Photointerpretation of Skylab 2 multispectral camera (S-190A) data: Advance report of significant results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, M. L. (Principal Investigator)

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. A significant and possible major economic example of the practical value of Skylab photographs was provided by locating on Skylab Camera Station Number 4, frame 010, SL-2, an area of exposures of limestone rocks which were thought to be completely covered by volcanic rocks based upon prior mapping. The area is located less than 12 miles north of the Ruth porphyry copper deposit, White Pine County, Nevada. This is a major copper producing open pit mine owned by Kennecott Copper Corporation. Geophysical maps consisting of gravity and aeromagnetic studies have been published indicating three large positive magnetic anomalies located at the Ruth ore deposits, the Ward Mountain, not a mineralized area, and in the area previously thought to be completely covered by post-ore volcanics. Skylab photos indicate, however, that erosion has removed volcanic cover in specific sites sufficient to expose the underlying older rocks suggesting, therefore, that the volcanic rocks may not be the cause of the aeromagnetic anomaly. Field studies have verified the initial interpretations made from the Skylab photos. The potential significance of this study is that the large positive aeromagnetic anomaly suggests the presence of cooled and solidified magma below the anomalies, in which ore-bearing solutions may have been derived forming possible large ore deposits.

Widespread surface meltwater drainage in Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kingslake, J.; Ely, J.; Das, I.; Bell, R. E.

2016-12-01

Surface meltwater is thought to cause ice-shelf disintegration, which accelerates the contribution of ice sheets to sea-level rise. Antarctic surface melting is predicted to increase and trigger further ice-shelf disintegration during this century. These climate-change impacts could be modulated by an active hydrological network analogous to the one in operation in Greenland. Despite some observations of Antarctic surface and sub-surface hydrological systems, large-scale active surface drainage in Antarctica has rarely been studied. We use satellite imagery and aerial photography to reveal widespread active hydrology on the surface of the Antarctic Ice Sheet as far south as 85o and as high as 1800 m a.s.l., often near mountain peaks that protrude through the ice (nunataks) and relatively low-albedo `blue-ice areas'. Despite predominantly sub-zero regional air temperatures, as simulated by a regional climate model, Antarctic active drainage has persisted for decades, transporting water through surface streams and feeding vast melt ponds up to 80 km long. Drainage networks (the largest are over 100 km in length) form on flat ice shelves, steep outlet glaciers and ice-sheet flanks across the West and East Antarctica Ice Sheets. Motivated by the proximity of many drainage systems to low-albedo rock and blue-ice areas, we hypothesize a positive feedback between exposed-rock extent, BIA formation, melting and ice-sheet thinning. This feedback relies on drainage moving water long distances from areas near exposed rock, across the grounding line onto and across ice shelves - a process we observe, but had previously thought to be unlikely in Antarctica. This work highlights previously-overlooked processes, not captured by current regional-scale models, which may accelerate the retreat of the Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Yellow fever in Brazil: thoughts and hypotheses on the emergence in previously free areas.

PubMed

Vasconcelos, Pedro Fernando da Costa

2010-12-01

This article describes and discusses factors associated to the reemergence of yellow fever and its transmission dynamics in the states of São Paulo (Southeastern Brazil) and Rio Grande do Sul (Southern) during 2008 and 2009. The following factors have played a pivotal role for the reemergence of yellow fever in these areas: large susceptible human population; high prevalence of vectors and primary hosts (non-human primates); favorable climate conditions, especially increased rainfall; emergence of a new genetic lineage; and circulation of people and/or monkeys infected by virus. There is a need for an effective surveillance program to prevent the reemergence of yellow fever in other Brazilian states.

Determination of cardiac size from chest roentgenograms following Skylab missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicogossian, A. E.; Hoffler, G. W.; Johnson, R. L.; Gowen, R. J.

1974-01-01

Decreased cardiothoracic transverse diameter ratios following Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space flights have been reported previously. To evaluate further changes in cardiac size, standard posteroanterior chest films in systole and diastole were obtained before flight and within a few hours after recovery on each of the Skylab astronauts. Postflight chest X-rays were visually compared to the preflight roentgenograms for possible changes in pulmonary vasculature, lung parenchyma, bony or soft tissue structures. From these roentgenograms the following measurements were obtained: cardiac and thoracic transverse diameters, cardiothoracic transverse diameter ratio, cardiac area from the product of both diagonal diameters, cardiac silhouette area by planimetry, thoracic cage area and cardiothoracic area ratio. The postflight frontal cardiac silhouette sizes were significantly decreased when compared with the respective preflight values (P0.05 or 0.01). The observed changes are thought to be related to postflight decrease in the intracardiac chamber volume.

Hydrothermal activity lowers trophic diversity in Antarctic hydrothermal sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, James B.; Reid, William D. K.; Pearce, David A.; Glover, Adrian G.; Sweeting, Christopher J.; Newton, Jason; Woulds, Clare

2017-12-01

Hydrothermal sediments are those in which hydrothermal fluid is discharged through sediments and are one of the least studied deep-sea ecosystems. We present a combination of microbial and biochemical data to assess trophodynamics between and within hydrothermal and background areas of the Bransfield Strait (1050-1647 m of depth). Microbial composition, biomass, and fatty acid signatures varied widely between and within hydrothermally active and background sites, providing evidence of diverse metabolic activity. Several species had different feeding strategies and trophic positions between hydrothermally active and inactive areas, and the stable isotope values of consumers were not consistent with feeding morphology. Niche area and the diversity of microbial fatty acids was lowest at the most hydrothermally active site, reflecting trends in species diversity. Faunal uptake of chemosynthetically produced organics was relatively limited but was detected at both hydrothermal and non-hydrothermal sites, potentially suggesting that hydrothermal activity can affect trophodynamics over a much wider area than previously thought.

New mapping near Iron Creek, Talkeetna Mountains, indicates presence of Nikolai greenstone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schmidt, Jeanine M.; Werdon, Melanie B.; Wardlaw, Bruce R.

2003-01-01

Detailed geologic mapping in the Iron Creek area, Talkeetna Mountains B-5 Quadrangle, has documented several intrusive bodies and rock units not previously recognized and has extended the geologic history of the area through the Mesozoic and into the Tertiary era. Greenschist-facies metabasalt and metagabbro previously thought to be Paleozoic are intruded by Late Cretaceous to Paleocene dioritic to granitic plutons. The metabasalts are massive to amygdaloidal, commonly contain abundant magnetite, and large areas are patchily altered to epidote ± quartz. They host numerous copper oxide–copper sulfide–quartz–hematite veins and amygdule fillings. These lithologic features, recognized in the field, suggested a correlation of the metamafic rocks with the Late Triassic Nikolai Greenstone, which had not previously been mapped in the Iron Creek area. Thin, discontinuous metalimestones that overlie the metabasalt sequence had previously been assigned a Pennsylvanian(?) and Early Permian age on the basis of correlation with marbles to the north, which yielded Late Paleozoic or Permian macrofossils, or both. Three new samples from the metalimestones near Iron Creek yielded Late Triassic conodonts, which confirms the correlation of the underlying metamafic rocks with Nikolai Greenstone. These new data extend the occurrence of Nikolai Greenstone about 70 km southwest of its previously mapped extent.Five to 10 km north of the conodont sample localities, numerous microgabbro and diabase sills intrude siliceous and locally calcareous metasedimentary rocks of uncertain age. These sills probably represent feeder zones to the Nikolai Greenstone. In the Mt. Hayes quadrangle 150 km to the northeast, large sill-form mafic and ultramafic feeders (for example, the Fish Lake complex) to the Nikolai Greenstone in the Amphitheatre Mountains host magmatic sulfide nickel–copper–platinum-group-element (PGE) mineralization. This new recognition of Nikolai Greenstone and possible magmatic feeders in the Iron Creek area suggests a much greater potential for large PGE, copper, or nickel deposits in the Talkeetna Mountains than previous mineral resource appraisals of the area have suggested, and requires reevaluation of large-scale tectonic models for the area.

From conscious thought to automatic action: A simulation account of action planning.

PubMed

Martiny-Huenger, Torsten; Martiny, Sarah E; Parks-Stamm, Elizabeth J; Pfeiffer, Elisa; Gollwitzer, Peter M

2017-10-01

We provide a theoretical framework and empirical evidence for how verbally planning an action creates direct perception-action links and behavioral automaticity. We argue that planning actions in an if (situation)-then (action) format induces sensorimotor simulations (i.e., activity patterns reenacting the event in the sensory and motor brain areas) of the anticipated situation and the intended action. Due to their temporal overlap, these activity patterns become linked. Whenever the previously simulated situation is encountered, the previously simulated action is partially reactivated through spreading activation and thus more likely to be executed. In 4 experiments (N = 363), we investigated the relation between specific if-then action plans worded to activate simulations of elbow flexion versus extension movements and actual elbow flexion versus extension movements in a subsequent, ostensibly unrelated categorization task. As expected, linking a critical stimulus to intended actions that implied elbow flexion movements (e.g., grabbing it for consumption) subsequently facilitated elbow flexion movements upon encountering the critical stimulus. However, linking a critical stimulus to actions that implied elbow extension movements (e.g., pointing at it) subsequently facilitated elbow extension movements upon encountering the critical stimulus. Thus, minor differences (i.e., exchanging the words "point at" with "grab") in verbally formulated action plans (i.e., conscious thought) had systematic consequences on subsequent actions. The question of how conscious thought can induce stimulus-triggered action is illuminated by the provided theoretical framework and the respective empirical evidence, facilitating the understanding of behavioral automaticity and human agency. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Thought confidence as a determinant of persuasion: the self-validation hypothesis.

PubMed

Petty, Richard E; Briñol, Pablo; Tormala, Zakary L

2002-05-01

Previous research in the domain of attitude change has described 2 primary dimensions of thinking that impact persuasion processes and outcomes: the extent (amount) of thinking and the direction (valence) of issue-relevant thought. The authors examined the possibility that another, more meta-cognitive aspect of thinking is also important-the degree of confidence people have in their own thoughts. Four studies test the notion that thought confidence affects the extent of persuasion. When positive thoughts dominate in response to a message, increasing confidence in those thoughts increases persuasion, but when negative thoughts dominate, increasing confidence decreases persuasion. In addition, using self-reported and manipulated thought confidence in separate studies, the authors provide evidence that the magnitude of the attitude-thought relationship depends on the confidence people have in their thoughts. Finally, the authors also show that these self-validation effects are most likely in situations that foster high amounts of information processing activity.

ScienceCast 77: Weird Planets

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-09-06

Once, astronomers thought planets couldn't form around binary stars. Now Kepler has found a whole system of planers orbiting a double star. This finding shows that planetary systems are weirder and more abundant than previously thought.

Food for thought: examining the relationship between food thought suppression and weight-related outcomes.

PubMed

Barnes, Rachel D; Tantleff-Dunn, Stacey

2010-08-01

The current study sought to extend previous eating behaviors and thought suppression literature by assessing the relationship between food thought suppression and weight-related outcomes. Three hundred and twelve overweight/obese community men and women completed self-report measures of thought suppression, weight history, and eating behaviors. Women were more likely than men to endorse food thought suppression, as were individuals who currently were dieting, when compared with those nondieters. Food thought suppression also predicted binge eating, food cravings, and other eating disordered symptoms. Results have implications for obesity and support further exploration of third wave interventions, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness, in the treatment of obesity. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The psychosocial pathway to mental well-being at the local level: investigating the effects of perceived relative position in a deprived area context.

PubMed

Kearns, Ade; Whitley, Elise; Bond, Lyndal; Egan, Matt; Tannahill, Carol

2013-01-01

The study investigated whether perceived relative position was associated with mental well-being for people living in deprived areas, as a contribution to debates about income inequality, relative deprivation and health. A survey of 4615 residents of deprived areas of Glasgow measured mental well-being using the WEMWBS scale. Perceived relative position was assessed locally and across wider society in relation to housing, neighbourhood and standard of living. Personal and dwelling characteristics were controlled for. Mental well-being was found to be positively associated with: perceived relative quality (RR 4.1, 95% CI 2.4 to 6.8) and status (RR 7.1, 95% CI 4.5 to 11.1) of the home; perceived internal reputation of the neighbourhood (RR 4.9, 95% CI 2.9 to 8.2), though not external reputation; and perceived relative standard of living (RR 5.2, 95% CI 3.2 to 8.4). Furthermore, respondents who thought they lived in an area where some people had higher incomes than others also reported higher mental well-being (RR 4.5, 95% CI 2.2 to 9.1), controlling for the effects of their own income. Studies of inequality and health could give more consideration to the importance of the residential domain of housing and neighbourhood to mental well-being outcomes, via the psychosocial pathway. The local spatial scale may be more important to issues of relative deprivation than previously thought, as people make local as well as broader comparisons. The ability to make upward comparisons of income within deprived areas may be beneficial to residents rather than detrimental, possibly as an indicator of area progress and 'normality'.

The attention habit: how reward learning shapes attentional selection.

PubMed

Anderson, Brian A

2016-04-01

There is growing consensus that reward plays an important role in the control of attention. Until recently, reward was thought to influence attention indirectly by modulating task-specific motivation and its effects on voluntary control over selection. Such an account was consistent with the goal-directed (endogenous) versus stimulus-driven (exogenous) framework that had long dominated the field of attention research. Now, a different perspective is emerging. Demonstrations that previously reward-associated stimuli can automatically capture attention even when physically inconspicuous and task-irrelevant challenge previously held assumptions about attentional control. The idea that attentional selection can be value driven, reflecting a distinct and previously unrecognized control mechanism, has gained traction. Since these early demonstrations, the influence of reward learning on attention has rapidly become an area of intense investigation, sparking many new insights. The result is an emerging picture of how the reward system of the brain automatically biases information processing. Here, I review the progress that has been made in this area, synthesizing a wealth of recent evidence to provide an integrated, up-to-date account of value-driven attention and some of its broader implications. © 2015 New York Academy of Sciences.

An update on adverse drug reactions related to β-lactam antibiotics.

PubMed

Vardakas, Konstantinos Z; Kalimeris, Georgios D; Triarides, Nikolaos A; Falagas, Matthew E

2018-05-01

β-lactams have been consistently associated with the majority of drug-related adverse events. Generally, these are mild under proper dosing and judicious selection. Areas covered: Immediate hypersensitivity reactions are the most feared adverse events encountered after β-lactam administration. Emerging evidence shows that immediate reactions are not as common as previously thought. Specialist consultation and testing seems prudent before a patient is officially declared allergic to β-lactams. The risk of cross-reactions between not only members of the β-lactam super-family but also between specific classes is also lower than previously thought. Newer studies have shown that cross-reactions are not universal and pertain to specific agents with similar side chains or metabolites of the β-lactam core. The frequency of severe kidney or liver toxicity, neurotoxicity, cytopenias and Clostiridium difficile infection following β-lactam administration seem to be agent-specific. Expert opinion: The currently available data denote that in addition to age, gender, co-morbidity, renal or liver function, and co-administered agents, the antibiotic levels rather than the dose itself seem to be associated with the emergence of adverse events. Most of them subside with time after withdrawal of the offending agent, but the number of cases resulting in chronic disabilities or even deaths in not negligible.

Thought Control Ability Is Different from Rumination in Explaining the Association between Neuroticism and Depression: A Three-Study Replication

PubMed Central

Lu, Feng-Ying; Yang, Wen-Jing; Zhang, Qing-Lin; Qiu, Jiang

2017-01-01

Neuroticism is the most common vulnerability factor of depression. However, the mechanism underlying this vulnerability is still unclear. Previous studies suggested that rumination intensifies the negative effect of neuroticism on depression. However, whether cognitive control could explain the association between neuroticism and depression remains unclear to date. Therefore, this study evaluated the indirect effects of rumination and thought control on the relationship between neuroticism and depression. Seven self-report measures were employed among healthy and main depression disorder (MDD) participants. Three studies were used to examine the hypotheses. Results of the three studies showed significant correlations among neuroticism, rumination, thought control, and depression. Rumination mediated the link between neuroticism and depression among healthy young adults, and this finding replicated previous studies. This study provided new evidence that thought control mediates the association between neuroticism and depression in both healthy and MDD populations. In conclusion, rumination increases neuroticism risk for depression, but high-level thought control decreases the effect of neuroticism on depression. This study may serve as a reference to develop effective and focused interventions for MDD patients. PMID:28620326

Regional scale climatic trends derived from Younger Dryas glaciers in Britain.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearce, Danni; Pellitero, Ramon; Rea, Brice R.; Barr, Iestyn; Small, David; McDougall, Des

2016-04-01

In Britain, the glacial geomorphological record has been utilised to infer palaeo-glacier geometries and ice dynamics, with much of this work focussing on the Younger Dryas (YD; c. 12.9 - 11.7 ka BP). During the YD the West Highlands ice-cap covered the majority of the Scottish Highlands, which is thought to have affected accumulation rates beyond the ice-cap margins, resulting in a steep (c. 80%) easterly decline in precipitation and smaller ice-masses. We present multi-proxy data investigating YD glaciation in the Tweedsmuir Hills, Southern Uplands, Scotland (55°46' N, 03°34' W). The area forms the most easterly upland region in the Southern Uplands and south of the West Highlands ice-cap, reaching an altitude of 840 m and covering c. 300 km2. Results of air-photo interpretation and field mapping, which utilised a morphostratigraphic approach, have demonstrated a more extensive glaciation than previously mapped, suggesting conditions were less arid than previously thought. The reconstruction consists of two separate icefields covering an area c. 60 km2 and new 14C dates of basal contact organics place the ice-mass within the context of the YD but new Cosmogenic Nuclide Analysis (CNA) of bedrock and in situ boulders, imply limited erosion and resetting occurred during the YD. Equilibrium Line Altitudes are calculated to have ranged from c. 419 - 634 m. Palaeo-precipitation values were derived using two precipitation-temperature relationships and suggest slightly lower totals than YD ice-masses located on the west coast of Britain but do not support a significant easterly reduction in precipitation. Analysis of present-day (c. 30 year) meteorological data across Britain demonstrates a pronounced reduction in precipitation of c. 50% on the east coast. This disparity between present-day and glacier-based YD precipitation patterns is partly attributable to the methodology employed in glacier reconstruction and questions the steep precipitation gradients thought to have been present. This data is placed within a Europe-wide context to elucidate glacier-climate patterns during the YD.

Prevalence and determinants of direct and generative modes of production of episodic future thoughts in the word cueing paradigm.

PubMed

Jeunehomme, Olivier; D'Argembeau, Arnaud

2016-01-01

Recent research suggests that episodic future thoughts can be formed through the same dual mechanisms, direct and generative, as autobiographical memories. However, the prevalence and determinants of the direct production of future event representations remain unclear. Here, we addressed this issue by collecting self-reports of production modes, response times (RTs), and verbal protocols for the production past and future events in the word cueing paradigm. Across three experiments, we found that both past and future events were frequently reported to come directly to mind in response to the cue, and RTs confirmed that events were produced faster for direct than for generative responses. When looking at the determinants of direct responses, we found that most past and future events that were directly produced had already been thought of on a previous occasion, and the frequency of previous thoughts predicted the occurrence of direct access. The direct production of autobiographical thoughts was also more frequent for past and future events that were judged important and emotionally intense. Collectively, these findings provide novel evidence that the direct production of episodic future thoughts is frequent in the word cueing paradigm and often involves the activation of personally significant "memories of the future."

Attachment-related strategies during thought suppression: ironic rebounds and vulnerable self-representations.

PubMed

Mikulincer, Mario; Dolev, Tamar; Shaver, Phillip R

2004-12-01

The authors conducted 2 studies of attachment-related variations in thought suppression. Participants were asked, or not asked, to suppress thoughts about a relationship breakup and then to perform a Stroop task under high or low cognitive load. The dependent variables were the rebound, of previously suppressed separation-related thoughts (Study 1) and the accessibility of self-traits (Study 2). Under low cognitive load, avoidant individuals did not show any rebound of separation-related thoughts and activated positive self-representations. Under high cognitive load, avoidant participants failed to suppress thoughts of separation and were more likely to activate negative self-representations. Attachment anxiety was associated with high activation of negative self-representations and unremitting separation-related thoughts. The results are discussed in terms of the hidden vulnerabilities of avoidant individuals. ((c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved).

S-Ketamine-Induced NMDA Receptor Blockade during Natural Speech Production and Its Implications for Formal Thought Disorder in Schizophrenia: A Pharmaco-fMRI Study.

PubMed

Nagels, Arne; Cabanis, Maurice; Oppel, Andrea; Kirner-Veselinovic, Andre; Schales, Christian; Kircher, Tilo

2018-05-01

Structural and functional changes in the lateral temporal language areas have been related to formal thought disorder (FTD) in schizophrenia. Continuous, natural speech production activates the right lateral temporal lobe in schizophrenia, as opposed to the left in healthy subjects. Positive and negative FTD can be elicited in healthy subjects by glutamatergic NMDA blockade with ketamine. It is unclear whether the glutamate system is related to the reversed hemispheric lateralization during speaking in patients. In a double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study, 15 healthy, male, right-handed volunteers overtly described 7 pictures for 3 min each while BOLD signal changes were acquired with fMRI. As a measure of linguistic demand, the number of words within 20 s epochs was correlated with BOLD responses. Participants developed S-ketamine-induced psychotic symptoms, particularly positive FTD. Ketamine vs placebo was associated with enhanced neural responses in the right middle and inferior temporal gyri. Similar to a previous fMRI study in schizophrenia patients vs healthy controls applying the same design, S-ketamine reversed functional lateralization during speech production in healthy subjects. Results demonstrate an association between glutamatergic imbalance, dysactivations in lateral temporal brain areas, and FTD symptom formation.

Medial cortex activity, self-reflection and depression.

PubMed

Johnson, Marcia K; Nolen-Hoeksema, Susan; Mitchell, Karen J; Levin, Yael

2009-12-01

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated neural activity associated with self-reflection in depressed [current major depressive episode (MDE)] and healthy control participants, focusing on medial cortex areas previously shown to be associated with self-reflection. Both the MDE and healthy control groups showed greater activity in anterior medial cortex (medial frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus) when cued to think about hopes and aspirations compared with duties and obligations, and greater activity in posterior medial cortex (precuneus, posterior cingulate) when cued to think about duties and obligations (Experiment 1). However, the MDE group showed less activity than controls in the same area of medial frontal cortex when self-referential cues were more ambiguous with respect to valence (Experiment 2), and less deactivation in a non-self-referential condition in both experiments. Furthermore, individual differences in rumination were positively correlated with activity in both anterior and posterior medial cortex during non-self-referential conditions. These results provide converging evidence for a dissociation of anterior and posterior medial cortex depending on the focus of self-relevant thought. They also provide neural evidence consistent with behavioral findings that depression is associated with disruption of positively valenced thoughts in response to ambiguous cues, and difficulty disengaging from self-reflection when it is appropriate to do so.

Medial cortex activity, self-reflection and depression

PubMed Central

Nolen-Hoeksema, Susan; Mitchell, Karen J.; Levin, Yael

2009-01-01

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated neural activity associated with self-reflection in depressed [current major depressive episode (MDE)] and healthy control participants, focusing on medial cortex areas previously shown to be associated with self-reflection. Both the MDE and healthy control groups showed greater activity in anterior medial cortex (medial frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus) when cued to think about hopes and aspirations compared with duties and obligations, and greater activity in posterior medial cortex (precuneus, posterior cingulate) when cued to think about duties and obligations (Experiment 1). However, the MDE group showed less activity than controls in the same area of medial frontal cortex when self-referential cues were more ambiguous with respect to valence (Experiment 2), and less deactivation in a non-self-referential condition in both experiments. Furthermore, individual differences in rumination were positively correlated with activity in both anterior and posterior medial cortex during non-self-referential conditions. These results provide converging evidence for a dissociation of anterior and posterior medial cortex depending on the focus of self-relevant thought. They also provide neural evidence consistent with behavioral findings that depression is associated with disruption of positively valenced thoughts in response to ambiguous cues, and difficulty disengaging from self-reflection when it is appropriate to do so. PMID:19620180

Regional hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of deep formation waters in the Williston Basin (Canada-USA): implications for fluid migration in the basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rostron, B. J.

2010-12-01

The regional groundwater flow-system in the Williston Basin (Canada-USA) is one of the best examples of a mega-scale confined aquifer-system in the world. With its well-defined recharge and discharge areas separated by approximately 1000 km horizontal and 1 km vertical distance, the basin is an ideal natural laboratory to study regional groundwater flow and hydrochemistry. Springs and shallow water wells in the recharge and discharge areas, along with deeper oil and gas wells, allow for detailed mapping of formation-pressures. Further, these wells provide access for sampling and geochemical analyses of formation waters along flow paths. Basin-scale hydrogeological and hydrochemical mapping combined with newly obtained geochemical and isotopic data from more than 2000 wells across the basin provide new insights into the present and paleohydrogeology of the basin. Results indicate: 1) the hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of the basin must be mapped on hydrogeological (not political) boundaries; 2) many aquifers have similar water chemistries, yet unique isotopic fingerprints; 3) stable isotope distributions provide insight(s) into regional fluid flow patterns; 4) analysis of bromine concentrations and stable isotopic compositions provide evidence that at least some of the brine in the basin owes its origin to evaporated seawater and not just dissolved evaporites as previously thought; 5) regional patterns of stable isotopes and halogens can be used to trace different flow "events" in the basin's history; 6) calcium-rich brines in the center of the basin may be associated with relict calcium-rich seawaters; 7) hydrocarbon migration pathways have been variably impacted by evolving hydrodynamic conditions; and 8) there is strong evidence of past glacially-driven recharge in the current discharge area of the basin. These observations show that the hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of the basin is more complex than previously thought. Portions of the basin appear to respond rapidly to changes in boundary conditions including: the recharge areas; midline areas that have experienced extensive salt dissolution; and present discharge areas that appear to show evidence of glacially-driven recharge. Other portions of the basin appear to have had little to no fluid-flow despite being continuous and highly-permeable. Mixing, and not depth, appears to control water compositions. Insights gained from regional hydrogeology and hydrochemical provide an improved understanding the present and past mega-scale fluid migration in the Williston Basin.

Non-erotic thoughts and sexual functioning.

PubMed

Purdon, Christine; Watson, Chris

2011-10-01

This study sought to replicate and extend investigations of current models of sexual dysfunction (Barlow, 2002; Janssen, Everaerd, Spiering, & Janssen, 2000) which implicate factors such as spectatoring, failure to use ameliorative strategies, and information processing biases in the development and persistence of sexual difficulties. A sample of 165 (n = 71 men) undergraduates completed measures of sexual dysfunction and relationship satisfaction, and reported on the content and frequency of non-erotic thoughts during sex with a partner (i.e., spectatoring), the emotional impact of non-erotic thoughts, and the strategies used to manage them. They also reported on their main sexual functioning difficulties and the strategies they used to manage those difficulties. Finally, participants were presented with a series of hypothetical sexual scenarios and were asked to report their immediate interpretation of events in the scenario. The content of non-erotic thoughts was similar to previous work (Purdon & Holdaway, 2006), although gender differences in thought content were less pronounced. As in previous research, greater frequency of, and anxiety evoked by, non-erotic thoughts was associated with poorer sexual functioning, but we found that this was over and above relationship satisfaction. Participants both high and low in sexual functioning reported using a variety of strategies to manage their non-erotic thoughts, thought suppression being the least effective, and also used a variety of strategies to manage sexual difficulties. Poorer sexual functioning was associated with more negative interpretations of ambiguous sexual scenarios, but this was mediated by relationship satisfaction. However, positive interpretations were predicted by sexual functioning. Results were discussed in terms of their theoretical and clinical implications.

Non-erotic thoughts, attentional focus, and sexual problems in a community sample.

PubMed

Nelson, Andrea L; Purdon, Christine

2011-04-01

According to Barlow's model of sexual dysfunction, anxiety in sexual situations leads to attentional focus on sexual performance at the expense of erotic cues, which compromises sexual arousal. This negative experience will enhance anxiety in future sexual situations, and non-erotic thoughts (NETs) relevant to performance will receive attentional priority. Previous research with student samples (Purdon & Holdaway, 2006; Purdon & Watson, 2010) has found that people experience many types of NETs in addition to performance-relevant thoughts, and that, consistent with Barlow's model, the frequency of and anxiety evoked by these thoughts is positively associated with sexual problems. Extending this previous work, the current study found that, in a community sample of women (N = 81) and men (N = 72) in long-term relationships, women were more likely to report body image concerns and external consequences of the sexual activity, while men were more likely to report performance-related concerns. Equally likely among men and women were thoughts about emotional consequences of the sexual activity. Regardless of thought content, experiencing more frequent NETs was associated with more sexual problems in both women and men. Moreover, as per Barlow's model, greater negative affect in anticipation of and during sexual activity predicted greater frequency of NETs and greater anxiety in response to NETs was associated with greater difficulty dismissing the thoughts. However, greater difficulty in refocusing on erotic thoughts during sexual activity uniquely predicted more sexual problems above the frequency and dismissability of NETs. Together, these data support the cognitive interference mechanism implicated by Barlow's causal model of sexual dysfunction and have implications for the treatment of sexual problems.

Parallel approaches to composite production: interfaces that behave contrary to expectation.

PubMed

Frowd, Charlie D; Bruce, Vicki; Ness, Hayley; Bowie, Leslie; Paterson, Jenny; Thomson-Bogner, Claire; McIntyre, Alexander; Hancock, Peter J B

2007-04-01

This paper examines two facial composite systems that present multiple faces during construction to more closely resemble natural face processing. A 'parallel' version of PRO-fit was evaluated, which presents facial features in sets of six or twelve, and EvoFIT, a system in development, which contains a holistic face model and an evolutionary interface. The PRO-fit parallel interface turned out not to be quite as good as the 'serial' version as it appeared to interfere with holistic face processing. Composites from EvoFIT were named almost three times better than PRO-fit, but a benefit emerged under feature encoding, suggesting that recall has a greater role for EvoFIT than was previously thought. In general, an advantage was found for feature encoding, replicating a previous finding in this area, and also for a novel 'holistic' interview.

Intentions to Maintain Adherence to Mammography

PubMed Central

Bowling, J. Michael; Brewer, Noel T.; Lipkus, Isaac M.; Skinner, Celette Sugg; Strigo, Tara S.; Rimer, Barbara K.

2008-01-01

Abstract Objective Recent attention has focused on moving women from having initial mammograms to maintaining adherence to regular mammography schedules. We examined behavioral intentions to maintain mammography adherence, which include the likelihood of performing a behavior, and implementation intentions, specific action plans to obtain mammograms. Potential predictors were Theory of Planned Behavior constructs, previous barriers, previous mammography maintenance, and age. Methods Respondents were 2062 currently adherent women due for their next mammograms in 3–4 months according to American Cancer Society recommendations for annual screening. Statistical models were used to examine predictors of behavioral and two implementation intentions, including having thought about where women would get their next mammograms and having thought about making appointments. Results With the exception of pros, cons, and subjective norms, all variables predicted behavioral intentions (p ≤ 0.05). Stronger perceived control, previous mammography maintenance, and one barrier (vs. none) predicted being more likely to have thought about where to get their next mammograms. Previous maintenance and no barriers (vs. two) predicted being more likely to have thought about making appointments. Conclusions Our findings suggest that among women currently adherent to mammography, volitional factors, such as barriers, may be better predictors of implementation intentions than motivational factors, such as attitudes. Implementation variables may be useful in understanding how women move from intentions to action. Future research should examine how such factors relate to mammography maintenance behaviors and can be integrated into behavior change interventions. PMID:18657041

Thought Disorder in Preschool Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

PubMed

Hutchison, Amanda K; Kelsay, Kimberly; Talmi, Ayelet; Noonan, Kate; Ross, Randal G

2016-08-01

Preschool identification of and intervention for psychiatric symptoms has the potential for lifelong benefits. However, preschool identification of thought disorder, a symptom associated with long term risk for social and cognitive dysfunction, has received little attention with previous work limited to examining preschoolers with severe emotional and behavioral dysregulation. Using story-stem methodology, 12 children with ADHD and 12 children without ADHD, ages 4.0-6.0 years were evaluated for thought disorder. Thought disorder was reliably assessed (Cronbach's alpha = .958). Children with ADHD were significantly more likely than children without ADHD to exhibit thought disorder (75 vs 25 %; Fischer's Exact Test = .0391). Thought disorder can be reliably assessed in preschool children and is present in preschool children with psychiatric illness including preschool children with ADHD. Thought disorder may be identifiable in preschool years across a broad range of psychiatric illnesses and thus may be an appropriate target of intervention.

The Self-help Online against Suicidal thoughts (SOS) trial: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Mühlmann, Charlotte; Madsen, Trine; Hjorthøj, Carsten; Kerkhof, Ad; Nordentoft, Merete; Erlangsen, Annette

2017-01-28

Suicidal thoughts are common, causing distress for millions of people all over the world. However, people with suicidal thoughts might not access support due to financial restraints, stigma or a lack of available treatment offers. Self-help programs provided online could overcome these barriers, and previous efforts show promising results in terms of reducing suicidal thoughts. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of an online self-help intervention in reducing suicidal thoughts among people at risk of suicide. The Danish Self-help Online against Suicidal thoughts (SOS) trial is a partial replication of a previously conducted Dutch trial. A randomized, waiting-list controlled trial with 1:1 allocation ratio will be carried out. A total of 438 people with suicidal thoughts will be recruited from the Danish suicide hotline, The Lifeline's, website and allocated to the intervention condition (N = 219) or the control condition (N = 219). The intervention condition consists of a 6-week, Internet-based self-help therapy intervention. The format of the intervention is self-help, but the participants can be guided by the trial manager. The control condition consists of a waiting-list assignment for 32 weeks. The primary outcomes are frequency and intensity of suicidal thoughts. Secondary outcome measures include depressive symptoms, hopelessness, worrying, quality of life, costs related to health care utilization and production loss. Number of deliberate self-harm episodes, suicides and deaths will, as well as the participant's evaluation of the intervention and the experience of negative effects, be investigated. Assessments will be conducted over the intervention website through self-report questionnaires at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks and 32 weeks (6 months post intervention). If we find the intervention to be linked to reductions in suicidal thoughts, this will strengthen the evidence that online self-help interventions are relevant tools for people with suicidal thoughts. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02872610 . Registered on 9 August 2016.

Unnoticed intrusions: dissociations of meta-consciousness in thought suppression.

PubMed

Baird, Benjamin; Smallwood, Jonathan; Fishman, Daniel J F; Mrazek, Michael D; Schooler, Jonathan W

2013-09-01

The current research investigates the interaction between thought suppression and individuals' explicit awareness of their thoughts. Participants in three experiments attempted to suppress thoughts of a prior romantic relationship and their success at doing so was measured using a combination of self-catching and experience-sampling. In addition to thoughts that individuals spontaneously noticed, individuals were frequently caught engaging in thoughts of their previous partner at experience-sampling probes. Furthermore, probe-caught thoughts were: (i) associated with stronger decoupling of attention from the environment, (ii) more likely to occur under cognitive load, (iii) more frequent for individuals with a desire to reconcile, and (iv) associated with individual differences in the tendency to suppress thoughts. Together, these data suggest that individuals can lack meta-awareness that they have begun to think about a topic they are attempting to suppress, providing novel insight into the cognitive processes that are involved in attempting to control undesired mental states. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mind wandering and the attention network system.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Óscar F; Rêgo, Gabriel; Oliveira-Silva, Patrícia; Leite, Jorge; Carvalho, Sandra; Fregni, Felipe; Amaro, Edson; Boggio, Paulo S

2017-01-01

Attention and mind wandering are often seen as anticorrelated. However, both attention and mind wandering are multi-component processes, and their relationship may be more complex than previously thought. In this study, we tested the interference of different types of thoughts as measured by a Thought Identification Task - TIT (on task thoughts, task related interference thoughts, external distractions, stimulus independent and task unrelated thoughts) on different components of the attention network system - ANT (alerting, orienting, executive). Results show that, during the ANT, individuals were predominantly involved in task related interference thoughts which, along with external distractors, significantly impaired their performance accuracy. However, mind wandering (i.e., stimulus independent and task unrelated thoughts) did not significantly interfere with accuracy in the ANT. No significant relationship was found between type of thoughts and alerting, orienting, or executive effects in the ANT. While task related interference thoughts and external distractions seemed to impair performance on the attention task, mind wandering was still compatible with satisfactory performance in the ANT. The present results confirmed the importance of differentiating type of "out of task" thoughts in studying the relationship between though distractors and attention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Streptococcus pneumoniae endocarditis on replacement aortic valve with panopthalmitis and pseudoabscess

PubMed Central

O’Brien, Stephen; Dayer, Mark; Benzimra, James; Hardman, Susan; Townsend, Mandie

2011-01-01

A 63-year-old woman with a previous episode of Streptococcus agalactiae endocarditis requiring a bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement presented with a short history of malaise, a right panopthalmitis with a Roth spot on funduscopy of the left eye and Streptococcus pneumoniae grown from vitreous and aqueous taps as well as blood cultures. She developed first degree heart block and her ECG was suggestive of an aortic root abscess. This gradually resolved over 6 weeks, during which she was treated with intravenous antibiotics. After careful consideration, it is likely that what was thought to be an aortic root abscess was instead an area of perivalvular inflammation. PMID:22678733

A close-up look at Io from Galileo's near-infrared mapping spectrometer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lopes-Gautier, R.; Doute, S.; Smythe, W.D.; Kamp, L.W.; Carlson, R.W.; Davies, A.G.; Leader, F.E.; McEwen, A.S.; Geissler, P.E.; Kieffer, S.W.; Keszthelyi, L.; Barbinis, E.; Mehlman, R.; Segura, M.; Shirley, J.; Soderblom, L.A.

2000-01-01

Infrared spectral images of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io, acquired during the October and November 1999 and February 2000 flybys of the Galileo spacecraft, were used to study the thermal structure and sulfur dioxide distribution of active volcanoes. Loki Patera, the solar system's most powerful known volcano, exhibits large expanses of dark, cooling lava on its caldera floor. Prometheus, the site of long-lived plume activity, has two major areas of thermal emission, which support ideas of plume migration. Sulfur dioxide deposits were mapped at local scales and show a more complex relationship to surface colors than previously thought, indicating the presence of other sulfur compounds.

A hydrogen-rich early Earth atmosphere.

PubMed

Tian, Feng; Toon, Owen B; Pavlov, Alexander A; De Sterck, H

2005-05-13

We show that the escape of hydrogen from early Earth's atmosphere likely occurred at rates slower by two orders of magnitude than previously thought. The balance between slow hydrogen escape and volcanic outgassing could have maintained a hydrogen mixing ratio of more than 30%. The production of prebiotic organic compounds in such an atmosphere would have been more efficient than either exogenous delivery or synthesis in hydrothermal systems. The organic soup in the oceans and ponds on early Earth would have been a more favorable place for the origin of life than previously thought.

Thought-action fusion in individuals with OCD symptoms.

PubMed

Amir, N; Freshman, M; Ramsey, B; Neary, E; Brigidi, B

2001-07-01

Rachman (Rachman, S. (1993). Obsessions, responsibility, and guilt. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 31, 149-154) suggested that patients with OCD may interpret thoughts as having special importance, thus experiencing thought-action fusion (TAF). Shafran, Thordarson and Rachman (Shafran, R., Thordarson, D. S. & Rachman, S. (1996). Thought-action fusion in obsessive compulsive disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 710, 379-391) developed a questionnaire (TAF) and found that obsessives scored higher than non-obsessives on the measure. In the current study, we modified the TAF to include a scale that assessed the "likelihood of events happening to others" as well as ratings of the responsibility and cost for having these thoughts. Replicating previous findings, we found that individuals with OC symptoms gave higher ratings to the likelihood of negative events happening as a result of their negative thoughts. Individuals with OC symptoms also rated the likelihood that they would prevent harm by their positive thoughts higher than did individuals without OC symptoms. These results suggest that the role of thought-action fusion in OCs may extend to exaggerated beliefs about thoughts regarding the reduction of harm.

The impact of recreational MDMA 'ecstasy' use on global form processing.

PubMed

White, Claire; Edwards, Mark; Brown, John; Bell, Jason

2014-11-01

The ability to integrate local orientation information into a global form percept was investigated in long-term ecstasy users. Evidence suggests that ecstasy disrupts the serotonin system, with the visual areas of the brain being particularly susceptible. Previous research has found altered orientation processing in the primary visual area (V1) of users, thought to be due to disrupted serotonin-mediated lateral inhibition. The current study aimed to investigate whether orientation deficits extend to higher visual areas involved in global form processing. Forty-five participants completed a psychophysical (Glass pattern) study allowing an investigation into the mechanisms underlying global form processing and sensitivity to changes in the offset of the stimuli (jitter). A subgroup of polydrug-ecstasy users (n=6) with high ecstasy use had significantly higher thresholds for the detection of Glass patterns than controls (n=21, p=0.039) after Bonferroni correction. There was also a significant interaction between jitter level and drug-group, with polydrug-ecstasy users showing reduced sensitivity to alterations in jitter level (p=0.003). These results extend previous research, suggesting disrupted global form processing and reduced sensitivity to orientation jitter with ecstasy use. Further research is needed to investigate this finding in a larger sample of heavy ecstasy users and to differentiate the effects of other drugs. © The Author(s) 2014.

Suicidal thoughts/acts and clinical correlates in patients with depressive disorders in Asians: results from the REAP-AD study.

PubMed

Park, Seon-Cheol; Lee, Min-Soo; Hahn, Sang Woo; Si, Tian-Mei; Kanba, Shigenobu; Chong, Mian-Yoon; Yoon, Chee Kok; Udomratn, Pichet; Tripathi, Adarsh; Sartorius, Norman; Shinfuku, Naotaka; Maramis, Margarita M; Park, Yong Chon

2016-12-01

Using data from the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns for Antidepressants (REAP-AD) study, we aimed to present the rates and clinical correlates of suicidal thoughts/acts in patients recruited from a total of 40 centres in 10 Asian countries/areas: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Data from 1122 patients with depressive disorders in the REAP-AD study were used. The ICD-10 was employed to diagnose depressive episodes and recurrent depressive disorder. The presence or absence of suicidal thoughts/acts and profile of other depressive symptoms was established using the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for depression. Country/area differences in rates of suicidal thoughts/acts were evaluated with the χ2 test. In addition, depressive symptom profiles, other clinical characteristics, and patterns of psychotropic drug prescription in depressed patients with and without suicidal thoughts/acts were compared using analysis of covariance for continuous variables and logistic regression analysis for discrete variables to adjust the effects of covariates. The rates of suicidal thoughts/acts in 10 countries/areas varied from 12.8% in Japan to 36.3% in China. Patients with suicidal thoughts/acts presented more persistent sadness (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=2.64, p<0.001), loss of interest (aOR=2.33, p<0.001), fatigue (aOR=1.58, p<0.001), insomnia (aOR=1.74, p<0.001), poor concentration (aOR=1.88, p<0.001), low self-confidence (aOR=1.78, p<0.001), poor appetite (aOR=2.27, p<0.001), guilt/self-blame (aOR=3.03, p<0.001), and use of mood stabilisers (aOR=1.79, p<0.001) than those without suicidal thoughts/acts. Suicidal thoughts/acts can indicate greater severity of depression, and are associated with a poorer response to antidepressants and increased burden of illness. Hence, suicidal thoughts/acts can provide a clinical index reflecting the clinical status of depressive disorders in Asians.

Correlation between language function and the left arcuate fasciculus detected by diffusion tensor imaging tractography after brain tumor surgery.

PubMed

Hayashi, Yutaka; Kinoshita, Masashi; Nakada, Mitsutoshi; Hamada, Jun-ichiro

2012-11-01

Disturbance of the arcuate fasciculus in the dominant hemisphere is thought to be associated with language-processing disorders, including conduction aphasia. Although the arcuate fasciculus can be visualized in vivo with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography, its involvement in functional processes associated with language has not been shown dynamically using DTI tractography. In the present study, to clarify the participation of the arcuate fasciculus in language functions, postoperative changes in the arcuate fasciculus detected by DTI tractography were evaluated chronologically in relation to postoperative changes in language function after brain tumor surgery. Preoperative and postoperative arcuate fasciculus area and language function were examined in 7 right-handed patients with a brain tumor in the left hemisphere located in proximity to part of the arcuate fasciculus. The arcuate fasciculus was depicted, and its area was calculated using DTI tractography. Language functions were measured using the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB). After tumor resection, visualization of the arcuate fasciculus was increased in 5 of the 7 patients, and the total WAB score improved in 6 of the 7 patients. The relative ratio of postoperative visualized area of the arcuate fasciculus to preoperative visualized area of the arcuate fasciculus was increased in association with an improvement in postoperative language function (p = 0.0039). The role of the left arcuate fasciculus in language functions can be evaluated chronologically in vivo by DTI tractography after brain tumor surgery. Because increased postoperative visualization of the fasciculus was significantly associated with postoperative improvement in language functions, the arcuate fasciculus may play an important role in language function, as previously thought. In addition, postoperative changes in the arcuate fasciculus detected by DTI tractography could represent a predicting factor for postoperative language-dependent functional outcomes in patients with brain tumor.

Attachment and thought problems in an adolescent inpatient sample: The mediational role of theory of mind.

PubMed

Hart, Jessica R; Venta, Amanda; Sharp, Carla

2017-10-01

Previous research has documented increased incidence of insecure attachment and theory of mind (ToM) deficits in individuals experiencing psychotic disorders. ToM has been theorized as a possible mediator of the relation between attachment and psychosis (Korver-Nieberg et al., 2014). The current study sought to extend this area of research to adolescents for the first time by examining adolescent-parent attachment and ToM in inpatient adolescents. Participants were 362 inpatient adolescents and their parents; participants completed the Child Attachment Interview, Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition, Youth Self Report, and Child Behavior Checklist. Bivariate correlations indicated that attachment coherence (a marker of security) was significantly and positively correlated with ToM abilities, and that low attachment coherence and poor ToM performance were each associated with increased youth- and parent-reported thought problems. Mediational models indicated that ToM mediated the relation between insecure attachment and thought problems according to both parent- and self-report. The results of the current study provide support for a model in which impairments in ToM contribute to the frequently documented association between insecure attachment and emerging psychotic symptoms. Theoretical and clinical implications of these results are discussed, including the potential support for ToM-based interventions for early psychotic symptoms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bias or equality? Unconscious thought equally integrates temporally scattered information.

PubMed

Li, Jiansheng; Gao, Qiyang; Zhou, Jifan; Li, Xinyu; Zhang, Meng; Shen, Mowei

2014-04-01

In previous experiments on unconscious thought, information was presented to participants in one continuous session; however, in daily life, information is delivered in a temporally partitioned way. We examined whether unconscious thought could equally integrate temporally scattered information when making overall evaluations. When presenting participants with information in two temporally partitioned sessions, participants' overall evaluation was based on neither the information in the first session (Experiment 1) nor that in the second session (Experiment 2); instead, information in both sessions were equally integrated to reach a final judgment. Conscious thought, however, overemphasized information in the second session. Experiments 3 and 4 further ruled out possible influencing factors including differences in the distributions of positive/negative attributes in the first and second sessions and on-line judgment. These findings suggested that unconscious thought can integrate information from a wider range of periods during an evaluation, while conscious thought cannot. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Locus coeruleus and dopaminergic consolidation of everyday memory.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Tomonori; Duszkiewicz, Adrian J; Sonneborn, Alex; Spooner, Patrick A; Yamasaki, Miwako; Watanabe, Masahiko; Smith, Caroline C; Fernández, Guillén; Deisseroth, Karl; Greene, Robert W; Morris, Richard G M

2016-09-15

The retention of episodic-like memory is enhanced, in humans and animals, when something novel happens shortly before or after encoding. Using an everyday memory task in mice, we sought the neurons mediating this dopamine-dependent novelty effect, previously thought to originate exclusively from the tyrosine-hydroxylase-expressing (TH + ) neurons in the ventral tegmental area. Here we report that neuronal firing in the locus coeruleus is especially sensitive to environmental novelty, locus coeruleus TH + neurons project more profusely than ventral tegmental area TH + neurons to the hippocampus, optogenetic activation of locus coeruleus TH + neurons mimics the novelty effect, and this novelty-associated memory enhancement is unaffected by ventral tegmental area inactivation. Surprisingly, two effects of locus coeruleus TH + photoactivation are sensitive to hippocampal D 1 /D 5 receptor blockade and resistant to adrenoceptor blockade: memory enhancement and long-lasting potentiation of synaptic transmission in CA1 ex vivo. Thus, locus coeruleus TH + neurons can mediate post-encoding memory enhancement in a manner consistent with possible co-release of dopamine in the hippocampus.

Digital airborne time domain electromagnetic data from surveys over Cochiti Pueblo, Rio Puerco, and Rio Rancho, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Deszcz-Pan, Maria; Rodriguez, B.D.; Doucette, J.P.; Godbout, Michel; Williams, J.M.; Sawyer, D.A.; Stone, B.D.; Grauch, V.J.

2000-01-01

The Albuquerque-Santa Fe region is rapidly growing. The Santa Fe Group aquifer in the Middle Rio Grande Basin (MRGB) is the main source of municipal water for the greater Albuquerque metropolitan area and is more limited than previously thought (Thorn et al., 1993). The MRGB, as defined hydrologically and used here, is the area within the Rio Grande Valley extending from Cochiti Dam downstream to the community of San Acacia (Figure 1). Because approximately 600,000 people (40 percent of the population of New Mexico) live in the study area (Bartolino, 1999), water shortfalls could have serious consequences for the state. Future growth and land management in the region depends on accurate assessment and protection of the region’s groundwater resources. An important issue in understanding the ground water resources is a better understanding of the hydrogeology of the Santa Fe Group, the sedimentary deposits that fill the Rio Grande rift and contain the principal groundwater aquifers.

Magnetotelluric data in the middle Rio Grande basin, Albuquerque volcanoes, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Jackie M.; Rodriguez, Brian D.

2002-01-01

The population in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe region of New Mexico is rapidly growing. The Santa Fe Group aquifer in the Middle Rio Grande Basin is the main source of municipal water for the greater Albuquerque metropolitan area. The capacity of this aquifer is more limited than previously thought (Thorn et al., 1993). The Middle Rio Grande Basin, as defined hydrologically and used here, is the area within the Rio Grande Valley extending from Cochiti Dam downstream to the community of San Acacia (Figure 1). Because approximately 600,000 people (40 percent of the population of New Mexico) live in the study area (Bartolino, 1999), water shortfalls could have serious consequences. Future growth and land management in the region depends on accurate assessment and protection of the region’s groundwater resources. An important issue in defining the ground water resources is a better understanding of the hydrogeology of the Santa Fe Group and the other sedimentary deposits that fill the Rio Grande rift.

76 FR 35002 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-15

... following deployment, including PTSD, Depression, or suicidal thoughts [cir] Died or was killed Youth 1. Is..., Depression, or suicidal thoughts [cir] Died or was killed Veteran Family Status and Areas of Deployment...

Regional Characterization of Tokyo Metoropolitan area using a highly-dense seismic netwok(MeSO-net)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirata, N.; Nakagawa, S.; Sakai, S.; Panayotopoulos, Y.; Ishikawa, M.; Ishibe, T.; Kimura, H.; Honda, R.

2014-12-01

We have developed　a dense seismic network, MeSO-net (Metropolitan Seismic Observation network), since 2007 in the greater Tokyo urban region　under the Special Project for Earthquake Disaster Mitigation in Tokyo Metropolitan Area (FY2007-FY2011) and Special Project for Reducing Vulnerability for Urban Mega Earthquake Disasters (FY2012-FY2016)( Hirata et al., 2009). So far we have acquired more than 120TB continuous seismic data form MeSO-net which consists of about 300 seismic stations. Using MeSO-net data, we obtain clear P- and S- wave velocity tomograms (Nakagawa et al., 2010) and Qp, Qs tomograms (Panayotopoulos et al., 2014) which show a clear image of Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) and PAcific Plate (PAP). A depth to the top of PSP, 20 to 30 km beneath northern part of Tokyo bay, is about 10 km shallower than previous estimates based on the distribution of seismicity (Ishida, 1992). This shallower plate geometry changes estimations of strong ground motion for seismic hazards analysis within the Tokyo region. Based on elastic wave velocities of rocks and minerals, we interpreted the tomographic images as petrologic images. Tomographic images revealed the presence of two stepwise velocity increase of the top layer of the subducting PSP slab. Because strength of the serpentinized peridotite is not large enough for brittle fracture, if the area is smaller than previously estimated, a possible area of the large thrust fault on the upper surface of PSP can be larger than previously thought. Change of seismicity rate after the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake suggests change of stressing rate in greater Tokyo. Quantitative analysis of MeSO-net data shows significant increase of rate of earthquakes that have a fault orientation favorable to increasing Coulomb stress after the Tohoku-oki event.

Distribution of native mussel (unionidae) assemblages in coastal areas of Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, and connecting channels, twenty-five years after a dreissenid invasion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zanatta, David T.; Bossenbroek, Jonathan M.; Burlakova, Lyubov E.; Crail, Todd D.; Szalay, Ferenc de; Griffith, Traci A.; Kapusinski, Douglas; Karatayev, Alexander Y.; Krebs, Robert A.; Meyer, Elizabeth S.; Paterson, Wendy L.; Prescott, Trevor J.; Rowe, Matthew T.; Schloesser, Donald W.; Walsh, Mary C.

2015-01-01

Over the past 25 years, unionid mussels in the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America have been adversely impacted by invasive dreissenid mussels, which directly (e.g., by attachment to unionid shells) and indirectly (e.g., by competing for food) cause mortality. Despite the invasion, unionids have survived in several areas in the presence of dreissenid mussels. We investigated current spatial patterns in these native mussel refuges based on surveys for unionid mussels across 48 sampling locations (141 sites) in 2011 and 2012, and documented species abundance and diversity in coastal areas of lakes St. Clair and Erie. The highest-quality assemblages of native mussels (densities, richness, and diversity) appear to be concentrated in the St. Clair delta, where abundance continues to decline, as well as in in Thompson Bay of Presque Isle in Lake Erie and in just a few coastal wetlands and drowned river-mouths in the western basin of Lake Erie. The discovery of several new refuge areas suggests that unionids have a broader distribution within the region than previously thought.

What’s the Harm in Asking about Suicidal Ideation?

PubMed Central

Mathias, Charles W.; Furr, R. Michael; Sheftall, Arielle H.; Hill-Kapturczak, Nathalie; Crum, Paige; Dougherty, Donald M.

2013-01-01

Both researchers and oversight committees share concerns about patient safety in the study-related assessment of suicidality. However, concern about assessing suicidal thoughts can be a barrier to the development of empirical evidence that informs research on how to safely conduct these assessments. A question has been raised if asking about suicidal thoughts can result in iatrogenic increases of such thoughts, especially among at-risk samples. The current study repeatedly tested suicidal ideation at 6-month intervals for up to 2-years. Suicidal ideation was measured with the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire Junior, and administered to adolescents who had previously received inpatient psychiatric care. Change in suicidal ideation was tested using several analytic techniques, each of which pointed to a significant decline in suicidal ideation in the context of repeated assessment. This and previous study outcomes suggest that asking an at-risk population about suicidal ideation is not associated with subsequent increases in suicidal ideation. PMID:22548324

Mismatch Negativity with Visual-only and Audiovisual Speech

PubMed Central

Ponton, Curtis W.; Bernstein, Lynne E.; Auer, Edward T.

2009-01-01

The functional organization of cortical speech processing is thought to be hierarchical, increasing in complexity and proceeding from primary sensory areas centrifugally. The current study used the mismatch negativity (MMN) obtained with electrophysiology (EEG) to investigate the early latency period of visual speech processing under both visual-only (VO) and audiovisual (AV) conditions. Current density reconstruction (CDR) methods were used to model the cortical MMN generator locations. MMNs were obtained with VO and AV speech stimuli at early latencies (approximately 82-87 ms peak in time waveforms relative to the acoustic onset) and in regions of the right lateral temporal and parietal cortices. Latencies were consistent with bottom-up processing of the visible stimuli. We suggest that a visual pathway extracts phonetic cues from visible speech, and that previously reported effects of AV speech in classical early auditory areas, given later reported latencies, could be attributable to modulatory feedback from visual phonetic processing. PMID:19404730

Consolidated Checklist of Hard Corals of the Genus Acropora Oken, 1815 (Scleractinia: Acroporidae) in North Borneo, East Malaysia.

PubMed

Robert, Rolando; Lee, Dexter Jiunn Herng; Rodrigues, Kenneth Francis; Hussein, Muhammad Ali Syed; Waheed, Zarinah; Kumar, S Vijay

2016-11-29

Acropora is the most biologically diverse group of reef-building coral, and its richness peaks at the Indo-Malay-Philippine Archipelago, the centre of global coral reef biodiversity. In this paper, we describe the species richness of Acropora fauna of North Borneo, East Malaysia, based on review of literature and as corroborated by voucher specimens. Eighty-three species of Acropora are reported here; four species are literature based and 79 are supported by voucher specimens that were subsequently photographed. New records for North Borneo were recorded for 12 species, including Acropora suharsonoi Wallace 1994 that was previously thought to be confined to a few islands along Lombok Strait, Indonesia. The diversity of Acropora in North Borneo is comparable to that of Indonesia and the Philippines, despite the area's smaller reef areas. This further reinforces its inclusion as part the global hotspot of coral biodiversity.

Theta-burst microstimulation in the human entorhinal area improves memory specificity.

PubMed

Titiz, Ali S; Hill, Michael R H; Mankin, Emily A; M Aghajan, Zahra; Eliashiv, Dawn; Tchemodanov, Natalia; Maoz, Uri; Stern, John; Tran, Michelle E; Schuette, Peter; Behnke, Eric; Suthana, Nanthia A; Fried, Itzhak

2017-10-24

The hippocampus is critical for episodic memory, and synaptic changes induced by long-term potentiation (LTP) are thought to underlie memory formation. In rodents, hippocampal LTP may be induced through electrical stimulation of the perforant path. To test whether similar techniques could improve episodic memory in humans, we implemented a microstimulation technique that allowed delivery of low-current electrical stimulation via 100 μm -diameter microelectrodes. As thirteen neurosurgical patients performed a person recognition task, microstimulation was applied in a theta-burst pattern, shown to optimally induce LTP. Microstimulation in the right entorhinal area during learning significantly improved subsequent memory specificity for novel portraits; participants were able both to recognize previously-viewed photos and reject similar lures. These results suggest that microstimulation with physiologic level currents-a radical departure from commonly used deep brain stimulation protocols-is sufficient to modulate human behavior and provides an avenue for refined interrogation of the circuits involved in human memory.

An unusual birthmark case thought to be linked to a person who had previously died.

PubMed

Keil, H H; Tucker, J B

2000-12-01

The following case report describes a Burmese subject with an unusual birthmark and birth defects thought by local people to be linked to events surrounding the death of his mother's first husband. The nature of the link is explored, including how the assumption of a linkage could have led to subsequent events.

The Role of Gist and Verbatim Memory in Complex Decision Making: Explaining the Unconscious-Thought Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abadie, Marlène; Waroquier, Laurent; Terrier, Patrice

2017-01-01

Previous research showed that the "unconscious-thought effect", which refers to an improvement in complex decision making following a distraction period, was moderated by the presentation format of pieces of information about different options. The aim of the current study was to replicate this finding and further examine the memory…

Breaking bad news--parents' experience of learning that their child has leukaemia.

PubMed

Oshea, J; Smith, O; O'Marcaigh, A; McMahon, C; Geoghegan, R; Cotter, M

2007-10-01

This study aimed to seek parents' experiences of how they learned their child had leukaemia and therefore identify ways of improving this process. To achieve this task a questionnaire was designed to ask parents about specific elements of the initial interview and give them opportunity to add their thoughts and feelings on the subject. All children with a diagnosis of leukaemia over an eighteen-year period were identified and parents of those children still alive were invited to partake in the study. 49 out of 50 families agreed to participate of which 35 (72%) returned completed questionnaires. The majority 29 (83%) expressed overall satisfaction. Their replies confirmed some findings of previous studies, and also offered some new insights. Examples of new findings or expansion on previous findings include observations on the presence of young children at the initial interview; the importance of the language used in conveying the diagnosis and prognostic information, and a preference for actuarial terms when discussing prognosis. Telling parents their child has leukaemia is a challenging and important task. The experience of parents gives us valuable insights into our own communication skills and highlights areas of possible improvement in this difficult area.

Spatially robust estimates of biological nitrogen (N) fixation imply substantial human alteration of the tropical N cycle

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sullivan, Benjamin W.; Smith, William K.; Townsend, Alan R.; Nasto, Megan K.; Reed, Sasha C.; Chazdon, Robin L.; Cleveland, Cory C.

2014-01-01

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the largest natural source of exogenous nitrogen (N) to unmanaged ecosystems and also the primary baseline against which anthropogenic changes to the N cycle are measured. Rates of BNF in tropical rainforest are thought to be among the highest on Earth, but they are notoriously difficult to quantify and are based on little empirical data. We adapted a sampling strategy from community ecology to generate spatial estimates of symbiotic and free-living BNF in secondary and primary forest sites that span a typical range of tropical forest legume abundance. Although total BNF was higher in secondary than primary forest, overall rates were roughly five times lower than previous estimates for the tropical forest biome. We found strong correlations between symbiotic BNF and legume abundance, but we also show that spatially free-living BNF often exceeds symbiotic inputs. Our results suggest that BNF in tropical forest has been overestimated, and our data are consistent with a recent top-down estimate of global BNF that implied but did not measure low tropical BNF rates. Finally, comparing tropical BNF within the historical area of tropical rainforest with current anthropogenic N inputs indicates that humans have already at least doubled reactive N inputs to the tropical forest biome, a far greater change than previously thought. Because N inputs are increasing faster in the tropics than anywhere on Earth, both the proportion and the effects of human N enrichment are likely to grow in the future.

