes, Brain and Behavior © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society.

Probability analysis of multiple-tank-car release incidents in railway hazardous materials transportation.

PubMed

Liu, Xiang; Saat, Mohd Rapik; Barkan, Christopher P L

2014-07-15

Railroads play a key role in the transportation of hazardous materials in North America. Rail transport differs from highway transport in several aspects, an important one being that rail transport involves trains in which many railcars carrying hazardous materials travel together. By contrast to truck accidents, it is possible that a train accident may involve multiple hazardous materials cars derailing and releasing contents with consequently greater potential impact on human health, property and the environment. In this paper, a probabilistic model is developed to estimate the probability distribution of the number of tank cars releasing contents in a train derailment. Principal operational characteristics considered include train length, derailment speed, accident cause, position of the first car derailed, number and placement of tank cars in a train and tank car safety design. The effect of train speed, tank car safety design and tank car positions in a train were evaluated regarding the number of cars that release their contents in a derailment. This research provides insights regarding the circumstances affecting multiple-tank-car release incidents and potential strategies to reduce their occurrences. The model can be incorporated into a larger risk management framework to enable better local, regional and national safety management of hazardous materials transportation by rail. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pesticide interactions with soils affected by olive oil mill wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keren, Yonatan; Bukhanovsky, Nadezhda; Borisover, Mikhail

2013-04-01

Soil pesticide sorption is well known to affect the fate of pesticides, their bioavailability and the potential to contaminate air and water. Soil - pesticide interactions may be strongly influenced by soil organic matter (SOM) and organic matter (OM)-rich soil amendments. One special OM source in soils is related to olive oil production residues that may include both solid and liquid wastes. In the Mediterranean area, the olive oil production is considered as an important field in the agricultural sector. Due to the significant rise in olive oil production, the amount of wastes is growing respectively. Olive oil mill waste water (OMWW) is the liquid byproduct in the so-called "three phase" technological process. Features of OMWW include the high content of fatty aliphatic components and polyphenols and their often-considered toxicity. One way of OMWW disposal is the land spreading, e.g., in olive orchards. The land application of OMWW (either controlled or not) is supposed to affect the multiple soil properties, including hydrophobicity and the potential of soils to interact with pesticides. Therefore, there is both basic and applied interest in elucidating the interactions between organic compounds and soils affected by OMWW. However, little is known about the impact of OMWW - soil interactions on sorption of organic compounds, and specifically, on sorption of agrochemicals. This paper reports an experimental study of sorption interactions of a series of organic compounds including widely used herbicides such as diuron and simazine, in a range of soils that were affected by OMWW (i) historically or (ii) in the controlled land disposal experiments. It is demonstrated that there is a distinct increase in apparent sorption of organic chemicals in soils affected by OMWW. In selected systems, this increase may be explained by increase in SOM content. However, the SOM quality places a role: the rise in organic compound - soil interactions may both exceed the SOM

The Unique Effects of Parental Alcohol and Affective Disorders, Parenting, and Parental Negative Affect on Adolescent Maladjustment

PubMed Central

Haller, Moira; Chassin, Laurie

2010-01-01

Using a high-risk community sample, multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for mothers (N=416) and fathers (N= 346) to test the unique, prospective influence of parental negative affect on adolescent maladjustment (internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and negative emotionality) two years later over and above parental alcohol and affective disorders, major disruption in the family environment, and parenting. Adolescent sex was tested as a moderator. Results indicated that maternal (but not paternal) negative affect had a unique, prospective effect on adolescent internalizing symptoms in girls and negative emotionality in both sexes, but did not predict adolescent externalizing symptoms. Findings demonstrate that mothers’ negative affect may have unique effects on adolescent adjustment, separate from the effects of clinically significant parental psychopathology, parenting, and disruption in the family environment. PMID:23761947

The Unique Effects of Parental Alcohol and Affective Disorders, Parenting, and Parental Negative Affect on Adolescent Maladjustment.

PubMed

Haller, Moira; Chassin, Laurie

2011-07-01

Using a high-risk community sample, multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for mothers ( N =416) and fathers ( N = 346) to test the unique, prospective influence of parental negative affect on adolescent maladjustment (internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and negative emotionality) two years later over and above parental alcohol and affective disorders, major disruption in the family environment, and parenting. Adolescent sex was tested as a moderator. Results indicated that maternal (but not paternal) negative affect had a unique, prospective effect on adolescent internalizing symptoms in girls and negative emotionality in both sexes, but did not predict adolescent externalizing symptoms. Findings demonstrate that mothers' negative affect may have unique effects on adolescent adjustment, separate from the effects of clinically significant parental psychopathology, parenting, and disruption in the family environment.

Best (but oft-forgotten) practices: the multiple problems of multiplicity-whether and how to correct for many statistical tests.

PubMed

Streiner, David L

2015-10-01

Testing many null hypotheses in a single study results in an increased probability of detecting a significant finding just by chance (the problem of multiplicity). Debates have raged over many years with regard to whether to correct for multiplicity and, if so, how it should be done. This article first discusses how multiple tests lead to an inflation of the α level, then explores the following different contexts in which multiplicity arises: testing for baseline differences in various types of studies, having >1 outcome variable, conducting statistical tests that produce >1 P value, taking multiple "peeks" at the data, and unplanned, post hoc analyses (i.e., "data dredging," "fishing expeditions," or "P-hacking"). It then discusses some of the methods that have been proposed for correcting for multiplicity, including single-step procedures (e.g., Bonferroni); multistep procedures, such as those of Holm, Hochberg, and Šidák; false discovery rate control; and resampling approaches. Note that these various approaches describe different aspects and are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, resampling methods could be used to control the false discovery rate or the family-wise error rate (as defined later in this article). However, the use of one of these approaches presupposes that we should correct for multiplicity, which is not universally accepted, and the article presents the arguments for and against such "correction." The final section brings together these threads and presents suggestions with regard to when it makes sense to apply the corrections and how to do so. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Multiple Paths to Mathematics Practice in Al-Kashi's Key to Arithmetic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taani, Osama

2014-01-01

In this paper, I discuss one of the most distinguishing features of Jamshid al-Kashi's pedagogy from his Key to Arithmetic, a well-known Arabic mathematics textbook from the fifteenth century. This feature is the multiple paths that he includes to find a desired result. In the first section light is shed on al-Kashi's life and his contributions to mathematics and astronomy. Section 2 starts with a brief discussion of the contents and pedagogy of the Key to Arithmetic. Al-Kashi's multiple approaches are discussed through four different examples of his versatility in presenting a topic from multiple perspectives. These examples are multiple definitions, multiple algorithms, multiple formulas, and multiple methods for solving word problems. Section 3 is devoted to some benefits that can be gained by implementing al-Kashi's multiple paths approach in modern curricula. For this discussion, examples from two teaching modules taken from the Key to Arithmetic and implemented in Pre-Calculus and mathematics courses for preservice teachers are discussed. Also, the conclusions are supported by some aspects of these modules. This paper is an attempt to help mathematics educators explore more benefits from reading from original sources.

Are Young Children's Utterances Affected by Characteristics of Their Learning Environments? A Multiple Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Tanya; Murray, Jane

2017-01-01

Within English early childhood education, there is emphasis on improving speech and language development as well as a drive for outdoor learning. This paper synthesises both aspects to consider whether or not links exist between the environment and the quality of young children's utterances as part of their speech and language development and if…

Nutrient balance affects foraging behaviour of a trap-building predator

PubMed Central

Mayntz, David; Toft, Søren; Vollrath, Fritz

2009-01-01

Predator foraging may be affected by previous prey capture, but it is unknown how nutrient balance affects foraging behaviour. Here, we use a trap-building predator to test whether nutrients from previous prey captures affect foraging behaviour. We fed orb-weaving spiders (Zygiella x-notata) prey flies of different nutrient composition and in different amounts during their first instar and measured the subsequent frequency of web building and aspects of web architecture. We found that both the likelihood of web building and the number of radii in the web were affected by prey nutrient composition while prey availability affected capture area and mesh height. Our results show that both the balance of nutrients in captured prey and the previous capture rate may affect future foraging behaviour of predators. PMID:19640870

Multiple graph regularized protein domain ranking.

PubMed

Wang, Jim Jing-Yan; Bensmail, Halima; Gao, Xin

2012-11-19

Protein domain ranking is a fundamental task in structural biology. Most protein domain ranking methods rely on the pairwise comparison of protein domains while neglecting the global manifold structure of the protein domain database. Recently, graph regularized ranking that exploits the global structure of the graph defined by the pairwise similarities has been proposed. However, the existing graph regularized ranking methods are very sensitive to the choice of the graph model and parameters, and this remains a difficult problem for most of the protein domain ranking methods. To tackle this problem, we have developed the Multiple Graph regularized Ranking algorithm, MultiG-Rank. Instead of using a single graph to regularize the ranking scores, MultiG-Rank approximates the intrinsic manifold of protein domain distribution by combining multiple initial graphs for the regularization. Graph weights are learned with ranking scores jointly and automatically, by alternately minimizing an objective function in an iterative algorithm. Experimental results on a subset of the ASTRAL SCOP protein domain database demonstrate that MultiG-Rank achieves a better ranking performance than single graph regularized ranking methods and pairwise similarity based ranking methods. The problem of graph model and parameter selection in graph regularized protein domain ranking can be solved effectively by combining multiple graphs. This aspect of generalization introduces a new frontier in applying multiple graphs to solving protein domain ranking applications.

Intake of Mediterranean foods associated with positive affect and low negative affect.

PubMed

Ford, Patricia A; Jaceldo-Siegl, Karen; Lee, Jerry W; Youngberg, Wes; Tonstad, Serena

2013-02-01

To examine associations between consumption of foods typical of Mediterranean versus Western diets with positive and negative affect. Nutrients influence mental states yet few studies have examined whether foods protective or deleterious for cardiovascular disease affect mood. Participants were 9255 Adventist church attendees in North America who completed a validated food frequency questionnaire in 2002-6. Scores for affect were obtained from the positive and negative affect schedule questionnaire in 2006-7. Multiple linear regression models controlled for age, gender, ethnicity, BMI, education, sleep, sleep squared (to account for high or low amounts), exercise, total caloric intake, alcohol and time between the questionnaires. Intake of vegetables (β=0.124 [95% CI 0.101, 0.147]), fruit (β=0.066 [95% CI 0.046, 0.085]), olive oil (β=0.070 [95% CI 0.029, 0.111]), nuts (β=0.054 [95% CI 0.026, 0.082]), and legumes (β=0.055 [95% CI 0.032, 0.077]) were associated with positive affect while sweets/desserts (β=-0.066 [95% CI -0.086, -0.046]), soda (β=-0.025 [95% CI -0.037, -0.013]) and fast food frequency (β=-0.046 [95% CI -0.062, -0.030]) were inversely associated with positive affect. Intake of sweets/desserts (β=0.058 [95% CI 0.037, 0.078]) and fast food frequency (β=0.052 [95% CI 0.036, 0.068]) were associated with negative affect while intake of vegetables (β=-0.076 [95% CI -0.099, -0.052]), fruit (β=-0.033 [95% CI -0.053, -0.014]) and nuts (β=-0.088 [95% CI -0.116, -0.060]) were inversely associated with negative affect. Gender interacted with red meat intake (P<.001) and fast food frequency (P<.001) such that these foods were associated with negative affect in females only. Foods typical of Mediterranean diets were associated with positive affect as well as lower negative affect while Western foods were associated with low positive affect in general and negative affect in women. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cognitive and Affective Dimensions in Health Related Education. Proceedings of a Conference (Gainesville, Florida, January 1974).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Margaret K., Ed.; And Others

Ten papers dealing with various aspects of cognitive and affective dimensions of the allied health student are presented. They are: "A Review of Research on Cognitive and Affective Dimensions of Education for the Health Related Professions" by Margaret K. Morgan, "Methodological Problems in the Study of Affective and Cognitive…

[Multiple emulsions; bioactive compounds and functional foods].

PubMed

Jiménez-Colmenero, Francisco

2013-01-01

The continued appearance of scientific evidence about the role of diet and/or its components in health and wellness, has favored the emergence of functional foods which currently constitute one of the chief factors driving the development of new products. The application of multiple emulsions opens new possibilities in the design and development of functional foods. Multiple emulsions can be used as an intermediate product (food ingredient) into technological strategies normally used in the optimization of the presence of bioactive compounds in healthy and functional foods. This paper presents a summary of the types, characteristics and formation of multiple emulsions, possible location of bioactive compounds and their potential application in the design and preparation of healthy and functional foods. Such applications are manifested particularly relevant in relation to quantitative and qualitative aspects of lipid material (reduced fat/calories and optimization of fatty acid profile), encapsulation of bioactive compounds mainly hydrophilic and sodium reduction. This strategy offers interesting possibilities regarding masking flavours and improving sensory characteristics of foods. Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Aspects That Arise in the Transition from the Montessori Method to a Traditional Method: A Fourth Grade Mathematics View

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurdle, Zachariah B.

2017-01-01

The purpose of the dissertation is to investigate three particular aspects that may affect the transition between a third grade Montessori system and a fourth grade non-Montessori system, specifically within the context of teaching and learning mathematics. These aspects are 1) the change in pacing and structure of the classroom, 2) the removal of…

Triple-aspect monism: physiological, mental unconscious and conscious aspects of brain activity.

PubMed

Pereira, Alfredo

2014-06-01

Brain activity contains three fundamental aspects: (a) The physiological aspect, covering all kinds of processes that involve matter and/or energy; (b) the mental unconscious aspect, consisting of dynamical patterns (i.e., frequency, amplitude and phase-modulated waves) embodied in neural activity. These patterns are variously operated (transmitted, stored, combined, matched, amplified, erased, etc), forming cognitive and emotional unconscious processes and (c) the mental conscious aspect, consisting of feelings experienced in the first-person perspective and cognitive functions grounded in feelings, as memory formation, selection of the focus of attention, voluntary behavior, aesthetical appraisal and ethical judgment. Triple-aspect monism (TAM) is a philosophical theory that provides a model of the relation of the three aspects. Spatially distributed neuronal dendritic potentials generate amplitude-modulated waveforms transmitted to the extracellular medium and adjacent astrocytes, prompting the formation of large waves in the astrocyte network, which are claimed to both integrate distributed information and instantiate feelings. According to the valence of the feeling, the large wave feeds back on neuronal synapses, modulating (reinforcing or depressing) cognitive and behavioral functions.