The prospective relationship between sleep problems and suicidal behavior in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.

PubMed

Wong, Maria M; Brower, Kirk J

2012-07-01

Previous research has found a longitudinal relationship between sleep problems and suicidal behavior while controlling for depression and other important covariates in a high risk sample of adolescents and controls. In this paper, we replicated this longitudinal relationship in a national sample and examined whether the relationship was partially mediated by depression, alcohol-related problems and other drug use. Study participants were 6504 adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (ADD HEALTH). In bivariate analyses, sleep problems (i.e., having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep) at Wave 1 were associated with suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts at Waves 1, 2, and 3 (W1, 2 and 3). In multivariate analyses, controlling for depression, alcohol problems, illicit drug use, and important covariates such as gender, age, and chronic health problems, sleep problems at a previous wave predicted suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts at a subsequent wave. In mediation analyses, W2 depression significantly mediated the effect of W1 sleep problems on W3 suicide thoughts. Moreover, W2 suicidal thoughts also significantly mediated the effect of W1 sleep problems on W3 suicidal attempts. Sleep problems appear to be a robust predictor of subsequent suicidal thoughts and attempts in adolescence and young adulthood. Having trouble falling sleeping or staying asleep had both direct and indirect effects (via depression and suicidal thoughts) on suicidal behavior. Future research could determine if early intervention with sleep disturbances reduces the risk for suicidality in adolescents and young adults. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship between religion and thought-action fusion: use of an in vivo paradigm.

PubMed

Berman, Noah C; Abramowitz, Jonathan S; Pardue, Caleb M; Wheaton, Michael G

2010-07-01

Research has demonstrated that higher levels of religiosity are positively correlated with thought-action fusion (TAF), a set of cognitive biases found to be associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. However, previous studies have exclusively relied on a nomothetic approach to measuring TAF using a single self-report instrument, the thought-action fusion scale. The current study examined the relationship between religiosity and TAF using an in vivo behaviorally-based assessment in which participants thought about and wrote down thoughts of negative events involving loved ones. Forty-three highly religious Protestant Christians were compared to 30 Atheists/Agnostics on their in vivo ratings of anxiety, estimates of likelihood, and moral wrongness related to the negative thoughts. Results indicated that compared to the non-religious participants, those who were highly religious believed that writing and thinking about the negative events was more morally wrong and increased the likelihood of the event. Results are discussed in terms of the potential relationship between certain religious teachings and TAF-related beliefs about the importance, significance, and influence of thoughts. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Glanders and the risk for its introduction through the international movement of horses.

PubMed

Kettle, A N B; Wernery, U

2016-09-01

Glanders is the contagious zoonotic disease caused by infection with Burkholderia mallei. It affects primarily horses, donkeys and mules. The disease was eradicated from large areas of the Western world in the early 20th century, but, over the last 10-20 years, has emerged and re-emerged in areas in which it was previously unknown or had been eradicated. Although glanders was previously thought to manifest in only acute or chronic presentations, it now appears that B. mallei can produce latent infections similar to those caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei. These latent infections may or may not be detectable by current diagnostic tests. The diagnostic test currently recommended by the World Organisation for Animal Health (Office International des Epizooties [OIE]) for international trade in equids is the complement fixation test (CFT). This test has been shown to have varying sensitivities and specificities depending on the antigen and methodology used. False positives are problematic for the horse-owner and veterinary authority, whereas false negatives may allow the reintroduction of B. mallei into B. mallei-free areas. These gaps in knowledge of the epidemiology of glanders, and weaknesses in its diagnosis, coupled with the increased movement of equids, indicate that infection with B. mallei remains a major risk in the context of international movement of equids. © 2016 EVJ Ltd.

Cognitions as mediators in the relationship between self-compassion and affect

PubMed Central

Arimitsu, Kohki; Hofmann, Stefan G.

2014-01-01

Previous studies suggest that self-compassion is related to numerous facets of mental health, but the role of cognitions in this relationship remains unknown. To examine the mediating role of cognitions in the relationship between self-compassion and anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction when controlling for self-esteem in Japanese people, we conducted two studies. Study 1 (N = 231) examined the relationship between self-compassion and affect by modeling negative automatic thoughts as a mediator; Study 2 (N = 233) tested whether positive and negative automatic thoughts meditate this relationship. Results suggested that both self-compassion and self-esteem increased positive automatic thoughts and decreased trait anxiety, whereas only self-esteem increased life satisfaction and decreased depression directly. Positive automatic thoughts increased life satisfaction and decreased depression and trait anxiety, and positive automatic thoughts mediated the relationship between self-compassion and negative affect. These findings suggest that both positive and negative automatic thoughts mediate the relationship between self-compassion and affect in Japanese people. PMID:25395717

Intrusive images and intrusive thoughts as different phenomena: two experimental studies.

PubMed

Hagenaars, Muriel A; Brewin, Chris R; van Minnen, Agnes; Holmes, Emily A; Hoogduin, Kees A L

2010-01-01

According to the dual representation theory of PTSD, intrusive trauma images and intrusive verbal thoughts are produced by separate memory systems. In a previous article it was shown that after watching an aversive film, participants in non-movement conditions reported more intrusive images than participants in a free-to-move control condition (Hagenaars, Van Minnen, Holmes, Brewin, & Hoogduin, 2008). The present study investigates whether the experimental conditions of the Hagenaars et al. study had a different effect on intrusive thoughts than on intrusive images. Experiment 2 further investigated the image-thoughts distinction by manipulating stimulus valence (trauma film versus neutral film) and assessing the subsequent development of intrusive images and thoughts. In addition, both experiments studied the impact of peri-traumatic emotions on subsequent intrusive images and thoughts frequency across conditions. Results showed that experimental manipulations (non-movement and trauma film) caused higher levels of intrusive images relative to control conditions (free movement and neutral film) but they did not affect intrusive thoughts. Peri-traumatic anxiety and horror were associated with subsequent higher levels of intrusive images, but not intrusive thoughts. Correlations were inconclusive for anger and sadness. The results suggest intrusive images and thoughts can be manipulated independently and as such can be considered different phenomena.

Role of triggers and dysphoria in mind-wandering about past, present and future: A laboratory study.

PubMed

Plimpton, Benjamin; Patel, Priya; Kvavilashvili, Lia

2015-05-01

To bridge the related but separate areas of research on mind-wandering and Involuntary Autobiographical Memory (IAM), the frequency and temporal focus of task unrelated thoughts about past, present, and future was compared in 19 dysphoric and 21 non-dysphoric participants, using a modified laboratory method for studying IAMs. Participants were stopped 11 times during a 15-min vigilance task and recorded their thoughts at that moment. In both groups, most thoughts were spontaneous, task-unrelated, and triggered by irrelevant cue-words on the screen with negative words being more likely to trigger past memories and positive cues - thoughts about future. Both groups reported more past memories than current or future thoughts, but differences emerged in the type of future thought experienced: non-dysphoric participants reported more planning thoughts, and dysphoric participants more abstract hypothetical thoughts. The results suggest that some findings from IAM research regarding cues and the impact of dysphoria may be generalizable to mind-wandering. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suicidal behavior among homeless people in Japan.

PubMed

Okamura, Tsuyoshi; Ito, Kae; Morikawa, Suimei; Awata, Shuichi

2014-04-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the frequency and correlates of suicidal behavior among homeless people in Japan. A face-to-face survey was conducted in two districts of Tokyo, Japan, with 423 subjects who resided on streets and riversides and in urban parks and stations (street homeless) or who were residents of shelters, cheap hotels, or welfare homes for homeless people (sheltered homeless). When questioned about suicidal ideation in the previous 2 weeks, 51 subjects (12.2% of valid responses) had a recurring wish to die, 29 (6.9%) had frequent thoughts of suicide, and 22 (5.3%) had made suicide plans. In addition, 11 (2.9%) subjects had attempted suicide in the previous 2 weeks and 74 (17.7%) reported that they had ever attempted suicide. In univariate logistic regression analyses, street homelessness, lack of perceived emotional social support, poor subjective health perception, visual impairment, pain, insomnia, poor mental well-being, and current depression were significantly associated with recurrent thoughts of suicide in the previous 2 weeks. Among these, current depression had the greatest significance. In multivariate logistic regression analyses after controlling for depression, street homelessness and lack of perceived emotional social support were significantly associated with recurrent thoughts of suicide in the previous 2 weeks. Comprehensive interventions including housing and social support as well as mental health services might be crucial as effective strategies for suicide prevention among homeless people.

Revisiting the Relationship between Individual Differences in Analytic Thinking and Religious Belief: Evidence That Measurement Order Moderates Their Inverse Correlation.

PubMed

Finley, Anna J; Tang, David; Schmeichel, Brandon J

2015-01-01

Prior research has found that persons who favor more analytic modes of thought are less religious. We propose that individual differences in analytic thought are associated with reduced religious beliefs particularly when analytic thought is measured (hence, primed) first. The current study provides a direct replication of prior evidence that individual differences in analytic thinking are negatively related to religious beliefs when analytic thought is measured before religious beliefs. When religious belief is measured before analytic thinking, however, the negative relationship is reduced to non-significance, suggesting that the link between analytic thought and religious belief is more tenuous than previously reported. The current study suggests that whereas inducing analytic processing may reduce religious belief, more analytic thinkers are not necessarily less religious. The potential for measurement order to inflate the inverse correlation between analytic thinking and religious beliefs deserves additional consideration.

Revisiting the Relationship between Individual Differences in Analytic Thinking and Religious Belief: Evidence That Measurement Order Moderates Their Inverse Correlation

PubMed Central

Finley, Anna J.; Tang, David; Schmeichel, Brandon J.

2015-01-01

Prior research has found that persons who favor more analytic modes of thought are less religious. We propose that individual differences in analytic thought are associated with reduced religious beliefs particularly when analytic thought is measured (hence, primed) first. The current study provides a direct replication of prior evidence that individual differences in analytic thinking are negatively related to religious beliefs when analytic thought is measured before religious beliefs. When religious belief is measured before analytic thinking, however, the negative relationship is reduced to non-significance, suggesting that the link between analytic thought and religious belief is more tenuous than previously reported. The current study suggests that whereas inducing analytic processing may reduce religious belief, more analytic thinkers are not necessarily less religious. The potential for measurement order to inflate the inverse correlation between analytic thinking and religious beliefs deserves additional consideration. PMID:26402334

The role of thought suppression in the relation between mindfulness meditation and alcohol use

PubMed Central

Bowen, Sarah; Witkiewitz, Katie; Dillworth, Tiara M.; Marlatt, G. Alan

2007-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that attempts to suppress thoughts about using substances may actually lead to increases in substance use. Vipassana, a mindfulness meditation practice, emphasizes acceptance, rather than suppression, of unwanted thoughts. Bowen and colleagues (2006) studied the effects of a Vipassana course on substance use and in an incarcerated population, showing significant reductions in substance use among the Vipassana group as compared to a treatment as usual control condition (Bowen, Witkiewitz, Dillworth, Chawla, Simpson, Ostafin, et al., 2006). The current study further examines the mediating effects of thought suppression in the relationship between participation in the course and subsequent alcohol use in an incarcerated population. Those who participated in the course reported significant decreases in avoidance of thoughts when compared to controls. The decrease in avoidance partially mediated effects of the course on post-release alcohol use and consequences. PMID:17300875

Health Service Areas (HSAs) - Small Area Estimates

Cancer.gov

Health Service Areas (HSAs) are a compromise between the 3000 counties and the 50 states. An HSA may be thought of as an area that is relatively self-contained with respect to hospital care and may cross over state boundries.

The role of mind-wandering in measurements of general aptitude.

PubMed

Mrazek, Michael D; Smallwood, Jonathan; Franklin, Michael S; Chin, Jason M; Baird, Benjamin; Schooler, Jonathan W

2012-11-01

Tests of working memory capacity (WMC) and fluid intelligence (gF) are thought to capture variability in a crucial cognitive capacity that is broadly predictive of success, yet pinpointing the exact nature of this capacity is an area of ongoing controversy. We propose that mind-wandering is associated with performance on tests of WMC and gF, thereby partially explaining both the reliable correlations between these tests and their broad predictive utility. Existing evidence indicates that both WMC and gF are correlated with performance on tasks of attention, yet more decisive evidence requires an assessment of the role of attention and, in particular, mind-wandering during performance of these tests. Four studies employing complementary methodological designs embedded thought sampling into tests of general aptitude and determined that mind-wandering was consistently associated with worse performance on these measures. Collectively, these studies implicate the capacity to avoid mind-wandering during demanding tasks as a potentially important source of success on measures of general aptitude, while also raising important questions about whether the previously documented relationship between WMC and mind-wandering can be exclusively attributed to executive failures preceding mind-wandering (McVay & Kane, 2010b). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Increasing propensity to mind-wander with transcranial direct current stimulation

PubMed Central

Axelrod, Vadim; Rees, Geraint; Lavidor, Michal; Bar, Moshe

2015-01-01

Humans mind-wander quite intensely. Mind wandering is markedly different from other cognitive behaviors because it is spontaneous, self-generated, and inwardly directed (inner thoughts). However, can such an internal and intimate mental function also be modulated externally by means of brain stimulation? Addressing this question could also help identify the neural correlates of mind wandering in a causal manner, in contrast to the correlational methods used previously (primarily functional MRI). In our study, participants performed a monotonous task while we periodically sampled their thoughts to assess mind wandering. Concurrently, we applied transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). We found that stimulation of the frontal lobes [anode electrode at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), cathode electrode at the right supraorbital area], but not of the occipital cortex or sham stimulation, increased the propensity to mind-wander. These results demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that mind wandering can be enhanced externally using brain stimulation, and that the frontal lobes play a causal role in mind-wandering behavior. These results also suggest that the executive control network associated with the DLPFC might be an integral part of mind-wandering neural machinery. PMID:25691738

Increasing propensity to mind-wander with transcranial direct current stimulation.

PubMed

Axelrod, Vadim; Rees, Geraint; Lavidor, Michal; Bar, Moshe

2015-03-17

Humans mind-wander quite intensely. Mind wandering is markedly different from other cognitive behaviors because it is spontaneous, self-generated, and inwardly directed (inner thoughts). However, can such an internal and intimate mental function also be modulated externally by means of brain stimulation? Addressing this question could also help identify the neural correlates of mind wandering in a causal manner, in contrast to the correlational methods used previously (primarily functional MRI). In our study, participants performed a monotonous task while we periodically sampled their thoughts to assess mind wandering. Concurrently, we applied transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). We found that stimulation of the frontal lobes [anode electrode at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), cathode electrode at the right supraorbital area], but not of the occipital cortex or sham stimulation, increased the propensity to mind-wander. These results demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that mind wandering can be enhanced externally using brain stimulation, and that the frontal lobes play a causal role in mind-wandering behavior. These results also suggest that the executive control network associated with the DLPFC might be an integral part of mind-wandering neural machinery.

Thin‐ or thick‐skinned faulting in the Yakima fold and thrust belt (WA)? Constraints from kinematic modeling of the saddle mountains anticline

USGS Publications Warehouse

Casale, Gabriele; Pratt, Thomas L.

2015-01-01

The Yakima fold and thrust belt (YFTB) deforms the Columbia River Basalt Group flows of Washington State. The YFTB fault geometries and slip rates are crucial parameters for seismic‐hazard assessments of nearby dams and nuclear facilities, yet there are competing models for the subsurface fault geometry involving shallowly rooted versus deeply rooted fault systems. The YFTB is also thought to be analogous to the evenly spaced wrinkle ridges found on other terrestrial planets. Using seismic reflection data, borehole logs, and surface geologic data, we tested two proposed kinematic end‐member thick‐ and thin‐skinned fault models beneath the Saddle Mountains anticline of the YFTB. Observed subsurface geometry can be produced by 600–800 m of heave along a single listric‐reverse fault or ∼3.5  km of slip along two superposed low‐angle thrust faults. Both models require decollement slip between 7 and 9 km depth, resulting in greater fault areas than sometimes assumed in hazard assessments. Both models require initial slip much earlier than previously thought and may provide insight into the subsurface geometry of analogous comparisons to wrinkle ridges observed on other planets.

"White Cord Syndrome" of Acute Hemiparesis After Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion for Chronic Cervical Stenosis.

PubMed

Antwi, Prince; Grant, Ryan; Kuzmik, Gregory; Abbed, Khalid

2018-05-01

"White cord syndrome" is a very rare condition thought to be due to acute reperfusion of chronically ischemic areas of the spinal cord. Its hallmark is the presence of intramedullary hyperintense signal on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging sequences in a patient with unexplained neurologic deficits following spinal cord decompression surgery. The syndrome is rare and has been reported previously in 2 patients following anterior cervical decompression and fusion. We report an additional case of this complication. A 68-year-old man developed acute left-sided hemiparesis after posterior cervical decompression and fusion for cervical spondylotic myelopathy. The patient improved with high-dose steroid therapy. The rare white cord syndrome following either anterior cervical decompression and fusion or posterior cervical decompression and fusion may be due to ischemic-reperfusion injury sustained by chronically compressed parts of the spinal cord. In previous reports, patients have improved following steroid therapy and acute rehabilitation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Magnesium replacement in formaldehyde: Theoretical rovibrational analysis of X ∼ 3B1 MgCH2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassett, Matthew K.; Fortenberry, Ryan C.

2018-02-01

A full, anharmonic set of fundamental vibrational frequencies as well as spectrosocpic constants are provided at high-level for X ∼ 3B1 MgCH2 for the first time. The present data are in line with previous computational and Ar-matrix results, but the anharmonic data show that two brightest frequencies, ν4 and ν5 , are nearly coincident with one another at 560 cm-1. Hence, this area is the best spectral region to search for signatures of this molecule. The rotational constants are also provided indicating a near-prolate rotational progression which should aid in microwave/millimeter-wave analysis of this molecule. Magnesium is known to be a significant component of the Earth, and molecules containing it may be more common in the interstellar medium/circumstellar media than previously thought. More spectral characterization of such molecules like MgCH2 should be undertaken, and this work is a step in that direction.

Incubation success and habitat selection of shore-spawning kokanee Onchorhynchus nerka: effects of water level regulation and habitat characteristics.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitlock, Steven L.; Quist, Michael C.; Dux, Andrew M.

2014-01-01

Changes to water-level regimes have been known to restructure fish assemblages and interfere with the population dynamics of both littoral and pelagic species. The effect of altered water-level regimes on shore-spawning kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka incubation success was evaluated using a comprehensive in situ study in Lake Pend Oreille, ID, USA. Survival was not related to substrate size composition or depth, indicating that shore-spawning kokanee do not currently receive a substrate-mediated survival benefit from higher winter water levels. Substrate composition also did not differ among isobaths in the nearshore area. On average, the odds of an egg surviving to the preemergent stage were more than three times greater for sites in downwelling areas than those lacking downwelling. This study revealed that shoreline spawning habitat is not as limited as previously thought. Downwelling areas appear to contribute substantially to shore-spawning kokanee recruitment. This research illustrates the value of rigorous in situ studies both for testing potential mechanisms underlying population trends and providing insight into spawning habitat selection.

Evolution of Martian polar landscapes - Interplay of long-term variations in perennial ice cover and dust storm intensity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cutts, J. A.; Blasius, K. R.; Roberts, W. J.

1979-01-01

The discovery of a new type of Martian polar terrain, called undulating plain, is reported and the evolution of the plains and other areas of the Martian polar region is discussed in terms of the trapping of dust by the perennial ice cover. High-resolution Viking Orbiter 2 observations of the north polar terrain reveal perennially ice-covered surfaces with low relief, wavelike, regularly spaced, parallel ridges and troughs (undulating plains) occupying areas of the polar terrain previously thought to be flat, and associated with troughs of considerable local relief which exhibit at least partial annual melting. It is proposed that the wavelike topography of the undulating plains originates from long-term periodic variations in cyclical dust precipitation at the margin of a growing or receding perennial polar cap in response to changes in insolation. The troughs are proposed to originate from areas of steep slope in the undulating terrain which have lost their perennial ice cover and have become incapable of trapping dust. The polar landscape thus appears to record the migrations, expansions and contractions of the Martian polar cap.

Radio morphology and parent population of X-ray selected BL Lacertae objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laurent-Muehleisen, S. A.; Kollgaard, R. I.; Moellenbrock, G. A.; Feigelson, E. D.

1993-01-01

High-dynamic range (typically 1700:1) radio maps of 15 X-ray BL Lac (XBL) objects from the HEAO-1 Large Area Sky Survey are presented. Morphological characteristics of these sources are compared with Fanaroff-Riley (FR) class I radio galaxies in the context of unified schemes, with reference to one-sided kiloparsec-scale emission. Evidence that cluster membership of XBLs is significantly higher than previously thought is also presented. It is shown that the extended radio powers, X-ray emission, core-to-lobe ratios, and linear sizes of the radio selected BL Lac (RBL) and XBL populations are consistent with an FR I radio galaxy parent population. A source list and VLA observing log and map parameters are provided.

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

Rosales, Bryan A.; Hanrahan, Michael P.; Boote, Brett W.

Hybrid lead perovskites containing a mixture of organic and inorganic cations and anions have lead to solar cell devices with better performance and stability than their single halide analogs. Here, 207Pb solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and single particle photoluminescence spectroscopies show that the structure and composition of mixed-halide and—likely—other hybrid lead perovskites is much more complex than previously thought and is highly dependent on their synthesis. While a majority of reports in the area focus on the construction of photovoltaic devices, this perspective focuses instead on achieving a better understanding of the fundamental chemistry and photophysics of these materials, asmore » this will aid not only in constructing improved devices, but also in generating new uses for these unique materials.« less

Visualizing anatomical evidences on atrioventricular conduction system for TAVI.

PubMed

Kawashima, Tomokazu; Sato, Fumi

2014-06-01

Visualizing the anatomy of the atrioventricular (AV) conduction axis substantiates that there is remarkable inter-individual variation at the macro- and microscopic levels, and that the atrioventricular bundle and left bundle branch are located more anteriorly, distally, and cranially and much closer to the aortic root complex than previously thought. The AV conduction system may therefore be compromised during implantation of a transcatheter aortic valve prosthesis, which may account for the relatively high incidence of new cardiac conduction abnormalities when conventional prosthetic valves are used. The design of the newer JenaValve® may afford advantages over more conventional valves by avoiding the high-risk implantation area and the potential for coronary ostia obstruction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Homicidal ideation in family carers of people with dementia.

PubMed

O'Dwyer, Siobhan T; Moyle, Wendy; Taylor, Tara; Creese, Jennifer; Zimmer-Gembeck, Melanie J

2016-11-01

Family carers of people with dementia have higher than average rates of suicidal ideation, but there has been no research on homicidal ideation in this population. The aim of this study was to explore thoughts of homicide in family carers of people with dementia. A descriptive qualitative approach was taken. Twenty-one Australian carers (7 men, 14 women) participated in individual, in-depth interviews and the transcripts were analysed thematically. Seven themes were identified in the data - active thoughts of homicide; understanding homicidal thoughts in others; passive thoughts of death; euthanasia; homicidal thoughts in other caregiving situations; abuse; and disclosing thoughts of harm. Two of the 21 participants had actively contemplated the homicide of their care recipient, four expressed a passive desire for the care recipient's death, and four reported physically or verbally abusing the care recipient. Only one carer had previously disclosed these experiences. Homicidal ideation is a real and significant phenomenon among family carers of people with dementia. Service providers and health professionals are encouraged to identify and support carers contemplating homicide, but to do so in a way that recognises the broader social context of carer burden.

A Correspondence between Individual Differences in the Brain's Intrinsic Functional Architecture and the Content and Form of Self-Generated Thoughts

PubMed Central

Gorgolewski, Krzysztof J.; Lurie, Dan; Urchs, Sebastian; Kipping, Judy A.; Craddock, R. Cameron; Milham, Michael P.; Margulies, Daniel S.; Smallwood, Jonathan

2014-01-01

Although neural activity often reflects the processing of external inputs, intrinsic fluctuations in activity have been observed throughout the brain. These may relate to patterns of self-generated thought that can occur while not performing goal-driven tasks. To understand the relationship between self-generated mental activity and intrinsic neural fluctuations, we developed the New York Cognition Questionnaire (NYC-Q) to assess the content and form of an individual's experiences during the acquisition of resting-state fMRI data. The data were collected as a part of the Nathan Kline Rockland Enhanced sample. We decomposed NYC-Q scores using exploratory factor analysis and found that self-reported thoughts clustered into distinct dimensions of content (future related, past related, positive, negative, and social) and form (words, images, and specificity). We used these components to perform an individual difference analysis exploring how differences in the types of self-generated thoughts relate to whole brain measures of intrinsic brain activity (fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations, regional homogeneity, and degree centrality). We found patterns of self-generated thoughts related to changes that were distributed across a wide range of cortical areas. For example, individuals who reported greater imagery exhibited greater low frequency fluctuations in a region of perigenual cingulate cortex, a region that is known to participate in the so-called default-mode network. We also found certain forms of thought were associated with other areas, such as primary visual cortex, the insula, and the cerebellum. For example, individuals who reported greater future thought exhibited less homogeneous neural fluctuations in a region of lateral occipital cortex, a result that is consistent with the claim that particular types of self-generated thought depend on processes that are decoupled from sensory processes. These data provide evidence that self-generated thought is a heterogeneous category of experience and that studying its content can be helpful in understanding brain dynamics. PMID:24824880

Phylogeny, biogeography and diversification patterns of side-necked turtles (Testudines: Pleurodira)

PubMed Central

Langer, Max C.; Sterli, Juliana

2018-01-01

Pleurodires or side-necked turtles are today restricted to freshwater environments of South America, Africa–Madagascar and Australia, but in the past they were distributed much more broadly, being found also on Eurasia, India and North America, and marine environments. Two hypotheses were proposed to explain this distribution; in the first, vicariance would have shaped the current geographical distribution and, in the second, extinctions constrained a previously widespread distribution. Here, we aim to reconstruct pleurodiran biogeographic history and diversification patterns based on a new phylogenetic hypothesis recovered from the analysis of the largest morphological dataset yet compiled for the lineage, testing which biogeographical process prevailed during its evolutionary history. The resulting topology generally agrees with previous hypotheses of the group and shows that most diversification shifts were related to the exploration of new niches, e.g. littoral or marine radiations. In addition, as other turtles, pleurodires do not seem to have been much affected by either the Cretaceous–Palaeogene or the Eocene–Oligocene mass extinctions. The biogeographic analyses highlight the predominance of both anagenetic and cladogenetic dispersal events and support the importance of transoceanic dispersals as a more common driver of area changes than previously thought, agreeing with previous studies with other non-turtle lineages. PMID:29657780

Phylogeny, biogeography and diversification patterns of side-necked turtles (Testudines: Pleurodira)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, Gabriel S.; Bronzati, Mario; Langer, Max C.; Sterli, Juliana

2018-03-01

Pleurodires or side-necked turtles are today restricted to freshwater environments of South America, Africa-Madagascar and Australia, but in the past they were distributed much more broadly, being found also on Eurasia, India and North America, and marine environments. Two hypotheses were proposed to explain this distribution; in the first, vicariance would have shaped the current geographical distribution and, in the second, extinctions constrained a previously widespread distribution. Here, we aim to reconstruct pleurodiran biogeographic history and diversification patterns based on a new phylogenetic hypothesis recovered from the analysis of the largest morphological dataset yet compiled for the lineage, testing which biogeographical process prevailed during its evolutionary history. The resulting topology generally agrees with previous hypotheses of the group and shows that most diversification shifts were related to the exploration of new niches, e.g. littoral or marine radiations. In addition, as other turtles, pleurodires do not seem to have been much affected by either the Cretaceous-Palaeogene or the Eocene-Oligocene mass extinctions. The biogeographic analyses highlight the predominance of both anagenetic and cladogenetic dispersal events and support the importance of transoceanic dispersals as a more common driver of area changes than previously thought, agreeing with previous studies with other non-turtle lineages.

Spatially robust estimates of biological nitrogen (N) fixation imply substantial human alteration of the tropical N cycle

PubMed Central

Sullivan, Benjamin W.; Smith, W. Kolby; Townsend, Alan R.; Nasto, Megan K.; Reed, Sasha C.; Chazdon, Robin L.; Cleveland, Cory C.

2014-01-01

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the largest natural source of exogenous nitrogen (N) to unmanaged ecosystems and also the primary baseline against which anthropogenic changes to the N cycle are measured. Rates of BNF in tropical rainforest are thought to be among the highest on Earth, but they are notoriously difficult to quantify and are based on little empirical data. We adapted a sampling strategy from community ecology to generate spatial estimates of symbiotic and free-living BNF in secondary and primary forest sites that span a typical range of tropical forest legume abundance. Although total BNF was higher in secondary than primary forest, overall rates were roughly five times lower than previous estimates for the tropical forest biome. We found strong correlations between symbiotic BNF and legume abundance, but we also show that spatially free-living BNF often exceeds symbiotic inputs. Our results suggest that BNF in tropical forest has been overestimated, and our data are consistent with a recent top-down estimate of global BNF that implied but did not measure low tropical BNF rates. Finally, comparing tropical BNF within the historical area of tropical rainforest with current anthropogenic N inputs indicates that humans have already at least doubled reactive N inputs to the tropical forest biome, a far greater change than previously thought. Because N inputs are increasing faster in the tropics than anywhere on Earth, both the proportion and the effects of human N enrichment are likely to grow in the future. PMID:24843146

Suppression, accessibility of death-related thoughts, and cultural worldview defense: exploring the psychodynamics of terror management.

PubMed

Arndt, J; Greenberg, J; Solomon, S; Pyszczynski, T; Simon, L

1997-07-01

Previous research has shown that after a mortality-salience (MS) treatment, death thought accessibility and worldview defense are initially low and then increase after a delay, suggesting that a person's initial response to conscious thoughts of mortality is to actively suppress death thoughts. If so, then high cognitive load, by disrupting suppression efforts, should lead to immediate increases in death thought accessibility and cultural worldview defense. Studies 1 and 2 supported this reasoning. Specifically, Study 1 replicated the delayed increase in death accessibility after MS among low cognitive load participants but showed a reversed pattern among participants under high cognitive load. Study 2 showed that, unlike low cognitive load participants, high cognitive load participants exhibited immediate increase in pro-American bias after MS. Study 3 demonstrated that worldview defense in response to MS reduces the delayed increase in death accessibility. Implications of these findings for understanding both terror management processes and psychological defense in general are discussed.

If only I had taken my usual route…: age-related differences in counter-factual thinking.

PubMed

Horhota, Michelle; Mienaltowski, Andrew; Blanchard-Fields, Fredda

2012-01-01

Previous research suggests that young adults can shift between rational and experiential modes of thinking when forming social judgments. The present study examines whether older adults demonstrate this flexibility in thinking. Young and older adults completed an If-only task adapted from Epstein, Lipson, and Huh's (1992 , Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62, 328) examination of individuals' ability to adopt rational or experiential modes of thought while making a judgment about characters who experience a negative event that could have been avoided. Consistent with our expectations for their judgments of the characters, young adults shifted between experiential and rational modes of thought when instructed to do so. Conversely, regardless of the mode of thought being used or the order with which they adopted the different modes of thought (i.e., shifting from experiential to rational in Study 1 and from rational to experiential in Study 2), older adults consistently offered judgments and justifications that reflected a preference for experiential-based thought.

Acoustic cavitation bubbles in the kidney induced by focused shock waves in extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwahara, M.; Ioritani, N.; Kambe, K.; Taguchi, K.; Saito, T.; Igarashi, M.; Shirai, S.; Orikasa, S.; Takayama, K.

1990-07-01

On an ultrasonic imaging system a hyperechoic region was observed in a focal area of fucused shock waves in the dog kidney. This study was performed to learn whether cavitation bubbles are responsible for this hyperechoic region. The ultrasonic images in water of varying temperatures were not markedly different. In the flowing stream of distilled water, the stream was demonstrated as a hyperechoic region only with a mixture of air bubbles. Streams of 5%-50% glucose solutions were also demonstrated as a hyperechoic region. However, such concentration changes in living tissue, as well as thermal changes, are hardly thought to be induced. The holographic interferometry showed that the cavitation bubbles remained for more than 500 msec. in the focal area in water. This finding indicate that the bubble can remain for longer period than previously supposed. These results support the contentions that cavitation bubbles are responsible for the hyperechoic region in the kidney in situ.

Interpretation of Ground Temperature Anomalies in Hydrothermal Discharge Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, A. N.; Lindsey, C.; Fairley, J. P., Jr.

2017-12-01

Researchers have long noted the potential for shallow hydrothermal fluids to perturb near-surface temperatures. Several investigators have made qualitative or semi-quantitative use of elevated surface temperatures; for example, in snowfall calorimetry, or for tracing subsurface flow paths. However, little effort has been expended to develop a quantitative framework connecting surface temperature observations with conditions in the subsurface. Here, we examine an area of shallow subsurface flow at Burgdorf Hot Springs, in the Payette National Forest, north of McCall, Idaho USA. We present a simple analytical model that uses easily-measured surface data to infer the temperatures of laterally-migrating shallow hydrothermal fluids. The model is calibrated using shallow ground temperature measurements and overburden thickness estimates from seismic refraction studies. The model predicts conditions in the shallow subsurface, and suggests that the Biot number may place a more important control on the expression of near-surface thermal perturbations than previously thought. In addition, our model may have application in inferring difficult-to-measure parameters, such as shallow subsurface discharge from hydrothermal springs.

Potassium map from Chang'E-2 constraints the impact of Crisium and Orientale basin on the Moon.

PubMed

Zhu, Meng-Hua; Chang, Jin; Ma, Tao; Ip, Wing-Huen; Fa, WenZhe; Wu, Jian; Cai, MingSheng; Gong, YiZhong; Hu, YiMing; Xu, AoAo; Tang, ZeSheng

2013-01-01

KREEP materials were thought to be last crystallized at the lunar crust and mantle boundary. Impact cratering and volcanism are mainly responsible for their distributions on the lunar surface. Therefore, observation of global KREEP materials and investigation of distributions in the areas of large basins are of critical importance to understand the geologic history of the Moon. Here we report the new global potassium distribution on the Moon detected by Chang'E-2 Gamma-ray Spectrometer. We found that our new measurements are in general agreement with previous observation. A new finding and an important difference is that relatively higher K abundances in the Mare Crisium and Mare Orientale than their surrounding rims were detected for the first time. In light of our observations in these two areas, we propose that Crisium and Orientale basin-forming impact events may have penetrated to the lower crust and excavate the deeper materials to the lunar surface.

Quark-Gluon Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Bikash; Pal, Santanu; Raha, Sibaji

Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP) is a state of matter predicted by the theory of strong interactions - Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). The area of QGP lies at the interface of particle physics, field theory, nuclear physics and many-body theory, statistical physics, cosmology and astrophysics. In its brief history (about a decade), QGP has seen a rapid convergence of ideas from these previously diverging disciplines. This volume includes the lectures delivered by eminent specialists to students without prior experience in QGP. Each course thus starts from the basics and takes the students by steps to the current problems. The chapters are self-contained and pedagogic in style. The book may therefore serve as an introduction for advanced graduate students intending to enter this field or for physicists working in other areas. Experts in QGP may also find this volume a handy reference. Specific examples, used to elucidate how theoretical predictions and experimentally accessible quantities may not always correspond to one another, make this book ideal for self-study for beginners. This feature will also make the volume thought-provoking for QGP practitioners.

Adaptation to recent conflict in the classical color-word Stroop-task mainly involves facilitation of processing of task-relevant information.

PubMed

Purmann, Sascha; Pollmann, Stefan

2015-01-01

To process information selectively and to continuously fine-tune selectivity of information processing are important abilities for successful goal-directed behavior. One phenomenon thought to represent this fine-tuning are conflict adaptation effects in interference tasks, i.e., reduction of interference after an incompatible trial and when incompatible trials are frequent. The neurocognitive mechanisms of these effects are currently only partly understood and results from brainimaging studies so far are mixed. In our study we validate and extend recent findings by examining adaption to recent conflict in the classical Stroop task using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Consistent with previous research we found increased activity in a fronto-parietal network comprising the medial prefrontal cortex, ventro-lateral prefrontal cortex, and posterior parietal cortex when contrasting incompatible with compatible trials. These areas have been associated with attentional processes and might reflect increased cognitive conflict and resolution thereof during incompatible trials. While carefully controlling for non-attentional sequential effects we found smaller Stroop interference after an incompatible trial (conflict adaptation effect). These behavioral conflict adaptation effects were accompanied by changes in activity in visual color-selective areas (V4, V4α), while there was no modulation by previous trial compatibility in a visual word-selective area (VWFA). Our results provide further evidence for the notion, that adaptation to recent conflict seems to be based mainly on enhancement of processing of the task-relevant information.

Is There a European Language History?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mattheier, Klaus J.

2010-01-01

The thoughts on a language history within a European context sketched out here represent an attempt to extend the concepts of regional and particularly national language history by adding a third dimension: transnational language history in Europe. After a few general thoughts on the extended area of research, in which so-called external language…

Taboo thoughts and doubt/checking

PubMed Central

Pinto, Anthony; Eisen, Jane L.; Mancebo, Maria C.; Greenberg, Benjamin D.; Stout, Robert L.; Rasmussen, Steven A.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this report was to improve upon earlier factor analyses of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom categories by minimizing the heterogeneity in the aggressive obsessions category. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on data from 293 adults with primary OCD. The resulting five factors (Symmetry/Ordering, Hoarding, Doubt/Checking, Contamination/Cleaning, and Taboo Thoughts) are phenomenologically more homogeneous than prior category-based factors and are consistent with those derived in previous item-level analyses. PMID:17368563

Enhancing Propriospinal Relays to Improve Functional Recovery After SCI

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

injury to the spinal cord. We have completed experiments for subtask 1 – 4 of specific aim 1 and subtasks 1 for specific aim 2. This Aim 2 of the...previously observed PAP2 to induce robust regeneration in a dorsal hemisection model and thought it might enhance regeneration and sprouting after the more...spontaneous recovery is often observed after incomplete injuries, leading to partial recovery over time. Spontaneous recovery is thought to be

When the mind wanders: Distinguishing stimulus-dependent from stimulus-independent thoughts during incidental encoding in young and older adults.

PubMed

Maillet, David; Schacter, Daniel L

2016-06-01

In recent years, several studies have indicated that healthy older adults exhibit a reduction in mind-wandering compared with young adults. However, relatively little research has examined the extent to which ongoing thoughts in young and older adults are dependent on environmental stimuli. In the current study, we assessed age-related differences in frequency of stimulus-dependent thoughts (SDTs) and stimulus-independent thoughts (SITs) during a slow-paced incidental encoding task. Based on previous research suggesting that older adults rely on external information to a greater extent than young adults, we hypothesized that ongoing thoughts in older adults may be more stimulus-dependent than in young adults. We found that although older adults reported overall fewer thoughts compared to young adults, they exhibited a reduction in proportion of SITs and an increase in proportion of SDTs. In both age groups, SDTs were more frequently about the past compared with SITs, while SITs were more frequently about the future. Finally, the extent to which both young and older adults reported SDTs, but not SITs, at encoding was positively correlated with how often they reported remembering thoughts at retrieval, and SDT frequency was positively correlated with overall performance on the memory task in older adults. Our results provide evidence that ongoing thoughts in older adults may be more dependent on environmental stimuli than young adults, and that these thoughts may impact performance in recognition tasks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

An Experimental Comparison of Techniques: Cognitive Defusion, Cognitive Restructuring, and in-vivo Exposure for Social Anxiety.

PubMed

Barrera, Terri L; Szafranski, Derek D; Ratcliff, Chelsea G; Garnaat, Sarah L; Norton, Peter J

2016-03-01

One of the primary differences between Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for anxiety is the approach to managing negative thoughts. CBT focuses on challenging the accuracy of dysfunctional thoughts through cognitive restructuring exercises, whereas ACT attempts to foster acceptance of such thoughts through cognitive defusion exercises. Previous research suggests that both techniques reduce the distress associated with negative thoughts, though questions remain regarding the benefit of these techniques above and beyond exposure to feared stimuli. In the present study, we conducted a brief experimental intervention to examine the utility of cognitive defusion + in-vivo exposure, cognitive restructuring + in-vivo exposure, and in-vivo exposure alone in reducing the impact of negative thoughts in patients with social anxiety disorder. All participants completed a brief public speaking exposure and those in the cognitive conditions received training in the assigned cognitive technique. Participants returned a week later to complete a second exposure task and self-report measures. All three conditions resulted in similar decreases in discomfort related to negative thoughts. ANOVA models failed to find an interaction between change in accuracy or importance and assignment to condition in predicting decreased distress of negative thoughts. These preliminary results suggest that changes in perceived importance and accuracy of negative thoughts may not be the mechanisms by which cognitive defusion and cognitive restructuring affect distress in the short-term.

How Do Thoughts, Emotions, and Decisions Align? A New Way to Examine Theory of Mind in Middle Childhood and Beyond

PubMed Central

Lagattuta, Kristin Hansen

2016-01-01

The current study examined 4- to 10-year-olds’ and adults’ (N = 280) tendency to connect people’s thoughts, emotions, and decisions into valence-matched mental state triads (thought valence = emotion valence = decision valence; such as, anticipate something bad + feel worried + avoid) and valence-matched mental state dyads (thought-emotion, thought-decision, and emotion-decision). Participants heard vignettes about focal characters who re-encountered individuals who had previously harmed them twice, helped them twice, or both harmed and helped them. Baseline trials involved no past experience. Children and adults predicted the focal characters’ thoughts (anticipate something good or bad), emotions (feel happy or worried), and decisions (go near or stay away). Results showed significant increases between 4 and 10 years in the formation of valence-matched mental state triads and dyads, with thoughts and emotions most often aligned by valence. We also documented age-related improvement in awareness that uncertain situations elicit less valence-consistent mental states than more certain situations, with females expecting weaker coherence among characters’ thoughts, emotions, and decisions than males. Controlling for age and sex, individuals with stronger executive function (working memory and inhibitory control) predicted more valence-aligned mental states. These findings add to the emerging literature on development and individual differences in children’s reasoning about mental states and emotions during middle childhood and beyond. PMID:27017060

Ecology-centered experiences among children and adolescents: A qualitative and quantitative analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orton, Judy

The present research involved two studies that considered ecology-centered experiences (i.e., experiences with living things) as a factor in children's environmental attitudes and behaviors and adolescents' ecological understanding. The first study (Study 1) examined how a community garden provides children in an urban setting the opportunity to learn about ecology through ecology-centered experiences. To do this, I carried out a yearlong ethnographic study at an urban community garden located in a large city in the Southeastern United States. Through participant observations and informal interviews of community garden staff and participants, I found children had opportunities to learn about ecology through ecology-centered experiences (e.g., interaction with animals) along with other experiences (e.g., playing games, reading books). In light of previous research that shows urban children have diminished ecological thought---a pattern of thought that privileges the relationship between living things---because of their lack of ecology-centered experiences (Coley, 2012), the present study may have implications for urban children to learn about ecology. As an extension of Study 1, I carried out a second study (Study 2) to investigate how ecology-centered experiences contribute to adolescents' environmental attitudes and behaviors in light of other contextual factors, namely environmental responsibility support, ecological thought, age and gender. Study 2 addressed three research questions. First, does ecological thought---a pattern of thought that privileges the relationship between living things---predict environmental attitudes and behaviors (EAB)? Results showed ecological thought did not predict EAB, an important finding considering the latent assumptions of previous research about the relationship between these two factors (e.g., Brugger, Kaiser, & Roczen, 2011). Second, do two types of contextual support, ecology-centered experiences (i.e., experiences with living things) and environmental responsibility support (i.e., support through the availability of environmentally responsible models) predict EAB? As predicted, results showed that ecology-centered experiences predicted EAB; yet, when environmental responsibility support was taken into consideration, ecology-centered experiences no longer predicted EAB. These findings suggested environmental responsibility support was a stronger predictor than ecology-centered experiences. Finally, do age and gender predict EAB? Consistent with previous research (e.g., Alp, Ertepiner, Tekkaya, & Yilmaz, 2006), age and gender significantly predicted EAB.

Concrete and formal operational thought processes in young adulthood and old age.

PubMed

Clayton, V; Overton, W F

1976-01-01

A study was conducted to examine the role of concrete and formal operations in a young and old population. In addition, the present study explored the relation between operational thought and Cattell's concept of fluid and crystallized intelligence, as well as the role of differential living arrangements in maintaining operational thought. Eighty females from three age groups (18-20 years, 60-70 years and 70-80 years of age) were tested on a series of Piagetian tasks and indices of fluid and crystallized intelligence. The findings supported the notion that age-related performance differences occur in the area of formal operational thought prior to the time they occur in concrete operational thought. Except for the young sample, the operational tasks were found to be unrelated to fluid intelligence at the age levels represented in this study. Living independently as opposed to living in an old age home did not appear to be a significant factor in maintaining operational thought. Discussion focused on the necessity of identifying those factors which influence the developmental course of formal operational thought across the life span.

Affective neuroscience of self-generated thought.

PubMed

Fox, Kieran C R; Andrews-Hanna, Jessica R; Mills, Caitlin; Dixon, Matthew L; Markovic, Jelena; Thompson, Evan; Christoff, Kalina

2018-05-12

Despite increasing scientific interest in self-generated thought-mental content largely independent of the immediate environment-there has yet to be any comprehensive synthesis of the subjective experience and neural correlates of affect in these forms of thinking. Here, we aim to develop an integrated affective neuroscience encompassing many forms of self-generated thought-normal and pathological, moderate and excessive, in waking and in sleep. In synthesizing existing literature on this topic, we reveal consistent findings pertaining to the prevalence, valence, and variability of emotion in self-generated thought, and highlight how these factors might interact with self-generated thought to influence general well-being. We integrate these psychological findings with recent neuroimaging research, bringing attention to the neural correlates of affect in self-generated thought. We show that affect in self-generated thought is prevalent, positively biased, highly variable (both within and across individuals), and consistently recruits many brain areas implicated in emotional processing, including the orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, insula, and medial prefrontal cortex. Many factors modulate these typical psychological and neural patterns, however; the emerging affective neuroscience of self-generated thought must endeavor to link brain function and subjective experience in both everyday self-generated thought as well as its dysfunctions in mental illness. © 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.

A deconstruction of the I-M-L commitment segmentation of forest recreationists

Treesearch

James D. Absher; Gerard T. Kyle

2007-01-01

Previous work has established the general utility of segmenting forest recreationists according to their commitment profiles into Indifferents, Moderates, and Loyalists (IML) groups. Observed differences between these segments suggest that place identity and affect are more central to management than previously thought. This study extends this finding through the use...

Rated Temperature Of Silver/Zinc Batteries Is Increased

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Derek P.

1992-01-01

Report shows silver-zinc batteries of specific commercial type (28 V, 20 A*h, Eagle-Picher Battery MAR 4546-5) operated safely at higher temperature than previously thought possible. Batteries operated to 239 degrees F (115 degrees C) without going into sustained thermal runaway. Operated 49 degrees F (27 degrees C) above previous maximum.

How Dutch orthoptists deal with noncompliance with occlusion therapy for amblyopia.

PubMed

Tjiam, A M; Vukovic, E; Asjes-Tydeman, W L; Holtslag, G; Loudon, S E; Sinoo, M M; Simonsz, H J

2010-12-01

We previously found that compliance with occlusion therapy for amblyopia is poor, especially among children of non-native parents who spoke Dutch poorly and who were low educated. We investigated conception, awareness, attitude, and actions to deal with noncompliance among Dutch orthoptists. Orthoptists working in non-native, low socioeconomic status (SES) areas and a selection of orthoptists working elsewhere in the Netherlands were studied. They were observed in their practice, received a structured questionnaire, and underwent a semi-structured interview. Finally, a short survey was sent to all working orthoptists in the Netherlands. Nine orthoptists working in non-native, low-SES areas and 23 working elsewhere in the Netherlands participated. One hundred and fifty-one orthoptists returned the short survey. Major discrepancies existed in conception, awareness, and attitude. Opinions differed on what should be defined as noncompliance and on what causes noncompliance. Some orthoptists found noncompliance annoying, unpleasant, and hard to imagine, others were more understanding. Many pitied the noncompliant child. Almost all thought that the success of occlusion therapy lies both with the parents and the orthoptist, but one third thought that noncompliance was not solely their responsibility. Patients' compliance was estimated at 69.3% in non-native, low-SES areas (electronically, 52% had been measured), at 74.1% by the other 23 orthoptists, and at 73.8% in the short survey. Actions to improve compliance were diverse; some increased occlusion hours whereas others decreased them. In non-native, low-SES areas, 22% spoke Dutch moderately to none; the allotted time for a patient's first visit was 21'; the time spent on explaining to the parents was 2'30" and to the child 10". In practices of the other 23 orthoptists, 6% spoke Dutch moderately to none (P<0.0001), the time for a patient's first visit was 27'24" (P=0.47), and the periods spent explaining were 2'51" (P=0.59) and 26" (P=0.17), respectively. Conception, awareness, attitude, and actions to deal with noncompliance varied among orthoptists. In non-native, low-SES areas, time spent on explanation was shorter, despite a lower fluency in Dutch among the parents.

Tectonics of the Philippines and ambient regions from geophysical inversions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, W.; Li, C.; Zhou, Z.; Fairhead, J. D.

2012-12-01

The geological study in the Philippines and ambient regions is relatively low so far for the rather scanty data and complex geological structure. Therefore it is a challenge to do the research with limited data. In this paper, an investigation of the Philippines and surrounding area has been carried out using regional magnetic and gravity anomalies. Owing to the difficulties and limitations in reduction to the pole at the low latitudes, analytical signal amplitudes of magnetic anomalies are calculated as the equivalent substitute. Application of the Parker-Oldenburg algorithm to Bouguer gravity anomalies yields a 3D Moho topography. Curie-point depths are estimated from the magnetic anomalies using a windowed wavenumber-domain algorithm. This paper aims to reveal the structure of the Manila subduction zone accurately, and moreover, to clarify the interplay between the magmatism and subduction in the Manila Trench and East Luzon Trough. On the basis of Bouguer gravity anomaly and AS(analytical signal) of magnetic anomaly, the positions of hydrated mantle wedge in the subduction zones of this area are identified in the areas charicterizd by the distribution of high-and low value of Bouguer gravity anomaly or the paralell high value of Bouguer gravity anomaly and AS. Using our inversion results together with some other published information, the boundaries of Palawan Block, Philippine Mobile Belt and Sulu-Celebes Block are defined and the collision history of PCB(Palawan continental block)-PMB (Philippine mobile belt) and PCB-Sulu Sea is also discussed. A "seismic gap" near the 14 degree north latitude on Manila Trench, mentioned in previous studies, is thought to be induced by the slab melting and plastic behavior due to the relatively high geothermal gradient. In the central Philippines, it is likely that an incipient collision-related rifting is proceeding. Furthermore, a possible new evolution model of Sulu Sea, in which the Cagayan Ridge area is thought to be the palaeo-subduction zone and volcanic arc and Palawan Trough is supposed to be a foredeep rather than an extinct trench, is presented. In addition, mantle serpentinization extent of this area is also estimated according to Curie point and Moho depths.

Lead Halide Perovskites: Challenges and Opportunities in Advanced Synthesis and Spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Rosales, Bryan A.; Hanrahan, Michael P.; Boote, Brett W.; ...

2017-03-28

Hybrid lead perovskites containing a mixture of organic and inorganic cations and anions have lead to solar cell devices with better performance and stability than their single halide analogs. Here, 207Pb solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and single particle photoluminescence spectroscopies show that the structure and composition of mixed-halide and—likely—other hybrid lead perovskites is much more complex than previously thought and is highly dependent on their synthesis. While a majority of reports in the area focus on the construction of photovoltaic devices, this perspective focuses instead on achieving a better understanding of the fundamental chemistry and photophysics of these materials, asmore » this will aid not only in constructing improved devices, but also in generating new uses for these unique materials.« less

Fire in the OR--developing a fire safety plan.

PubMed

McCarthy, Patricia M; Gaucher, Kenneth A

2004-03-01

Approximately 100 operating room fire occur each year in the United States. Although rare, fire in a perioperative setting can be disastrous for both patients and staff members. It is crucial that all perioperative departments have a well thought out and previously rehearsed fire plan in place. Multidisciplinary planning and implementation of regularly scheduled and scripted fire drills are essential to prevent adverse outcomes. Fire drills ensure that all staff members are familiar with the use and location of fire pull stations, fire extinguishers, and fire blankets. Fire drills also prepare staff members to evacuate the OR area if necessary. This article provides the information and framework necessary to develop and implement comprehensive OR fire safety plans that could make the difference between life and death in a fire emergency.

New findings of the butterfly Phengaris teleius at the border between Hungary and Serbia (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

PubMed Central

Šašić, Martina

2016-01-01

Abstract Background Due to its interesting life cycle, vulnerability and conservation importance, the butterfly Phengaris teleius is one of the most studied insects in Europe. It was discovered in Serbia only in 2012 and there were no data on its distribution from the south of Hungary. New information Phengaris teleius was recorded for the first time in four localities in Hungary and in additional locality in Serbia. This suggests that the local populations are more interconnected than previousely thought and that conservation efforts should be done in collaboration between the two countries. All localities are inside protected areas and management measures for preserving several target species already exist. This represents a solid base for the conservation of newly discovered populations of P. teleius. PMID:27099563

Innovation in Services: A Lancastrian Approach to the Field of E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shivdas, P. Avinash; Sivakumar, Soumya

2016-01-01

Innovation in services is one of the prime drivers of several economies. There are various schools of thought that have emerged over the past few decades in this area. The present paper focuses on the evolution of the "synthesis" school of thought. It contributes to literature by extending the framework proposed by Lancaster ("The…

Electron mobility in mercury cadmium telluride

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, James D.

1988-01-01

A previously developed program, which includes all electronic interactions thought to be important, does not correctly predict the value of electron mobility in mercury cadmium telluride particularly near room temperature. Part of the reason for this discrepancy is thought to be the way screening is handled. It seems likely that there are a number of contributors to errors in the calculation. The objective is to survey the calculation, locate reasons for differences between experiment and calculation, and suggest improvements.

Daydream Believer: Rumination, Self-Reflection and the Temporal Focus of Mind Wandering Content.

PubMed

Shrimpton, Daisy; McGann, Deborah; Riby, Leigh M

2017-11-01

Current research into mind-wandering is beginning to acknowledge that this process is one of heterogeneity. Following on from previous findings highlighting the role of self-focus during mind wandering, the present study aimed to examine individual differences in rumination and self-reflection and the impact such styles of self-focus may have on mind-wandering experiences. Thirty-three participants were required to complete the Sustained Attention Response Task (SART), aimed at inducing mind-wandering episodes, whilst also probing the content of thought in terms of temporal focus. Self-report questionnaires were also administered after the SART to measure dispositional differences in style and beliefs regarding mind-wandering and assessments of individual differences in rumination and self-reflection. Those individuals with reflective self-focus showed a strong positive association with positive and constructive thoughts. Critically, ruminative self-focus was positively associated with a tendency for the mind to wander towards anguished fantasies, failures and aggression, but it was also positively associated with positive and constructive thoughts. Furthermore, while dispositional differences in self-focus showed no relationship with the temporal perspective of thoughts when probed during a cognitive task, performance on the task itself was related to whether participants were thinking about the past, present or future during that activity. Such findings are discussed in line with previous research, and provide a further step towards accounting for the heterogeneous nature of mind-wandering.

Daydream Believer: Rumination, Self-Reflection and the Temporal Focus of Mind Wandering Content

PubMed Central

Shrimpton, Daisy; McGann, Deborah; Riby, Leigh M.

2017-01-01

Current research into mind-wandering is beginning to acknowledge that this process is one of heterogeneity. Following on from previous findings highlighting the role of self-focus during mind wandering, the present study aimed to examine individual differences in rumination and self-reflection and the impact such styles of self-focus may have on mind-wandering experiences. Thirty-three participants were required to complete the Sustained Attention Response Task (SART), aimed at inducing mind-wandering episodes, whilst also probing the content of thought in terms of temporal focus. Self-report questionnaires were also administered after the SART to measure dispositional differences in style and beliefs regarding mind-wandering and assessments of individual differences in rumination and self-reflection. Those individuals with reflective self-focus showed a strong positive association with positive and constructive thoughts. Critically, ruminative self-focus was positively associated with a tendency for the mind to wander towards anguished fantasies, failures and aggression, but it was also positively associated with positive and constructive thoughts. Furthermore, while dispositional differences in self-focus showed no relationship with the temporal perspective of thoughts when probed during a cognitive task, performance on the task itself was related to whether participants were thinking about the past, present or future during that activity. Such findings are discussed in line with previous research, and provide a further step towards accounting for the heterogeneous nature of mind-wandering. PMID:29358989

How Personality Affects Vulnerability among Israelis and Palestinians following the 2009 Gaza Conflict

PubMed Central

Canetti, Daphna; Kimhi, Shaul; Hanoun, Rasmiyah; Rocha, Gabriel A.; Galea, Sandro; Morgan, Charles A.

2016-01-01

Can the onset of PTSD symptoms and depression be predicted by personality factors and thought control strategies? A logical explanation for the different mental health outcomes of individuals exposed to trauma would seem to be personality factors and thought control strategies. Trauma exposure is necessary but not sufficient for the development of PTSD. To this end, we assess the role of personality traits and coping styles in PTSD vulnerability among Israeli and Palestinian students amid conflict. We also determine whether gender and exposure level to trauma impact the likelihood of the onset of PTSD symptoms. Five questionnaires assess previous trauma, PTSD symptoms, demographics, personality factors and thought control strategies, which are analyzed using path analysis. Findings show that the importance of personality factors and thought control strategies in predicting vulnerability increases in the face of political violence: the higher stress, the more important the roles of personality and thought control strategies. Thought control strategies associated with introverted and less emotionally stable personality-types correlate positively with higher levels of PTSD symptoms and depression, particularly among Palestinians. By extension, because mental health is key to reducing violence in the region, PTSD reduction in conflict zones warrants rethinking. PMID:27391240

How Personality Affects Vulnerability among Israelis and Palestinians following the 2009 Gaza Conflict.

PubMed

Canetti, Daphna; Kimhi, Shaul; Hanoun, Rasmiyah; Rocha, Gabriel A; Galea, Sandro; Morgan, Charles A

2016-01-01

Can the onset of PTSD symptoms and depression be predicted by personality factors and thought control strategies? A logical explanation for the different mental health outcomes of individuals exposed to trauma would seem to be personality factors and thought control strategies. Trauma exposure is necessary but not sufficient for the development of PTSD. To this end, we assess the role of personality traits and coping styles in PTSD vulnerability among Israeli and Palestinian students amid conflict. We also determine whether gender and exposure level to trauma impact the likelihood of the onset of PTSD symptoms. Five questionnaires assess previous trauma, PTSD symptoms, demographics, personality factors and thought control strategies, which are analyzed using path analysis. Findings show that the importance of personality factors and thought control strategies in predicting vulnerability increases in the face of political violence: the higher stress, the more important the roles of personality and thought control strategies. Thought control strategies associated with introverted and less emotionally stable personality-types correlate positively with higher levels of PTSD symptoms and depression, particularly among Palestinians. By extension, because mental health is key to reducing violence in the region, PTSD reduction in conflict zones warrants rethinking.

Dissecting auditory verbal hallucinations into two components: audibility (Gedankenlautwerden) and alienation (thought insertion).

PubMed

Sommer, Iris E; Selten, Jean-Paul; Diederen, Kelly M; Blom, Jan Dirk

2010-01-01

This study proposes a theoretical framework which dissects auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) into 2 essential components: audibility and alienation. Audibility, the perceptual aspect of AVH, may result from a disinhibition of the auditory cortex in response to self-generated speech. In isolation, this aspect leads to audible thoughts: Gedankenlautwerden. The second component is alienation, which is the failure to recognize the content of AVH as self-generated. This failure may be related to the fact that cerebral activity associated with AVH is predominantly present in the speech production area of the right hemisphere. Since normal inner speech is derived from the left speech area, an aberrant source may lead to confusion about the origin of the language fragments. When alienation is not accompanied by audibility, it will result in the experience of thought insertion. The 2 hypothesized components are illustrated using case vignettes. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effects of realism on extended violent and nonviolent video game play on aggressive thoughts, feelings, and physiological arousal.

PubMed

Barlett, Christopher P; Rodeheffer, Christopher

2009-01-01

Previous research has shown that playing violent video game exposure can increase aggressive thoughts, aggressive feelings, and physiological arousal. This study compared the effects that playing a realistic violent, unrealistic violent, or nonviolent video game for 45 min has on such variables. For the purpose of this study, realism was defined as the probability of seeing an event in real life. Participants (N=74; 39 male, 35 female) played either a realistic violent, unrealistic violent, or nonviolent video game for 45 min. Aggressive thoughts and aggressive feelings were measured four times (every 15 min), whereas arousal was measured continuously. The results showed that, though playing any violent game stimulated aggressive thoughts, playing a more realistic violent game stimulated significantly more aggressive feelings and arousal over the course of play. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

[Processes of logical thought in a case of cerebral vascular lesion].

PubMed

Blanco Men ndez, R; Aguado Balsas, A M

Reasoning and logical thought processes have traditionally been attributed to frontal lobe function or,on the other hand, have been considered as diffuse functions of the brain. However, there is today evidence enough about the possibility to find dissociations in thought processes, depending on logical structure of the experimental tasks and referring to different areas of the brain, frontal and post rolandic ones. To study possible dissociations between thought structures corresponding to categorical and relational logic, on one hand, and propositional logic on the other hand. The case of a brain injured patient with vascular etiology, localized in left frontal parietal cortex, is presented. A specific battery of reasoning tests has been administered. . A differential performance at some reasoning experimental tasks has been found depending on such logical conceptual structures. The possibility of establishing dissociations among certain logical thought and intelectual functions depending on localization of possible brain lesion (frontal versus temporal) is discussed.

Geophysical study of the Ota-VF Xira-Lisbon-Sesimbra fault zone and the lower Tagus Cenozoic basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvalho, João; Rabeh, Taha; Bielik, Miroslav; Szalaiová, Eva; Torres, Luís; Silva, Marisa; Carrilho, Fernando; Matias, Luís; Miranda, Jorge Miguel

2011-09-01

This paper focuses on the interpretation of seismic reflection, gravimetric, topographic, deep seismic refraction and seismicity data to study the recently proposed Ota-Vila Franca de Xira-Lisbon-Sesimbra (OVLS) fault zone and the lower Tagus Cenozoic basin (LTCB). The studied structure is located in the lower Tagus valley (LTV), an area with over 2 million inhabitants that has experienced historical earthquakes which caused significant damage and economical losses (1344, 1531 and 1909 earthquakes) and whose tectonic sources are thought to be local but mostly remain unknown. This study, which is intended as a contribution to improve the seismic hazard of the area and the neotectonics of the region, shows that the above-proposed fault zone is probably a large crustal thrust fault that constitutes the western limit of the LTCB. Gravimetric, deep refraction and seismic reflection data suggest that the LTCB is a foreland basin, as suggested previously by some authors, and that the OVLS northern and central sectors act as the major thrusts. The southern sector fault has been dominated by strike-slip kinematics due to a different orientation to the stress field. Indeed, geological outcrop and seismic reflection data interpretation suggests that, based on fault geometry and type of deformation at depth, the structure is composed of three major segments. These data suggest that these segments have different kinematics in agreement with their orientation to the regional stress field. The OVLS apparently controls the distribution of the seismicity in the area. Geological and geophysical information previously gathered also points that the central segment is active into the Quaternary. The segment lengths vary between 20 and 45 km. Since faults usually rupture only by segments, maximum expectable earthquake magnitudes and other parameters have been calculated for the three sectors of the OVLS fault zone using empirical relationships between earthquake statistics and geological parameters available from the literature. Calculated slip rates are compatible with previous estimates for the area (0.33 mm yr-1). A more accurate estimation of the OVLS throw in the Quaternary sediments is therefore of vital importance for a more accurate evaluation of the seismic hazard of the area.

Network science and the effects of music preference on functional brain connectivity: from Beethoven to Eminem.

PubMed

Wilkins, R W; Hodges, D A; Laurienti, P J; Steen, M; Burdette, J H

2014-08-28

Most people choose to listen to music that they prefer or 'like' such as classical, country or rock. Previous research has focused on how different characteristics of music (i.e., classical versus country) affect the brain. Yet, when listening to preferred music--regardless of the type--people report they often experience personal thoughts and memories. To date, understanding how this occurs in the brain has remained elusive. Using network science methods, we evaluated differences in functional brain connectivity when individuals listened to complete songs. We show that a circuit important for internally-focused thoughts, known as the default mode network, was most connected when listening to preferred music. We also show that listening to a favorite song alters the connectivity between auditory brain areas and the hippocampus, a region responsible for memory and social emotion consolidation. Given that musical preferences are uniquely individualized phenomena and that music can vary in acoustic complexity and the presence or absence of lyrics, the consistency of our results was unexpected. These findings may explain why comparable emotional and mental states can be experienced by people listening to music that differs as widely as Beethoven and Eminem. The neurobiological and neurorehabilitation implications of these results are discussed.

Grouping of optic flow stimuli during binocular rivalry is driven by monocular information.

PubMed

Holten, Vivian; Stuit, Sjoerd M; Verstraten, Frans A J; van der Smagt, Maarten J

2016-10-01

During binocular rivalry, perception alternates between two dissimilar images, presented dichoptically. Although binocular rivalry is thought to result from competition at a local level, neighboring image parts with similar features tend to be perceived together for longer durations than image parts with dissimilar features. This simultaneous dominance of two image parts is called grouping during rivalry. Previous studies have shown that this grouping depends on a shared eye-of-origin to a much larger extent than on image content, irrespective of the complexity of a static image. In the current study, we examine whether grouping of dynamic optic flow patterns is also primarily driven by monocular (eye-of-origin) information. In addition, we examine whether image parameters, such as optic flow direction, and partial versus full visibility of the optic flow pattern, affect grouping durations during rivalry. The results show that grouping of optic flow is, as is known for static images, primarily affected by its eye-of-origin. Furthermore, global motion can affect grouping durations, but only under specific conditions. Namely, only when the two full optic flow patterns were presented locally. These results suggest that grouping during rivalry is primarily driven by monocular information even for motion stimuli thought to rely on higher-level motion areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mitochondrial DNA signals of late glacial recolonization of Europe from near eastern refugia.

PubMed

Pala, Maria; Olivieri, Anna; Achilli, Alessandro; Accetturo, Matteo; Metspalu, Ene; Reidla, Maere; Tamm, Erika; Karmin, Monika; Reisberg, Tuuli; Hooshiar Kashani, Baharak; Perego, Ugo A; Carossa, Valeria; Gandini, Francesca; Pereira, Joana B; Soares, Pedro; Angerhofer, Norman; Rychkov, Sergei; Al-Zahery, Nadia; Carelli, Valerio; Sanati, Mohammad Hossein; Houshmand, Massoud; Hatina, Jiři; Macaulay, Vincent; Pereira, Luísa; Woodward, Scott R; Davies, William; Gamble, Clive; Baird, Douglas; Semino, Ornella; Villems, Richard; Torroni, Antonio; Richards, Martin B

2012-05-04

Human populations, along with those of many other species, are thought to have contracted into a number of refuge areas at the height of the last Ice Age. European populations are believed to be, to a large extent, the descendants of the inhabitants of these refugia, and some extant mtDNA lineages can be traced to refugia in Franco-Cantabria (haplogroups H1, H3, V, and U5b1), the Italian Peninsula (U5b3), and the East European Plain (U4 and U5a). Parts of the Near East, such as the Levant, were also continuously inhabited throughout the Last Glacial Maximum, but unlike western and eastern Europe, no archaeological or genetic evidence for Late Glacial expansions into Europe from the Near East has hitherto been discovered. Here we report, on the basis of an enlarged whole-genome mitochondrial database, that a substantial, perhaps predominant, signal from mitochondrial haplogroups J and T, previously thought to have spread primarily from the Near East into Europe with the Neolithic population, may in fact reflect dispersals during the Late Glacial period, ∼19-12 thousand years (ka) ago. Copyright © 2012 The American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Network Science and the Effects of Music Preference on Functional Brain Connectivity: From Beethoven to Eminem

PubMed Central

Wilkins, R. W.; Hodges, D. A.; Laurienti, P. J.; Steen, M.; Burdette, J. H.

2014-01-01

Most people choose to listen to music that they prefer or ‘like’ such as classical, country or rock. Previous research has focused on how different characteristics of music (i.e., classical versus country) affect the brain. Yet, when listening to preferred music—regardless of the type—people report they often experience personal thoughts and memories. To date, understanding how this occurs in the brain has remained elusive. Using network science methods, we evaluated differences in functional brain connectivity when individuals listened to complete songs. We show that a circuit important for internally-focused thoughts, known as the default mode network, was most connected when listening to preferred music. We also show that listening to a favorite song alters the connectivity between auditory brain areas and the hippocampus, a region responsible for memory and social emotion consolidation. Given that musical preferences are uniquely individualized phenomena and that music can vary in acoustic complexity and the presence or absence of lyrics, the consistency of our results was unexpected. These findings may explain why comparable emotional and mental states can be experienced by people listening to music that differs as widely as Beethoven and Eminem. The neurobiological and neurorehabilitation implications of these results are discussed. PMID:25167363

Significance of tourmaline-rich rocks in the north range group of the cuyuna iron range, East-Central Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cleland, J.M.; Morey, G.B.; McSwiggen, P.L.

1996-01-01

Concentrations of tourmaline in Early Proterozoic metasedirnentary rocks of the Cuyuna iron range, east-central Minnesota, provide a basis for redefinition of the evolutionary history of the area. Manganiferous iron ore forms beds within the Early Proterozoic Trommald Formation, between thick-bedded granular iron-formation having shallow-water depositional attributes and thin-bedded, nongranular iron-formation having deeper water attributes. These manganese-rich units were previously assumed to be sedimentary in origin. However, a revaluation of drill core and mine samples from the Cuyuna North range has identified strata-bound tourmaline and tourmalinite, which has led to a rethinking of genetic models for the geology of the North range. We interpret the tourmaline-rich rocks of the area to be a product of submarine-hydrothermal solutions flowing along and beneath the sedirnent-seawater interface. This model for the depositional environment of the tourmaline is supported by previously reported mineral assemblages within the Trommald Formation that comprise aegirine; barium feldspar; manganese silicates, carbonates, and oxides; and Sr-rich barite veins. In many places, tourmaline-rich metasedimentary rocks and tourmalinites are associated locally with strata-bound sulfide deposits. At those localities, the tourmaline-rich strata are thought to be lateral equivalents of exhalative sulfide zones or genetically related subsea-floor replacements. On the basis of the occurrence of the tourmaline-rich rocks and tourmalinites, and on the associated minerals, we suggest that there is a previously unrecognized potential for sediment-hosted sulfide deposits in the Cuyuna North range.

Posterior and prefrontal contributions to the development posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity: an fMRI study of symptom provocation in acute stress disorder.

PubMed

Cwik, Jan C; Sartory, Gudrun; Nuyken, Malte; Schürholt, Benjamin; Seitz, Rüdiger J

2017-09-01

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is predictive of the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In response to symptom provocation, the exposure to trauma-related pictures, ASD patients showed increased activation of the medial posterior areas of precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex as well as of superior prefrontal cortex in a previous study. The current study aimed at investigating which activated areas are predictive of the development of PTSD. Nineteen ASD patients took part in an fMRI study in which they were shown personalized trauma-related and neutral pictures within 4 weeks of the traumatic event. They were assessed for severity of PTSD 4 weeks later. Activation contrasts between trauma-related and neutral pictures were correlated with subsequent PTSD symptom severity. Greater activation in, among others, right medial precuneus, left retrosplenial cortex, precentral and right superior temporal gyrus as well as less activation in lateral, superior prefrontal and left fusiform gyrus was related to subsequently increased PTSD severity. The results are broadly in line with neural areas related to etiological models of PTSD, namely multisensory associative learning recruiting posterior regions on the one hand and failure to reappraise maladaptive cognitions, thought to involve prefrontal areas, on the other.

Extremely thick cell walls and low mesophyll conductance: welcome to the world of ancient living!

PubMed Central

Tosens, Tiina; Laanisto, Lauri; Niinemets, Ülo

2017-01-01

Abstract Mesophyll conductance is thought to be an important photosynthetic limitation in gymnosperms, but they currently constitute the most understudied plant group in regard to the extent to which photosynthesis and intrinsic water use efficiency are limited by mesophyll conductance. A comprehensive analysis of leaf gas exchange, photosynthetic limitations, mesophyll conductance (calculated by three methods previously used for across-species comparisons), and the underlying ultra-anatomical, morphological and chemical traits in 11 gymnosperm species varying in evolutionary history was performed to gain insight into the evolution of structural and physiological controls on photosynthesis at the lower return end of the leaf economics spectrum. Two primitive herbaceous species were included in order to provide greater evolutionary context. Low mesophyll conductance was the main limiting factor of photosynthesis in the majority of species. The strongest sources of limitation were extremely thick mesophyll cell walls, high chloroplast thickness and variation in chloroplast shape and size, and the low exposed surface area of chloroplasts per unit leaf area. In gymnosperms, the negative relationship between net assimilation per mass and leaf mass per area reflected an increased mesophyll cell wall thickness, whereas the easy-to-measure integrative trait of leaf mass per area failed to predict the underlying ultrastructural traits limiting mesophyll conductance. PMID:28419340

How do thoughts, emotions, and decisions align? A new way to examine theory of mind during middle childhood and beyond.

PubMed

Lagattuta, Kristin Hansen; Elrod, Noel M; Kramer, Hannah J

2016-09-01

The current study examined 4- to 10-year-olds' and adults' (N=280) tendency to connect people's thoughts, emotions, and decisions into valence-matched mental state triads (thought valence=emotion valence=decision valence; e.g., anticipate something bad+feel worried+avoid) and valence-matched mental state dyads (thought-emotion, thought-decision, and emotion-decision). Participants heard vignettes about focal characters who re-encountered individuals who had previously harmed them twice, helped them twice, or both harmed and helped them. Baseline trials involved no past experience. Children and adults predicted the focal characters' thoughts (anticipate something good or bad), emotions (feel happy or worried), and decisions (go near or stay away). Results showed significant increases between 4 and 10years of age in the formation of valence-matched mental state triads and dyads, with thoughts and emotions most often aligned by valence. We also documented age-related improvement in awareness that uncertain situations elicit less valence-consistent mental states than more certain situations, with females expecting weaker coherence among characters' thoughts, emotions, and decisions than males. Controlling for age and sex, individuals with stronger executive function (working memory and inhibitory control) predicted more valence-aligned mental states. These findings add to the emerging literature on development and individual differences in children's reasoning about mental states and emotions during middle childhood and beyond. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experiential avoidance mediates the association between thought suppression and mindfulness with problem gambling.

PubMed

Riley, Ben

2014-03-01

Experiential avoidance (EA) has been shown to be an important etiological and maintenance factor in a wide range psychopathology that includes addictive, anxiety, depressive and impulse control disorders. One common form of EA is thought suppression. Problem gambling causes enormous problems for afflicted individuals and has major social costs for their families and the community. Despite increasing interest in the contribution of EA to a broad range of psychological problems, its association with problem gambling has not previously been empirically investigated. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between EA, thought suppression, and mindfulness among a group of 103 treatment seeking problem gamblers. Of particular interest was the extent to which EA accounted for the relationships between problem gambling and the two theoretically opposing constructs: thought suppression and mindfulness. Results showed EA was predictive of problem gambling. Thought suppression was positively associated and mindfulness negatively associated with problem gambling, and these relationships were mediated by EA. Directions for future research are suggested which include the application of treatments for problem gambling that undermine EA, such as acceptance and mindfulness based therapies.

Dopamine modulates reward system activity during subconscious processing of sexual stimuli.

PubMed

Oei, Nicole Y L; Rombouts, Serge Arb; Soeter, Roelof P; van Gerven, Joop M; Both, Stephanie

2012-06-01

Dopaminergic medication influences conscious processing of rewarding stimuli, and is associated with impulsive-compulsive behaviors, such as hypersexuality. Previous studies have shown that subconscious subliminal presentation of sexual stimuli activates brain areas known to be part of the 'reward system'. In this study, it was hypothesized that dopamine modulates activation in key areas of the reward system, such as the nucleus accumbens, during subconscious processing of sexual stimuli. Young healthy males (n=53) were randomly assigned to two experimental groups or a control group, and were administered a dopamine antagonist (haloperidol), a dopamine agonist (levodopa), or placebo. Brain activation was assessed during a backward-masking task with subliminally presented sexual stimuli. Results showed that levodopa significantly enhanced the activation in the nucleus accumbens and dorsal anterior cingulate when subliminal sexual stimuli were shown, whereas haloperidol decreased activations in those areas. Dopamine thus enhances activations in regions thought to regulate 'wanting' in response to potentially rewarding sexual stimuli that are not consciously perceived. This running start of the reward system might explain the pull of rewards in individuals with compulsive reward-seeking behaviors such as hypersexuality and patients who receive dopaminergic medication.

External misattribution of internal thoughts and proneness to auditory hallucinations: the effect of emotional valence in the Deese–Roediger–McDermott paradigm

PubMed Central

Kanemoto, Mari; Asai, Tomohisa; Sugimori, Eriko; Tanno, Yoshihiko

2013-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that a tendency to externalize internal thought is related to auditory hallucinations or even proneness to auditory hallucinations (AHp) in the general population. However, although auditory hallucinations are related to emotional phenomena, few studies have investigated the effect of emotional valence on the aforementioned relationship. In addition, we do not know what component of psychotic phenomena relate to externalizing bias. The current study replicated our previous research, which suggested that individual differences in auditory hallucination-like experiences are strongly correlated with the external misattribution of internal thoughts, conceptualized in terms of false memory, using the Deese–Roediger–McDermott (DRM) paradigm. We found a significant relationship between experimental performance and total scores on the Launay–Slade Hallucination Scale (LSHS). Among the LSHS factors, only vivid mental image, which is said to be a predictor of auditory hallucinations, was significantly related to experimental performance. We then investigated the potential effect of emotional valence using the DRM paradigm. The results indicate that participants with low scores on the LSHS (the low-AHp group in the current study) showed an increased discriminability index (d′) for positive words and a decreased d′ for negative words. However, no effects of emotional valence were found for participants with high LSHS scores (high-AHp group). This study indicated that external misattribution of internal thoughts predicts AHp, and that the high-AHp group showed a smaller emotional valence effect in the DRM paradigm compared with the low-AHp group. We discuss this outcome from the perspective of the dual-process activation-monitoring framework in the DRM paradigm in regard to emotion-driven automatic thought in false memory. PMID:23847517

Taboo thoughts and doubt/checking: a refinement of the factor structure for obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms.

PubMed

Pinto, Anthony; Eisen, Jane L; Mancebo, Maria C; Greenberg, Benjamin D; Stout, Robert L; Rasmussen, Steven A

2007-06-30

The purpose of this report was to improve upon earlier factor analyses of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom categories by minimizing the heterogeneity in the aggressive obsessions category. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on data from 293 adults with primary OCD. The resulting five factors (Symmetry/Ordering, Hoarding, Doubt/Checking, Contamination/Cleaning, and Taboo Thoughts) are phenomenologically more homogeneous than prior category-based factors and are consistent with those derived in previous item-level analyses.

A carbon cycle science update since IPCC AR-4.

PubMed

Dolman, A J; van der Werf, G R; van der Molen, M K; Ganssen, G; Erisman, J-W; Strengers, B

2010-01-01

We review important advances in our understanding of the global carbon cycle since the publication of the IPCC AR4. We conclude that: the anthropogenic emissions of CO2 due to fossil fuel burning have increased up through 2008 at a rate near to the high end of the IPCC emission scenarios; there are contradictory analyses whether an increase in atmospheric fraction, that might indicate a declining sink strength of ocean and/or land, exists; methane emissions are increasing, possibly through enhanced natural emission from northern wetland, methane emissions from dry plants are negligible; old-growth forest take up more carbon than expected from ecological equilibrium reasoning; tropical forest also take up more carbon than previously thought, however, for the global budget to balance, this would imply a smaller uptake in the northern forest; the exchange fluxes between the atmosphere and ocean are increasingly better understood and bottom up and observation-based top down estimates are getting closer to each other; the North Atlantic and Southern ocean take up less CO2, but it is unclear whether this is part of the 'natural' decadal scale variability; large-scale fires and droughts, for instance in Amazonia, but also at Northern latitudes, have lead to significant decreases in carbon uptake on annual timescales; the extra uptake of CO2 stimulated by increased N-deposition is, from a greenhouse gas forcing perspective, counterbalanced by the related additional N2O emissions; the amount of carbon stored in permafrost areas appears much (two times) larger than previously thought; preservation of existing marine ecosystems could require a CO2 stabilization as low as 450 ppm; Dynamic Vegetation Models show a wide divergence for future carbon trajectories, uncertainty in the process description, lack of understanding of the CO2 fertilization effect and nitrogen-carbon interaction are major uncertainties.

Molar crown and root size relationship in anthropoid primates.

PubMed

Kupczik, Kornelius; Olejniczak, Anthony J; Skinner, Matthew M; Hublin, Jean-Jacques

2009-01-01

Mandibular corpus form is thought to reflect masticatory function and the size of the dentition, but there is no universal association between crown dimensions and corpus size across anthropoids. Previous research was based on the assumption that crown size is an appropriate proxy for overall tooth size, but this hypothesis remains largely untested. This study assesses the relationship between the volume and surface area of molar crowns and roots by examining two main hypotheses: (1) crown size correlates significantly with root size, and (2) the proportion of root-to-crown surface area is related to dietary proclivity. Permanent M2s (n=58) representing 19 anthropoid species were CT scanned and the volume and surface area of the crown and root were measured. Interspecific correlation and regression analyses reveal significant isometric relationships between crown and root volume and a positive allometric relationship between root and crown surface area (i.e. as crown surface area increases, root surface area becomes disproportionately greater). Intraspecifically, crown and root surface area correlate significantly in some species where such analyses were possible. In general, hard object feeders exhibit relatively larger root surface area per unit crown surface area compared to soft and tough object feeders. The results also show that despite differences in food specialization closely related species have similar root-to-crown surface area proportions, thus indicating a strong phylogenetic influence. Since it is possible that, at least in some species, crown and root size vary independently, future studies should elucidate the relationship between tooth root size and mandible form. Copyright (c) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Y-chromosomal variation in Sub-Saharan Africa: insights into the history of Niger-Congo groups

PubMed Central

de Filippo, Cesare; Barbieri, Chiara; Whitten, Mark; Mpoloka, Sununguko Wata; Gunnarsdóttir, Ellen Drofn; Bostoen, Koen; Nyambe, Terry; Beyer, Klaus; Schreiber, Henning; de Knijff, Peter; Luiselli, Donata; Stoneking, Mark; Pakendorf, Brigitte

2013-01-01

Technological and cultural innovations, as well as climate changes, are thought to have influenced the diffusion of major language phyla in sub-Saharan Africa. The most widespread and the richest in diversity is the Niger-Congo phylum, thought to have originated in West Africa ~10,000 years ago. The expansion of Bantu languages (a family within the Niger-Congo phylum) ~5,000 years ago represents a major event in the past demography of the continent. Many previous studies on Y chromosomal variation in Africa associated the Bantu expansion with haplogroup E1b1a (and sometimes its sub-lineage E1b1a7). However, the distribution of these two lineages extends far beyond the area occupied nowadays by Bantu speaking people, raising questions on the actual genetic structure behind this expansion. To address these issues, we directly genotyped 31 biallelic markers and 12 microsatellites on the Y chromosome in 1195 individuals of African ancestry focusing on areas that were previously poorly characterized (Botswana, Burkina Faso, D.R.C, and Zambia). With the inclusion of published data, we analyzed 2736 individuals from 26 groups representing all linguistic phyla and covering a large portion of Sub-Saharan Africa. Within the Niger-Congo phylum, we ascertain for the first time differences in haplogroup composition between Bantu and non-Bantu groups via two markers (U174 and U175) on the background of haplogroup E1b1a (and E1b1a7), which were directly genotyped in our samples and for which genotypes were inferred from published data using Linear Discriminant Analysis on STR haplotypes. No reduction in STR diversity levels was found across the Bantu groups, suggesting the absence of serial founder effects. In addition, the homogeneity of haplogroup composition and pattern of haplotype sharing between Western and Eastern Bantu groups suggest that their expansion throughout Sub-Saharan Africa reflects a rapid spread followed by backward and forward migrations. Overall, we found that linguistic affiliations played a notable role in shaping sub-Saharan African Y chromosomal diversity, although the impact of geography is clearly discernible. PMID:21109585

Water exchange in raised bogs: revised views especially in relation to biogeochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirin, Andrey; Kravchenko, Irina; Yurova, Alla; Markina, Anastasiya

2017-04-01

Raised bogs are one of the most common and exciting mire type within the boreal zone and appear in the other zones including mountain regions in the tropics. They receive water and nutrients from the atmosphere and pore water stored in their domes is spaced above the surrounding area (up to 10 m in height). Traditionally it is assumed that water flow occurs mainly in a peat layer near to the surface and water transport is negligible in deeper layers (lvanov, 1981; Ingram, 1982; etc.). The «acrotelm/catotelm» paradigm on active and inert horizons for the peat above and below the lowest water level is still widely spread in peatland hydrology. However, recent studies have shown that deep water movement is much more dynamic in raised bogs than was previously thought (Sirin et al., 1997, Reeve et al., 2000; etc.). Relying on isotope studies we conclude that all the mounded strata of the raised bogs have relatively active water exchange although water residence time changes with depth. The study included two raised bogs, representing different typical hydrological conditions (underlain by outwash sands and moraine clay) at the Zapadnaya Dvina Peatland Field Station of the Institute of Forest Science RAS located 400 km west of Moscow (56 N, 32 E). Peatlands, among which raised bogs dominate, constitute > 30% of the area, and maximum peat thickness exceeds 7 m. To evaluate water residence time in peat strata specially determined mathematical model which include the equations of water mass and tritium balance, imbedded in a conceptual framework of water dynamics within a raised bog peat body, have been developed and tested. The results from isotope studies (3H, 18O, 2H) were additionally supported by geochemical (pH, Eh, electrical conductivity) and temperature long term monitoring, as well as dissolved CO2 and CH4 monitoring within vertical profiles of the studied raised bogs (Sirin et al., 1998). Later it was also supported by microbiology data of methane cycle in the profile of peat bogs (Kravchenko, Sirin, 2007). The obtained results confirm that the hydrological stratification of peat bogs is a more complicated picture than previously thought and need to be considered.

Y-chromosomal variation in sub-Saharan Africa: insights into the history of Niger-Congo groups.

PubMed

de Filippo, Cesare; Barbieri, Chiara; Whitten, Mark; Mpoloka, Sununguko Wata; Gunnarsdóttir, Ellen Drofn; Bostoen, Koen; Nyambe, Terry; Beyer, Klaus; Schreiber, Henning; de Knijff, Peter; Luiselli, Donata; Stoneking, Mark; Pakendorf, Brigitte

2011-03-01

Technological and cultural innovations as well as climate changes are thought to have influenced the diffusion of major language phyla in sub-Saharan Africa. The most widespread and the richest in diversity is the Niger-Congo phylum, thought to have originated in West Africa ∼ 10,000 years ago (ya). The expansion of Bantu languages (a family within the Niger-Congo phylum) ∼ 5,000 ya represents a major event in the past demography of the continent. Many previous studies on Y chromosomal variation in Africa associated the Bantu expansion with haplogroup E1b1a (and sometimes its sublineage E1b1a7). However, the distribution of these two lineages extends far beyond the area occupied nowadays by Bantu-speaking people, raising questions on the actual genetic structure behind this expansion. To address these issues, we directly genotyped 31 biallelic markers and 12 microsatellites on the Y chromosome in 1,195 individuals of African ancestry focusing on areas that were previously poorly characterized (Botswana, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia). With the inclusion of published data, we analyzed 2,736 individuals from 26 groups representing all linguistic phyla and covering a large portion of sub-Saharan Africa. Within the Niger-Congo phylum, we ascertain for the first time differences in haplogroup composition between Bantu and non-Bantu groups via two markers (U174 and U175) on the background of haplogroup E1b1a (and E1b1a7), which were directly genotyped in our samples and for which genotypes were inferred from published data using linear discriminant analysis on short tandem repeat (STR) haplotypes. No reduction in STR diversity levels was found across the Bantu groups, suggesting the absence of serial founder effects. In addition, the homogeneity of haplogroup composition and pattern of haplotype sharing between Western and Eastern Bantu groups suggests that their expansion throughout sub-Saharan Africa reflects a rapid spread followed by backward and forward migrations. Overall, we found that linguistic affiliations played a notable role in shaping sub-Saharan African Y chromosomal diversity, although the impact of geography is clearly discernible.

Intestinal mucositis: mechanisms and management.

PubMed

Keefe, Dorothy M

2007-07-01

To describe the advances in the rapidly evolving field of intestinal (or alimentary) mucositis during the past year. Major advances have been made in both the clinical and preclinical setting, with the publication of a suite of articles regarding the pathobiology and management of mucositis, as well as several articles on important basic research in the area. The mechanism of mucositis development is now understood to be much more complex than previously thought, with an interplay of host and drug factors leading to overt damage, and variation in manifestation of that damage depending on the specific region of the gut. The MASCC/ISOO management guidelines for mucositis have been updated: a recommendation for the use of palifermin in the hematology transplant setting has been added, and a couple of previous recommendations have been revoked. This marks an important milestone in mucositis, as it is the first time a drug has been available that substantially reduces the occurrence and severity of mucositis. There is still much to be done to abolish the severe toxicity of chemotherapy and radiotherapy; however, progress is accelerating, and new targeted drugs are becoming available.

Investigating thought disorder in schizophrenia: evidence for pathological activation.

PubMed

Safadi, Ziad; Lichtenstein-Vidne, Limor; Dobrusin, Michael; Henik, Avishai

2013-01-01

Previous research has yielded evidence for enhanced semantic priming in formal thought-disordered schizophrenia patients, a result that fits well with the hypothesis of disinhibited processes of spreading activation in this population. The current study examined whether hyper priming among schizophrenia patients is an outcome of further spreading of activation of a node or a result of farther activation of nodes in the semantic network. We also try to shed light on the fate of this activation. The present study tested this hypothesis by using semantic and identical priming in two different experiments. SOA (stimulus onset asynchrony) was manipulated (240 ms vs. 740 ms) within block. It is assumed that among healthy individuals, performance relies on a balance between activation and inhibition processes, contrary to in schizophrenic individuals. In order to examine this hypothesis, we compared formal thought-disordered schizophrenia patients, non thought-disordered schizophrenia patients, and healthy controls. For thought-disordered schizophrenia patients, we found a large positive semantic effect and identical priming effect (129 ms and 154 ms, respectively) only with short SOA. SOA and type of priming did not modulate priming effects in the control groups. This result supports the claim that there is a lack of inhibitory processes among thought-disordered patients. Hyper priming in the thought-disorder group may be an outcome of hyper activation followed by rapid decay below baseline threshold.

Thought beyond language: neural dissociation of algebra and natural language.

PubMed

Monti, Martin M; Parsons, Lawrence M; Osherson, Daniel N

2012-08-01

A central question in cognitive science is whether natural language provides combinatorial operations that are essential to diverse domains of thought. In the study reported here, we addressed this issue by examining the role of linguistic mechanisms in forging the hierarchical structures of algebra. In a 3-T functional MRI experiment, we showed that processing of the syntax-like operations of algebra does not rely on the neural mechanisms of natural language. Our findings indicate that processing the syntax of language elicits the known substrate of linguistic competence, whereas algebraic operations recruit bilateral parietal brain regions previously implicated in the representation of magnitude. This double dissociation argues against the view that language provides the structure of thought across all cognitive domains.

Diary of a parliamentary intern.

PubMed

Ridge, Anthony

2016-06-25

Anthony Ridge, parliamentary intern to Lord Trees, witnesses the State Opening of Parliament for the first time and realises it carries a lot more significance than he had previously thought. British Veterinary Association.

Radiological survey results at Building 22, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. (WNS001)

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

Rodriguez, R.E.; Foley, R.D.; Uziel, M.S.

A radiological survey was conducted in a portion of Building 22 at the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., on December 13, 1995. The survey was performed because former employees thought the area surveyed had some previous association with radioactive material. Employees remembered seeing radiation signs in the area and indicated that personnel occupying this area wore dosimeters. Two rooms in the survey area were surrounded by 1-ft-thick poured concrete walls and similar 6-in.-thick ceilings, and situated on top of a 1-ft-thick concrete slab, a configuration commonly used for radiation shielding in industrial radiography facilities. The radiological survey showed no gamma,more » beta-gamma, or alpha measurements above typical background levels. Low background radiation levels within the building indicated that even if low-level contamination were present beneath the tile, or larger amounts of contamination beneath the concrete slab, it poses no radiological hazard to building inhabitants under the present conditions. Further investigation may be required before drilling or demolition of the concrete slab. No photon radiation fields from sealed gamma sources or x-ray sources were detectable at the time of the survey. Gamma spectrometry analysis revealed no gamma emitters above typical background concentrations in one sediment and one water sample collected from a pit in the open bay area.« less

Hyperhidrosis: an update on prevalence and severity in the United States.

PubMed

Doolittle, James; Walker, Patricia; Mills, Thomas; Thurston, Jane

2016-12-01

Current published estimates of the prevalence of hyperhidrosis in the United States are outdated and underestimate the true prevalence of the condition. The objectives of this study are to provide an updated estimate of the prevalence of hyperhidrosis in the US population and to further assess the severity and impact of sweating on those affected by the condition. For the purposes of obtaining prevalence, a nationally representative sample of 8160 individuals were selected using an online panel, and information as to whether or not they experience hyperhidrosis was obtained. The 393 individuals (210 female, 244 non-Hispanic white, 27 black, mean age 40.3, SE 0.64) who indicated that they have hyperhidrosis were asked further questions, including body areas impacted, severity of symptoms, age of onset, and socioemotional impact of the condition. Current results estimate the prevalence of hyperhidrosis at 4.8 %, which represents approximately 15.3 million people in the United States. Of these, 70 % report severe excessive sweating in at least one body area. In spite of this, only 51 % have discussed their excessive sweating with a healthcare professional. The main reasons are a belief that hyperhidrosis is not a medical condition and that no treatment options exist. The current study's findings with regard to age of onset and prevalence by body area generally align with the previous research. However, current findings suggest that the severity and prevalence are both higher than previously thought, indicating a need for greater awareness of the condition and its associated treatment options among medical professionals.

Environmental conditions and catch rates of predatory fishes associated with a mass mortality on the West Florida Shelf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Driggers, W. B.; Campbell, M. D.; Debose, A. J.; Hannan, K. M.; Hendon, M. D.; Martin, T. L.; Nichols, C. C.

2016-01-01

While conducting a standardized fisheries-independent longline survey in the northern Gulf of Mexico on August 20-21, 2014, dead and/or moribund fishes, estimated to number in the thousands, were observed within a well-defined area of the West Florida Shelf. Fishes from 15 families were identified; however, numerous individuals of relatively large-bodied serranid species were decomposed beyond a state that would allow for identification below the family level. Based on survey catch data from previous years and morphological characteristics associated with the decomposing fishes, it was determined that most of the large unidentified fishes were red grouper (Epinephelus morio). Water profiler cast data collected within the area demonstrated that when compared to previous years (1995-2013) bottom temperature and salinity were consistent with what would be expected; however, dissolved oxygen concentration was lower than normal, and in some cases, hypoxic and chlorophyll a and transmissivity values were anomalously high and low, respectively. Hypoxia, high chlorophyll a concentrations and low transmissivity are thought to have resulted from a bloom of Karenia brevis, which was documented to have occurred in close proximity to the sampling area. As necropsies were not performed, it was not possible to state a definitive cause of death as the effects of brevetoxins are species-specific. However, numerous individuals of most impacted species were observed floating incapacitated, yet alive, in normoxic surface waters suggesting that the impacts we observed were due to the neurotoxicological and/or hemolytic effects of a harmful algal bloom.

The utility of captive animals in actualistic research: A geometric morphometric exploration of the tooth row of Alligator mississippiensis suggesting ecophenotypic influences and functional constraints.

PubMed

Drumheller, Stephanie K; Wilberg, Eric W; Sadleir, Rudyard W

2016-07-01

Captive broad snouted crocodylians are generally thought to have wider, shorter rostra than their wild counterparts. Interpreted to reflect morphological change in response to the conditions of captivity, this qualitative pattern could affect the utility of these animals in a variety of fields of research. However, due to relative ease of access and availability of life history data, captive animals are often utilized in actualistic research. Thus, this issue should be addressed in more detail. Here we explore snout shape variation between captive and wild members of Alligator mississippiensis using two-dimensional (2D) morphometric techniques. Several landmark schemesare used to assess the utility of different aspects of morphology in distinguishing the groups. While statistical analyses consistently differentiated between the groups, the area of morphospace occupied by wild members of A. mississippiensis generally overlapped with the larger area encompassing the captive specimens. This indicates that the captive condition is not as uniform as previously thought and instead encompasses a large spectrum of morphologies, ranging from the stereotypical broad, shortened snouts to outlines that are indistinguishable from the wild morphotype. These results align well with the interpretation that this change reflects an extreme example of ecophenotypy, since ranched, farmed, or zoo organisms are held in an array of enclosures, ranging from indoor, climate controlled pens to outdoor, more natural areas. This variation in environments should be reflected in different reactions to the animals' surroundings, resulting in a broad spectrum of morphotypes. While wild specimens are still preferred, especially for fine scale analyses, these results indicate that not all captive members of A. mississippiensis exhibit the extreme morphological alterations often cited in the literature. Weighing the conditions in which the animals are held and exploring the possibility of morphological differences against the benefits of using captive specimens should be part of any actualistic study. J. Morphol. 277:866-878, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Albert Ludwig Sigesmund Neisser: discoverer of the cause of gonorrhea.

PubMed

Ligon, B Lee

2005-10-01

The history of sexually transmitted diseases is thought to date back to earliest times, and many ancient texts describe conditions that may be those of syphilis and gonorrhea, which at one time were thought to be the same disease. A main figure in the research in this area was Albert Ludwig Sigesmund Neisser, who discovered the gonococcus in 1879 and later produced the most comprehensive account of experimental syphilis ever published. This article provides a brief biography of Albert Neisser, focusing on his discoveries in the area of infectious diseases, the so-called Neisser-Hansen controversy, and the situation leading to changes in defining bioethics.

Free-floating Failed Star Artist Concept

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-05

This artist concept portrays a free-floating brown dwarf, or failed star. A new study using data from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope shows that several of these objects are warmer than previously thought.

SAGE II V7

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2017-09-06

... The series of Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiments (SAGE I, II, and III) are satellite-based solar occultation ... significantly more shortwave radiation than previously thought. Clouds in a Clear Sky Scientists have detected a nearly ...

Affective and cognitive determinants of women's sexual response to erotica.

PubMed

Vilarinho, Sandra; Laja, Pedro; Carvalho, Joana; Quinta-Gomes, Ana Luísa; Oliveira, Cátia; Janssen, Erick; Nobre, Pedro J

2014-11-01

The specific cognitive-affective mechanisms involved in the activation and regulation of the subjective and genital components of sexual arousal are not fully understood yet. The aim of the present study was to investigate the contribution of self-reported thoughts and affect to the prediction of women's subjective and genital responses to erotica. Twenty-eight sexually functional women (mean age = 32, SD = 6.29) were presented with sexually explicit and nonexplicit romantic films. Genital responses, subjective sexual arousal, state affect, and self-reported thoughts were assessed. Vaginal pulse amplitude was measured using a vaginal photoplethysmograph. Subjective sexual arousal, thoughts, and affective responses were assessed through self-report scales. Correlations between subjective and physiological sexual arousal were low (r = -0.05, P > 0.05). Self-reported thoughts and affect were significant predictors of subjective sexual arousal. The strongest single predictor of subjective arousal was sexual arousal thoughts (e.g., "I'm getting excited") (β = 0.63, P < 0.01). None of the cognitive or affective variables predicted women's genital responses. Overall, results support the role of cognitive (self-reported thoughts) and affective dimensions in women's subjective sexual arousal to erotica and, consistent with previous findings, suggest that subjective and physiological sexual arousal may be impacted by different processes. © 2014 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Preface for the special issue of Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering, BIOCOMP 2012.

PubMed

Buonocore, Aniello; Di Crescenzo, Antonio; Hastings, Alan

2014-04-01

The International Conference "BIOCOMP2012 - Mathematical Modeling and Computational Topics in Biosciences'', was held in Vietri sul Mare (Italy), June 4-8, 2012. It was dedicated to the Memory of Professor Luigi M. Ricciardi (1942-2011), who was a visionary and tireless promoter of the 3 previous editions of the BIOCOMP conference series. We thought that the best way to honor his memory was to continue the BIOCOMP program. Over the years, this conference promoted scientific activities related to his wide interests and scientific expertise, which ranged in various areas of applications of mathematics, probability and statistics to biosciences and cybernetics, also with emphasis on computational problems. We are pleased that many of his friends and colleagues, as well as many other scientists, were attracted by the goals of this recent event and offered to contribute to its success.

Ecology and epidemiology of Echinococcus multilocularis in Europe.

PubMed

Deplazes, P

2006-06-01

Human alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis has a high mortality rate in untreated patients. The life-cycle of E. multilocularis in Europe predominantly involves foxes as definitive hosts. However, experimental studies demonstrated a comparable biotic potential of E. multilocularis in dogs and raccoon dogs but an insignificant potential in cats. AE occurs in central and eastern Europe at low incidence rates. Recent studies in foxes have shown that E. multilocularis has a wider geographic range (including Italy) than previously thought. In recent years, increases in fox populations have been observed in many European countries, especially in urban areas. As a result, the E. multilocularis cycle is now established in the urban environment. This presents an increased risk of infection for a large human population. Based on these facts and new epidemiological data, possible intervention strategies are presented.

Benevolent sexism alters executive brain responses.

PubMed

Dardenne, Benoit; Dumont, Muriel; Sarlet, Marie; Phillips, Christophe; Balteau, Evelyne; Degueldre, Christian; Luxen, André; Salmon, Eric; Maquet, Pierre; Collette, Fabienne

2013-07-10

Benevolence is widespread in our societies. It is defined as considering a subordinate group nicely but condescendingly, that is, with charity. Deleterious consequences for the target have been reported in the literature. In this experiment, we used functional MRI (fMRI) to identify whether being the target of (sexist) benevolence induces changes in brain activity associated with a working memory task. Participants were confronted by benevolent, hostile, or neutral comments before and while performing a reading span test in an fMRI environment. fMRI data showed that brain regions associated previously with intrusive thought suppression (bilateral, dorsolateral, prefrontal, and anterior cingulate cortex) reacted specifically to benevolent sexism compared with hostile sexism and neutral conditions during the performance of the task. These findings indicate that, despite being subjectively positive, benevolence modifies task-related brain networks by recruiting supplementary areas likely to impede optimal cognitive performance.

An Array Processing Theory of Memory, Thought, and Behavior Patterning: A Radically Reconstructive View.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allison, Dennis J.

A theory of memory is introduced, which seeks to respond to the shortcomings of existing theories based on metaphors. Memory is presented as a mechanism, a comparison process in which information held in some form of immediate storage (whether based on perception or previous cognition or both) is compared to previously stored long-term storage.…

SAGE II V6.20

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2017-09-06

... The series of Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiments (SAGE I, II, and III) are satellite-based solar occultation ... significantly more shortwave radiation than previously thought. Clouds in a Clear Sky Scientists have detected a nearly ...

Astrophysics: The supernova has two faces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasen, Daniel

2010-07-01

The variety of stellar deaths is less than we thought. A compilation of new and archival data shows that two previously distinct subtypes of supernova are actually two sides of the same lopsided coin.

Urbanism, Migration, and Tolerance: A Reassessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Thomas C.

1991-01-01

Urbanism's impact on the personality may be stronger than previously thought. Finds that urban residence has a strong positive effect on tolerance. Migration also promotes tolerance, regardless of the size of the destination community. (DM)

Life in extreme environments.

PubMed

Rothschild, L J; Mancinelli, R L

2001-02-22

Each recent report of liquid water existing elsewhere in the Solar System has reverberated through the international press and excited the imagination of humankind. Why? Because in the past few decades we have come to realize that where there is liquid water on Earth, virtually no matter what the physical conditions, there is life. What we previously thought of as insurmountable physical and chemical barriers to life, we now see as yet another niche harbouring 'extremophiles'. This realization, coupled with new data on the survival of microbes in the space environment and modelling of the potential for transfer of life between celestial bodies, suggests that life could be more common than previously thought. Here we examine critically what it means to be an extremophile, and the implications of this for evolution, biotechnology and especially the search for life in the Universe.

Life in Extreme Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rothschild, Lynn; Bram, James A. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Each recent report of liquid water existing elsewhere in the solar system has reverberated through the international press and excited the imagination of humankind. Why? Because in the last few decades we have come to realize that where there is liquid water on Earth, virtually no matter what the physical conditions, there is life. What we previously thought of as insurmountable physical and chemical barriers to life, we now see as yet another niche harboring 'extremophiles'. This realization, coupled with new data on the survival of microbes in the space environment and modeling of the potential for transfer of life between celestial bodies, suggests that life could be more common than previously thought. Here we critically examine what it means to be an extremophile, the implications of this for evolution, biotechnology, and especially the search for life in the cosmos.

The effect of the Baton Rouge fault on flow in the Abita aquifer of southeastern Louisiana

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

Rapp, T.R.

1993-03-01

The ground-water resources of southern Tangipahoa Parish and adjacent areas were studied to determine their potential for development as an alternative to the Mississippi River as a water supply source for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. The study area, in southeastern Louisiana, is underlain by eight major aquifers and is crossed by a fault zone, referred to as the Baton Rouge fault. The fault restricts the flow of water in the aquifers of intermediate depth. Data from a test well drilling program and geophysical logs of a nearby oil well indicated that a significant freshwater aquifer that provides water to a nearbymore » municipality was actually the Abita aquifer and not the Covington aquifer, as was previously thought. The Abita aquifer, a shallower aquifer with a lower hydraulic conductivity, had been displaced to a position equivalent to that of the Covington aquifer by the Baton Rouge fault. An additional final test well drilled south of the fault penetrated the leading edge of a wedge-shaped saltwater interface. Analysis of lithologic and geophysical logs indicated that the Abita aquifer has a well-sorted, clean sand at the base of the aquifer and substantial amounts of clay in the top two-thirds of the aquifer. Geophysical logs of oil test wells south of the fault zone indicated that the sand thickens substantially to the south. The thicker sand south of a public supply well that pumps water from the Abita aquifer and the higher hydraulic conductivity of the lower part of the aquifer where the saline water was detected indicate that a much larger percentage of recharge to the public supply well may come from the south than was originally thought.« less

The cerebral neurobiology of anxiety, anxiety displacement, and anxiety denial.

PubMed

Gottschalk, L A; Fronczek, J; Abel, L; Buchsbaum, M S; Fallon, J H

2001-01-01

Previous studies examining the relationship of anxiety scores, derived from the content analysis of speech of normal individuals, have revealed that the anxiety scores occurring in the dreams associated with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep are significantly correlated with localized cerebral glucose metabolic rates assessed by positron emission tomography (PET) scanning. These significant intercorrelations occur in different cerebral areas when the anxiety scores are obtained from mental experiences reported during non-REM sleep or during wakeful silent mentation. The purpose of the present study was to examine the intercorrelations found between anxiety attributed to the self, anxiety-displacement, and anxiety denial measured from computerized content analysis of 5-min verbal reports of subjective thoughts and feelings obtained from wakeful normal subjects and localized cerebral glucose metabolic rates during PET scanning. The subjects were 10 wakeful young males. Their anxiety scores were derived from computerized content analysis of 5-min reports they gave of their subjective thoughts, feelings and fantasies during a 30-min period following an intravenous injection of F D-deoxyglucose (FDG). The subjects were moved 32--45 min after this injection to obtain a PET scan, which records all of the localized cerebral glucose metabolic rates during the 30 min following the FDG injection. Significant intercorrelations of localized cerebral glucose metabolic rates with the scores of self-anxiety, anxiety displacement, and anxiety-denial were found in dissimilar cerebral locations depending on the type of anxiety involved. The significant correlations occurred in brain regions known to be associated with the functions of emotions, cognition, memory, and vision. Specific combinations of cerebral areas, based on glucose metabolic rates, appear to distinguish and be associated with different verbal expressions of anxiety. Replication of this preliminary research will be carried out. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

Development of the selection and manipulation of self-generated thoughts in adolescence.

PubMed

Dumontheil, Iroise; Hassan, Bano; Gilbert, Sam J; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

2010-06-02

The ability to select and manipulate self-generated (stimulus-independent, SI), as opposed to stimulus-oriented (SO), information, in a controlled and flexible way has previously only been studied in adults. This ability is thought to rely in part on the rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (RLPFC), which continues to mature anatomically during adolescence. We investigated (1) the development of this ability behaviorally, (2) the associated functional brain development, and (3) the link between functional and structural maturation. Participants classified according to their shape letters either presented visually (SO phases) or that they generated in their head by continuing the alphabet sequence (SI phases). SI phases were performed in the presence or absence of distracting letters. A total of 179 participants (7-27 years old) took part in a behavioral study. Resistance to visual distractors exhibited small improvements with age. SI thoughts manipulation and switching between SI and SO thoughts showed steeper performance improvements extending into late adolescence. Thirty-seven participants (11-30 years old) took part in a functional MRI (fMRI) study. SI thought manipulation and switching between SO and SI thought were each associated with brain regions consistently recruited across age. A single frontal brain region in each contrast exhibited decreased activity with age: left inferior frontal gyrus/anterior insula for SI thought manipulation, and right superior RLPFC for switching between SO and SI thoughts. By integrating structural and functional data, we demonstrated that the observed functional changes with age were not purely consequences of structural maturation and thus may reflect the maturation of neurocognitive strategies.

Poor supplementary motor area activation differentiates auditory verbal hallucination from imagining the hallucination☆

PubMed Central

Raij, Tuukka T.; Riekki, Tapani J.J.

2012-01-01

Neuronal underpinnings of auditory verbal hallucination remain poorly understood. One suggested mechanism is brain activation that is similar to verbal imagery but occurs without the proper activation of the neuronal systems that are required to tag the origins of verbal imagery in one's mind. Such neuronal systems involve the supplementary motor area. The supplementary motor area has been associated with awareness of intention to make a hand movement, but whether this region is related to the sense of ownership of one's verbal thought remains poorly known. We hypothesized that the supplementary motor area is related to the distinction between one's own mental processing (auditory verbal imagery) and similar processing that is attributed to non-self author (auditory verbal hallucination). To test this hypothesis, we asked patients to signal the onset and offset of their auditory verbal hallucinations during functional magnetic resonance imaging. During non-hallucination periods, we asked the same patients to imagine the hallucination they had previously experienced. In addition, healthy control subjects signaled the onset and offset of self-paced imagery of similar voices. Both hallucinations and the imagery of hallucinations were associated with similar activation strengths of the fronto-temporal language-related circuitries, but the supplementary motor area was activated more strongly during the imagery than during hallucination. These findings suggest that auditory verbal hallucination resembles verbal imagery in language processing, but without the involvement of the supplementary motor area, which may subserve the sense of ownership of one's own verbal imagery. PMID:24179739

Activating analytic thinking enhances the value given to individualizing moral foundations.

PubMed

Yilmaz, Onurcan; Saribay, S Adil

2017-08-01

Two central debates within Moral Foundations Theory concern (1) which moral foundations are core and (2) how conflict between ideological camps stemming from valuing different moral foundations can be resolved. Previous studies have attempted to answer the first question by imposing cognitive load on participants to direct them toward intuitive and automatic thought. However, this method has limitations and has produced mixed findings. In the present research, in two experiments, instead of directing participants toward intuitive thought, we tested the effects of activating high-effort, analytic thought on participants' moral foundations. In both experiments, analytic thought activation caused participants to value individualizing foundations greater than the control condition. This effect was not qualified by participants' political orientation. No effect was observed on binding foundations. The results are consistent with the idea that upholding individualizing foundations requires mental effort and may provide the basis for reconciliation between different ideological camps. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of relations in paired-associate learning.

PubMed

Wilton, Richard N

2006-02-01

Previous studies have shown that the cued recall of paired associates is greater when one member of a pair has been apprehended as lying on the other member, as compared with the two having been apprehended as independent objects. The effect occurs when the objects have been perceived, imagined, or described in the relevant relationship. The additional thoughts hypothesis postulates that participants have more spontaneous "additional thoughts" when apprehending a pair in the relational condition. These may provide additional retrieval routes, thereby explaining the effect. In four experiments, the hypothesis was tested under conditions in which a clear unambiguous definition could be specified for an additional thought. The results showed that the greater recall in an "on" condition, as compared with an independent condition, occurs at least in part because more additional thoughts occur in the "on" condition. There was no evidence for any other contribution to the effect. It is argued that the findings question whether relations between objects play a fundamental role in the structure of memory.

The presence of magical thinking in obsessive compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Einstein, Danielle A; Menzies, Ross G

2004-05-01

Two research groups have raised the possibility that magical ideation may be a fundamental feature of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It has been proposed to underlie thought action fusion and superstitious beliefs. In this study, the Magical Ideation scale, the Lucky Behaviours and Lucky Beliefs scales, the Thought Action Fusion-Revised scale, the Padua Inventory, and the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Short Version were completed by 60 obsessive compulsive patients at a hospital clinic. Of all the measures, the Magical Ideation (MI) scale was found to be the most strongly related to obsessive compulsive symptoms. Large and significant relationships between MI scores and the measures of OCD were obtained even when alternative constructs (Lucky Behaviours, Lucky Beliefs, Thought Action Fusion-Revised scales) were held constant. No other variable remained significantly related to the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Short Version when magical ideation scores were held constant. The findings suggest that a general magical thinking tendency may underpin previous observed links between superstitiousness, thought action fusion and OCD severity.

Distinct Fos-Expressing Neuronal Ensembles in the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Mediate Food Reward and Extinction Memories

PubMed Central

Warren, Brandon L.; Mendoza, Michael P.; Cruz, Fabio C.; Leao, Rodrigo M.; Caprioli, Daniele; Rubio, F. Javier; Whitaker, Leslie R.; McPherson, Kylie B.; Bossert, Jennifer M.; Shaham, Yavin

2016-01-01

In operant learning, initial reward-associated memories are thought to be distinct from subsequent extinction-associated memories. Memories formed during operant learning are thought to be stored in “neuronal ensembles.” Thus, we hypothesize that different neuronal ensembles encode reward- and extinction-associated memories. Here, we examined prefrontal cortex neuronal ensembles involved in the recall of reward and extinction memories of food self-administration. We first trained rats to lever press for palatable food pellets for 7 d (1 h/d) and then exposed them to 0, 2, or 7 daily extinction sessions in which lever presses were not reinforced. Twenty-four hours after the last training or extinction session, we exposed the rats to either a short 15 min extinction test session or left them in their homecage (a control condition). We found maximal Fos (a neuronal activity marker) immunoreactivity in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex of rats that previously received 2 extinction sessions, suggesting that neuronal ensembles in this area encode extinction memories. We then used the Daun02 inactivation procedure to selectively disrupt ventral medial prefrontal cortex neuronal ensembles that were activated during the 15 min extinction session following 0 (no extinction) or 2 prior extinction sessions to determine the effects of inactivating the putative food reward and extinction ensembles, respectively, on subsequent nonreinforced food seeking 2 d later. Inactivation of the food reward ensembles decreased food seeking, whereas inactivation of the extinction ensembles increased food seeking. Our results indicate that distinct neuronal ensembles encoding operant reward and extinction memories intermingle within the same cortical area. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A current popular hypothesis is that neuronal ensembles in different prefrontal cortex areas control reward-associated versus extinction-associated memories: the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) promotes reward seeking, whereas the ventral mPFC inhibits reward seeking. In this paper, we use the Daun02 chemogenetic inactivation procedure to demonstrate that Fos-expressing neuronal ensembles mediating both food reward and extinction memories intermingle within the same ventral mPFC area. PMID:27335401

Distinct Fos-Expressing Neuronal Ensembles in the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Mediate Food Reward and Extinction Memories.

PubMed

Warren, Brandon L; Mendoza, Michael P; Cruz, Fabio C; Leao, Rodrigo M; Caprioli, Daniele; Rubio, F Javier; Whitaker, Leslie R; McPherson, Kylie B; Bossert, Jennifer M; Shaham, Yavin; Hope, Bruce T

2016-06-22

In operant learning, initial reward-associated memories are thought to be distinct from subsequent extinction-associated memories. Memories formed during operant learning are thought to be stored in "neuronal ensembles." Thus, we hypothesize that different neuronal ensembles encode reward- and extinction-associated memories. Here, we examined prefrontal cortex neuronal ensembles involved in the recall of reward and extinction memories of food self-administration. We first trained rats to lever press for palatable food pellets for 7 d (1 h/d) and then exposed them to 0, 2, or 7 daily extinction sessions in which lever presses were not reinforced. Twenty-four hours after the last training or extinction session, we exposed the rats to either a short 15 min extinction test session or left them in their homecage (a control condition). We found maximal Fos (a neuronal activity marker) immunoreactivity in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex of rats that previously received 2 extinction sessions, suggesting that neuronal ensembles in this area encode extinction memories. We then used the Daun02 inactivation procedure to selectively disrupt ventral medial prefrontal cortex neuronal ensembles that were activated during the 15 min extinction session following 0 (no extinction) or 2 prior extinction sessions to determine the effects of inactivating the putative food reward and extinction ensembles, respectively, on subsequent nonreinforced food seeking 2 d later. Inactivation of the food reward ensembles decreased food seeking, whereas inactivation of the extinction ensembles increased food seeking. Our results indicate that distinct neuronal ensembles encoding operant reward and extinction memories intermingle within the same cortical area. A current popular hypothesis is that neuronal ensembles in different prefrontal cortex areas control reward-associated versus extinction-associated memories: the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) promotes reward seeking, whereas the ventral mPFC inhibits reward seeking. In this paper, we use the Daun02 chemogenetic inactivation procedure to demonstrate that Fos-expressing neuronal ensembles mediating both food reward and extinction memories intermingle within the same ventral mPFC area. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/366691-13$15.00/0.

Ixodid ticks in the megapolis of Kyiv, Ukraine.

PubMed

Rogovskyy, Artem S; Nebogatkin, Igor V; Scoles, Glen A

2017-01-01

The Ixodidae include the most common tick species encountered in Europe. The ticks transmit a variety of bacterial and protozoan agents of medical and veterinary significance. The aim of the current work was to investigate distribution of Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in Kyiv, the largest and most densely populated megapolis of Ukraine. Ticks were collected at various recreational areas by flagging during May, the month that showed the highest tick abundance in the past. Sex distribution among I. ricinus ticks was relatively equal, whereas females were collected in higher numbers for D. reticulatus. As opposed to western and central Europe where nymphal ticks had been more abundant, the nymph:adult ratio for I. ricinus was reversed. Also, this report documents detection of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) in Kyiv region, well outside of its historically documented distribution area. Previously thought to be restricted to the southern Ukraine, a single male specimen of R. sanguineus s.l. was collected just outside the city limits. Data on tick diversity over the past 30 years, however, indicates that this finding may only be incidental. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

The intralaminar thalamus—an expressway linking visual stimuli to circuits determining agency and action selection

PubMed Central

Fisher, Simon D.; Reynolds, John N. J.

2014-01-01

Anatomical investigations have revealed connections between the intralaminar thalamic nuclei and areas such as the superior colliculus (SC) that receive short latency input from visual and auditory primary sensory areas. The intralaminar nuclei in turn project to the major input nucleus of the basal ganglia, the striatum, providing this nucleus with a source of subcortical excitatory input. Together with a converging input from the cerebral cortex, and a neuromodulatory dopaminergic input from the midbrain, the components previously found necessary for reinforcement learning in the basal ganglia are present. With this intralaminar sensory input, the basal ganglia are thought to play a primary role in determining what aspect of an organism’s own behavior has caused salient environmental changes. Additionally, subcortical loops through thalamic and basal ganglia nuclei are proposed to play a critical role in action selection. In this mini review we will consider the anatomical and physiological evidence underlying the existence of these circuits. We will propose how the circuits interact to modulate basal ganglia output and solve common behavioral learning problems of agency determination and action selection. PMID:24765070

Bartonella: emerging pathogen or emerging awareness?

PubMed

Mogollon-Pasapera, Elin; Otvos, Laszlo; Giordano, Antonio; Cassone, Marco

2009-01-01

The number of known Bartonella species is rapidly growing. Some of them are responsible for distinct infectious diseases and show different prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility profiles. Not only have some vectors of Bartonella not been fully characterized, but also intermediate hosts are actually much more numerous and diverse than previously thought. Among these, dogs differ from cats because they tend to suffer an overt disease similar to humans, thus providing the base for a useful animal indicator and research model. Among the debilitating conditions with an unclear impact on the course of these infections, specific conditions (e.g., homelessness, alcoholism) have been linked to a much higher prevalence and to high risk of unfavorable outcome. Due to the limited arsenal of antibiotics effective in vivo on this peculiar intracellular pathogen, the risk/benefit balance of antibiotic therapy is sometimes difficult to draw. In this evolving picture, the recent discoveries of new species highlights the importance of basic molecular biology resources that would bring major public health benefits if available in endemic areas, and specifically in many areas of Peru and Bolivia.

Children's experiences of dental anxiety.