Validation of the CNS emotional lability scale for pseudobulbar affect (pathological laughing and crying) in multiple sclerosis patients.

PubMed

Smith, Richard A; Berg, James E; Pope, Laura E; Callahan, Janice D; Wynn, Daniel; Thisted, Ronald A

2004-12-01

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) or pathological laughing and crying (PLC) is a disorder of affect that occurs in about 10% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The objective of this study was to validate the CNS Emotional Lability Scale (CNS-LS) in MS patients and to correlate the results with the frequency and intensity of episodes of PLC. Physicians at seven private practice referral centers in the United States made a diagnosis concerning PLC based on patient interviews. Clinical coordinators separately administered the CNS-LS, a self-report measure of PLC with seven questions, to MS patients, including patients known to exhibit PLC, patients thought to be free of PLC, and newly diagnosed patients where PLC status was unknown, and the physician was blinded as to the results. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to define a cut-off best correlating with the physician's diagnosis. Of 90 MS patients selected to complete the survey, 50 were physician diagnosed with PLC; 40 were without PLC, and 15 of these 90 patients were newly diagnosed with MS (<6 months). Scores of 17 or higher corresponded to a sensitivity of 0.94 and a specificity of 0.83 (LR+ = 5.5, LR- = 0.07); 89% of patients were correctly diagnosed. The area under the ROC curve was 0.95. Symptoms were greater in patients diagnosed as PLC than in non-PLC patients as evidenced by mean number of episodes/week, number of days/week with episodes, duration of an episode and total time in an episode. Similar results were observed if patients were classified as PLC or non-PLC according to CNS-LS score > or = 17, suggesting that the CNS-LS is a valid measure for the assessment of PLC in MS patients and could be a useful instrument for clinical and research purposes.

12 CFR 583.12 - Multiple savings and loan holding company.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Multiple savings and loan holding company. 583.12 Section 583.12 Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY DEFINITIONS FOR REGULATIONS AFFECTING SAVINGS AND LOAN HOLDING COMPANIES § 583.12 Multiple savings and loan...

Human Chagas Disease and Migration in the Context of Globalization: Some Particular Aspects

PubMed Central

Pinto Dias, João Carlos

2013-01-01

Human Chagas disease originated in Latin America, being spread around the world in relation with multiple bioecological, sociocultural, and political factors. The process of the disease production and dispersion is discussed, emphasizing the human migration and correlated aspects, in the context of globalization. Positive and negative consequences concern the future of this trypanosomiasis, mainly in terms of the ecologic and sociopolitical characteristics of the endemic and nonendemic countries. PMID:23606862

Prey dispersal rate affects prey species composition and trait diversity in response to multiple predators in metacommunities.

PubMed

Howeth, Jennifer G; Leibold, Mathew A

2010-09-01

1. Recent studies indicate that large-scale spatial processes can alter local community structuring mechanisms to determine local and regional assemblages of predators and their prey. In metacommunities, this may occur when the functional diversity represented in the regional predator species pool interacts with the rate of prey dispersal among local communities to affect prey species diversity and trait composition at multiple scales. 2. Here, we test for effects of prey dispersal rate and spatially and temporally heterogeneous predation from functionally dissimilar predators on prey structure in pond mesocosm metacommunities. An experimental metacommunity consisted of three pond mesocosm communities supporting two differentially size-selective invertebrate predators and their zooplankton prey. In each metacommunity, two communities maintained constant predation and supported either Gyrinus sp. (Coleoptera) or Notonecta ungulata (Hemiptera) predators generating a spatial prey refuge while the third community supported alternating predation from Gyrinus sp. and N. ungulata generating a temporal prey refuge. Mesocosm metacommunities were connected at either low (0.7% day(-1)) or high (10% day(-1)) planktonic prey dispersal. The diversity, composition and body size of zooplankton prey were measured at local and regional (metacommunity) scales. 3. Metacommunities experiencing the low prey dispersal rate supported the greatest regional prey species diversity (H') and evenness (J'). Neither dispersal rate nor predation regime affected local prey diversity or evenness. The spatial prey refuge at low dispersal maintained the largest difference in species composition and body size diversity between communities under Gyrinus and Notonecta predation, suggesting that species sorting was operating at the low dispersal rate. There was no effect of dispersal rate on species diversity or body size distribution in the temporal prey refuge. 4. The frequency distribution, but not

Consensus statement on the treatment of multiple sclerosis by the Spanish Society of Neurology in 2016.

PubMed

García Merino, A; Ramón Ara Callizo, J; Fernández Fernández, O; Landete Pascual, L; Moral Torres, E; Rodríguez-Antigüedad Zarrantz, A

2017-03-01

With the advent of new disease-modifying drugs, the treatment of multiple sclerosis is becoming increasingly complex. Using consensus statements is therefore advisable. The present consensus statement, which was drawn up by the Spanish Society of Neurology's study group for demyelinating diseases, updates previous consensus statements on the disease. The present study lists the medications currently approved for multiple sclerosis and their official indications, and analyses such treatment-related aspects as activity, early treatment, maintenance, follow-up, treatment failure, changes in medication, and special therapeutic situations. This consensus statement includes treatment recommendations for a wide range of demyelinating diseases, from isolated demyelinating syndromes to the different forms of multiple sclerosis, as well as recommendations for initial therapy and changes in drug medication, and additional comments on induction and combined therapy and practical aspects of the use of these drugs. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

EC treatment for reuse of tissue paper wastewater: aspects that affect energy consumption.

PubMed

Terrazas, Eduardo; Vázquez, Armando; Briones, Roberto; Lázaro, Isabel; Rodríguez, Israel

2010-09-15

The need for more rational use of water also calls for more efficient usage. An example is the production of tissue paper, where large amounts of water are discharged into the drain because its turbidity does not allow for recirculation. While this is a serious problem, even worse is the fact that the quality of such wastewater makes it difficult not only to recirculate but also to discharge due to environmental law restrictions. In this paper, electrocoagulation is proposed as a suitable technology to meet standards of water discharge, and even better, as a treatment option for removal of turbidity. Since energy consumption has been a drawback for EC applications, relevant aspects that contribute to increase it such as cell voltage and current density have been reviewed. For this purpose a systematic micro-electrolysis study combined with macro-electrolysis experiments have provided evidence that shows it is possible to achieve a turbidity removal of 92% with an energy consumption of 0.68 kWh/m(3). Thus, the results presented in this paper support the use of EC to obtain water of acceptable quality for reuse in the tissue paper industry. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiple environmental contexts and preterm birth risks

EPA Science Inventory

Human health is affected by simultaneous exposure to numerous stressors and amenities, but research often focuses on single exposure models. To address this, a United States county-level Multiple Environmental Domain Index (MEDI) was constructed with data representing five envir...

Initial Performance of the Aspect System on the Chandra Observatory: Post-Facto Aspect Reconstruction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aldcroft, T.; Karovska, M.; Cresitello-Dittmar, M.; Cameron, R.

2000-01-01

The aspect system of the Chandra Observatory plays a key role in realizing the full potential of Chandra's x-ray optics and detectors. To achieve the highest spatial and spectral resolution (for grating observations), an accurate post-facto time history of the spacecraft attitude and internal alignment is needed. The CXC has developed a suite of tools which process sensor data from the aspect camera assembly and gyroscopes, and produce the spacecraft aspect solution. In this poster, the design of the aspect pipeline software is briefly described, followed by details of aspect system performance during the first eight months of flight. The two key metrics of aspect performance are: image reconstruction accuracy, which measures the x-ray image blurring introduced by aspect; and celestial location, which is the accuracy of detected source positions in absolute sky coordinates.

Negative Affect Impairs Associative Memory but Not Item Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bisby, James A.; Burgess, Neil

2014-01-01

The formation of associations between items and their context has been proposed to rely on mechanisms distinct from those supporting memory for a single item. Although emotional experiences can profoundly affect memory, our understanding of how it interacts with different aspects of memory remains unclear. We performed three experiments to examine…

"g" and the Measurement of Multiple Intelligences: A Response to Gardner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visser, Beth A.; Ashton, Michael C.; Vernon, Philip A.

2006-01-01

Gardner [Gardner, H. (2006-this issue). On failing to grasp the core of MI theory: A response to Visser et al. "Intelligence"] criticized some aspects of our empirical examination [Visser, B. A., Ashton, M. C., & Vernon, P. A. (2006-this issue). Beyond "g": Putting multiple intelligences theory to the test. "Intelligence"] of his "Theory of…

Authentic and Hubristic Pride: Differential Relations to Aspects of Goal Regulation, Affect, and Self-Control

PubMed Central

Carver, Charles S.; Johnson, Sheri L.

2010-01-01

This study examines the relationships of trait-like tendencies towards authentic and hubristic pride (Tracy & Robins, 2004) with goal-regulation tendencies, affective tendencies, and impulsive traits. Undergraduates (n = 936) completed the 14-item measure of authentic and hubristic pride (Tracy & Robins, 2007b) and a battery of other self-report measures. The two types of pride correlated with distinct profiles of goal regulation tendencies, affective tendencies, and self-control. Authentic pride correlated with measures of self-control, whereas hubristic pride was related to measures of impulsivity and aggression. Overall, the differential pattern of correlations fits with a model in which authentic pride is tied to adaptive achievement and goal engagement, whereas hubristic pride is tied to extrinsic values of public recognition and social dominance. PMID:21769159

Ongoing neural development of affective theory of mind in adolescence

PubMed Central

Weigelt, Sarah; Döhnel, Katrin; Smolka, Michael N.; Kliegel, Matthias

2014-01-01

Affective Theory of Mind (ToM), an important aspect of ToM, involves the understanding of affective mental states. This ability is critical in the developmental phase of adolescence, which is often related with socio-emotional problems. Using a developmentally sensitive behavioral task in combination with functional magnetic resonance imaging, the present study investigated the neural development of affective ToM throughout adolescence. Eighteen adolescent (ages 12–14 years) and 18 young adult women (aged 19–25 years) were scanned while evaluating complex affective mental states depicted by actors in video clips. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) showed significantly stronger activation in adolescents in comparison to adults in the affective ToM condition. Current results indicate that the vmPFC might be involved in the development of affective ToM processing in adolescence. PMID:23716712

Use of multiple methods to determine factors affecting quality of care of patients with diabetes.

PubMed

Khunti, K

1999-10-01

The process of care of patients with diabetes is complex; however, GPs are playing a greater role in its management. Despite the research evidence, the quality of care of patients with diabetes is variable. In order to improve care, information is required on the obstacles faced by practices in improving care. Qualitative and quantitative methods can be used for formation of hypotheses and the development of survey procedures. However, to date few examples exist in general practice research on the use of multiple methods using both quantitative and qualitative techniques for hypothesis generation. We aimed to determine information on all factors that may be associated with delivery of care to patients with diabetes. Factors for consideration on delivery of diabetes care were generated by multiple qualitative methods including brainstorming with health professionals and patients, a focus group and interviews with key informants which included GPs and practice nurses. Audit data showing variations in care of patients with diabetes were used to stimulate the brainstorming session. A systematic literature search focusing on quality of care of patients with diabetes in primary care was also conducted. Fifty-four potential factors were identified by multiple methods. Twenty (37.0%) were practice-related factors, 14 (25.9%) were patient-related factors and 20 (37.0%) were organizational factors. A combination of brainstorming and the literature review identified 51 (94.4%) factors. Patients did not identify factors in addition to those identified by other methods. The complexity of delivery of care to patients with diabetes is reflected in the large number of potential factors identified in this study. This study shows the feasibility of using multiple methods for hypothesis generation. Each evaluation method provided unique data which could not otherwise be easily obtained. This study highlights a way of combining various traditional methods in an attempt to overcome the

[Cruciate ligament injuries under gender aspects].

PubMed

Grabau, D E; Vitzthum, K; Mache, S; Groneberg, D A; Quarcoo, D

2011-12-01

An injury of cruciate ligament is one the most common knee injuries. This accident happens mostly without external impact and towards the end of training and competition sessions. Women, especially athletes playing team sports ball games such as soccer or disciplines such as tennis, are affected 2 to 8 times more often than men. Anatomic, biomechanical and endocrinological differences are currently discussed as potential risk factors. In terms of prevention, biomechanical impact is of greatest importance given its influenceability through various training opportunities. Training programs including endurance aspects, strengthening knee musculature, balance as well as plyometric trainings were most effective. Further studies should focus more on concomitants of course of injuries. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Do afterlife beliefs affect psychological adjustment to late-life spousal loss?

PubMed

Carr, Deborah; Sharp, Shane

2014-01-01

We explore whether beliefs about the existence and nature of an afterlife affect 5 psychological symptoms (anxiety, anger, depression, intrusive thoughts, and yearning) among recently bereaved older spouses. We conduct multivariate regression analyses using data from the Changing Lives of Older Couples (CLOC), a prospective study of spousal loss. The CLOC obtained data from bereaved persons prior to loss and both 6 and 18 months postloss. All analyses are adjusted for health, sociodemographic characteristics, and preloss marital quality. Bleak or uncertain views about the afterlife are associated with multiple aspects of distress postloss. Uncertainty about the existence of an afterlife is associated with elevated intrusive thoughts, a symptom similar to posttraumatic distress. Widowed persons who do not expect to be reunited with loved ones in the afterlife report significantly more depressive symptoms, anger, and intrusive thoughts at both 6 and 18 months postloss. Beliefs in an afterlife may be maladaptive for coping with late-life spousal loss, particularly if one is uncertain about its existence or holds a pessimistic view of what the afterlife entails. Our findings are broadly consistent with recent work suggesting that "continuing bonds" with the decedent may not be adaptive for older bereaved spouses.

Paraneoplastic Sarcoidosis in Multiple Myeloma.