PubMed

Morgan, Annie G; Rodd, Helen D; Porritt, Jenny M; Baker, Sarah R; Creswell, Cathy; Newton, Tim; Williams, Chris; Marshman, Zoe

2017-03-01

Dental anxiety is common among children. Although there is a wealth of research investigating childhood dental anxiety, little consideration has been given to the child's perspective. This qualitative study sought to explore with children their own experiences of dental anxiety using a cognitive behavioural therapy assessment model. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with dentally anxious children aged 11-16 years. The Five Areas model was used to inform the topic guide and analysis. Data were analysed using a framework approach. In total, 13 children were interviewed. Participants described their experiences of dental anxiety across multiple dimensions (situational factors and altered thoughts, feelings, physical symptoms, and behaviours). Participants placed considerable value on communication by dental professionals, with poor communication having a negative influence on dental anxiety and the dentist-patient relationship. This study confirms the Five Areas model as an applicable theoretical model for the assessment of childhood dental anxiety. Children provided insights about their own dental anxiety experiences that have not previously been described. © 2016 BSPD, IAPD and John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) on muscle tissue: performance, fatigue and repair benefited by the power of light

PubMed Central

Ferraresi, Cleber; Hamblin, Michael R.; Parizotto, Nivaldo A.

2013-01-01

The use of low level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) has recently expanded to cover areas of medicine that were not previously thought of as the usual applications such as wound healing and inflammatory orthopedic conditions. One of these novel application areas is LLLT for muscle fatigue and muscle injury. Since it is becoming agreed that mitochondria are the principal photoacceptors present inside cells, and it is known that muscle cells are exceptionally rich in mitochondria, this suggests that LLLT should be highly beneficial in muscle injuries. The ability of LLLT to stimulate stem cells and progenitor cells means that muscle satellite cells may respond well to LLLT and help muscle repair. Furthermore the ability of LLLT to reduce inflammation and lessen oxidative stress is also beneficial in cases of muscle fatigue and injury. This review covers the literature relating to LLLT and muscles in both preclinical animal experiments and human clinical studies. Athletes, people with injured muscles, and patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy may all benefit. PMID:23626925

Biliary Fasciola gigantica infestation in a nonendemic area--An intraoperative surprise.

PubMed

Menon, Prema; Sinha, Amit Kumar; Rao, Katragadda Lakshmi Narasimha; Khurana, Sumeeta; Lal, Sadhana; Thapa, Babu Ram

2015-11-01

A 7year old girl infected with the zoonotic trematode, Fasciola gigantica is reported because of the extreme rarity of this condition in our region. Because of the overlap in symptomatology and radiological features, the more common amebic/pyogenic liver abscess in the initial hepatic migratory phase and later choledochal cyst/biliary ascariasis when the parasite was finally located in the extrahepatic bile ducts, were thought of delaying effective treatment. The diagnosis was confirmed only by surgical exploration. The characteristic contrast enhanced computed tomography scan features retrospectively identified were multiple clustered hypodense lesions in the liver with peripheral enhancement in the acute hepatic migratory phase, and periportal tracking in the previously affected areas of the liver with biliary dilatation and a linear hypointense lesion within the common bile duct in the chronic phase. Although a known association, she did not have eosinophilia. This child, who became symptomatic at the age of 5.5years, also appears to be one of the youngest patients reported with Fasciola gigantica. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cervical injury in rugby football--a New Zealand survey.

PubMed Central

Burry, H. C.; Gowland, H.

1981-01-01

In a study of cervical injury in New Zealand rugby football in the years 1973 to 1978 inclusive, 54 cases of injury were identified of which five were fatal. There is no evidence that the incidence of these injuries is increasing. Incomplete figures for the season of 1979/80 include two deaths and 14 cases of permanent cord compression or temporary quadriplegia. The scrum is confirmed as a danger area but the danger occurring during the formation of the scrum is seen to be greater than was previously thought. Young players appear to be particularly vulnerable in scrums. The ruck and maul are danger areas. One-third of the accidents occurred during training or social games. It is concluded that the incidence of injury could be reduced by appropriate player selection, better coaching and amendment of the laws. Since only one player was aware of his danger at the time of his accident, it would seem that coaching with an emphasis on awareness and precautionary measures would be effective in prevention of cervical injury. PMID:7248685

Innovativeness and the effects of urbanization on risk-taking behaviors in wild Barbados birds.

PubMed

Ducatez, Simon; Audet, Jean-Nicolas; Rodriguez, Jordi Ros; Kayello, Lima; Lefebvre, Louis

2017-01-01

The effects of urbanization on avian cognition remain poorly understood. Risk-taking behaviors like boldness, neophobia and flight distance are thought to affect opportunism and innovativeness, and should also vary with urbanization. Here, we investigate variation in risk-taking behaviors in the field in an avian assemblage of nine species that forage together in Barbados and for which innovation rate is known from previous work. We predicted that birds from highly urbanized areas would show more risk-taking behavior than conspecifics from less urbanized parts of the island and that the differences would be strongest in the most innovative of the species. Overall, we found that urban birds are bolder, less neophobic and have shorter flight distances than their less urbanized conspecifics. Additionally, we detected between-species differences in the effect of urbanization on flight distance, more innovative species showing smaller differences in flight distance between areas. Our results suggest that, within successful urban colonizers, species differences in innovativeness may affect the way species change their risk-taking behaviors in response to the urban environment.

Taming the Wild West’ - Integrating the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

thought to convert tribal areas into industrial zones. The key features which keep investors away are the volatile 71 Abu Bakar . “War on Terror...stm Atlas of United States History: Hammond World Atlas Corporation, 2004. Bakar , Abu . “War on Terror Highlights Development Needs in Tribal Areas...

Lingering representations of stimuli influence recall organization

PubMed Central

Chan, Stephanie C.Y.; Applegate, Marissa C.; Morton, Neal W; Polyn, Sean M.; Norman, Kenneth A.

2017-01-01

Several prominent theories posit that information about recent experiences lingers in the brain and organizes memories for current experiences, by forming a temporal context that is linked to those memories at encoding. According to these theories, if the thoughts preceding an experience X resemble the thoughts preceding an experience Y, then X and Y should show an elevated probability of being recalled together. We tested this prediction by using multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) of fMRI data to measure neural evidence for lingering processing of preceding stimuli. As predicted, memories encoded with similar lingering thoughts about the category of preceding stimuli were more likely to be recalled together. Our results demonstrate that the “fading embers” of previous stimuli help to organize recall, confirming a key prediction of computational models of episodic memory. PMID:28132858

Maladaptive repetitive thought as a transdiagnostic phenomenon and treatment target: An integrative review.

PubMed

Kaplan, Deanna M; Palitsky, Roman; Carey, Angela L; Crane, Tracy E; Havens, Cody M; Medrano, Michael R; Reznik, Samantha J; Sbarra, David A; O'Connor, Mary-Frances

2018-07-01

Maladaptive repetitive thought (RT), the frequent and repetitive revisiting of thoughts or internal experiences, is associated with a range of psychopathological processes and disorders. We present a synthesis of prior research on maladaptive RT and develop a framework for elucidating and distinguishing between five forms of maladaptive RT. In addition to the previously studied maladaptive RT (worry, rumination, and obsession), this framework is used to identify two additional forms of maladaptive RT (yearning and interoceptive RT). We then present a review of extant psychotherapy intervention research targeting maladaptive RT, focusing both on specific empirically based treatment strategies, and also constructs within treatments that impact maladaptive RT. The paper concludes with recommendations for future basic and intervention research on maladaptive RT and related psychopathologies. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Concurrence of Iridovirus, Polyomavirus, and a Unique Member of a New Group of Fish Papillomaviruses in Lymphocystis Disease-Affected Gilthead Sea Bream

PubMed Central

López-Bueno, Alberto; Mavian, Carla; Labella, Alejandro M.; Castro, Dolores; Borrego, Juan J.; Alcami, Antonio

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Lymphocystis disease is a geographically widespread disease affecting more than 150 different species of marine and freshwater fish. The disease, provoked by the iridovirus lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV), is characterized by the appearance of papillomalike lesions on the skin of affected animals that usually self-resolve over time. Development of the disease is usually associated with several environmental factors and, more frequently, with stress conditions provoked by the intensive culture conditions present in fish farms. In gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), an economically important cultured fish species in the Mediterranean area, a distinct LCDV has been identified but not yet completely characterized. We have used direct sequencing of the virome of lymphocystis lesions from affected S. aurata fish to obtain the complete genome of a new LCDV-Sa species that is the largest vertebrate iridovirus sequenced to date. Importantly, this approach allowed us to assemble the full-length circular genome sequence of two previously unknown viruses belonging to the papillomaviruses and polyomaviruses, termed Sparus aurata papillomavirus 1 (SaPV1) and Sparus aurata polyomavirus 1 (SaPyV1), respectively. Epidemiological surveys showed that lymphocystis disease was frequently associated with the concurrent appearance of one or both of the new viruses. SaPV1 has unique characteristics, such as an intron within the L1 gene, and as the first member of the Papillomaviridae family described in fish, provides evidence for a more ancient origin of this family than previously thought. IMPORTANCE Lymphocystis disease affects marine and freshwater fish species worldwide. It is characterized by the appearance of papillomalike lesions on the skin that contain heavily enlarged cells (lymphocysts). The causative agent is the lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV), a large icosahedral virus of the family Iridoviridae. In the Mediterranean area, the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), an important farmed fish, is frequently affected. Using next-generation sequencing, we have identified within S. aurata lymphocystis lesions the concurrent presence of an additional LCDV species (LCDV-Sa) as well as two novel viruses. These are members of polyomavirus and papillomavirus families, and here we report them to be frequently associated with the presence of lymphocysts in affected fish. Because papillomaviruses have not been described in fish before, these findings support a more ancient origin of this virus family than previously thought and evolutionary implications are discussed. PMID:27440877

Concurrence of Iridovirus, Polyomavirus, and a Unique Member of a New Group of Fish Papillomaviruses in Lymphocystis Disease-Affected Gilthead Sea Bream.

PubMed

López-Bueno, Alberto; Mavian, Carla; Labella, Alejandro M; Castro, Dolores; Borrego, Juan J; Alcami, Antonio; Alejo, Alí

2016-10-01

Lymphocystis disease is a geographically widespread disease affecting more than 150 different species of marine and freshwater fish. The disease, provoked by the iridovirus lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV), is characterized by the appearance of papillomalike lesions on the skin of affected animals that usually self-resolve over time. Development of the disease is usually associated with several environmental factors and, more frequently, with stress conditions provoked by the intensive culture conditions present in fish farms. In gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), an economically important cultured fish species in the Mediterranean area, a distinct LCDV has been identified but not yet completely characterized. We have used direct sequencing of the virome of lymphocystis lesions from affected S. aurata fish to obtain the complete genome of a new LCDV-Sa species that is the largest vertebrate iridovirus sequenced to date. Importantly, this approach allowed us to assemble the full-length circular genome sequence of two previously unknown viruses belonging to the papillomaviruses and polyomaviruses, termed Sparus aurata papillomavirus 1 (SaPV1) and Sparus aurata polyomavirus 1 (SaPyV1), respectively. Epidemiological surveys showed that lymphocystis disease was frequently associated with the concurrent appearance of one or both of the new viruses. SaPV1 has unique characteristics, such as an intron within the L1 gene, and as the first member of the Papillomaviridae family described in fish, provides evidence for a more ancient origin of this family than previously thought. Lymphocystis disease affects marine and freshwater fish species worldwide. It is characterized by the appearance of papillomalike lesions on the skin that contain heavily enlarged cells (lymphocysts). The causative agent is the lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV), a large icosahedral virus of the family Iridoviridae In the Mediterranean area, the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), an important farmed fish, is frequently affected. Using next-generation sequencing, we have identified within S. aurata lymphocystis lesions the concurrent presence of an additional LCDV species (LCDV-Sa) as well as two novel viruses. These are members of polyomavirus and papillomavirus families, and here we report them to be frequently associated with the presence of lymphocysts in affected fish. Because papillomaviruses have not been described in fish before, these findings support a more ancient origin of this virus family than previously thought and evolutionary implications are discussed. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Einstein's creative thinking and the general theory of relativity: a documented report.

PubMed

Rothenberg, A

1979-01-01

A document written by Albert Einstein has recently come to light in which the eminent scientist described the actual sequence of his thoughts leading to the development of the general theory of relativity. The key creative thought was an instance of a type of creative cognition the author has previously designated "Janusian thinking," Janusian thinking consists of actively conceiving two or more opposite or antithetical concepts, ideas, or images simultaneously. This form of high-level secondary process cognition has been found to operate widely in art, science, and other fields.

Depression and suicidal ideation among Canadians aged 15 to 24.

PubMed

Findlay, Leanne

2017-01-18

Among Canadians aged 15 to 24, the rate of depression is higher than at any other age, and suicide is the second leading cause of death. The current study provides detailed information about depression and suicidal ideation among young Canadians, including their use of mental health support. Data from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health (CCHS-MH) were used to describe rates and experiences of depression and suicidal ideation among Canadians aged 15 to 24, including psychosocial characteristics of those who had depression or reported suicidal thoughts. Characteristics associated with seeking professional support were also examined. About 11% of Canadians aged 15 to 24 had experienced depression in their lifetime; 7%, in the past year. Approximately 14% reported having had suicidal thoughts in their lifetime; 6%, in the past year. Lifetime depression and suicidal thoughts were moderately correlated (r = .34, p ⟨ .001). Individuals with lifetime depression had more than four times the odds of seeking professional support in the previous year, compared with those who did not have lifetime depression; those with lifetime suicidal thoughts had more than three times the odds of seeking professional support, compared with those who did not have lifetime suicidal thoughts. Psychosocial factors such as negative social interactions and lower perceived ability to deal with stress were associated with depression and suicidal thoughts, although these associations differed for males and females. The findings suggest that many young Canadians have depression and/or suicidal thoughts. Their odds of seeking professional support are significantly high.

Self-Reported Stickiness of Mind-Wandering Affects Task Performance

PubMed Central

van Vugt, Marieke K.; Broers, Nico

2016-01-01

When asked to perform a certain task, we typically spend a decent amount of time thinking thoughts unrelated to that task–a phenomenon referred to as “mind-wandering.” It is thought that this mind-wandering is driven at least in part by our unfinished goals and concerns. Previous studies have shown that just after presenting a participant with their own concerns, their reports of task-unrelated thinking increased somewhat. However, effects of these concerns on task performance were somewhat inconsistent. In this study we take the opposite approach, and examine whether task performance depends on the self-reported thought content. Specifically, a particularly intriguing aspect of mind-wandering that has hitherto received little attention is the difficulty of disengaging from it, in other words, the “stickiness” of the thoughts. While presenting participants with their own concerns was not associated with clear effects on task performance, we showed that the reports of off-task thinking and variability of response times increased with the amount of self-reported stickiness of thoughts. This suggests that the stickiness of mind-wandering is a relevant variable, and participants are able to meaningfully report on it. PMID:27242636

Language and thought are not the same thing: evidence from neuroimaging and neurological patients

PubMed Central

Fedorenko, Evelina; Varley, Rosemary

2016-01-01

Is thought possible without language? Individuals with global aphasia, who have almost no ability to understand or produce language, provide a powerful opportunity to find out. Astonishingly, despite their near-total loss of language, these individuals are nonetheless able to add and subtract, solve logic problems, think about another person’s thoughts, appreciate music, and successfully navigate their environments. Further, neuroimaging studies show that healthy adults strongly engage the brain’s language areas when they understand a sentence, but not when they perform other nonlinguistic tasks like arithmetic, storing information in working memory, inhibiting prepotent responses, or listening to music. Taken together, these two complementary lines of evidence provide a clear answer to the classic question: many aspects of thought engage distinct brain regions from, and do not depend on, language. PMID:27096882

Language and thought are not the same thing: evidence from neuroimaging and neurological patients.

PubMed

Fedorenko, Evelina; Varley, Rosemary

2016-04-01

Is thought possible without language? Individuals with global aphasia, who have almost no ability to understand or produce language, provide a powerful opportunity to find out. Surprisingly, despite their near-total loss of language, these individuals are nonetheless able to add and subtract, solve logic problems, think about another person's thoughts, appreciate music, and successfully navigate their environments. Further, neuroimaging studies show that healthy adults strongly engage the brain's language areas when they understand a sentence, but not when they perform other nonlinguistic tasks such as arithmetic, storing information in working memory, inhibiting prepotent responses, or listening to music. Together, these two complementary lines of evidence provide a clear answer: many aspects of thought engage distinct brain regions from, and do not depend on, language. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

Discoveries and Conservation Efforts of Extensive Deep-Sea Coral Habitat off the Southeastern U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, J. K.; Messing, C. G.; Walker, B. K.; Farrington, S.; Brooke, S.; Correa, T.; Brouwer, M.

2012-12-01

The deep-sea floor of the Western Atlantic off the southeastern U.S. supports a variety of deep-sea coral ecosystem (DSCE) habitats, including: coral mounds, rock terraces (Miami and Pourtalès Terraces), canyons (Agassiz and Tortugas Valleys), and island slopes (western Bahamas and northern Cuba). We used NOAA bathymetric contour maps and digital elevation models to identify and delineate the areal extent of potential DSCE habitat (50-1000 m) from northeastern Florida through the Straits of Florida. Recently, shipboard and AUV side-scan and multibeam sonar have further documented portions of the region. The resulting maps have been ground-truthed with over 250 submersible and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives, revealing that high-relief topographic features, including steep escarpments and rocky terraces, are good predictors of DSCE habitat in this region. The benthic biota is diverse but locally variable; for example, Lophelia and Enallopsammia stony corals dominate the deep-water mounds, whereas stylasterid corals dominate the rocky terraces where Lophelia is sporadic. Octocorals, black corals, and sponges are common at most sites but different species exhibit site-specific distributional variability. In 2011, the first of two NOAA-sponsored cruises using sonar mapping and an ROV discovered the southernmost Lophelia coral mound in the continental United States, south of the Florida Keys, offering the possibility that more Lophelia mounds may exist in this region where they were previously thought to be absent. The second cruise discovered that deep-water Oculina varicosa coral reefs extend over 70 nmi north of the current boundaries of the Oculina Habitat Area of Particular Concern (OHAPC), which was first designated as a marine protected area in 1984. These studies indicate that cold-water coral mounds are significantly more diverse and abundant in this region than previously thought. These research results were presented to NOAA and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC), which led to the designation of some of these areas as HAPCs or marine protected areas, restricting bottom trawling, longlines and traps that could be destructive to the fragile coral and sponge habitat. In 2010, NOAA established five deep-water Coral HAPCs encompassing a total area of 62,714 km2 from North Carolina to south Florida; an estimated 69% of the total area of the CHAPCs is off Florida. However, we estimate that ~6,554 km2 (29.7%) of DSCE habitat remains unprotected and outside the boundaries of the CHAPCs in U.S. waters off Florida. Many activities may impact DCSEs, including bottom trawling, energy production, and even global warming. Cuba has recently opened its north slope for deep-sea oil/gas drilling, which could have serious impacts upon both deep and shallow water reefs and coastal areas of the U.S. upstream of these drilling sites. Baseline data is critical to understanding the effects of these anthropogenic activities son DSCEs. High-resolution sonar surveys combined with visual ground-truthing to create deep-water benthic habitat maps are necessary to further define the extent of DSCEs in order to protect and conserve these critical habitats.

Glaciation style and the geomorphological record: evidence for Younger Dryas glaciers in the eastern Lake District, northwest England

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDougall, Derek

2013-08-01

The Younger Dryas (c. 12,900-11,700 years ago) in Britain witnessed renewed glaciation, with the readvance of ice masses that had survived the preceding Lateglacial Interstadial as well as the formation of new glaciers. The extents of these former glaciers have been mapped by many workers over the past fifty years, usually as a basis for palaeoclimatic investigations. It has frequently been asserted that the landform record is sufficiently clear to allow accurate ice mass reconstructions at or near maximum extents. Detailed geomorphological mapping in the eastern Lake District in NW England, however, demonstrates that this confidence may not always be warranted. Whereas previous workers have interpreted the well-developed moraines that exist in some locations as evidence for an alpine-style of glaciation, with ice restricted to a small number of valleys, this study shows that the most recent glaciation to affect the area was characterised by: (i) extensive summit icefields, which supplied ice to the surrounding valleys; and (ii) a much greater volume of ice in the valleys than previously thought. The discovery that summit icefields were relatively common at this time is consistent with recent studies elsewhere in the Lake District and beyond. More significant, however, is the recognition that changing glacier-topographic interactions over both space and time appears to have had a profound impact on valley-floor glacial landform development, with the absence of clear moraines not necessarily indicating ice-free conditions at this time. This complicates glacier reconstructions based solely on the geomorphological record. Similar geomorphological complexity may be present in other areas that previously supported summit icefields, and this needs to be taken into account in glacier reconstructions.

Prevalence of Rheumatic Heart Disease in Children and Young Adults in Nicaragua

PubMed Central

Paar, John A.; Berrios, Nubia M.; Rose, John D.; Cáceres, Mercedes; Peña, Rodolfo; Pérez, Wilton; Chen-Mok, Mario; Jolles, Erik; Dale, James B.

2010-01-01

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) results in morbidity and mortality that is disproportionate among people in developing countries compared to those living in economically developed countries. The global burden of disease is uncertain because most previous studies to determine the prevalence of RHD in children relied on clinical screening criteria that lacked the sensitivity to detect most cases. The present study was performed to determine the prevalence of RHD in children and young adults in León, Nicaragua, an area previously thought to have a high prevalence of RHD. This was an observational study of 3150 children, ages 5–15, and 489 adults, ages 20–35, randomly selected from urban and rural areas of León. Cardiopulmonary exams and echo-Doppler studies were performed on all subjects. Echo-Doppler diagnosis of RHD was based on pre-defined consensus criteria that were developed by a WHO/NIH working group. The overall prevalence of RHD in children was 48/1000 (95% C.I. = 35/1000–60/1000. The prevalence in urban children was 34/1000 and in rural children it was 80/1000. Using more stringent echo-Doppler criteria designed to diagnose definite RHD in adults, the prevalence was 22/1000 (95% C.I.=8/1000–37/1000). In conclusion, the prevalence of RHD among children and adults in this economically disadvantaged population far exceeds previously predicted rates. The findings underscore the potential health and economic burden of acute rheumatic fever and RHD and support the need for more effective measures of prevention, which may include safe, effective and affordable vaccines to prevent the streptococcal infections that trigger the disease. PMID:20538135

New constraints on the spatial distribution and morphology of the Halimeda bioherms of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeil, Mardi A.; Webster, Jody M.; Beaman, Robin J.; Graham, Trevor L.

2016-12-01

Halimeda bioherms occur as extensive geological structures on the northern Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia. We present the most complete, high-resolution spatial mapping of the northern GBR Halimeda bioherms, based on new airborne lidar and multibeam echosounder bathymetry data. Our analysis reveals that bioherm morphology does not conform to the previous model of parallel ridges and troughs, but is far more complex than previously thought. We define and describe three morphological sub-types: reticulate, annulate, and undulate, which are distributed in a cross-shelf pattern of reduced complexity from east to west. The northern GBR bioherms cover an area of 6095 km2, three times larger than the original estimate, exceeding the area and volume of calcium carbonate in the adjacent modern shelf-edge barrier reefs. We have mapped a 1740 km2 bioherm complex north of Raine Island in the Cape York region not previously recorded, extending the northern limit by more than 1° of latitude. Bioherm formation and distribution are controlled by a complex interaction of outer-shelf geometry, regional and local currents, coupled with the morphology and depth of continental slope submarine canyons determining the delivery of cool, nutrient-rich water upwelling through inter-reef passages. Distribution and mapping of Halimeda bioherms in relation to Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority bioregion classifications and management zones are inconsistent and currently poorly defined due to a lack of high-resolution data not available until now. These new estimates of bioherm spatial distribution and morphology have implications for understanding the role these geological features play as structurally complex and productive inter-reef habitats, and as calcium carbonate sinks which record a complete history of the Holocene post-glacial marine transgression in the northern GBR.

Effective Connectivity Hierarchically Links Temporoparietal and Frontal Areas of the Auditory Dorsal Stream with the Motor Cortex Lip Area during Speech Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murakami, Takenobu; Restle, Julia; Ziemann, Ulf

2012-01-01

A left-hemispheric cortico-cortical network involving areas of the temporoparietal junction (Tpj) and the posterior inferior frontal gyrus (pIFG) is thought to support sensorimotor integration of speech perception into articulatory motor activation, but how this network links with the lip area of the primary motor cortex (M1) during speech…

Anastasia Might Still Be Alive, But the Monarchy Is Dead.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisner, Elliot W.

1983-01-01

Criticizes the previous article on positivism in educational thought by Denis Phillips. Takes issue with Phillips' assumption that, at the base of theoretical disputes and inquiry, there exists a final and absolute truth. (GC)

Human perceptual decision making: disentangling task onset and stimulus onset.

PubMed

Cardoso-Leite, Pedro; Waszak, Florian; Lepsien, Jöran

2014-07-01

The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (ldlPFC) has been highlighted as a key actor in human perceptual decision-making (PDM): It is theorized to support decision-formation independently of stimulus type or motor response. PDM studies however generally confound stimulus onset and task onset: when the to-be-recognized stimulus is presented, subjects know that a stimulus is shown and can set up processing resources-even when they do not know which stimulus is shown. We hypothesized that the ldlPFC might be involved in task preparation rather than decision-formation. To test this, we asked participants to report whether sequences of noisy images contained a face or a house within an experimental design that decorrelates stimulus and task onset. Decision-related processes should yield a sustained response during the task, whereas preparation-related areas should yield transient responses at its beginning. The results show that the brain activation pattern at task onset is strikingly similar to that observed in previous PDM studies. In particular, they contradict the idea that ldlPFC forms an abstract decision and suggest instead that its activation reflects preparation for the upcoming task. We further investigated the role of the fusiform face areas and parahippocampal place areas which are thought to be face and house detectors, respectively, that feed their signals to higher level decision areas. The response patterns within these areas suggest that this interpretation is unlikely and that the decisions about the presence of a face or a house in a noisy image might instead already be computed within these areas without requiring higher-order areas. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Outgassed water on Mars - Constraints from melt inclusions in SNC meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcsween, Harry Y., Jr.; Harvey, Ralph P.

1993-01-01

The SNC (shergottite-nakhlite-chassignite) meteorites, thought to be igneous rocks from Mars, contain melt inclusions trapped at depth in early-formed crystals. Determination of the pre-eruptive water contents of SNC parental magmas from calculations of the solidification histories of these amphibole-bearing inclusions indicates that Martian magmas commonly contained 1.4 percent water by weight. When combined with an estimate of the volume of igneous materials on Mars, this information suggests that the total amount of water outgassed since 3.9 billion years ago corresponds to global depths on the order of 200 meters. This value is significantly higher than previous geochemical estimates but lower than estimates based on erosion by floods. These results imply a wetter Mars interior than has been previously thought and support suggestions of significant outgassing before formation of a stable crust or heterogeneous accretion of a veneer of cometary matter.

Isolated prospective confabulation in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome: a case for reality filtering.

PubMed

Schnider, Armin; Nahum, Louis; Pignat, Jean-Michel; Leemann, Béatrice; Lövblad, Karl-Olof; Wissmeyer, Michael; Ptak, Radek

2013-01-01

A 57-year-old man suffered severe amnesia and disorientation, accompanied by content-specific confabulation, due to an alcoholic Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. For months, he was deeply concerned about a single obligation that he thought he had to respond to, but which he had already assumed 20 years previously. This monothematic, prospective confabulation was associated with failures of reality filtering as previously documented in behaviorally spontaneous confabulation and disorientation: the patient failed to suppress the interference of currently irrelevant memories and to abandon anticipations that were no longer valid (impaired extinction capacity). Magnetic resonance imaging showed damage to the mamillary bodies and the dorsomedial thalamic nucleus. Positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) showed extended orbitofrontal hypometabolism. We suggest that isolated prospective confabulation shares the core feature (acts and thoughts based on currently irrelevant memory), mechanism (failure of reality filtering), and anatomical basis (orbitofrontal dysfunction) with behaviorally spontaneous confabulations.

Review: neuroestrogen regulation of socio-sexual behavior of males.

PubMed

Ubuka, Takayoshi; Tsutsui, Kazuyoshi

2014-01-01

It is thought that estrogen (neuroestrogen) synthesized by the action of aromatase in the brain from testosterone activates male socio-sexual behaviors, such as aggression and sexual behavior in birds. We recently found that gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH), a hypothalamic neuropeptide, inhibits socio-sexual behaviors of male quail by directly activating aromatase and increasing neuroestrogen synthesis in the preoptic area (POA). The POA is thought to be the most critical site of aromatization and neuroestrogen action for the regulation of socio-sexual behavior of male birds. We concluded that GnIH inhibits socio-sexual behaviors of male quail by increasing neuroestrogen concentration beyond its optimal concentration in the brain for expression of socio-sexual behavior. On the other hand, it has been reported that dopamine and glutamate, which stimulate male socio-sexual behavior in birds and mammals, inhibit the activity of aromatase in the POA. Multiple studies also report that the activity of aromatase or neuroestrogen is negatively correlated with changes in male socio-sexual behavior in fish, birds, and mammals including humans. Here, we review previous studies that investigated the role of neuroestrogen in the regulation of male socio-sexual behavior and reconsider the hypothesis that neuroestrogen activates male socio-sexual behavior in vertebrates. It is considered that basal concentration of neuroestrogen is required for the maintenance of male socio-sexual behavior but higher concentration of neuroestrogen may inhibit male socio-sexual behavior.

Review: neuroestrogen regulation of socio-sexual behavior of males

PubMed Central

Ubuka, Takayoshi; Tsutsui, Kazuyoshi

2014-01-01

It is thought that estrogen (neuroestrogen) synthesized by the action of aromatase in the brain from testosterone activates male socio-sexual behaviors, such as aggression and sexual behavior in birds. We recently found that gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH), a hypothalamic neuropeptide, inhibits socio-sexual behaviors of male quail by directly activating aromatase and increasing neuroestrogen synthesis in the preoptic area (POA). The POA is thought to be the most critical site of aromatization and neuroestrogen action for the regulation of socio-sexual behavior of male birds. We concluded that GnIH inhibits socio-sexual behaviors of male quail by increasing neuroestrogen concentration beyond its optimal concentration in the brain for expression of socio-sexual behavior. On the other hand, it has been reported that dopamine and glutamate, which stimulate male socio-sexual behavior in birds and mammals, inhibit the activity of aromatase in the POA. Multiple studies also report that the activity of aromatase or neuroestrogen is negatively correlated with changes in male socio-sexual behavior in fish, birds, and mammals including humans. Here, we review previous studies that investigated the role of neuroestrogen in the regulation of male socio-sexual behavior and reconsider the hypothesis that neuroestrogen activates male socio-sexual behavior in vertebrates. It is considered that basal concentration of neuroestrogen is required for the maintenance of male socio-sexual behavior but higher concentration of neuroestrogen may inhibit male socio-sexual behavior. PMID:25352775

Intron retention in viruses and cellular genes: Detention, border controls and passports.

PubMed

Rekosh, David; Hammarskjold, Marie-Louise

2018-05-01

Intron retention (IR), where one or more introns remain in the RNA after splicing, was long thought to be rare in mammalian cells, albeit common in plants and some viruses. Largely due to the development of better methods for RNA analysis, it has now been recognized that IR is much more common than previously thought and that this mechanism is likely to play an important role in mammalian gene regulation. To date, most publications and reviews about IR have described the resulting mRNAs as "dead end" products, with no direct consequence for the proteome. However, there are also many reports of mRNAs with retained introns giving rise to alternative protein isoforms. Although this was originally revealed in viral systems, there are now numerous examples of bona fide cellular proteins that are translated from mRNAs with retained introns. These new isoforms have sometimes been shown to have important regulatory functions. In this review, we highlight recent developments in this area and the research on viruses that led the way to the realization of the many ways in which mRNAs with retained introns can be regulated. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > Splicing Mechanisms RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing RNA Export and Localization > Nuclear Export/Import RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cache placement, pilfering, and a recovery advantage in a seed-dispersing rodent: Could predation of scatter hoarders contribute to seedling establishment?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steele, Michael A.; Bugdal, Melissa; Yuan, Amy; Bartlow, Andrew; Buzalewski, Jarrod; Lichti, Nathan; Swihart, Robert

2011-11-01

Scatter-hoarding mammals are thought to rely on spatial memory to relocate food caches. Yet, we know little about how long these granivores (primarily rodents) recall specific cache locations or whether individual hoarders have an advantage when recovering their own caches. Indeed, a few recent studies suggest that high rates of pilferage are common and that individual hoarders may not have a retriever's advantage. We tested this hypothesis in a high-density (>7 animals/ha) population of eastern gray squirrels ( Sciurus carolinensis) by presenting individually marked animals (>20) with tagged acorns, mapping cache sites, and following the fate of seed caches. PIT tags allowed us to monitor individual seeds without disturbing cache sites. Acorns only remained in the caches for 12-119 h (0.5-5 d). However, when we live-trapped and removed some animals from the site immediately after they stored seeds (thus simulating predation), their seed caches remained intact for significantly longer periods (16-27 d). Cache duration corresponded roughly to the time at which squirrels were returned to the study area. These results suggest that squirrels have a retriever's advantage and may remember specific cache sites longer than previously thought. We further suggest that predation of scatter hoarders who store seeds for long periods and also possess a recovery advantage may be one important mechanism by which seed establishment is achieved.

How To Organize Technology Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fickes, Michael

1998-01-01

Highlights three ways a college or university can organize its technology areas to maximize comfort and save space. Examples are provided on controlling equipment sprawl through thoughtful workstation development, designing computer rooms for flexibility and effective cable management, and emulating business setups that are work-flow efficient and…

Study of knowledge and attitudes on medical abortion among Chinese health providers.

PubMed

Cheng, Yimin; Zhou, You; Zhang, Ying; Jiang, Xiaomei; Xi, Maomao; Gan, Kang; Ren, Shanshan

2012-09-01

To investigate providers' knowledge and attitudes about medical abortion (MA) and their views regarding the main challenges to expanding the use of MA in urban and rural areas in China. A total of 658 abortion providers were surveyed from November 7, 2009, to May 29, 2010. The providers' knowledge about MA was relatively poor, and most thought the risks of severe complications of MA were much higher than they are. Urban nonphysician providers were the least informed about MA. Most providers thought that the main challenges to an expanded use of MA were its lesser effectiveness in comparison to surgical abortion and women's lack of knowledge about it. In rural areas many providers thought that deficiencies of clinics, such as limited bed space and inadequate toilets and washing facilities, also posed serious obstacles to expanding MA use. Abortion providers, especially urban nonphysician providers, need refresher training to strengthen their knowledge of the approved protocol for providing MA in China, and also of the indications, contraindications, and safety and efficacy of the method. Deficiencies at abortion facilities should be addressed as well, and they are more numerous in rural areas. Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cessation of oil exposure in harlequin ducks after the Exxon Valdez oil spill: Cytochrome P4501A biomarker evidence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Esler, Daniel N.; Ballachey, Brenda E.; Bowen, Lizabeth; Miles, A. Keith; Dickson, Rian D.; Henderson, John D.

2017-01-01

The authors quantified hepatic hydrocarbon-inducible cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) expression, as ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, in wintering harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) captured in Prince William Sound, Alaska (USA), during 2011, 2013, and 2014 (22–25 yr following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill). Average EROD activity was compared between birds from areas oiled by the spill and those from nearby unoiled areas. The present study replicated studies conducted from 1998 to 2009 demonstrating that harlequin ducks using areas oiled in 1989 had elevated EROD activity, indicative of oil exposure, up to 2 decades post spill. In the present study, it was found that average EROD activity during March 2011 was significantly higher in wintering harlequin ducks captured in oiled areas relative to unoiled areas, which the authors interpret to indicate that harlequin ducks continued to be exposed to residual Exxon Valdez oil up to 22 yr after the original spill. However, the 2011 results also indicated reductions in exposure relative to previous years. Average EROD activity in birds from oiled areas was approximately 2 times that in birds from unoiled areas in 2011, compared with observations from 2005 to 2009, in which EROD activity was 3 to 5 times higher in oiled areas. It was also found that average EROD activity during March 2013 and March 2014 was not elevated in wintering harlequin ducks from oiled areas. The authors interpret these findings to indicate that exposure of harlequin ducks to residual Exxon Valdez oil abated within 24 yr after the original spill. The present study finalizes a timeline of exposure, extending over 2 decades, for a bird species thought to be particularly vulnerable to oil contamination in marine environments

Observations of the distributions of five fish species in a small Appalachian stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, Gary L.; Hoffman, Robert L.; Moore, S.E.

2002-01-01

The notion has been growing that resident stream fishes exhibit a greater capacity for movement than was previously thought. In this study, we recorded the distributions of four resident fish species (longnose dace Rhinichthys cataractae, blacknose dace R. atratulus, mottled sculpin Cottus bairdi, and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss) and one nonresident species (central stoneroller Campostoma anomalum) in Rock Creek, a small tributary of Cosby Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, over the period 1979a??1995. During this study, 1,998 individuals of resident species were collected from stream sections considered to be within a common area of distribution for each species. Forty-five individuals of resident and nonresident species were captured upstream of these areas, and eight of these fish were considered to be larger than individuals considered typical for each species. Small mammal dispersal theory concepts were used to classify and describe fish movements outside of common areas of distribution. These movements were identified as important in maintaining population connectivity within stream drainages, contributing to reducing the potential for local extinctions of populations and to the recolonization of unoccupied habitats. This study highlights the need for continued study of fish movements in stream drainages and for development of appropriate resource management strategies based partly on the spatial dynamics of fish populations and communities.

Adsorption of SO2 on bituminous coal char and activated carbon fiber

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeBarr, Joseph A.; Lizzio, Anthony A.; Daley, Michael A.

1997-01-01

The SO2 adsorption behaviors of activated carbons produced from Illinois coal and of commercially prepared activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were compared. There was no relation between surface area of coal-based carbons and SO2 adsorption, whereas adsorption of SO2 on the series of ACFs was inversely proportional to N2 BET surface area. Higher surface area ACFs had wider pores and adsorbed less SO2; thus, pore size distribution is thought to play a significant role in SO2 adsorption for these materials. Oxidation with HNO3 and/or H2SO4, followed by heat treatment at 700−925°C to remove carbon−oxygen complexes, resulted in increased SO2 adsorption for both coal chars and ACFs. This behavior was explained by an increase in the available number of free sites, previously occupied by oxygen and now available for SO2 adsorption. The use of nitrogen-containing functional groups on ACFs of proper pore size shows promise for further increasing SO2 adsorption capacities. Knowledge of the relationship among the number of free sites, pore size, and surface chemistry on corresponding SO2 adsorption should lead to the development of more efficient adsorbents prepared from either coal or ACFs.

Lingering representations of stimuli influence recall organization.

PubMed

Chan, Stephanie C Y; Applegate, Marissa C; Morton, Neal W; Polyn, Sean M; Norman, Kenneth A

2017-03-01

Several prominent theories posit that information about recent experiences lingers in the brain and organizes memories for current experiences, by forming a temporal context that is linked to those memories at encoding. According to these theories, if the thoughts preceding an experience X resemble the thoughts preceding an experience Y, then X and Y should show an elevated probability of being recalled together. We tested this prediction by using multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) of fMRI data to measure neural evidence for lingering processing of preceding stimuli. As predicted, memories encoded with similar lingering thoughts about the category of preceding stimuli were more likely to be recalled together. Our results demonstrate that the "fading embers" of previous stimuli help to organize recall, confirming a key prediction of computational models of episodic memory. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship of thought-action fusion to pathologicial worry and generalized anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Hazlett-Stevens, Holly; Zucker, Bonnie G; Craske, Michelle G

2002-10-01

Meta-cognitive beliefs associated with pathological worry and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) may encompass the likelihood subtype of thought-action fusion (TAF), the belief that one's thoughts can influence outside events. In the current study of 494 undergraduate college students, positive correlations between scores on the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) and the two Likelihood subscales of the TAF Scale were found, and participants endorsing at least some DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for GAD scored significantly higher on both TAF-Likelihood subscales than participants reporting no GAD symptoms. However, these TAF scales did not predict GAD diagnostic status with PSWQ included as a predictor. In contrast to previous research, the TAF-Moral scale did not correlate with worry. Relationships between TAF, pathological worry, and meta-cognition are discussed in relation to GAD.

Revising the Local Bubble Model due to Solar Wind Charge Exchange X-ray Emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelton, Robin L.

The hot Local Bubble surrounding the solar neighborhood has been primarily studied through observations of its soft X-ray emission. The measurements were obtained by attributing all of the observed local soft X-rays to the bubble. However, mounting evidence shows that the heliosphere also produces diffuse X-rays. The source is solar wind ions that have received an electron from another atom. The presence of this alternate explanation for locally produced diffuse X-rays calls into question the existence and character of the Local Bubble. This article addresses these questions. It reviews the literature on solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) X-ray production, finding that SWCX accounts for roughly half of the observed local 1/4 keV X-rays found at low latitudes. This article also makes predictions for the heliospheric O VI column density and intensity, finding them to be smaller than the observational error bars. Evidence for the continued belief that the Local Bubble contains hot gas includes the remaining local 1/4 keV intensity, the observed local O VI column density, and the need to fill the local region with some sort of plasma. If the true Local Bubble is half as bright as previously thought, then its electron density and thermal pressure are 1/sqrt{2} as great as previously thought, and its energy requirements and emission measure are 1/2 as great as previously thought. These adjustments can be accommodated easily, and, in fact, bring the Local Bubble's pressure more in line with that of the adjacent material. Suggestions for future work are made.

Revising the Local Bubble Model due to Solar Wind Charge Exchange X-ray Emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelton, Robin L.

2009-03-01

The hot Local Bubble surrounding the solar neighborhood has been primarily studied through observations of its soft X-ray emission. The measurements were obtained by attributing all of the observed local soft X-rays to the bubble. However, mounting evidence shows that the heliosphere also produces diffuse X-rays. The source is solar wind ions that have received an electron from another atom. The presence of this alternate explanation for locally produced diffuse X-rays calls into question the existence and character of the Local Bubble. This article addresses these questions. It reviews the literature on solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) X-ray production, finding that SWCX accounts for roughly half of the observed local 1/4 keV X-rays found at low latitudes. This article also makes predictions for the heliospheric O VI column density and intensity, finding them to be smaller than the observational error bars. Evidence for the continued belief that the Local Bubble contains hot gas includes the remaining local 1/4 keV intensity, the observed local O VI column density, and the need to fill the local region with some sort of plasma. If the true Local Bubble is half as bright as previously thought, then its electron density and thermal pressure are 1/sqrt{2} as great as previously thought, and its energy requirements and emission measure are 1/2 as great as previously thought. These adjustments can be accommodated easily, and, in fact, bring the Local Bubble’s pressure more in line with that of the adjacent material. Suggestions for future work are made.

The Dorsal Visual System Predicts Future and Remembers Past Eye Position

PubMed Central

Morris, Adam P.; Bremmer, Frank; Krekelberg, Bart

2016-01-01

Eye movements are essential to primate vision but introduce potentially disruptive displacements of the retinal image. To maintain stable vision, the brain is thought to rely on neurons that carry both visual signals and information about the current direction of gaze in their firing rates. We have shown previously that these neurons provide an accurate representation of eye position during fixation, but whether they are updated fast enough during saccadic eye movements to support real-time vision remains controversial. Here we show that not only do these neurons carry a fast and accurate eye-position signal, but also that they support in parallel a range of time-lagged variants, including predictive and post dictive signals. We recorded extracellular activity in four areas of the macaque dorsal visual cortex during a saccade task, including the lateral and ventral intraparietal areas (LIP, VIP), and the middle temporal (MT) and medial superior temporal (MST) areas. As reported previously, neurons showed tonic eye-position-related activity during fixation. In addition, they showed a variety of transient changes in activity around the time of saccades, including relative suppression, enhancement, and pre-saccadic bursts for one saccade direction over another. We show that a hypothetical neuron that pools this rich population activity through a weighted sum can produce an output that mimics the true spatiotemporal dynamics of the eye. Further, with different pooling weights, this downstream eye position signal (EPS) could be updated long before (<100 ms) or after (<200 ms) an eye movement. The results suggest a flexible coding scheme in which downstream computations have access to past, current, and future eye positions simultaneously, providing a basis for visual stability and delay-free visually-guided behavior. PMID:26941617

The history of sociology as a field of research and some recent trends in Brazilian social thought.

PubMed

Maia, João Marcelo Ehlert

2017-01-01

The article lays the foundation for a dialog between scholars of Brazilian social thought and historians of sociology as a discipline. In order to achieve this objective, I analyze recent developments in the field of the history of sociology, highlighting the incorporation of historiographic methods and the emergence of a transnational approach, which points toward a global history of the discipline. I criticize the Eurocentric limits of this field and argue that recent research trends in the area of Brazilian social thought can help overcome this limitation. Finally, I briefly analyze the obstacles that impede this dialog and indicate possible strategies for overcoming them.

Review of journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance 2010

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

There were 75 articles published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (JCMR) in 2010, which is a 34% increase in the number of articles since 2009. The quality of the submissions continues to increase, and the editors were delighted with the recent announcement of the JCMR Impact Factor of 4.33 which showed a 90% increase since last year. Our acceptance rate is approximately 30%, but has been falling as the number of articles being submitted has been increasing. In accordance with Open-Access publishing, the JCMR articles go on-line as they are accepted with no collating of the articles into sections or special thematic issues. Last year for the first time, the Editors summarized the papers for the readership into broad areas of interest or theme, which we felt would be useful to practitioners of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) so that you could review areas of interest from the previous year in a single article in relation to each other and other recent JCMR articles [1]. This experiment proved very popular with a very high rate of downloading, and therefore we intend to continue this review annually. The papers are presented in themes and comparison is drawn with previously published JCMR papers to identify the continuity of thought and publication in the journal. We hope that you find the open-access system increases wider reading and citation of your papers, and that you will continue to send your quality manuscripts to JCMR for publication. PMID:21914185

Estuarine Human Activities Modulate the Fate of Changjiang-derived Materials in Adjacent Seas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

WU, H.

2017-12-01

Mega constructions have been built in many river estuaries, but their environmental consequences in the adjacent coastal oceans were often overlooked. This issue was addressed with an example of the Changjiang River Estuary, which was recently built with massive navigation and reclamation constructions in recent years. Based on the model validations against cruises data and the numerical scenario experiments, it is shown that the estuarine constructions profoundly affected the fates of riverine materials in an indeed large offshore area. This is because estuarine dynamics are highly sensitive to their bathymetries. Previously, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) was thought to be responsible for some offshore environmental changes through modulating the river plume extension, but here we show that its influences are secondary. Since the TGD and the mega estuarine constructions were built during the similar period, their influences might be confused.

Pteropods counter mechanical damage and dissolution through extensive shell repair.

PubMed

Peck, Victoria L; Oakes, Rosie L; Harper, Elizabeth M; Manno, Clara; Tarling, Geraint A

2018-01-17

The dissolution of the delicate shells of sea butterflies, or pteropods, has epitomised discussions regarding ecosystem vulnerability to ocean acidification over the last decade. However, a recent demonstration that the organic coating of the shell, the periostracum, is effective in inhibiting dissolution suggests that pteropod shells may not be as susceptible to ocean acidification as previously thought. Here we use micro-CT technology to show how, despite losing the entire thickness of the original shell in localised areas, specimens of polar species Limacina helicina maintain shell integrity by thickening the inner shell wall. One specimen collected within Fram Strait with a history of mechanical and dissolution damage generated four times the thickness of the original shell in repair material. The ability of pteropods to repair and maintain their shells, despite progressive loss, demonstrates a further resilience of these organisms to ocean acidification but at a likely metabolic cost.

A novel role for visual perspective cues in the neural computation of depth.

PubMed

Kim, HyungGoo R; Angelaki, Dora E; DeAngelis, Gregory C

2015-01-01

As we explore a scene, our eye movements add global patterns of motion to the retinal image, complicating visual motion produced by self-motion or moving objects. Conventionally, it has been assumed that extraretinal signals, such as efference copy of smooth pursuit commands, are required to compensate for the visual consequences of eye rotations. We consider an alternative possibility: namely, that the visual system can infer eye rotations from global patterns of image motion. We visually simulated combinations of eye translation and rotation, including perspective distortions that change dynamically over time. We found that incorporating these 'dynamic perspective' cues allowed the visual system to generate selectivity for depth sign from motion parallax in macaque cortical area MT, a computation that was previously thought to require extraretinal signals regarding eye velocity. Our findings suggest neural mechanisms that analyze global patterns of visual motion to perform computations that require knowledge of eye rotations.

Reproduction and seasonal activity of silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) in western Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Geluso, Keith; Huebschman, J.J.; White, J.A.; Bogan, M.A.

2004-01-01

Silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) were thought only to migrate through Nebraska; however, recent surveys in eastern Nebraska report summer records of females and their young. Our study in western Nebraska also shows that silver-haired bats are summer residents. We discovered the 1st reproductively active L. noctivagans in this part of the state. We caught lactating females and volant young in riparian forests along the North Platte River and in forested areas of the Pine Ridge. Previously, adult males were not known from Nebraska in summer, and only 4 records of L. noctivagans were known from western Nebraska during migration. On 28 July we captured an adult male in a coniferous forest of the Wildcat Hills, and we have more than 100 records of migrating individuals. Lastly, an obese L. noctivagans captured on 4 November may represent an individual preparing to hibernate in the state.

Amphibian monitoring in the Atchafalaya Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waddle, Hardin

2011-01-01

Amphibians are a diverse group of animals that includes frogs, toads, and salamanders. They are adapted to living in a variety of habitats, but most require water for at least one life stage. Amphibians have recently become a worldwide conservation concern because of declines and extinctions even in remote protected areas previously thought to be safe from the pressures of habitat loss and degradation. Amphibians are an important part of ecosystem dynamics because they can be quite abundant and serve both as a predator of smaller organisms and as prey to a suite of vertebrate predators. Their permeable skin and aquatic life history also make them useful as indicators of ecosystem health. Since 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey has been studying the frog and toad species inhabiting the Atchafalaya Basin to monitor for population declines and to better understand how the species are potentially affected by disease, environmental contaminants, and climate change.

Molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis: achievements and challenges to current knowledge.

PubMed Central

Murray, Megan; Nardell, Edward

2002-01-01

Over the past 10 years, molecular methods have become available with which to strain-type Mycobacterium tuberculosis. They have allowed researchers to study certain important but previously unresolved issues in the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB). For example, some unsuspected microepidemics have been revealed and it has been shown that the relative contribution of recently acquired disease to the TB burden in many settings is far greater than had been thought. These findings have led to the strengthening of TB control. Other research has demonstrated the existence and described the frequency of exogenous reinfection in areas of high incidence. Much recent work has focused on the phenotypic variation among strains and has evaluated the relative transmissibility, virulence, and immunogenicity of different lineages of the organism. We summarize the recent achievements in TB epidemiology associated with the introduction of DNA fingerprinting techniques, and consider the implications of this technology for the design and analysis of epidemiological studies. PMID:12132006

Root decisions.

PubMed

Hodge, Angela

2009-06-01

Root systems have recognizable developmental plans when grown in solution or agar; however, these plans often must be modified to cope with the prevailing conditions in the soil environment such as the avoidance of obstacles and the exploitation of nutrient-rich patches or water zones. The modular structure of roots enables them to respond to their environment, and roots are very adaptive at modifying growth throughout the root system to concentrate their efforts in the areas that are the most profitable. Roots also form associations with microorganisms as a strategy to enhance resource capture. However, while the responses of roots in nutrient patches are well-recognized, overall 'rules of response' and variation in strategy among plant species that can be applied in a number of different environments are still lacking. Finally, there is increasing evidence that root-root interactions are much more sophisticated than previously thought, and the evidence for roots to identify self from non-self roots will be briefly discussed.

Distemper: not a new disease in lions and tigers.

PubMed Central

Myers, D L; Zurbriggen, A; Lutz, H; Pospischil, A

1997-01-01

In light of recent canine distemper virus (CDV) epidemics, we set out to determine the historical significance of CDV infection in captive lions and tigers in Switzerland. The retrospective case material consisted of 42 lion and tiger necropsy cases from 1972 to 1992. Necropsy reports for all lions and tigers were reviewed. All existing paraffin tissues were immunohistochemically examined with a polyclonal antibody raised against CDV. The results for 19 of the 42 lions and tigers were classified as positive by immunohistochemistry; 23 results were negative or questionable. The results for four animals (three positive and one negative ) were further tested by in situ hybridization, and the results concurred with the immunohistochemistry findings. CDV infection of large cats is older and more widespread than previously thought. All large cats in captivity should be immunized even if canine distemper is not believed to be a problem for large cats in the area. PMID:9067652

Genes, race, and psychology in the genome era: an introduction.

PubMed

Anderson, Norman B; Nickerson, Kim J

2005-01-01

The mapping of the human genome has reawakened interest in the topic of race and genetics, especially the use of genetic technology to examine racial differences in complex outcomes such as health and intelligence. Advances in genomic research challenge psychology to address the myriad conceptual, methodological, and analytical issues associated with research on genetics and race. In addition, the field needs to understand the numerous social, ethical, legal, clinical, and policy implications of research in this arena. Addressing these issues should not only benefit psychology but could also serve to guide such thought in other fields, including molecular biology. The purpose of this special issue is to begin a discussion of this issue of race and genetics within the field of psychology. Several scholars who work in the fields of genetics, race, or related areas were invited to write (or had previously submitted) articles sharing their perspectives. (c) 2005 APA

Memory and decision making in the frontal cortex during visual motion processing for smooth pursuit eye movements.

PubMed

Shichinohe, Natsuko; Akao, Teppei; Kurkin, Sergei; Fukushima, Junko; Kaneko, Chris R S; Fukushima, Kikuro

2009-06-11

Cortical motor areas are thought to contribute "higher-order processing," but what that processing might include is unknown. Previous studies of the smooth pursuit-related discharge of supplementary eye field (SEF) neurons have not distinguished activity associated with the preparation for pursuit from discharge related to processing or memory of the target motion signals. Using a memory-based task designed to separate these components, we show that the SEF contains signals coding retinal image-slip-velocity, memory, and assessment of visual motion direction, the decision of whether to pursue, and the preparation for pursuit eye movements. Bilateral muscimol injection into SEF resulted in directional errors in smooth pursuit, errors of whether to pursue, and impairment of initial correct eye movements. These results suggest an important role for the SEF in memory and assessment of visual motion direction and the programming of appropriate pursuit eye movements.

Immediate source-monitoring, self-focused attention and the positive symptoms of schizophrenia.

PubMed

Startup, Mike; Startup, Sue; Sedgman, Adele

2008-10-01

Previous research suggests that tendencies to misattribute one's own thoughts to an external source, as assessed by an immediate source-monitoring test, are associated with auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs). However, recent research suggests that such tendencies are associated instead with symptoms of thought interference. The main aim of the present study was to examine whether such tendencies are differentially associated with different types of thought interference, with AVHs, or with both. It has also been suggested that external misattributions are especially likely to occur with emotionally salient material and if the individual's focus is on the self. These suggestions were also tested. The positive psychotic symptoms of 57 individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were assessed and they then completed the Self-Focus Sentence Completion blank. Immediately after completing each sentence they were asked to indicate to what extent the sentence was their own. The number of sentences that were not rated as completely their own served as their externalization score. Externalization scores correlated significantly with the severity of three symptoms: voices commenting, delusions of being controlled, and thought insertion. In a logistic regression analysis, all three of these symptoms were significantly and independently related to externalization. Externalization was not associated with either a negative or a neutral self-focus. Thus tendencies to misattribute one's own thoughts to an external source are associated with AVHs and some, but not all, symptoms of thought interference. The importance for externalization of self-focused attention and of the emotional salience of the elicited thoughts was not supported.

Community Attitudes toward Mass Drug Administration for Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases after the 2014 Outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Lofa County, Liberia

PubMed Central

Bogus, Joshua; Gankpala, Lincoln; Fischer, Kerstin; Krentel, Alison; Weil, Gary J.; Fischer, Peter U.; Kollie, Karsor; Bolay, Fatorma K.

2016-01-01

The recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) interrupted mass drug administration (MDA) programs to control and eliminate neglected tropical diseases in Liberia. MDA programs treat entire communities with medication regardless of infection status to interrupt transmission and eliminate lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis. Following reports of hostilities toward health workers and fear that they might be spreading EVD, it was important to determine whether attitudes toward MDA might have changed after the outbreak. We surveyed 140 community leaders from 32 villages in Lofa County, Liberia, that had previously participated in MDA and are located in an area that was an early epicenter of the EVD outbreak. Survey respondents reported a high degree of community trust in the MDA program, and 97% thought their communities were ready to resume MDA. However, respondents predicted that fewer people would comply with MDA after the EVD epidemic than before. The survey also uncovered fears in the community that EVD and MDA might be linked. Respondents suggested that MDA programs emphasize to people that the medications are identical to those previously distributed and that MDA programs have nothing to do with EVD. PMID:26666700

The Crustal Structure of the Central Anatolia (Turkey) Using Receiver Functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yelkenci, S.; Benoit, M.; Kuleli, H.; Gurbuz, C.

2005-12-01

Central Anatolia lies in a transitional region between the extensional tectonics of western Anatolia and the complex transpressional tectonics of Eastern Anatolia, and has a complicated thermal and structural history. Few studies of the crustal structure of Anatolia have been performed, however, studies of the crustal structure of Eastern Anatolia showed that crustal thicknesses were thinner than previously thought. To further investigate the crustal structure in Central Anatolia, we present results from receiver function analysis using new data from broad-band instruments. The stations were equipped with 7 broadband three-component STS-2 and 13 short period three-component S-13 sensors. These stations operated for period of one and half months between the October and November, 2002, and yielded data for ~ 40 high quality receiver functions. Additionally, receiver functions were also computed using data from permanent stations MALT, ISP, and ANTO. We applied the hk-stacking technique of Zhu and Kanamori (2000) to receiver functions to obtain the crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratios. Furthermore, we applied a waveform modeling technique to investigate mid-crustal discontinuties previously imaged in the region. Our results compare well with refraction-based crustal thicknesses in overlapped areas.

Optogenetically Blocking Sharp Wave Ripple Events in Sleep Does Not Interfere with the Formation of Stable Spatial Representation in the CA1 Area of the Hippocampus

PubMed Central

Kovács, Krisztián A.; O’Neill, Joseph; Schoenenberger, Philipp; Penttonen, Markku; Ranguel Guerrero, Damaris K.; Csicsvari, Jozsef

2016-01-01

During hippocampal sharp wave/ripple (SWR) events, previously occurring, sensory input-driven neuronal firing patterns are replayed. Such replay is thought to be important for plasticity-related processes and consolidation of memory traces. It has previously been shown that the electrical stimulation-induced disruption of SWR events interferes with learning in rodents in different experimental paradigms. On the other hand, the cognitive map theory posits that the plastic changes of the firing of hippocampal place cells constitute the electrophysiological counterpart of the spatial learning, observable at the behavioral level. Therefore, we tested whether intact SWR events occurring during the sleep/rest session after the first exploration of a novel environment are needed for the stabilization of the CA1 code, which process requires plasticity. We found that the newly-formed representation in the CA1 has the same level of stability with optogenetic SWR blockade as with a control manipulation that delivered the same amount of light into the brain. Therefore our results suggest that at least in the case of passive exploratory behavior, SWR-related plasticity is dispensable for the stability of CA1 ensembles. PMID:27760158

Prevalence and risk factors for scrub typhus in South India.

PubMed

Trowbridge, Paul; P, Divya; Premkumar, Prasanna S; Varghese, George M

2017-05-01

To determine the prevalence and risk factors of scrub typhus in Tamil Nadu, South India. We performed a clustered seroprevalence study of the areas around Vellore. All participants completed a risk factor survey, with seropositive and seronegative participants acting as cases and controls, respectively, in a risk factor analysis. After univariate analysis, variables found to be significant underwent multivariate analysis. Of 721 people participating in this study, 31.8% tested seropositive. By univariate analysis, after accounting for clustering, having a house that was clustered with other houses, having a fewer rooms in a house, having fewer people living in a household, defecating outside, female sex, age >60 years, shorter height, lower weight, smaller body mass index and smaller mid-upper arm circumference were found to be significantly associated with seropositivity. After multivariate regression modelling, living in a house clustered with other houses, female sex and age >60 years were significantly associated with scrub typhus exposure. Overall, scrub typhus is much more common than previously thought. Previously described individual environmental and habitual risk factors seem to have less importance in South India, perhaps because of the overall scrub typhus-conducive nature of the environment in this region. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Annual layers revealed by GPR in the subsurface of a prograding coastal barrier, southwest Washington, U.S.A

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, L.J.; Jol, H.M.; Kruse, S.; Vanderburgh, S.; Kaminsky, G.M.

2004-01-01

The southwest Washington coastline has experienced extremely high rates of progradation during the late Holocene. Subsurface stratigraphy, preserved because of progradation and interpreted using ground-penetrating radar (GPR), has previously been used successfully to document coastal response to prehistoric storm and earthquake events. New GPR data collected at Ocean Shores, Washington, suggest that the historic stratigraphy of the coastal barrier in this area represents a higher resolution record of coastal behavior than previously thought. GPR records for this location at 200 MHz reveal a series of gently sloping, seaward-dipping reflections with slopes similar to the modern beach and spacings on the order of 20-45 cm. Field evidence and model results suggest that thin (1-10 cm), possibly magnetite-rich, heavy-mineral lags or low-porosity layers left by winter storms and separated by thick (20-40 cm) summer progradational sequences are responsible for generating the GPR reflections. These results indicate that a record of annual progradation is preserved in the subsurface of the prograding barrier and can be quantified using GPR. Such records of annual coastal behavior, where available, will be invaluable in understanding past coastal response to climatic and tectonic forcing. ?? 2004.