PubMed

Kusaba, Kana; Kojima, Kensuke; Naito, Shinji; Taba, Mitsuru; Kai, Keita; Ureshino, Hiroshi; Nishida, Yuki; Kimura, Shinya

2017-01-01

Sarcoidosis predominantly affects the lungs, intrathoracic lymph nodes, and eyes; it less frequently affects the musculoskeletal system. We herein report a case of paraneoplastic sarcoidosis in a patient presenting with multiple myeloma. The patient developed ocular sarcoidosis and showed an increased 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the mediastinal lymph nodes and vertebral column. A lymph node specimen showed the histological features of sarcoidosis, while an examination of the vertebral tumor revealed myeloma. Although the simultaneous occurrence of sarcoidosis and myeloma is extremely rare, our case indicates the importance of exculing any underlying malignancies before establishing a diagnosis of skeletal sarcoidosis when bone lesions are observed at unusual sites.

Evaluation of multiple emission point facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miltenberger, R.P.; Hull, A.P.; Strachan, S.

In 1970, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) assumed responsibility for the environmental aspect of the state's regulatory program for by-product, source, and special nuclear material. The major objective of this study was to provide consultation to NYSDEC and the US NRC to assist NYSDEC in determining if broad-based licensed facilities with multiple emission points were in compliance with NYCRR Part 380. Under this contract, BNL would evaluate a multiple emission point facility, identified by NYSDEC, as a case study. The review would be a nonbinding evaluation of the facility to determine likely dispersion characteristics, compliance withmore » specified release limits, and implementation of the ALARA philosophy regarding effluent release practices. From the data collected, guidance as to areas of future investigation and the impact of new federal regulations were to be developed. Reported here is the case study for the University of Rochester, Strong Memorial Medical Center and Riverside Campus.« less

Depolarized haze of nano-porous AAO film via porosity and aspect control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tseng, Chun-Wei; Lin, Yung-Hsiang; Cheng, Chih-Hsien; Lin, Gong-Ru

2018-01-01

Multiple scattering induced haze and depolarization effects of nano-porous AAO films controlled by detuning the porosity and aspect ratio of the nano holes are investigated. The nano-porous AAO film with its porosity increasing from 12.6% to 19.3% enhances the scattering of the incident laser beam with its maximal scattering angle enlarged from 5° to 8° under TM-mode incidence and from 6° to 10° under TE-mode incidence. Because of multiple scattering within the porous holes of the AAO, the depolarization on the reflected beam by transferring its electric field from horizontal to the vertical such that the polarization ratio is degraded with a randomized haze. The porosity of AAO surface broadens from 12.6% to 19.3% when increasing the bias voltage from 40 to 60 V during the second-step of the electro-chemical anodization process, which essentially adjusts the polarization ratio under TM-mode and TE-mode incidences raise from 0.31 to 0.35 and from 0.32 to 0.48, respectively. The depolarized haze of the nano-porous AAO film is correlated with its porosity and aspect ratio controlled by the pore size and etched depth of the AAO. Under TM-mode incidence, the simulated polarization ratio increases from 0.35 to 0.38, which correlates well with experimental results. In contrast, the experiment result slightly deviates from the theoretical prediction as the TE-mode field interacts more surface area than the TM-mode field does. Such a nano-porous AAO exhibits tunable depolarized haze via the control porosity and aspect ratio, which is particularly suitable to serve as the catalytic buffer for synthesizing the hydrophobic and hazed solar energy converters.

Oral contraceptives positively affect mood in healthy PMS-free women: A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Hamstra, Danielle A; de Kloet, E Ronald; de Rover, Mischa; Van der Does, Willem

2017-12-01

Menstrual cycle phase and oral contraceptives (OC) use influence mood and cognition and these effects may be moderated by the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) genotype. The effect of menstrual cycle phase on mood may be increased if participants know that this is the focus of study. We assessed aspects associated with reproductive depression such as mood, interpersonal sensitivity, affect lability and depressive cognitions in MR-genotyped OC-users and naturally cycling (NC) women in a carefully masked design. A homogenous sample of healthy, PMS-free, pre-menopausal MR-genotyped women (n=92) completed online questionnaires eight times during two consecutive cycles. The masking of the research question was successful. OC-users did not differ significantly from NC women in positive and negative affect at the time of assessment, personality characteristics (e.g. neuroticism) or mental and physical health. Both groups reported more shifts in anger in the first cycle week (p<0.001; η p 2 =0.08). Compared to NC women, OC-users reported fewer mood-shifts between depression and elation in the mid-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (p=0.002; η p 2 =0.10) and had fewer ruminating thoughts at all phases (p=0.003; η p 2 =0.11). Effects of MR-genotype were not significant after correction for multiple comparisons. OC users scored more favorably on measures associated with reproductive depression. OC users also showed a decreased affect variability possibly indicating an emotional blunting effect, which is in line with previous reports on affect-stabilizing effects of OC. Limitations were loss of cases due to irregularities in the menstrual cycle length and possible confounding by the 'survivor effect', since almost all OC-users took OC for more than a year. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Files, Daniel Kane; Jausurawong, Tani; Katrajian, Ruba; Danoff, Robert

2015-06-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, debilitating disease that can have devastating effects. Presentation varies widely in symptoms, pace, and progression. In addition to a thorough history and physical examination, diagnostic tools required to diagnose MS and exclude other diagnoses include MRI, evoked potential testing, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Although the disease is not curable presently, quality of life can be improved by minimizing the frequency and severity of disease burden. Disease modification, symptom management, preservation of function, and treatment of psychosocial issues are paramount to enhance the quality of life for the patient affected with MS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiple food allergy.

PubMed

Speer, F

1975-02-01

This paper is devoted to a study of multiple food allergy, here defined as sensitivity to three or more foods. The purpose of the study is to report findings obtained from a study of 250 private patients and to show what type of persons develop this condition, how it affects them, and what their common allergens are. It was found that multiple food allergy occurs in both sexes and at all ages but is more common in boys than in girls and more common in women then in men. The clinical manifestations were much like those caused by the more familiar inhalant allergy but with a much more widespread constitutional disturbance. The great majority of patients (86%) also reacted to such air-borne allergens as molds, pollens, house dust, and animal epithelials. This indicates that food allergy and inhalant allergy are fundamentally the same phenomenon. The common food allergens were such everyday foods as milk, chocolate, corn, egg, tomato, peanut, and citrus fruits.

Insidious Incentives: A Critical Exercise to Explore Knowing, Context, and Multiple Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stepanovich, Paul L.; Hopkins, Pamela J.; Stark, Ernest

2017-01-01

Critical thinking requires that we dig beneath the surface of organizational issues to explore multiple views, context, and aspects of knowing. In this exercise, students explore these deeper issues with the question: Are incentives effective? A hypothetical case unfolds to show how two consulting groups can arrive at very different…

How does a planet excite multiple spiral arms?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Jaehan; Zhu, Zhaohuan

2018-01-01

Protoplanetary disk simulations show that a single planet excites multiple spiral arms in the background disk, potentially supported by the multi-armed spirals revealed with recent high-resolution observations in some disks. The existence of multiple spiral arms is of importance in many aspects. It is empirically found that the arm-to-arm separation increases as a function of the planetary mass, so one can use the morphology of observed spiral arms to infer the mass of unseen planets. In addition, a spiral arm opens a radial gap as it steepens into a shock, so when a planet excites multiple spiral arms it can open multiple gaps in the disk. Despite the important implications, however, the formation mechanism of multiple spiral arms has not been fully understood by far.In this talk, we explain how a planet excites multiple spiral arms. The gravitational potential of a planet can be decomposed into a Fourier series, a sum of individual azimuthal modes having different azimuthal wavenumbers. Using a linear wave theory, we first demonstrate that appropriate sets of Fourier decomposed waves can be in phase, raising a possibility that constructive interference among the waves can produce coherent structures - spiral arms. More than one spiral arm can form since such constructive interference can occur at different positions in the disk for different sets of waves. We then verify this hypothesis using a suite of two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations. Finally, we present non-linear behavior in the formation of multiple spiral arms.

Multiple sclerosis affects the frequency content in the vertical ground reaction forces during walking.

PubMed

Wurdeman, Shane R; Huisinga, Jessie M; Filipi, Mary; Stergiou, Nicholas

2011-02-01

Multiple sclerosis is a progressive neurological disease that results in a high incident of gait disturbance. Exploring the frequency content of the ground reaction forces generated during walking may provide additional insights to gait in patients with multiple sclerosis that could lead to specific tools for differential diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the frequency content of these forces in an effort to contribute to improved clinical management of this disease. Eighteen patients and eighteen healthy controls walked across a 10 meter long walkway. The anterior-posterior and vertical ground reaction forces generated during the stance phase of gait were evaluated in the frequency domain using fast Fourier transformation. T-tests were utilized for comparison of median frequency, the 99.5% frequency, and the frequency bandwidth between patients and healthy controls and also for comparisons between patients with mild and moderate severity. Patients with multiple sclerosis had significantly lower 99.5% frequency (P=0.006) and median frequency (P<0.001) in the vertical ground reaction force. No differences were found in the anterior-posterior reaction force frequency content. There were no differences between patients with mild and moderate severity. The lower frequency content suggests lesser vertical oscillation of the center of gravity. Lack of differences between severities may suggest presence of differences prior to currently established diagnosis timelines. Analysis of the frequency content may potentially serve to provide earlier diagnostic assessment of this debilitating disease. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Position Affects Performance in Multiple-Object Tracking in Rugby Union Players

PubMed Central

Martín, Andrés; Sfer, Ana M.; D'Urso Villar, Marcela A.; Barraza, José F.

2017-01-01

We report an experiment that examines the performance of rugby union players and a control group composed of graduate student with no sport experience, in a multiple-object tracking task. It compares the ability of 86 high level rugby union players grouped as Backs and Forwards and the control group, to track a subset of randomly moving targets amongst the same number of distractors. Several difficulties were included in the experimental design in order to evaluate possible interactions between the relevant variables. Results show that the performance of the Backs is better than that of the other groups, but the occurrence of interactions precludes an isolated groups analysis. We interpret the results within the framework of visual attention and discuss both, the implications of our results and the practical consequences. PMID:28951725

Multiple deprivation, vision loss, and ophthalmic disease in adults: global perspectives.

PubMed

Lane, Mark; Lane, Victoria; Abbott, Joseph; Braithwaite, Tasanee; Shah, Peter; Denniston, Alastair K

The association between socioeconomic position and morbidity and mortality has long been recognized. We evaluate the evidence for an association between multiple aspects of deprivation and ocular health in a global context. This is a systematic review of studies that evaluated deprivation in the adult population in the context of the major acquired causes of visual loss such as cataract, diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and ocular trauma. The search strategy identified relevant studies reported between 1946 and August 2016, with randomized control trials, case-control, cohort, and cross-sectional study designs being selected for inclusion. The studies identified in this review from across the world demonstrate the extent to which the common themes such as low educational attainment and low income may be associated with increased incidence of various sight-threatening conditions and may adversely affect access to specialist assessment and delivery of treatment. Health inequality may always persist, but an increased recognition of the importance of the various impacts of deprivation may empower policy makers to target limited resources to the most vulnerable groups in order to deliver the greatest benefit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiple markers and multiple individuals refine true seal phylogeny and bring molecules and morphology back in line.

PubMed

Fulton, Tara Lynn; Strobeck, Curtis

2010-04-07

Despite decades of study, some aspects of Phocidae (Pinnipedia, Carnivora) phylogeny still remain unresolved. Using the largest novel dataset to date, including all extant phocids and comprising 15 nuclear and 13 mitochondrial genes, we illustrate the utility of including multiple individuals per species in resolving rapid radiations, and provide new insight into phocid phylogeny. In line with longstanding morphological views, Pusa is recovered as monophyletic for the first time with genetic data. The data are also used to explore the relationship between genetic distance and taxonomic rank. Intraspecific sampling also highlights the discrepancy between molecular and morphological rates of evolution within Phocidae.

Vaticaffinol, a resveratrol tetramer, exerts more preferable immunosuppressive activity than its precursor in vitro and in vivo through multiple aspects against activated T lymphocytes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Li-Li; Wu, Xue-Feng; Liu, Hai-Liang

2013-03-01

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the immunosuppressive activity of vaticaffinol, a resveratrol tetramer isolated from Vatica mangachapoi, on T lymphocytes both in vitro and in vivo, and further explored its potential molecular mechanism. Resveratrol had a wide spectrum of healthy beneficial effects with multiple targets. Interestingly, its tetramer, vaticaffinol, exerted more intensive immunosuppressive activity than resveratrol. Vaticaffinol significantly inhibited T cells proliferation activated by concanavalin A (Con A) or anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. It also induced Con A-activated T cells undergoing apoptosis through mitochondrial pathway. Moreover, this compound prevented cells from enteringmore » S phase and G2/M phase during T cells activation. In addition, vaticaffinol inhibited ERK and AKT signaling pathways in Con A-activated T cells. Furthermore, vaticaffinol significantly ameliorated ear swelling in a mouse model of picryl chloride-induced ear contact dermatitis in vivo. In most of the aforementioned experiments, however, resveratrol had only slight effects on the inhibition of T lymphocytes compared with vaticaffinol. Taken together, our findings suggest that vaticaffinol exerts more preferable immunosuppressive activity than its precursor resveratrol both in vitro and in vivo by affecting multiple targets against activated T cells. - Graphical abstract: Vaticaffinol, a resveratrol tetramer isolated from Vatica mangachapoi, exerts more intensive immunosuppressive activity than its precursor resveratrol does in vitro and in vivo. Its mechanism may involve multiple effects against activated T cells: regulation of signalings involved in cell proliferation, G0/G1 arrest of T cells, as well as an apoptosis induction in activated effector T cells. Highlights: ► Vaticaffinol, a resveratrol tetramer, exerts more potent activity than its precursor. ► It inhibited T cells proliferation and prevented them from

Key aspects in managing safety when working with multiple contractors: A case study.

PubMed

Drupsteen, Linda; Rasmussen, Hanna B; Ustailieva, Erika; van Kampen, Jakko

2015-01-01

Working with multiple contractors in a shared workplace can introduce and increase safety risks due to complexity. The aim of this study was to explore how safety issues are recognized in a specific case and to identify whether clients and contractors perceive problems similarly. The safety issues are explored through a brief survey and a workshop in the maintenance department of a logistics company. The results indicate that culture and behavior are recognized differently by clients and by contractors. The contractors and client had different perceptions of involvement of contractors by the client. The contractors complained on lack of involvement, which was not fully recognized by the client. The case study used a practical approach to show differences in perception of safety within a project. The study illustrates the need for more applied studies and interventions on contractor safety.