A long-lived Late Cretaceous-early Eocene extensional province in Anatolia? Structural evidence from the Ivriz Detachment, southern central Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gürer, Derya; Plunder, Alexis; Kirst, Frederik; Corfu, Fernando; Schmid, Stefan M.; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.

2018-01-01

Central Anatolia exposes previously buried and metamorphosed, continent-derived rocks - the Kırşehir and Afyon zones - now covering an area of ∼300 × 400 km. So far, the exhumation history of these rocks has been poorly constrained. We show for the first time that the major, >120 km long, top-NE 'Ivriz' Detachment controlled the exhumation of the HP/LT metamorphic Afyon Zone in southern Central Anatolia. We date its activity at between the latest Cretaceous and early Eocene times. Combined with previously documented isolated extensional detachments found in the Kırşehir Block, our results suggest that a major province governed by extensional exhumation was active throughout Central Anatolia between ∼80 and ∼48 Ma. Although similar in dimension to the Aegean extensional province to the east, the Central Anatolian extensional province is considerably older and was controlled by a different extension direction. From this, we infer that the African slab(s) that subducted below Anatolia must have rolled back relative to the Aegean slab since at least the latest Cretaceous, suggesting that these regions were underlain by a segmented slab. Whether or not these early segments already corresponded to the modern Aegean, Antalya, and Cyprus slab segments remains open for debate, but slab segmentation must have occurred much earlier than previously thought.

Ancient mines of the Farah Garan area, southwestern Saudi Arabia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, C.W.; Blank, H. Richard

1979-01-01

Ancient miners, in quest of oxidized copper minerals, gold, silver, and possibly zinc, mined gossans to approximately 20 m depth in an area 1.1 by 0.5 km in extent at Farah Garan. The gossans, derived from sulfides, are ordinarily found at contacts between marble lenses and metavolcanic-metasedimentary rocks, but in the southern part of the mined area, gossans are also within marbles. The gossans are generally lensoidal and discontinuous along strike. The same type of metallization, in similar rocks, was found at the Hemair ancient workings, about 3 km southeast. Both deposits are thought to be of epigenetic origin, and ore deposition was controlled by shearing along marble contacts. Drilling is recommended at Farah Garan. Al Ashyab is 4 km south of Farah Garan, and similar rocks and structures extend through both areas but there are no ancient workings at Al Ashyab. The dominant geologic feature in the area is a high, narrow, light-colored ridge consisting of intensely silicified quartz porphyry. Pyritized metavolcanic rocks envelope the silicified rock, and geochemical sampling revealed weakly anomalous, erratically spaced concentrations of copper and zinc within these rocks. No further work is recommended for the area. Quartz-filled fractures containing gold were mapped at Al Asharfat, Lejourah, and other locations where ancient miners worked the veins. The gold-bearing quartz veins are narrow and have short strike lengths, and potential tonnages are thought to be small. The veins are in younger, more massive rocks than the enclosing metamorphic rocks and are thought to be younger than the adjacent sulfide deposits. No further work is recommended. Pyritized zones and associated sparse copper oxides extend intermittently about 6 km south of Hemair in metasedimentary rocks of the Jiddah group. Similar zones, associated quartz vein swarms, and minor magnetite and gold are found in mafic metavolcanic rocks adjacent to the contact with quartz porphyry about 1 km west of Al Asharfat. Further study of these areas is recommended.

Urban versus rural populations' views of health care in Scotland.

PubMed

Farmer, Jane; Hinds, Kerstin; Richards, Helen; Godden, David

2005-10-01

To compare satisfaction with, and expectations of, health care of people in rural and urban areas of Scotland. Questions were included in the 2002 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey (SSAS). The Scottish House-hold Survey urban-rural classification was used to categorize locations. A random sample of 2707 people was contacted to participate in a face-to-face interview and a self-completion questionnaire survey. SPSS (v.10) was used to analyse the data. Relationships between location category and responses were explored using logistic regression analysis. In all, 1665 (61.5%) interviews were conducted and 1507 (56.0%) respondents returned self-completion questionnaires. Satisfaction with local doctors and hospital services was higher in rural locations. While around 40% of those living in remote areas thought A&E services too distant, this did not rank as a top priority for health service improvement. This could be due to expectations that general practitioners would assist in out-of-hours emergencies. Most Scots thought services should be good in rural areas even if this was costly, and that older people should not be discouraged from moving to rural areas because of their likely health care needs. In all, 79% of respondents thought that care should be as good in rural as urban areas. Responses to many questions were independently significantly affected by rural/urban location. Most Scots want rural health care to continue to be good, but the new UK National Health Service (NHS) general practitioner contract and service redesign will impact on provision. Current high satisfaction, likely to be due to access and expectations about local help, could be affected. This study provides baseline data on attitudes and expectations before potential service redesign, which should be monitored at intervals in future.

Perceptions, use and attitudes of pharmacy customers on complementary medicines and pharmacy practice.

PubMed

Braun, Lesley A; Tiralongo, Evelin; Wilkinson, Jenny M; Spitzer, Ondine; Bailey, Michael; Poole, Susan; Dooley, Michael

2010-07-20

Complementary medicines (CMs) are popular amongst Australians and community pharmacy is a major supplier of these products. This study explores pharmacy customer use, attitudes and perceptions of complementary medicines, and their expectations of pharmacists as they relate to these products. Pharmacy customers randomly selected from sixty large and small, metropolitan and rural pharmacies in three Australian states completed an anonymous, self administered questionnaire that had been pre-tested and validated. 1,121 customers participated (response rate 62%). 72% had used CMs within the previous 12 months, 61% used prescription medicines daily and 43% had used both concomitantly. Multivitamins, fish oils, vitamin C, glucosamine and probiotics were the five most popular CMs. 72% of people using CMs rated their products as 'very effective' or 'effective enough'. CMs were as frequently used by customers aged 60 years or older as younger customers (69% vs. 72%) although the pattern of use shifted with older age. Most customers (92%) thought pharmacists should provide safety information about CMs, 90% thought they should routinely check for interactions, 87% thought they should recommend effective CMs, 78% thought CMs should be recorded in customer's medication profile and 58% thought pharmacies stocking CMs should also employ a complementary medicine practitioner. Of those using CMs, 93% thought it important for pharmacists to be knowledgeable about CMs and 48% felt their pharmacist provides useful information about CMs. CMs are widely used by pharmacy customers of all ages who want pharmacists to be more involved in providing advice about these products.

Geology, geochronology, and paleogeography of the southern Sonoma volcanic field and adjacent areas, northern San Francisco Bay region, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, David L.; Saucedo, George J.; Clahan, Kevin B.; Fleck, Robert J.; Langenheim, Victoria E.; McLaughlin, Robert J.; Sarna-Wojcicki, Andrei M.; Allen, James R.; Deino, Alan L.

2011-01-01

Recent geologic mapping in the northern San Francisco Bay region (California, USA) supported by radiometric dating and tephrochronologic correlations, provides insights into the framework geology, stratigraphy, tectonic evolution, and geologic history of this part of the San Andreas transform plate boundary. There are 25 new and existing radiometric dates that define three temporally distinct volcanic packages along the north margin of San Pablo Bay, i.e., the Burdell Mountain Volcanics (11.1 Ma), the Tolay Volcanics (ca. 10–8 Ma), and the Sonoma Volcanics (ca. 8–2.5 Ma). The Burdell Mountain and the Tolay Volcanics are allochthonous, having been displaced from the Quien Sabe Volcanics and the Berkeley Hills Volcanics, respectively. Two samples from a core of the Tolay Volcanics taken from the Murphy #1 well in the Petaluma oilfield yielded ages of 8.99 ± 0.06 and 9.13 ± 0.06 Ma, demonstrating that volcanic rocks exposed along Tolay Creek near Sears Point previously thought to be a separate unit, the Donnell Ranch volcanics, are part of the Tolay Volcanics. Other new dates reported herein show that volcanic rocks in the Meacham Hill area and extending southwest to the Burdell Mountain fault are also part of the Tolay Volcanics. In the Sonoma volcanic field, strongly bimodal volcanic sequences are intercalated with sediments. In the Mayacmas Mountains a belt of eruptive centers youngs to the north. The youngest of these volcanic centers at Sugarloaf Ridge, which lithologically, chemically, and temporally matches the Napa Valley eruptive center, was apparently displaced 30 km to the northwest by movement along the Carneros and West Napa faults. The older parts of the Sonoma Volcanics have been displaced at least 28 km along the Rodgers Creek fault since ca. 7 Ma. The Petaluma Formation also youngs to the north along the Rodgers Creek–Hayward fault and the Bennett Valley fault. The Petaluma basin formed as part of the Contra Costa basin in the Late Miocene and was displaced to its present location along the Rodgers Creek–Hayward and older faults. The Tolay fault, previously thought to be a major dextral fault, is part of a fold-and-thrust belt that does not exhibit lateral displacement.

Heat flow pattern in the gas hydrate drilling areas of northern south china sea and the implication for further study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lifeng; Sha, Zhibin

2015-04-01

Numerous seismic reflection profiles have been acquired by China Geological Survey (CGS) in the Northern Slope of South China Sea (SCS), clearly indicating widespread occurrence of free gases and/or gas hydrates in the sediments. In the year 2007 and 2013 respectively the gas hydrate samples are successfully recovered during two offshore drilling exploratory programs. Results of geothermal data during previous field studies along the north continental margin, however, show that the gas hydrate sites are associated with high geothermal background in contrast to the other offshore ones where the gas hydrates are more likely to be found in the low geothermal regional backgrounds. There is a common interesting heat flow pattern during the two drilling expeditions that the gas hydrate occurrences coincide with the presences of comparatively low geothermal anomalies against the high thermal background which is mainly caused by concentrated fluid upward movements into the stability zone (GHSZ) detected by the surface heat flow measurements over the studied fields. The key point for understanding the coupling between the presences of the gas hydrates and heat flow pattern at regional scale is to know the cause of high heat flows and the origin of forming gases at depth. We propose that these high heat flows are attributed to elevated shallow fault-fissure system due to the tectonic activities. A remarkable series of vertical faults and fissures are common on the upper continental slope and the forming gases are thought to have migrated with hot advective fluid flows towards seafloor mainly via fault-fissure system from underlying source rocks which are deeper levels than those of the GHSZ. The present study is based on an extensive dataset on hydrate distribution and associated temperature field measurements collected in the vicinity of studied areas during a series of field expeditions organized within the framework of national widely collaborative projects. Those observations bring new insights to our growing understanding of the stability of this dynamic hydrate reservoir in the continental margin shallow subsurface, and alert us that occurrence patterns may be more complex than previously thought. So the future aim of this program is to better understand the factors constraining the distribution of hydrate deposits, and the processes involved in gas hydrate formation.

Self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts and emotional eating in family caregivers.

PubMed

MacDougall, Megan; Steffen, Ann

2017-10-01

Self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts was examined as a predictor of emotional eating by family caregivers of physically and cognitively impaired older adults. Adult women (N = 158) providing healthcare assistance for an older family member completed an online survey about caregiving stressors, depressive symptoms, self-efficacy, and emotional eating. A stress process framework was used as a conceptual model to guide selection of variables predicting emotional eating scores. A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted and the overall model was significant (R 2 = .21, F(4,153) = 10.02, p < .01); self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts was a significant predictor of caregivers' emotional eating scores after accounting for IADL, role overload, and depression scores. These findings replicate previous research demonstrating the relationship between managing cognitions about caregiving and behavioral responses to stressors, and point to the importance of addressing cognitive processes in efforts to improve caregiver health behaviors.

Theory of mind performance in schizophrenia: diagnostic, symptom, and neuropsychological correlates.

PubMed

Greig, Tamasine C; Bryson, Gary J; Bell, Morris D

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between Theory of Mind (ToM) performance and schizophrenia subtype, symptom, and neuropsychological variables. One hundred twenty-eight stable outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were assessed during the intake phase of a vocational and cognitive rehabilitation study. Results indicate that ToM performance differed significantly by schizophrenia diagnosis, with people diagnosed with disorganized schizophrenia performing the most poorly. Theory of Mind performance was also significantly correlated with measures of thought disorder and verbal memory. Regression analysis revealed that thought disorder and verbal memory measures explained 30% of the variance in ToM scores. Findings suggest that there is theory of mind variance in the schizophrenia population and theory of mind is strongly related to thought disorder, verbal memory, and cognitive disorganization. Contrary to previous reports, ToM was not related to measures of paranoia.

Why consent may not be needed for organ procurement.

PubMed

Delaney, James; Hershenov, David B

2009-08-01

Most people think it is wrong to take organs from the dead if the potential donors had previously expressed a wish not to donate. Yet people respond differently to a thought experiment that seems analogous in terms of moral relevance to taking organs without consent. We argue that our reaction to the thought experiment is most representative of our deepest moral convictions. We realize not everyone will be convinced by the conclusions we draw from our thought experiment. Therefore, we point out that the state ignores consent in performing mandatory autopsies in some cases. If readers are willing to give up the permissibility of mandatory autopsies, we then offer some metaphysical arguments against posthumous harm. Drawing upon claims about bodies ceasing to exist at death and Epicurean-inspired arguments against posthumous interests, we make a case for an organ conscription policy which respects fundamental liberal principles of autonomy, bodily integrity, and property.

For Which Side the Bell Tolls: The Laterality of Approach-Avoidance Associative Networks.

PubMed

Fetterman, Adam K; Ode, Scott; Robinson, Michael D

2013-03-01

The two hemispheres of the brain appear to play different roles in emotion and/or motivation. A great deal of previous research has examined the valence hypothesis (left hemisphere = positive; right = negative), but an increasing body of work has supported the motivational hypothesis (left hemisphere = approach; right = avoidance) as an alternative. The present investigation ( N = 117) sought to provide novel support for the latter perspective. Left versus right hemispheres were briefly activated by neutral lateralized auditory primes. Subsequently, participants categorized approach versus avoidance words as quickly and accurately as possible. Performance in the task revealed that approach-related thoughts were more accessible following left-hemispheric activation, whereas avoidance-related thoughts were more accessible following right-hemispheric activation. The present results are the first to examine such lateralized differences in accessible motivational thoughts, which may underlie more "downstream" manifestations of approach and avoidance motivation such as judgments, decision making, and behavior.

For Which Side the Bell Tolls: The Laterality of Approach-Avoidance Associative Networks

PubMed Central

Fetterman, Adam K.; Ode, Scott; Robinson, Michael D.

2012-01-01

The two hemispheres of the brain appear to play different roles in emotion and/or motivation. A great deal of previous research has examined the valence hypothesis (left hemisphere = positive; right = negative), but an increasing body of work has supported the motivational hypothesis (left hemisphere = approach; right = avoidance) as an alternative. The present investigation (N = 117) sought to provide novel support for the latter perspective. Left versus right hemispheres were briefly activated by neutral lateralized auditory primes. Subsequently, participants categorized approach versus avoidance words as quickly and accurately as possible. Performance in the task revealed that approach-related thoughts were more accessible following left-hemispheric activation, whereas avoidance-related thoughts were more accessible following right-hemispheric activation. The present results are the first to examine such lateralized differences in accessible motivational thoughts, which may underlie more “downstream” manifestations of approach and avoidance motivation such as judgments, decision making, and behavior. PMID:23869114

Intrapersonal positive future thinking predicts repeat suicide attempts in hospital-treated suicide attempters.

PubMed

O'Connor, Rory C; Smyth, Roger; Williams, J Mark G

2015-02-01

Although there is clear evidence that low levels of positive future thinking (anticipation of positive experiences in the future) and hopelessness are associated with suicide risk, the relationship between the content of positive future thinking and suicidal behavior has yet to be investigated. This is the first study to determine whether the positive future thinking-suicide attempt relationship varies as a function of the content of the thoughts and whether positive future thinking predicts suicide attempts over time. A total of 388 patients hospitalized following a suicide attempt completed a range of clinical and psychological measures (depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, suicidal intent and positive future thinking). Fifteen months later, a nationally linked database was used to determine who had been hospitalized again after a suicide attempt. During follow-up, 25.6% of linked participants were readmitted to hospital following a suicide attempt. In univariate logistic regression analyses, previous suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, hopelessness, and depression-as well as low levels of achievement, low levels of financial positive future thoughts, and high levels of intrapersonal (thoughts about the individual and no one else) positive future thoughts predicted repeat suicide attempts. However, only previous suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, and high levels of intrapersonal positive future thinking were significant predictors in multivariate analyses. Positive future thinking has predictive utility over time; however, the content of the thinking affects the direction and strength of the positive future thinking-suicidal behavior relationship. Future research is required to understand the mechanisms that link high levels of intrapersonal positive future thinking to suicide risk and how intrapersonal thinking should be targeted in treatment interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Intrapersonal Positive Future Thinking Predicts Repeat Suicide Attempts in Hospital-Treated Suicide Attempters

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Objective: Although there is clear evidence that low levels of positive future thinking (anticipation of positive experiences in the future) and hopelessness are associated with suicide risk, the relationship between the content of positive future thinking and suicidal behavior has yet to be investigated. This is the first study to determine whether the positive future thinking–suicide attempt relationship varies as a function of the content of the thoughts and whether positive future thinking predicts suicide attempts over time. Method: A total of 388 patients hospitalized following a suicide attempt completed a range of clinical and psychological measures (depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, suicidal intent and positive future thinking). Fifteen months later, a nationally linked database was used to determine who had been hospitalized again after a suicide attempt. Results: During follow-up, 25.6% of linked participants were readmitted to hospital following a suicide attempt. In univariate logistic regression analyses, previous suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, hopelessness, and depression—as well as low levels of achievement, low levels of financial positive future thoughts, and high levels of intrapersonal (thoughts about the individual and no one else) positive future thoughts predicted repeat suicide attempts. However, only previous suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, and high levels of intrapersonal positive future thinking were significant predictors in multivariate analyses. Discussion: Positive future thinking has predictive utility over time; however, the content of the thinking affects the direction and strength of the positive future thinking–suicidal behavior relationship. Future research is required to understand the mechanisms that link high levels of intrapersonal positive future thinking to suicide risk and how intrapersonal thinking should be targeted in treatment interventions. PMID:25181026

Work environment and recent suicidal thoughts among male university hospital physicians in Sweden and Italy: the health and organization among university hospital physicians in Europe (HOUPE) study.

PubMed

Fridner, Ann; Belkić, Karen; Minucci, Daria; Pavan, Luigi; Marini, Massimo; Pingel, Birgit; Putoto, Giovanni; Simonato, Pierluigi; Løvseth, Lise T; Schenck-Gustafsson, Karin

2011-08-01

Male and female physicians are at elevated suicide risk. The work environment has become a focus of attention as a possible contributor to this risk. The potential association between work environment and suicidal thoughts has been examined among female physicians in several countries, and significant findings have been reported. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the work environment in relation to suicidal thoughts among male university hospital physicians in 2 European countries. Cross-sectional multivariate analysis was performed to identify significant associations between work-related factors and suicide risk among male physicians from the Health and Organization among University Hospital Physicians in Europe (HOUPE) study. The dependent variable was termed recent suicidal thoughts, which includes having thought about suicide and/or having thought about specific ways to commit suicide within the previous year. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and CIs are reported. Of the 456 Swedish (56%) and 241 Italian (39%) male physicians who participated, 12% of the physicians from each country reported affirmatively regarding recent suicidal thoughts. Degrading work experiences were associated with recent suicidal thoughts for the Swedish and Italian physicians (OR = 2.1; 95% CI, 1.01-4.5; OR = 3.3; 95% CI, 1.3-8.0, respectively). Role conflict was associated with recent suicidal thoughts among the Swedish physicians (OR = 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.2). Support at work when difficulties arose appeared to be protective for the Swedish physicians (OR = 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5-0.96). Italian physicians with little control over working conditions had an increased risk of recent suicidal thoughts, whereas confidential discussions about work experiences appeared to be protective (OR = 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4-0.9). Attention should be paid to the work environment as it relates to suicide risk among male university hospital physicians, particularly to bolstering social support and preventing harassment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

AN ENRICHMENT CULTURE THAT DEGRADES MTBE UNDER ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Biodegradation of MTBE in ground water may be a significant factor helping to reduce MTBE contamination from gasoline spills. Previously, decreases in MTBE concentrations in wells at release sites were thought to be due exclusively to dispersion and dilution. Researchers have i...

A Neo-Cognitive Dimension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suarez, E. M.

1988-01-01

Responds to Mahoney and Lyddon's review of constructivism in previous article by focusing on developments emerged from work with Neo-Cognitive Psychotherapy that add new and necessary dimension to issues of agency and constructivism. Presents neo-cognitive view of thought and discusses the evolution of understanding. (NB)

Tainted Water, Poison Paint.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Natale, Jo Anna

1991-01-01

Recent research shows lead poisoning is more widespread and even more dangerous to infants and young children than previously thought. A bill proposed in Congress would require schools and day-care centers to test for lead. Summarizes lead's health hazards and how to test drinking water. (MLF)

Distribution of Areal Strain on Mercury: Insights into the Interaction of Volcanism and Global Contraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, G. A.; Johnson, C. L.; Byrne, P. K.; Phillips, R. J.

2018-05-01

Wrinkle ridges within volcanic plains on Mercury host just as much shortening strain as lobate scarps and high relief ridges, suggesting that wrinkle ridges have accommodated much more strain from global contraction than previously thought.

Helping victims of modern slavery.

PubMed

Cahill, Louise

2017-05-17

I was volunteering at a refugee centre when a woman told me she was the happiest she could remember being. She said she had previously been a slave, and no matter how bad I thought her situation was now, it was always better than her past.

Offline memory reprocessing: involvement of the brain's default network in spontaneous thought processes.

PubMed

Wang, Kun; Yu, Chunshui; Xu, Lijuan; Qin, Wen; Li, Kuncheng; Xu, Lin; Jiang, Tianzi

2009-01-01

Spontaneous thought processes (STPs), also called daydreaming or mind-wandering, occur ubiquitously in daily life. However, the functional significance of STPs remains largely unknown. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we first identified an STPs-network whose activity was positively correlated with the subjects' tendency of having STPs during a task-free state. The STPs-network was then found to be strongly associated with the default network, which has previously been established as being active during the task-free state. Interestingly, we found that offline reprocessing of previously memorized information further increased the activity of the STPs-network regions, although during a state with less STPs. In addition, we found that the STPs-network kept a dynamic balance between functional integration and functional separation among its component regions to execute offline memory reprocessing in STPs. These findings strengthen a view that offline memory reprocessing and STPs share the brain's default network, and thus implicate that offline memory reprocessing may be a predetermined function of STPs. This supports the perspective that memory can be consolidated and modified during STPs, and thus gives rise to a dynamic behavior dependent on both previous external and internal experiences.

Detrital zircon U-Pb reconnaissance of the Franciscan subduction complex in northwestern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dimitru, Trevor; Ernst, W. Gary; Hourigan, Jeremy K.; McLaughlin, Robert J.

2015-01-01

In northwestern California, the Franciscan subduction complex has been subdivided into seven major tectonostratigraphic units. We report U-Pb ages of ≈2400 detrital zircon grains from 26 sandstone samples from 5 of these units. Here, we tabulate each unit's interpreted predominant sediment source areas and depositional age range, ordered from the oldest to the youngest unit. (1) Yolla Bolly terrane: nearby Sierra Nevada batholith (SNB); ca. 118 to 98 Ma. Rare fossils had indicated that this unit was mostly 151-137 Ma, but it is mostly much younger. (2) Central Belt: SND; ca. 103 too 53 Ma (but poorly constrained), again mostly younger than previously thought. (3) Yager terrane: distant Idaho batholith (IB); ca. 52 to 50 Ma. Much of the Yager's detritus was shed during major core complex extension and erosion in Idaho that started 53 Ma. An eocene Princeton River-Princeton submarine canyon system transported this detritus to the Great Valley forearc basin and thence to the Franciscan trench. (4) Coastal terrane: mostly IB, ±SNB, ±nearby Cascade arc, ±Nevada Cenozoic ignimbrite belt; 52 to <32 Ma. (5) King Range terrane: dominated by IB and SNB zircons; parts 16-14 Ma based on microfossils. Overall, some Franciscan units are younger than previously thought, making them more compatible with models for the growth of subduction complexes by positive accretion. From ca. 118 to 70 Ma, Franciscan sediments were sourced mainly from the nearby Sierra Nevada region and were isolated from southwestern US and Mexican sources. From 53 to 49 Ma, the Franciscan was sourced from both Idaho and the Sierra Nevada. By 37-32 Ma, input from Idaho had ceased. The influx from Idaho probably reflects major tectonism in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, plus development of a through-going Princeton River to California, rather than radical changes in the subduction system at the Franciscan trench itself.

Herpetofauna of the cedar glades and associated habitats of the Inner Central Basin of middle Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Niemiller, M.L.; Graham, Reynolds R.; Glorioso, B.M.; Spiess, J.; Miller, B.T.

2011-01-01

The cedar glades and barrens of the Inner Central Basin (ICB) of middle Tennessee support a unique and diverse flora and fauna and represent some of the state's most valued natural areas. We conducted herpetofaunal inventories of the cedar glades, associated barrens, cedar-hardwood forest, and adjacent aquatic habitats of the Stones River drainage of Middle Tennessee, focusing our sampling effort primarily at seven state- or federally owned properties in Rutherford and Wilson counties. These properties included Stones River National Battlefield (SRNB), Flat Rock State Natural Area (FRSNA), Vesta Cedar Glade State Natural Area (VSNA), Fall Creek Recreation Area (FCRA) on J. Percy Priest Wildlife Management Area, Cedars of Lebanon State Forest (CLSF), Cedars of Lebanon State Forest Natural Area (CLSNA), and Cedars of Lebanon State Park (CLSP). We used a variety of inventory techniques in terrestrial, aquatic, and subterranean habitats to survey these properties periodically from 1989 to 2010. We documented 49 species (22 amphibian and 27 reptile) accounting for 75.4% of the 65 herpetofaunal species thought to occur in the ICB, including records for Cemophora coccinea, Aneides aeneus, Gyrinophilus palleucus, Ambystoma barbouri, and Pseudotriton montanus. We found differences in alpha and beta diversity between sites, with the CLSF complex containing a high of 41 herpetofaunal species and FRSNA containing a low of 23 species. Beta diversity comparisons indicated similarity in amphibian species composition between FRSNA and CLSF and between SRNB and CLSF (9 shared species), and in reptile species composition between VSNA and the CLSF complex (16 shared species). We compare the results of our inventory with two previous studies conducted in the area and discuss the relative abundance, conservation, and threats to the herpetofaunal community of these habitats.

Developmental changes in decision making under risk: The role of executive functions and reasoning abilities in 8- to 19-year-old decision makers.

PubMed

Schiebener, Johannes; García-Arias, María; García-Villamisar, Domingo; Cabanyes-Truffino, Javier; Brand, Matthias

2015-01-01

Previous studies have shown that children and adolescents often tend toward risky decisions despite explicit knowledge about the potential negative consequences. This phenomenon has been suggested to be associated with the immaturity of brain areas involved in cognitive control functions. Particularly, "frontal lobe functions," such as executive functions and reasoning, mature until young adulthood and are thought to be involved in age-related changes in decision making under explicit risk conditions. We investigated 112 participants, aged 8-19 years, with a frequently used task assessing decisions under risk, the Game of Dice Task (GDT). Additionally, we administered the Modified Card Sorting Test assessing executive functioning (categorization, cognitive flexibility, and strategy maintenance) as well as the Ravens Progressive Matrices assessing reasoning. The results showed that risk taking in the GDT decreased with increasing age and this effect was not moderated by reasoning but by executive functions: Particularly, young persons with weak executive functioning showed very risky decision making. Thus, the individual maturation of executive functions, associated with areas in the prefrontal cortex, seems to be an important factor in young peoples' behavior in risky decision-making situations.

Parietal and superior frontal visuospatial maps activated by pointing and saccades

PubMed Central

Hagler, D.J.; Riecke, L.; Sereno, M.I.

2009-01-01

A recent study from our laboratory demonstrated that parietal cortex contains a map of visual space related to saccades and spatial attention and identified this area as the likely human homologue of the lateral intraparietal (LIP). A human homologue for the parietal reach region (PRR), thought to preferentially encode planned hand movements, has also been recently proposed. Both of these areas, originally identified in the macaque monkey, have been shown to encode space with eye-centered coordinates. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of humans was used to test the hypothesis that the putative human PRR contains a retinotopic map recruited by finger pointing but not saccades and to test more generally for differences in the visuospatial maps recruited by pointing and saccades. We identified multiple maps in both posterior parietal cortex and superior frontal cortex recruited for eye and hand movements, including maps not observed in previous mapping studies. Pointing and saccade maps were generally consistent within single subjects. We have developed new group analysis methods for phase-encoded data, which revealed subtle differences between pointing and saccades, including hemispheric asymmetries, but we did not find evidence of pointing-specific maps of visual space. PMID:17376706

A Continuing Educational Initiative to Develop Nurses' Mental Health Knowledge and Skills in Rural and Remote Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Esther; Daly, John; Bell, Pamela; Brown, Tracey; Allan, Jan; Hancock, Karen

2002-01-01

Australian nurses (n=202) participated in mental health continuing education delivered via distance methods and regional workshops in rural areas. The majority increased content knowledge and thought audio- and videotapes were effective despite technical difficulties; 90% felt the experiential learning workshops and distance modules integrated…

Censorship: A Threat to Reading, Learning, Thinking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, John S., Ed.

Pointing out that censorship is undermining the goals of education and plaguing all areas of the curriculum, this collection of essays considers many areas in which students' right to read is being infringed. The collection offers thought-provoking perspectives on the methods used by protesters to remove books and materials from classrooms and…

Inservice Education Needs of Teachers of Pilot Agriscience Courses in Mississippi.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Michael E.; Johnson, Donald M.

1994-01-01

Most of the 31 (of 39) teachers of pilot agriscience courses surveyed considered themselves competent and thought the units were important. Most pressing inservice needs were in the areas of biotechnology, computers, and mechanical/physical technology. Teachers perceived a lack of instructional materials for these and other less traditional areas,…

Some linguistic and pragmatic considerations affecting science reporting in English by non-native speakers of the language

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Approximately 50% of publications in English peer reviewed journals are contributed by non-native speakers (NNS) of the language. Basic thought processes are considered to be universal yet there are differences in thought patterns and particularly in discourse management of writers with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The study highlights some areas of potential incompatibility in native and NNS processing of English scientific papers. Principles and conventions in generating academic discourse are considered in terms of frequently occurring failures of NNS to meet expectations of editors, reviewers, and readers. Major problem areas concern organization and flow of information, principles of cohesion and clarity, cultural constraints, especially those of politeness and negotiability of ideas, and the complicated area of English modality pragmatics. The aim of the paper is to sensitize NN authors of English academic reports to problem areas of discourse processing which are stumbling blocks, often affecting acceptance of manuscripts. The problems discussed are essential for acquiring pragmalinguistic and sociocultural competence in producing effective communication. PMID:23118596

Synthesis of the Hydrogeologic Framework of the Floridan Aquifer System and Delineation of a Major Avon Park Permeable Zone in Central and Southern Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reese, Ronald S.; Richardson, Emily

2008-01-01

The carbonate Floridan aquifer system of central and southern Florida (south of a latitude of about 29 degrees north) is an invaluable resource with a complex framework that has previously been mapped and managed primarily in a subregional context according to geopolitical boundaries. As interest and use of the Floridan aquifer system in this area increase, a consistent regional hydrogeologic framework is needed for effective management across these boundaries. This study synthesizes previous studies on the Floridan aquifer system and introduces a new regional hydrogeologic conceptual framework, linking physical relations between central and southern Florida and between the west and east coastal areas. The differences in hydrogeologic nomenclature and interpretation across the study area from previous studies were identified and resolved. The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper Floridan aquifer, middle confining unit, and Lower Floridan aquifer. This study introduces and delineates a new major, regional productive zone or subaquifer, referred to as the Avon Park permeable zone. This zone is contained within the middle confining unit and synthesizes an extensive zone that has been referred to differently in different parts of the study area in previous studies. The name of this zone derives from the description of this zone as the ?Avon Park highly permeable zone? in west-central Florida in a previous study. Additionally, this zone has been identified previously in southeastern Florida as the ?middle Floridan aquifer.? An approximately correlative or approximate time-stratigraphic framework was developed and was used to provide guidance in the identification and determination of aquifers, subaquifers, and confining units within the Floridan aquifer system and to determine their structural relations. Two stratigraphic marker horizons within the Floridan aquifer system and a marker unit near the top of the aquifer system were delineated or mapped. The marker horizons are correlative points in the stratigraphic section rather than a unit with upper and lower boundaries. The two marker horizons and the marker unit originated from previous studies, wherein they were based on lithology and correlation of geophysical log signatures observed in boreholes. The depths of these marker horizons and the marker unit were extended throughout the study area by correlation of natural gamma-ray logs between wells. The Floridan aquifer system includes, in ascending order, the upper part of the Cedar Keys Formation, Oldsmar Formation, Avon Park Formation, Ocala Limestone, Suwannee Limestone, and in some areas the lower part of the Hawthorn Group. The first marker horizon is in the lower part of the aquifer system near the top of the Oldsmar Formation and is associated with the top of distinctive glauconitic limestone beds that are present in some regions; the second marker horizon is near the middle of the aquifer system in the middle part of the Avon Park Formation. The marker unit lies at the top of a basal unit in the Hawthorn Group and provides a stratigraphic constraint for the top of the Floridan aquifer system. The marker horizons do not have distinguishing lithologic characteristics or a characteristic gamma-ray log pattern in all areas but are still thought to be valid because of correlation of the entire section and correlation of all sufficiently deep wells with gamma-ray logs. The Avon Park permeable zone is contained entirely within the Avon Park Formation; its position within the section is either near the middle Avon Park marker horizon or within a thick part of the section that extends several hundred feet above the marker horizon. This subaquifer is present over most of the study area and characteristically consists of thick units of dolostone and interbedded limestone, and limestone in its upper part. Permeability is primarily associated with fracturing. This subaquifer is well developed in west-cen

A New Look at Mars

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veverka, J.

1973-01-01

The Mariner 9 mission has shown that surface changes, thought previously to be a by-product of some form of life, are intimately connected to strong Martian winds which scour the surface. Close-up photographs of the two moons dispel the notion that they are artificial satellites. (DF)

Father-son incest: underreported psychiatric problem?

PubMed

Dixon, K N; Arnold, L E; Calestro, K

1978-07-01

Six families are described in which 10 sons were involved incestuously with a natural father (N=4) or step-father (N=2). Father-son incest as a part of the spectrum of child abuse appears to be a more frequent clinical entity than was thought previously.

Time for Gas Planets to Grow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lissauer, Jack J.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Giant planets like Jupiter need a large reservoir of gas to grow to full size. New observations indicate that such planetary nurseries last twice as long as previously thought. These observations, and their implications for the abundance of Jupiter-like planets within our galaxy, are discussed herein.

Active Galactic Nucleus

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-09-14

SCI2017_0007: Artist illustration of the thick ring of dust that can obscure the energetic processes that occur near the supermassive black hole of an active galactic nuclei. The SOFIA studies suggest that the dust distribution is about 30 percent smaller than previously thought. Credit: NASA/SOFIA/Lynette Cook

Cooling flows and X-ray emission in early-type galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarazin, Craig L.

1990-01-01

The X-ray properties of normal early-type galaxies and the limited theoretical understanding of the physics of the hot interstellar medium in these galaxies are reviewed. A number of simple arguments about the physical state of the gas are given. Steady-state cooling flow models for these galaxies are presented, and their time-dependent evolution is discussed. The X-ray emission found in early-type galaxies indicates that they contain significant amounts of hot interstellar gas, and that they are not the gas-poor systems they were previously thought to be. In the brighter X-ray galaxies, the amounts of hot gas observed are consistent with those expected given the present rates of stellar mass loss. The required rates of heating of the gas are consistent with those expected from the motions of gas-losing stars and supernovae. The X-ray observations are generally more consistent with a lower rate of Type I supernovae than was previously thought.

The origins of cognitive dissonance: evidence from children and monkeys.

PubMed

Egan, Louisa C; Santos, Laurie R; Bloom, Paul

2007-11-01

In a study exploring the origins of cognitive dissonance, preschoolers and capuchins were given a choice between two equally preferred alternatives (two different stickers and two differently colored M&M's, respectively). On the basis of previous research with adults, this choice was thought to cause dissonance because it conflicted with subjects' belief that the two options were equally valuable. We therefore expected subjects to change their attitude toward the unchosen alternative, deeming it less valuable. We then presented subjects with a choice between the unchosen option and an option that was originally as attractive as both options in the first choice. Both groups preferred the novel over the unchosen option in this experimental condition, but not in a control condition in which they did not take part in the first decision. These results provide the first evidence of decision rationalization in children and nonhuman primates. They suggest that the mechanisms underlying cognitive-dissonance reduction in human adults may have originated both developmentally and evolutionarily earlier than previously thought.

A Duodenal Ulcer Caused by Pancreatic Ductal Hypertension with Chronic Pancreatitis.

PubMed

Imoto, Akira; Masuda, Daisuke; Okuda, Atsushi; Takagi, Wataru; Onda, Saori; Sano, Tatsushi; Mikami, Takashi; Mohamed, Malak; Ogura, Takeshi; Higuchi, Kazuhide

2015-01-01

We herein describe the case of a 67-year-old woman with a duodenal ulcer thought to be caused by elevated pancreatic ductal pressure. The patient complained of continuous upper abdominal pain. Her medical history included idiopathic chronic pancreatitis. Endoscopy revealed a huge duodenal ulcer located on the inferior duodenal angle, which had not been seen on endoscopic retrograde pancreatography two months previously. A combination study using endoscopy and contrast imaging confirmed the relationship between the duodenal ulcer and the pancreatic branch duct. To our knowledge, this is the first case of duodenal ulcer thought to be caused by elevated pancreatic ductal pressure.

Isolation of carbohydrate-metabolizing, extremely halophilic bacteria.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomlinson, G. A.; Hochstein, L. I.

1972-01-01

Four previously unrecognized strains of extremely halophilic bacteria that utilize carbohydrates have been isolated. Gas production proved an unreliable index of carbohydrate metabolism; therefore, carbohydrate utilization was measured by determining acid formation and sugar disappearance during growth. By these procedures, carbohydrate utilization was readily detected. The results suggest that carbohydrate dissimilation by extremely halophilic bacteria may be more common than previously thought and that the apparent rarity of carbohydrate-metabolizing halophiles may be an artifact of the isolation procedures used.

Land-cover changes predict steep declines for the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii)

PubMed Central

Wich, Serge A.; Singleton, Ian; Nowak, Matthew G.; Utami Atmoko, Sri Suci; Nisam, Gonda; Arif, Sugesti Mhd.; Putra, Rudi H.; Ardi, Rio; Fredriksson, Gabriella; Usher, Graham; Gaveau, David L. A.; Kühl, Hjalmar S.

2016-01-01

Positive news about Sumatran orangutans is rare. The species is critically endangered because of forest loss and poaching, and therefore, determining the impact of future land-use change on this species is important. To date, the total Sumatran orangutan population has been estimated at 6600 individuals. On the basis of new transect surveys, we estimate a population of 14,613 in 2015. This higher estimate is due to three factors. First, orangutans were found at higher elevations, elevations previously considered outside of their range and, consequently, not surveyed previously. Second, orangutans were found more widely distributed in logged forests. Third, orangutans were found in areas west of the Toba Lake that were not previously surveyed. This increase in numbers is therefore due to a more wide-ranging survey effort and is not indicative of an increase in the orangutan population in Sumatra. There are evidently more Sumatran orangutans remaining in the wild than we thought, but the species remains under serious threat. Current scenarios for future forest loss predict that as many as 4500 individuals could vanish by 2030. Despite the positive finding that the population is double the size previously estimated, our results indicate that future deforestation will continue to be the cause of rapid declines in orangutan numbers. Hence, we urge that all developmental planning involving forest loss be accompanied by appropriate environmental impact assessments conforming with the current national and provincial legislations, and, through these, implement specific measures to reduce or, better, avoid negative impacts on forests where orangutans occur. PMID:26973868

Land-cover changes predict steep declines for the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii).

PubMed

Wich, Serge A; Singleton, Ian; Nowak, Matthew G; Utami Atmoko, Sri Suci; Nisam, Gonda; Arif, Sugesti Mhd; Putra, Rudi H; Ardi, Rio; Fredriksson, Gabriella; Usher, Graham; Gaveau, David L A; Kühl, Hjalmar S

2016-03-01

Positive news about Sumatran orangutans is rare. The species is critically endangered because of forest loss and poaching, and therefore, determining the impact of future land-use change on this species is important. To date, the total Sumatran orangutan population has been estimated at 6600 individuals. On the basis of new transect surveys, we estimate a population of 14,613 in 2015. This higher estimate is due to three factors. First, orangutans were found at higher elevations, elevations previously considered outside of their range and, consequently, not surveyed previously. Second, orangutans were found more widely distributed in logged forests. Third, orangutans were found in areas west of the Toba Lake that were not previously surveyed. This increase in numbers is therefore due to a more wide-ranging survey effort and is not indicative of an increase in the orangutan population in Sumatra. There are evidently more Sumatran orangutans remaining in the wild than we thought, but the species remains under serious threat. Current scenarios for future forest loss predict that as many as 4500 individuals could vanish by 2030. Despite the positive finding that the population is double the size previously estimated, our results indicate that future deforestation will continue to be the cause of rapid declines in orangutan numbers. Hence, we urge that all developmental planning involving forest loss be accompanied by appropriate environmental impact assessments conforming with the current national and provincial legislations, and, through these, implement specific measures to reduce or, better, avoid negative impacts on forests where orangutans occur.

A connectionist modeling study of the neural mechanisms underlying pain's ability to reorient attention.

PubMed

Dowman, Robert; Ritz, Benjamin; Fowler, Kathleen

2016-08-01

Connectionist modeling was used to investigate the brain mechanisms responsible for pain's ability to shift attention away from another stimulus modality and toward itself. Different connectionist model architectures were used to simulate the different possible brain mechanisms underlying this attentional bias, where nodes in the model simulated the brain areas thought to mediate the attentional bias, and the connections between the nodes simulated the interactions between the brain areas. Mathematical optimization techniques were used to find the model parameters, such as connection strengths, that produced the best quantitative fits of reaction time and event-related potential data obtained in our previous work. Of the several architectures tested, two produced excellent quantitative fits of the experimental data. One involved an unexpected pain stimulus activating somatic threat detectors in the dorsal posterior insula. This threat detector activity was monitored by the medial prefrontal cortex, which in turn evoked a phasic response in the locus coeruleus. The locus coeruleus phasic response resulted in a facilitation of the cortical areas involved in decision and response processes time-locked to the painful stimulus. The second architecture involved the presence of pain causing an increase in general arousal. The increase in arousal was mediated by locus coeruleus tonic activity, which facilitated responses in the cortical areas mediating the sensory, decision, and response processes involved in the task. These two neural network architectures generated competing predictions that can be tested in future studies.

Chiliques Volcano, Chile

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-04-19

A January 6, 2002 ASTER nighttime thermal infrared image of Chiliques volcano in Chile shows a hot spot in the summit crater and several others along the upper flanks of the edifice, indicating new volcanic activity. Examination of an earlier nighttime thermal infrared image from May 24, 2000 showed no thermal anomaly. Chiliques volcano was previously thought to be dormant. Rising to an elevation of 5778 m, Chiliques is a simple stratovolcano with a 500-m-diameter circular summit crater. This mountain is one of the most important high altitude ceremonial centers of the Incas. It is rarely visited due to its difficult accessibility. Climbing to the summit along Inca trails, numerous ruins are encountered; at the summit there are a series of constructions used for rituals. There is a beautiful lagoon in the crater that is almost always frozen. The daytime image was acquired on November 19, 2000 and was created by displaying ASTER bands 1,2 and 3 in blue, green and red. The nighttime image was acquired January 6, 2002, and is a color-coded display of a single thermal infrared band. The hottest areas are white, and colder areas are darker shades of red. Both images cover an area of 7.5 x 7.5 km, and are centered at 23.6 degrees south latitude, 67.6 degrees west longitude. Both images cover an area of 7.5 x 7.5 km, and are centered at 23.6 degrees south latitude, 67.6 degrees west longitude. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03493

Distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. Final report. Volume 3. Appendix C. Part 2

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

Davis, R.W.; Fargion, G.S.

1996-05-24

The purpose of the study was to determine the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in areas potentially affected by future oil and gas activities along the continental slope of the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. This 3.75 year project commenced 1 October 1991 and finished 15 July 1995. The study area was bounded by the Florida-Alabama border, the Texas-Mexico border, and the 100 m and 2,000 m isobaths. Cetacean distribution and abundance were determined from seasonal aerial and shipboard visual surveys and shipboard acoustic surveys. In addition, hydrographic data were collected in situ and by satellite remote sensing tomore » characterize cetacean habitat. Finally, tagging and tracking of sperm whales using satellite telemetry was attempted. Appendix C Part 2 contains the hydrogrpahic data collected during TIO Cruises 5-7. Cetaceans were observed throughout the study area during all four seasons. Nineteen species were identified, including two species (melon-headed whales and Fraser`s dolphins) previously thought to be rare in the Gulf. Pantropical spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, clymene dolphins, striped dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, and melon-headed whales were the most common small cetaceans and the sperm whale was the most common large cetacean. The mean annual abundance for all cetaceans was estimated to be 19,198. Although the study area had complex and dynamic oceanography, bottom depth was the only environmental variable which correlated to cetacean distribution.« less

Distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. Final report. Volume 1. Executive summary

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

Davis, R.W.; Fargion, G.S.

1996-05-24

The purpose of the study was to determine the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in areas potentially affected by future oil and gas activities along the continental slope of the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. This 3.75 year project commenced 1 October 1991 and finished 15 July 1995. The study area was bounded by the Florida-Alabama border, the Texas-Mexico border, and the 100 m and 2,000 m isobaths. Cetacean distribution and abundance were determined from seasonal aerial and shipboard visual surveys and shipboard acoustic surveys. In addition, hydrographic data were collected in situ and by satellite remote sensing tomore » characterize cetacean habitat. Finally, tagging and tracking of sperm whales using satellite telemetry was attempted. This volume summarizes the results of the study. Cetaceans were observed throughout the study area during all four seasons. Nineteen species were identified, including two species (melon-headed whales and Fraser`s dolphins) previously thought to be rare in the Gulf. Pantropical spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, clymene dolphins, striped dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, and melon-headed whales were the most common small cetaceans and the sperm whale was the most common large cetacean. The mean annual abundance for all cetaceans was estimated to be 19,198. Although the study area had complex and dynamic oceanography, bottom depth was the only environmental variable which correlated to cetacean distribution.« less

Distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. Final report. Volume 3. Appendix B

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

NONE

1996-05-24

The purpose of the study was to determine the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in areas potentially affected by future oil and gas activities along the continental slope of the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. This 3.75 year project commenced 1 October 1991 and finished 15 July 1995. The study area was bounded by the Florida-Alabama border, the Texas-Mexico border, and the 100 m and 2,000 m isobaths. Cetacean distribution and abundance were determined from seasonal aerial and shipboard visual surveys and shipboard acoustic surveys. In addition, hydrographic data were collected in situ and by satellite remote sensing tomore » characterize cetacean habitat. Finally, tagging and tracking of sperm whales using satellite telemetry was attempted. Appendix B contains the hydrographic data collected during all four NMFS-SEFSC cruises. Cetaceans were observed throughout the study area during all four seasons. Nineteen species were identified, including two species (melon-headed whales and Fraser`s dolphins) previously thought to be rare in the Gulf. Pantropical spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, clymene dolphins, striped dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, and melon-headed whales were the most common small cetaceans and the sperm whale was the most common large cetacean. The mean annual abundance for all cetaceans was estimated to be 19,198. Although the study area had complex and dynamic oceanography, bottom depth was the only environmental variable which correlated to cetacean distribution.« less

Distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. Final report. Volume 2. Technical report

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

Davis, R.W.; Fargion, G.S.

1996-05-24

The purpose of the study was to determine the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in areas potentially affected by future oil and gas activities along the continental slope of the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. This 3.75 year project commenced 1 October 1991 and finished 15 July 1995. The study area was bounded by the Florida-Alabama border, the Texas-Mexico border, and the 100 m and 2,000 m isobaths. Cetacean distribution and abundance were determined from seasonal aerial and shipboard visual surveys and shipboard acoustic surveys. In addition, hydrographic data were collected in situ and by satellite remote sensing tomore » characterize cetacean habitat. Finally, tagging and tracking of sperm whales using satellite telemetry was attempted. This volume summarizes the results of the study. Cetaceans were observed throughout the study area during all four seasons. Nineteen species were identified, including two species (melon-headed whales and Fraser`s dolphins) previously thought to be rare in the Gulf. Pantropical spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, clymene dolphins, striped dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, and melon-headed whales were the most common small cetaceans and the sperm whale was the most common large cetacean. The mean annual abundance for all cetaceans was estimated to be 19,198. Although the study area had complex and dynamic oceanography, bottom depth was the only environmental variable which correlated to cetacean distribution.« less

Distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. Final report. Volume 3. Appendix C. Part 1

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

Davis, R.W.; Fargion, G.S.

1996-05-24

The purpose of the study was to determine the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in areas potentially affected by future oil and gas activities along the continental slope of the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. This 3.75 year project commenced 1 October 1991 and finished 15 July 1995. The study area was bounded by the Florida-Alabama border, the Texas-Mexico border, and the 100 m and 2,000 m isobaths. Cetacean distribution and abundance were determined from seasonal aerial and shipboard visual surveys and shipboard acoustic surveys. In addition, hydrographic data were collected in situ and by satellite remote sensing tomore » characterize cetacean habitat. Finally, tagging and tracking of sperm whales using satellite telemetry was attempted. Appendix C Part 1 contains the hydrographic data collected during TIO Cruises 1-4. Cetaceans were observed throughout the study area during all four seasons. Nineteen species were identified, including two species (melon-headed whales and Fraser`s dolphins) previously thought to be rare in the Gulf. Pantropical spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, clymene dolphins, striped dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, and melon-headed whales were the most common small cetaceans and the sperm whale was the most common large cetacean. The mean annual abundance for all cetaceans was estimated to be 19,198. Although the study area had complex and dynamic oceanography, bottom depth was the only environmental variable which correlated to cetacean distribution.« less

Psychological impact of the hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua in a one-year perspective.

PubMed

Caldera, T; Palma, L; Penayo, U; Kullgren, G

2001-03-01

Whereas natural disasters more commonly occur in low-income countries, almost all studies on psychological consequences have been conducted in the Western world. In countries where resources are poor it is of importance to know which groups should be targeted for early intervention after a disaster. The study aims at assessing the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD and of post-traumatic symptoms among people afflicted by hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua and at identifying risk factors for PTSD symptoms 6 months following a disaster. At four primary health care centres, 496 consecutive adult patients were interviewed 6 months after hurricane Mitch regarding PTSD symptoms (Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, HTQ), disaster experiences and post-disaster help-seeking. All individuals resident in the area during Mitch were judged to have experienced a trauma fulfilling A criteria for PTSD. Regarding more specific traumas, 39% reported a close relative to be dead or seriously injured and 72% had their house partly or completely destroyed. Prevalence of PTSD ranged from 9.0% in the worst afflicted area to 4.5% in a less damaged area. From a dimensional perspective, PTSD symptoms according to HTQ 6 months after the disaster were significantly associated with the death of a relative (beta-coefficient 0.257, P = 0.000), a house destroyed (beta-coefficient 0.148, P = 0.001), female sex (beta-coefficient 0.139, P = 0.001), previous mental health problems (beta-coefficient 0.109, P = 0.009) and illiteracy (beta-coefficient 0.110, P = 0.009). Those with previous mental health problems (OR = 4.84; 95% CI = 3.04-7.66) were more likely than others to seek from help, any source whereas the opposite was true for illiterate people (OR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.21-0.69). Of all respondents, 8.5% reported that they had thought of taking their lives, and illiterates (OR 2.84; 95% CI = 1.12-4.37) and those with previous mental health problems (OR 2.84; 95% CI = 1.12-4.57) were at particular risk for suicidal problems. One year after Mitch, half of those identified as PTSD cases at 6 months still fulfilled the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. PTSD represents a serious mental health problem after a disaster. Those with illiteracy, females and those with previous mental health problems should be targets for early post-disaster intervention.

Co-citation Network Analysis of Religious Texts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murai, Hajime; Tokosumi, Akifumi

This paper introduces a method of representing in a network the thoughts of individual authors of dogmatic texts numerically and objectively by means of co-citation analysis and a method of distinguishing between the thoughts of various authors by clustering and analysis of clustered elements, generated by the clustering process. Using these methods, this paper creates and analyzes the co-citation networks for five authoritative Christian theologians through history (Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Jean Calvin, Karl Barth, John Paul II). These analyses were able to extract the core element of Christian thought (Jn 1:14, Ph 2:6, Ph 2:7, Ph 2:8, Ga 4:4), as well as distinctions between the individual theologians in terms of their sect (Catholic or Protestant) and era (thinking about the importance of God's creation and the necessity of spreading the Gospel). By supplementing conventional literary methods in areas such as philosophy and theology, with these numerical and objective methods, it should be possible to compare the characteristics of various doctrines. The ability to numerically and objectively represent the characteristics of various thoughts opens up the possibilities of utilizing new information technology, such as web ontology and the Artificial Intelligence, in order to process information about ideological thoughts in the future.

High-priority lunar landing sites for in situ and sample return studies of polar volatiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemelin, Myriam; Blair, David M.; Roberts, Carolyn E.; Runyon, Kirby D.; Nowka, Daniela; Kring, David A.

2014-10-01

Our understanding of the Moon has advanced greatly over the last several decades thanks to analyses of Apollo samples and lunar meteorites, and recent lunar orbital missions. Notably, it is now thought that the lunar poles may be much more enriched in H2O and other volatile chemical species than the equatorial regions sampled during the Apollo missions. The equatorial regions sampled, themselves, contain more H2O than previously thought. A new lunar mission to a polar region is therefore of great interest; it could provide a measure of the sources and processes that deliver volatiles while also evaluating the potential in situ resource utilization value they may have for human exploration. In this study, we determine the optimal sites for studying lunar volatiles by conducting a quantitative GIS-based spatial analysis of multiple relevant datasets. The datasets include the locations of permanently shadowed regions, thermal analyses of the lunar surface, and hydrogen abundances. We provide maps of the lunar surface showing areas of high scientific interest, including five regions near the lunar north pole and seven regions near the lunar south pole that have the highest scientific potential according to rational search criteria. At two of these sites-a region we call the “Intercrater Polar Highlands” (IPH) near the north pole, and Amundsen crater near the south pole-we provide a more detailed assessment of landing sites, sample locations, and exploration strategies best suited for future human or robotic exploration missions.

Using environmental DNA to assess population-wide spatiotemporal reserve use.

PubMed

Stewart, Kathryn; Ma, Hongjuan; Zheng, Jinsong; Zhao, Jianfu

2017-10-01

Scientists increasingly rely on protected areas to assist in biodiversity conservation, yet the efficacy of these areas is rarely systematically assessed, often because of underfunding. Still, adaptive management strategies to maximize conservation success often rely on understanding the temporal and spatial dynamism of populations therein. Examination of environmental DNA (eDNA) is a time and cost-effective way to monitor species' distribution, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) provides information on organismal abundance. To date, however, such techniques remain underused for population assessments in protected areas. We determined eDNA concentration of the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) to describe its occurrence, range, and use of the Tian e-Zhou National Nature Reserve in Hubei, China, across seasons and hydrological depths. Despite the observation that total eDNA concentrations were highest in surface waters in summer, finless porpoise eDNA concentrations were significantly higher in deeper waters than in surface waters in summer. During the breeding season (spring), eDNA signals were site specific and restricted to the core area of the reserve. However, postbreeding eDNA concentrations were widespread across the reserve, encompassing sites previously thought to be unfrequented by the species. Our results suggest spatiotemporal idiosyncrasies in site, depth, and seasonal use of the reserve and a propensity for postbreeding population dispersal. With eDNA and qPCR we were able to assess an entire population's use of a protected area. Illuminating nuances in habitat use via eDNA could be valuable to set pragmatic conservation goals for this, and other, species. © 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

Frontal beta-theta network during REM sleep

PubMed Central

Vijayan, Sujith; Lepage, Kyle Q; Kopell, Nancy J; Cash, Sydney S

2017-01-01

We lack detailed knowledge about the spatio-temporal physiological signatures of REM sleep, especially in humans. By analyzing intracranial electrode data from humans, we demonstrate for the first time that there are prominent beta (15–35 Hz) and theta (4–8 Hz) oscillations in both the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the DLPFC during REM sleep. We further show that these theta and beta activities in the ACC and the DLPFC, two relatively distant but reciprocally connected regions, are coherent. These findings suggest that, counter to current prevailing thought, the DLPFC is active during REM sleep and likely interacting with other areas. Since the DLPFC and the ACC are implicated in memory and emotional regulation, and the ACC has motor areas and is thought to be important for error detection, the dialogue between these two areas could play a role in the regulation of emotions and in procedural motor and emotional memory consolidation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18894.001 PMID:28121613

Rethinking Thought Disorder

PubMed Central

Hart, Mara

2017-01-01

Abstract It has been 30 years since Holzman introduced a special issue of the Schizophrenia Bulletin entitled “Thought Disorder in Schizophrenia.” He pointed out in his Editor’s Introduction that in contrast to the explosion of interest at that time in the biological aspects of schizophrenia, there were important areas of study that represented “... relatively neglected aspects of the psychopathology of schizophrenia, namely the varieties of thinking disorders (emphasis added) characteristic of schizophrenic patients and their possible underlying mechanisms.” Perhaps presciently, he ended his introduction by expressing hope that the articles included in that issue would lead to further intensive study of the cognitive (emphasis added) dysfunctions in schizophrenia. There has, indeed, been extensive research conducted in further understanding cognitive dysfunctions in schizophrenia, but considerably less so in understanding thought disorder. PMID:28204762

Paleomagnetic Data Bearing on the Evolution of the Walker Lane Belt Transfer Zone From mid-Miocene to Present: an Investigation of the Inferred Southern and Eastern Boundaries.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grow, J. S.; Geissman, J. W.; Oldow, J. S.

2008-12-01

The Walker Lane Belt (WLB) transfer zone, which initiated in the mid-Miocene, presently links the Eastern California Shear Zone (ECSZ) in the south to the Central Nevada Seismic Belt (CNSB) and WLB to the east and north, respectively. This transfer zone is part of a diffuse intracontinental deformation zone that accommodates some 25 percent of the current motion between the North American and Pacific plates. The boundary of the transfer system is clear on the northern and western margins but the extent of the system to the south and east is only inferred. The extent of deformation and development of the WLB transfer zone since the mid-Miocene is being examined by a paleomagnetic study of 125 sites that includes Miocene to mid-Pliocene volcanic and shallow intrusive rocks near the inferred southern and eastern boundaries. Results from 39 sites inside and along the southern boundary (i.e. Goldfield Hills, Montezuma Range, Clayton Ridge) show about 30° of clockwise rotation (D = 028.3°, I = 57.8°, α95 = 3.9°, discordant from the expected Neogene direction of D = 358°, I = 55°). The area where 13 of these 39 sites are located (i.e. northern Amargosa Range, eastern Slate Ridge) was previously thought to lie outside of the inferred boundary, yet it also shows about 30° of clockwise rotation (D = 031.2°, I = 52.4°, α95 = 6.7°). Areas along the eastern boundary (i.e. southern San Antonio Range) of the transfer zone are still under investigation; data obtained to date are not internally consistent. Overall, the available paleomagnetic data suggest that the southern extent of the WLB transfer zone was larger than previously expected during the mid-Miocene to mid-Pliocene, and based on previous paleomagnetic, structural, and geodetic studies of the area, support a transition from more diffuse to localized deformation (forming the Mina Deflection) at about 3 Ma.

Perceptions, use and attitudes of pharmacy customers on complementary medicines and pharmacy practice

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Complementary medicines (CMs) are popular amongst Australians and community pharmacy is a major supplier of these products. This study explores pharmacy customer use, attitudes and perceptions of complementary medicines, and their expectations of pharmacists as they relate to these products. Methods Pharmacy customers randomly selected from sixty large and small, metropolitan and rural pharmacies in three Australian states completed an anonymous, self administered questionnaire that had been pre-tested and validated. Results 1,121 customers participated (response rate 62%). 72% had used CMs within the previous 12 months, 61% used prescription medicines daily and 43% had used both concomitantly. Multivitamins, fish oils, vitamin C, glucosamine and probiotics were the five most popular CMs. 72% of people using CMs rated their products as 'very effective' or 'effective enough'. CMs were as frequently used by customers aged 60 years or older as younger customers (69% vs. 72%) although the pattern of use shifted with older age. Most customers (92%) thought pharmacists should provide safety information about CMs, 90% thought they should routinely check for interactions, 87% thought they should recommend effective CMs, 78% thought CMs should be recorded in customer's medication profile and 58% thought pharmacies stocking CMs should also employ a complementary medicine practitioner. Of those using CMs, 93% thought it important for pharmacists to be knowledgeable about CMs and 48% felt their pharmacist provides useful information about CMs. Conclusions CMs are widely used by pharmacy customers of all ages who want pharmacists to be more involved in providing advice about these products. PMID:20646290

The Nucleus Prepositus Hypoglossi Contributes to Head Direction Cell Stability in Rats

PubMed Central

Butler, William N.