Physician compensation for industry-sponsored clinical trials in multiple sclerosis influences patient trust.

PubMed

Klein, E; Solomon, A J; Corboy, J; Bernat, J

2016-07-01

Perceived physician financial conflicts of interest of can affect patient trust. Payment to physicians for industry sponsored clinical trials in multiple sclerosis is a relatively new potential source of physician conflict of interest. There is limited available data on how physician payment for trial involvement in multiple sclerosis clinical trials may influence patient trust. To understand how patient trust is influenced by information about physician payment for multiple sclerosis clinical trials. An anonymous online instrument was developed. 597 people with multiple sclerosis participated in the study. The study found that 61% of patients who had not previously participated in a clinical trial estimated that they would have lower levels of trust in their physician if the physician was paid for involvement in their clinical trial. Among former clinical trial participants, 38% self-reported a lower level of trust. Other potential physician-industry relationships, such as industry consulting or giving industry-sponsored talks, also adversely affected trust, though to a lesser extent than physician payment for subject participation in clinical trials. Results of this study demonstrate that physician payment for study participation in multiple sclerosis clinical trials is a potential conflict that can adversely affect patient trust. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiple graph regularized protein domain ranking

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Protein domain ranking is a fundamental task in structural biology. Most protein domain ranking methods rely on the pairwise comparison of protein domains while neglecting the global manifold structure of the protein domain database. Recently, graph regularized ranking that exploits the global structure of the graph defined by the pairwise similarities has been proposed. However, the existing graph regularized ranking methods are very sensitive to the choice of the graph model and parameters, and this remains a difficult problem for most of the protein domain ranking methods. Results To tackle this problem, we have developed the Multiple Graph regularized Ranking algorithm, MultiG-Rank. Instead of using a single graph to regularize the ranking scores, MultiG-Rank approximates the intrinsic manifold of protein domain distribution by combining multiple initial graphs for the regularization. Graph weights are learned with ranking scores jointly and automatically, by alternately minimizing an objective function in an iterative algorithm. Experimental results on a subset of the ASTRAL SCOP protein domain database demonstrate that MultiG-Rank achieves a better ranking performance than single graph regularized ranking methods and pairwise similarity based ranking methods. Conclusion The problem of graph model and parameter selection in graph regularized protein domain ranking can be solved effectively by combining multiple graphs. This aspect of generalization introduces a new frontier in applying multiple graphs to solving protein domain ranking applications. PMID:23157331

Considering the Role of Affect in Learning: Monitoring Students' Self-Efficacy, Sense of Belonging, and Science Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trujillo, Gloriana; Tanner, Kimberly D.

2014-01-01

Conceptual learning is a uniquely human behavior that engages all aspects of individuals: cognitive, metacognitive, and affective. The affective domain is key in learning. In this paper, that authors have explored three affective constructs that may be important for understanding biology student learning: self-efficacy--the set of beliefs that one…

Intake of Mediterranean foods associated with positive affect and low negative affect

PubMed Central

Ford, Patricia A.; Jaceldo-Siegl, Karen; Lee, Jerry W.; Youngberg, Wes; Tonstad, Serena

2013-01-01

Objective To examine associations between consumption of foods typical of Mediterranean versus Western diets with positive and negative affect. Nutrients influence mental states yet few studies have examined whether foods protective or deleterious for cardiovascular disease affect mood. Methods Participants were 9255 Adventist church attendees in North America who completed a validated food frequency questionnaire in 2002–6. Scores for affect were obtained from the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule questionnaire in 2006–7. Multiple linear regression models controlled for age, gender, ethnicity, BMI, education, sleep, sleep squared (to account for high or low amounts), exercise, total caloric intake, alcohol and time between the questionnaires. Results Intake of vegetables (β=0.124 [95% CI 0.101, 0.147]), fruit (β=0.066 [95% CI 0.046, 0.085]), olive oil (β=0.070 [95% CI 0.029, 0.111]), nuts (β=0.054 [95% CI 0.026, 0.082]), and legumes (β=0.055 [95% CI 0.032, 0.077]) were associated with positive affect while sweets/desserts (β=−0.066 [95% CI −0.086, −0.046]), soda (β=−0.025 [95% CI −0.037, −0.013]) and fast food frequency (β=−0.046 [95% CI −0.062, −0.030]) were inversely associated with positive affect. Intake of sweets/desserts (β=0.058 [95% CI 0.037, 0.078]) and fast food frequency (β=0.052 [95% CI 0.036, 0.068]) were associated with negative affect while intake of vegetables (β=−0.076 [95% CI −0.099, −0.052]), fruit (β=−0.033 [95% CI −0.053, −0.014]) and nuts (β=−0.088 [95% CI −0.116, −0.060]) were inversely associated with negative affect. Gender interacted with red meat intake (P<.001) and fast food frequency (P<.001) such that these foods were associated with negative affect in females only. Conclusions Foods typical of Mediterranean diets were associated with positive affect as well as lower negative affect while Western foods were associated with low positive affect in general and negative affect in

Newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis in state of Qatar.

PubMed

Akhtar, N; Elsetouhy, A; Deleu, D; Kamran, S; AlHail, H; Elalamy, O; Mesraoua, B; Sokrab, T; Kamil, H; Melikyan, G; D'souza, A; Osman, Y; Imam, Y

2013-08-01

Epidemiologic studies on multiple sclerosis (MS) are well-documented in the western population but to a lesser extent in Arab world. To study the demographics, clinical aspects, radiologic and laboratory features along with the degree of disability inflicted, and factors affecting disease progression and outcome of newly diagnosed MS patients at our institution. Data from all newly diagnosed MS patients fulfilling McDonald criteria from January 01, 2005 to December 31, 2010 were collected and analyzed. A total of 142 patients were identified, in which 82 (58%) were Qataris, and 90 (64%) females. Mean age was 31 years, and mean duration of symptoms was 24 days (median 15 days). Most common symptoms were sensory (63%), followed by visual (45%) and motor (43%). Mean EDSS was 2.3 at presentation. Treatment was given to 127 (89%), and relapse observed in 49%. Gadolinium enhancing lesions on follow-up MRI brain and relapsing remitting MS were associated with increased radiologic disease burden, while weakness at onset, EDSS of ≥2.5 and ≥3 clinical relapse was associated with clinical disease progression. MS in Qatar is an emerging disorder especially in the native population. The pattern of disease differs from other Middle Eastern countries by its milder clinical and aggressive radiologic disease presentation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How a Hat May Affect 3-Month-Olds' Recognition of a Face: An Eye-Tracking Study

PubMed Central

Bulf, Hermann; Valenza, Eloisa; Turati, Chiara

2013-01-01

Recent studies have shown that infants’ face recognition rests on a robust face representation that is resilient to a variety of facial transformations such as rotations in depth, motion, occlusion or deprivation of inner/outer features. Here, we investigated whether 3-month-old infants’ ability to represent the invariant aspects of a face is affected by the presence of an external add-on element, i.e. a hat. Using a visual habituation task, three experiments were carried out in which face recognition was investigated by manipulating the presence/absence of a hat during face encoding (i.e. habituation phase) and face recognition (i.e. test phase). An eye-tracker system was used to record the time infants spent looking at face-relevant information compared to the hat. The results showed that infants’ face recognition was not affected by the presence of the external element when the type of the hat did not vary between the habituation and test phases, and when both the novel and the familiar face wore the same hat during the test phase (Experiment 1). Infants’ ability to recognize the invariant aspects of a face was preserved also when the hat was absent in the habituation phase and the same hat was shown only during the test phase (Experiment 2). Conversely, when the novel face identity competed with a novel hat, the hat triggered the infants’ attention, interfering with the recognition process and preventing the infants’ preference for the novel face during the test phase (Experiment 3). Findings from the current study shed light on how faces and objects are processed when they are simultaneously presented in the same visual scene, contributing to an understanding of how infants respond to the multiple and composite information available in their surrounding environment. PMID:24349378

How a hat may affect 3-month-olds' recognition of a face: an eye-tracking study.

PubMed

Bulf, Hermann; Valenza, Eloisa; Turati, Chiara

2013-01-01

Recent studies have shown that infants' face recognition rests on a robust face representation that is resilient to a variety of facial transformations such as rotations in depth, motion, occlusion or deprivation of inner/outer features. Here, we investigated whether 3-month-old infants' ability to represent the invariant aspects of a face is affected by the presence of an external add-on element, i.e. a hat. Using a visual habituation task, three experiments were carried out in which face recognition was investigated by manipulating the presence/absence of a hat during face encoding (i.e. habituation phase) and face recognition (i.e. test phase). An eye-tracker system was used to record the time infants spent looking at face-relevant information compared to the hat. The results showed that infants' face recognition was not affected by the presence of the external element when the type of the hat did not vary between the habituation and test phases, and when both the novel and the familiar face wore the same hat during the test phase (Experiment 1). Infants' ability to recognize the invariant aspects of a face was preserved also when the hat was absent in the habituation phase and the same hat was shown only during the test phase (Experiment 2). Conversely, when the novel face identity competed with a novel hat, the hat triggered the infants' attention, interfering with the recognition process and preventing the infants' preference for the novel face during the test phase (Experiment 3). Findings from the current study shed light on how faces and objects are processed when they are simultaneously presented in the same visual scene, contributing to an understanding of how infants respond to the multiple and composite information available in their surrounding environment.

Guidelines for supportive care in multiple myeloma 2011.

PubMed

Snowden, John A; Ahmedzai, Sam H; Ashcroft, John; D'Sa, Shirley; Littlewood, Timothy; Low, Eric; Lucraft, Helen; Maclean, Rhona; Feyler, Sylvia; Pratt, Guy; Bird, Jennifer M

2011-07-01

Supportive care plays an increasingly important role in the modern management of multiple myeloma. While modern treatments have significantly prolonged overall and progression free survival through improved disease control, the vast majority of patients remain incurable, and live with the burden of the disease itself and the cumulative side effects of treatments. Maintenance of quality of life presents challenges at all stages of the disease from diagnosis through the multiple phases of active treatment to the end of life. Written on behalf of the British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH) and the UK Myeloma Forum (UKMF), these evidence based guidelines summarize the current national consensus for supportive and symptomatic care in multiple myeloma in the following areas; pain management, peripheral neuropathy, skeletal complications, infection, anaemia, haemostasis and thrombosis, sedation, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, constipation, diarrhoea, mucositis, bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw, complementary therapies, holistic needs assessment and end of life care. Although most aspects of supportive care can be supervised by haematology teams primarily responsible for patients with multiple myeloma, multidisciplinary collaboration involving specialists in palliative medicine, pain management, radiotherapy and surgical specialities is essential, and guidance is provided for appropriate interdisciplinary referral. These guidelines should be read in conjunction with the BCSH/UKMF Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Multiple Myeloma 2011. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

A Comparison of Video-Based and Interaction-Based Affect Detectors in Physics Playground

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kai, Shiming; Paquette, Luc; Baker, Ryan S.; Bosch, Nigel; D'Mello, Sidney; Ocumpaugh, Jaclyn; Shute, Valerie; Ventura, Matthew

2015-01-01

Increased attention to the relationships between affect and learning has led to the development of machine-learned models that are able to identify students' affective states in computerized learning environments. Data for these affect detectors have been collected from multiple modalities including physical sensors, dialogue logs, and logs of…

ASPECT

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Able to deploy within one hour of notification, EPA's Airborne Spectral Photometric Environmental Collection Technology (ASPECT) is the nation’s only airborne real-time chemical and radiological detection, infrared and photographic imagery platform.

Ongoing neural development of affective theory of mind in adolescence.

PubMed

Vetter, Nora C; Weigelt, Sarah; Döhnel, Katrin; Smolka, Michael N; Kliegel, Matthias

2014-07-01

Affective Theory of Mind (ToM), an important aspect of ToM, involves the understanding of affective mental states. This ability is critical in the developmental phase of adolescence, which is often related with socio-emotional problems. Using a developmentally sensitive behavioral task in combination with functional magnetic resonance imaging, the present study investigated the neural development of affective ToM throughout adolescence. Eighteen adolescent (ages 12-14 years) and 18 young adult women (aged 19-25 years) were scanned while evaluating complex affective mental states depicted by actors in video clips. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) showed significantly stronger activation in adolescents in comparison to adults in the affective ToM condition. Current results indicate that the vmPFC might be involved in the development of affective ToM processing in adolescence. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Arabidopsis DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 gene affects ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5) expression and genetically interacts with ABI3 during Arabidopsis seed development.

PubMed

Dekkers, Bas J W; He, Hanzi; Hanson, Johannes; Willems, Leo A J; Jamar, Diaan C L; Cueff, Gwendal; Rajjou, Loïc; Hilhorst, Henk W M; Bentsink, Leónie

2016-02-01

The seed expressed gene DELAY OF GERMINATION (DOG) 1 is absolutely required for the induction of dormancy. Next to a non-dormant phenotype, the dog1-1 mutant is also characterized by a reduced seed longevity suggesting that DOG1 may affect additional seed processes as well. This aspect however, has been hardly studied and is poorly understood. To uncover additional roles of DOG1 in seeds we performed a detailed analysis of the dog1 mutant using both transcriptomics and metabolomics to investigate the molecular consequences of a dysfunctional DOG1 gene. Further, we used a genetic approach taking advantage of the weak aba insensitive (abi) 3-1 allele as a sensitized genetic background in a cross with dog1-1. DOG1 affects the expression of hundreds of genes including LATE EMBRYOGENESIS ABUNDANT and HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN genes which are affected by DOG1 partly via control of ABI5 expression. Furthermore, the content of a subset of primary metabolites, which normally accumulate during seed maturation, was found to be affected in the dog1-1 mutant. Surprisingly, the abi3-1 dog1-1 double mutant produced green seeds which are highly ABA insensitive, phenocopying severe abi3 mutants, indicating that dog1-1 acts as an enhancer of the weak abi3-1 allele and thus revealing a genetic interaction between both genes. Analysis of the dog1 and dog1 abi3 mutants revealed additional seed phenotypes and therefore we hypothesize that DOG1 function is not limited to dormancy but that it is required for multiple aspects of seed maturation, in part by interfering with ABA signalling components. © 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Self-categorization, affective commitment and group self-esteem as distinct aspects of social identity in the organization.

PubMed

Bergami, M; Bagozzi, R P

2000-12-01

The purpose of this study is to distinguish between cognitive, affective and evaluative components of social identity in the organization and to show how the components instigate behaviours that benefit in-group members. A new scale for measuring cognitive organizational identification (i.e. self-categorization) is developed and compared to a leading scale. Internal consistency, convergent validity, predictive validity and generalizability of the two scales are established on a sample of Italian (N = 409) and Korean (N = 283) workers. Next, convergent and discriminant validity for measures of organizational identification, affective commitment and group self-esteem are demonstrated. Then, two antecedents of these components of social identity are examined: organization prestige and organization stereotypes. Finally, the mediating role of the components of social identity are investigated between the antecedents and five forms of citizenship behaviours. The last three analyses are performed on the Italian (N = 409) workers. Among other findings, the results show that affective commitment and self-esteem are the primary motivators of citizenship behaviours. Moreover, cognitive identification performs as a central mediator between prestige and stereotypes on the one hand, and affective commitment and self-esteem on the other. Identification is thus an indirect determinant of citizenship behaviours.

Communicative aspects and coping strategies in patients with Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Costa, Flávia Pereira da; Diaféria, Giovana; Behlau, Mara

2016-01-01

To investigate, in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), the coping strategies; the most reported vocal symptoms; and the relation between coping, voice symptoms, and communicative aspects. Seventy-three subjects were included in the sample, 33 of which were participants in the experimental group (EG) with diagnosis of PD and 40 were control subjects, that is, healthy and without vocal complaints. They underwent the following procedures: application of Voice Symptoms Scale (VoiSS), Brazilian Version; Voice Disability Coping Questionnaire (VDCQ), Brazilian Version; and the questionnaire Living with Dysarthria (LwD). The EG presented deviations in all protocols: VDCQ, with the most frequently coping strategy being "self-control," VoiSS, with "Impairment" as the most prevalent domain, and LwD, presenting changes in all sections. Vocal signs and symptoms and communicative aspects were shown to have a regular correlation with coping. The correlation between vocal symptoms and communicative aspects was as follows: the greater the impairment in communication, the greater the VoiSS emotional scores and the more they complaint of voice-related signs and symptoms. Patients with PD use all kinds of coping strategies, but prefer using self-control. They present several vocal signs and symptoms, and "Impairment" was the most prevalent domain. There are difficulties in all aspects of communication. The higher the occurrence of vocal signs and symptoms, the more the patient reports the difficulties of living with dysarthria, particularly when deviations affect the emotional domain.

Economic aspects of agricultural and food biosecurity.

PubMed

Hennessy, David A

2008-03-01

Concerns about biosecurity in the food system raise a variety of issues about how the system is presently organized, why it might be vulnerable, what we could reasonably do to better secure it, and the costs of doing so. Emphasizing the role of incentives in efficient resource allocation, this article considers economic dimensions of three aspects of the general problem. One is the global problem, or the way biosecurity measures can affect how countries relate to each other and the global consequences that result. Another is how to best manage the immediate aftermath of a realized threat in order to minimize damage. The third is how to seek to prevent realization of the threat. Some policy alternatives are presented.

New aspects of the ionospheric response to the October 2003 superstorms from multiple-satellite observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Jiuhou; Wang, Wenbin; Burns, Alan G.; Yue, Xinan; Dou, Xiankang; Luan, Xiaoli; Solomon, Stanley C.; Liu, Yong C.-M.

2014-03-01

The total electron content (TEC) data measured by the Jason, CHAMP, GRACE, and SAC-C satellites, the in situ electron densities from CHAMP and GRACE, and the vertical E × B drifts from the ROCSAT, have been utilized to examine the ionospheric response to the October 2003 superstorms. The combination of observations from multiple satellites provides a unique global view of ionospheric storm effects, especially over the Pacific Ocean and American regions, which were under sunlit conditions during the main phases of the October 2003 superstorms. The main results of this study are as follows: (1) There were substantial increases in TEC in the daytime at low and middle latitudes during both superstorms. (2) The enhancements were greater during the 30 October superstorm and occurred over a wider range of local times. (3) They also tended to peak at earlier local times during this second event. (4) These TEC enhancement events occurred at the local times when there were enhancements in the upward vertical drift. (5) The strong upward vertical drifts are attributed to penetration electric fields, suggesting that these penetration electric fields played a significant role in the electron density enhancements during these superstorms. Overall, the main contribution of this study is the simultaneous view of the storm time ionospheric response from multiple satellites, and the association of local time differences in ionospheric plasma response with measured vertical drift variations.

Factors Affecting Employment Among Informal Caregivers Assisting People with Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Huang, Chunfeng; Zheng, Zhida

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to identify characteristics of informal caregivers, caregiving, and the people with multiple sclerosis (MS) receiving assistance that are associated with reduced caregiver employment. Data were collected during telephone interviews with 530 MS caregivers, including 215 employed caregivers, with these survey data analyzed using logistic regression. Poorer cognitive ability by the care recipient to make decisions about daily tasks and more caregiving hours per week predicted reduced caregiver employment. Better physical health domains of caregiver quality of life were associated with significantly lower odds of reduced employment. Health professionals treating informal caregivers, as well as those treating people with MS, need to be aware of respite, support, and intervention programs available to MS caregivers and refer them to these programs, which could reduce the negative impact of caregiving on employment. PMID:24453784

Activational and effort-related aspects of motivation: neural mechanisms and implications for psychopathology

PubMed Central

Yohn, Samantha E.; López-Cruz, Laura; San Miguel, Noemí; Correa, Mercè

2016-01-01

Abstract Motivation has been defined as the process that allows organisms to regulate their internal and external environment, and control the probability, proximity and availability of stimuli. As such, motivation is a complex process that is critical for survival, which involves multiple behavioural functions mediated by a number of interacting neural circuits. Classical theories of motivation suggest that there are both directional and activational aspects of motivation, and activational aspects (i.e. speed and vigour of both the instigation and persistence of behaviour) are critical for enabling organisms to overcome work-related obstacles or constraints that separate them from significant stimuli. The present review discusses the role of brain dopamine and related circuits in behavioural activation, exertion of effort in instrumental behaviour, and effort-related decision-making, based upon both animal and human studies. Impairments in behavioural activation and effort-related aspects of motivation are associated with psychiatric symptoms such as anergia, fatigue, lassitude and psychomotor retardation, which cross multiple pathologies, including depression, schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s disease. Therefore, this review also attempts to provide an interdisciplinary approach that integrates findings from basic behavioural neuroscience, behavioural economics, clinical neuropsychology, psychiatry, and neurology, to provide a coherent framework for future research and theory in this critical field. Although dopamine systems are a critical part of the brain circuitry regulating behavioural activation, exertion of effort, and effort-related decision-making, mesolimbic dopamine is only one part of a distributed circuitry that includes multiple neurotransmitters and brain areas. Overall, there is a striking similarity between the brain areas involved in behavioural activation and effort-related processes in rodents and in humans. Animal models of effort

Abstract-Reasoning Software for Coordinating Multiple Agents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clement, Bradley; Barrett, Anthony; Rabideau, Gregg; Knight, Russell

2003-01-01

A computer program for scheduling the activities of multiple agents that share limited resources has been incorporated into the Automated Scheduling and Planning Environment (ASPEN) software system, aspects of which have been reported in several previous NASA Tech Briefs articles. In the original intended application, the agents would be multiple spacecraft and/or robotic vehicles engaged in scientific exploration of distant planets. The program could also be used on Earth in such diverse settings as production lines and military maneuvers. This program includes a planning/scheduling subprogram of the iterative repair type that reasons about the activities of multiple agents at abstract levels in order to greatly improve the scheduling of their use of shared resources. The program summarizes the information about the constraints on, and resource requirements of, abstract activities on the basis of the constraints and requirements that pertain to their potential refinements (decomposition into less-abstract and ultimately to primitive activities). The advantage of reasoning about summary information is that time needed to find consistent schedules is exponentially smaller than the time that would be needed for reasoning about the same tasks at the primitive level.

Safety Aspects of Bio-Based Nanomaterials.

PubMed

Catalán, Julia; Norppa, Hannu

2017-12-01

Moving towards a bio-based and circular economy implies a major focus on the responsible and sustainable utilization of bio-resources. The emergence of nanotechnology has opened multiple possibilities, not only in the existing industrial sectors, but also for completely novel applications of nanoscale bio-materials, the commercial exploitation of which has only begun during the last few years. Bio-based materials are often assumed not to be toxic. However, this pre-assumption is not necessarily true. Here, we provide a short overview on health and environmental aspects associated with bio-based nanomaterials, and on the relevant regulatory requirements. We also discuss testing strategies that may be used for screening purposes at pre-commercial stages. Although the tests presently used to reveal hazards are still evolving, regarding modifi-cations required for nanomaterials, their application is needed before the upscaling or commercialization of bio-based nanomaterials, to ensure the market potential of the nanomaterials is not delayed by uncertainties about safety issues.

Effects of slope aspect and site elevation on seasonal soil carbon dynamics in a forest catchment in the Austrian Limestone Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobler, Johannes; Zehetgruber, Bernhard; Jandl, Robert; Dirnböck, Thomas; Schindlbacher, Andreas

2017-04-01

Own to the complexity of landscape morphology, mountainous landscapes are characterized by substantial changes of site parameters (i.e. elevation, slope, aspect) within short distances. As these site parameters affect the spatial-temporal dynamics of landscape climate and therefore the spatial patterns of forest carbon (C) distribution, they pose a substantial impact on landscape-related soil C dynamics. Aspect and elevation form natural temperature gradients and thereby can be used as a surrogate to infer to potential climate change effects on forest C. We aimed at studying how slope aspect affected soil respiration, soil C stocks, tree increment and litter production along two elevation gradients in the Zöbelboden catchment, northern limestone Alps, Austria during 2015 and 2016. A preliminary assessment showed that soil respiration was significantly higher at the west facing slope across all elevations. Soil temperature was only slightly higher at the west facing slope, and warmer soil only partly explained the large difference in soil respiration between east and west facing slopes. Aspect had no clear effect on soil moisture, which seemed to be strongly affected by stocking density at the different forest sites. The dense grassy ground vegetation at some of the sites further seems to play a key role in determining soil respiration rates and litter input. A detailed analysis and C-budgets along the elevation gradients will be presented at the conference.

Morningness-eveningness and affective temperaments assessed by the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A).

PubMed

Chrobak, Adrian Andrzej; Tereszko, Anna; Dembinska-Krajewska, Daria; Arciszewska, Aleksandra; Siwek, Marcin; Dudek, Dominika; Rybakowski, Janusz

2017-01-01

Chronotype is a stable trait presenting one's circardian preference. Since chronotype disturbances are common in patients with affective disorders, our aim is to evaluate chronotypes related to affective temperaments, measured with the temperament evaluation of Memphis, Pisa and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A). The study included 618 subjects (151 men and 467 women) within the framework of web-based design. They all fulfilled a questionnaire, consisting of the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM), Sleep Wake Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SWPAQ), and the TEMPS-A scale. Multiple regression models revealed that after controlling for age and gender: irritable and cyclothymic temperaments were negatively associated with total CSM score, CSM morning affect and circadian preference components, Sleepability (S), Vigilance (V), Wakeability (W) and positively with Morningness (M) and Eveningness (E) subscales of SWPAQ; anxious temperament was negatively associated with total CSM scores, CSM morning affect and with S, V, W subscales of SWPAQ; depressive temperament was negatively associated with Falling asleep, S, V, W subscales of SWPAQ; hyperthymic temperament was positively associated with CSM morning affect and V, W and negatively with M subscales of SWPAQ. The results show distinctiveness of the associations between hyperthymic temperament and circadian preferences, compared to all other TEMPS-A temperaments (depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and anxious). In the CMS scale, only hyperthymic temperament was related to morning affect. In the SWPAQ scale, hyperthymic temperament was the only one associated with earlier morningness (earlier wake up time preference), increased parameters of vigor - wakeability, vigilance, and also the only one not associated with decreased plasticity of circadian rhythm (sleepability and falling asleep). Results also point to some similarities between cyclothymic and irritable temperaments in some aspects of the chronotype.

Stylistic Performance through Affective Marking: A Case of Multilingual Literary Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chakravarty, Urjani

2016-01-01

This paper provides an overall analysis of how multi-lingual writer like Amitav Ghosh write about emotion in his literary text, and emphasize on how multilingual authors display emotion/affect through use of literary multilingualism (affective markers) combined with writer style. Through use of multiple strategies, they reduces the limitations of…

FACTORS ADVERSELY AFFECTING AMPHIBIAN POPULATIONS IN THE US

EPA Science Inventory

Factors known or suspected to be adversely affecting native amphibian populations in the US were identified using information from species accounts written in a standardized format by multiple authors in a forthcoming book. Specific adverse factors were identified for 53 (58%) of...

Nurse's Awareness on Ethico-legal Aspects of Nursing Profession.

PubMed

Paudel Subedi, Krishna Kumari; Timalsina, Kalpana; Bhele, Raja Laxmi

2018-03-13

Nursing practice amicably includes practical efficacy and ethics. Now a days legal and ethical problems associated with client care are arising day by day. Therefore, nurses should have adequate understanding of basic legal concepts and issues relevant to nursing profession in order to protect the rights of the clients and the nurses. A cross sectional descriptive design was adopted for the study. 142 nurses were included by using purposive sampling technique. Data was collected with self-administered structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used to reveal demographic information. Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney test were used to find out association of selected demographic variables and ethico legal aspects of nursing. Majority of participants were belonging to 20-29 years of age. More than half nurses had complete bachelor's degree and had less than 10 year's experiences. Majority of participants reported that they did not encounter any legal issues in their professional life till date. Similarly, majority of participants had average level knowledge and equate level of practice. Years of experiences and education level did not affect in knowledge level and existing practice related to ethico legal aspect of nursing. There was no significant relationship between level of knowledge and existing practice. Nurses have average knowledge and practice on ethico legal aspects. There is positive relationship between knowledge and practice though it is not statistically significant.