2015-01-01

Head direction (HD) cells in the rat limbic system fire according to the animal's orientation independently of the animal's environmental location or behavior. These HD cells receive strong inputs from the vestibular system, among other areas, as evidenced by disruption of their directional firing after lesions or inactivation of vestibular inputs. Two brainstem nuclei, the supragenual nucleus (SGN) and nucleus prepositus hypoglossi (NPH), are known to project to the HD network and are thought to be possible relays of vestibular information. Previous work has shown that lesioning the SGN leads to a loss of spatial tuning in downstream HD cells, but the NPH has historically been defined as an oculomotor nuclei and therefore its role in contributing to the HD signal is less clear. Here, we investigated this role by recording HD cells in the anterior thalamus after either neurotoxic or electrolytic lesions of the NPH. There was a total loss of direction-specific firing in anterodorsal thalamus cells in animals with complete NPH lesions. However, many cells were identified that fired in bursts unrelated to the animals' directional heading and were similar to cells seen in previous studies that damaged vestibular-associated areas. Some animals with significant but incomplete lesions of the NPH had HD cells that were stable under normal conditions, but were unstable under conditions designed to minimize the use of external cues. These results support the hypothesis that the NPH, beyond its traditional oculomotor function, plays a critical role in conveying vestibular-related information to the HD circuit. PMID:25673848

Effusive silicic volcanism in the Paraná Magmatic Province, South Brazil: Evidence for locally-fed lava flows and domes from detailed field work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polo, L. A.; Janasi, V. A.; Giordano, D.; Lima, E. F.; Cañon-Tapia, E.; Roverato, M.

2018-04-01

Lava flows and dome complexes of silicic composition were identified in the Lower Cretaceous Paraná Magmatic Province (PMP) at Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil. Detailed mapping and image analysis reveals significant volumes of effusive deposits aligned according to main lineaments, likely representing the fissural systems that fed the three Palmas-type silicic units. Different structures indicative of effusive emplacement (lava domes, lobated flows, sheet flows and autobreccias) are very common in the study area, and are probably also more abundant than previously thought in whole PMP silicic magmatism. In fact, effusive deposits seem predominant in the three distinct silicic units identified in the area, since no remnants of pyroclastic components have been identified. The vitreous dacites that make up the upper flows of the basaltic andesite to dacite Barros Cassal sequence are clearly effusive, as indicated by their occurrence as thin sheet flows. The much thicker early Caxias do Sul dacites occur mostly as lava flow lobes and pancake-like, of low to moderate viscosity, and lava domes. The younger, high SiO2 Santa Maria rhyolite unit shows unequivocal examples of effusive deposits at its lower portion, as lobated flows formed by vesicle-rich obsidian. In spite of higher viscosities relative to the previous units ( 106 Pa·s), it is probable that the very low H2O contents 1 wt% of these rhyolite melts, associated with high discharge rates, resulted in an effusive nature in most to this unit.

Thermochronologic Evidence for Late Eocene Andean Mountain Building at 30°S

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lossada, Ana C.; Giambiagi, Laura; Hoke, Gregory D.; Fitzgerald, Paul G.; Creixell, Christian; Murillo, Ismael; Mardonez, Diego; Velásquez, Ricardo; Suriano, Julieta

2017-11-01

The Andes between 28° and 30°S represent a transition between the Puna-Altiplano Plateau and the Frontal/Principal Cordillera fold-and-thrust belts to the south. While significant early Cenozoic deformation documented in the Andean Plateau, deciphering the early episodes of deformation during Andean mountain building in the transition area is largely unstudied. Apatite fission track (AFT) and (U-Th-Sm)/He (AHe) thermochronology from a vertical and a horizontal transect reveal the exhumation history of the High Andes at 30°S, an area at the heart of this major transition. Interpretation of the age-elevation profile, combined with inverse thermal modeling, indicates that the onset of rapid cooling was underway by 35 Ma, followed by a significant decrease in cooling rate at 30-25 Ma. AFT thermal models also reveal a second episode of rapid cooling in the early Miocene ( 18 Ma) related to rock exhumation to its present position. Low exhumation between the rapid cooling events allowed for the development of a partial annealing zone. We interpret the observed Eocene rapid exhumation as the product of a previously unrecognized compressive event in this part of the Andes that reflects a southern extension of Eocene orogenesis recognized in the Puna/Altiplano. Renewed early-Miocene exhumation indicates that the late Cenozoic compressional stresses responsible for the main phase of uplift of the South Central Andes also impacted the core of the range in this transitional sector. The major episode of Eocene exhumation suggests the creation of significant topographic relief in the High Andes earlier than previously thought.

Paradoxical Motor Recovery From a First Stroke After Induction of a Second Stroke: Reopening a Postischemic Sensitive Period.

PubMed

Zeiler, Steven R; Hubbard, Robert; Gibson, Ellen M; Zheng, Tony; Ng, Kwan; O'Brien, Richard; Krakauer, John W

2016-09-01

Prior studies have suggested that after stroke there is a time-limited period of increased responsiveness to training as a result of heightened plasticity-a sensitive period thought to be induced by ischemia itself. Using a mouse model, we have previously shown that most training-associated recovery after a caudal forelimb area (CFA) stroke occurs in the first week and is attributable to reorganization in a medial premotor area (AGm). The existence of a stroke-induced sensitive period leads to the counterintuitive prediction that a second stroke should reopen this window and promote full recovery from the first stroke. To test this prediction, we induced a second stroke in the AGm of mice with incomplete recovery after a first stroke in CFA. Mice were trained to perform a skilled prehension (reach-to-grasp) task to an asymptotic level of performance, after which they underwent photocoagulation-induced stroke in CFA. After a 7-day poststroke delay, the mice were then retrained to asymptote. We then induced a second stroke in the AGm, and after only a 1-day delay, retrained the mice. Recovery of prehension was incomplete when training was started after a 7-day poststroke delay and continued for 19 days. However, a second focal stroke in the AGm led to a dramatic response to 9 days of training, with full recovery to normal levels of performance. New ischemia can reopen a sensitive period of heightened responsiveness to training and mediate full recovery from a previous stroke. © The Author(s) 2015.

Review of Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 2011

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

There were 83 articles published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (JCMR) in 2011, which is an 11% increase in the number of articles since 2010. The quality of the submissions continues to increase. The editors had been delighted with the 2010 JCMR Impact Factor of 4.33, although this fell modestly to 3.72 for 2011. The impact factor undergoes natural variation according to citation rates of papers in the 2 years following publication, and is significantly influenced by highly cited papers such as official reports. However, we remain very pleased with the progress of the journal's impact over the last 5 years. Our acceptance rate is approximately 25%, and has been falling as the number of articles being submitted has been increasing. In accordance with Open-Access publishing, the JCMR articles go on-line as they are accepted with no collating of the articles into sections or special thematic issues. For this reason, the Editors feel it is useful to summarize the papers for the readership into broad areas of interest or theme, which we feel would be useful, so that areas of interest from the previous year can be reviewed in a single article in relation to each other and other recent JCMR articles [1]. The papers are presented in broad themes and set in context with related literature and previously published JCMR papers to guide continuity of thought in the journal. We hope that you find the open-access system increases wider reading and citation of your papers, and that you will continue to send your quality manuscripts to JCMR for publication. PMID:23158097

Dysfunctional Metacognitive Beliefs in Body Dysmorphic Disorder

PubMed Central

Zeinodini, Zahra; Sedighi, Sahar; Rahimi, Mandana Baghertork; Noorbakhsh, Simasadat; Esfahani, Sepideh Rajezi

2016-01-01

The present study aims to examine the correlation of body dysmorphic disorder, with metacognitive subscales, metaworry and thought-fusion. The study was conducted in a correlation framework. Sample included 155 high school students in Isfahan, Iran in 2013-2014, gathered through convenience sampling. To gather data about BDD, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Modified for BDD was applied. Then, Meta Cognitive Questionnaire, Metaworry Questionnaire, and Thought-Fusion Inventory were used to assess metacognitive subscales, metaworry and thought-fusion. Data obtained from this study were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regressions in SPSS 18. Result indicated YBOCS-BDD scores had a significant correlation with scores from MCQ (P<0.05), MWG (P<0.05), and TFI (P<0.05). Also, multiple regressions were run to predict YBOCS from TFI, MWQ, and MCQ-30. These variables significantly predicted YBOCS [F (3,151) =32.393, R2=0.57]. Findings indicated that body dysmorphic disorder was significantly related to metacognitive subscales, metaworry, and thought fusion in high school students in Isfahan, which is in line with previous studies. A deeper understanding of these processes can broaden theory and treatment of BDD, thereby improve the lives of sufferers and potentially protect others from developing this devastating disorder. PMID:26493420

Expert views on societal responses to different applications of nanotechnology: a comparative analysis of experts in countries with different economic and regulatory environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Nidhi; Fischer, Arnout R. H.; George, Saji; Frewer, Lynn J.

2013-08-01

The introduction of different applications of nanotechnology will be informed by expert views regarding which (types of) application will be most societally acceptable. Previous research in Northern Europe has indicated that experts believe that various factors will be influential, predominant among these being public perceptions of benefit, need and consumer concern about contact with nanomaterials. These factors are thought by experts to differentiate societal acceptance and rejection of nanotechnology applications. This research utilises a larger sample of experts ( N = 67) drawn from Northern America, Europe, Australasia, India and Singapore to examine differences in expert opinion regarding societal acceptance of different applications of nanotechnology within different technological environments, consumer cultures and regulatory regimes. Perceived risk and consumer concerns regarding contact with nano-particles are thought by all experts to drive rejection, and perceived benefits to influence acceptance, independent of country. Encapsulation and delivery of nutrients in food was thought to be the most likely to raise societal concerns, while targeted drug delivery was thought most likely to be accepted. Lack of differentiation between countries suggests that expert views regarding social acceptance may be homogenous, independent of local contextual factors.

The dynamic nature of cognition during wayfinding

PubMed Central

Spiers, Hugo J.; Maguire, Eleanor A.

2008-01-01

Much of our day-to-day wayfinding behaviour takes place in familiar large-scale urban environments, yet there is a dearth of studies examining how wayfinding unfolds on a second-by-second basis in this context. Here we used a retrospective verbal report protocol, eye tracking and a highly accurate virtual reality simulation of a real city (London, UK) to examine this issue. Subjects, who were taxi drivers, were able to produce extremely detailed accounts of what they had been thinking during wayfinding, which were validated by independent eye-tracking data. There was a high degree of consistency in the types of thoughts across subjects, permitting classification into a number of distinct categories. Moreover, it was possible to quantify the number of thoughts in each category, their durations and temporal order. Detailed analysis of the verbal reports provided new insights into the processes and strategies involved, and highlighted a greater range of thoughts than has previously been reported in studies of wayfinding. By analysing the temporal order of thoughts it was possible to identify specific relationships between categories. Some of these relationships were predicted by current cognitive models of wayfinding, others were novel, thus shedding new light on how navigation unfolds in a busy city. PMID:19325934

Cognitive aspects of sexual functioning: differences between East Asian-Canadian and Euro-Canadian women.

PubMed

Morton, Heather; Gorzalka, Boris B

2013-11-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the sexual beliefs of female undergraduates, as well as the thoughts they experience during sexual experiences. The study aimed to determine potential differences in these variables between East Asian-Canadians and Euro-Canadians, as well as the influence of acculturation on these variables. In addition, the relationships between sexual beliefs, automatic thoughts, and specific aspects of sexual functioning were examined. Euro-Canadian (n = 77) and East Asian-Canadian (n = 123) undergraduate women completed the Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs Questionnaire, the Sexual Modes Questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index, and the Vancouver Index of Acculturation. East Asian women endorsed almost all sexual beliefs assessed in this study more than did Euro-Canadian women, and endorsement of these beliefs was associated with acculturation. In addition, East Asian-Canadian and Euro-Canadian women differed in the frequency of experiencing negative automatic thoughts. Results also revealed associations between difficulties in sexual functioning, and both sexual beliefs and automatic thoughts. Together, these results provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that differences in cognitive aspects of sexuality may underlie the differences in sexual functioning previously observed between these two groups.

The U.S.-Canada Border Effect : Smaller Than Previously Thought and Becoming Smaller

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-05-30

We revisit the effect of the U.S.-Canada national border on trade, considering to what extent the border reduces trade when : observable economic factors are controlled. A reexamination of the data yields estimates of the border effect that are 50% :...

ROUTE-DEPENDENT EFFECTS OF TOLUENE ON SIGNAL DETECTION BEHAVIOR IN RATS.

EPA Science Inventory

The acute effects of toluene and other solvents on behavior are thought to depend upon their concentration in the brain. We have shown previously that inhaled toluene and trichloroethylene disrupt sustained attention in rats as assessed with a visual signal detection task (SDT). ...

Genetic diversity of Toxoplama gondii isolates from Ethiopian feral cats

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent studies indicate greater genetic variability among isolates of Toxoplasma gondii worldwide than previously thought. However, there is no information on genetic diversity of T. gondii from any host in Ethiopia. In the present study, genotyping was performed on viable T. gondii isolates by bioa...

Mathematics in the Age of Jane Austen: Essential Skills of 1800.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, S. I. B.

2000-01-01

Discusses textbooks from the 1800s for young ladies versus young men, for the youngest students, more advanced students, and university students. Regards these publications as furnishing a record of the skills thought to be essential at the turn of the previous century. (KHR)

Thinking Inside the Box

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golding, Barry

2011-01-01

The "men's sheds" movement is a grassroots phenomenon that has engaged and inspired men from communities across Australia in hands-on, workshop-based social activity. This article seeks to "unwrap" one of several forms of learning that have been found to be enthusiastically embraced by older men previously thought of, almost…

A Signal Detection Theory Analysis of Behavioral Pattern Separation Paradigms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loiotile, Rita E.; Courtney, Susan M.

2015-01-01

Behavioral pattern separation (BPS) paradigms ask participants to discriminate previously encoded (old) stimuli from highly similar (lure) and categorically distinct (novel) stimuli. The lure-old discrimination, thought to uniquely reflect pattern separation in the hippocampal formation, is typically pitted against the traditional novel-old…

College Students' Reasons for Concealing Suicidal Ideation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton Denmark, Adryon; Hess, Elaine; Becker, Martin Swanbrow

2012-01-01

Self-reported reasons for concealing suicidal ideation were explored using data from a national survey of undergraduate and graduate students: 558 students indicated that they seriously considered attempting suicide during the previous year and did not tell anyone about their suicidal thoughts. Content analysis of students' qualitative responses…

Planning Perspectives for Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, A. P., Ed.; McNamara, James F., Ed.

This book presents a collection of previously published journal articles dealing with the theory, practice, and research of planning. The various readings were selected to stimulate thought and action in educational planning, rather than to present solutions to specific problems. The articles include "Knowledge and Action: A Guide to Planning…

Seizure Disorders: An Alternative Explanation for Students' Inattention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agnew, Christina M.; Nystul, Michael S.; Conner, Mary Catherine

1998-01-01

Provides an overview of seizure disorders. They are more common than previously thought, and most have their onset in adolescence. Types of seizure disorders common in children, their symptoms, and treatment are described. A case example illustrates behavior in school and a paradoxical medication effect. (EMK)

Contralateral cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathways reconstruction in humans in vivo: implications for reciprocal cerebro-cerebellar structural connectivity in motor and non-motor areas.

PubMed

Palesi, Fulvia; De Rinaldis, Andrea; Castellazzi, Gloria; Calamante, Fernando; Muhlert, Nils; Chard, Declan; Tournier, J Donald; Magenes, Giovanni; D'Angelo, Egidio; Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia A M

2017-10-09

Cerebellar involvement in cognition, as well as in sensorimotor control, is increasingly recognized and is thought to depend on connections with the cerebral cortex. Anatomical investigations in animals and post-mortem humans have established that cerebro-cerebellar connections are contralateral to each other and include the cerebello-thalamo-cortical (CTC) and cortico-ponto-cerebellar (CPC) pathways. CTC and CPC characterization in humans in vivo is still challenging. Here advanced tractography was combined with quantitative indices to compare CPC to CTC pathways in healthy subjects. Differently to previous studies, our findings reveal that cerebellar cognitive areas are reached by the largest proportion of the reconstructed CPC, supporting the hypothesis that a CTC-CPC loop provides a substrate for cerebro-cerebellar communication during cognitive processing. Amongst the cerebral areas identified using in vivo tractography, in addition to the cerebral motor cortex, major portions of CPC streamlines leave the prefrontal and temporal cortices. These findings are useful since provide MRI-based indications of possible subtending connectivity and, if confirmed, they are going to be a milestone for instructing computational models of brain function. These results, together with further multi-modal investigations, are warranted to provide important cues on how the cerebro-cerebellar loops operate and on how pathologies involving cerebro-cerebellar connectivity are generated.

Retinohypothalamic connections in the rhesus monkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chijuka, John C.

Previous studies of retinohypothalamic projections in macaques were performed with anterograde degeneration or autoradiographic techniques that were not sufficiently sensitive to fully define these projections. Results of studies in non-primates using sensitive tracers have revealed more extensive retinohypothalamic projection than previously seen. We hypothesize that there are more extensive retinohypothalamic projections in the higher primate, macaque monkey. Thus, the primary goal of this investigation was to characterize the retinohypothalamic projections in the macaque monkey using the more sensitive tract tracer, cholera toxin subunit B (CTB) unilaterally injected intravitreally. Secondary goals were to determine: (1) whether there is a retinal projection to the sleep-related ventrolateral preoptic area of the hypothalamus; (2) whether there are direct retinal projections to gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons in the hypothalamus; and (3) whether any retinally-projecting hypothalamic neurons can be retrogradely labeled by intravitreal CTB injections. Our results confirmed our hypothesis that there are more extensive projections to the central targets. We found that, in addition to the well-described retinal projection to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, a number of other hypothalamic areas were labeled. We observed projections to the medial and lateral preoptic areas, including the sleep-related ventrolateral preoptic area. A number of retinal fibers terminated immediately dorsal to the supraoptic nucleus (SO), with a few fibers penetrating and terminating within the nucleus. A few fibers continued laterally beyond the SO into the substantia innominata immediately ventral to the nucleus basalis of Meynert. In addition, a dense plexus of CTB-labeled, retinal fibers were present in the subventricular nucleus and adjacent subventricular area. Some of these fibers coursed dorsally from this region to penetrate the ependyma lining the third ventricle and apparently contacted the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We also observed projections to the anterior hypothalamic area throughout its rostrocaudal extent and to the posterior region of the lateral preoptic area immediately dorsal to the supraoptic nucleus. More posteriorly, fibers projected to the arcuate/infundibular region, and a few fibers could be seen to course towards the paraventricular, parvicellular region and posterior hypothalamic region close to the third ventricle. Finally, some retrogradely-labeled neurons were present in most injected cases. Overall, these results show that retinohypothalamic projections in the macaque are more extensive than once thought, and presumably play more roles than solely entraining the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the central circadian controller. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

"What's Math Got to Do with It?": Numeracy and Social Studies Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crowe, Alicia R.

2010-01-01

Numeracy is as essential to becoming an active and thoughtful citizen as literacy. Although the concept of numeracy is complex and robust, there are four areas in which teachers can fairly easily begin to incorporate it into social studies curriculum and instruction. The areas include the students' ability to understand raw numeric data in…

Automatic, time-interval traffic counts for recreation area management planning

Treesearch

D. L. Erickson; C. J. Liu; H. K. Cordell

1980-01-01

Automatic, time-interval recorders were used to count directional vehicular traffic on a multiple entry/exit road network in the Red River Gorge Geological Area, Daniel Boone National Forest. Hourly counts of entering and exiting traffic differed according to recorder location, but an aggregated distribution showed a delayed peak in exiting traffic thought to be...

Some Thoughts about Molecular-Level Representations in Conceptual Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakhleh, Mary B.

One of the more interesting areas of problem solving in chemistry attempts to answer the question, "What do students understand about the molecular level of chemistry?" This question is also implicit in the more traditional area of mathematical problem solving but in this paper, more focus is placed on devising ways to help students develop a…

Through a Social Space Lens--Interpreting Migration of the Tertiary Educated

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haley, Aimee

2016-01-01

Higher education institutions are thought to rejuvenate and replenish local labour markets with recent graduates, especially in rural locales. While some graduates stay in the area of their alma mater, others return home or to other areas. The aim of this paper is to contribute a synopsis of research results from current peer-reviewed literature…

Self-Esteem, Creativity, and Music: Implications and Directions for Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanderArk, Sherman

1989-01-01

This paper seeks to give potentially pertinent information and ideas for the development of a model and of hypotheses that are relevant in terms of combining the areas of self-concept and creativity. Selected sources from the areas of psychology, education, and music education are presented as the basis for ideas and thoughts for further research.…

Mapping Pedagogic Frailty in Geography Education: A Framed Autoethnographic Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinchin, Ian M.; Francis, Robert A.

2017-01-01

Pedagogic frailty has been proposed as a unifying concept that may help to integrate institutional efforts to enhance teaching within universities by helping to maintain a simultaneous focus on key areas that are thought to impede the development of pedagogy. These areas and the links that have been proposed to connect them are interrogated here…

A case report of lameness in two dairy goat herds; a suspected combination of nutritional factors concurrent with treponeme infection.

PubMed

Groenevelt, Margit; Anzuino, Katharine; Smith, Sue; Lee, Michael R F; Grogono-Thomas, Rosemary

2015-12-16

Two dairy goat farms with high level of lameness in lactating animals were presented for further investigation. Farm 1 and Farm 2 presented with 37 and 67% morbidity, respectively. Both farms had an all year round indoor system, feeding ad libitum concentrate with forage available at all times. The lameness was found to be based in the foot. Previous treatments consisting of biweekly footbathing with zinc sulphate, spraying lesions with oxytetracycline spray and packing lesions with copper crystals on a single occasion and single injections with long acting oxytetracycline had not been successful. Mild cases had signs of haemorrhaging in the white line or on the sole of the foot. Moderate cases showed under running of the wall horn or small areas of exposed sole corium. Severe cases would consist of horn or wall separation with the corium exposed and infected. In extreme cases only the wall horn of the claw remained, with a large area of necrotic tissue in the centre and no healthy corium visible. Only one animal was seen to have interdigital lesions. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culture of swabs taken from exposed corium and the interdigital space were negative for Dichelobacter nodosus but PCR for treponemes were positive in both the adults and the youngstock tested. Due to the high level of concentrate in the diet of these goats, nutrition was thought to contribute to the problem. Transcutaneous rumen fluid samples were taken and pH was measured on both farms, with 35% of the samples below pH value 5.5. No definite diagnosis could be made. However, the results suggest both treponemes and nutrition play a role in the aetiology of the lameness. The initial sole or wall horn lesions were thought to be secondarily infected by treponemes. Further investigation is needed to definitively diagnose the cause and contributing factors for this lameness.

Late 20th Century Deep-seated Vertical Motions in New Orleans and implications for Gulf Coast Subsidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dokka, R. K.

2010-12-01

Subsidence of the Mississippi River delta and adjoining coastal areas is widely thought to be dominated by compaction of Holocene sediments. Current public policies regarding hurricane protection and ecosystems restoration are founded on this interpretation. To test this hypothesis, monuments that penetrate the entire Holocene section were measured using geodetic leveling and water gauges attached to bridge foundations. Results show that the entire sampling area subsided between 1955 and 1995 in amounts unanticipated by previous models. Subsidence due to processes originating below the Holocene section locally exceeded 0.9 m between 1955 and 1995. The maxima of deep subsidence occurred in the urbanized and industrialized sections of eastern New Orleans. Subsidence decreased away from urbanized areas and north of the belt of active basin margin normal faults; this decrease in subsidence continued to the north and east along the Mississippi coast. These independent measurements provide insights into the complexity and causes of modern landscape change in the region. Modern subsidence is clearly not dominated solely by shallow processes such as natural compaction, Deep subsidence occurring east and north of the basin margin faults can be explained by regional tectonic loading of the lithosphere by the modern Mississippi River delta and local groundwater withdrawal. Sharp, local changes in subsidence coincide with strands of the basin margin normal fault system. Deep subsidence of the New Orleans area can be explained by a combination of groundwater withdrawal from shallow upper Pleistocene aquifers, the aforementioned lithospheric loading, and non-groundwater-related faulting. Subsidence due to groundwater extraction from aquifers ~160 to 200 m deep dominated the urbanized areas from ~1960 to the early 1990s and is likely responsible for lowering flood protection structures and bridges in the area by as much as ~0.8 m.

The Emergence of a Content Acceptance Model (CAM): New Thoughts Regarding the Trial, Adoption, and Usage of New Media

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-26

child vi Acknowledgments I took on this thesis as a challenge to myself for two reasons. First, I wanted to complete a thesis outside my...first child . I also need to think all my previous Wing Commander, Air Force squadron commanders, previous teachers, and other Air Force leaders...their mind 18: Phishers, spammers, and porn agencies send out messages trying to make money 17: To stay connected with family/friends all over nation

Dehumanize at Your Own Risk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driscoll, John P.

1978-01-01

With the expansion of the technological revolution, the danger of dehumanization is ever present. Governmental domination of individual and social thought, coupled with economic manipulation, are areas of concern relating to basic educational philosophy. (RAO)

Cutoff Scores for the Autism Spectrum Disorder--Comorbid for Children (ASD-CC)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorson, Ryan T.; Matson, Johnny L.

2012-01-01

Once considered rare, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are increasingly becoming viewed as common disorders. Additionally, recent studies suggest that comorbid psychopathology within ASD is more common than previously thought. Though these deficits exist, specific instruments to diagnose psychopathology in this population are not available. In this…

Aneides ferreus (clouded salamander): arboreal activity

Treesearch

William W. Price; Clinton P. Landon; Eric D. Forsman

2010-01-01

Aneides ferreus (clouded salamander) inhabits the forests of western Oregon and extreme northwestern California. Although thought to be primarily terrestrial, A. ferreus has occasionally been found as high as 60 m up in trees and two recent reports suggest that it may be more arboreal than previously believed. However, it is...

EXTRACELLULAR ENZYME ACTIIVTY AS A SURROGATE FOR NUTRIENTS AND NUTRIENT HISTORY IN GREAT LAKES WETLANDS

EPA Science Inventory

Great Lakes ecosystems are generally thought to be P-limited, but N-limitation may be more common than previously suspected. N-limitation should be most obvious in freshwater coastal wetlands, where the anaerobic oxidation of organic carbon may be limited by nitrate availability...

Berry fruit differentially improves age-related decrements in behavior based on baseline status

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aging and neurodegenerative diseases are thought to be the results of prolonged effects of oxidative stress and inflammation. Previously, we have shown that daily supplementation of berry fruits, such as blueberry or raspberry, was able to reverse age-related deficits in behavioral and neuronal func...

Effects of a school-based intensive intervention on systemic inflammation and disease risk in Mexican-American children

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Childhood obesity is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 Diabetes mellitus. Systemic inflammation is thought to mediate this relationship. We have previously demonstrated that an intervention designed specifically for Mexican-American children that incorporates bo...

Evolution: oskar reveals missing link in co-optive evolution.

PubMed

Abouheif, Ehab

2013-01-07

The oskar gene is critical for germ plasm formation and reproduction in higher insects. A recent study reports that oskar has more ancient roots than previously thought, indicating it was co-opted for its reproductive role in higher insects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Adolescent Sociocognitive Development on the Cortisol Response to Social Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van den Bos, Esther; van Duijvenvoorde, Anna C. K.; Westenberg, P. Michiel

2016-01-01

Adolescents become increasingly sensitive to social evaluation. Some previous studies have related this change to pubertal development. The present longitudinal study examined the role of sociocognitive development. We investigated whether or not the transition to recursive thinking, the ability to think about (others') thoughts, would be…

International Perspectives on Inclusion: Concluding Thoughts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timmons, Vianne

2002-01-01

This article discusses overall trends and commonalities among previous articles on inclusion in the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. It concludes that inclusive education must be viewed in a broader context that looks at school reform and the societal context. Teacher education is stressed.…

Contextual Modulation of Mirror and Countermirror Sensorimotor Associations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Richard; Dickinson, Anthony; Heyes, Cecilia

2012-01-01

Automatic imitation--the unintended copying of observed actions--is thought to be a behavioral product of the mirror neuron system (MNS). Evidence that the MNS develops through associative learning comes from previous research showing that automatic imitation is attenuated by countermirror training, in which the observation of one action is paired…

A Cognitive Behavioural Group Approach for Adolescents with Disruptive Behaviour in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruttledge, Richard A.; Petrides, K. V.

2012-01-01

Cognitive behavioural approaches emphasize the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour (Greig, 2007). Previous research has indicated that these approaches are efficacious in reducing disruptive behaviour in adolescents. The aim of the current study was to provide further evaluation of cognitive behavioural group work to reduce disruptive…

Behavioral Ecology of Subterranean Termites and Implications for Control

Treesearch

J. Kenneth Grace

1991-01-01

Subterranean termites are important structural pests in much of North America, and worldwide. Recent studies of eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes [Kollar]) colonies in Ontario, Canada, indicate that these colonies contain greater foraging populations and forage over larger territories than was previously thought to be the case....

Constructivism in the Classroom: Epistemology, History, and Empirical Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, William J.

2003-01-01

Over the previous two decades the emergence of post-modernist thought (i.e., radical constructivism, social constructivism, deconstructivism, post-structuralism, and the like) on the American intellectual landscape has presented a number of challenges to various fields of intellectual endeavor (i.e., literature, natural science, and social…

GLUTATHIONE (GSH) CONCENTRATIONS VARY WITH THE CELL CYCLE IN MATURING HAMSTER OOCYTES, ZYGOTES AND PRE-IMPLANATION EMBRYOS

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract
Glutathione (GSH) is thought to play critical roles in oocyte function including spindle maintenance and provision of reducing power needed to initiate sperm chromatin decondensation. Previous observations that GSH concentrations are higher in mature than immature o...

Building a better Faraday cage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MartinAlfven; Wright, David; skocpol; Rounce, Graham; Richfield, Jon; W, Nick; wheelsonfire

2015-11-01

In reply to the physicsworld.com news article “Are Faraday cages less effective than previously thought?” (15 September, http://ow.ly/SfklO), about a study that indicated, based on mathematical modelling, that conducting wire-mesh cages may not be as good at excluding electromagnetic radiation as is commonly assumed.

Blueberries affect neuroinflammation and cognition differentially depending on individual cognitive baseline status

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aging and neurodegenerative diseases are thought to be the results of prolonged effects of oxidative stress and inflammation. Previously, we have shown that daily supplementation of blueberries (BBs) was able to reverse age-related deficits in behavioral and neuronal function in aged rats. However, ...

Differential effects of blueberry polyphenols on age-associated neuroinflammation and cognition

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Long-term effects of oxidative stress and inflammatory insults are thought to contribute to the decrements in cognitive performance seen in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. In previous studies, we have shown the beneficial effects of various dark-colored berry fruits in reversing age-related de...

The numerology of T cell functional diversity.

PubMed

Haining, W Nicholas

2012-01-27

Memory T cells are heterogeneous in phenotype and function. In this issue of Immunity, Newell et al. (2012) use a new flow cytometry platform to show that the functional heterogeneity of the human T cell compartment is even greater than previously thought. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Students' Ideas about Plants and Plant Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barman, Charles R.; Stein, Mary; McNair, Shannan; Barman, Natalie S.

2006-01-01

Because the National Science Education Standards (1996) outline specific things K-8 students should know about plants, and previous data indicated that elementary students had difficulty understanding some major ideas about plants and plant growth, the authors of this article thought it appropriate to initiate an investigation to determine the…

Perfecting Language: Experimenting with Vocabulary Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Absalom, Matthew

2014-01-01

One of the thorniest aspects of teaching languages is developing students' vocabulary, yet it is impossible to be "an accurate and highly communicative language user with a very small vocabulary" (Milton, 2009, p. 3). Nation (2006) indicates that more vocabulary than previously thought is required to function well both at spoken and…

Establishing an Explanatory Model for Mathematics Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cribbs, Jennifer D.; Hazari, Zahra; Sonnert, Gerhard; Sadler, Philip M.

2015-01-01

This article empirically tests a previously developed theoretical framework for mathematics identity based on students' beliefs. The study employs data from more than 9,000 college calculus students across the United States to build a robust structural equation model. While it is generally thought that students' beliefs about their own competence…

Effects of dietary blueberry on cognition and in vivo and in vitro inflammatory status

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chronic inflammation is thought to play a role in age-related cognitive decline. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that dietary intervention with darkly pigmented berry fruit can reduce systemic and central biomarkers of inflammation while reversing behavioral impairments in aged rats....

Evaluating Conceptual Metaphor Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Raymond W., Jr.

2011-01-01

A major revolution in the study of metaphor occurred 30 years ago with the introduction of "conceptual metaphor theory" (CMT). Unlike previous theories of metaphor and metaphorical meaning, CMT proposed that metaphor is not just an aspect of language, but a fundamental part of human thought. Indeed, most metaphorical language arises from…

Effect of abomasal butyrate infusion on gene expression in the duodenum of lambs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A previous study infusing butyrate into the abomasum of sheep produced increased oxygen, glucose, glutamate, and glutamine uptake by the portal-drained viscera. These changes were thought to be partially due to increases in glycolysis and cell proliferation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate...

Assessing Quality of Critical Thought in Online Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weltzer-Ward, Lisa; Baltes, Beate; Lynn, Laura Knight

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe a theoretically based coding framework for an integrated analysis and assessment of critical thinking in online discussion. Design/methodology/approach: The critical thinking assessment framework (TAF) is developed through review of theory and previous research, verified by comparing results to…

Teaching African American Learners to Read: Perspectives and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammond, Bill, Ed.; Hoover, Mary Eleanor Rhodes, Ed.; McPhail, Irving Pressley, Ed.

2005-01-01

This collection of original and previously published articles fills a critical need for professional literature that documents successful research-based practices and programs that teach African American children to read. Thoughtful commentary on historic and current issues, discussion of research-based best practices, and examples of culturally…

Radiation effect on implanted pacemakers

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

Pourhamidi, A.H.

1983-10-01

It was previously thought that diagnostic or therapeutic ionizing radiation did not have an adverse effect on the function of cardiac pacemakers. Recently, however, some authors have reported damaging effect of therapeutic radiation on cardiac pulse generators. An analysis of a recently-extracted pacemaker documented the effect of radiation on the pacemaker pulse generator.

"Doch ein Begriff muss bei dem Worte sein": Some Thoughts on Electronically Annotated Literary Texts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Bruce; Foelsche, Otmar K. E.

1995-01-01

Discusses the use of electronic glossaries, annotated texts, and other ancillae in German-as-a-Second-Language courses at the college level, and asserts that electronic media deliver lexical assistance far more effectively than do traditional methods, using texts in ways previously unavailable. (MDM)

Will the Real Digital Native Please Stand Up?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waters, John K.

2011-01-01

A decade has passed since author, game designer, and educational thought leader Marc Prensky heralded the arrival of a new generation of students whose immersion in information technology distinguished them in fundamental ways from previous generations. Because they had spent their entire lives "surrounded by and using computers, videogames,…

Further Food for Thought on the "ABS Guide"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussain, Simon

2012-01-01

This paper replies to points raised by the editors of the "ABS Guide", Huw Morris, Charles Harvey, Aidan Kelly and Michael Rowlinson (2011) "Accounting Education: an international journal", 20(6), pp. 561-573) in response to a paper published in a previous issue of "Accounting Education" (Hussain, S. (2011)…

Azoospermia in a Male with Klippel-Feil Anomaly.

PubMed

Uloko, Maria; Bearrick, Elizabeth; Bodie, Joshua

2017-07-01

Müllerian-duct aplasia, renal agenesis, and cervical somite dysplasia (MURCS) is a rare genetic disorder. Previously thought to be exclusive in females, there have now been a small number of case reports describing a male analogue. We describe a patient with obstructive azoospermia and Klippel-Feil anomaly.

Molecular phylogeny and character evolution in terete-stemmed Andean opuntias (Cactaceae-Opuntioideae).

PubMed

Ritz, C M; Reiker, J; Charles, G; Hoxey, P; Hunt, D; Lowry, M; Stuppy, W; Taylor, N

2012-11-01

The cacti of tribe Tephrocacteae (Cactaceae-Opuntioideae) are adapted to diverse climatic conditions over a wide area of the southern Andes and adjacent lowlands. They exhibit a range of life forms from geophytes and cushion-plants to dwarf shrubs, shrubs or small trees. To confirm or challenge previous morphology-based classifications and molecular phylogenies, we sampled DNA sequences from the chloroplast trnK/matK region and the nuclear low copy gene phyC and compared the resulting phylogenies with previous data gathered from nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences. The here presented chloroplast and nuclear low copy gene phylogenies were mutually congruent and broadly coincident with the classification based on gross morphology and seed micro-morphology and anatomy. Reconstruction of hypothetical ancestral character states suggested that geophytes and cushion-forming species probably evolved several times from dwarf shrubby precursors. We also traced an increase of embryo size at the expense of the nucellus-derived storage tissue during the evolution of the Tephrocacteae, which is thought to be an evolutionary advantage because nutrients are then more rapidly accessible for the germinating embryo. In contrast to these highly concordant phylogenies, nuclear ribosomal DNA data sampled by a previous study yielded conflicting phylogenetic signals. Secondary structure predictions of ribosomal transcribed spacers suggested that this phylogeny is strongly influenced by the inclusion of paralogous sequence probably arisen by genome duplication during the evolution of this plant group. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Revisiting tuberculous pleurisy: pleural fluid characteristics and diagnostic yield of mycobacterial culture in an endemic area.

PubMed

Ruan, Sheng-Yuan; Chuang, Yu-Chung; Wang, Jann-Yuan; Lin, Jou-Wei; Chien, Jung-Yien; Huang, Chun-Ta; Kuo, Yao-Wen; Lee, Li-Na; Yu, Chong-Jen J

2012-09-01

Tuberculous pleurisy is traditionally indicated by extreme lymphocytosis in pleural fluid and low yield of effusion culture. However, there is considerable inconsistency among previous study results. In addition, these data should be updated due to early effusion studies and advances in culture methods. From January 2004 to June 2009, patients with tuberculous pleurisy were retrospectively identified from the mycobacteriology laboratories and the pathology and tuberculosis registration databases of two hospitals in Taiwan where tuberculosis is endemic. Pleural fluid characteristics and yields of mycobacterial cultures using liquid media were evaluated. A total of 382 patients with tuberculous pleurisy were identified. The median lymphocyte percentage of total cells in pleural fluids was 84% (IQR 64-95%) and 17% of cases had a lymphocyte percentage of <50%. The lymphocyte percentage was negatively associated with the probability of a positive effusion culture (OR 0.97; 95% CI 0.96 to 0.99). The diagnostic yields were 63% for effusion culture, 48% for sputum culture, 79% for the combination of effusion and sputum cultures, and 74% for histological examination of pleural biopsy specimens. The degree of lymphocyte predominance in tuberculous pleurisy was lower than was previously thought. The lymphocyte percentage in pleural fluid was negatively associated with the probability of a positive effusion culture. With the implementation of a liquid culture method, the sensitivity of effusion culture was much higher than has been previously reported, and the combination of effusion and sputum cultures provided a good diagnostic yield.

Redescription of Cletocamptus albuquerquensis and C. dominicanus (Harpacticoida: Canthocamptidae incertae sedis), and description of two new species from the US Virgin Islands and Bonaire.

PubMed

Gómez, Samuel; Gerber, Ray; Fuentes-Reinés, Juan Manuel

2017-05-30

The history surrounding the identity of Cletocamptus albuquerquensis (Herrick, 1894) and C. dominicanus Kiefer, 1934 is very complex. This complexity has been exacerbated by incomplete, and in some cases erroneous, original descriptions of these two species. Also, new records from other locations did not describe the significant characters needed to clearly delineate them. This led several authors to consider C. dominicanus as a synonym of C. albuquerquensis, among other taxonomical considerations regarding, for example, the status of Marshia brevicaudata Herrick, 1894. Inspection of biological material from Saskatchewan (southern Canada), Wyoming (central US), Trinidad and Tobago, and the British Virgin Islands, identified by other researchers as C. albuquerquensis, as well as of newly collected material from Great Salt Lake (Utah, central US), Puerto Rico, Culebra Island, Vieques Island, St. John Island (US Virgin Islands), San Salvador (Bahamas), and Santa Marta (Colombia), revealed that C. albuquerquensis and C. dominicanus are distinct and identifiable species, distributed in a more restricted area than previously thought. Additionally, we describe a new species, C. tainoi sp. nov., from St. John Island (US Virgin Islands), and we propose another new species, C. chappuisi sp. nov., for two males from Bonaire previously identified as C. albuquerquensis. Finally, we give some observations on tube-pore-like structures, previously overlooked, on the endopod of the male leg three.

Apparent sixth sense in theropod evolution: The making of a Cretaceous weathervane.

PubMed

Rothschild, Bruce M; Naples, Virginia

2017-01-01

Two separate and distinctive skills are necessary to find prey: Detection of its presence and determination of its location. Surface microscopy of the dentary of albertosaurines revealed a previously undescribed sensory modification, as will be described here. While dentary "foramina" were previously thought to contain tactile sensory organs, the potential function of this theropod modification as a unique localizing system is explored in this study. Dentary surface perforations were examined by surface epi-illumination microscopy in tyrannosaurine and albertosaurine dinosaurs to characterize their anatomy. Fish lateral lines were examined as potentially comparable structures. In contrast to the subsurface vascular bifurcation noted in tyrannosaurines (which lack a lateral dentary surface groove), the area subjacent to the apertures in albertosaurine grooves has the appearance of an expanded chamber. That appearance seemed to be indistinguishable from the lateral line of fish. Dentary groove apertures in certain tyrannosaurid lines (specifically albertosaurines) not only have a unique appearance, but one with significant functional and behavior implications. The appearance of the perforations in the dentary groove of albertosaurines mirrors that previously noted only with specialized neurologic structures accommodating derived sensory functions, as seen in the lateral line of fish. The possibility that this specialized morphology could also represent a unique function in albertosaurine theropods for interacting with the environment or facilitating prey acquisition cannot be ignored. It is suggested that these expanded chambers function in perceiving and aligning the body relative to the direction of wind, perhaps a Cretaceous analogue of the contemporary midwestern weathervane.

Community Attitudes Toward Mass Drug Administration for Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases After the 2014 Outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Lofa County, Liberia.

PubMed

Bogus, Joshua; Gankpala, Lincoln; Fischer, Kerstin; Krentel, Alison; Weil, Gary J; Fischer, Peter U; Kollie, Karsor; Bolay, Fatorma K

2016-03-01

The recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) interrupted mass drug administration (MDA) programs to control and eliminate neglected tropical diseases in Liberia. MDA programs treat entire communities with medication regardless of infection status to interrupt transmission and eliminate lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis. Following reports of hostilities toward health workers and fear that they might be spreading EVD, it was important to determine whether attitudes toward MDA might have changed after the outbreak. We surveyed 140 community leaders from 32 villages in Lofa County, Liberia, that had previously participated in MDA and are located in an area that was an early epicenter of the EVD outbreak. Survey respondents reported a high degree of community trust in the MDA program, and 97% thought their communities were ready to resume MDA. However, respondents predicted that fewer people would comply with MDA after the EVD epidemic than before. The survey also uncovered fears in the community that EVD and MDA might be linked. Respondents suggested that MDA programs emphasize to people that the medications are identical to those previously distributed and that MDA programs have nothing to do with EVD. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

A category-specific advantage for numbers in verbal short-term memory: evidence from semantic dementia.

PubMed

Jefferies, Elizabeth; Patterson, Karalyn; Jones, Roy W; Bateman, David; Lambon Ralph, Matthew A

2004-01-01

This study explored possible reasons for the striking difference between digit span and word span in patients with semantic dementia. Immediate serial recall (ISR) of number and non-number words was examined in four patients. For every case, the recall of single-digit numbers was normal whereas the recall of non-number words was impaired relative to controls. This difference extended to multi-digit numbers, and remained even when frequency, imageability, word length, set size and size of semantic category were matched for the numbers and words. The advantage for number words also applied to the patients' reading performance. Previous studies have suggested that semantic memory plays a critical role in verbal short-term memory (STM) and reading: patients with semantic dementia show superior recall and reading of words that are still relatively well known compared to previously known but now semantically degraded words. Additional assessments suggested that this semantic locus was the basis of the patients' category-specific advantage for numbers. Comprehension was considerably better for number than non-number words. Number knowledge may be relatively preserved in semantic dementia because the cortical atrophy underlying the condition typically spares the areas of the parietal lobes thought to be crucial in numerical cognition but involves the inferolateral temporal-lobes known to support general conceptual knowledge.

Identifying the influence of gender on motivation and engagement levels in student physiotherapists.

PubMed

Edgar, Susan

2015-04-01

There is an increasing focus in higher education on the role of learner characteristics and their influence on academic performance. Educators are interested in how students engage with learning activities as they progress through the curriculum. A previous study highlighted gender effects in academic performance in student physiotherapists, despite comparable entry scores. The aim of this study was to determine variation in student motivation and engagement, across the four year levels of the physiotherapy program at The University of Notre Dame Australia while considering gender and age. A cross-sectional design was adopted surveying 233 students utilising the Motivation and Engagement Scale - University/College (MES-UC), to review motivational thoughts and behaviours influencing learning. RESULTS identified gender effects with males having on average significantly lower scores for planning, task management and persistence; and higher scores for disengagement from their studies. Females displayed higher average scores for anxiety particularly in their first year and final clinical year. RESULTS were consistent with gender effects noted in academic performance throughout the program for previous student cohorts. The application of the MES-UC early in course would highlight to educators the areas where intervention can be targeted. Early individualized intervention is recommended to address learner characteristics influencing performance.

Cholinesterase inhibitors are compatible with psychosocial intervention for Alzheimer disease patients suggested by neuroimaging findings.

PubMed

Meguro, Kenichi

2017-01-30

We previously reported that the frontal lobe was stimulated by psychosocial intervention for dementia patients, and that the parietal lobe was associated with logical judgment. We hypothesized that the combined therapeutic approach with symptomatic drug treatment can directly stimulate not only attention function but also judgment function indirectly to observing other participants' behaviors. Fifty-two patients with Alzheimer disease underwent the group reminiscence approach with reality orientation, as well as the donepezil treatment. The cerebral blood flow (CBF) was assessed with 99m Tc-ECD SPECT. Two analyses were performed: Analysis 1 was to compare Responders vs. Non-responders as shown by MMSE scores, whereas Analysis 2 was to compare Good vs. Poor reminders of the intervention content. We found that the CBF in the frontal lobe was significantly higher in Responders (vs. Non-responders). The CBF in the parietal lobe, especially the left side, was significantly higher in the Good reminders (vs. Poor reminders). The donepezil stimulated the areas similar to where the psychosocial intervention was previously found to be stimulated directly, thus the drug was thought to be compatible for psychosocial intervention. The parietal lobe was stimulated indirectly, suggesting that the indirect effect of the intervention may be based on logical judgment function. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bulk composition of the Moon in the context of models for condensation in the solar nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goettel, K. A.

1984-01-01

The FeO content of the Moon is substantially higher than the present FeO content of the Earth's mantle. If the Moon formed by fission from the Earth's mantle, then the conclusion that the Earth's mantle must have been much richer in FeO at the time of fission appears firm. If the Moon formed independently in geocentric orbit, then the FeO contents of the two bodies should be similar, because both would be accreting from the same source of silicate material. Therefore, Earth's mantle at the time of lunar formation probably had an FeO content quite similar to the present FeO content of the Moon. This conclusion, if valid, has profound implications in two areas: (1) the differentiation history of the Earth's mantle and core; and (2) the processes responsible for governing the bulk compositions of the terrestrial planets. If Earth had more FeO than previously thought, then the composition differences between Earth and Mars are less than previously believed. This suggests that condensation temperature and heliocentric distance may have been less important in governing planetary compositions and other mechanisms, including iron/silicate fractionation may have been more important. The implication of this model for the compositions of the Moon and the other terrestrial planets are discussed.

Recent and rapid population growth and range expansion of the Lyme disease tick vector, Ixodes scapularis, in North America.

PubMed

Khatchikian, Camilo E; Prusinski, Melissa A; Stone, Melissa; Backenson, Peter Bryon; Wang, Ing-Nang; Foley, Erica; Seifert, Stephanie N; Levy, Michael Z; Brisson, Dustin

2015-07-01

Migration is a primary force of biological evolution that alters allele frequencies and introduces novel genetic variants into populations. Recent migration has been proposed as the cause of the emergence of many infectious diseases, including those carried by blacklegged ticks in North America. Populations of blacklegged ticks have established and flourished in areas of North America previously thought to be devoid of this species. The recent discovery of these populations of blacklegged ticks may have resulted from either in situ growth of long-established populations that were maintained at very low densities or by migration and colonization from established populations. These alternative evolutionary hypotheses were investigated using Bayesian phylogeographic approaches to infer the origin and migratory history of recently detected blacklegged tick populations in the Northeastern United States. The data and results indicate that newly detected tick populations are not the product of in situ population growth from a previously established population but from recent colonization resulting in a geographic range expansion. This expansion in the geographic range proceeded primarily through progressive and local migration events from southern populations to proximate northern locations although long-distance migration events were also detected. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Back to the future: autobiographical planning and the functionality of mind-wandering.

PubMed

Baird, Benjamin; Smallwood, Jonathan; Schooler, Jonathan W

2011-12-01

Given that as much as half of human thought arises in a stimulus independent fashion, it would seem unlikely that such thoughts would play no functional role in our lives. However, evidence linking the mind-wandering state to performance decrement has led to the notion that mind-wandering primarily represents a form of cognitive failure. Based on previous work showing a prospective bias to mind-wandering, the current study explores the hypothesis that one potential function of spontaneous thought is to plan and anticipate personally relevant future goals, a process referred to as autobiographical planning. The results confirm that the content of mind-wandering is predominantly future-focused, demonstrate that individuals with high working memory capacity are more likely to engage in prospective mind-wandering, and show that prospective mind-wandering frequently involves autobiographical planning. Together this evidence suggests that mind-wandering can enable prospective cognitive operations that are likely to be useful to the individual as they navigate through their daily lives. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multifocal nerve lesions and LZTR1 germline mutations in segmental schwannomatosis.

PubMed

Farschtschi, Said; Mautner, Victor-Felix; Pham, Mirko; Nguyen, Rosa; Kehrer-Sawatzki, Hildegard; Hutter, Sonja; Friedrich, Reinhard E; Schulz, Alexander; Morrison, Helen; Jones, David T W; Bendszus, Martin; Bäumer, Philipp

2016-10-01

Schwannomatosis is a genetic disorder characterized by the occurrence of multiple peripheral schwannomas. Segmental schwannomatosis is diagnosed when schwannomas are restricted to 1 extremity and is thought to be caused by genetic mosaicism. We studied 5 patients with segmental schwannomatosis through microstructural magnetic resonance neurography and mutation analysis of NF2, SMARCB1, and LZTR1. In 4 of 5 patients, subtle fascicular nerve lesions were detected in clinically unaffected extremities. Two patients exhibited LZTR1 germline mutations. This appears contrary to a simple concept of genetic mosaicism and suggests more complex and heterogeneous mechanisms underlying the phenotype of segmental schwannomatosis than previously thought. Ann Neurol 2016;80:625-628. © 2016 American Neurological Association.

Do Power Lines and Protected Areas Present a Catch-22 Situation for Cape Vultures (Gyps coprotheres)?

PubMed Central

Phipps, W. Louis; Wolter, Kerri; Michael, Michael D.; MacTavish, Lynne M.; Yarnell, Richard W.

2013-01-01

Cape vulture Gyps coprotheres populations have declined across their range due to multiple anthropogenic threats. Their susceptibility to fatal collisions with the expanding power line network and the prevalence of carcasses contaminated with illegal poisons and other threats outside protected areas are thought to be the primary drivers of declines in southern Africa. We used GPS-GSM units to track the movements and delineate the home ranges of five adult (mean ±SD minimum convex polygon area  =  121,655±90,845 km2) and four immature (mean ±SD minimum convex polygon area  =  492,300±259,427 km2) Cape vultures to investigate the influence of power lines and their use of protected areas. The vultures travelled more than 1,000 km from the capture site and collectively entered five different countries in southern Africa. Their movement patterns and core foraging ranges were closely associated with the spatial distribution of transmission power lines and we present evidence that the construction of power lines has allowed the species to extend its range to areas previously devoid of suitable perches. The distribution of locations of known Cape vulture mortalities caused by interactions with power lines corresponded to the core ranges of the tracked vultures. Although some of the vultures regularly roosted at breeding colonies located inside protected areas the majority of foraging activity took place on unprotected farmland. Their ability to travel vast distances very quickly and the high proportion of time they spend in the vicinity of power lines and outside protected areas make Cape vultures especially vulnerable to negative interactions with the expanding power line network and the full range of threats across the region. Co-ordinated cross-border conservation strategies beyond the protected area network will therefore be necessary to ensure the future survival of threatened vultures in Africa. PMID:24137496

Melasma in Latina patients: cross-cultural adaptation and validation of a quality-of-life questionnaire in Spanish language.

PubMed

Dominguez, Arturo R; Balkrishnan, Rajesh; Ellzey, Allison R; Pandya, Amit G

2006-07-01

Melasma has been shown to have a significant emotional and psychologic effect on affected patients. Although this pigmentary disorder is thought to be more prevalent among Latinos, the effect of melasma on quality of life (QOL) in this population is unknown. The goals of this study were to translate and culturally adapt the previously validated Melasma QOL (MELASQOL) scale into Spanish language, to confirm the new scale's reliability and validity, and to administer the scale to characterize melasma's effect on the health-related QOL of Spanish language-speaking Latino patients. Cross-cultural adaptation of the original questionnaire was performed using previously established guidelines. After pretesting the questionnaire in a group of 30 patients, it was tested in a group of 112 patients recruited from a community outpatient clinic. A Spanish-language health-related QOL assessment battery was also administered for validation purposes. The degree of melasma was determined on clinical examination by the investigator using the Melasma Area and Severity Index. Cross-cultural adaptation of the questionnaire was successful in producing a working and understandable Spanish-language version of the MELASQOL. The Spanish-language MELASQOL scale was internally reliable and demonstrated construct and content validity. The Spanish-language MELASQOL scores of patients with little to no formal education were significantly higher than those with at least a seventh-grade education. Scores were proportional to the length of time a patient had lived with melasma and were higher in patients who had previously sought treatment. Spanish-language MELASQOL score and Melasma Area and Severity Index were shown to be moderately correlated, but no differences were seen according to patient age, marital status, employment, or coexisting medical or psychiatric conditions. Limitations are a lack of data regarding socioeconomic status and limitation to Mexican and Central American female patients. We have developed a semantically equivalent translation of MELASQOL in the Spanish language and have begun to characterize the effects of melasma on the QOL in a population that has not been previously studied. Further studies in larger populations of Spanish language-speaking patients from various geographic and socioeconomic groups are warranted.

Follow-Up Study of Former Chemistry Students. Volume XXIII, No. 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellefson-Kuehn, Julie; And Others

A study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) in Illinois to follow former students who had taken one of nine different chemistry courses at WRHC between 1989 and 1993, and to survey area employers who were thought to hire employees with a chemistry background. Surveys were mailed to 853 students and 60 area employers. Study…

Size of Cottonwood Nursery Stock Related to Seedbed Density and Row Spacing

Treesearch

B. G. Blackmon; J. L. Gammaga

1968-01-01

In areas susceptible to early-season flooding, cottonwood seedlings are thought to be superior to cuttings as planting material arid most tree planters prefer seedlings with root-collar diameters between 0.2 and 0.6 inch for these areas. Seedlings in this diameter range are generally of, acceptable height. The study reported here indicates that production of suitable...

What the Medical Records Revolution Means to Your Special Child

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorsett, Tom

2008-01-01

As every exceptional parent knows, the needs of a special child are, simply put, special. For every area of life, an extra amount of thought and care must be taken--whether it is education, traveling considerations, and, especially, healthcare. However, it is in the area of healthcare that parents say they face the most challenge. For years,…

Ventral Premotor to Primary Motor Cortical Interactions during Noxious and Naturalistic Action Observation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lago, Angel; Koch, Giacomo; Cheeran, Binith; Marquez, Gonzalo; Sanchez, Jose Andres; Ezquerro, Milagros; Giraldez, Manolo; Fernandez-del-Olmo, Miguel

2010-01-01

Within the motor system, cortical areas such as the primary motor cortex (M1) and the ventral premotor cortex (PMv), are thought to be activated during the observation of actions performed by others. However, it is not known how the connections between these areas become active during action observation or whether these connections are modulated…

Locus coeruleus and dopaminergic consolidation of everyday memory

PubMed Central

Takeuchi, Tomonori; Duszkiewicz, Adrian J.; Sonneborn, Alex; Spooner, Patrick A.; Yamasaki, Miwako; Watanabe, Masahiko; Smith, Caroline C.; Fernández, Guillén; Deisseroth, Karl; Greene, Robert W.; Morris, Richard G. M.

2016-01-01

Summary The retention of episodic-like memory is enhanced, in humans and animals, when something novel happens shortly before or after encoding. Using an everyday memory task in mice, we sought the neurons mediating this dopamine-dependent novelty effect, previously thought to originate exclusively from the tyrosine hydroxylase-expressing (TH+) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). We report that neuronal firing in the locus coeruleus (LC) is especially sensitive to environmental novelty, LC-TH+ neurons project more profusely than VTA-TH+ neurons to the hippocampus, optogenetic activation of LC-TH+ neurons mimics the novelty effect, and this novelty-associated memory enhancement is unaffected by VTA inactivation. Surprisingly, two effects of LC-TH+ photoactivation are sensitive to hippocampal D1/D5 receptor blockade and resistant to adrenoceptors blockade – memory enhancement and long lasting potentiation of synaptic transmission in CA1 ex vivo. Thus, LC-TH+ neurons can mediate post-encoding memory enhancement in a manner consistent with possible co-release of dopamine in hippocampus. PMID:27602521

Bio-foam enhances larval retention in a free-spawning marine tunicate

PubMed Central

Castilla, Juan Carlos; Manríquez, Patricio H.; Delgado, Alejandro P.; Gargallo, Ligia; Leiva, Angel; Radic, Deodato

2007-01-01

Here we report a mechanism that reduces dispersal of early developing stages and larvae in a free-spawning intertidal and shallow subtidal tunicate, Pyura praeputialis (Heller 1878), in the Bay of Antofagasta, Chile. The spawning of gametes by the tunicate into the naturally turbulent aerated seawater decreases their surface tension and induces the formation of a bio-foam. Water collected from foamy intertidal pools and tide channels showed a high concentration of P. praeputialis early developing stages and tadpole larvae in the foam. Because gametes are synchronically spawned for external fertilization and larvae settle near adults, our results suggest that this bio-foam increases fertilization success and effective settlement of their short-lived larvae in the vicinity of the adults spawning the gametes. This mechanism reinforces published evidence suggesting that local retention of intertidal and inshore marine invertebrate larvae may be more common than previously thought, offering, for instance, new perspectives for the design and networking of marine protected and management areas. PMID:17984045

Bio-foam enhances larval retention in a free-spawning marine tunicate.

PubMed

Castilla, Juan Carlos; Manríquez, Patricio H; Delgado, Alejandro P; Gargallo, Ligia; Leiva, Angel; Radic, Deodato

2007-11-13

Here we report a mechanism that reduces dispersal of early developing stages and larvae in a free-spawning intertidal and shallow subtidal tunicate, Pyura praeputialis (Heller 1878), in the Bay of Antofagasta, Chile. The spawning of gametes by the tunicate into the naturally turbulent aerated seawater decreases their surface tension and induces the formation of a bio-foam. Water collected from foamy intertidal pools and tide channels showed a high concentration of P. praeputialis early developing stages and tadpole larvae in the foam. Because gametes are synchronically spawned for external fertilization and larvae settle near adults, our results suggest that this bio-foam increases fertilization success and effective settlement of their short-lived larvae in the vicinity of the adults spawning the gametes. This mechanism reinforces published evidence suggesting that local retention of intertidal and inshore marine invertebrate larvae may be more common than previously thought, offering, for instance, new perspectives for the design and networking of marine protected and management areas.

Nesting by Golden Eagles on the North Slope of the Brooks Range in Northeastern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Young, Donald D.; McIntyre, Carol L.; Bente, Peter J.; McCabe, Thomas R.; Ambrose, Robert E.

1995-01-01

Twenty-two Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) nesting territories and 31 occupied eagle nests were documented on the north slope of the Brooks Range in northeastern Alaska, 1988-1990, in an area previously thought to be marginal breeding habitat for eagles. The mean number of young/successful nest was 1.25 in 1988, 1.27 in 1989, and 1.13 in 1990; means did not differ significantly among years. Eighty percent (20/25) of the nestlings for which age was estimated were assumed to have successfully fledged. Nesting success was 79% (11/14) in 1989, the only year nesting success could be determined. Laying dates ranged from 23 March (1990) to 11 May (1989) with mean estimated laying dates differing significantly among years. Annual variation in nesting phenology coincided with annual differences in snow accumulations during spring. These results indicate that Golden Eagles consistently and successfully breed at the northern extent of their range in Alaska, although, productivity may be lower than that for eagles at more southern latitudes.