Herding: a new phenomenon affecting medical decision-making in multiple sclerosis care? Lessons learned from DIScUTIR MS

PubMed Central

Saposnik, Gustavo; Maurino, Jorge; Sempere, Angel P; Ruff, Christian C; Tobler, Philippe N

2017-01-01

Purpose Herding is a phenomenon by which individuals follow the behavior of others rather than deciding independently on the basis of their own private information. A herding-like phenomenon can occur in multiple sclerosis (MS) when a neurologist follows a therapeutic recommendation by a colleague even though it is not supported by best practice clinical guidelines. Limited information is currently available on the role of herding in medical care. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence (and its associated factors) of herding in the management of MS. Methods We conducted a study among neurologists with expertise in MS care throughout Spain. Participants answered questions regarding the management of 20 case scenarios commonly encountered in clinical practice and completed 3 surveys and 4 experimental paradigms based on behavioral economics. The herding experiment consisted of a case scenario of a 40-year-old woman who has been stable for 3 years on subcutaneous interferon and developed a self-limited neurological event. There were no new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions. Her neurological examination and disability scores were unchanged. She was advised by an MS neurologist to switch from interferon to fingolimod against best practice guidelines. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate factors associated with herding. Results Out of 161 neurologists who were invited to participate, 96 completed the study (response rate: 60%). Herding was present in 75 (78.1%), having a similar prevalence in MS experts and general neurologists (68.8% vs 82.8%; P=0.12). In multivariate analyses, the number of MS patients seen per week was positively associated with herding (odds ratio [OR] 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.14). Conversely, physician’s age, gender, years of practice, setting of practice, or risk preferences were not associated with herding. Conclusion Herding was a common phenomenon affecting nearly 8 out of 10

Herding: a new phenomenon affecting medical decision-making in multiple sclerosis care? Lessons learned from DIScUTIR MS.

PubMed

Saposnik, Gustavo; Maurino, Jorge; Sempere, Angel P; Ruff, Christian C; Tobler, Philippe N

2017-01-01

Herding is a phenomenon by which individuals follow the behavior of others rather than deciding independently on the basis of their own private information. A herding-like phenomenon can occur in multiple sclerosis (MS) when a neurologist follows a therapeutic recommendation by a colleague even though it is not supported by best practice clinical guidelines. Limited information is currently available on the role of herding in medical care. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence (and its associated factors) of herding in the management of MS. We conducted a study among neurologists with expertise in MS care throughout Spain. Participants answered questions regarding the management of 20 case scenarios commonly encountered in clinical practice and completed 3 surveys and 4 experimental paradigms based on behavioral economics. The herding experiment consisted of a case scenario of a 40-year-old woman who has been stable for 3 years on subcutaneous interferon and developed a self-limited neurological event. There were no new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions. Her neurological examination and disability scores were unchanged. She was advised by an MS neurologist to switch from interferon to fingolimod against best practice guidelines. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate factors associated with herding. Out of 161 neurologists who were invited to participate, 96 completed the study (response rate: 60%). Herding was present in 75 (78.1%), having a similar prevalence in MS experts and general neurologists (68.8% vs 82.8%; P =0.12). In multivariate analyses, the number of MS patients seen per week was positively associated with herding (odds ratio [OR] 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.14). Conversely, physician's age, gender, years of practice, setting of practice, or risk preferences were not associated with herding. Herding was a common phenomenon affecting nearly 8 out of 10 neurologists caring for MS patients. Herding may

A palliative care hotline for multiple sclerosis: A pilot feasibility study.

PubMed

Knies, Andrea K; Golla, Heidrun; Strupp, Julia; Galushko, Maren; Schipper, Sabine; Voltz, Raymond

2015-08-01

Research findings suggest that patients severely affected by multiple sclerosis benefit from palliative care. Our objectives were to (1) implement a pilot palliative care counseling hotline for severely affected multiple sclerosis patients and their caregivers in order to connect them to palliative care, and (2) evaluate its preliminary feasibility through a pilot study. The hotline was designed in cooperation with the local state association of the German Multiple Sclerosis Society and based on a review of the literature. The initial study setting for the hotline was the broader region of the cities Cologne and Bonn in Germany. The hotline was introduced through a magazine published by the German Multiple Sclerosis Society and leaflets sent to local healthcare providers. Calls were conducted using a semistructured interview guide and documented by a standardized case report form. Measures to assess feasibility were both quantitative (e.g., number of calls) and qualitative (e.g., criteria for eligibility for palliative care). During its pilot year, the hotline received 18 calls. Some 15 callers were included in the analysis, and 10 of these 15 were deemed eligible for palliative care due to such criteria as medical characteristics, care or nursing conditions, caregiver strain, and concerns regarding death and dying. Access to palliative care services could be provided for all 10 callers. Based on our pilot feasibility study, the hotline seems to be a valuable service for patients severely affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) and their caregivers in order to gain information about and access to palliative care. It will be extended on a nationwide scale through a grant of the German Multiple Sclerosis Society. Awareness of the hotline needs to be enhanced in order to attract and support a significant number of new callers.

Aspect has a greater impact on alpine soil bacterial community structure than elevation.

PubMed

Wu, Jieyun; Anderson, Barbara J; Buckley, Hannah L; Lewis, Gillian; Lear, Gavin

2017-03-01

Gradients in environmental conditions, including climate factors and resource availability, occur along mountain inclines, providing a 'natural laboratory' to explore their combined impacts on microbial distributions. Conflicting spatial patterns observed across elevation gradients in soil bacterial community structure suggest that they are driven by various interacting factors at different spatial scales. Here, we investigated the relative impacts of non-resource (e.g. soil temperature, pH) and resource conditions (e.g. soil carbon and nitrogen) on the biogeography of soil bacterial communities across broad (i.e. along a 1500 m mountain elevation gradient) and fine sampling scales (i.e. along sunny and shady aspects of a mountain ridge). Our analysis of 16S rRNA gene data confirmed that when sampling across distances of < 1000 m, bacterial community composition was more closely related to the aspect of a site than its elevation. However, despite large differences in climate and resource-availability factors across elevation- and aspect-related gradients, bacterial community composition and richness were most strongly correlated with soil pH. These findings highlight the need to incorporate knowledge of multiple factors, including site aspect and soil pH for the appropriate use of elevation gradients as a proxy to explore the impacts of climate change on microbial community composition. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparison of Gait Aspects According to FES Stimulation Position Applied to Stroke Patients

PubMed Central

Mun, Byeong-mu; Kim, Tae-ho; Lee, Jin-hwan; Lim, Jin-youg; Seo, Dong-kwon; Lee, Dong-jin

2014-01-01

[Purpose] This study sought to identify the gait aspects according to the FES stimulation position in stroke patients during gait training. [Subjects and Methods] To perform gait analysis, ten stroke patients were grouped based on 4 types of gait conditions: gait without FES stimulation (non-FES), gait with FES stimulation on the tibialis anterior (Ta), gait with FES stimulation on the tibialis anterior and quadriceps (TaQ), and gait with FES stimulation on the tibialis anterior and gluteus medius (TaGm). [Results] Based on repeated measures analysis of variance of measurements of gait aspects comprised of gait speed, gait cycle, and step length according to the FES stimulation position, the FES stimulation significantly affected gait aspects. [Conclusion] In conclusion, stimulating the tibialis anterior and quadriceps and stimulating the tibialis anterior and gluteus medius are much more effective than stimulating only the tibialis anterior during gait training in stroke patients using FES. PMID:24764634

Statistical analysis of factors affecting landslide distribution in the new Madrid seismic zone, Tennessee and Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jibson, R.W.; Keefer, D.K.

1989-01-01

More than 220 large landslides along the bluffs bordering the Mississippi alluvial plain between Cairo, Ill., and Memphis, Tenn., are analyzed by discriminant analysis and multiple linear regression to determine the relative effects of slope height and steepness, stratigraphic variation, slope aspect, and proximity to the hypocenters of the 1811-12 New Madrid, Mo., earthquakes on the distribution of these landslides. Three types of landslides are analyzed: (1) old, coherent slumps and block slides, which have eroded and revegetated features and no active analogs in the area; (2) old earth flows, which are also eroded and revegetated; and (3) young rotational slumps, which are present only along near-river bluffs, and which are the only young, active landslides in the area. Discriminant analysis shows that only one characteristic differs significantly between bluffs with and without young rotational slumps: failed bluffs tend to have sand and clay at their base, which may render them more susceptible to fluvial erosion. Bluffs having old coherent slides are significantly higher, steeper, and closer to the hypocenters of the 1811-12 earthquakes than bluffs without these slides. Bluffs having old earth flows are likewise higher and closer to the earthquake hypocenters. Multiple regression analysis indicates that the distribution of young rotational slumps is affected most strongly by slope steepness: about one-third of the variation in the distribution is explained by variations in slope steepness. The distribution of old coherent slides and earth flows is affected most strongly by slope height, but the proximity to the hypocenters of the 1811-12 earthquakes also significantly affects the distribution. The results of the statistical analyses indicate that the only recently active landsliding in the area is along actively eroding river banks, where rotational slumps formed as bluffs are undercut by the river. The analyses further indicate that the old coherent slides

Neuroscience of affect: Brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure

PubMed Central

Berridge, Kent C.; Kringelbach, Morten L.

2013-01-01

Affective neuroscience aims to understand how affect (pleasure or displeasure) is created by brains. Progress is aided by recognizing that affect has both objective and subjective features. Those dual aspects reflect that affective reactions are generated by neural mechanisms, selected in evolution based on their real (objective) consequences for genetic fitness. We review evidence for neural representation of pleasure in the brain (gained largely from neuroimaging studies), and evidence for the causal generation of pleasure (gained largely from brain manipulation studies). We suggest that representation and causation may actually reflect somewhat separable neuropsychological functions. Representation reaches an apex in limbic regions of prefrontal cortex, especially orbitofrontal cortex, influencing decisions and affective regulation. Causation of core pleasure or liking reactions is much more subcortically weighted, and sometimes surprisingly localized. Pleasure liking is especially generated by restricted hedonic hotspot circuits in nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum. Another example of localized valence generation, beyond hedonic hotspots, is an affective keyboard mechanism in nucleus accumbens for releasing intense motivations such as either positively-valenced desire and/or negatively-valenced dread. PMID:23375169

Comparing Assessments of Students' Knowledge by Computerized Open-Ended and Multiple-Choice Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anbar, Michael

1991-01-01

Interactive computerized tests accepting unrestricted natural-language input were used to assess knowledge of clinical biophysics at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Comparison of responses to open-ended sequential questions and multiple-choice questions on the same material found the two formats test different aspects of competence.…

Arthrogryposis: an update on clinical aspects, etiology, and treatment strategies

PubMed Central

Feluś, Jarosław

2016-01-01

Arthrogryposes – multiple joint contractures – are a clinically and etiologically heterogeneous class of diseases, where accurate diagnosis, recognition of the underlying pathology and classification are of key importance for the prognosis as well as for selection of appropriate management. This treatment remains challenging and optimally in arthrogrypotic patients should be carried out by a team of specialists familiar with all aspects of arthrogryposis pathology and treatment modalities: rehabilitation, orthotics and surgery. In this comprehensive review article, based on literature and clinical experience, the authors present an update on current knowledge on etiology, classifications and treatment options for skeletal deformations possible in arthrogryposis. PMID:26925114

Multiple Object Tracking Reveals Object-Based Grouping Interference in Children with ASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van der Hallen, Ruth; Evers, Kris; de-Wit, Lee; Steyaert, Jean; Noens, Ilse; Wagemans, Johan

2018-01-01

The multiple object tracking (MOT) paradigm has proven its value in targeting a number of aspects of visual cognition. This study used MOT to investigate the effect of object-based grouping, both in children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A modified MOT task was administered to both groups, who had to track and distinguish four…

An analysis of the multiple model adaptive control algorithm. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greene, C. S.

1978-01-01

Qualitative and quantitative aspects of the multiple model adaptive control method are detailed. The method represents a cascade of something which resembles a maximum a posteriori probability identifier (basically a bank of Kalman filters) and a bank of linear quadratic regulators. Major qualitative properties of the MMAC method are examined and principle reasons for unacceptable behavior are explored.

Which Aspects of Social Support Are Associated With Which Cognitive Abilities for Which People?

PubMed

La Fleur, Claire G; Salthouse, Timothy A

2017-10-01

To assess the relations between 11 aspects of social support and five cognitive abilities (vocabulary, reasoning, spatial visualization, memory, and speed of processing) and to determine whether these relations between social support and cognition are moderated by age or sex. A sample of 2,613 individuals between the ages of 18 and 99 years completed a battery of cognitive tests and a questionnaire assessing aspects of social support. A measure of general intelligence was computed using principal components analysis. Multiple regressions were used to evaluate whether each aspect of support and/or its interactions with age or sex predicted each cognitive ability and g. Several aspects of social support were significantly related to all five cognitive abilities and to g. When g was included as a predictor, there were few relations with specific cognitive abilities. Age and sex did not moderate any of the relations. These results suggest that contact with family and friends, emotional and informational support, anticipated support, and negative interactions are related to cognition, whereas satisfaction with and tangible support were not. In addition, these aspects of support were primarily related to g, with the exception of family contact. Social support- cognition relations are comparable across the life span and the sexes. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mobilization of Neural Precursors in the Circulating Blood of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

circulating blood of patients with multiple sclerosis PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Ernesto R. Bongarzone, Ph.D... multiple sclerosis 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-09-1-0427 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Ernesto R. Bongarzone...NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is demyelinating disease that affects both men and women and is characterized by

Affect integration in dreams and dreaming.

PubMed

Grenell, Gary

2008-03-01

The processes by which dreaming aids in the ongoing integration of affects into the mind are approached here from complementary psychoanalytic and nonpsychoanalytic perspectives. One relevant notion is that the dream provides a psychological space wherein overwhelming, contradictory, or highly complex affects that under waking conditions are subject to dissociation, splitting, or disavowal may be brought together for observation by the dreaming ego. This process serves the need for psychological balance and equilibrium. A brief discussion of how the mind processes information during dreaming is followed by a consideration of four component aspects of the integrative process: the nature and use of the dream-space, the oscillating "me / not me" quality of the dream, the apparent reality of the dream, and the use of nonpathological projective identification in dreaming. Three clinical illustrations are offered and discussed.

Early multisensory interactions affect the competition among multiple visual objects.

PubMed

Van der Burg, Erik; Talsma, Durk; Olivers, Christian N L; Hickey, Clayton; Theeuwes, Jan

2011-04-01

In dynamic cluttered environments, audition and vision may benefit from each other in determining what deserves further attention and what does not. We investigated the underlying neural mechanisms responsible for attentional guidance by audiovisual stimuli in such an environment. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured during visual search through dynamic displays consisting of line elements that randomly changed orientation. Search accuracy improved when a target orientation change was synchronized with an auditory signal as compared to when the auditory signal was absent or synchronized with a distractor orientation change. The ERP data show that behavioral benefits were related to an early multisensory interaction over left parieto-occipital cortex (50-60 ms post-stimulus onset), which was followed by an early positive modulation (80-100 ms) over occipital and temporal areas contralateral to the audiovisual event, an enhanced N2pc (210-250 ms), and a contralateral negative slow wave (CNSW). The early multisensory interaction was correlated with behavioral search benefits, indicating that participants with a strong multisensory interaction benefited the most from the synchronized auditory signal. We suggest that an auditory signal enhances the neural response to a synchronized visual event, which increases the chances of selection in a multiple object environment. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship between affective determinants and achievement in science for seventeen-year-olds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Napier, John D.; Riley, Joseph P.

Data collected in the 1976-1977 NAEP survey of seventeen-year-olds was used to reanalyze the hypothesis that there are affective determinates of science achievement. Factor and item analysis procedures were used to examine affective and cognitive items from Booklet 4. Eight affective scales and one cognitive achievement scale were identified. Using stepwise multiple regression procedures, the four affective scales of Motivation, Anxiety, Student Choice, and Teacher Support were found to account for the majority of the correlation between the affective determinants and achievement.

Blade tip, finite aspect ratio, and dynamic stall effects on the Darrieus rotor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paraschivoiu, I.; Desy, P.; Masson, C.

1988-02-01

The objective of the work described in this paper was to apply the Boeing-Vertol dynamic stall model in an asymmetric manner to account for the asymmetry of the flow between the left and right sides of the rotor. This phenomenon has been observed by the flow visualization of a two-straight-bladed Darrieus rotor in the IMST water tunnel. Also introduced into the aerodynamic model are the effects of the blade tip and finite aspect ratio on the aerodynamic performance of the Darrieus wind turbine. These improvements are compatible with the double-multiple-streamtube model and have been included in the CARDAAV computer code for predicting the aerodynamic performance. Very good agreement has been observed between the test data (Sandia 17 m) and theoretical predictions; a significant improvement over the previous dynamic stall model was obtained for the rotor power at low tip speed ratios, while the inclusion of the finite aspect ratio effects enhances the prediction of the rotor power for high tip speed ratios. The tip losses and finite aspect ratio effects were also calculated for a small-scale vertical-axis wind turbine, with a two-straight-bladed (NACA 0015) rotor.

Positive and Negative Aspects of Relationship Quality and Unprotected Sex among Young Women.

PubMed

Brady, Sonya S; Gruber, Sandra K; Wolfson, Julian A

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine both positive and negative aspects of relationship quality in relation to condom use. Sexually active young women aged 14-18 years (n=111; 34% non-white) were recruited from community clinics and schools in the Midwest USA and provided data via an online survey. The number of unprotected sex acts in the past month with the most recent male partner was regressed on relationship quality with that partner, adjusting for demographics and other characteristics. Negative relationship quality was associated with a greater number of unprotected sex acts among women reporting a low level of positive relationship quality and among women taking hormonal/IUD contraception. Positive relationship quality was associated with unprotected sex among women who reported multiple partners in the past month. Both positive and negative aspects of relationship quality may confer risk for unprotected sex. This risk appears modified by patterns of contraceptive use and other sexual behaviours. Health professionals may be more effective in promoting condom use if they ask questions about both positive and negative aspects of young people's relationship quality and tailor their conversations based on the responses received.

Age-related differences in affective and cognitive empathy: self-report and performance-based evidence.

PubMed

Sun, Binghai; Luo, Zhenbing; Zhang, Wenwen; Li, Weijian; Li, Xinyu

2017-08-04

The correlation between age and empathy is not clear, with prior findings yielding mixed and inconsistent results. Here, we distinguished between two aspects of empathy and respectively investigated the effects of age on the affective and cognitive facets of empathy using a self-report measure (interpersonal reactivity index, IRI) and performance-based tasks (viewing films). The results showed that older adults manifested age-related deficits in both trait and state cognitive empathy, with the latter being positively associated with memory. Otherwise, the overall affective empathy increased in the elderly, but the age-related differences in affective empathy may be qualified by the valence of the film clips. Specifically, older participants showed more empathic concern (EC) and less personal distress (PD) to other people's emotions than the younger participants for the distress film. Interestingly, for the amusing film, older participants demonstrated more EC and PD. Overall, the two aspects of empathy have different development trajectories.

Oxytocin and Social Cognition in Affective and Psychotic Disorders

PubMed Central

Perez-Rodriguez, M. Mercedes; Mahon, Katie; Russo, Manuela; Ungar, Allison K.; Burdick, Katherine E.

2014-01-01

Impairments in social cognition are now recognized as core illness features in psychotic and affective disorders. Despite the significant disability caused by social cognitive abnormalities, treatments for this symptom dimension are lacking. Here, we describe the evidence demonstrating abnormalities in social cognition in schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder, as well as the neurobiology of social cognition including the role of oxytocin. We then review clinical trials of oxytocin administration in psychotic and affective disorders and the impact of this agent on social cognition. To date, several studies have demonstrated that oxytocin may improve social cognition in schizophrenia; too few studies have been conducted in affective disorders to determine the effect of oxytocin on social cognition in these disorders. Future work is needed to clarify which aspects of social cognition may be improved with oxytocin treatment in psychotic and affective disorders. PMID:25153535

Amyloid PET in pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Matías-Guiu, Jordi A; Cabrera-Martín, María Nieves; Cortés-Martínez, Ana; Pytel, Vanesa; Moreno-Ramos, Teresa; Oreja-Guevara, Celia; Carreras, José Luis; Matías-Guiu, Jorge

2017-07-01

Pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis is a rare form of demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Positron emission tomography (PET) using amyloid-tracers has also been suggested as a marker of damage in white matter lesions in multiple sclerosis due to the nonspecific uptake of these tracers in white matter. We present the case of a 59 year-old woman with a pathological-confirmed pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis, who was studied with the amyloid tracer 18 F-florbetaben. The patient had developed word-finding difficulties and right hemianopia twelve years ago. In that time, MRI showed a lesion on the left hemisphere with an infiltrating aspect in frontotemporal lobes. Brain biopsy showed demyelinating areas and inflammation. During the following years, two new clinical relapses occurred. 18 F-florbetaben PET showed lower uptake in the white matter lesion visualized in the CT and MRI images. Decreased tracer uptake was also observed in a larger area of the left hemisphere beyond the lesions observed on MRI or CT. White matter lesion volume on FLAIR was 44.2mL, and tracer uptake change between damaged white matter and normal appearing white matter was - 40.5%. Standardized uptake value was inferior in the pseudotumoral lesion than in the other white matter lesions. We report the findings of amyloid PET in a patient with pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis. This case provides further evidence on the role of amyloid PET in the assessment of white matter and demyelinating diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Grape aroma precursors in cv. Nebbiolo as affected by vine microclimate.

PubMed

Asproudi, Andriani; Petrozziello, Maurizio; Cavalletto, Silvia; Guidoni, Silvia

2016-11-15

The influence exerted by bunch microclimate on some C13-norisoprenoid precursors content was investigated for the first time in Nebbiolo grapes during ripening. Samples were collected, during two consecutive seasons, from two vineyards, which are characterized by different microclimatic conditions caused by vine vigour heterogeneity and different vineyard aspects. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the glycosides extracted from the grapes, and subsequent GC-MS determination of the aglycones, highlighted that the majority of norisoprenoid glycosides accumulated in Nebbiolo berries from pre-veraison until 3-4weeks post-veraison. Vineyard aspect and vine vigour affected the timing of the maximum concentration of norisoprenoid precursors and their subsequent decrease at harvest. Low light in the vigorous blocks penalized norisoprenoids peak concentration. In the south less vigorous blocks, a decline of total norisoprenoids content during the pre-harvest period was observed. This decline appeared mainly regulated by the temperature. Vintage and/or microclimatic conditions affected the final content of some important norisoprenoids. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student and Faculty Perceptions of Service Quality: The Moderating Role of the Institutional Aspects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duževic, Ines; Ceh Casni, Anita

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore key attributes of service quality in the Croatian higher education system. In particular, the study aims to compare student and faculty perceptions of service quality and to identify institutional aspects that may affect the perceptions of these two customers. Principal component analysis is used to define…

Domain-Specific Aspects of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Music Education and the Importance of Affect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macrides, Elena; Angeli, Charoula

2018-01-01

The present study addresses the lack of a theoretical framework for the integration of technology in music teaching and learning, and explores, within the framework of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), the importance of affect in the instructional design of music lessons. The purpose of this study is twofold: (a) to extend the…

Bafilomycin A1 and intracellular multiplication of Legionella pneumophila.

PubMed Central

Cattani, L; Goldoni, P; Pastoris, M C; Sinibaldi, L; Orsi, N

1997-01-01

Multiplication of Legionella pneumophila in HeLa cells was found to be inhibited by noncytotoxic concentrations of bafilomycin A1, with blockage of bacterial growth at a concentration 15.6 nM. The inhibiting action was evident only when the antibiotic was present during the initial phase of intracellular multiplication, i.e., during the formation of the phagosome, whereas the addition of the drug did not affect microorganisms already actively multiplying within the phagosome. PMID:8980784

Multiple effects of hydrological connectivity on floodplain processes in human modified river systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hein, Thomas; Bondar-Kunze, Elisabeth; Preiner, Stefan; Reckendorfer, Walter; Tritthart, Michael; Weigelhofer, Gabriele; Welti, Nina

2014-05-01

Floodplain and riparian ecosystems provide multiple functions and services of importance for human well-being and are of strategic importance for different sectors at catchment scale. Especially floodplains in the vicinity of urban areas can be areas of conflicting interests ranging from different land use types, flood water retention, drinking water production and recreation to conservation of last remnants of former riverine landscape, as it is the case in floodplains in the Danube Nationalpark downstream Vienna. Many of these ecosystem functions and services are controlled by the exchange conditions between river main channel and floodplain systems, the hydrological connectivity. At the same time these systems have been highly altered and especially the connectivity has been severely impaired. Thus, far ranging effects of changes in hydrological connectivity at various levels can be expected in altered floodplain systems. The aim of this presentation is to explore the complex control of different ecosystem functions and associated services by different parameters of hydrological connectivity, ranging from nutrient, sediment and matter dynamics and biodiversity aspects. Increasing connectivity will be shown to impact microbial dynamics, sediment-water interactions, carbon dynamics and trophic conditions, thus affecting the fundamental functions of particular floodplain systems at various spatial and temporal scales. Based on these changes also the provision of ecosystem services of floodplains is affected. The results clearly show that hydrological connectivity needs to be considered in a sustainable management approach.

Focus of Attention Affects Performance of Motor Skills in Music

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duke, Robert A.; Cash, Carla Davis; Allen, Sarah E.

2011-01-01

To test the extent to which learners performing a simple keyboard passage would be affected by directing their focus of attention to different aspects of their movements, 16 music majors performed a brief keyboard passage under each of four focus conditions arranged in a counterbalanced design--a total of 64 experimental sessions. As they…

[Intercultural aspects of the health system reform in Bolivia].

PubMed

Ramírez Hita, Susana

2014-01-01

This article is a reflection on how interculturality, understood as the way to improve the health of the Bolivian population and coupled with the concept of living well, is not contributing to improving the quality of life and health of the most vulnerable populations in the country. The discourse is coupled with the intention of saving lives in its broadest sense; however, for this it is necessary to make decisions about environmental health and extractivist policies that are not taken into account in the health issues affecting indigenous communities, a population targeted by the intercultural aspects of the health reform.

Affecting Factors on Local Waste Management in Penyangkringan Village, Weleri: an Identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puspita Adriyanti, Nadia; Candra Dewi, Ova; Gamal, Ahmad; Joko Romadhon, Mohammad; Raditya

2018-03-01

Villages in Indonesia usually does not have proper waste management and it is affecting the environmental and social condition in those places. Local governments have been trying to implement many kinds of solid waste management systems and yet many of them does not bear fruit. We argue that the failure of the waste management implementation in Indonesian villages is due to several aspects: the geographic condition of the villages, the social conditions, and the availability of facilities and infrastructures in those villages. Waste management should be modeled in accordance to those three aspects.

Exploring the Affective Dimension of Teachers' Work in Alternative School Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

te Riele, Kitty; Mills, Martin; McGregor, Glenda; Baroutsis, Aspa

2017-01-01

The affective dimension of teachers' work is a vital element in shaping inclusive, child-centred classrooms. It is particularly important for students who lack certain aspects of care and support within their personal lives. Recently, neoliberal educational paradigms of data gathering, external testing and competition have increased pressure upon…

Genetic and orthopedic aspects of collagen disorders.

PubMed

Carter, Erin M; Raggio, Cathleen L

2009-02-01

'Collagens' are a family of structurally related proteins that play a wide variety of roles in the extracellular matrix. To date, there are at least 29 known types of collagen. Accordingly, abnormality in the various collagens produces a large category of diseases with heterogeneous symptoms. This review presents genetic and orthopedic aspects of type II, IX, and XI collagen disorders. Although a diverse group of conditions, mutation of collagens affecting the articular cartilage typically produces an epiphyseal skeletal dysplasia phenotype. Often, the ocular or auditory systems or both are also involved. Treatment of these collagenopathies is symptomatic and individualized. Study of tissue from animal models allows examination of mutation effects on the abnormal protein structure and function. The collagen superfamily comprises an important structural protein in mammalian connective tissue. Mutation of collagens produces a wide variety of genetic disorders, and those mutations affecting types II, IX, and XI collagens produce an overlapping spectrum of skeletal dysplasias. Findings range from lethal to mild, depending on the mutation of the collagen gene and its subsequent effect on the structure and/or metabolism of the resultant procollagen and/or collagen protein and its function in the body.

What aspects of vision facilitate haptic processing?