Assessing Layered Materials in Gale Crater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridges, N. T.

2001-01-01

The recent analysis of high resolution Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images of layered outcrops in equatorial regions reinforces two important ideas, which will probably eventually become paradigms, about Mars: 1) It has had a long, complex geologic history marked by change, as manifested in the different layers observed, and 2) Standing bodies of water existed for substantial lengths of time, indicating clement conditions possibly conducive to life. Although observations of layering and evidence for lakes and oceans has been reported for years based on Mariner 9 and Viking data, the MOC data show that this layering is much more pervasive and complex than previously thought. These layered sites are ideal for studying the geologic, and possibly biologic, history of Mars. Here, a layered site within Gale Crater is advocated as a Mars Exploration Rover (MER) target. This is one of the few layered areas within closed depressions (e.g., other craters and Vallis Marineris) that meets the landing site constraints and is accessible to both MER A and B.

Climate drivers of the Amazon forest greening.

PubMed

Wagner, Fabien Hubert; Hérault, Bruno; Rossi, Vivien; Hilker, Thomas; Maeda, Eduardo Eiji; Sanchez, Alber; Lyapustin, Alexei I; Galvão, Lênio Soares; Wang, Yujie; Aragão, Luiz E O C

2017-01-01

Our limited understanding of the climate controls on tropical forest seasonality is one of the biggest sources of uncertainty in modeling climate change impacts on terrestrial ecosystems. Combining leaf production, litterfall and climate observations from satellite and ground data in the Amazon forest, we show that seasonal variation in leaf production is largely triggered by climate signals, specifically, insolation increase (70.4% of the total area) and precipitation increase (29.6%). Increase of insolation drives leaf growth in the absence of water limitation. For these non-water-limited forests, the simultaneous leaf flush occurs in a sufficient proportion of the trees to be observed from space. While tropical cycles are generally defined in terms of dry or wet season, we show that for a large part of Amazonia the increase in insolation triggers the visible progress of leaf growth, just like during spring in temperate forests. The dependence of leaf growth initiation on climate seasonality may result in a higher sensitivity of these ecosystems to changes in climate than previously thought.

Plasmodium vivax Hospitalizations in a Monoendemic Malaria Region: Severe Vivax Malaria?

PubMed Central

Quispe, Antonio M.; Pozo, Edwar; Guerrero, Edith; Durand, Salomón; Baldeviano, G. Christian; Edgel, Kimberly A.; Graf, Paul C. F.; Lescano, Andres G.

2014-01-01

Severe malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax is no longer considered rare. To describe its clinical features, we performed a retrospective case control study in the subregion of Luciano Castillo Colonna, Piura, Peru, an area with nearly exclusive vivax malaria transmission. Severe cases and the subset of critically ill cases were compared with a random set of uncomplicated malaria cases (1:4). Between 2008 and 2009, 6,502 malaria cases were reported, including 106 hospitalized cases, 81 of which fit the World Health Organization definition for severe malaria. Of these 81 individuals, 28 individuals were critically ill (0.4%, 95% confidence interval = 0.2–0.6%) with severe anemia (57%), shock (25%), lung injury (21%), acute renal failure (14%), or cerebral malaria (11%). Two potentially malaria-related deaths occurred. Compared with uncomplicated cases, individuals critically ill were older (38 versus 26 years old, P < 0.001), but similar in other regards. Severe vivax malaria monoinfection with critical illness is more common than previously thought. PMID:24752683

Plasmodium vivax hospitalizations in a monoendemic malaria region: severe vivax malaria?

PubMed

Quispe, Antonio M; Pozo, Edwar; Guerrero, Edith; Durand, Salomón; Baldeviano, G Christian; Edgel, Kimberly A; Graf, Paul C F; Lescano, Andres G

2014-07-01

Severe malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax is no longer considered rare. To describe its clinical features, we performed a retrospective case control study in the subregion of Luciano Castillo Colonna, Piura, Peru, an area with nearly exclusive vivax malaria transmission. Severe cases and the subset of critically ill cases were compared with a random set of uncomplicated malaria cases (1:4). Between 2008 and 2009, 6,502 malaria cases were reported, including 106 hospitalized cases, 81 of which fit the World Health Organization definition for severe malaria. Of these 81 individuals, 28 individuals were critically ill (0.4%, 95% confidence interval = 0.2-0.6%) with severe anemia (57%), shock (25%), lung injury (21%), acute renal failure (14%), or cerebral malaria (11%). Two potentially malaria-related deaths occurred. Compared with uncomplicated cases, individuals critically ill were older (38 versus 26 years old, P < 0.001), but similar in other regards. Severe vivax malaria monoinfection with critical illness is more common than previously thought. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

A novel role for visual perspective cues in the neural computation of depth

PubMed Central

Kim, HyungGoo R.; Angelaki, Dora E.; DeAngelis, Gregory C.

2014-01-01

As we explore a scene, our eye movements add global patterns of motion to the retinal image, complicating visual motion produced by self-motion or moving objects. Conventionally, it has been assumed that extra-retinal signals, such as efference copy of smooth pursuit commands, are required to compensate for the visual consequences of eye rotations. We consider an alternative possibility: namely, that the visual system can infer eye rotations from global patterns of image motion. We visually simulated combinations of eye translation and rotation, including perspective distortions that change dynamically over time. We demonstrate that incorporating these “dynamic perspective” cues allows the visual system to generate selectivity for depth sign from motion parallax in macaque area MT, a computation that was previously thought to require extra-retinal signals regarding eye velocity. Our findings suggest novel neural mechanisms that analyze global patterns of visual motion to perform computations that require knowledge of eye rotations. PMID:25436667

What do we know about maternal-fetal attachment?

PubMed

Shieh, C; Kravitz, M; Wang, H H

2001-09-01

A review of the literature suggests that there are three critical attributes related to the concept of maternal-fetal attachment, including cognitive, affective, and altruistic attachment. Cognitive attachment is the desire to know the baby. Affective attachment is the pleasure associated with thoughts of or interaction with the fetus. Altruistic attachment refers to a desire to protect the unborn child. Existing measurements on maternal-fetal attachment are developed based on low-risk and white pregnant women and previous research has not yet resulted in a consistent theoretical model. Future research should focus on development of culturally sensitive instruments and combining qualitative and quantitative measures to broaden theoretical understanding of the concept. Nursing assessment of maternal-fetal attachment is an on-going process. The nurse's role is to reassure those who have developed attachment to their fetuses and to motivate those who are unaware of or unconcerned about their attachment to their fetuses. Collecting data from different attributes of attachment helps nurses identify each woman's attachment patterns and areas of concern.

The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States.

PubMed

Loss, Scott R; Will, Tom; Marra, Peter P

2013-01-01

Anthropogenic threats, such as collisions with man-made structures, vehicles, poisoning and predation by domestic pets, combine to kill billions of wildlife annually. Free-ranging domestic cats have been introduced globally and have contributed to multiple wildlife extinctions on islands. The magnitude of mortality they cause in mainland areas remains speculative, with large-scale estimates based on non-systematic analyses and little consideration of scientific data. Here we conduct a systematic review and quantitatively estimate mortality caused by cats in the United States. We estimate that free-ranging domestic cats kill 1.4-3.7 billion birds and 6.9-20.7 billion mammals annually. Un-owned cats, as opposed to owned pets, cause the majority of this mortality. Our findings suggest that free-ranging cats cause substantially greater wildlife mortality than previously thought and are likely the single greatest source of anthropogenic mortality for US birds and mammals. Scientifically sound conservation and policy intervention is needed to reduce this impact.

Chikungunya virus infection.

PubMed

Sam, I-C; AbuBakar, S

2006-06-01

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus which causes epidemic fever, rash and polyarthralgia in Africa and Asia. Two outbreaks have been reported in Malaysia, in Klang, Selangor (1998) and Bagan Panchor, Perak (2006). It is not known if the outbreaks were caused by the recent introduction of CHIKV, or if the virus was already circulating in Malaysia. Seroprevalence studies from the 1960s suggested previous disease activity in certain parts of the country. In Asia, CHIKV is thought to be transmitted by the same mosquitoes as dengue, Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Due to similarities in clinical presentation with dengue, limited awareness, and a lack of laboratory diagnostic capability, CHIKV is probably often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed as dengue. Treatment is supportive. The prognosis is generally good, although some patients experience chronic arthritis. With no vaccine or antiviral available, prevention and control depends on surveillance, early identification of outbreaks, and vector control. CHIKV should be borne in mind in sporadic cases, and in patients epidemiologically linked to ongoing local or international outbreaks or endemic areas.

Dental calculus reveals Mesolithic foragers in the Balkans consumed domesticated plant foods.

PubMed

Cristiani, Emanuela; Radini, Anita; Edinborough, Marija; Borić, Dušan

2016-09-13

Researchers agree that domesticated plants were introduced into southeast Europe from southwest Asia as a part of a Neolithic "package," which included domesticated animals and artifacts typical of farming communities. It is commonly believed that this package reached inland areas of the Balkans by ∼6200 calibrated (cal.) BC or later. Our analysis of the starch record entrapped in dental calculus of Mesolithic human teeth at the site of Vlasac in the Danube Gorges of the central Balkans provides direct evidence that already by ∼6600 cal. BC, if not earlier, Late Mesolithic foragers of this region consumed domestic cereals, such as Triticum monococcum, Triticum dicoccum, and Hordeum distichon, which were also the main crops found among Early Neolithic communities of southeast Europe. We infer that "exotic" Neolithic domesticated plants were introduced to southern Europe independently almost half a millennium earlier than previously thought, through networks that enabled exchanges between inland Mesolithic foragers and early farming groups found along the Aegean coast of Turkey.

[Professional self-perception, resources, stress and job satisfaction of psychologists in rehabilitation centres].

PubMed

Reese, C; Bengel, J; Mittag, O

2014-07-01

Psychologists from rehabilitation centres were surveyed about their current job situation. Following areas were included: (a) professional self-perception, (b) occupational resources and stress, (c) job satisfaction. A nationwide survey of psychologists of all rehabilitation centres in Germany was conducted. Overall, 1,461 rehabilitation centres of all specialties were contacted in writing, of which 623 psychologists participated in the survey. Some of the results can be compared with reference data from previous surveys. The professional self-perception has hardly changed over the last 10 years. Counselling and psychotherapy in one-to-one sessions and group interventions still play an essential role. Overall, job satisfaction and resources are high. General job satisfaction can be best predicted by career opportunities and opportunities for qualification. The results of the study indicate which resources should be strengthened in order to enhance job satisfaction of psychologists in medical rehabilitation. Particular thought should be given to improving career opportunities for psychologists in rehabilitation centres. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Dental calculus reveals Mesolithic foragers in the Balkans consumed domesticated plant foods

PubMed Central

Cristiani, Emanuela; Radini, Anita; Edinborough, Marija; Borić, Dušan

2016-01-01

Researchers agree that domesticated plants were introduced into southeast Europe from southwest Asia as a part of a Neolithic “package,” which included domesticated animals and artifacts typical of farming communities. It is commonly believed that this package reached inland areas of the Balkans by ∼6200 calibrated (cal.) BC or later. Our analysis of the starch record entrapped in dental calculus of Mesolithic human teeth at the site of Vlasac in the Danube Gorges of the central Balkans provides direct evidence that already by ∼6600 cal. BC, if not earlier, Late Mesolithic foragers of this region consumed domestic cereals, such as Triticum monococcum, Triticum dicoccum, and Hordeum distichon, which were also the main crops found among Early Neolithic communities of southeast Europe. We infer that “exotic” Neolithic domesticated plants were introduced to southern Europe independently almost half a millennium earlier than previously thought, through networks that enabled exchanges between inland Mesolithic foragers and early farming groups found along the Aegean coast of Turkey. PMID:27573829

A Dynamical Systems Explanation of the Hurst Effect and Atmospheric Low-Frequency Variability

PubMed Central

Franzke, Christian L. E.; Osprey, Scott M.; Davini, Paolo; Watkins, Nicholas W.

2015-01-01

The Hurst effect plays an important role in many areas such as physics, climate and finance. It describes the anomalous growth of range and constrains the behavior and predictability of these systems. The Hurst effect is frequently taken to be synonymous with Long-Range Dependence (LRD) and is typically assumed to be produced by a stationary stochastic process which has infinite memory. However, infinite memory appears to be at odds with the Markovian nature of most physical laws while the stationarity assumption lacks robustness. Here we use Lorenz's paradigmatic chaotic model to show that regime behavior can also cause the Hurst effect. By giving an alternative, parsimonious, explanation using nonstationary Markovian dynamics, our results question the common belief that the Hurst effect necessarily implies a stationary infinite memory process. We also demonstrate that our results can explain atmospheric variability without the infinite memory previously thought necessary and are consistent with climate model simulations. PMID:25765880

Heavy Metals, Cardiovascular Disease, and the Unexpected Benefits of Edetate Disodium Chelation Therapy

PubMed Central

Lamas, Gervasio A.; Navas-Acien, Ana; Mark, Daniel B.; Lee, Kerry L.

2016-01-01

This review summarizes evidence from 2 lines of research previously thought unrelated: the unexpectedly positive results of the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT), and a body of epidemiological data showing that accumulation of biologically active metals, such as lead and cadmium, is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Considering these 2 areas of work together may lead to the identification of new, modifiable risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We examine the history of chelation up through the report of TACT. We then describe work connecting higher metal levels in the body with the future risk of cardiovascular disease. We conclude by presenting a brief overview of a newly planned National Institutes of Health trial, TACT2, in which we will attempt to replicate the findings of TACT and to establish that removal of toxic metal stores from the body is a plausible mechanistic explanation for the benefits of edetate disodium treatment. PMID:27199065

Heavy Metals, Cardiovascular Disease, and the Unexpected Benefits of Chelation Therapy.

PubMed

Lamas, Gervasio A; Navas-Acien, Ana; Mark, Daniel B; Lee, Kerry L

2016-05-24

This review summarizes evidence from 2 lines of research previously thought to be unrelated: the unexpectedly positive results of TACT (Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy), and a body of epidemiological data showing that accumulation of biologically active metals, such as lead and cadmium, is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Considering these 2 areas of work together may lead to the identification of new, modifiable risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We examine the history of chelation up through the report of TACT. We then describe work connecting higher metal levels in the body with the future risk of cardiovascular disease. We conclude by presenting a brief overview of a newly planned National Institutes of Health trial, TACT2, in which we will attempt to replicate the findings of TACT and to establish that removal of toxic metal stores from the body is a plausible mechanistic explanation for the benefits of edetate disodium treatment. Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A revision of the Solanum elaeagnifolium clade (Elaeagnifolium clade; subgenus Leptostemonum, Solanaceae)

PubMed Central

Knapp, Sandra; Sagona, Eva; Carbonell, Anna K.Z.; Chiarini, Franco

2017-01-01

Abstract The Solanum elaeagnifolium clade (Elaeagnifolium clade) contains five species of small, often rhizomatous, shrubs from deserts and dry forests in North and South America. Members of the clade were previously classified in sections Leprophora, Nycterium and Lathyrocarpum, and were not thought to be closely related. The group is sister to the species-rich monophyletic Old World clade of spiny solanums. The species of the group have an amphitropical distribution, with three species in Mexico and the southwestern United States and three species in Argentina. Solanum elaeagnifolium occurs in both North and South America, and is a noxious invasive weed in dry areas worldwide. Members of the group are highly variable morphologically, and this variability has led to much synonymy, particularly in the widespread S. elaeagnifolium. We here review the taxonomic history, morphology, relationships and ecology of these species and provide keys for their identification, descriptions, full synonymy (including designations of lectotypes) and nomenclatural notes. Illustrations, distribution maps and preliminary conservation assessments are provided for all species. PMID:29033654

Two Billion Years of Magmatism in One Place on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, G. J.

2017-05-01

Thomas Lapen and Minako Righter (University of Houston), and colleagues at Aarhus University (Denmark), the Universities of Washington (Seattle), Wisconsin (Madison), California (Berkeley), and Arizona (Tucson), and Purdue University (Indiana) show that a geochemically-related group of Martian meteorites formed over a much longer time span than thought previously. So-called depleted shergottites formed during the time interval 325 to 600 million years ago, but now age dating on a recently discovered Martian meteorite, Northwest Africa (NWA) 7635, extends that interval by 1800 million years to 2400 million years. NWA 7635 and almost all other depleted shergottites were ejected from Mars in the same impact event, as defined by their same cosmic-ray exposure age of 1 million years, so all resided in one small area on Mars. This long time span of volcanic activity in the same place on the planet indicates that magma production was continuous, consistent with geophysical calculations of magma generation in plumes of hot mantle rising from the core-mantle boundary deep inside Mars.

Stability of methane in reduced C-O-H fluid at 6.3 GPa and 1300-1400°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokol, A. G.; Tomilenko, A. A.; Bul'bak, T. A.; Palyanova, G. A.; Palyanov, Yu. N.; Sobolev, N. V.

2017-06-01

The composition of a reduced C-O-H fluid was studied by the method of chromatography-mass spectrometry under the conditions of 6.3 GPa, 1300-1400°C, and fO2 typical of the base of the subcratonic lithosphere. Fluids containing water (4.4-96.3 rel. %), methane (37.6-0.06 rel. %), and variable concentrations of ethane, propane, and butane were obtained in experiments. With increasing fO2, the proportion of the CH4/C2H6 peak areas on chromatograms first increases and then decreases, whereas the CH4/C3H8 and CH4/C4H10 ratios continually decrease. The new data show that ethane and heavier HCs may be more stable to oxidation, than previously thought. Therefore, when reduced fluids pass the "redox-front," carbon is not completely released from the fluid and may be involved in diamond formation.

Sex, gender role orientation, gender role attitudes and suicidal thoughts in three generations. A general population study.

PubMed

Hunt, Kate; Sweeting, Helen; Keoghan, Margaret; Platt, Stephen

2006-08-01

Suicide and other suicidal behaviours are markedly (though differently) patterned by gender. The increase in young male suicide rates in many countries has heightened interest in whether suicidal behaviours and ideation (thoughts) are related to masculinity. Relatively little research has explored the relationship between gender role attitudes and orientation and suicidal behaviours and ideation. Most research in this area has been conducted with young people. We investigated whether gender role orientation (masculinity and femininity scores) and gender role attitudes were related to the reporting of serious suicidal thoughts in three generations (early adulthood, and early and late middle age) in a community sample. Subjects (653 men and women aged around 23 years, 754 aged around 43 years, 722 aged around 63 years) completed home interviews with nurses as part of an ongoing longitudinal community-based study of social factors and health. These included measures of suicidal ideation (thoughts), attitudes to traditional gender roles, and a validated measure of gender role orientation (masculinity and femininity scores). The prevalence of serious suicidal thoughts was higher in early adulthood (10% men, 15% women) than in early (4% men, 8% women) and late (6% men, 5% women) middle age. In early adulthood only sex was significantly related to suicidal thoughts, with women at higher risk (adjusted OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.01-3.00). In early middle age masculinity scores were negatively related to suicidal thoughts (adjusted OR for each unit increase in score 0.65: 95% CI 0.46-0.93), and more traditional views on gender roles were positively associated with suicidal thoughts (adjusted OR 1.48: 95% CI 1.07-2.04). In late middle age trends were in the same direction as in early middle age, but were not statistically significant. Femininity scores were unrelated to serious suicidal thoughts at any age. The high rates of suicidal thoughts amongst men and women in early adulthood point to the importance of understanding mental health problems at this age. The results raise a number of questions and suggest that suicide researchers should pay more attention to gender roles and attitudes in older adults.

A reevaluation of the anatomy of the jaw-closing system in the extant coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutel, Hugo; Herrel, Anthony; Clément, Gaël; Herbin, Marc

2013-11-01

The coelacanth Latimeria is the only extant representative of the Actinistia, a group of sarcopterygian fishes that originated in the Devonian. Moreover, it is the only extant vertebrate in which the neurocranium is divided into an anterior and a posterior portion that articulate by means of an intracranial joint. This joint is thought to be highly mobile, allowing an elevation of the anterior portion of the skull during prey capture. Here we provide a new description of the skull and jaw-closing system in Latimeria chalumnae in order to better understand its skull mechanics during prey capture. Based on a dissection and the CT scanning of an adult coelacanth, we provide a detailed description of the musculature and ligaments of the jaw system. We show that the m. adductor mandibulae is more complex than previously reported. We demonstrate that the basicranial muscle inserts more anteriorly than has been described previously, which has implications for its function. Moreover, the anterior insertion of the basicranial muscle does not correspond to the posterior tip of the tooth plate covering the parasphenoid, questioning previous inferences made on fossil coelacanths and other sarcopterygian fishes. Strong ligaments connect the anterior and the posterior portions of the skull at the level of the intracranial joint, as well as the notochord and the catazygals. These observations suggest that the intracranial joint is likely to be less mobile than previously thought and that its role during feeding merits to be reexamined.

Sexy thoughts: effects of sexual cognitions on testosterone, cortisol, and arousal in women.

PubMed

Goldey, Katherine L; van Anders, Sari M

2011-05-01

Previous research suggests that sexual stimuli increase testosterone (T) in women and shows inconsistent effects of sexual arousal on cortisol (C), but effects of cognitive aspects of arousal, rather than behaviors or sensory stimuli, are unclear. The present study examined whether sexual thoughts affect T or C and whether hormonal contraceptive (HC) use moderated this effect, given mixed findings of HC use confounding hormone responses. Participants (79 women) provided a baseline saliva sample for radioimmunoassay. We created the Imagined Social Situation Exercise (ISSE) to test effects of imagining social interactions on hormones, and participants were assigned to the experimental (sexual) or one of three control (positive, neutral, stressful) conditions. Participants provided a second saliva sample 15 min post-activity. Results indicated that for women not using HCs, the sexual condition increased T compared to the stressful or positive conditions. In contrast, HC using women in the sexual condition had decreased T relative to the stressful condition and similar T to the positive condition. The effect was specific to T, as sexual thoughts did not change C. For participants in the sexual condition, higher baseline T predicted larger increases in sexual arousal but smaller increases in T, likely due to ceiling effects on T. Our results suggest that sexual thoughts change T but not C, baseline T levels and HC use may contribute to variation in the T response to sexual thoughts, and cognitive aspects of sexual arousal affect physiology. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Drinking to Cope With Depressive Symptoms and Ruminative Thinking: A Multiple Mediation Model Among College Students.

PubMed

Bravo, Adrian J; Pearson, Matthew R; Henson, James M

2017-01-02

Understanding the potential psychosocial mechanisms that explain (i.e., mediate) the associations between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related problems can improve interventions targeting college students. The current research examined four distinct facets of rumination (e.g., problem-focused thoughts, counterfactual thinking, repetitive thoughts, and anticipatory thoughts) and drinking to cope motives as potential explanatory mechanisms by which depressive symptoms are associated with increased alcohol-related problems. Participants were undergraduate students from a large, southeastern university in the United States that consumed at least one drink per typical week in the previous month (n = 403). The majority of participants were female (n = 291; 72.2%), identified as being either White, non-Hispanic (n = 210; 52.1%), or African American (n = 110; 27.3%), and reported a mean age of 21.92 (SD = 5.75) years. Structural equation modeling was conducted examining the concurrent associations between depressive symptoms, rumination facets, drinking to cope motives, and alcohol-related problems (i.e., cross-sectional). There was one significant double-mediated association that suggested that increased depressive symptoms is associated with increased problem-focused thoughts, which is associated with higher drinking to cope motives and alcohol-related problems. Conclusions/Importance: Our results suggests that problem-focused thoughts at least partially explains the associations between depression and maladaptive coping (i.e., drinking to cope), which in turn is related to problematic drinking among college students. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Neurally and mathematically motivated architecture for language and thought.

PubMed

Perlovsky, L I; Ilin, R

2010-01-01

Neural structures of interaction between thinking and language are unknown. This paper suggests a possible architecture motivated by neural and mathematical considerations. A mathematical requirement of computability imposes significant constraints on possible architectures consistent with brain neural structure and with a wealth of psychological knowledge. How language interacts with cognition. Do we think with words, or is thinking independent from language with words being just labels for decisions? Why is language learned by the age of 5 or 7, but acquisition of knowledge represented by learning to use this language knowledge takes a lifetime? This paper discusses hierarchical aspects of language and thought and argues that high level abstract thinking is impossible without language. We discuss a mathematical technique that can model the joint language-thought architecture, while overcoming previously encountered difficulties of computability. This architecture explains a contradiction between human ability for rational thoughtful decisions and irrationality of human thinking revealed by Tversky and Kahneman; a crucial role in this contradiction might be played by language. The proposed model resolves long-standing issues: how the brain learns correct words-object associations; why animals do not talk and think like people. We propose the role played by language emotionality in its interaction with thought. We relate the mathematical model to Humboldt's "firmness" of languages; and discuss possible influence of language grammar on its emotionality. Psychological and brain imaging experiments related to the proposed model are discussed. Future theoretical and experimental research is outlined.

Neurally and Mathematically Motivated Architecture for Language and Thought

PubMed Central

Perlovsky, L.I; Ilin, R

2010-01-01

Neural structures of interaction between thinking and language are unknown. This paper suggests a possible architecture motivated by neural and mathematical considerations. A mathematical requirement of computability imposes significant constraints on possible architectures consistent with brain neural structure and with a wealth of psychological knowledge. How language interacts with cognition. Do we think with words, or is thinking independent from language with words being just labels for decisions? Why is language learned by the age of 5 or 7, but acquisition of knowledge represented by learning to use this language knowledge takes a lifetime? This paper discusses hierarchical aspects of language and thought and argues that high level abstract thinking is impossible without language. We discuss a mathematical technique that can model the joint language-thought architecture, while overcoming previously encountered difficulties of computability. This architecture explains a contradiction between human ability for rational thoughtful decisions and irrationality of human thinking revealed by Tversky and Kahneman; a crucial role in this contradiction might be played by language. The proposed model resolves long-standing issues: how the brain learns correct words-object associations; why animals do not talk and think like people. We propose the role played by language emotionality in its interaction with thought. We relate the mathematical model to Humboldt’s “firmness” of languages; and discuss possible influence of language grammar on its emotionality. Psychological and brain imaging experiments related to the proposed model are discussed. Future theoretical and experimental research is outlined. PMID:21673788

Orienting attention to visual or verbal/auditory imagery differentially impairs the processing of visual stimuli.

PubMed

Villena-González, Mario; López, Vladimir; Rodríguez, Eugenio

2016-05-15

When attention is oriented toward inner thoughts, as spontaneously occurs during mind wandering, the processing of external information is attenuated. However, the potential effects of thought's content regarding sensory attenuation are still unknown. The present study aims to assess if the representational format of thoughts, such as visual imagery or inner speech, might differentially affect the sensory processing of external stimuli. We recorded the brain activity of 20 participants (12 women) while they were exposed to a probe visual stimulus in three different conditions: executing a task on the visual probe (externally oriented attention), and two conditions involving inward-turned attention i.e. generating inner speech and performing visual imagery. Event-related potentials results showed that the P1 amplitude, related with sensory response, was significantly attenuated during both task involving inward attention compared with external task. When both representational formats were compared, the visual imagery condition showed stronger attenuation in sensory processing than inner speech condition. Alpha power in visual areas was measured as an index of cortical inhibition. Larger alpha amplitude was found when participants engaged in an internal thought contrasted with the external task, with visual imagery showing even more alpha power than inner speech condition. Our results show, for the first time to our knowledge, that visual attentional processing to external stimuli during self-generated thoughts is differentially affected by the representational format of the ongoing train of thoughts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ambivalence over emotional expression, intrusive thoughts, and posttraumatic stress symptoms among Chinese American breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Lu, Qian; Yeung, Nelson; Man, Jenny; Gallagher, Matthew W; Chu, Qiao; Deen, Sidra H

2017-10-01

Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are common among breast cancer survivors. However, the association and the underlying mediating mechanism between psychosocial factors and PTSS were rarely investigated among breast cancer survivors. Previous studies have suggested the importance of emotional expression in cancer survivors' PTSS. This study examined the association between ambivalence over emotional expression (AEE; defined as the conflict between the desire to express feelings and the fear of its consequences) and PTSS, and proposed intrusive thoughts as the mediators in such an association. We tested this proposed mediation model among Chinese breast cancer survivors whose culture discourages emotional expression. Participants were 118 Chinese-speaking breast cancer survivors in the USA, who were diagnosed with breast cancer of stages 0-III within the past 5 years. They completed questionnaires measuring their levels of AEE, PTSS, and intrusive thoughts. AEE was positively associated with intrusive thoughts (r = 0.43, p < 01), which were positively associated with the arousal and avoidance subscales of PTSS (r = 0.68 and r = 0.62, respectively, p < .01). Path analysis supported a partial mediation model with an indirect effect from AEE to the latent variable of PTSS (with both arousal and avoidance as indicators) via intrusive thoughts (β = 0.29; 95% CI= 0.18, 0.42) and the direct effect from AEE to the latent variable of PTSS (β = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.07, 0.35), all p < .001. Those who are highly ambivalent about emotion expression tend to have higher PTSS, and this may be partially due to the lack of opportunities to discuss emotional events, thereby increasing the repetitive cancer-related negative thoughts. Intervention for PTSS should consider helping cancer patients to develop adaptive emotional regulation strategies to reduce the detrimental effects of cancer-related intrusive thoughts.

Status and distribution of mangrove forests of the world using earth observation satellite data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giri, C.; Ochieng, E.; Tieszen, L.L.; Zhu, Z.; Singh, A.; Loveland, T.; Masek, J.; Duke, N.

2011-01-01

Aim Our scientific understanding of the extent and distribution of mangrove forests of the world is inadequate. The available global mangrove databases, compiled using disparate geospatial data sources and national statistics, need to be improved. Here, we mapped the status and distributions of global mangroves using recently available Global Land Survey (GLS) data and the Landsat archive.Methods We interpreted approximately 1000 Landsat scenes using hybrid supervised and unsupervised digital image classification techniques. Each image was normalized for variation in solar angle and earth-sun distance by converting the digital number values to the top-of-the-atmosphere reflectance. Ground truth data and existing maps and databases were used to select training samples and also for iterative labelling. Results were validated using existing GIS data and the published literature to map 'true mangroves'.Results The total area of mangroves in the year 2000 was 137,760 km2 in 118 countries and territories in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Approximately 75% of world's mangroves are found in just 15 countries, and only 6.9% are protected under the existing protected areas network (IUCN I-IV). Our study confirms earlier findings that the biogeographic distribution of mangroves is generally confined to the tropical and subtropical regions and the largest percentage of mangroves is found between 5?? N and 5?? S latitude.Main conclusions We report that the remaining area of mangrove forest in the world is less than previously thought. Our estimate is 12.3% smaller than the most recent estimate by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. We present the most comprehensive, globally consistent and highest resolution (30 m) global mangrove database ever created. We developed and used better mapping techniques and data sources and mapped mangroves with better spatial and thematic details than previous studies. ?? 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Status and distribution of mangrove forests of the world using earth observation satellite data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giri, Chandra; Ochieng, E.; Tieszen, Larry L.; Zhu, Zhi-Liang; Singh, Ashbindu; Loveland, Thomas R.; Masek, Jeffery G.; Duke, Norm

2011-01-01

Aim  Our scientific understanding of the extent and distribution of mangrove forests of the world is inadequate. The available global mangrove databases, compiled using disparate geospatial data sources and national statistics, need to be improved. Here, we mapped the status and distributions of global mangroves using recently available Global Land Survey (GLS) data and the Landsat archive. Methods  We interpreted approximately 1000 Landsat scenes using hybrid supervised and unsupervised digital image classification techniques. Each image was normalized for variation in solar angle and earth–sun distance by converting the digital number values to the top-of-the-atmosphere reflectance. Ground truth data and existing maps and databases were used to select training samples and also for iterative labelling. Results were validated using existing GIS data and the published literature to map ‘true mangroves’. Results  The total area of mangroves in the year 2000 was 137,760 km2 in 118 countries and territories in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Approximately 75% of world's mangroves are found in just 15 countries, and only 6.9% are protected under the existing protected areas network (IUCN I-IV). Our study confirms earlier findings that the biogeographic distribution of mangroves is generally confined to the tropical and subtropical regions and the largest percentage of mangroves is found between 5° N and 5° S latitude. Main conclusions  We report that the remaining area of mangrove forest in the world is less than previously thought. Our estimate is 12.3% smaller than the most recent estimate by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. We present the most comprehensive, globally consistent and highest resolution (30 m) global mangrove database ever created. We developed and used better mapping techniques and data sources and mapped mangroves with better spatial and thematic details than previous studies.

Ozone Climate Penalty and Mortality in a Changing World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakami, A.; Zhao, S.; Pappin, A.; Mesbah, M.

2013-12-01

The expected increase in ozone concentrations with temperature is referred to as the climate penalty factor (CPF). Observed ozone trends have resulted in estimations of regional CPFs in the range of 1-3 ppb/K in the Eastern US, and larger values around the globe. We use the adjoint of a regional model (CMAQ) for attributing changes in ozone mortality and attainment metrics to increased temperature levels at each location in North America during the summer of 2007. Unlike previous forward sensitivity analysis studies, we estimate how changes in temperatures at various locations influence such policy-relevant metrics. Our analysis accounts for separate temperature impact pathways through gas-phase chemistry, moisture abundance, and biogenic emissions. We find that water vapor impact, while mostly negative, is positive and large for temperature changes in urban areas. We also find that increased biogenic emissions plays an important role in the overall temperature influence. Our simulations show a wide range of spatial variability in CPFs between -0.4 and 6.2 ppb/K with largest values in urban areas. We also estimate mortality-based CPFs of up to 4 deaths/K for each grid cell, again with large localization in urban areas. This amounts to an estimated 370 deaths/K for the 3-month period of the simulation. We find that this number is almost equivalent to 5% reduction in anthropogenic NOx emissions for each degree increase in temperature. We show how the CPF will change as the result progressive NOx emission controls from various anthropogenic sectors and sources at different locations. Our findings suggest that urban NOx control can be regarded as an adaptation strategy with regards to ozone air quality. Also, the strong temperature dependence in urban environments suggests that the health and attainment burden of urban heat island may be more substantial than previously thought. Spatial distribution of average adjoint-based CPFs Adjoint-based CPF and Mortality CPF (domainwide)

Impact of the "Like Minds, Like Mine" anti-stigma and discrimination campaign in New Zealand on anticipated and experienced discrimination.

PubMed

Thornicroft, Calum; Wyllie, Allan; Thornicroft, Graham; Mehta, Nisha

2014-04-01

The "Like Minds, Like Mine" anti-stigma and discrimination programme has been running in New Zealand since 1997. We aimed to investigate the nature and degree of anticipated and experienced discrimination reported by people with mental illness, and their views on whether the campaign was contributing to reductions in stigma and discrimination. Questionnaires were sent to randomly selected people who were representative of those who had recently used mental health services in New Zealand. The measure used was the modified Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC-12), adding questions on the effect of "Like Minds, Like Mine", and also assessing overall changes in discrimination in the previous 5 years. A total of 1135 participants completed the questionnaire. This included 225 Ma-ori, 196 Pacific, and 152 Asian persons. Over half of all participants reported improvement in discrimination over the previous 5 years, and 48% thought that the "Like Minds Like Mine" programme had assisted in reducing discrimination "moderately" or "a lot". Nevertheless, a clear majority (89%) reported experiencing at least "a little" unfair treatment in the previous 12 months due to their mental health problems. The primary source of both positive and negative discrimination was the family. Many (57%) participants had concealed or hidden their mental health problems from others, and 33% had stopped themselves from applying for work because they anticipated discrimination. Family, friendship, and social life were the most common areas of discrimination reported by the participants; however, many believed the overall level of discrimination had reduced over the previous 5 years. Overall, these results characterize the nature of stigma and discrimination anticipated and experienced by people with mental health problems and indicate modest but clear and positive recent progress in their reduction.

High bacterial diversity in epilithic biofilms of oligotrophic mountain lakes.

PubMed

Bartrons, Mireia; Catalan, Jordi; Casamayor, Emilio O

2012-11-01

Benthic microbial biofilms attached to rocks (epilithic) are major sites of carbon cycling and can dominate ecosystem primary production in oligotrophic lakes. We studied the bacterial community composition of littoral epilithic biofilms in five connected oligotrophic high mountain lakes located at different altitudes by genetic fingerprinting and clone libraries of the 16S rRNA gene. Different intra-lake samples were analyzed, and consistent changes in community structure (chlorophyll a and organic matter contents, and bacterial community composition) were observed along the altitudinal gradient, particularly related with the location of the lake above or below the treeline. Epilithic biofilm genetic fingerprints were both more diverse among lakes than within lakes and significantly different between montane (below the tree line) and alpine lakes (above the tree line). The genetic richness in the epilithic biofilm was much higher than in the plankton of the same lacustrine area studied in previous works, with significantly idiosyncratic phylogenetic composition (specifically distinct from lake plankton or mountain soils). Data suggest the coexistence of aerobic, anaerobic, phototrophic, and chemotrophic microorganisms in the biofilm, Bacteroidetes and Cyanobacteria being the most important bacterial taxa, followed by Alpha-, Beta-, Gamma-, and Deltaproteobacteria, Chlorobi, Planctomycetes, and Verrucomicrobia. The degree of novelty was especially high for epilithic Bacteroidetes, and up to 50 % of the sequences formed monophyletic clusters distantly related to any previously reported sequence. More than 35 % of the total sequences matched at <95 % identity to any previously reported 16S rRNA gene, indicating that alpine epilithic biofilms are unexplored habitats that contain a substantial degree of novelty within a short geographical distance. Further research is needed to determine whether these communities are involved in more biogeochemical pathways than previously thought.

Functional abnormalities in the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex during a semantic fluency task, and their association with thought disorder in patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Marumo, Kohei; Takizawa, Ryu; Kinou, Masaru; Kawasaki, Shingo; Kawakubo, Yuki; Fukuda, Masato; Kasai, Kiyoto

2014-01-15

Thought disorder is one of the primary symptoms in schizophrenia, yet the neural correlates and related semantic processing abnormalities remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the relationship between functional prefrontal abnormalities and thought disorder in schizophrenia using 2 types of verbal fluency tasks: the letter fluency task (LFT) and the category fluency task (CFT). Fifty-six adult patients with schizophrenia and 56 healthy controls matched for age, gender, and IQ participated in the study. During completion of the 2 types of verbal fluency tasks, we measured oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentration ([oxy-Hb] and [deoxy-Hb]) signal changes over a wide area of the bilateral prefrontal cortex, using a 52-channel near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) system. Thought disorder scores were evaluated using the positive and negative syndrome scale. CFT performance was significantly higher than LFT performance in both groups, while there was no significant difference in any prefrontal NIRS signal changes between the 2 tasks in either group. In both versions of verbal fluency task, healthy controls exhibited a significantly greater NIRS signal change than did patients with schizophrenia. On the CFT only, left ventrolateral prefrontal NIRS [deoxy-Hb] signals were significantly associated with thought disorder scores in patients with schizophrenia. Our results suggest that left ventrolateral prefrontal abnormalities in category fluency might be related to thought disorder in schizophrenia. This could lead to an improved understanding of the neural mechanisms within the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex involved in mediating semantic processing, as well as the relationship between semantic processing abnormalities and thought disorder in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infacts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL)

MedlinePlus

... functions such as sensation, voluntary muscle movement, thought, reasoning, memory, etc. Infarcts : areas of tissue that have ... therapy are instituted for rehabilitation from stroke. Other Clinical Names for CADASIL Hereditary multi-infarct dementia Chronic ...

Sexuality in advanced age in Jewish thought and law.

PubMed

David, Benjamin E; Weitzman, Gideon A

2015-01-01

Judaism has a positive attitude to sexual relations within a marriage, and views such sexual relations as important not only for procreation but also as part of the framework of marriage. This is true for any age group, and sexuality is seen as an essential element of marriage for couples of advanced age. In this article, the authors present the views of Jewish law and thought regarding sexuality among older couples. The authors illustrate this using 3 case studies of couples who sought guidance in the area of sexuality. In addition, this area of counseling benefits greatly from an ongoing relationship and dialogue between expert rabbis in the field and therapists treating older Orthodox Jewish patients for sexual dysfunction. The triad relationship of couple, therapist, and rabbi enhances the ability to treat and assist such couples to seek treatment and overcome their difficulties.

The Best That Has Been Thought and Said?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, Robin

2014-01-01

"FORUM" has marked the progress of the Cambridge Primary Review by three previous articles from Robin Alexander, the Review's director, and by critiques and responses from several others, notably "FORUM"'s Michael Armstrong. In 2013 the Review was superseded by the Cambridge Primary Review Trust, and this article is the text of…

Attitudes toward Nutrition, Locus of Control and Smoking Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corfield, V. Kilian; And Others

Research has shown that many behaviors previously thought to be purely psychological in origin do, in fact, have a physiological basis. To examine the relationship of smoking behavior to locus of control, and to attitudes toward, knowledge about, and behavior with respect to nutrition, 116 Canadian undergraduate students completed the Nutrition…

Study Links Learning Design to Changes in Knowledge, Beliefs, and Behaviors. Lessons from Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killion, Joellen

2015-01-01

In this study of 16 teachers in two primary schools in the Netherlands, researchers built on findings from previous studies to demonstrate that a thoughtfully designed professional development program can be "effective and sustainable, if certain conditions are met" (p. 772) in changing teachers' knowledge, beliefs, perceived problems,…

Implications of HEAO-3 data for the acceleration and propagation of galactic cosmic rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ormes, J. F.; Protheroe, R. J.

1983-01-01

The energy dependence of the mean escape length of cosmic rays from the galaxy in the light of recent measurements of cosmic ray abundances from the Danish-French experiment on HEAO-3 is re-examined. The energy dependence is found to be steeper than previously thought.

Gamma-ray astronomy in the medium energy (10-50 MeV) range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kniffen, D. A.; Bertsch, D. L.; Morris, D. J.; Palmeira, R. A. R.; Rao, K. R.

1977-01-01

To observe the medium energy component of the intense galactic center gamma-ray emission, two balloon flights of a medium energy gamma-ray spark chamber telescope were flown in Brazil in 1975. The results indicate the emission is higher than previously thought and above the predictions of a theoretical model proposed.

Using Concept Maps to Reveal Conceptual Typologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hay, David B.; Kinchin, Ian M.

2006-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explain and develop a classification of cognitive structures (or typologies of thought), previously designated as spoke, chain and network thinking by Kinchin "et al." Design/methodology/approach: The paper shows how concept mapping can be used to reveal these conceptual typologies and endeavours to place…

Seroprevalence of Alkhurma and other hemorrhagic fever viruses, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Memish, Ziad A; Albarrak, Ali; Almazroa, Mohammad A; Al-Omar, Ibrahim; Alhakeem, Rafat; Assiri, Abdullah; Fagbo, Shamsudeen; MacNeil, Adam; Rollin, Pierre E; Abdullah, Nageeb; Stephens, Gwen

2011-12-01

A 2009 deployment of military units from several Saudi Arabian provinces to Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia, enabled us to evaluate exposure to Alkhurma, Crimean-Congo, dengue, and Rift Valley hemorrhagic fever viruses. Seroprevalence to all viruses was low; however, Alkhurma virus seroprevalence was higher (1.3%) and less geographically restricted than previously thought.

Developmental Origins of Infant Emotion Regulation: Mediation by Temperamental Negativity and Moderation by Maternal Sensitivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Jenna C.; Letourneau, Nicole; Campbell, Tavis S.; Tomfohr-Madsen, Lianne; Giesbrecht, Gerald F.

2017-01-01

Emotion regulation is essential to cognitive, social, and emotional development and difficulties with emotion regulation portend future socioemotional, academic, and behavioral difficulties. There is growing awareness that many developmental outcomes previously thought to begin their development in the postnatal period have their origins in the…

Motivational Orientation, Error Monitoring, and Academic Performance in Middle Childhood: A Behavioral and Electrophysiological Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Kelly R.; Marshall, Peter J.; Nanayakkara, Ajantha R.

2009-01-01

Previous research suggests that academic motivation orientation relates to students' causal interpretations about academic outcomes and their emotional reactions to those outcomes. The current study examines how student motivation may relate to certain neurophysiological systems that are thought to underlie the processing of successes and…

First record of Stenoheriades Cockerell in tropical Asia: Stenoheriades bifida, new species (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The little known osmiine genus Stenoheriades, previously thought to be restricted to the Afrotropics and eastern Mediterranean, is here recorded from tropical Asia in the form of S. bifida, new species. This disjunct distribution adds to a growing list of endemic megachilids in southern India. The...

The Effects of Brain Damage on Visual Functioning in Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, P. K.

1990-01-01

The review of research concluded that, although brain damage affects visual functioning, the prognosis for good functional vision after remedial intervention is better than previously thought. Although electrodiagnostic testing was found to be valuable, use of a combination of tests is recommended to obtain the most complete picture of brain…

Depression or Grief? The Experience of Caregivers of People with Dementia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Rebecca J.; Pomeroy, Elizabeth C.

1996-01-01

Study of caregivers of people with dementia suggests that the depression so frequently described in the literature may not be as severe or clinically significant as previously thought and may be described as anticipatory grief. Results may assist practitioners in planning and evaluating the effectiveness of clinical interventions. (RJM)

Conflict Adaptation and Congruency Sequence Effects to Social-Emotional Stimuli in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worsham, Whitney; Gray, Whitney E.; Larson, Michael J.; South, Mikle

2015-01-01

Background: The modification of performance following conflict can be measured using conflict adaptation tasks thought to measure the change in the allocation of cognitive resources in order to reduce conflict interference and improve performance. While previous studies have suggested atypical processing during nonsocial cognitive control tasks,…

Will concern for biodiversity spell doom to tropical forest management?

Treesearch

A.E. Lugo

1999-01-01

Arguments against active tropical management are analyzed in light of available data and new research that shows tropical forests to be more resilient after disturbances than previously thought. Tropical forest management involves a diverse array of human activity embedded in a complex social and natural environment. Within this milieu, forest structure and composition...

Pedagogical Implications on Medical Students' Linguistic Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Yanling

2011-01-01

In this paper, an extended teaching implication is performed based on the study of medical students' linguistic needs in Tawian (Hwang, Lin, 2010). The aims of previous study were to provide a description of the linguistic needs and perceptions of medical students and faculty members in Taiwan. However, this paper put more thoughts on the…

PCB-153 AND BDE-47 INCREASE THYROXINE T4) CATABOLISM IN RAT AND HUMAN HEPATOCYTES

EPA Science Inventory

Previous studies demonstrate that in vivo exposure to 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153) and 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) decrease serum thyroxine (T4) levels in rats. This decrease is thought to occur through the induction of hepatic metabolizing enzymes ...

From the Fear of Death to the Fear of "Dissimilar Other": A Research in Elementary School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leondari, A.; Magos, K.; Oikonomou, A.

2014-01-01

Social stereotyping and prejudice constitute pressing societal problems and have many causes. Terror Management Theory offers a compelling and heavily researched account of individuals' reactions towards "dissimilar others" when faced with thoughts of mortality. Building from previous research with adult samples, the present study aimed…

Cortical Gray Matter in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batty, Martin J.; Liddle, Elizabeth B.; Pitiot, Alain; Toro, Roberto; Groom, Madeleine J.; Scerif, Gaia; Liotti, Mario; Liddle, Peter F.; Paus, Tomas; Hollis, Chris

2010-01-01

Objective: Previous studies have shown smaller brain volume and less gray matter in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Relatively few morphological studies have examined structures thought to subserve inhibitory control, one of the diagnostic features of ADHD. We examined one such region, the pars opercularis,…

The Graduate Outcome Project: Using Data from the Integrated Data Infrastructure Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rees, Malcolm

2014-01-01

This paper reports on progress to date with a project underway in New Zealand involving the extraction of data from multiple government agencies that is then combined into one comprehensive longitudinal integrated dataset and made available to trial participants in a way never previously thought possible. The dataset includes school leaver…

Seeing Deep Structure from the Interactions of Surface Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chi, Michelene T. H.; VanLehn, Kurt A.

2012-01-01

Transfer is typically thought of as requiring individuals to "see" what is the same in the deep structure between a new target problem and a previously encountered source problem, even though the surface features may be dissimilar. We propose that experts can "see" the deep structure by considering the first-order interactions…

Using Whole Language Materials in the Adult ESOL Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schiffer, Edward W.

A practicum explored the use of instructional materials based on the whole language approach to second language learning in adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction. The approach was implemented in a beginning ESL classroom at an adult education center that had previously used publisher textbooks, which were not thought to provide…

The floral hosts and distribution of a supposed creosote bush specialist, Colletes stepheni Timberlake (Hymenoptera: Colletidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Colletes stepheni Timberlake, previously thought to be a narrow oligolege of Larrea (creosote bush) of limited distribution in the Sonoran Desert, is found to be a much more widely distributed psammophile of the Sonoran, Mojave and Great Basin Deserts that utilizes two unrelated plant pollen sources...

Women, Education and the Big, Bad Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Jane

2011-01-01

History has a habit of ignoring women. Thirty years ago one thought that re-emerging women's movement would never be dumped in the same way previous feminist generations were consigned to the dustbin of history. It took feminist activists and scholars; women trade unionists and health workers; feminist writers, publishers and artists; and the…

Defining Business Communication Using the Movie "The Insider" as Mediator of Students' Thought Processes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez-Talavera, Leticia

Business communication is different from other domains in that its contextual meaning requires previous metacognitive mediation of signs. The communicative process in business is aimed at accomplishing a specific outcome. Various forms of meaning come into play in business communication such as denotative, connotative, stylistic, affective,…

Syndrome of mental retardation, seizures, hypotonic cerebral palsy and megalocorneae, recessively inherited.

PubMed

Neuhäuser, G; Kaveggia, E G; France, T D; Opitz, J M

1975-07-01

A previously apparently undescribed "syndrome" is reported in which megalocornea and iris anomalies are accompanied by minor facial and skeletal anomalies, severe mental retardation, hypotonia, and seizures. The condition was found in 3 siblings of one family and in 4 sporadic cases; it is thought to be recessively inherited.

Uncoupling protein expression in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in response to in vivo porcine somatotropin treatment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The uncoupling proteins are thought to be involved in waste heat production, reducing the energy efficiency of growth in animals. Previous studies have detected their presence in swine and their regulation by the endocrine system. This study attempted to determine whether the uncoupling proteins 2...

Distracted by Your Mind? Individual Differences in Distractibility Predict Mind Wandering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forster, Sophie; Lavie, Nilli

2014-01-01

Attention may be distracted from its intended focus both by stimuli in the external environment and by internally generated task-unrelated thoughts during mind wandering. However, previous attention research has focused almost exclusively on distraction by external stimuli, and the extent to which mind wandering relates to external distraction is…

The consequences of human-driven ocean acidification for marine life.

PubMed

Doney, Scott

2009-05-08

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide is causing a wholesale shift in surface seawater chemistry, potentially threatening many marine organisms that form shells and skeletons from calcium carbonate. Recent papers suggest that the biological consequences of ocean acidification already may be underway and may be more complex, nuanced and widespread than previously thought.

Early Career Teacher Attrition: New Thoughts on an Intractable Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallant, Andrea; Riley, Philip

2014-01-01

Early career exit from teaching has reached epidemic proportions and appears intractable. Previous attempts to find solutions are yet to make much of an inroad. The aim of the research was to discover what nine beginning teachers required to remain in the classroom, by adopting a phenomenological approach. The authors identified participants'…

Relationship of impaired processing speed and flexibility of abstract thought to improvements in work performance over time in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Lysaker, Paul H; Bryson, Gary J; Davis, Louanne W; Bell, Morris D

2005-06-15

Vocational impairments in schizophrenia have been widely linked to deficits in neurocognition. This study examined the possibility that deficits in visuomotor processing speed and flexibility in abstract thought may in combination be an especially potent risk factor for poorer levels of work performance in rehabilitation. Fifty-seven participants with confirmed diagnoses of schizophrenia spectrum disorders were administered the Digit Symbol Subtest and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and then offered work placements in a vocational rehabilitation program. Work performance was assessed biweekly over two months using the Work Behavior Inventory. Multivariate and univariate repeated ANOVA revealed that participants classified as having no impairments in either visuomotor processing speed and flexibility in abstract thought (n=14) had superior work performance compared to participants with deficits in either one area (n=20) or both areas (n=23). Additionally, participants with no impairments were the only group to show significant improvement in work performance over 7 weeks of rehabilitation. Participants with only one deficit had significantly better work performance than participants with both deficits but showed no statistically significant improvement in work performance. Results suggest assessments of these domains of neurocognition may provide important information about individual needs for adjunct services.

Absorption and metabolization of sex hormones and their transformation into contraceptive technologies: the paths taken by medical thought in Brazil.

PubMed

Bonan, Claudia; Teixeira, Luiz Antonio; Nakano, Andreza Rodrigues

2017-01-01

The article analyses knowledge assimilation and the development of clinical and research practices relating to sex hormones among Brazilian gynaecologists. It discusses the paths taken by medical thought from the reception of the hormones to their transformation into contraceptives. Our objective is to comprehend styles of introducing and disseminating medical technologies in the area of reproductive health in Brazil. It uses methods of historical analysis and takes as its source the Anais Brasileiros de Ginecologia, a journal published between 1936 and 1970. From the outset, the accompaniment of scientific breakthroughs in relation to sex hormones and their use to treat diverse female illnesses played a key role in the rapid medical acceptance of hormonal contraception. Scientific and technical questions (side effects, dosages) and the demographic issue formed part of the majority of the debates. Objections from the Catholic Church were considered but did not set the agenda of medical thought on contraceptives. The quest to consolidate gynaecology as a scientific, modern and cosmopolitan area of expertise, along with sanitary and demographic motives that allowed contraceptives to be classed as ethical drugs, are identified as processes underlying the assimilation and metabolization of sex hormones as hormonal contraceptives.

Chronic pancreatitis.

PubMed

Yang, Dennis; Forsmark, Chris E

2017-09-01

Summarize key clinical advances in chronic pancreatitis reported in 2016. Early diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis remains elusive. Recent studies suggest that endoscopic ultrasound may be less accurate than previously thought and new MRI techniques may be helpful. Genetic predisposition may independently affect the clinical course of chronic pancreatitis and the risk for pancreatic cancer. Cigarette smoking may have a greater negative impact on chronic pancreatitis than previously thought and moderate alcohol consumption may be protective. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary for the treatment of type 3 diabetes and nutritional deficiencies in chronic pancreatitis. Although endoscopic therapy remains a reasonable first-line option in treating chronic pancreatitis and its complications, early surgical intervention may be indicated for pain in select patients. Newer endoscopic ultrasound and MRI techniques are being evaluated to help with the early diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. Both genetic predisposition and cigarette smoking are increasingly recognized as having a major impact in the course of the disease and the risk for pancreatic cancer. Endoscopic therapy is well tolerated and effective for the treatment of chronic pancreatitis and its complications although an early surgical approach for pain may be associated with improved clinical outcomes.

Influence of Caloric Vestibular Stimulation on Body Experience in Healthy Humans

PubMed Central

Schönherr, Andreas; May, Christian Albrecht

2016-01-01

The vestibular system has more connections with and influence on higher cortical centers than previously thought. These interactions with higher cortical centers and the phenomena that they elicit require a structural intact cerebral cortex. To date, little is known about the role and influence of the vestibular system on one’s body experience. In this study we show that caloric vestibular stimulation (CVS) in healthy participants has an effect on the perceptive component of one’s body experience. After CVS all participants showed a statistically significant difference of thigh width estimation. In contrast to previous studies, which demonstrated an influence of CVS on higher cortical centers with an intact cerebral cortex both the cognitive and affective component of body experience were not effected by the CVS. Our results demonstrate the influence of the vestibular system on body perception and emphasize its role in modulating different perceptive-qualities which contributes to our body experience. We found that CVS has a limited influence on one’s conscious state, thought process and higher cortical functions. PMID:27013995

Leishmania donovani: expression and characterization of Escherichia coli-expressed recombinant chitinase LdCHT1.

PubMed

Razek-Desouky, A; Specht, C A; Soong, L; Vinetz, J M

2001-12-01

Leishmania parasites produce chitinase activity (EC. 3.2.1.14) thought to be important in parasite-sandfly interactions and transmission of the parasite to the vertebrate host. Previous observations have suggested that parasite chitinases are involved in degradation of the sandfly peritrophic matrix and the chitinous layer of the cardiac valve cuticle. This chitinase activity is thought to produce an incompetent pharyngeal valve sphincter and a route of egress that allow Leishmania promastigotes to be regurgitated into the site of blood feeding. In the studies reported here, enzymatically active L. donovani chitinase LdCHT1 was expressed as a thioredoxin fusion protein in Escherichia coli strain AD494 (DE3). Recombinant LdCHT1 had a predominantly endochitinase activity, in contrast to previous reports of both exo- and endochitinase activities in axenic culture supernatants of diverse Leishmania spp. promastigotes. The predominant endochitinase activity of recombinant LdCHT1 is consistent with the presumed function of the enzyme in disrupting chitinous structures in the sandfly digestive system to allow transmission. Copyright 2001 Elsevier Science (USA).

Children's thoughts on the social exclusion of peers with intellectual or learning disabilities.

PubMed

Nowicki, E A; Brown, J; Stepien, M

2014-04-01

Previous research has shown that children with intellectual or learning disabilities are at risk for social exclusion by their peers but little is known of children's views on this topic. In this study, we used concept mapping to investigate elementary school children's thoughts on why they believe their peers with intellectual or learning disabilities are sometimes socially excluded at school. Participants were 49 grade five and six children who attended inclusive classrooms. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed. We extracted 49 unique statements from the transcribed data, and then invited participants to sort the statements into meaningful categories. Sorted data were entered into matrices, which were summed and analysed with multi-dimensional scaling and cluster analysis. A four-cluster solution provided the best conceptual fit for the data. Clusters reflected themes on (1) the thoughts and actions of other children; (2) differences in learning ability and resource allocation; (3) affect, physical characteristics and schooling; and (4) negative thoughts and behaviours. The overarching reason for social exclusion focused on differences between children with and without disabilities. This study also provided evidence that children are effective, reliable and competent participants in concept mapping. Educational and research implications are discussed. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, MENCAP & IASSIDD.

Removal of area CA3 from hippocampal slices induces postsynaptic plasticity at Schaffer collateral synapses that normalizes CA1 pyramidal cell discharge.

PubMed

Dumas, Theodore C; Uttaro, Michael R; Barriga, Carolina; Brinkley, Tiffany; Halavi, Maryam; Wright, Susan N; Ferrante, Michele; Evans, Rebekah C; Hawes, Sarah L; Sanders, Erin M

2018-06-21

Neural networks that undergo acute insults display remarkable reorganization. This injury related plasticity is thought to permit recovery of function in the face of damage that cannot be reversed. Previously, an increase in the transmission strength at Schaffer collateral to CA1 pyramidal cell synapses was observed after long-term activity reduction in organotypic hippocampal slices. Here we report that, following acute preparation of adult rat hippocampal slices and surgical removal of area CA3, input to area CA1 was reduced and Schaffer collateral synapses underwent functional strengthening. This increase in synaptic strength was limited to Schaffer collateral inputs (no alteration to temporoammonic synapses) and acted to normalize postsynaptic discharge, supporting a homeostatic or compensatory response. Short-term plasticity was not altered, but an increase in immunohistochemical labeling of GluA1 subunits was observed in the stratum radiatum (but not stratum moleculare), suggesting increased numbers of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors and a postsynaptic locus of expression. Combined, these data support the idea that, in response to the reduction in presynaptic activity caused by removal of area CA3, Schaffer collateral synapses undergo a relatively rapid increase in functional efficacy likely supported by insertion of more AMPARs, which maintains postsynaptic excitability in CA1 pyramidal neurons. This novel fast compensatory plasticity exhibits properties that would allow it to maintain optimal network activity levels in the hippocampus, a brain structure lauded for its ongoing experience-dependent malleability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. Final report. Volume 3. Appendix A

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

Davis, R.W.; Fargion, G.S.

1996-05-24

The purpose of the study was to determine the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in areas potentially affected by future oil and gas activities along the continental slope of the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. This 3.75 year project commenced 1 October 1991 and finished 15 July 1995. The study area was bounded by the Florida-Alabama border, the Texas-Mexico border, and the 100 m and 2,000 m isobaths. Cetacean distribution and abundance were determined from seasonal aerial and shipboard visual surveys and shipboard acoustic surveys. In addition, hydrographic data were collected in situ and by satellite remote sensing tomore » characterize cetacean habitat. Finally, tagging and tracking of sperm whales using satellite telemetry was attempted. Appendix A contains: the cetacean, trutle, and bird sighting data from all shipboard and aerial visual surveys; contact data from the shipboard acoustic survey; and the cetacean environmental profiles. Cetaceans were observed throughout the study area during all four seasons. Nineteen species were identified, including two species (melon-headed whales and Fraser`s dolphins) previously thought to be rare in the Gulf. Pantropical spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, clymene dolphins, striped dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, and melon-headed whales were the most common small cetaceans and the sperm whale was the most common large cetacean. The mean annual abundance for all cetaceans was estimated to be 19,198. Although the study area had complex and dynamic oceanography, bottom depth was the only environmental variable which correlated to cetacean distribution.« less

Using dye tracing to establish groundwater flow paths in a limestone marble aquifer, University of California, Santa Cruz, California

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

Hayes, J.; Bertschinger, V.; Aley, T.

1993-04-01

Areas underlain by karst aquifers are characterized by soluble rock with sinkholes, caves, and a complex underground drainage network. Groundwater issues such as flow direction, well pumping impacts, spring recharge areas, and potential contamination transport routes are greatly complicated by the unique structure of karst aquifers. Standard aquifer analysis techniques cannot be applied unless the structure of the karst aquifer is understood. Water soluble fluorescent dyes are a powerful tool for mapping the irregular subsurface connections and flow paths in karst aquifers. Mapping the subsurface connections allows reasonable estimates of the hydrologic behavior of the aquifer. Two different fluorescent dyesmore » were injected at two points in a limestone karst aquifer system beneath the University of California, Santa Cruz campus. Flow paths in the marble were thought to be closely tied to easily recognized geomorphic alignments of sinkholes associated with fault and fracture zones. The dye tests revealed unexpected and highly complex interconnections. These complex flow paths only partially corresponded to previous surface mapping and aerial photo analysis of fracture systems. Several interfingering but hydrologically unconnected flow paths evidently exist within the cavernous aquifer. For example, dye did not appear at some discharge springs close to the dye injection points, but did appear at more distant springs. This study shows how a dye tracing study in a small, well-defined limestone body can shed light on a variety of environmental and hydrological issues, including potential well pumping impact areas, wellhead protection and recharge areas, parking lot runoff injection to aquifers, and drainage routes from hazardous materials storage areas.« less

The First Estimates of Marbled Cat Pardofelis marmorata Population Density from Bornean Primary and Selectively Logged Forest.

PubMed

Hearn, Andrew J; Ross, Joanna; Bernard, Henry; Bakar, Soffian Abu; Hunter, Luke T B; Macdonald, David W

2016-01-01

The marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata is a poorly known wild cat that has a broad distribution across much of the Indomalayan ecorealm. This felid is thought to exist at low population densities throughout its range, yet no estimates of its abundance exist, hampering assessment of its conservation status. To investigate the distribution and abundance of marbled cats we conducted intensive, felid-focused camera trap surveys of eight forest areas and two oil palm plantations in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Study sites were broadly representative of the range of habitat types and the gradient of anthropogenic disturbance and fragmentation present in contemporary Sabah. We recorded marbled cats from all forest study areas apart from a small, relatively isolated forest patch, although photographic detection frequency varied greatly between areas. No marbled cats were recorded within the plantations, but a single individual was recorded walking along the forest/plantation boundary. We collected sufficient numbers of marbled cat photographic captures at three study areas to permit density estimation based on spatially explicit capture-recapture analyses. Estimates of population density from the primary, lowland Danum Valley Conservation Area and primary upland, Tawau Hills Park, were 19.57 (SD: 8.36) and 7.10 (SD: 1.90) individuals per 100 km2, respectively, and the selectively logged, lowland Tabin Wildlife Reserve yielded an estimated density of 10.45 (SD: 3.38) individuals per 100 km2. The low detection frequencies recorded in our other survey sites and from published studies elsewhere in its range, and the absence of previous density estimates for this felid suggest that our density estimates may be from the higher end of their abundance spectrum. We provide recommendations for future marbled cat survey approaches.

Evolution of the Northern Rockweed, Fucus distichus, in a Regime of Glacial Cycling: Implications for Benthic Algal Phylogenetics.

PubMed

Laughinghouse, Haywood Dail; Müller, Kirsten M; Adey, Walter H; Lara, Yannick; Young, Robert; Johnson, Gabriel

2015-01-01

Northern hemisphere rockweeds (Fucus) are thought to have evolved in the North Pacific and then spread to the North Atlantic following the opening of the Bering Strait. They have dispersed and widely speciated in the North Atlantic and its tributary seas. Fucus distichus is likely near the ancestral member of this genus, and studies have shown that there are several species/subspecies in this complex (i.e. F. evanescens and F. gardneri). We used phylogenetic and haplotype analyses to test the phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of F. distichus. Our data and subsequent analyses demonstrate that, unlike previous studies that lacked samples from an extensive geographical area of the Arctic and Subarctic, there is a distinct Arctic haplotype that is the source of subspecies in both the North Pacific and North Atlantic. Fucus distichus occupies a low tide zone habitat, and in Arctic/Subarctic regions it is adapted to the severe stress of sea ice coverage and disturbance during many months per year. We hypothesize that the very large geographic area of Arctic and Subarctic rocky shores available to this species during interglacials, supported by large Arctic/Subarctic fringe areas as well as unglaciated refugia during glacial cycles, provided a robust population and gene pool (described by the Thermogeographic Model). This gene pool dilutes that of the more fragmented and area-limited Temperate/Boreal area populations when they are brought together during glacial cycles. We suggest that similar subspecies complexes for a variety of Arctic/Subarctic shore biota should be examined further in this context, rather than arbitrarily being split up into numerous species.

The First Estimates of Marbled Cat Pardofelis marmorata Population Density from Bornean Primary and Selectively Logged Forest

PubMed Central

Hearn, Andrew J.; Ross, Joanna; Bernard, Henry; Bakar, Soffian Abu; Hunter, Luke T. B.; Macdonald, David W.

2016-01-01

The marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata is a poorly known wild cat that has a broad distribution across much of the Indomalayan ecorealm. This felid is thought to exist at low population densities throughout its range, yet no estimates of its abundance exist, hampering assessment of its conservation status. To investigate the distribution and abundance of marbled cats we conducted intensive, felid-focused camera trap surveys of eight forest areas and two oil palm plantations in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Study sites were broadly representative of the range of habitat types and the gradient of anthropogenic disturbance and fragmentation present in contemporary Sabah. We recorded marbled cats from all forest study areas apart from a small, relatively isolated forest patch, although photographic detection frequency varied greatly between areas. No marbled cats were recorded within the plantations, but a single individual was recorded walking along the forest/plantation boundary. We collected sufficient numbers of marbled cat photographic captures at three study areas to permit density estimation based on spatially explicit capture-recapture analyses. Estimates of population density from the primary, lowland Danum Valley Conservation Area and primary upland, Tawau Hills Park, were 19.57 (SD: 8.36) and 7.10 (SD: 1.90) individuals per 100 km2, respectively, and the selectively logged, lowland Tabin Wildlife Reserve yielded an estimated density of 10.45 (SD: 3.38) individuals per 100 km2. The low detection frequencies recorded in our other survey sites and from published studies elsewhere in its range, and the absence of previous density estimates for this felid suggest that our density estimates may be from the higher end of their abundance spectrum. We provide recommendations for future marbled cat survey approaches. PMID:27007219

Nondirective meditation activates default mode network and areas associated with memory retrieval and emotional processing.

PubMed

Xu, Jian; Vik, Alexandra; Groote, Inge R; Lagopoulos, Jim; Holen, Are; Ellingsen, Oyvind; Håberg, Asta K; Davanger, Svend

2014-01-01

Nondirective meditation techniques are practiced with a relaxed focus of attention that permits spontaneously occurring thoughts, images, sensations, memories, and emotions to emerge and pass freely, without any expectation that mind wandering should abate. These techniques are thought to facilitate mental processing of emotional experiences, thereby contributing to wellness and stress management. The present study assessed brain activity by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 14 experienced practitioners of Acem meditation in two experimental conditions. In the first, nondirective meditation was compared to rest. Significantly increased activity was detected in areas associated with attention, mind wandering, retrieval of episodic memories, and emotional processing. In the second condition, participants carried out concentrative practicing of the same meditation technique, actively trying to avoid mind wandering. The contrast nondirective meditation > concentrative practicing was characterized by higher activity in the right medial temporal lobe (parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala). In conclusion, the present results support the notion that nondirective meditation, which permits mind wandering, involves more extensive activation of brain areas associated with episodic memories and emotional processing, than during concentrative practicing or regular rest.

Nondirective meditation activates default mode network and areas associated with memory retrieval and emotional processing

PubMed Central

Xu, Jian; Vik, Alexandra; Groote, Inge R.; Lagopoulos, Jim; Holen, Are; Ellingsen, Øyvind; Håberg, Asta K.; Davanger, Svend

2014-01-01

Nondirective meditation techniques are practiced with a relaxed focus of attention that permits spontaneously occurring thoughts, images, sensations, memories, and emotions to emerge and pass freely, without any expectation that mind wandering should abate. These techniques are thought to facilitate mental processing of emotional experiences, thereby contributing to wellness and stress management. The present study assessed brain activity by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 14 experienced practitioners of Acem meditation in two experimental conditions. In the first, nondirective meditation was compared to rest. Significantly increased activity was detected in areas associated with attention, mind wandering, retrieval of episodic memories, and emotional processing. In the second condition, participants carried out concentrative practicing of the same meditation technique, actively trying to avoid mind wandering. The contrast nondirective meditation > concentrative practicing was characterized by higher activity in the right medial temporal lobe (parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala). In conclusion, the present results support the notion that nondirective meditation, which permits mind wandering, involves more extensive activation of brain areas associated with episodic memories and emotional processing, than during concentrative practicing or regular rest. PMID:24616684

Short-term monitoring of aridland lichen cover and biomass using photography and fatty acids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowker, M.A.; Johnson, N.C.; Belnap, J.; Koch, G.W.

2008-01-01

Biological soil crust (BSC) communities (composed of lichens, bryophytes, and cyanobacteria) may be more dynamic on short-time scales than previously thought, requiring new and informative short-term monitoring techniques. We used repeat digital photography and image analysis, which revealed a change in area of a dominant BSC lichen, Collema tenax. The data generated correlated well with gross photosynthesis (r=0.57) and carotenoid content (r=0.53), two variables that would be expected to be positively related to lichen area. We also extracted fatty acids from lichen samples and identified useful phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) indicators for the Collema mycobiont (20:1, 15:0, 23:0), and the Collema photobiont (18:3??3). The 18:3??3 correlated well with chlorophyll a (r=0.66), a more traditional proxy for cyanobacterial biomass. We also compared total PLFA as a proxy for total Collema biomass with our photographically generated areal change data, and found them to be moderately correlated (r=0.44). Areal change proved to be responsive on short-time scales, while fatty acid techniques were information-rich, providing data on biomass of lichens, and both photo- and mycobionts separately, in addition to the physiological status of the mycobiont. Both techniques should be refined and tested in field situations. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chelant Enhanced Solution Processing for Wafer Scale Synthesis of Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Thin Films.

PubMed

Ionescu, Robert; Campbell, Brennan; Wu, Ryan; Aytan, Ece; Patalano, Andrew; Ruiz, Isaac; Howell, Stephen W; McDonald, Anthony E; Beechem, Thomas E; Mkhoyan, K Andre; Ozkan, Mihrimah; Ozkan, Cengiz S

2017-07-25

It is of paramount importance to improve the control over large area growth of high quality molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) and other types of 2D dichalcogenides. Such atomically thin materials have great potential for use in electronics, and are thought to make possible the first real applications of spintronics. Here in, a facile and reproducible method of producing wafer scale atomically thin MoS 2 layers has been developed using the incorporation of a chelating agent in a common organic solvent, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Previously, solution processing of a MoS 2 precursor, ammonium tetrathiomolybdate ((NH 4 ) 2 MoS 4 ), and subsequent thermolysis was used to produce large area MoS 2 layers. Our work here shows that the use of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in DMSO exerts superior control over wafer coverage and film thickness, and the results demonstrate that the chelating action and dispersing effect of EDTA is critical in growing uniform films. Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR-STEM) indicate the formation of homogenous few layer MoS 2 films at the wafer scale, resulting from the novel chelant-in-solution method.

Universal Method for Creating Hierarchical Wrinkles on Thin-Film Surfaces.

PubMed

Jung, Woo-Bin; Cho, Kyeong Min; Lee, Won-Kyu; Odom, Teri W; Jung, Hee-Tae

2018-01-10

One of the most interesting topics in physical science and materials science is the creation of complex wrinkled structures on thin-film surfaces because of their several advantages of high surface area, localized strain, and stress tolerance. In this study, a significant step was taken toward solving limitations imposed by the fabrication of previous artificial wrinkles. A universal method for preparing hierarchical three-dimensional wrinkle structures of thin films on a multiple scale (e.g., nanometers to micrometers) by sequential wrinkling with different skin layers was developed. Notably, this method was not limited to specific materials, and it was applicable to fabricating hierarchical wrinkles on all of the thin-film surfaces tested thus far, including those of metals, two-dimensional and one-dimensional materials, and polymers. The hierarchical wrinkles with multiscale structures were prepared by sequential wrinkling, in which a sacrificial layer was used as the additional skin layer between sequences. For example, a hierarchical MoS 2 wrinkle exhibited highly enhanced catalytic behavior because of the superaerophobicity and effective surface area, which are related to topological effects. As the developed method can be adopted to a majority of thin films, it is thought to be a universal method for enhancing the physical properties of various materials.

Insights into the lithospheric architecture of Iberia and Morocco from teleseismic body-wave attenuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezada, Maximiliano J.

2017-11-01

The long and often complicated tectonic history of continental lithosphere results in lateral strength heterogeneities which in turn affect the style and localization of deformation. In this study, we produce a model for the attenuation structure of Iberia and northern Morocco using a waveform-matching approach on P-wave data from teleseismic deep-focus earthquakes. We find that attenuation is correlated with zones of intraplate deformation and seismicity, but do not find a consistent relationship between attenuation and recent volcanism. The main features of our model are low to moderate Δt* in the undeformed Tertiary basins of Spain and high Δt* in areas deformed by the Alpine orogeny. Additionally, low Δt* is found in areas where the Alboran slab is thought to be attached to the Iberian and African lithosphere, and high Δt* where it has detached. These features are robust with respect to inversion parameters, and are consistent with independent data. Very mild backazimuthal dependence of the measurements and comparison with previous results suggest that the source of the attenuation is sub-crustal. In line with other recent studies, the range of Δt* we observe is much larger than can be expected from lithospheric thickness or temperature variations.

The Implications of Interstellar Dust for the Cosmic Microwave Background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmelz, Joan T.; Verschuur, Gerrit

2018-01-01

A detailed comparison of the full range of PLANCK and WMAP data for small (2 deg by 2 deg) areas of sky and the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) ILC maps reveals that the structure of foreground dust may be more complex than previously thought. If 857 and 353 GHz emission is dominated by galactic dust at a distance < few hundred light years, then it should not resemble the cosmological ILC structure originating at a distance ~13 billion light years. In some areas of sky, however, we find strong morphological correlations, forcing us to consider the possibility that the foreground subtraction is not complete. Our data also show that there is no single answer for the question, “To what extent does dust contaminate the cosmologically important 143 GHz data?” In some directions, the contamination appears to be quite strong, but in others, it is less of an issue. This complexity needs to be taken in account in order to derive an accurate foreground mask in the quest to understand the CMB small-scale structure. We hope that a continued investigation of these data will lead to a definitive answer to the question above and, possibly, to new scientific insights on interstellar matter, the CMB, or both.

Decreased functional connectivity between ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens in Internet gaming disorder: evidence from resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Zhang, Jin-Tao; Ma, Shan-Shan; Yip, Sarah W; Wang, Ling-Jiao; Chen, Chao; Yan, Chao-Gan; Liu, Lu; Liu, Ben; Deng, Lin-Yuan; Liu, Qin-Xue; Fang, Xiao-Yi

2015-11-18

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has become an increasing mental health problem worldwide. Decreased resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) has been found in substance use and is thought to play an important role in the development of substance addiction. However, rsFC between the VTA and NAcc in a non-substance addiction, such as IGD, has not been assessed previously. The current study aimed to investigate: (1) if individuals with IGD exhibit alterations in VTA-NAcc functional connectivity; and (2) whether VTA-NAcc functional connectivity is associated with subjective Internet craving. Thirty-five male participants with IGD and 24 healthy control (HC) individuals participated in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Regions of interest (left NAcc, right NAcc and VTA) were selected based on the literature and were defined by placing spheres centered on Talairach Daemon coordinates. In comparison with HCs, individuals with IGD had significantly decreased rsFC between the VTA and right NAcc. Resting-state functional connectivity strength between the VTA and right NAcc was negatively correlated with self-reported subjective craving for the Internet. These results suggest possible neural functional similarities between individuals with IGD and individuals with substance addictions.

Environmental Contaminants and Terrestrial Vertebrates: Effects on Populations, Communities, and Ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

2000-01-01

The desire of resource managers, risk assessors, and the general public to better understand the consequences of environmental contamination has produced a strong and growing need for information on the effects of contaminants on populations and groups of species, and over moderate to large areas of land or water. However, the problems associated with research involving populations and groups of species or large and complex geographic areas, especially in terrestrial environments, are well known within the scientific community. With the previous thoughts in mind, an interactive symposium was held at the University of Maryland in October 1998. The purpose of the symposium was to review and critically evaluate our understanding of the effects of contaminants on terrestrial vertebrates at levels of organization above that of the individual. Invited background and technical presentations provided a common baseline of information for symposium participants. Discussion groups were then asked to critically evaluate the topics of two technical sessions. Several presentations of recent or ongoing research provided participants with examples of current approaches to assessments of the effects of contaminants on terrestrial vertebrates at the population or higher level of organization. The book consists of 10 chapters written by presenters at the symposium and three chapters conveying the reports of discussion group.

Diagnosis of human fascioliasis by stool and blood techniques: update for the present global scenario.

PubMed

Mas-Coma, S; Bargues, M D; Valero, M A

2014-12-01

Before the 1990s, human fascioliasis diagnosis focused on individual patients in hospitals or health centres. Case reports were mainly from developed countries and usually concerned isolated human infection in animal endemic areas. From the mid-1990s onwards, due to the progressive description of human endemic areas and human infection reports in developing countries, but also new knowledge on clinical manifestations and pathology, new situations, hitherto neglected, entered in the global scenario. Human fascioliasis has proved to be pronouncedly more heterogeneous than previously thought, including different transmission patterns and epidemiological situations. Stool and blood techniques, the main tools for diagnosis in humans, have been improved for both patient and survey diagnosis. Present availabilities for human diagnosis are reviewed focusing on advantages and weaknesses, sample management, egg differentiation, qualitative and quantitative diagnosis, antibody and antigen detection, post-treatment monitoring and post-control surveillance. Main conclusions refer to the pronounced difficulties of diagnosing fascioliasis in humans given the different infection phases and parasite migration capacities, clinical heterogeneity, immunological complexity, different epidemiological situations and transmission patterns, the lack of a diagnostic technique covering all needs and situations, and the advisability for a combined use of different techniques, at least including a stool technique and a blood technique.

Evolutionary History and Conservation Status of Cave Crayfishes Along the Cumberland Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buhay, J. E.; Crandall, K. A.

2005-05-01

Obligate cave-dwelling crayfish species are found only in southeastern United States, Mexico, and Cuba. Most species are considered to be endangered because of surface pollution threats to groundwater and small geographic distributions. There are currently three subterranean species of the genus Orconectes found along the Cumberland Plateau, a worldwide hotspot of cave biodiversity. The objectives of my dissertation research are to: 1) delineate species' boundaries using molecular genetic data in a phylogenetic framework, 2) examine evolutionary history of each species using Nested Clade Analysis, and 3) assess conservation status of each species using measures of effective population size and genetic diversity. This research project has uncovered a new species of cave crayfish along the border of Tennessee and Kentucky, an area previously thought to have "intergrades" between two subspecies of O. australis. It appears that Cambarus gentryi, a surface-dwelling burrowing species, is the closest living ancestor to the cave Orconectes assemblage on the Plateau. The origin appears to be Eastern Kentucky, with range expansions occuring southward down the Plateau. Although controversial, these cave species exhibit high levels of genetic diversity, especially in comparison to surface-dwellers. Conservation efforts should focus on protecting `high-traffic' areas to maintain gene flow and prevent isolation.

Striations, duration, migration and tidal response in deep tremor.

PubMed

Ide, Satoshi

2010-07-15

Deep tremor in subduction zones is thought to be caused by small repeating shear slip events on the plate interface with significant slow components. It occurs at a depth of about 30 kilometres and provides valuable information on deep plate motion and shallow stress accumulation on the fault plane of megathrust earthquakes. Tremor has been suggested to repeat at a regular interval, migrate at various velocities and be modulated by tidal stress. Here I show that some time-invariant interface property controls tremor behaviour, using precise location of tremor sources with event duration in western Shikoku in the Nankai subduction zone, Japan. In areas where tremor duration is short, tremor is more strongly affected by tidal stress and migration is inhibited. Where tremor lasts longer, diffusive migration occurs with a constant diffusivity of 10(4) m(2) s(-1). The control property may be the ratio of brittle to ductile areas, perhaps determined by the influence of mantle wedge serpentinization on the plate interface. The spatial variation of the controlling property seems to be characterized by striations in tremor source distribution, which follows either the current or previous plate subduction directions. This suggests that the striations and corresponding interface properties are formed through the subduction of inhomogeneous structure, such as seamounts, for periods as long as ten million years.

Hepatitis E Virus: Time to Change the Textbooks.

PubMed

Dalton, Harry R; Webb, Glynn W; Norton, Ben C; Woolson, Kathy L

Until recently, hepatitis E virus (HEV) was thought not to occur in developed countries. It is now clear that locally acquired HEV is common in such settings. HEV infection acquired in these areas differs from that in developing countries in a number of important aspects: it is caused by genotype 3 (and 4 in China and Japan), it mainly affects middle-aged/elderly males and it is zoonotic with a porcine primary host. Pig herds worldwide are infected with HEV genotype 3 and HEV has been found in the human food chain in a number of developed countries. However, the route of transmission is not fully understood, since most cases are not obviously associated with pigs/pig products. HEV can be transmitted by blood transfusion and surprisingly high numbers of asymptomatic blood donors are viremic at the time of donation: Germany 1:1,200, Netherlands 1:2,671, England 1:2,848. Our understanding of the clinical phenotype of HEV infection in humans has undergone a sea-change in recent years. Previously, HEV was thought to cause only acute self-limiting hepatitis. However, HEV may cause persistent disease in the immunocompromised. Patients with chronic HEV infection have no symptoms, but some develop rapidly progressive liver cirrhosis. The full clinical spectrum of HEV is still emerging. HEV has important extra-hepatic manifestations, which deserve further investigation. For example, HEV can cause a wide range of neurological illness. In particular, very recent data suggest that Guillain-Barré syndrome and neuralgic amyotrophy are associated with locally acquired HEV in approximately 5 and 10% of the cases, respectively. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Rule Encoding in Orbitofrontal Cortex and Striatum Guides Selection

PubMed Central

Castagno, Meghan D.; Hayden, Benjamin Y.

2016-01-01

Active maintenance of rules, like other executive functions, is often thought to be the domain of a discrete executive system. An alternative view is that rule maintenance is a broadly distributed function relying on widespread cortical and subcortical circuits. Tentative evidence supporting this view comes from research showing some rule selectivity in the orbitofrontal cortex and dorsal striatum. We recorded in these regions and in the ventral striatum, which has not been associated previously with rule representation, as macaques performed a Wisconsin Card Sorting Task. We found robust encoding of rule category (color vs shape) and rule identity (six possible rules) in all three regions. Rule identity modulated responses to potential choice targets, suggesting that rule information guides behavior by highlighting choice targets. The effects that we observed were not explained by differences in behavioral performance across rules and thus cannot be attributed to reward expectation. Our results suggest that rule maintenance and rule-guided selection of options are distributed processes and provide new insight into orbital and striatal contributions to executive control. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Rule maintenance, an important executive function, is generally thought to rely on dorsolateral brain regions. In this study, we examined activity of single neurons in orbitofrontal cortex and in ventral and dorsal striatum of macaques in a Wisconsin Card Sorting Task. Neurons in all three areas encoded rules and rule categories robustly. Rule identity also affected neural responses to potential choice options, suggesting that stored information is used to influence decisions. These results endorse the hypothesis that rule maintenance is a broadly distributed mental operation. PMID:27807165

Identification of viral and non-viral reverse transcribing elements in pineapple (Ananas comosus), including members of two new badnavirus species.

PubMed

Gambley, C F; Geering, A D W; Steele, V; Thomas, J E

2008-01-01

A previously published partial sequence of pineapple bacilliform virus was shown to be from a retrotransposon (family Metaviridae) and not from a badnavirus as previously thought. Two newly discovered sequence groups isolated from pineapple were associated with bacilliform virions and were transmitted by mealybugs. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that they were members of new badnavirus species. A third caulimovirid sequence was also amplified from pineapple, but available evidence suggests that this DNA is not encapsidated, but more likely derived from an endogenous virus.

Earthquake studies reveal the magmatic plumbing system of the Katmai volcanoes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thurber, Clifford; Murphy, Rachel; Prejean, Stephanie G.; Haney, Matthew M.; Bennington, Ninfa; Powell, Lee; Paskievitch, John F.

2012-01-01

Our main finding is that there is not a single large anomalous zone centered beneath Katmai Pass; rather there are several separate anomalous zones, one each beneath Katmai, Trident-Novarupta, and Martin-Mageik. Furthermore, the earthquakes are tightly clustered beneath the various volcanic centers, and are found to be systematically deeper than previously thought. Linear trends of earthquakes are also revealed, similar to features observed at other volcanoes, possibly outlining previously unidentified fault structures or indicating the path of migrating magma or magmatic fluids and gases.

Daily nest survival rates of Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus minimus): assessing local- and landscape-scale drivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanley, Thomas R.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Joanne Saher,; Theresa Childers,

2015-01-01

The Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus minimus) is a species of conservation concern and is a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act because of substantial declines in populations from historic levels. It is thought that loss, fragmentation, and deterioration of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitat have contributed to the decline and isolation of this species into seven geographically distinct subpopulations. Nest survival is known to be a primary driver of demography of Greater Sage-Grouse (C. urophasianus), but no unbiased estimates of daily nest survival rates (hereafter nest survival) exist for Gunnison Sage-Grouse or published studies identifying factors that influence nest survival. We estimated nest survival of Gunnison Sage-Grouse for the western portion of Colorado's Gunnison Basin subpopulation, and assessed the effects and relative importance of local- and landscape-scale habitat characteristics on nest survival. Our top performing model was one that allowed variation in nest survival among areas, suggesting a larger landscape-area effect. Overall nest success during a 38-day nesting period (egg-laying plus incubation) was 50% (daily survival rate; SE  =  0.982 [0.003]), which is higher than previous estimates for Gunnison Sage-Grouse and generally higher than published for the closely related Greater Sage-Grouse. We did not find strong evidence that local-scale habitat variables were better predictors of nest survival than landscape-scale predictors, nor did we find strong evidence that any of the habitat variables we measured were good predictors of nest survival. Nest success of Gunnison Sage-Grouse in the western portion of the Gunnison Basin was higher than previously believed.

Positive animal welfare states and reference standards for welfare assessment.

PubMed

Mellor, D J

2015-01-01

Developments in affective neuroscience and behavioural science during the last 10-15 years have together made it increasingly apparent that sentient animals are potentially much more sensitive to their environmental and social circumstances than was previously thought to be the case. It therefore seems likely that both the range and magnitude of welfare trade-offs that occur when animals are managed for human purposes have been underestimated even when minimalistic but arguably well-intentioned attempts have been made to maintain high levels of welfare. In light of these neuroscience-supported behaviour-based insights, the present review considers the extent to which the use of currently available reference standards might draw attention to these previously neglected areas of concern. It is concluded that the natural living orientation cannot provide an all-embracing or definitive welfare benchmark because of its primary focus on behavioural freedom. However assessments of this type, supported by neuroscience insights into behavioural motivation, may now carry greater weight when used to identify management practices that should be avoided, discontinued or substantially modified. Using currently accepted baseline standards as welfare reference points may result in small changes being accorded greater significance than would be the case if they were compared with higher standards, and this could slow the progress towards better levels of welfare. On the other hand, using "what animals want" as a reference standard has the appeal of focusing on the specific resources or conditions the animals would choose themselves and can potentially improve their welfare more quickly than the approach of making small increments above baseline standards. It is concluded that the cautious use of these approaches in different combinations could lead to recommendations that would more effectively promote positive welfare states in hitherto neglected areas of concern.

Constraining the Galactic structure parameters with the XSTPS-GAC and SDSS photometric surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, B.-Q.; Liu, X.-W.; Yuan, H.-B.; Robin, A. C.; Huang, Y.; Xiang, M.-S.; Wang, C.; Ren, J.-J.; Tian, Z.-J.; Zhang, H.-W.

2017-01-01

Photometric data from the Xuyi Schmidt Telescope Photometric Survey of the Galactic Anticentre (XSTPS-GAC) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) are used to derive the global structure parameters of the smooth components of the Milky Way. The data, which cover nearly 11 000 deg2 sky area and the full range of Galactic latitude, allow us to construct a globally representative Galactic model. The number density distribution of Galactic halo stars is fitted with an oblate spheroid that decays by power law. The best fitting yields an axis ratio and a power-law index κ = 0.65 and p = 2.79, respectively. The r-band differential star counts of three dwarf samples are then fitted with a Galactic model. The best-fitting model yielded by a Markov Chain Monte Carlo analysis has thin and thick disc scale heights and lengths of H1 = 322 pc and L1 = 2343 pc, H2 = 794 pc and L2 = 3638 pc, a local thick-to-thin disc density ratio of f2 = 11 per cent, and a local density ratio of the oblate halo to the thin disc of fh = 0.16 per cent. The measured star count distribution, which is in good agreement with the above model for most of the sky area, shows a number of statistically significant large-scale overdensities, including some of the previously known substructures, such as the Virgo overdensity and the so-called `north near structure', and a new feature between 150° < l < 240° and -1° < b < -5°, at an estimated distance between 1.0 and 1.5 kpc. The Galactic North-South asymmetry in the anticentre is even stronger than previously thought.

Rates of Dinitrogen Fixation and the Abundance of Diazotrophs in North American Coastal Waters Between Cape Hatteras and Georges Bank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulholland, M.R.; Bernhardt, P. W.; Blanco-Garcia, J. L.; Mannino, A.; Hyde, K.; Mondragon, E.; Turk, K.; Moisander, P. H.; Zehr, J. P.

2012-01-01

We coupled dinitrogen (N2) fixation rate estimates with molecular biological methods to determine the activity and abundance of diazotrophs in coastal waters along the temperate North American Mid-Atlantic continental shelf during multiple seasons and cruises. Volumetric rates of N2 fixation were as high as 49.8 nmol N L(sup -1) d(sup -1) and areal rates as high as 837.9 micromol N m(sup -2) d(sup -1) in our study area. Our results suggest that N2 fixation occurs at high rates in coastal shelf waters that were previously thought to be unimportant sites of N2 fixation and so were excluded from calculations of pelagic marine N2 fixation. Unicellular N2-fixing group A cyanobacteria were the most abundant diazotrophs in the Atlantic coastal waters and their abundance was comparable to, or higher than, that measured in oceanic regimes where they were discovered. High rates of N2 fixation and the high abundance of diazotrophs along the North American Mid-Atlantic continental shelf highlight the need to revise marine N budgets to include coastal N2 fixation. Integrating areal rates of N2 fixation over the continental shelf area between Cape Hatteras and Nova Scotia, the estimated N2 fixation in this temperate shelf system is about 0.02 Tmol N yr(sup -1), the amount previously calculated for the entire North Atlantic continental shelf. Additional studies should provide spatially, temporally, and seasonally resolved rate estimates from coastal systems to better constrain N inputs via N2 fixation from the neritic zone.

Real-time intraprocedural 18F-FDG PET/CT-guided biopsy using automated robopsy arm (ARA) in the diagnostic evaluation of thoracic lesions with prior inconclusive biopsy results: initial experience from a tertiary health care centre.

PubMed

Radhakrishnan, Renjith Kalathoorakathu; Mittal, Bhagwant Rai; Gorla, Arun Kumar Reddy; Basher, Rajender Kumar; Sood, Ashwani; Bal, Amanjit; Kalra, Naveen; Khandelwal, Niranjan; Singh, Navneet; Behera, Digambar

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and appraise the diagnostic utility of real time 18 F-FDG PET/CT-guided biopsy under automated robopsy arm (ARA) guidance for the evaluation of thoracic lesions with prior inconclusive biopsy results. PET/CT-guided biopsy of thoracic lesions was performed in patients who had at least one previous inconclusive biopsy. A total of 25 patients (male:female-18 males, 7 females; age: range, 13-75; mean, 53.7) were included in this study. All these patients underwent percutaneous needle biopsies under real-time PET/CT guidance using ARA (ROBIO-EX, Perfint healthcare Pvt Ltd, Chennai, India) needle navigation technique. Histopathology and clinical follow-up results were reviewed for assessing the accuracy of procedures. Adequate representative tissue sample could be retrieved in all the patients. No major procedure-related complications were encountered in any patient. Of the 25 procedures, 21 lesions were positive for malignancy and benign findings were observed in the other 4 lesions on histopathology. None of the patients required further biopsy in arriving at a final diagnosis. Overall diagnostic yield of the procedure was 100%. Real time 18 F-FDG PET/CT guidance for percutaneous biopsies of lung and mediastinal lesions is a feasible technique with potential utility in patients with previous inconclusive biopsy results. Advances in knowledge: 18 F-FDG PET/CT guidance reduces the sampling errors by specifically targeting areas of viability and avoiding necrosis/atelectasis. A navigational tool like ARA is thought to help in accurately targeting these areas.

Correlation and persistence of hunting and logging impacts on tropical rainforest mammals.

PubMed

Brodie, Jedediah F; Giordano, Anthony J; Zipkin, Elise F; Bernard, Henry; Mohd-Azlan, Jayasilan; Ambu, Laurentius

2015-02-01

Humans influence tropical rainforest animals directly via exploitation and indirectly via habitat disturbance. Bushmeat hunting and logging occur extensively in tropical forests and have large effects on particular species. But how they alter animal diversity across landscape scales and whether their impacts are correlated across species remain less known. We used spatially widespread measurements of mammal occurrence across Malaysian Borneo and recently developed multispecies hierarchical models to assess the species richness of medium- to large-bodied terrestrial mammals while accounting for imperfect detection of all species. Hunting was associated with 31% lower species richness. Moreover, hunting remained high even where richness was very low, highlighting that hunting pressure persisted even in chronically overhunted areas. Newly logged sites had 11% lower species richness than unlogged sites, but sites logged >10 years previously had richness levels similar to those in old-growth forest. Hunting was a more serious long-term threat than logging for 91% of primate and ungulate species. Hunting and logging impacts across species were not correlated across taxa. Negative impacts of hunting were the greatest for common mammalian species, but commonness versus rarity was not related to species-specific impacts of logging. Direct human impacts appeared highly persistent and lead to defaunation of certain areas. These impacts were particularly severe for species of ecological importance as seed dispersers and herbivores. Indirect impacts were also strong but appeared to attenuate more rapidly than previously thought. The lack of correlation between direct and indirect impacts across species highlights that multifaceted conservation strategies may be needed for mammal conservation in tropical rainforests, Earth's most biodiverse ecosystems. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Stratigraphy, artefact industries and hominid associations for Sterkfontein, member 5.

PubMed

Kuman, K; Clarke, R J

2000-06-01

A revised stratigraphy for the early hominid site of Sterkfontein (Gauteng Province, South Africa) reveals a complex distribution of infills in the main excavation area between 2.8 and 1.4 m.y.a, as well as deposits dating to the mid to late Pleistocene. New research now shows that the Member 4 australopithecine breccia (2.8-2.6 Ma) extends further west than was previously thought, while a late phase of Member 4 is recognized in a southern area. The artefact-bearing breccias were defined sedimentologically as Member 5, but one supposed part of these younger breccias, the StW 53 infill, lacks in situ stone tools, although it does appear to post-date 2.6 Ma when artefacts first appear in the archaeological record. The StW 53 hominid, previously referred to Homo habilis, is here argued to be Australopithecus. The first artefact-bearing breccia of Member 5 is the Oldowan Infill, estimated at 2-1.7 Ma. It occupies a restricted distribution in Member 5 east and contains an expedient, flake-based tool industry associated with a few fossils of Paranthropos robustus. An enlarged cave opening subsequently admitted one or more Early Acheulean infills associated in Member 5 west with Homo ergaster. The artefacts attest to a larger site accumulation between ca. 1.7 and 1.4 Ma, with more intensive use of quartzite over quartz and a subtle but important shift to large flakes and heavier-duty tools. The available information on palaeoenvironments is summarized, showing an overall change from tropical to sub-tropical gallery forest, forest fringe and woodland conditions in Member 4 to more open woodland and grassland habitats in the later units, but with suggestions of a wet localized topography in the Paranthropus -bearing Oldowan Infill. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

A new focus of Aedes japonicus japonicus (Theobald, 1901) (Diptera, Culicidae) distribution in Western Germany: rapid spread or a further introduction event?

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The Asian bush mosquito, Aedes japonicus japonicus, a potential vector of several viruses, was first detected in Germany in 2008 on the Swiss-German border. In the following years, this invasive species apparently succeeded in establishing populations in southern Germany and in spreading northwards. In 2011, its distribution area already covered large areas of the federal state of Baden-Wurttemberg, and its northernmost German collection point was reported to be close to Stuttgart. Several independent submissions to our laboratories of Ae. j. japonicus specimens in July 2012, originating from the same area in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany, prompted us to carry out an immediate surveillance in this region in the expectation of finding a further distribution focus of Ae. j. japonicus in Germany. Methods After inspecting the places of residence of the collectors of the submitted mosquito specimens, all kinds of water containers in 123 cemeteries in surrounding towns and villages were checked for mosquito developmental stages. These were collected and kept to produce adults for morphological species identification. One specimen per collection site was identified genetically by COI sequence analysis. Results Aedes j. japonicus adults and immature stages were found in 36 towns/villages that were checked (29%) over an area of approximately 2,000 km2 in southern North Rhine-Westphalia and northern Rhineland Palatinate. The species could not be demonstrated further south when monitoring towards the northernmost previous collection sites in southern Germany. It therefore remains to be elucidated whether the species has entered western Germany from the south, from Belgium in the west where it has been demonstrated to occur locally since 2002, or through a new introduction. Conclusions Aedes j. japonicus is obviously much more widely distributed in Germany than previously thought. It appears to be well adapted, to have a strong expansion tendency and to replace indigenous mosquito species. Thus, a further spread is anticipated and elimination seems hardly possible anymore. The vector potency of the species should be reason enough to thoroughly monitor its future development in Germany. PMID:23216741

Novela y costumbrismo (The Novel and "Costumbrismo")

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreras, Juan Ignacio

1970-01-01

Discusses assets and liabilities of novels laden with costumbrismo," a type of writing in Spanish literature, similar to local color writing, in which the speech, dress, mannerisms, habits of thought, and topography peculiar to a certain area are depicted. (DS)

On the apparent positions of T Tauri stars in the H-R diagram

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

Kenyon, S.J.; Hartmann, L.W.

1990-01-01

The spread in apparent luminosities of T Tauri stars caused by occultation and emission from protostellar disks is investigated. A random distribution of disk inclination angles, coupled with a plausible range of accretion rates, introduces a significant scatter in apparent luminosities for intrinsically identical stars. The observed dispersion of luminosities for K7-M1 Hayashi track stars thought to have disks in Taurus-Auriga is similar to predictions of the simple accretion disk model, which suggets that age determinations form many pre-main-sequence stars are uncertain. The results also suggest that Stahler's birthline for convective track pre-main-sequence stars may be located at slightly lowermore » luminosities than previously thought. 38 refs.« less

From Shattered Assumptions to Weakened Worldviews: Trauma Symptoms Signal Anxiety Buffer Disruption.

PubMed

Edmondson, Donald; Chaudoir, Stephenie R; Mills, Mary Alice; Park, Crystal L; Holub, Julie; Bartkowiak, Jennifer M

2011-01-01

The fundamental assertion of worldview-based models of posttraumatic stress disorder is that trauma symptoms result when traumatic experiences cannot be readily assimilated into previously held worldviews. In two studies, we test the anxiety buffer disruption hypothesis, which states that trauma symptoms result from the disruption of normal death anxiety-buffering functions of worldview. In Study 1, participants with trauma symptoms greater than the cutoff for PTSD evinced greater death-thought accessibility than those with sub-clinical or negligible symptoms after a reminder of death. In Study 2, participants with clinically significant trauma symptoms showed no evidence of worldview defense though death-thoughts were accessible. These results support the anxiety buffer disruption hypothesis, and suggest an entirely new approach to experimental PTSD research.

A thought construction of working perpetuum mobile of the second kind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Čápek, V.; Bok, J.

1999-12-01

The previously published model of the isothermal Maxwell demon as one of models of open quantum systems endowed with the faculty of selforganization is reconstructed here. It describes an open quantum system interacting with a single thermodynamic bath but otherwise not aided from outside. Its activity is given by the standard linear Liouville equation for the system and bath. Owing to its selforganization property, the model then yields cyclic conversion of heat from the bath into mechanical work without compensation. Hence, it provides an explicit thought construction of perpetuum mobile of the second kind, contradicting thus the Thomson formulation of the second law of thermodynamics. No approximation is involved as a special scaling procedure is used which makes the employed kinetic equations exact.

Ultraconserved regions encoding ncRNAs are altered in human leukemias and carcinomas.

PubMed

Calin, George A; Liu, Chang-gong; Ferracin, Manuela; Hyslop, Terry; Spizzo, Riccardo; Sevignani, Cinzia; Fabbri, Muller; Cimmino, Amelia; Lee, Eun Joo; Wojcik, Sylwia E; Shimizu, Masayoshi; Tili, Esmerina; Rossi, Simona; Taccioli, Cristian; Pichiorri, Flavia; Liu, Xiuping; Zupo, Simona; Herlea, Vlad; Gramantieri, Laura; Lanza, Giovanni; Alder, Hansjuerg; Rassenti, Laura; Volinia, Stefano; Schmittgen, Thomas D; Kipps, Thomas J; Negrini, Massimo; Croce, Carlo M

2007-09-01

Noncoding RNA (ncRNA) transcripts are thought to be involved in human tumorigenesis. We report that a large fraction of genomic ultraconserved regions (UCRs) encode a particular set of ncRNAs whose expression is altered in human cancers. Genome-wide profiling revealed that UCRs have distinct signatures in human leukemias and carcinomas. UCRs are frequently located at fragile sites and genomic regions involved in cancers. We identified certain UCRs whose expression may be regulated by microRNAs abnormally expressed in human chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and we proved that the inhibition of an overexpressed UCR induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Our findings argue that ncRNAs and interaction between noncoding genes are involved in tumorigenesis to a greater extent than previously thought.

Reduced activation in ventral striatum and ventral tegmental area during probabilistic decision-making in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Rausch, Franziska; Mier, Daniela; Eifler, Sarah; Esslinger, Christine; Schilling, Claudia; Schirmbeck, Frederike; Englisch, Susanne; Meyer-Lindenberg, Andreas; Kirsch, Peter; Zink, Mathias

2014-07-01

Patients with schizophrenia suffer from deficits in monitoring and controlling their own thoughts. Within these so-called metacognitive impairments, alterations in probabilistic reasoning might be one cognitive phenomenon disposing to delusions. However, so far little is known about alterations in associated brain functionality. A previously established task for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which requires a probabilistic decision after a variable amount of stimuli, was applied to 23 schizophrenia patients and 28 healthy controls matched for age, gender and educational levels. We compared activation patterns during decision-making under conditions of certainty versus uncertainty and evaluated the process of final decision-making in ventral striatum (VS) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). We replicated a pre-described extended cortical activation pattern during probabilistic reasoning. During final decision-making, activations in several fronto- and parietocortical areas, as well as in VS and VTA became apparent. In both of these regions schizophrenia patients showed a significantly reduced activation. These results further define the network underlying probabilistic decision-making. The observed hypo-activation in regions commonly associated with dopaminergic neurotransmission fits into current concepts of disrupted prediction error signaling in schizophrenia and suggests functional links to reward anticipation. Forthcoming studies with patients at risk for psychosis and drug-naive first episode patients are necessary to elucidate the development of these findings over time and the interplay with associated clinical symptoms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Advances in hepatitis E - II: Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, treatment and prevention.

PubMed

Goel, Amit; Aggarwal, Rakesh

2016-09-01

Infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the commonest cause of acute hepatitis worldwide. This infection, with fecal-oral transmission, was previously thought to be limited to humans residing in developing countries with poor sanitation, spreading via contaminated drinking water. In recent years, our understanding of epidemiology and clinical spectrum of this infection have changed markedly. This article reviews the epidemiology, including routes of transmission, and clinical manifestations of HEV infection around the world. In addition, recent findings on transmission-associated HEV infection, extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis E and chronic infection with HEV, and treatment and prevention of this infection are discussed. Expert commentary: HEV infection has two distinct epidemiologic forms and clinical patterns of disease: (i) acute epidemic or sporadic hepatitis caused by fecal-oral (usually water-borne) transmission of genotype 1 and 2 HEV from a human reservoir in areas with poor hygiene and frequent water contamination, and (ii) infrequent sporadic hepatitis E caused by zoonotic infection, possibly from an animal source through ingestion of undercooked animal meal, of genotype 3 or 4 virus. In disease-endemic areas, pregnant women are at a particular risk of serious disease and high mortality. In less-endemic areas, chronic infection with HEV among immunosuppressed persons is observed. HEV can also be transmitted through Transfusion of blood and blood products. Ribivirin treatment is effective in chronic hepatitis E. Two efficacious vaccines have been tried in humans; one of these has received marketing approval in its country of origin.

Seasonal occurrence of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) around Kelvin Seamount in the Sargasso Sea in relation to oceanographic processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Sarah N. P.; Whitehead, Hal

2014-09-01

Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are widely distributed in all oceans, but they are clumped geographically, generally in areas associated with high primary and secondary productivity. The warm, clear waters of the Sargasso Sea are traditionally thought to be low in productivity, however recent surveys have found large numbers of sperm whales there. The New England Seamount Chain bisects the north-western portion of the Sargasso Sea, and might influence the mesoscale eddies associated with the Gulf Stream; creating areas of higher productivity within the Sargasso Sea. We investigated the seasonal occurrence of sperm whales over Kelvin Seamount (part of the New England Seamount Chain) and how it is influenced by oceanographic variables. An autonomous recording device was deployed over Kelvin Seamount from May to June 2006 and November 2006 to June 2007. A total of 6505 hourly two-minute recordings were examined for the presence of sperm whale echolocation clicks. Sperm whales were more prevalent around Kelvin in the spring (April to June: mean=51% of recordings contained clicks) compared to the winter (November to March: mean=16% of recordings contained clicks). Sperm whale prevalence at Kelvin was related to chlorophyll-a concentration four weeks previous, eddy kinetic energy and month. The mesoscale activity associated with the Gulf Stream and the Gulf Stream's interaction with the New England Seamount Chain likely play an important role in sperm whale occurrence in this area, by increasing productivity and perhaps concentration of cephalopod species.

Conventional and array-based comparative genomic hybridization analysis of nasopharyngeal carcinomas from the Mediterranean area.

PubMed

Rodriguez, S; Khabir, A; Keryer, C; Perrot, C; Drira, M; Ghorbel, A; Jlidi, R; Bernheim, A; Valent, A; Busson, P

2005-03-01

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) occurs with a high incidence in Southeast Asia and to a lesser extent in the Mediterranean area, especially in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. Cellular gene alterations combined with latent Epstein-Barr virus infection are thought to be essential for NPC oncogenesis. To date, chromosome analysis with comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) has been reported exclusively for NPCs from Southeast Asia. Although NPCs from the Mediterranean area have several distinct clinical and epidemiological features, CGH investigations have been lacking. Chromosome analysis was therefore undertaken on a series of NPC xenografts and biopsies derived from patients of Mediterranean origin. Four xenografts were investigated with a combination of conventional CGH, array-based CGH, and comparative expressed sequence hybridization. In addition, 23 fresh NPC biopsies were analyzed with conventional CGH. Data obtained from xenografts and fresh biopsies were consistent, except that amplification of genes at 18p was observed only in xenografts derived from metastatic tissues. Frequent gains associated with gene overexpression were detected at 1q25 approximately qter (64%) and 12p13 (50%). Losses were noticed mainly at 11q14 approximately q23 (50%), 13q12 approximately q31 (50%), 14q24 approximately q31 (43%), and 3p13 approximately p23 (43%). Comparison with previous reports suggests that Mediterranean NPCs have higher frequencies of gains at 1q and losses at 13q than their Asian counterparts.

Clinical characteristics of patients with facial psoriasis in Malaysia.

PubMed

Syed Nong Chek, Sharifah Rosniza; Robinson, Suganthy; Mohd Affandi, Azura; Baharum, Nurakmal

2016-10-01

Psoriasis involving the face is visible and can cause considerable emotional distress to patients. Its presence may also confer a poorer prognosis for the patient. This study sought to evaluate the characteristics of facial psoriasis in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study conducted using data from the Malaysian Psoriasis Registry from 2007 to 2011. Specific risk factors, i.e., age, age of onset, gender, duration of disease, obesity group, body surface area, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), family history of psoriasis, nail involvement, psoriatic arthritis, phototherapy, systemic therapy, clinic visit, days of work/school, and hospital admission due to psoriasis in the last 6 months were analyzed. A total of 48.4% of patients had facial psoriasis. Variables significantly associated with facial psoriasis are younger age, younger age of onset of psoriasis of ≤ 40 years, male, severity of psoriasis involving >10% of the body surface area, higher DLQI of >10, nail involvement, and history of hospitalization due to psoriasis. This study found that facial psoriasis is not as rare as previously thought. Ambient ultraviolet light, sebum, and contact with chemicals from facial products may reduce the severity of facial psoriasis, but these factors do not reduce the prevalence of facial psoriasis. The association with younger age, younger age of onset, higher percentage of body surface area involvement, higher DLQI of > 10, nail involvement, and hospitalization due to psoriasis support the notion that facial psoriasis is a marker of severe disease. © 2016 The International Society of Dermatology.

Home in the heat: Dramatic seasonal variation in home range of desert golden eagles informs management for renewable energy development

USGS Publications Warehouse

Braham, Melissa A.; Miller, Tricia A.; Duerr, Adam E.; Lanzone, Michael J.; Fesnock, Amy; LaPre, Larry; Driscoll, Daniel; Katzner, Todd E.

2015-01-01

Renewable energy is expanding quickly with sometimes dramatic impacts to species and ecosystems. To understand the degree to which sensitive species may be impacted by renewable energy projects, it is informative to know how much space individuals use and how that space may overlap with planned development. We used global positioning system–global system for mobile communications (GPS-GSM) telemetry to measure year-round movements of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) from the Mojave Desert of California, USA. We estimated monthly space use with adaptive local convex hulls to identify the temporal and spatial scales at which eagles may encounter renewable energy projects in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan area. Mean size of home ranges was lowest and least variable from November through January and greatest in February–March and May–August. These monthly home range patterns coincided with seasonal variation in breeding ecology, habitat associations, and temperature. The expanded home ranges in hot summer months included movements to cooler, prey-dense, mountainous areas characterized by forest, grasslands, and scrublands. Breeding-season home ranges (October–May) included more lowland semi-desert and rock vegetation. Overlap of eagle home ranges and focus areas for renewable energy development was greatest when eagle home ranges were smallest, during the breeding season. Golden eagles in the Mojave Desert used more space and a wider range of habitat types than expected and renewable energy projects could affect a larger section of the regional population than was previously thought.

Long-term changes in deep-water fish populations in the northeast Atlantic: a deeper reaching effect of fisheries?

PubMed

Bailey, D M; Collins, M A; Gordon, J D M; Zuur, A F; Priede, I G

2009-06-07

A severe scarcity of life history and population data for deep-water fishes is a major impediment to successful fisheries management. Long-term data for non-target species and those living deeper than the fishing grounds are particularly rare. We analysed a unique dataset of scientific trawls made from 1977 to 1989 and from 1997 to 2002, at depths from 800 to 4800 m. Over this time, overall fish abundance fell significantly at all depths from 800 to 2500 m, considerably deeper than the maximum depth of commercial fishing (approx. 1600 m). Changes in abundance were significantly larger in species whose ranges fell at least partly within fished depths and did not appear to be consistent with any natural factors such as changes in fluxes from the surface or the abundance of potential prey. If the observed decreases in abundance are due to fishing, then its effects now extend into the lower bathyal zone, resulting in declines in areas that have been previously thought to be unaffected. A possible mechanism is impacts on the shallow parts of the ranges of fish species, resulting in declines in abundance in the lower parts of their ranges. This unexpected phenomenon has important consequences for fisheries and marine reserve management, as this would indicate that the impacts of fisheries can be transmitted into deep offshore areas that are neither routinely monitored nor considered as part of the managed fishery areas.

High-Altitude Aeolian Research on the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Zhibao; Hu, Guangyin; Qian, Guangqiang; Lu, Junfeng; Zhang, Zhengcai; Luo, Wanyin; Lyu, Ping

2017-12-01

Aeolian processes and their role in desertification have been studied extensively at low elevations but have been rarely studied at high elevations in areas such as the Tibetan Plateau, where aeolian processes were active in the geologic past and remain active today. In this review, we summarize research that improves our understanding of aeolian processes on the Tibetan Plateau, including the distribution, characteristics, and provenance of aeolian sediments; the history of aeolian activity; aeolian geomorphology; and wind-driven land degradation. Contemporary aeolian processes primarily occur in dry basins, in wide river valleys, on lakeshores, on mountain slopes, and on gravel pavements. Sediment characteristics suggest a local origin and provide interesting contrasts with those of China's Loess Plateau. The history of aeolian activity and its paleoclimatic implications, reconstructed based on aeolian archives, is short (mostly since the Late Glacial) and shows wide regional differences. Aeolian geomorphology is simple and suggests short formation time. Wind-driven land degradation is less severe than previously thought, driven by different factors in different areas, and exhibited complex interactions with freeze-thaw processes. Aeolian research has been conducted within the general framework of aeolian science but addresses issues specific to the Tibetan Plateau that arise due to the low air temperature, low air density, and the presence of a cryosphere. We propose six priorities for future research: aeolian physics, the effect of freeze-thaw cycles, comparisons with other areas, regional differences, effects of wind-driven land degradation, and integrated observation and monitoring.

Colonic stem cell data are consistent with the immortal model of stem cell division under non-random strand segregation.

PubMed

Walters, K

2009-06-01

Colonic stem cells are thought to reside towards the base of crypts of the colon, but their numbers and proliferation mechanisms are not well characterized. A defining property of stem cells is that they are able to divide asymmetrically, but it is not known whether they always divide asymmetrically (immortal model) or whether there are occasional symmetrical divisions (stochastic model). By measuring diversity of methylation patterns in colon crypt samples, a recent study found evidence in favour of the stochastic model, assuming random segregation of stem cell DNA strands during cell division. Here, the effect of preferential segregation of the template strand is considered to be consistent with the 'immortal strand hypothesis', and explore the effect on conclusions of previously published results. For a sample of crypts, it is shown how, under the immortal model, to calculate mean and variance of the number of unique methylation patterns allowing for non-random strand segregation and compare them with those observed. The calculated mean and variance are consistent with an immortal model that incorporates non-random strand segregation for a range of stem cell numbers and levels of preferential strand segregation. Allowing for preferential strand segregation considerably alters previously published conclusions relating to stem cell numbers and turnover mechanisms. Evidence in favour of the stochastic model may not be as strong as previously thought.

Facial Expression Recognition: Can Preschoolers with Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids Catch It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yifang; Su, Yanjie; Fang, Ping; Zhou, Qingxia

2011-01-01

Tager-Flusberg and Sullivan (2000) presented a cognitive model of theory of mind (ToM), in which they thought ToM included two components--a social-perceptual component and a social-cognitive component. Facial expression recognition (FER) is an ability tapping the social-perceptual component. Previous findings suggested that normal hearing…

An Empirical Approach to the St. Petersburg Paradox

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klyve, Dominic; Lauren, Anna

2011-01-01

The St. Petersburg game is a probabilistic thought experiment. It describes a game which seems to have infinite expected value, but which no reasonable person could be expected to pay much to play. Previous empirical work has centered around trying to find the most likely payoff that would result from playing the game n times. In this paper, we…

Paradigm Lost: The Human Chromosome Story.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unger, Lawrence; Blystone, Robert V.

1996-01-01

Discusses whether the discovery in 1956 that humans have a chromosome number of 46, as opposed to 47 or 48 as previously thought, fits into a paradigm shift of the Kuhnian type. Concludes that Kuhn probably would not have considered the chromosome number shift to be large enough to be a focus for one of his paradigms. (AIM)

Examining Thought Processes to Understand the Impact of Water Conservation Messages on Attitude

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rumble, Joy N.; Lamm, Alexa J.; Martin, Emmett T.; Warner, Laura A.

2017-01-01

Water availability issues have plagued many regions around the world and is viewed as the top issue facing the world. As a result, encouraging water conservation has become a priority for agricultural communicators. Previous research suggests strategically framed messages can impact attitudes about water conservation, but whether this change is a…

Activation of mouse and human Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-alpha (PPARa) by Perfluoroalkyl Acids(PFAAs): Further investigation of C4-C12 compounds.

EPA Science Inventory

Perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs) are manufactured surfactants found globally in the environment and in tissues of humans and wildlife. Several PFAAs adversely affect rodents and activation of PPARa is thought to be their mode of action. Our previous study demonstrated that some...

Personality Correlates of People Who Have Attempted Suicide and Those Who Have Seriously Considered It.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaminsky, Sarah; Chrisler, Joan C.

Depression and low self-esteem are commonly considered to be at the root of suicidal ideation. Previous research has examined the correlations between a lack of purpose in life and depression, low self-esteem, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts. This study investigated personality differences among student groups who have attempted suicide.…

Non-Traditional Tradition in the Heartland: Women's Choices in the Nebraska Gubernatorial Campaign.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardy-Short, Dayle C.

Although the Nebraska gubernatorial race was the first statewide race in which both candidates were women, women's issues were seldom raised--even though both candidates thought the women's movement had helped to make their previous campaigns successful. Because each candidate opposed abortion, neither was endorsed by any of the major women's…

A Qualitative Study of the Health-Related Quality of Life of Disabled Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Bridget; Rice, Helen; Dixon-Woods, Mary; Colver, Allan F.; Parkinson, Kathryn N.

2007-01-01

This qualitative study investigated what disabled children thought most important in their lives and examined how well their priorities are represented in KIDSCREEN, a generic health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument. Participants were a subgroup of families who had previously taken part in a study of quality of life and participation in…

Child Development and Structural Variation in the Human Genome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Ying; Haraksingh, Rajini; Grubert, Fabian; Abyzov, Alexej; Gerstein, Mark; Weissman, Sherman; Urban, Alexander E.

2013-01-01

Structural variation of the human genome sequence is the insertion, deletion, or rearrangement of stretches of DNA sequence sized from around 1,000 to millions of base pairs. Over the past few years, structural variation has been shown to be far more common in human genomes than previously thought. Very little is currently known about the effects…

Functionality of a maize chitinase potentially involved in ear rot pathogen resistance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chitinases are thought to play a role in plant resistance to fungal pathogens by degrading the fungal cell wall, but few have been investigated to any great extent. The gene for a maize (Zea mays) chitinase “chitinase 2” previously reported to be induced by two ear rot pathogens in infected tissues ...

Patterns of hybridization among cutthroat trout and rainbow trout in northern Rocky Mountain streams

Treesearch

Kevin S. McKelvey; Michael K. Young; Taylor M. Wilcox; Daniel M. Bingham; Kristine L. Pilgrim; Michael K. Schwartz

2016-01-01

Introgressive hybridization between native and introduced species is a growing conservation concern. For native cutthroat trout and introduced rainbow trout in western North America, this process is thought to lead to the formation of hybrid swarms and the loss of monophyletic evolutionary lineages. Previous studies of this phenomenon, however, indicated that...

Brain-Based Aspects of Cognitive Learning Approaches in Second Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moghaddam, Alireza Navid; Araghi, Seyed Mahdi

2013-01-01

Language learning process is one of the complicated behaviors of human beings which has called many scholars and experts' attention especially after the middle of last century by the advent of cognitive psychology that later on we see its implication to education. Unlike previous thought of schools, cognitive psychology deals with the way in which…

Conflicting Pathways to Participation in the FL Classroom: L2 Speech Production vs. L2 Thought Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernales, Carolina

2016-01-01

Previous research on foreign language classroom participation has shown that oral production has a privileged status compared to less salient forms of participation, such as mental involvement and engagement in class activities. This mixed-methods study presents an alternative look at classroom participation by investigating the relationship…

Sulfate Addition Increases Methylmercury Production in an Experimental Wetland

Treesearch

Jeff D. Jeremiason; Daniel R. Engstrom; Edward B. Swain; Edward A. Nater; Brian M. Johnson; James E. Almendinger; Bruce A. Monson; Randy K. Kolka

2006-01-01

Atmospheric mercury is the dominant Hg source to fish in northern Minnesota and elsewhere. However, atmospherically derived Hg must be methylated prior to accumulating in fish. Sulfate-reducing bacteria are thought to be the primary methylators of Hg in the environment. Previous laboratory and field mesocosm studies have demonstrated an increase in methylmercury (MeHg...