PubMed

Millar, Susanna; Al-Attar, Zainab

2005-12-01

We investigate how vision affects haptic performance when task-relevant visual cues are reduced or excluded. The task was to remember the spatial location of six landmarks that were explored by touch in a tactile map. Here, we use specially designed spectacles that simulate residual peripheral vision, tunnel vision, diffuse light perception, and total blindness. Results for target locations differed, suggesting additional effects from adjacent touch cues. These are discussed. Touch with full vision was most accurate, as expected. Peripheral and tunnel vision, which reduce visuo-spatial cues, differed in error pattern. Both were less accurate than full vision, and significantly more accurate than touch with diffuse light perception, and touch alone. The important finding was that touch with diffuse light perception, which excludes spatial cues, did not differ from touch without vision in performance accuracy, nor in location error pattern. The contrast between spatially relevant versus spatially irrelevant vision provides new, rather decisive, evidence against the hypothesis that vision affects haptic processing even if it does not add task-relevant information. The results support optimal integration theories, and suggest that spatial and non-spatial aspects of vision need explicit distinction in bimodal studies and theories of spatial integration.

N7 logic via patterning using templated DSA: implementation aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bekaert, J.; Doise, J.; Gronheid, R.; Ryckaert, J.; Vandenberghe, G.; Fenger, G.; Her, Y. J.; Cao, Y.

2015-07-01

In recent years, major advancements have been made in the directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers (BCP). Insertion of DSA for IC fabrication is seriously considered for the 7 nm node. At this node the DSA technology could alleviate costs for multiple patterning and limit the number of masks that would be required per layer. At imec, multiple approaches for inserting DSA into the 7 nm node are considered. One of the most straightforward approaches for implementation would be for via patterning through templated DSA; a grapho-epitaxy flow using cylindrical phase BCP material resulting in contact hole multiplication within a litho-defined pre-pattern. To be implemented for 7 nm node via patterning, not only the appropriate process flow needs to be available, but also DSA-aware mask decomposition is required. In this paper, several aspects of the imec approach for implementing templated DSA will be discussed, including experimental demonstration of density effect mitigation, DSA hole pattern transfer and double DSA patterning, creation of a compact DSA model. Using an actual 7 nm node logic layout, we derive DSA-friendly design rules in a logical way from a lithographer's view point. A concrete assessment is provided on how DSA-friendly design could potentially reduce the number of Via masks for a place-and-routed N7 logic pattern.

A retrospective analysis of the sentence writing component of the Mini Mental State Examination: cognitive and affective aspects.

PubMed

Press, Yan; Velikiy, Natalia; Berzak, Alex; Tandeter, Howard; Peleg, Roni; Freud, Tamar; Punchik, Boris; Dwolatzky, Tzvi

2012-01-01

One of the components of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is the request to write a sentence. We investigated the relationship between the characteristics of the written sentence of the MMSE and the cognitive and affective status of elderly patients. The characteristics of the sentence were compared to the total MMSE score, sociodemographic characteristics, tests evaluating cognition and affective status, and diagnoses. The number of words was significantly associated with the degree of cognitive impairment, whereas the emotional polarity of sentences and concerns about health were associated with depression. Characteristics of the MMSE sentence may provide important additional information regarding both cognition and affect when assessing older people. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Decision Aids for Multiple-Decision Disease Management as Affected by Weather Input Errors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Many disease management decision support systems (DSS) rely, exclusively or in part, on weather inputs to calculate an indicator for disease hazard. Error in the weather inputs, typically due to forecasting, interpolation or estimation from off-site sources, may affect model calculations and manage...

Reliability and Clinical Significance of Mobility and Balance Assessments in Multiple Sclerosis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Learmonth, Yvonne C.; Paul, Lorna; McFadyen, Angus K.; Mattison, Paul; Miller, Linda

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to establish the test-retest reliability, clinical significance and precision of four mobility and balance measures--the Timed 25-Foot Walk, Six-minute Walk, Timed Up and Go and the Berg Balance Scale--in individuals moderately affected by multiple sclerosis. Twenty four participants with multiple sclerosis (Extended…

Fingolimod hydrochloride for the treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Thomas, Katja; Proschmann, Undine; Ziemssen, Tjalf

2017-10-01

Fingolimod was the first oral and the first in class disease modifying treatment in multiple sclerosis that acts as sphingosine-1-phospathe receptor agonist. Since approval in 2010 there is a growing experience with fingolimod use in clinical practice, but also next-generation sphingosin-1-receptor agonists in ongoing clinical trials. Growing evidence demonstrates additional effects beyond impact on lymphocyte circulation, highlighting further promising targets in multiple sclerosis therapy. Areas covered: Here we present a systematic review using PubMed database searching and expert opinion on fingolimod use in clinical practice. Long-term data of initial clinical trials and post-marketing evaluations including long-term efficacy, safety, tolerability and management especially within growing disease modifying treatment options and pre-treatment constellation in multiple sclerosis patients are critically discussed. Furthermore novel findings in mechanism of actions and prospective on additional use in progressive forms in multiple sclerosis are presented. Expert opinion: There is an extensive long-term experience on fingolimod use in clinical practice demonstrating the favorable benefit-risk of this drug. Using a defined risk management approach experienced MS clinicians should apply fingolimod after critical choice of patients and review of clinical aspects. Further studies are essential to discuss additional benefit in progressive forms in multiple sclerosis.

Do Afterlife Beliefs Affect Psychological Adjustment to Late-Life Spousal Loss?

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Objectives. We explore whether beliefs about the existence and nature of an afterlife affect 5 psychological symptoms (anxiety, anger, depression, intrusive thoughts, and yearning) among recently bereaved older spouses. Method. We conduct multivariate regression analyses using data from the Changing Lives of Older Couples (CLOC), a prospective study of spousal loss. The CLOC obtained data from bereaved persons prior to loss and both 6 and 18 months postloss. All analyses are adjusted for health, sociodemographic characteristics, and preloss marital quality. Results. Bleak or uncertain views about the afterlife are associated with multiple aspects of distress postloss. Uncertainty about the existence of an afterlife is associated with elevated intrusive thoughts, a symptom similar to posttraumatic distress. Widowed persons who do not expect to be reunited with loved ones in the afterlife report significantly more depressive symptoms, anger, and intrusive thoughts at both 6 and 18 months postloss. Discussion. Beliefs in an afterlife may be maladaptive for coping with late-life spousal loss, particularly if one is uncertain about its existence or holds a pessimistic view of what the afterlife entails. Our findings are broadly consistent with recent work suggesting that “continuing bonds” with the decedent may not be adaptive for older bereaved spouses. PMID:23811692

Links between Bloom's Taxonomy and Gardener's Multiple Intelligences: The Issue of Textbook Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tabari, Mahmoud Abdi; Tabari, Iman Abdi

2015-01-01

The major thrust of this research was to investigate the cognitive aspect of the high school textbooks and interchange series, due to their extensive use, through content analysis based on Bloom's taxonomy and Gardner's Multiple Intelligences (MI). This study embraced two perspectives in a grid in order to broaden and deepen the analysis by…

Effect of multiple circular holes Fraunhofer diffraction for the infrared optical imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Chunlian; Lv, He; Cao, Yang; Cai, Zhisong; Tan, Xiaojun

2014-11-01

With the development of infrared optics, infrared optical imaging systems play an increasingly important role in modern optical imaging systems. Infrared optical imaging is used in industry, agriculture, medical, military and transportation. But in terms of infrared optical imaging systems which are exposed for a long time, some contaminations will affect the infrared optical imaging. When the contamination contaminate on the lens surface of the optical system, it would affect diffraction. The lens can be seen as complementary multiple circular holes screen happen Fraunhofer diffraction. According to Babinet principle, you can get the diffraction of the imaging system. Therefore, by studying the multiple circular holes Fraunhofer diffraction, conclusions can be drawn about the effect of infrared imaging. This paper mainly studies the effect of multiple circular holes Fraunhofer diffraction for the optical imaging. Firstly, we introduce the theory of Fraunhofer diffraction and Point Spread Function. Point Spread Function is a basic tool to evaluate the image quality of the optical system. Fraunhofer diffraction will affect Point Spread Function. Then, the results of multiple circular holes Fraunhofer diffraction are given for different hole size and hole spacing. We choose the hole size from 0.1mm to 1mm and hole spacing from 0.3mm to 0.8mm. The infrared wavebands of optical imaging are chosen from 1μm to 5μm. We use the MATLAB to simulate light intensity distribution of multiple circular holes Fraunhofer diffraction. Finally, three-dimensional diffraction maps of light intensity are given to contrast.

Fractional populations in multiple gene inheritance.

PubMed

Chung, Myung-Hoon; Kim, Chul Koo; Nahm, Kyun

2003-01-22

With complete knowledge of the human genome sequence, one of the most interesting tasks remaining is to understand the functions of individual genes and how they communicate. Using the information about genes (locus, allele, mutation rate, fitness, etc.), we attempt to explain population demographic data. This population evolution study could complement and enhance biologists' understanding about genes. We present a general approach to study population genetics in complex situations. In the present approach, multiple allele inheritance, multiple loci inheritance, natural selection and mutations are allowed simultaneously in order to consider a more realistic situation. A simulation program is presented so that readers can readily carry out studies with their own parameters. It is shown that the multiplicity of the loci greatly affects the demographic results of fractional population ratios. Furthermore, the study indicates that some high infant mortality rates due to congenital anomalies can be attributed to multiple loci inheritance. The simulation program can be downloaded from http://won.hongik.ac.kr/~mhchung/index_files/yapop.htm. In order to run this program, one needs Visual Studio.NET platform, which can be downloaded from http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/downloads/default.asp.

Older Workers and Affective Job Satisfaction: Gender Invariance in Spain

PubMed Central

Fernández-Muñoz, Juan J.; Topa, Gabriela

2018-01-01

Older employees’ affective job satisfaction is an aspect that arouses growing interest among researchers. Among the affective measures of job satisfaction, the Brief Index of Affective Job Satisfaction (BIAJS) is one of the most used in the last decade. This study is intended to the test the gender invariance of the BIAJS in two samples of workers over age 40 in Spain. The first sample, of 300 participants and the second sample, of 399 participants, have been used to test gender invariance of the BIAJS. In comparison with the original English version, the Spanish version of the BIAJS has adequate psychometric properties. The findings allow us to consider it a valid and reliable tool to assess older people’s affective expressions about their work. In addition, this study provides evidence of its factorial invariance as a function of gender. PMID:29937748

Emotion and decision making: multiple modulatory neural circuits.

PubMed

Phelps, Elizabeth A; Lempert, Karolina M; Sokol-Hessner, Peter

2014-01-01

Although the prevalent view of emotion and decision making is derived from the notion that there are dual systems of emotion and reason, a modulatory relationship more accurately reflects the current research in affective neuroscience and neuroeconomics. Studies show two potential mechanisms for affect's modulation of the computation of subjective value and decisions. Incidental affective states may carry over to the assessment of subjective value and the decision, and emotional reactions to the choice may be incorporated into the value calculation. In addition, this modulatory relationship is reciprocal: Changing emotion can change choices. This research suggests that the neural mechanisms mediating the relation between affect and choice vary depending on which affective component is engaged and which decision variables are assessed. We suggest that a detailed and nuanced understanding of emotion and decision making requires characterizing the multiple modulatory neural circuits underlying the different means by which emotion and affect can influence choices.

[Impact of children with multiple disabilities on families in Abidjan].

PubMed

N Dri, Koumé Mathias; Yaya, Issifou; Zigoli, Robertine; Endemel Ayabakan, François; Ipou, Stéphane Yves; Lambert Moke, Botty

A child's multiple disabilities have a major impact on families in both developed and developing countries. In Côte d'Ivoire, very few data are available concerning the real experiences of families of children with multiple disabilities. The objective of this study was to improve our knowledge of the impact of children with multiple disabilities on families in Côte d'Ivoire. A qualitative study was conducted among the families consulting the Child Guidance Centre of the National Institute of Public Health in Abidjan. Data were collected in May 2015 by semi-structured individual interviews with mothers of children with multiple disabilities. Twenty mothers of multiply disabled children between the ages of 2 and 14 years were interviewed. The child's multiple disability was found to have a negative impact on finances, health, and social life. Health check-ups, treatment and transport are the main additional costs. Mothers suffer from insomnia, fatigue, back pain and anxiety and were often held responsible for their child's disability. A disabled child was a source of discord in several couples and a cause of school drop-out in some families.This study partially addresses the experiences of families with children with multiple disabilities. It confirms the results of several other studies, highlighting the vulnerability and social dysfunction of these families. The presence of a child with multiple disabilities in a family is a source of psychological, financial and social upheaval. This study raises questions about the impact of multiple disabilities on the whole family and a more detailed analysis of economic aspects.

SMASH: A Diagnostic Tool to Monitor Student Metacognition, Affect, and Study Habits in an Undergraduate Science Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metzger, Kelsey J.; Smith, Brittany A.; Brown, Ethan; Soneral, Paula A. G.

2018-01-01

This study describes the development and implementation of an iterative diagnostic and intervention routine designed to elicit and quantitatively describe aspects of student metacognition, affect, and study habits in a first-year undergraduate biology course. The Student Metacognition, Affect, and Study Habits (SMASH) inventory is a…

[Multiple sites extrapodal actinomycetoma: Favorable outcome to treatment with a combination of cotrimoxazole and NSAI].

PubMed

Diallo, B; Barro-Traoré, F; Bamba, S; Sanou-Lamien, A; Traoré, S S; Andonaba, J-B; Konaté, I; Niamba, P; Traoré, A; Guiguemdé, T R

2015-12-01

Mycetoma is a bacteriological or fungal infectious disease affecting the skin and/or soft tissues, which can be complicated by bone involvement. The most common feature is a tumor of the foot, but extrapodal localizations have been described. We report one case of a 47-year-old man who presented with tumefaction of a leg with multiple skin fistulae. Histopathological examination permitted to confirm the diagnosis of actinomycetoma and TDM showed the degree of bone and soft tissues involvement. Our case was characterized by the very inflammatory aspect of the tumor, its localization to the leg without foot involvement, the modest functional signs compared to the importance of radiological bone involvements, the deep destruction of the fibula while the tibia was apparently intact and the good response to treatment. In spite of its characteristic features, diagnosis of mycetoma is still late in our country, often with bone and/or articular spread. Priority may be given to measures for reduction of mycetoma diagnosis lateness. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.